Medlab Middle East, the Mena regions largest laboratory exhibition and congress, returns to the Dubai World Trade Centre next week from February 5 to 8. This years event will feature 900 exhibitors from more than 40 countries, representing a 20% increase in exhibitors from last year. Now in its 23rd year, Medlab Middle East is expected to be attended by more than 30,000 attendees. A key highlight for this edition is a newly introduced NextGen Medicine Zone and Conference, which is hosted in partnership with Bahrain-based Express Med Diagnostics and Research. This innovative exhibition zone will showcase over 100 exhibitors and bring into focus a pioneering area in the medical laboratory field that aims to customise healthcare to individuals, using advanced technologies and new developments in medical science. NextGen Medicine Conference Taking place from February 5 to 6, the NextGen Medicine Conference will explore topics including early cancer detection, precision oncology, preventative health screening, longevity, developments in cancer genetics and oncogenomics as well as updates on Middle East genome projects. The conference will also explore the digitalisation aspects of NextGen Medicine which includes Artificial Intelligence (AI), bioinformatics, and the cybersecurity of data. The headline partner for the NextGen Medicine zone is Medsol, while the Premium partner is biosytech Medical Laboratory. Other exhibitors in the zone include Virtus, Purelab, Leader Life Sciences and Naizak. Attendees can stay up to date with the latest insights and innovations in NextGen Medicine at expert-led industry workshops. Running from February 5 to 7, the industry workshops are sponsored by Akoya Biosciences, nanoString, LaboShop, Atila BioSystems, biosytech, BioSkyrb and Nanopore Technologies. Tom Coleman, Exhibition Director for Informa Markets, said: Medlab Middle East provides a unique platform for the laboratory industry to showcase innovative products, state-of-the-art services, and cutting-edge solutions in a central global hub. One of the most exciting features of this year's exhibition is the NextGen Medicine Zone and Conference, which promises to be a game-changer in the field. This groundbreaking zone will bring together experts from around the world who will share the latest scientific advancements, providing a unique opportunity for industry professionals to learn and explore new possibilities. Medlab Middle East Congress Medlab Middle East Congress, the regions only multi-disciplinary congress, returns for another year. Offering 12 CME-accredited live in-person conferences throughout the four-day exhibition, the congress features over 130 speakers and 150 sessions, with over 4,000 delegates expected. NextGen Medicine and Clinical Genomic Interpretation are new additions to the Medlab Middle East congress this year, with returning tracks including Laboratory Management, Lab Quality Management, Clinical Chemistry, Immunology, Haematology, Clinical Microbiology, Blood Transfusion Medicine, Histopathology, Future of Lab and Sustainability in the Lab. In line with its long-term sustainability goals, Medlab Middle Middle East has introduced the Better Stands Programme, which aims to encourage exhibitors and their appointed contractors to create reusable, recyclable structures that have a life cycle beyond just a single event. Through a unified approach to sustainability, it is hoped that this initiative will reduce waste and lower the carbon footprint of the exhibition. Innovation will also take centre stage at Labpreneur, Medlab Middle Easts annual start-up competition. Held on the last day of the exhibition, Labpreneur features 10 shortlisted start-ups that have created revolutionary concepts for the medical laboratory field. The winner of the competition will receive complimentary stand space for Medlab Middle East 2025 along with a prestigious award. LabQ Fostering the talents of future scientists, Medlab Middle East will host the second edition of LabQ, an inter-college quiz competition for senior graduating college and university students majoring in medical laboratory sciences in the UAE. The competition focuses on pathology and laboratory medicine and will host students from the University of Sharjah, Liwa College, the Higher Colleges of Technology and Gulf Medical University. The Scientific Poster Competition returns this year, with the winner receiving a research grant of a value up to $3,000. Elsewhere, attendees can expand their knowledge of the medical laboratory industry at the Medlab Partners Forum, which includes a think tank session from global research firm Frost & Sullivan and an insightful presentation from The Royal College of Pathologists on The Global Challenge of Antimicrobial Resistance. Medlab Middle East will exhibit eight specialised product categories which include Disposables, Healthcare/General Services, Imaging, Infrastructure, IT, Laboratory, Medical Equipment and Pharma/Nutrition. Attendees will have the chance to explore the latest laboratory technologies from every corner of the globe with dedicated country pavilions from China, Taiwan, Brazil, Finland, Poland, the USA, Spain, Korea, Italy, Egypt and the UK. Medlab Middle East takes place in Zaabeel Halls 1-7 at the Dubai World Trade Centre and will showcase industry leaders such as Abbott, Randox, Al Borg Diagnostics, Beckman Coulter and Sysmex.--TradeArabia News Service The housing market in expensive areas such as San Francisco is particularly sensitive to mortgage rate hikes, because even minor increases could translate to significantly higher payments. Ethan Swope/The Chronicle 2022 Fewer San Francisco homes sold in 2023 than any other year since at least 2005, with mortgage rate hikes and shifting buyer trends cooling the citys market. About 4,130 homes sold in San Francisco last year, according to a report from real estate company Compass. That count, which includes houses and condominiums, was the lowest of any year in the companys data, which stretches back to 2005. The next-lowest total was in 2009, during the mortgage crisis, when roughly 4,645 homes sold. Listings also reached a record low last year, with just 6,230 homes put up for sale. They had previously bottomed out at 6,630 in 2015. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Home values and sales plummeted in mid-2022 after mortgage rates spiked, with the housing market continuing to chill in early 2023. While rates have since dipped slightly, theyre nowhere close to the record lows of 2022 that brought in a wave of buyers. The housing market in expensive areas such as San Francisco is particularly sensitive to mortgage rate hikes, because even minor increases could translate to significantly higher payments. Higher rates also discourage homeowners who might otherwise sell their property from doing so, because many are currently paying a lower mortgage rate than they could get now. San Francisco wasnt the only place in the Bay Area where home sales dropped last year. Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, for example, both saw record low numbers of sales and listings, according to Compass reports. But real estate agents have told the Chronicle that demand for homes remains high outside the regions most dense cities, like San Francisco and Oakland, with the limited supply forcing buyers to outbid each other. The same level of demand for homes wasnt there in San Francisco last year. Its residences took longer to sell than in the rest of the state, sometimes prompting owners to lower their prices. Home values in San Francisco and Oakland fell, while those in Fremont and Mountain View rose. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Its too early to say whether San Francisco home buying will pick up substantially in 2024. Relatively few homes sell during the winter months, largely because buyers and sellers are focusing on holidays and travel. Fewer than 190 San Francisco homes sold in the four-week period ending Feb. 4, 2024, essentially the same number sold during the same period in 2023, according to data from real estate brokerage site Redfin. Germany is building 10 GW in new natural gas generation capacity. It is spending 16 billion euro on this. The news emerged earlier this week and marks a key moment in the EU's transition efforts: an admission that not all is going according to plans. And Germany just booked the highest rate of gas-powered generation in two years last month. Two years ago, after Russian troops entered eastern Ukraine, Germany was quick to pledge that it would give up Russian gas. The Russian side helped bring that plan to fruition by substantially reducing the flow of gas via some key routes, citing technical issues. Of course, what sealed the deal was the Nord Stream sabotage in September 2022, which completely cut off the flow of gas via the pipeline that fed 55 billion cubic meters of gas to Germany every year. By the way, Sweden's investigation of the case ended this week with the conclusion that Sweden has no jurisdiction to carry out such an investigation. While the Swedish investigators were working towards that conclusion, Germany was copingwith the help of U.S. liquefied natural gasand staying the course on its planned phaseout of nuclear. It was also coping with the help of coal. Despite plans to phase out the most polluting of the hydrocarbons, Berlin was forced to reconsider due to concern about possible shortages during periods of higher demand. Finance Minister Christian Lindner summed the situation up nicely last November in comments on the Scholz government's plans to end coal use by 2030. Related: Nuclear Energy's Role in a Sustainable Future "Until it is clear that energy is available and affordable, we should end dreams of phasing out electricity from coal in 2030," Lindner said, echoing remarks made repeatedly by Chinese government officials. That same China that is building a lot of gigawatts of new coal generation capacity. It seems Lindner may be a harbinger of a change coming to Europe, even amid reports of record renewable energy output in Januarywhich came on the back of stronger hydropower output as much as higher output from solar installations. The reason a change is coming is that the clean energy transition as the decision-makers in Brussels and national capitals envisioned it, simply could not work. Germany's gas output news is simply the latest confirmation of this fact. The vision in question involved dozens of gigawatts in wind and solar capacity, some batteries, and, as of the last COP, some nuclearexcept in Germany, that is. But those dozens of gigawatts proved to be more challenging than expected to be built. First, because of higher than expected costs. Second, because of disappointing demand (for solar), and third, because utility-scale batteries are still way too expensive an alternative to hydrocarbons. This is why Germany decided to invest 16 billion euro in new gas-powered plantsas it builds more LNG import terminals. It is also why it booked a two-year record in gas-fired electricity generation in January, "as power firms dialled up output to compensate for the closure of the country's nuclear reactors and meet higher heating demand during a cold snap last month," per Reuters. Germany has been the poster child for the transition thanks to the massive resources it directed towards turning the vision into reality. Now, cracks are appearing in that vision as energy security once againas alwaystrumps utopia. And Germany is not the only one where they are showing. Belgium, which had plans for a nuclear phaseout identical to Germany's, walked them back in December last year. The Netherlands, which had announced the closure of the Groningen gas field due to its impact on seismic activity in the area, turned production back onat a minimal levelalso in December in anticipation of higher demand because of the typical weather for that time of the year. Spain, another poster child for the transition with its massive solar and wind resources, which the country is duly utilizing, led the list of Russian LNG importers in the EU last year, even as Brussels sought to curb those cargos. Belgium was right there up with it, as the two imported 50% more Russian liquefied gas in the first nine months of 2023 than a year earlier. The EU, led by Germany, is trying its best to give up hydrocarbons, on which it has relied for over a century, and which have made the basis for its sustained economic strength in the decades following the Second World War. Replacing this basis with other sources of energy that are considered better for the environment is a massive undertaking, and it has drawbacks. ADVERTISEMENT These have been ignored for years, lest talking about them weakens anyone's resolve about the transition. However, ignoring problems does not make them go away. They simply become more pressing the longer you ignore themsomething the wind power industry found out the hard way last year. The sooner these drawbacks begin to be addressed through a more realistic attitude towards hydrocarbons, the better it would be for everyone in Europe. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The energy footprint of Bitcoin mining is off the charts. The already gargantuan energy consumption of the process to mint new coins of the cryptocurrency more-than doubled over the course of 2023 on the back of strong prices. The United States, one of the worlds biggest hubs for cryptocurrency mining, is at the eye of an intensifying storm about reigning in the problematic energy consumption and associated emissions of the cryptocurrency, but regulating it wont be easy. By the end of last year, global energy consumption from bitcoin mining has grown 101% since Jan. 1, reaching a whopping 141.2 TWh, according to data from Digiconomist. All that amounts to a carbon footprint of 78.7 million metric tons of CO2 per year. To put that in perspective, Bitcoin mining now consumes as much energy in a year as Australia and more than Egypt, which boasts a population of 110 million people, and emits more carbon dioxide than Oman. Bitcoins outsized energy and carbon footprints come as a result of the cryptocurrencys unique mining process. Bitcoin relies on a public ledger powered by the blockchain to keep transactions anonymous, secure, and authenticatable. To achieve this, each new entry to the ledger requires complex computational problem-solving known as proof of work which relies on trial and error plugging in random solutions and seeing if it fits. The miner who solves each unique puzzle the fastest receives a newly minted Bitcoin. This means that miners using high-power super-computers capable of doing such work faster have a key advantage. This is where the massive amount of energy use factors in. As Bitcoin prices inflate, more and more miners are competing to solve these puzzles in real time. But if more miners led to the creation of more and more bitcoins more often, the market would flood and currency prices would tumble. To prevent this, solving for proof of work gets harder and harder with each puzzle, to the effect that mining one Bitcoin should always take 10 minutes. The result is the same amount of Bitcoin produced as always, but with a forever increasing energy footprint. In 2009, you could mine Bitcoin using just a few seconds worth of household electricity, whereas in recent years, you would have to use about 9 years worth. As a result, many miners have entire warehouses of supercomputers working away 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And certain countries and regions of the world are bearing the burden of that energy consumption more than others. China used to be a powerhouse for Bitcoin mining operations, but Beijing banned Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in 2021. As a result, many Bitcoin miners have moved their operations to the United States, following abundant energy resources and relatively lax legal restrictions. In just a few years, the United States share of global crypto mining has ballooned from from 3.5 percent to 38 percent, making the U.S. the single biggest crypto mining market. In the process, the Bitcoin boom has stressed local grids, raised electricity bills for nearby residents, and kept once-defunct fossil fuel plants running, according to recent reporting from Grist. But exact figures about who is mining and where, and exactly how much energy each operation is using, are extremely difficult to establish. Now, the United States is trying to get a handle on the situation. Step one: attempt to understand how much energy Bitcoin miners are consuming on U.S. soil. Last week, the U.S. Energy Information Administration announced that it would start collecting energy use data from more than 130 identified commercial cryptocurrency miners operating in the US. As cryptocurrency mining has increased in the United States, concerns have grown about the energy-intensive nature of the business and its effects on the US electric power industry, the EIA said in a new report which provides the foundation for the survey, which began this week. Concerns expressed to EIA include strains to the electricity grid during periods of peak demand, the potential for higher electricity prices, as well as effects on energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. But beyond doing an accounting of the energy footprints of commercial-scale mining operations in the United States, making actual change to those figures will be an uphill battle. Past efforts to regulate the industry have been laughable, stemming mostly from recommendations and pleas for miners to source their energy from more clean and sustainable sources. Such guidance is almost guaranteed to land on deaf ears, as much of the crypto worlds appeal is a complete lack of governance and oversight. If anything represents free-market capitalism in its most naked form, it is Bitcoin, the BBC remarked in 2021, making efforts to promote voluntary sustainability standards a touch bizarre. Going forward, measures to reign in Bitcoin will have to be far more stringent. And more than that, they will have to be enforceable. Getting actual figures through the EIAs current survey is a critical first step, but its unclear how the government will effectively follow it up with meaningful policy measures. ADVERTISEMENT By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The former Papillion Manor is feeling much younger after a $6.7 million makeover and the unveiling of a new moniker. Henceforth, the skilled nursing facility at 610 S. Polk St. in Papillion will be known as Brookstone of Papillion. The new name and newly remodeled interior were revealed during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday at the Vetter Senior Living property. This is essentially a new building, for the most part, said Karl Bieber, marketing director for Vetter. The facility is at capacity, he said. Ashley Walters, administrator of the facility, thanked her staff during the ceremony for helping residents feel at home. Thank you to the staff for living out the mission and vision and values of Vetter Senior Living, she said. The company, based in Elkhorn, operates more than 30 facilities in Nebraska, Missouri and Wyoming, although it is concentrated in Nebraska. Papillion Manor staff asked Vetter President Glenn VanEkeren if they could have some refresh of the building. "I let them know before we started, be careful what you wish for and yes, they went through some pain and tribulations, but the outcome is absolutely beautiful, he said. The project took almost three years, VanEkeren said. Jack Vetter, who owns Vetter Senior Living along with his wife, Eldora, ran a nursing home in Valentine before moving to Omaha in 1968, he said. He worked for Bethesda until 1975, when the couple decided to start their own company. They bought Papillion Manor about 38 years ago. John Pearlbach called me and told me he wanted to sell it, he said. I like the community (of Papillion). Im a rural-type guy, so I like what it feels like. Eldora Vetter recalled how she took out a second mortgage on their house to finance the acquisition. Jack, he makes most of the decisions, and he comes home sometimes and says, Honey, I wrote a check today. Is there enough money in the bank to cover it? And if there isnt, its my job to see that it gets there, she said. After the remodel was complete, VanEkeren gave Papillion Mayor Dave Black a tour and asked him how he would feel if they changed the name of Papillion Manor. He said, Itll be just fine, as long as Papillion is still in the name, VanEkeren said. At Thursday's ceremony, Black thanked Vetter for honoring that request. Were pretty proud of Papillion, Blacke said. Your staff does a wonderful job. My parents had rehab here they lived here for a while. When officers left his house that afternoon in 2021, after telling Steven Rauch that his daughter had died in a police shootout, he could hear Farrahs voice in his head, talking to him. Her words were something to hold onto in a world that he knew had changed forever. I just opened up my computer, and opened up a new document. I just really closed my eyes and just started typing what I thought Farrah was telling me, he said. Everything that had gone on in her life and led up to that point. It was pretty amazing. All the way up to what she was thinking when police told her to put her hands up. He didnt stop writing for months. The finished product is a novel called 14 Bullets to Reach You: One Teenage Girls Tragic Story of the Chains of Addiction, Failed Mental Health Intervention, and Suicide by Cop. Farrah Rose Rauch, who was from Blair, was killed by 14 bullets on Feb. 28, 2021, in Muskogee, Oklahoma, after shooting at the police. Her friend, Joey Dugan, also died that day. They had stolen a vehicle and were attempting to take another when they were spotted by police and a chase ensued. Farrah was just 17. They were two kids who didnt care about the law and are going to escape and do whatever they want, Steven Rauch said. Like Bonnie and Clyde. Her death drew national attention when Rauch invited the officers involved in the shooting to her funeral. They declined, but Muskogee Police Chief Johnny Teehee made the seven-hour drive and spoke at the service. He had been the one that had shared with Rauch all the details of the shooting and what the officers were going through after the event. He spoke for a half-hour. His whole pitch was on forgiveness, Rauch said. The police were doing their job that day, he writes in the book. He also wonders what he could have done different as a father, who had experienced 43 years of sobriety himself. Farrah had dealt with drugs and mental health issues since she was 13. Rauch wrote about each stage of her life, from her time in the womb until her death. I did the book as if Farrah was telling it, he said. I was able to submit it to an editor, they edited it and turned it into a book form. Rauch said he wanted to put recovery in the book. He felt that Farrah was over and over encouraging readers to get over themselves and to make that one change of thought or even just to pray when they werent feeling happy. Talk to a counselor or a relative. Learn there is another way you can live than thinking that drugs or suicide are going to fix your life. Hes hoping the book, which was published independently and is being sold on Amazon, can change at least one life. One reader said they felt love, forgiveness and healing in every page. Another said it shows how addiction affects an entire family. Everyone could read it and get something out of it, Rauch said. Rauch said hes just starting to do interviews about the book. Hes also just had an audio version done. The family continues to struggle with her death. But the book has helped. I couldnt rewrite it again, he said. I wrote it like Farrah wrote it, all first person. You cant say it isnt possible that Farrah did reach me and we got this message out. Thats her purpose, and she knew it. Fraser Stryker PC LLO Fraser Stryker PC LLO adds Amit Mukherjee to the Firm's expanding litigation team. Amit focuses on white-collar defense, personal injury, medical malpractice, and other litigation matters. "I joined Fraser Stryker because I was drawn to the firm's reputation for excellence and commitment to the personal and professional growth of its attorneys," said Amit. "Fraser Stryker provides me with an opportunity to contribute my unique experiences and strengths in a collaborative environment that fosters creativity, embraces diversity, and strives to make a meaningful impact in the community." Before becoming an attorney, Amit worked for Fortune 100 companies and one of the largest healthcare companies in the world. Amit is a member of the Iowa Association for Justice, the Robert M. Spire American Inns of Court, and currently serves as the Vice-Chair of Omaha Bar Association's Young Lawyers' Division. About Fraser Stryker PC LLO Founded 125 years ago, Fraser Stryker provides results-driven legal solutions for our clients in the areas of litigation, corporate, estate planning, employment law, technology, and more. For more information, visit: www.fraserstryker.com. Fusion Earns 5 Year Diamond Award from ClearlyRated for Providing Excellent Service to Healthcare Travelers ClearyRated has again awarded Omaha healthcare staffing company Fusion with its annual Best of Staffing Talent honor for 2024, recognizing the excellent service Fusion provides its traveling healthcare professionals. Fusion also received the 5 Year Diamond Award to honor the company for five consecutive years on the list. ClearlyRated award winners have proven to be industry leaders in service quality based on ratings provided by their candidates. "This is a special award to the team at Fusion because the achievement depends on the quality of service we provide to the healthcare professionals who work with us," said Brian McCulloch, Vice President of Sales. "Our teams understand the importance of listening to our travelers and anticipate their needs so we can be their advocates. Achieving the 5 Year Diamond Award is a testament to this commitment and to improving the lives of everyone we touch." Fusion's traveler-focused business unit, Fusion Medical Staffing, received satisfaction scores of 9 or 10 out of 10 from more than 77% of its placed travelers, significantly higher than the industry average of 50%. The team works to fulfill the company's core purpose of improving the lives of everyone they touch, and they carry this out with the goal of refreshing healthcare. More information about Fusion and the work it does to refresh healthcare and support traveling healthcare professionals is available at workwithfusion.com/our-impact. About Fusion: Fusion is an Omaha-based healthcare company that exists to create meaningful connections between healthcare travelers and facilities that lead to better patient care and better outcomes for all. The company consists of two business units: Fusion Medical Staffing and Fusion Workforce Solutions, which simplify processes for healthcare travelers and facilities at every turn. Fusion employees strive to stay humble, driven, and positive. WoodmenLife Welcomes Dan Nash as Director, Application Services WoodmenLife welcomes Dan Nash to the organization as Director, Application Services. In this position, Nash aligns strategic business objectives with the work of the Business Technology division. He aids in continuing to move WoodmenLife forward by driving technology modernization efforts and company-wide adoption of new technological tools. He also oversees WoodmenLife's Software Engineering, Quality, Business Analysis, and Policy Conversion teams. Nash earned his bachelor's in Business Administration from Midland Lutheran College, and his master's in Information Technology Management from the University of Nebraska Omaha. Nash comes from Kiewit Corporation where he held multiple leadership positions, his final one being Sr. Business Technology Lead, Infrastructure Market. "Dan is committed to innovating to make the organization more efficient," said Ken Knaub, Senior Vice President & Chief Information Officer. "He's forward-thinking, future-motivated, and excited to bring this to our organization and our members." One of four veteran K-12 school administrators are the finalists to be the next superintendent for Omaha Public Schools, Nebraska's largest with a diverse population of 51,000 students. Here are the four finalists for the Omaha Public Schools superintendent job The Omaha Public Schools board has selected four finalists for its superintendent opening. The board will interview the four candidates on Tuesday. One of the finalists, Christopher Bernier, runs a district in Florida with more than 100,000 students. Another candidate, Luis Solano, is a top official in Detroit's city schools. A third, Thomas Ahart, was the longtime head of the Des Moines school district. And the fourth finalist, Matt Ray, is an OPS lifer who has held the districts top job on an interim basis since last summer. The OPS board announced the four finalists on Thursday after a yearlong search process. The finalists were among 26 people who applied for the job. The Omaha district is looking for a permanent replacement for Cheryl Logan, who left the district in June 2023 having served for five years. As Logan announced her departure, she said of the job: Its not for the weak. Its not for the timid. The public is invited to meet each of the finalists who seek to take on that difficult job on Monday from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Buena Vista High School, 5616 L St. Members of the public will be able to get to know each candidate and give the school board their feedback. The school board will then publicly interview each finalist at 5 p.m. on Tuesday at the district headquarters, 3215 Cuming St. The board hasn't said when it will make a final decision. Christopher Bernier was a lead in districts larger than Omaha's With 51,000 students, the Omaha Public Schools is a big school district by Nebraska standards. But Christopher Bernier, one of four finalists seeking to lead OPS as superintendent, comes from bigger districts. He's spent his career of 30-plus years in three large school systems, including one nearly six times the size of OPS. Most recently, since May 2022, he has served as superintendent of the School District of Lee County in southwest Florida, which includes Fort Myers. With more than 100,000 students, it's that state's ninth largest district and the nation's 32nd largest. Before then, Bernier served as chief of staff for the Clark County School District in Las Vegas, Nevada, the nation's fifth-largest district with more than 300,000 students. And the majority of his career was spent in various positions with the Orange County Public Schools, based in Orlando, Florida. In his final position there, according to his biography on the Lee County schools' website, he served as an associate superintendent, leading an office responsible for all school choice options for the district of more than 200,000 students, including charter and magnet schools. Bernier's biography on LinkedIn stresses his ability to work collaboratively with various groups of people even in those large districts. He touted "a strong focus on student achievement and community involvement." Kevin Daly, president of the Lee County teachers' association, said Bernier brought a wealth of knowledge when it came to working in diverse districts. According to a Florida Department of Education report card for 2021-22, a majority of Lee County students are from non-White populations, with nearly 47% identified as Hispanic. The report lists 74.5% as "economically disadvantaged" and 17.5% as English language learners. The district's graduation rate that year was 85.1%, just under the state's 88% rate. Daly said the union works with district administration to identify "turnaround schools" in need of intervention before the state steps in. The association and Bernier's deputies are in the middle of revamping that plan. "The focus of the group is student achievement," Daly said. "We all want the kids to do well." When it comes to contract negotiations, he said, the district uses a nontraditional bargaining method, which was new under Bernier. Daly said it is "not so much an adversarial approach as an approach to seek consensus." In recent years, that has resulted in a focus on increasing pay and benefits for employees, Daly said. "I can count on one hand and have fingers left over the real differences we have had," he said of the union's relationship with Bernier and his team. Bernier's tenure as superintendent has come with challenges, Daly noted. The superintendent arrived at the back end of the COVID-19 pandemic. Then Fort Myers took a direct hit from Hurricane Ian, which made landfall as a category 4 storm on Sept. 28, 2022, and devastated schools, homes and businesses. But students were back in school some moving to other buildings, others in temporary structures within weeks, according to a video documentary the district produced. Some rebuilding still is underway. "They really focused on continuity of service for students," Daly said, "and he was key in leading that effort." Bernier's tenure as superintendent, however, will end in November. A ballot measure approved by the county's voters converted the superintendent's position to an elected one. Bernier announced last fall that he would not run for the position. Luis Solano is a 'go-getter' with heart for children, says Detroit union president A "go-getter" who cares about children is how the teacher's union president in the Detroit Public Schools Community District described finalist Luis Solano Friday. Lakia Wilson-Lumpkins, president of the Detroit Federation of Teachers, said she conducts contract negotiations with Solano, who is deputy superintendent of labor for the Detroit district. "He has very strong work ethic," she said. "He listens. He has a heart for children. He's a go-getter . . . If we have brought an issue forward, he absolutely believes in addressing the issue. He's not afraid to roll up his sleeves, if necessary." Solano's career path has led through several large and diverse districts. The Detroit district is Michigan's largest public education system. It is comparable in size and poverty rate to Omaha: 106 schools serving pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, 53,406 students, 78% of them eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, according to the district's website. Eighty-two percent of students are African American or Black, 13.6% are Hispanic or Latino, and 2.4% white, with smaller percentages of American Indian, Asian and multiracial students. Twelve percent of students are English language learners. Solano previously served as associate superintendent in the Collier County Public Schools in Florida. The district has about 50,000 students, more than half of them Hispanic. The students, collectively, speak 104 different languages. He was also a principal in the Miami Dade County Public Schools in Florida, which is now the third-largest district in the United States with 331,500 students. Miami-Dade also has a highly diverse student population, with youths speaking languages representing more than 160 countries. He received his education specialist degree, masters degree in special education and bachelors degree in special education from Florida International University in Miami. Solano has been with the Detroit district since 2017, becoming a member of current Superintendent Nikolai Vitti's original cabinet. Vitti, who was appointed in 2017, was charged with turning around a district that had fallen into decline. For nearly two decades prior to that, the state had repeatedly intervened in the district's operations to address a host of issues. The district website claims Vitti and the school board have had success since then in improving enrollment, student achievement, student attendance and teacher recruitment and retention. On his resume, Solano says he designed and implemented strategies that took the district from more than 400 staff vacancies in 2017 to just 25 in 2023. Last April, Solano was one of 26 people who applied for the superintendent job in Broward County Public Schools in Florida, and he was named one of the three finalists, according to news accounts. News reports said Solano is fluent in Spanish. He credits his teachers with helping him become the first in his immigrant family to fluently speak, read and write in English. Solano is also a U.S. Army veteran, according to his resume. Matt Ray has spent decades working in OPS and wants to continue to lead The Omaha Public Schools is home for Matt Ray and he doesn't want to leave anytime soon. Equipped with nearly three decades of experience in OPS, Ray has been a calm leader since last summer when he stepped in as interim superintendent. He replaced Cheryl Logan, who led the district for five years before resigning to return to the East Coast. Ray now has the chance to continue his leadership of OPS as one of four superintendent finalists for the permanent job. This is Ray's 28th year in the district. He began his career as a student teacher at Ashland Park-Robbins Elementary School in South Omaha before substituting around the district. He eventually returned to Ashland Park-Robbins as a fifth grade elementary teacher. He then became an administrator, working in student and community services, before transitioning to a 10-year stint as board secretary. Ray became chief of staff and then deputy superintendent before being appointed interim superintendent by the school board. Days before he began the top job in July 2023, Ray said in a press conference that his experience working with previous superintendents influenced his decision to accept the position. Knowing the history of the school district helps, he said, "because theres not that time period of learning (about) the school district the two or three months it takes to understand the complexities of operating such a large organization." Ray said then that he didnt go into teaching with the idea of becoming a superintendent, but each step he took throughout his career had prepared him to take on such a responsibility. Ray has worked with the school board to create goals for this school year. They include making sure the district completes plans for widespread implementation of quality instruction and reducing chronic absenteeism. The board will evaluate his work in June. Michele Roberts, executive director of the Central High School Foundation, said Ray is admired by many in the OPS community. "Matt Ray is tremendous to work with," Roberts said. "We would very much love the opportunity to continue to work with him in a position of superintendent." Some people in the district don't feel like they know Ray well or that he's accomplished much in his time as interim superintendent, said Amanda Robinson, an OPS parent and board member for the parent-teacher association at Laura Dodge Elementary. As an internal candidate, Robinson said, Ray should have had more interactions with those actually in Omaha classrooms. "In the elementary level, we're definitely not seeing the person who is leading the institution right now, which is Mr. Ray. I would also say that we can't really tell you anything he's done for our students or our parents," Robinson said. "Instead, we're seeing worsening situations and division within the educational system here in Omaha, a lot of larger classrooms, a lot less funding." But Kathy Poehling, president of the Omaha Education Association, said the union has been able to collaborate with district administrators in "ways we've never been able to work with them before, and that's under Matt Ray." Ray said in an October KIOS-FM podcast episode of "More Than Hashtags" that it's important to get feedback from the people who are directly working with students. "TAC, the central office, often gets criticized for not knowing whats going on or whats happening, (like) youre sitting up at TAC and dictating whats happening in buildings," Ray said. "But were really trying to shift that back to say, 'What input do you have?'" Thomas Ahart tangled with Iowa over COVID regulations The former superintendent of Iowa's largest school district hopes to cross the Missouri River for a similar job in Nebraska. Thomas Ahart is one of four finalists seeking to be hired as superintendent of the Omaha Public Schools, Nebraska's largest district. Ahart led the Des Moines Public Schools for a decade before announcing his resignation two years ago. His departure followed a controversy over COVID-19 practices that led to a public reprimand from the state. Since his resignation, Ahart has been a consultant with the Council of the Great City Schools, a coalition of the nation's largest school districts. Ahart has 34 years of experience in education, which he entered as a high school language arts teacher. He has since held several school administrative positions around Iowa, culminating in the Des Moines job. While the Des Moines district has considerably fewer students than OPS, it is comparable in its share of special education and English language learners. In the 2020-21 school year, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Des Moines school district had a dispute with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds after she required schools to offer students at least half of their instruction in person. Des Moines Public Schools violated this order for the first two weeks of the school year by only offering online learning. Iowa's state education board approved an administrative law judge's decision to place a letter of public reprimand in Ahart's permanent licensure file because the district didn't comply with Reynolds' order. The letter says Ahart believed the state regulation didn't fit the unique needs of the Des Moines district because it had outdated ventilation systems, insufficient room for social distancing and 30% of its staff had pre-existing medical conditions. The school board decided not to extend Ahart's contract and he announced his resignation in February 2022, saying he needed to reevaluate his career. During his time as superintendent in Des Moines, Ahart led a district of roughly 31,000 students, with about three-quarters of them qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The student population consists of 21% Black students, 31% Hispanic students, 33% White students and roughly 15% of students of other races. About 24% of students are English language learners and 15% receive special education services. The district has 38 elementary schools, 11 middle schools and five high schools. OPS has slightly more diversity but less poverty, with more than 51,000 students and a free and reduced-price lunch rate of 67%. Last month, Ahart was one of two finalists for the superintendent position in Albuquerque Public Schools, a district of roughly 70,000 students in New Mexico. He participated in community forums for the job on Jan. 30, but the district announced last week that they had decided on the other finalist, who was an internal candidate. During that forum, Ahart was asked several questions about student success, academics, behavior and safety. He said one of his top priorities was student "agency" giving students more opportunities to have control over their education experience. "All students can learn and all students can succeed," Ahart said at the forum. "When we find that thats not happening with a segment of our population, then we need to be examining adult behaviors and modifying those adult behaviors and changing the environment in which we are serving our students such that they do learn and are successful." With every conflagration put out, up went a firestorm. When shall we have a fire engine? It took early Omaha a long time to organize its firefighting corps. Six years after its 1854 founding for the formation of a volunteer fire department, another six years to obtain professional-grade apparatus. Including a real engine, not one built locally by a carriage maker who was bestowed the title of fire chief. An all-paid force? Not until 1885. If there were fires around town in Omaha Citys first two years, 1854 and 1855, theyve been lost to history. The first fire that made the newspapers was relatively minor, bedding caught on fire at the Apex saloon in the middle of the day on March 1, 1856. Our citizens at once rallied (many of them with commendable presence of mind, as they sallied forth, carrying with them buckets and tubs of water), and by their prompt and well-directed efforts, after quite a spirited resistance, the devouring element was at length extinguished, reported the Omaha Nebraskian. This occurrence, trifling as it may appear to some, should serve as a warning to our citizens, to be better prepared in the future to guard against fires. In our young city there are no buildings to spare; yet in our present unprepared condition without the most timely exertions, should any of them take fire, they would in all probability be destroyed. We propose that a meeting be immediately called organize a fire company, and the necessary fund be raised and a fire engine procured. The expense to each one interested would be comparatively slight, in view of the valuable property which might thereby be saved. Those words went unheeded. And the night of Dec. 18, 1856, the dry goods store of H.B. Parker on Farnam Street was gutted. The building was a total loss and the inventory loss was estimated at $6,000. When will the citizens of Omaha take effective measures to guard against loss by fire? opined the Nebraskian again. Three months later, it was When shall we have a fire engine? following a fire at the Hamilton House establishment at 1409 Douglas St. One early 20th century Omaha historian, A.R. Groh, wrote that the city in 1857 could have bought a fire engine for $1,500 with payments spread over two years. It was too much money to raise. A common refrain for a decade. Finally in the spring of 1860, Omahas younger business leaders organized the first firefighters. On April 19, William J. Kennedy presided over the first meeting of a hook and ladder company. Other charter members were Dr. Benjamin Stickles, J.S. McCormick, Henry Gray, Henry Z. Curtis, M.H. Clark, Phineas Hitchcock and A.J. Simpson. On the Fourth of July, the now-25 man company received its first truck and implements in front of the Pioneer Block building on Farnam between 11th and 12th Streets. Simpson built the 12-foot truck carriage making was his trade and was the first chief of what became known as the Pioneer Hook and Ladder Company. Did the Pioneer Block have something to do with the name? The territorial legislature assisted the fire company two ways by granting a special charter in 1861 so it could own $2,000 in fire-fighting equipment and passing a law exempting its members from jury duty. Juries were called far more often than fires fought. Like many volunteer departments, the Pioneer Hook and Ladder embraced social activity picnics, balls, banquets, dances, steamboat excursions and parades. At its first ball, the companys resolution that there be no bar was widely ignored, The first Independence Day celebration it promoted, in the grove across Dodge Street from Capitol Hill (Central High), required that any firefighter who became intoxicated or engaged in rude behavior while in uniform shall have the uniform taken from him and shall be expelled from the organization. Passing leather buckets of water, the P.H. & L. Co. fought its first major blaze on Jan. 12, 1863. Even if the hand-drawn fire carriage housed at 12th and Douglas Streets (the City Council spent $215 for the lot and building) had gotten faster to the highly inflammable cottonwood tenement/shacks on the riverbank, in the area of the old Lone Tree ferry, the fire had done its work. A family was displaced and a slaughterhouse rendered inoperable. A church ball at 13th and Douglas served as the first fire alarm. The pastor, when informed of a fire, left his home and unlocked the church to ring the bell. A good effort to round up the volunteer force and get to the fire was considered less than an hour. A special election in 1862 authorized $800 to buy a professional-level engine. Omahas credit wasnt good enough for Eastern bankers. Omaha tried again in 1864. And 1866, this time allowing the mayor to purchase an engine for $5,000. Groh, the historian, said the city council had second thoughts and canceled the order by telegraph. The toll charges of $14.92 were a major expenditure. Simpson went to Davenport, Iowa, in 1866 and returned by steamboat with a hand-drawn engine, Fire King, bought from that citys fire department for $695. A steam engine, Omaha, was added in 1867. The 1868 Omaha City Directory contains that Omahas fire department consisted of two entities, Pioneer Hook and Ladder Company No. 1 with a wagon named Pioneer and apparatus valued at $2,000, and Steam Engine Company No. 1, with Omaha, at Engine House, built in 1867 on the southwest corner of 16th and Farnam built for $5,000. The city bought two more steamers by 1870, the year it also obtained 10 fire alarm boxes, three gongs and a bell striker. A new Fire King was in service at a second Engine House on the east side of 10th Street south of Douglas. Soon a third fire station, paid for by its wealthy neighborhood, was built at 20th and Izard Streets and the newest steamer, the Nebraska, stationed there. J.F. Behm was the first paid fireman. He received $25 a month when hired in 1867 or 1868 to man the 16th Street Engine House and augmented his wages with repairing harnesses. Bakery owner J.E. Markel was the first paid fire chief, at $100 a month in 1871. More and more firemen women couldnt join the force until 1987 went on salary. The deaths of five none from the Pioneer unit in the Grand Central Hotel fire of 1878 sped up the formation of an all-paid force. On May 5, 1885, the day that was considered the 25th anniversary of its founding, the Pioneer Hook and Ladder Company disbanded. The era of volunteer firefighting in Omaha ended in the black, and not from soot. Not one man died in those 25 years and the Pioneers ended with $3,000 in the bank and 123 members who did well keeping the city safe. No legends here of a town set afire by a cow. Pope Francis has rejected the resignation of a French cardinal Philippe Barbarin, who was convicted for not reporting child sex abuse allegations, the Vatican and the diocese of Lyon said on Tuesday. Barbarin who is from Lyon, plans to appeal against the conviction handed down earlier this month, will nevertheless step aside for an unspecified period. Pope Francis cited the presumption of innocence as his reason for rejecting Barbarins resignation during a meeting in the Vatican on Monday, the cardinal said in a statement published by his diocese. Barbarin, 68, one of Frances most senior Catholic clergymen, was given a six-month suspended prison sentence for failing to report abuse allegations against a priest in his diocese. (dpa/NAN) Chase DiFeliciantonio is a reporter at the San Francisco Chronicle where he covers tech and how AI is changing the city and the region. He previously covered business, labor issues, and San Francisco's recovery from the pandemic's economic and other effects. A fifth-generation San Franciscan, prior to joining the Chronicle in early 2020 he covered legal and business news at the North Bay Business Journal and the Daily Journal. He can be reached at chase.difeliciantonio@sfchronicle. Gunmen have attacked the Divisional Police Command at Afuze, headquarters of the Owan-East Local Government Area of Edo, killing the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and three other officers on duty. The hoodlums also attacked the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the town, and destroyed electoral materials and burning down a police van in the compound. The officers killed in the attack were: Supt. Tosimani Ojo, the DPO of the station; Sgt. Justina Aghomon, a pregnant woman, Insp. Sado Isaac and Cpl. Glory David. A witness, Mr Godwin Ikpekhia, told NAN on Wednesday that the incident occurred at about 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, while many of the officers in the division had gone on outside duties. We only heard gunshots and nobody knew what actually happened until Wednesday morning. The divisional police officer, alongside three other officers who were on duty were killed on the spot, inside the building. The hoodlums didnt just stop at that; they went to the INEC office and were shooting sporadically at policemen who were on duty there. Election materials and a police van at the INEC office were burnt by the hoodlums, he said. The Edo Commissioner of Police, Mr Muhammed Danmallam, who visited the scene, said that investigation would commence immediately. Danmallam vowed that those responsible for the attacks will be brought to book. Urgent steps will be taken to curb the increasing cases of criminality in the Owan axis of the state, he said. The attacks on officers and men of the Nigeria Police have been going on in the Owan area. On July 14, last year, four police officers were killed at a checkpoint in the area and burnt inside their Hilux Patrol van. Also on Jan. 23, this year, the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Assembly candidate for Owan-West, Mr Ohio Ezomo, was kidnapped, while his orderly was killed on the spot. Nigerian activist, Deji Adeyanju blows hot again after taking a swipe at Charly Boy who according to him is the number one mumu in Nigeria. The activist who had previously accused Charly Boy of pitching tents with their oppressor and stabbing him in the back while he was in prison. Deji Adeyanju accused Charly Boy who he described as the number one mumu in Nigeria, of collecting money from the government when he was in prison. He wrote; I didnt want to respond or ever say a word about my withdrawal from Our Mumu Don Do but going through this vanguard report, I must now clear the air. Charly Boy is the number one Mumu in Nigeria. He compromised by collecting money from the government while i was locked up in prison by the oppressors. He collected money from them to do a video against the main opposition candidate -Atiku and also to stop attacking Buhari. When I confronted him -Charly Boy with the evidence, he confessed to collecting money from them but said he didnt collect the money to do a video against Atiku but they gave him the money as support. I dare him to deny this allegation. I have the recording of his confession. Imagine after all the sacrifices, someone will just be going round collecting money in the name of the movement. Huge disappointment. A fraud. The stories are just too many. A persons character is shown through their actions in life NOT where they sit on Sunday. -Navonne Johns Comrade Deji Adeyanju@adeyanjudeji I didnt want to respond or ever say a word about my withdrawal from Our Mumu Don Do but going through this vanguard report, I must now clear the air. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/03/why-deji-adeyanju-charlyboy-parted-ways/ 6311:18 PM Mar 20, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacyWhy Deji Adeyanju, Charlyboy parted ways Vanguard News NigeriaABUJAMoney matters appears to be at the centre of a rift between maverick entertainer, Charles Oputa a.k.a Charlyboy, who is also the chief convener of a good governance advocacy group, OurMumuDonDovanguardngr.com699 people are talking about this Comrade Deji Adeyanju@adeyanjudeji 18 h I didnt want to respond or ever say a word about my withdrawal from Our Mumu Don Do but going through this vanguard report, I must now clear the air. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/03/why-deji-adeyanju-charlyboy-parted-ways/ Why Deji Adeyanju, Charlyboy parted ways Vanguard News NigeriaABUJAMoney matters appears to be at the centre of a rift between maverick entertainer, Charles Oputa a.k.a Charlyboy, who is also the chief convener of a good governance advocacy group, OurMumuDonDovanguardngr.com Comrade Deji Adeyanju@adeyanjudeji Charly Boy is the number one Mumu in Nigeria. He compromised by collecting money from the government while i was locked up in prison by the oppressors. He collected money from them to do a video against the main opposition candidate -Atiku and also to stop attacking Buhari.5471:24 PM Mar 20, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacy542 people are talking about this Comrade Deji Adeyanju@adeyanjudeji 18 h Replying to @adeyanjudeji Charly Boy is the number one Mumu in Nigeria. He compromised by collecting money from the government while i was locked up in prison by the oppressors. He collected money from them to do a video against the main opposition candidate -Atiku and also to stop attacking Buhari. Comrade Deji Adeyanju@adeyanjudeji When I confronted him -Charly Boy with the evidence, he confessed to collecting money from them but said he didnt collect the money to do a video against Atiku but they gave him the money as support. I dare him to deny this allegation. I have the recording of his confession.6821:25 PM Mar 20, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacy619 people are talking about this Share this: President Muhammadu Buhari has commended the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for its support towards ensuring food security and rural development in the country. Buhari gave the commendation on Saturday in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, at the opening of the 14th, Summit of the OIC hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The president particularly applauded the robust interventions of various OIC institutions, like the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Group, which had been effective in key sectors as trade and investment, agriculture, rural development and food security. He said: For instance, we in Nigeria appreciate the Banks support for our National Food Security Programme and the various roads, school rehabilitation projects and the Second Niger Bridge. I am confident that the continued support of our multilateral partners, notably the OIC and the IDB Group, would be most needed as we seek to redouble our efforts in the next phase for the realization of rapid socio-economic development in Nigeria and the continent at large. In the cultural field, we acknowledge the importance of the OIC programmes, aimed at combating Islamophobia and the defamation of religions. We are convinced that the values of tolerance and moderation should continue to guide our actions as we collectively seek to promote global harmony, peace and security. According to Buhari, the shrinking of Lake Chad to about 10 per cent of its original size has adversely affected over 30 million livelihoods in the sub-region. He maintained that the shrinking had cause severe economic deprivation, fuelled illegal migration to Europe, the displacement of communities and radicalization of youth, forcing them to join the Boko Haram terrorist group. In this connection, we welcome the various interventions under the Special Programme for the Development of Africa, the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development and the recent approved Science and Technology Fund, among others. We urge them to do more as their contributions towards poverty alleviation and peace building, he added. President Buhari also lauded the OIC for its engagement of the Islamic Development Bank Group in the implementation of national development projects in Africa. The President who acknowledged the intervention of the OIC in the field of science, technology and innovation, poverty alleviation as well as women and youth empowerment, also stressed the significance of the OIC Science and Technology Agenda 2026. According to the President, science, technology and innovation as well as information and communication technologies are crucial to the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals and OIC 2025 Programme of Action. He, therefore, reiterated the determination and commitment of Nigeria to supporting collaborative research programmes on science and technology. President Buhari affirmed the African Groups commitment to engage and cooperate with all Member States towards the success of the 14th OIC summit. The Nigerian leader expressed appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, the government and people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the elaborate arrangements made for the success of the summit. Post Views: 148 The Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of Access Holdings Plc, Herbert Wigwe, on Friday died in a helicopter accident in California, United States, US. Wigwe was said to have been on the flight with his wife, the group chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group), Abimbola Ogunbanjo, and their kid were onboard the chopper when it crashed in California close to the Nevada border. Reports say that the authorities had not found any survivors on Saturday, February 10, morning. According to the US Federal Aviation Administration. The crash occurred at roughly 10 p.m. local time. Here are 11 things to know about Wigwe: READ ALSO: Just in: Access Holdings CEO, Herbert Wigwe, wife, son dies in helicopter crash By Israel Bulus, Kaduna The Sanga Local Government Legislative Council in Kaduna State has passed a vote of no confidence on the Executive Chairman of the Council, Hon. Bissala Mallam, over misappropriation of N65 million bank loan and lack of good leadership. The legislative council in a unanimous decision in a statement signed by the Speaker of the Council, Hon. Zakari Danjuma and made available to PUNCH, expressed dissatisfaction with the performance of the chairman since their assumption into office, noting that the council boss has no regard for legislators. The legislatures also accused the Council Chairman of diverting Rice Processing Machines meant for beneficiaries who had undergone training for modern rice parboiled techniques in Kaduna two years ago. Squandering of Sixty-Five Million Naira bank loan N65,000,000 obtainable meant for borehole provisions across the 11 wards and Inappropriate usage of ecological funds. Poor compliances to budget ethics and implementation: Reference to an oversight function carried out by the legislative through the directive of Mr. Speaker, the report shows that some of the transformers purchased were not brand new but refurbished and cannot function. Also in Tari, one of the transformers was taken by the council and is yet to be returned to the community. Many projects which money was voted out for are still incomplete without explanation. Also, Failure to recruit Local Vigilantes Service personnel who will assist in curtailing internal security as ordered by the Kaduna State Governor. The councilors added that there was a lack of communication, respect, and response to legislative members: reference to points 1,2,3,4 and 5, noting the legislative Council seeks the audience of the Executive Chairman by formally writing a letter requesting to meet with him three (3) consecutive times but to no avail. According to them, the Local Government was full of challenges, ranging from insecurity, unemployment, lack of social welfare, empowerment, and improper public account management. The Councilors further explained that the statement was in no way a lack of respect for the position occupied by the Executive Chairman but rather an opinion on his integrity and inability to effectively lead and develop the Local Government and her citizens as expected. This motion was unanimously passed by the Majority of Council Members of the Legislative across Sanga Local Government including and under the the leadership of right Hon. Speaker Hon. Zakari Shagayya Danjuma with the support of the Majority and Minority Leaders and their members respectively. When contacted, the Council Chairman did not respond to calls as of the time of filing this report. Related In what appears more like a neglect to statutory observations, Impartial Observers has noted that there was nothing to show that the state clocked 48 years this February. Imo State was among the state late Gen Muritala Mohammed, created in 1976. Imo was created alongside Anambra state from the old Eastern Region by the military officer who later killed in a Military coup. Impartial Observers noticed that the state government may have turned a blind eye to events marking the celebration. Unlike in the past where there were events, newspaper advertorials and commentaries to savour the date, nothing was heard from Government House, Owerri regarding the anniversary. In some states having such peculiarities with Imo, the event to mark the 48th birthday was marked with pomp and pageantry. More affected by the indifference attitude of the state government towards the anniversary are workers of the East Central State of the era who moved down to Imo State after the creation. A retiree who served Eastern Region and later moved to Imo State relished the moment and said that the inability of the state government to mark the anniversary is unfair. The retiree who is an Octogenarian appealed to the state government to always consider giving the date an attention to make them remember the creation of Imo State. Related Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy and a former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka have expressed deep sadness over the tragic passing of late Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings, Roosevelt Herbert Wigwe. Wigwe, the Co-founder of Access Bank and the founder, Wigwe University, alongside his wife, Chizoba, son and lawyer, Abimbola Ogunbanjo died in a ghastly helicopter crash on Friday. Obi expressed deep sadness over the tragic passing of Wigwe, who he described as a dear friend, recalling how he once helped the Access Bank boss prepare for his traditional wedding. This loss is profoundly felt across the nation. I first met Herbert during his early days, on the brink of starting his marital journey. I vividly remember assisting him in preparing for his traditional wedding and being there for the ceremony with his wife, Chizoba, from Achina, Anambra State, he recalled in a post on X. READ ALSO: Obaseki shocked, devastated by passing of Herbert Wigwe, wife, son, Ogunbanjo, others His noteworthy contributions extended beyond the professional realm, with commendable philanthropic efforts in health and education, exemplified by the establishment of Wigwe University, showcasing his deep commitment to education as a driver of development. The loss of such an exceptional individual reminds us of lifes fleeting nature, encouraging us to live with a purpose that contributes to the betterment of humanity. My heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with Herbert, his beloved wife, and his son, he added. In another statement, Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, said the death of Wigwe is a terrible blow for Nigeria and Africas banking industry, Onanuga wrote on X. May his soul rest in perfect peace. May the souls of his wife Chizoba, son and lawyer Abimbola Ogunbanjo, who died in the same ghastly copter crash in California desert also rest in peace. Similarly, former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, has revealed his last moments with the late Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings, Herbert Wigwe. READ ALSO: Herbert Wigwe: 11 things to know about late Access Bank founder Chidoka said he requested to be part of this particular trip to the USA with Wigwe, who jokingly turned down his request. We had an appointment last Thursday. Osita, I will fly into Abuja with the VC on Thursday; after our meeting, I will leave for the US, I said. Herbert, wetin they pursue you, you travel a lot these days, biko take me along. He laughed and said, Osita, you cant keep up with my pace. Just enjoy your peace, He wrote on X. We laughed and said goodbyes. It was the last goodbye. He couldnt make it on Thursday. Since I left public office, he has been a strong supporter and friend. His wife Chizoba was at my wedding 22 years ago. His son looked up to me as his parents literally handed him over to me for mentorship. I am alone in the dark, wondering, is that it? Should we remain fearless? Somebody should tell me something. Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state has expressed shock over the death of CEO of Access Bank Holdings, Dr. Herbert Wigwe, his wife, son and business associates in a helicopter crash in the United States of America. Wigwe and five others, including his wife, son, and the Group Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group), Abimbola Ogunbanjo, were on board of the helicopter when it crashed near a border between Nevada and California. The incident was confirmed by the US Federal Aviation Administration on Saturday. Also, the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department said in a statement that no survivor had been found thus far. READ ALSO: Herbert Wigwe: 11 things to know about late Access Bank founder Obaseki in a statement personally signed by him said the news of the tragedy has left him extremely shocked and devastated. We also unfortunately lost Wigwes wife and son as well as the former group chairman of Nigeria Stock Exchange, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, in the crash. The tragic incident is painful and heart wrenching and we pray for Gods abiding comfort in this profoundly difficult time. Wigwe was a colossus in Nigerias financial sector, leading Access Bank to become an international brand that placed Nigeria on the global map of first class financial services. I commiserate with the Wigwe family, the Ogunbanjo family, Access Bank Holding, the Nigeria Stock Exchange, friends and associates and pray that God will grant all the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss, he added. The executive governor of Katsina State, Dikko Radda, has told residents of the state to take proactive measures in defending themselves against attacks by bandits. Speaking at an emergency security meeting on February 9, the governor said rather than always relying on government intervention, residents should form groups and protect themselves. According to him, We must review the security situation in the state, take action to find a solution, and address these challenges. Apart from insecurity, there are other challenges like the rising cost of food and hunger amongst the population. Government is fully prepared to assist through training & the provision of logistics. We are all aware of the current skyrocketing of the prices uhh of foodstuff, which led to protests in Niger State, Kano & other places. It has not gotten to our state yet but it is necessary for us to meet & see how we can mitigate the situation before it gets out of hand. The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has declared that the push for oil resumption and development in Ogoni is critical to the future of the Ogoni people and there will be no going back on its actualization. MOSOP however noted that it is important to tackle the issue in a way that guarantees a better future for the Ogoni people. President of MOSOP, Fegalo Nsuke, made the assertion on Saturday while addressing the Central Committee of MOSOP at the organisations national secretariat in Bori, Ogoni.. Nsuke urged the Ogoni people not to be distracted by those who were exploiting their conditions for personal gains. He noted that MOSOP will not falter on the push for the operationalization of its proposed Ogoni Development Authority, being an acceptable pathway that guarantees a win-win for all parties including the Ogoni people, the government and the oil industry. He told the MOSOP Central Committee that the good life the Ogoni people seek will not be realizable until Ogoni resources are deployed for its own development, calling on them to promote the message in all communities and kingdoms of Ogoni. Nobody should deceive you, the good life we seek can only be achievable when our resources are properly deployed into building our infrastructure, creating jobs, providing security and transforming the entire Ogoni But we must also be vigilant to protect our people from the exploitation and lies flying around. We must protect our people from saboteurs whose only interest is to keep the people in perpetual poverty after three decades of struggling for a good life. Nsuke urged the people to support the development process and not give room to enemies of the people who are currently benefiting from the conflicts and would wish to truncate the development initiatives He noted that the struggle against Shell was led by MOSOP and fought by the people and the people should be allowed to reap the benefits. Nsuke further noted that distractions and manipulations should not be unexpected. He however called on the people to stand strong for development noting that Ogoni should not remain the way it is. The MOSOP leader urged the people to take up the challenge and opportunity to free themselves. He called for a denouncement of the lies and manipulations of detractors and urged them to focus on achieving a new Ogoni. We are the ones to free ourselves. We have swallowed too many lies and people have taken too much advantage of us. Now it is time to get it right and permanently address the problem in a way that it will never re-occur. I tell you the truth, we must embrace the development initiatives proposed by MOSOP which called for the operationalization of the Ogoni development Authority. The ODA is an idea and vision that secures our future, the future of our children and those of our childrens children. We must embrace it. he said. Finally, he urged all Ogonis to maintain peace in their communities and continue the work of sensitizing the people on the need for development through the operationalization of the Ogoni Development Authority. Wherever you are, you must disabuse the peoples minds from trouble, tell them that development will only come when Ogoni resources are made to work for the Ogoni people. That is our collective goal he concluded. Lower Sproul Plaza at UC Berkeley, shown in 2015, was the site of a gunshot incident Friday night. Nathaniel Y. Downes/The Chronicle 2015 Friday night was the second time UC Berkeley junior Riley Cooke planned to hang out with friends and instead ended up covering a shooting. Cooke, the university news editor for the Daily Californian student paper, was on her way to get frozen yogurt with former managing editor Anna Armstrong when their phones started buzzing with texts and Slack messages about students hearing gunshots on the south edge of campus. Later, the university would announce that a 59-year-old man had fired several shots into the air above Lower Sproul Plaza, hitting no one, and was quickly arrested by University of California police. But the first news that a shooting had happened at all came from student journalists reporting on it, even as they themselves took shelter. Advertisement Article continues below this ad As soon as the shooting happened, information began to pour into the Daily Cals Slack from students across campus, according to Matt Brown, the newspapers managing editor and a former Chronicle intern. Some reporters had walked past the shooting as it happened, another had a friend who recorded a video of the incident, and yet another heard informally that police officers had already arrested the suspect, Brown said. But students didnt receive a notification about the incident or the arrest until about 40 minutes after the shots were fired. University of California police use a system called WarnMe to communicate with students about emergencies. The first WarnMe notice about the 8:40 p.m. incident went out around 9:20 p.m. Asked about the timing of the alerts, Janet Gilmore, a spokesperson for UC Berkeley, said the university was looking into the matter. She said the man was not affiliated with the campus and was arrested within a minute of firing his weapon. In the time between the shooting and the WarnMe, Brown said reporters felt like they were in the dark. We didnt know what was going on in the same way students didnt know what was going on. All we heard was active shooter on campus, and from there, your imagination just goes, How bad? Brown said. For that moment, it was really scary. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Cooke, who had headed for the papers newsroom on the north side of campus, began writing, while Armstrong there with her started listening to the police scanner. Still waiting for official word on whether the shooter was still out there, the two turned off the lights in the front of the newsroom and huddled together in the back, Armstrong said. They called a university spokesperson to see what the school knew, Armstrong said. Cookes roommate texted her videos and photos other students had taken. At 9:42 p.m., the spokesperson confirmed the shooting had happened and the suspect had been arrested, according to Cooke. In between writing updates and making calls, Cooke said she tried to take deep breaths. Theres an increased pressure to get things right on the first try, Cooke said. I feel that way for all breaking news, but especially when you know people are looking to you for live updates about something as serious as an active shooter situation. Armstrong and Cooke had reported on a shooting together before in 2022, when a person shot four people just one block south of where Fridays shooting unfolded, the two teamed up to cover the story. In that case, one person died. None of the victims was a student. This time, they felt more prepared, according to Cooke. The two knew whom to call and where to look first. They also knew that students would be looking for information on social media, Cooke said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Kyle Garcia Takata, a junior and the papers social media editor, was in a classroom building a short walk north of Lower Sproul Plaza when he first got the Slack message about a shooting on campus. Garcia Takata stepped out into the hall and called Brown. While I was nervous and a little worried about safety, I was more worried about, How can we tell people as quickly as possible whats going on? Garcia Takata said. Around Garcia Takata, other students had begun to hear about the shooting through social media and texts from friends, he said. They closed the blinds and locked the classroom doors while waiting to hear from the university. The Daily Cal first posted about the shooting on X, formerly known as Twitter, at 8:54 p.m. and posted on Instagram and Facebook shortly after. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In the comment section of the Daily Cals Instagram, questions poured in from across campus what happened? Had the shooter been arrested? Where was the notice from WarnMe, UC Berkeleys emergency notification system? Garcia Takata posted on Facebook while Armstrong answered such questions to the extent possible on Instagram, with the limited information available. At 9:20 p.m., the UC Police Department sent out a WarnMe notice asking students to shelter in place due to an aggravated assault at Lower Sproul Plaza. About 20 minutes later, a second notice went out telling students the suspect had been detained and the shelter-in-place order was lifted. According to the Daily Cals prior reporting, the majority of WarnMe notices dont come out until more than 50 minutes after the initial incident. Factors such as the number of victims and whether a weapon was involved can impact the timing of an alert, UCPD Sgt. Kevin Vincent told the Daily Cal. UCPD, which operates the WarnMe system, directed all media requests about Friday nights shooting to the university. It kind of makes you wonder, whats the point of this system? Is it to report that something happened, or is it supposed to be a safety net for students? I think from what we saw this weekend, its not that case. I think thats just a huge failure on the university, Brown said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Armstrongs confidence in her fellow student journalists kept her calm as she and Cooke worked to put out the first article on the shooting, she said. Brown said the newsrooms quick and accurate reporting was a testament to the power of student journalism. He had a good heart, see where he died. To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die. Thomas Campbell Daga Allah sai talaka, (meaning service to the poor after that to God) was his campaign slogan. Bukar Abba Ibrahim was a man whose life was spent in service to the people. This was reflected more in his method of governance that was skewed towards empowering the people. When Yobe State was created in 1991, the state itself was rural and Damaturu, the state capital, was not better than a big village. Elected on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), he became the states first democratically elected governor and was in office between January 1992 and November 1993 when the late General Sani Abacha sacked the democratic contraption of that time. He came back, though, in 1999 where he served for two terms under the flag of the All Peoples Party (APP). A first-class brain and an excellent quantity surveyor graduate of the prestigious ABU, Zaria, he was a one-time commissioner of works in the old Borno State. He deployed his knowledge and administrative acumen to build structures in the young state of Yobe. With a style of leadership that can be defined as laissez-faire, he allowed his appointees freedom to make decisions, believing that those invested with responsibility must be responsible people. Through this method, he built over three thousand houses that accommodated both public and private sector workers, as well as roads, schools, hospitals, clinics and factories that bring in revenue to the state. Amongst his projects spread across the state are the Yobe Flour Mills Company, Potiskum; Fertilizer Company, Gujba; Printing Press, Damaturu; Polythene/Sacks Industry, Damaturu; Dofarga Spring Water Company, Gulani, and a modern abattoir in Damaturu. Others are the Yobe State University; School of Nursing, Damaturu; College of Health Sciences, Nguru; College of Legal and Islamic Studies, Nguru; Yobe State Polytechnic, Geidam; College of Agriculture, Gujba, and the Yobe Mosque and Islamic Centre (Mosque and School), Damaturu. No wonder many call him the father of modern Yobe. However, Bukar Abba will be remembered for his simplicity and humility, and his love for people. He was never one to shun a person who sought his audience regardless of that persons low standing in society. It was not uncommon to see him discussing heartily with beggars, invalids or the physically challenged. Whoever he interacted with came out with their dignity intact because of the rapt attention he accorded them. Perhaps, this was a result of his guiding principle of life, being an avowed welfarist who had Malam Aminu Kano as his ideal. He not only had a son named after him, but till he died he wore the dara (Aminu Kanos type of red cap). Many people got the surprises of their lives when they saw him in events they deemed beneath their status to grace. He would be seen in the house of the lowest of commoners, if invited, for a wedding or naming ceremony. And he was equally at home with the haves as he was with the have-nots. In 1999, his first official outing was to our house at Ben Kalio, in Damaturu, to attend the wedding Fatiha of my younger sister, Ya Aisa, named after the mother of the late Baba Shehuri, a great friend of our late father. He had great respect for our father, the late Alhaji Sulaiman Gimba Ahmed, who died on 8 January 2013. This made the late Emir of Fika, His Royal Highness Alhaji Abali Ibn Muhammadu Idrissa, delegate him to go to the governor and intercede on behalf of his people. The Bolawa were seen as die-hard Peoples Democratic Party adherents because of their notable sons, the late Malam Adamu Ciroma and Adamu Maina Waziri, who were founders and torchbearers of the party. In any case, the Bolewa, except for recently, had always been politically centrist. They were with the late Sardauna of Sokotos Northern Peoples Congress (NPC) and later with the National Party of Nigeria (NPN). And so some influential people in Bukars government started posting the Bolewa civil servants to the states equivalent of Siberia, which necessitated the late Emir to send our late father, who was at Government College, Maiduguri, earlier than the governor, to him for a truce. And everything normalised thereafter. During his tenure as governor, especially between 1999 and 2007, his main running mate, to borrow from the late Governor of Kano, Sabo Bakin Zuwo, was Adamu Maina Waziri, a prince of Fika and doyen of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state. The late Bakin Zuwo had a running battle with the late Abubakar Rimi as they belonged to two different factions of Malam Aminu Kanos Peoples Redemption Party (PRP). And when Zuwo was contesting for the governorship of Kano and was asked by pressmen who his running mate was, he mistook that for a competitor, like someone he was running a 100-metre dash against. He quipped, It is that boy, Abubakar Rimi. I recall a day in February 2003 when Bukar Abba asked me if I thought Adamu Waziri would be a good governor for Yobe State. The question took me by surprise because I had gone to see him on another matter entirely apolitical, being a journalist. I was in the Government House sitting room at about 8 pm and just a few guests were there hanging around. I recall one security man telling me to go because it was late, an advice I ignored. Then Bukar, whom I believe saw me on the CCTV monitor, sent for me. And I was taken to his bedroom! That was a great honour. He was sitting on his bed while I sat on the carpet in front of him. After initial greetings, he asked why I was there late. Done with that, he asked me about a marriage I was to contract that month and asked me how much the dowry was. When I told him, he laughed heartily and said Why is it this much, or is it because she is Fulani? He got up and went to a wardrobe where he counted the amount and gave it to me. Then the bombshell: Do you think Adamu Waziri will be a good governor for Yobe? he asked me. Gubernatorial elections were to be held in the next two months and Waziri of the PDP was a threat. My mind went into a spin. I thought he was trying to trap me. Something told me that he had asked because there was this political misconception in Yobe that every Babole was regarded as a PDP loyalist and, therefore, would vote for the party. He (Bukar) did not even know that, at that moment, I was more with Tijjani Musa Tumsah who was not exactly politically chummy with Waziri. Four years earlier, I had given my vote to Nasiru Hassan Yusuf, who was contesting for the House of Assembly in Bukar Abbas party. But knowing him to be a straight forward man who believed people telling him something were truthful, I gave him an answer from deep within my heart, an answer I believed in. Hassan Gimba is the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Neptune Prime. Related On Sunday, United States authorities indicated that preliminary reports suggest wintry weather conditions were among the contributing factors to the helicopter crash that claimed the life of Herbert Wigwe, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc. Wigwe, his wife and son were onboard the helicopter when it crashed in California near the Nevada border on Friday. Also on board was the former group chairperson of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, Abimbola Ogunbanjo. Speaking during a media briefing Saturday (3am Nigerian time, Sunday), a National Transportation Safety Board member, Michael Graham, said officials were on the scene to gather perishable evidence. Graham said the team was methodically and systematically reviewing all evidence and considering all potential factors to determine the probable cause of the crash. He added that although the information provided was only preliminary, witness reports suggested that a wintry weather condition was among the factors that contributed to the accident. The crew consisted of a pilot in command and a safety pilot. The accident flight was operated by Orbic Air LLC as a Part 135 charter flight Witness reports of the weather conditions at the time of the accident suggest rain and a wintry mix. The helicopter was not equipped with a cockpit voice recorder or a flight data recorder. This helicopter was not required to be equipped with those types of recording devices, Graham said Asked about more information on the passengers, Graham stated there were no details but added that any names will be released through the coroners office without specifying a time frame. He added that the NTSB would look into the choppers airworthiness; maintenance and structure of the helicopter, operations, meteorology, and air traffic control. Parties to the investigation include the FAA and Orbic Air LLC. As the investigation continues, other parties could be named, he said. The BEA the French aviation accident investigation agency will serve as an accredited representative because France is a state of the manufacturer of the Airbus helicopter and the Turbomeca engine. Meanwhile, Access Holdings Plc has confirmedconfirmed the death of its CEO, Wigwe along with his wife and son. The announcement was made in a statement signed by the Group Company Secretary, Sunday Ekwochi, on Sunday. Commending 2Babas role in the latest episode of his skits, The Secret Of Lulu, Basketmouth admonished him to pursue a full acting career with his Tiv ascent. Renowned comedian and actor, Bright Okpocha, also known as Basketmouth, has encouraged the legendary musician, Innocent Ujah Idibia, popularly known as 2Baba, to fully immerse himself in the movie industry. Commending 2Babas role in the latest episode of his skits, The Secret Of Lulu, Basketmouth admonished him to pursue a full acting career with his Tiv ascent. He said he already creating a project for 2Babas comic character in the skit. On his X handle, Basketmouth wrote; My brother @official2baba we should create something beautiful from this character you played here, I think its going to be a masterpiece. My brain don dey cook something already. Think about it blood. Meanwhile, 2Baba is yet to respond to his request. Recall that 2Baba has previously featured in some Nollywood movies including Head Gone, Make A Move, and a cameo in 10 Days In Sun City. The Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency has reported the arrest of a 42-year-old man, Ahmad Mohammed, who is allegedly responsible for supplying drugs to insurgents in Borno State. In a statement on Sunday by agencys Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the suspect is part 24 suspected traffickers and dealers recently arrested by its operatives. The statement revealed Mohammed was supplying illicit drugs to insurgents in Banki, a border region between Nigeria and Cameroon. He was was arrested by NDLEA operatives on Friday 9th February at check point in Borno State. When his luggage was searched 20,000 capsules of tramadol were recovered from him while on his way to deliver the opioid consignment in the border town, the statement revealed. In another development, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence on Sunday 4th February intercepted a truck marked Lagos JJJ 64 YC conveying 367 jumbo bags of cannabis sativa weighing 4,037 kilograms from Akure, Ondo state to be delivered at Shabu area of Lafia, the state capital. Three suspects: Shuaibu Yahaya Liman, 35; Monday Audu, 33, and Linus Samuel, 42 have been arrested in connection with the seizure. The statement further added, The following day Monday 5th February, operatives in Abuja, FCT arrested the duo of Jibrin Shuaibu, 23, and Prosper Innih, 17, with 169 bags and 80 blocks of compressed cannabis sativa weighing 1,961.5kgs concealed in a truck with registration number Ogun WDE 557 XC. The truck was intercepted during a stop and search operation along Abaji Abuja highway on their way from Uzeba to Dei-Dei, FCT. The statement continued, In another operation by NDLEA operatives in Abuja on Tuesday 6th February, a suspect, Abdulhameed Dauda, 27, was arrested with 89kgs of the same psychoactive substance loaded into his truck in Owo, Ondo state to be delivered at Gwagwalada in FCT. On the same day, operatives also intercepted another driver, Hassan Ade, 30, transporting 696.5kgs of the same substance loaded in Idoani, Ondo state to be delivered at Gwagwalada and Dei-Dei in FCT. A follow up operation led to the arrest of a mother of three children, Mrs. Joy Chukwuka, 42, linked with the consignment. The agency also revealed that in Ondo state, apart from the seizure of 633.5kgs of cannabis at Eleyere, Ogbese in Akure North LGA, its operatives also recovered 59 jumbo bags of same substance loaded in a truck marked GAD 287 XA heading to Northern part of the country. Detergents were sprayed on the cannabis bags ostensibly to suppress the odour of the psychoactive weed, while 192 packs of table water were loaded on top to conceal the illicit consignment, it said. Other arrests happened in Edo State where not less than 187kgs of same Cannabis were seized by operatives at Sapele road of the state while in Kano, the agencys officers, on Monday 5th February arrested 58-year-old Bashir Attahir in Bachirawa area of the state with 216,000 pills of tramadol 250mg. Another suspect, Ejike Moses Nmenme, 47, was nabbed the following day Tuesday 6th Feb with 25,190 capsules of tramadol and different quantities of rohypnol and codeine syrup along Emir road, Sabon Gari area of the city while the duo of Yusuf Abdullahi Musa, 35, and Yusuf Musa, 28, were nabbed at Gadar Tamburawa, with 1,000 ampoules of tramadol injection on Thursday 8th February. In Anambra, a six-month pregnant woman, Amarachi Akaolisa, 25, and another lady, Ifeoma Iheanyi, 21, were among six suspects arrested for dealing in illicit substances in Oraifite and Umuni-Evili, Aguleri, Anambra state. Others nabbed include: Okwuchukwu Chukwuka; Onyedika Ngwu; Ekene Hyginus and Nzomiwu Ikechukwu. Recovered from them were over 6 kilograms of cannabis, tramadol, diazepam and codeine syrup in raids conducted NDLEA operatives between Tuesday 6th and Thursday 8th Feb in parts of the state. In Lagos, two ladies: Boluwatife Adebayo and Omolade Fola Adebayo were among suspects arrested during raids in parts of the state on Saturday 10th February. Also arrested were Ogah Sunday Adole and Boluwatife Adebayo who were picked at Agidingbi, Ikeja, in connection with 220grams of cannabis, 10.6 litres of codeine syrup, and other psychotropic substances. Nigerias number one man, President Bola Tinubu has described the death of Dr. Herbert Wigwe, the Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, as an overwhelming tragedy that is shocking beyond comprehension. This came after the official confirmation of a helicopter crash that killed the top banker, former Group Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc., Mr. Abimbola Ogunbanjo, along with members of the Wigwe family. Bola Tinubu receives the news with shock and deep distress and mourns these exceptional Nigerian business leaders, a statement on Sunday by the Presidents Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, read. The statement is titled, President Tinubu mourns CEO of Access Holdings Plc, Herbert Wigwe, former group chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group, Abimbola Ogunbanjo and family members. Wigwe died in a helicopter crash in California near the Nevada border, United States of America, on Friday. On Sunday, Access Holdings Plc confirmed the accident and those killed in the helicopter accident. A statement signed by the Group Company Secretary, Sunday Ekwochi, read, It is with deep sadness that the Board of Directors of Access Holdings Plc (the Company) announces the passing of Dr. Herbert Wigwe, CFR, the Companys founding Group Chief Executive Officer and former Group Managing Director of its flagship subsidiary Access Bank Plc (the Bank). Dr. Wigwe died alongside his wife and son on Friday, February 9, 2024 in a helicopter accident in the United States of America. The entire Access family mourns the loss of Herbert, Doreen, and Chizi. We extend our deep and sincere sympathies to his family and loved ones. United States authorities said preliminary reports suggest that a wintry weather condition contributed to the crash. The President condoled with the Wigwe and Ogunbanjo families, the business community, and all those impacted by this harrowing incident. President Tinubu prays for the peaceful repose of the departed and asks God Almighty to comfort the multitude of Nigerians who are grieving and the families of the deceased at this deeply agonising moment, said Ngelale The Delhi Police Special Cell has apprehended a Nigerian and two Ghanaian nationals, allegedly identified as members of an international syndicate engaged in the supply of party drugs. A total of 64 grams fine quality cocaine and 20 pills of ecstasy have been recovered from the possession of the accused persons, DCP of Special Cell Amit Kaushik said in a statement on Sunday, February 11, 2024. The accused were identified as David Narh, Emmanual Owusu Nsiah, both from Ghana and Chimobi David Okpara, a Nigerian. The Trans Yamuna Range of Special Cell was informed about the movement of two persons involved in supplying party drugs. Acting swiftly on the information, a team of TYR/Special Cell, swung into action, and a trap was laid on SFS Flats road, Mayur Vihar phase-3, Delhi, and the accused persons, David Narh and Emmanual Owusu Nsiah who were on a scooty were intercepted, Kaushik stated. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of Special Cell Amit Kaushik, The Trans Yamuna Range of Special Cell was received about the movement of two persons involved in supplying party drugs. Acting swiftly on the information, a team of TYR/Special Cell, swung into action, and a trap was laid on SFS Flats road, Mayur Vihar phase-3, Delhi, and the accused persons, David Narh and Emmanual Owusu Nsiah who were on a scooty were intercepted. On their search, a total of 56.69 grams of cocaine and 20 pills of ecstasy were recovered. A criminal case under the appropriate sections of law was registered against them in this regard and the accused were taken on police remand. On their disclosure, another accused who was the source of the recovered contraband, namely Chimobi David Okpara was apprehended and was produced in court and a search warrant of his flat in a Greater Noida Society was taken from the court. On the search of his flat, a further 7.12 grams of cocaine was recovered. Efforts are on to identify the forward and backward chain of the syndicate, total of 64 grams fine quality cocaine and 20 pills of Ecstasy recovered, Were supplying cocaine and ecstasy pills in parties, he added. According to the police, David Narh was born and brought up in Accra, Ghana in 1993 and arrived in India in December 2023. Emmanual Owusu Nsiah was born in Accra, Ghana in 1993 and was brought up in his native village Kumasia. He arrived in India in mid-January, 2024. Chimobi David Okpara, 27, came to India in 2018. Initially, he stayed in Mumbai for 8 months and then came to Delhis Dwarka and worked in an African Kitchen. The Police said he later moved to Tuglakabad in 2019 and started supplying Narcotics drugs in Delhi/NCR. Thereafter, he moved to Casa Granda, Greater Noida. Further investigation into the matter is underway. The chairman of UTM FLNG, Julius Rone has received with deep distress news of the passing of Mr. Herbert Wigwe, top banker and entrepreneur, and Mr. Abimbola Ogunbanjo, OFR, former Group Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, along with members of the Wigwe family. NEWS DIRECT earlier reported that the Access Bank chief died in a chopper accident heading to Las Vegas that occurred near a border city between Nevada and California on Friday night. A signed letter by Julius read: The news of the tragic death of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Group Managing Director of Access Bank plc, my beloved brother and friend, Herbert Wigwe, in helicopter crash in the United State has left me heartbroken, shattered and inconsolable. It is even more heart-wrenching that the tragic event also claimed the lives of his exceptionally graceful wife, Chizoba, his son, and the former Group Chairman of Nigeria Stock Exchange, Abimbola Ogunbanjo. Indeed, our nation, humanity, the corporate world and particularly the global financial sector have lost a leading light, a rare brand who with extraordinary genius, industry and diligence bestrode his chosen path as a Colossus and made immemorable contributions towards national and global economic growth and stability. Herbert Wigwe was a quintessential banker, wealth creator, education promoter, highly resourceful entrepreneur and remarkable philanthropist, dazzling motivator and untiring mentor, who lived as a trailblazer and source of inspiration to many especially the younger generation of leaders and entrepreneurs on the national and international arena. His role in using his Thought-Leadership Series known as The Access Conference towards to host world leaders and stimulate global all-inclusive corporate solutions to challenges facing humanity among other international interventions stood him to a global citizen, leader and bridgebuilder who place the wellbeing of humanity above all other considerations. Herbert lived for others. Despite his lofty attainments, he remained humble and accessible. His philanthropist roles in supporting the less privilege, vulnerable children, orphans and internally displaced persons through his numerous charity platforms speak volumes of the heart he and his wife had for humanity. At this moment of grief, my heart goes out to the Wigwe family as well the Ogunbanjo family as I pray to God in His Mercies to console the families , the management and staff of Access Bank as well as the banking community in Nigeria and give all of us the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss. For eight years, Yahaya Bello, former governor of Kogi State, did his best. Last month, he left the state better than he met it. He left in a blaze of glory. He was also privileged to hand over to a government of continuity headed by Governor Usman Ododo. But, out of jealosy, his foes have invaded the media to mount a campaign of calumny against the former governor. How far can they go? Kogites believe that Bello served meritoriously. The new government is planning to build on his legacies. But, political opponents are on the prowl with their tools of propaganda, deceit and falsehood. Kogi State Government and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are on collision course over moves by the commission to bring corruption charges against the former governor. The state government said the commission was only trying to tarnish its image and reputation of the firmer givernor. After crossing the hurdle of succession and handover to his successor, Governor Usman Ododo, the state government is agitated that the anti-graft body is trying witch-hunt Bello. According to the Information and Communications Commissioner, Kingsley Fanwo, there is a sinister motive, in fact, an agenda, to charge Bello for diverting public funds when he was in office. The commissioner attributed Bellos ordeal to the antics of rougue politicians conniving with the anti-graft agency to ridicule the former governor, fondly called the White Lion by admirers. He said the goal is to dent his image outside power. In the process, Fanwo said that recourse to a clandestine agenda is, in turn, tarnishing the image of the commission. Then, Kogi government challenged EFCC to a duel. It said that Kogi money is working for its peoole, and not missing as being insinuated by the commission. Fanwo also said exploiting EFCC as a tool of oppression and repression is against the anti-corruption vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Trouble started when EFCC, in an amended charge, accused the former governor of diverting Kogi State Government funds in September 2015, four months before he assumed office as governor in Lokoja, the state capital. To the state government, this is not only laughable, but smacks of lack of due diligence. Fanwo said: The fact that the EFCC, in charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/550/2022: FRN V. 1. Ali Bello 2. Dauda Suleiman, currently pending before Honorable Justice J.K. Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division further amended the Amended Charge to include in the count, the name of H.E Yahaya Bello, describing him as being at large, is ridiculous, laughable and portrays the EFCC as an agency infested with persons whose intents disagree with the noble intention of Mr. President to defeat corruption in Nigeria. At issue is the phrase: Being at large, means that a person is evading arrest or is on the run and cannot be found after an attempt to arrest. The commissioner claried thathe original charge was against Ali Bello and Dauda Suleiman, Alis associate. The offence which H.E Yahaya Bello is alleged to have committed upon which he has been named in the count is conspiracy to convert the total sum of N80,246,470,089.88 (Eighty Billion, Two Hundred and Forty Six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand, Eighty Nine Naira, Eighty Eight Kobo). He was said to have committed the offence on or about September 2015 in Abuja. His co-conspirators, according to the count, are Abdulsalami Hudu (Kogi State Government House Cashier), described as being at large too, Ali Bello and Dauda Suleiman. What is curious is that the Count of the offence is most laughable as the election that produced Yahaya Bello as governor of Kogi was only conducted in November 2015. Also, it was Captain Idris Wada of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that held sway as governor at that time until he handed over to Bello on January 27, 2016. There are puzzles: How could Bello have as of September 2015 conspired with anyone, including Abdulsalami Hudu, a Kogi Government House Cashier, to convert any money belonging to the Kogi State Government? Also, how could have Bello, had no financial dealings with the Kogi State Government before assuming the reins, have converted monies belonging to the Kogi State Government? Following the EFCCs statement, sime political actors have intensified their campaign of calumny. Warning them to desist, the state government maintained in a statement that no public mobey is missing in Kogi. It said EFCC leadership should tender apology because of its ridiculous, shameless and indefensible allegation. Kogi government also urged the President to step in to save the integrity of the EFCC from those pushing the Commission into a fight that should be left to politicians. It added: The Kogi State Government under the leadership of His Excellency Alh. Ahmed Usman Ododo will continue to support the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President. We will also continue to promote probity, accountability and transparency and open our books to agencies and institutions constitutionally empowered to look into them. We will continue to win awards in transparency and accountability. The rift between EFCC and Kogi government is not new. In 2021, the Commission came out with a false claim that it had uncovered over N20 billion of the states bail out fund in a Fixed Deposit Account in Sterling Bank. The allegation prompted the state government wrote a letter to Sterling Bank for clarifications. The bank clarified that Kogi government had no such account with it. Fanwo said EFCC style may betray President Tinubus determination to retool the agency and make it more vibrant in preventing and fighting corruption in a genuine and objective manner within the ambit of the rule of law. He said EFCC under the current leadership should not tow the path of the commission under the leadership of Abdulrasheed Bawa, who in August 2021, decided that the Kogi State Government had N20 billion in an account, secured ex-parte, an Order of the Federal High Court, Lagos empowering him to direct the Manager of Sterling Bank Plc to freeze Account No. 0073572696 with the name Kogi State Salary Bail Out Account, pending the conclusion of investigation or possible prosecution. Fanwo added: The EFCC has since refused to answer to the suit filed against it since 2021 by the Kogi State Government and its officials challenging the falsehood on the issue of bailout funds. The commission has continued to maintain frivolous appeals even when the Court of Appeal had confirmed that the trial Court had the jurisdiction to entertain the suit. At a time too, the former first lady of Kogi State, Rashida Bello was named in the counts of offence and described as being at large in Charge No: FHC/ABJ/573/2022: FRN V. (1) ALI BELLO (2) ABBA ADAUDU (3) YAKUBU SIYAKA ADABENEGE (4) IYADI SADAT. She was alleged to have conspired to criminally misappropriate over N3 billion funds allegedly belonging to some Local Government Areas. She was never invited by the EFCC or arrested. The Minister of Niger Delta and former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, in conjunction with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Friday pulled out of the Saturday senatorial rerun election in Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. The APC lubricated its propaganda machine to accuse the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) of bias in the administration of the supplementary election. Akpabio had earlier declared that he will not participate in the election on Saturday since he has been offered ministerial appointment into the federal cabinet. His suggestion for a replacement could not be substantiated since the time permitted by law for replacement of candidates has since elapsed. However, in a press conference on Friday at the APC secretariat in Uyo, the state Chairman, Ini Okopido, explained: APC has withdrawn from the re-run election in Essien Udim local government area as we are dissatisfied with the conduct of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state. Okopido disclosed that Senator Godswill Akpabio, was replaced with Ekperikpe Ekpo as APC candidate in the Senatorial election and Nse Ntuen for Essien Udim State Constituency will not participate in the elections. He said the party has instituted a court process We have officially, as a party, withdrawn from the rerun elections in Essien Udim local government area. We are so dissatisfied with the conduct of INEC in Akwa Ibom State and we have withdrawn from the elections. As far as we are concerned, Igini has shown unprecedented bias against APC. He cannot give us a fair contest. We know he does not like APC in Akwa Ibom State and if he conducts any election in Akwa Ibom, the party will withdraw. Igini has not been fair to us as a state, the APC state chairman declared. It was obvious that Akpabio had given up the ticket in preference of his ministerial appointment, while APC would only be lawless to insist on replacing its candidate months such action had expired. Meanwhile, Chris Epkeyong, a former Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State the election in 2019 before the Cort of Appeal annulled the election in the local government where the rerun is to hold this Saturday. Epkeyong of the PDP maintains a comfortable winning margin and the defeat of Akpabio in the rerun is imminent. Reply Reply all Forward PV: 0 There is rising tension in Nigeria as the coronavirus infection rate has continued to rise daily while deaths from isolation and treatment centres are slowly increasing. However, statistics of recoveries is also rising, indicating that as more people are being infested more people are also getting cured while few people die. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in its update statistics on Saturday indicated that at 10:30pm on Friday the country has recorded 209 confirmed cases of coronavirus infection, 4 deaths and 25 recoveries. Meanwhile, the testing capacity of the federal government is very low. Till date, the government has only 7 test centres across the country, servicing the 36 states of the federation. The Minister of Health had at the media briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID 19 early in the week, said that the government can now 2,000 persons daily. Meanwhile, in South Africa, the government deployed 67 mobile test units in the country, and in one week of lockdown, 47,000 persons have been tested. The South African government as of Friday has developed the capacity of its health institutions to conduct 30,000 coronavirus tests daily on the citizens. Nigeria is still struggling with 7 test centres and 2,000 daily test capacity. The absence of test centres in several states generates fears that the 209 confirmed infection cases may be an under-reporting of the actual infection rate in Nigeria. Citizens in several state on Saturday complained that there is no test centre in their states, expressing fear that some people may be dying silently from coronavirus without detection. While several states have ordered lockdown, some are recently setting up isolation centres. Apparently, citizens in states that have not been listed among detected confirmed cases, still doubt that all residents are immune from coronavirus infection. The citizens have, therefore, demanded for coronavirus test to be conducted in their states. This, in their views, will give the actual infection rate in Nigeria. PV: 0 The country needs Rep. Nancy Pelosi leadership should Donald Trump win the presidency in November. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle When former Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced last September that she would seek reelection to the House in 2024, it caught many political observers, including members of the editorial board, by surprise. Pelosi, 83, had widely been expected to retire especially after a terrifying and tragic incident where her husband was attacked with a hammer during a home invasion by a right-wing conspiracy theorist. What was left to achieve in her storied career? I am running to preserve democracy, she told us in her endorsement interview. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We understood this to mean as a check on Donald Trump. California has multifaceted needs and the preservation of its rights and values is certainly at the top. There are others, too. After decades of inaction at the federal level, housing affordability has finally reentered the dialogue in the halls of Congress. Meanwhile, the same debates we see over local control and permit streamlining on housing and development in California are starting to take place at the national level over green energy. California needs to be a leading voice in these debates. It was clear from our interview with Pelosi that while she will be a reliable vote on housing issues in particular, she will not be innovating on policy at this stage of her career. Pelosis decision to double down on calls to investigate financial ties between protesters calling for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war and Russia felt questionable. Advertisement Article continues below this ad She was more thoughtful on issues relating to drug addiction, which she views as a public health crisis in need of investment. Pelosis strength is as a political leader. Watching her work the room during our endorsement interview was impressive. She was simultaneously tough, charming and pragmatic as she fielded questions from our board members and Chronicle news reporters in attendance. We have little doubt about her continued ability to hold high levels of influence in Washington. Of the seven candidates running against Pelosi, we were most impressed by Democrat Jason Boyce, a web developer at the UCSF Center for HIV Information. Boyce praised Pelosis congressional career, particularly her advocacy for the Affordable Care Act, but argued that her focus on national and international issues has come at the expense of San Francisco residents, many of whom feel neglected and unrepresented at the federal level. At the policy level, this is a fair criticism. But Pelosi is still willing and able to bring home money and resources to help the state. In her endorsement interview, she described holding tough negotiations with Trump during the COVID crisis over the necessity of providing funds directly to struggling cities like San Francisco. She also summoned a federal response to deal with deadly fentanyl abuse outside her namesake federal building in San Francisco. The two other Democrats in the race are Marjorie Mikels, an attorney and peace advocate who said shes running primarily to challenge the enormous U.S. military budget and American involvement in various wars; and Bianca Von Krieg, a community advocate and transgender woman whos running on a progressive platform that includes Medicare for All, the Green New Deal, universal basic income, abolishing the Electoral College and nationalizing ranked-choice voting. We admire their passion but are unconvinced that they would be able to follow through on these campaign promises. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Four Republicans are also running against Pelosi. Business owner Bruce Lou spoke vaguely about the need to reform the ideological, substandard in the U.S. education system, audit governmental spending and stem the flow of fentanyl into San Francisco by tightening the border but offered few details as to how such policies would be accomplished. Data engineer Jason Chuyuan Zeng, who said he lived out of his car for about six months during the pandemic while working at an Arizona gold mine, put forth an unusual mix of conservative and progressive ideas, including giving parents education vouchers to pick their kids schools and ensuring everyone has access to free community college, cell phones and bank accounts. His idiosyncratic platform, however, isnt ready for prime time. The remaining two Republicans, business consultant Eve Del Castillo and retired school worker Larry Nichelson, both declined our interview requests. Of this group, Pelosi is the superior candidate. The elephant in the room, of course, is who isnt running. Its an open secret that state Sen. Scott Wiener of San Francisco has his eyes on Pelosis seat. Had Pelosi chosen to retire at the end of this term, Wiener almost certainly would have run and made a formidable candidate. Wiener is a talented legislative mind and the primary architect of the state-level movement to make California housing more abundant and affordable. Should sanity prevail and Trump loses in November, the Democratic Party will need system-level thinkers to meaningfully advance a forward-looking agenda and to help stave off the other existential threat to our nation: climate change. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Of course, Trump hasnt lost. Recent polls show him pulling ahead of President Joe Biden with voters in several key areas, including, inexplicably, competence. And Wiener was just appointed chair of the powerful state Senate Budget Committee, where he will likely make a greater impact on California than he could as a new House member. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the fuel subsidy regime under the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration is a monumental fraud; a huge and unpardonable scam against our nation. In a statement signed by Kola Ologbondiyan, National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, the party chargeed officials of APC-led government to stop lying to Nigerians and tell the truth of how trillions of naira, claimed to have been paid as subsidy, was cornered by APC leaders and members of the cabal in the Buhari Presidency. The PDP described Mondays declaration by the NNPC Group Managing Director, Mele Kyari, that there will be no more subsidy and under-recovery as dramatic. The statement reads: Our party notes that if the Federal Government is running away from its subsidy policy, the substantive Minister of Petroleum Resources, President Buhari or his minister of state, Timi Sylva, should muster the courage to announce this to Nigerians through a policy statement. Our party holds that this sudden announcement of an end to fuel subsidy and commencement of a deregulation regime of the oil sector is a desperate step by the Buhari administration to stave off an investigation into the siphoning of trillions of naira by APC leaders using phony subsidy claims. The PDP invites Nigerians to note how President Buhari set the stage for unprecedented subsidy looting under his regime. It would be recalled that in his bid to smear the PDP, President Buhari, while leading the agitation against the decision by the PDP administration to deregulate the oil sector in 2012, declared that fuel subsidy does not exist. He had called the subsidy regime and its operators a fraud. Rather than riding on this declaration on assumption of office, the Buhari Presidency provided official cover for the cabal and APC leaders to use his ascendancy to power to engage in underhand dealings, plunder our nations subsidy resources, pillaged trillions of naira from the oil cashbox, only to now turn around to announce an end to subsidy, seeing that there is nothing left to steal with the current international price crash. We ask, could this be the reason behind Mr. Presidents inability to make any concrete statement on the exposed subsidy scam under his administration in the last five years? Could it also be the reason the oil subsidy, which Nigerians where enjoying under the PDP, was adjudged a fraud but suddenly ceased to be a fraud from 2015 till Monday, even when Nigerians no longer enjoyed any benefit from the payout within this period? Nigerians now know the reason the APC administration had refused to allow for an independent inquest into the alleged N1.4 trillion oil subsidy sleaze through which certain APC leaders were benefiting from alleged N58 hidden toll per litre which Nigerians were forced to bear for years, after fuel price was increased by the APC administration from PDPs subsidized cost of N87 to N145 per litre. It is now clear to all why the APC administration had resorted to muddling up oil revenue transactions, refused to open up on federation equity of crude while frustrating free flow of information on product exchange and revenue remittances, and why they have been promoting reports on imaginary pipeline losses as well as other opaque and non-transparent transaction in a sector that is directly under the supervision of Mr. President. This is in addition to the over N14 trillion stolen through various shady oil subsidy contracts, including the stolen N9 trillion detailed by the leaked NNPC memo and the N1.1 trillion worth of crude stolen with 18 unregistered vessels linked to APC interests, all of which the Buhari Presidency had refused to investigate despite demands by Nigerians. The PDP therefore insists that the decision of the APC-led administration to embrace subsidy now that oil price had crashed cannot foreclose the irretrievable demand for forensic audit of all the fraudulent under-recoveries, through which funds meant for subsidy were diverted to private pockets of APC leaders. The PDP is also demanding a forensic audit of over-bloated 60 million litres of petrol that NNPC claimed it was importing under its former GMD, Dr. Maikanti Baru, to justify the fraudulent subsidy pay out. The PDP urged the National Assembly to stand on the side of Nigerians, expose all those involved, who got what in this huge scam against our nation as well as take steps to recover the over N14 trillion stolen by the cabal and certain APC leaders and channel same for the welfare of Nigerians especially at this critical time. The Kaduna State Police Command says news circulating on social media that an Igbo boy was burnt alive in Kaduna is absolutely false. The Commissioner of Police, Mr Ali Janga said in a press statement through the Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Yakubu Sabo on Wednesday in Kaduna. The statement said the fake news was published on Nairaland Forum, an online Media The writer consciously avoided giving details of the location and name of people involved to paint his fictitious story. The command wishes to state that there was no report of such incident and the story is entirely a fabrication, maliciously intended to incite crisis and create fear in the minds of unsuspecting citizens. The command, therefore, calls on the good people of Kaduna State and indeed Nigeria to disregard the story as fake, callously aimed at causing disaffection among Nigerians on the basis of tribe or religion. The command warns such trouble makers to desist from making inciting publication that is capable of undermining the peace we are currently enjoying in the state and to remind the public that such act is criminal and punishable under the nations laws. he said Janga said the command will deal aggressively with any person or group of persons who are hell bent at causing disharmony or civil unrest in the State under any guise. Related 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. 11, 1924: A recent adventure in music was the combination of three orchestras in the northwest part of the county which has been named the Midland Symphony orchestra of Carlock. The group includes the Miller Orchestra of North Danvers, the Detweiler orchestra of Congerville, and the King orchestra of Carlock. 75 years ago Feb. 11, 1949: The biggest fire in four or five years, according to Fire Chief Roland Behrend, gutted the First Church of the Nazarene, 701 W. Washington St. The fire was said to have begun in the center of the 32-year-old frame building and raged for more than three hours. 50 years ago Feb. 11, 1974: Approximately 1,600 workers laid off last week at Eureka Co. in Bloomington will return to their jobs. That announcement was made by Eureka officials as trucks began to hit highways in near normal volume after an 11-day strike by independent truckers. 25 years ago Feb. 11, 1999: Livingston Service Co. and McLean County Service Co., both Growmark Inc. member companies, opened new gas stations in Forrest and Towanda. The stations, which sell diesel and unleaded fuel, saw brisk business in their first day. 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 NORMAL Aiming to open the world of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics to girls starting at an early age, the Children's Discovery Museum is hosting Girls in STEAM Days. The weekend activities, which took place Saturday and continue into Sunday, coincide with the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, and feature female professionals from State Farm, Rivian and Illinois State University as well as the Illinois Art Station and the Illinois Symphony Orchestra. Lauren and Tanner Sessenbach brought their two daughters to the museum on Saturday all the way from Greenville, near St. Louis. "We came to Bloomington over Christmas and really enjoyed it," Lauren Sessenbach said. "We decided to bring the kids back and come to the Children's Discovery Museum and check out the other local areas." The museum is well known for fostering creativity with children by allowing them to explore visually, audibly and by touch various phenomena of the natural world, so facilitating success in STEAM careers aligns with that mission, said education director Nick Papineau. "The point is to try and engage with the community and use our platform as a way to support the girls," he said. "It goes with our mission, but also above and beyond our mission just to make sure that we are supporting areas and supporting where we see those gaps." Events like Girls in STEAM is a way to get young female students more interested in the sciences by introducing them to successful women in STEAM fields. Hands on Danielle Bodeman is an instructional assistant professor in the nursing program at ISU, but she also is a pediatric specialist. Nursing, once relegated to bandaging wounds and simply aiding doctors, has become more science-heavy and requires a lot more technical training, she said. "It used to do a lot more just bandages and getting people water," Bodeman said. "And those types of things are where we think of the Florence Nightingales, but now we have to understand medication. We have to understand how the body works. (and) how the body works when it's ill. and how it interacts with everything, and how the medications interact." Getting kids involved with the science of nursing and health care will help combat the nursing shortage brought on, in no small part, by the COVID-19 pandemic, she said. "We're hearing that the COVID pandemic actually got a lot of students into nursing to consider nursing," Bodeman said. But STEAM reaches other sciences, too. Rachael DiScuillo and Christine Poppe, avian field researchers with the Avian Ecology Lab at ISU, brought some of their equipment to show curious young minds. They had a bird house with a trap door, a net for catching birds, and a taxidermied specimen of one of their favorite birds, a Northern house wren, that children could pet. Poppe said that as a child, she thought a career working with animals only meant veterinary science. She wants to show children that there are more career pathways besides being a vet. After interning at a zoo, she realized there was much more she could do, Poppe said. "I loved the research side of it. I love getting hands-on work, understanding research questions. I love data," she said. "I love analyzing things." For DiSciullo, it goes further than the research and fosters stewardship. "I really do think that we are a part of this earth," she said. "And being able to incorporate your job with our responsibility as a human to protect others and that includes non-human animals and plants and fungi and single-celled organisms it's like a community aspect." The art of science While STEM attention has been growing steadily, Papineau said including art in the conversation is necessary. "Art is embedded in the sciences already," Papineau said. "A lot of people overlook it, because they think science or engineering don't really consider it an art, but art actually plays a lot into those fields." Hannah Johnson of the Illinois Art Station had a spot where children could create DNA mosaics on Saturday. "This idea that art and science have always intersected just from the perspective of, we are visual beings... We like imagery to help us reinforce concepts that we might not see manifest in the real world," Johnson said. "Maybe they're super-far out in space. Or maybe they're so microscopic that we can't view them." In order to better visualize such concepts that may be hard to purely imagine, Johnson said artists use their creativity to bring science to life. Close Sarah Anjum, grade 4, Colene Hoose Isla Nord, grade 3, Glenn Sophia Evans, grade 2, Washington Teagan Ryan, grade 2, Washington Nevaeh Valadez, grade 2, Washington Autumn Smith, grade 2, Stevenson Flying Horse: Pets/favorite animals Sarah Anjum, grade 4, Colene Hoose Isla Nord, grade 3, Glenn Sophia Evans, grade 2, Washington Teagan Ryan, grade 2, Washington Nevaeh Valadez, grade 2, Washington Autumn Smith, grade 2, Stevenson "The king can do no wrong" is an important part of American law. This sounds crazy, because we got rid of that guy George III almost 250 years ago. Well, stay tuned and see how former President Donald Trump is trying this to escape some of his troubles. Our story begins almost 1,000 years ago with the Norman Conquest and with William the Conqueror becoming king of England. This is when our American legal system begins. It may sound silly, but it is real and should be a point of pride. Look at France for some contrast. Their revolution in 1789 ended the old system, but a whole lot of heads got chopped off. Then they formed the First Republic, which became an empire (anyone see "Napoleon" recently?), followed by more republics with intermittent monarchies, and a dictatorship, which is still in living memory. Today France is on Republic No. 5, whereas we are still No. 1. Now for us here in the U.S. following our Revolution, we dumped the crown but took the British legal system with us. The French broke with the past but we kept our past, especially our tradition of freedom. I dont remember all the details, but there was a case in Kansas. One party said there had been an act of the English Parliament in the 1300s that the Kansas legislature in its wisdom had not changed, so it remained the law in Kansas. This is true if we cant find an answer in our own laws, we look to the law of England as it was before 1776. Now to the king. The Magna Carta of 1215 and other acts limited the monarchs power to the king and accordingly, his government could not be sued for negligence or other wrongdoing. This became for us the principle that the government and those working for it were immune from lawsuits. This would not, however, include a criminal act outside the scope of their office. A very sad case from the early 1900s illustrates the principle. In a VA hospital it was determined that a patient needed to have a leg amputated. You got it: They took off the wrong leg. The court ruled that under strong legal traditions, the government could not be sued. In the 20th century, a number of legislatures allowed some limited number of lawsuits, but the basic principle remains. Now what about the Trump case? The Supreme Court could have jumped in right away, but wisely left it to the D.C. Circuit Court to go think over this complex issue. The circuit courts right below the Supreme Court are high quality, and each has a certain reputation. The 2nd Circuit in the East is strong on financial issues; in the Midwest we are the solid 7th, the South 5th conservative; and out on the West coast, the 9th is, let us say, creative. Not surprisingly, the D.C. court is strong on issues of government. Born under the protection of the crown is a key principle of American law going back about 500 years. Anyone born here and subject to the government? It makes you a citizen. Recently Republicans in Congress went to our southern border. Behind barbed wire put up by the State of Texas were hundreds in our country, but trying to go farther. If a woman in that group gave birth, that baby would be as American as the rest of us. The Biden administration clearly thinks of immigration and naturalization as the province of the federal government, not the states, so he wants the wire removed. How did we get here? Trump bellowed endlessly about building a wall, so it seems the other side had to do the opposite. Biden put our current vice president in charge of border issues, and she has said that migrants have a right to ask for asylum. Three million individuals have taken her up on this. Also note that if migrants have applied for asylum, they are here legally. But who knows how many have simply slipped in and are in fact illegal? To better control who is on our roads, an undocumented person can have a legal Illinois drivers license. An Illinois official told me that they must prove their address, often with a bank account statement. He said that many had worked hard and saved quite a bit of money, which is in fact what we are all about. What to do? This can be personal and emotional for me. My German wife was twice a refugee in her life first as the Russians drove her family from their farm at the end of the war, and then migrating from East Germany to West, leaving her oldest sister behind. (I wont count her coming here married to me!) We were able to visit that sister in the 1970s, but the authorities began to feel that two professors of capitalism were a bad influence in her village and we were later denied the visa. While it took about two years, our State Department got my sister-in-law and her husband out of East Germany and on an airplane to Chicago. They had my business card with them, so I was called to see a customs official. He first asked me if I spoke English because the others didnt. He explained that they were not welcome to stay in the U.S., even though refugees from other communist countries were, because they had the option to go to West Germany. I was hurt by this because in me is a sort of missionary zeal for "truth, justice and the American way," to use a phrase. He left them in my care and we had an amazing four weeks with two people who had not had a day of freedom in their lives. After they went to West Germany, my brother-in-law got a job with Daimler-Benz, where a perk for even ordinary workers was that after you bought your first car, you could trade it in every year. Start small and then get bigger, paying the difference each year. Then a lesson for us was when my then-49-year-old sister-in-law, newly in the West, applied for a job where there was another candidate half her age. She felt doomed, but in the end, she got that job. She, like so many of those coming to us today, had come for work and opportunity, not welfare. Arent we just about all immigrants? My family first came from the Netherlands in 1659, then from Ireland in 1770, and, on my mothers side, from Hessen (Germany) to St. Louis in 1837. They all crossed an ocean full of danger to a very unknown land. That spirit has made us great. There was a recent story about a woman with a baby in arms, another on her back, and two small ones walking with her. She said she was looking for a better life for all of them. I felt I was looking at five great future Americans. Now, a desire for a better life is not enough to claim asylum; it must be for political oppression on you as an individual. Very few of these 3 million will qualify after waiting six or seven years for a hearing. A number of my students have said with a measure of pride that their grandparents came here illegally but were the beneficiaries of the Reagan-era amnesty. My ancestors took on that ocean, and those students grandparents took on a lot, too. Now to conclude: We are a land of immigrants, but wall or whatever, we need to get control of that border. And there is no way we will be able to round up the millions and send them back where they came from. So looking ahead, I bet some of their grandchildren will choose Illinois State University, tell their stories, and major in international business. The owner of the safari resort in Jirapa in the Upper West Region, commonly referred to as "Jirapa Dubai" is dead. Eric Johnson was reportedly stabbed to death on Saturday night, Graphic Online has gathered. Eric Johnson recently built the Royal Cosy Hills Hotel, nicknamed Jirapa Dubai, in the Upper West Region. It has a 4-km safari park with various kinds of animals including zebras. It has an artificial lake with fishes, aqua activities or games (Jet Ski), Graphic Online understands Eric Johnson was attacked by unknown assailants on Saturday night [Feb 10] and stabbed to death. The police are yet to comment on the incident but it has generated discussion in the public domain. Eric Johnson, an entrepreneur revealed that he decided to build the safari resort in Jirapa to help create employment opportunities in the area and also to help open the area to tourists to help boost the local economy. The police in a statement issued Sunday afternoon said on suspect has been detained. The police said Eric Johnson was found lying in a pool of blood in one of the hotel rooms at the Royal Cosy Hills Hotel The Inspector-General of Police is said to have deployed a team of investigators and experts led by the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Depart (CID) to work with the Upper West Regional Police Command to ensure a thorough investigation into the incident. Attached below is a copy of the statement issued by the police on the incident POLICE COMMENCE INVESTIGATION INTO THE DEATH OF COSSY HILL HOTEL CEO AT JIRAPA The Ghana Police Service has commenced investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr. Eric Johnson, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cossy Hill Hotel at Jirapa in the Upper West Region. The deceased was found on 11th February, 2024 lying in a pool of blood in one of the rooms at the hotel. The Regional Crime Scene Management Team has visited the scene of the incident. One person has since been detained to assist the investigation. The Inspector-General of Police has deployed a team of investigators and experts led by the Director-General/CID to work with the Upper West Regional Police Command to ensure a thorough investigation into the incident. Source: Graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Spare parts dealers at Abossey Okai have commended Vice President and presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, for his promise to introduce a flat rate tax if elected President. Dr. Bawumia made this pledge when he delivered his vision to Ghanaians at an event attended by NPP members and supporters and other dignitaries at the UPSA on Wednesday, February 7, 2024. The Abossey Okai Spare Parts Dealers Association views this initiative as "highly commendable and believes it will play a crucial role in safeguarding the interests of spare parts dealerships nationwide. As an apolitical organization dedicated to the development and enhancement of the spare parts dealership industry, we wholeheartedly accept and support Dr. Bawumia's proposal", according to a statement by the association. The statement further said; "We eagerly anticipate the timely implementation of this policy, contingent upon the New Patriotic Party's success in breaking the eight-year political jinx come December 7, 2024. This, in turn, will alleviate additional burdens on the commuting public, contributing to a more sustainable and affordable transportation system." "We call upon all members of the Abossey Okai Spare Parts Dealers Association to rally behind the introduction of the flat rate tax on spare parts imports", it added. Read full statement below: Abossey Okai Spare Parts Dealers Association Commends Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia's Proposal for Flat Rate Tax on Spare Parts Imports The Abossey Okai Spare Parts Dealers Association expresses its heartfelt appreciation for the visionary proposal put forth by Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia, the New Patriotic Party's presidential aspirant, to implement a flat rate tax on the importation of spare parts into the country. The Association views this initiative as highly commendable and believes it will play a crucial role in safeguarding the interests of spare parts dealerships nationwide. As an apolitical organization dedicated to the development and enhancement of the spare parts dealership industry, we wholeheartedly accept and support Dr. Bawumia's proposal. We eagerly anticipate the timely implementation of this policy, contingent upon the New Patriotic Party's success in breaking the eight-year political jinx come December 7, 2024. During a forum held on Wednesday, 7th February 2024, in Accra, the Vice President, also the flagbearer of the NPP, announced the party's commitment to introducing a flat rate tax on spare parts imports. The Association is committed to collaborating with relevant stakeholders to ensure the seamless implementation of this beneficial tax structure. The proposed flat rate tax is poised to significantly reduce the cost of spare parts, providing much-needed relief to commercial drivers who routinely factor these expenses into transport fares. This, in turn, will alleviate additional burdens on the commuting public, contributing to a more sustainable and affordable transportation system. We call upon all members of the Abossey Okai Spare Parts Dealers Association to rally behind the introduction of the flat rate tax on spare parts imports. By uniting in support of this initiative, we can collectively contribute to the growth and prosperity of the spare parts dealership industry while fostering positive developments in the broader economic landscape. The Association expresses its gratitude to Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia for his foresight and commitment to the welfare of the spare parts sector, and we look forward to witnessing the positive impact of this policy on our industry and the nation as a whole. 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 The Vice President of Imani Africa, Kofi Bentil, has clarified his political position, asserting that he has never professed neutrality despite endorsing Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia's presidential bid. Speaking on Newsfile on Joy News today, Mr. Bentil stressed his independence, stating that it enables him to objectively evaluate issues or circumstances. He referenced the words of Desmond Tutu, the renowned South African human rights activist, suggesting that neutrality in the face of injustice amounts to siding with the oppressor. "It is for me to tell you I am not neutral, I have never been. But being independent and having the courage of your convictions means you make up your mind and you find the wherewithal to communicate it," Mr Bentil explained. He discouraged linking his personal political views to his role at the policy think tank IMANI Africa, reiterating that his opinions do not reflect the organization's stance and do not impede their ability to address national issues objectively. Mr. Bentil's remarks come amid criticism for endorsing Dr. Bawumia's presidential aspirations. In a Facebook post, Bentil argued that Dr. Bawumia, as a first-time presidential candidate, deserves an opportunity, similar to the chance given to John Mahama in 2012. He highlighted the limited powers of the Vice President in Ghana's governance structure and emphasized that the next government will not be President Akufo-Addo's administration. Mr. Bentil urged Dr. Bawumia not to include key members of the current government in his team if elected, promising to criticize him if he did so. 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 Charles Owusu, formerly of the Forestry Commission, says Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia should have acknowledged the governments shortcomings before going ahead to present his vision statement. The 2024 presidential candidate of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), during his address to the nation on Wednesday, February 7, outlined a series of policies he intends to implement if elected president. Among his policies, Dr. Bawumia intends to abolish the e-levy, scrap the national service, and reduce his ministers and deputies to not more than 50. Charles Owusu during a panel discussion on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo', said: "In all, he did well but I think he should've admitted that his government indeed made some mistakes before going ahead." Watch video below Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. 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: The frontispiece of the Principles of Geology, volume 1 by Charles Lyell, a book from which Darwin drew inspiration to explain how species change over time. Credit: National University of Singapore Charles Darwinarguably the most influential man of science in history, accumulated a vast personal library throughout his working life. Until now, 85% of its contents were unknown or unpublished. This year, coinciding with Darwin's 215th birthday, The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online, the scholarly project helmed by Dr. John van Wyhe at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Department of Biological Sciences, has released an online 300-page catalog detailing Darwin's complete personal library, with 7,400 titles across 13,000 volumes and items including books, pamphlets and journals. Previous lists only had 15% of his whole collection. Darwin's library has also been virtually re-assembled with 9,300 links to copies of the works freely available online. "This unprecedentedly detailed view of Darwin's complete library allows one to appreciate more than ever that he was not an isolated figure working alone but an expert of his time building on the sophisticated science and studies and other knowledge of thousands of people. Indeed, the size and range of works in the library makes manifest the extraordinary extent of Darwin's research into the work of others," said Dr. van Wyhe. Discovering Darwin's complete library After his death in 1882, much of Darwin's library was preserved and cataloged, but many other items were dispersed or lost, and details of the vast majority of the contents have never been published until now. For many years, scholars have referred to Darwin's library as containing 1,480 books, based on those that survive in the two main collections, the University of Cambridge and Down House. Over 18 years the Darwin Online project has identified thousands of Darwin's obscure references in his own catalogs and lists of items such as pamphlets and journals that were originally in his library. Each reference required its own detective story to discover the publications that Darwin had hurriedly recorded. In addition, missing details such as author, date or the source of clippings in thousands of records from older catalogs have been identified for the first time. A major source of information that helped to reveal the original contents is the 426-page handwritten "Catalogue of the Library of Charles Darwin," compiled from 1875. Painstaking comparison of its abbreviated entries revealed 440 unknown titles that were originally in the library. An inventory of his home made after his death recorded 2,065 bound books and an unknown number of unbound volumes and pamphlets. In the drawing room, 133 titles and 289 volumes of mostly unscientific literature were recorded. Amazingly, the legacy duty valuer estimated that the "Scientific Library that is books relating to Science" was worth only 30 pounds and 12 shillings (about 2,000 today) Indeed, all the books were valued at only 66 pounds and 10 shillings (about 4,400 today). Today any book that belonged to Darwin is worth a great deal to collectors. Two historic images, a photograph (left) and an etching (right), are here combined to show the bookcases in his study. Credit: Reproduced with kind permission by Darwin Online. Other sources of information that helped to build Darwin's complete library were lists of pamphlets, Darwin's reading notebooks, Emma Darwin's diaries, the Catalog of books given to the Cambridge Botany School in 1908 and the 30 volumes of the Darwin Correspondence. Items that still exist but were never included in the lists of Darwin's library include his unbound materials at Cambridge University Library, books now in other institutional collections, private collections and books sold at auctions over the past 130 years. Combining these and many other sources of evidence allowed Darwin's library to be reconstructed. For example, Darwin's copy of an 1826 article by the ornithologist John James Audubon: 'Account of the habits of the Turkey Buzzard (Vultura aura), particularly with the view of exploding the opinion generally entertained of its extraordinary power of smelling' was sold in 1975. Darwin had investigated this point during the voyage of the Beagle and recorded reading a critic of Audubon in the lost Galapagos notebook. In 2019, a copy of Elizabeth Gaskell's 1880 novel Wives and Daughters appeared at auction. A note in it records: "This book was a great favorite of Charles Darwin's and the last book to be read aloud to him." Understanding Darwin's library Most of the works in Darwin's library are, unsurprisingly, on scientific subjects, especially biology and geology. Yet, the library also included works on farming, animal breeding and behavior, geographical distribution, philosophy, psychology, religion, and other topics that interested Darwin, such as art, history, travel and language. Most of the works are in English, but almost half are in other languages, especially German, French and Italian as well as Dutch, Danish, Spanish, Swedish and Latin. Some of the hundreds of books not previously known to be in Darwin's library include Sun Pictures, a 1872 coffee table book showcasing photographs of artworks. Another book that the we did not know that the Darwins purchased was a copy of the popular science book on gorillas that was all the rage just after Origin of species was published: Paul Du Chaillu's Explorations and adventures in equatorial Africa. Of the thousands of shorter items were also found in Darwin's library, such as an issue of a German scientific periodical sent to him in 1877 that contained the first published photographs of bacteria and another article amusingly entitled The hateful or Colorado grasshopper. In his complete library, Darwin's eclectic sources are there for all to see. From left: Senate candidates Reps. Barbara Lee, Adam Schiff and Katie Porter, and former baseball player Steve Garvey participate in a debate on Jan. 22 in Los Angeles. Damian Dovarganes/Associated Press Seniority is critical For all the good Sen. Dianne Feinstein did, which was considerable, her decline and death during her last term turned many California voters, myself included at age 66, into ageists. Many now wont support a six-year term for someone in their mid-80s, however healthy they appear. Why is this important to the 2024 Senate race? Because like it or not, length of service seniority is the currency of the U.S. Senate. Senate seniority translates to choice committee assignments and party leadership positions, which leads to the clout needed to compensate for Californias gross underrepresentation in the Senate (with nearly 12% of the population, we get only 2% representation in the Senate). Advertisement Article continues below this ad And also like it or not, Reps. Adam Schiff and Barbara Lee, both admirable candidates in other respects, are already at an age where they would not accumulate useful tenure before voters began to get edgy about renewing them. Rep. Katie Porter does not, in my view, rise above either Schiff or Lee, but she is talented and diligent and Senate-worthy and is young enough to have time to accumulate the seniority which, if wisely used, can do the most for California. In American politics, the best choice isnt always the most impressive or courageous candidate, because we need to take into account our defective system and acknowledge it wont change any time soon. Bill Koopman, Palo Alto Tough choice Im afraid of the California Senate primary. I dont have the common election fear about Republican candidates bent on wrecking America. Im concerned because at least one of the three viable Democratic candidates will not move on in the process. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We are blessed to be presented with three remarkable and capable candidates. Rep. Barbara Lee has a record of standing up to presidents and power brokers. She was the only member of Congress to vote against the use of military force after 9/11. She warned that it would become a blank check for endless war. She was right. Rep. Adam Schiff has emerged as a leader in the high-stakes battle to protect American democracy. He represented the people of America well in the effort to slow the influence of Russia over the previous occupant of the Oval Office. Rep. Katie Porter hasnt lost sight of the influence of Big Money on politics and stayed on top of Congressional actions that are making the rich richer. Shes sharp enough to see their scams and keeps her whiteboard on the ready to protect average Americans. I support all of them but Im going to vote for Lee. I think shes right for the times we are facing. Advertisement Article continues below this ad David Gifford, Berkeley Bring on GOP Many argue that Rep. Katie Porter would be a good Senator for California. No doubt thats true, but are her politics really that different from Rep. Adam Schiffs? California will elect a Democrat in November, and the many millions of dollars that would be wasted on a contest between two progressive Democrats could be much better spent elsewhere. Lets hope the March primary will leave us a clear-cut Democrat vs. Republican race so we can all turn our attention in November to election contests where the outcome will make a real difference. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 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: The Conversation Men's employment in the U.S. reached a 20-year high in 2023, with nearly 90% of men ages 25 to 54 in the workforce, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This supports the broad expectationsome might say stereotypethat full-time employment is the norm for American men. Yet examining employment at a single point in time leaves out important information about whether people are able to maintain stable work. Our recent study of male baby boomers' working livesspanning more than two decadestells a very different story. In fact, men's labor force participation has been steadily declining since the 1970s, and workers are experiencing greater labor market precaritythat is, shorter job spells, greater job insecurity and more long-term unemployment. In our research as experts in the study of people's employment over time, we have previously challenged the myth that most women "opt out" of the workforce, establishing that the majority of women work steadily and full time. That led us to suspect that the picture of men's employment could also be incomplete. To understand these long-term trends, we studied data from about 4,500 men collected over more than 25 years. We were looking for patterns in the amount of time these men spent employed, unemployed and looking for work, and out of the workforce and not looking for work. We were surprised to find that only 41% of late baby boomer menthose who were between 14 and 21 years old in 1979worked steadily and continuously, which we defined as working almost every week of the year between ages 27 and 49. This is a cohort of men who were widely thought to have taken a "lockstep" approach to work: entering the labor market when they finished their schooling and remaining employed until retirement. We found most men didn't fit this stereotype. About a quarter didn't reach steady employment until they were nearly 50. Another quarter either found themselves increasingly unemployed and out of work as they aged or able to find only intermittent work. Finally, a smaller group of men left the labor market entirelysome leaving paid work at relatively young ages, while others leaving as they reached middle age. Problems with precarity We don't know exactly why these men followed such a wide range of work patterns during what economists call their "prime earning years." But we think increasing labor market precaritywhich researchers say is driven in large part by increases in layoffs and decreases in unionizationplayed a big role. For example, we found that men who worked as "operators, fabricators and laborers" or in "precision production, craft and repairs" were at greater risk of unemployment. These are jobs that provided our own grandfathers with good, well-paying work, but they are also jobs that have become increasingly rare since the 1970s. We also found that men were at greater risk if they lived in counties with a higher unemployment rate or in states with more unionized jobs when they first entered the labor market. That latter point likely put them at greater risk of job loss when those jobs went overseas in the 1980s and 1990s. Men who experienced unemployment, more job turnover before the age of 25 or transportation barriers to finding a good job also followed less steady work patterns, suggesting that they may have been forced to take "bad jobs" that provided fewer opportunities to move up the ladder or to earn a living wage. Our findings paint a troubling portrait of employment in America. If this kind of unsteady employment characterizes the work patterns of the baby-boom generation, what awaits those of us who follow them? Is there anything we can do about it? Ideas for improvement The good news is there are solutions for workers, employers and the federal government. Our research shows that a college degree could protect men from the risk of unemployment or time out of work. The government can support this goal by making college more affordable for workers, as the current administration has proposed doing. For employers, our findings suggest that making work less precariousin other words, making it more stable, with better pay and more schedule controlwould be a win-win proposition. Research suggests that employers consistently underestimate the costs of losing employees. Given how hard it's been for employers to stay fully staffedespecially in retail and service workmaking jobs more appealing to workers could pay off in terms of retention. Walmart, for instance, has increased pay and schedule control for its workers. Such moves have been shown to benefit both the employers, through the reduction in employee turnover costs, and the employees, through improved work conditions and work benefits. The government could also implement policy changes, such as the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, to promote workers' right to unionization, since unionization is consistently linked to higher wages and lower levels of inequality. We don't think the U.S. needs the jobs that our grandfathers held to return; instead, it needs to turn today's available jobs into good jobs. The recent National Labor Relations Board "joint employer" ruling, for example, should do this by making it easier for workers at national chains to unionize across franchises, which could improve the working conditions of millions of people in the service industry. Finally, government can take action to make unemployment a less miserable experience. Our findings, both here and elsewhere, suggest that unemployment does considerable harm to workers' careers and health. Reforming the current unemployment insurance system by expanding eligibility and creating progressive wage replacement rates may make it easier for workers to find jobs that better fit their skill set, which our research suggests could help them return to stable employment. Our findings are the canary in a coal mine. They suggest that for future generations, steady employment may be a thing of the past. But the good news is that we can heed the warning and take steps to give everyone access to better jobs and more stable employment. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: This handout picture provided by the University of Washington on February 7, 2024 shows a white-lined sphinx moth pollinating a pale evening primrose flower. Certain plants have flowers that open only in the evening, and depend on nocturnal pollinators such as moths to thrive. But a new paper published in Science on Thursday finds an atmospheric pollutant that is much more prevalent at night drastically reduces the fluttering creatures' ability to track floral scents. It adds to a growing understanding of how human activities, including not just air but also light and noise pollution, are negatively impacting the natural world. "Our impacts on the environment are affecting human health, etc, that we tend to concentrate on, but they're also affecting ecosystem functioning through these plants and pollinators," senior author Jeff Riffell, a biology professor at the University of Washington, told AFP. Riffell said the role of nitrate radicals (NO 3 ) on flower scents hadn't been well studied, because the chemical is around at night and prior research focused on the impacts of pollution on daytime pollinators like bees. Nitrate radicals form when nitrogen dioxide reacts in the atmosphere with ozoneboth of which come from burning fossil fuels, and have natural sources too. Unlike nitrogen dioxide and ozone, however, nitrate radicals rapidly degrade in sunlight, making them virtually absent in daytime. For their study, Riffell and colleagues chose the pale evening primrose (Oenothera pallida), a wildflower that grows in arid settings across the western United States. Its white flowers emit a strong, piney scent that attracts the white-lined sphinx moth (Hyles lineata) and the tobacco hawk moth (Manduca sexta), species which use their powerful antennae to sniff out pollen from miles away. Pollinator crisis First, the team chemically analyzed the wildflower's scent to unravel its chemical recipe, revealing a complex bouquet of chemicals. This NASA space agency image of the continental United States at night highlights the amount of visible light during night-time hours, a condition that new research shows is contributing to reduced pollination of flowers by some moths. Next, they separated out the individual chemicals and exposed them one at a time to the moths, to determine exactly which ones were responsible for attracting the winged insects. This revealed a subset of the chemicals, known as monoterpene compounds, were largely responsible for the scent, and further tests showed that nitrate radicals decimated the levels of these compounds. Finally, the team carried out wind tunnel experiments involving the moths and the scent chemicals that they emitted at controlled levels from a fake flower. "What we found is that the moths really were very sensitive to the flower scent and would kind of navigate upwind and try to feed from this artificial flower," said Rifell. "But if we added NO 3 , then all of a sudden, for one species of moth, it totally eliminated their ability to recognize the flower. And for another species, it reduced their attraction to the flower by 50 percent." The nitrate radicals were comparable to those found at night in a typical urban environment, modeled on Seattle. When the team ran the experiment with the pollutants typically present during the day, they saw far less of an impact. Overall, the experiment revealed a strong impact on pollination activity, at a time when the world's pollinators are in crisis. Around three-quarters of the more than 240,000 species of flowering plants depend on pollinators, and over 70 pollinator species are endangered or threatened, said Rifell. The team also ran computer simulations to determine which parts of the world would be most likely to experience problems as a result of this effect. Areas identified include much of Europe, the Middle East, Central and South Asia, and southern Africa. "Outside of human activity, some regions accumulate more NO 3 because of natural sources, geography and atmospheric circulation," said co-senior author Joel Thornton, a professor of atmospheric sciences. "But human activity is producing more NO 3 everywhere. We wanted to understand how those two sourcesnatural and humancombine and where levels could be so high that they could interfere with the ability of pollinators to find flowers." More information: J. K. Chan et al, Olfaction in the Anthropocene: NO3 negatively affects floral scent and nocturnal pollination, Science (2024). DOI: 10.1126/science.adi0858. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adi0858 Journal information: Science 2024 AFP By Saio Marrah Seventh Prosecution Witness, Corporal Alfred Methodist Kargbo, in an ongoing Court Martial set up to try 27 military personnel in connection to the November 26th attempted failed coup, has stated the one Captain Senesesie led in strange people towards the armoury. The witness said he was on duty on the night of the incident, guarding the main gate leading to the Wilberforce barracks and the armoury. He testified to the court martial on Thursday 25th January 2024, that Captain Senesie, who was the Commanding Officer of the C. Company, which he (witness) was part of, led two vehicles of strange men in black attire and ordered the witness to let them in. He also added that Capt. Senesie, who was not among the accused persons in the dock, was the field officer at the 5th infantry battalion, on the night of the incident. The witness however said when Capt. Senesie came in at 2:35 in the morning hours of 26th November; Sergeant Major Turay opened the gate, adding that he managed to look at the people in the vehicles. The court martial learnt from the witness that when the two vehicles were allowed in, the very Sergeant Major Turay followed them to where they pulled up near the armoury. He said he immediately saw the second accused, Sgt. Ibrahim Bundu Kamara alias Amerikin, coming from the direction of the barracks, approaching the gate. The witness said he then asked the second accused who were the strange men accompanying Capt Senesie and Sgt-Major Turay, to which the second accused told him not to worry, and that he would know about them later. He further informed the court about how the second accused, alias Amerikin went through the gate and to the main street, looking towards the Bottom Mango and the other end of the street. He said Amerikin joined the strange people that were already with Sgt-Major Turay and upon insisting on who the men were Turay replied, Methodist don't be afraid I am your authority and they are our friends, and even said the men were even late. The witness said he woke up his colleague Private Jalloh who was sleeping at the gates guard post, to observe what was happening. I told him (Private Jalloh) to wait so that I can go and observe the strange people near the arms store, he said. He added: As soon as I went closer to them, Capt. Senesie approached me and tapped me on my shoulder saying Methodist you are a gallant man and I want you to join this operation. Then I asked him what operation is this. Then he asked if I had a phone then I said yes. The witness further told the court that the capt. ordered him to hand over the phone. From that moment, he said Senesie moved two steps and cocked the gun he was carrying and ordered him to join them or else he will kill him in front of President Julius Maada Bio. He added that two of the strange men cocked their guns as well pointing them at him. The witness said he then followed them to the arms storage where they met two guards, a female and a male sleeping with their guns. As they were trying to disarm them, the female private soldier began screaming for help from the military police for intervention, he explained. During the struggle, the witness said he managed to escape, as they fired shots in his direction. He said he went into the barracks and alerted other military personnel who then called both Presidential Lodge and Cockerill Military Headquarters about the incident. Later, he said he made a statement to military police in respect to the incident. During cross-examination by Lawyer Ibrahim Kamara representing the second accused, the witness told the court that he did not have a gun on the night of the incident. The judge advocate, Mark Ngegba, then ordered the correctional service to administer medical checks to all the accused and that special attention be given to the 6th, 16 and 17th accused persons, who were reportedly sick. The case resumes on 31st January this year. The soldiers were among those arrested after attacks on the Wilberforce Military Barracks Armoury in Freetown, the Murray Town Barracks, Cockerill Military Headquarters and several police stations, on Sunday 26th November 2023. Inmates at the male and female maximum correctional centres were then set free. Eighteen security personnel were killed by the assailants, with the authorities confirming three deaths on the side of the attackers. Events that day were later interpreted by authorities as a coup attempt. Former president Ernest Bai Koroma, who is on bail on medical grounds in Nigeria, and some civilians were the first to be docked concerning the attempted coup. Copyright 2024 Politico (26/01/24) By Oumar Farouk Sesay More than sixty years after gaining independence from Britain, perhaps Sierra Leone stands alone in West Africa as the sole country still being led by the same political parties established before its liberation the All Peoples Congress (APC) and the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP). This enduring adherence to historical factions perpetuates the same discord and hatred that initially divided the nation's pioneers, seemingly frozen in a perpetual pause. Consequently, contemporary leaders echo the rhetoric and behaviours reminiscent of their independence era figures like Siaka Stevens and Milton Margaitransformed into malevolent mascots within the political arena, engaging in a relentless battle reminiscent of their predecessors decades ago. The toll of this ongoing strife manifests in various forms, including ethno-regional divisions, economic stagnation and a lack of visionary leadership, not to mention the scars left by years of brutal warfare. The prevalence of negative energy in the political landscape hinges on the perspective of those who don these mascots. The current political tensions, coupled with concerns about electoral integrity and security breaches, necessitate a reassessment of the nation's political trajectory under the influence of these two dominant partiesdescribed by some as tribal gangs. Despite a decade of brutal civil war followed by two decades of post-war stability, the country finds itself revisiting the grievances of yesteryears, packaging them to bequeath a troubling legacy to a generation that could otherwise easily escape this unfortunate inheritance. Recognizing the trauma we inherit and refraining from passing it on as if encoded in our genes is crucial. The time has come to wield a metaphorical scalpel and engage in genetic editing to prevent this destructive gene from scripting our national demise. Liberating the nation from the shackles of hate and vendetta that characterize these two dominant parties, is imperative. If Sierra Leone is to thrive as a modern state in the 21st century, these parties must consign themselves to the graveyard of pre-independence political entities. The recurrent plot points and indistinguishable governance episodes suggest a tired author shaping the country's destiny, resulting in a disheartening rerun of bad political performances. The initial step in this envisioning project involves breaking free from the regressive constraints of regional and ethnic boxes imposed by these parties' narrow-minded ideologies. The second step is to envision a Sierra Leone unburdened by the shackles of ethnicity. Let us hold onto that hopeful vision as we explore avenues for a better Sierra Leone, liberated from the influence of these two dominant parties that have reduced national politics to mere ego battles. With hindsight, it becomes evident that the current events will likely recur, albeit with the same characters swapping roles. The exchange of nooses and guns has become a predictable, linear plot similar to a Zee World soap opera. This repetitive cycle has become monotonous and tiresome. We must break free from this predictable narrative and imagine a new and audacious Sierra Leone that transcends the constraints of ethno-regional politics. What are your thoughts on this matter? Copyright 2024 Politico (26/01/24) The Adirondack Theatre Festival will use recently awarded grant money to help turn The Last American Newspaper, a book written by former editor of The Post-Star, Ken Tingley, into an original play. The organization announced the project at their Pep Rally fundraiser Saturday, Feb. 10, the organization said. With this play, the ATF is relaunching its program to bring the work of local writers to the stage. This is the first partnership like this since 2000. Im very humbled to be the first one chosen for something like this, Tingley said in an interview. Were right at the beginningSo, Im excited about it, and I am looking forward to the process. The process to adapt Tingleys book to a live theater performance began in spring of 2023, and Tingley has been working alongside the producing artistic director of Adirondack Theatre Festival, Miriam Weisfeld, to gain an understanding of playwriting in order to write the adaptation. They are aiming to workshop the play later in 2024 with a goal of production in summer of 2025. Tingley said that his experience has prepared him for this, explaining that playwriting is similar to newswriting. In some ways, it hasnt been that difficult than what you do as journalists, which is you go out on the story, and you report it, and you talk to people, Tingley said. Although still at the beginning of the project, Weisfeld said it will be a work of dramatic fiction based on actual events. Its been fascinating to kind of look at this wealth of experiences that Kens had and go Were going to pick and choose the most dramatic, transformative moments and then put them in the shape of the most effective, dramatic version of this story, Weisfeld said. This is going to give the audience an experience that adds up to a truth that might not literally be what exactly happened. The book, The Last American Newspaper, follows stories of The Post-Star journalists during the years of Tingleys time as editor, including the story behind journalist, Mark Mahoneys Pulitzer Prize winning series of editorials. Mahoney, a prior Post-Star editor, won the Pulitzer Prize for editorial writing in 2009 for his work focused on issues with governmental openness and accountability, freedom of information, and First Amendment rights. Mahoney also witnessed a murder during his time as a journalist for The Post-Star, and wrote an article series in response. How many newspapers had an editor who not only covered a murder, but witnessed one? Which led to a huge in-depth series on domestic violence that I think saved lives overall in the community. And how many small newspapers win a Pulitzer Prize? Tingley said. The play will showcase the story of Mahoneys experience, along with other stories featuring Tingleys fellow journalists who worked at The Post-Star. A lot of it isnt even necessarily my own personal experience. Some of it is, and Im certainly kind of the protagonist in the middle. Its really the people and the work they did, Tingley said. Im just hoping that the fruition of all this shows the value of newspapers. Its a love letter to newspapers. The adaptation of The Last American Newspaper is a part of the theatre festivals Stories Start Here 30 Anniversary Campaign. The project is assisted by the $25,000 inaugural donation from the Crandall Public Librarys new John E. Herlihy fellowship. That fellowship itself is new, having been created in 2020 after the library received a $2.2 million donation from Herlihys estate. The vision behind the creation of the Herlihy fellowship is really exceptional. Its not something you see every day from a library in a small community, Weisfeld said. Im really looking forward to working with the library to think about how we can open this developmental process up to the community, too. The Post-Star wrote recently that the John E. Herlihy fellowship is designed to assist Glens Falls local community of writers, including playwrights, storytellers, poets, non-fiction authors, memoirists, childrens authors, and more. To know that the library can support this and support future writersit was sort of a no brainer to give the first one to Adirondack Theatre Festival, director of Crandall Public Library, Kathleen Naftaly said. John Herlihys vision to give the library such a generous bequest that we can support this endeavor and know that we can support similar literary works in the future, and we are not at risk by using $25,000 now. He was a genius in how he approached his bequest. The Pep Rally fundraiser where the award was announced is an annual party to assist the professional theatre festival in raising money for their nine-week summer season that takes place in Wood Theater in Glens Falls, the officials with the organization said. The thing to remember most about the book, and hopefully the play, is this is a celebration of journalism, a celebration of what newspapers meant to the communities, Tingley said. MIDDLE TOWNSHIP The Township Committee on Monday gave its unanimous support to a proposed cannabis retail location at 1580 Route 9, at the intersection of Avalon Boulevard. Insa Middle Township LLC has received a conditional state license for a Class 5 cannabis business, meaning it could sell flower, edibles, vaping material and other cannabis products to those over 21. The vote from the committee is a needed step toward approval of an annual license from the state, which would be needed before the business could open. Several residents had questions before the vote, including about security at the site, the potential for increased traffic and how police could enforce laws against intoxicated driving. There is no test for whether a driver is high on cannabis analogous to roadside tests for alcohol, which measure breath or blood alcohol content. Someone could have THC in a blood test long after the intoxicating effects wear off. Mayor Chris Leusner said the New Jersey Supreme Court has upheld the use of police drug recognition experts, along with blood or urine samples, in enforcing DWI laws. Matt Rooney, the township attorney who also serves as Middle Townships municipal prosecutor, said the township takes driving while intoxicated very seriously, regardless of whether it involves cannabis, alcohol or any other intoxicants. Leusner, who previously served as Middle Townships police chief, was a critic of legalizing cannabis and advocated for a no vote when the matter came up in a statewide referendum in 2020. That passed with a wide margin locally and statewide, paving the way for legalization. To me, the voters have spoken, Leusner said at the meeting. Like former Mayor Tim Donohue, whom Leusner replaced after he decided not to seek another term last year, Leusner said cannabis will be available in nearby communities whether Middle has a shop or not, but having a shop comes with a local tax benefit. He said it would not be fair to local taxpayers to pass up the potential revenue, taking in 2% of sales. In a lengthy presentation at the Monday meeting, attorney Joseph Kelley III said Insa Middle Township LLC is a merger between multistate cannabis business Insa, headquartered in Massachusetts, and Restore, based in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Together, the two companies operate about 20 facilities in six states, Kelley said, telling committee members they are known for high-end facilities with an Apple Store feel. He said the partnership plans to invest more than $1.2 million in the building and spend about $2.3 million in total in preparation for opening, which could take place in May or June. This facility is going to be a fantastic facility, he said. This isnt some fly-by-night operation. He said the signs on the building will not include images of marijuana leaves, describing it as tasteful marketing aimed at adults. The business will employ about 25 people, with what Kelley described as good-paying jobs with benefits. He said township approval will speed the process of gaining approval from the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission. Once renovations are completed, the final step will be a local and state inspection before the business can open. Were looking at the May/June timeframe, he said, although they would have preferred to be open earlier in the year before the arrival of summer crowds. You cant always get what you want. The building had once served as a Wawa and is currently a dermatology office. Company representatives said there would be surveillance cameras inside and out, and a security guard onsite at all times. They added that recent changes will allow the use of credit cards for cannabis purchases, which will reduce the cash-intensive transactions that presented security headaches in the states that first legalized local weed sales. Cannabis remains listed as a Schedule 1 drug at the federal level, a classification reserved for the most dangerous drugs with no medical benefit. That classification is under review, and last year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommended it instead be listed as the less-restrictive Schedule III. That would not mean federal legalization, which would require an act of Congress. Middle Townships most recent ordinance relating to cannabis allows for two dispensaries in the community. So far, the township has not lent its support to a second business, although Leusner said there are several companies interested in opening in the township. He has said the township has paused new approvals and will look at any additional proposals very carefully. On Monday, Leusner said he researched cannabis businesses very carefully as the township weighed whether to allow one. An earlier proposal for a cannabis growing facility at the site of a former seafood processing plant on Indian Trail Road does not appear to be going forward. Kelley said that proposal was by Insa, without Restore. He said the asking price for the property was too high, and the amount of cultivation businesses opening in New Jersey made the deal less attractive. Cannabis facilities are becoming increasingly common. While there were extensive waits and lengthy lines when legal sales began at limited locations in 2022, there are now close to 100 dispensaries throughout New Jersey, and this is expected to be the third to open in Cape May County. Leusner said he has spoken to officials in communities where there are dispensaries already and was told there had not been increases in crime or other problems connected to the new businesses. Officials and advocates said licensed cannabis is currently one of the most regulated industries in New Jersey. Megan Fan Munce is a reporter who joined the San Francisco Chronicle as part of the two-year Hearst Journalism Fellowship, spending her first year of the program at the Houston Chronicle. Munce grew up in San Jose before attending Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, graduating with a B.S. and M.S. in journalism and a second major in political science. She previously worked as an audience engagement fellow and a reporting fellow at the Texas Tribune, as well as an audience intelligence intern for KQED. She can be reached at Megan.Munce@sfchronicle.com. CAPE MAY Lynda Anderson-Towns remembers the family names the Hunts, the Knights, the Crewes, the Wises, the Majors and more who once made up the citys Black neighborhoods. Cape Mays Black population has dwindled for years, pushed away from the seaside resort by economics and other factors. Some would love to return, Towns said in a recent interview, but could not hope to afford to live in a city where most single-family homes on the market cost in the millions of dollars. Once, African Americans accounted for a significant percentage of Cape Mays year-round population. For years, groups like Cape May MAC and the Center for Community Arts worked to preserve and present stories of the Black experience in Cape May, through programs, displays and workshops. Once threatened buildings within what was the citys Black community have been preserved and restored, and a new effort could help preserve Cape Mays Black history. The city wants to include Black history in Cape Mays designation as a National Historic Landmark. It should better protect any properties that have an African American significance, said Mayor Zack Mullock. Whats left of that history, which unfortunately isnt much, should be protected. The New Jersey State Review Board for Historic Sites is set to hear Cape Mays application at 10 a.m. March 14. We believe it should be accepted and will be accepted, Mullock said. Towns said she and others welcome the effort, but she added she is a little wistful. The properties may be preserved, but there is little left of a once-significant community. Local organizations have sought to preserve the history of Cape May as a stop on the Underground Railroad, helping enslaved people reach freedom before the Civil War. And in 2022, the Center for Community Arts published a book preserving the memories of local residents called Black Voices of Cape May: A Feeling of Community. Both Mullock and Towns said at one point, somewhere between 30% and 40% of Cape Mays year-round population was Black. Now, its less than 3%, even as the citys overall population declines. Posted census data show 76 African Americans living in Cape May, out of a total population of 2,768. The 1960 census showed a population of 4,477, almost a quarter of which was Black. Cape Mays Black residents once worked in hotels and restaurants, but also had their own businesses, as outlined in the citys application to amend its historic landmark designation. Those businesses included a high-end hotel that catered to Black visitors. Towns said she wants to preserve the memories of segregation and Black history, but also the more recent stories, such as the changes that took place in the 1970s, 80s and 90s. She mentioned a time when school segregation had ended, but unofficial barriers remained for years. You could be a chambermaid, but you couldnt be a waitress, she said. Cape May was one of the nations first seaside resorts, with visitors flocking by ferry and later by railroad before the turn of the century. This is the image of Victorian elegance and ease that Cape May businesses most often strive to invoke. But the flush times did not last forever. By the 1960s, many of those palatial Victorian homes were in disrepair, and some seemed destined for demolition, including the Emlen Physick Estate on Washington Street, the renovation of which helped launch Cape Mays historic preservation efforts. Once, Cape May looked longingly at nearby Wildwood, in the midst of a post-war boom and packed with modern hotels loaded with amenities. In 1970, Cape Mays historic district was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places, and the city was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1976. It was huge, Mullock said. It may not have increased real estate values right away, but it preserved these structures. That preservation helped drive a revitalization in Cape May. They had a vision. The vision included capitalizing on the image of Victorian Cape May. Locations where the African American homes were would not fit into that image, Towns said. Towns grew up in Cape May. She spent her career in education. She recalled a Black neighborhood that included a wide stretch of Lafayette Street, which serves as the primary route into town for most visitors. She blamed urban renewal efforts for eroding the Black community. There were fewer job opportunities, she said, and families could not keep up on the property taxes as values skyrocketed, or afford the maintenance on historic homes. Often, she said, the families sold at a bargain, only to see the investor then sell their former homes at a far higher price. The application to amend the citys National Historic Landmark status states that no mention was made of the citys African American history in the nominations made in the 1970s. Mullock said it was a remarkable history. Until recently, it was almost forgotten that Harriet Tubman worked in Cape May. Not that long ago, it was almost forgotten that Martin Luther King Jr. spoke in Cape May, he said. On June 27, 1958, King addressed a conference of Quakers in Cape May on nonviolence and racial justice, with some 3,200 people attending the event at the former convention center. The event took place three years after the Montgomery bus boycott, and five years before the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. For decades, Kings presence in Cape May was all but forgotten. Cape May was a summer refuge for a number of significant abolitionists, including Stephen Smith, whose house still stands on Lafayette Street, and Jarena Lee, the first female preacher in an AME church, was born in Cape May. While Cape May drew abolitionists from Philadelphia, it also attracted Confederate sympathizers from the South. Robert E. Lee vacationed in Cape May before the Civil War, Mullock said, as did Ulysses S. Grant. Mullock also highlighted the personal histories of Cape May, citing the Black communities in Cape May and West Cape May that were integral to the communities as a whole. Joining Cape May in the application are MAC, the Center for Community Arts and the Harriet Tubman Museum, which Mullock helped reconstruct, and with which his sister, Cindy Mullock, remains involved. The site of the museum had been the parsonage for the Macedonia Baptist Church next door and was in poor shape when reconstruction began. Towns is part of that church and said it is one of the few historically Black institutions remaining active in Cape May. In the same neighborhood, former Black churches are now homes, and the Allen AME Church on Franklin Street is now owned by the city and slated to become the home of the East Lynne Theater Company, another structure where the history has been preserved but not the use. Across the street, work continues on the former Franklin Street School, a long-vacant building that was where Black children learned while segregation remained legal. A new Cape May branch of the county library system will open in the renovated building, possibly by April. Towns wants to ensure that Black voices continued to be heard, even as she welcomes new interest in the Black experience. As she put it, history cannot be for sale. It should be told by those who lived it. It should never be told by those whove just heard it or read about it, she said. She welcomes the interest but wants it to help the community that remains, albeit a tiny percentage of what was once there. Whats being returned to our community? she said. EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP Residents came before the five-member, all-Republican Township Committee to complain about roads within the municipality that the local government doesnt own or control. On Wednesday, during the public comment period of the first regularly scheduled meeting of this month, residents spoke out against the proposed raising of the Black Horse Pike, which is owned by the state. The Township Committee also heard from the public during the earlier work session about the closing of Somers Point-Mays Landing Road, which is owned by Atlantic County. Somers Point-Mays Landing Road closed Jan. 22 from the intersection of Steelmanville Road to English Creek Avenue for the reconstruction of Bridge EH-29, also known as Lakes Creek Bridge, on Somers Point Road. A detour has been implemented to provide access to local residents and businesses. The detours are from English Creek to Zion Road and from Steelmanville Road to Ocean Heights Avenue, Mayor Laura Pfrommer said. People in the neighborhood are concerned traffic has been using Bevis Mill Road, a residential street, Pfrommer said after the meeting. The detour is expected to remain in place for approximately one year, Atlantic County has said. Township Committeeman Williams Pauls said a great deal of work was done in one week as the bridge was gone and the sheeting was in when he stopped by the site. I think we need to keep this pressure on the county and keep the dialogue open, Pfrommer said. Committeeman Paul W. Hodson said he did not know if the county thinks the weather will hold up the project, but to him a year is a long time for the bridge replacement. The bridge replacement was supposed to start right after Labor Day, but because of the Bevis Mills bridges, it was pushed back, Pauls said. During construction, Hodson agreed with the residents that traffic would increase on Bevis Mill Road. Traffic will be horrendous during the summertime because it is a main route for Ocean City. I live out in that area. That Mays Landing Road is backed up in the summertime all the way to Somers Point. If you dont understand it, go to the light at 9 at Mays Landing Road and watch how far back it is, Hodson said. During the regular meeting, the raising of the Black Horse Pike in the West Atlantic City section of the township was on residents minds. Its not good for the residents of West Atlantic City down there because thats only more water thats going to come down, Norma Lombardi, of Bay Drive, said. Lombardi, who has lived in the neighborhood for 40 years, said the residents met with state Department of Transportation officials five years ago and that the state showed the public the plans for what it wants to do now. It doesnt have to be a full moon, and the streets are flooded. It doesnt have to be a storm, and the streets are flooded, Lombardi said. Now, they want to raise it even higher. Its the destruction to our properties, absolutely. Hodson maintains dredging Lakes Bay so that it will hold more water is something that needs to be explored to deal with the excess water on the Black Horse Pike. Im telling you right now, we cant let them fix the road and say adios, Hodson said. Believe me, I know everybody on this board will support working with the state to make sure they dont do something stupid that makes it worse for you (West Atlantic City residents). Pfrommer said a private meeting between township and state DOT officials was held but that there needs to be a public meeting with the township engineering staff, West Atlantic City residents, U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd, state Sen. Vince Polistina, R-Atlantic, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Maybe, they (the state) will start ponying up more money in order to resolve this, said Marc Friedman, the township solicitor. We need to keep the heat on these state guys in order to get some results for these people, if there is an engineering solution. EGG HARBOR CITY An iconic local landmark has fallen victim to vandalism. The Peace Pilgrim statue, which honors the life and legacy of a local woman who walked across the country for peace, was defaced on multiple occasions recently and is in the progress of being repaired, Mayor Lisa Jiampetti said. "We're aware of the situation regarding the statue; it has been the source of two vandalisms now," Jiampetti said of the terra cotta statue. "It's very sad, but we're working hard to repair it and have it ready ahead of the Peace Pilgrim celebration in July." The statue is located at Peace Pilgrim Park in the 500 block of London Avenue, near City Hall. Peace Pilgrim, born Mildred Lisette Norman in 1908, was the first woman to walk the entire Appalachian trail. She found her career in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., to be spiritually unfulfilling, even as the peace lobbyist for the Womens International League for Peace and Freedom. So she began walking the country for peace in 1953. She chose to be called Peace Pilgrim and told friends and family members not to use her birth name. Peace Pilgrim walked the country for 28 years. She stopped counting the miles in 1964 after hitting 25,000. She never carried food or money but ate what was freely offered to her as she walked and slept on the side of the road if a bed was not offered to her. She completed seven cross-country trips, spreading her message and touching thousands of lives before dying on her seventh journey in 1981 as the result of a car accident. The Junior Board of Rock Island held its 85th annual Mardi Gras Ball fundraiser Saturday at the Waterfront Convention Center in Bettendorf. This years Mardi Gras King is William Michael Hass. Hass graduated from Rock Island High School in 1964. He then attended St. Ambrose University for three years. He serves as chairman of the Rock Island County Sheriffs Merit Commission, of which he has been a member since 1997. He also is past president of the Rock Island Family YMCA Board and was involved with the Ys capital campaign to move the YMCA from downtown to its new location at 2715 30th St. He is a member of the Rock Island Inspections Commission and has been an active participant in the Rock Island Labor Day Parade with the Springhill Poker Club for more than 10 years. Hass worked for Valley Construction as a youth in the summers. He started as a laborer and now is president of The Valley Group. He attends Heritage Church in Rock Island and has been married to his wife Nancy for 53 years. They have two children. This years Mardi Gras Queen is Marla Achler Andich. Andich has been a resident of Rock Island for 49 years. She grew up in Chicago and graduated from Niles North High School in Skokie, Illinois, in 1968. She attended Northern Illinois University where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1972. She worked for CNA Insurance in Chicago and The Hartford Insurance Company in Bettendorf. She also worked as a home-bound tutor for Rock Island schools. She began working as an instructor at Blackhawk College in 1986 in the Optional Education Program, an alternative high school and GED program. Andich coordinated the Early School Leaver program in 2000, providing career exploration and transition to college and career programs. In 2004 she earned her Master's of Science in Education from Western Illinois University. She has volunteered for many organizations over the years including being president of the Quad Cities Chapter of Hadassah, and in leadership roles with Sisters of Salaam Shalom, Rock Island Kiwanis Club, Gildas Club, the former Rock Island County Bar Auxiliary, Rock Island Public Library Foundation and Living Proof Exhibit. She also is a former presenter for Dolls for Democracy, a program sponsored by Jewish Women International. Andich attends the Tri City Jewish Center where she is a board member. She also has served as President of the Beth Israel Sisterhood. She was a member of the Junior Board and served in many capacities from 1994-2004. Andich has been married to her husband Steve for 52 years. They have three children. Founded in 1935, the Junior Board of Rock Island works to support children in the community, primarily by supporting the organizations Project Nest program through direct volunteer service and fundraising for child-related causes. The organization also allocates funds to more than 40 other non-profit organizations in the community, helping to ensure children have what they need to live a healthy and successful life. GreenState Credit Union names Israni CEO NORTH LIBERTY GreenState Credit Union has announced the appointment of Vikram Israni as its new chief executive officer (CEO). Israni brings decades of credit union experience and was previously chief financial officer at Wings Credit Union headquartered in Apple Valley, Minnesota. GreenStates Board of Directors partnered with global search firm Spencer Stuart to conduct an extensive nation-wide search, which began last September. Fred Mims, chair of the GreenState Credit Union Board of Directors, expressed the board's goals for this appointment. "The board was resolute that we were looking for our next leader to have a strong financial background to help navigate these challenging economic times, but also someone with the charisma and character to lead our growing team," Mims said in a news release. "Our board was impressed by Vics visionary leadership, strategic acumen and commitment to the credit union philosophy. We believe his experience will further strengthen GreenStates position as a trusted financial partner for our members." Israni has more than 25 years in the financial services industry. He holds an M.B.A. from the American Graduate School of International Management - Thunderbird and a Bachelor of Science from St. Johns University. GreenState Credit Union organized in 1938 and has grown to be Iowas largest credit union and one of the top financial institutions in the United States for returning profits to members in the form of better rates and lower fees. Membership is open to anyone living or working in Iowa as well as select counties in Illinois, Wisconsin, Nebraska and South Dakota. It's shamrock season at area McDonald's McDonalds fans, youre in luck: Shamrock season is here. The iconic Shamrock Shake and OREO Shamrock McFlurry are making their return to participating restaurants in the Quad Cities and nationwide, for a limited time. McDonalds classic Shamrock Shake is made with creamy vanilla soft serve, blended with mint syrup and topped with a sweet, whipped topping. The OREO Shamrock McFlurry comes blended with crushed OREO cookies. To top things off, 25 cents of each Shamrock Shake or Shamrock McFlurry purchase will be donated to Ronald McDonald House of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois. Hy-Vee to support Variety the Childrens Charity Hy-Vee is partnering with Variety - the Childrens Charity to conduct a roundup at the register campaign to raise funds to help children who are at-risk, underprivileged, critically ill or living with special needs. Customers will have the opportunity to round up to the next dollar now through Feb. 29 to help fund Varietys mission. Dollars raised through the Round Up will provide mobility equipment to children living with special needs, as well as fund and deliver effective programs and grants to care for children who are underprivileged, at-risk, critically ill or living with special needs. Variety works with physical therapists to identify children who would greatly benefit from a specialized bicycle or other piece of adaptive mobility equipment, such as gait trainers, mobile standers and more. Additionally, the funds raised through the Hy-Vee Round Up will help Variety provide grants to nonprofit organizations serving children, as well as vans to help transport children to programming activities. Since 1983, Hy-Vee has raised more than $20 million for Variety to improve the lives of children across the Midwest. At Hy-Vee, we believe in leading the effort to give back to our local communities by helping children and families in need, Ryan Roberts said in a news release. He is executive vice president, Hy-Vee; and board of directors, Variety the Childrens Charity of Iowa. Toys for Tots campaign raises $300K BOONE Fareway recently presented a check for more than $328,499 to the U.S. Marine Corps for their Toys for Tots campaign, which provides toys to children during the holiday season. Monetary and toy donations were accepted at all Fareway store locations from Friday, Nov. 24, through Saturday, Dec. 23. Our generous customers continue to go above and beyond to make the annual Toys for Tots campaign a success, Fareway Senior Vice President of Marketing & Advertising Jeff Stearns said in a news release. We are so appreciative of their generosity and the partnership with the U.S. Marine Corps, a 29-year relationship of making seasons bright for thousands of children. In 2023, the U.S. Marine Corp reports that 10.2 million children were served and more than 25.4 million toys, books, and stocking stuffers were distributed across the United States. Toys for Tots distributes toys and books to millions of less fortunate children each year. We wouldnt be able to reach so many children were it not for the help received from our corporate partners like Fareway, said Col. Ted Migs Silvester, U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots Foundation vice president of marketing and development. The Fareway store in Norwalk raised $5,723.57, the most in Iowa. Clinton ranked seventh with $4,529.64, and Davenport was eighth with $4,454.01. A DNA sample has led to the arrest of a man who allegedly was involved in a 2008 rape of a Davenport woman, police said. Samuel James Thompson, 35, is charged in Scott County District Court with one count of second-degree sexual abuse. The charge is a Class B felony under Iowa law that carries a prison sentence of 25 years. Police said Thompson is one of two men accused in the rape. According to the arrest affidavit filed by Davenport Police Detective Sean Johnson, the woman was leaving Vivians Tap, located in the 2200 block of Rockingham Road, on the morning of Nov. 28, 2008. She told police she was sucker punched and thrown into the back of a vehicle. She was driven to an unknown location where she was sexually assaulted by two men. On Jan. 31, 2018, Davenport Police submitted the sexual assault kit as part of the SAKI project, or Sexual Assault Kit Initiative. According to the programs website, SAKI is funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, and aims to create a coordinated community response to bring a resolution of sexual assault cases, including through sexual assault kits that have not been previously submitted. On Sept. 20, 2023, Davenport Police received from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation a Combined DNA Index System hit on the male DNA located in the sexual assault kit in the case. The CODIS hit was for the co-defendant in the case. A known sample of the co-defendants DNA was resubmitted to the Iowa DCI on Jan. 11, 2024, and on Jan. 30 a confirmation was received that the CODIS hit was for the co-defendant in the case. Thompson was arrested Friday. During a first appearance Saturday in Scott County District Court, Magistrate Peter Gierut scheduled a preliminary hearing in Thompsons case for Feb. 20. Thompson was being held Saturday in the Scott County Jail on a cash-only bond of $100,000 set by Gierut. Davenport Police did not release further information about the co-defendant in the case when asked Saturday. A LeClaire woman faces vehicular homicide charges after a fatal accident in the parking lot of Riverview Roadhouse on Saturday evening. The victim whose identity is being withheld pending family notification was pronounced dead at the scene, according to a press release via LeClaire Police Chief Shane Themas. The LeClaire Police Department conducted an investigation of the incident, resulting in Molly Vance of LeClaire, being charged with operating while intoxicated (the first offense, a serious misdemeanor) and homicide by vehicle (class B felony). Vance was booked into the Scott County Jail. LeClaire Police were assisted by the Scott County Sheriff's Office, LeClaire Fire Department and Scott County EMS. The incident remains under investigation. Following the Jan. 4 shooting in Perry, Iowa, Iowa House Rep. Ken Croken, D-Davenport, sponsored a forum at Davenport West High School where lawmakers, parents and educators discussed common sense gun laws and school safety. Other forum attendees included State Sen. Cindy Winckler, D-Davenport; Trey Jackson, the March for Our Lives legislative affairs director; Ben Layer, crisis prevention coordinator for the Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency, and Kaleigh Rogers, director of the local Moms Demand Action advocacy group. The forum included a discussion over a slew of gun violence prevention measures, including the implementation of extreme risk protection orders, also known as red flag laws. These laws allow for the temporary removal of firearms from individuals believed to be at risk of harming themselves or others. Iowa is one of 31 states without a red-flag law. Illinois, in contrast, does have a red-flag law, which went into effect in 2019. However, a report, updated in 2022, by the Center for Gun Violence Solution at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health recommended better implementation of the emergency orders as one of four recommendations to reduce gun violence in the state. In 2022, then Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller called on the state legislature to support a red-flag law, but the body did not pass one. Everytown for Gun Safety, a national nonprofit that advocates for gun safety, argues extreme risk laws would help protect public safety by giving key community members a means of intervention before warning signs of violence become tragedies. However, some Second Amendment advocates, such as the NRA Institute for Legislative Action, argue the laws violate due process protections. Current federal law prevents a person from having guns only if they fall into one of several categories. But a person who displays warning signs that they are considering suicide or becoming violent and is not prohibited under federal law would still legally be able to buy and possess guns. In late June 2022, 29 Republicans joined Democrats to pass a federal gun safety law. Iowas two U.S. senators disagreed with one another on their votes, with U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst joining 14 other Republican senators in voting in favor of the measure, which was titled the Safer Communities Act. Earlier that year, six teenagers were arrested and accused of shooting into a group standing outside of East High School in Des Moines. Jose David Lopez, a 15-year-old, was killed in the shooting. Just a few months later in Ames, 40 minutes north of Des Moines, a man fatally shot two women before shooting himself in the parking lot of Cornerstone Church. Following these events, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds cited an immediate need to act and said the state would award up to $50,000 each to 1,500 schools to fix vulnerabilities. According to the Associated Press, most schools across the state have yet to receive funding, including Perry. The district did not complete the application process it started more than a year ago, but a state agency recently stepped in and sent a representative to assist in finishing the request for a $150,000 grant through Reynolds program. Education and immigration were two of the bigger topics discussed at a Scott County Legislative Forum held Saturday at Scott Community College. About 80 people attended the forum, which was sponsored by the Eastern Iowa Community College District and administered by the American Association of University Women. Former Iowa state senator Maggie Tinsman moderated the 90-minute event. Iowa state senators Cindy Winckler, a Democrat, and Scott Webster, a Republic, along with Republican Iowa state representatives Mike Vondran, Gary Mohr and Norlin Mommsen and Democratic state representatives Monica Kurth and Ken Croken answered questions from the audience that were written on cards and read by Tinsman. A question regarding the Future Ready Iowa Last Dollar Scholarship started the program, with each of the participants saying they support continuing the program, which covers any remaining gap between federal and state grants and scholarships and tuition and qualified fees. Rarely in government have I discovered you have an opportunity to look at spending as an investment that has truly been a good investment, Vondran said of the program. The return is evident; the date proves it. Why would we not continue to invest in something that is giving us such a wonderful return? Winckler, who was on the education committee as a statehouse rep when the program was initiated, said she wished that childcare programs were part of it. All community colleges identified that that was a significant need, Winckler said. Because the starting wages are only $8.40 for entry level into child development programming and service, they were not allowed to be a part of it. Every public meeting I go to they talk about the need for childcare in regard to economic development, as well. She added that the programs do need to shift as some of the needs of the marketplace have been met. I would be more enthusiastic if we could find a way to expand the program, Croken said. We often confuse education with training, and education is good, too, not every field of study leads to a high-yield employee, and thats okay. We want to be in an educated country and so I certainly would support childcare, and also, I would expand it. When the question turned to Gov. Kim Reynolds attempt to alter how the nine Area Education Agencies in Iowa receive funding and offer services, each of the panelists said they could not support the bill in its original form. Iowa House leaders have said they do not plan to advance the governor's bill. Each of the panelists identified what they considered problems with the bill. I was opposed to the governors bill, Mohr said. Since then, Ive worked to alter it, delay it, defeat it. I had a lot of problems with it. One was we didnt sit around the table with the stakeholders, the AEAs, the parents of the kids. I was opposed to putting all of the AEAs under the control of the Department of Education of Iowa, which is a department I dont particularly trust, he added. Kurth said that currently she is definitely a no on the bill. The original bill was 170 pages, Kurth said, adding the amended version is 130 pages. Its taking an ax to a program that has been extremely helpful within our state. Other states have emulated us and tried to be like us, so I dont see the reason to completely change it. It puts a lot of power and control in the statewide department of education rather than at the local level. Mommsen and Webster both said that they system worked when it came to the AEA bill. You reached out to us, and we put a hold on it, and worked on it, Mommsen said. Webster said that some sort of agreement may come in the senate within the next couple of weeks. Croken said it was eye-opening to see the wide array of services AEAs provide, including many people don't always recognize.. Our AEA structure is the envy of many across the country, he said. Why would we deal with this as a problem when there are so many other more compelling problems is not clear to me? Winckler said that I hope what we have at the end of the day is a study. That, again, is not kicking the can down the road. It is involving the community in the conversation that was missing when the governors bill came out. It was very incomplete, which, then, you see the pushback from the public from a bill that in no way reflects what AEAs do, Winckler said. The panel also shared their views on Senate File 2211 that would make it a state crime for undocumented immigrants to enter or reenter Iowa. Under the bill, Iowa law enforcement would have the authority to arrest undocumented immigrants in the state. The bill would likely face a constitutional challenge if passed and signed. A similar law in Texas is being challenged on the grounds that immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility. Immigrant advocacy groups have expressed opposition to the Iowa bill. Its a big issue, Vondran said. Ive got to wrap my head around it. There is in my mind, a difference between migration and illegal alien. Theres a lot of moving parts with regard to this. I mean, were talking about human beings, he said. Theyre not all bad. I dont know that any simple swipe of a pen is going to make a huge difference just yet." At the same time, he expressed concerns about the impact of fentanyl coming across the border. Kurth said that Iowa needs people and should be welcoming to immigration. I havent seen the bill, she said. Ill look at it carefully, but I think Iowa has a need for more people, and I think we need to be sensitive to that. Mohr said his disgust is at the federal level. He called immigration "a federal responsibility" and said the problem of illegal border crossings needs to be handled at the federal level. How long does it take for Congress to develop an immigration policy or bill that solves this problem, he said. Yes, we need workers, but, yes, weve got too many people entering illegally." Mommsen too sees immigration as a federal issue. Taking up at the state level, he added, Is wasting the ink and the paper. Croken said that What disgusts me is too many people are really enjoying the problem. After taking a trip to Eagle Pass, Croken said it is not as advertised, and that sending a hundred or more state troopers down there will do nothing to solve this problem. Webster said he would defend Gov. Reynolds for using ARPA funds to protect the border. "We need to make legal immigration easier, and illegal immigration a little harder," he said. Immigrants in Iowa will help grow the states economy, he said, and thats a good thing. Legal immigration isnt a bad thing. Its the illegal part that the federal government must handle. Another proposed bill would bar undocumented immigrants from receiving in state tuition at Iowa's public universities. Winckler said there are a lot of Iowans who would benefit from the Dream Act. They were brought here when they were young, and theyve grown up here and gone through our schools. They are good citizens," she said. But they could not get in-state tuition because they are not citizens, she said. In-state tuition should be available to them, Winckler said. What's the impact of teacher experience on student success across the US? What's the impact of teacher experience on student success across the US? Teacher experience by subject The Swedish Prosecution Authority announced on Wednesday the closure of its investigation into the Nord Stream gas pipeline explosions, citing a lack of jurisdiction in the case. As the 16-month-long investigation concludes, the authorities, who identified the incident as a gross sabotage possibly involving a state actor, have failed to pinpoint any culprits. This file photo provided by the Swedish Coast Guard on Sept. 28, 2022 shows a gas leak on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline. (The Swedish Coast Guard/Handout via Xinhua) Analysts believe Swedens ultimate decision to transfer and relinquish the hot potato to Germany is driven by intricate and delicate political considerations. EVIDENCE OVER TO GERMANY The investigation into gross sabotage against Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines is closed, as Swedish jurisdiction does not apply, stated the Swedish Public Prosecution Authority. Prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist, remaining tight-lipped due to secrecy, refrained from providing further details or commenting on any suspected individuals involved. The primary purpose of the investigation was to uncover whether Swedish territory and citizens were involved in the act, thereby risking damaging Swedish interests or security, said the authority. But the investigation showed nothing has emerged to indicate that Sweden or Swedish citizens were involved in the attack which took place in international waters, it added. Calling the investigation systematic and thorough, Ljungqvist said the authority had analyzed many ship movements, conducted an extensive crime scene investigation and held several interviews. He added that Sweden has provided potential evidence to the ongoing German investigation, aligning with the concurrent Danish inquiry into the matter. On Wednesday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia has consistently sought updates on the investigations progress but has been denied access to the information. He added, We will monitor subsequent investigative actions and make decisions accordingly. MYSTERY REMAINS UNRESOLVED The Nord Stream pipelines, which transported natural gas from Russia to European markets via Germany, were severely damaged in September 2022 after blasts in the Baltic Sea. Denmark, Sweden and Germany launched investigations following the explosion, which resulted in four leaks. Russias participation in the investigations was denied. In March last year, the Swedish prosecutor labeled the gas pipeline explosions as gross sabotage with a potential state actor involvement. Despite unverified reports implicating the United States, Ukraine and Russia, no suspects have been publicly identified. All parties have denied involvement 16 months after the incident. Washington and some of its allies have long criticized the pipelines, warning they posed a risk to Europes energy security due to dependence on Russian gas. The credibility and logic of a 5,000-word investigative report titled How America Took Out The Nord Stream Pipeline by Pulitzer Prize winner Seymour Hersh in February last year stand out among various revelations. Hersh revealed that the sabotage of the pipelines was a secret operation ordered by the White House, implemented by the CIA and assisted by the Norwegian Navy. But the White House and the Norwegian foreign ministry both denied involvement. The Washington Post reported in April last year that Western officials would rather not know who bombed the Nord Stream pipelines, fearing it might implicate their own allies. POLITICAL COMPLEX BEHIND The investigation is a hot potato for Sweden, security reporter John Granlund said in an analysis on Swedish Television on Tuesday, commenting on the expected results. Every decision by the authorities risks having consequences for the security policy. By all accounts, the choice ultimately fell on the easiest path to let Germany finish the job, he said. Granlund said the arrangement is convenient for Sweden as all other solutions would have led the Swedish authorities down a path where they had to single out a possible perpetrator or state. Sources with insight into the matter said both the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice have been consulted due to the issues sensitivity as it involves security policy and foreign powers. If the Swedish Prosecution Authority and the Security Service had opted for a more offensive solution, for example, singling out a country, the government and the authorities would have been faced with difficult follow-up questions about, for example, why they dont go all the way and take measures against the state responsible, he analyzed. Kenneth Buhl of the Royal Danish Defense College said Swedens surprising decision indicates there could have been some kind of a political involvement, Euronews reported. Sweden stands in a sensitive position as it wants to join NATO and may not want to rock the boat further, Buhl was quoted as saying. Sweden is currently the only Nordic state that has yet to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Analysts point out that Sweden, which has abandoned its long-standing policy of military non-alignment but is not yet covered by NATOs collective defense, hopes the United States could advance the accession process. In December last year, Sweden and the United States signed a new defense cooperation agreement, granting U.S. military access to the countrys 17 military bases, which allows prepositioned stocks of military equipment and operations on Swedish territory, according to Swedish Armed Forces. I assume that the U.S. was behind the Nord Stream destruction It is a plausible theory, therefore, that Sweden wants to avoid conflicts with and please the U.S., Jan Oberg, director of the Transnational Foundation for Peace and Future Research, told Xinhua on Wednesday. He said the Swedish Prosecution Authoritys decision and weak argument are highly remarkable, emphasizing that pure politics once again overrule the truth. - Xinhua The Junior Board of Rock Island held its 85th annual Mardi Gras Ball fundraiser Saturday at the Waterfront Convention Center in Bettendorf. This years Mardi Gras King is William Michael Hass. Hass graduated from Rock Island High School in 1964. He then attended St. Ambrose University for three years. He serves as chairman of the Rock Island County Sheriffs Merit Commission, of which he has been a member since 1997. He also is past president of the Rock Island Family YMCA Board and was involved with the Ys capital campaign to move the YMCA from downtown to its new location at 2715 30th St. He is a member of the Rock Island Inspections Commission and has been an active participant in the Rock Island Labor Day Parade with the Springhill Poker Club for more than 10 years. Hass worked for Valley Construction as a youth in the summers. He started as a laborer and now is president of The Valley Group. He attends Heritage Church in Rock Island and has been married to his wife Nancy for 53 years. They have two children. This years Mardi Gras Queen is Marla Achler Andich. Andich has been a resident of Rock Island for 49 years. She grew up in Chicago and graduated from Niles North High School in Skokie, Illinois, in 1968. She attended Northern Illinois University where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1972. She worked for CNA Insurance in Chicago and The Hartford Insurance Company in Bettendorf. She also worked as a home-bound tutor for Rock Island schools. She began working as an instructor at Blackhawk College in 1986 in the Optional Education Program, an alternative high school and GED program. Andich coordinated the Early School Leaver program in 2000, providing career exploration and transition to college and career programs. In 2004 she earned her Master's of Science in Education from Western Illinois University. She has volunteered for many organizations over the years including being president of the Quad Cities Chapter of Hadassah, and in leadership roles with Sisters of Salaam Shalom, Rock Island Kiwanis Club, Gildas Club, the former Rock Island County Bar Auxiliary, Rock Island Public Library Foundation and Living Proof Exhibit. She also is a former presenter for Dolls for Democracy, a program sponsored by Jewish Women International. Andich attends the Tri City Jewish Center where she is a board member. She also has served as President of the Beth Israel Sisterhood. She was a member of the Junior Board and served in many capacities from 1994-2004. Andich has been married to her husband Steve for 52 years. They have three children. Founded in 1935, the Junior Board of Rock Island works to support children in the community, primarily by supporting the organizations Project Nest program through direct volunteer service and fundraising for child-related causes. The organization also allocates funds to more than 40 other non-profit organizations in the community, helping to ensure children have what they need to live a healthy and successful life. King cakes: The sweet stars of New Orleans famed Carnival season The Rapid City Polar Plunge was Saturday at Rapid Spa on Omaha Street. Participants braved the cold water to raise funds for Special Olympics South Dakota. This year's theme was Pony Up for the Plunge and participants came out representing the Wild West. By Tajul Islam The military coup in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, remains an ominous specter haunting the nation, plunging it into a prolonged civil war with devastating repercussions for its populace. The conflict between the military junta and democratic factions has spiraled into a relentless cycle of violence, leaving civilians ensnared in a relentless crossfire. Recent reports paint a harrowing picture of the ground reality. Intense clashes have erupted in various regions, including the Bago administrative region, Shan state, and Rakhine state. These confrontations have exacted a heavy toll, with at least 15 lives lost in recent days, among them Buddhist monks and innocent children. The deployment of heavy weaponry, including airstrikes and artillery shelling, has only worsened the humanitarian crisis, trapping hundreds in besieged areas and compelling millions to flee their homes in search of sanctuary. One of the most distressing facets of this conflict is the barbaric treatment meted out to prisoners by the military junta. Disturbing accounts reveal that captives from the armed forces endure unspeakable atrocities, including torture and extrajudicial executions, flagrantly violating international humanitarian law. A particularly gruesome incident involving the torture and immolation of two members of the pro-democracy Yao Defense Forces (YDF) has ignited widespread outrage among local residents and activists, underscoring the military's brutal tactics. In the midst of this turmoil, the political landscape of Myanmar remains shrouded in uncertainty. Analysts highlight formidable hurdles confronting both the military junta and democratic factions. While proposals for a political resolution, such as endorsing the five-point plan presented by Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and instituting a ceasefire, have surfaced, the junta's obstinacy in relinquishing power poses a formidable impediment to peace initiatives. Furthermore, the ongoing conflict has placed the junta in a precarious position, with legal challenges at the International Criminal Court exacerbating their predicament. Even if the military junta were to collapse, experts caution against the arduous road ahead for Myanmar. The nation grapples with deep-seated divisions among various ethnic groups, each harboring distinct grievances and aspirations. Bridging these chasms will be imperative for realizing enduring peace and stability. Meanwhile, the conflict has spilled beyond Myanmar's borders, eliciting concerns about the potential infiltration of Myanmar's forces into neighboring Bangladesh. What was once deemed an internal affair of Myanmar has morphed into a regional security quagmire, underscoring the pressing need for a concerted international response to address the crisis? Recent developments along the Myanmar-Bangladesh border have stoked apprehension, prompting Bangladesh to solicit assistance from China in mitigating the escalating conflict in Myanmar. 4th February' 2024, Sunday afternoon, members of Myanmar's border guard force (BGP) were observed trespassing into Bangladesh through multiple points along the Tumbru-Ghumdhum border. This incursion has set off alarm bells in Bangladesh, particularly in border regions, where residents dread the spillover effects of Myanmar's ongoing civil strife. In response to these developments, Obaidul Quader, the General Secretary of Bangladesh's ruling Awami League Government and Minister of Road Transport and Bridges,, addressed the media on last Sunday. Quader voiced profound concern over the situation, highlighting that while the conflict may be internal to Myanmar, its repercussions reverberate along the Bangladesh border. He underscored the disquieting sound of gunfire in the vicinity, which understandably instills fear among border residents. In a bid to counter this looming threat, Bangladesh has solicited assistance from China. Obaidul Quader divulged that Bangladesh has implored China for cooperation in managing the situation and forestalling any escalation of the conflict along the border. He stressed that China has responded affirmatively to Bangladesh's entreaty, offering aid in tackling the evolving scenario. The involvement of Myanmar's border guard force in incursions into Bangladesh underscores the burgeoning complexity and volatility of the situation in Myanmar. As the conflict intensifies within Myanmar's confines, neighboring nations like Bangladesh find themselves increasingly susceptible to its reverberations. The collaboration between Bangladesh and China epitomizes a concerted endeavor to navigate the crisis and safeguard regional stability. Amid mounting tensions and uncertainty, it is imperative for all stakeholders to collaborate in de-escalating the situation and averting further bloodshed along the Myanmar-Bangladesh border. Effective coordination and cooperation among neighboring countries will be pivotal in addressing the root causes of the conflict and fostering enduring peace and prosperity in the region. The conflict in Myanmar continues to escalate, with recent events underscoring the ongoing tensions and intricacies surrounding the situation. Amid reports of confrontations and downed aircraft, Myanmar's economy languishes under the weight of international sanctions, while anti-coup insurgents express optimism about their advances against the military regime. According to the Arakan Army (AA), a helicopter was downed during an encounter in Paletoa, China. The rebel group substantiated their claim by disseminating images of the helicopter wreckage, further underscoring the conflict's intensity in the region. Since the military coup in Myanmar, the nation has grappled with successive waves of international sanctions, precipitating significant economic ramifications. Presently, Myanmar's economy is approximately 10 percent smaller compared to 2019, underscoring the profound impact of political turmoil on the nation's financial stability. Conversely, anti-coup insurgents, including the National Unity Government (NUG) led by members of Aung San Suu Kyi's party, assert that they are nearing triumph over the military regime. Dua Lashi La, acting president of the NUG, affirmed to Al Jazeera that the Spring Revolution is gaining momentum, expressing confidence that the will of the people will ultimately triumph over oppressive military rule. Meanwhile, Myanmar's junta government endeavors to repatriate members of various forces who sought refuge in Bangladesh amid the internal conflict. A naval vessel has been dispatched to retrieve approximately two battalions of officers, soldiers, and Myanmar Border Guard Police, along with some family members, who fled to Bangladesh as hostilities escalated along the Rakhine border. Initially, plans for aerial transportation were thwarted by objections from Myanmar, culminating in an agreement for repatriation via sea. Presently, 330 citizens, including members of various forces, are being accommodated in two schools in Teknaf under the supervision of Bangladeshi law enforcement personnel. However, notwithstanding these endeavors, apprehensions persist regarding the ongoing conflict in Myanmar, particularly in Rakhine, and the potential for further displacement and border tensions. Former diplomats underscore the imperative of preemptive agreements between Myanmar and Bangladesh to effectively manage such situations and forestall future incidents. As the situation in Myanmar continues to unfold, it behooves all concerned parties to pursue peaceful resolutions to the conflict and prioritize the welfare and safety of affected civilians. International cooperation and diplomatic endeavors will be pivotal in navigating the multifaceted challenges confronting the region and fostering stability and prosperity for its inhabitants. Roanoke Judge Onzlee Ware, who rose from drug charges and a gunshot wound that cost him a leg to become a Virginia legislator and the first Black judge in the citys Circuit Court, died Saturday, the Roanoke Bar Association reported. The bar association did not give a cause of death, nor did a statement released by Wares family through two Roanoke attorneys who recently represented the judge. Ware, 70, was named to the Circuit Court bench in 2020, replacing Judge William Broadhurst. Ware had been a Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court judge since 2014 and, from 2003 until 2013, represented part of Roanoke as a Democratic member of the House of Delegates. Before that, he was an attorney in Roanoke. The legal and legislative positions were a long way from the very different circumstances of Wares mid-1970s college years in Greensboro, North Carolina, he said in a 2007 interview. I got involved with some guys who were involved with heroin, and they showed me how I could make a few dollars and I tried it, Ware said. Ware said his life as a hustler lasted perhaps six months before he was arrested and charged with drug possession. The charge was dismissed when he became a police informant, he said. But Wares identity as an informant became known in a court proceeding and he was shot, which resulted in him losing his left leg. Ware said in 2007 that he asked doctors to leave the bullet in his body as a reminder. I need to be, every now and then, able to reach back and grab my butt and remember where I was and how far Ive come, said Ware, who at the time was a member of the General Assembly. It does remind me Ive been blessed and I was saved for something. Ware found himself in the news again last year when he was accused by a Roanoke woman of trading legal advice for sex. The woman, whose son was charged with murder, said that for about a year, Ware had her come to his house for sexual relations and to get suggestions about her sons case, which was in another judges court. The woman, Grace Church, said Ware told her to have her son choose to not have a jury trial and later to change attorneys, and said her son would not receive more than seven years behind bars. In 2020, her son, Timothy Mwandi Church, was convicted and sentenced to 40 years in prison. In September, The Roanoke Times published an article about the womans claims, and Ware soon stopped hearing cases and seemed to disappear from the city courthouse. Questions about whether he was still working went unanswered. But on Jan. 31, Tony Anderson and John Lichtenstein, Roanoke attorneys who represented Ware, said his absence was due to a health evaluation rather than to a state commissions investigation of the Churches allegations. On Saturday, Anderson and Lichtenstein issued a statement from Wares family that denied the legal-advice-for-sex claims. While Virginia law shrouds investigations of judges in secrecy, a notice of findings that is sent to the person claiming wrongdoing is more accessible. That document was cited in the attorneys statement. Recently, we had the privilege of helping Judge Ware navigate the Virginia system for dealing with certain claims, Anderson and Lichtenstein said. We believe it is important to Judge Wares legacy and to his family, as well as his community, that certain elements of the statutory notification sent to the claimant be set forth. The statement listed four areas where investigators did not find credible evidence against Ware. The investigation failed to obtain credible evidence demonstrating that any sexual relationship between Judge Ware and Grace Church was entered into pursuant to a quid pro quo understanding, in exchange for the judges assistance with Timothy Churchs criminal case, the statement said. Also, the evidence fails to corroborate any claim that Judge Ware intervened with the presiding court in the criminal case of Timothy Church. The evidence obtained by the Commission demonstrates that Judge Ware did not contact the trial judge in this matter, the statement said. Investigators could not find evidence to corroborate that Ware had any part in the courts appointment of attorney Patrick Kenney to represent Timothy Church, the statement said. And a claim that Ware called former Roanoke Sheriff Tim Allen in the presence of Grace Church to ask about her sons well-being was determined to lack credibility, the statement said. Anderson and Lichtenstein called Ware critically important to his relatives, the court and the wider community. We are deeply saddened by the loss of our friend, a great father, grandfather, thoughtful and committed judge and devoted and respected former member of the Virginia House of Delegates, the attorneys said in their statement. Judge Ware was a man of great achievement who overcame remarkable obstacles Even with these achievements, he remained dedicated to his community and was a mentor to many young people in Roanoke. The attorneys said Wares family deeply appreciates the tremendous gestures of love and support they have received over the last months. It has been an honor to work with our friend, who taught all of us humility, including in the face of adversity, Anderson and Lichtenstein said. May he rest in peace. The desecration of the Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground, once the largest burial site for free and enslaved Black people in the nation, has taken many forms. An 1880s road project exposed dead bodies and bones, some of which were used for fill, leading Richmond Planet editor John Mitchell Jr. to decry people who profited by the desecration of the burial ground ... where graves were dug into, bones scattered, coffins exposed, and the hearts of the surviving families made to bleed by the desecration of the remains of their loved ones, according to the richmondcemeteries.org website of VCU professor Ryan Smith. The 1930s construction of a nearby Fifth Street viaduct, named for Confederate general Stonewall Jackson, further disturbed the site. And in the 1950s, a Sunoco gas station dealt another blow to the sanctity of the burial ground. This was the landscape that Texas resident Lenora McQueen discovered when she traveled to Richmond in search of the gravesite of her fourth great-grandmother. Confusion turned into outrage, and then activism, as McQueen and others successfully secured a Virginia Department of Historic Resources marker at the site and got it listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places. The city, in a tax sale, purchased the abandoned gas station at North Fifth and Hospital streets. A mural on the building transformed it into a memorial. But what should be hallowed ground remains the victim of drive-by desecration, in the form of a double billboard advertising political and commercial messages for drivers on Interstate 64. It is an abomination. Its awful; its horrible, McQueen said during an interview Thursday. In May 2022 about a month before the Virginia Department of Historic Resources unveiled a marker at the site McQueen reached out to Lamar Advertising about donating half of the billboard for the historic site. Jeff Gschwind, a sales manager for Lamar, seemed amenable to donating space on the billboard. But when I read the details of what they were offering, they were offering the billboard down the street, not the one on the burial ground, McQueen said. Gschwind also thought that she wanted to commemorate the historical marker event rather than the burial ground. She wrote back to clarify that she was talking about the billboard on 1305 N. Fifth St. What I would like to do is announce the presence of the burial ground at that spot. I want people to know that it is right there, and people are driving over it at that moment as they see the sign, McQueen wrote. Also, it can be clearly seen in the burial ground. Gschwind wrote back that the billboard at the burying ground will not be an option, as both sides of the billboard are sold annually. What we have offered is valued at nearly $6,000. However, I completely understand what you are looking for and unfortunately, its not something that Lamar is able to provide. Complicating matters was that a previous owner of the Sunoco station had given Lamar the right to use the billboard in perpetuity. Twenty-one months passed before McQueen was triggered by a photo of VCU Health advertising on the billboard jarring, given the history of the Medical College of Virginia, among other medical schools, robbing graves at the burial ground for medical research during the 19th century. But in the meantime, 6th District Councilperson Ellen Robertson, who represents the area where the burying ground is located, had been in talks with Lamar about removing or repurposing the billboard. They said they completely understood, but thats a very significant billboard in their inventory, Robertson said Friday. And they are willing to swap that billboard out for a different site or a billboard that the city may own. Lamar Advertising sent a list of Richmond sites they would be interested in. Weve responded that were very interested and willing to talk with them about looking at the locations they suggested, Robertson said. City staff are awaiting advice from the city attorneys office on how to proceed with a swap before consulting with the mayors office. Were optimistic. We think its going to happen, Robertson said. So then, the question is, what happens with the billboard? Does the city take it down and risk disturbing the burial ground further? Or does it find a respectable way to tell the story of the burial ground and use the billboard as a part of the storytelling? Robertson said. Right now, we dont have any answers to that. My answer would be to repurpose the sign, not unlike the Sunoco station, as a vehicle to interpret a burying ground stripped by development of evidence of its existence. The exploitation of enslaved labor in Virginia cannot be allowed to morph into a commercial interest profiting from a billboard that sits on what should be hallowed ground. This history is finally being unearthed and properly commemorated, long after the bodies themselves were disinterred or otherwise debased. Id like Lamar to view this as a form of community repair, and not seek a quid pro quo. But, Im grateful that they were willing to recognize that this was the right thing to do, even though they want to recover whatever their value is, Robertson said. There can be no reconciliation without truth, no matter how ugly. The billboard would let passing motorists know what transpired on this soil: a civic and national crime on multiple levels that abused Black people in life and defiled them after death. Itd be a welcome sign that Richmond is no longer hiding from its history, but announcing it to the world. Close The green-roofed sheds at Richmond's 17th Street Farmers Market are being removed as part of the first phase of a plan to revitalize the Shockoe Bottom landmark, Monday Aug. 10, 2015. The green-roofed sheds at Richmond's 17th Street Farmers Market are being removed as part of the first phase of a plan to revitalize the Shockoe Bottom landmark, Monday Aug. 10, 2015. The green-roofed sheds at Richmond's 17th Street Farmers Market are being removed as part of the first phase of a plan to revitalize the Shockoe Bottom landmark, Monday Aug. 10, 2015. The green-roofed sheds at Richmond's 17th Street Farmers Market are being removed as part of the first phase of a plan to revitalize the Shockoe Bottom landmark, Monday Aug. 10, 2015. The green-roofed sheds at Richmond's 17th Street Farmers Market are being removed as part of the first phase of a plan to revitalize the Shockoe Bottom landmark, Monday Aug. 10, 2015. The green-roofed sheds at Richmond's 17th Street Farmers Market are being removed as part of the first phase of a plan to revitalize the Shockoe Bottom landmark, Monday Aug. 10, 2015. The green-roofed sheds at Richmond's 17th Street Farmers Market are being removed as part of the first phase of a plan to revitalize the Shockoe Bottom landmark, Monday Aug. 10, 2015. PHOTOS: Renovation at 17th Street Farmers Market The green-roofed sheds at Richmond's 17th Street Farmers Market are being removed as part of the first phase of a plan to revitalize the Shockoe Bottom landmark, Monday Aug. 10, 2015. The green-roofed sheds at Richmond's 17th Street Farmers Market are being removed as part of the first phase of a plan to revitalize the Shockoe Bottom landmark, Monday Aug. 10, 2015. The green-roofed sheds at Richmond's 17th Street Farmers Market are being removed as part of the first phase of a plan to revitalize the Shockoe Bottom landmark, Monday Aug. 10, 2015. The green-roofed sheds at Richmond's 17th Street Farmers Market are being removed as part of the first phase of a plan to revitalize the Shockoe Bottom landmark, Monday Aug. 10, 2015. The green-roofed sheds at Richmond's 17th Street Farmers Market are being removed as part of the first phase of a plan to revitalize the Shockoe Bottom landmark, Monday Aug. 10, 2015. The green-roofed sheds at Richmond's 17th Street Farmers Market are being removed as part of the first phase of a plan to revitalize the Shockoe Bottom landmark, Monday Aug. 10, 2015. The green-roofed sheds at Richmond's 17th Street Farmers Market are being removed as part of the first phase of a plan to revitalize the Shockoe Bottom landmark, Monday Aug. 10, 2015. The green-roofed sheds at Richmond's 17th Street Farmers Market are being removed as part of the first phase of a plan to revitalize the Shockoe Bottom landmark, Monday Aug. 10, 2015. Stray bullet leaves one dead in Tulum beach club shooting Tulum, Q.R. One of two people hit by bullets in what is believed to be an exchange of gunfire between gang members in a Tulum Hotel Zone shooting has died. An American woman identified as Niko H died over the weekend after being hit by a stray bullet. The woman was with a friend Friday night when gang members exchanged gunfire at a Tulum beach club. Police were at kilometer 7.5 of the Tulum-Boca Paila highway around 6:40 p.m. in response to reports of gunfire. When paramedics arrived at the scene they confirmed one deceased female. The second person, who has not been identified, was injured and taken to hospital. According to information gathered, two armed men arrived at the beach club and exchanged gunfire, hitting two restaurant / beach club customers. The deceased is an American national. It is not known if she was a visitor or resident. Police cordoned off the area while they collected evidence and the body was removed. A public statement surrounding the events has not been released. Captain of sunken boat that claimed four lives charged Isla Mujeres, Q.R. The captain of an overcapacity boat that sunk and left four dead has been officially charged. On Friday, Ramon Guadalupe N, the captain of La Diosa del Mar (Goddess of the Sea) was charged with manslaughter in a Cancun court. The State Attorney General says Ramon Guadalupe N has been indicated for his probable participation in events that could be constituting the crime of manslaughter to the detriment of four victims whose identity is withheld. On January 29, the tourist boat was returning to the Puerto Juarez mainland from a trip to Isla Mujeres around 6:20 p.m. Along the way, the boat carrying 17 tourists and two crew took on water and sank. Four people, two women, one man and a 10 year old boy all of Mexican nationality, drowned. A 23 year old woman from the boat was hospitalize and remains in serious condition. Authorities have not provided any information regarding his trial. Late night fire on Playa del Carmens Fifth Avenue likely intentional Playa del Carmen, Q.R. Solidaridad officers along with city firemen were called to Fifth Avenue early Saturday morning after reports of a fire. At the scene, authorities found a small fire burning at the entrance to a business. Playa del Carmen firemen took only minutes to put out the flames with extinguishers which left a front section of the building scorched. The fire is being treated as intentional. The fire was reported to emergency services around 2:30 a.m. In a briefing, the Secretaria de Proteccion Civil, Prevencion de Riesgos y Bomberos de Solidaridad (SPC) Solidaridad said we responded to a report about a fire in an establishment on 5th. Avenue. A section of the front entrance was left scorched by the fire. Photo: SPC February 10, 2024. Operational elements activated PQS fire extinguishers to extinguish the fire and cordoned off the area to prevent the passage of people and thus avoid an accident. Alleging it fell victim to skullduggery, a Henry County funeral home seeks damages for what it describes as a financial and accounting nightmare resulting from its purchase of a Pulaski funeral home that state regulators had fined for violations. Norris Funeral Services contends in a lawsuit that its acquisition of Stevens Funeral Home in Pulaski was corrupted by fraud and lies committed by the Stevens organization. A judge has scheduled a trial to begin Nov. 19 in Henry County Circuit Court in the 18-month-old case. The Stevens organization has denied wrongdoing and asked a judge to dismiss the suit. The case spotlights a service in which individuals set up and pay for their final arrangements before death. About 90 individuals paid thousands of dollars each for specific funeral and burial services to be furnished at the time of death through the Stevens Funeral Home, which has been in business for more than 130 years and sits on a hill overlooking town. When it took over the Stevens Funeral Home business, the Norris organization agreed to fulfill the prepaid burial contracts with the money customers paid, but said it landed in a quagmire trying to comply. Fault rests, they say, in significant part with the former president of Stevens Funeral Home, Stanley Skip Stevens, an industry veteran who held a state license for more than 40 years and retired in 2022, the year after the sale, according to the Virginia Department of Health Professions. According to an investigation for the Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers, the Stevens organization had $625,000 in prepaid burial contracts on the books when it agreed to sell the business, including the contracts and the money paid for them, in April 2021. The business changed hands that summer, but officials with Norris-Pulaski Funeral Services have been unable to determine the funds that should be designated to each preneed contract because the Stevens organization records were incomplete, a board record said. The files allegedly dont specify who paid for what. In addition, the board said bank records showed that Stevens was commingling preneed contract funds with other unknown funds and that he was using the accounts to give Christmas gifts, make donations, pay taxes, make loans, pay bills, etc., the record said. The Norrises brought nine allegations of civil wrongdoing in an August 2022 lawsuit seeking $950,000 in damages, or all but $50,000 of the purchase price. Officials in Richmond have already taken action, fining Stevens $30,000 last year for multiple violations in his handling of prepaid burial contracts and the money associated with them. There was a degree of skullduggery, there was skimming. Mr. Stevens took money out of the accounts and so on and so forth. All of this had been going on for a good long time, Norris attorney William Kirby said at an Oct. 25 hearing on the lawsuit in state court. Stevens has not been charged with a crime. At the hearing, Norris organization principals David and Michelle Norris of Axton sat with their attorney across from two attorneys for Stevens. Stevens did not attend. Speaking for Stevens, attorney Kevin Holt told Chief Judge G. Carter Greer said the Norrises had 21 days after the deal closed back in 2021 to object to any unacceptable conditions. They objected to nothing and its too late now, Holt said. Kirby disagreed that the closure of the objection window prevented the Norrises from seeking redress. We didnt get everything we bargained for, Kirby said. For one thing, the Stevens organization assured the Norris organization in connection with the sale that it was being operated in compliance with the law, the lawsuit said. The Norrises do not want to unwind the deal, Kirby said. They want the Stevens organization to pay for an independent audit of the preneed burial contracts, cover any shortfalls in the money available the audit could find and compensate the Norris organization with $950,000. Until it obtains needed information, the Norris organization said it has set aside the funding provided by the Stevens organization. When contract purchasers die and the Norris organization conducts the burial, it is using its own money, Kirby said. Greers ruling is expected within about two weeks. Stevens hasnt paid the fine levied against him in March 2023, William Spotswood, an attorney at Gentry Locke who is representing him, said outside the hearing on the 25th. The issue is still developing, Spotswood said. The Roanoke Times tried unsuccessfully to contact Stevens in May 2023 about the findings against him and fine. A short time later, a Stevens attorney told officials that Stevens just learned about the state proceeding against him, according to board correspondence. Stevens did not receive a hearing notice, did not know he had been fined and did not know he could have appealed, his attorney said. It appears that hes been charged, tried and convicted without due process, attorney Trent Crewe wrote on Stevens behalf. Board officials responded with a description of efforts to notify Stevens. Crewe maintained his position. The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation is once again asking the public to identify the birds while contributing to science during the annual Great Backyard Bird Count. Claytor Lake State Park in Pulaski County will be one of numerous state parks conducting counts. The Claytor Lake event is set for Feb. 17 from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Waters Edge meeting facility. Participants will learn about native birds and how to identify them, then participate in some citizen science with a ranger-led stroll along the lake shore. The event is for beginners or experienced birdwatchersand those who attend are asked to dress warmly and to bring a pair of binoculars, according to information on the state parks website. Each year in February, millions of people count the variety of birds that can be seen and heard in their own backyards over a four-day period, according to release from the state DCR. The years count will take place Feb. 16-19. The Great Backyard Bird Count brings people from all over the world together to connect and share their love of birds while learning about migration patterns. These observations help scientists better understand global bird populations before one of their annual migrations, according to the state release. Participants will log birds counted during a 15-minute period on at least one of the four days of the event. The Merlin Bird ID app can be downloaded to help identify birds or the eBird Mobile app can also be used, according to the state release. The bird count contributes to a global study that helps protect bird populations all over the world, according to the release. Visit www.virginiastateparks.gov for more information. The Roanoke Times Amid global economic growth and expanding international co-operation, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is emerging as a major player in the global trade arena, with its economic status rising to new heights. In this renewed context, the African market is an important destination for Saudi non-oil exports, as economic opportunities are evident and promising trade ties are growing. The value of the export of non-oil Saudi goods to the African continent during the past five years (2019 - 2023) surged to more than SAR128 billion ($34.1 billion) with the chemicals and polymers sector topping the list with exports exceeding SAR83 billion ($22 billion), reported SPA. The construction-materials sector came second on the list with its exports exceeding SAR10 billion followed by the packaging sector with exports of over SAR9 billion. The top exported products were polypropylene, polyethylene, and fertilizers, with Egypt, Algeria, South Africa, Morocco, Sudan, Kenya, and Nigeria topping the list of 55 African countries importing Saudi products. The strategic, commercial, and economic relations between the Kingdom and Africa are deep-rooted and strong, stated the report. The kingdom is the largest economy in the Middle East and North Africa and the fastest-growing Group of Twenty (G20) economy in 2022. The African continent has immense potential strategically, economically, and in human resources, as it is the second-largest continent in the world in terms of area and population, with an economy worth approximately $3 trillion. As a result, the Saudi government and the countries of the African Union seek to strengthen and develop these relations in a way that ensures progress and prosperity for all, it added. To this end, the Saudi Exports Development Authority (Saudi Exports) is taking a serious approach towards the African continent, responding to the needs of its diverse markets and future aspirations. The authority pays great attention to all aspects to consolidate economic cooperation, enhance Saudi non-oil exports, and deliver Saudi products and services to the promising African market, said the SPA report. The Saudi Exports employs its efforts and harnesses all its capabilities to deliver national products and services and increase the volume of non-oil exports to African markets through organizing trade missions to African countries, including South Africa, Kenya, Egypt, Morocco, and Libya, with the participation of a group of Saudi companies from various sectors in bid to co-ordinate business matching meetings with potential buyers in those markets. These firms take part in several specialized international exhibitions in the African continent in Egypt, Morocco, Kenya, Senegal and Nigeria, to help Saudi exporters showcase their products and services and sign commercial deals that expand the scope of their exports. Among the exhibitions the Saudi Exports intends to participate in this year is the African Food Exhibition 2024, the International Exhibition for Processing and Packaging in the Middle East and Africa 2024 in Egypt, the Buildexpo Africa - Kenya 2024, and Gitex Africa in Morocco, it added. In celebration of Black History month, New River Community College and the colleges Black History Committee will sponsor a guest speaker and music program free to the public Sunday, Feb. 18. Also, on Feb. 15, the Christiansburg Institute plans an event at Blacksburgs Lyric Theatre. The NRCC event will start at 3 p.m. at 117 Edwards Hall at the colleges Dublin campus. The keynote speaker will be Wayne Scales, who will present A black mans challenges, struggles, rewards and triumphs pursuing a stem career, according to an NRCC news release. Scales received bachelors and masters degrees in honors electrical engineering and applied mathematics from Virginia Tech and was a Sage Graduate Fellow while receiving his doctorate from Cornell University in electrical engineering and applied physics with focus in space plasma physics. He was the first African American rocket scientist trained at Cornell University and amongst the first at any Ivy League university, according to the release. Afterward, he was awarded an American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Space Plasma Physics Branch of the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. He then joined the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech and is currently the J. Byron Maupin Professor of Engineering and was founding director of the Center for Space Science and Engineering Research (Space@VT) and founding co-director of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Education Program in Remote Sensing. Scales was the first African American faculty member in Electrical and Computer Engineering and also the first to hold an endowed professorship in the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech. Musical performances at the NRCC event will be presented by the Jubilee Christian Center Choir and Sharon Edwards, NRCC assistant professor of health information management and administrative support technology, according to the release. Light refreshments will be served following the program. For more information, contact Elaine Powell-Hawkins at (540) 674-3600, ext. 4478. On Feb. 15, Christiansburg Institute invites the public to the Lyric as it lauches its inaugural speaker series. It is a a collaborative project between CI, Inc. and the Montgomery County Community Review Council, according to news release from the institute. The event will focus on the intricate cultural tapestry and history of Roanoke, exploring its connections to Montgomery County through the lens of Jordan Bell a community historian, professional educator, and dedicated cultural organizer. A Roanoke native immersed in the regions history, Bel currently serves as the program coordinator at Apple Ridge Farms and is the founder and president of Gainsboro Revisited. Bell also holds board positions at the Harrison Museum of African American Culture and the Roanoke Valley Preservation Foundation. Bells passion for African American cultural heritage, history, and storytelling is palpable through extensive research and preservation efforts, particularly focused on Gainsboro a historically Black community in Roanoke, according to the release. Bell will lead an immersive panel discussion featuring local community members, according to the release. The event is being sponsored by the Black Studies Center at Radford University and the More Than A Fraction Foundation. Visit www.christiansburginstitute.com/events for more information. Tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite or at will call. In January 2002, Ferrum College English Professor Lana Whited published a collection of literary criticism about J.K. Rowlings bestselling fantasy-fiction series, Harry Potter. In 2004, The Ivory Tower and Harry Potter: Perspectives on a Literary Phenomenon, was reissued in a softcover version. However, there are conspicuous signals the second volume has been afflicted with a ghastly supernatural curse. Ferrum College English Professor Katherine Grimes who authored an essay in the new collection and is married to Whited filled me in last week. More than two weeks ago, Grimes tried to send a copy of the new volume to her 91-year-old mom, Edith. Edith lives in Conover, North Carolina, a small town just east of Hickory. By road, its roughly 160 miles southwest of Ferrum. Grimes took the book to the Ferrum Post Office Jan. 24, where she paid the $5 for postage, the book rate. Thanks to a marvelous innovation known as the tracking number, we know Grimes left the package there at 4:09 p.m. Since then, the book has been on a madcap postal journey featuring multiple missteps and pit stops. The locations include Ferrum, Conover, Roanoke and perhaps two different places in Greensboro. All are cited repeatedly in the packages postal tracking history, which shows the book has been ping-ponging around Virginia and North Carolina for more than two weeks. For example, the tracking suggests the package visited postal facilities in Greensboro at least nine times. Seven stops are labeled Greensboro NC Network Distribution Center, while at least two two are labeled Greensboro NC Distribution Center. (Its unclear whether those are distinct entities or the same facility.) The Ivory Tower, Harry Potter and Beyond has arrived at Roanokes Distribution Center at least seven times and departed at least six. Not including Grimess Jan. 24 drop-off, its made six visits to Ferrum, according to tracking information. That shows the book arrived in Conover on Jan. 26, Jan. 29, Jan. 30 and Feb. 1 and was shipped back out of the small town each time. On the first three occasions it got sent back to the Ferrum Post Office. On the fourth occasion it got moved along to Greensboro network distribution center. Grimess mom Edith still doesnt have her copy. You have to admire her patience. Its still bouncing back and forth between Greensboro and Roanoke, Grimes told me Tuesday. I shouldve sent it by Owl Post, she added, a sly reference to a fictional postal delivery method in the Hogwarts series. It definitely seems like its been cursed to a future in postal Limbo, I replied. Lets take a closer look at where the book has been. Grimes mailed it from Ferrums Post Office on Jan. 24 in the afternoon. From there, her package headed to Greensboro. It arrived at the U.S. Postal Services Greensboro Network Distribution Center at 12:44 a.m. on Jan. 25. Its next stop was the regular Greensboro distribution center, at 11:35 a.m. The book returned to Greensboros network distribution center at 11:57 a.m. and by 6:28 p.m. it was back at Greensboros regular distribution center (which may be different parts of the same place). Twelve minutes later, at 6:40 p.m., it headed out again in the wrong direction. And at 8:54 p.m. Jan. 25, Whiteds book was in Roanokes postal distribution center. Oops. By Jan. 26, at 5:57 a.m. the tome was back in Ferrum. And the tracking information indicates that merely 18 minutes later, at 6:15 a.m., the book was in Conover, North Carolina its destination and Out for Delivery. But it didnt get delivered. Instead, the package was back in Ferrum for processing by 8:13 a.m. that day. The Ferrum Post Office sent it back to the Greensboro network distribution center, where it next showed up Jan. 27 at 12:52 a.m. And at 6:34 a.m. that day it was back in Roanoke. Theres no tracking info whatsoever for Jan. 28. By Jan. 29 at 6:40 a.m. the package was again Out for Delivery in Conover. But once again it went undelivered. Three hours later, at 9:23 a.m. the book was in Ferrum again for processing. On Jan. 30 at 4:48 a.m. it was back at Roanokes distribution center. And the tracking history indicates that by 6:56 a.m. that day, the book was back in Conover and once again Out for Delivery. And once again, Edith never saw it. Next, the package returned to Ferrum at 8 a.m. Thats a pretty good trick considering Conover and Ferrum are three hours distant. On Jan. 31, the book arrived at Greensboros network distribution center at 1:49 a.m. By 6:20 that morning, it was back in Roanoke. On Feb. 1, it arrived in Ferrum at 7:02 a.m. And somehow perhaps via Hogwarts magic the book was Out for Delivery in Conover 11 minutes later, at 7:13 a.m. Moving forward, well skip with the times and merely give you a listing by date of where the cursed package has been since. On Feb. 2, it showed up back in Greensboro, which sent it back to Roanoke, where the book was sent back to Greensboro, where it was sent back to Roanoke. There are zero tracking entries for Feb. 3. The morning of Feb. 4 it arrived in Roanoke. By the evening on Feb. 6 it was in Greensboro. On Feb. 7, Greensboro sent it back to Roanoke, where it arrived at 6:19 a.m. The most recent tracking information shows that on Feb. 8 the package was In Transit to Next Facility. Based on its past meanderings, that could be either Ferrum or Greensboro. As my mother said when I sent her the first set of tracking points, Thats hilarious! Its a good thing our lives didnt depend on that package, Grimes told me. At one point, a Ferrum postal worker intercepted the package and diagnosed the problem as a return-address label displayed too low on the package front, Grimes told me. The postal worker believed USPS automated machinery was confusing the return label with the intended destination, Grimes said. The return label was moved higher, and the package was given another tracking number. But that did little good. At one point, Grimes contacted the U.S. Postal Services Customer Service department. And she received an email from a supervisor named Ashley. Ashley replied It is moving through the system, which Grimes already knew. Ashley guessed the label got damaged, which caused it to loop through between destination points. It was attached [to] a new tracking number on 2-1-2024 in Virginia and should arrive within the next week or so, Ashley wrote. It has not. Friday, Grimes spoke to a postal worker named John in Newton, North Carolina. Its post office handles deliveries in Conover. John told Grimes the package is still in Roanoke. It is still being tracked by both tracking numbers because there is an orange spray-on barcode that is hard to detect, and was probably not crossed out the second time the package returned to Ferrum, he wrote. The orange spray-on bar code sounds like the curse! Philip Bogenberger, a postal service spokesman for the Roanoke region, did not respond to an email I sent him Friday. John further told Grimes the book should leave Roanoke for Newton [Friday] evening. Cross your fingers, knock on wood and say a little prayer it gets to Conover this time around. Edith Grimes has been waiting too long! SIOUX CITY Two parcels of land at Sioux Gateway Airport's entrance are ripe for commercial development, according to city documents. The Sioux City Council will be asked Monday to approve a resolution that will initiate a three-step urban renewal process to solicit proposals from interested developers. The parcels of land are located at the northeast and southeast corners of Aviation and Discovery boulevards. Both parcels currently contain some rental housing units, and one is home to a historic World War II-era chapel, which has been vacant for a number of years. Over the past several months, the city has received several leads from developers interested in purchasing and developing the properties. The commercial interest has ranged from lodging to an office building. "We've had some inquiries into that land, so we're going to put it out there to see what proposals come in. It will be up to the council to select a proposal if we receive proposals," Economic Development Director Marty Dougherty said. Dougherty explained that the land actually belongs to the city-owned airport, he said the FAA's approval to sell the land had to be obtained, as well as an appraisal. When the land is ultimately sold, he said the airport must receive the fair market value for the land. If the city would discount the land, Dougherty said it could use tax increment financing (TIF) or some other means to reimburse the airport. "Whoever would propose to develop it, one way or the other, the project would have to reimburse the airport for the fair market value that's required by the FAA. We took the step of having the land released, which means we can go ahead and sell it and, then, we got appraisals. We're kind of putting it out there for bids to gauge the interest in it," he said. "They could just pay the fair market value, or, they could pay some price that we would negotiate and, then, based on, maybe, a development agreement, if something was built, whether that was a hotel or an office building, or, whatever, the taxes could be dedicated to the airport until you reach that fair market value." Mayor Pro Tem Dan Moore told The Journal Friday the city has agreed to pay for the relocation of the historic chapel and is working on finalizing a site for it. He said the city would like to keep the chapel in the area of its current location, but he said the site needs to be on flat ground away from the land the city wants to develop. "We need to get some numbers on having a foundation for it to sit on, so we're in that process right now. I'm hopeful that we'll be able to get that accomplished to clear that land for future development that the city's looking at," he said. "We probably should get it moved by springtime when the weather is a little bit nicer." Waterpark development agreement The council will also be asked Monday to approve a development and minimum assessment agreement for Siouxland Splash, a waterpark slated to open in summer 2025 along Highway 75. Frontline Development, LLC, a group of local investors, intends to invest an estimated $12 to $15 million to build the waterpark. Sioux City currently has several public pools and splash pads, but no waterparks. Construction on Siouxland Splash is scheduled to begin this year. Siouxland Splash 1 A rendering of Siouxland Splash, a waterpark proposed on Highway 75 N, is shown. On Jan. 22, the council voted unanimously to accept Frontline Development's proposal to purchase land for the development of the multi-phase waterpark at 3820 Highway 75. During that meeting, Joe Zehring, partner and co-owner of Frontline Development, LLC, said the park will have a lazy river, wave pool and one of the biggest kids zones in the Midwest. "We're going to have a huge slide tower with actually a really iconic slide. It's going to be the first one in the United States," Zehring said. "We're going to really try and make a big impact for Sioux City here. We want to make this a really fun staple in the community." Under the terms of the proposed development agreement, Siouxland Splash, LLC would purchase roughly 10 acres at the site at a cost of $22,946 per acre. The group of investors would make a payment of $100,000 at closing and the balance would be paid over 10 years for a total of $229,460. Siouxland Splash LLC would commit to paying up to $250,000 toward a proportional share of the street improvements and regional storm water pond to serve the site. The group would also enter into a minimum assessment agreement of $7 million beginning Jan. 1, 2026, which would continue for 10 years. In addition to selling Siouxland Splash, LLC the 10 acres, the city, in turn, would provide partial 75% property tax rebates of the new incremental taxes created by the value added to the property. Tax rebate assistance is estimated at $1.7 million over 10 years. The road improvements for an entrance to the site are also part of the proposed development agreement, which states that the city will apply for Iowa DOT RISE grant funding for the improvements. The city would also construct a regional storm water pond to serve the site at an estimated cost of $367,000, complete the construction of the sanitary sewer line project, and give Siouxland Splash LLC the option to purchase the remainder of the 42-acre site to accommodate future phases of the waterpark or related development. About half of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in the United States believe the country is giving too much support of Israelis and not enough for Palestinians amid the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, according to a poll that shows those views are dominant among young adults. A recent poll from AAPI Data and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that 49% of AAPI adults say the U.S. is not supportive enough of the Palestinians significantly higher than the 36% of all U.S. adults who said that in a recent AP-NORC poll and a similar percentage says the U.S. is too supportive of Israelis. The majority of Asian and Pacific Islander adults between the ages of 18 and 34 share these views. Those 35 and older were less likely to express the same opinions. The poll is part of an ongoing project exploring the views of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, whose views can usually not be highlighted in other surveys because of small sample sizes and lack of linguistic representation. Derek Pang, 54, of Austin, Texas, is among those who feels strongly that the U.S. is not doing enough to assist Palestinians in the Hamas-ruled territory. Pang, a Democrat who is an analyst for a senior living referral company, acknowledges Israel had a right to defend itself against the attacks by the militant group. But the scope of Israel's response has caused unfathomable numbers of civilian casualties in Gaza and more had not been done for the people when they were denied basic necessities food, water, electricity and goods coming into the Gaza Strip, said Pang, who is Chinese American. I feel like the U.S. government, while their position was one of encouraging restraint, it really didn't amount to much. Orrie Allen, 62, of Marysville, California, believes the U.S. has given the right amount of support for Palestinians and should actually provide more for Israel, and that going after Hamas should be the priority. "It's horrible what they (Hamas) did to these innocent people, said Allen, who is Native Hawaiian and a Republican. As far as Israels concerned, I think what theyre doing is fair. Their war, their thing. To me, we have no right to tell them what to do. Hamas and other militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted about 250 in southern Israel in the Oct. 7 attack that ignited the war. More than 100 captives, mostly women and children, were released during a weeklong cease-fire in November in exchange for the release of 240 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war until the return of the remaining hostages. In the past four months, the Palestinian death toll in Gaza has risen to more than 27,000. The Health Ministry in the Hamas-ruled territory does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count but says most of the dead have been women and children. The fallout has also displaced 85% of the territory's population of 2.3 million Palestinians and pushed one-quarter of residents to starvation. Karthick Ramakrishnan, a public policy professor at the University of California, Riverside, and founder of AAPI Data, calls the findings on the Israel-Hamas war eye-opening. Ramakrishnan noted that in AAPI populations, there are likely a high number of people who can sympathize based on their own life experiences. Many either know a refugee or migrant who had to abandon their home country under harsh circumstances or they went through it themselves. Many Asian Americans come from colonized countries and may find receptive the kinds of statements by activists that Palestinians are living in a colonial situation today, Ramakrishnan said. Multiple AAPI advocacy groups in recent months have rallied on behalf of Palestinians and called for a cease-fire. Some Asian Americans see parallels with family members' struggles with colonialism or genocide in Asian countries. The South Asian Network, a social justice organization uniting South Asians in Los Angeles, issued a statement in support of Palestinians in October and has since participated in several rallies and demonstrations. Shakeel Syed, the group's executive director, said the organization is reflecting the wishes of numerous South Asian Americans. We did receive calls and emails and questions from community members, and also other partners ... to ask, Hey, how come you havent guided us or said something to this effect,'" Syed said. So, we thought it would be imperative for us to take a position so that not only we do whats right, but also inspire others. He agreed it is often younger generations who have been voicing opposition to more U.S. aid for the Israeli government. Older immigrants tend to be more apolitical and try to be neutral on a moving train. The survey also asked about Jewish and Muslim communities in the United States. When it comes to Jewish communities, 44% of AAPI adults say U.S. support is about right, while 26% say it's not supportive enough. Slightly less than half, or 45%, feel the nation is not supportive enough of Muslims. This view was also shared by most AAPI adults under age 35. An additional 38% said the U.S. is about right in its support of Muslim communities. Second-generation Americans: What to do when loved ones are sharing misinformation Second-generation Americans: What to do when loved ones are sharing misinformation HOUSTON A woman in a trenchcoat opened fire with a long gun inside celebrity pastor Joel Osteens megachurch in Texas before being gunned down by two off-duty officers who confronted her, sending worshippers rushing from the building between busy Sunday services, authorities said. The woman entered the Houston church with a 5-year-old boy shortly before 2 p.m. and the child was shot and critically injured. Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said it was not clear whether the child was struck by the off-duty officers who returned fire. He said a 57-year-old man also was shot and wounded. The child was in critical condition at a hospital, while the man was stable with a hip wound. Finner said that after the woman began shooting, both officers engaged her and the woman was killed. He said that unfortunately a 5-year-old kid was hit" although he released no immediate details on how the confrontation unfolded. He praised the officers for quickly confronting the woman, adding, She had a long gun, and it could have been a lot worse." The woman was not immediately identified, and her motive wasn't clear. The shooting happened between services at the megachurch that is regularly attended by 45,000 people every week, making it the third largest megachurch in the U.S., according to the Hartford Institute for Religion Research. Osteens televised sermons reach about 100 countries. It was not clear where Osteen was at the time. But he joined police at a news conference afterward and said the church is devastated. He added that the shooting could have been much worse if it had happened during the larger 11 a.m. service. He added he would pray for the victims and for the woman who did the shooting and their families. Were going to stay strong and were going to continue to, to move forward, Osteen said after authorities spoke. There are forces of evil, but the forces that are for us -- the forces of God -- are stronger than that. So were going to keep going strong and just, you know, doing what Gods called us to do: lift people up and give hope to the world. Witnesses told reporters that they heard multiple gunshots shortly before the churchs 2 p.m. Spanish language service was set to begin. Christina Rodriguez, who was inside the church, told Houston television station KTRK that she started screaming, Theres a shooter, theres a shooter, and then she and others ran to the backside of a library inside the building, then stood in a stairway before they were told it was safe to leave. Longtime church member Alan Guity, whose family is from Honduras, said he was resting inside the churchs sanctuary before the 2 p.m. service as his mother was working as an usher when he heard gunshots. Boom, boom, boom, boom and I yelled, Mom, he said. The 35-year-old ran to his mother and they both laid flat on the floor and prayed as the gunfire continued. They remained there for about five minutes until someone told them it was safe to evacuate. Outside, Guity said, he and his mother tried to calm people down by worshiping and singing in Spanish, Move in me, move in me. Touch my mind and my heart. Move within me Holy Spirit. Guity was among the many congregation members who waited Sunday evening to be allowed to return to their vehicles as police continued to search the building. The church is located in what used to be an arena where the NBA's Houston Rockets used to play years ago. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a separate statement saying our hearts are with those impacted by todays tragic shooting and the entire Lakewood Church community in Houston. Places of worship are sacred. At least 20 police and fire trucks were near one of the churchs entrances Sunday afternoon, including the fire departments hazardous materials truck. Finner said it was reported that the woman had a bomb, but no explosives were found when her vehicle and backpack were searched. Worshippers could be seen leaving the building as authorities evacuated the church before the news conference. Officials announced a reunification center had been set up at a nearby gym for people to find their loved ones. The church has grown tremendously over the past 25 years since Joel Osteen took over after his father's death in 1999 with an upbeat style of Christian televangelism that has captured a following of millions. The elder Osteen founded the church in a converted feed store in 1959. At times, Lakewood Church has served as a shelter during flooding in Houston. After the pandemic, it reopened for a time at one-quarter of its capacity with only 4,000 worshippers allowed. Photos: Woman opens fire at Houston church led by Joel Osteen Sabre Corporation, a leading software and technology provider that powers the global travel industry, has announced a new alliance with Red Sparrow Tourism Consultancy. The deal will give travel agents across Egypt increased opportunities to grow their businesses with Sabres intuitive technology. Through the agreement, Red Sparrow will be licensed to represent and distribute the Sabre brand to travel agencies across Egypt. This will further amplify Sabres growing presence in Africa while giving agents enhanced access to Sabre solutions, including Sabre Red 360, which provides a full spectrum of bookable content through a customizable interface. Through Red Sparrow, Sabre-connected agents will also have access to a localized helpdesk in Egypt. Were excited and proud to be combining Sabres advanced technology with our deep market support and expertise, said Tarek Hefny, Country Manager, Red Sparrow. With continued focus on further, significant growth for the Egyptian tourist sector, its more important than ever that travel agents here have access to the industry-leading solutions they need to enhance offers and experiences for travellers while growing their own revenue. This latest agreement further expands Sabres geographic footprint in Africa, following a recent distributor deal with Sabron Tech for key markets in East Africa. Working collaboratively with our travel partners across the globe is incredibly important to Sabre, and for the growth of the wider travel ecosystem, said Sean McDonald, Managing Director, EMEA, Agency Solutions. So, were delighted to come together with Red Sparrow to provide travel agents in Egypt with the technology they need to make compelling recommendations and create personalised experiences for their travellers through Sabres smart workflows. - TradeArabia News Service WILMINGTON, Del. President Joe Biden's personal attorney said Sunday he went to both the special counsel and the attorney general to register concerns over what he viewed to be pejorative and unnecessary digs at the president's memory. This is a report that went off the rails, Bob Bauer said on CBS' Face the Nation Sunday. It's a shabby work product. The special counsel was investigating whether the president mishandled classified documents during his previous positions as vice president and senator, and found this week that no criminal charges were warranted. But in building his argument for why no charges were necessary, Special Counsel Robert Hur, who was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland, detailed in part that Biden's defense of any potential charges could possibly be that: Mr. Biden would likely present himself to a jury, as he did during our interview of him, as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory. And then he went on to cite examples where investigators said the president's memory lapsed, including over when his older son Beau had died. In particular, the comments about Beau Biden enraged the president, who has been very open about his grief over his son's death, speaking often of him. How the hell dare he raise that," Biden questioned angrily following the report's release. Frankly, when I was asked the question, I thought to myself, was it any of their damn business? Biden's age has already been a concern for voters. Democrats are now answering the widespread questions about the 81-year-old presidents age and readiness by affirming that Biden is capable of being commander in chief and trying to discredit people who portray him feeble. First lady Jill Biden wrote a letter to donors Saturday questioning whether those comments were politically motivated; it fetched the most money in donations of any email since Biden launched his campaign. Bauer, who is married to Biden's top White House aide Anita Dunn, said he raised concerns over the inclusion of these details to both Hur and Garland, which he viewed to be a violation of the Justice Department norms that essentially work to avoid prejudicing the public against people who are not charged with a crime. But the appeal failed. Its evident that he had committed to make the report public the way that the special counsel had written it, said Bauer. Former Trump Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein defended the report on CNN' State of the Union Sunday. When you conduct a criminal investigation, some of the information that you uncover and some things that you evaluate dont necessarily put the subject in a favorable light. And, ordinarily, thats not publicized. And I think thats a good thing, he said. Its unfortunate that the special counsel process results in public reports that expose things that otherwise would remain sealed in Department of Justice files. The president sat down with investigators over several hours just as the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas happened. He said he answered the questions truthfully and to the best of his knowledge. Bauer argued that what didn't make it into the report were moments when the president deconstructed questions by investigators and when the special counsel notes that he'd be taking Biden through events that are many years ago, and notes that he should just give his best recollection. He said the special counsel made a decision to cherry pick in a very misleading way what references made it in and what didn't. Bauer, too, suggested there was political pressure on the Justice Department, which is prosecuting former President Donald Trump for refusing to turn over a trove of classified documents as well as his role in the Jan. 6 violence at the U.S. Capitol and has been excoriated by Trump and others as biased and that his prosecution represents a two-tiered system of justice. Hur is a Republican, and a former U.S. attorney under Trump. So you have to wonder with those pressures impinging on the investigation from the outside knowing the attacks that Republicans have levied on the law enforcement process, did he decide we would have to ask that we reach the only legal conclusion possible and then toss in the rest of it to placate a certain political constituency? Bauer asked. The Justice Department has not commented on the criticism. 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 RAFAH, Gaza Strip Israel's neighbors and key mediators warned Saturday of disaster and repercussions if its military launches a ground invasion in Gaza's southern city of Rafah, where Israel says remaining Hamas strongholds are located along with over half the besieged territory's population. Israeli airstrikes killed at least 44 Palestinians including more than a dozen children in Rafah, hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he asked the military to plan for the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people ahead of an invasion. He gave no details or timeline. The announcement set off panic. More than half of Gaza's 2.3 million people are packed into Rafah, which borders Egypt. Many fled there after following Israeli evacuation orders that now cover two-thirds of the territory following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack that sparked the war. It's not clear where they could flee next. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said any Israeli ground offensive on Rafah would have "disastrous consequences," and asserted that Israel aims to eventually force the Palestinians out of their land. Egypt previously warned that any movement of Palestinians into Egypt would threaten the 4-decade-old peace treaty between Israel and Egypt. Another mediator, Qatar, also warned of disaster, and Saudi Arabia warned of "very serious repercussions." There's even increasing friction between Netanyahu and the United States, whose officials said a Rafah invasion with no plan for civilians there would lead to disaster. "The people in Gaza cannot disappear into thin air," German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on X, adding that an Israeli offensive on Rafah would be a "humanitarian catastrophe in the making." Israel has carried out almost daily airstrikes in Rafah, a rare entry point for Gaza's badly needed food and medical supplies, during its current ground combat in Khan Younis just to the north. Israel declared war after several thousand Hamas militants burst across the border into southern Israel on Oct. 7; 1,300 people were killed in the fighting and militants took 250 hostages. Not all are still alive. The Gaza Health Ministry said the bodies of 117 people killed in Israeli airstrikes were brought to hospitals over the prior 24 hours, raising the overall death toll from the offensive to 28,064, mostly women and children. The ministry said more than 67,000 people have been wounded. Overnight into Saturday, three airstrikes on homes in the Rafah area killed 28 people, according to a health official and Associated Press journalists who saw bodies arriving at hospitals. Each strike killed multiple members of a family, including a total of 10 children, the youngest 3 months old. Fadel al-Ghannam said one strike tore his loved ones to shreds. He lost his son, daughter-in-law and four grandchildren. He fears even worse with a ground invasion of Rafah, and said the world's silence has enabled Israel to proceed. Later, an Israeli airstrike on a home in Rafah killed at least 11 people, including three children, according to Ahmed al-Soufi, head of Rafah municipality. "This is what Netanyahu targets the civilians," said a neighbor, Samir Abu Loulya. Two other strikes in Rafah killed two policemen and three senior officers in the civil police, according to city officials. In Khan Younis, Israeli forces opened fire at Nasser Hospital, the area's largest, killing at least two people and wounding five, according to the medical charity Doctors Without Borders. Israeli tanks reached the hospital gates Saturday morning, Ahmed Maghrabi, a physician there, said on Facebook. Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra said hospital staff are no longer able to move between buildings because of the intense fire. He said 450 patients and 10,000 displaced people are sheltering there. The Israeli military said troops were not operating inside the hospital but called the surrounding area "an active combat zone." Israel's army chief, Lt. Gen. Herzl Halevi, said more than 2,000 Hamas fighters in Khan Younis were killed in airstrikes and ground combat, but the offensive in the city was far from over. Israel holds Hamas responsible for civilian deaths because it fights from within civilian areas, but U.S. officials called for more surgical strikes. Netanyahu's office says it is impossible to eliminate Hamas while leaving four Hamas battalions in Rafah. The United Nations says the city that's normally home to less than 300,000 people now hosts 1.4 million others who fled fighting elsewhere and is "severely overcrowded." Roughly 80% of Gaza's people have been displaced. On Saturday, Israel's military said it discovered tunnels underneath the main headquarters of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees in Gaza City, alleging Hamas militants used the space. Recent Israeli allegations that a dozen staff members participated in Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel plunged the agency into a financial crisis, prompting major donor states to suspend their funding as well as twin investigations. The agency says Israel also froze its bank account, embargoed aid shipments and canceled its tax benefits. An Israeli airstrike on the central town of Deir al-Balah killed five people and wounded about 10 others, according to hospital officials and AP journalists. In the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood of Gaza City, two medics from the Palestinian Red Crescent were found dead in a destroyed ambulance after going missing 12 days ago. They had been on a rescue mission that the PRC said was coordinated with Israel's military, which had no comment. LONDON As chances rise of a Joe Biden-Donald Trump rematch in the U.S. presidential election, Americas allies are bracing for a bumpy ride. Many worry that a second term for Trump would be an earthquake, but tremors already abound and concerns are rising that the U.S. could grow less dependable regardless of who wins. With a divided electorate and gridlock in Congress, the next American president could easily become consumed by manifold challenges at home before even beginning to address flashpoints around the world, from Ukraine to the Middle East. French President Emmanuel Macrons recent verdict was blunt: Americas first priority is itself. The first Trump administration stress-tested the bonds between the U.S. and its allies, particularly in Europe. Trump derided the leaders of some friendly nations, including Germanys Angela Merkel and Britains Theresa May, while praising authoritarians such as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian leader Vladimir Putin. He has called Chinas Xi Jinping brilliant and Hungarys Viktor Orban a great leader. In campaign speeches, Trump remains skeptical of organizations such as NATO, often lamenting the billions the U.S. spends on the military alliance whose support has been critical to Ukraines fight against Russia's invasion. He said at a rally on Saturday that, as president, he'd warned NATO allies he would encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want to countries that didn't pay their way in the alliance. Trump also wrote on his social media network that in future the U.S. should end all foreign aid donations and replace them with loans. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned that Trump risked endangering U.S. troops and their allies. Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the U.S., and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk, he said in a statement Sunday. Biden, meanwhile, has made support for Ukraine a key priority and moral imperative. But Bidens assertion after his election in 2020 that America is back on the global stage has not been entirely borne out. Congressional Republicans have stalled more military aid for Ukraine, while America's influence has been unable to contain conflict in the Middle East Thomas Gift, director of the Centre on U.S. Politics at University College London, said that whoever wins the presidential race, the direction of travel will be the same toward a multipolar planet in which the United States is no longer the indisputable world superpower. Most allied leaders refrain from commenting directly on the U.S. election, sticking to the line that its for Americans to pick their leader. They are conscious that they will have to work with the eventual winner, whoever it is and behind the scenes, governments will be doing the backroom work of quietly establishing links with the contenders political teams, said Richard Dalton, a former senior British diplomat. But many of America's European NATO allies are worried that with or without Trump, the U.S. is becoming less reliable. Some have started to talk openly about the need for members to ramp up military spending, and to plan for an alliance without the United States. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he was currently on the phone a lot with my colleagues and asking them to do more to support Ukraine. Germany is the second-largest donor of military aid to Kyiv, behind the U.S., but Scholz recently told German weekly Die Zeit that the country couldnt fill any gap on its own if the U.S.A. ceased to be a supporter. Trump's comments on Saturday about NATO rang alarm bells in Poland, which shares a border with Ukraine. We have a hot war at our border, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Sunday. He warned: We must realize that the EU cannot be an economic and civilizational giant and a dwarf when it comes to defense, because the world has changed. Russia, meanwhile, is busy bolstering ties with China, Iran and North Korea and trying to chip away at Ukraines international support. Macron also suggested American attention was focused far from Europe. If Washington's top priority is the U.S., he said its second is China. This is also why I want a stronger Europe, that knows how to protect itself and isnt dependent on others, Macron said at a January news conference. Trump does have supporters in Europe, notably pro-Russia populists such as Hungary's Orban. But former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson raised some eyebrows when he argued recently that a Trump presidency could be just what the world needs. Johnson is a strong supporter of Ukraine in its struggle against Russian invasion, whereas Trump has frequently praised Putin and said hed end the war within 24 hours. However, Johnson said in a Daily Mail column that he didnt believe Trump would ditch the Ukrainians, but instead would help Ukraine win the war, leaving the West stronger and the world more stable. ABERDARE RANGE, Kenya In a dense layer of green thousands of feet above sea level, cedar, podo and hegeina trees pattern the landscape, thick moss hanging from their branches and feathery lichen attached to their barks. Numerous streams and rivers flow between them, plunging over steep waterfalls. Buffaloes, bushbucks and monkeys roam in search of pastures. This is the Aberdare Range, a forest and mountain range in central Kenya thats one of the countrys main water sources and a key wildlife habitat. But it may not remain the same. The Kenyan government wants to build a 32-mile tarmac road through what has been suggested as a UNESCO World Heritage Site to connect two counties, and the countrys environmental agency, the National Environment Management Authority, issued an environmental impact assessment license for the project last month. The project would cut through 15 miles of closed canopy forest and likely increase vehicle traffic into animal paths. Residents are optimistic the project could improve their lives. But scientists and conservationists fear irreparable damage to the ecosystem. Threatened tree species could get cut down, animals could get hit by vehicles, the road would cut across moorlands fragile areas for water catchment and invasive species and pollutants could enter the park through vehicles. Those in favor of the project, including Kenyan President William Ruto, say it carries economic benefit, arguing that by directly connecting the agricultural counties of Nyeri and Nyandarua, the road would increase trade and uplift livelihoods. Most Kenyans live on a few dollars a day, and in the rural, agricultural areas where the roads will connect, the proposed project has supporters. To transport farm produce and other goods from Nyeri town in Nyeri county to Ndunyu Njeru town in Nyandarua county and back, Francis Kibue, a lorry driver based in Nyeri, circumvents the Aberdare Range using a tarmac road, covering a distance of 118 miles. But the road through the forest and national park would reduce the journey to 40 miles. The proposed tarmac road, named IhitheNdunyu Njeru Road, would upgrade of a backbreaking dirt road thats usually used by visitors to the forest and park but rarely by the general public. In Ndunyu Njeru, a small farming town thats dotted with single-story buildings, chief Grace Ngige said she has no objection to the road. It's development. In both towns, operators of matatus, vans that transport people, are excited about the prospects of the road, saying it would open up new routes on both sides, bringing in more business. We feel very happy, and we thank the countrys leaders for coming together and deciding to open this road, said matatu operator Patrick Maina in Ndunyu Njeru. President Ruto has firmly pushed for the construction to start. On different occasions since taking office in 2022, he has called out opposition to the construction plan, insisting that the project proceed before receiving environmental approval by NEMA and objections by conservationists. Environmentalists and political analysts say that is tantamount to political interference and may have affected NEMAs independence in decision-making. In response to written questions, Ali Mohamed, Kenyas special climate envoy, said the president is committed to sustainability and gives priority to matters climate action and environmental conservation. The proposed construction also brings attention to national concern on the presidents recent trend of defying and criticizing courts and other independent bodies that make decisions against his administrations plans. He has repeatedly threatened to remove judges he accuses of frustrating his projects. It is simply intimidation, said Herman Manyara, a Nairobi-based political analyst. "Once you have established institutions to ensure regulations are followed, those institutions must be respected. Conservationists have long called for the Kenya National Highways Authority who first proposed the road in 2009 to find alternative routes across and around the Aberdare Range that have minimum environmental impact. Some have set up online petitions. As one of Kenyas five major water towers places that absorb and store water naturally then release it into rivers and lakes the Aberdare Range provides most of the water used in the capital, Nairobi, and also supplies water to the Seven Forks hydroelectric power stations, key generators of electricity in the country. The road may attract human settlement, and with time, fires and grazing would suppress the growth of the vegetation that enables the Aberdare Range to catch rain, said Simon Onywere, associate professor of environmental planning and management at Kenyatta University. The potential damage would take decades to reverse, he said. The forest reserve also has Indigenous trees such as the sycamore fig and African cherry, and threatened species like parasol tree, Monterey Pine and African cherry. It has some of the fewer than 100 remaining critically endangered mountain bongos in the world, alongside rhinos, elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards and others. The 296-square-mile Aberdare National Park also attracts thousands of local residents and foreigners who pay park fees to see animals roam. Tourism is a major income earner for the country, with hundreds of thousands of people employed in the sector. This is the one road that a lot of people that come here to see the wildlife will take, said Isabelle Aron, a tourist visiting the park. Turning that into commercial is going to be taking away from why people come to the Aberdares. The top trending international destinations on Americans' travel wish lists for 2024 The top trending international destinations on Americans' travel wish lists for 2024 #9. Oranjestad, Aruba (tie) #9. St. Maarten (tie) #8. Taipei, Taiwan #7. Bermuda #6. Bucharest, Romania #5. US Virgin Islands #4. Tokyo, Japan #3. Osaka, Japan #1. Cayman Islands DES MOINES State courts would be permitted to order the deportation of immigrants arrested in Iowa while in the country illegally, and local officials would be given legal immunity when assisting in immigration enforcement measures under a bill advanced in the Iowa Senate. Senate File 2211 would create a state crime for migrants who enter or re-enter the state illegally from another country and would give Iowa law enforcement authority to arrest undocumented immigrants in the state. It also allows state judges the option of ordering some migrants to return to their home country instead of pursuing prosecution. Officers and state agencies would be cleared to transport undocumented migrants to ports of entry to make sure they comply. If migrants refused to comply with an order to return, or those who were ordered to be removed after being convicted of a felony, could be charged with a Class C felony and face up to 10 years in prison and a $13,660 fine. Those whose removal followed being convicted of two or more misdemeanor drug crimes, crimes against a person, or both, could be charged with a Class D felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,245 fine. Law enforcement officers would not be allowed to arrest or detain an undocumented migrant on the grounds of a public or private school, place of worship, at a health care facility where a migrant is receiving medical treatment or those receiving a medical examination for sexual assault. The bill was advanced on a 2-1 vote and is now eligible for consideration by the full Senate Judiciary Committee. Democrats opposed Immigrant rights organizations and Democrats voiced strong opposition to the bill, which would have major implications for migrants across the state and is certain to trigger lawsuits. They noted the bill is unconstitutional as immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility. Federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, have ruled that immigration laws can only be enforced by the federal government. Republican lawmakers in Texas passed and Gov. Greg Abbott signed a similar measure in December thats being challenged in court. Supporters of the Texas law have said they hope to push the issue back before a more conservative U.S. Supreme Court. Immigrant rights advocates warned that the bill would lead to widespread racial profiling and a circumvention of protections asylum-seekers have under constitutional law and international obligations. The bill does not provide funding or a requirement to train officers on immigration law, despite authorizing them to make decisions about a persons immigration status. Opponents also raised concerns that parents may be separated from their children if arrested under the new state crime, and lead to migrants being sent across the southern border regardless of their legal status in the United States. 'Instill fear' Its going to instill fear, and its going to drive immigrant families that have been living here like mine for 30 years, said Kenia Ceron, of Des Moines. Immigration and refugees have helped sustain rural areas, while domestic migration has drawn people away. In 2022, Iowa lost nearly 7,300 people to domestic migration, but gained nearly 7,300 international migrants, according to U.S. census data. What we have in Iowa is mixed-status families, comprised of both U.S. citizens and undocumented immigrants, Ceron said. What this bill will do is drive Iowans U.S. citizens Iowans out of the state in fear for their families members that will be persecuted under this bill. She said the bill would also undo years worth of work by Iowa law enforcement to build trust with Iowa immigrant communities to report crimes, identify issues and establish mutual respect and communication. What this bill will do is make immigrants like myself more fearful of our law enforcement as theyre acting as federal agents, Ceron said. 'Soft invasion' State Sen. Sandy Salmon, R-Janesville, said she introduced the bill because the country has totally lost control of our borders and is suffering a soft invasion. Salmon noted arrests for illegal border crossings from Mexico reached an all-time high in December. The U.S. Border Patrol recorded 249,785 arrests on the Mexican border in December, up from 191,112 in November and up from 222,018 in December 2022, the previous all-time high. This is unsustainable, she said, adding border agents have encountered individuals on the terror watchlist trying to enter the U.S. via Mexico. Salmon said Iowa needs to defend itself, attributing increases in fentanyl seizures, drug overdose deaths and human trafficking to illegal immigration issues and what she said has been a failure of Democratic President Joe Biden administrations to secure the border and enforce federal immigration laws. This is something we can do to help protect out state and protect our nation, Salmon said. After a weekend trip to Texas, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds this week said she plans to once again send Iowa State Patrol officers and Iowa National Guard troops to aid Texas authorities with border security efforts. 'Not their job' Erica Johnson, executive director of the Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice, said the bill would place pressure on Iowa law enforcement and Iowa judges to interpret federal immigration law, which is not their job. Its a nonsense law, Johnson said, calling Salmons talking points on the bill a list of grievances and laying them at the feet of immigrants. Tom Chapman, representing the Iowa Catholic Conference, said the group is opposed to the bill, noting much of it is clearly preempted by federal law and the U.S. Constitution. We dont encourage illegal immigration, Chapman said. We support our countrys right to control its borders, and we understand the situation at the southern border cannot continue as it has, but the issue needs to be solved at the federal level with passage of border protection policies that are consistent with humanitarian values. Federal vote U.S. Senate Republicans voted Wednesday against advancing a bipartisan border security deal that was part of a larger emergency foreign aid package to fund the war in Ukraine, Israel and Indo-Pacific security. Iowa's two Republican U.S. senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst both voted against the deal their own party members helped negotiate. Grassley, in a statement, said while he appreciated efforts made to negotiate border policy, the resulting deal fails to address the border crisis caused by President Bidens open border polices and refusal to enforce our immigration laws, which have allowed 8.8 million illegal immigrants and counting into our country. Gaping loopholes, poor border enforcement mechanisms and a lack of accountability measures make this legislation woefully inadequate, Grassley continued. Ultimately, this bill would yield massive discretionary power on border policy to President Biden and his administration. I will not vote to advance a bill that would codify ineffective policies and give President Biden more power to abuse what he has already so badly broken. Iowa bill Republican state Sens. Lynn Evans, of Aurelia, and Jeff Reichman, of Montrose, voted to advance the bill, with state Sen. Janice Weiner, D-Iowa City, opposed. Weiner said Iowas legal system is not set up and lacks the legal expertise to deal with immigration issues. I worry that what were heading for is the use of more Iowa taxpayer dollars to try and defend an unconstitutional law, she said. I suggest, rather than passing this bill, we call our (federal) senators and representatives and ask them to revive the failed border security deal. Reichman, echoing Salmon, said somethings go to be done" absent the political clout in Congress to curb illegal border crossings. Evans said changes are needed to the bill to clean up some of the language as it moves forward. 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #06 Posted on 11 February 2024 by BaerbelW A listing of 34 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, Feb 04, 2024 thru Sat, Feb 10, 2024. Story of the week This past week Professor Michael Mann successfully concluded his lawsuit against fossil fuel industry proxies Rand Simberg and Mark Steyn, who dragged Mann's reputation through the mud with false information while working to deceive the public about the threat of climate change. After hearing testimony about the disgusting tactics employed by the defendants, the jury swiftly returned their judgement: the accused are indeed guilty of smearing Mann's character and owe him $1M in damages. No surprise, this all-too-rare example of reckless accusations being assigned a fair price tag is our story of the week. Our colleagues at DeSmog have done the best job of covering the entire affair. See Michael Mann Wins $1 Million Verdict In Defamation Trial for excellent coverage of the trial's conclusion and background. For our part we'll observe that Prof. Mann has a long memory and attention span. Meanwhile, prolonging justice delivered only hurt the defendants; Simberg and Steyn would have been smarter by settling years ago. Stories we thought important Published before February 4 Published February 4 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #05 A listing of 34 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, Jan 28, 2024 thru Sat, Feb 4, 2024. by Barbel Winkler, Skeptical Science, Feb 04, 2024 A listing of 34 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, Jan 28, 2024 thru Sat, Feb 4, 2024. by Barbel Winkler, Skeptical Science, Feb 04, 2024 How do you stop a glacier from melting? Simple - put up an underwater curtain A 100km-long curtain moored to the Amundsen Sea bed in Antarctica could prevent catastrophic flooding elsewhere, say scientists by Robin McKie, The Guardian, Feb 04, 2024 Policy Experts Say the UN Climate Talks Need Reform, but Change Would be Difficult in the Current Political Landscape Limiting the size of the annual conference, eliminating conflicts of interest and adopting enforceable agreements with a voting system could help speed up global climate action, research shows. by Bob Berwyn, Inside Climate News, Feb 04, 2024 Limiting the size of the annual conference, eliminating conflicts of interest and adopting enforceable agreements with a voting system could help speed up global climate action, research shows. by Bob Berwyn, Inside Climate News, Feb 04, 2024 Across America, clean energy plants are being banned faster than they're being built by Elizabeth Weise & Suhail Bha, Investigations, USA TODAY, Feb 4, 2024 Published February 5 Scientists challenge `flawed communication` of study claiming 1.5C warming breach Scientists have challenged the conclusions of a new study suggesting that the planet has already exceeded the 1.5C warming threshold set under the Paris Agreement. by Ayesha Tandon, Carbon Brief, Feb 05, 2024 Scientists have challenged the conclusions of a new study suggesting that the planet has already exceeded the 1.5C warming threshold set under the Paris Agreement. by Ayesha Tandon, Carbon Brief, Feb 05, 2024 A primer on atmospheric rivers Atmospheric rivers are low-level jets of air that flow out of the tropics to the mid-latitudes. They are associated with extratropical cyclone systems. by Andrew Dessler, The Climate Brink, Feb 05, 2024 Atmospheric rivers are low-level jets of air that flow out of the tropics to the mid-latitudes. They are associated with extratropical cyclone systems. by Andrew Dessler, The Climate Brink, Feb 05, 2024 Ask A Glaciologist: This Is What To Do About Climate Change by Tina Casey, CleanTechnica, Feb 05, 2024 Published February 6 World `not prepared` for climate disasters after warmest ever January Effect of El Nino phenomenon combined with human-driven global heating is causing increasing alarm among scientists by Jonathan Watts, The Guardian, Feb 06, 2024 Effect of El Nino phenomenon combined with human-driven global heating is causing increasing alarm among scientists by Jonathan Watts, The Guardian, Feb 06, 2024 At a glance - What climate change is happening to other planets in the solar system? This week's at-a-glance highlight features "What climate change is happening to other planets in the solar system?" by John Mason, Skeptical Science, Feb 06, 2024 A famous climate scientist is in court with big stakes for attacks on science In a D.C. courtroom, a trial is wrapping up this week with big stakes for climate science. One of the world's most prominent climate scientists is suing a right-wing author and a policy analyst for defamation. by Julia Simon, NPR, Frebruary 6, 2024 In a D.C. courtroom, a trial is wrapping up this week with big stakes for climate science. One of the world's most prominent climate scientists is suing a right-wing author and a policy analyst for defamation. by Julia Simon, NPR, Frebruary 6, 2024 Climate Information on Trial: Michael Mann`s Defamation Trial Wraps Up The scientist Michael Mann is challenging attacks on his work in a defamation suit thats taken 12 years to come to trial. by Delger Erdenesanaa, New York Times, Feb 06, 2024 Published February 7 Q&A: European Commission calls for 90% cut in EU emissions by 2040 The EU should cut its emissions to 90% below 1990 levels by 2040, according to a new roadmap released by the European Commission. by Carbon Brief Staff, Carbon Brief, Feb 07, 2024 The EU should cut its emissions to 90% below 1990 levels by 2040, according to a new roadmap released by the European Commission. by Carbon Brief Staff, Carbon Brief, Feb 07, 2024 New UN weather agency chief says rate of global warming is speeding up by Seth Borenstein, Climate, AP News, Feb 7, 2024 Published February 8 Climate scientist Michael Mann wins defamation case against conservative writers Mann, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, had sued Rand Simberg, a policy analyst, and Mark Steyn, a right-wing author, for online posts published over a decade ago, respectively, by the Competitive Enterprise Institute and the National Review. by Julia Simon, NPR, Feb 8, 2024 Mann, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, had sued Rand Simberg, a policy analyst, and Mark Steyn, a right-wing author, for online posts published over a decade ago, respectively, by the Competitive Enterprise Institute and the National Review. by Julia Simon, NPR, Feb 8, 2024 Canadas Carbon Emissions Cover-Up Canadas carbon footprint is not just a step but a giant leap beyond whats been claimed. A six-year study pulls back the curtain on the environmental debacle, revealing emissions rates that dwarf industry figures. by Jeremy Appel, Jacobin, Feb 8, 2024 Published February 9 The Teachers' Guide to Cranky Uncle: Downloads and translations The Teacher's Guide to Cranky Uncle is now also available in Albanian and Macedonian, thanks to the efforts of the Institute of Communication studies in Skopje! by Barbel Winkler, Skeptical Science, Feb 9, 2024 The Teacher's Guide to Cranky Uncle is now also available in Albanian and Macedonian, thanks to the efforts of the Institute of Communication studies in Skopje! by Barbel Winkler, Skeptical Science, Feb 9, 2024 Climate Change Is No Laughing Matter. Or Is It? Comedians, no strangers to tackling difficult and taboo subjects with humor, are increasingly turning their attention to the climate crisis. by Hilary Howard, NYT > Climate and Environment, Feb 09, 2024 If you happen upon high quality climate-science and/or climate-myth busting articles from reliable sources while surfing the web, please feel free to submit them via this Google form for possible inclusion on our social media channels. Thanks! Care and Feeding is Slates parenting advice column. Have a question for Care and Feeding? Submit it here or post it in the Slate Parenting Facebook group. Dear Care and Feeding, Im 19 years old, in college, and recently came out to my (single) father as trans. He took it well and is being supportive, which was a surprise, as hes a retired military officer and pretty conservative overall. But hes using my new name and he introduces me to people as his daughter. The problem is that hes kind of trying to take over my transition. This tendency of his to want to be in control, to plan and map out everything thats going to happen, has always driven me a little crazy. Now its completely out of hand. He wants me to stop going to the clinic Im getting treatment from and instead go to a different one out of state. The one he has picked out does have more resources and, if you go by the numbers (he always goes by the numbers), is a considerably better clinic, but the doctors there would all be strangers, plus its a huge hassle to get to from where I live. But of course, when I tell him that (weve had this conversation more than once), he starts rattling off statistics and then ends up making one of his speeches about how I deserve the best treatment available. This is how he reacts to stress, I know, and its a pattern Ive seen before in other situations where he cant control the outcome. He schemes, plans, and works his butt off for the tiniest of marginal advantages, so at the very least if something goes wrong, he can look back and say to himself that he did the absolute best he could. I suppose there are worse personality traits out there. But I cant seem to get through to him that this is a deeply personal path and I dont want him interfering, even with the best of intentions, never mind his using this behavior to manage his own anxieties. How can I get him to back off? Feeling Crowded Dear Feeling, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First: Congratulations! Knowing who you are and living an authentic life is cause for celebration. And Im so relieved and glad for you that your dad is being supportivethat he seems to be happy for you and wants to do whatever he can to help you on your path. Thats love, and its what being a parent is about. But alas, hes overdoing it. I want to make sure you know how insightful you are to recognize that his need to be in charge (not just of this but of everything) stems from his own anxiety. The expression of an anxiety disorder can take many forms. This happens to be one with which Im intimately familiar. My father was a take-charge-of-everything guy. And Ive been guilty of this sort of behavior myself. (I dont do it anymore, because I came to recognize itin part because Id seen it in my fatherand learned that there were other, better ways to manage my anxiety.) The bad news: Someone whose anxiety is driving their behavior cannot be reasoned with about it. Thus: You cant get him to back off. Advertisement Advertisement We cannot change others; we can only change ourselves and the way we react to others. The challenge for you is to find a way to manage your own anxiety about your fathers efforts to take charge of your life. As you say, he means well. My dad always did tooand if he was ever asked, no matter how politely, to ease up (like, Ive got this, dont worry about it), he would be deeply hurt; then hed either sulk or lash outwhich would set off a vicious circle of aggrievement and anger. It took me many decades to stop that circle before it even began. (Im grateful that my own reaction to being told to back off was only to be sad and feel ashamed of myself. But Im even more grateful to be in recoveryto have given up trying to be the Boss of the World.) Advertisement Advertisement But I digress. What I would like you to doand I know it wont be easyis say, Thanks, Dad, Ill think about that, I appreciate the work youve done to figure out what I should do, Dad, That gives me food for thought for sure, and Thanks for all the help, Dad! And then do exactly what you want to do. If he follows up with questions later, you can say cheerfully, Oh, Im still considering that! Advertisement Advertisement Theres no question that your dad would be a happier person if he were able to back off. But thats his problem to solve, not yours. You cannot fix him. If you try, youll end up fighting with him about something you know he cant help doing, and whats the point of that? Advertisement So hear him out, and then go ahead and take care of yourself in the ways you believe are best for you. Your fathers not the boss of you. You are. Want Advice on Parenting, Kids, or Family Life? Submit your questions to Care and Feeding here. Its anonymous! (Questions may be edited for publication.) Dear Care and Feeding, My 19-year-old niece, Anna, is living with my family of three because she is estranged from her father, Ethan (my brother-in-law). She also holds her mother, Nicky (my sister), at a distance, but they do keep in touch. The estrangement from her father dates to Anna coming out to her family as nonbinary. Ethan pushed back. He believes that if you have XX chromosomes, you are female and if you have XY, you are male. Nicky is generally more open and accepting, but she and I grew up in a more binary world and she is not completely comfortable with the idea of a gender spectrum. She also wants to keep the peace, not only for her own sake but for the sake of her and Ethans two younger children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My husband, my daughter, and I are in NYC and were very much you do you people, so when Anna needed a place to live for a few months, our home was the logical choice. Ethan and Nicky continue to support Anna financially and will be paying for college starting this fall. For this reason, Ethan thinks he has a right to a relationship with Anna. As part of this, he wants to ask Anna to articulate what she needs from him. He emailed me to this effect, asking me to forward his email because Anna has blocked him. Is there a way to reconciliation? What needs to happen? Loving Aunt Dear Aunt, What needs to happen is between Anna and your brother-in-lawand no one else. I wish Ethan hadnt used you as an intermediary (though I understand why he did, if his child is now living with you). He could have written a proper letter (theres no blocking postal mail!) or found some other way to reach Anna. I see no harm in your telling Anna that Ethan wrote to you and asked you to forward the email, and asking if thats OK to do. But if Anna says, No! I dont want to hear from him!, then abide by that. The way toward reconciliation, of course, is for Ethan to listen to his child, take what hes told seriously, and stop telling Anna what he believes to be true. When your 19-year-old child says, This is who I am, the loving response is not, Sorry, no, you arent. Its, I love you for who you are. Its, I believe you when you tell me who you are. Its, Thank you for telling me who you are. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Until Ethan can do this, there will be no reconciliation. Spelling this out for him is the only thing you can do to help this happen. I doubt hell be able to hear it, act on it, and rise to the occasion in the way thats requiredbut if you want to give it a shot, go ahead. It cant make things any worse between the two of them. (It may make things worse between you and your brother-in-lawand maybe even between you and your sister. Youll have to decide how much this matters to you.) Catch Up on Care and Feeding Missed earlier columns this week? Read them here. Discuss this column in the Slate Parenting Facebook group! Advertisement Dear Care and Feeding, I have a 3-year-old son, Finn. Finn is generally well-behaved, although very strong-willed. He doesnt have that vagueness that I associate with toddlers, and he has a pretty long attention span for a child his age. Because my husband and I both work, hes enrolled in daycare, and generally, he does well there. But theres one thing that is concerning to me. The other day I was able to go to work a bit late, so I hung around and watched for a little while as he started his day. I saw Finn gather up all the toys for his little group, and then go around distributing them (apparently based on some system of his own). I asked one of the caregivers if he has done this sort of thing before, and she said yes, in fact, he does this two or three times a week, but that since the other children dont mind, theyve decided to just let things be. He doesnt hoard the toys, I was told, but he does seem to find it very important to decide who gets to play with what on certain days. That evening, I asked Finn why he doled out the toys, deciding who got which. He very calmly explained that if he didnt do it, a bunch of the other kids would fight over who got what, so he did this to keep everyone calmer. When I asked how he managed to get the other children to accept his decisions about what they could play with, he said that he just had to use his grownup voice and they wouldnt object. (When I asked, he did try to demonstrate what the grownup voice was, but outside of standing a little taller and straighter than he usually does, I couldnt distinguish a difference.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Is this the sort of thing I should be concerned about? Its weird, for sure, but nobody seems to be getting hurt and its not like the daycare staff even thought to let me know about itI only observed it by chance. My husband thinks we should let sleeping dogs lie and that 3-year-olds are strange by default. But I worry that this behavior might indicate a problem and that maybe we should do something to get ahead of it. I have noticed that hes a bit more focused than a lot of his age peers, so Im wondering if its a wider-spread thing than just taking charge of toy distribution. Possibly Overreacting Dear Possibly, Advertisement I think Finn is going to grow up to be the president of the United States. Id say the only things for you to do in this case are 1) raise him right, so thatin addition to his natural leadership skills, decisiveness, and proactive peacemakinghe grows up to be compassionate, empathetic, open-minded, curious, creative, honest, and honorable, and 2) dont do anything illegal or scandalous yourself (because you know thats going to come out during his rise to power). Advertisement Advertisement Otherwise, I dont think you have anything to worry about. Hes a bit of an oddball, but hes using his powers for good, not evil. And I suspect that hes very smart, which likely plays a part in what makes him eccentric (even for a 3-year-old). If his eccentricities begin to interfere with his day-to-day lifehis play, his sleep, and so onthen you would be wise to have him evaluated. But for now, enjoy him. He sounds like the kind of kid Id like to have around. Advertisement Advertisement Dear Care and Feeding, My husband and I live in Manhattan and are expecting our first child (a girl) in the fall. I am a white woman from California; he is Southeast Asian and has lived in NYC his entire life. When he was in elementary school, he and his younger sister were part of a scholarship program at one of the citys best private schools that gave them full tuition as first-generation students being raised by a single immigrant mother. Thanks to the extensive support they received, they were able to attend top universities on full scholarships, and my husband still credits his school for setting him up for success in the tech industry. He has said that when he attended, he always dreamed that one day he could give his child the same experience he had. He wants us to put our names on the list for the feeder preschool his sister sent our nephew to, which I understand is necessary to do now because of the high demand for the elementary school. Advertisement Advertisement Our nephew did thrive at the preschool and is now absolutely loving second grade, and Ill be honest, hes having experiences that I could have only dreamed of at my underfunded public school. We could also likely afford to send our child to this school, but I feel hesitant about it. The public schools were near arent great, but theyre more economically and racially diverse, and I really dont want our child to be an out-of-touch private school brat. On the other hand, I have heard horror stories about the public high school and middle school admissions programs in the city and the toxic culture at even some of the best public schools. I feel like sending my kid down the private school pipeline is not at all in line with my values or how I envisioned raising a child, but the alternative worries me. I just dont know what to do. School Dazed in NYC Dear Dazed, Advertisement Advertisement I have a lot of thoughts, but I dont have an answer. Because there is no good answer. I was committed to sending my child to public school: She started out in a magnet elementary school in our urban school district as a kindergartener, and eventually graduated from a magnet high school after four years there. (To give you an idea of what our school system is like, the alternative aspect of that high schoolto which, like all the magnet schools here, one must enter a lottery to gain entrancewas, and still is, academically oriented.). In between those public school bookends, however, there was a lousy private school (which we picked because it was more affordable, nearer home, and way less exclusive than other private schoolsand also because it took a while for us to understand how lousy it actually was) and a period of homeschooling. As committed as I was to keeping my kid in public school, I had to take her out of it halfway through first gradeat the urging of her own teacher!because the school was in chaos after its fragile stability came undone. (Long story, obviously. For a fuller treatment, you can read the chapter titled Enough Friends in my 2005 nonfiction book The Middle of Everything.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I tell you this because I feel your pain. Our public school system, nationally, is broken. The situation in NYC is particularly impossible, infuriating, and heartbreaking (Im from New York; I was educated in that public school system, in Brooklyn, lo these many years ago, during its so-called Golden Age). And I hate everything about private schools. I couldnt wait to put my kid back into a public one. If I had a do-over, I would try another public elementary school before giving up. (But I might have had to give up anyway, I recognize that.) Advertisement I dont know what you should do. But I do know that you have to make the decision that you believe will be best for your child in the long run, taking every possible factor into account. I get the feeling that youre leaning toward your husbands plan but that you feel guilty about itor that you dont feel like youve got a good enough argument to counter his. I will say that an argument about the importance of your child being in an economically and racially diverse environment should not be understatedit is hugely important. I believe that my own kid, all grown up now, is the admirable person she is in part because she did not spend her entire life pre-college surrounded by people whose life experience was like her ownbecause for so much of her education, she was a white girl in a majority-Black school, a college professors kid in a school where the majority was eligible for an income-based free lunch program, a kid whod lived in the same house all her life who had friends whose families did not have stable housing. But I also remember the period of time when I felt that our public school system could not be trusted to educate her. Advertisement Advertisement Part of what Im saying is that whatever decision you make now need not be a permanent onethat, indeed, few decisions are irrevocable. But Im also saying that you and your husband might think broadly about all the possibilities and all your reasons for proceeding as you eventually choose to do. And that you should be open to changing your mind if that decision doesnt end up sitting well with you. Michelle More Advice From Slate I have a fairly low-stakes problem, but one that is currently driving me crazy. My entire life I have had a difficult time with chewing sounds. I can hide it pretty well because I have toits not fair, I know, to be annoyed by people eatingbut it really is like nails on a chalkboard for me. I have diligently (and gently!) worked to teach my two children (ages 6 and 12) excellent table manners. Judith (Judy) Ann Cox passed peacefully at her home in Leonardtown, MD on February 8, 2024, surrounded by loved ones. Judy was preceded in death by her parents, Austa and Edward Highwart, from Wheeling, WV and her beloved sister, Lois Taylor, from St. Albans, WV. Judy served as a Nun in the Order of Sisters of Saint Joseph in Wheeling, WV. She was known as Sister Timothy for 15 years, bringing love and care to communities in WV. Judy earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education from Duquesne University and served as an Elementary Teacher in Maryland for over 30 years. Around 1970, she made St. Mary's County, MD her home while working at various elementary schools. She retired from Banneker Elementary in Leonardtown, MD. Judy was loved by her students. Often when out in the community, past students would come up to her, being labeled some student's "favorite teacher ever." All who had the pleasure of knowing and being around Judy knew how much she cared for animals. She bred and showed horses for numerous years and fostered and loved more cats and goats than we can count. Her faithful dogs, especially Tramp and Beau, followed her everywhere. She served on the State of Maryland's Examiner Veterinary Board for numerous years. Judy was so loved by her family and many friends. She is survived by her nieces and nephew: Judy Smith (Rob)of Charleston, WV, Kim Floyd (Bill) of Pawleys Island, SC, Beth Morton, (Tom) of Huntingtown, MD, Charlie Taylor (Jessie) of Queens, NY, Mary Grace (Jay) of Fayetteville, NC, and Gina McCune (Boyd) of Charleston, WV. She is survived by her eleven great nieces and nephews, and four great-great nieces and nephews with the expectation of two more on their way. Judy is also survived by many dear friends, especially the families of Jack and Regina Greely and Chris Ray and John Felicitas, where they shared numerous Sunday dinners cheering on the Redskins (Commanders), and playing with the grandchildren. Judy will be greatly missed by everyone who knows her. We all know the world, especially St. Mary's County, is a better place because of her generous heart and unending kindness. A private service will be held by family. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: SMAWL Cat Castle Rescue Center 20845 Callaway Village Way, Callaway, MD or Help for Pets Inc (501c3) on Facebook. Joyce Ann Call (nee Karn) passed away Sunday, February 4th, 2024. Joyce was born on February 1, 1936, in East Liverpool, Ohio. She graduated from Alliance High School in 1954 then attended and received her diploma from The Ohio Valley Business College. She married the love of her life, Larry William Call, on May 21, 1955. He joined the US Navy, and together, they raised five children. Joyce worked various jobs throughout her life as a secretary, beauty consultant, substitute teacher for elementary schools, and for an electronics factory. Her most important job was mother to her children and grandmother (nana) to her grandchildren. She was a devoted member of Calvary Grace Assembly of God and a member of various church groups and positions throughout her lifetime. She had a strong faith in God and loved reading the bible, and she encouraged others through her prayers and beautiful smile. She had a giving heart and it showed as everyone considered her to be their "Nana Joyce." She was a great cook and loved sharing her recipes with family and friends. Joyce also enjoyed watching The American Kennel Club competitions and Dr Pol as she loved all types of dogs (her favorites were the Spaniels and Schnauzers, as well as her beloved Bear, a GSD). Joyce Ann Call Brinsfield Funeral Home & Crematory, P.A. | View Obituaries Joyce Ann Call February 1, 1936 - February 4, 2024 Send Flowers Send Sympathy Card In Loving Memory Joyce Ann Call February 1, 1936 - February 4, 2024 Joyce Ann Call Send Flowers Send Flowers Order Flowers for the Family Send Sympathy Card Send Card Show Your Sympathy to the Family Obituary Joyce Ann Call (nee Karn) passed away Sunday, February 4th, 2024. Joyce was born on February 1, 1936, in East Liverpool, Ohio. She graduated from Alliance High School in 1954 then attended and received her diploma from The Ohio Valley Business College. She married the love of her life, Larry William Call, on May 21, 1955. He joined the US Navy, and together, they raised five children. Joyce worked various jobs throughout her life as a secretary, beauty consultant, substitute teacher for elementary schools, and for an electronics factory. Her most important job was mother to her children and grandmother (nana) to her grandchildren. She was a devoted member of Calvary Grace Assembly of God and a member of various church groups and positions throughout her lifetime. She had a strong faith in God and loved reading the bible, and she encouraged others through her prayers and beautiful smile. She had a giving heart and it showed as everyone considered her to be their "Nana Joyce." She was a great cook and loved sharing her recipes with family and friends. Joyce also enjoyed watching The American Kennel Club competitions and Dr Pol as she loved all types of dogs (her favorites were the Spaniels and Schnauzers, as well as her beloved Bear, a GSD). Joyce Ann Call Brinsfield Funeral Home & Crematory, P.A. | View Obituaries Joyce Ann Call February 1, 1936 - February 4, 2024 Send Flowers Send Sympathy Card In Loving Memory Joyce Ann Call February 1, 1936 - February 4, 2024 Joyce Ann Call Send Flowers Send Flowers Order Flowers for the Family Send Sympathy Card Send Card Show Your Sympathy to the Family Obituary Joyce Ann Call (nee Karn) passed away Sunday, February 4th, 2024. Joyce was born on February 1, 1936, in East Liverpool, Ohio. She graduated from Alliance High School in 1954 then attended and received her diploma from The Ohio Valley Business College. She married the love of her life, Larry William Call, on May 21, 1955. He joined the US Navy, and together, they raised five children. Joyce worked various jobs throughout her life as a secretary, beauty consultant, substitute teacher for elementary schools, and for an electronics factory. Her most important job was mother to her children and grandmother (nana) to her grandchildren. She was a devoted member of Calvary Grace Assembly of God and a member of various church groups and positions throughout her lifetime. She had a strong faith in God and loved reading the bible, and she encouraged others through her prayers and beautiful smile. She had a giving heart and it showed as everyone considered her to be their "Nana Joyce." She was a great cook and loved sharing her recipes with family and friends. Joyce also enjoyed watching The American Kennel Club competitions and Dr Pol as she loved all types of dogs (her favorites were the Spaniels and Schnauzers, as well as her beloved Bear, a GSD). Joyce was preceded in death by her parents George (Gladys) Karn and Helen (John) Bilcze; her husband Larry William Call; and granddaughter Jessica Nicole Barry. She is survived by her brother David (Deb) Karn. Her children Jodi (Ed) Rannin, Daniel (Deb) Call, Yvonne (Hank) Barry, Lynne (Wally) Hanson, and Lisa (Jeff) Montbriand; fifteen grandchildren, and twenty-two great-grandchildren, and life-long friend, JoAnn Stuples. Family and friends will be received to celebrate Joyce's life at a life celebration at Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A. of Charlotte Hall, MD., on Thursday, February 29, 2024, from 5 PM to 7 PM, with the Reverend Tom Cogle of Calvary Grace Assembly of God presiding over the memorial service starting at 6 PM. A private interment for the family only will follow later at Cheltenham Veterans Cemetery. Local arrangements made by Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., 30195 Three Notch Road, Charlotte Hall, MD 20622. Donations in her honor can be made to her home church at https://www.kindridgiving.com/app/giving/calvarygrace or to 'A Living Memorial' at Plant A Tree to Remember (memorialtree.com). London, Feb 11 (UNI) UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron said on Saturday that he is concerned over Israel's planned ground operation in the southern Gazan city of Rafah. Israel has been pounding Rafah for several days in preparation for a ground offensive that aims to root out Hamas. The city is the last refuge for over a million Palestinians who were told to relocate south during the past four months of the Israeli military operation in the enclave. "Deeply concerned about the prospect of a military offensive in Rafah over half of Gazas population are sheltering in the area," Cameron said on X. He added that "the priority must be an immediate pause in the fighting to get aid in and hostages out," followed by progress towards a sustainable and permanent ceasefire. The United States, Canada, Germany and other Western allies of Israel have criticized the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for ordering a ground operation in the packed city, warning of an imminent humanitarian disaster. UNI/SPUTNIK AKS Robin Lee Rawlings, 69, of Prince Frederick, Maryland passed away February 2, 2024 in Washington D.C. Robin was born on February 5, 1954 in Baltimore, MD to the late Golden Vance and Mary Olive (Matthews) Anderson. Robins two sisters, Katherine Carter and Carolyn Tucker also preceded her in death. Robin owned and operated Rawlings Bus service for the last 18 years, but she was all about her family. She loved her kids and grandchildren and spending time with them, whether it was their annual trips to Ocean City, or planning parties and weddings. Robin just finished up her biggest project this summer which was planning her granddaughters wedding in Ocean City. She also enjoyed traveling, haven been to 46 out of 50 states. She also loved Christmas, and had a flare for decorating for Christmas. Everything had to be perfect. She would spend days putting the decorations on the Christmas tree, one at a time, then standing back to make sure it was hung in the perfect spot. When it came the time to take them down it would again be one at a time, wrap each one up in paper, and put it back the same spot in the box it came out of. Robin also enjoyed going to casinos and gambling and in her earlier years dancing with the Country Docks Cloggers. Robin is survived by her husband Clarke Rawlings, daughter Tammy Taylor Tucker and her husband Charles and her son Jospeh Clark Rawlings and his wife Stephanie. Grandmother of Jessica Lynn DiMaggio and her husband Andrew, Conner James Rawlings and Elena Lee Rawlings. She is also survived by two sisters, Mary Jane Smith and Wanda A. Anderson, and her companion William Jones. The family will receive friends on Thursday February 8, 2024 from 5 PM until the time of the service, 7 PM at the Rausch Funeral Home, 4405 Broomes Island Road, Port Republic, MD 20676. Internment is private. Memorial contributions may be made to http://tinyurl.com/RobinRawlings Read Less Visitation Thursday, February 8, 2024 5-7 PM Rausch Funeral Home-Port Republic 4405 Broomes Island Road Port Republic, MD 20676 Services Thursday, February 8, 2024 7 PM Interment private Contributions Extra Life Link: http://tinyurl.com/RobinRawlings Equator Coffees: El Salvador Finca Kilimanjaro HoneyDelicate & sweet, this honey-washed coffee from fifth generation coffee producer Aida Battle is a coffee we look forward to roasting every year. Aidas coffee doesnt just taste exceptional, its improving lives too. Aida has garnered admiration for her commitment to quality and transparency, as well as for providing high wages, health care and other benefits for her workers in the Santa Ana growing region. Roasting begins next week order your bag today & experience coffees from one of El Salvadors most celebrated producers. Back to top. Greater Goods Roasting : Rungeto PB Rarely has a coffee release synced up with the start of a season quite like this one. Hailing from Kirinyaga County in central Kenya, this peaberry lot is the warm, comforting, hot cocoa in front of the fire the spirit of winter in coffee form. Peaberry makes up about 10% of Kenyas coffee export and is highly sought out for its depth of sweetness and a thick, syrupy body. You can enjoy your winter days with notes of golden apple, black treacle, and red currant jam. Joe Coffee : Colombia La Familia Guarnizo This coffee comes to us through a strong relationship between Joe Coffee and the El Paraiso growers association in Huila, Colombia. This bright and light-bodied selection was grown by a special group of El Paraisos member farmers: the Guarnizo family. Featuring notes of stone fruit and almonds with a medium acidity, this coffee is a customer favorite. Madcap Coffee Company : Finca de Dios Husband and wife duo Ellen and Stuart Prentice oversee a 19-hectare farm, encompassing a multitude of microclimates. Ellen inherited the farm from her father in the early 70s, falling in love with the coffee growing process and planting more and more on the land. Together with their daughter Ashley, theyve established state-of-the-art processing equipment for their farm, Finca de Dios (Farm of the Gods). In this years harvest, expect notes of cacao, orange, and agave. Monogram Coffee : Trifle Four different coffees have been layered (like a trifle!) to create a unique brewing experience where the flavours will mingle and change as you brew through the bag. As you enjoy Trifle, youll work your way through: a spicy anaerobic marsellesa natural from Costa Rica with delicious cinnamon notes a fermented honey processed castillo peach coffee from Colombia a delicious chiroso caturra natural with strawberry yogurt notes a fermented honey processed castillo grape coffee from Colombia Night Swim Coffee Night Swim Coffee: Blue Orchid SumatraTypically we expect specialty grade coffees to come from mountainous regions along the equator. Brazil, Colombia, Honduras, and Ethiopia rank among the largest coffee producing countries in the world, but I think people would be surprised to know that both Vietnam and Indonesia are #2 and #4 on that list. Connecting people to the places where coffee comes from, our core effort at Night Swim, provides us some unique opportunities to tell the stories of all kinds of coffee, not just ones were familiar with or are currently popular in the US market. Over the next few months, well begin highlighting coffees from China, El Salvador, Tanzania, Bolivia and this beautiful coffee from Indonesia. You can find coffees from these regions roasted by great roasters around the globe, but theyre new to Night Swim. I think a lot of coffee drinkers are probably really unfamiliar with coffees from Asia, and as we started thinking about how we wanted to focus our coffee menu for the upcoming months, we were simply excited to drink coffees that we dont interact with very often. This is a semi-washed or wet-hulled coffee from Sumatra, Indonesia. Its fruity-sweet, tropical, and finishes like one of our favorite candy bars. Were thrilled to offer this first installment in our initiative to highlight underrepresented coffee growing regions! Back to top. Olympia Coffee Roasters Olympia Coffee: Jose Landaverde Gesha NaturalOne of the worlds most sought-after varietals, grown in one of Central Americas finest regions. Jose Landaverde Gesha Natural underwent a 60-hour anaerobic fermentation before drying in the natural method, yielding coffee deeply imbued with tropical-fruit sweetness and balanced with smooth, full-bodied flavor. Back to top. Onyx Coffee Lab Onyx Coffee Lab : FramilyWe are excited to release our seventh edition of this heartwarming Holiday coffee that embodies the joy of spending time with friends and family. This washed coffee from Banko Gotiti is a developed medium roast creating complex cocoa notes mixed with sweet berry cobbler-like flavors. Designed to accommodate the coffee nerd or the heavy-handed cream and sugar in-laws youre welcome, my friends. Back to top. Partners Coffee Partners Coffee: Ethiopia Meselech TubeMeselech Tube tends a three hectare farm in Sidama where she focuses her attention on high quality naturals. She is among a growing cohort of coffee farmers in Ethiopia whose production is available in isolation, traceable all the way to the farm itself. This lot is a classic representation of Sidamas naturalswe taste syrupy strawberry, blueberry, banana, and black tea. Back to top. PERC Coffee PERC: Guatemala Gerson Martinez GeshaThis Gesha from our old friend Gerson Martinez blew us away on the tasting table. It was sweet, fruity, and a layered complexity that revealed itself in waves. If youre a fan of exciting coffees that expand your mind, you should get your hands on some of this sweet nectar. We only sourced a limited amount of this coffee, so snag some while you can! Back to top. Stumptown Coffee Roasters Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Colombia HuaykuA beloved coffee at Stumptown since 2013, Huayku is grown and produced by the Federacion Abadesa group of over 200 smallholder coffee producersin the mountainous region of Narino. This years lot is a complex cup layered with tropical fruit, orange zest and creamy milk chocolate. Back to top. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240210/zaluzhnys-photo-with-banderite-a-threat-to-zelensky-1116718815.html Zaluzhny Snapshot With Banderite Poses Threat to Zelensky Zaluzhny Snapshot With Banderite Poses Threat to Zelensky Sputnik International The former Commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces picture of himself with a commander of a neo-nazi battalion commander is a thinly-veiled threat against Ukrainian President Zelensky. 2024-02-10T23:20+0000 2024-02-10T23:20+0000 2024-02-12T06:34+0000 analysis armed forces of ukraine mark sleboda valery zaluzhny volodymyr zelensky ukraine west nazi russia fault lines https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/0b/1e/1115307893_14:0:1077:598_1920x0_80_0_0_d1cb1616d75ce697872e4702061d47b1.jpg The weekend before, after media outlets reported on his imminent firing but before it became official, the Ukrainian commander of the 67th Mechanized Brigade Andriy Stempitsky posted an image of himself smiling next to Zaluzhny with a portrait of former Nazi Stepan Bandera and a red and black Banderaite flag.Mark Sleboda, an international relations and security analyst told Sputniks Fault Lines on Friday that the image was an explicit threat against Zelensky.Sleboda noted unconfirmed reports that the Ukrainian intelligence agencies were given orders to watch for soldiers leaving the front but also noted that any potential unrest depends largely on Zaluzhnys next move.Does he do anything to incite this? Does he maneuver behind the scenes with other political figures against Zelensky? Does he stay quiet and actually put the interest of the regime above his personal ego for the time being? Sleboda asked. I don't know about that because he refused to resign and decided to make, obviously, a political issue out of this, he concluded, referring to Zaluzhnys reported refusal to resign.March 15, will be a date to watch, Sleboda said. March 15 is when Zelenskys current presidential term should end but likely wont because of a martial law declaration that has been in place in Ukraine since the start of Russias special military operation, but Sleboda thinks forces in Ukraine may use that date to make a move against the president.Sleboda also explained that he does not believe Zaluzhnys dismissal was based on bad strategy but for personal reasons. This was all personal, Sleboda explained. He made mistakes, theres no question there but most [...] on both sides, seem to regard Zaluzhny as more intelligent, more competent and more, shall we say, [an] out of the box thinker than [Zaluzhnys replacement General Oleksandr] Syrsky.Earlier in the interview, Sleboda explained that while Zaluzhny was respected by his troops and liked by the civilian population, Syrsky evokes the opposite reaction.He was the commander of the ground forces, he was responsible for the unsuccessful defenses of [Artemovsk] and [...] Soledar, Sleboda explained.Despite his Russian background, Syrsky was picked because of his loyalty to Zelensky, Sleboda explained. He also speculated that Syrsky would be more willing to commit reinforcements to Avdeyevka than Zaluzhny was, just like Syrsky did in the failed defense of Artemovsk.This is evidently where were going, and General Butcher [...] is going to be throwing more Kiev regime lives away, he predicted.*The Right Sector is an extremist organization banned in Russia. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240209/zaluzhnys-resignation-appointment-of-syrsky-will-not-change-special-operation---kremlin-1116690753.html ukraine west russia 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 zaluzhny fired, zelensky fires commander, will zaluzhny mutiny, general 200, who is syrsky, will zaluzhny try to kill zelensky https://sputnikglobe.com/20240211/carlsons-interview-putin-and-trump-seen-as-threat-by-davos-globalists--wall-street-analyst-1116731246.html Carlson's Interview: Putin and Trump Seen as 'Threat' by Davos Globalists Wall Street Analyst Carlson's Interview: Putin and Trump Seen as 'Threat' by Davos Globalists Wall Street Analyst Sputnik International Russian President Vladimir Putin, like Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, is "anathema to Davos globalists", Wall Street analyst Charles Ortel told Sputnik, stressing that the timing of Putin-Carlson interview was perfect. 2024-02-11T18:38+0000 2024-02-11T18:38+0000 2024-02-11T18:38+0000 world us putins interview with tucker carlson russia opinion vladimir putin charles ortel joe biden ukraine republican https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/107923/54/1079235480_0:0:2845:1600_1920x0_80_0_0_ffd7095b59eaf856d79ef2d7cf1e4f2d.jpg Tucker Carlson's interview with Vladimir Putin has attracted over 190 million views on X (formerly Twitter) as of February 11."My guess is that getting on Putins calendar for such a long interview was a challenge, so I imagine it suited both parties to have this video out well in advance of the nominating convention for Democrats and of the general election. It would be great to have one or even more follow-ups in coming months," he added."I also think the contrast between Putins measured and thoughtful perspectives, having been a world leader for a quarter century with the lack of gravitas to put it politely of Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and many others in both parties who are surface-level, donor-captured, soundbite specialists was stunning. This contrast was remarkable considering Bidens post-interview meltdown before what remains of the 'press'," Ortel continued.The Wall Street analyst noted that judging from viewership statistics, the corporate and political donor-controlled media is destroying itself.He stressed that "no political interview has garnered nearly as much coverage as Putins recent sit down with Tucker," adding that he expects "it will, in the end, change the thinking of most open minds."Clinton Family Had Reasons to Fear Putin InterviewPrior to the historic interview, US corporate media pundits and Democratic political figures urged Americans to ignore Carlson's show. Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton called Tucker a "useful idiot", claiming that the US journalist "parrots Vladimir Putin's pack of lies about Ukraine."Clinton's remarks before the interview echoed those of Soviet-era apparatchiks who said of Nobel Prize-winning novel Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak: "I haven't read Pasternak, but I condemn him."The Wall Street analyst, who has carried out a private investigation into allegations of fraud by the Clinton Foundation over several years, noted that "there are serious unanswered questions over how much foreign government and oligarch money may have funded Hillary's political campaigns in 2005-6, 2007-8, and 2015-16, including donations from Ukraines [oligarch] Victor Pinchuk and his wife."He added that there are also "reasonable concerns as in the case of the Bidens, that the Clinton family exploited their offices to enrich themselves for decades, illegally.""For a generation, globalists have protected and promoted power couples like the Clintons, especially media barons. With the rise of X and evident chronic failures of unchecked globalist schemes, many malefactors including the Clintons have much to fear as Trump surges towards potential re-election and then a necessary retribution and restoration of law and order under our Constitution," the investigative journalist pointed out.US Deep State Withheld Key Facts About Ukraine ConflictOrtel argued that Putin's history lesson to Carlson, tracing the causes of the Ukrainian conflict from the very start, was an excellent choice given that most Americans simply do not know much about Russia's history and development.When the Ukraine conflict erupted, the Biden administration and the compliant US media sold Americans a "riskless, noble cause in supporting Zelensky," Ortel noted. However, key facts about the conflict were purposefully withheld by the Deep State, he stressed.These key facts included, in particular, the February 2014 coup d'etat, American interference in the 2014 Ukraine election, corruption of the Biden family and others by Ukraine oligarchs, the role of neo-Nazis and the massive pilfering of aid to a leadership that certainly is not "democratic," "peaceful," or freedom-loving, according to Ortel.Even though Russia has been painted by the American mainstream press as a dread enemy of the US, "the American heartland and the Russian people likely share much in common and might benefit greatly from clear interaction, which sanctions certainly impede," he highlighted.Biden's Inflicting Damage on US Economy, Security & Global StandingDuring the interview with Carlson Vladimir Putin wondered as to why the Biden administration is inflicting damage on the American economy, security and global standing.Ortel said those serious questions must be answered.Ortel assumed that the Obama-Biden "war on capitalism" that began in January 2009 is "chiefly responsible for destroying legitimate aspirations of private sector workers and their families who simply wish to sell competitive products and services to the world from American platforms."Still, one area where Ortel disagreed with Vladimir Putin was on the subject of China's economic growth. The Wall Street analyst believes that Chinas economy is groaning under too much real and shadow debt, and he questions whether capital investments seen in gross domestic product (GDP) accounts are profit-making.Meanwhile, after the 2024 election, "America should think much more carefully about our budget and capabilities for foreign entanglements because, in truth, we have pressing internal issues to address concerning our bloated, counterproductive domestic bureaucracies," he pointed out.Americans and Russians are talented and laborious people who could work out solutions which would be beneficial not only for their respective nations, but for the whole world, according to the analyst. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240211/kremlin-reveals-how-ball-got-rolling-with-tucker-carlsons-putin-interview-proposal-1116722655.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240209/tucker-carlson-shares-his-impressions-of-interview-with-putin-1116688869.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20191126/clinton-foundation-vehicle-to-transform-once-broke-family-into-mega-multi-millionaires-analyst-1077409496.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230713/blood-on-the-walls-inside-ukraines-torture-chambers-1111796712.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240112/biden-backing-bill-to-seize-russian-assets-bound-to-deepen-dedollarization-1116126197.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240207/us-debt-set-to-increase-to-record-116-of-gdp-by-end-of-2034-1116650861.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240211/french-politician-calls-putins-interview-with-carlson-global-phenomenon-1116720423.html russia ukraine 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 tucker carlson's interview with vladimir putin, russian president putin, history of russia, causes of ukraine conflict, neo-nazism, biden administration, davos globalists, donald trump, war in ukraine, de-dollarization, de-dollarisation, us border crisis, us migrant crisis, us aid to ukraine, us debt, hillary clinton, clinton foundation https://sputnikglobe.com/20240211/israel-strikes-rafah-killing-dozens-after-netanyahu-hints-of-ground-offensive-1116726122.html Israel Strikes Rafah Killing Dozens After Netanyahu Hints of Ground Offensive Israel Strikes Rafah Killing Dozens After Netanyahu Hints of Ground Offensive Sputnik International Rafah is now home to Gazas 2.3 million population and the last remaining crossing point to Egypt, but the citys residents are in limbo, not knowing where to go for refuge. 2024-02-11T13:37+0000 2024-02-11T13:37+0000 2024-02-11T13:37+0000 world middle east newsfeed benjamin netanyahu sameh shoukry associated press politico hamas israel rafah https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/01/1a/1116395688_0:0:811:457_1920x0_80_0_0_73591783c220ddb72ed59bb7936be686.jpg Israeli bombings in Rafah on Saturday resulted in the deaths of at least 44 Palestinians. The air raids were launched hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the military to prepare to evacuate residents in the area before a ground offensive, Politico reports.The PM did not give specifics or an expected schedule of military action, but the notice triggered unease among diplomats.According to Israel, Rafah, which shares a border with Egypt, represents the final bastion for Hamas within Gaza following over four months of conflict that started on October 7, 2023. Statements credited to the Israeli prime minister's office suggest doubts about obliterating Hamas while four of its battalions are in Rafah, according to Politico.Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry issued a stern warning to Israel, cautioning against any potential ground offensive on Rafah, stating it would have serious consequences if Israel attempts to drive Palestinians from their land. Cairo's primary focus remains on brokering an enduring truce and securing the release of hostages taken on October 7th.But Israel rejected a proposal by Hamas in Qatar this week which would have seen 1,500 Palestinian civilians released from Israeli prisons in return for the remaining Israeli captives, while also restraining Tel Aviv from further attacks on the enclave.The US and Netanyahu have been locked in a rift due to Americas stance that Israels military action in Rafah, without regard for civilian well-being, is a recipe for disaster, Politico writes.Israel has continued frequent airstrikes in Rafah despite urging civilians in the past few weeks to seek refuge there from the ongoing ground assault in Khan Younis nearby. Israeli bombing has caused many deaths in Rafah, according to Associated Press correspondents and a health official stationed in the area.Reports by medical charity Doctors Without Borders stated that the Israeli army fired at Nasser Hospital the biggest in Khan Younis resulting in the death of not less than two people and five wounded.Moreover, hospital personnel are unable to move between buildings due to the intensity of shelling. The Nasser Hospital accommodates 300 medical staff, 450 patients and 10,000 refugees from elsewhere in gaza, according to Dr. Asharaf Al-Qidra, spokesperson for the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The Israeli army claimed there were no ongoing combat operations within the hospital but admitted the vicinity was within "an active combat zone."Hospitals in Gaza received the bodies of 117 people who died in Israeli airstrikes. This brings the total number of people killed in the attacks to 28,064 mainly women and children with over 67,000 people injured, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock cautioned on social media platform X that an offensive on Rafa by Israeli forces would cause a humanitarian catastrophe in the makingthe people in Gaza cannot disappear into thin air.On November 24, Qatar brokered an agreement between Israel and Hamas for a temporary ceasefire. As part of the deal, some prisoners and hostages were exchanged, and limited humanitarian aid was delivered to the Gaza Strip. The truce was prolonged multiple times and ended on December 1, 2023. It is estimated that over 100 hostages are still being held by Hamas in Gaza. https://sputnikglobe.com/20231226/multi-arena-war-what-does-the-future-hold-in-store-for-israel-palestine-conflict-1115822252.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240117/qatar-france-broker-deal-for-urgent-medical-aid-delivery-to-gaza-1116219707.html israel rafah egypt Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Chimauchem Nwosu https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/09/01/1113046371_0:99:1536:1635_100x100_80_0_0_9c5c627283eca931c39fe4852bbb301c.jpg Chimauchem Nwosu https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/09/01/1113046371_0:99:1536:1635_100x100_80_0_0_9c5c627283eca931c39fe4852bbb301c.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International 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 Chimauchem Nwosu https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/09/01/1113046371_0:99:1536:1635_100x100_80_0_0_9c5c627283eca931c39fe4852bbb301c.jpg israel bombings in rafah, palestinians, benjamin netanyahu, military action in gaza, ground offensive in rafah, gaza, hamas, egypt foreign minister sameh shoukry, israel-hamas truce, hamas hostages, israeli airstrikes, civilian casualties, khan younis, nasser hospital, palestinian ministry of health, hamas battalions, gaza hospitals, gaza's health ministry, annalena baerbock, germany, humanitarian catastrophe in gaza https://sputnikglobe.com/20240211/israeli-warplanes-strike-airport-on-damascus-outskirts---russian-military-1116719166.html Israeli Warplanes Strike Airport on Damascus Outskirts - Russian Military Israeli Warplanes Strike Airport on Damascus Outskirts - Russian Military Sputnik International Two Israeli fighter jets launched airstrikes at Al-Dimas airport near the Syrian capital of Damascus, a senior Russian military officer told a news briefing on Saturday. 2024-02-11T02:08+0000 2024-02-11T02:08+0000 2024-02-11T02:08+0000 military israel syria damascus f-35 https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/107921/52/1079215283_0:0:2975:1674_1920x0_80_0_0_051eb00f32335e3262032e8752bbecb7.jpg "Two tactical F-35 fighters of the Israeli air force fired four precision-guided air bombs at military infrastructure in Al-Dimas airfield," Rear Adm. Vadim Kulit said. The Israeli airstrikes caused material damage, the official said. The jets came from the southern Golan Heights and did not penetrate into the Syrian airspace.On 2 February 2024, the US Air Force launched a series of airstrikes against militant groups in Iraq and Syria. The attack was in response to a drone strike carried out by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq against US forces near Jordan the week before, which killed three American servicemen. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240208/us-base-at-oil-field-in-eastern-syria-comes-under-missile-attack---source-1116674169.html israel syria damascus 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 israeli warplanes, al-dimas airport, syrian capital of damascus, vadim kulit https://sputnikglobe.com/20240211/nato-copies-russian-tactics-in-wake-of-ukraines-disastrous-counteroffensive-1116732702.html NATO Copies Russian Tactics in Wake of Ukraine's Disastrous Counteroffensive NATO Copies Russian Tactics in Wake of Ukraine's Disastrous Counteroffensive Sputnik International The US and its allies sent tens of billions worth of advanced military hardware to Kiev in preparation for a massive counteroffensive that was supposed to break Russias will to fight. Five months later, the now ex-commander of Ukraines military admitted that the operation had failed and that there would be no deep and beautiful breakthrough. 2024-02-11T19:05+0000 2024-02-11T19:05+0000 2024-02-11T19:08+0000 military vladimir putin military & intelligence valery zaluzhny russia ukraine nato estonian defense league center for strategic and international studies https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/101668/22/1016682292_0:109:2049:1261_1920x0_80_0_0_1bbc20d1ebb7d671fe4f06ff846e88d1.jpg Countries in NATOs Eastern European flank have apparently been taking notes on Russias defensive strategy in the military operation zone after the blunting of Ukraines blood-soaked counteroffensive, showing interest in how the Russian military has revived the strategy of static defense into a key tool in modern warfare.Our main lesson is that we need to find a way to stop the advance of Russian armored units, Tiitus said, without elaborating on why Russia would bother placing armored units into a NATO country and potentially triggering World War III, something President Putin said recently he has absolutely no interest in doing.Defense officials in Estonia, whose border with Russia is just 338.6 km long, estimate that they need about 600 35-square-meter concrete bunkers, enough for about ten troops apiece, and fortified enough to survive being hit by artillery. Prototypes are in the offing, with construction expected to start in 2025 at a cost of about $65 million (which seems awfully low). If Latvia and Lithuania follow suit, they would need close to 3,900 bunkers of their own.The Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington, DC think tank, has characterized Russias defensive positions in the Donbass, Kherson and Zaporozhye as the most extensivein Europe since the Second World War, rivaled only by the heavily militarized border between North and South Korea.The Economist characterizes the reevaluation in NATO strategy caused by Russias defensive strategy as a dilemma for the bloc, whose tradition going back to the 1950s has been based on a more elastic defense in depth, rather than an operationally static defense approach which the alliances eastern members are now exploring.The rethink comes after an unprecedented upset in Western conventional wisdom regarding its military capabilities and those of Russia. In 2023, Russia proved decisively that its military equipment, tactics and military-industrial base are no worse than NATOs, destroying hundreds of modern Western military vehicles, tanks, and artillery systems, and prompting now-former Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny to complain that NATOs textbooks proved unhelpful to his planning. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240131/nato-is-instrument-of-confrontation-threat-to-russia---kremlin-1116512640.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240127/new-us-strategy-on-ukraine-will-de-emphasize-recovery-of-lost-territory--report-1116429704.html russia ukraine 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 is nato copying russia, why is nato copying russia's tactics, nato, russia, ukraine static defense https://sputnikglobe.com/20240211/orbans-advisor-says-hungary-trying-to-convince-eu-to-return-to-diplomacy-with-russia-1116719558.html Orbans Advisor Says Hungary Trying to Convince EU to Return to Diplomacy With Russia Orbans Advisor Says Hungary Trying to Convince EU to Return to Diplomacy With Russia Sputnik International Balazs Orban, the Hungarian Political Director of PM Viktor Orban, said that Hungary is trying to persuade member states of the EU to return to the diplomatic dialogue with Moscow. 2024-02-11T04:29+0000 2024-02-11T04:29+0000 2024-02-11T04:29+0000 world hungary european union (eu) russia ukrainian crisis https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/0c/0e/1115592092_0:0:2971:1671_1920x0_80_0_0_9192cbe728f727872d5f8a7cea4dc3dd.jpg "Our position has remained the same for many years: there can be no military solution on the battlefield. We must return to diplomacy. We are trying to convince our allies of this in Brussels and elsewhere," Orban said in an interview with Austrian newspaper Exxpress. At the same time, he noted that although Russia began its special operation in Ukraine, the West continues to fuel the conflict.In his opinion, the US, the EU and Russia will finally conclude a long-term agreement to resolve the tensions. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240210/hungary-will-never-take-part-in-arms-deliveries-to-ukraine-says-hungarian-fm-szijjarto-1116706457.html hungary 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 balazs orban, hungary russia relations, hungarian political director of pm viktor orban, eu diplomatic with moscow, the ukrainian conflict https://sputnikglobe.com/20240211/two-us-military-bases-under-fire-in-eastern-syria---sources-1116719042.html Two US Military Bases Under Fire in Eastern Syria - Sources Two US Military Bases Under Fire in Eastern Syria - Sources Sputnik International Two American military facilities sitting on natural oil and gas fields in eastern Syria came under fire on Saturday, local Syrian sources told Sputnik. 2024-02-11T00:35+0000 2024-02-11T00:35+0000 2024-02-11T01:04+0000 military syria iraq deir ez-zor us pentagon us military us military base us military presence https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/02/07/1116652969_0:167:3047:1881_1920x0_80_0_0_6cd99431e3674be4afc622783f756f69.jpg "Four missiles fell on the territory of a US base in Koniko," a source said. The missile strike on the Koniko gas field in the Syrian province of Deir ez-Zor was followed by a drone attack on a US installation in the Omar oil field in the same province, another source said. These are the latest in a string of more than 160 attacks on US facilities in Syria and neighboring Iraq that Washington attributes to Iran-backed militias. The Pentagon retaliated last week by striking targets belonging to militant groups who it says killed three US troops in an attack on a US outpost near Jordan in early February. Iraq and Syria condemned the US aggression against their territories. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240109/us-will-only-be-thrown-out-of-iraq-kicking-and-screaming-heres-why-1116082347.html syria iraq deir ez-zor 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 military bases, us base in iraq, eastern syria, us base in koniko, syrian province of deir ez-zor https://sputnikglobe.com/20240211/uk-farmers-mobilize-for-blockades-over-ukrainian-food-imports-1116727273.html UK Farmers Mobilize for Blockades Over Ukrainian Food Imports UK Farmers Mobilize for Blockades Over Ukrainian Food Imports Sputnik International Protests by French farmers have triggered similar actions across the Channel, with slow-moving tractor convoys causing traffic jams. Now co-ordinated nationwide action is expected. 2024-02-11T16:05+0000 2024-02-11T16:05+0000 2024-02-11T16:05+0000 world newsfeed kent united kingdom (uk) paris morrisons european union (eu) guardian https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/01/1f/1116523300_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_38dbd1958a36ade10f94ce4ec8a2ba03.jpg British farmers will stage more French-inspired blockades to protest low-cost food imports and reduced supermarket prices.Farmers set up rolling roadblocks near the Kent port of Dover for hours on Friday evening with around 40 tractors and other farm machinery. They drove slowly along roads displaying slogans reading "No More Cheap Imports." The Kent farmers will meet again this week to plan further actions, which could spread across the countryIn October 2023, Somerset farmers blockaded the major Morrisons supermarket distribution hub in Bridgwater under the banner "Proud to Farm." In Carmarthen, Wales, around 3,000 farmers protested, while some participants carried a replica coffin with the inscription "In memory of Welsh farming."Other farmers' movements have adopted similar themes including the "Get Fair About Farming" campaign founded in 2023 by Guy Singh-Watson, founder of organic produce firm Riverford. His online petition won a parliamentary debate in January.Weve had support from all round the country. There will be other groups like us, and they will make their presence felt around the docks, around supermarket distribution centers, said Andrew Gibson, one of the protest organizers in Dover.Tariff-free imports of Ukrainian wheat and cheap frozen lamb from New Zealand are some of the issues abgering farmers, according to Gibson.Were getting a lot of produce from around the world that would be illegal to grow in this countryWe produce the best stuff to the highest standard. We just want a level playing field, Gibson noted.The food advocacy group Sustain cautioned back in 2022 that UK farmers were making well below a penny in profit from their food production. The profit for a cereal farmer from a loaf of bread was less than one penny (0.09p), while dairy farmers earned less than a penny from a 2.50 block of cheddar. National Farmers' Union (NFU) President Minette Batters said farmers were being squeezed due to rising production costs and hostile weather conditions contributing to low crop yield.British farers launched their protests after French agricultural unions organized the blockade of seven main highways leading to Paris. They mobilized between 1,500 and 2,500 tractors to disrupt the capital's supply routes for weeks.Farmers want cuts to fuel subsidies reversed and restrictions on the influx of Ukrainian tariff-free food imports to the European Union, along with action to tackle water shortages and cutting red tape on local firms. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240129/french-farmers-stage-protest-blocking-roads-to-paris-1116469942.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240131/eu-extending-free-goods-import-from-ukraine-detrimental-to-eu-farmers---hungarian-official-1116519531.html kent united kingdom (uk) paris Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Chimauchem Nwosu https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/09/01/1113046371_0:99:1536:1635_100x100_80_0_0_9c5c627283eca931c39fe4852bbb301c.jpg Chimauchem Nwosu https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/09/01/1113046371_0:99:1536:1635_100x100_80_0_0_9c5c627283eca931c39fe4852bbb301c.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International 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 Chimauchem Nwosu https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/09/01/1113046371_0:99:1536:1635_100x100_80_0_0_9c5c627283eca931c39fe4852bbb301c.jpg uk farmer protests, farmer protests in the uk, uk farmer blockade. Announcing a series of significant achievements made over the course of 2023, the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) said it has registered a 10% increase in total registered memberships reaching 72,18 with 7,160 new members joining against 65,000 members recorded in 2022, a report said. According to SCCI data, the number of membership renewals in 2023 hit 55,087 across industrial, commercial, and professional sectors. Additionally, free zone memberships stood at 1,795, while exports and re-exports were valued at approximately AED33 billion ($9 billion), Emirates News Agency, WAM, said. These achievements reaffirm SCCIs commitment to fostering sustainable economic development within Sharjah, enhancing the growth of various economic sectors, improving the sustainable performance of the private sector, and attracting direct investments. Abdullah Sultan Al Owais, Chairman of SCCI, emphasised that the notable accomplishments made over the past year clearly reflect the chambers success in meeting the strategic goals of its 20222024 strategy. These include not only supporting the business sector and fostering sustainable economic practices, but also stimulating the growth and diversification of Sharjah's exports and investment inflows and enhancing the economic development trajectory of Sharjah, he said. Looking ahead, we will continue to focus on promoting Sharjahs economic competitiveness, through launching a series of projects and initiatives that promise to inject new vitality into the business community, bolstering the private sector's performance and its competitive standing on a global scale, Al Owais added. Mohammad Ahmed Amin Al Awadi, Director-General of SCCI, said: "The Sharjah Chamber, along with its affiliated entities, has made significant strides, propelling the external expansion of our members. We've deepened economic partnerships with key markets regionally and globally through proactive collaboration with specialised bodies, diplomatic missions, and official delegations. In 2023, we've held over 100 business meetings organised and participated in more than 10 investment seminars and forums, coupled with the signing and enactment of nine agreements and memoranda of understanding with various countries and international chambers of commerce. These achievements have played a pivotal role in bolstering Sharjah's economic presence internationally and facilitating our members' access to new markets," Al Awadi said. Al Awadi highlighted that in 2023, the chamber dispatched several trade missions abroad, aiming to widen its global trade partner network, foster closer ties with countries worldwide, spur business growth, and attract investment to the emirate by leading missions to nations like India, Uganda, and Kenya, where numerous business forums were hosted. The SCCI also engaged in organising, coordinating, and participating in events that support sectoral business groups on a regional and international scale, seeking new business investment opportunities. Moreover, the Sharjah Exports Development Centre, associated with the Chamber, represented the Emirate and its members at a wide range of international events and exhibitions over the last year. The marketing campaigns launched by the Chamber last year stood out for their remarkable success, profoundly influencing several economic sectors, notably retail and tourism. Among these, were the "Sharjah Summer Promotion 2023" "and Sharjah Ramadan Festival. Additionally, the "Sharjah Shopping Promotions" attracted thousands of shoppers from across the emirates and tourists to Sharjah's prime tourist spots and markets. This was particularly evident in the Eastern Region, home to the successful "Kalba Winter" initiative, further boosting the emirate's appeal as a shopping and tourism destination. Also in 2023, the Sharjah Excellence Award, organised annually by the Chamber as part of its commitment to fostering a culture of quality and institutional excellence as well as adopting best practices within the UAE and Gulf private sectors, underwent significant transformations. The Sharjah Training & Development Centre, operating under the umbrella of the SCCI, achieved notable success in its mission to improve workforce skills and knowledge. The centre conducted 66 training programmes, benefiting 588 individuals from both the public and private sectors. Additionally, it focused on the future generation and jobseekers by training and qualifying 71 students from various universities, colleges, and schools and jobseekers. Furthermore, 25 specialised internal training programmes were arranged for staff members, training 131 male and female employees for a total of 3,377 hours dedicated to enhancing the skills of the Chamber's workforce. Additionally, 16 field visits were conducted to observe the best practices of the Centre, and 105 Human Resources Department employees received training, totalling 1,260 hours. Moreover, 7 educational and awareness workshops and seminars were organised for both the Chamber's employees and individuals from the public and private sectors. The centre also signed five new cooperation agreements and memoranda of understanding, along with the implementation of two HACCP consultations in the food sector for the benefit of the private sector. Gaza's Hamas rulers warned on Saturday that Israel's planned army operation in overcrowded Rafah could cause "tens of thousands" of casualties in the city, the last refuge for displaced Palestinians. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the army to set its sights on Rafah. He told military and security officials late Friday to "submit to the cabinet a combined plan for evacuating the population and destroying the battalions" of Hamas in the southern city. Hamas said in a statement that any military action would have catastrophic repercussion that "may lead to tens of thousands of martyrs and injured if Rafah... is invaded". Netanyahu's announcement, coming after US President Joe Biden had issued his strongest criticism of Israel's response to the October 7 attack, sparked concern among world leaders and the United Nations. "The Israeli occupation's move threatens security and peace in the region and the world. This is a blatant violation of all red lines," said the office of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas. The EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borell posted on X, formerly Twitter, Saturday: "I echo the warning by several EU member states that an Israeli offensive on Rafah would lead to an unspeakable humanitarian catastrophe and grave tensions with Egypt. "Resuming negotiations to free hostages and suspend hostilities is the only way to avert a bloodshed." Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi warned "another bloodbath in Gaza cannot be allowed", in a post on X. British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said he was "deeply concerned about the prospect of a military offensive in Rafah. "The priority must be an immediate pause in the fighting to get aid in and hostages out," he posted. - Biden frustration - The war in Gaza was sparked by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Vowing to eliminate Hamas, Israel launched a massive military offensive in Gaza that the territory's health ministry says has killed at least 28,064 people, mostly women and children. Militants seized 250 hostages, 132 of whom are still in Gaza although 29 are presumed dead, Israel has said. The United States is Israel's main international backer, providing it with billions of dollars in military aid. The US State Department has said it does not support a ground offensive in Rafah, warning that, if not properly planned, such an operation risks "disaster". In a sign of growing frustration, Biden issued his strongest criticism of Israel yet on Thursday, describing the retaliation for Hamas's October 7 attack as "over the top". Biden said there are "a lot of innocent people who are starving... in trouble and dying, and it's got to stop." But Netanyahu's office said it would be "impossible" to achieve the war's objective of eliminating Hamas while leaving four of its battalions in Rafah. - Pressure on UNRWA chief - The Israeli military said it had killed two "senior Hamas operatives" in an air strike on Rafah Saturday. It was part of a wider bombardment that killed at least 25 people in the city, according to the health ministry. Israel's military claimed that troops had uncovered a Hamas tunnel under the evacuated Gaza City headquarters of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz called for its head, Philippe Lazzarini, to quit. Lazzarini said the agency had not operated from the compound since October 12 when staff evacuated it under instruction from Israeli forces. Already under pressure after Israel claimed 12 UNRWA staff were involved in the October 7 Hamas attack, he called for an independent investigation into the latest Israeli accusations. An AFP photographer was among a number of journalists taken to the compound and tunnel by the Israeli military on Thursday. UN premises are considered "inviolable" in international law and immune from "search, requisition, confiscation, expropriation and any other form of interference". Hamas has repeatedly denied Israeli accusations that it has dug a network of tunnels under schools, hospitals and other civilian infrastructure as cover for its activities. - 'Between life and death' - Fears are mounting over the fate of more than one million displaced Palestinians who have taken shelter in Rafah, many of them in plastic tents pushed up against the border with Egypt. "We are between life and death," said one of them, Bassel Matar. "We don't know if there will be hope tomorrow for a truce or there will be changes on the ground." Rafah is the last major population centre in the Gaza Strip that Israeli troops have yet to enter and also the main point of entry for desperately needed relief supplies. Humanitarian organisations have expressed alarm at the prospect of a ground incursion. The UN children's fund, UNICEF, warned this week that "thousands more could die in the violence or lack of essential services". Netanyahu announced the plan for a ground operation in Rafah only days after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Israel seeking a ceasefire and hostage-prisoner exchange. The impact of the war has been felt widely, with violence involving Iran-backed allies of Hamas surging across the Middle East. A senior Hamas officer survived an Israeli assassination attempt in Lebanon, Palestinian and Lebanese security sources told AFP, but two other people including a Hezbollah member were killed in the attack. And in Syria, Israeli strikes near Damascus killed three people, a war monitor said, adding the targeted neighbourhood hosted villas for top military and civilian officials. burs-jj/caw https://sputnikglobe.com/20240211/uk-foreign-secretary-concerned-about-possible-israeli-attack-on-gazas-rafah-1116720242.html UK Foreign Secretary Concerned About Possible Israeli Attack on Gazas Rafah UK Foreign Secretary Concerned About Possible Israeli Attack on Gazas Rafah Sputnik International UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron said on Saturday that he is concerned over Israel's planned ground operation in the southern Gazan city of Rafah. 2024-02-11T05:51+0000 2024-02-11T05:51+0000 2024-02-11T05:51+0000 world palestine-israel conflict israel united kingdom (uk) rafah hamas david cameron palestinians benjamin netanyahu middle east https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/0c/15/1115732548_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_93afb7673b2957ce88a2918cf3ee8c13.jpg Israel has been pounding Rafah for several days in preparation for a ground offensive that aims to root out Hamas. The city is the last refuge for over a million Palestinians who were told to relocate south during the past four months of the Israeli military operation in the enclave. He added that "the priority must be an immediate pause in the fighting to get aid in and hostages out," followed by progress towards a sustainable and permanent ceasefire. The United States, Canada, Germany and other Western allies of Israel have criticized the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for ordering a ground operation in the packed city, warning of an imminent humanitarian disaster. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240207/israel-to-continue-military-operation-in-gaza-strip-until-full-victory---netanyahu-1116649957.html israel united kingdom (uk) rafah 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 uk foreign secretary, david cameron, israel's planned ground operation in the southern gazan city of rafah https://sputnikglobe.com/20240211/unrwa-to-face-budget-deficit-from-march---head-1116719684.html UNRWA to Face Budget Deficit From March - Head UNRWA to Face Budget Deficit From March - Head Sputnik International The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees will face a negative budget balance from March, the agency's Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said in an interview with Japanese broadcaster NHK. 2024-02-11T05:41+0000 2024-02-11T05:41+0000 2024-02-11T05:41+0000 world palestine-israel conflict middle east philippe lazzarini palestinians sergey lavrov gaza strip israel finland israel defense forces (idf) https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/01/1f/1116503916_0:0:3130:1762_1920x0_80_0_0_9ed5096406dd55f3ade315abb4f3a118.jpg The UNRWA will face a negative budget balance from March, the agency's Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said in an interview with Japanese broadcaster NHK.The problems came after more than 10 countries cut off funding for the organization amid Israeli accusations that the agency's staff were involved in the October 7, 2023 attack on the country by the Palestinian Hamas movement.The UNRWA had earlier received information from Israel about the alleged involvement of some of its staff in the October 7 Hamas attack on the country, and decided to terminate their contracts.Russia confirmed its support for the activities of the UNRWA, which is a key structure for providing comprehensive assistance to Palestinians in the face of the unresolved refugee problem, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.It is wrong to collectively punish the UNRWA before properly investigating the involvement of some of its staff members in the attack on Israel, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday.In a separate development, Philippe Lazzarini said that the organization could not confirm reports that Hamas infrastructure had allegedly been discovered under the UNRWA's main headquarters in the Gaza Strip.He added that during periods of "no active conflict," the UNRWA conducted inspections of its premises every quarter, with the last inspection completed in September 2023.On Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that it had allegedly discovered a Hamas tunnel under the main headquarters of the UNRWA in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli forces also conducted raids on the building, where they reportedly found weapons and ammunition. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240130/twenty-humanitarian-organizations-urge-donors-to-resume-funding-for-unrwa-1116484030.html gaza strip israel finland 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 united nations relief and works agency for palestine refugees, budget balance, budget deficit https://sputnikglobe.com/20240211/worlds-top-five-mightiest-icebreaker-fleets-1116728280.html Worlds Top Five Mightiest Icebreaker Fleets Worlds Top Five Mightiest Icebreaker Fleets Sputnik International In December 2023, the United States unilaterally announced a claim to a huge chunk of seabed well outside its internationally-recognized boundaries off the northern coast of Alaska. Does the US have the resources to enforce its claim? And how do its capabilities stack up against those of other major maritime powers? Sputnik explores. 2024-02-11T17:46+0000 2024-02-11T17:46+0000 2024-02-11T17:46+0000 world russia sweden arctic coast guard navy united nations convention on the law of the sea (unclos) uscgc healy sibir finland https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/102542/01/1025420164_0:93:3311:1955_1920x0_80_0_0_6babb3d5453f43935ddc1530ab6286a0.jpg The State Department has a problem. Firstly, to legally protect its encroachment on the piece of seabed in the Arctic which it claims as part of its continental shelf, Washington would have to pay lip service to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which outlines the rules for states claiming continental shelves beyond the internationally recognized 200 nautical mile limit. The first rule? Signing and ratifying the treaty, and only ten years after that submitting claims.Secondly, if it proceeds with its continental shelf claims without UN approval, the US would have to be able to protect its claims by the tangible threat of force, including by using ships and aircraft capable of patrolling the area. The US claim announced in December is not expected to create any disputes with Russia, but will overlap with Canada over a piece of the floor of the Beaufort Sea off the Northwest Territories.Unfortunately for Washington, its geopolitical appetites dont appear to match its capabilities. Not only is its icebreaker fleet surprisingly tiny, but, according to recent reports, its engineers have apparently forgotten how to reliably produce the thick, hardened steel needed to reinforce Arctic-going ships hulls.For these and other reasons, including decades of neglect of its existing icebreaker potential, the United States just barely scrapes into the list of top five countries by icebreaker capability.#5: United StatesAmericas national icebreaker fleet consists of the US Coast Guards Polar Star, a Lockheed Shipbuilding-built icebreaker commissioned in 1976, placed in reserve in 2006, and recommissioned in 2012. The 13,500-ton Polar-class vessel is the only heavy icebreaker in the US fleet capable of sustained, independent operations in the thick ice-covered waters of the Arctic Ocean, able to crack through ice an impressive 6.4 meters thick. The USCGC Healy is the other icebreaker operated by the Coast Guard, displacing 16,257 tons full load, plowing through ice up to 3 meters thick in ramming mode, and hailed as Americas most technologically advanced icebreaker. The ship was commissioned in 1999.Besides that are three smaller icebreakers used by the National Science Foundation, an independence federal agency engaged in research into all non-medical fields of science. Its ships, built in the 1990s and mid-2010s, include the Nathaniel B Palmer, the RV Laurence M. Gould and the RV Sikuliaq. These vessels operate comfortably in between 0.3 (the Gould) and 0.75 meters (the Sikuliaq) of ice. The Gould and the Palmer are typically stationed in Antarctic waters, while the Sikuliaq, an indigenous word meaning young sea ice, operates off Alaska.The Coast Guard has ambitious plans for expansion, expecting to get three new heavy icebreakers, and three medium ones, in the coming years and decades. Delivery of the first ship of the new fleet has been delayed from 2024 until at least 2027, with the service requesting $125 million for the purchase and modification of a commercially available polar icebreaker built in the USA to bridge the gap as the flagship Polar Star rapidly approaches the 50-years-old mark.#4: SwedenSweden, which does not have direct access to the Arctic from its coast, or any maritime territory above the Arctic Circle, nonetheless maintains an impressive fleet of icebreakers, mostly for patrolling the northernmost waters of the Gulf of Bothnia and in at least one case, a large inland lake. Sweden operates up to seven icebreakers, five of them the Ale, the Atle, the Frej, the Oden and the Ymer, run by the Swedish Maritime Administration. The Ale is a 1,540 ton escort icebreaker, purpose built in the 1970s to sail in Lake Vanern, situated in southern Sweden about 150 km southeast of the border with Norway.The Atle, Frej and Ymer are Atle class icebreakers, built at the legendary Wartsila Helsinki Shipyard in Finland between 1974 and 1977. These ships are 104.5 meters long and displace 9,500 tons, and feature a dual rudder and dual bow propeller system that can crack ice at thicknesses of between 0.75 and 1 meters. The newest ship in Swedens icebreaker fleet is the Oden, a research vessel built in 1988 and originally tasked with escorting commercial vessels. The ship displaces up to 13,000 tons, and can power through ice up to 5 meters thick, with enough capacity to spare for operations in Arctic waters, pending supply support from a friend in the region. Sweden plans to built at least three new icebreakers, with the first expected to be delivered in 2027 at the earliest.#3: FinlandFinlands icebreaker fleet packs a surprisingly strong punch, facilitated by the countrys northern geography, and decades of successful shipbuilding cooperation and sales to its neighbors, Sweden and Russia. The countrys fleet, which includes nine major icebreaking ships, plus one icebreaking-capable special-use ship operated by the Navy, includes the oldest ships in this list: The Voima, commissioned all the way back in 1954, and refit in the late 1970s and again in 2016, is classed as an 1A Super icebreaker, enabling it to break up sea ice up to 1.2 meters thick at speeds of 2 knots.The Urho and Otso-class (two ships each) displace 9,660 tons and 9,222 tons, respectively, and were built in the 1970s and 1980s to operate in Gulf of Bothnia and Gulf of Finland waters, where ice can reach up to 45 cm thick during winter. The Navy-operated ship is called the Louhi, is owned by the Finnish Environmental Institute, and is classified as an oil and chemical spill response vessel. The ship has a 3,450-ton displacement, and can penetrate ice ridges up to an impressive 5 meters thick, while operating at speeds up to 9.5 knots in 1-meter thick ice.#2: CanadaCanada, Russias Arctic neighbor to the north, has an Arctic coastline stretching a whopping 162,000 kilometers thanks to 94 major and 36,400+ minor islands covering a territory of some 1.4 million square kilometers. That makes a large and diverse icebreaker fleet essential for assuring the countrys sovereign claims. Canadas Coast Guard operates at least 15 icebreakers (about half of them capable of operations in the far north), at least three icebreaker/tug/supply vessels purchased from Sweden, and two offshore patrol vessels with icebreaking capabilities operated by the Navy.The flagship of Canadas icebreaking fleet is the Louis S. St-Laurent, a massive, 15,324 ton heavy icebreaker commissioned in 1969 and undergoing refits in the late 1980s and 2000, with room for two Bell 429 helicopters onboard and enough space to comfortably supply 46 crew for over 6 months at a time. The ship can break through ice between three and five meters thick, with its ice horn designed to protect the rudder.Other prominent vessels in the fleet include four ships of the Pierre Radisson-class of medium icebreakers, which weigh 8,180 tons fully loaded and can plow through ice a meter thick at speeds up to 6 knots, and the Martha L. Black class featuring six light icebreakers built in the 1980s weighing about 4,740 tons full load, and operating off British Columbia, Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nova Scotia.The Canadian Navys icebreaking-capable warships including the HMCS Harry DeWolf and the HMCS Margaret Brooke, which can slash through first-year sea ice up to 120 centimeters thick.#1 RussiaDwarfing the rest of the countries in this list, with more icebreakers than the rest of the planet put together, is Russia, whose fleet includes about 45 large icebreakers (seven of them nuclear-powered), well over a dozen off-shore icebreaking anchor-handling tug supply vessels, at least seven icebreaking-capable warships, and three research and survey vessels.The nuclear-powered portion of the fleet includes the Yamal, the 50 Let Pobedy, the Taymyr, the Vaygach, and the brand new Project 22220 series Arktika, Sibir and Ural vessels, which were commissioned in 2020, 2021 and 2022, respectively (the fourth ship, the Yakutiya is set to join them this year, while the Chukotka, Leningrad and Stalingrad are expected by 2030). These massive, 173.3 meter-long ships have a complement of 75, helideck and hangar, and are propelled by two RITM-200 175 MWt-apiece nuclear reactors and twin turbo generators, allowing them to accelerate to speeds of up to 22 knots through open waters, or 1.5-2 knots in ice 2.8 meters thick (with the ability to operate in ice up to 4 meters thick at slower speeds).Russia owes its nuclear icebreaking prowess to the Lenin, the worlds first nuclear-powered icebreaker, commissioned in 1959 and turned into a museum ship permanently docked in Murmansk in 1989.An even larger icebreaker, the Project 10510 Rossiya, which is 219 meters long and displaces nearly 70,000 tons, will be able to crack through 4-meter thick ice with ease, and leave a large, 47.7 meter-wide path for any ships it happens to be escorting. The ships 127-person crew will be able to operate non-stop for up to 8 months at a time, enough to ensure comfortable year-round for operations through Russias Northern Sea Route passage.Diesel-powered ships in the Russian icebreaking fleet include the Admiral Makarov, a veteran scientific and supply ship commissioned in 1975, seven ships total of the Kapitan Sorokin and Mudyug-class icebreakers built for the USSR by Finland in the 1970s and 1980s, and the new Project 21900 ships, the Moskva and the Sankt-Peterburg, built in 2008 and 2009, respectively. The latter displace 14,300 tons, and crack through ice up to 1.5 meters. A modernized model of the Project 21900, Project 21900M, has been built from 2015 onward, and includes the Vladivostok, Murmansk and Novorossiysk. Two more, the Arkhangelsk and the Vyborg, are on the way and may be delivered as soon as this year.The Russian Navys complement of icebreakers includes the Ilya Muromets, a 6,000 ton-displacement vessel commissioned in 2017 featuring a unique contra-rotating propeller design, and the Evpatiy Kolovrat, which displaces 4,080 tons, and is expected to be commissioned by the Pacific Fleet later this year. The ships are expected to facilitate naval operations in ice up to 1.5 meters thick.Finally yet importantly are Russias active icebreaking research ships, the Mikhail Somev, Akademik Fedorov and Akademik Tryoshnikov, built between the mid-1970s and the early 2010s. These vessels are between 133.5 and 141 meters long, displace between 16,200-16,500 tons, and are classed for independent operations through ice between 1.4 and 3.2 meters thick. Scientists the world over owe much of our fundamental knowledge about the most remote regions of the Arctic and Antarctic to Soviet and Russian icebreaking research ship technology, and to the many thousands of researchers and scholars who have worked aboard them over the decades. https://sputnikglobe.com/20231225/bypassing-unclos-why-us-extended-continental-shelf-claims-are-tricky-1115807227.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230522/what-is-northern-sea-route-and-how-can-it-turn-russia-into-arctic-superpower-1110524259.html russia sweden arctic finland 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 who has the most icebreakers in the world, what country has the most icebreakers, who has the most powerful icebreakers, does russia have the most powerful icebreakers A Maryland woman wanted in Culpeper and elsewhere in connection with a potential retail theft ring was recently arrested in Baltimore, two months after police said she left a trauma center in Charlottesville following a police chase and crash in a vehicle driven by her alleged accomplice. Danielle Starliper, 43, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, was taken into custody on Jan. 30, by the Maryland State Police Apprehension Team and U.S. Marshals-Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. She was served her outstanding warrant from the Culpeper Police Department and additional warrants obtained by other law enforcement agencies in Virginia and Maryland, according to a CPD release. On Nov. 27, 2023, Burnie was a passenger in an SUV driven by Dominique Gross, 30, of Severn, Maryland, involved in a police chase with Culpeper Police and the sheriffs office. A hit on the towns new Flock camera system initiated the traffic stop on the suspect vehicle connected to outstanding warrants related to shoplifting incidents last November at big box stores in Culpeper, according to police. Both suspects were apprehended after their vehicle crashed; both were injured. Starliper was transported to UVA Health Culpeper Medical Center with serious injuries and later medically transferred to UVA University Hospital in Charlottesville. After arriving that same night, police say the woman left the trauma center against medical advice and prior to local law enforcement being able to serve her on her outstanding warrants. This remains an active and on-going investigation. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact MPO V. Grimes at VGrimes@culpeperva.gov or email tips@culpeperva.gov. Callers who wish to remain anonymous can submit tips by calling Culpeper Crime Solvers at 540/727-0300 or submitting a tip at culpeperpd.org. According to experts monitoring the energy sector, generating 36 megawatts of electricity through photovoltaic collectors necessitates the installation of a minimum of 66,000 panels, Athr Press reports. Earlier this week, the Ministry of Electricity authorized a Chinese company, represented by an approved agent in Syria, to commence the implementation of a photovoltaic project aimed at generating 36 megawatts of electricity using solar energy within a maximum time frame of 24 months. This project, costing over 489 billion Syrian pounds, will be executed in six phases. Regarding the projects scope, nature, and location, Omar al-Burijawi, the Director General of the General Organization for Electricity Generation, informed Athr Press: We recently issued a directive to one of our contractors, serving as an agent for a Chinese firm, to initiate a photovoltaic project with a capacity of 37 megawatts in the Jandar area of Homs countryside. Burijawi highlighted the contractors demonstrated commitment, stating they were mobilized to the worksite approximately four days ago. He expressed optimism about the contractors potential for delivering promising results in the future. He emphasized that projects with full funding receive priority, streamlining the implementation process according to the planned stages. Expected savings from the project According to experts monitoring the energy sector, generating 36 megawatts of electricity through photovoltaic collectors necessitates installing a minimum of 66,000 panels, each with a capacity of 545 watts per receiver. As per expert analysis, the anticipated annual electricity output from the project is around 60 million kilowatt hours. This substantial output translates to significant savings for the government, estimated at about 15,000 tons of fuel per year, along with a reduction in carbon emissions by approximately 42,000 tons. Electricity is moving to withdraw the 300 megawatt project from a foreign company: In a related development, due to the failure of a project that was initiated over two years ago with the UAE-based company International Energy Investment, Athr Press has learned from reliable sources within the Ministry of Electricity about ongoing discussions regarding the potential withdrawal of the project. Signed on November 11, 2021, the project involved collaboration with Emirati companies to establish a photovoltaic power station with a capacity of 300 megawatts in the Wadi al-Rabeeh area, near the Tishreen power station in Damascus countryside. The agreement between the parties outlined the construction of the power station on a turnkey basis, with 100% financing secured through quarterly installment payments over a 10-year period. These payments were structured to commence after each section of the project was commissioned, with a two-year grace period. However, due to delays and deviations from the planned timeline, there is a growing inclination to terminate the project. 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. Sources reported to Athr Press changes in the SDF's military leadership. Several members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were killed in attacks carried out by Arab tribal fighters on Friday, targeting multiple SDF positions in the eastern and western countryside of Deir-ez-Zor. According to sources from Athr Press, Arab tribal fighters targeted a military point in the town of al-Shaafa in the eastern countryside of Deir-ez-Zor on Friday evening. This attack resulted in the deaths of five SDF members, with another member losing contact at the mentioned point. Simultaneously, another military point, al-Sanour, in the town of Abu Hamam in the eastern countryside, was also targeted. In the western countryside, an attack occurred on a military point of the SDF in the town of al-Sowa. In a related development, sources reported changes in the SDFs military leadership. The so-called Ankiel was removed from the command of the Hajin Military Arena, and another leader named Hawker was appointed instead. There is speculation that Ankiel may assume the position of the former leader, Sherwan Hassan, also known by his nom de guerre Ronnie Walat. Hassan was targeted in a bombing incident after leaving his office at the American base in the al-Omar oil field in early December 2023. Walat was a member of the SDF Council and held a significant role in the Deir-ez-Zor Military Council, where he served as its de facto ruler. 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. The wave of arrests appears to have been triggered by recent U.S. military strikes targeting the headquarters and warehouses of Iranian militias in Deir-ez-Zor, Syria TV writes. In recent days, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) militia, along with military intelligence units associated with regime forces, have detained numerous Syrian individuals affiliated with Iranian militias. According to reports from the North Press website, over 100 individuals were apprehended in the region spanning from Deir-ez-Zor to the al-Ashara area near the city of al-Mayadeen, situated to the east of Deir-ez-Zor. Citing a military source within the intelligence apparatus, the website indicates that the Syrians associated with Iranian factions were detained on grounds of security concerns. The source elaborated that the area is undergoing heightened security measures amid fears of potential information leakage regarding the movements of Iranian militias. Notably, regime forces have deployed mobile patrols in the region, conducting random searches of passersby over the course of several days. The wave of arrests appears to have been triggered by recent U.S. military strikes targeting the headquarters and warehouses of Iranian militias in Deir-ez-Zor. These strikes were conducted in response to the killing of U.S. soldiers in Jordan. Tensions escalated further on Sunday as clashes erupted between Iraqi and Lebanese nationals and Syrian individuals who had fled their headquarters, fearing U.S airstrikes targeting Iranian militias in the region. According to the reports, Iraqi and Lebanese members shot at the fleeing Syrians, leading to brief but intense clashes. Among those injured were Haidar Yaqout and Suhaib sl-Ahmad, both from the Palmyra area in eastern Homs. 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. Abdollahian condemned the illegal presence of U.S. forces in Syria. In a series of high-profile meetings that underscored the deepening ties between Syria and Iran against a backdrop of regional conflict and political upheaval, Damascus became the focal point of critical diplomatic discussions. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad engaged in pivotal talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, highlighting a shared stance on several key issues, including the situation in Gaza and the presence of foreign forces in Syrian territory. During a joint press conference following their meeting, Minister Mekdad articulated the profound discussions held with the Iranian delegation, led by Abdollahian, which covered a broad spectrum of developments in the region. A significant portion of the dialogue was dedicated to what Mekdad described as the heroic steadfastness of the people in the Gaza Strip. Both nations expressed a unified position on the necessity of supporting the Palestinian people in Gaza, who they claim are facing genocide committed by the Israeli occupation. Mekdad also emphasized the urgency for American and Turkish military forces to vacate Syrian lands, labeling their actions as crimes against humanity. He further accused the Zionist entity of launching repeated aggressions on Syrian soil, attributing these acts to Syrias longstanding resistance to Israeli plans since its establishment. Echoing Mekdads sentiments, Abdollahian shared insights from his discussions with President al-Assad, focusing on the latest regional developments and the determination of both countries to significantly advance cooperation across various sectors, including economy, trade, and industry. Abdollahian relayed an official invitation to President al-Assad from Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi for a state visit to Iran, signalling a further strengthening of bilateral relations. Abdollahian condemned the illegal presence of U.S. forces in Syria and expressed his condolences for the victims of recent American military actions. He strongly denounced the Zionist entitys attempts to forcibly displace Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank, affirming that such actions would not go unanswered. In a separate but related engagement, President al-Assad received Minister Abdollahian for talks that extended beyond bilateral relations to address the broader spectrum of regional dynamics. President al-Assad criticized the U.S. for its role in perpetuating the Israeli aggression on Gaza and warned of the potential for conflict expansion due to continuous Western support for Israel. He highlighted the importance of standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people and lamented the international communitys failure, especially the Security Council, to halt the ongoing atrocities in Gaza. These discussions between Syrian and Iranian officials not only reinforce their mutual support for Palestine but also illustrate the complexities of regional politics, where alliances and diplomatic efforts are crucial in navigating the challenges posed by external interventions and longstanding disputes. The meetings in Damascus mark a significant moment in the continuing narrative of Middle Eastern geopolitics, reflecting both the enduring tensions and the efforts towards solidarity and cooperation amidst a landscape marked by conflict. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Your daily brief of the English-speaking press on Syria. Israeli airstrikes reportedly targeted multiple locations on the outskirts of Damascus on Saturday, as stated by the Syrian military. Meanwhile, a war monitor reported that three individuals lost their lives in the assaults. Amir Abdollahians visit to Lebanon and Syria has prompted many analysts to suggest that Tehran is endeavoring to reconfigure regional alliances and power structures to align with its strategic objectives. Syrian military claims Israeli airstrikes hit near Damascus; war monitor: 3 dead Israeli airstrikes allegedly hit several sites on the outskirts of Damascus on Saturday, according to the Syrian military, while a war monitor said three people were killed in the attacks. The strikes came from the direction of the Golan Heights, Syrian state news agency SANA reported, citing an unnamed military official. It added that Syrian air defenses shot down some missiles and those that landed resulted in some material losses. It was not immediately clear if there were casualties. There was no immediate comment from Israel. Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said on Saturday that three people were killed in early morning strikes that targeted a building in an upscale area near the Syrian capital. The war monitor said that the strikes may have killed figures of non-Syrian nationalities though it could not immediately confirm whether the dead were fighters. Rahman added that many other people were injured in the strikes on a neighborhood hosting villas for top military and officials. Videos circulating on social media on Saturday morning appeared to show the aftermath of the alleged Israeli strikes, including a multi-story residential building in rubble. Since the Gaza war erupted, sparked by Hamass October 7 massacres, Israel has stepped up a years-long campaign of airstrikes aimed at rolling back Irans presence in Syria, attacking both Irans Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah, which has been exchanging fire with Israel across the Lebanese-Israeli border since October 8. Israel rarely comments on its attacks in Syria and has not declared responsibility for the recent strikes there, aside from its responses to the firing of projectiles launched from Syria. U.S.-led coalition blocks attacks at Conoco oil field in Syria, source says Air defence systems operated by U.S.-led coalition troops based in eastern Syria halted six drone attacks targeting their base at the Conoco oil field on Saturday, a security source told Reuters. The source did not tell Reuters if there were casualties. Coalition troops and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who together fight remnants of the Islamic State group, have faced increased attacks by Iran-backed groups in Syria and Iraq since Hamass attack against Israel on Oct. 7. The head of the SDF, General Mazloum Abdi, told Reuters last week that the U.S. should send additional air defence systems to Syria to protect their bases, after six SDF fighters were killed in one of the drone attacks. Another drone attack blamed on Iran-backed groups on a border outpost in Jordan killed three U.S. soldiers. Top general leading U.S.-backed Kurdish forces in Syria warns of ISIS resurgence Commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces warned Thursday theres been a spike in ISIS activity in Syria recently, as ISIS tries to take advantage of tensions in the Middle East. Gen. Mazloum Abdi Kobane, the commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, told reporters in a Zoom briefing Thursday that the escalation of attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed forces since October has impeded their efforts to prevent ISIS from resurging. Were seeing that ISIS is taking the benefit from all these attacks, and we have seen a spike in movements of ISIS, he told reporters through a translator. The SDF and the U.S. work together in Syria in the global coalition to defeat ISIS. The U.S. has about 900 troops in Syria, 2,500 in Iraq, and a few hundred in Jordan as a part of that mission. Those forces have been attacked at least 168 times by Iranian-backed groups since Oct. 17. Kobane said that if U.S. forces withdraw, there would be chaos and a gap that many actors would want to exploit. He said he has been reassured by U.S. officials that the U.S. is not planning on withdrawing from Syria anytime soon. At the same time, Iraq has begun discussions with the U.S. about an eventual transition away from the coalition mission to a bilateral security mission, which could include a reduction in the number of U.S. troops in Iraq. The talks have been expected since August but come as the Iraqi government has expressed concern over retaliatory airstrikes the U.S. has launched inside of Iraq. An Israeli drone strike in Lebanon kills 2 in one of the deepest hits inside the country in weeks An Israeli drone struck a car near Lebanons southern port city of Sidon on Saturday, killing at least two people and wounding two others, security officials said. The strike came as tensions across the Middle East grow with the Israel-Hamas war, a drone attack last month that killed three U.S. troops in northeastern Jordan near the Syrian border, and attacks by Yemens Iran-backed Houthi rebels on vessels passing through the Red Sea. The drone strike near the coastal town of Jadra took place about 60 kilometers (37 miles) from the Israeli border, making it one of the farthest inside Lebanon since violence erupted along the Lebanon-Israel border on Oct. 8, a day after Hamas attack in southern Israel. An Israeli security official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said the target of the strike in Sidon was Hamas official Basel Saleh, who was injured to an unknown extent. The official said Saleh was responsible for enlistment of new Hamas recruits in Gaza and the West Bank. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., center, is joined by fellow Democrats as they discuss a national security memorandum with the Biden administration aimed at ensuring all weapons acquired through U.S. security assistance is used in line with international law, including international humanitarian law, at the Capitol in Washington, Friday, Feb. 9, 2024. Van Hollen is joined by, from left, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Biden order attaches human rights conditions to US military aid, easing Democratic rift over Israel Two Lebanese security officials said the strike damaged a car and killed two people, including one on a motorcycle. They spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. What is Irans strategy against Israel amid FMs Middle East trips? analysis The article provides an in-depth analysis of Irans regional strategy, particularly against Israel, as seen through the activities and statements of Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian during his Middle East trips, CBS reported. Iran, known as the main backer of both Hezbollah and Hamas, aims to maintain these groups as operational entities against Israel. This support is part of Irans broader strategy to confront Israel indirectly through proxy forces. Amir Abdollahians tour included stops in Lebanon, Syria, and plans to visit Qatar. In Lebanon, he issued threats against Israel, suggesting a conflict with Hezbollah would lead to significant consequences for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This rhetoric underscores Irans strategy of using strong, aggressive language to challenge Israel and signal its support for allied groups in the region. Irans support for the Syrian regime and the establishment of proxy forces armed with rockets and drones in Syria and Iraq highlight its strategic depth in the region. This network enables Iran to pose a multifaceted threat to both Israel and U.S. interests, exemplified by the action of Iranian proxies like Kataib Hezbollah. The meetings in Syria, attended by a significant Iranian delegation, focused on bilateral issues, indicating Irans intent to solidify its alliance with the Syrian government and coordinate on matters affecting regional dynamics. The exclusion of Iran from a meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Saudi Arabia, despite its active involvement in regional issues, underscores the regional polarization and the challenges Iran faces in gaining broader Arab support for its policies. Irans overarching agenda in the region, as deduced from the article, includes pushing the U.S. out of the Middle East, isolating and weakening Israel, and using proxy groups like Hezbollah and Hamas to threaten Israeli security. Additionally, Irans involvement in supporting the Houthis and participating in naval drills with China and Russia illustrates its ambition to extend its influence and counter Western presence in strategic areas like the Red Sea. The article highlights Irans multifaceted strategy in the Middle East, which combines diplomatic moves, support for proxy groups, and military posturing to achieve its regional objectives. This approach aims not only to challenge Israel directly but also to reshape regional alliances and power dynamics in favor of Irans strategic interests. The Syrian Writers Association mourns the loss of poet Nasser Bunduq, arrested in 2014, according to al-Modon. The Syrian Writers Association mourns the loss of poet Nasser Bunduq, who was forcibly taken by the regimes oppressive forces a decade ago. He was arrested on 17/02/2014, and all communication with him ceased thereafter. Tragically, his family learned of his demise under brutal torture in the dungeons of the Assad regime, confirmed by his recorded death in the Civil Registry Departments records. In a solemn statement, the Association reflects on Nasser Bunduqs story as emblematic of the plight faced by countless Syrians who bravely rose for freedom and dignity, only to vanish into the abyss of Assad regimes tyranny. In solidarity, both domestic and exiled writers raise their voices demanding the release of political prisoners and the revelation of the fates of the disappeared. They call upon all Arab and foreign writers associations and unions to stand with Syrians in their quest for freedom. According to Amnesty International, Nasser Saber Bunduq, employed by the Ministry of Information and involved in aiding internally displaced persons, was apprehended during a raid on his home in Sahnaya, a suburb of Damascus, on 17 February 2014. Jihan Amin, a human rights lawyer from the same neighborhood, was also arrested during the operation but was released in April 2014. Jihan informed Nassers family that she had seen him at Military Intelligences Branch 227 in Damascus. Despite relentless inquiries from his family, Syrian authorities have remained silent on his whereabouts. Nassers wife, Fariza, expresses her agony amidst uncertainty, grappling with the proliferation of rumors surrounding her husbands fate. Family members speculate that his participation in early protests may have led to his arrest. Fariza reminisces, We never anticipated his arrest. Despite his involvement in peaceful protests and his commendable work for the Ministry of Information, we believed he was shielded from such risks. She describes Nasser as a poet, a skilled writer, and a devoted father, cherished even by those who held differing views. To me, he was not just a husband but my closest confidant. His absence has left an irreplaceable void, but we must forge ahead, as that is what Nasser would have wanted. 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. From Zarastro Art: Black women artists have encountered several challenges throughout history due to their color and gender. They have demonstrated incredible tenacity and determination in the face of obstacles given by the predominance of white male artists, making vital contributions to movements such as the Black Arts Movement, Harlem Revolution, Black Feminist Movement, and Civil Rights Movement. The groundbreaking work of their predecessors, who defined how Black women artists are perceived and celebrated in the art world, served as inspiration for contemporary Black women artists. Artists like Alma Thomas, Lois Mailou Jones, Betye Saar, and Howardena Pindell have used cutting-edge ideas and techniques across a variety of mediums to explore topics connected to their cultural backgrounds and personal experiences. They have made a name for themselves as leaders, and their vision and insight have motivated countless others. More here. (Note: In honor of Black History Month, at least one post will be devoted to its 2024 theme of African Americans and the Arts throughout the month of February) Midjourney considers ban on Political images amid election misinformation concerns; Suffolk expert forecasts AI to takeover in coding within a decade; AI Pilot project saves lives by detecting heart attacks in Assam Hospitals; Adnan Sami supports positive use of AI in music creation- this and more in our daily roundup. Let us take a look. 1. Midjourney considers ban on Political images amid election misinformation concerns AI firm Midjourney considers banning creation of political images, including those of Joe Biden and Donald Trump, to prevent misuse during the 2024 US presidential election. CEO David Holz stated the possibility of implementing this measure for the next 12 months, expressing concerns over potential misinformation. Recent controversies, such as AI-generated pornographic imagery featuring Taylor Swift, have heightened the need for stricter safeguards, The Guardian reported. 2. Suffolk expert forecasts AI to takeover in coding within a decade Suffolk experts predict AI to replace human coders within a decade. Creative Computing Club founder Matthew Applegate anticipates AI's dominance in coding, foreseeing its integration into various domains. Despite concerns, a House of Lords committee advocates embracing AI's potential benefits. Applegate highlights AI's rapid progress, citing GitHub as a crucial resource for training AI in coding practices, estimating a decade left for teaching traditional coding methods, BBC reported. 3. AI Pilot project saves lives by detecting heart attacks in Assam Hospitals AI aids in combating heart attacks in Assam government hospitals through the STEMI Assam pilot project, operational in 10 critical peripheral centers. Since its launch in October, it has screened over 1,300 symptomatic cardiac patients, detecting around 40 critical cases, including nine STEMIs, within 10 minutes, enabling timely interventions. The initiative aims to extend rapid diagnosis and treatment to all community health facilities, according to a Times of India report. 4. Adnan Sami supports positive use of AI in music creation Adnan Sami advocates for the positive utilisation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in music creation. Amidst ongoing debates, he emphasises embracing technology's potential while acknowledging its dual nature. Sami praises AI's role in recreating his song with Kishore Kumar's voice and supports AR Rahman's use of AI in his latest track. Despite some criticisms, Sami believes AI offers new creative possibilities in music, ANI reported. 5. Korean AI chatbot Hellobot goes global on Google Play Thingsflow's AI chatbot, Hellobot, earns global recognition as it becomes the first Korean chatbot service featured on Google Play. Hellobot, offering diverse functionalities like love tarot and fortune telling, is now accessible to users in Singapore, the Philippines, and Malaysia. Thingsflow aims to capitalise on this achievement to expand its presence and enhance profitability in the global market, according to a report by Koreaherald.com Also, read these top stories today: The new and terrible face of war is here! Israel's army has deployed some AI-enabled military technology in combat for the first time in Gaza, raising fears about the use of autonomous weapons in modern warfare. Know all about it here. Found it interesting? Go on, and share it with everyone you know. Looking for an iPhone with a discount? Look no further! Here is iPhone 14 Plus and it comes with a big discount. Jump right in here. If you enjoyed reading this article, please forward it to your friends and family. Layoffs or not? How top companies in the world are fudging what they call the fact of sacking employees. Amid a slew of job cuts, companies opt for euphemistic and vague synonyms, like rightsizing and org changes. Know what it is all about here. 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: Elon Musk addresses the European Jewish Association's conference, in Krakow, Poland, Monday, Jan. 22, 2024. Musks brain implant company Neuralink has moved its legal corporate home from Delaware to Nevada. The move came just over a week after a Delaware judge struck down Musks $55.8 billion pay package as CEO of Tesla. Neuralink became a Nevada company on Thursday, Feb. 8. Credit: AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski, File Elon Musk's brain implant company Neuralink has moved its legal corporate home from Delaware to Nevada after a Delaware judge struck down Musk's $55.8 billion pay package as CEO of Tesla. Neuralink, which has its physical headquarters in Fremont, California, became a Nevada company on Thursday, according to state records. Delaware records also list the company's legal home as Nevada. The move comes after Musk wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that shareholders of Austin-based Tesla would be asked to consider moving the company's corporate registration to Texas. "Never incorporate your company in the state of Delaware," he wrote in one post after the court ruling. He later added, "I recommend incorporating in Nevada or Texas if you prefer shareholders to decide matters." Legal experts say most corporations set up legal shop in Delaware because laws there favor corporations. "Delaware built its preferred state of incorporation business by being friendly to company management, not shareholders," said Erik Gordon, a business and law professor at the University of Michigan. On Jan. 30, Delaware Chancellor Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick invalidated the pay package that Tesla established for Musk in 2018, ruling that the process was "flawed" and the price "unfair." In her ruling, she called the package "the largest potential compensation opportunity ever observed in public markets by multiple orders of magnitude." McCormick's ruling bumped Musk out of the top spot on the Forbes list of wealthiest people. Musk, a co-founder of the privately held Neuralink, is listed as company president in Nevada documents. Messages were left Saturday seeking comment from Neuralink and Tesla. McCormick determined that Tesla's board lacked independence from Musk. His lawyers said the package needed to be rich to give Musk an incentive not to leavea line of reasoning the judge shot down. "Swept up by the rhetoric of 'all upside,' or perhaps starry eyed by Musk's superstar appeal, the board never asked the $55.8 billion question: 'Was the plan even necessary for Tesla to retain Musk and achieve its goals?'" McCormick wrote. Musk's fans argue that he shouldn't be paid like other CEOs because he isn't like other CEOs. He and Tesla are practically inseparable, so keeping him as CEO is key to the company's growth. He built the company from an idea to the most valuable automaker in the world, last year selling more electric vehicles than any other company. His star power gets free publicity, so the company spends little on advertising. And he has forced the rest of the auto industry to accelerate plans for electric vehicles to counter Tesla's phenomenal growth. McCormick's ruling came five years after shareholders filed a lawsuit accusing Musk and Tesla directors of breaching their duties and arguing that the pay package was a product of sham negotiations with directors who were not independent of him. The defense countered that the pay plan was fairly negotiated by a compensation committee whose members were independent and had lofty performance milestones. Musk wrote on X last month that the first human received an implant from Neuralink. The billionaire did not provide additional details about the patient. 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Boston Financial Mangement LLC acquired a new position in Schlumberger Limited (NYSE:SLB Free Report) during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 3,673 shares of the oil and gas companys stock, valued at approximately $214,000. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. BlackRock Inc. increased its holdings in Schlumberger by 1.1% in the second quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 106,818,561 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $5,246,928,000 after purchasing an additional 1,129,628 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its holdings in Schlumberger by 1.0% in the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 83,794,992 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $4,136,112,000 after purchasing an additional 861,439 shares in the last quarter. Capital World Investors increased its holdings in Schlumberger by 85.7% in the second quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 43,080,354 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $2,116,107,000 after purchasing an additional 19,885,771 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in Schlumberger by 2.5% in the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 25,983,683 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $1,272,434,000 after purchasing an additional 635,716 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its holdings in Schlumberger by 4.3% in the second quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 19,772,924 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $971,246,000 after purchasing an additional 819,858 shares in the last quarter. 79.43% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Schlumberger alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of brokerages have weighed in on SLB. Barclays lowered their target price on Schlumberger from $77.00 to $74.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Monday, January 22nd. Susquehanna boosted their price objective on Schlumberger from $72.00 to $77.00 and gave the company a positive rating in a report on Monday, January 22nd. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and set a $66.00 price objective on shares of Schlumberger in a report on Thursday. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on Schlumberger from $69.00 to $70.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Monday, January 22nd. Finally, Raymond James upped their price target on Schlumberger from $68.00 to $72.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Monday, October 23rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $70.67. Schlumberger Stock Down 1.5 % SLB stock opened at $47.08 on Friday. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $50.51 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $54.96. The company has a current ratio of 1.32, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51. Schlumberger Limited has a 1-year low of $42.73 and a 1-year high of $62.12. The stock has a market cap of $67.20 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.12, a P/E/G ratio of 0.84 and a beta of 1.61. Schlumberger (NYSE:SLB Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 19th. The oil and gas company reported $0.86 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.84 by $0.02. Schlumberger had a return on equity of 21.97% and a net margin of 12.68%. The firm had revenue of $8.99 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $8.96 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.71 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 14.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts expect that Schlumberger Limited will post 3.54 EPS for the current year. Schlumberger Announces Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 4th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, February 7th will be given a dividend of $0.25 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 6th. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.12%. Schlumbergers dividend payout ratio is presently 34.25%. Insider Activity In other news, insider Gavin Rennick sold 6,675 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, November 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $52.88, for a total transaction of $352,974.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 39,958 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,112,979.04. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. In other Schlumberger news, CFO Stephane Biguet sold 6,250 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $52.78, for a total value of $329,875.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 249,182 shares in the company, valued at approximately $13,151,825.96. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, insider Gavin Rennick sold 6,675 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $52.88, for a total value of $352,974.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 39,958 shares in the company, valued at $2,112,979.04. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 135,116 shares of company stock valued at $6,923,671 in the last 90 days. Insiders own 0.23% of the companys stock. Schlumberger Company Profile (Free Report) Schlumberger Limited engages in the provision of technology for the energy industry worldwide. The company operates through four divisions: Digital & Integration, Reservoir Performance, Well Construction, and Production Systems. The company provides field development and hydrocarbon production, carbon management, integration of adjacent energy systems; reservoir interpretation and data processing services for exploration data; and well construction and production improvement services and products. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SLB? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Schlumberger Limited (NYSE:SLB Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Schlumberger Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Schlumberger and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Gisli Palsson at Literary Hub: In 1858, the great auk (Pinguinus impennis) was reported to be in serious decline. William Proctor, keeper of the bird collection at Durham University, had traveled to Iceland in 1833 and 1837, partly in order to seek out great auks, but reported that sightings were now rare in Iceland and that he had not seen any of the birds. Later, student William Milner inquired about great auks on his travels to Iceland and was informed that none had been seen recently, though two had been caught two years earlier, in 1844. Milners account of his visit gave rise to a strong suspicion that the species was not only rare but vanishing. Naturalist John Wolley took a keen interest in discussions of rare birds, and he resolved to go to Iceland with the same intention as his friends. He invited Alfred Newton, then making a name for himself as a zoologist at Cambridge University, to join him. Wolley and Newton met for the first time in Cambridge one October day in 1851, although they had corresponded for several years. More here. Shares of Graphic Packaging Holding (NYSE:GPK Get Free Report) have been given an average recommendation of Hold by the eight analysts that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. The average 1-year target price among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $27.00. Several equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company downgraded shares of Graphic Packaging from an overweight rating to an underweight rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $26.00 to $19.00 in a research note on Thursday, October 19th. Bank of America upgraded shares of Graphic Packaging from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 31st. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their target price on shares of Graphic Packaging from $26.00 to $24.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, October 18th. Raymond James downgraded shares of Graphic Packaging from a strong-buy rating to a market perform rating in a research note on Monday, November 27th. Finally, StockNews.com cut shares of Graphic Packaging from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, February 5th. Get Graphic Packaging alerts: View Our Latest Research Report on Graphic Packaging Hedge Funds Weigh In On Graphic Packaging Graphic Packaging Price Performance Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Principal Securities Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Graphic Packaging in the 4th quarter worth $26,000. OLD Point Trust & Financial Services N A acquired a new position in shares of Graphic Packaging in the 2nd quarter worth $26,000. ST Germain D J Co. Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Graphic Packaging during the second quarter valued at $29,000. AllSquare Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Graphic Packaging during the second quarter valued at $31,000. Finally, FinTrust Capital Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Graphic Packaging by 870.7% during the third quarter. FinTrust Capital Advisors LLC now owns 1,291 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 1,158 shares in the last quarter. 99.67% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Graphic Packaging stock opened at $24.77 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.90, a quick ratio of 0.46 and a current ratio of 1.17. Graphic Packaging has a 1 year low of $20.07 and a 1 year high of $27.56. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $24.91 and a 200 day moving average price of $23.12. The company has a market cap of $7.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.21, a PEG ratio of 0.36 and a beta of 0.84. Graphic Packaging Dividend Announcement The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 5th. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 15th were given a dividend of $0.10 per share. This represents a $0.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.61%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, December 14th. Graphic Packagings dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 18.10%. About Graphic Packaging (Get Free Report Graphic Packaging Holding Company, together with its subsidiaries, provides fiber-based packaging solutions to food, beverage, foodservice, and other consumer products companies. It operates through three segments: Paperboard Mills, Americas Paperboard Packaging, and Europe Paperboard Packaging. The company offers coated unbleached kraft (CUK), coated recycled paperboard (CRB), and solid bleached sulfate paperboard (SBS) to various paperboard packaging converters and brokers; and paperboard packaging products, such as folding cartons, cups, lids, and food containers primarily to consumer packaged goods, quick-service restaurants, and foodservice companies; and barrier packaging products that protect against moisture, hot and cold temperature, grease, oil, oxygen, sunlight, insects, and other potential product-damaging factors. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Graphic Packaging Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Graphic Packaging and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Edwards Lifesciences Co. (NYSE:EW Get Free Report) Director Heisz Leslie Stone sold 7,056 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $86.45, for a total transaction of $609,991.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 26,980 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,332,421. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Edwards Lifesciences Price Performance EW stock opened at $85.01 on Friday. The firms 50-day moving average price is $75.71 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $73.47. Edwards Lifesciences Co. has a 12-month low of $60.57 and a 12-month high of $94.87. The stock has a market capitalization of $51.56 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.96, a PEG ratio of 4.31 and a beta of 1.04. The company has a current ratio of 3.38, a quick ratio of 2.45 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09. Get Edwards Lifesciences alerts: Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE:EW Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 6th. The medical research company reported $0.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $0.64. Edwards Lifesciences had a net margin of 23.35% and a return on equity of 23.56%. The firm had revenue of $1.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.50 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.64 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 13.3% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts predict that Edwards Lifesciences Co. will post 2.75 earnings per share for the current year. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades EW has been the topic of several research reports. Wolfe Research cut shares of Edwards Lifesciences from a peer perform rating to an underperform rating and set a $57.00 price objective on the stock. in a research report on Tuesday, November 28th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on shares of Edwards Lifesciences from $82.00 to $95.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday. Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on shares of Edwards Lifesciences from $80.00 to $95.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday. Citigroup cut shares of Edwards Lifesciences from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, December 11th. Finally, Leerink Partnrs restated a market perform rating on shares of Edwards Lifesciences in a research report on Monday, October 16th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Edwards Lifesciences currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $87.38. Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on EW Hedge Funds Weigh In On Edwards Lifesciences Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 0.6% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 51,633,416 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $3,577,163,000 after purchasing an additional 325,808 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp boosted its stake in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 0.4% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 27,053,304 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $2,551,938,000 after purchasing an additional 108,102 shares in the last quarter. Capital International Investors boosted its stake in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 4.9% during the 2nd quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 27,015,032 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $2,548,023,000 after purchasing an additional 1,255,926 shares in the last quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. boosted its stake in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 0.3% during the 2nd quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 20,512,235 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $1,934,919,000 after purchasing an additional 66,763 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Brown Advisory Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 20.1% during the 4th quarter. Brown Advisory Inc. now owns 18,181,420 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $1,386,333,000 after purchasing an additional 3,048,274 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 79.25% of the companys stock. Edwards Lifesciences Company Profile (Get Free Report) Edwards Lifesciences Corporation provides products and technologies for structural heart disease, and critical care and surgical monitoring in the United States, Europe, Japan, and internationally. It offers transcatheter heart valve replacement products for the minimally invasive replacement of heart valves; and transcatheter heart valve repair and replacement products to treat mitral and tricuspid valve diseases. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Edwards Lifesciences Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Edwards Lifesciences and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Nicollet Investment Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN Free Report) by 2.1% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 13,796 shares of the information technology services providers stock after buying an additional 290 shares during the period. Accenture makes up about 1.9% of Nicollet Investment Management Inc.s holdings, making the stock its 16th largest holding. Nicollet Investment Management Inc.s holdings in Accenture were worth $4,237,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in ACN. Hunter Associates Investment Management LLC lifted its stake in Accenture by 3.6% during the third quarter. Hunter Associates Investment Management LLC now owns 28,747 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $8,831,000 after purchasing an additional 1,008 shares during the last quarter. Roffman Miller Associates Inc. PA lifted its stake in Accenture by 2.4% during the third quarter. Roffman Miller Associates Inc. PA now owns 65,827 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $20,216,000 after purchasing an additional 1,536 shares during the last quarter. Kensington Investment Counsel LLC lifted its stake in Accenture by 5.7% during the third quarter. Kensington Investment Counsel LLC now owns 10,656 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $3,273,000 after purchasing an additional 579 shares during the last quarter. Greenleaf Trust lifted its stake in shares of Accenture by 0.4% in the 3rd quarter. Greenleaf Trust now owns 24,323 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $7,470,000 after acquiring an additional 91 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Boston Financial Mangement LLC boosted its holdings in Accenture by 3.1% during the 3rd quarter. Boston Financial Mangement LLC now owns 9,976 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $3,064,000 after acquiring an additional 301 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 70.42% of the companys stock. Get Accenture alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes A number of analysts have recently weighed in on ACN shares. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on Accenture from $369.00 to $400.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 24th. StockNews.com raised shares of Accenture from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Thursday, November 9th. BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on shares of Accenture from $350.00 to $385.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 20th. BNP Paribas raised Accenture from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and set a $440.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, January 17th. Finally, Redburn Atlantic initiated coverage on Accenture in a research report on Thursday, November 16th. They set a buy rating and a $410.00 price target for the company. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $361.63. Insider Transactions at Accenture In other news, insider Ellyn Shook sold 5,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $371.81, for a total value of $1,859,050.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 20,316 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $7,553,691.96. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, CEO Manish Sharma sold 1,486 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $370.39, for a total value of $550,399.54. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 4,503 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,667,866.17. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider Ellyn Shook sold 5,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $371.81, for a total value of $1,859,050.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 20,316 shares in the company, valued at $7,553,691.96. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 26,551 shares of company stock valued at $9,739,791 in the last ninety days. 0.07% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Accenture Trading Up 0.9 % Shares of ACN stock traded up $3.19 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $371.67. 1,482,651 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,991,238. Accenture plc has a 1 year low of $242.80 and a 1 year high of $375.73. The companys 50 day moving average is $353.19 and its two-hundred day moving average is $328.20. The firm has a market cap of $233.15 billion, a PE ratio of 34.45, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.42 and a beta of 1.21. Accenture (NYSE:ACN Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, December 19th. The information technology services provider reported $3.27 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $3.14 by $0.13. Accenture had a return on equity of 29.08% and a net margin of 10.65%. The firm had revenue of $16.22 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16.17 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $3.08 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 3.0% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts expect that Accenture plc will post 12.22 EPS for the current fiscal year. Accenture Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 15th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, January 18th will be given a $1.29 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, January 17th. This represents a $5.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.39%. Accentures dividend payout ratio is currently 47.82%. About Accenture (Free Report) Accenture plc, a professional services company, provides strategy and consulting, industry X, song, and technology and operation services worldwide. The company offers application services, including agile transformation, DevOps, application modernization, enterprise architecture, software and quality engineering, data management; intelligent automation comprising robotic process automation, natural language processing, and virtual agents; and application management services, as well as software engineering services; strategy and consulting services; data and analytics strategy, data discovery and augmentation, data management and beyond, data democratization, and industrialized solutions comprising turnkey analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions; metaverse; and sustainability services. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ACN? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Accenture Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Accenture and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. 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 Zip Code On a day when state judges are traditionally elected, political grandstanding ensued, including threats of worsening an already clogged state criminal justice system. After learning Tuesday that Senate members would not move forward with judicial elections without judicial reform, House Speaker Murrell Smith, R-Sumter, delivered a scathing speech Wednesday, signaling an impasse, citing more than 20 vacancies on the states circuit court, which could potentially backlog criminal and civil cases further. The move could mean delayed justice for South Carolinians. If you claim to be for (judicial reform), thats your prerogative, Smith said on the House floor, referring to the Senate. But destroying the current system to make the case for change still destroys the system and puts the public in harms way. Im pleading with my colleagues across the hall to simply do your job that you were elected to do. Smiths remarks prompted Senate President Thomas Alexander, R-Oconee, to fire back. If the speaker of the House wants to accomplish what he says he wants to accomplish, his time might be better spent working with his colleagues in the Senate rather than demagoguing them, Alexander said. Mr. Speaker of the House, the Senate, as always, stands ready to work with you, but we do not work for you. Smith claimed the Senates decision to choke judicial elections threatens public safety by stalling a number of criminal court cases after July 1 due to a potential increase in vacancies on the states circuit court. Unlike positions on the states Supreme Court, which enjoy a holdover status during pending vacancies, the same is not true of lower courts, such as the circuit court, which hear most cases. The state is at a very real risk of its criminal justice system coming to a catastrophic halt, Smith said, pointing to an existing backlog of criminal court cases. State Sen. Dick Harpootlian, D-Richland, a lawyer legislator and major proponent of judicial reform, said Smiths remarks were disingenuous. Im a consumer of this (judicial selection) process, and what I see and hear offends me, Harpootlian said. Hopefully, the speaker will wake up and smell the coffee on the fact we need to do something on judicial reform. Giving speeches about how the public is going to be in danger is irresponsible, because nothing happens (relating to judicial vacancies) until July 1. State Sens. Wes Climer, R-York, and Harpootlian, pointed to the yawning gap between now and July 1, insisting that the General Assembly has plenty of time to hold judicial elections after a judicial reform bill is passed. Its the same as saying, Oh, we dont have a budget yet for 2024-2025 (which is due Jun. 30), so the state is going to shut down. I mean, its just irresponsible, Harpootlian said Smith said 24 circuit court vacancies would result if judicial elections arent held before July 1. Rep. Nancy Mace to speak at Citadel graduation Nearly 25 years to the day after becoming the first female cadet to graduate from The Citadel, South Carolina Congresswoman Nancy Mace will serve as the commencement speaker for the 2024 Corps of Cadets commencement ceremony. The ceremony will be held at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 4, 2024. As of Nov. 30, 2023, South Carolina had a total of 175,167 criminal cases pending, according to data from S.C. Court Administration, which considers cases more than 365 days old as backlogged. Of the total number of cases, 81,854 are more than a year old, while 56,077 have been stale for more than 545 days, or a year and a half. But the backlog has declined over the past two years. In 2021, the state reached an unprecedented level of backlog cases with 191,708 pending criminal cases on court dockets. That number decreased in 2022 to 179,100, and again in 2023 to 175,167. Steps to unwind judicial blockade Climer and Harpootlian both say judicial elections only proceeds if a bill on judicial reform passes the General Assembly. Currently, several proposals are in the Senate, and most of them involves changing the makeup of the Judicial Merit Selection Commission a 10-member body charged with considering judicial candidates qualifications. The majority of proposals seek to address ongoing concerns raised about the transparency and perception of trustworthiness of the judiciary, and particularly concerns about what level of influence is held by lawyer-legislators who hold power over screening judges. In a bill by Climer, S. 178, all legislators, lawyer or otherwise, would be excluded from the JMSC and would, instead, include the governor and six members of the public. It would also reduce the number of commissioners from 10 to seven. Harpootlian has proposed a bill, S. 879, that would disqualify a legislators close relative from seeking a judgeship, remove the ability for members of the bar to submit anonymous complaints against judicial candidates, and prohibit candidates from withdrawing their candidacy once the JMSC begins vetting that candidate. Its the appearance of impropriety, Harpootlian told The State last December. Im not alleging there actually is impropriety, although there are certainly cases that raise huge questions, but the appearance of impropriety shakes the publics faith in the judiciary. Harpootlians measure, like others, would also expand the number of judicial candidates eligible to be forwarded to the General Assembly for consideration. The JMSC can currently recommend up to three candidates for each vacant judgeship. Harpootlians proposal would instead allow the committee to send an unlimited number of candidates to the Legislature for consideration. Another proposal, S. 871, by state Sen. Mia McLeod, I-Richland, would require all legislators who actively practice law in the Palmetto State, to recuse themselves from voting in judicial elections. Like Harpootlian, McLeod also sponsored a measure S. 872 to remove the three-judicial-candidate cap the JMSC follows when it submits qualified candidates to the General Assembly. Despite the variety of proposed measures in the Senate, Climer and Harpootlain said theyre confident the Upper Chamber can deliver on judicial reform in a matter of weeks. Im confident that at the end of the day, the Senate will produce a bill that accomplishes the goals of remedying the conflict of interest (among lawyer-legislators) and giving the people of South Carolina more confidence in the judicial system, Climer said. But in the meantime, you should continue to expect those who profit most from the status quo to defend it most vigorously. Moreover, after a bill on judicial reform passes the Senate, Harpootlian said Smith has the power to bring that bill directly to the floor. Unlike in the Senate, (Smith) has the sole ability to set (bills) and have them voted on, Harpootlian said. Still, the House has been working to address judicial reform through several ad hoc committee meetings, where testimony by several key players, including S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson, have offered solutions to correct problems associated with the judicial selection process. If the speaker is that concerned, he should move a bill that solves the problem, Climer said. SUMTER -- The city of Sumter hosted a ceremony to dedicate a P-51 Mustang replica static display to the Tuskegee Airmen at Veterans Park on Feb. 9. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown Jr. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown Jr. speaks during a Tuskegee Airmen Monument dedication ceremony at Veterans Park in Sumte The display was installed in July 2023, and is the only full-scale P-51 Mustang replica, on permanent public display, in the United States outside of the National Historic Site in Tuskegee, Alabama. We stand here today in honor of not only the heroic actions of the Tuskegee Airmen, but of the historic precedent they set in defiance of a world that would not see their worth, said David Merchant, Sumter mayor. They continue to be an inspiration to everyone who has - and will - follow in their footsteps. Get The Times and Democrat app today Local news has never been this personal. Free to download. Subscribers enjoy unlimited access. Sumter, known for its motto of Uncommon Patriotism, was home to two Tuskegee Airmen: Lt. Col. Willie Ashley and Lt. Leroy Bowman. Both men were P-51 pilots in the predominantly African American Army Air Corps 332nd Fighter Group Red Tails during World War II. The Tuskegee Airmen engaged in air-to-air and air-to-ground combat as necessary in their missions to escort Fifteenth Air Force bombers through hostile airspace. Despite the challenges faced by the Tuskegee Airmen due to the prejudices and discrimination that were common at the time, the Red Tails excelled in their mission. According to Tuskegee Airmen Chronology by Daniel Haulman from the Air Force Historical Research Agency, The total number of escorted bombers shot down was significantly less than the average number of bombers lost by the six other fighter escort groups of the Fifteenth Air Force. The Tuskegee Airmen started a journey before there was a path. Before there was anyone ahead to look to. They paved a way that changed America, said Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown Jr., who attended the dedication as the keynote speaker. Brown was stationed at Shaw Air Force Base from November 1999 to June 2003, and served in a variety of roles such as F-16 Fighting Falcon instructor pilot, assistant operations officer and commander of the 55th, 78th and 79th Fighter Squadrons. This P-51 behind us stands as a visual memorial to the legacy of the Red Tails, the Tuskegee Airmen, and the contributions of men and women from South Carolina, said Brown. The dedication ceremony was open to the public and attended by not only members of the local Sumter community and Team Shaw, but also others such as Rep. G. Murrell Smith, Speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives, and retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. George Bowman, a descendant of Lt. Leroy Bowman. The ceremony was also attended by joint military leadership representing the variety of major operational units based at Shaw Air Force Base including U.S. Air Forces Central, U.S. Army Central Command, Fifteenth Air Force and 20th Fighter Wing. The Tuskegee Airmen created a legacy of honor and made a lasting impact on our Nation. It is a legacy that echoes the noble call to service - a call that resonates through generations and continues to inspire today, said Brown. We stand here as stewards of that legacy. It is a legacy that transcends the military, embracing the many ways we can all serve and contribute to our communities and our country. The S.C. Department of Natural Resources will host its annual Wild Quail Management Seminar March 7-8 at the James W. Webb Wildlife Center and Management Area in Hampton County. Quail The annual Wild Quail Management Seminar is designed to instruct landowners and land managers in the proper techniques of creating habitat tha The registration fee is $95 per person and includes meals, overnight accommodations and seminar materials. The deadline to register is Friday, Feb. 2. Registration is limited to 30 participants. For more information, contact the SCDNR Small Game Program in Columbia at (803) 734-3609, e-mail Patty Castine at CastineP@dnr.sc.gov or visit https://www.dnr.sc.gov/education/quail.html. Field demonstrations and classroom instruction will focus on habitat practices including firebreak establishment, prescribed burning, forest management, brush control, discing for native foods and supplemental food patch plantings. Presentations will be given on wild quail natural history, biology, predation and other factors that may be contributing to the population decline. An update on current research will also be presented. Speakers will include wildlife and forestry professionals from state and federal agencies. Bobwhite quail populations in the Southeast, including South Carolina, have been declining steadily over the past 60 years due to major land use change and reduction in suitable habitat. The annual Wild Quail Management Seminar is designed to instruct landowners and land managers in the proper techniques of creating habitat that will support native populations of bobwhite quail. The annual quail management seminar is a great place to meet and learn from many experts in the natural resources field, said Michael Hook, SCDNR wildlife biologist and Small Game Project supervisor. So if you have any interest in creating better habitat for bobwhite quail and the other assorted species that use these early successional habitats, this seminar is for you. More than 1,500 people have attended the seminar since its inception in 1987. These sportsmen and sportswomen have positively affected thousands of acres across South Carolina by applying basic techniques to improve habitat on their lands. COLUMBIA -- Omron Automation, a leader in industrial automation technology, has announced it has selected Spartanburg County to establish the companys first South Carolina operation. The $9.2 million investment will create 162 new jobs in five years. With more than 90 years of experience, OMRON creates, sells and services fully integrated automation solutions that optimize manufacturing and improve safety. The company provides manufacturing solutions to customers in more than 110 countries and has production facilities in Japan, Brazil, China, the Netherlands and the United States. Operations will be online in April 2024. Gov. Henry McMaster said, We are proud to welcome Omron Automation to South Carolina. This announcement is further proof that our states reputation as an advanced manufacturing powerhouse continues to attract major international companies to establish operations within our borders. OMRON will lease and build out a 60,000-square-foot production facility located at 311 Genoble Road in Greer to manufacture industrial automation technologies including motion controllers and drives, machine vision, barcode readers, and barcode verification systems. We are thrilled to establish our new location in Spartanburg County, expanding our market presence in the Southeast. This investment allows us to leverage cutting-edge technologies and generate high-quality manufacturing jobs, contributing to the growth and prosperity of the region, said Omron Automation Americas President and CEO Robb Black. The Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits related to this project. The council also awarded a $100,000 Set-Aside grant to Spartanburg County to assist with the costs of building improvements. Individuals interested in joining the OMRON team should visit www.sctechjobs.com (enter OMRON as a keyword to narrow search) or the companys careers page. 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. 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. Its a bright and early Monday morning on Mount Lemmon. The landscape of steep slopes is full of boulders, shrubs and tall saguaro cactuses. Gunshots from the shooting range nearby can be heard faintly. Climber Nicki Manzanares is making her ascent up a cliff wearing a harness adorned with clips and a brightly colored rope. Kait Junek, who is standing at the bottom, is controlling the rope and wearing a harness herself. As Manzanares makes her way up the jagged crevices of the mountain, she attaches her quickdraw, which has two carabiners, to an anchor. Clipping! she says to Junek after each anchor until she reaches the top. These bolted anchors are in several areas throughout the mountain, and climbers use them to move up and down safely. But the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service drafted policy in November that could prohibit them. Wilderness areas around the country, including Mount Lemmon, would be affected by these policies if they go through. The Climbing Association of Southern Arizona is one of several climbing organizations speaking out against the proposals, saying that they would discourage and endanger climbers. Because Mount Lemmon is part of the Coronado National Forest, its climbing routes are subject to the policies of the U.S. Forest Service. The anchor proposal would amend the Forest Service Manual to include additional rules for climbing in wilderness areas, including guidance on fixed anchor and fixed equipment placement and replacement by climbers that would limit the use of unreviewed anchors. But if the policy goes through, anchors wont be removed right away. The amendment would require a minimum requirements analysis for both existing bolts and any bolts that are set for installation. The Forest Service proposal says these examinations are to determine whether they are the minimum necessary for administration of the area for Wilderness Act purposes. Bolts that are installed in emergency situations will still be allowed. Maggi Dawson, the treasurer of CASA, said she is most concerned about climbers safety in impacted areas. The biggest issue I see with the proposal is that it says theres no plan for bolt replacement allowed, no plan for fixed anchor replacement, she said. So as those bolts degrade and theyre no longer safe, well have to wait for a minimum requirements analysis to go through, and that process could take months. The proposal notes the analysis would be completed as funding and resources allow. Dawson also said the potential environmental impact of restricting climbing routes. She said climbing routes not affected by the policy will become more congested. A U.S. Forest Service spokesperson said in an emailed statement that it would be premature to speak to the specifics of how this would affect each individual forest across the country until it has a chance to review public comments on the plan. The public comment period closed Jan. 30. The proposed guidance clarifies that climbing is an appropriate activity on Forest-Service managed lands, the emailed statement said. Like any recreational activity, climbing can also damage natural and cultural resources. Manzanares, who is the president of CASA, said climbers are invested in reducing this damage as much as possible. Climbers are tremendous stewards of the land, she said. We work on trails to make sure that theyre maintainable so that we can have access to these areas. She also said that organizations like CASA advocate for Leave No Trace principles. Manzanares said the main priority is raising awareness of the issue before the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service make a final decision. Were just trying to just get the word out, get people involved, she said. Then, I think it would come to continuing communicating with the Park Service, Department of Agriculture, Forest Service and Department of the Interior to see where theyre headed with this. Eight Desert View High School students traveled to Peru to make modern miracles happen for those in need. The students, accompanied by two teachers, went to Peru in late January to outfit those in need with prosthetic legs designed and built in Desert Views classrooms in the school at 4101 E. Valencia Road. People came from Peru and beyond, some driving through the night to get to the church Las Assemblas De Dios De Peru, where the students themselves would determine whether the amputee was a good fit for their classroom-constructed legs. One man had been hit by a car, losing a leg. For a decade, the man was supported by crutches until the Desert View students outfitted him with one of their prosthetics. He tossed the crutches aside and began to stand on his own two feet, albeit unsteadily at first, recalled teacher Cesar Gutierrez, who teaches precision manufacturing and drafting at Desert View. Gutierrez was one of the two teachers who shepherded the group through the coastal South American nations capital, Lima. Were having fun or eating. Youre taking in some of the sights. And then all of a sudden, youre at the church, and you have 100 people there, Gutierrez said. You have absolutely no idea what youre about to do for eight hours. Lucy Pacheco, a Desert View senior, was one of the eight students who traveled to Peru. Flyers were sent out saying that were going to be there certain days, if anyone is missing a leg, and those I think wouldnt be able to afford one. They could come see us and see if maybe our product works for them, Pacheco explained. Nothing can prepare you for what was coming in that day, Gutierrez said. I dont think theres anything that we can do that can replicate the feeling the emotion to prepare a student for what theyre about to go do. Pacheco said the task was a fulfilling but sometimes emotionally taxing experience. We got to know the (amputee) on a personal level. What were their, like jobs before? What happened? There were some times that we had to turn away people because they were actually cut below the knee, she said. Our products only help people, could only be fitted with (a) cut above the knee. It was really emotional, seeing the hardship that they were going through and not being able to provide the service for everyone. In October 2023, the students were supposed to travel to Guatemala on the humanitarian trip until political unrest in the Central American nation put their trip on pause. Gutierrez was determined to make the trip happen. He had been thinking for a long time about making a travel opportunity for his students like no other. During this trip, our students would have the chance to see first-hand the power of creating change, he said. They would be able to witness the difference they can make in someones life by actively participating in various activities. Creating change started with creating in the classroom. Computer-aided drafting (CAD) students designed prosthetic legs according to specific dimensions and composition. Precision manufacturing students then take on the next step: taking the legs from screen to reality. Students run machinery even writing the machinerys coding to make the prosthetic legs. 3D printers play an important role in manufacturing the lower leg parts. Gutierrez found out about digitally printed prosthetic limbs at a Harbor Freight Tools for Schools conference. Eventually, the class connected with the SKY Youth organizations Life Changer Prosthetics program. The trip, which cost about $10,000 total, Gutierrez said, was a collaboration between CTE (Sunnyside School District Career and Technical Education), The Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Foundation, and the Istem Academy Business. The students were specifically selected from the schools precision manufacturing and drafting classes where the legs are designed and built. Participants were selected based on grades and character, Gutierrez said. Santino Rodriquez, a senior, was one of the students. As the plane descended, settling among the Peruvian mountains, his feelings kicked in. It kind of felt like going on a roller coaster or waiting in line for it, he said. I just had no idea what to expect, just all these emotions. I was super excited nervous at the same time. Everything. Gutierrez said the trip was meant to help students connect the dots and understand the impact they can have on someones life. Exposing our students to such experiences, we can instill in them a sense of empathy and a desire to contribute positively to society. The 2024 Pima County Spelling Bee is slated for 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 17 at the Canyon del Oro High School Auditorium, 25 W. Calle Concordia in Oro Valley. Speller check-in begins at 9:30 that morning. Forty of Pima Countys top student spellers will compete to become county champion. First place and runner-up will advance to the Arizona Spelling Bee on March 16. District, charter, private and homeschool students will compete. Presenting sponsor is Team Volpe Nova Home Loans. Free parking is available in the lot west and north of the auditorium. The auditorium is at the west end of the campus. Brusque was last years winning Pima County Spelling Bee word. Nathan Merrill, an eighth-grader from Legacy Traditional School Northwest Tucson, outlasted 33 other spellers to become the 2023 Pima County Champion Speller of the Year. Runner-up Karen Opoku-Appoh, also in eighth grade, from Marana Middle School, advanced to the state competition with Merrill. Opoku-Appoh ended up winning the 2023 Arizona Spelling Bee by correctly spelling the word passage. TUSD celebrates Black History Month Tucson Unified School Districts celebration of Black History Month included the Feb. 1 launch of a new website, tusd1.org/black-history, as a resource for teachers, parents, students and the community. Led by TUSDs director of the African American Student Services Department, Tonya R. Strozier, the celebrations events and activities include: TUSD students will take field trips to the African American Museum of Southern Arizona in February and March. There will be an African American Read-In Feb. 12 29, in which AASSD staff and community members will read books by African American authors to TUSD elementary classes. On Feb. 8, 11 new members of the Student Advisory Council at Innovation Tech High School were inducted at a Black History Makers Breakfast. African American Youth Heritage Day is Friday, Feb. 16. Students will celebrate the accomplishments of young African Americans and inspire the next generation. The district is also hosting Black Parent Involvement Week, Feb. 26 March 1. The effort aims to promote active participation from parents in their childrens education while making connections with educators and other parents. The 10th Annual Black History Month Brain Bowl is Thursday, Feb. 29. It is a fun and competitive trivia event that tests students knowledge of Black history and culture, the district says. Commission names director The Metropolitan Education Commission has selected Rocque Perez as executive director, a role he will begin on March 4. Perez describes himself as a proud product of Tucson, public education, and the offerings of the Metropolitan Education Commission. Perez, who lives in Tucson, joins the commission from Arizona State University, where he served as a manager for outreach and communications within the Office of the University Provost. Before that, Perez held various roles at the University of Arizona, contributing through communications, fundraising and organizing in areas of research and innovation, multicultural advancement, and government and community relations. He credits the Metropolitan Education Commission with sparking his interest in serving Southern Arizona. The commission says his expertise lies in developing and implementing award-winning strategies to drive outcomes in areas including enrollment, student and employee success and professional development, and academic discovery and innovation. Perez can be reached at admin@metedu.org. Scholarships announced Hughes Federal Credit Union is accepting applications for The Roberta Reeves Memorial Scholarship, offering a total of $14,000 in educational funds to local high school students. In its 19th year, the scholarship program will award seven students $2,000 each to support their higher education endeavors. The scholarship was renamed last year in memory of Roberta Reeves, a long-serving Hughes Federal Credit Union board member. The scholarship recognizes her legacy in the Tucson community. High school seniors who are entering a college, university, trade school or certification program in the fall of 2024 and are primary members of Hughes Federal Credit Union are eligible to apply. The application process involves submitting an online form, a written essay, or a 1- to 2-minute video. The application deadline is March 15. Details and the application can be found at HughesFCU.org/Scholarship. The recipients will be announced in May. Since its inception in 2005, the scholarship program has awarded over $100,000. Daytime highs in Tucson for Super Bowl Sunday are expected to hover around the mid 50s, with sunny skies and calm winds. Lows overnight are expected to hit about 32 degrees, or freezing, according to the National Weather Service in Tucson. Photos: Winter weather in Tucson, 2024 The work week will warm up. Monday will be sunny, but the the high will be in the low 60s, the weather service says. Tucson's high temperatures are expected to climb to the los 70s by Thursday. Its been nearly two months since the Arizona Supreme Court heard arguments over the states abortion law, and its ruling in that case could all but ban abortions in the state or allow them to continue up to 15 weeks. Both sides of the debate said they are bracing for that ruling and waiting. Either way the decision goes, there are almost 50 pro-life pregnancy centers in Arizona that stand ready to help women having an unplanned pregnancy, said Cathi Herrod, president of the Center for Arizona Policy. Whether its 15 weeks or the pre-Roe ban, women will be well served by the pregnancy centers throughout Arizona. Eloisa Lopez, executive director of the Abortion Fund of Arizona, said she is remaining hopeful but believes the court would be making a mistake if it were to uphold the states 19th-century abortion ban. It would be very shocking to see the courts say that that needs to be the current law of the land, Lopez said. If that were the case that just shows you the ruling was politically charged. The courts ruling will be the latest twist in a roller coaster of abortion rulings that began in June 2022, when the U.S. Supreme Court said in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health that the decision on abortion rights should be left to the states. In doing so, the court reversed its landmark 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade, that recognized a right to an abortion. That sent abortions plummeting in Arizona, as in many other states. Before the Dobbs decision, more than 1,300 abortions were provided per month by health care providers in Arizona, Dr. Alison Norris, co-chair of the research steering committee of the Society of Family Plannings #WeCount project. In the month following, it dropped down to 210 because there was such uncertainty that some providers were no longer providing abortions within the state. But abortions in Arizona have since climbed back toward pre-Dobbs levels, as lower court rulings sided with the 15-week law. The numbers went back up to 720 in August (2022) and got back up to 1,000 in January (2023). Over the last several months it has generally stayed around 1,000 per month, Norris said. The reversal of Roe triggered long-dormant abortion bans in some states and led others to codify abortion rights, but Arizona has been caught in the middle. Shortly before Dobbs, a new Arizona law set the limit for abortions at 15 weeks of pregnancy but that bill also included language preserving the 1864 abortion ban in case Roe was overturned. Despite that language, abortion rights groups argued that the 19th-century law was trumped by decades of state abortion regulations and legal abortions. In Arizona, and in several other states, Dobbs created a lot of uncertainty, Norris said. It was unclear to lawmakers, health care providers and patients themselves what was permitted due to laws that were on the books from before Dobbs and even before Roe v. Wade. A Pima County Superior Court judge ruled in 2022 that the old law was still in effect. But that ruling was reversed on Dec. 30, 2022, by the Arizona Court of Appeals, putting the 15-week law back in place. That decision was appealed to the state Supreme Court, which heard arguments on Dec. 12, 2023. Herrod says framing the abortion ban as a territorial-era law, as opponents do, is slanted. Because the law was never repealed, she said, it should still be enforceable. The only reason the pre-Roe law had not been in effect during that time was because of the Roe v. Wade decision, Herrod said. The state legislature never repealed it so it could still be enforceable. Lopez thinks the 15-week ban which would have not been possible under Roe is too restrictive, but she says a return to an abortion ban would have far-reaching consequences. Some of the clinics now are more well-womens clinics where they offer other services in addition to abortion care in the existing clinic, said Lopez. It (restoring the ban) would make it very challenging for these clinics to keep their doors open. There would be providers who, like after Dobbs, would take a significant hit to their clinics financially, Lopez said. Herrod disagrees, saying an abortion ban could help providers focus on other womens health issues. Abortion is not health care. Abortion is not pregnancy care. Abortion hurts women. Abortion takes the life of an unborn child, she said. But Lopez rejected what she called the absurdity of enforcing the law from a time when none of us were around, a law that would not just ban abortions but criminalize providers. That law also bans the advertisement of contraceptives, so that could have ramifications on birth control which could really have an unraveling effect because that would affect so much, Lopez said. The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer: Today may be Super Bowl Sunday, but its not just the Chiefs and 49ers who are battling for domination in their field. The Arizona legislature is in session, and republicans and democrats once again are clashing over how to spend education dollars in our state. As in many sporting contests, one political party has adopted an aggressive offense while the other is stuck in defense mode. To see funding attacks in action, look no further than a slate of bills proposed by Arizona republicans. For starters, SB1131 would require any non-statewide or federal election to be redone if voter turnout is less than 25%. Since many school bond or override elections have low voter turnout, this could greatly affect districts abilities to approve these critical funding sources. HB2719 goes further, requiring that votes involving school bonds receive approval from a whopping 60% of all eligible voters. Both bills would make it more difficult for public schools to secure funding, even when those who show up to vote approve the measures. A set of resolutions take aim at Prop 123, which voters passed in 2016 to fund education with money from Arizonas general fund and state land trust. SCR1027 would allow only teachers and not hard-working support staff to receive salary increases from this revenue source. Then, SCR1034 would require teachers salary schedules to be approved by voters, making them nearly impossible to alter if a districts financial circumstances change. Simply put, these resolutions would place restrictive limitations on how districts spend their voter approved monies. As republicans advance these bills, democrats scramble to play defense against 2022s Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) voucher expansion. Arizonas universal ESA program now offers roughly $10,414 in tax money to any Arizona student to spend on private school or homeschool expenses. In September 2023, over 66,000 students were using ESAs, placing the programs price tag in the hundreds of millions of dollars. In response, democrats have sponsored bills that try to create accountability and transparency around ESA funding. For example, SB 1399 would require schools accepting ESA vouchers to report school performance measures to the state. It also would prohibit families from purchasing luxury items with these funds. HB2774 would require employees in ESA funded schools to undergo background checks, and HB2795 would require teachers at these schools to hold similar credentials to public-school teachers. A slew of similar bills attempt to reign in and place guardrails on the loosely regulated ESA program. Its worth noting that Gov. Katie Hobbs has the power to veto many of the bills that cross her desk this spring. That means some of these proposals are more symbolic than they are likely to pass. Even so, as long as parties are either set on defunding public schools or stuck defending against such measures, Arizonas children will see very little forward progress. To break this cycle, republicans can vote yes on reasonable accountability measures for ESA spending. After all, if public schools must be transparent about how they spend taxpayer money, so should private schools. In turn, democrats can drop more tedious ESA related bills like SB1396, which requires schools receiving vouchers to institute anti-bullying policies. Making private schools jump through extra hoops wont stop the ESA program, but it will waste time and money on monitoring and enforcement. In addition, legislators can come together to support bills where they do find common ground. Take SB1455, sponsored by Ken Bennett (R-1), which would give schools more time and therefore flexibility to spend public school tax credits on items like school lunch programs. Or HB2363, sponsored by Mariana Sandoval (D-23), which would establish a committee to study making educators health insurance more affordable. Legislators must push themselves to reach across the aisle and support even a few bipartisan bills whenever possible. Perhaps then they can finally begin to imagine working as a team for the benefit of all Arizona children. The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer: Four years ago, I was a Congressional District Director and could not publicly endorse any candidate. As a private citizen, though, I believed in what Laura Conover wanted to achieve as Pima County Attorney, and she won my vote. Four years later, I am endorsing her based on her record, and I have joined Nina Trasoff as co-chair of Lauras re-election campaign. What County Attorney Conover walked into in January of 2021, at the height of COVID and a violent crime spike, would have defeated a lesser person. Faced with a backlog of 144 unresolved homicides going back to 2017 and an exhausted workforce, she confronted the backlog, addressed the needs of victims, and began to rebuild morale in the office. Securing the agencys first office-wide pay raise since 1997 certainly helped. Addressing a key critical community need, she reestablished the offices first fraud unit in 20 years and delivered $1 million in restitution to victims in the first year alone. She kept her promise to not seek the death penalty despite enormous pressure. She is a woman of her word. When Roe v Wade fell, she took on then-Attorney General Brnovich and won the reproductive healthcare protection statewide that is still in place today. She reached out to nine senior attorneys with a combined 117 years of felony trial experience, who had left under her predecessor., They returned because she encourages attorneys to Do the Right Thing instead of the old Win at All Costs. And the right people have lined up with her, including retired Court of Appeals Judge Bill Brammer, who now leads her Appeals Unit. When I speak of aligning with her, Congressman Raul Grijalva is pleased with the risk he took to support her in 2019. She was relatively unknown, but he believed in her commitment to reforms and still does. Because of her leadership at the state level on reproductive health and voter intimidation, the Attorney General and the Secretary of State have endorsed her. Her testimony at the state Legislature as Southern Arizonas top law enforcement officer has garnered her the support of our local Democratic state legislators, Congressman Ruben Gallego, and her mentors, including Terry Goddard, Nina Trasoff, Grady Scott and dozens more, like our mayor, who believe in her as she works long hours in service of justice for us all. The neighborhood associations, care centers, shelters, and nonprofits that she checks in on during nights and weekends are the backbone of her support. Her vision for the Office is in line with what our community wants. Pursuing justice is hard, especially in these complex times, and Im glad we have a thoughtful, dedicated, and ethical leader at the helm. Editor's note: Today, the Tulsa World is re-issuing Part II of a five-part series on the history of rock n roll in Tulsa written by former Scene writer John Wooley in late 2003. Below is Part II. Look for parts III, IV and V over the next few weeks. Before rock 'n' roll exploded in the late '50s, there weren't many places in Tulsa where a talented kid could play in front of a crowd. Tommy Crook, who left rock 'n' roll to become the best-known solo guitarist in town, remembered. "The Ritz and the Rialto and the Orpheum (movie theaters) used to have these stage shows on Saturday afternoons and Saturday nights, in between movies," he said. "They started out as talent shows, with the 10-dollar first prize for talent, and then turned into like a Saturday night barn dance, with 15 or 20 different acts. They'd have bales of hay up there it was just like the Grand Ole Opry. A guy'd come out and introduce the acts, and most everybody had comedy. I'd tell jokes and sing those old novelty tunes, like 'Smoke That Cigarette.' That's where I first met (J.J.) Cale. "That's how I got started, and there wasn't anybody else doing anything then," he added. "'Course, there wasn't any place for them to do it anyway. Back in those days, there was one all-night grocery store, the Trenton Market. And as far as restaurants and clubs, there wasn't any such thing. They didn't even really have those brown-bag things in those days, because until '59, everything was bootleg whiskey." 1959 was indeed the year the nightlife scene changed in Tulsa. Before that, the only alcoholic beverage that could be served in Oklahoma bars was 3.2 beer. An election in 1959 made it legal to sell liquor and wine in package stores; clubs had to operate under strict guidelines. They couldn't legally sell liquor. A patron, theoretically, had to bring in a bottle and put it behind the bar. It was illegal for a liquor container to be sitting atop a table, so some clubs thoughtfully provided little bottle holders the tables, so people wouldn't have to panic in case of a raid. Local kids change Tulsa from a swing town to a rock 'n' roll town | From the Archive From the Tulsa World Archive, a series that tells the history of rock 'n' roll in Tulsa thanks to teens like Gene Crose, Clyde Stacy, Leon Russell and many more. This is Part I. Of course, that didn't mean you couldn't get a drink in Tulsa club either before or after '59. According to many of the musicians, the bootleggers who sneaked in trunkloads of liquor from other states for local consumption also owned many of the town's nightspots. Since just about everything about a Tulsa club in the '50s was of, shall we say, dubious legality, it was only natural that the owners didn't pay a lot of attention to the ages of the band members that played on their stages. For the underage musicians themselves, of course, playing a club was an entree into a seductive and exciting nocturnal world, one that could also be a bit frightening. "When I was in the eighth or ninth grade, I made a friendship with a guy named Pee Wee Johnson who was, in his time, the finest technique drummer in the state," said pianist Jim Blazer. "He was a year older than me. One day he calls me and said, 'I got a chance for us to do a job, and it's with a guy named Jumpin' Jack Dunham out at the Casa Del Club.' I knew probably 20 songs, and he said, 'Oh, you'll know all this stuff,' because I'd learned three- and four- and five-chord progressions, and a few little licks, but nothing fancy. "I told my folks I was playing a Rogers social-club slumber party, and Pee Wee picked me up. I was scared to death, up on this little stage, with a kind of a red light on it. The piano I played was out of tune. We played for five hours and waited until the owner quit playing craps in the bathroom, where he'd gotten enough money to pay us each our 12 dollars. I went home at 1:30 in the morning, and my folks never found out." Crap-shooting and employing minors, however, were relatively benign offenses compared to some of the things that involved club owners in those days. "There was a lot of bootlegging going on at the time, and the bootleggers or gangsters, I guess who were around would drive by and shoot at the club on the nights we weren't there," recalled saxophonist Johnny Williams of his days with the Starlighters, a band that included Lucky Clark, Leon Russell and Chuck Blackwell. "They didn't ever do it when we were there, but they'd come and do it when we weren't. I guess they were after the club owner or something. There was quite a bit of gambling going on, and I don't know how many nights I'd be playing and the vice squad would come in. 'Course, I'd recognize 'em and say, 'Watch out. Here comes the vice squad.' " 'Like a gangster movie' "The clubs were just gorgeous," added drummer Chuck Farmer. "The Casa Del was one of the most beautiful facilities you could go into, but it had been bombed several times. There was an awful lot of club-war stuff going on in those days. The clubs were real elaborate, with thick marble floors. One of the reasons the Casa Del could never be blown up was because of this massive, thick, marble floor. So the bomb would go off, and it would just blow the roof off the building, and they'd re-roof it and go on. "I found it all so exciting," he concluded. "The club operators would say, 'Look, Chuckie, just stay in the club all night long and drink all you want to drink, and here's a pistol. If anyone comes in, shoot 'em.' " He laughs. "I thought, 'Man, this is like a movie.' " Pianist Duane Collins remembered another Tulsa venue where he and a group that included bassist Bill Raffensperger and drummer Max Surry played every Friday and Saturday night. "One night, (the owner) told us, 'Boys, you need to pack your stuff up and take it home with you.' This was on Saturday night, and we'd never done that before. We'd always just left it out there. We said, 'Pack up all this stuff?' And he said, 'Yeah, I think it'd probably be a good idea.' "The next night, the place burned down. So, you know, I think that fire had suspicious origins. But I appreciated him at least being considerate enough to tell us, 'Boys, pack your stuff up and take it home,' when he could just as easily have let it go." When the club owners weren't wreaking havoc on each other's places, or their own, patrons could often be counted on to provide thrills. Pianist Rocky Frisco remembered an incident he called "the worst thing I ever saw." "We were playing the Jer-Re-Co Club one night, and a lady came through the door wearing a housecoat and hair curlers," Frisco said. "And she had a pistol. She closed her eyes, and she started shooting that pistol with her eyes closed. Her husband was in there with some girlfriend, see, and somebody had called and told her. So I ran and got behind the piano, because you've got a 6-inch piece of hardwood there, and she shot the piano and broke two strings. She didn't hurt anybody. Somebody reached up and grabbed the gun away from her, and they called the cops." Guitarist Tom Rush, one of the Tulsa rock 'n' roll pioneer bandleaders, remembers a night at the Paradise Club when the Swingin' Shadows were playing. On a break, he went out to use the pay phone and found several five-dollar bills in the phone book. "I didn't know why they were there, and I wasn't about to find out," he said. "I took 'em and went back in, and it wasn't very much longer before the biggest ruckus fight you ever saw broke out. Ol' (Jimmy) Markham was announcing it over the microphone like a fight announcer. I was afraid we were gonna get killed." Life at the hop Most of the bands played both teen shows like sock hops, Friday events at the Cherie-Bob dance studio, dances at the Continental Roller Skating Arena and parties sponsored by then then-popular high school social clubs and nightclubs, although David Gates and his band the Accents generally eschewed the club scene. Sometimes, venues that were usually clubs became teen hangouts for a night, including Leon McAuliffe's famous Cimarron Ballroom, where KAKC would stage sock hops. While there wasn't that slightly disreputable alcoholic aura at the teen functions, they could get pretty wild, as well. "We played a Catholic high school over on 15th Street, near Peoria, and you would've thought we were superstars," said bassist Ralph Brummett, recalling his days with the Swingin' Shadows. "We would be introduced, and the curtain would fly open, and the girls would literally scream their heads off. I can't tell you how the feeling was. I can't describe that. I mean, it was just amazing." That's the same feeling pioneer rocker Gene Crose got in the early days, when "girls would try to tear my clothes, and the tassels off my shoes. You'd sign autographs, and they'd try to take the pen." Still, you could be brought back down to earth in a hurry, too as Crose recalled happening on the stage of a theater where, years before, Tommy Crook had gotten his own start. "It was either the Ritz or the Rialto, and we played down there for a talent show, for Don Wallace," he said. "We'd played a record hop for him first. We made eight dollars. Then we went down and did this talent show. I had my band, Johnny (Cale) and George (Metzel) and everybody. This one kid sang 'But Love Me.' But he didn't have a band; he had a record, and sang it to the music. "So then we got up there, and I started off on 'Shake, Rattle and Roll' and we'd just gotten into the first few bars of the song when a fight broke out. I guess we had a crowd, and he had a crowd, and they were fightin'. So Don Wallace stopped it. He said, 'If you're gonna fight, we're gonna stop.' And a kid yelled out, 'It's fixed. It's not fair. It's rigged.' "Don Wallace said, 'What do you mean, it's rigged?' And the kid said, 'Well, that guy doesn't have a band.' "So to keep things from happening anymore, Don gave him the $15 first prize. He made $15 for singing one song, and I played for three hours out there at that record hop and made eight bucks!" Crose laughed. "That's a story I don't like to tell." Love of the music Ultimately, he and every other musician will tell you that while playing for money even for a living was nice, it was the playing itself that kept them coming back to those stages across our town. "I remember playing places where they tried to run us off," said drummer Jim Turley, who played with Cale, Russell and Crose, among others. "We were sounding so good I guess now they'd say we were gellin'. But, I mean, they were ready to go home, and we just kept on playing until they ran us out of there. "I don't think most people know enough about music to know if you sound good or sound bad," he added. "I think most of the time patrons don't know the difference. But I guarantee the musicians do." "What else would a young man want to do but be where the party is, the good times, and to be able to contribute to that?" asked drummer Chuck Blackwell. "And to see people dancing to your music. Oh, I loved to watch people dance." Related About the author For over two decades, John Wooley was an entertainment writer for the Tulsa World. Thanks in large part to his stories about Tulsa-area musicians, he was the first writer to be inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. Today, Wooley is still writing and producing documentaries. His longtime radio show "Swing On This" can be heard at 7 p.m. every Saturday on KWGS-89.5. Church Studio adds to rich music history with SiriusXM Turnpike Troubadours show A Tulsa robber, who sometimes operated legitimate businesses during a long criminal career, and his three brothers helped stage what historians call the biggest train robbery in American history. The loot in the 1924 foray by Willis Newton and seven others was $2 million, according to most sources. Some, including one of the robbers, claimed the total was $3 million. Either figure qualified that robbery in Rondout, Ill., as the country's biggest train robbery. It became the basis for a book and a movie many years later. The robbery may have been a perfect crime except for a gunshot fired by mistake by one of the robbers that hit Newton's brother, Willie. And, according to reporters of that era, if the Newton brothers had been a little "quicker witted." Two other Newton brothers, Jess and Joe, joined Willis and Willie in that robbery, along with two Chicago gangsters, a Chicago racketeer and a postal inspector, who was the gang's leader and chief planner. The postal inspector and Willis forced the train crew to stop at Rondout with the mail car across the highway and the gang demanded that certain sacks of mail be thrown out, enforcing their demands by firing bullets and tear gas into the mail car. The robbery was going well until Willie Newton came running from the rear of the train in the dark. The gang's leader saw a running figure and fired at him, injuring Willie. "Damn you, you've shot my brother," Willis Newton yelled at the gunman with the itchy trigger finger. As the other three Newton brothers loaded the wounded man into a car, a bystander heard one of them call him Willie. A few days later, police got a tip that a wounded man was being cared for in a northside Chicago house. The man at first claimed his name was "John Wayne" and that he had been shot while resisting a holdup but later admitted his name was Willie. He was taken to a hospital and the other four residents of the house were taken to jail. Police later told two other men who showed up at the house that "John Wayne" had implicated them in the robbery. "Damn. That's the way when a guy thinks he's going to die," one said. And Willis Newton forgot to tell his wife what alias he was using. He claimed to be H.J. Watson but his wife told police that her name was Louise Newton and that her husband, Willis Newton, was a Texas oil operator. During questioning, Willis Newton admitted his identity and provided details of the crime. Another of the bandits, Herb Holliday, denied knowing the Newtons, but police arranged for him and Willis Newton to walk past each other in a hall where Newton called him by name. The two were put into a room together and began calling each other names, the mildest of which was double-crosser. Jesse Newton had fled to Mexico but was lured to Del Rio, Texas, to prove that he could ride a horse after police told him that it was the wildest in the world and that no one could ride it. When he mounted the beast, he was arrested. About $450,000 of the loot was found hidden in the Tulsa house of a brother-in-law -- who knew nothing about it -- of train robber Brent Glasscock. The Newtons and others all drew prison terms. Willis Newton was pardoned by President Herbert Hoover after serving half his 12-year prison term. He operated several service stations, a wholesale gasoline distributing company and several night clubs and owned real estate in Tulsa. But his criminal career also continued. Shortly after his pardon, Newton robbed the Medford bank and was sentenced to 15 years but was released in 1942 after serving seven years. Willis also got into various kinds of trouble with his bootlegging and gambling activities. His last major brush with the law came in 1963 when Willis, 74, and a nephew, Noel Bruce Oglesby, were arrested after police found them driving a car containing Frank Brent in chains on the floor. Newton was tried twice in Claremore on a kidnapping charge. The first trial resulted in a hung jury. A guilty verdict in the second trial was thrown out by the Court of Criminal Appeals for lack of testimony by the victim, who had disappeared. Rogers County Sheriff Amos Ward testified that the victim couldn't be found, but the appeals court said the sheriff hadn't looked hard enough. In spite of the court's comment, the victim was never found. "I think he's at the bottom of a lake," Ward said. At one time there was talk of Willis Newton playing a bit part in the movie The Newton Boys, but it was not filmed until 1998, long after Willis died in 1979 at the age of 90. The Newton brothers, who were reared in Uvalde, Texas, robbed 87 banks and six trains during their career. According to a Uvalde Web site, they collected more loot than the Daltons, Butch Cassidy, Jesse and Frank James and other outlaw groups combined. "We wasn't thugs like Bonnie and Clyde . . . we was just quiet businessmen," Willis was quoted in the book "The Newton Boys" by Claude Stanush and David Middleton. "All we wanted was the money, just like doctors, lawyers and other businessmen. "Robbing banks and trains was our way of getting it. That was our business." Like this column? Read all the columns in the Only in Oklahoma series from the Tulsa World Archive. Tim Stanley Tulsa World Staff Writer Follow Tim Stanley Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today The man she loved and to whom she'd given 33 years of her life was dying in her arms. But before despair could fully overwhelm Cathy Costello, she was able to choke it back. With whatever time she had left, she needed to focus. "I wanted to help to prepare him (to die)," said Costello, who, holding onto her husband, could feel the warm gush of blood as it poured from his countless wounds. "I told him I loved him, and to pray and prepare to meet his maker," she said. "And then I said the Hail Mary. And the reason I did is because the last line says 'pray for us now and at the hour of our death.' "And that was the hour of Mark's death." Eight years later, the brutal images of Mark Costello being stabbed to death by his own son remain all too fresh for his wife, who witnessed much of the attack. The incident, which claimed the life of the 59-year-old Oklahoma labor commissioner, made national headlines in August 2015. A horrifying scene that played out in public, it happened when the couple's adult son, who suffers from a form of schizophrenia, experienced a mental health crisis while meeting his parents at a restaurant. Afterward, though devastated, Cathy Costello refused to retreat from the spotlight. Forced to manage her shock and grief publicly, while standing strong for the sake of the couple's other four children, she ultimately ran for labor commissioner herself, in hopes of personally carrying on her husband's work. That bid came up short. But her real crusade as a mental health advocate was just beginning. Need is great for mental health crisis training Today, that effort continues in crisis intervention trainings that she conducts as a volunteer. While her full-time job is running her digital communications company, Costello, of Edmond, makes herself available for crisis intervention programs for law enforcement and first responders whenever needed. It's taken her all over the state, including just last week to Cleveland County. She expects 2024 to be her busiest year yet. The goal, she said, is to prepare emergency responders to better recognize and assist those in mental health crises. Costello knows it wouldn't have prevented her husband's attack, which unfolded before responders could arrive. But it might have made a difference earlier in her son's experience. And it can and will help in many other cases. Cases that in her travels around the state she hears about regularly. "I tell (law enforcement officers) if they commit to this crisis intervention training, you will save lives," she said. "They didn't sign up to be a therapist or psychologist. I know that. But the reality is, if someone is paranoid and delusional, they can be violent. And (officers) will encounter it, and usually do in the first week on the job." 'We're not the only family this happens to' It was about three years after the loss of her husband that Costello began doing crisis intervention training for the National Alliance on Mental Illness as part of a voluntary course it offers. Since then, thousands of Oklahoma emergency responders have benefited from her efforts. When she speaks on the topic, Costello includes a heavy dose of science and medicine. But it's her personal story that delivers the punch. With law enforcement officers, so they understand what the stakes are, she doesn't spare the gorier details. Her husband's attack, which occurred outside a Braum's in Oklahoma City, could not have been more brutal. In addition to 17 stab wounds, his throat was also cut. The parking lot afterward was painted in blood. "I want them to know what happened, and that we're not the only family this happens to," she said. "Watching somebody bleed out and suffocate is pretty ugly," she added. "It's not like it is on 'Blue Bloods.'" At the time he attacked his father, Christian Costello, the couple's oldest son, was 26. He was first diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, which typically is identified in early adulthood, at age 19. The Costello family's experience mirrored that of many families. "When he was on his medication, he did really, really well," Costello said. "But often," she added, "when someone is suffering with a brain disorder say severe bipolar or schizophrenia they don't recognize that they are ill." If they are adults, making their own choices, it's easy to decide they don't need their medication. At the time of the Costello family tragedy, Christian had been off his for several months, though his parents did not know it. The family's experience also taught them that law enforcement needed help, Costello said. "If they haven't had the training, when they encounter someone having a psychotic episode, they don't often know what it is or where to take them," she said. In her son's case, fortunately, there were times when trained officers read the situation rightly and took him to the hospital. But on at least three different occasions, he ended up in the county jail. One of those times, they assumed his erratic behavior meant he was on drugs. Forgiveness for a man 'not in his right mind' Today, Christian Costello, who was declared not guilty by reason of insanity, is confined to the Oklahoma Forensic Center in Vinita, an inpatient facility of the state Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. Cathy Costello has not seen or talked to him since her husband's death. She was advised by doctors that was the best course, she said. There was no recommendation, however, on whether to forgive her son. That was entirely her call to make. "I had to learn to forgive him," Costello said. "And it's not that I hated him. But if I would pray for him or think about him, then I would relive the whole thing." In the end, she accepted that her son could not control himself. His mental health was rapidly deteriorating, the toll of repeated psychotic breaks. "He just wasn't in his right mind," she said. Memories of him in happier times, like Christmases as a little boy, still come back to her often. The most emotional memories, though, are the many good ones Costello has of her late husband. The pair met as students at the University of Kansas, and knew immediately they were meant for each other. Mark proposed two weeks later. They built a good life together. To watch him die the way he did the fear and hurt in his eyes was crushing for his wife. "He knew his son was killing him. He knew he was dying," Costello said. "Sometimes I'm like, why couldn't he have had a heart attack and died in his sleep. But God allowed this for a reason, and I have to accept that." Finding a mission from personal tragedy Following her husband's death, Costello continued to live in the home they'd shared outside of Edmond. But recently she moved to town into a smaller place. "It was time, and I needed to do that for me," she said, adding that in some ways she's still trying to move on with life. Costello also recently resumed going to counseling. She went earlier in the healing process and just felt like she needed to start again. Talking about what happened, she said, is still part of those conversations. Something else that has helped her was finding a mission. Advocating for mental health and helping educate others is a way to bring some good out of her family's personal tragedy. "I think that if you have breath in your body, you have a purpose and a reason to be here," she said. "And I have seen good come from this." It's been a painful journey, but Costello has gained some hard-earned wisdom. She always imparts some of it, she said, when she closes her programs with law enforcement. "I tell them, 'If you don't remember anything else I said today, please remember this: When you go home tonight, if there's someone that you love, tell them you love them. If there's someone you need to forgive, give that forgiveness.' "'Life is a gift. Time is a gift. Use your gifts wisely.'" 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 Separate surveys conducted eight months apart last year indicate that morale is low among a significant minority of Tulsa Police Department personnel. In a Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 93 survey conducted in February 2023, 69% of the 325 active members rated morale as 4 or lower on a scale of 1 to 10; 55% of respondents put the number at 3 or lower. At the time the survey was taken, TPD had approximately 800 sworn officers, according to the department. When asked what was most responsible for low morale, inconsistent discipline was cited by 30% of respondents, followed by micromanagement (21%) and staffing levels (19%). Poor leadership was next at 15%, with The Chief ranking near the bottom at 6%. Chief Wendell Franklin did not fare as well later in the survey, where 85% of respondents said morale had gotten worse under his leadership. In October, 410 Police Department personnel, including 271 sworn officers, responded to Mayor G.T. Bynums annual city employees survey. And while nearly 71% of police respondents said they enjoyed their job, an even greater percentage, 72.1%, agreed with the statement that morale is low among my co-workers. Although the survey did not ask why, the responses to two questions shed light on the issue and are consistent with concerns listed in the FOP survey. Slightly more than 58% of respondents disagreed with the statement that the disciplinary system here is fair and a nearly identical percentage disagreed that the people who get promotions usually deserve them. The survey also reflects concerns over staffing levels and a lack of adequate equipment. Chief never saw questions In an interview with the Tulsa World, Franklin said he did not learn of the FOP survey until after the questions were formulated and the survey had been sent out. Franklin said he declined to meet with union officials to discuss the survey results in part because they had chosen not to consult with him on the questions. He also relied on advice from another police chief. He goes, I dont meet with them (the union). I am not going to validate their survey or their results, Franklin said of the other chiefs advice. It was not until about a month ago that Franklin finally saw the questions. I didnt know what the questions were. I never saw them, Franklin said. I know there were people that texted me after taking the survey saying, It sure sounds like theyre trying to go after you pretty hard, and are they trying to do a no-confidence vote on you? I said, I have no idea. I dont know. I dont know what the Fraternal Order of Police would be upset about. Franklin compared the incident to one he said occurred soon after he was named chief in February 2020. According to Franklin, a union official showed him text messages indicating that the FOP was looking to do a no-confidence vote on him. And I had only been the chief for a couple of months, Franklin said. These are just things they like to throw out there to try and, I guess, jerk you back in line and make sure that you are not doing too much. FOP President Jeff Downs declined to answer questions about the results of the survey but did send a statement explaining why it was done. The FOP commissioned a survey of its members by a third party to be used internally, Downs said. It provides a structured way to gather feedback and insights, fostering open communication within our organization. Mayor expresses support Mayor G.T. Bynum said he was concerned about the survey numbers but expressed strong support for his chief of police. I love the men and women of the Tulsa Police Department, so of course Im concerned when I see any report reflecting low morale, Bynum said. We have the best police department in America, and I want the morale of the people who serve in it to reflect that. I am always open to suggestions from members of our team at the city of Tulsa on how we can make it the best place to be a public servant. We have our own annual internal survey of all employees that assists us in continuous improvement. Bynum said Franklins emphasis on deploying technology that helps officers in the field has led to the creation of the Real Time Information Center and the overhaul of computer systems used in every patrol vehicle. I have complete confidence in Chief Franklins leadership, Bynum said. I cannot think of any police chief in our citys history who has had to navigate more major challenges than Chief Franklin, and he has done so with a calm and steady hand. He is one of the best leaders we have in Tulsa in any organization. Franklin, meanwhile, said he is proud of the direction the Police Department is headed and that he has worked hard to build a culture of high expectations and accountability. Part of that effort, he said, has been to listen to officers suggestions on how to improve morale. I hear about morale all of the time, and, Oh, this will be great for morale, or, you know, Wage increases will be great for morale, Franklin said. Well, whats it done? Look at the survey. Like a high school on steroids Franklin said hes focused on what he can control but believes that factors beyond his control, including the pandemic, increased scrutiny on law enforcement, polarized politics and other issues have affected officers attitudes. The Police Department is like a high school on steroids, if you will, Franklin said. It is lots and lots of people that have their own opinions about things and rumors and innuendos that get spread around, and it makes for it can make for a toxic environment if you buy into that. But what Ive told officers is that, you know, honestly, I create an environment for you. What I do is I try and get you the best equipment, I try and get you the best buildings and go advocate for all the needs of what we in law enforcement need to operate, knowing that we cant control the weather, we cant control the atmosphere, we cant control the conditions that we operate in because its all determined by outside forces. According to the FOP survey results, outside forces arent a big factor in explaining officers discontent. Public expectations (3%) and media scrutiny (3%), for example, ranked near the bottom of the list of factors officers cited as most responsible for low morale. Franklin pushed back on some of the specific concerns raised in the surveys, including the perceived lack of consistency in how discipline is meted out. He noted that the FOP rejected his proposal to incorporate a discipline matrix into the Police Departments policies. I think I know why they said that, Franklin said. I think they were afraid that it was going to take away their ability to grieve any discipline that I give, and so they refused to allow it into the policy. Franklin said he absolutely believes that discipline is being administered consistently. It is the same way with people outside of the Police Department, Franklin said. People inside the Police Department arent privy to all the information, either. These are human resource-related cases. They are protected in some instances, and so they only know what they know, right? They only know what they hear. And so they might hear a version of what happened in an administrative case, but that might not be the correct version. And they may not have all the details and all the minute little things that go into those decisions that are made. Concerns over morale When it comes to low morale, Franklin acknowledged that at the end of the day, he shoulders the blame. He said hes working to better understand whats behind the concerns reflected in the mayors employee survey, including low morale, while acknowledging that he has only so much influence over his employees feelings. Ultimately, I dont have the ability to control a persons inner being. I cant control a persons heart. I cant control that, Franklin said. You are upset or you hate, you know, this or that. I cant control that. Thats something thats inward and moves outward. Honestly, does the person who has the least amount of contact with everyone, is that person solely the person responsible for the morale? Franklin said he has not discussed the results of the FOP survey with the mayor, though he did make him aware of it. He just shrugged and said, So what? Franklin said. I dont know if he ever received it. I dont know. But we never talked about an FOP survey. Bynum, for his part, said he still has not seen the survey. The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. The Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame will induct 10 people in its latest class, including two who have worked for readers for decades in Tulsa, Coweta and Wagoner. Tom Gilbert joins 50 other current and former Tulsa World newsroom staff members in the hall. Christy Brunken Wheeland worked for the Coweta American and Wagoner County American-Tribune for more than 30 years. Gilbert started at the Tulsa World as an intern in 1987 and started full time after graduating from the University of Central Oklahoma. He was named chief photographer in 1998 and led the photography department for more than 20 years. He was the first Tulsa World photographer to earn a drone pilots license but only after spending years getting up in helicopters to take aerial photos. The 1984 Broken Arrow High School graduate completed Tulsa Techs photography program. He said he became interested in photography when he lived in Saudi Arabia and traveled to a variety of Middle Eastern and European countries. Gilbert also covered the emerging local brewery scene in Tulsa starting in 2013 with the creation of the What the Ale blog. The Tulsa World Archive is full of the work and dedication of Tom Gilbert, said Jason Collington, editor of the Tulsa World. He documented this city and the people in it while leading a staff of dedicated photojournalists. When I think of some of the most iconic photos in the history of the Tulsa World, they came from Tom Gilbert. Wheeland began her journalism career in 1987 after graduating from Oklahoma State University. She worked as a reporter before becoming the editor of the Coweta American and then the Wagoner County American-Tribune from 1988-2021. Christy did it all from writing news to covering and shooting photos at countless sporting events to designing the papers for the print edition, Collington said. She was relentless in making sure students at her schools got the recognition they deserved. The publications she led earned three Sequoyah Awards, the top awards from the Oklahoma Press Association. The Hall of Fame class that will be honored during a ceremony May 2 at the University of Central Oklahoma includes eight other journalists, a prominent First Amendment attorney and a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient. The seven men and five women being honored this year represents the best in journalism from a number of different areas and in their service to journalism, said OJHOF Director Joe Hight, who is also UCOs Edith Kinney Gaylord Endowed Chair of Journalism Ethics and a member of the hall since 2013. The decisions become harder every year because of the quality of journalists and individuals who have served Oklahoma and this country. The 2024 induction class will be Mary Cecile Carter, a longtime editor whose work included a Pulitzer Prize-winning project; Richard M. Crum, a journalist and educator who was a longtime National Geographic reporter and editor; Galen Culver, who originated the broadcast franchise Is This a Great State or What! on KFOR-TV; Mark Hanebutt, a journalist, lawyer, author and longtime educator; Blaise Labbe, the first Black news director in Oklahoma City and Kansas City; Anne Nelson, a war correspondent, author, playwright and former director for the Committee to Protect Journalists; Penny Owen, a longtime reporter for The Oklahoman and past president of the international Dart Society; and John Perry, national award-winning database editor in Oklahoma and Georgia. The 2024 Lifetime Achievement honorees will be Suzan Shown Harjo, a 2014 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient whose lifetime of work includes being a pioneering Native American journalist and founding trustee for the Smithsonian National Museum for the American Indian; and Robert D. Nelon, an attorney who has represented numerous media organizations and journalists on First Amendment and freedom of information issues. 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 Nowhere, man: U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin defended, after a fashion, Sen. James Lankfords border security negotiations last week, even though Mullin ultimately voted to keep the legislation from advancing. The public spoke very clear that they didnt want the border bill, Mullin said in a video. But when we did our tele-townhall when I asked what the No. 1 issue was, overwhelmingly it was about (the) border. Mullin said last weeks vote was to begin the conversation to get it to the floor to begin the amendment process and eventually negotiations with the House of Representatives. But public opposition, largely fueled by inaccurate information disseminated mostly by former President Donald Trump and his allies, brought all of that to a halt. Now were kind of at Square One, except were not really anyplace because theres no path forward for the border, he said. Meanwhile ...: Aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan originally the Republicans leverage in the border negotiations actually moved forward in the Senate. While some Republicans oppose further assistance to Ukraine in its war with Russia, Mullin sees it as matter of honor as well as strategic necessity. We told Ukraine in 1994 (after the breakup of the Soviet Union) that if it would give up its nuclear weapons, which at the time it had the second-largest nuclear arsenal in the world, that the United States, with all of the might behind it, would stand up with them (if) they were invaded, specifically by Russia, Mullin said. Medicare: First District Congressman Kevin Hern told Breitbart that a clawback of federal funds from Medicare Advantage plans are a prelude to Medicare for All. Biden just cut nearly $5 billion in funding for Medicare Advantage, and this is just his first step, Hern said. The end goal is to get everyone not just seniors onto government-controlled, Medicare-for-All plans. Its not clear why that would be the case, but in any event the health insurance sector providing Medicare Advantage coverage is not happy with an administration report critical of the option, which is essentially an array of preferred provider networks. Traditional Medicare, by contrast, operates on the fee-for-service model. According to The Commonwealth Fund, Medicare Advantage generally costs the federal government more per patient but also covers more. Access and quality vary by location. Public-private partnerships like Medicare Advantage provide more choices and better benefits for our seniors; we need to look to the successes of programs like MA and replicate these efforts across other government programs. The private sector has always delivered better results, Hern said. Oh well: Hern shrugged off two failed attempts to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Everythings going to be really tenuous as we go forward here, especially over the next four weeks as we try to fund the government, Hern told Politico. Dots n dashes: His claims to the contrary, Trump did give Lankford his full and complete endorsement for re-election in 2022. Fourth District Congressman Tom Cole backed additional funding for Downs Syndrome research. Randy Krehbiel, Tulsa World 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 Nope: The Eastern Oklahoma State College Board of Regents rejected Gov. Kevin Stitts proposal that the Wilburton school effectively merge with Carl Albert State College in Poteau, the McAlester News-Capital reported. The two schools will continue to cooperate on curriculum and faculty, the newspaper said. Stitt suggested higher education consolidation in last weeks state of the state address, and it has been a subject that has arisen regularly almost since statehood. Poteau and Wilburton are separated by 42 miles and the Kiamichi Mountains. VOCAlization: Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond put together an alliance of prosecutors and tribal governments to lobby for sustained federal funding of the Victims of Crime Act fund. VOCA, as it is known, provides grants to states and subgrantees for a variety of programs, but allocations have dropped in recent years because the fines, fees and asset seizures that fund it have fallen off sharply. Many victims depend on this funding for medical care, legal advocacy, lost wages and temporary housing, Drummond said. Congress needs to ensure that victims of crimes are supported, which is critical for states abilities to prosecute criminals and uphold public safety. Under the dome: Among legislation advancing during the first week of this years legislative session: House Bill 3640, by Rep. Toni Hasenbeck, R-Elgin, which would require courts to consider domestic abuse as a mitigating circumstance in homicide sentencing. Senate Bill 1239, by Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain, eliminates licensing for providing child care to up to seven children for a maximum of 30 hours per week. Sen. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City, objected to the measure, saying it would put children at risk without doing much to alleviate the shortage of affordable care. Heehaw: Donkey milk could become easier to come by as the result of SB 1963, by Sen. Shane Jett, R-Shawnee. It allows advertising of on-farm donkey milk sales. Historically, donkey milk was used for several purposes, including bathing and as a substitute for human milk. Giving notice: State Sen. George Young, D-Oklahoma City, announced his mid-term retirement effective Nov. 15. Meetings and events: Area school board candidates will be featured at the Tulsa County Republican Mens Club meeting at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Oklahoma Joes BBQ, 6175 E. 71st St. The Creek County Democratic Party meets at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Josephs, 54580 W. Highway 16, Drumright. Matthew Lucas of the Oklahoma Democratic Party will discuss the process of becoming a delegate to the 2024 National Democratic Convention. Deadline is March 1 for the Creek County Democrats two $1,500 scholarships. Recipients must be Creek County residents and either registered Democrats or have a parent or guardian who is. Applications at CreekCountyDemocratScholarship@gmail.com Brecheen town halls: Feb. 19 8 a.m., Downtown 312, 312 E. Choctaw Ave., McAlester; 10 a.m., Checotah Perk, 319 W. Gentry Ave., Checotah; noon, Wagoner Community Building, 102 N. Jefferson St., Wagoner; 2 p.m. Graham Community Center, 6 N. Adair St., Pryor; 4 p.m., Oologah Town Hall, 225 W. Alta Ave., Oologah; 6 p.m., Bartlesville Community Center, 300 SE Adams Boulevard, Bartlesville. Feb. 20 8 a.m. Grove City Hall, 104 West 3rd St., Grove; 10 a.m., Miami City Hall, 129 5th Ave. NW, Miami; noon, Craig County Fairgrounds & Community Center, 915 E. Apperson Rd., Vinita; 2 p.m., Chouteau Town Hall, 111 S. Lewis St., Chouteau; 4 p.m. Fort Gibson Town Hall, 200 W. Poplar St., Fort Gibson; 6 p.m., Claremore Conference Center, 1400 W. Country Club Rd., Claremore. Feb. 21 8 a.m., Mabrey Bank Meeting Room, 111 E. Sixth St., Okmulgee; 10 a.m., VFW Post 8798, 121182 Oklahoma 9, Eufaula; noon, Martin Luther King Center Conference Room, 300 W. Martin Luther King St., Muskogee; 2 p.m., Go Ye Village Great Hall, 1201 W. Fourth St., Tahlequah; 4:30pm, Sequoyah County Fairgrounds, 464101 E. 1070 Road, Sallisaw; 6:30 p.m., Patrick Lynch Public Library, 206 S. McKenna St., Poteau. Randy Krehbiel, Tulsa World The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. Ginnie Graham Tulsa World Editorials Editor Follow Ginnie Graham 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 Its hard to have much sympathy for Jennifer Crumbley, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Michigan this past week. She provided a gun to her 15-year-old mentally unstable son, who used the weapon in 2021 to kill four students and injure seven others at his school. She faces up to 60 years in prison. This marks the first time a parent of a murderer in a school shooting was held responsible. Crumbleys defense was that she didnt know. The jury determined that she ignored warning signs that included the schools having called her on the day of the shooting about her sons behavioral problems. She and her husband who will face trial later this year insisted that he stay in classes that day. Its an extreme example of parental responsibility taking a backseat to parental rights. Rights are not absolute and ought not be confused with parental obligations. The tug-of-war between the rights of parents to do as they wish with their children and the rights of children to be safe has always existed. That struggle appears more contentious nowadays, including at the Oklahoma Capitol. Increasingly, lawmakers are proposing legislation on the assumption that all families and adults are healthy and clear-minded. The idea that parents know best doesnt work when mom has an opioid addiction or dad occasionally hits the kids. That happens more than wed like to think. Oklahoma families arent healthy right now. Oklahomas domestic violence rate has alarmingly jumped since 2020, putting the state among the worst in the nation. The Kids Count data center ranks the state No. 1 in the rate of child abuse and neglect, at 15.1 confirmations per 1,000 children. Poor mental health outcomes have been well-documented, along with the states high ranking for adverse childhood experiences (ACES). Clearly, parents do not always know best or, more to the point do whats best for their children. Thats why Senate Bill 1958 lacks common sense. It seeks to end no-fault divorce, which would force couples into court to assign blame. This comes from freshman lawmaker Dusty Deevers, R-Elgin, whose website states, We must protect marriage and parental rights. I will fight to make sure our laws never interfere with the spiritual and economic thriving of families. This measure would clog courts, exacerbate contentiousness and likely worsen conditions for victims trapped in violent relationships. The law would interfere in the health and happiness of many Oklahomans. Parental rights most often comes up in education. Unlike in my youth, todays parents have more surveillance tools. At any time, I can log onto my childs public school and see information including classroom lessons, grades per assignment, absences, books checked out, and results from every state, district and national test. Apps are available to track a childs whereabouts or to see what theyve searched online. Parents who want to hover have everything they need. If they see an LGBTQ+ themed novel that concerns them, its their responsibility to talk their kids about that. If they see something in history class giving them pause, they can engage with their children about their concerns. Instead, some parents want to shift that to educators. They seek book and curriculum bans as a right, ignoring how that infringes on the freedoms of others. They want to punish educators for using a students preferred pronoun or nickname rather than talk to their kids about it. Private school voucher proponents invoke parental rights to use tax money for religious schools. Parents have a right to enroll their children wherever they want, but its their responsibility to pay for private schools. Paddling kids in school has been defended by lawmakers as a parental right, including in last years defeat of a measure that would have banned hitting special needs children. Lawmakers argued that if a parent is OK with a school official hitting their child, then theres no problem. Parental rights are the pushback on a proposal that would background check home-schooling parents. State law requires that public and private schools conduct annual criminal background checks on staff. Oklahoma has among the nations most lax home school laws. Parents who say they are home-schooling their children are not required to notify anyone. In rare cases, though, home schooling camouflages abuse or other damaging parental behavior. It may be rare, but it happens. The group Coalition for Responsible Homeschool Education recommends barring parents from home schooling if convicted of child abuse, sex offenses or crimes that would prohibit them from working in schools. It also suggests a process for flagging at-risk children for monitoring or interventions. This would include parents with a history or current involvement with child protective services. House Bill 4130 from Rep. Amanda Swope, D-Tulsa, would require that home schooling parents be checked twice a year for open child abuse and neglect cases. It may not be a perfect bill, but it recognizes that Oklahoma has at-risk children. Critics pushing back cite parental rights, not considering how dysfunctional parents abuse the current system. The proposal doesnt eliminate the right to home school. It seeks to ensure child safety. Parents have rights, but so do children. Children are not owned. They are not property. Some lawmakers appear ignorant or in denial of the dark realities in many Oklahoma homes. The Crumbley decision could have far-reaching consequences. For parents, the takeaway ought to be a reminder that rights dont overshadow responsibilities. The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. Takahito Yamada, 35, established the architectural design firm 'studio anettai,' renowned for its tropical-themed projects primarily located in Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and Vung Tau. The studio's influence extends beyond Vietnam, reaching Japan and various other countries. Yamada and his colleagues at studio anettai are also the designers of three Chidori - Coffee in Bed shops in Ho Chi Minh City. Among their projects, the Chidori project in District 1 stands out as a prime example that distinctly embodies their philosophy. This project demonstrates their commitment to architecture design inspired by Vietnamese cityscapes, culture, and behavior. It was renovated from an old tube house on Pasteur Street which is four meters wide and 20 meters deep. To meet the client's concept of a bed cafe space while taking advantage of existing conditions and connecting with the urban context, Yamada and his colleagues turned the whole house into an alley (hem) where new and old cultures blend together. The primary area of the venue consists of 'houses' in the form of bed bunks, offering views of a two-meter-wide common path designed to replicate an alley atmosphere. The surroundings feature rough brick walls, capturing the essence of street vibes. Every customer to the cafe is supposed to feel like they are walking into an alley back to their beloved home. According to Yamada, the shop owner's target customers are young Vietnamese people. Fully aligned with this perspective, Yamada aimed to integrate Vietnamese culture, with a particular emphasis on alley culture and urban landscapes, into the essence of this project. The Japanese architect conveyed his appreciation for the abundance of 'hidden gems' nestled in the alleys of Vietnam, which host numerous restaurants, bars, and other establishments. While Japan also has alleys, Yamada admires the multifaceted use of Vietnamese alleys. Here, alleyways are not merely pathways for transportation but vibrant spaces with diverse features, contributing to his admiration for the unique alley culture in the Southeast Asian country. Takahito Yamada is seen in this photo he provided for Tuoi Tre News. When asked about the working environment in Japan and Vietnam, Yamada admitted that he has never worked in Japan." During his time at an architecture university in Japan, Yamada delved into the study of Southeast Asian countries. Fate intervened, leading him to secure an internship at the firm of renowned Vietnamese architect Vo Trong Nghia. At the end of the internship, Yamada continued to work there for about five years before establishing his own studio. Currently, studio anettai has five people on its team, with a mix of both Vietnamese and Japanese working together. According to Yamada, one of the 'misunderstandings' he often encounters when working in Vietnam is that people often assume that he specializes in Japanese architectural style. "In our studies in Japan, we focus on design principles without necessarily specializing in Japanese style. Recognizing the uniqueness of each environment and culture, we aim to grasp the essence of design, and in our work here, we strive to integrate it harmoniously with Vietnamese culture, Yamada said. Another aspect that initially perplexed the Japanese architect when collaborating with Vietnamese clients was the inclination of Vietnamese people to adorn their spaces with a multitude of items and decorations. First taken aback by seeing his designs adorned with various decorations, Yamada's perception evolved over several years in Vietnam. He came to realize that the habit goes beyond mere 'decoration' it serves as tangible evidence that the architecture is actively lived in and personalized by the inhabitants. "We are intrigued and should appreciate it," remarked Yamada, emphasizing that he has structured his designs to be adaptable, allowing clients to make adjustments as they start living in the spaces. Takahito Yamada is seen in this photo he provided for Tuoi Tre News. Having resided in Vietnam for a decade, Yamada has disclosed his intention to prolong his stay. He has broadened the scope of his work beyond Vietnam and Japan, extending to other countries such as India. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Check out the latest news in Vietnam today: Society -- More than 200 domestic and international train passengers received a warm welcome and lucky money from officials in Binh Thuan Province, south-central Vietnam upon their arrival in the provincial capital city of Phan Thiet at noon on Saturday, the first day of the Tet festival, according to the provincial tourism authority. -- The national weather center on Sunday, the second day of the Tet festival, forecast that northern Vietnam would continue to experience cold weather, but it is not anticipated to significantly affect local Tet celebrations. In central Vietnam, scattered showers are expected, while the southern region may encounter hot weather during the day. -- Seventy-eight traffic accidents were reported on Saturday, the first day of the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, leaving 35 people dead and 66 others injured, according to the Ministry of Public Security. -- A high traffic volume along with inundation caused by a high tide made life tougher for road users on a one-kilometer road section linking My Tho City with Chau Thanh District in Tien Giang Province, southern Vietnam on Saturday afternoon. -- Eight passengers were hospitalized after suffering injuries in a crash involving a 16-seater car and a north-south train on Saturday afternoon in Ha Nam Province, northern Vietnam, the Vietnam News Agency reported. Lifestyle -- Thousands of book lovers flocked to an annual book festival in downtown Ho Chi Minh City during the first day of the Tet holiday, where as many as 16,000 books are being given away as Tet gifts to visitors. World News -- Spanish police on Saturday clashed with a group of farmers and truck drivers in Madrid as they tried to access a main road in a bid to block it, one of several protests sweeping the European Union against the bloc's environmental rules and what workers see as excessive taxes and red tape, according to Reuters. -- Hungarian President Katalin Novak resigned on Saturday after coming under mounting pressure for pardoning a man convicted of helping to cover up sexual abuse in a children's home, Reuters reported. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Ho Chi Minh City's downtown streets experienced lower-than-usual traffic on the second peak day of Tet (Lunar New Year festival). During this year's Tet holiday, public employees in Vietnam are enjoying a seven-day break from February 8 to 14. Tet peaks on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Observations by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters indicated that on Sunday morning, Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Pham Ngoc Thach, Dien Bien Phu Streets in District 3, and Le Duan, Dong Khoi Streets in District 1 saw reduced vehicular traffic. Le Duan Street heading to the Reunification Palace in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City sees low traffic on February 11, 2024, the second peak day of Tet. Photo: Phuong Nhi / Tuoi Tre Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City sees low traffic on February 11, 2024, the second peak day of Tet. Photo: Phuong Nhi / Tuoi Tre Pham Ngoc Thach Street in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City heading to the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon, as seen on February 11, 2024. Photo: Phuong Nhi / Tuoi Tre The central areas of the city experienced a noticeable influx of visitors concentrated around popular attractions, such as Nguyen Hue Street Flower, Turtle Lake, Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon, Saigon Central Post Office, and the Book Street in District 1, among others. People take photos while visiting the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City on February 11, 2024. Photo: Phuong Nhi / Tuoi Tre Many visitors, adorned in ao dai (Vietnam's traditional long gown), were spotted flocking to these locations, capturing moments with photographs, and relishing the pleasant weather amidst the festive atmosphere. Visitors take a wefie in front of the Saigon Central Post Office in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City on February 11, 2024. Photo: Phuong Nhi / Tuoi Tre Three young ladies check their phones after taking a photo in front of the Saigon Central Post Office in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City on February 11, 2024. Photo: Phuong Nhi / Tuoi Tre Visitors to the Book Street on Nguyen Van Binh Street in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City on February 11, 2024. Photo: Phuong Nhi / Tuoi Tre Others opted to gather to enjoy ca phe bet, which literally means drinking coffee while sitting on the ground, around the attractions in District 1. Kim Ngan, 23, residing in Binh Chanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, shared that she makes it a tradition to attend ca phe bet every Tet holiday with her friends. She said that this type of service is an essential activity for her, not only during normal days but also during Tet. People sit on plastic stools and have coffee in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City on February 11, 2024. Photo: Phuong Nhi / Tuoi Tre People sit on plastic stools and the ground to have coffee in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City on February 11, 2024. Photo: Phuong Nhi / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Thousands of book enthusiasts gathered at an annual book festival in downtown Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday, the first day of the Tet holiday, where as many as 16,000 books are being given away as Tet gifts to visitors. The book festival, situated on Le Loi Boulevard in District 1, stands out as one of the prominent events celebrating Tet in the southern metropolis. It welcomes visitors until the following Wednesday, which corresponds to the 5th day of the first lunar month. Hoang Thuy, an attendee at the festival, shared that her two children were excited about visiting the book street, enticed by the special deals and Tet gifts offered at the event. Many other minor readers also found this Lunar New Year book festival extremely appealing. Nguyen Van Nghia, a resident of Binh Thanh District, explained that his two kids expressed their joy while exploring the book street and used almost VND800,000 (US$33) of their Tet lucky money to buy various books. Aside from children, the book festival proved to be a favorite Tet destination among the elderly. Nguyen Van Bau, a 92-year-old originally from central Quang Ngai Province and currently residing in Ho Chi Minh City, emerged as one of the most senior attendees, showcasing an enduring passion for books. Bau was taken to the event by his grandchild Nguyen Van Nghia Huy, a sophomore at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport. Huy said that his paternal grandfather is a bibliophile that usually immerses himself in books and owns a tablet for reading e-books. The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Information and Communications has launched an initiative to give away over 16,000 books as Tet gifts at the book festival on the first day of the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, February 11, 2024. Photo: Vietnam News Agency Visitors pack an annual book festival in downtown Ho Chi Minh City during the first day of the Tet holiday, February 10, 2024. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre Revelers gather at a booth giving away books as Tet gifts. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre A festival goer explores a book stall. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre Child readers visit the Lunar New Year book festival. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre Nguyen Van Bau, a 92-year-old resident in Ho Chi Minh Citys District 12, was perhaps the oldest reveler during the first day of the Tet holiday, February 10, 2024. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre A boy picks his favorite books at the event. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre More than 65,000 books of various genres are being offered at the Lunar New Year book festival held on Le Loi Boulevard in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! 2023 Irish series Obituary, which combines dark comedy, crime and drama, centres around a small-town obituarist who resorts to murder when she runs out of deaths to cover. The series stars Siobhan Cullen (Origin, The Dry), Michael Smiley (Luther, The Curse), and Ronan Raftery (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, The Siege of Jadotville). 24-year-old Elvira Clancy is feeling unfulfilled, although she adores her job writing obituaries. When her newspaper falls on hard times, her boss tells her he is unable to keep her on the payroll and she finds herself being paid per obituary overnight When she accidentally kills a town low-life, she discovers she has a touch of untapped bloodlust. She delights in using even more crafty methods to kill off the towns unpleasant residents while making them look like accidents. Unfortunately, a spanner lands in the works the paper hires a suspicious new crime correspondent with a penchant for conspiracy theories, and she really, really likes him. Thursday 28th March on BritBox. UAE will help create a framework for investments in digital infrastructure with a focus on data centre projects in Greece. Towards this, the UAE Ministry of Investment and the Ministry of Digital Governance of the Hellenic Republic have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The agreement was signed by Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi, Minister of Investment of the UAE, and Dimitris Papastergiou, Minister of Digital Governance of the Hellenic Republic. Data centres to be developed under this agreement can reach a total capacity of 500 megawatts. The data centre market in Greece has witnessed significant growth in recent years, largely driven by the countrys Digital Transformation Strategy 2020-2025 which aims to facilitate the transformation of companies across the Hellenic Republic into digital enterprises and incorporate digital technologies across its economic sectors. Projections indicate that Greeces data centre market will reach $1.218 billion by 2028 from $735 million in 2022, growing at a compound annual growth rate of approximately 9%. 15 data centres With 15 data centres, Greece is set to expand its data infrastructure with an additional 139 megawatts of power capacity from new data centres planned for development over the next five years. This positions the country to become the largest data hub in Southeast Europe and the second largest in the Mediterranean by 2028. Furthermore, Greece benefits from a network of over ten submarine cables linking the country to crucial global markets which is further reinforced by multiple inland internet exchange points, resulting in significantly enhanced connectivity, reliability and an increased appeal for businesses seeking efficient and dependable data exchange. The MoU between the UAE and Greece focuses on forging effective collaboration by building relationships between public and private organisations. The agreement additionally proposes the implementation of incentives to support pertinent initiatives and aims to facilitate the exchange of knowledge. Growing bilateral relations Alsuwaidi said: The signing of this agreement strengthens the growing bilateral economic ties between our two nations and denotes a shared vision that recognises the crucial role of technology and data processing in shaping a digital economy. The planned investments in data centre projects in Greece are set to contribute to the countrys rapidly growing digital infrastructure and provide businesses with additional opportunities to reap the benefits of digitisation. Papastergiou said: Greece is on track to implement the Governments strategic priority to establish the country as a technological leader in the SE European region. The Ministry of Digital Governance is committed to fulfilling the Prime Ministers vision in making Greece an attractive innovation hub, open to investments and geared towards the flourishing of the local technological ecosystem through strategic partnerships. The agreement that was signed today is a testament of the Governments commitment to solidify Greece as a hub for international data transfers therefore multiplying the impact of technological innovation on the countrys development trajectory while strengthening our international collaboration. The MoU was signed against the backdrop of a growing strategic partnership between the UAE and Greece. In 2022, the two countries announced a EUR4 billion ($4.2 billion) fund to invest in the Greek economy. This was succeeded by a notable surge in non-oil trade between the nations, with a value of nearly $72 million in 2021, reflecting 67% growth compared to the previous year.--TradeArabia News Service Welcome Guest! You are here: Home Education & Career AISSEE 2024 Answer Key, OMR Sheet to be released at exams.nta.ac.in/aissee The National Testing Agency (NTA) had conducted AISSEE 2024 on January 28, 2024. Read More Sunday February 11, 2024 2:35 PM , ummid.com News Network Sainik School Entrance Examination 2024-25 Session: Candidates and parents whose wards appeared for the All India Sainik School Entrance Exam 2024 (AISSEE 2024) should note that the Answer Key, Question Papers and OMR Responses will be released on the website 'exams.nta.ac.in/aissee' soon. The National Testing Agency (NTA) had conducted AISSEE 2024 on January 28. Before that the NTA had launched a dedicated website for AISSEE. Parents should note that the NTA has not confirmed the exact date and time to release the AISSEE 2024 OMR Answer Sheets, Answer Ker for Challenge and Question Paper. It will however release the same very soon. AISSEE 2024 OMR Answer Sheets "NTA will display the scanned images of OMR Answer Sheets and recorded responses by the machine, of all the candidates, at https://exams.nta.ac.in/AISSEE/. Exact date of display of scanned images of OMR Answer Sheets, would be communicated after the examination on NTA website", the NTA said in the AISSEE Information Bulletin. After the release of the OMR Answer Sheets, time will be given to raise objections, the NTA said. "Applicants will be given an opportunity to submit representation, online, against the OMR grading by paying a non-refundable processing fee of Rs. 100/- per question challenged", the NTA said. "Representations made by the candidates against the OMR grading will be verified by the NTA from the actual record and the same will be updated in the data, if challenges are found to be correct. However, no intimation in this regard will be sent to individual candidate", it added. AISSEE 2024 Answer Key The NTA will also display provisional Answer Key of the questions along with OMR Responses. "The NTA will display provisional Answer Key of the questions, giving an opportunity to the candidates to challenge, in case of any doubt in the answer key on the website https://exams.nta.ac.in/AISSEE/. For exact date of display of Answer Key, candidates may regularly check updates on NTA website after the examination", the NTA said. "Candidates will be given an opportunity to make online challenge, within a specified period, against the provisional Answer Key on payment of non-refundable processing fee of Rs.200/-per answer challenged", it said. Challenges made by the candidates will be verified by the NTA with the help of panel of subject experts. If found correct, the answer key will be revised accordingly. Based on the revised Final Answer Key, result will be prepared and declared. AISSEE 2024 Result The National Testing Agency will evaluate the Answer Sheets using standard procedure and declare the results, the NTA said. The respective mark-sheet can be downloaded by individual candidates through their login on the website https://exams.nta.ac.in/AISSEE/. "AISSEE Result will be declared within 06 weeks after exam", the NTA said. Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. Welcome Guest! You are here: Home India Muslim delegation visits violence-hit Haldwani The Muslim leaders visited the city where violence erupted following the demolition of the Madrasa and adjacent Mosque in Banbhoolpura Thursday. Read More Sunday February 11, 2024 8:11 PM , ummid.com News Network New Delhi: A joint delegation, comprising representatives from Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind and Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Sunday Feb 11, 2024 visited Haldwani in Uttarakhand to address concerns and express dissatisfaction over the 'brutal and retaliatory' actions by the administration. The Muslim leaders visited the city where violence erupted following the demolition of a Madrasa and adjacent Mosque in Banbhoolpura Thursday. During the review of the situation, the delegation voiced concerns about the issuance of shoot-at-site orders without following proper protocol, leading to the unnecessary loss of lives. The Muslim leaders also criticized the police for resorting to stone pelting, as observed in video footage, instead of employing non-lethal alternatives like tear gas before implementing the shoot-at-site order. "This is highly condemnable", the Muslim leaders said. The delegation also opposed mass arrests of innocent people, intimidation of women and children in Muslim minority neighbourhoods, and vindictive measures, deeming them counterproductive and wrong. They urged the police to exercise restraint and called upon the district administration to take effective steps to restore peace and trust in Haldwani. The delegation also demanded that the families of those who lost their lives be provided with compensation of one crore rupees, and one family member should be offered employment. In the context of India's religious diversity, the delegation emphasized the emotional sensitivity of religious matters and urged authorities to avoid actions that could escalate tensions. They also called for a careful and considerate approach, stating that the recent events in Haldwani could have been prevented with a more understanding and inclusive strategy. The delegation, including Maulana Hakeemuddin Qasmi, General Secretary of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, Deputy Amir of Jamaate Islami Hind Malik Muhtasim, Deputy Amir Jamaate Islami Hind Shafi Madani, Maulana Ghayur Ahmad Qasmi, Senior Organizer of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, and Maulana Shafique Ahmad Al Qasimi, Senior Organizer of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, Laeeq Ahmad Khan, Syed Saajid expressed strong disapproval of the administration's actions during discussions with SDM Paritosh Verma, City Magistrate Richa Singh, and local police station in-charge Neeraj Bhakuni. Meanwhile, Maulana Mahmood Asad Madani, President of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, addressed a letter to the Union Home Minister, expressing profound concern over the situation in Haldwani. Maulana Madani questioned the haste in the demolition and urged attention towards finding a lasting solution to the demolition issue, particularly when it involves religious places. Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. Srinagar, Feb 11 (UNI) There is a BJP wave in Kashmir valley and it will win all the seats in the upcoming parliamentary elections, the party's Jammu and Kashmir President Ravinder Raina said on Sunday. I am sure that BJP will register a great win in the upcoming Parliamentary elections in Kashmir valley, Raina told media persons in south Kashmirs Kulgam district. Though there is no official word as yet, there is a likelihood that Raina will contest the elections from the Anantnag constituency. There is a wave of BJP in Kashmir valley as Prime Minister Narendra Modi helped the poor people and those living below poverty,, he added. He said Prime Minister Modi restored peace and prosperity and huge development is going on in Kashmir. Raina said the Modi government is looking after all sections of the people whether they belong to the Gujjar Bakerwal community, Pahari, OBC, or from the village or the city. Reacting to the Pakistan elections, Raina said Pakistan is our neighbouring country where elections were held but the media reports from that country suggest that these were rigged. He said Imran Khans Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party-backed independents were leading in the elections. He said Unfortunately the internet services were snapped and media was banned in that country. Even International news reports suggest that the democratic system of Pakistan which people wished to sustain has been destroyed by the rigged results of the elections. UNI QAB SSP Manila, Feb 11 (UNI) A van blew a tire on a highway in Pangasinan province, north of Manila, and crashed into a roadside barrier, killing three people and injuring 14 others, police said Sunday. Police said the van was traveling north to a Roman Catholic Church in Manaoag town when the accident happened around 9 a.m. local time (0100 GMT) Saturday in Rosales, a town in Pangasinan. The passengers, all family members, told police that the car was running smoothly for a couple of hours when one of the tires burst, causing the vehicle to crash into a roadside barrier. Initial police investigation showed that the van, which can accommodate only 15 people, was overloaded, carrying 17 people. UNI/XINHUA AKS Gaza, Feb 11 (UNI) At least 25 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli bombing of a house in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah on Sunday, according to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA. Many displaced people were living in the house at the time of the bombing, and dozens of others were injured, said the report. Mayor of Rafah Ahmed Al-Sufi warned on Saturday that: "Israeli bombings have escalated in recent hours in Rafah, paving the way for a military operation in the city." The Hamas-run government media office also warned of a "global catastrophe" if Israel carries out a military operation in Rafah. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday instructed the army to prepare plans for a ground operation in Rafah, the southernmost Gazan city to which over half of the 2.3 million Gaza residents fled during the conflict. Since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza on Oct. 7 last year, about half of the residents there have fled to Rafah, adjacent to Egypt, in search of safety. The number of displaced residents has grown after the Israeli army launched one of its largest attacks on Khan Younis, adjacent to Rafah, weeks ago. The border city, which receives food and medicine aid from foreign countries and UN agencies through the Rafah crossing, is crowded with tents on empty agricultural lands, in schools and along roadsides. UNI/XINHUA AKS HA NOI Traditional industrial zones are gradually losing their competitive edge and being replaced by industrial zones that prioritise green and sustainable elements, making them more appealing to investors, said experts. The development of green industrial zones involves participating in cleaner production practices and minimising negative environmental impacts, with the aim of achieving zero carbon emissions by 2050. Building green industrial zones to attract investment in the green industry is a prevailing global trend. From a management perspective, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc said that the transition towards a green and circular economy in industrial zones and economic zones is a crucial factor in enhancing competitiveness and ensuring sustainable development for each specific area and the overall economy. With 403 operational industrial zones, promoting the development of eco-industrial zones will mobilise significant resources from the private sector to implement green industrial solutions, ensure energy security, and make a substantial contribution to Viet Nams climate change mitigation efforts. This will drive green growth and circular economy practices, reflecting the strong political commitment of the Vietnamese Government towards sustainable development. The summary report on 30 years of industrial zone and economic zone development by the Ministry of Planning and Investment showed that by 2030, 40-50 per cent of localities will have plans to convert existing industrial zones into eco-industrial zones, while 8-10 per cent of localities will aim to establish new eco-industrial zones, starting from the stage of construction planning and industry-specific investment attraction. The simultaneous focus on constructing new eco-industrial zones and transforming traditional industrial zones into eco-industrial zones is evident. MB Securities JSC (MBS) has observed a trend of investment capital shifting towards secondary markets located away from major cities due to their large supply and lower rental prices. Despite facing new challenges, there are several supporting factors in the development of industrial real estate. Currently, India and Indonesia are the biggest competitors with Viet Nam in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) in the high-tech sector. Nevertheless, the country holds competitive advantages thanks to signed trade agreements and attractive labour and electricity costs. Strengthening the strategic partnership with the US will also contribute to attracting investment in high-tech development. In the northern region, there is a noticeable trend of FDI capital flowing into secondary markets. For example, Quang Ninh Province has attracted over US$3.1 billion in FDI, ranking third nationwide in 2023. The Jinko Solar Hai Ha photovoltaic cell project, with a $1.5 billion investment, stands out as a representative example. Bac Giang Province has also successfully drawn in $3 billion in FDI, 2.5 times higher than the previous year, with the Hana Micron Vina 2 semiconductor production project contributing $0.6 billion. The proportion of FDI inflows into secondary markets has shown a significant increase, from 20 per cent in 2018 to 53 per cent in 2023. This can be attributed to lower industrial land rental prices compared to primary markets in major cities, as well as the availability of ample commercial land with a market occupancy rate of only 64 per cent in the secondary market. In the southern region, there is a rising trend in the proportion of FDI capital flowing into secondary markets in 2023, up from 21.6 per cent in 2022 to 23.2 per cent in 2023. Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province attracted over $1 billion in FDI, with a notable investment of $540 million in Hyosung Vietnam's fibre and carbon material production project. Binh Phuoc Province successfully lured over 40 FDI projects with a total investment of $758 million, marking a 3.4-fold increase over 2022. The growth was mainly driven by the advantages of the availability of industrial land for leasing, as the occupancy rate in the secondary market is only 63 per cent, while the primary market has reached 90 per cent. Moreover, rental prices in the secondary market are only half those in the primary market. By the end of 2023, the total industrial land area in Viet Nam reached 89,200ha, up 1.5 per cent from the end of 2022, mainly thanks to the growth in the northern market. The total leased industrial land area reached nearly 51,800ha, a 5.7 per cent increase over the end of 2022, with an occupancy rate of around 57.7 per cent. For operational industrial zones specifically, the occupancy rate reached approximately 72.4 per cent. Rental prices in the southern region remained stable at $168 per sq.m, while rental prices in the northern region increased by 10 per cent from the end of 2022 to $123. MBS believes that the prospects of the industrial park industry in the future come from stable macroeconomic conditions and improving relations with major economies to help maintain the momentum of rising FDI. New obstacles arise However, new challenges will come in the form of increased competition from other countries or the risk of electricity shortages impacting production. Enterprises with large clean land funds and healthy finances will have long-term growth potential. SSI Securities Corporation said that disbursed FDI capital into Viet Nam reached $23.2 billion last year, an increase of 3.5 per cent year-on-year, mostly focusing on the manufacturing sector. Meanwhile, the total committed FDI capital in 2023 rose 24.4 per cent on-year to $28.1 billion. As a result, the securities firm expects FDI capital to continue to maintain growth in 2024, focusing on the manufacturing sector (manufacturing and semiconductor enterprises) and renewable energy. SSI said that many listed industrial park investors have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on leasing industrial land to new tenants in the second half of 2023, so these MOU contracts are likely to be converted into official contracts and recorded as revenue in 2024. For industrial parks in the north, demand for industrial park land rental is expected to be high in 2024, driven by the trend of shifting production facilities to Viet Nam, mainly in the electronics and semiconductor industries. Industrial parks in the south may record a technical recovery from a low base in 2023, with the main businesses leasing industrial land being manufacturing businesses (textiles, wood, footwear), logistics and food and beverages. Thanks to the favourable business environment, many industrial real estate companies reported large profits in 2023. For example, Becamex (BCM) reported a revenue of about VN8.2 trillion in 2023, an increase of nearly 25 per cent from the previous year, while its profit after tax reached over VN2.3 trillion, the highest level since 2020. Sonadezi Long Thanh (SZL)s net revenue was VN441 billion last year and profit after tax was VN104 billion, up 7 per cent and 4 per cent year-on-year, respectively. Meanwhile, Sonadezi Chau uc (SZC) posted a profit of VN218.87 billion in 2023, up 10.89 per cent from the year before. Thanks to positive business results, the group of industrial real estate stocks also performed strongly recently, such as in the week to February 2, SNZ increased by 22.74 per cent, SZC rose 8.52 per cent, Sai Gon VRG Investment Corporation (SIP) climbed by 7.73 per cent, IDICO Corporation (IDC) increased by 7.37 per cent, BCM was up 4.44 per cent, and SZL increased by 1.96 per cent. VNS HA NOI The first month of 2024 has seen coffee exports showing a robust performance, surging to a trade volume of US$621 million, marking a 99.6 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2023, according to data from the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT). With the current export prices standing at $2,955 per tonne, reflecting a 35.2 per cent uptick from the previous year, Vietnamese coffee export companies were said to have secured substantial orders in the first quarter of 2024. Following a 4.6 per cent increase in coffee export volume to a record-breaking $4.24 billion in 2023, industry observers said Viet Nam's coffee exports will likely scale new heights in 2024, with projections ranging from $4.6 to $5 billion. To achieve this ambitious target, the Vietnamese coffee industry must intensify efforts to improve the value of coffee through a greater emphasis on deep processing, product line repositioning, and alignment with market trends. Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), Phung uc Tien, underscored the need for the coffee sector to invest in deep processing to increase the added value of Vietnamese coffee. This strategic move was seen as crucial to realising the ambitious target of a $6 billion export value in the coming years. In light of shifting preferences in major import markets such as the United States and the European Union with the two alone making up roughly half of the world's coffee imports, Vietnamese coffee exporters must learn to adapt to the trend of processed coffee over raw Robusta. This necessitated substantial investments in deep processing plants and the continuous adoption of cutting-edge processing technologies. Meanwhile, the Vietnam Pepper Association (VPSA) estimated a 10.5 per cent decrease in production to 170,000 tonnes in 2024 compared to 2023. While a favourable outlook was still anticipated for black pepper exports this year due to reduced production and low inventory levels worldwide, the sector must not overlook the importance of deep processing in enhancing export value. The current proportion of processed black pepper exports stands at a mere 30 per cent, indicating the need for a significant improvement. Despite the projected increase in pepper prices, the cultivation of pepper has faced stiff competition in the Central Highlands and Southeast regions, primarily from other crops, notably durian. This shift highlighted the urgency for the industry to prioritise deep processing, not only to increase export value but also to provide farmers with a sense of security amid fluctuating prices and market challenges. From the perspective of a leading exporter to major markets, Phan Minh Thong, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Phuc Sinh Corporation, a Vietnamese pepper and coffee trader based in HCM City, highlighted the indispensable role of continued investment in deep processing for the sustainable development of Viet Nam's coffee and black pepper sectors. The seafood export sector also recognised the importance of deep processing to enhance competitiveness, said industry insiders. Kim Thu, a shrimp market expert at the Association of Seafood Processing and Export (VASEP), stressed the need for the Vietnamese shrimp industry to improve its competitive capacity by promoting the processing of value-added products. Currently, value-added processed shrimp products contribute a mere 40-45 per cent to the total shrimp export value annually. As the Southeast Asian country aims for higher export values and sets new records in trade volume for key agricultural products in 2024, industry experts and insiders have called for greater commitment to deep processing. They said this strategic approach will not only boost Vietnamese products' competitiveness but also foster the creation of a robust industry chain, creating exceptional products that command higher values on the global market. VNS HCM CITY Vietjet inaugurated the new route connecting HCM City and Chengdu (China) on Saturday - the Lunar New Years first day, opening up opportunities for easy travel, promoting trade and tourism between Viet Nam and China. Vietjet operates seven return flights per week between HCM City and Chengdu, with a flight time of over four hours per leg. Located in Southwestern China, Chengdu is an important gateway connecting many cities in China and internationally, where is the homeland of Pandas or easily going to Jiuzhaigou - a world heritage site recognised by UNESCO. Meanwhile, HCM City is a trade centre in the region and an attractive destination with diverse culture and Vietnamese unique street food, easily connecting to Vietjets extensive international network. On the first morning of the Year of Dragon, passengers flying with Vietjet at airports across the country were welcomed with smiles, best wishes, and lucky money from Vietjet leaders, staff, and cabin crews for spreading the joy and happiness of reunion in Tet holiday. VNS To Nhu THAI BINH A traditional silk weaving village in Nam Cao Commune of Thai Binh Province, after a period of "hibernation", has now been transformed thanks to silk sheets that are not only exported but also help attract tourists back to an area known as rice land. Nguyen Thi Bon, one of artisans of the centuries-old u weaving craft, does not remember exactly when she started engaging in this craft. Bon said: Since I was born I heard the sound of weaving. When I grew up, I saw my parents weaving silk every day, and I gradually did too. Up to now, I am still passionate about my profession and want my children and grandchildren to continue the profession, Bon said. For Bon, doing this craft is not only about income, but also about happiness. Nguyen Thi Mui, a weaver, said that like many other weavers, she is happy that the traditional craft has revived because she can continue to be attached to her ancestors' profession. In my 60 years of life, I have never seen the village as prosperous as it is today, and weavers are also respected as artisans, Mui said. The word "happiness" is mentioned by not only Bon and Mui but also many other artisans and weavers who were born, grew up and were attached to the Nam Cao silk weaving craft. Because for them, it is not just a job or an income, but the revival of a craft village that was once eroded and seemed to be completely lost. This revival makes most of them at the age of 70 or older feel more in love with the professional and love themselves, and want to contribute to keeping the traditional craft for the future to see their hometown become a more livable countryside. According to the artisans, Nam Cao Silk Weaving Village was formed 400 years ago and is famous throughout the country for its silkworm production and tussore silk weaving. Nam Cao silk is famous throughout the country thanks to its handmade products that feature many stages from choosing raw materials to finishing the finished product that require diligence, meticulousness, and refinement. To get silk cloth, people have to go through many steps. They have to go through hard days of planting mulberries, raising silkworms, taking the cocoon and silk and then getting the yarn to weave. The worker puts the cocoon in a pot to boil and incubates the cocoon pot in rice husks for four to six hours until the cocoon's silk is soft, then soaks it in cold water to spin it into silk yarns. After being pulled and rolled into balls, the silk yarn has water squeezed out of it, put on a spinning wheel and dried, then sent to winding and finally weaving. Every day, a person who works hard from early morning until late at night can only weave 5-7m of silk fabric. Nam Cao's silk is mainly made with handlooms. Previously, Nam Cao silk and linen products were mainly sewn into clothes for domestic consumption and then exported. And just 20 years ago, the craft village was still very prosperous. Products were regularly exported to Laos and Thailand. The villagers were very rich. However, from the 1990s to around 2010, Nam Cao Craft Village operated moderately because the market narrowed and the products could not compete with industrially made fabrics and clothes. Many Nam Cao weavers switched to other jobs. The tsunami in Thailands Phuket in 2012 swept away all the houses, goods, and assets of the silk businesses who were Nam Cao's customers. They stopped importing Nam Cao silk products and paying debts. So Nam Cao weaving households lost customers and money. The traditional craft gradually faded away, causing artisans who had been associated with silk all their lives to sadly give up the profession. Meanwhile, young people left their hometowns and did not come back. From a craft village more than 400 years old, Nam Cao weaving was gradually disappearing, with only three households remaining. Hundred-year-old looms were suddenly abandoned and covered in dust, even destroyed to make firewood. Revival Facing the risk of being wiped out, the village suddenly became "happy" again when Nam Cao Silk Weaving Co-operative was established. And the story of rebuilding a craft village begins with Luong Thanh Hanh, the co-operative director, owner of the Hanhsilk brand. "I never thought that one day I would be involved in growing mulberries, raising silkworms, spinning yarn and spinning silk. However, the profession came to me like fate," Hanh said. Hanh said that in the midst of industrialisation, machines gradually replaced people, and it was difficult for silk products on the market to maintain their original "quality". Therefore, I appreciate handmade products and wish to preserve the soul of silk, Hanh said. She started everything from zero: peoples trust, money, land and technology. But with her sincerity and enthusiasm, Hanh mobilised and persuaded weavers to join the co-operative. From the first three households participating, currently the co-operative has grown to nearly 300 participating members. I saved a loom made of ironwood that was hundreds of years old that was almost the first weaver of Nam Cao Village. It was abandoned in a cowshed and covered with spider webs and tiles, Hanh recalled. If I was just five days late, this loom would have been used to cook banh chung (sticky rice cake)," Hanh said with feelings of happiness and luck because she saved the hundred-year-old loom that produced pieces of silk with exquisite details. Along with this ancient loom, the co-operative also collected and bought dozens of spinning frames. It can be said that the appearance of Nam Cao Silk Weaving Co-operative is a lifebuoy to help the traditional craft village revive and begin its second journey more strongly. Previously, Nam Cao silk and linen was only ivory white or dyed brown, without variety in designs. But now all hand-made products are dyed with many natural colours of red, purple, green and yellow. The co-operative produces a variety of products such as silk fabric, scarves, clothes, bracelets, hand-embroidered bedding, and face and bath towels. With a strategy of "quality" and "authenticity", the co-operative has formed a value chain of raw material area - production - consumption - export with 16 stages, while the silkworm farming area is located in Vu Thu District. Cocoon raw materials are purchased, then delivered to households to process production stages from spinning, reeling, winding and weaving under the co-operatives support and organisation. Thanks to meticulousness in every step and greenness from production to customers, while considering customers as brand ambassadors, Hanhsilk is qualified to meet the export standards of many strict world markets such as Europe, and has been well received by domestic users. The co-operative not only creates a variety of products but also promotes the development of craft village tourism. The co-operative expects to receive hundreds of domestic and international visitors to the village to talk with artisans to further understand the famous traditional craft of Thai Binh Province. According to Hanh, the silk products are very environmentally friendly. Because scarfs are woven from silk, when not used anymore, they can be cut and fertilise the soil. After a few months they will be absorbed into the soil, while with regular fabric, it takes 200 years to decompose, Hanh said. The natural things go back to nature," she said. "To make craft villages revive, we contribute a small part. The artisans are the ones who breathe life into the silk and truly revive craft villages," she said humbly. To further develop the villages craft, the cooperative regularly organises skill contests, especially for young people who are the next generation to continue the silk spinning and weaving profession in Nam Cao. This is also a way for the co-operative to preserve and spread love for the traditional craft. VNS UNESCO Representative to Viet Nam Jonathan Wallace Baker has highlighted Viet Nams remarkable achievements at the organisation last year as evidence of its active participation, enormous potentials, and valuable experiences. The head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisations Office in Ha Noi said in a recent interview with the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of Tet or Vietnamese Traditional Lunar New Year that the year 2023 marked a series of highlights that Viet Nam had achieved at the UN cultural agency, with the nation for the first time serving in five institutional structures of the organisation. Viet Nam currently serves as members of UNESCO Executive Board for the 2021-2025 tenure, World Heritage Committee 2023 2027 and UNESCO 2003 Intangible Cultural Heritage Conventions Intergovernmental Committee 2022 2026. The Southeast Asian country also acts as Vice Chair of UNESCO Committee for Protection of Cultural Expression Diversity for the 2021-2025 tenure and is one among 31 Vice Presidents of the UNESCO General Conference from 2023. The year also saw Viet Nam expanding its UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN), with the recognition of Hoi An an ancient city in the central province of Quang Nam in craft and folk arts, and a Lat the largest city of the Central Highlands region in music. Meanwhile, the progenitor of Vietnamese traditional medicine Hai Thuong Lan Ong Le Huu Trac (1724 - 1791) was included in the list of eminent personalities and historical events commemorated in 2023 2024 passed by the UNESCO General Conference at its 42nd session in Paris last November. According to the UNESCO representative, these achievements are certainly the evidence that Viet Nam has convinced other member states of its active participation to all mechanisms of UNESCO, as well as preparation of quality dossiers that could demonstrate the enormous potentials and the valuable experiences that the nation could bring and contribute to the common knowledge and values upheld by UNESCO and all its member states. Most recently, the fact that Viet Nam has been elected in the World Heritage Committee while it has already been serving in many other convention mechanisms indicated that it gained a high level of trust as well as the international expectations for its potential contributions, he said. He went on noting that: As suggested by UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay during her official visit to Viet Nam and meeting with H.E Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, we hope that Viet Nam could consider to host the international committee meetings which would be much meaningful during its serving terms for the demonstrations of the practical results of the UNESCO Conventions in the national context. I believe those opportunities would be highly appreciated by all other Member States and international delegates. Viet Nam has been a pioneer Member State in initiating the forums on the UNESCO designations and sustainable development, Baker said, referring to the countrys efforts in preserving and harnessing UNESCO designations for economic development. He held that each designation under different framework and mechanisms shall follow the respective operational guidelines. Some required highly monitored preservation work such as the World Heritage sites, of which the listed attributes of Outstanding Universal Values must not be undermined or diluted for any reasons; while other designations are completely open to the idea of promoting and enabling the innovation and culture creativity such as the UNESCO Creative Cities or UNESCO Learning Cities. There is no such one size fits all approach for all types of UNESCO designations and I find that the Vietnamese Government, together with various local partners have placed a great importance in the ultimate goal of ensuring sustainability in all programmes and actions, he added. According to him, that long-term vision would be fundamental for guiding immediate plans which seek to foster the creativity, mobilise the dynamics of cultural and social capitals and the young talents and creative businesses without scarifying the valuable heritage and other natural assets for the shortsighted decisions. Talking about Viet Nams potentials and advantages regarding cultural industry development, he said cultural and creative industries are not merely conduits of economic growth, but are pivotal to a holistic model of sustainable development. These industries resonate across the foundational facets of economic, environmental, cultural, and social sustainability. Viet Nam demonstrates notable potentials to be further explored. The countrys historical and cultural landscape is interwoven with the dynamic threads of cultural and creative industries. These industries not only serve as vehicles for economic prosperity but also as guardians of tradition, fostering social cohesion, and driving sustainable practices, he noted. According to Baker, Ha Noi is one of the countrys pioneers in development of cultural industry policies, thanks to its rich tapestry of cultural resources including thousands of heritage sites, traditional craft villages, and an emerging community of designers and innovators and creative spaces across the city. Viet Nam, a UNESCO-designated site, harmoniously balances cultural preservation with economic prosperity. The creative economy thrives through traditional crafts and culinary treasures, engaging both local communities and tourists. The town's architectural treasures, combined with cultural experiences like traditional craftsmanship and culinary delights, magnetize tourists and generate revenue. This synergy vividly portrays the potential of cultural industries to not only invigorate local economies but also safeguard heritage. Pivoting from existing paradigms of cultural and creative industries for sustainable development, Viet Nam needs to further capitalise on the potential of culture through cohesive strategies and policies. The following measures suggested by the UN System Task Team on the Post-2015 UN Development Agenda can serve as a helpful point of reference for public and private stakeholders, Baker said. He gave some suggestions for Viet Nam to develop its cultural industries and enhance the contribution of these industries to the nations economy. First, policy makers should continue integrating culture into governance such as formulation and practice of development programmes and legislations. Second, a stronger push for culture and creative industries to grow as powerful economic sub-sectors that generate employment, local development and entrepreneurship while taking into account the protection of fragile cultural and heritage assets is necessary. Third, environment sustainability should become a new focus as sustainable environmental understanding get integrated more consistently into cultural and creative practices. Last but not least, the local community needs to remain at the centre in culture industries for development paradigms through intercultural dialogue and knowledge transfer for social cohesion and empowerment, especially among youth and vulnerable groups. At the same time, the specific context of Viet Nam and each region working on cultural industries in sustainability should enrich the frameworks above to ensure that policies and incentives are locally aware and based to maximise synergies and progress, he concluded. VNA/VNS Elmar Dutt, Co-chairman, German Business Association(left) and Torben Minko, Co-chairman, German Business Association As of 2023, German businesses invested in an accumulated 463 projects worth an accumulated $2.68 billion, making Germany the 17th biggest investor in Vietnam. With the presence of nearly 500 German companies in Vietnam, over half of them have been established in Ho Chi Minh City. Most German manufacturing sites are located in southern Vietnam concentrating on Binh Duong, Dong Nai, and Ho Chi Minh City. The biggest investments in the south are made by Bosch, followed by STADA. Nevertheless, several important German companies are also located in northern Vietnam, mainly around Hanoi and Haiphong, including B. Braun and Messer, with some of the oldest and biggest investments here. The latest additions are Magnetec and tesa in Haiphong, as well as Lecka in Hanoi. Most German investments in central Vietnam may be found in the provinces of Binh Dinh and Phu Yen, as well as the greater Danang region. Recent additions include Draxlmaier, as well as Wendler and OKE in Quang Nam. In Binh Dinh, Leonhard Kurz is currently establishing a factory. Vietnam has a large and rapidly growing market with a population of 100 million people, which presents significant opportunities for German businesses. Other regional countries like Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines also have sizable markets, but their growth rates vary. Traditionally, German investments were mainly directed to Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia. These countries host an established cluster of German industries, such as the automotive sector in Thailand or research and development hubs in Singapore. Nevertheless, the trend is changing, and Vietnam is now considered as an investment location of increasing attractiveness. German investors favour Vietnam to supplement their China operations for its lower-cost inputs, alternative markets, and convenient geographic and supply route proximity to China. Vietnam itself also offers a rising middle class and opportunities to establish German brands for Vietnamese consumers with local distribution and supply chain. Vietnam has emerged as a major manufacturing hub, particularly in industries like electronics, textiles, and automotives. German businesses have been actively involved in these sectors, taking advantage of Vietnams competitive labour costs and export-oriented policies. Also, for the consumer market, Vietnam is increasingly attractive as a regional base for brands to export to ASEAN. German brands have increased their reach to Vietnamese consumers significantly over the last years, ranging from cars to home appliances and fast-moving consumer goods. Based on that, a raft of companies has opened new production plants in a variety of sectors. Most of these companies choose ready-built factories over brownfield investments due to the faster time-to-market as well as reduced capital commitment. However, we expect that many of them will expand their exposure in Vietnam in the future as the local and Asian market continues to grow, leading to new greenfield and extended brownfield investments. The trend in German investment in Vietnam in 2024 is expected to continue to grow. This was supported by the high-level visit of President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in January, accompanied by a high-level business delegation, to discuss opportunities for German companies in Vietnam. German companies recognise the Vietnamese governments efforts to improve the business climate and anticipate further reforms to enhance the ease of doing business. Vietnam has been investing in infrastructure projects, such as ports, roads, and industrial zones, to support its growing economy. These activities set the base for many German investors. However, there are still some challenges that need to be addressed to fully meet the expectations of German companies. These include issues related to corruption, intellectual property rights protection, and the enforcement of contracts. To promote German investment in the future, Vietnam could consider legal reforms in these areas to provide a more favourable and secure business environment. Finally, the ease of doing daily business still requires reforms to increase attractiveness. The high level of bureaucracy, especially cross-border finance, customs, and licensing, is an ongoing challenge. A significant improvement in this area will be needed to set Vietnam as a leading investment location in the region and globally. German companies eye Vietnamese healthcare in anticipation of EVFTA Over 60 per cent of German companies confirmed interest in doing business in Vietnam and intend to set up businesses in both Asia and Vietnam, lauding the great opportunities for both sides from the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), according to the latest Vietnam healthcare survey conducted by GIC/AHK Vietnam. Germans hope to advance in Vietnam The strategic partnership established in 2011 between Vietnam and Germany has demonstrated the determination to expand and strengthen multifaceted cooperation between the two countries. Marko Walde, chief representative at the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Vietnam (AHK Vietnam), discusses why Vietnam is so attractive and what German companies expect to gain. Evaluating German-Vietnamese economic relations In 2022, Vietnam and Germany will look back on 47 years of diplomatic relations, during which they have maintained historically solid and close connections. The two countries have come together to form strong ties since 1975. Today, there are around 430 German companies in Vietnam. - Marko Walde, chief representative, Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos Established in Hanoi in 1994, AHK Vietnam expanded its footprint in 2005 with the inauguration of a second office in Ho Chi Minh City. What started with a lone staff member has grown into a dynamic team of about 30 employees, reflecting the continuous evolution of our organisation. We provides a spectrum of services encompassing market entry and business development consulting, investment promotion, vocational and further training, and supports German companies in recruiting and finding suitable Vietnamese skilled workforce. The fruits of our collaborative efforts are evident in the status quo where Germany stands as Vietnams largest trading partner within the European Union. Vietnam, reciprocally, has emerged as a significant trading partner for Germany in Southeast Asia. Currently, the 500 German businesses operating in Vietnam have generated nearly 50,000 jobs, making substantial contributions to bilateral economic relations. Since 2015, AHK Vietnam has played a pivotal role in supporting Vietnamese workers seeking employment opportunities in Germany. Through consultancy services on the recognition of diplomas issued by Vietnamese educational institutions, we have facilitated the journey of nearly 2,000 individuals, with 246 diplomas successfully recognised, leading to 119 successful placements in Germany. An initiative launched in 2020, Hand in Hand for International Talents, has furthered our commitment to nurturing skilled workers. To date, 47 individuals have successfully ventured to Germany, contributing their talents to various industries, including the restaurant, hotel, and kitchen sectors. In recent years, AHK Vietnam has championed the cause of sustainable development, aligning German businesses with green production practices. The offshore wind power project in Binh Dinh province, backed by a $4.6 billion investment from PNE AG, exemplifies our commitment. AHK Vietnam and the German Business Association held a roundtable during German President Frank-Walter Steinmeiers visit The project, currently awaiting subsequent phase licences, is a testament to our shared vision of advancing sustainable and environmentally friendly production in both countries. Unlocking Vietnams long-term potential as an attractive investment destination for German companies hinges on strategic investments in green energy. AHK Vietnam pledges to accompanying and supporting Vietnam in this crucial endeavour. Navigating the stringent regulations of environmental, social, and governance standards and the German Supply Chain Act, AHK Vietnam facilitates German companies in integrating sustainability into their global supply chains. Our emphasis extends beyond image-building for German businesses. We actively strive to enhance the competitive capabilities of Vietnamese enterprises by connecting them not only to the German market but also to the broader European market. As we celebrate 30 years of unwavering commitment, AHK Vietnam remains dedicated to creating positive values, shaping the future of German-Vietnamese trade and investment relations. Powerful, reliable, and innovative, AHK Vietnam continues to be the driving force propelling these relations into a dynamic and prosperous future. German President's visit to strengthen Vietnam-Germany ties in education: scholar The upcoming state visit to Vietnam by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will enhance overall cooperation, including in education a key factor of prosperity in each country, said Dr Kambiz Ghawami, President of the World University Service of Germany. Investment intensified through German activities Vietnam and Germany have intensified their investment cooperation on the back of the Vietnam-EU free trade deal, with the industrial sector of particular interest. Germany-Vietnam ties continue to bloom Vietnam and Germany are further cementing their strategic partnership in many sectors. Ambassador of Germany to Vietnam, Dr. Guido Hildner, writes about the two countries economic relations with a bright outlook. Michele DErcole, chairman Italian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam This growth has been driven by a number of factors, including the need to diversify from Chinese manufacturing, the very strong economic growth of Vietnam, and the increasing demand for Italian products in Vietnam. The country is a land of opportunities for Italian investment and trade in a number of sectors, including manufacturing, the green economy, smart cities, water and waste treatment, the digital economy, tourism, pharmaceuticals, education, and plenty more. Both Italy and Vietnam need to do more to create a favourable environment for investments. This means continuing to foster and get benefit from the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement, making procedures easier and cheaper, reducing red tape, ensuring clarity and certainty in the law, speeding up lawsuits, and allowing the recognition of sentences. Italy can also do more to pull in Vietnamese investments, which are negligible in Italy. The Italian government has launched an investor visa programme, which allows Vietnamese and other foreign nationals to get a Schengen visa from Italy specifically for investing purposes. However, there is still a significant imbalance in trade between the two countries, as Vietnam has a trade surplus with Italy. The Italian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (ICHAM) is committed to helping to rebalance this trade relationship by promoting more Italian exports to Vietnam, continuing to support the Vietnamese business to Italy. The chamber has a number of initiatives in place to achieve this goal, including business-to-business events, trade missions, and market research. In addition to its work on trade, ICHAM also plays a role in promoting business education, networking, and sharing best practices between Italian and Vietnamese businesses. The chamber has a number of programmes in place to support these activities, including seminars, webinars, and conferences. Our members reached all-time high numbers in 2023, with over 100 companies of all sizes from Italy and Vietnam. This growth is a testament to the quality of the Italian community in Vietnam, and of the chambers success in fostering business cooperation between the two countries. In order to further promote business cooperation between Italy and Vietnam, ICHAM has partnered with the Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore di Milano to launch a new course called Vietnamese Business Management. This two-month intensive course is designed for executives and entrepreneurs from all over the world who want to learn more about doing business in and with Vietnam. The course covers a wide range of topics, including the Vietnamese business culture, the legal and regulatory framework, and market opportunities in Vietnam. ICHAM is also committed to promoting the Italian businesses to the Vietnamese localities. In 2023, we organised an important delegation to the north-central province of Thanh Hoa and aim for similar initiatives in other provinces during 2024, together with the Italian Embassy in Hanoi and the Italian Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnamese authorities. These delegations help to raise awareness of the investment and trade opportunities in these localities among Italian businesses and Vietnamese partners. ICHAM has been operating in Vietnam since 2008, with offices in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and has played a key role in fostering economic cooperation between the two countries. We provide a number of services to its members, including business events, trade missions, market research, and relevant education. Vietnam, Italy look to optimise business opportunities Nearly 100 delegates representing Vietnamese and Italian organisations and businesses attended the Vietnam-Italy trade promotion forum in Rome on September 19. Facilitating two-way business between Vietnam and Italy As a country, Italy, whose GDP growth has been rather stagnant for a while, breathes optimism and energy from Vietnam. Both countries place a strong emphasis on values such as family, traditions, beauty, and food, and both have a rich cultural heritage that is deeply ingrained in their societies. Additionally, Vietnam and Italy are similar in terms of their geographical size and administrative structure, which does provide a basis for more effective collaboration. Admirers had plenty to say Saturday about McLennan County Commissioner Patricia Chisolm-Miller, whose unexpected death Jan. 28 shocked a community she served as government leader, advocate and prayer warrior. Miller, 65, carried herself with dignity, smiled easily, lit up any room she entered and held firmly to her principles. But she never allowed conviction to become intolerance for other viewpoints, said friends, family and community leaders filling the Base multipurpose center. Saturdays life celebration drew a crowd of hundreds for preaching, praying and praising, the theme being Millers faith in Jesus Christ and how her relationship with God shaped her character. Honor guards representing the Waco Police Department and the McLennan County Sheriffs Office were there on assignment. County Judge Scott Felton, Waco Mayor Dillon Meek and former U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards offered tributes. Resolutions honoring Miller came from the city of Waco, McLennan County, Toliver Chapel Missionary Baptist Church and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. The voice of Miller herself provided the opening musical selection, When I Rose This Morning, in special video presentation featuring Miller and the Toliver Chapel Praise Ministry during a worship service at Toliver Chapel. The commissioners husband, Robert Miller, stood and stared at the video while other attendees mouthed the familiar words and swayed while lifting hands. Congressman Edwards said he knows death is part of the journey, but emotionally admitted hes having trouble dealing with the loss of Miller at age 65. He recalled speaking recently with her about the death Dec. 31 of Eddie Bernice Johnson, a Black woman and trailblazer from Waco who served 30 years in the Texas House before retiring in Dallas. Pat was partisan, but she took a bipartisan approach while never abandoning her values, Edwards said of Miller. Miller blazed a trail as the first woman elected to the commissioners court and the first Black woman to serve as commissioner. She ran a successful campaign in 2018, winning the Precinct 2 seat long held by Lester Gibson, for whom she had worked as administrative assistant. Miller was reelected in 2023 to a term that would have expired in 2026. Felton will appoint someone to fill the position until the November election. She may not have had his voice . . . no one had Commissioner Gibsons voice, but she had his heart, Edwards said, noting Millers passion to serve her constituents and ensure they were always treated fairly. He recalled that Miller responded with urgency when health authorities began rolling out the first COVID-19 vaccine. Miller learned doses would become available to a particular sector of McLennan County, and Miller responded to the news by immediately advocating for doses in her eastern McLennan County precinct. This was at first, when COVID was a death sentence, said Edwards. Pat didnt blame anyone. She just rolled up her sleeves and began to push for timely access. There probably are people in this room today, or their loved ones, who are alive today because of Commissioner Miller. Commissioner Ben Perry said he and his colleagues on the court missed Millers smile, energy and uplifting spirit when they met first following her death. He said Miller was part of what he considers the best commissioners court in many years. He said a woman of color joining four white men on the court changed its complexion. She was a lady who made us want to act more like gentlemen, said Perry, who again mentioned her countenance and impeccable dress. Perry said Miller attended every function, ribbon-cutting and ceremony held in her Precinct 2, and most others held anywhere in the county. Ive never seen a commissioner like her, Perry said with admiration. Former Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price, longtime friend of Lester Gibson, posed this question related to Millers passing: From this day forward, who is going to pick up her baton? He named Martin Luther King Jr. and Medgar Evers as civil rights leaders who passed the message on to people such as Lester Gibson. Now, he said, Miller has footsteps to follow. Price, long a controversial figure in Dallas politics, said God gives different gifts to people. Whereas Miller was gracious and kind, Price said he was confrontational and more in your face. Regardless of the skills one may enjoy, he said, without the gift of courage, nothing gets done. Price said Miller had courage enough to be emulated. Jimmy Hunter, pastor of Toliver Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, said the life Miller led did not happen by accident. He said a sovereign God knew Pat Miller before the foundation of the world, put all that in a little girl called Patricia, and that little girl changed her community and her church for the better. Hunter ended the service by singing The Lords Prayer, as he stood with Robert Miller near Patricia Millers casket. He said that was the same prayer he sang after Pat and Robert exchanged wedding vows eight years ago. Those vows included the words, Till death us do part, said Hunter. They kept those vows, the pastor added. Free HIV testing The Marlin Housing Authority, 101 Burnett St. in Marlin, will offer free HIV testing from 9 a.m. to noon Monday. The Waco-McLennan County Public Health District is providing free rapid HIV tests, and gift cards will available while supplies last for people who test. Walk-ins are welcome and results will be available within 60 seconds. For more information, call 254-750-5499. Homespun Quilters The Waco Homespun Quilters Guild will meet at 6 p.m. Monday at the New Road Church of Christ, 3100 New Road across the street from University High School. Hobbs Manufacturing spokesperson Stephanie Hackney will speak. Hobbs, based in Waco, makes quilt batting and many other products. The guild also will hold a workshop from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday. Guild member Judy Steward will show interested quilters how to transfer a photograph to a poster size then translate it into a quilt. Cost for the workshop is $40, and participants will provide their own materials. Mystery Book Club Waco-McLennan Public Library invites the pubic to join its Mystery Book Club, which meets on the second Sunday of each month, beginning at 2:30 p.m., at the South Waco Library, 2737 S. 18th St. The club will discuss The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde on Sunday. ERCOT evolution Kristi Hobbs, vice president of system planning and weatherization for the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, will speak from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce, 101 S. Third St. She will delve into ERCOTs evolution after the winter storm of February 2021, touching on changes to power generation and measures taken to protect the grid. The event is part of the chambers Hour Economy series. Cost is $20 per person, which includes lunch. To register, go to https://ecs.page.link/MUxU1. Czech Heritage scholarships The Czech Heritage Society of Texas is accepting applications for its $500 Victor Peter Memorial Scholarship and its $1,000 Albert J. Blaha Memorial Scholarship. Instructions for applying are available at https://czechheritage-texas.org/, by calling Richard Skopik at 254-640-2179 or by emailing roadwac5@aol.com. Graduating Texas high school seniors in 2024 are eligible for both scholarships. First-year college students with less than 30 credit hours also are eligible for the Blaha scholarship. All items required for applying must be submitted and postmarked by Feb. 28 for the Peter scholarship, and by March 11 for the Blaha scholarship. Planetarium eclipse show Totality Over Texas, a full-dome planetarium show created by a team at Rice University about the once in a lifetime astronomical event, will start at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Mayborn Science Theater planetarium at Central Texas College in Killeen. Tickets are $5 each for the 25-minute show. For more information, call 254-526-1768 or 254-526-1799. Tax help Students from La Vega High Schools business program will offer free tax preparation help from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday at the Waco-McLennan County Central Library, 1717 Austin Ave. The service also will be available at the same time and location Feb. 26, March 11, March 18, March 25 and April 8. People receiving help should bring all tax documents, ID and Social Security cards for everyone on the tax return. No registration or library card is required. Tax-Aide program This years AARP Tax-Aide program sponsored by NeighborWorks Waco will run through April 15, offering free tax assistance to anyone, with a focus on taxpayers who are older than 50 or have low to moderate income. Tax-Aide volunteers are trained and IRS-certified. The service will be available from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the following dates and locations: Tuesdays and Thursdays through April 11 at NeighborWorks, 922 Franklin Ave. For an appointment, call 254-752-1647, ext. 0. Mondays and Wednesdays through April 15 at Ascension Providence Medical Center, 6901 Medical Parkway. For an appointment, call 254-751-4102. Tuesdays and Thursdays through April 11 at First Baptist Church of Hewitt, 301 S. First St. For an appointment, call 254-214-9123. Waco Herb Society The Waco Herb Society will meet at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Harrison Community Center, 1718 N. 42nd St. Anyone interested in learning more about herbs is welcome to attend. For more information, email irmahserrato@gmail.com. NARFE meeting Waco Chapter 229 of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association will meet at noon Thursday in the conference room at the West Waco Library, 5301 Bosque Blvd. All active and retired federal employees are invited to attend. Confederate veterans The Waco Sons of Confederate Veterans meet Feb. 13 at Poppa Rollos Pizza, 703 N Valley Mills Dr. The meeting will begin at 7pm and we recommend arriving at 6pm or earlier for food and fellowship. Deliberate Cruelty reading Are you suffering from a Valentines Day overdose? Take a break by reading Deliberate Cruelty: Truman Capote, the Millionaires Wife, and the Murder of the Century, by Roseanne Montillo. The reading, set for 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, is part of the Books & Brews reading group at Waco Ale Company, 806 Austin Ave. This true crime tale explores the darkly intertwined fates of infamous socialite Ann Woodwardwho shot her banking heir husband in 1955and literary icon Truman Capote. New members are always welcome. No purchase necessary. Girls Night paint party The Exchange, 300 S. Jefferson Ave., McGregor, hosts a Girls Night Out Paint Party Feb. 27 The Cavitt Caufield Center. Cost is $50 per person, which includes all supplies, food and drinks. Reservations are due by Tuesday. Call 254-236-8400 or email theexchange@mcgregor-texas.com for more information. CEDAR FALLS The Cedar Falls Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution will meet at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at First United Methodist Church, 718 Clay St., Cedar Falls. The program will honor six seniors from area high schools Cedar Falls, Dike-New Hartford, Hudson, Union, Valley Lutheran and West Waterloo. These students will be presented with The Good Citizens Award certificate and pin. CEDAR FALLS A public hearing will be held Monday on planned Cedar Falls Community Schools roofing and tuckpointing projects estimated to cost more than $300,000. The Board of Education meets at 5:30 p.m. in Cedar Falls City Hall, 220 Clay St. Bids are being sought for the projects at Cedar Heights and Orchard Hill elementary schools, where portions of the roofs will be replaced this summer. Last month, Terracon Consultants Inc. of Cedar Falls discussed the projects. At Cedar Heights, a 10,844-square-foot roof would be replaced at an estimated cost of $240,000. The 1,060-square-foot roof at Orchard Hill would be replaced at an estimated cost of $35,000. Terracons design services are estimated at $36,100. The projects will be funded with physical plant and equipment levy revenues. In other business, the board will: Consider approving two bus bids from School Bus Sales in Waterloo. A 72-passenger bus would cost $257,394 and a 30-passenger bus would cost $105,655. Hear an update from Superintendent Andy Pattee on the Iowa legislative session and the current high school. Last month, developer Brent Dahlstrom made a presentation to the board about buying the building once it is vacated. First Choice Credit Union, which has branches in Castlebar, Ballyhaunis, Achill Island, Swinford and Balla, reported an impressive surplus of more than 1.4m and a loan book of over 37m when it held its 57th annual general meeting last Tuesday. However, the big highlight of the evening was the approval of the merger between Kiltimagh District Credit Union and First Choice Credit Union, which was strongly supported by members of both credit unions. An application to confirm the merger has now been submitted to the Central Bank of Ireland. When the merger is completed, it will create a credit union with more than 260 million in assets, over 40,000 members and six branches throughout Mayo, making it one of the largest credit unions in the West of Ireland. The transfer will provide an enhanced range of services for members of Kiltimagh District Credit Union and a wider member base for First Choice Credit Union. Chairperson of the board of First Choice Credit Union Joe Butler said: This merger is an extremely positive move for members of both our credit unions and we look forward to serving the members of a credit union that has similar values and vision. It makes perfect sense, not only from a financial and member service perspective but also an administrative one in the current regulatory environment. The AGM also approved the introduction of a Community Fund, which will be used by First Choice Credit Union for social, cultural or charitable purposes (including community development) and is designed to support meaningful projects that enhance the local community. The fund will launch over the coming months and First Choice Credit Union encourages all local groups, clubs, charities etc, to keep an eye out for further information and how to apply. First Choice Credit Union welcomed two new directors, Paul Carey and Edel McCool, whiel Joe Butler, James McLoughlin and Peter Mooney were re-elected to the board. Brendan Coyne was elected to the Board Oversight Committee and Grant Thornton was elected as auditor for 2024. All members were thanked for their continued loyalty. You cannot make this stuff up: Stoltenberg reads as always from his bosses talk-sheets and spouts gibberish NATO is not looking for war with Russia. But we have to prepare ourselves for a confrontation that could last decades, Stoltenberg told Die Welt. If [Russian President Vladimir] Putin wins in Ukraine, there is no guarantee that Russian aggression will not spread to other countries. How hard is it to understand that NATO/USA/EU spent many years building an Army in Ukraine? It is in black and white and they spent untold billions and billions of dollars in Ukraine, before they started the final push to kill Russians in Donbass In 2014 I posted this snippet of info below then lets us spice it up Your memory that short? WtR Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation (4 10 February 2024) In the period from 4 to 10 February 2024, The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation carried out 31 group strikes with precision-guided weapons, including long-range air and sea-based weapons, and unmanned aerial vehicles against facilities of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex. The production facilities of enterprises engaged in the production and repair of aircraft, reconnaissance and strike UAVs and uncrewed boats, coastal and operational-tactical missile systems, as well as rockets for multiple-launch rocket systems, have been hit. In addition, units of the AFU, nationalist formations, and foreign mercenaries have been eliminated. The goals of the attacks have been reached. In Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces have occupied more advantageous lines and also repelled 36 attacks by assault groups of 25th airborne, 30th, 32nd, 44th mechanised brigades of the AFU, 13th, 18th brigades of the National Guard close to Sinkovka (Kharkov region) and Terny (Donetsk Peoples Republic). In addition, enemy manpower have been neutralised near Novosyolovskoye (Lugansk Peoples Republic), Kislovka, and Berestovoye (Kharkov region). The enemy losses were over 725 troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, 24 motor vehicles, and 10 field artillery systems. In Krasny Liman direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces have improved the front line and, in cooperation with aviation and artillery, repelled 14 enemy attacks. Enemy manpower and hardware of 60th and 63rd mechanised brigades, the 12th Azov Special Forces Brigade and the 5th Brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard have been hit close to Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk Peoples Republic), Yampolovka, Torskoye, and Grigorovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic), as well as Serebryansky forestry. During the week in this direction the enemy losses were up to 1,500 servicemen killed and wounded, 11 armoured fighting vehicles, 31 motor vehicles, and three field artillery systems. In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces have occupied more favourable lines and positions and repelled 26 enemy attacks near Krasnoye, Leninskoye, Kleshcheevka, Shumy, and Pobeda (Donetsk Peoples Republic). Aviation and artillery have struck AFU and National Guard units close to Bogdanovka, Novy, Kurdyumovka, Novgorodskoye, Belogorovka, Andreevka, Georgievka, and Katerinovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic). The enemy losses were more than 2,190 troops, two tanks, 13 armoured fighting vehicles, 38 motor vehicles, 19 field artillery systems, and one Grad MLRS. In South Donetsk direction, the units of the Vostok Group of Forces have improved the front line position over the past week. Five attacks by the AFU have been repelled, as well as units of the 72nd Mechanised Brigade, 105th and 128th territorial defence brigades, and the 1st Brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard have been defeated close to Ugledar, Makarovka, Urozhaynoye, and Staromayorskoye (Donetsk Peoples Republic) and Priyutnoye (Zaporozhye region). The enemy losses were up to 1,160 soldiers, three tanks, six armoured fighting vehicles, 23 motor vehicles, and 14 field artillery guns. In Zaporozhye direction, units of the Russian troops have hit manpower and hardware of 128th mountain assault, 33rd, 65th, 118th mechanised brigades of the AFU, and the 3rd Brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard close to Rabotino, Novodanilovka, Nesteryanka, Pyatikhatki, and Shcherbaki (Zaporozhye region). The enemy losses were more than 210 troops, four armoured fighting vehicles, nine motor vehicles, four field artillery systems, and one Grad MLRS. In Kherson direction, Russian troops, in cooperation with aviation and artillery, have hit 35th and 37th marine brigades, 121st and 124th territorial defence brigades, and the 23rd Brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard close to Tyaginka, Mikhailovka, Ivanovka, Tokarevka, Zolotaya Balka, Antonovka, and Stanislav (Kherson region). The enemy losses were more than 245 servicemen, 25 motor vehicles, seven boats, six field artillery guns, and one HIMARS MLRS. Operational-Tactical Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, Missile Troops and Artillery of the groups of forces have neutralised, over the past week, two launchers and a radar of the S-300 anti-aircraft missile system have been hit, as well as eight ammunition depots of the AFU. Aviation and air defence facilities shot down MiG-29 and Su-25 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force, 34 HIMARS, Vampire, Uragan, and Olkha multiple-launch rocket system projectiles, as well as 488 unmanned aerial vehicles during the week. During the week, 36 Ukrainian servicemen have surrendered. In total, 570 airplanes and 265 helicopters, 12,166 unmanned aerial vehicles, 464 air defence missile systems, 14,956 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 1,218 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 8,008 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 18,419 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation. Tags: WtR Since most Americans last voted for Congress, thousands of people have been added to certain voting districts and subtracted from others under new political maps enacted following court rulings. The sum of that redistricting math, assuming no major political shift in either major partys direction, figures to provide at least a one-seat gain for Republicans in Novembers U.S. House elections. But that equation could flip to Democrats' favor depending on what happens in an ongoing effort to reshape New York's congressional districts. House boundaries redrawn before the 2022 elections based on the last decennial census have been redrawn again ahead of the 2024 elections in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and North Carolina. New York could be next. A bipartisan commission is to release a revised plan for New York's districts by Feb. 28. Republicans hold a narrow 219-213 House majority over Democrats, with vacancies in three seats previously held by the GOP. A special election for one of those to replace ousted Rep. George Santos of New York will be held Feb. 13. Voting districts have changed or could change before the November elections. That could affect the battle for control of Congress. A U.S. Supreme Court ruling last June about minority voting rights paved the way for new districts in Alabama and Louisiana. In each state, the result is that Black voters will have a better opportunity to elect the candidate of their choice in two congressional districts instead of one. Democrats are expected to gain one seat in Alabama and one more in Louisiana in the November elections. A similar court ruling also forced the Republican-led General Assembly to redraw districts in Georgia. But the new map there isn't expected to change the state's proportion of nine Republican and five Democratic representatives. Democratic gains in Alabama and Louisiana are likely to be offset in North Carolina, where Republicans could win at least three additional seats under revised districts. The Republican-led General Assembly in October approved a more GOP-friendly map after a new Republican majority of the state Supreme Court reversed decisions by the previously Democratic-majority court that had led to districts won by seven Democrats and seven Republicans in the 2022 elections. The Republicans' slight edge from redistricting changes made so far could be wiped out and transformed into a small Democratic advantage if new House districts are adopted in New York. After a bipartisan commission failed to agree on districts based on the 2020 census, the Democratic-led New York Legislature passed a plan that got struck down in court as a partisan gerrymander. The courts then imposed districts for the 2022 elections, which resulted in a fairly close split of 15 Democrats and 11 Republicans. But more litigation ensued, and the state's highest court ordered the bipartisan commission to make another attempt at new districts. The commission has until the end of this month to submit a plan to the Legislature, which could approve it or reject it and instead pass its own redistricting plan. Either scenario opens the potential for Democrats to gain multiple seats. Redistricting litigation also is ongoing in several other states, but none seem as likely as New York to affect the 2024 elections. Perhaps the most notable is Florida, where a trial judge in September ruled that U.S. House districts pushed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis violated the state constitution by diminishing the ability of Black voters in northern Florida to elect the candidate of their choice. A state appeals court reversed that ruling in December. The Florida Supreme Court has agreed to consider the case but has set a briefing schedule for attorneys that makes it unlikely for the case to be decided by the April qualifying period for candidates to appear on the primary ballot. Litigation over congressional districts also is lingering in Arkansas, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin. Redistricting changes since the 2022 elections could help Democrats or Republicans win control of Congress because its a very closely contested congressional map, and every seat or two matters, said Chris Warshaw, a political science professor at George Washington University who focuses on redistricting. But other factors are likely to play a bigger role, Warshaw said. Voting patterns show a strong correlation between presidential and congressional elections, meaning whichever party wins the presidency has a good chance of also winning the House. Voters' perceptions about the economy and other issues also matter. And retirements could put certain House seats into play that otherwise may have been won by incumbents. The reshaping of voting districts matters, but doesn't necessarily pre-determine the outcome of elections. Redistricting can help create a stronger base for candidates to run their campaigns on," said Jeffrey Wice, director of the New York Law School's Census and Redistricting Institute. "But the candidates have to perform, and the issues have to work in their favor. The 10 Senate seats most likely to flip in 2024 1. West Virginia 3. Ohio 4. Pennsylvania 5. Arizona 6. Nevada 8. Michigan 9. Texas 10. Florida Analysis: Pennsylvania moves up list of contested Senate seats in 2024 2. Montana 7. Wisconsin Cherry Hill, Evesham/Marlton, Medford, Medford Lakes, Moorestown, Mount Laurel, Voorhees and elsewhere near the iconic state highways of Routes 70 and 73. Two Mississippi men have been charged in the traffic crash death of a 19-year-old on Interstate 459 in Hoover. Hoover police on Sunday announced the arrests of Tyrique M. Carter, 22, of Byram, Miss., and Elisha Jamal Lindsey, 22, of Jackson, Miss. Both men are charged with reckless murder and attempting to elude. Carter is also charged with leaving the scene of an accident with injuries or death. The victim has been identified as Tamarion Burton of Jackson, Miss. Authorities said those involved were traveling together in a group in three vehicles. They were on their way to Mississippi from Atlanta. The crash happened at 10:09 a.m. Friday on I-459 southbound near U.S. 31. Witnesses described three vehicles driving at a high rate of speed on the interstate. One of the vehicles, a Nissan Sentra, left the roadway and struck a tree. Lt. Daniel Lowe said the Nissan is believed to have been struck by one of the other vehicles, causing it to leave the roadway. Burton was pronounced dead on the scene. Another person inside the car was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. Descriptions of all the involved vehicles were provided by 911 callers and was shared with patrol officers in Hoover and neighboring agencies, Lowe said. A short time later, a Hoover officer spotted the other two vehicles believed to be involved traveling on John Hawkins Parkway near Hunter Street. The officer attempted to stop the vehicles, but both fled. One of the vehicles, a Jeep Cherokee, was involved in a single vehicle crash at the intersection of Highway 31 and I-459. One person was taken into custody at that location. The other vehicle, a BMW M4, continued fleeing and was pursued by officers with several area agencies, including Star 1 helicopter. That vehicle eventually stopped at a gas station on Morgan Road in Helena where another person was taken into custody. Lowe said the preliminary investigation into the incident indicates that all three vehicles were occupied by individuals who knew each other. They were each traveling at a very high rate of speed together on I-459 when the BMW M4 and Nissan Sentra collided with one another, sending the Nissan Sentra off the roadway and into a tree. The BMW and Jeep Cherokee both briefly stopped but fled the scene when police arrived, resulting in the pursuit. Both suspects are awaiting transfer from the Hoover City Jail to the Jefferson County Jail where they will be held without bond. Lowe said the investigation is ongoing and additional charges are expected. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin on Saturday sat down with his wife, Kendra, to discuss marriage and blended families on the citys sponsored podcast, Magic City Spotlight. This weeks episode, Love in the Age of Hate, featured a conversation between the Woodfins and Dr. Thomas and Candice Beavers. Thomas is the pastor of New Rising Star Baptist Church in Birmingham and married the Woodfins in a private ceremony last October. The Beavers have remained close to the Woodfin family since. We dont have a lot of people that we can confide in, Kendra said. But having a wise counsel thats yall, it helps us. We definitely feel blessed. After discussing their favorite gifts from each other, favorite vacation spots, and Woodfins infamous sugar grits, both couples shared the story of how they met. Prior to the mayors proposal last spring, the couple had been dating since the summer of 2021 after meeting at a series of charity events attended by Kendras real estate brokerage. Although she was initially intimidated by Woodfins mayoral status, Kendras feelings soon began to change. During their first date at the Paper Doll in Birmingham, the couple shared a hug that sealed the deal for both of them, they said on the show. I felt like everything when I hugged her changed, Woodfin said. The room changed. My energy towards her changed. Everything changed for the better. After drinks at Paper Doll, they walked to El Barrio for dinner and shared their first kiss. As a result of their marriage last fall, Woodfin is now the stepfather to Kendras two sons, Aubrey, 16, and Mason, 10. The couple discussed the difficulties and blessings of blended families this week with the Beavers. Woodfin said that learning had been his biggest challenge. My mother remarried at an early age, he said. I dont remember if I was 9 or 10. But bringing those memories to our own blended family makes me be way more understanding and patient. We have two boys who are smart, handsome, for the most part mannerable. But theres still an adjustment period for everyone It just requires the ebb and flow. I think Im learning, even myself, dont be rigid. He continued that being humble and asking for guidance from others had been a helpful way for him to work through the adjustment period. He thanked Beavers specifically for his advice on gentle parenting and patience. Kendra said she also received an invaluable piece of advice from Candice Beavers on prioritizing your husband while looking after your kids. [You said] make sure you pay attention to your husband too, Kendra said. Because the kids will be gone at 18 in a few years and youre going to have the rest of your life with your husband. And it stuck with me. So, then I started looking at my relationship and how I deal with the kids and now I look at how it makes them feel and him feel. Just blending and trying to adjust, Ive started to look at it differently. Since their marriage Kendra said she had been trying to sit back and allow Woodfin to lead more. I trust him with me and obviously I trust him to lead our family, she said. So, allowing him to do that even though hes going through learning is interesting to meIts not perfect. It wont always be perfect but if you stick in there thats what makes it beautiful. The Woodfins also unpacked some of the stresses and harsh judgements that come with a life in the public eye but said that they were largely grateful to try and provide a healthy relationship model for people in the city. If it works here, then we dont mind being examples for everybody else to see, Woodfin said. Because were rooting for everybody in their relationship. Birmingham needs people to have healthy relationships. We want families to be together. We want blended families to be healthy. We want non-blended families to be healthy. We want husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends, people dating, we want everybody to win. Birmingham needs that. Because if that much love is out here, the whole city is better. Former Decatur police officer Mac Bailey Marquette on Friday pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder stemming from the fatal shooting of Steve Perkins. The not guilty plea was filed by Marquettes lawyer, Elizabeth A. Young of Birmingham. In the same document, Marquette waives his right to an arraignment, which had been scheduled for March 4. A Morgan County grand jury indicted Marquette Jan. 4, determining he did intentionally cause the death of Stephen Perkins, by shooting him with a pistol ... . The fatal shooting took place Sept. 29 at 1:50 a.m. in the front yard of Perkins Southwest Decatur home, where four police officers were present while a tow truck driver was repossessing Perkins pickup truck. Perkins exited his home and told the tow truck driver to put down his truck. Neighbors security videos show he was carrying a flashlight, which the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said was mounted to a handgun. Two police officers were around the corner of his house and left cover as Perkins was yelling at the tow truck driver. Security videos show that Perkins turned toward them as they for the first time identified themselves. Within two seconds, an officer fired the first of about 18 shots. According to the family, seven bullets hit Perkins. Mayor Tab Bowling in November fired Marquette and two fellow officers and suspended another. The other officers are Sgt. Vance Summers and officers Joey Williams and Christopher Mukaddam. The officers appealed, but on Jan. 26 the Decatur Personnel Board agreed to delay their hearings for up to six months. eric@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2435. Twitter @DD_Fleischauer. ___ (c)2024 The Decatur Daily (Decatur, Ala.) Visit The Decatur Daily (Decatur, Ala.) at www.decaturdaily.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Sundays can be days for catching up on things, including important local stories you may have missed in last weeks daily digital editions of The Huntsville Times. So to help you out, here are some of the stories our readers found most interesting last week. Big-buck buildings: A storage facility in Huntsville, an alteration at Bridge Street, a Redstone Federal Credit Union office and renovation of a building for the Alabama Community College System. Each will cost more than $1 million, and all were building permits issued locally in just one week. Our Scott Turners regular look at new permits in the area is chock full of information. Stop the rocks: Brad Vice and his wife live in Belle Mina, and theyre not sleeping these days? Why? They believe a rock quarry proposed very near their home will be dangerous for their baby daughter. Vice is just one of the local residents trying to block the proposed quarry which would be about a half-mile from this small Limestone County town. Scott Turner brings you their story and updates efforts both for and against the proposal. Chat with the Colonel: So heres a tough question when you see those orange barrels on a local roadway, do you think Hooray for progress or curse under your breath at the inconvenience? Love em or hate em, youll want to know where road projects are happening, and thats just one of the questions that came up in Scott Turners recent chat with Huntsvilles city administrator. He might introduce himself as John Hamilton, but a lot of folks continue to call the former Redstone garrison commander Colonel. Hey, mister, did you know those beads youre throwin might be dangerous? New findings by Alabama researchers suggest they might. These researchers just published a scientific paper about metals like chromium, copper, arsenic, lead and barium found on Mardi Gras beads. In high amounts, the researchers said, each of those metals can threaten human health and the environment. And part of the problem is the metals dont stay on the beads ending up in the ground and water instead. This study is the first to show that metals are not only present but actually can be transferred from beads to the environment or to people, said Dauphin Island Sea Lab Senior Marine Scientist and paper co-author Dr. Ruth H. Carmichael. Carmichaels son, Thomas Carmichael, was first author of the research published in the Gulf and Caribbean Research Journal by the University of Southern Mississippis Gulf Coast Research Laboratory in Ocean Springs . Thomas is also a student at the Alabama School of Mathematics and Science in Mobile. Carmichael said when her son was in middle school, He got me interested in it from going to Mardi Gras parades and looking around and seeing all the debris on the ground and on the trees. He started asking questions about it. It did start as a fulfillment of a science project my school required every student to do, Thomas Carmichael said. But it evolved beyond that in the seventh and eighth grades, Ruth Carmichael said. Dauphin Island Sea Lab Senior Marine Scientist and paper co-author Dr. Ruth H. Carmichael, left and her son, first author Thomas Carmichael, were on the research team taking a close look at Mardi Gras beads.contributed How do you study beads? In one experiment, the researchers put beads under a lasers light to see if metals could be found and counted. More importantly, could they be mobilized to come off the beads? Just to work with them to measure them under the laser, there were chips of paint and bits of dust coming off, Carmichael said. How dangerous are these flying chips? Should small children not put Mardi Gras beads in their mouths? Should people not throw beads at all? Were not trying to rain on anybodys parade, Ruth Carmichael said. Afterall, the Carmichaels live in Mobile, the city where Mardi Gras began. Instead, she and Thomas want people to be aware that beads need to be handled properly and not left to deteriorate. What comes off the beads seems to have a lot to do with whats on the beads, Ruth Carmichael said. And that seems to have a lot to do with the color of the bead. If you have green beads, you tend to have more chemicals associated to that green color like copper and chromium. Beads like the silver beads had high concentrations of barium. The researchers note in the introduction to their paper that concern has grown in recent years about human health impacts of Mardi Gras throws, especially the beaded necklaces. Beads contribute to debris and can help clog storm drains, the research says. It refers to other research showing that in New Orleans alone, 10 days of Mardi Grass created 3.5 million pounds of trash. Of that, 46 tons of beads were removed from storm drains. The researchers also say the evidence indicates that the weathering of beads may be more worrisome than handling. Beads are commonly dropped on sidewalks, streets, and other impervious surfaces where they may be walked on, runover by vehicle and washed by rain and street cleaners before being swept into drains following parades. Based on their findings, the researchers recommend washing your hands after handling Mardi Gras beaded necklaces, not putting them in your mouth and not giving them to unsupervised children. Another suggestion is supporting re-use programs to limit the new beads added to the environment each year. The study is called Braving the Elements: Loss of Metals from Mardi Gras Beads due to Handling and Weathering. It is in the February edition of the Gulf and Caribbean Research Journal. A Texas attorney accused of drugging his wifes water in a bid to induce an abortion has been sentenced to 180 days in jail and 10 years probation. Mason Herring on Wednesday pleaded guilty to injury to a child and assault of a pregnant person. He was initially facing a count of felony assault to induce abortion, but the charge was downgraded as part of a plea deal. His wife, Catherine Herring, filed for divorce in May 2022 and the proceedings are ongoing. Just months earlier, she told authorities her husband had become suddenly obsessed with her hydration habits and ordered her to drink more water. She became violently ill shortly after taking a sip from a glass he provided, the contents of which appeared cloudy, Catherine said. He waved off her worry however, dismissing the discolored drink as a result of dirty pipes. Concerned by her husbands behavior, Catherine scoured the home and ultimately uncovered packaging for a drug that contains misoprostol, a medicine used to induce abortion. She also provided authorities with a video taken inside her home, showing Herring mixing a substance into one of her drinks. A private lab confirmed the presence of the abortion medication inside the water, which was tested as part of the Houston Police Departments investigation. During an emotional statement to the court, Catherine revealed her youngest child, a 1-year-old girl she shares with Herring, was born about 10 weeks premature, has developmental delays and attends therapy eight times a week. I do not believe that 180 days is justice for attempting to kill your child seven separate times, Catherine said. She noted that his jail time is fewer days than their daughter spent relying on a feeding tube and the length of his probation one year less than they were married. Herrings attorney, Dan Codgell, meanwhile praised the sentence and the plea deal for his client. Its a sad situation and Mason has accepted his responsibility, Cogdell said. With News Wire Services 2024 New York Daily News. Visit nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Every day the Israeli Defense Forces find more proof of the perfidy of the UN and UNRWA. Did you guess that the UNs demand for a quick ceasefire was intended to conceal this? If so, you guessed right. This week, among other things, the IDF discovered Hamas's Intelligence Headquarters and an enormous tunnel beneath UNRWA HQ in Gaza, equipped with a huge server and data farm which was receiving its electricity from UNRWA sources. Id hate to prejudge the honesty of the UNRWA officials who claim theyd no idea what was going on under their feet -- I mean, they might have thought there were giant hordes of very big moles under their HQ. Still, their denials strain credulity. Indeed, tunnels and tunnel entrances and weaponry and sometimes even terrorists have been found in every UNRWA facility in Gaza. Hamas (and certainly UNRWA) believed that these were the safest places to plot, hide themselves, store their weapons and surveillance equipment, and then bleat that they were immune from attack by the Hamas victims. And then there are those who wanted us to believe that the stumbling, incoherent president was sharp as a tack despite two life-threatening brain aneurisms and advanced age. This week, the special counsel revealed your skepticism about Bidens mental capacity was not misplaced. Special Counsel Robert Hurs report, released by Attorney General Merrick Garland, reveals your concern was well-warranted. He found that Biden had removed classified information, mishandled it, disclosed it to someone not authorized to see it, and left it unsecured in the garage, offices, and basement den in Mr. Bidens Wilmington, Delaware, home. He found evidence that President Joe Biden willfully retained and shared highly classified materials when he was a private citizen, including documents about military and foreign policy in Afghanistan. The report nevertheless concluded that criminal charges were not warranted. Similar charges were leveled by another special counsel against former president Trump, who asserts that he, with full authority to do so, had declassified them, kept them in secure storage with Secret Service personnel on the premises. No action will be had against Biden -- who, when he removed them, had no authority to declassify anything and broke every law involving classified material. Among the reasons for not prosecuting Biden is this: We have also considered that, at trial, Mr. Biden would likely present himself to a jury, as he did during our interview of him, as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory, the report states. Based on our direct interactions with and observations of him, he is someone for whom many jurors will want to identify reasonable doubt. It would be difficult to convince a jury that they should convict him -- by then a former president well into his eighties -- of a serious felony that requires a mental state of willfulness. Numerous Democrats have rushed to his defense, indicating that Biden is not in the least bit mentally impaired. The question then becomes, if thats the case, should the prosecution begin? Alternatively, if he is too mentally impaired to be prosecuted, should he remain commander in chief? It seems hard to avoid these responses, but the Democrats are trying. The first attack is, naturally, on Hurs integrity. Those with memories longer than a week or so recall with amusement Nancy Pelosis response to those who questioned Special Counsel Robert Mueller. She indicated that any questioning of him was shameless and undermined both the judicial system and the constitutional checks and balances provisions. Unlike regular prosecutors, special counsels (and independent counsels before them) are obligated to write reports justifying their decisions on whether or not to prosecute. You may recall what happened with Hillary Clinton during the Ken Starr investigation. His predecessor Robert Ray indicated he would not seek criminal charges against her even though, contrary to her statements under oath, she had ultimately influenced the removal of the travel office personnel. However, the evidence was insufficient to prove to a jury [in the District of Columbia] beyond a reasonable doubt that any of Mrs. Clintons statements and testimony regarding her involvement in the travel office firings were knowingly false. Since prosecutors have ethical restraints against bringing cases they know have no reasonable likelihood of producing a guilty verdict, Democrat officeholders basically have a get out of prosecution ticket in a venue -- the District of Columbia -- which no prosecutor believes would convict them. Yet another response is the usual for when a Democrat is caught in wrongdoing: make the story a Republicans "pounce" narrative, underplaying what they are "pouncing" about. Naturally, the New Republic is in this camp. From their point of view, the coverage of this devastating report is already "overblown" by a Republican-dominated press. (Yes, they actually printed this.) More honest publications concede this is devastating for Democrats. Niall Stanage in The Hill: Whatever language you use, I have not had a single person say, Well, this really worked out well, James Carville told this column, Obviously this has been a bad 48 hours here. Carville, best known for his central role in former President Clintons 1992 election campaign, added that Democrats were now looking to interventions from the Supreme Court, or a criminal conviction for Trump, in the hope that such developments would shift the election in Bidens favor. Were officially in Hail Mary mode here, he said. A different Democratic strategist, who asked for anonymity, chose a similarly dire metaphor. Were at a DEFCON One situation, the strategist said. I think between the special counsel report and the more catastrophic press conference that followed, and the even more catastrophic attacking of the special counsel for the report, they are magnifying and dismissing the concerns that the overwhelming majority of Americans have about Biden -- including a lot of Democrats, Meanwhile, in a CNN appearance Friday, Paul Begala -- who rose to political fame along with Carville during the 1992 Clinton campaign -- described himself as a Biden supporter, but continued, I slept like a baby. I woke up every two hours and wet the bed. This is terrible for Democrats and anybody with a functioning brain knows that. Its too late for many states to add new names to their primary elections. If its too late to add a substitute for Biden to the primaries in those states, theyll have to rely on write-in campaigns. The party apparently lacks a backup plan if it decides to run with a different candidate. Madison Hall in Business Insider: With less than a year until election day, the Democratic Party has no apparent backup plan if it decides to part with its endorsed candidate. Choosing a candidate to run against or replace Biden would also likely be a tremendously messy process: Would the party want to go with its current vice president, Kamala Harris, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, or some other dark horse candidate? Who within the party would ultimately make that decision? What happens to all of the Biden campaign's funding? [snip] If a replacement for Biden can't be formally placed on ballots, the only option for the Democratic Party, if it's serious about fielding a different nominee, would be to quickly mobilize a campaign to write that candidate's name on state Democratic primary ballots. But if this write-in campaign isn't implemented before Super Tuesday, there's little chance at all that a formal replacement for Biden will be available on Democratic tickets come November. The deadline to appear as an independent candidate on general election ballots in November is much more lenient, meaning the Democratic Party could, as a last resort, opt to promote a candidate not even tied to the party on the ballot. With all this in mind, it's almost certainly in the Democratic Party's best interest to coalesce around Biden as much as possible to build support around his campaign. Will they go down with the ship? Gin up protests and riots as theyve done before? Continuing rigging elections, this time with millions of illegal immigrants, illegally voting? On Feb 1, 2024 President Biden signed an executive order that imposes sanctions on persons undermining peace, security, stability, in the West Bank. Biden explained in the order 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. One of the incidents of violence that led to Biden signing the order was the shooting of a 17-year-old American by the name of Tawfiq Abel Jabbar two weeks before. After the shooting U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby extended Washingtons deepest condolences to his family and insisted on the killing being investigated even though the reason he was shot was known, Tawfiq was shot by an Israeli he was stoning on Route 60, the main north-south highway in Judea and Samaria. Jabbars mother told Al-Araby Al Jadeed that since the family returned to Samaria from Gretna, La. Tawfiq had regularly attacked Jewish drivers in the area of Wadi Haramiya. Her son was always talking about martyrdom, she noted. Tawfic was an outstanding student in school, and he hoped to become an engineer, but he obtained the greatest certificate in the world by his martyrdom, Mona Abdel Jabbar said. Since the 1980s, at least 16 people have been killed as a result of car crashes caused by Palestinian rock-throwers, including 11-year-old Chava Wechsberg, five-month-old Yehuda Shoham, and Asher Palmer and his one-year-old son -- all four of them dual Israeli-American citizens. No sanctions were imposed on the Palestinians for those attacks. On February 26,2023 there was a traffic jam on Route 60 near the town of Hurwara. A Palestinian took advantage of the stopped cars and opened fire on them killing two brothers. Their parents said that nothing would fill the hole in their hearts after losing their sons. Settlers reacted by rioting later that day in Huwara. One of those settlers, David Chai Chasdai was sanctioned by the U.S. State Department for doing so. The Palestinian Authority pays stipends to terrorists in Israeli jails as well as to their families. Palestinian terrorists can commit mass murder knowing that their families will be well taken care of. On March 8, 2016, a 21-year-old Palestinian man from Qalqilya killed Taylor Force, an American tourist and wounded ten civilians in a stabbing spree in Jaffa and Tel Aviv. Then-vice president Joe Biden was in Israel when Taylor Force was stabbed to death there. In fact, he was in Tel Aviv, where the murder occurred. Even more coincidental, he was in the immediate vicinity. He personally "condemned in the strongest possible terms the brutal attack," adding that "there is no justification for such acts of terror." President Trump signed the Taylor Force Act into law which cut aid to the Palestinian Authority until they stopped funding individuals who commit terror and their families. In Bidens first 100 days in office Biden resumed funding the Palestinians in violation of the Taylor Force Act. There is a pattern emerging here which is that it is not the settlers who are instigating the violence that is a serious threat to peace -- but it is the settlers who are being sanctioned. Mizpeh Yericho is a town next to Jericho in Judea. Aliza Pilichowski, the mayor of Mizpeh Yericho, wrote in the Jerusalem Post that: While the world is making a big deal out of settler violence its ignoring the daily Palestinian terrorism in the West Bank. Palestinians attempt and commit three to six terror attacks a day in Israel. These are targeted attacks against innocent civilians. Last week a Palestinian terrorist shot two Jews in Samaria, one died. The headlines on that same day omitted the Palestinian terror attack and instead focused on settler violence that in actuality was graffiti. Settlers are an easy community to pick on and an easy way to score points with Palestinian sympathizers demanding the media, government, and activists balance their strong support for Israel in its war in Gaza. Mayor Pilichowski hit the nail on the head, Bidens sanctions are meant to score points with American voters who are anti-Israel. Massive demonstrations against Israel demonstrate just how large that voter bloc is. There is, however, another more pernicious reason for Biden to publicly condemn the settlers, and that is his illusion of a two-state solution that will bring peace to the Middle East. In his executive order Biden wrote that the actions of the settlers undermine the foreign policy objectives of the United States, including the viability of a two-state solution. A two-state solution entails uprooting Israeli communities from Judea and Samaria in order to create yet another Palestinian state (There are already four de facto Palestinian states). Uprooting settlers from their homes is immoral. Contrary to what President Biden would have us believe the majority of settlers are peaceful. Aliza Pilichowsky pointed out that: There are more than 500,000 Jews who live in the region of Judea and Samaria They arent ideologues and theyre not violent. They believe they have a right to live in this area just as much as Jerusalem or Tel Aviv Theres rarely any evidence of crimes committed by settlers that substantiate these crimes. Instead of the lack of evidence setting off alarm bells that Palestinians and their apologists are falsifying reports, the media points to the lack of arrests and convictions as evidence of Israel not doing enough to stop the violence. Israel has uprooted communities for peace before. Israel uprooted all the Jewish communities in Gaza in 2005, turned their land over to the Palestinians and turning Gaza into a Palestinian state. If there is one lesson that should have been learned by western politicians from the Hamas massacre of October 7, 2023, it is that Israel uprooting its citizens and turning their land over to Palestinians to create a state does not bring peace, harmony, and goodwill. Anti-Semitism is growing rapidly all over the world, including the United States. The golden age for Jews in America is coming to an end. The importance of land in Judea and Samaria as a land of refuge for Jews the world over is growing. Instead of demonizing and sanctioning settlers the United States should be sanctioning the Palestinians who attack them. The United States should not pressure Israel into repeating the terrible mistake it made in Gaza in Judea and Samaria. Image: Central Intelligence Agency Youve noticed tens of thousands of terrorists and members of the Chinese Army are skipping across the border. The Mummified Meat Puppet Administration (MMPA) is delighted, and doing everything it can to keep them coming. Texans have known this forever, but youve decided its time to exercise your natural, unalienable right to self-defense. But what kind of handgun to buy? Perhaps a semiautomatic? I learned to shoot with revolvers. Back in the 1400s, there were few semiauto choices, and reliability was an issue. Making just about any semiauto reliable required a trip to the gunsmith who would fix all the issues manufacturers just didnt address. Circa 2024, manufacturers do address those issues, and semiautos tend to be reliable out of the box, though they are somewhat more ammunition sensitive than revolversSome guns simply function better with some makes and bullet weights than others. All firearms, including revolvers, malfunction. There's an important distinction: a malfunction is a failure to function that with semiautos may be cleared within seconds without tools. A jam is a failure to function that requires tools, and often a gunsmith, to restore function. Graphic: Author. Glock 17 with Crimson Trace Railmaster Pro laser/flashlight A semiautomatic firearm fires one bullet for each pull of the trigger. Fully automatic weapons continue to fire as long as the trigger is held back and ammunition is available. Modern semiautos hold their ammunition in magazines, not clips. Because magazines are the weakest link, its essential to carry at least one spare. A malfunctioning magazine turns a semiauto into a hard to load single shot pistol. One of the advantages of semiautos over revolvers is ammunition capacity. The Glock 17, Glocks first design, is a full-sized duty pistol. It has a magazine capacity of 17 rounds. With one in the chamber, thats three times the capacity of a duty revolver. With two spare magazines, nine times. Graphic: author. L to R: Glock 17, Glock 43X with Crimson Trace green dot sight, Glock 43 with Crimson Trace laser/light All semiautomatic pistols work on the same basic principle: firing a cartridge harnesses the energy of firing to push a heavy metal slide back against a powerful spring that keeps the action closed until pressure drops to a safe level. On its backward travel, the slide extracts the fired case from the chamber and ejects it through the ejection port on the slide. When the slide hits the rear stop, it is propelled forward under spring tension, engages a fresh cartridge from the magazine and inserts it into the chamber. This process is very fast and appears a blur to most. Semiautos are generally easier to conceal than revolvers. They are narrower and flatter, and particularly with polymer frames, lighter. They also tend to recoil less, particularly in calibers like 9mm and .380 ACP, which is essentially a less powerful and shorter 9mm. Their triggers also tend to be much lighter and better than revolver triggers. The standard Glock trigger is 5.5 pounds, with a relatively short travel. They are also easily equipped with laser and optical sights and flashlights. Semiautos, particularly those with polymer frames, tend to be much less expensive than revolvers. There are essentially four trigger types: single action, like the Browning 1911, double action, double action only and striker fired, as are all Glocks. Single action mechanisms have exposed hammers that must be manually cocked. They also feature short and light trigger pulls. Double action mechanisms have a long, heavier trigger pull for the first shot, but the slide cocks the hammer for all subsequent shots, producing a much shorter and lighter trigger pull. This does tend to send the first and second shot to very different places on the target. One can overcome this with training and practice, but why make things unnecessarily difficult? Double action only weapons reset the trigger between every shot to a longer, heavier trigger pull. They cant be fired single action. Striker fired semiautos--Glocks--have slightly heavier and longer pulls than single action designs, but are a good compromise. They do not have hammers. Think of a striker as a larger, spring loaded firing pin. Graphic: Author. L to R: Glock 43X (10 round), Glock 43 (6 round) In recent years, manufacturers, in many cases following Glocks lead, have produced excellent, concealable semiautos like the Glock 43six round capacityand the Glock 43Xten rounds. Their small dimensions and light weight make them excellent choices for virtually any shooter, particularly women. There is no such thing as a perfect gun that will fit everyone. While I use Glocks for examples, and carry a 43X, I own and shoot semiautos from many manufacturers. For a more complete primer, go here. I prefer Glocks because they work reliably out of the box, and if you know the manual of arms for one, you know them all. Graphic: Author. L to R: G17 magazine (17 rounds), G43X (10 rounds), G43 (6 rounds) Some find the slides of semiautos difficult to manipulate, but with proper techniquego here--very few people lack the strength, and Smith and Wesson makes a number of EZ models with easy-to-cycle slides. Semiautos, and Glock, own most of the handgun market for good reasons. Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor. Napoleon Bonaparte is reputed to have originated the expression, Never interfere with the enemy when he is in the process of destroying himself. Its to be hoped that, when it comes to the Democrats and their reckoning with Bidens profoundly diminished brain power, Republicans heed this advice. In 2020, when Biden ran for office, conservatives warned that (a) he was a deep well of corruption, kind of like an unplumbed cesspool; (b) he was never the brightest bulb in the box, to begin with; (c) he was showing early signs, if not of clinical dementia, but at least of age-related diminished capacity; and (d) that he seemed to be in declining health. That didnt stop the Democrats, nor did their decision to proceed surprise conservatives. The latter always suspected that, per Obamas seeming joke about a third term, Biden was merely a frontman. After putting Biden on top of their ticket, the Democrats selected Kamala Harris, a sort of black woman (East Asian Indian mother; Jamaican father with a Caucasian enslaver heritage), as his running mate. That ensured that black women would have her back, given that so many have been indoctrinated into seeing themselves as members of the black woman team rather than as individual actors and thinkers. Harriss presence on the ticket served another goal: It disincentivized Republican party efforts to knock Biden off the top of the ticket via impeachment or a 25th Amendment process. After all, bad as Biden was and is, the thinking has been that Kamala is either even less competent than Biden or, at best, more of the same. Removing Biden wont improve Americas well-being and may make it worse. Image by Andrea Widburg Another problem with putting Kamala at the helm is that it gives her the freedom to appoint her own Vice President. Of course, everyone knows that she wont be making the choice. The solons who run the party (and who are a whole lot savvier than the people behind the Republican National Committee) will pick someone, and theyll pick someone a whole lot more electable than Kamala herself. Yes, its possible that, just as the DNC allowed Joe to pick Kamala, theyll allow Kamala to choose her own Veep. However, Im gambling that they wont make the same mistake twice. So, whom do they pick? They could pick relatively new faces such as Gavin Newsom, Gretchen Whitmer, or Pete Buttigieg. Admittedly, conservatives find them incompetent and unappealing, but the base likes them. Alternatively, Democrats could pick old faces like Hillary Clinton or Michelle Obama. Of course, while Hillary would jump at the job. Michelle would need persuadingbut count me as one who believes that Obama and other Dems could and would bully her into getting into politics. The fact that Michelle has never held a useful, productive job or an elected position in her life would be irrelevant. The leftist women who increasingly power the Democrat party would be there for her. And unless youve hung around young leftist women (as I have because of my children), you have no idea how popular Michelle is. Once everything is in place, Democrats will have no qualms about pushing Kamala off the ticket, whether through threats or bribes. Those facts and calculations were all set in stone right up until Thursday when everything changed. That was the day when Special Prosecutor Robert K. Hur dropped a bomb: The facts show that Joe Biden, who had no authority to declassify documents, took them home with him, stored them in his unsecured garage, handed them over to the unsecured Biden library at Penn, and read them aloud to his ghostwriter, who had no security clearance. As was the case with Hillarys cavalier treatment of national security information, the undisputed facts ought to have landed Biden in federal prison for the rest of his natural life. However, just as with Hillary, there was a get out of jail free card included along with the damning facts. With Hillary, it was intentionalityshe had none, said Comey, even though intentionality isnt a basis for failing to prosecute. In Bidens case, Hur claims that Biden is essentially non compos mentis: Because of Bidens failing memory, the jury wont indict. Thats not a reason not to prosecute, of course. Its up to Bidens defense counsel to claim that because hes demented, he cannot offer a meaningful defense. What matters, though, is that Biden will get a pass. Given that the White House staff let Biden show up Thursday night for a trainwreck press conference and that the media are finally talking about his age and memory, it seems as if the Democrats are ready to jettison him from the White House and from the top of the 2024 Democrat party presidential ticket. Sure, its embarrassing to have to admit that hes Grandpa Simpson, but better now than later, right? Well, maybe it is better for the Democrats but not for the Republicans. For the Republicans, the calculation is and should remain the same as before: Do not knock out Joe at this point because, once Kamala gains the Oval Office, the Democrats have complete room for maneuver with the newly opened vice presidency. Then, they can push Kamala out, and theyve got a fresh, popular face to run against Trump. The best move Republicans can make is to sit tight. Joes ego and Jills ambition mean that hes not going anywhere soon. Instead, Democrats will be stuck with him right through November. And no, leaving him there is not a disservice to the country. Other nations (including our enemies) already have his measure, so nothing changes. Moreover, as before, we know hes still someones puppet because hes never been calling the shots. That the truth is out doesnt change the status quo. The Democrats are twisting in the wind right now. If the Republicans can control themselves, thats where Democrats should stay. For decades, Westerners were deeply concerned about South African apartheid. The pressure the West put on that nation finally led to apartheids end in the early 1990s. However, a new and very ugly apartheid movement is emerging in South Africa, and no one in the West seems interested in talking about it. This time, its whites who are in the crosshairs, and genocide is on the menu, with a radical black communist party poised to become the majority in South Africas Parliament. While the end of apartheid was ripe with promise, the fly in the ointment was always going to be communism. Thanks to the non-stop communist rule of South Africas ANC party, the country, which is rich in natural resources, is an economic basket case. The result, especially when focused through climate change madness, has led to the electric grids collapse across vast swaths of the country, bringing with it water and food shortages. Image: Julius Malema. YouTube screen grab. Naturally, as systems collapse, finding a scapegoat becomes a matter of extreme urgency. In South Africa, the collective scapegoat is the countrys roughly 4,600,000 white people out of a nation of around 59,600,000 people, slightly over 48,000,000 of whom are black. South African white farmers, who live in fairly isolated conditions, are increasingly the victims of murderous racial attacks. And egging them on is Julius Malema, the head of the radical Economic Freedom Fighters movement. We last saw Malema leading 90,000 people in singing kill the Boer (white people). Kill the white farmer. South Africas black party sings kill the Boer (Whites), kill the White farmer. pic.twitter.com/JdPg9Okgnj Truthseeker (@Xx17965797N) July 30, 2023 This was not an aberrant moment in Malemas career. Hes been very open in the past about his desire for a revolution that could lead to white slaughter. This 2018 interview bears witness to that attitude. Ive included a partial transcript below (emphasis mine): Malema: I cant tell you whats going to happen in the future. Im saying to you, were not called for the killing of white people, at least for now. I cant guarantee the future. Interviewer: Youd understand somebody watching that, especially as it gets shared on Twitter, they freak out. It sounds like a genocidal call. Malema: Crybabies. Crybabies. Im not calling for the slaughter of white people, at least for now. I cant give a guarantee of the future, especially when things are going the way they are. Malema wraps up by saying that, if theres an unled revolution, anything can happen. If the skin colors were reversed, and Malema were a white man saying this about blacks, the uproar from the West would be so loud it would echo off the moon. As it is, though, the Western media are mostly silent. They report on politics in South Africa as if the whole thing is some sort of anodyne story, along the lines of reporting about wheat harvests or a change in traffic laws. But as the Jews can tell you, when someone is open about desiring your slaughter, its never an anodyne story. It wasnt anodyne in the 1930s and early 1940s in Germany, nor is it anodyne in Gaza and the West Bank today. Wise people understand that, when Malema sits there casual as you please and discusses the mass slaughter of his countrys more than 4 million white citizens, thats a big, important, red flag of an issue. And today, its more of an issue than ever because theres a distinct possibility that Malemas party will take control of South Africas parliament. After all, when a countrys on the skids, he who scapegoats best wins. Malema, eying total power, already has plans to seize white-owned property: Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema revealed ambitious plans for land expropriation without compensation. Malema was addressing the party's supporters during the EFF manifesto event at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. He said the party is targeting 50% of South Africa's land by the end of 2025 if they secure a majority vote in the 2024 elections, reported SABCNews. Even the blacks who support Malema might want to view that policy with suspicion. For a long time, Zimbabwe was one of the great food producers in Africa. Then, in 2000, its president, Robert Mugabe, embarked upon a policy of land seizures. Not only was the process violent, destructive, and (as with all communist policies) unfair, but it also plunged the country into deep economic distress and a manmade famine. This is what Malema is promising for South Africa. Should Malema win, I have two predictions: First, life in South Africa is going to get immeasurably worse, and very quickly, for all South Africans, especially those whites who survive. Second, if there is a Democrat in the White House, whether Biden or someone else, when whites flee the openly demanded genocide in South Africa, America will not open her doors. For leftists, refugee crises are only for minorities fleeing poor economies. I am not a conspiratorialist by nature, and I know that what I have written here places me in the minority. However, I do believe that Trump may well have won the 2020 election had it not been for the improper allowance of the after-election vote count. Granted, time was against Trump. He was not organized, and he made far too many inane, unsupportable accusations. And the mass media continued supporting their Democrat friends. But we know that before the election, the Pennsylvania Legislatures constitutional responsibilities were supplanted by Pennsylvania Supreme Court decisions favoring Democrats. In Georgia, we also know, there were alleged voting and machine irregularities, most particularly in Fulton County. My fear is that the 2024 election will witness many voting irregularities, and possibly riots and disruptions. The Democrat Convention, in Chicago, could ignite such activities, which would then become rampant. There are many neo-Marxists among us, including illegal aliens from nations who are our avowed adversaries namely, China and those from assorted Middle Eastern countries who seek to bring America to its knees. They are supported by a host of Soros-financed radical protesters. Additionally, too many questionable changes, favoring Democrats, became commonplace occurrences prior to the election. Ballot-harvesting lends itself to voter manipulation. I hope I am wrong and that the election goes well. But win at any cost seems the current tactic of the now weaponized Democrat party. D.C. elites become a disgruntled lot when victory does not fall their way after a series of manipulated efforts have been concocted and embraced. The Biden crowd will stop at nothing. Stay tuned... Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0. Some of the steam has escaped from the defund the police movement. Those continuing to push it tend to be a bit less strident, but no less irrational. Many Democrats/socialists/communists (D/s/cs) are content to harass and prosecute the few remaining police in their utopian blue cities, and the consequences of that idiocy are coming due: Seattle polices sexual assault and child abuse unit staff has been so depleted that it stopped assigning to detectives this year new cases with adult victims, according to an internal memo sent to interim police Chief Adrian Diaz in April. The units sergeant put her staffing crisis in stark terms. The community expects our agency to respond to reports of sexual violence, Sgt. Pamela St. John wrote, and at current staffing levels that objective is unattainable. Law enforcement agencies here and across the country have grappled with labor shortages during the pandemic and since the 2020 protests following the murder of George Floyd. But Seattles failure to staff its sexual assault unit stands out from other local police departments and raises questions about the Seattle Police Departments priorities, advocates say. The memo, sent April 11, emerged amid a wave of new political promises for policing in Seattle. Last fall, Seattle voters elected a new mayor who rejected calls to defund the police and campaigned on a platform to clear public spaces of homeless encampments and strengthen public safety. Graphic: Rape Of The Sabine Women (Cortana). Wikimedia Commons.org. Public Domain Even if the new mayor is completely sincere, Seattle, and similarly D/s/c cities, cant find new recruits and their few remaining officers are gun shy. They do as little as possible, and absolutely avoid enforcing the law against black criminals and members of other favored victim groups. In the memo, St. John went on to say that she was not able to assign adult sexual assault cases that came into her unit. Cases involving children and adult cases that had a suspect in custody a fraction of adult sexual assaults reported to police were being prioritized. The unit just had too few detectives. Those concerns bear out in fewer referrals from the sexual assault unit to prosecutors. King County prosecutors say theyve communicated with the sexual assault unit about understaffing concerns, but little has changed. Are those prosecutors willing to prosecute felonies, or are they merely saying so for political cover? After all, its hard to keep talking about the Republican war on women if the police cant investigate, and prosecutors wont prosecute, rape. Assistant Chief Deanna Nollette in an interview with The Seattle Times and KUOW this week dismissed St. Johns portrayal of what was happening in her unit as not accurate and a gross oversimplification. Sexual assault cases are still being assigned, but the workload is being triaged based on a number of factors that we would traditionally use to triage those cases, Nollette said. Nollette emphasized that staffing shortages were being felt across the department. She did not provide an up-to-date count of how many adult sexual assault cases were on hold, although detectives in the unit are keeping a list with dozens of cases. Of course she didnt. Keep in mind police chiefs in blue cities and states only get their jobs if theyre willing to absolutely support every D/s/c narrative. Ability and experience are decidedly secondary. The staffing crisis at the Seattle Police Department is not new. The department has been losing officers since the beginning of 2020, and staff levels plummeted to a new low at the end of 2021. Whereas 2020 began with 1,290 officers in service, by March 2022 those numbers dropped to 968 well below the departments own projections and what the city expected to spend on salaries. If we dont have an officer to respond to sexual assault, were never going to have the followup to be able to investigate it, Diaz told the council. So Ive tried to make sure weve maintained our patrol staffing levels. To put one officer on the street, 24/7/365, at least 4.5 must be hired. Thats one for every 8-hour shift, and 1.5 to cover for vacations, sickness, court, training and a variety of other necessary absences. When officers retire, the most experienced leave. Rape cases are notoriously hard to investigate and prosecute, requiring the best and most experienced detectives, but when a city has made the decision to defund its police force, among the consequences are officers with far less experience and ability to fill detective ranks. Perhaps, if theyre not already, Seattle should focus on DEI hiring, which everyone knows makes everything better. Sadly, it doesnt fill police ranks with intelligent, capable and dedicated police officers, and rape goes uninvestigated and unprosecuted. Seattles priorities have proven to be disastrous, but D/s/cs still want to impose them on the rest of the country. Perhaps women might want to be aware of that when voting this year? Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor. Imagine three highly improbable future events. Consider also the physical evidence that they might occur. What if incontrovertible proof were to be presented that world food supplies are being systematically sabotaged in order to create strategic shortages? What if a flying spacecraft, undeniably not of this earth, were to crash in a place as publicly observable as, for example, Times Square? Of course, there is, as of yet, little or no irrefutable evidence that either of these two could possibly occur. This brings us to a third: Voter fraud. Plausible evidence is accumulating that there were not only irregularities in the 2020 presidential election, but that they were enough to change the outcome nationwide. No, we may not yet have reached the level of incontrovertible proof, but there is a growing body of evidence that, given its significance, is worthy of further investigation. The question is, what would happen if, as in the case of UFO sightings, the official response were to be transformed from you must be crazy to here is the verifiable physical evidence, according to the U.S. government. A great many people already believe, whether rationally or not, that UFOs are real visitors from extraterrestrial civilizations. If the government were to tell us that, yes, there are alien spacecraft in our skies, it would still be a shocking development. We would be forced to ask, what are we going to do about it? We would be more demanding of action of some kind. It is also the case that a great many of us have believed that the 2020 election was stolen believed it ever since the early hours of November 3, 2020, when, after President Trump was far ahead in the counting of votes, additional votes were then tabulated that handed the election to Joe Biden instead. We will not be surprised to get undeniable confirmation that large numbers of mail-in ballots were altered, or outright fabricated, with the intent and result of stealing the election. What, then, would we do about it? We would demand action, immediate and forceful. We would not docilely hand over our country to those who stole our votes. To a certainty, there would be such a constitutional crisis that our nation would be plunged into disarray. The legality of every official action of the Biden administration would be challenged. Every executive order since noon of January 20, 2021 would be deemed unauthorized. Every appointment to positions of power would be subject to immediate reversal. Former president Trump would no longer be former, since it would be the essence of logic to declare him the current president. What would happen were he to, figuratively or literally, show up at the White House gate, demanding entrance to the Oval Office? As you can readily see, the chaos would be not only immense, but actually dangerous to our existence as a constitutional republic. For one thing, no matter how incontrovertible might be the proof that Biden was never legally elected, there would be a very large and powerful contingent of government officials who would deny everything. They likely would refuse to leave office, and they control the enforcement arms of government. Joe Biden himself could declare a national emergency, and martial law would be put in place. The U.S. Supreme Court would have little or no practical effect on the situation, even if it desired to assert its authority. It simply could be ignored. Would the proverbial cooler heads prevail? Would there be calm, sober discussions at the highest levels? Would the national good dominate all official action? Would there be any semblance of an orderly transition, of repairing the damage? Or is that a fantasy more hopeless than that of an open admission of decisive voter fraud? The next act in this (seemingly) fanciful fiction would be for twenty-six (or more) state governments to openly defy the illegitimate federal government. For officials in such an unduly elected government, this would be their worst nightmare. Matters would cascade. Undoubtedly, foreign adversaries would move to take advantage, especially communist China and Russia, along with their lesser (but very dangerous) allies, including North Korea and Iran. A major world war could ensue and, given the irrational behavior of extremist dictators, could quickly go nuclear. Could all these unimaginable events really happen? All because American leftists were willing to do anything, at any cost, to seize power? Are these events even worth thinking about? Before this year is over, we may wish we had. Image: Michael Theis via Flickr, CC BY-ND 2.0. By commissioning expensive and inefficient wind and solar electric-generating facilities, India may have dug the grave of its own efforts to save its beloved and critically endangered bird, known as Great Indian bustard, which is distantly related to the crane. Image: Satish Surawa, via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED Erected to avert a faux climate crisis, the so-called renewable machines and their attendant transmission lines are helping to drive one of Earths largest flying birds to the brink of extinction. Avian aficionados such as myself have long bemoaned prioritizing wind and solar technologies at the expense of endangered flora and fauna. In India, this bird is special, and almost became the national bird, losing out to the more spectacular peacock. Yet, the relentless push for needless climate solutions seems to ignore this as green energy installations and avian fatalities increase in tandem. Though well documented, the issue of bird fatalities worldwide is frequently downplayed and, at times, even deemed a regrettable but essential consequence of the quasi-religious war against global warming. As a masters student at the University of East Anglia, U.K., I did a specialized research thesis on the collision-mortality of endangered bird species in southern Portugal, which included kestrels, eagles, falcons, harriers and the European great bustard, which is a relative of the Indian bird. Numerous other species were affected as well. Listed as Critically Endangered on the Red List of Threatened Species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, the great Indian bustard stands more than 3 feet high and weighs more than 30 pounds. The bird is endemic to the Thar desert region of western India. It has now become conclusive that wind and solar transmission lines in this region are driving their numbers very close to extinction in the wild. In 2008, a survey estimated that there were only around 250 Great Indian bustards in existence, limited to the states of Rajasthan and Gujarat. Fast forward to 2018, the count had dropped to 150, with 25 of these magnificent birds housed in the government's captive breeding centers. The main culprits: wind and solar. Prerna Singh Bindra, a wildlife conservationist and former member of the National Board for Wildlife, says, In recent years, the death blow to the Great Indian bustard has come from unexpected quarters the expanse of wind farms and power transmission lines that crisscross its last remaining habitats The question that needs to be asked is, how green is renewable energy when it leads to the extinction of a critically endangered species? If timely action is not taken, these grassland birds could be soon declared extinct, according to Indian biologists. The bustards habitat was greatly restricted by transmission lines belonging to wind turbines. This is a common problem worldwide. Collision mortality, loss of breeding and forage habitats, and impedance of migratory pathways are some of the main impacts of wind turbines. It is not just the bustards. Over 100,000 birds of diverse species die as a result of electrocution from transmission lines connecting wind and solar to the grid, according to a Wildlife Institute of India report. The Supreme Court of India, in a 2021 order, asked utility companies to install underground transmission lines and install markers to lessen hazards to birds. However, the companies continue to violate this order. Government interest in the case seems to be lacking, with insignificant funds allocated toward the issue and no proactive measures to assess bird populations or document changes in habitat. While the country is very clear about ensuring continued use of fossil fuels to meet energy needs, the governments delay in dismantling useless renewable energy projects is especially disappointing in light of their devastating effect on birds. The arguments of green advocates that equate green energy infrastructure with house cats that also kill birds trivialize the issue. The feline at home is more likely a target than a predator of raptors and would rarely encounter aquatic species. In this instance, the color of the climate alarmists favored machines is blood red, not green. Vijay Jayaraj is a Research Associate at the CO2 Coalition, Arlington, Virginia. He holds a masters degree in environmental sciences from the University of East Anglia, U.K. According to the Washington Post, Facebook, due to the abundance of online antisemitic rhetoric, is considering censoring the word Zionist. No doubt about it, Zionism and Zionist have become hate words du jour. I find the whole thing quite upsetting. But not to take it lying down, I have decided to defend the two words. The word Zionism comes from the word Zion, a word that appears often in the Hebrew Bible and refers to the city of Jerusalem (and the Land of Israel). Zionism is the name for the 19th-century nationalistic movement that called for the creation of a new Jewish nation in the same area where the Jewish people originated and have always had a remnant, and where the Hebrew kingdoms of the past once stood. When Zionism was in its infancy in the 19th century, the land now called Israel was a sparsely populated region called Palestine, a small part of the Ottoman Empire. Why was the lack of a significant population in Palestine so important? Because it was important to Theodor Herzl. Herzl (18601904) was a Hungarian Jew moved by the tragic story of Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish French army officer wrongly accused of being a traitor and then sentenced to Devils Island. Shocked by the antisemitism of his day, Herzl, who would one day be known as the father of modern Zionism, believed that the Jewish people would always be second-class citizens in their native countries and called for the creation of a new Jewish homeland where the old once stood a homeland where Jews would not be discriminated against because they are Jews. Theodor Herzl was a visionary with great charisma and organizational skills. He was the founder of the World Zionist Organization. Back in 1897, in Basel Switzerland, he led the first World Zionist Congress that officially served notice to the world that there was a need for a Jewish homeland in Zion. The Zionism plan for statehood in the 19th and early 20th centuries was built around fundraising, immigration, land-purchasing, farming, building, and engaging in world politics. It took backbreaking work to make the desert bloom. In the end, the cost of nation-building turned out to be even more painful. It took Jewish blood to make it happen the blood of Jewish thousands spilled on Holy Land battlefields when Israels Arab neighbors refused to accept the U.N. Partition Plan of 1947. Zionism was never about creating a nation where only Jews could live. The State of Israel, the only Jewish nation in the world, is almost 20 percent Muslim. These Israeli Arabs are citizens with elected representation in the Knesset (Israels parliament). Israeli Arabs fell at the hands of Hamas on October 7. Israeli Arabs have also died fighting for Israel in Gaza. Zionism has never been about creating refugees. Wars created refugees wars started by Arab nations that had no tolerance for a Jewish country in their midst. And here is a shocker for the uninformed: there were more Jewish refugees who fled Muslim countries starting with the 1948 Arab-Israeli War than there were Arab refugees that fled Israel. The difference was that the newly created nation of Israel not only took in Holocaust survivors from Europe, but also absorbed the multitudes of Jewish refugees from the Middle East (the Mizrahim). The Arab countries, on the other hand, turned their backs on their Muslim brothers. One more thing about the Palestinian refugees: They were not the sole result of fighting between Palestinians and Israelis, following the British withdrawal. The Israelis had a lot on their plate other than fighting Palestinians. The day after Israel declared independence in 1948, the armies of Egypt, Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon invaded. Zionism promotes the existence of a tiny Jewish nation in the Middle East, about the size of New Jersey. Iran and her proxy, Hamas, on the other hand, promote the destruction of Israel and the Jewish people. It is not particularly important to me what Facebook chooses to do regarding its dilemma of censoring or not censoring. What is important to me is that the world should know that the words Zionism and Zionist are greatly misunderstood words that carry no shame. Image via Pxfuel. Google apps constantly get subtle updates and visual changes as the company further refines its app ecosystem. A new change just happened to the Google Files app that not many people will be upset with. The bottom bar in the Google Files app has been removed. Previously, when you would go on to the Google Files app, youd see a bar at the bottom housing three navigation tabs. The app would automatically open to the Browse tab which gave you a quick overview of all the files being held on your phone. Next to that, you would see the Clean tab. This will take you to the area to let you clean files that you no longer need. Lastly, there is the Nearby Share tab. This is a shortcut to activate the Nearby Share functionality to send files to different devices. Advertisement Advertisement However, a new update removes the bottom bar from Google Files If youre on the latest version of Google Files, then you will open the app to a little message at the bottom of the screen. This will tell you about sharing files via Nearby Share. Its a little odd that it doesnt refer to Quick Share, as Google is in the process of replacing Nearby Share with Quick Share. In fact, a Nearby Share for PC has switched over. After you shoo away that message, youll be met with your Google Files interface sans the bottom bar. Youre not really missing much without the bottom bar. If you want to clean your files, tap on the hamburger-style menu in the upper left-hand corner and tap on the Clean button which is the first item. If youre used to using the Nearby Share tab, sharing items is not a big issue. Hold your finger on a file, and press the Share button. You will see the Nearby Share option in the share sheet (it will be in a different spot depending on your device manufacturer). If you share a file after the switch to Quick Share, then you will just see the Quick Share button. Tap on that, and it will do the exact same thing. If you dont see this change, then youll want to update your app. Find the Google Files app on the Play Store and look for the Update button. A Labour by-election candidate has apologised for his deeply offensive comments, after he reportedly said Israel allowed Hamas to carry out its October 7 attack to provide grounds to invade Gaza. Azhar Ali remains Labours candidate in Rochdale despite his remarks being described as totally reprehensible by Jewish groups and calls from the Tories to remove him. He was recorded making the comments at a meeting of the Lancashire Labour Party, according to The Mail on Sunday. The newspaper reported that Mr Ali told the meeting: The Egyptians are saying that they warned Israel 10 days earlier Americans warned them a day before (that) theres something happening. They deliberately took the security off, they allowed that massacre that gives them the green light to do whatever they bloody want. Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel on October 7 last year, in which 1,300 people were killed and more than 240 kidnapped. Israel has retaliated with months of attacks on the Gaza Strip, killing and wounding thousands. Mr Ali is also reported to have said that Sir Keir Starmer had lost the confidence of some of his MPs on the issue. Mr Ali, a Lancashire county councillor and former government adviser who was made an OBE in 2020 for public service, said: I apologise unreservedly to the Jewish community for my comments which were deeply offensive, ignorant and false. Labour candidate for Rochdale Azhar Ali, second right, with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham (Peter Byrne/PA) Hamass horrific terror attack was the responsibility of Hamas alone, and they are still holding hostages who must be released. October 7 was the greatest loss of Jewish life in a single day since the Holocaust, and Jews in the UK and across the world are living in fear of rising antisemitism. I will urgently apologise to Jewish leaders for my inexcusable comments. The Labour Party has changed unrecognisably under Keir Starmers leadership, he has my full support in delivering the change Britain needs. Pat McFadden, Labours national campaign co-ordinator, said Mr Alis comments were completely wrong. Azhar Ali has apologised for his deeply offensive comments about Israel (Peter Byrne/PA) He should never have said something like that, he told Skys Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips. It is, of course, completely wrong to say that. I saw this last night, hes issued a complete apology and retraction. And I hope he learns a good lesson from it because he should never have said something like that in the first place. Asked if he will be Labours candidate for the by-election, Mr McFadden said yes he will. The deadline to replace Mr Ali as a candidate has passed. Azhar Alis comments are totally reprehensible. But this close to polling day, electoral law says he will be Labours candidate, whatever Starmer says or does now. Alis destroyed his past record of allyship with the Jewish community and has a mountain to climb to repair it. 1/3 Mike Katz (@mikekatz) February 11, 2024 Conservative Cabinet minister Michael Gove said: Sir Keir Starmer cannot continue to support this candidacy. Mike Katz, the national chairman of the Jewish Labour Movement, said his group will not campaign in Rochdale, but stopped short of calling on Labour to withdraw support for Mr Ali. He tweeted: Azhar Alis comments are totally reprehensible. But this close to polling day, electoral law says he will be Labours candidate, whatever Starmer says or does now. Alis destroyed his past record of allyship with the Jewish community and has a mountain to climb to repair it. Fact is, alternative in Rochdale is George Galloway. Giving him a parliamentary platform to spew hate & sow division will harm the Jewish community far more than electing Ali. Mr Alis comments were also seized on by some as evidence that Sir Keir has failed to change his party since Jeremy Corbyns leadership, when the party was embroiled in an antisemitism row. Mr Katz said: We know how far the party has come under Keir Starmer in tackling antisemitism and that the party, from Starmer down, is as shocked and disgusted by Alis comments as we are. This proves there is still much work to do. Dame Louise Ellman, who rejoined Labour after quitting over Mr Corbyns handling of antisemitism, criticised Mr Alis outrageous and deeply offensive remarks but said they were out of character. I have known Azhar for over twenty years and he consistently supported me when I was subjected to antisemitic attacks, she said. He should now have the opportunity to work with the Jewish community to restore the loss of trust his actions have caused. Joe Glasman, head of political and government investigations at Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: Today we learned that Azhar Ali, Labours candidate for Parliament in Rochdale, claimed that Israel engineered the murder of over 1,200 of its own people, the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, in order to justify an incursion into Gaza. It is a blood libel. This man does not belong in a major political party, let alone in Parliament, yet Labour is, incredibly, still backing his candidacy after a quick apology. This is distressingly familiar to days that Sir Keir Starmer promised were behind us. This is not tearing antisemitism out by its roots. Recently, Sir Keir has admirably acted swiftly against Labour MPs including Diane Abbott and Kate Osamor. This sudden inconsistency is deeply alarming. Labour must urgently re-examine this obscene decision if its leader is to be regarded as a man of his word. Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson said it is shocking Labour is not dropping Mr Ali as a candidate. How can they possibly still support him as a candidate? Its also too late to take him off the ballot, Mr Anderson tweeted. Also running in Rochdale is political firebrand George Galloway, of the Workers Party of Britain, who is campaigning against Labours stance on the conflict in Gaza, and former Rochdale Labour MP Simon Danczuk, now the Reform Party candidate. About 20% of the electorate and 30% of the population of the town are Asian, with polls nationally suggesting Labours vote could be hit by Asian people unhappy with the party over Palestine and its perceived support for Israel. The Palestinian death toll stands at almost 28,000 after four months of war, according to Gazan health officials. Sir Tony held the Rochdale seat for Labour at the 2019 election with a 9,668 majority over the Conservatives. Voters go to the polls on February 29. Housing Secretary Michael Gove has insisted the Government will ban no-fault evictions before the general election later this year. The Government first vowed to end these section 21 evictions where a tenant can be evicted without reason in 2019, but long-awaited rental reforms have not yet been passed. New figures this week showed a steep rise in repossessions after no-fault eviction orders in England, increasing by 49% last year. Mr Gove told the BBCs Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme that the Renters (Reform) Bill currently going through Parliament ends section 21. However, the Government last year said the abolition would not come in until reforms in the court system to ensure it is also a fair process for landlords. This led to accusations ministers were deprioritising the issue, while charities and campaigners have demanded urgency on fulfilment of the pledge to ban section 21 no-fault evictions. Asked whether the practice will have ended by the time of a national vote, Mr Gove said: We will have outlawed it and we will put the money into the courts in order to ensure that they can enforce it. The Cabinet minister said it is important to deal with the abuse of no-fault evictions. There are a small minority of unscrupulous landlords who use the threat of eviction either to jack up rents or to silence people who are complaining about the quality of their homes, he said. Labour complained this week that the report stage of the Bill was promised by early February, but its nowhere to be seen, as Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt made no mention of the legislation when outlining business in Parliament. Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said on Sunday: Michael Goves words will ring hollow for those who have waited for so long for this urgently needed reform. This Government has turned a blind eye to the housing crisis in this country, 16 housing ministers later, people are still facing the same problems. Renters shouldnt have to face losing their homes through no fault of their own any longer. Michael Gove speaking in Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg (Jeff Overs/BBC/PA) Tom Darling, campaign manager of the Renters Reform Coalition, said: Saying youll do something that was in your manifesto shouldnt really be breaking news, but its a sign of how much the Government have dragged their feet on this that it is He added that we will hold the Government to this commitment and that if these evictions are banned in name only then the Government wont be getting a pat on the back from anyone. Mr Gove was also challenged over the rising number of people living in temporary accommodation. He conceded that that is not acceptable in one of the worlds richest countries, but said he could not guarantee that the figure would be down before the election because of significant pressures. He pointed to a growing population, not enough homes being built and a squeeze on mortgage finance when asked why the housing system is broken. When he claimed Labour was blocking measures to ease the housing crisis, Kuenssberg told him: Youve been in charge for 14 years. I think some people listening to you this morning might think its almost shameless to be pointing the finger at others for this. The Housing Secretary will this week announce planning reforms aimed at boosting housebuilding on inner-city brownfield sites, building on the long-term plan for housing he set out last year. Developers will be able to more quickly convert empty office blocks, department stores and commercial buildings into homes under the plans. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said the changes will focus on already built-up areas to limit development sprawling out to the outskirts of villages or the green belt. Labour said the Government is reannouncing an old policy and that home approvals on brownfield sites have halved under Tory rule. Mr Gove has also warned that young people shut out of the UKs housing market could turn to authoritarianism, telling The Sunday Times: If people think that markets are rigged and a democracy isnt listening to them, then you get and this is the worrying thing to me an increasing number of young people saying, I dont believe in democracy, I dont believe in markets. The Tory MP for Surrey Heath is lobbying Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to use the March 6 Budget to put more money into housing. Michael Gove is lobbying Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to make a bold offer on housing in his spring Budget (Maja Smiejkowska/PA) Im doing everything I can, I mean short of laying siege to his own home. Every day I send him a note or a message emphasising the importance of doing more to unlock housing supply. And he gets it. So Jeremy Hunt is someone who absolutely appreciates the importance of supporting the next generation. Rishi Sunaks Government last year dropped compulsory housing targets to ward off a potential backbench Tory rebellion. The Conservative manifesto commitment to build 300,000 homes a year in England instead became advisory after construction repeatedly fell short. But Mr Gove insisted it is a misunderstanding to assume the Government has dropped the target, telling Skys Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips the ambition absolutely, totally, 100% still exists. Police have resumed their search of an area of the River Thames in central London for alkali attack suspect Abdul Ezedi. Marine police teams have been searching around the Chelsea Bridge area on Sunday. The Thames search began on Saturday, with a police boat seen circling between Vauxhall and Chelsea bridges. The bodies of two men were found in the river on Saturday but neither are that of Abdul Ezedi. One body was found at 10.13am on Saturday near to HMS Belfast and another at 10.39am in Limehouse the same morning, the Metropolitan Police said. Both deaths are being treated by the force as unexpected pending further enquiries. It is understood the bodies were not found as a direct result of the search operation. Detectives believe Ezedi may have gone into the river after being seen on CCTV leaning over the railings of Chelsea Bridge in west London on the night a woman and two young girls were attacked with a corrosive substance in Clapham, south London. The force said on Friday its main working hypothesis was the 35-year-old had gone into the Thames. However, police admit that Ezedis body may never be found due to the speed of the current in the river. Abdul Ezedi seen on CCTV on the night of the attack at a Tesco in Caledonian Road, north London (Metropolitan Police/PA) In a briefing at Scotland Yard on Friday, Commander Jon Savell said: We have spent the last 24 hours meticulously following the CCTV, and its our main working hypothesis that hes now gone into the water. We have looked at all of the available cameras and angles, and with the assistance of Transport for London and CCTV from buses that were travelling over the bridge at the relevant time and there is no sighting of him coming off the bridge. Asked whether police were willing to say that Ezedi was dead, Detective Superintendent Rick Sewart said: Im prepared to say that hes gone into the water and if hes gone into the water then thats the most probable outcome. A CCTV image of the suspect travelling along the Albert Embankment approaching Vauxhall Bridge (Metropolitan Police/PA) Ezedi, from the Newcastle area, is accused of pouring a strong alkali on his ex-partner, and injuring her two young children, aged three and eight, on January 31 in Clapham. The breakdown of the relationship is considered a possible motive for the attack. Mr Savell confirmed the woman remained in a critical but stable condition in hospital and was still very poorly and unable to speak to police. (PA Graphics) Speaking about the river search, Mr Savell said: At this time of year, the Thames is very fast flowing, very wide and full of lots of snags. It is quite likely that if he has gone in the water, he wont appear for maybe up to a month and its not beyond possibility that he may never actually surface. Mr Sewart said the Met had tracked Ezedis movements from the Tower Hill area, where he has walked more than four miles with purpose to Chelsea Bridge. Police searched the area near Chelsea Bridge at low tide (Lucy North/PA) He continued: When he has got to the area of Chelsea Bridge, his behaviour visibly appears to change in so much as he walked up and down the bridge he pauses in the midpoint of the bridge, halfway down the bridge. Then he walked to and from the side of the bridge and can be seen to sort of lean over the railings before there is a loss of sight. Earlier this week police said the last confirmed sighting was just before 11.30pm on January 31, a few hours after the attack, as he crossed over Chelsea Bridge and entered Battersea Park in central London, then crossed back over the same bridge minutes later. The manhunt has been under way for more than a week, with officers raiding two addresses linked to Ezedi in Newcastle in the early hours of Thursday. Ezedi, who is not the father of the children who were hurt, suffered significant facial injuries in the incident which police previously said could prove fatal if left untreated. Palestinian protesters have staged a sit-in demonstration at the British Museum to object to the London institution accepting funding from oil giant BP. Energy Embargo for Palestine said it organised the protest at the Great Court alongside Palestine Solidarity Campaign on Sunday. Members of the group left the Bloomsbury site after being asked on Sunday. The Metropolitan Police were notified but did not attend, it is understood. WE HAVE NOW LEFT THE MUSEUM! pic.twitter.com/JeL8ys0Hi1 Energy Embargo for Palestine (@EEforpalestine) February 11, 2024 The British Museum respects other peoples right to express their views and allows peaceful protest onsite at the museum as long as there is no risk to the collection, staff or visitors, a spokesman for the institution said. In December, the museum confirmed that the partnership with BP will be extended for another decade after a 50 million deal to help fund its renovations plans. Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Energy Embargo for Palestine said that they want the British Museum to end its 10-year partnership with British Petroleum, an energy company profiting from the war between Israel and Hamas. The protesters also cited Israel announcing in October that gas exploration licences had been given to six companies including BP. Environmental campaigners have been disappointed by the museums sponsorship deal but it has been defended as securing the bodys collection for generations to come. SmartAsset: The Average 401(k) Balance by Age It can be hard to know if your retirement savings are on track, but comparing your balance to where others similar in age are can help. In particular, taking a look at the average 401(k) balance by age is a good place to start because an employer retirement account is an even playing field that gives most the best chance for retirement savings. Since an employer-sponsored 401(k) retirement account allows you to grow your assets tax-deferred, their long-term savings potential is quite high. While you should take full advantage of your 401(k), you'll also need a retirement plan beyond it. If you're unsure of where to start, try working with a financial advisor. Saving for Retirement There are many ways to save for retirement, from opening your own individual investment account to receiving matching contributions from an employer in their sponsored 401(k). Some people even put their retirement savings into a straight savings account or into a variety of real estate that is expected to increase in value over time. If you have access to an employer-sponsored 401(k) then that might be the best way to save as much as you can for retirement. Plus, you can get free contributions from your employer if they offer to match. This can help you grow your retirement savings much faster than other methods like an IRA which has a much lower maximum contribution limit each year. Many people worry that they don't have enough money saved at a given age compared to what they are going to need come retirement time. A great way to know whether you're on track is to work with a financial advisor who can help you understand how much you should be saving each month for your unique goals. If you need a rough estimate, looking at the average 401(k) balance by age can help you gauge how close you might be to where you should be for your current age. Average 401(k) Balance by Age The average American's 401(k) balance as of 2021 varied significantly by age, according to data from Vanguard. Obviously, the older you get the more money you likely have saved or accumulated in your 401(k). We've provided the averages by age group below but it should be noted that you may need significantly more in your 401(k) at each age threshold, depending on what type of lifestyle you want when you retire. Average 401(k) Balances for Americans by Age Group Under 25: $6,300 25-34: $37,200 35-44: $97,000 45-54: $179,200 55-64: $256,200 64 and above: $280,000 How Much Should I Contribute to My 401(k)? There are a couple rules of thumb to consider when determining exactly how much you should be stashing away. Whether or not your employer matches, how long you've been at your job and how much you're making all factor into how much it's possible for you to put aside. Fidelity recommends that you should've saved roughly the same amount as your annual salary by the age of 30. However, some other experts say you should aim to have half of your annual salary saved by that age. If you go by Fidelity's benchmark and you earn $40,000 a year, aim to have about that amount socked away for retirement by age 30. By the time you're 40, you should have triple your annual salary. By age 50, you should have six times. When you turn 60, you should have eight times. And by age 67, you should have 10 times your annual salary in savings. Per Fidelity, the average combined contribution for employees and employers in 2020 has been 13.4%. During that same time frame, the average contribution amount for an employee was $7,190, while the average employer contribution amount was $4,030. What If I Have a Below-Average 401(k) Balance for My Age? SmartAsset: The Average 401(k) Balance by Age If you're 401(k) savings don't quite match up with the figures we've mentioned, don't panic. It's never too late to start saving. While the ideal situation is obviously to have started saving early enough that compound interest can do the work for you, there are ways to get back on track. The most obvious is to start tucking away as much as possible. As of 2023, the maximum amount you can contribute to your 401(k) on an annual basis is $22,500. Participants aged 50 and older playing catch-up can contribute an additional $7,500 during the calendar year. Though it may seem daunting to start saving at a notably higher rate, there are likely areas where you can cut back. One big thing to look at is whether you can downsize your living space. Also, make sure you don't have any lingering debts weighing you down. Another option is to push back your retirement age. This allows you to make up at least somewhat for the years you weren't accruing compound interest. As an added bonus, for each year you delay retirement, your Social Security benefits increase. Social Security benefits can't take the place of retirement savings, but they can help you cover retirement expenses. There's also always the option of picking up some work in retirement also known as a "worktirement." It's becoming more and more common for retirees to pick up some work post-retirement to supplement their savings. And if it's any comfort, you're not alone in being behind. In fact, more than half of Americans said in 2022 that the have fallen behind on retirement savings. Alternatives to a 401(k) A 401(k), a 403(b) and a 457(b), are employer-sponsored retirement plans. These options are particularly lucrative if the employer offers a match. All of the plans operate similarly, but a 403(b) is typically for public employees and a 457(b) is for some government employees. But they're not the only options for retirement savings. You might also consider an IRA: either the traditional IRA or the Roth IRA. Contributions to the traditional IRA, like the 401(k), are tax-deferred. That means you put the untaxed money in now and pay your taxes later. The Roth IRA, on the other hand, gets taxpaying out of the way up front. The money that goes into a Roth IRA has already been taxed, so when you get the money out you won't pay any more. However, to qualify for a full contribution to a Roth IRA you have to make a modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) of less than $138,000 for the 2023 calendar year. For couples filing jointly on their 2023 taxes, their AGI must be less than $218,000. Once you have a MAGI of more than $153,000 and $228,000 respectively, you won't be able to contribute at all. The biggest differences between an IRA and a 401(k) are the contribution limits and how you contribute. Contribution limits to a 401(k) are generally much higher than to an IRA. While a 401(k) is offered by an employer, you can easily go online and open an IRA for yourself. Your 401(k) contribution automatically comes out of your paycheck, but you'll have to move the money yourself into an IRA. Notably, only a 401(k) comes with employer matches. You can always put money in both, too. A Roth IRA, for instance, might be a nice complement to your 401(k). Bottom Line SmartAsset: The Average 401(k) Balance by Age Whichever option you chose, make sure you're always managing your money with an eye toward retirement. It's not impossible to catch up if you fall behind, but it's far easier to accumulate your retirement savings steadily and slowly over time. In an effort to diversify the placement of your money, be sure to also take advantage of multiple retirement savings options. For example, these can include an individual retirement account, a savings account or an annuity. Tips to Saving for Retirement Working on your retirement plans with a financial advisor can help you stay on track. SmartAsset's free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you're ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now. Take advantage of your company's 401(k) match. This might seem like a no-brainer, but many Americans aren't taking full advantage of their employer's match. About one in four Americans miss out on an estimated $1,300 a year because they aren't contributing enough to get the full employer match. Photo credit: iStock.com/Ridofranz, iStock.com/pinkomelet, iStock.com/jygallery The post The Average 401(k) Balance by Age: Are You Off the Mark? appeared first on SmartAsset Blog. Nina Westervelt - Getty Images Alejandra Alonso Rojas Guests were welcomed into Casa Cipriani with the sound of chirping birds for Alejandra Alonso Rojas latest collection. Known for her fine-tuned tailoring and knits, this season brought her signature style to the forest, with camouflage and leafy prints. The Madrid-born designer proved she knows what cool girl fall looks like, and that even as the seasons change, its always time to embrace the outdoors. (And health, too: All attendees were gifted a bag of by dria wellness essentials, including under-eye patches, face oil, and magnesium for sleep, curated by Dria Murphy.)Samuel Maude, associate editor Courtesy of Alejandra Alonso Rojas Alejandra Alonso Rojas Courtesy of Alejandra Alonso Rojas Alejandra Alonso Rojas Courtesy of Alejandra Alonso Rojas Luar What started out as rumblings and rumors came true last night: Beyonce herself descended upon a Bushwick warehouse for the Luar show. Her, along with Tina and Solange Knowles, were there to support Julez Smith, Solanges son, who made his runway debut. And what a show to debut at: creative director Raul Lopez examined the metrosexual this season, and how men show up in the world who also happen to care about fashion. This meant exaggerated, spliced and diced Coogi sweaters-cum-dresses, leather and wool suiting that was exaggeratedly large (turtle shoulders are a brand signature) or super-small, plus the introducing of Luar Basics and a collaboration with Moose Knuckles Canada. Dont worry, there was plenty for the girls too: feathered boot-leggings, ostrich-skin ballgown skirts, and oxblood gowns with napkin-ring accents. If youre overwhelmed with goodness, you know it was the show of the season. The Knowles family stamp of approval was just an extra cherry on top of the visual buffet. Kevin LeBlanc, fashion associate Jonas Gustavsson Luar Jonas Gustavsson Luar Jonas Gustavsson Batsheva When one goes to a Batsheva show, they can expect a full production. The show, which began with an interpretive dance, was graced with live, orchestral music and had Ella Emhoff and Zac Posen in the front row. Batsheva Hay made a clear statement, too: Batsheva is unapologetically Jewish and made for women of every age. Hay toyed with the concept of modesty, presenting transparent, exposed looks while also showing fully covered garments on models who were all over 40. Many walked the runway for the first time with tears in their eyes. Guests were treated to emotional vulnerability, and a vibrant excitement radiated throughout the room, bringing life to this late night show.Samuel Maude, associate editor Courtesy of Batsheva Batsheva Courtesy of Batsheva Batsheva Courtesy of Batsheva Wiederhoeft Jackson Wiederhoeft flexed his technical prowess in a stunning show on Tuesday, with his typical ragtag bunch of wild creatures emerging through a smoke-filled room in his signature corsetry (the best in New York), this time updated in tweed and embellished with hand-sewn glass cut beads. Elsewhere, highlights included a pink bow-bondage look, dotted with crystals and tied up (literally) with horizontal bows. It was the best thing weve seen all week, both from a technical and aesthetic viewpoint. Read Sabrina Briers front row review here. Kevin LeBlanc, fashion associate Courtesy of Wiederhoeft Wiederhoeft Courtesy of Wiederhoeft Wiederhoeft Courtesy of Wiederhoeft LaQuan Smith Theres workwear, and then theres LaQuan Smiths workwear, according to the designers latest collection. Inspired by the unapologetic strength and glamour of female power brokers, there are sultry, hot suiting and fluffy fur coats and jackets. Complete with rich hues of navy, caramel, brown, and red, LaQuan Smith is providing a new definition for the day-to-night look.Dale Arden Chong, senior fashion commerce editor Don Ashby/FirstVIEW LaQuan Smith Don Ashby/FirstVIEW LaQuan Smith Don Ashby/FirstVIEW Sergio Hudson Sergio Hudson threw it back to the 70s. For this collection, Hudson built upon last season and continued to find inspiration through the likes of Bianca Jagger, Diahann Carroll, and Cher, making garments for women that put on clothes that make statements. The collection featured a Crayola box of color, including red velvet, shimmering gold, and transparent yellow, however the most successful looks came from more layered and muted palette. The denim, plaids, and brown leather felt more relaxed and forward thinking for this upcoming fall.Samuel Maude, associate editor Courtesy of Sergio Hudson Sergio Hudson Courtesy of Sergio Hudson Sergio Hudson Courtesy of Sergio Hudson Puppets and Puppets In what was to be Puppets and Puppets' last showing at NYFW, creative director Carly Mark found sophistication. With a color palette of mostly black, white, rust and caramel, the collection was perhaps one of the more elevated showings for the brand. Furs and florals were met with distressed hoodies and unexpected draping. There was an emphasis on tights, particularly in the way Mark seamed them to be excessive in some looks, stirruped in others. There were none of the brands infamous cookie bags, not even a single banana handle. Instead, square croc-embossed totes, distorted shoulder bags, and curve-handled mini bags accessorized the runway. The collection as a whole felt more grown-up, albeit a bit somber given the news that the cult-favorite brand will no longer make clothes or put on runway shows, and that Mark in fact is leaving the city completely to focus on the more lucrative handbag-side of the business in London. Maybe its just a sign of the times or maybe, its a reminder that eventually, we all have to get serious.Madison Rexroat, fashion & accessories assistant Don Ashby Puppets and Puppets Don Ashby Puppets and Puppets Don Ashby Retrofete On Monday evening, influencers and industry heavyweights alike gathered at the Plaza for Retrofetes boss-bitch inspired show. Caroline Trentini opened in a three piece skirt suit that demanded attention with its massive shoulders. The parade of looks that followed were a study in mobwifery and 80s power dressing, with opulent furs, leather skirts, and downright hot black party dresses, sure to wow on any occasion. Kevin LeBlanc, fashion associate Courtesy of Retrofete Retrofete Courtesy of Retrofete Retrofete Courtesy of Retrofete Markarian Sitting at the Markarian fall/winter 2024 presentation, I felt like I was experiencing a private salon appointment with the designerwhich was only in part due to the intimate setting of the Markarian showroom. Drawing inspiration from the immaculate and sacred hearts seen in Venetian churches, Alexandra ONeill creates a collection that feels reminiscent of Old Hollywoods red carpet glamourwith standouts including a silk chiffon dress and the drop-waist gown. For the daytime, there were coordinated sets featuring prints inspired by church interiors.Dale Arden Chong, senior fashion commerce editor Courtesy of Markarian Markarian Courtesy of Markarian Markarian Courtesy of Markarian Diotima Rachel Leigh Scott of Diotima is fresh off a runner-up win from the CVFF/Vogue Fashion Fund, and expanded her worldview with a refreshing collection of bold, directional macrame dresses in deep mustards and invigorating pinks, balanced by delicate crochet piecesa cornerstone of the brand and suiting in dark burgundy and navy. Her commitment to building a wardrobe for both day and evening shows shes doubling down and ready for the business to grow. Kevin LeBlanc, fashion associate Courtesy of Diotima Diotima Courtesy of Diotima Diotima Courtesy of Diotima Coach Coach's fall collection was an ode to New York, both its past and present, with a highlight reel of downtown and uptown must-have pieces, from taffeta bowed skirts, to cardigan jackets, to leather and suede fringed coats. The real stars were the accessories, with a new bag debuting, and styling with NYC tourist tchotchkes driving home the celebration of fashion's rebel child city. Read my full review here. Kevin LeBlanc, fashion associate Isidore Montag / Courtesy of COACH Coach Photo: Isidore Montag / Gorunway.com Coach Photo: Isidore Montag / Gorunway.com Zankov Henry Zankovs latest presentation was named Hold Me Closer, with the idea of a collection so cozy, its a warm embrace amidst the chaos of living in a city. Zankovs sensibility has always leaned Euro-chic, with unexpected muted colors playing together like a mustard-yellow knit paired with purple or shocking orange, or the Milanese color combo of mint green and Burgundy. This season saw him expand on what knitwear looks like today, with perforated knits embracing the body and swishing knit pants shying away and adding space. The styling, plus jewelry made by Presley Oldham, gave the collection an old world feeling that was entirely contemporary, and entirely singular, a rarity in the New York fashion landscape.Kevin LeBlanc, fashion associate Jimi Franklin, Courtesy of ZANKOV Zankov Jimi Franklin, Courtesy of ZANKOV Zankov Jimi Franklin, Courtesy of ZANKOV Kallmeyer Daniella Kallmeyer is on a roll with her namesake label, creating an energetic label for the downtown working set that matches quality with daily doses of chic. Her starting point this season was vintage ski style pics, inspiring the knits seen throughout, and giving way to the layering that is bound to trend for Fall. Standout pieces include an A-line shift dress in leather buttoned up the front, and a draped dress in a red surely inspired by bold skiwear. Kevin LeBlanc, fashion associate Courtesy of Kallmeyer Kallmeyer Courtesy of Kallmeyer Kallmeyer Courtesy of Kallmeyer Ludovic de Saint Sernin The fall/winter 2024 season marked Ludovic de Saint Sernins first showing outside of Paris, a result of a partnership between the brand and The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation. Contrasting the soft and subversive, the collection paid homage to the iconic photographers 80s-era dominance, with transparent flower motifs mixed with BDSM-esque leather. LdSS is the perfect brand to execute such a juxtaposition, and with a New York City backdrop to bolster its leather-culture cred, the collection was a tough, yet beautiful interpretation of Mapplethorpes perspective.Madison Rexroat, fashion & accessories assistant INDIGITAL.TV Ludovic de Saint Sernin INDIGITAL.TV Ludovic de Saint Sernin INDIGITAL.TV Area All eyes were on Piotrek Pansczcyks Area this season. The viral brand started their show just as Taylor Swift descended upon the Super Bowl in their embellished black jeans, proving Areas impact extends far beyond their outlandishly and sometimes overly whimsical couture. For this seasons ready-to-wear and couture collection, Pansczcyk became transfixed on the concept of viewership. Using 60s pop-art, 1920s cartoon eyes, flowers, spots, and more, every look had a slight optical allusion. On some, only the models face or eyes could be seen, while others were more literal (yes, we're still thinking about that viral googly-eyed dress). In his show notes, Pansczcyk said the collection is a play between viewing and being viewed, however one thing is clear: it was quite hard to look away. Samuel Maude, associate editor Courtesy of Area Area Courtesy of Area Area Courtesy of Area Sandy Liang Sandy Liang celebrated 10 years of her eponymous label with her latest collection, which shows her coquettish schoolgirl growing up. That said, while she may be maturing, she hasnt lost touch with her inner child. Liang draws inspiration from Sailor Moon and shopping catalogs of the early aughts to create pieces that are timeless with a touch of nostalgia. Girlhood is still front and center in this latest collection, with items including star-shaped earrings and handbags, as well as fluffy skirts and jackets, but it also takes a more streamlined approach in the form of classic sweaters and tailoring. And to round it out, the show was complete with a soundtrack featuring Madonna, Janet Jackson, and Peachesmusic that would make any early-aughts rom-com lover swoon.Dale Arden Chong, senior fashion commerce editor Launchmetrics Spotlight Sandy Liang Launchmetrics Spotlight Sandy Liang Launchmetrics Spotlight PatBO This season, Patricia Bonaldis show was for the ladies. Themed around the multi-faceted nature of modern women, the sultry two-piece sets and semi-sheer mini dresses served as an ode to elegant sensuality. Embellishments and cut-outs were aplenty throughout the mostly black collection, bookended emerald green and white ensembles (the latter pictured here). Bonaldi drew inspiration from old-school glamour, although any of the looks would fit right in on a 2024 red carpet. Further adding to the mood were dancers (30 of them, to be exact)all aspiring professionals from New Yorks Joffrey Ballet School showcasing ballet, jazz, and contemporary disciplines.Meg Donohue, associate fashion commerce editor Darian DiCianno PatBO Darian DiCianno PatBO Darian DiCianno Fforme Monica Feudi Fforme Fforme continues to expand its notion of femininity through exploration of fabrics and engineering, bringing together unlikely fabrics in unlikely ways. Casual pants in leather and a striking emerald jersey were darted along the waist, cinching and giving form without stricture. Styling with leather flats and knit swim caps, plus custom sunnies from Port Tanger, lended to an urban, sophisticated vibe. The general mood was one of ease and grace, and aspiration, as my co-worker said leaving the show: This is who I want to grow up to be.Kevin LeBlanc, fashion associate Monica Feudi Fforme Monica Feudi Khaite Khaite is for the cool girls, and this season was certainly no different. For her latest collection since being named Womenswear Designer of the Year at the CFDAs for the second consecutive year, Catherine Holstein took inspiration from the unfolding of fabrics (as seen here, accessorized with transparent opera gloves) and turned her focus to material. Feminine shapes fused with menswear-inspired tailoring and there was even a (very) subtle nod to the mob wife trend: colorful shearling jackets were paired with gold chains, black sunglasses, and a powerful strut. Read my full review here.Claire Stern, digital director Hanna Tveite Khaite Hanna Tveite Khaite Hanna Tveite Eckhaus Latta Eckhaus Latta has always been a little sleazybut you already knew that. The duo behind the cult NYC brand staged a hot love letter to the city and the style theyve help defined: irregular knits, shearling coats, and lacquered padded pants all paired cozily with slick sunglasses, transparent button-downs, gauzy tanks, and killer platform shoes in mohair and brushed maroon leather, the must-have item of the show. In other words, a refinement of the cool-girl uniform, the Eckhaus way. To top it all off, a live performer sang Lana Del Rey and Lou Reed, plus Alek Wek closed.Kevin LeBlanc, fashion associate Madison Voelkel Eckhaus Latta Madison Voelkel Eckhaus Latta Madison Voelkel Proenza Schouler With pared-back wardrobe staples, a muted color palette (save for pops of red, peach, and gold), Proenza Schouler creative directors Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez are putting their own spin on quiet luxury. The result? A collection destined for the closets of the elevated women theyre designing for, complete with expertly tailored coats, leather accessories, and fluffy fur paired with practical footwear thatll undoubtedly serve as the foundation for the New York womans everyday wardrobe. Read my full review here.Dale Arden Chong, senior fashion commerce editor Courtesy of Proenza Schouler Proenza Schouler Courtesy of Proenza Schouler Proenza Schouler Courtesy of Proenza Schouler Tommy Hilfiger Tommy Hilfiger brought the party to New York Fashion Week (and won the award for best venue so far) by taking over the Grand Central Oyster Bar with his signature prep classics, reimagined with new details and layering techniques. The highlight of the show was definitely the soundtrack by Questlove and a surprise performance by Jon Batiste, who livened up the crowd with an upbeat performance of his song Freedom. Oh, and the French fries and martinis, a.k.a. the New York happy meal.Claire Stern, digital director Courtesy of Tommy Hilfiger Tommy Hilfiger Courtesy of Tommy Hilfiger Tommy Hilfiger Courtesy of Tommy Hilfiger Willy Chavarria Willy Chavarria is taking American sportswear and 80s power dressing and flipping it on its head, making it cool again. His clothing is not only instantly desirable and impeccably made, but provides him with a platform to connect across races, generations, and body types in a way few designers have in New York in a long, long time. Plus, he made his directorial debut with a powerful, sexy-as-hell short film before the runway show. Read my full review here.Kevin LeBlanc, fashion associate SELWYN TUNGOL SELWYN TUNGOL Willy Chavarria SELWYN TUNGOL 3.1 Phillip Lim A New York brand to the core, 3.1 Phillip Lim knows that New Yorkers are too busy running from show to show, so instead, he chose to present his FW24 collection with an art installation right by Chinatown, where guests could swing by at their leisure and enjoy a cocktail or two while they do. The assortment riffed on classic staples by adding a touch of irreverence, from abstract prints to capri-length leggings and a jewel-tone teddy jacket thatll make going on an coffee run the chicest thing you do all day.Claire Stern, digital director Charlotte Swinburn 3.1 Phillip Lim Charlotte Swinburn 3.1 Phillip Lim Charlotte Swinburn Collina Strada Its bulking season at Collina Strada. Hillary Taymour took machismo and made it Collina-approved, with musculature pushing through molded latex tops and ruched silk dresses. Models walked with squash dumbbells, coated in sweat and making their best weightlifting faces. In between all the macho, there was plenty of great draped dresses in plaids and her signature muddled prints, plus corsetry and easy sweatsuits for when youre actually hitting the gym.Kevin LeBlanc, fashion associate Photo: Daniele Oberrauch / Gorunway.com Collina Strada Photo: Daniele Oberrauch / Gorunway.com Collina Strada Photo: Daniele Oberrauch / Gorunway.com Helmut Lang For his second runway at Helmut Lang, Peter Do stayed true to the brands ethos of outfitting New Yorkers in clothes they want to wear by developing a uniform of sorts, comprised of ultra-cozy coats, mismatched plaid separates, and balaclava hoodies fit for the gnarliest winter days. Titled Protection vs. Projection, the collection married form and function, versatility and ease.Claire Stern, digital director Courtesy of Helmut Lang Helmut Lang Courtesy of Helmut Lang Helmut Lang Courtesy of Helmut Lang Christian Siriano You can always count on Christian Siriano to put on a showalbeit late and very long. Still, the designer consistently proves hes worthy of a place on the New York Fashion Week schedule by turning out look after look (61 in total for fall/winter 2024) in front of an always-eclectic front row. This go-around, Sophia Bush, Busy Philipps, Melanie Lynskey, Alicia Silverstone, J. Smith-Cameron, and Ashley Simpson all descended on The Plaza to take in the designers latest, inspired by Dune (the book and the movies). The collection embodies the idea of what eveningwear and glamour would look like in a sci-fi, apocalyptic desertwhich informs a rich color palette and luminous textures like luxurious creams, liquid metallics, burnt orange lames with intricate glass beading, deep reds, and black shimmering tinsel reminiscent of a vast starry sky, Siriano writes in the show notes. Zendaya, are you listening?Claire Stern, digital director Janice Yim - Getty Images Christian Siriano Janice Yim - Getty Images Christian Siriano Janice Yim - Getty Images Dwarmis Designer Dwarmis Concepcion worked with an entirely Latinx team to create the lookbook featuring her latest collection. She drew inspiration from her childhood homes artwork, tiles and colors in the Dominican Republic to create a lush collection of deep tans, crisp whites and stark blacks on silks, twills, and cottons that are chic without sacrificing utility. Were particularly obsessed with the cream boucle jacket that is narrow at the waist for a decidedly feminine edge. Kevin LeBlanc, fashion associate Courtesy of Designer Dwarmis Courtesy of Designer Dwarmis Courtesy of Designer You Might Also Like Catherine OHara is one of the most well-known mothers in cinema history, thanks to her portrayal of Macaulay Culkins mom in the first two Home Alone movies. She may also the title of being the most well-known negligent mother. Yes, OHaras Kate McCallister not once, but twice, left her child behind on a trip. Its one of the basic tenets of parenting keep your eyes on your children. Yet, McCallister failed. She failed so badly that even kids who saw the movies knew she blew it. A child came up to me, like, a little eight-year-old, in a mall, she told Willie Geist during the Sunday Sitdown episode that aired Feb. 11. 'Are you Kevins mom? I said, Well, yeah, I played Kevins mom in a movie, yes. Why did you leave him? Sorry. It was in the script, she said, recounting their conversation. Macaulay Culkin and Catherine O'Hara in OHara said the boy couldnt wrap his head around how flaky her character proved to be. You left him twice, she recalled him saying. 'I know. Im sorry. Yeah, its called a sequel, and it was it was good. Come on. Isnt that called abandonment? I swear, he was eight or nine years old at the most. 'Isnt that called abandon . Yes, Im sorry. Once, maybe. Twice is unforgivable, Willie quipped. Yeah, OHara concurred. Its been more than three decades since Home Alone first hit theaters, but apparently not everyone realizes that OHara only played Macaulay Culkins mother in the hit 1990 movie. OHara revealed that she was mistaken for the actors real mother when she attended the ceremony for Culkin's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame last December. Macaulay Culkin Honored With Star On Hollywood Walk Of Fame (Amy Sussman / Getty Images) Macaulay Culkin received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and he asked me to present it, the comedy icon told Willie Geist during their Sunday Sitdown that will air Feb. 11. Out of the blue, he asked me. And my first reaction was, Aww. I told my husband, Aww. It just was the sweetest idea. But I didnt know what it was going to be like, and it was just lovely and Im so happy I got to be there and see him receive that. He seemed so happy. Hes got a lovely fiancee, two sweet kids. OHara, who noted that Poker Face star Natasha Lyonne was also there, said they took some pictures at the ceremony, which is when the confusion over her being his actual mother took place. What was funny, when after you do the presentation, then they have the honoree come and stand before the unveil, the star. And then we all pose. We pose, pose, pose, she said. Catherine O'Hara (TODAY) His mother was not able to make it at that time. But were all posing, posing, posing. And then now Natasha, now so-and-so. OK, now just you and the mother. And I walk away and he said, Just with the mother. Yeah. No, with the mother. Im not you know Im not his real mother. OHara said Culkin didn't miss a beat. Then he puts his arm around, he goes, Oh no, my mom wasnt able to make it," she recalled. "Well then, Im honored to be here. Thank you. O'Hara did, in fact, acknowledge their fictional family relationship at the ceremony. Thank you for including me, your fake mom who left you home alone not once, but twice, to share in this happy occasion, she said, referring to the plots of the original film and its 1992 sequel. Im so proud of you. This article was originally published on TODAY.com House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) on Sunday swiped at what he called President Bidens diminished mental capacity following the special counsel report last week that painted Biden as a well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory. Asked on Fox Newss Sunday Morning Futures for his reaction to special counsel Robert Hurs report on Bidens handling of classified documents, Comer said, Well, it was pretty surprising that the special counsel would state the obvious in writing, that Joe Bidens mental capacity is diminished. I think we see that play out on a daily basis. Hurs 388-page report, released last Thursday, determined Biden willfully retained classified documents but declined to charge the president with any crime. The reports most controversial element was a harsh assessment of Bidens memory and recall, in which Hur claimed the president struggled to remember the year his son Beau died and the years he served as vice president. Comer, along with House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), is spearheading an impeachment inquiry into Biden amid the House GOPs probe into Bidens son, Hunter, and his foreign business dealings, but that effort hasnt advanced much in recent weeks. Comer on Sunday said the Oversight Committee is interested in any information from Hurs report on the classified documents Biden held on to that relate to Ukraine and China. According to Hurs report, the FBI discovered documents in a file folder labeled Ukraine 02/09/15, which includes documents related to a call between Biden and then-Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk. Hur said the documents included a note to his executive assistant that wrote, Get [a] copy of this conversation from Sit Rm for my Records please, and signed it Joe. Hur, however, concluded there was insufficient evidence to charge Biden with retention of these marked classified documents, adding his note to his assistant requests only the transcript of the call itself. And no jury could reasonably find that the substance of the call between Mr. Biden and the Ukrainian Prime Minister was national defense information, Hur wrote. Authorities also discovered documents related to engagement with China in President Obamas second term, but Hur concluded the evidence does not suggest Biden willfully retained them. Comer on Sunday repeated the claim the Biden family has been involved with influence-peddling for decades and said he wants to know if Hur interviewed Hunter Biden and Jim Biden, the presidents brother. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. WASHINGTON Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was rushed to the hospital Sunday for symptoms of an "emergent" bladder issue and admitted to the critical care unit, less than a month after his previous secret stay at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center sparked controversy. Austin, 70, was taken back to Walter Reed by his security detail at 2:20 p.m. Sunday, according to Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary. Just before 5 p.m., he transferred his authority to Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks. In a statement late Sunday night, Austin's doctors said they ran tests on Austin and admitted him to the "critical care unit" at Walter Reed for "supportive care and close monitoring." "At this time, it is not clear how long Secretary Austin will remain hospitalized," John Maddox and Gregory Chesnut, Austin's doctors said. Unlike his previous hospitalization that began Jan. 1, Austin notified the White House, Congress and Pentagon officials, Ryder said in a statement. Earlier Sunday, Ryder had that Austin had retained his authority, noting that he had the secret communications systems necessary to perform his duties. Austin was taken by ambulance to Walter Reed on Jan. 1 after complaining of severe pain. He had developed complications from surgery for prostate cancer on Dec. 22, according to his doctors. Austin failed to notify the White House, Congress and key staffers at the Pentagon of his diagnosis. Austin's staff sought to keep his ambulance ride under the radar as well, according to a transcript of the 911 call obtained by USA TODAY. A staff member asked the dispatcher to approach his house in the northern Virginia suburbs without a siren or flashing lights to keep it "subtle." Doctors at Walter Reed placed him in intensive care for four days, a fact that Austin kept secret. He eventually transferred his authority to Hicks. Austin, at a Feb. 1 news conference, apologized for trying to conceal his illness and subsequent hospitalization. He called the diagnosis a gut punch, and that his instinct was to keep his illness private. He said that he took full responsibility for the mistake and added that he had not pressured his staff to withhold details. Pentagon officials recently completed a review of its policy regarding transfer of authority, Ryder said last week. Austin is reviewing that report before its release. In addition, the Pentagon Inspector General is investigating the matter, and Congress has called on Austin to testify about it. Austins hospitalization comes at a pivotal moment as he prepares for a meeting of key allies in Europe over aid to Ukraine in its defense of Russias illegal invasion. Austin is scheduled to meet with allies providing military aid, and with defense chiefs from NATO in Brussels. On Sunday, the Senate approved a foreign aid package that includes $60 billion to supply Ukraine with the weapons it needs to push back against Russia. The measure faces an uncertain future in the House where some GOP members oppose the financial assistance to Kyiv. NATO allies will also likely be concerned by comments by former President Donald Trump over the weekend demeaning the value of the alliance. The front-runner for the Republican nomination, Trump renewed a false criticism of how NATO is funded and said he might not defend European treaty members if they are attacked by Russia unless they had paid enough to satisfy him. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is being treated for prostate cancer. By Jody Godoy (Reuters) -A federal judge ordered Elon Musk to testify again in the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's probe of his $44 billion takeover of Twitter, giving the regulator and the billionaire a week to agree on a date and location for the interview. U.S. Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler's order, issued on Saturday night, formalized a tentative ruling she made in December that sided with the regulator. The SEC sued Musk in October to compel the Tesla and SpaceX CEO to testify as part of an investigation into his 2022 purchase of Twitter, the social media giant that he subsequently renamed X. Musk refused to attend an interview in September that was part of the probe, the SEC said. The agency is examining whether Musk followed the law when filing the required paperwork about his purchases of Twitter stock, and whether his statements in relation to the deal were misleading. Musk fought the SEC's bid to interview him, saying it had already done so twice, and accused the regulator of harassment. Beeler rejected that argument. The SEC had authority to issue the subpoena, which sought relevant information, she said in the ruling. If the SEC and Musk cannot agree on a date and time for the interview, Beeler said she will hear from both sides and decide for them. Friction between Musk and the SEC began when the regulator sued him after he tweeted "funding secured" in 2018 in reference to a possible plan to take Tesla private. To settle that case, Musk agreed that a Tesla lawyer would vet his tweets about the electric vehicle maker. The SEC sued him again in 2019 for allegedly breaching that provision. Musk has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review the agreement, saying it violates his constitutional right to free speech. (Reporting by Jody Godoy in New York; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Paul Simao) Tiffany Rose/Getty Images for Harold & Carole Pump Foundation Adrian Greniers new role has nothing to do with Hollywood its actually why he left. I was flying high for many years, two decades in Hollywood and growing up in New York, but I live a much more grounded life now, Grenier, 47, said of why he decided to leave California for Texas during a Friday, February 9 interview on Today with Hoda and Jenna. I decided I was going to live closer to nature and to commit to my wife and have a family and have a child, which Im so excited about. The Entourage alums dream came true last June when he and wife Jordan Roemmele welcomed a baby boy together, and he revealed fatherhood is the best job hes ever had. I dont know if my body can contain the love [I have for my son,] he gushed. Its so expansive. I feel like Im going to burst. Im just so in love with this kid. Hes just absolutely beautiful and Im so proud of him already and all he does is poop. Entourage Cast: Where Are They Now? Grenier, who was promoting the eco-friendly cleaning company he invested in, Blueland, revealed that while some actors might end up regretting their decision to leave Tinseltown, he feels at peace with his choice. In fact, he loves the slower paced lifestyle he has today because its not only good for his family, but for their overall mental health. I did a lot of growth, but I spent a lot of time in nature. Nature [is] connection. If you cant connect, you cant care, he explained. Theres so much to learn about how we work as human beings, because we emergent from nature we come from nature. So, if we listen to nature, nature will tell us how to be more in more harmony. He added, Theres a lot of mental health challenges in our world and I think its our disconnect from the earth [that worsens it]. Sexy Celeb Dads With Their Kids Now, Grenier is able to spend as much time as he wants outside and hes encouraging his son to do the same. My little boy was in the dirt this morning, he shared, noting that Roemmele sent him a photo of his son playing in the great outdoors. Although Grenier no longer calls California his home, that doesnt mean hell never act again or do press to promote something hes involved with. Instead, he says hes just being way more cautious about what projects he takes on now that hes in a new chapter of his life. Im only really taking roles that are aligned with my dharma and that I can be proud of because I want my kid to watch whatever I do and be proud of his dad, he said. Donald Trump and Nikki Haley Two weeks before the pivotal South Carolina Republican primary, former president Donald Trump and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley spent Saturday trading insults at Palmetto State campaign events. While Trump denounced Haley as a "globalist" who is seeking votes from non-Republicans, Haley said Trump is too old and too chaotic to win a general election against Democrats. "Nikki (Haley) may have started her career in South Carolina ... but she is now 100 percent the candidate of Wall Street and the war machine," Trump said during a rally at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, near Myrtle Beach. Haley, a former United Nations ambassador for Trump as well as governor of South Carolina, conducted a bus tour of the state and had her staff hand out a prototype of a mental competency test that should be applied to Trump. As her bus rolled into Newberry, S.C., Haley posted on the social media site X, formerly Twitter: "The Beast of the Southeast is here and ready to roll! Join uslets see if Donald Trump can keep up!" The South Carolina primary is Feb. 24 The candidates are expected to keep up the back-and-forth heading into the South Carolina Republican Party primary on Feb. 24. During his rally at Coastal Carolina, Trump described Haley - his former appointee - as "the candidate of globalists and warmers," a candidate funded by "big donors and special interests" who favor free trade and lax immigration rules. "There isn't anything nice about her," Trump said of his opponent. In addition to attacking Haley, Trump again criticized the decision by a special counsel not to charge Biden for taking classified information when he left the vice president's office in 2017. Trump again called for dismissal of his own prosecution for mishandling classified information, but there are differences in the cases. Trump is also accused of defying grand jury subpoenas for his documents, while Biden cooperated with the investigation of Robert Hur. Trump also noted that Special Counsel said Biden should not be tried in part because he is has a faulty memory. Biden and allies said Hur distorted the president's testimony and smeared him unfairly. Haley hits Trump (and Biden) over mental competency During her bus tour, Haley also stressed questions about the mental fitness of Biden - and of Trump. Why do we have to have someone in their 80s run for office? Haley said during her bus stop at Newberry. "Why cant they let go of their power? At the prompting of an audience member, Haley said: "They are grumpy old men." The two campaigns also jousted on social media. In another X post, Haley hit Trump for not visiting South Carolina more times. "Donald, if you change your mind about Mar-a-Lago, South Carolina would be a great place to retire in the next few months!" The proposed mental competency test - a flier that said, "Can you pass a mental competency test? Can Joe Biden? Can Donald Trump?" - irked members of the Trump campaign. On X, Trump senior campaign adviser Jason Miller said: "This is the kind of thing that gets shoved back in her staffs faces when they sit down for WH, RNC or Hill job interviews in the future." The Associated Press contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Globalist; Grumpy:' Donald Trump, Nikki Haley trade insults in S.C. A child and a man were injured and a woman was killed after she opened fire at Joel Osteens Lakewood Church in Houston on Sunday, police said. The woman entered the church, accompanied by a boy believed to be about 5 years old, and started shooting, Police Chief Troy Finner said at a news conference Sunday afternoon. Two off-duty law enforcement officers who were at the church when shots were fired about 1:50 p.m. opened fire, and the woman was killed, Finner said. The child was in critical condition, and a man, who is in his 50s, was being treated for an injury to his leg, Houston Fire Chief Samuel Pena said. If law enforcement gunfire is responsible for striking the child, Finner said, Im going to put that blame on her for putting the boy in danger. The woman had a "long rifle" and a backpack and was wearing a trench coat when she entered the church from a parking lot and started shooting, Finner said. Her identity has not been released. Finner described her as being in her early 30s. Motive is part of the investigation. The woman threatened that she had a bomb and sprayed an unknown substance on the ground, Finner said. It was not clear what the substance was as fire department personnel arrived to investigate and clear the scene, he said. Police checked a vehicle and a backpack for possible explosives, none of which have been reported. The two officers who opened fire were off-duty. One is an agent with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, and the other is a Houston police officer, Finner said. The FBIs and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Houston offices were assisting police with the investigation, spokespeople for both agencies said. Police believe that the shooting was an isolated incident and that there is no further danger to the public. Shooting happened between services The shooting happened between services as people were arriving for Spanish service, Osteen said. A livestream of the day's scheduled events was interrupted by gunfire and went offline. Until then, the stream showed pastor Jorge Basave, speaking in Spanish from what appeared to be a lobby area of the church, giving the website for a coming Lakewood Church event. Gunfire was heard, Basave paused and continued before another shot was heard, someone shrieked, and the feed was halted. Video of the livestream has been marked private. A woman named Maria who is from Colombia and witnessed the shooting said she heard the first shot about eight minutes before a church service started. "After the second shot, everybody started running. I ran with my kids ... my family," she told NBC affiliate KPRC of Houston . Then she heard eight more shots, she said. She and her family lay down on the floor until someone told them it was safe to leave the church. She said she called her husband and father to say "I love you," thinking it might be the last time. She said she never imagined she would be in something like this. Lakewood Church, led by pastors Joel and Victoria Osteen, is an evangelical nondenominational Christian megachurch. (Aaron M. Sprecher / AP) Another woman, Maria Ortiz, said she was on the church's terrace level as part of a choir when she heard gunfire and wasn't sure what to do. She froze and took the event as "a sign" that perhaps it was her last day of life, she said. "I'm ready," she said she told herself before she was swept up in the chaos of evacuation. "I started to follow my sisters, my brothers," Ortiz said. "Thank you God. Its wonderful because God is over [me]." 'We just ran' Denise Davis, who said she's part of a church medical team on hand for emergencies, said she heard "multiple gunshots" coming from "different types of guns." "Lot of gunpowder, lot of smoke," she said. "So we just ran." Davis said she was asked to return to treat at least two patients, whose injuries she declined to describe. "I can't tell you," she said. Cherami Fisher said she had exited a restroom as gunfire erupted and spotted Osteen in the same hallway she would use to exit the building. "I had just gone into the bathroom, got out and heard the bam-bam," said Fisher, who said she just moved to the region from Los Angeles. Osteen said that he was "in a fog" after the violence and that he was keeping the injured in his prayers. "We don't understand why all these things happen," he said at the news conference. "But we know God's in control." Houston Mayor John Whitmire lamented that the violence took place while people were preparing to practice their faith and others were anticipating the Super Bowl. "We find ourselves gathered here to respond to this tragedy," he said. In a statement Sunday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said, Our hearts are with those impacted by todays tragic shooting and the entire Lakewood Church community in Houston. Places of worship are sacred. Abbott said he has offered "full support and resources of the State of Texas" to Whitmire "to help this community and help bring swift justice to the criminal who committed this heinous act." London Britain's King Charles has issued his first statement since the public announcement of his cancer diagnosis. In a statement issued by the British royal family Saturday, King Charles said he would like "to express my most heartfelt thanks for the many messages of support and good wishes I have received in recent days." "As all those who have been affected by cancer will know, such kind thoughts are the greatest comfort and encouragement," he added. King Charles III leaves The London Clinic on Jan. 29, 2024 in London, England. / Credit: Karwai Tang Charles was diagnosed with cancer while he was undergoing treatment for an enlarged prostate last month. Buckingham Palace said he would step back from his public duties during his treatments, but it has not said how long they will take. CBS News Royal contributor Julian Payne said the king has generally enjoyed "very robust health," and Charles took a bold step by addressing his health problems, which may be due to a desire to encourage others to get themselves checked and make doctor's appointments. Palace officials said that Charles was undergoing "regular treatments," but did not specify what type of treatment the monarch was undergoing. Prince Harry who's had a fractured relationship with the royal family for years flew from Los Angeles to London after his father's diagnosis was announced. He has since returned to California. His brother, William, the Prince of Wales, has also been supporting his wife, the Princess of Wales, as she recovers from abdominal surgery. He returned to public royal duties Wednesday and attended an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle. He then headed to a gala dinner for London's Air Ambulance Charity where actor Tom Cruise was also in attendance. "It's fair to say the past few weeks have had a rather medical focus, so I thought I'd come to an air ambulance function to get away from it all," joked the prince at the gala. Prince William is next in line for the throne. Haley Ott contributed to this report. Why this was a warm, wet winter for the U.S. Super Bowl weekend arrives in Las Vegas Fallout from special counsel report creates headache for Biden campaign By Tim Reid (Reuters) - The mental ability and age of the United States' presidential candidates took center stage on the campaign trail on Saturday, following a report that suggested President Joe Biden was suffering memory lapses. Former President Donald Trump accused both Biden, the Democrat he will likely face in November's general election, and Nikki Haley, Trump's last remaining rival for the Republican presidential nomination, of lacking the mental capacity to be president. Haley - like Trump, campaigning in South Carolina where the two will meet in a primary election on Feb. 24 - went after both men, calling Trump mentally deficient and saying Biden is too old to be president. Meanwhile, the Biden White House, responding to the report on Thursday from a Department of Justice special counsel that said Biden had a poor memory, continued its full-scale attack on Trump's age and mental acuity after Trump recently mixed up names and made other verbal gaffes. "Every single time Donald Trump opens his mouth, he's confused, deranged, lying, or worse," T.J. Ducklo, a Biden spokesman, said in a statement released by Biden's reelection campaign. The issue of mental competency has become a major topic in this year's presidential campaign. Biden, 81, and Trump, 77, are the two oldest men respectively to have been elected president. In recent days, Biden has mixed up the names of some world leaders. The issue is a vexing one for Biden's reelection campaign. In a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in September, 77% of respondents said they agreed with a statement that Biden was too old to work in government, while 56% said the same of Trump. Haley, 52, has called for mental competency tests for presidential candidates over 75 years old. The issue was thrust front and center again after Special Counsel Robert Hur, a former U.S. attorney in Maryland during Trump's administration, said in his report that he chose not to bring criminal charges against Biden following a 15-month investigation into his handling of classified documents because the president cooperated. Hur said the Democratic incumbent would be difficult to convict and described him as a "well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory" who was not able to recall to investigators when his son, Beau Biden, died. Biden angrily denied Hur's allegations about his memory, saying in a White House appearance on Thursday night, "my memory's fine." Trump, at a rally in Conway, South Carolina, said Hur's report showed Biden "is not fit to serve as our commander in chief." Trump - who faces four state and federal criminal trials, including one for mishandling classified documents - is close to clinching the Republican nomination, and the prospect of a likely general election rematch with Biden in November. Haley, who has no clear path to the nomination after Trump's consecutive wins in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada, is refusing to quit the race, making a potential last stand in her home state of South Carolina, where she trails badly in opinion polls behind Trump. Trump on Saturday called his former U.N. ambassador "birdbrain" and "brain-dead," suggesting she did not have the mental capacity to enter the White House. Haley, beginning a two-week bus tour of South Carolina, called Biden "diminished." She also cited a recent Trump speech where he confused her with former Democratic House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "It's bigger than just Joe Biden. Whether it's Donald Trump getting me confused with Nancy Pelosi ... it's time for a new generational leader," Haley told reporters. (Reporting by Tim Reid in Washington; Additional reporting by Jason Lange; editing by Jonathan Oatis) By Mohammad Salem and Nidal al-Mughrabi RAFAH, Gaza Strip/DOHA (Reuters) -The Abu Mustafa family's tent is hard against the high concrete and metal fence separating Gaza from Egypt in Rafah, the last relatively safe place in an enclave devastated by Israel's military offensive, but one that may now also come under attack. The family is among more than a million Palestinians now crammed into the area around Rafah and fearing they have nowhere left to flee inside a tiny strip largely reduced to rubble and where fighting still rages. "Every day, were on the run. Being displaced is tough because I have two daughters with disabilities. I cant carry them around. I dont have a car or a cart," said Laila Abu Mustafa. "If there will be more displacement, I'm not moving," she said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered an evacuation plan for the civilians who crowd Rafah, camping in streets and empty lots, on the beach and like the Abu Mustafa family on the sandy strip along the Egyptian border. Before previous assaults on Gaza cities, Israel's military has ordered civilians to leave without preparing any specific evacuation plan. Aid agencies say an assault on Rafah would be catastrophic in a war that has already caused untold misery. U.S. President Joe Biden was due to speak with Netanyahu on Sunday, White House officials said, the first conversation between them since Biden last week described Israel's military response in Gaza as "over the top". The war began on Oct. 7 when the militant group Hamas that controls Gaza stormed the border fence with Israel, sending in fighters who killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and seized about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Four months later, Gaza is in ruins. Under a massive daily bombardment, Israeli ground forces have overrun most of the enclave, smashing houses, public buildings and infrastructure with air raids, artillery fire and controlled detonations. Palestinian health authorities say more than 28,000 people have been killed in the war. More than 85% of Gazans are homeless. A U.N. survey found that nearly one in 10 children under five are acutely malnourished. Talks for a deal on a ceasefire and the release of hostages have so far failed to bring an agreement. Last week Israel rejected a Hamas proposal, saying it would not stop fighting while the group retained brigades that Israel says are hiding in Rafah. Egyptian security sources said more high-level talks were planned for Tuesday with senior officials from Qatar and the United States to attend, as well as Israeli and Palestinian delegations. Israeli air raids have started targeting Rafah over recent days. On Sunday, Hamas said Israeli air raids in the Gaza Strip over the previous four days had killed two hostages and injured eight others. The group said any Israeli assault on Rafah would "blow up" the discussions for a deal to free the remaining hostages. EVACUATION PLAN FOR CIVILIANS Speaking in an interview that aired on U.S. network ABC on Sunday, Netanyahu reiterated that Israeli forces would assault Rafah, but said they were preparing "a detailed plan" for where civilians there could go. "We're going to do it. We're going to get the remaining Hamas terrorist battalions in Rafah," he said, adding "we're going to do it while providing safe passage for the civilian population". A spokesperson for France's Foreign Ministry said "a large-scale Israeli offensive at Rafah would create a catastrophic humanitarian situation of a new and unjustifiable dimension". Netanyahu cast doubt on the accuracy of the Palestinian death toll, describing the figures produced by health authorities in Hamas-run Gaza as "Hamas statistics". "It's only been one civilian that's been killed for one Hamas terrorist in Gaza," he said. He said "we've killed or wounded around 20,000 Hamas terrorists, out of that 12,000 fighters" without explaining further. Palestinian health authorities say around 70% of people killed in Gaza are women or children under 18. The Israeli military said in a briefing in December that they thought roughly two civilians had been killed in Gaza for each dead Hamas combatant. The World Health Organization has described the Palestinian Health Ministry system for reporting casualties as "very good" and U.N. agencies regularly cite its death toll figures. Against the border fence, topped with barbed wire, the Abu Mustafa family hangs laundry between tents. They cook what little food they can gather in empty tin cans over a fire in the sand. Fear of an assault on Rafah is the constant subject of every conversation in the crammed city, said Mariam, a woman who fled her home in Gaza City early in the war with her three children aged 5, 7 and 9. "I can't describe how we feel. There is turmoil in my head. My children keep asking me when Israel will invade Rafah and where we will go and if we will die. And I don't have the answers," she said. (Reporting by Mohammad Salem in Rafah, Nidal al-Mughrabi in Doha, Dan Williams in Jerusalem, Ahmed Mohamed Hassan in Cairo and Leah Douglas and Jasper WardWriting by Angus McDowallEditing by Sharon Singleton and Frances Kerry) By Dylan Martinez GAZA (Reuters) -Israeli forces have discovered a tunnel network hundreds of metres (yards) long and running partly under UNRWA's Gaza headquarters, the military says, calling it new evidence of Hamas exploitation of the main relief agency for Palestinians. Army engineers took reporters for foreign news outlets through the passages at a time of crisis for UNRWA, which has launched an internal probe and seen a string of donor countries freeze funding over allegations last month by Israel that some of its staff doubled as Hamas operatives. The Palestinians have accused Israel of falsifying information to tarnish UNRWA, which employs 13,000 people in the Gaza Strip and has been a lifeline for the aid-dependent population for years. The agency runs schools, primary healthcare clinics and other social services, and distributes aid, describing its activities as purely humanitarian. UNRWA Headquarters is in Gaza City, among northern areas that Israeli troops and tanks overran early in the four-month-old war against the governing Islamist faction Hamas, sending hundreds of thousands of civilians fleeing southward. Reporters on the closely escorted trip entered a shaft next to a school on the periphery of the U.N. compound, descending to the concrete-lined tunnel. Twenty minutes of walking through the stifling hot, narrow and occasionally winding passage brought them underneath UNRWA Headquarters, an army lieutenant-colonel leading the tour said. The tunnel, which the military said was 700 metres long and 18 metres deep, bifurcated at times, revealing side-rooms. There was an office space, with steel safes that had been opened and emptied. There was a tiled toilet. One large chamber was packed with computer servers, another with industrial battery stacks. "Everything is conducted from here. All the energy for the tunnels, which you walked through them are powered from here," said the lieutenant-colonel, who gave only his first name, Ido. "This is one of the central commands of the intelligence. This place is one of the Hamas intelligence units, where they commanded most of the combat." But Ido said Hamas appeared to have evacuated in the face of the Israeli advance, preemptively cutting off communications cables that, in an above-ground part of the tour, he showed running through the floor of the UNRWA Headquarters' basement. It appeared that heavy Israeli barrages and sustained winter rains may also have played a part in the departure: Several stretches of the tunnel were clogged with dislodged sand and knee-high water. In a statement, UNRWA said it had not been officially informed of the tunnel by Israeli authorities and had vacated the headquarters on Oct. 12, five days after the war began. It was therefore "unable to confirm or otherwise comment" on the Israeli finding. "UNRWA ... does not have the military and security expertise nor the capacity to undertake military inspections of what is or might be under its premises," the statement said. "In the past, whenever (a) suspicious cavity was found close to or under UNRWA premises, protest letters were promptly filed to parties to the conflict, including both the de facto authorities in Gaza (Hamas) and the Israeli authorities." Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri dimissed the Israeli statements about the tunnel as "lies". He told Reuters that Israel aimed to undermine the work of UNRWA and was "covering up to that decision by making these allegations". UNRWA's supporters say it is the only agency with the means of aiding Palestinians in deepening humanitarian distress. Israel says the agency is "perforated by Hamas" and must be replaced. Hamas has denied operating in civilian facilities. "We know that they (Hamas) have people working in UNRWA. We want every international organization to work in Gaza. That is not a problem. Our problem is the Hamas," Ido told reporters. Lack of cellphone reception in the tunnel made geolocating it as under UNRWA Headquarters impossible. Instead, reporters were asked to put personal items in a bucket that was lowered by rope into a vertical hole on the grounds of the headquarters. They were reunited with the still-tethered items during the tunnel tour. As a condition of taking journalists on the trip, the Israeli military did not allow photographs of military intelligence such as maps or certain equipment in the convoy of armoured vehicles they traveled in. It also requested approval before transmission of photographs and video footage taken on the trip. (Additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi in DohaWriting by Dan WilliamsEditing by Frances Kerry) The CEO of a major Nigerian bank, along with his wife and son, were among six people killed in a helicopter crash in the Mojave Desert near the California-Nevada border late Friday night. Access Bank chief executive Herbert Wigwe died in the crash, the bank confirmed in a statement on X. He was 57. Wigwes wife, Doreen, 56, and son, Herbert, 29, and the former group chairman of the Nigeria Stock Exchange, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, 61, were also killed in the crash, World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said in a post on X. The San Bernardino County coroner confirmed those deaths on Tuesday and also released the names of the helicopters pilots who died in the crash: Blake R. Hansen, 22, of Moorpark, California, and Benjamin D. Pettingill, 25, of Camarillo, California. The chartered Airbus EC130 helicopter was flying from Palm Springs, California, to Boulder City, Nevada, just outside of Las Vegas, according to National Transportation Safety Board member Michael Graham. The aircraft, which was operated by California-based charter company Orbic Air, took off around 8:45 p.m. and crashed just after 10 p.m. near Interstate 15 in Halloran Springs, California, Graham said. The helicopter caught fire upon impact, Graham added, citing witness reports. Witnesses also reported rain and a wintry mix when the crash happened, he said. The NTSB is investigating the cause of the crash and was at the scene in Halloran Springs, California, Saturday night collecting evidence, Graham said at a news conference. At a Sunday NTSB news conference, Graham confirmed there was precipitation at the time of the crash, noting the helicopter descended from an altitude of approximately 1,000 to 1,500 feet, sped up, and impacted the terrain in a nose low and right bank angle. The debris field was 100 yards in length, and all major components of the aircraft were accounted for and identified at the crash site, Graham said. The wreckage will be moved to a secure location Tuesday, he added. Condolences have been pouring in for the Wigwe family and Ogunbanjo. Nigerias President Bola Ahmed Tinubu called the deaths an overwhelming tragedy that is shocking beyond comprehension, according to a statement released by his office. The governor of Nigerias Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, said he is extremely shocked and devastated and said the deaths are an irreparable loss. Wigwe was a colossus in Nigerias financial sector, leading Access Bank to become an international brand that placed Nigeria on the global map of first-class financial services, Obaseki said in a post on X. Wigwe became the group managing director and chief executive of Access Bank in 2014, according to the companys website. The bank called Wigwe a visionary leader with a legacy of excellence and compassion. Herberts visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to social impact initiatives have left an indelible mark on Access Holdings and the communities we serve. His legacy will never be forgotten, the bank said in a statement on X. Investigators returned to the crash scene Sunday to continue documenting the site, including using a drone to create an aerial map of the wreckage. Graham requested that anyone who witnessed the crash contact the NTSB and provide any available photos or video of the incident. A preliminary investigation report will be released in the coming weeks, but the full inquiry could take as long as two years before a final report is published, according to Graham. This story has been updated. CNNs Stephanie Busari contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com CHICAGO Maria Cinfuentes stood outside Chicagos largest migrant shelter on a windy morning last week, rubbing her cold hands together and worrying about her future. She learned last week that her stay at the shelter, the only home shes known since arriving in the U.S. from Venezuela in December, will come to an end next month. But she has no idea where shell go next. I dont have a job. My husband doesnt have a job, the 30-year-old mother of three told NBC News in Spanish. I dont know anyone here. How am I going to pay rent? More than 13,000 migrants like Cinfuentes are under pressure to find homes and work before they are mass-evicted from city-operated shelters to conserve the budget and make room for newcomers. Maria Cinfuentes with her back to the camera near one of Chicago' s shelters. (Sebastian Hidalgo for NBC News) But in interviews last week with more than a dozen migrants, many who spoke to NBC News expressed fear that they wont make that deadline, especially because it is nearly impossible for the newest arrivals to get rental assistance and quick access to work permits. Advocates say its unlikely that everyone will be able to successfully transition out of the shelters and instead will need to reapply for access to another shelter. They fear some will end up homeless. I cant even sleep. Im staying up all night thinking, Cinfuentes said. It makes me sick. Hoping to improve her chances, she said she has started walking around the city holding a sign that reads, I am looking for work. Help me please find a job. Where am I going to go? As of Thursday, more than 13,200 migrants were living in 28 shelters run by the city and state, according to a city census of new arrivals. Most of them have arrived since June 2023 as part of a busing campaign by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, who is seeking stricter security at the southern border. Last month, Abbott said he has sent more than 100,000 migrants to so-called sanctuary cities since April 2022, about 35,000 of them to Chicago. Chicago, along with New York City and Denver, have struggled to keep up with the demand for housing and social services brought on by the influx. And in response, Chicagos Mayor Brandon Johnson put a 60-day cap on how long people can stay in city-operated migrant shelters. The first wave of evictions will come in mid-March, with 5,673 people expected to be removed from their current shelters by the end of April. Migrants stand outside one of the Chicago's largest shelter. (Sebastian Hidalgo for NBC News) A little girl holds a cell phone as migrants wait in line for oatmeal. (Sebastian Hidalgo for NBC News) Daniel Vizcaino, a 20-year-old Venezuelan asylum-seeker, has been told that his new move-out date is in early April. It really stresses me out, he said. What am I going to do? Where am I going to go? Hes been looking for housing since December. Although he has a case manager to oversee his search and three months of rental assistance to offer a potential landlord, he doesnt have any leads. Vizcaino spends his days trying to speed up the process by scrolling through Facebook Marketplace or walking around the city in search of For Rent signs. He passes along whatever he finds to his case manager and waits for good news that never comes. Sometimes, he says, even if an apartment is willing to rent to migrants, the rent is too expensive once the rental assistance runs out. Catholic Charities, which is helping migrants with rental assistance move from shelters and hotels, says it has connected 11,891 people in Chicago to other housing. Ive been trying for months and still nothing, Vizcaino said. I feel desperate because I really want to get out of here. Daniel Vizcaino poses for a portrait. (Sebastian Hidalgo for NBC News) Its just not sustainable Vizcaino and others face long odds in putting the pieces together at all, let alone in time to meet the looming eviction deadline. About 7,000 people, roughly half of the migrants in shelters, do not have access to rental assistance because they arrived after the state cut the program, Cristina Pacione-Zayas, the mayors deputy chief of staff, said. That means that they are under even greater pressure to find work to be able to afford rent. But migrants who arrived in Chicago and elsewhere after July 31 are not eligible for an extension of whats known as temporary protected status, which offers temporary relief from deportation and the right to obtain work authorization. Without that protection, most migrants who qualify have to wait about six months after filing their complete asylum applications before they can receive work permits. A majority of the migrants coming to Chicago are escaping political and economic strife in Venezuela and do not have family or friends in the U.S. to help them. The Rev. Kenneth Phelps, who helps migrants find housing and other resources through the Concord Baptist Church, said the lack of rental assistance and work permits has made it really impossible for some migrants to leave the shelter system. Kenneth Phelps poses for a portrait. (Sebastian Hidalgo for NBC News) If they dont have work permits and they dont have valid jobs, then they really cant afford to live, to rent apartments, he said. Even with rental assistance, they wont be able to sustain it beyond that. Those who are unable to find housing after they are evicted will be sent back to the citys landing zone for new migrants and allowed to reapply for shelter, though it is unclear what that process will look like and how many people will be placed in another shelter. Advocates fear that when the time comes, it could create chaos as large numbers of migrants need placement. The citys family and support services commissioner, Brandie Knazze, said in January that disability, bereavement, gender-based violence and pregnancy would be among the general categories for extension of current shelter stays. Migrants wait in line at the Johnson has said Chicago is spending about $1.5 million per day to provide temporary shelter, food and other necessities to migrants and that the potential of running out of money is part of the reason behind the push to make room in the shelters for the newly arrived. The city allocated $150 million to the migrant crisis in its 2024 fiscal year budget. Johnson and others, including the Democratic governors of eight states, have urged the federal government to provide funding to ease the burden. They have also called for an increase in access to work authorization and faster approvals for those who qualify for work permits. Pacione-Zayas, who oversees the citys migrant response, said the city is working closely with the state to find apartments for the asylum-seekers but is in need of additional state and federal resources to make that happen. Its just not sustainable, she said. The city has experienced a roughly fivefold increase in its shelter population since Johnson took office in May 2023, she said. Shattered dreams A quad with photos of migrants sitting at tables learning English. (Sebastian Hidalgo for NBC News) The barriers have made the dream of starting a new life in the U.S. seem out of reach, some migrants said. Last Wednesday night, a group of about 30 newly arrived people met at Concord Baptist Church for a weekly English class. As part of the lesson, they were given a prompt by their instructor: What is your dream? he asked. To move forward with my family, Elibexis Alvarez, a 28-year-old asylum-seeker, told NBC News in Spanish after class. But right now, she said, she and her husband are stuck. Both are seeking jobs despite the monthslong wait for work permits and they are facing down the faint hope of finding an apartment before Alvarez, who is seven months pregnant, gives birth. Hes been trying to apply to job after job, looking for an apartment, anything that can give us some stability, because my due date is coming. How do you take care of a baby like that? she said. Elibexis Alvarez poses for a portrait. (Sebastian Hidalgo for NBC News) Vizcaino, who also attended the English class, said he dreams of resuming his career as a model, buying a car and taking night classes one day to become a lawyer, though he gets discouraged by the lack of control he has over his life. I thought coming to the United States would change my life. I would have security, peace of mind, but its been very different, he said. Once I have a job and an apartment, I can go back to becoming who I want to be, he said. Jadarrius Rose to receive $225,000 after suffering dog bites; former officer Ryan Speakman gets $40,000 and termination records removed from personnel files COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) A central Ohio city agreed this week to a settlement with a former K-9 officer and a truck driver involved in an attack last year, video of which garnered national attention and raised questions about the use of dogs to apprehend suspects. Records shared with The Associated Press by the city of Circleville show it will pay Jadarrius Rose $225,000 after he suffered bites from a dog that was part of the Circleville Police Departments canine unit July 4. Rose signed the settlement documents on Jan. 8. Kenneth Abbarno, Roses attorney, said the settlement is a step towards accountability but the effects of the attack on the 24-year-old will stay with him. This image taken from Ohio State Highway Patrol body camera video shows a police dog attacking Jadarrius Rose, 23, of Memphis, Tenn., on July 4, 2023, in Circleville, Ohio. (Ohio State Highway Patrol via AP, File) What happened to Jadarrius can never be remedied, Abbarno said. This has permanently altered how hes going to encounter law enforcement for the rest of his life. Additional records signed Thursday by former officer Ryan Speakman, the dogs handler, show that the city also agreed to pay him $40,000. Under the settlement, records relating to Speakmans termination will be removed from his personnel file, he will submit a voluntary letter of resignation effective last July and he will be able to purchase Serg, the Belgian Malinois who bit Rose, from the city for $1. The city will also provide Speakman with a neutral letter of reference detailing his dates of employment, his position at the department and his pay rate at the time of his resignation, according to records. The city of Circleville did not respond to messages seeking comment on the settlements but shared the records via email. Speakman was placed on leave and then fired from the force after the agency said he did not meet the standards and expectations we hold for our police officers. Also as part of the settlement, the Ohio Patrolmans Benevolent Association must withdraw a grievance the union filed arguing that he was fired without sufficient grounds. The union which has represented Speakman, did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. Speakman is scheduled to have an arbitration hearing Feb. 21. During Roses arrest near Circleville, recorded by police body cameras, Speakman let the dog maul Rose while he was on his knees with his hands in the air, as state troopers shouted for him to restrain the animal. Rose, then 23, of Memphis, Tennessee, required hospital treatment. A police report said the chase on Ohio Route 35 began because Roses truck appeared to be missing a mudflap and he did not stop for an inspection. Police have alleged that Rose initially refused to get out of the truck and later defied instructions to get on the ground. While the dog was on Rose, a trooper yelled: Get the dog off of him! Rose, in visible pain, said Get it off! Please! Please! before the attack ended. Audio recordings indicate that Ross told a 911 dispatcher the officers pursuing him were trying to kill him and he did not feel safe pulling over. He also said he was confused about why the officers were trying to stop him and why they had guns drawn after he briefly stopped before driving away. The dispatcher told Rose to stop and to comply with officers, and that they were not trying to harm him. Never miss a beat: Get our daily stories straight to your inbox with theGrios newsletter. The post Ohio city settles with a truck driver and a former K-9 officer involved in July attack appeared first on TheGrio. CONWAY, S.C. Former President Donald Trump made a fresh jab at his GOP opponent Nikki Haleys husband during a rally Saturday afternoon, questioning his whereabouts as hes deployed overseas. While telling a story about Haley previously meeting Trump at his residence in Mar-a-Lago, he lobbed rhetorical and prodding questions to the rowdy crowd referencing Haleys husband, who is currently on military deployment. Then she comes over to see me at Mar-a-Lago. Sir, I will never run against you. She brought her husband. Wheres your husband? Oh, hes away. Hes away. What happened to her husband? What happened to her husband? Where is he? Hes gone! He knew. He knew, Trump said. Former President Trump Holds Campaign Rally In Conway, South Carolina (Win McNamee / Getty Images) Shortly after Trumps remarks, Haley said at a rally in Gilbert, South Carolina, that she was proud of her husbands service. I am proud of Michaels service. Every military spouse knows its a family sacrifice. If you mock the service of a combat veteran, you dont deserve a drivers license, let alone being president of the United States, Haley said. The former South Carolina governor issued a challenge directly to Trump. "Donald, if you have something to say, dont say it behind my back. Get on a debate stage and say it to my face," she said. Haley also blasted Trumps comments in a post on X. Michael is deployed serving our country, something you know nothing about, Haley wrote in response to Trumps comments Saturday. Someone who continually disrespects the sacrifices of military families has no business being commander in chief. Haley did not offer a theory of what Trump meant when he said, He knew. Nikki Haley in Myrtle Beach (Allison Joyce / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) Michael Haley also seemingly responded to Trump in a post on X, tagging him alongside a meme saying, The difference between humans and animals? Animals would never allow the dumbest ones to lead the pack. The commissioned officer left for a yearlong deployment in Africa with the South Carolina National Guard last June, something Nikki Haley mentions at every campaign event during her stump speech. In a speech last month, Trump referenced the state of the Haleys marriage to suggest that if the former South Carolina governor held a commanding lead in the GOP primary, Democrats would indict her and say she was having an affair. Theyll be indicted, because theyll say she was having an affair or something, you know. That doesnt mean its lying. But shell be indicted for something, Trump said. Haley has gone after Trump with new force since the primarys focus moved to her home state of South Carolina. Earlier Saturday, the Haley campaign debuted a mobile billboard featuring photos of Trump and Biden as Grumpy Old Men, which was driven around Trumps rally in Conway. While debuting her brand-new campaign bus at its first stop in Newberry, South Carolina, on Saturday afternoon, Haley spoke of both Bidens and Trumps confusion. Why cant they let go of the power and let a new generational leader come in there? she said. An audience member yelled out, No grumpy old men! Haley responded by saying, They are grumpy old men. But Ill tell you: We can do better. Trump, the front-runner for the nomination, is polling well ahead of Haley in the South Carolina primary. By Andrea Shalal WILMINGTON, Delaware (Reuters) -The White House on Saturday rejected comments made by former U.S. President Donald Trump about not protecting NATO allies from a potential Russian invasion as "appalling and unhinged." Trump, appearing to recount a meeting with NATO leaders during a political rally in South Carolina on Saturday, quoted the president of "a big country" that he did not name as asking, "Well sir if we don't pay, and we're attacked by Russia - will you protect us?" "I said: 'You didn't pay? You're delinquent?' He said: 'Yes, let's say that happened.' No I would not protect you. In fact I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You gotta pay." White House spokesperson Andrew Bates, asked about Trump's comments, said, "Encouraging invasions of our closest allies by murderous regimes is appalling and unhinged - and it endangers American national security, global stability and our economy at home." The NATO treaty contains a provision that guarantees mutual defense of member states if one is attacked. Trump, frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination, was a fierce critic of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization when he was president, repeatedly threatening to pull out of the alliance. He cut defense funding to NATO and frequently complained that the United States was paying more than its fair share. Bates said President Joe Biden, a Democrat seeking reelection in the November election, had restored U.S. alliances after taking office in 2021, ensuring that NATO was now "the largest and most vital it has ever been." "Rather than calling for wars and promoting deranged chaos, President Biden will continue to bolster American leadership and stand up for our national security interests not against them, he said in a statement issued late Saturday. With Trump leading Biden in some polls, European allies worry a Trump victory in November could jeopardize the U.S. commitment to the alliance, but NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg last month said he did not think a second Trump presidency would jeopardize U.S. membership. Stoltenberg, who has been pushing member states to boost defense spending, said European allies were increasing their military contributions and "moving in the right direction." Trump has continued to hammer the transatlantic alliance, telling a campaign rally last month that he did not believe NATO countries would support the United States if it were attacked. On Russia's war in Ukraine, Trump has called for de-escalation and complained about the billions spent so far, although he has put forward few tangible policy proposals. Since Moscow's full-scale invasion in February 2022, U.S. aid to Ukraine has totaled around $75 billion, Stoltenberg said, while other NATO members and partner states combined have provided more than $100 billion. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal in Wilmington; Additional reporting by Mike Stone in Washington; Editing by Tom Hogue and William Mallard) PARIS (Reuters) -Top western officials criticized former president Donald Trump on Sunday after he suggested the U.S. might not protect NATO allies who aren't spending enough on defence from a potential Russian invasion. "Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the US, and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk", said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in a written statement. "Any attack on NATO will be met with a united and forceful response," he added, reacting to remarks on Saturday by Trump, who is likely to be the Republican nominee in this year's U.S. presidential election. Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz also weighed in. "NATO's motto 'one for all, all for one' is a concrete commitment. Undermining the credibility of allied countries means weakening the entire NATO," he wrote on social media platform X. "No election campaign is an excuse for playing with the security of the Alliance." Germany's foreign ministry posted the message 'One for all and all for one' with the hashtag #StrongerTogether on its English language X account following Trump's comments. EU Council President Charles Michel said: "Reckless statements on #NATOs security and Art 5 solidarity serve only (Russian President Vladimir) Putins interest." Article 5 of the NATO treaty says that an armed attack against an alliance member will be considered an attack against them all, triggering collective self-defence. Trump, speaking during a political rally in South Carolina and appearing to recount a meeting with NATO leaders, quoted the president of "a big country" that he did not name as asking, "Well sir, if we don't pay, and we're attacked by Russia - will you protect us?" "I said: 'You didn't pay? You're delinquent?' He said: 'Yes, let's say that happened.' No I would not protect you. In fact I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You gotta pay." "We have heard that before ... Nothing new under the sun", said EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton in an interview with France's LCI television, adding: "He maybe has issues with his memory, it was actually a female president, not of a country, but of the European Union," Breton said, referring to European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen and a conversation she had with Trump in 2020. "We cannot flip a coin about our security every four years depending on this or that election, namely the U.S. presidential election," Breton said, adding European Union leaders understood the bloc needed to boost its own military spending and capacities. White House spokesperson Andrew Bates, asked about Trump's comments, said, "Encouraging invasions of our closest allies by murderous regimes is appalling and unhinged - and it endangers American national security, global stability and our economy at home." NATO's 31 members have agreed on a target of spending at least 2% of gross domestic product on defence, but NATO estimates have shown that only 11 are spending that much. (Reporting by Tassilo Hummel, Victoria Waldersee, Sabine Siebold and Foo Yun Chee, Additional reporting by Anna Wlodarczak-SemczukEditing by Frances Kerry and Giles Elgood) Older couple checking their progress on retirement savings A workplace 401(k) retirement savings plan is becoming a requirement for more and more employees, according to a new survey from Charles Schwab, with 88% saying their employer must offer a plan and 75% saying they'd turn down any job offer that didn't include a 401(k). But as important as 401(k)s and similar tax-advantaged plans have become, a growing number of workers are expanding their investment options to include accounts that are entirely their own. A financial advisor can help you develop or update a retirement savings strategy that fits your goals, risk profile and timeline. How Habits Around Retirement Accounts and Strategies Are Changing According to Schwab's 401(k) Participant Survey 2023, more workers are putting money away in savings accounts, their own individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and their own brokerage accounts compared to a year earlier. Heres a breakdown: Savings accounts 2023: 68% 2022: 61% Individual retirement accounts 2023: 47% 2022: 33% Brokerage accounts 2023: 38% 2022: 29% Each one of the different types of accounts seeing increased activity can offer a good way to diversify savings and investments to reach your retirement savings goals. In addition, Schwabs study also found decreased use of two savings vehicles: health savings accounts, down to 36% in 2023 from 44% in 2022; and cryptocurrency, down to 14% from 25% in 2022. How to Utilize These Accounts to Save for Retirement Senior Asian couple discussing their retirement savings plan with their financial advisor. Savings Accounts Savings and money market accounts are perfect places to stash cash that will be needed on short notice, for short-term living expenses, or to safely and temporarily park money for other uses. For example, money in an emergency or rainy day fund needs to be liquid, so it can be accessed right away when misfortune strikes, such as a natural disaster or other sudden crisis. Savings accounts are insured by federal and state agencies for up to $250,000 per individual at each member institution. You can open a savings account at a local bank, but online banks often pay better rates of interest, going as high as 5.06% in early August, compared with an average of 0.42% for other banks. These accounts aren't good for long-term investments because of the limited gains available. IRAs: Individual Retirement Accounts As the name says, these accounts are designed for retirement investments where money can be regularly and consistently invested for long-term goals. IRAs typically are invested in stocks and bonds, either through mutual funds or exchange-traded funds. They can also hold individual stocks and bonds and can be structured for alternative investments, as well. A traditional IRA allows most investors to contribute pretax money, while any money withdrawn in retirement is fully taxed. Contributions to a Roth IRA are made with after-tax dollars and only gains are untaxed for retirement withdrawals. For 2023, your total contributions to all IRAs is $6,500 ($7,500 if you're 50 or older). Most workers can contribute to both an IRA and a 401(k) at the same time. With an IRA, investors are free to choose their own investments, while 401(k)s typically offer a limited menu of mutual funds. Taxable Brokerage Accounts An investment account opened at a brokerage firm allows investments in a broad range of stocks, bonds, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), commodities and many other securities. Anyone can open an account with after-tax dollars, and any gains are subject to capital gains taxes. A brokerage account offers maximum flexibility and fewer restrictions than retirement accounts and can be a good option for investors who've maxed out their 401(k) and IRA contributions. Gains in a brokerage account that are held for more than one year are taxed at the lower capital gains rate, which ranges from 0% to 20%, depending on your tax bracket, while earnings from retirement accounts are taxed at the higher rate for normal taxable income. Bottom Line Young couple getting jump start on their retirement savings As important as Social Security and employer-sponsored retirement accounts are, a growing percentage of workers are putting money in savings accounts, individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and their own brokerage accounts. Such an approach gives investors flexibility to reach their financial goals, work around contribution limits and to draw retirement money from a combination of taxable, tax-deferred and nontaxable assets that can reduce taxes when making retirement withdrawals. Retirement Savings Tips A financial advisor can help you save for retirement. Finding a financial advisor doesn't have to be hard. SmartAsset's free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can have a free introductory call with your advisor matches to decide which one you feel is right for you. If you're ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now. SmartAssets retirement calculator can help you plan ahead for your retired life. Photo credit: iStock.com/LaylaBird, iStock.com/imtmphoto, iStock.com/Delmaine Donson The post Retirement Savings Strategies Are Changing: What to Know appeared first on SmartReads by SmartAsset. Former President Trumps potential reelection is raising fears at home and in Europe that he could put transatlantic alliances in the crosshairs, perhaps even pull out of NATO, as well as upend American support for the war in Ukraine. Trump is the near-certain GOP presidential nominee, and polls show him leading President Biden nationally and in swing states. With the U.S. and NATO members heavily invested in protecting Ukraine and maintaining alliances, Congress passed legislation in December barring the president from unilaterally withdrawing from NATO without a two-thirds approval from the Senate. But this has done little to calm those nervous about a second term for Trump, who railed against the organization in his first term. The fact that the Senate felt necessary to include such a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is disconcerting enough, said one European diplomat, who requested anonymity to discuss a sensitive issue. Our reading of the NATO withdrawal section is that if it gets tested, the president will prevail. John Bolton, who served as national security adviser to Trump but views him as dangerous for the country, said he is convinced Trump would pull out of NATO if elected. I think this is something he feels strongly about. He thinks the Europeans still arent paying their fair share, he thinks they have negotiated very negative trade deals with us, I think hes looking forward to getting out of NATO, Bolton said in an interview with MSNBC last month. Ivo Daalder, who served as ambassador to NATO during the Obama administration, said Trump can take a host of actions undermining the security of NATO without officially withdrawing from the alliance, and the provision in the NDAA does little to prevent such actions. I dont put a lot of money on the legislation, he said. I think its important as an indicator that Congress overwhelmingly supports U.S. membership in NATO and that is to be welcomed, but it doesnt prevent the United States from reducing, if not completely eliminating, its commitment to NATO. The actions Trump or any leader antagonistic towards NATO and Europe could take range from frustrating work in Brussels by instructing U.S. diplomats to skip meetings, attend and stay silent, grandstand or vote against measures requiring consensus. All these things could bring the body to a standstill. The U.S. could refuse to participate in planning sessions or NATO military exercises, or refuse to share intelligence with NATO members. Also concerning is how the U.S. would respond to a potential Article 5 request the mutual defense provision that any NATO member can invoke if attacked. It is viewed as the strongest deterrent against any aggression, in particular by Russian President Vladimir Putin. On the campaign trail, Trump has bragged that as president, he threatened to hold back Americas commitment to Article 5 because some member states had not met their financial obligations. And I went to em and I said, If you dont pay, were not going to protect you. And they said, Do you mean that? I said, I mean that, Trump said in an interview with Fox News in January. Daalder, who is president of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, said Trump could instruct his representative to vote against invoking Article 5 at NATO, removing any legal obligation to respond to the mutual defense pact. If the U.S. voted in favor, Trump could still hold back American military support, pointing to the treaty text that each country can provide assistance as it deems necessary. Trump may say, Well Im going to send a minesweeper, thats my contribution you guys figure it out. Europeans and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg have pushed back on claims that Europe and NATO members are not pulling their weight, contributing enough to the alliance or supporting Ukraine. Since the outbreak of the war, the United States has provided around 75 billion U.S. dollars. Other Allies and partners have provided over $100 billion, Stoltenberg said late last month during a speech at the Heritage Foundation. The conservative Washington think tank is a home for national security professionals who served in Trumps first term in office and could staff a potential second administration. Stoltenberg, during a panel discussion, pushed back on an assertion by Trumps former deputy national security adviser Victoria Coates that Putins full-scale invasion of Ukraine pointed to a failure of NATOs deterrence. NATOs deterrence is about Article 5. And that applies for NATO allies that has never failed, he said. Ukraine is a partner, but Ukraine is not covered by Article 5. So I think we should not confuse those two things because then we are actually undermining the credibility of Article 5. Still, Stoltenbergs remarks to Heritage, to a crowd supportive of Trumps confrontational and transactional approach to policy, sought to sell the alliance as a good deal for the U.S. Over the last two years, NATO allies have agreed to purchase $120 billion worth of weapons from U.S. defense companies, Stoltenberg said. American jobs depend on American sales to defense markets in Europe and Canada. Robert Greenway, director of the Heritage Foundations Center for National Security, said a second-term Trump would likely not back away from holding a strong leadership position in NATO, but that it would look a little bit different, and he repeated criticisms that European allies need to step up more on defense spending. I think just the fear, or the anxiety perhaps with Trumps return, or potential return to the White House, I think has some countries revisiting their security commitments to their own security, let alone NATO. I think thats probably also a healthy thing, he said about conversations with colleagues in Europe. But we tell them, at the end of the day, that we dont envision circumstances in which a future President Trump would withdraw from NATO. I just dont see the circumstances. I dont see the desire to do that. But I do see the strong desire to get NATO to do more. But Europeans are angry about the narrative from Trump and his allies in Congress that Europe is shortchanging assistance to NATO or Ukraine, and that the U.S. is shouldering the burden. When some Republican congressman and senator says you need to do more well, were giving everything we have, so we cannot actually do that much more, Michael Aastrup Jensen, chairman of the Foreign Policy Committee for the Danish parliament, said after meetings on Capitol Hill this week. Denmark is one of five European countries that have committed 1 percent or more of their GDP to Ukraine, compared to the U.S., which has provided 0.3 percent, according to the Ukraine aid tracker by the Kiel Institute. Jensen was in Washington, along with his counterparts from Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden, lobbying for Congress to pass President Bidens request for $60 billion in aid for Ukraine the majority of that funding earmarked for U.S. defense production to backfill weapons that were sent to Ukraine. All the countries are NATO members although Sweden is waiting on Hungary to ratify its accession to the alliance and the group came with a dire warning that Europe can not sustain Ukraines defense against Russia without the U.S. Failure to defeat Russia in Ukraine would mean a war against NATO, they warned. Were at a place right now that Europe, even though were giving our fair share and then some to Ukraine, both when it comes to weapon systems and money, we are not able to fill the gap if the U.S. pulls out, said Ine Eriksen Sreide, chair of Norways foreign policy committee in parliament. And thats not about money, its first and foremost about military equipment. When asked whether a second Trump administration or Republicans in general could be trusted to work with Europe, the Latvian chair of the foreign policy committee, Rihards Kols, said they have no choice. Were not privileged with which U.S. president were going to work [with]. Whoever U.S. citizens select as the next president, we are going to work. But Kols said he was pessimistic about Washingtons commitments. The debate right now in Latvian society is actually in the direction, we are preparing for a war, he said. That should be echoed here in the U.S. Its taken very, very seriously. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Satellite images show Venezuela has bolstered its military presence near the border with Guyana, despite Caracas saying it would pursue a diplomatic avenue to try and resolve the long-standing territorial dispute over an oil-rich piece of Guyanese land. Imagery from Maxar collected in January showed an expansion of operations at Venezuelas Anacoco Island military base, on the Cuyuni river, which borders Guyana, with several new sections of rainforest cleared recently and others being bulldozed when the images were captured. The pictures also show new infrastructure and several armored vehicles present on site. While the bases airstrip appeared unchanged, a helicopter could be seen on it, and access roads were improved. North of the base, on the Cuyuni River crossing that provides land access to the base, a heavy river ferry is visible, and large swaths of rainforest have been cleared. Large stockpiles of what appear to be construction supplies are visible on the side of the road, as are three armored vehicles. In January, Venezuela bragged about expanding its military presence in the region in propaganda videos released on its armys social media accounts, showing bulldozers clearing land, as well as light tanks and infantry fighting vehicles on the move and an Mi-17 military transport helicopter. [The expansion of the base] promoted by the 11th Armoured Brigade together with the 6th Venezuelan Army Corps Engineers, is improving the response system of the FANB in this important border area with the state of Guayana Esequiba and repelling any eventuality that attempts against the Republic, the Venezuelan Army said in a post on X. The expansion of Venezuelan operations along the disputed border was first reported by the Washington-based think tank, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Tension over the land, which amounts to about two-thirds of Guyanese national territory, mounted last year after a Venezuelan referendum in which voters assented to creating a Venezuelan state within the disputed region. Guyana had called the move a step towards annexation and an existential threat as the specter of armed conflict loomed over the region. Venezuela later reached an agreement with Guyana on December 15 to avoid escalation and try to settle the dispute between the two countries without force. In a joint declaration, both sides agreed to not threaten or use force against one another in any circumstances and refrain, whether by words or deeds, from escalating any conflict or disagreement arising from any controversy between them. CNN has reached out to the Venezuelan foreign ministry for comment. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Founded by PIME missionaries, it is the destination of pilgrimages of hundreds of thousands of faithful. Bishop Raja Rao: "Mary is blessed here even by non-Christians". PIME Superior General Fr. Brambillasca: "Let it be a place where missionary vocations continue to be born for the whole world". Vijayawada (AsiaNews) - In the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh a large crowd took part this morning in the Eucharistic liturgy for the centenary of the Mary Matha shrine in Gunadala, in the diocese of Vijiawada. The liturgy - the heart of three days of celebrations - was presided by the Apostolic Nuncio in India, Msgr Leopoldo Girelli, alongside the diocesan bishop Msgr Thelagathoti Joseph Raja Rao and Fr Ferruccio Brambillasca, superior general of the PIME missionaries, to whom we owe the birth of this place that has entered the hearts of the Indian faithful. As Msgr Raja Rao recalled at the beginning of the celebration, it was in fact Fr Paolo Arlati who broughta statue of Our Lady of Lourdes from Italyto this hill in 1924: placed in a niche, it has accompanied the blossoming of this local Church with its graces. "The work begun by those missionaries is now carried on by the new generations of Christians that they baptised," explained the bishop of Vijayawada. "The Gospel has borne fruit: together with Eluru, our sister diocese, we form a community of 700,000 Catholics. Msgr. Raja Rao spoke of a real "cultural revolution" that the devotion to the Virgin has brought to this territory. "People go to Jesus through the maternal intercession of Mary: they come here to invoke graces asking for healing, the gift of children, work and many other gifts. And the shrine is a place that gathers believers of all religions, because Mary the Mother of Jesus is also blessed by non-Catholics and non-Christians. Mary Matha is a centre of evangelisation and a point of unity between all religions'. Nuncio Msgr Girelli also wished to thank the PIME missionaries and sisters "for the role they play in this local Church". "We venerate the Lord Jesus as our Saviour and also as Redeemer, because it is he who heals us," he recalled. "But we also look to Mary as Coredemptrix, her care for those who are sick, but also for those in pain. The superior general of PIME shared his institute's joy at this anniversary through a message entrusted to the diocese of Vijawada: "Building a Marian shrine means first of all entrusting the work of evangelisation to Mary," he explained, "but at the same time it also means thinking of a place of prayer where everyone, without exception, can entrust their concerns, desires and prayers to God, through Mary our mother. "I hope that this Marian shrine of Gunadala," he concluded, "will continue to be a place of prayer, and even 100 years after its birth, may it continue to spread that missionary spirit that our first missionaries witnessed in this Indian land. May it also be a place where missionary vocations continue to be born for the whole world, as it was for Mary, who gave her Son to the whole world. May Mary, Star of Evangelisation and Queen of Apostles, protect all those who come to pray at this Gunadala shrine, and give them joy, peace, serenity and unity". ECCLESIA IN ASIA IS THE ASIANEWS NEWSLETTER DEDICATED TO CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES IN ASIA. TO RECEIVE A WEEKLY UPDATE EVERY SUNDAY, CLICK HERE. Android Auto might feel like a work-in-progress, but it's not only due to the number of bugs frequently hitting users' experience behind the wheel. Google keeps releasing update after update, also confirming its commitment to improving Android Auto in the long term. The Android Auto beta program works like a charm, bringing more frequent updates, though the focus is almost exclusively on improvements under the hood.This is the case with Android Auto 11.3, too, with the new version now rolling out without substantial changes. It's a welcome update, nonetheless, despite not including any new features. It focuses on fixing bugs and improving the general performance, which is good news, considering the number of glitches plaguing Android Auto lately.Before heading to the Google Play Store to check for updates, you must know that Android Auto 11.3 to production devices kicked off only a few minutes ago. Google uses a controlled rollout approach that enables the update for production devices in stages, so the new version will only appear on the Google Play Store for certain phones. The availability will continue to improve in the coming weeks before Android Auto 11.3 goes live for everybody.Meanwhile, Android users can install the latest Android Auto update by sideloading the APK file. You can find the installer on this page , so download the file and begin the update by tapping the file on your device. Depending on your Android configuration, installing applications for non-Google Play Store sources might require special permissions. By default, Android only allows apps from the Play Store, so you must enable support for manual installations to sideload the APK file.Google is already testing several big improvements for Android Auto, though they're not tied to a specific version. As announced by the search giant earlier this year, Android Auto will soon get AI integration to summarize long messages and busy conversations in group chats. Using artificial intelligence, Google Assistant will read your messages and create a summary to provide you with the essential tidbits.Additionally, the assistant will offer relevant smart replies, including actions. For example, if a contact asks for your ETA to a destination, Google Assistant can suggest an option to share the ETA using Google Maps. You can send the ETA to the contact by tapping the option on the screen or with a voice command.The option to summarize messages appeared for some users a few weeks ago, but it doesn't seem fully implemented yet. The work on this feature is likely underway, with the rollout to begin later this year.As always, if you notice something new in the latest Android Auto update, make sure you share it with us and our readers using the comment box below. Vans are by far the most popular base vehicles to convert into tiny homes. There are also other options, such as box trucks, ambulances, skoolies, and more. But today, I wanted to take a look at something radically different: a chopper turned into a two-bedroom home. Photo: YouTube Screenshot / Family Freedom Photo: YouTube Screenshot / Family Freedom Photo: YouTube Screenshot / Family Freedom Photo: YouTube Screenshot / Family Freedom We've talked about helicopters turned into tiny homes here on autoevolution before check out this 1982 Lynx helicopter conversion As much as I would've liked to see it, this helicopter can't operate anymore. The only attempt at creating a fully functioning flying RV was made a while back by Winnebago. Introduced in the 70s, the Heli-Camper could accommodate six people in 115 square feet (10.7 square meters) of living space. I won't get into too much detail - check out the article about it for more info.The tiny home we're checking out today is named "Galahad" - it's a Westland Wessex XT469, an original 1965 Falklands rescue helicopter. Moreover, it was actually used in the Falklands War. Long story short, Argentina invaded the Falklands Islands in 1982, which was (and still is) an overseas territory of the United Kingdom. The UK fought back, and 74 days later, Argentina surrendered.Anyway, this chopper actually took part in the action. What's more, many of the original dials and wires were kept, giving you an authentic experience inside.When you first lay eyes on this beast, you might be taken aback by its sheer size. Check out the photo above to see how small a 6-foot man looks beside it - it's around 13-14 feet (4-4.2 meters) high.Despite its size, the owners added two extensions near the helicopter to be able to accommodate additional people. Furthermore, the aircraft receives fresh paint every year to maintain its look.Let's start the tour with the extension on the left side it's an Airstream trailer (or at least one similar to an Airstream) painted in the same theme as the helicopter. Step inside, and you'll discover the kitchen.It features a large stainless steel sink, a table, a fridge, a bunch of counter space, and a two-burner stove with an oven underneath. Moreover, the trailer was insulated to keep you nice and warm. One notable detail is a sheet of paper with the entire history of the helicopter, including the operation it took part in and where it flew.Dead ahead from the entrance, you'll discover the bathroom. It's a compact space, but it integrates a tiny sink, a toilet, and even a bidet. If you want to shower, you'll need to use an outdoor facility. On the ceiling, you'll notice multiple pictures of the helicopter when it was in use.You'll have to walk through a hallway to get to the helicopter. On the sides, there are additional photos of the aircraft . By the way, besides keeping the original elements, the owners stayed true to the theme by adding various details, such as military-style lights.Step inside the central part of the helicopter, and you'll be in the living room. It has a long sofa with storage underneath. But the best part is you get to see all the original writing kept in the original frame.On the right side, you'll find the first bedroom it's located toward the helicopter's tail, where the body starts to narrow down. A bed fit for a single person occupies the entire width of the space, and there are also two round windows and a tiny mirror.Instead of a headboard, you'll notice a door with "Parachute Storage" written on it open it, and you'll see how the space narrows down to the tail's end. Overall, this bedroom is more suitable to be used to accommodate a child.Walk toward the opposite side, and you'll be in the space that leads to the cockpit. So many wires and switches are integrated into the frame some of the switches were repurposed to turn lights on and off.You get an electric heater in this room in case it gets too cold inside. Moreover, you'll have to watch out not to hit your head on the ceiling (as many signs inside warn you), as the interior height is about 6 feet (1.82 meters).The highlight of this tiny home is definitely the cockpit, which was kept intact. To get up there, you can climb onto small ladders. I can't imagine how scary it would've been to start this bad boy up, and everything would start vibrating.The cockpit comes with two fold-down seats. You'll find the original yokes, yokes, and dials it's such a time capsule.Two windows on the sides can be opened, and you can exit through them using fold-down steps on the exterior. What's more, the pilots wore waterproof gear back in the day as the rain somehow came into the cockpit. As a sign in the cockpit says, 60 years later, the rain still leaks inside.The final part of this tiny home is a double bedroom. It has a mirror, a storage chest, and a double bed with a huge skylight. The latter offers the perfect spot to stargaze, especially since the helicopter is parked near a relatively small town, meaning there isn't a lot of light pollution. Moreover, you can pull a cover over it once you're ready to go to sleep, and the room becomes fully blacked out.All in all, this is a genuinely distinctive conversion. It's cozy, has the proper amenities of a tiny home , and offers a rare glimpse into history. The best part is that this home is available to book for a stay. You'll find it near Newport, UK, on the Isle of Wight, the largest island in England.Prices vary between 475 ($597) for 1-2 people in the low season up to 725 ($912) for 3-4 people in the high season. By the way, all the onsite facilities are included in the price. You can find out more about the vacation rental, its prices, and how to book it on its official website The American Dream is believing in and having equal opportunity to achieve your biggest dreams. For car fabricator Jay Ohrberg, the American Dream is about being able to build the most incredible vehicles in the world, including the physical representation of that ethos, the American Dream limousine. Photo: Dezerland Park A limousine like no other Photo: Dezerland Park A legend reborn, but not quite Photo: YouTube/Supercar Blondie Photo: YouTube/Supercar Blondie Photo: YouTube/Supercar Blondie The American Dream limo is a twice Guinness World Record holder, ironically in the same category, that of longest limousine. It's an iconic custom vehicle, both because it perfectly represents the shameless extravaganza of the '80s and because of the features it originally had, including themed rooms, a cinema, and a pool with a diving board.This limo still exists today, and it still holds the title of the world's longest. It remains an impressive build, having been restored after three years of hard work and an estimated budget of $250,000. However, as the video below shows, in restored form, the American Dream feels slightly anti-climatic.Jay Ohrberg was a man with a very peculiar taste in cars, and he turned that into a most prolific career in Hollywood. He is the man behind iconic on-screen vehicles, both on the big and the small screen, including General Lee from Dukes of Hazard, KITT from Knight Rider, the DeLorean in Back to the Future DeLorean, several Batman vehicles, the RoboCop car, the Ford GT from Starsky and Hutch, and the Ecto-1 from Ghostbusters.In between building vehicles for all the major studios and private customers, mostly celebrities and public figures who wanted to stand out, Ohrberg also did several iconic limousines. His motto seems to have been "the stranger the better," so over the years, he worked hard to outdo himself. His portfolio includes a Ferrari F40 limo, a Mercedes convertible limo with a heart-shaped hot tub in the back, the Extra-Wide limo that looked like a living room on wheels, and the unmistakable American Dream.The American Dream was based on the 1976 Cadillac Eldorado and used parts from six of them. The initial build was shorter and less fabulous, at "just" 18.28 meters (60 feet), which he later extended to 30.5 meters (100 feet), adding a hinge in the middle that would allow it to turn. It never got much use like this, though, because it would be hauled from location to location in two pieces secured to flatbed trailers.The original American Dream had two driver's cabs, one in the front and one in the rear, and bonkers features even by the bonkers standards of those days. It had a helipad in the back with a putting green you could extend over the launching pad when not in use, and it had a diving board and a pool. No one dared dive off that board, but that was hardly the point.Inside, the American Dream dripped in excess. Hardwood furniture, crystal chandeliers, large-screen TVs, professional audio systems and lights, a water bed, a spa area, and seating for as many as 75 people were among the features presented to the media at the time.It was no surprise that the limo became a success, traveling to 30 countries and impressing audiences wherever it went. Then, by the late '90s, it slipped off the radar and into oblivion, abandoned to the elements until the early 2010s.In 2020, news broke that the American Dream limo was being restored. Owner Mike Manning and billionaire Mike Dezer had joined forces on the project, which would end up on display at the famous Dezerland Auto Museum in Florida.The reborn American Dream was unveiled in mid-2022 to great fanfare. Not only had it been able to live up to its Guinness reputation, but it actually set another record in the process because builders added a new bumper that extended the total length to 30.54 meters (100 ft and 1.50 in). The American Dream had beat itself for the title of the world's longest limousine.Carfluencer Supercar Blondie was recently in Florida and was invited to tour the limo and take it for a very short drive. While there, she also offered a better look at the renovated interior, which is shockingly bare except for the L-shaped sofa you can see when you open the large drop-down gullwing doors.The American Dream, once built as a functional premium party venue on wheels, is now an empty carpeted tunnel that allows you to crawl from the rear to the front. The bottom of the pool is cracked, and, at least on this occasion, the small two-person helicopter only touches the helipad briefly before taking off again.The same underwhelming vibe persists in the cabin. It's the original '76 Cadillac, but it's rendered more difficult to use because of the support beams that cross it on the sides. To get into the driver's seat, you have to pour yourself inside in the most inelegant manner. Once you're there, good luck with getting out because the support beams block access to the interior door handle.Driving the American Dream is surprisingly un-challenging, at least in Supercar Blondie's case. She's only allowed to drive it forward and backward over a short distance so short that she doesn't even close the access door in the rear. She says the limo is no longer able to turn because the builders only had to make it drivable in the most basic sense to secure the new Guinness record That last part contradicts what a rep for Dezerland was saying at the big unveil in 2022. According to him, the limo has two 8.2-liter V8 engines under the hood, and it could be capable of topping 120 mph (193 kph), though in theory only. Stopping it was the real issue, though. He also said that it could turn, adding that it would need an airport to do so safely.Still, the American Dream is an impressive vehicle, not because of its functionality or features, but mostly because it exists and defies common sense by so doing. It's not half as impressive as it was back in the day, but maybe we're just looking at it through nostalgia-tinted glasses. Nobody likes overheating phones, and a mobile device struggling with excessive heat is certainly something you wouldn't want to deal with behind the wheel. Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution If we've learned something from the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 blunder, it's how to deal with overheating devices. Everybody now pays more attention to device temperature, including not only the companies that make these products but also the customers that use them.A new Android Auto error that seemingly issues warning alerts for no reason is now plaguing users who install the latest version.Here's everything you need to know about this scary notification appearing on your car's infotainment screen.Like your mobile device, Android Auto can warn that your smartphone gets hot, letting you know when to remove it from charging. Additionally, you can also give the mobile device extra time to cool down, as a device struggling to deal with excessive heat suffers from critical slowdowns and can no longer run apps properly.The overheating warning issued by the device is typically mirrored on the Android Auto screen, so you can see the notification on the smartphone and the head unit. The odd behavior now happening in the Android Auto only includes an infotainment warning, with the mobile device not displaying an overheating alert.The mobile device is not displaying the same alert because the phone isn't even hot. Android Auto seemingly generates the error without the mobile device suffering from overheating, recommending that users to disconnect the phone from the charger. Android Auto does not disconnect, and everything continues to run correctly despite the warning.One of my colleagues encountered the error this weekend. He uses a Galaxy Fold to run Android Auto, but people online claim the same behavior happens in their cars with other phones. Many signs suggest the problem is exclusive to Samsung smartphones, but it's too early to tell if this assumption is correct. Everybody believes the phone suffers from overheating, but when picking up the device to connect it from the charger, the device doesn't feel hot. My colleague said the phone was also running normally, with no slowdown in other apps.It's unclear why Android Auto issued these warnings, but the first reports landed this week. It's likely a new bug introduced by a recent update, albeit it doesn't affect all users. I run Android Auto wireless with a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra and don't see the message. I also use a wireless charger while driving.Someone on Reddit explained they got the same message for a wired connection. It means the problem is not exclusive to Android Auto wireless, so a recent update might indeed be the culprit.The warning typically goes away after disconnecting the mobile device from the charger but reappears a few minutes into the next drive. It looks like the notification is generated automatically at a pre-defined time after Android Auto loads.The "phone is overheating, remove from wireless charger" message alerts users, with some readers telling me they immediately pulled over to check the mobile device and disconnect it from the charger. Some say they didn't want to take any risk and purchased a new charger.Google has yet to comment on the bug, but based on the number of reports, the company should kick off an investigation as soon as possible.The Android Auto version misbehaving in my colleague's car is 11.2, but one reader told me they encountered the same problem on version 11.1.The most recent Android Auto stable update is version 11.3. It was released this weekend and can be installed today by sideloading the APK. The rollout through the Google Play Store happens in stage, so it'll take a while until everybody receives the new version.Meanwhile, no workaround seems to exist to prevent the overheating message from appearing. While the alert disappears when disconnecting the phone from the charger, it keeps returning when reloading Android Auto. Clearing the app's cache and data doesn't prevent it from appearing again. Downgrading doesn't seem to be a solution, either.If the bug is exclusive to Samsung phones, it wouldn't be the first problem plaguing the devices manufactured by the South Korean company. Android Auto connection errors are now plaguing the brand's latest flagship, with Samsung Galaxy S24 owners complaining they can't run the app after upgrading to the latest-generation device. The connection problems also don't affect everybody, but the number of reports prompted Samsung to issue an advisory to detail potential workarounds.It's unclear if Samsung is also investigating these latest reports, but the experience with the company's phones is becoming very challenging behind the wheel. The overheating warning could make people anxious about using their smartphones with Android Auto, sometimes making them pull over to disconnect the mobile device.I've also contacted Samsung for more information and will update the article if and when I hear back. SUV EV Saab Automobile AB was an automotive manufacturer established in Sweden in 1945 as an off-shoot of its parent company Saab AB better known today for its JAS 39 Gripen multirole fighter. During its tumultuous history, the brand was re-established as an independent company in 1989, and GM took a 50% interest in it before acquiring full ownership in 2000.Their implication was short-lived, as GM sold Saab to Spyker in 2010, and after that, all hell broke loose with subsequent failed attempts to acquire and resurrect some of its models. Ultimately, all parties involved called it quits, and the brand died an undignified death somewhere around 2016. In recent years, some have shown what could have been if the planets aligned better, but ultimately, the last Saabs were produced without the sacred name attached to them as NEVS products However, that doesn't mean the Swedish brand once a proud rival for the other well-known Scandinavian automotive company Volvo has been forgotten by true believers. One of them might also be Grimaud Gervex, better known as z__gravity on social media. This automotive designer was originally part of a six-student team from the prestigious design school ISD-Rubika in Valenciennes, France, which took the Gran Premio Assoluto from Ferrari's 2015 Top Design School Contest.After that, we lost track of his whereabouts until recently, when he came up with the idea of resurrecting the defunct Saab brand as a side gig. His main activities now involve working for Lucid Motors, and as far as we can tell, the pixel master is part of the hard-working team that designed Lucid's second-only product, the newly introduced GravitySo, with that major experience behind him (he's a Senior Exterior Designer), it is no wonder that his vision as part of the imaginative realm of digital car content creators for a reborn Saab model would be to come up with a Scandinavian 'Land Rover' SUV, right? Dubbed simply as the 'Saab Rover,' this is a minimalist design project of a futuristic Saab SUV fueled solely by electricity and it looks adventurous enough to oppose the upcoming Range Rover EV , at least across fantasy land.In the end, though, of course, this is just a styling exercise, and all chances of ever seeing a Saab automobile on the market are mostly wishful thinking. Of course, Saab AB still holds the rights to the name, so it's not impossible only extremely unlikely. On the other hand, the Lucid Gravity is an SUV that's coming in real life, and as it aims to "redefine the future of SUVs," it will arrive to battle the Tesla Model X with a projected range of more than 440 miles (708 km), over 800 hp peak power, seating for up to seven, and a zero to 60 mph (96 kph) time of just 3.5 seconds.So, if money is no object of concern, which one would you choose this hypothetical Saab Roverthat looks adventurous enough to get you to a high-end retreat in the middle of the desert or the real world's Lucid Gravity? Love them or hate them, sport utility vehicles are here to stay. Not only do they offer more ground clearance than hatchbacks and sedans, but SUVs also flaunt more trunk and overall storage capacity. SUV Toyota RAV4: 434,943 Photo: Toyota Tesla Model Y: Approximately 400,000 Photo: Tesla Honda CR-V: 361,457 Photo: Honda Nissan Rogue: 271,458 Photo: Nissan NHTSA National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Jeep Grand Cherokee: 244,594 Photo: Jeep Chevrolet Equinox: 212,701 Photo: Chevrolet CVT Hyundai Tucson: 209,624 Photo: Hyundai Ford Explorer: 186,799 Photo: Ford Toyota Highlander: 169,543 Photo: Toyota Subaru Outback: 161,814 Photo: Subaru AWD Subaru Crosstrek: 159,193 Photo: Subaru Jeep Wrangler: 156,581 Photo: Jeep PHEV WLTP Take, for instance, the BMW X5 and 5 Series Touring. Over in Europe, the X5 xDrive40d offers 650 liters (23 cubic feet) behind the rear seats or 1,870 liters (66 cubic feet) with the second row folded, whereas the 540d xDrive Touring is listed with 570 and 1,700 liters (20.1 and 60 cubic feet).Thewasn't always this popular, though. Ford produced 25,824 units of the first-gen Bronco in 1974, the year the Ford Motor Company moved a whopping 360,688 units of the Pinto in the United States market. Another good example would be the aforementioned X5, which sold 50,736 examples in Europe back in 2004 as opposed to 145,358 examples of the 5 Series sedan and station wagon.Initially favored by farmers, returning GIs, hunters, and explorers, the sport utility vehicle is the most popular type of vehicle in the US of A. Last year, SUVs accounted for a staggering 15 of the top 25 best-selling vehicles in the United States. Can you believe that an electric SUV ranked second, with said SUV taking the crown for the best-selling vehicle in the world in 2023? But first, we have to dedicate a few paragraphs to a compact model from the world's largest manufacturer in terms of sales.Released in 1994 with underpinnings from the Corolla and Carina, the RAV4 is a hugely successful crossover. More than 10 million were sold by February 2020. Based on the TNGA-K platform since 2018 for the 2019 model year, the RAV4 is due a thorough redesign as a 2025 model.Until then, however, Toyota's assembly plants keep churning out the RAV4 as fast as technically possible. Precisely 434,943 units were delivered in the US last year, while available data indicates that Toyota sold 1.07 million worldwide. This, in turn, puts the RAV4 between the Tesla Model Y's 1.23 million and the Toyota Corolla's 1.01 million.Generously equipped from the outset, fairly reliable, and pretty spacious for a compact, the RAV4 starts at a reasonable $28,675 stateside. Excluding the destination charge, the hybrid carries a starting price of $31,725. Bridging the gap between hybrids and electric vehicles, the 2024 Toyota RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid costs $43,690.JATO Dynamics estimates that Tesla delivered more than 1.2 million Model Ys last year, of which approximately 400,000 were sold in the automaker's home market. EVadoption claims 403,897 , Kelley Blue Book understands that 394,497 were purchased in the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave, and Automotive News says 385,900 units.Similar to the RAV4, it's pretty curious how the Model Y moved so many examples before a redesign. But in stark comparison to the RAV4, the world's favorite Tesla will go through a facelift rather than a generational overhaul. Project Juniper is what the facelift is allegedly called. Regarding expected changes, you only need to look at the Model 3 Highland to understand what's in store.Although the Model 3 promises more driving range and quicker acceleration to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour), a sedan doesn't have the cache of a crossover. Available to lease starting at $379 per month, the Model 3's more desirable sibling is $42,990 for the rear-drive specification. Opting for all-wheel drive and the larger battery results in $47,990. Based on the EPA's range estimate (310 miles or just under 500 kilometers on a full charge), the $5K difference is beyond doubt worth it.The CR-V arrived in showrooms one year after the RAV4. Originally exclusive to Honda Verno and Honda Primo dealerships in Japan, the CR-V went on sale in the United States in February 1997. It's hard to believe that a 1997 model used to retail at less than twenty grand. The 2024 Honda CR-V LX is $29,500 (plus $1,350 for the destination fee).Twinned with the Civic from the very beginning, the CR-V is quite different from the RAV4 in some respects, beginning with its turbocharged engine and continuously variable transmission. Honda couldn't make a case for a plug-in hybrid, which can only be described as a bit of a missed opportunity.This generation of the CR-V isn't sold in Japan due to the fifth gen's abysmally poor sales, prompting Honda to replace it with the ZR-V. Safer than its predecessor due to outboard seatbelt pretensioners for the rear seats and rear side torso airbags, the CR-V also happens to be roomier for the rear passengers, with Honda quoting an increase of 15 millimeters (make that 0.6 inches) in legroom. The rear seats can also be reclined up to 10.5 degrees.The Rogue has always lived in the shadow of its direct competitors. Even so, Nissan delivered a respectable number of Rogues last year. The biggest problem of the Tennessee-built crossover is the three-cylinder engine that Nissan dubs KR15DDT.As if three cylinders wasn't bad enough for a vehicle that weighs in the ballpark of 3,400 pounds (1,542 kilograms), the KR15DDT features variable compression. The VC-Turbo system's complexity hinders reliability. Back in December 2023, theopened an investigation into the Rogue, Altima, and Infiniti QX50 over multiple allegations of engine knock, engine failure, loss of motive power, and metal shavings/chunks in the oil pan.Both the KR15DDT and larger KR20DDET are under investigation . According to the, the Japanese automaker has attempted to address the VC-Turbo engine failures by improving the manufacturing processes of the main bearings and L-links. Considering that the Rogue can't be had with a less complex engine, you're better off spending your money on the RAV4 or the CR-V.During the DaimlerChrysler era, the American partner leveraged plenty of Mercedes know-how for the WK-series Grand Cherokee. Back when Stellantis wasn't even a thing, the higher-ups in Auburn Hills and Turin decided to modify the Giorgio platform of the Alfa Romeo Stelvio and Giulia sedan for the WL-series Grand Cherokee and its three-row brother.Easily the roomiest and techiest Grand Cherokee to date, the WL is far more appealing to prospective customers due to its optional 4xe plug-in hybrid powertrain. As opposed to 22 miles per gallon (10.7 liters per 100 kilometers) for the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, the 2.0-liter Hurricane I4 of the 4xe gets 23 mpg (10.2 l/100 km) in the EPA's combined test cycle.When the combustion engine is assisted by the plug-in hybrid system, the rating improves to 56 miles per gallon equivalent. Switch to electric mode, and you're looking at 26 miles (42 kilometers) from a high-voltage battery pack with Samsung SDI cells.The outgoing Equinox doesn't have a good reputation, beginning with its turbocharged four-pot mills and the Hydra-Matic 9T50 automatic transmission. Be that as it may, bear in mind that GM undercuts Toyota and Honda with a starting price of $26,600 for the 2024 model year Equinox.Revealed in January 2024, the 2025 model builds on the strengths of its predecessor with better styling, more safety goodies, a larger touchscreen, Google built-in, and an off-road-oriented trim dubbed ACTIV. The fourth generation further sweetens the deal with a revised 1.5-liter turbo and an eight-speed auto rather than the hideously problematic 9T50.Said transmission is exclusive to all-wheel-drive vehicles, while front-wheel drive automatically means continuously variable transmission. It's hard to understand why General Motors felt the need to cut costs by downgrading to a, but then again, remember that CVTs are inherently more efficient than torque-converter and dual-clutch trannies.Although named after the second-largest city in the state of Arizona, the Hyundai Tucson is actually produced at HMMA in Montgomery, Alabama. The combustion-only Tucson, that is, because the hybrid and plug-in hybrid are assembled in South Korea.Facelifted in November 2023, the fourth generation is listed by Hyundai Motor America with a base MSRP of $27,250. Stepping up to the hybrid results in $32,325. Those in the market for the plug-in hybrid need to shell out $38,475 at the very least.A fine-looking crossover with a hidden rear window wiper, the Tucson has its detractors. The touch-sensitive buttons, for example, are not to everyone's liking. Thankfully, the 2025 refresh features a redesigned interior that benefits from more physical controls and fewer touch-sensitive buttons. The 2025 model has also dropped the old push-button shift console for a shifter on the steering column.The F-Series is the best-selling vehicle in America, but when it comes to sport utility vehicles, the Ford Motor Company's golden goose is the Explorer. Previously a front-biased crossover, the Explorer reverted to rear-wheel drive in 2019 for MY2020.Unfortunately, chronic quality and manufacturing concerns hindered the Explorer's rollout. Considering how many recalls were issued for the 2020 through 2024 models, it shouldn't come as a surprise that Consumer Reports doesn't have nice things to say about this generation of the Explorer There are plenty of alternatives in this segment, albeit not rear-biased like the CD6-based Ford Explorer. The Kia Telluride comes to mind, as does the Honda Pilot. The Toyota Highlander is a strong choice as well, and not surprising in the least, Toyota sells a lot of them in this part of the world.Excluding the Grand Highlander, the Highlander moved 169,543 units last year. Available as a hybrid, the Highlander is manufactured locally at TMMI in Princeton, Indiana. Previously the home of the Tundra pickup truck, TMMI now produces the TNGA-K-based Highlander and Grand Highlander, Lexus TX, and the Sienna.Updated for MY2023 with a turbo inline-four, the Highlander entered MY2024 in September 2023. This model year is all about the Highlander Hybrid Nightshade Edition. Available in a choice of front- or all-wheel drive on the LE or XLE, the Nightshade Edition boasts a plethora of blackout elements.Rather than the 2.4-liter turbo of the Highlander, the Highlander Hybrid upsizes to a 2.5-liter I4 of the free-breathing variety. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates up to 36 miles per gallon (6.5 kilometers) with front-wheel drive, resulting in a total range of 616 miles (991 kilometers).Joined at the hip to the Legacy sedan from the very beginning, the Outback is more station wagon than sport utility vehicle. Classified as a mid-size SUV, the Outback is best seen as the two-row alternative to the Ascent. You can also take the Outback off-road thanks to the Wilderness trim level, which sadly isn't available on Subaru's largest crossover.Nine trim levels are offered this model year, beginning with the Base at $28,895. The Wilderness slots between the Onyx Edition XT and Limited XT. Similar to the XTs, the all-road specification hides a 260-horsepower turbocharged boxer under the hood. Equipped with high-capacity fixed roof rails, StarTex water-repellant upholstery, and Yokohama all-terrain rubber, the Wilderness is gifted with a ground clearance of 9.5 inches (about 24 centimeters).All other trim levels get 8.7 inches (22.0 centimeters), which is plenty enough for the occasional venture off the beaten path. In typical Subaru fashion,is standard. The only transmission available is a CVT with a manual mode that simulates an eight-speed transmission.Once sold as the XV, the Crosstrek is a hatchback on stilts. Since 2022 for the 2024 model year, it's been available exclusively as a five-door due to dwindling sales of the sedan. Manufactured in Japan and the United States, the Crosstrek can be had with either a 2.0-liter boxer or a slightly punchier 2.5er.Exclusively CVT, the compact-sized crosshatch is reasonably priced at $25,195 for the Base and $26,345 for the Premium. Higher up the spectrum, the Sport improves on the Premium with the larger engine, dual X-MODE with Hill Descent Control, yellow exterior accents, dark gray-finished alloys, heated front seats, and a leather steering wheel.The Limited goes even further with leather upholstery and a 10-way power adjustable driver's seat. $32,195 is the MSRP of the most expensive trim level, namely the Wilderness. Rather than the Outback's 9.5 inches of ground clearance, the Crosstrek has up to 9.3 inches (23.6 centimeters).Back in August 2023, the Jeep brand confirmed that the Wrangler sold more than 5,000,000 units since 1986. Based on how many Wranglers were delivered in the US last year, chassis number 6,000,000 will be assembled before decade's end.The Wrangler is the nation's favorite body-on-frame sport utility vehicle, but as of late, Ford has been closing in with the Bronco. This isn't a bad thing for the Wrangler, though, because the Bronco's commercial success prompted Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Stellantis to improve the breed.April 2023 saw the Wrangler get a new radiator grille, a full-float rear axle, power front seats, 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment, and side curtain airbags for both rows of seats. The Wrangler can also be had as a plug-in hybrid, but soon enough, the Ranger's powertrain will be adapted for the Bronco. Not meant for the US market, the Ranger PHEV rolled out in September 2023 with 2.3-liter EcoBoost muscle. Ford's targeted electric driving range is more than 45 kilometers (28 miles) in the kWh kW Photo: Hollmann AMG Photo: Hollmann On top of that, the build quality across the range needs improvement, as no one wants to pay a lot of money for a brand-new premium or luxury (yep, modern Maybachs are on the list, too) for a squeaky vehicle. Downsizing has led to the development of the first-ever four-pot C 63. The BMW M3 rival from the Stuttgart brand may be fast, but it lacks the appeal of its V8-powered predecessors.The latest Mercedes-AMG C 63 S E Performance uses a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder unit and an electric motor mounted at the rear, which, in turn, takes its electrons from a 6.1battery pack. The total system output is 670 hp (680 ps/500), and it develops 752 lb-ft (1,020 Nm) of torque. It has a top speed of 174 mph (280 kph) and can sprint to 62 mph (100 kph) in 3.4 seconds. The superior firepower compensates for the added weight, so it's just as fast as the M3 Competition xDrive.This might sound like the kind of story that bashes the three-pointed star, but the truth is that it still offers some dreamy rides. Most of them are family-friendly, like the GT 63 S E Performance . The Affalterbach brand's four-door coupe (it's actually a five-door liftback) sits at the very top of the GT 4-Door Coupe (jeez, that's a really uninspiring name) family, and despite its spacious, luxurious, and tech-infused interior, it is a true supercar killer, as it's always ready to give full-blown exotics a run for their money.Mercedes-'s GT 63 S E Performance is a great example of mixing old-school technology, like the V8 firepower, albeit with twin turbocharging, with the electrified future. As a result, it packs the ubiquitous 4.0L motor that steams out 630 hp (639 ps/470 kW). It also unleashes 664 lb-ft (900 Nm) of torque. And if that's not enough, you should know that the electric motor, which also uses a 6.1 kWh battery pack, is good for another 201 hp (204 ps/150 kW) and 236 pound-feet (320 Nm) of torque.The official spec sheet reveals that this machine boasts a total of 831 hp (843 ps/620 kW) and has just over 1,033 pound-feet (1,400 Nm) on tap. It uses a nine-speed automatic transmission to deliver the thrust to the 4Matic+ all-wheel drive system. The 62 mph (100 kph) mark is hit in 2.9 seconds after takeoff . It needs less than 10 seconds to 124 mph (200 kph) and has a maximum speed of 196 mph (316 kph).Thus, it is just one-tenth slower than the mighty (and discontinued) Lamborghini Aventador SVJ , which is impressive for a four-door model, regardless of its power. Factor in the weight, nearly 5,250 pounds (2,380 kg), and everything becomes almost mind-blowing. The exterior design is aggressive, with the typical sporty bumpers and Panamericana grille, and the cockpit is not bad either, despite featuring the dual-screen system with a tablet-like positioning.You also get lots of carbon fiber, ambient lighting, leather, suede, and a plethora of safety systems to aid you on your daily commute and at the racetrack, as this car is always ready to feast on apexes no matter if you're alone or with three of your close ones accompanying you. If we have opened your appetite for owning a Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance , then you should know that the pictured example is for sale and ready to be shipped worldwide.It is a brand-new car with only the delivery miles on the odo, has a black exterior and red leather interior, comes with 21-inch wheels, and a host of options. The best part about it is that it hasn't been modified, as this is the OEM configuration. Hollmann International advertises it on its website here , and you may think that it is going to set you back some half a million dollars. But it's not. In fact, the asking price at the time of writing was 200,872, which equals a little over $215,000 at the current exchange rates.Sure, that is still as much as a nice home in most parts of the Western world, but if you can afford it, you should go ahead and buy it. After all, you'd get a lot of car for the money, one thats comfortable and spacious and ultra-fast to the point where you could always teach a thing or two to those pesky supercars. So, would you buy it if you could afford it? I would, as it would make for an awesome daily driver. Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), one of the largest smelters in the world, today (January 23) signed a 10-year gas supply agreement with Bapco Upstream, a fully owned subsidiary of Bapco Energies, the integrated energy company leading the energy transition in the kingdom. A blue-chip asset of the Kingdom of Bahrain, Alba produces high-quality aluminium products and boasts a 1.62 million metric tonnes per annum (mtpa) production capacity. It has more than 50 years of excellence in Operations, Safety, Environment and Socio-Economic Development. "Securing a 10-year natural gas supply agreement marks a significant chapter for Alba", said Khalid Al Rumaihi, the Chairman of the Alba Board at the signing ceremony held at Al Dana Hall. It was attended by Albas Chairman Khalid Al Rumaihi, Bapco Upstreams Chairman Engineer Faisal Al Mahroos, Albas CEO, Ali Al Baqali, Bapco Upstreams CEO Johann Pleininger and other Alba officials. This agreement supersedes all previous agreements and serves as a continuation of Alba's current natural gas requirements under one contract, stated Al Rumaihi. Adding further to mark this milestone, Al Rumaihi said: "Five years of stable gas price are just the foundation. This partnership with Bapco Energies lays the groundwork for a future where collaboration and transparency will fuel our sustainable growth." Another key highlight of this agreement is the fixed price structure for the first 5-year period at $4 per million British thermal units (MMBTU) post which the price will be determined by the Competent Authority, he added.-TradeArabia News Service After watching the Tesla Optimus bot evolve and similar efforts from other companies, it is perhaps time to imagine how the world will change. For better or worse, the robots are here to stay, so dusting off those science-fiction books might not be enough to understand what's ahead of us. Robots: how they appeared and how they evolved Photo: Tesla What prompted Tesla to work on a general-purpose humanoid robot? The hardware: what makes the Optimus bot tick? Photo: Tesla Full Self-Driving The software: artificial intelligence will change everything EV FSD Energy source: are Li-ion batteries enough? Photo: @ConnectingODots via X kWh The good stuff: what problems they're supposed to solve? Photo: @CernBasher via X The bad stuff: what are the dangers? Optimus bot: what's at stake for Tesla? Photo: Tesla Although we associate robots with the future, the truth is that humans first imagined mechanical contraptions able to operate on their own using air pressure, steam, and water more than two thousand years ago. The first humanoid robots were built in the 1920s, and science-fiction authors let their imaginations fly from there.The word "robot" itself was coined by the Czech writer Karel Capek in his play "R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots)," published in 1920. The word is derived from "robota," which means work in many Slavic languages. Based on it, Isaac Asimov invented the term "robotics" as a field of study for robots. While science fiction books inflamed the imaginations of generations of teenagers, things went wild with the movie revolution.Still, the robots had difficulty emerging from science fiction books and movies and into the real world. Even as technology evolved, robots haven't made much progress. Sure, we have countless highly specialized machines that can do repetitive jobs indefinitely and with utmost precision, but that was not what Asimov and his peers imagined. We want walking, talking, and, most definitely, thinking robots, and this has not yet been achieved.With the advancements in artificial intelligence, it was only a matter of time before humanity would revisit the old idea of a humanoid robot. I imagine these two fields will evolve in parallel because you can't imagine an advanced robot without considering artificial intelligence. Otherwise, it's just a box of metal programmed to do certain things and nothing more. Intelligent robots, on the other hand, are poised to change the world, and this will happen quite fast, enough that most of us will see it in our lifetimes.If we put imagination and science fiction aside, robots might seem like a mundane part of our world. We often hear and use this word, although not to describe mechanical copies of ourselves. Various industries are using them on a large scale to perform particular tasks that humans don't want or don't excel at. In the automotive industry, they are part of modern production lines, putting parts together and helping build our vehicles.Specialized work was among the first use cases for industrial robots, as they can perform repetitive moves with higher precision than humans and without getting tired or distracted. This makes the results more uniform, contributing to what we perceive as build quality. Despite some human-robot clashes that ended tragically for our guys, these robots cannot gain consciousness and only do what they're programmed to do.Besides the robotic arms moving things around a factory floor, some robots can move automatically or independently. Probably the most mundane are the vacuum robots, which can map your house and find the best way to clean it thoroughly. Similar robots move supplies in many factories. One common characteristic of all these utilitarian robots is that they function in a controlled environment and perform very specialized tasks.People have always dreamed of humanoid robots, but we might have to wait longer before hiring or buying a robotic butler. However, modern robots are everywhere, from the military to healthcare to research. Heck, even Musk's Neuralink uses them to perform implant surgery. And let's not forget that Musk himself sees Tesla EVs as robots. In fact, intelligent cars and humanoid robots might have a lot in common as Tesla tries to develop them simultaneously.Tesla only announced joining the humanoid robot race in 2021, but it has moved incredibly fast since then. Less than three years later, the Optimus bot has reached the second generation. Going from a lifeless dummy rolling on a platform during the 2022 AI Day to a full-fledged humanoid robot able to perform complex tasks in 2023 is an impressive achievement.Although many were initially skeptical about Tesla's commitment to building a general-purpose humanoid robot, the development pace made them change their minds. Many experts have concluded that Tesla might be ahead of other startups and companies working on similar projects. Still, what prompted Tesla to start this journey, and why it's pressing "pedal to the metal" with the development?Musk explained that Optimus could become a very advanced household appliance in a few years. I'm not entirely sold on this perspective. New technologies don't usually emerge in the kitchen. They typically start in top-secret military labs, reach industrial scale at the world's top corporations, and become consumer goods only when they exhaust the potential for the former two use cases.It's more likely that the Optimus robots will start working for Tesla first before being leased to other corporations and militaries around the world. The same happened to Starlink satellite internet, although Tesla also offered it to private customers to help finance the satellite deployment. There's another incentive for Tesla to have humanoid robots, though. Elon Musk wants to colonize Mars at some point, and it would be difficult to do it with humans, at least in the early stages. From this point of view, Optimus is the perfect Martian.When Tesla introduced the (mostly) crippled Optimus robot at the 2022 AI Day, Musk admitted that "there's still a lot of work to be done to refine Optimus and prove it," adding, "I think Optimus is going to be incredible in five or 10 years, like mind-blowing." The way things move, we might see mind-blowing progress sooner than that.Tesla hasn't been very communicative about the Optimus bot's hardware. It's understandable, considering the fierce competition trying to learn as much as possible from Tesla. Based on the initial specifications, the 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) tall robot would be able to walk fast, at 5 mph (8 kph), and carry up to 45 lbs (20 kg) in its robotic arms. It could also deadlift up to 150 lbs (68 kg), with an arm extend lift capacity of 10 lbs (4.5 kg).Not too bad for a 160-lb (73 kg) robot, although it has likely improved tremendously since then. The second-generation Optimus features 28 Tesla-designed actuators, which improved its capabilities while shaving off 22 lbs (10 kg). Most of the redesign efforts went into the new hands, which are now capable enough to make Musk confident they'll be able to "thread a needle" in no time.While the actuators and the articulated limbs are important for a humanoid robot, its brain is crucial. The Optimus robot relies on the same chips Tesla uses in its electric vehicles for the Autopilot computer. Optimus will also be powered by the same neural networks as the Tesla, making them brothers of another mother, so to speak.Although the tasks people expect Optimus to perform differ from those of a Tesla, they rely on the same inference computers. Elon Musk has made no secret that's success is crucial for the Optimus bot's development. After all, no humanoid robot would be worthy of this name without having "artificial intelligence." Tesla has taken significant steps to expand its AI footprint and is now promoting itself as an AI/robotics company instead of a carmaker.As we've already seen from last year's videos shown by Tesla, Optimus can learn from the interaction with humans and the environment. This is not much different from how FSD Beta improves over time after "watching" thousands of hours of driving videos. So far, Optimus's actions are no more intelligent than FSD avoiding a pedestrian. It does so because they were trained on real-world data to do so, but neither understands the reasoning behind these actions.This means that neither FSD nor Optimus are intelligent. The real revolution would only start when they begin to reason. Humans could only distinguish themselves from animals when the language allowed them to communicate and pass what they learned to others so that they wouldn't have to start from zero. For robots, that would also be their homo sapiens moment. People call it artificial general intelligence (AGI), and it's the moment everyone dreads.Tesla intends to use its 4680 cells to power the Optimus robots, although many have argued that this form factor might not be the most efficient for a humanoid robot. While the robot's torso is big enough to house 4680 cells, it will likely need a lot of them just to get to the required voltage. Assuming Optimus will use a 48-volt electrical system, it will need about 12 cells connected in series to reach this voltage using NCM chemistry.Tesla could use a higher voltage to make Optimus more efficient, but the 48 volt is not an arbitrary value. It's the threshold that makes electricity dangerous to humans, so Tesla would not want anything higher than that. Even at 48 volts, Optimus's battery pack would need some kind of redundancy in case a few cells go bad. Ideally, It should have several 48-volt modules connected in parallel to increase the power capacity and have redundancy.Tesla said that Optimus's battery would have a 2.3-capacity. Given that 4680 cells are estimated to have about 26 Ah, it would need two 48-volt modules connected in parallel to reach the 2.3-kWh capacity. Using 2170 cells (around 5 Ah) would require 10 modules or five times as many cells. That would make the build more flexible and thermal management easier, but it would increase costs. This is why Tesla would probably want to use the bigger cells, especially as it produces them in-house Optimus needs to have enough battery for an entire 8-hour shift to be really useful as a work robot on a factory line. Or so people think, without considering that humans also take breaks during their work time. With current fast charging capabilities, the Optimus would not need more than 15-20 minutes of charging sessions to get enough juice for another stint. And you can always have a spare Optimus to fill in a position when necessary.The main reason companies develop humanoid robots is not to fulfill some crazy Sci-Fi fantasy. It's because humanoid characteristics allow them to replace humans in a world built for them. This makes humanoid robots ideal for performing repetitive, tedious, or dangerous tasks. They can also ensure a consistent quality of work, considering they are not affected by fatigue, illness, or just having a bad day.This is why the robots are painted mostly as problem solvers , addressing labor shortages and other issues. Robots can work regardless of conditions and do the jobs humans tend to avoid. They also drastically increase productivity, incentivizing companies to use more robots instead of humans.Robots have multiple advantages over humans, being more dependable, hard-working, and ultimately cheaper. Robots don't need healthcare, don't go on strike, don't need retirement benefits, don't go on vacation, and are more than happy to work almost continuously, save for the charging breaks. Even for families, robots can help care for the elderly and disabled and provide company and support to lonely people.For all the advantages listed above, robots have at least as many downsides. Yes, they can do hard work better than humans and relieve them from many chores. But this means fewer people will be needed to do these jobs, and soon, it will become challenging to find a job. This creates more problems than the robots promise to solve, as it can lead to social unrest.Elon Musk said at some point that people would not have to work anymore unless they really chose to. Well, they might not be able to work even when they want because no more jobs will be left for them. This raises questions about how humans can stay relevant and live meaningful lives when they're no longer needed. The robot revolution also requires a new distribution of wealth, considering that most people would find it difficult to earn their living.As you can see, these are legitimate cases when the robot proliferation spells trouble for the average Joe. I don't want to discuss more far-fetch scenarios like a robot uprising. There is genuine concern that artificial intelligence could develop into an unstoppable force that could wipe out humanity. If this happens, it will certainly not need humanoid robots to carry out the job. Still, they will make it much easier to fight with us in a conventional way, which is what we learned from books and movies Elon Musk said that the Optimus bot has the potential to become more significant than Tesla's vehicle business. This is not much different from what he said about Tesla's Full Self-Driving. The latter is much more critical, considering that the Optimus program also depends on it. This is why Musk was more direct: it could make or break Tesla . Without FSD, Optimus would be a shiny metal toy with no value whatsoever.Optimus's potential for Tesla is virtually infinite, not just as a commercial product. Tesla will undoubtedly use Optimus bots on its production lines, in the mineral mines, and potentially every other job that humans now do. There's really not a thing an intelligent robot would not be able to do, so we will soon see a completely different society, one that we will no longer recognize.Similar to cars, the robots might not be sold at all if Tesla has its way. The vehicles are more valuable when used as robotaxis operated by Tesla, once it cracks FSD. The robots will also do their job as a service, and there are few incentives for Tesla to sell them. Even if it does, the prices will be prohibitive for all except the biggest corporations.Elon Musk wants to turn X (formerly known as Twitter) into "the everything app," so don't be surprised that he'll also want Tesla to become the everything company, sort of like the ACME corporation from the Looney Tunes Cartoons. But the final goal is, as Musk often says, to make the human race multi-planetary. Having humanoid robots makes this goal much easier to achieve. I love drifting in the snow. Ten years ago, I was doing it in a BMW 316i. Six years ago, I was at it on a frozen lake in Sweden in the new Volvo V60 Cross Country. Last month, I experienced it again in my FC RX-7. But I need more. Ferdi Porsche Interview Photo: Stephan Bauer Photo: Classic Driver Talking to Ryan Tuerck Photo: Ryan Tuerck I have a rather extensive automotive bucket list . I've pinpointed a few things I'd love to experience in 2024. But it doesn't come close to what I would do with a decent budget. I've been eyeing a few ice-driving schools in Europe for some time now. And I'm under the impression that I'm at least half decent at going sideways in the snow at speeds of over 62 mph (100 kph).One of these days, I will head over to France and see the Andros Trophy with my own eyes and report back to you with the news. But allow me to get to the main topic of today's story: the F.A.T. Ice Race . That name may sound familiar to you if you're a Porsche racing enthusiast. While vaguely familiar with the historic event, I was surprised to learn about its revival.My love for Porsches has deepened over time, some 20 years after it started growing roots in my heart and mind. So, you can imagine how excited I was at the opportunity of talking to Ferdi Porsche himself about this event. Yes, you're right to assume that he's part of the family, and I'll share some more insights about him in a second.I caught up with Ferdi while he was on the scene in Aspen, Colorado, for the first North American take of the historic race. I was pleasantly surprised to see he's a down-to-earth guy with a genuine love for cars and driving. Growing up in a family with such an impressive heritage will have that effect on you. I knew he was on a tight schedule, so I kept my questions to a minimum for now. But I feel I'll share more of his endeavors with you throughout the year. I have seen several videos and read stories about Ferdi going into our call, so I tried to develop some questions to reveal more about his story.Naturally, I wanted to know his favorite childhood memory related to cars. "My favorite childhood car-related memory: it has to be the first time I drove a car. I was 13 and kept annoying my parents for half a year, telling them I was old enough to sit behind the steering wheel. My mom taught me how to drive in a Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet on a forest road.""I could barely reach the pedals. Of course, I have many fond automotive memories, including my trips to see the Monaco F1 Grand Prix in the early 2000s." While racing on the ice in Zell am See was starting to become extremely popular in the '50 and '60s. It stopped in the early '70s, and Ferdi decided to revive it after an almost half-century hiatus.I wanted to know how the idea entered his mind, and I loved the answer: "My dad bought a Porsche 550 that belonged to his father, and it had spiked tires. I didn't know about the historic race in Zell am See then. When I saw the pictures, I loved the idea. Seeing the cars in the snow and so many spectators on the sides, it had everything you'd expect from an exciting event. We revived it in 2019 and had two fun editions before COVID-19 slowed us down.""We also founded F.A.T. International as a reminder of the brand that sponsored the 1994 Le Mans winner. We organized an event in Austria two weeks ago. And this is our first time bringing it to the US." Learning about the cars and drivers lined up for these events, one thing came to mind: this could become as big as the Goodwood Festival of Speed, but seeing it all happen on snow makes it all the better. Just think of it this way: When did you last see a Porsche 911 GT1-98 going sideways on ice?I would have never thought something like that would happen, but Porsche shipped the car from the museum in Germany for the race in Aspen, Colorado, and a series of other events across North America, too. Even Ken Block's Hoonipigasus Porsche was onsite, alongside other vehicles like the Nissan Safari Rally Z Tribute and the Corvette E-Ray. What I like most about this concept is that you could walk randomly down the pitlane and bump into people like Walter Rohrl, Mark Webber, or even Max Verstappen.You'll see plenty of cars from the VAG Group, including World RallyCross race vehicles, but other brands are welcome, too. If regular Porsches are boring, I'm sure a selection of rally-prepped 911s and RUF supercars will cater to your needs. I have only scratched the surface regarding gawking at vehicles in the paddock. I've included photos from previous editions to grasp the sheer madness attached to the name. I was curious to learn about Ferdi's ride for the event, and his answer did not disappoint: "I'm driving a lightweight AWD 964 (under 2,425 lbs/ 1,100 kg) with the F.A.T. livery. We ran studded tires in Austria, but here we are on regular winter ones."I didn't want to take up more of his time, so I concluded with two more questions. I asked about some of his favorite Ice Race moments and his future plans. "Austria was fantastic this year. The weather could have been better, but the vibe was amazing. I co-drove with Valtteri Bottas in the Porsche 911 Dakar. He figured out the ideal line as soon as he entered the track, he is such a chill guy to hang out with! But I also fondly remember one edition of the race where he rounded up 11 550 Spyders! As for the future, I want to grow F.A.T. in different directions. I see a lot of potential in it, and it might not always be an ice race exclusively."Mobil 1 was an official sponsor for the event, as the company is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. So, it invited multiple drivers to participate in the race, including Patrick Long, Jade Avedisian, Loni Unser, Ryan Tuerck, and Chris Forsberg . The former FD Champion drove Nissan's Z project, while Ryan Tuerck brought two of his famous vehicles out to play: the Judd V8 Formula Supra and the Toyota Stout. I have been following both FD drivers for over a decade and was happy to chat with Ryan for a few minutes before he jumped back in the car to melt more snow.I asked how he perceives the difference between sliding around on ice and his regular job: "It's a lot slower; it's almost like drifting in the wet. It's super fun and not my first time on ice- I've had some fun with Chris in Maine before! But it's the first time in these conditions for the Supra and the Stout, and I'm driving them back to back. The layout is exciting, and I like the banked turn!" I've included two videos to understand further what the F.A.T. Ice Race is all about.The concept may become a holy ground for automotive enthusiasts in five years. I'm already planning my trip to Austria for the 2025 edition: if I manage to test the track in any Porsche, old or new, I'll be happier than a kid in a candy shop. I will return with more photos and updates from the Aspen, Colorado, event soon. I imagine Stephane Ortelli had a fantastic time driving the Porsche GT1 there, almost 30 years after winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans behind its wheel. 11 February 2024 08:30 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more Several days ago Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev visited the Air Force military facilities and watched the flyover of the Akinci unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UAV). Thus, it has been confirmed that Azerbaijan has this new model Turkish drone. Akinci is a high-altitude long-endurance UAV. The aircraft has a 5.5+ ton maximum takeoff weight of which over 1,350 kg is payload. It is range is 7,500 km. It will be the first UAV capable of launching a cruise missile. Previously Azerbaijani operators got training to drive Akinci. At that time many international media outlets claimed that Azerbaijan had purchased the UAV. However, at that time Azerbaijan neither confirmed nor declined the claim. Armenian media outlets and military experts went further in the claims. Given the range of Akinci, Armenian military experts alleged that Azerbaijan purchased the UAV to change the balance in a region that included Russia and Iran. Trying to spice up their claims, they sad that Azerbaijan does not need a UAV with a 7,500 range to strike Armenia. Speaking to Azernews on the issue, the military expert Ramil Mammadli noted that both in the world and in the region, the development of UAVs has begun. In our region, after the 44-day war in the region, Armenia took certain steps in this direction and attempted to purchase strike UAVs, and armed drones from India and other countries. Thus, the Azerbaijani army is forced to take certain steps to increase and update the number and variety of the UAV arsenal. The close cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkiye in the military-technical field allows us to acquire and use modern technologies of these types of vehicles produced in Turkiye. I consider that. Azerbaijan has to increase both its own production and the army's arsenal in the field of UAVs. The acquisition of Akinci will also strengthen the UAV techniques and arsenal. The advantage of this UAV is that it is more maneuverable and has the ability to destroy the target at a longer distance. It also flies at a higher altitude, and also, certain technological advantages allow this UAV to avoid air defense systems of the enemy, the pundit said. He emphasized that Azerbaijan is not going to oppose any state by strengthening its technologies and technical capabilities. In general, it would not be correct to talk about a change in the balance of power in the region. Because it is not necessary to forget that the UAV arsenals of Iran and Russia located in the region are not weak, even quite strong. Also, Azerbaijan is a state that wants to establish close economic and political cooperation based on peace and friendship with the mentioned states, not a state that intends to compete with them militarily. In short, this is not a topic of discussion. Of course, it poses a question if Azerbaijan has enough weapons that can hit the territory of Armenia, why it need a weapon with a range of 7500 km? The question is not logical. Because MIG 29, SU 25, and other combat aviation vehicles can also fly at a fairly long distance. Then let's ask what is needed for these aircraft. It is not correct to approach the issue from this aspect, R. Mammadli concluded. --- Qabil Ashirov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @g_Ashirov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 11 February 2024 15:17 (UTC+04:00) By Elshan Manafli Bob Menendez, the subject of sensational allegations involving illegal cash, gold bars, a luxury Mercedes Benz car and the acceptance of expensive gifts in exchange for bribes, brought with him a huge stain on the name of the US Senate. According to the information obtained, Robert Menendez and his wife Nadine Menendez were given hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes, gold bars, cash, and a luxury convertible car. The fact that the bribery scandal extended to Egypt and several rich Arab countries shows that Menendez has formed a large family corruption center during his many years in the Senate. Prosecutors have previously described how in 2022, when Menendez's home was raided, federal agents found a haul including almost $500,000 in cash, 13 gold bars and a Mercedez-Benz convertible. It is interesting that the US Federal Intelligence Bureau, which is aware of all over the world, has not noticed such a big event until today. We wonder what Menendez did to the United States that they are opening so many of his files and exposing them now. It should be noted that the US State Department names Senator Bob Menendez, who has not yet recovered from the loads of indictment, as the main figure trying to prevent the supply of F-16 fighter jets to Turkiye. Western sources shared information about this. The source reports that the Biden administration is ready to sell 40 planes for $20 billion, but according to the State Department, the Senate committee is responsible for the delay of all these works. The US Congress has approved the contract with Turkiye on F-16 fighter jets, the US Embassy in Ankara said. Turkiye's purchase of 40 new and 79 modernized F-16 aircraft in the United States was called a "big step forward". The fighter jets are "crucial for NATO forces in ensuring interoperability between allies," the statement said. So White House, trying to restore relations with Turkiye, found a new victim - Bob Menedez, whose name was involved in bribery, becomes the sin chicken, as in the Jewish Kapparot ceremony, and an additional charge is made on top of the bribery charges. Probably, the corrupt senator, whose burden is increasing, will thereby wash away all the sins of the United States with him and resume its activities in both the Congress and the Senate like a blank white paper. It should be noted that Robert Menendez, whose wife is of Armenian descent, also gained a reputation for his extreme pro-Armenianism. But today, there is no one to help the senator who fell victim to the sins of the United States. It's as if the Armenians he loved as much as the gifts he once received have disappeared from the face of the earth. We wonder if anyone remembers Bob on his knees in front of the court. Probably, Bob Menendez, like other congressmen, could not fully fulfill his commitments of keep his promise for the Armenian lobbyists. Or the amount of the bribe was so high that his service so far did not meet the demands of the Armenian lobby. That is why Menendez is alone today and stands with his neck bowed in front of the court bench, burdening the sins of the United States. And Armenia, making a fuss over everything, is cold-bloodedly watching the suffering of its paid Armenian supporters. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 11 February 2024 14:55 (UTC+04:00) The University of Kuwait and the Talk Cultural Center jointly organized the World Nations Forum, which more than 40 countries' embassies and international organizations attended, Azernews reports, citing Azerbaijan's Embassy in Kuwait. Within the framework of the event, an extensive exhibition reflecting the history, traditions, national costumes, carpets, music, cultural heritage, tourism potential, and national cuisine of the countries was organized. Azerbaijan's Embassy and the Patriotic Azerbaijan-Kuwait Friendship Society set up the stand at the exhibition which the participants were given detailed information about Azerbaijan's history, culture, cuisine, national costumes, carpet weaving art, and tourism potential. There was a special corner prepared in connection with the declaration of Shusha, the cultural capital of Azerbaijan, as the "cultural capital of the Islamic world" for 2024. The participants were filled in about the history, geography, and culture of Shusha, as well as about the restoration and construction works that the Azerbaijani government carried out in the territories freed from occupation and the cultural events held there. The embassy presented small carpets with the image of Yukhari Govhar Aga Mosque as a gift to the organizers. In addition, with the support of the embassy, the book Shusha: The Capital of Azerbaijan Culture, the Pearl of Garabagh published and presented in Arabic, contains Shusha city's cultural monuments, historical buildings, cuisine, charming nature, the restoration and construction works carried out in city after the liberation, and the Irs magazine's special issue related to Shusha and Kharibulbul Festival. Also, brochures reflecting Azerbaijani historical and modern cultural monuments, sights, historical sites, and national and spiritual values were demonstrated at the exhibition. At the event, community members in National Women's Clothing belonging to Azerbaijan met with great interest. At the same time, visitors to the exhibition were provided with dishes of Azerbaijani cuisine, and sweets (shakarbura, pakhlava, etc.) posted. In addition, Azersun Holding's products Bizim Tarla and Azerchay brands were presented to the exhibitors to promote Made in Azerbaijan products in Kuwait. Representatives of the Kuwaiti community also visited the exhibition, along with the teaching and student staff of the university. Azerbaijan Airlines' (AZAL) representation in Kuwait informed the participants about the flight schedule and services in the direction Baku-Kuwait-Baku. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 11 February 2024 12:10 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijan's extraordinary presidential elections held on February 7, captured the spotlight in Cuba's leading media outlets, Azernews reports, citing Azerbaijan's Embassy in Cuba. "Prensa Latina", "Granma", "Trabajadores", as well as "Cubavision Internacional" and "Canal Caribe" television channels have published news and prepared reports on the voting in Baku and regions of Azerbaijan. The media drew public attention to Ilham Aliyev's participation in the presidential elections as the New Azerbaijan Party's candidate and by obtaining more than 92 percent of the votes of the Azerbaijani people won a confident victory. Cuban media stated that for the first time in Azerbaijan's history, the elections were held in the entire territory of the country. Especially the city of Shusha experienced historic moments on election day, and the citizens voted in their cities after a long time. It was also emphasized that even though it takes some time to heal the wounds of war and restore the ruins, locals of Shusha, Fuzuli, Khankendi, Lachin, and other cities of Garabagh showed an example of democracy to the world with their active participation in the elections. In addition, journalists from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, and Uruguay, and other 120 foreign media members were accredited from the Latin American region to cover Azrbaijan's elections. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 10 February 2024 21:08 (UTC+04:00) President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has congratulated Irakli Kobakhidze on the commencement of his tenure as the Prime Minister of Georgia. We place special importance on the relations between Azerbaijan and Georgia, drawing strength from the will of our peoples historically bound to each other by ties of friendship and good neighborliness. We are pleased that our intergovernmental relations and cooperation, based on mutual trust and support, are dynamically and comprehensively developing, reaching today`s level and representing new content. I am confident that the traditional Azerbaijani-Georgian friendship, mutually beneficial cooperation, and strategic partnership, built on a solid foundation, will continue to steadily develop and strengthen thanks to our joint efforts for the welfare of our countries and the prosperity of our region, the head of state said in his message. President Ilham Aliyev wished Irakli Kobakhidze strong health, happiness, and success in his upcoming responsible activities for the well-being and prosperity of the friendly people of Georgia. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 10 February 2024 19:08 (UTC+04:00) President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobahidze, Azernews reports. The letter reads: " Dear Mr. Prime Minister, I sincerely congratulate you on the commencement of your tenure as the Prime Minister of Georgia. We place special importance on the relations between Azerbaijan and Georgia, drawing strength from the will of our peoples historically bound to each other by ties of friendship and good neighborliness. We are pleased that our intergovernmental relations and cooperation, based on mutual trust and support, are dynamically and comprehensively developing, reaching today`s level and representing new content. I am confident that the traditional Azerbaijani-Georgian friendship, mutually beneficial cooperation, and strategic partnership, built on a solid foundation, will continue to steadily develop and strengthen thanks to our joint efforts for the welfare of our countries and the prosperity of our region. I wish you strong health, happiness, and success in your upcoming responsible activities for the well-being and prosperity of the friendly people of Georgia. Sincerely, Ilham Aliyev President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Baku, 10 February 2024" --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 11 February 2024 12:45 (UTC+04:00) President Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Seyyed Ibrahim Raisi on the occasion of the country's national holiday, Azernews reports. The letter reads: Dear Mr. President, On my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, I extend congratulations to you and your entire nation on the occasion of the national holiday of the Islamic Republic of Iran - the Day of Victory of the Islamic Revolution. The historically unifying friendly relations and shared spiritual values between our peoples provide a good basis for the development of Azerbaijani-Iranian intergovernmental relations and cooperation. The interaction between our countries in trade, economics, transportation, and other areas is gratifying today. I believe that the relations between Azerbaijan and Iran will continue to develop in an atmosphere of friendship and cooperation to the benefit of our peoples. On this remarkable day, I extend my best regards to you, and wish your people peace and prosperity. Sincerely, Ilham Aliyev President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Baku, 8 February 2024" --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 10 February 2024 21:59 (UTC+04:00) President of the Republic of Kenya William Samoei Ruto has congratulated President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on his resounding victory in the snap presidential election. I write to convey my heartfelt congratulations for your re-election as the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Your resounding victory re-affirms the trust the people of Azerbaijan have in your ability and leadership over the years. I note with satisfaction that Kenya and the Republic of Azerbaijan have enjoyed strong, consistent, warm and friendly relations since the establishment of our diplomatic ties in 2004. As we mark the 20th anniversary of our diplomatic relations, I am delighted to observe that we have an excellent opportunity to enhance our engagements and extend them to cover new areas of mutual endeavour, according to agreed priorities. With this in mind, I take this opportunity to express confidence that under your continued leadership, we will be able to explore effective partnerships across diverse sectors, including trade and investments, energy, climate change and tourism. Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest esteem and that of the people of Kenya, the President of Kenya said in a post on the social media platform X. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 11 February 2024 16:59 (UTC+04:00) Central Election Commission's meeting will be held regarding the extraordinary presidential elections, Azernews reports. CEC will conclude the presidential elections and submit the results to the Constitutional Court. The Central Election Commission must ensure that the presidential elections are concluded within 10 days from the day of voting and that the results are submitted to the Constitutional Court for approval. By Article 103 of the Azerbaijani Constitution, the President-elect takes the oath within 3 days from the day of the Presidential elections' the results' official announcement by the Constitutional Court. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 11 February 2024 08:00 (UTC+04:00) Belarus and Russia intend to develop machine engineering for the cement industry, Azernews reports, citing Belta. The Belarusian Cement Company has recently become a platform to exchange experience and demonstrate recent developments and capabilities of Belarusian machine building for the modernization of cement plants in Russia. This is the next step to form technical sovereignty of the Union State in the cement industry, the company said. On 9 February, Minsk played host to an onsite meeting of the Cement Engineering Committee of the Russian non-profit organization Soyuzcement. It was attended by members of the cement engineering committee, managers and representatives of cement plants of the Russian Federation, representatives of the Belarusian Cement Company, partner enterprises of the event, and scientists of Belarus. Anatoly Nichkasov, Chairman of the Belarusian Union of Builders, has also joined the event. The program of the visiting meeting of the Soyuzcement committee envisages a discussion of the issues related to the development of the cement industry of Russia and Belarus, and cement machine building in particular. Representatives of Belarusian and Russian plants and employees of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus made reports on the topic. Plans are in place to pay visits to the scientific and production organization Tsentr and Amkodor as part of the event. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 11 February 2024 19:10 (UTC+04:00) On the sale of 40 new F-16 fighters and the modernization of the existing ones, the US Congress decided to approve the agreement with Turkiye, said the US embassy in Turkiye on X, Azernews reports. US Ambassador Jeff Flake said that Turkiye's fleet of F-16s is important for NATO forces in ensuring future interoperability between allies. On January 27, following Turkiye's decision to ratify Sweden's NATO accession, Ben Cardin, Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, approved the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkiye. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 11 February 2024 18:40 (UTC+04:00) Turkish police arrest 1 suspect over the armed attack on the AKP election event in Turkiye, Azernews reports, citing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's speech. "I condemn and curse the heinous attack that happened yesterday during Kuchukchekmece Mayor Candidate Aziz Yeniay's election campaign. Necessary investigations are being conducted seriously. One has been arrested, and we will arrest the others," Erdogan said. According to the president, the fight against terrorist organizations will be continued: "We have not and will not allow Turkiye to be dragged into an insecure environment". On February 10, around 4:30 p.m., shots were fired from rifles and pistols at the event where Aziz Yeniay, candidate for mayor of the AKP, was nominated in Istanbul's Kuchukchekmece district. During the attack, a woman was injured. An investigation into the incident has been launched. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 11 February 2024 19:45 (UTC+04:00) Belarus Deputy Economy Minister Vladimir Naumovich and senior officials of the Entrepreneurship Department met with a Bashkortostan delegation led by Minister of Entrepreneurship and Tourism Rustem Afzalov, BelTA learned from the press service of the Economy Ministry, Azernews reports, citing BelTA. The parties exchanged information on measures taken in Belarus and Bashkortostan to stimulate small and medium-sized businesses, increase their production and export potential, and facilitate implementation of investment projects. In addition, the heads of the business promotion authorities discussed the instruments and mechanisms to support entrepreneurs, the Economy Ministry noted. At the end of the meeting, Rustem Afzalov invited the Belarusian delegation to take part in the All-Russia Investment Forum Trans-Urals 2024 in June 2024. It was agreed that a B2B session will be organized for Belarusian and Bashkir small businesses during this event. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Aleksandr Lukashenko wished Ebrahim Raisi excellent health and happiness, and also peace, prosperity and success in building a strong state to the Iranian people. The president expressed gratitude for the hospitality with which the Belarusian delegation was received in Iran in March 2023: I am convinced that all the agreements reached during the visit will be effectively implemented. I take this opportunity to renew my invitation to you to visit Belarus at a convenient time to discuss new promising areas of cooperation, Aleksandr Lukashenko said. 11 February 2024 21:25 (UTC+04:00) TikTok owner ByteDance Ltd. faces the threat of hefty fines as the European Union prepares a probe under its strict new content moderation rules over concerns of risks to minors, Azernews reports, citing Al Arabiya. The European Commission will open an investigation into TikTok under the blocs new Digital Services Act in the coming weeks, people familiar with the matter said. The probe stems from concerns that changes the company made to comply with the new regulations arent enough to protect underage users, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the deliberations are private. The DSA gives regulators unprecedented powers to take action against major tech companies for how they handle content on their platforms. Companies face fines of as much as 6 percent of annual sales, or even risk being banned from the EU if they repeatedly break the rules. EU regulators in December opened their first formal probe under the DSA into Elon Musks X to establish possible breaches in the way the platform handles illegal content and disinformation. The bloc singled out 19 online platforms and search engines last year as large entities worthy of scrutiny and has been quizzing them for information. That includes X, Meta Platforms Inc., Alphabet Inc. and others with more than 45 million monthly active users in Eu-rope. The EU has since also added three porn sites. TikTok declined to comment on the matter but said it is in regular dialogue and hadnt received anything from the commission about an investigation. A representative for the commission declined to comment. The discussions are still ongoing and the EU may still decide against a full probe. The EU has sent several requests for information to TikTok since the platform was designated as a significant platform. Thats included inquiring about what steps its taken to protect minors, especially regarding the risks to mental health and physical health, and how its services are used by children. More investigations are likely to be added as the EU has been quizzing all designated firms for more information over the last few months. Similar to TikTok, Metas Instagram has also been quizzed by the EU on what changes its made to comply with the new rules and to assess and mitigate risks facing its underage users. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz UPDATE: Two discussions at his church (not First Methodist) my neighbor had this morning lead me to revise my opinion of the impact of this issue. I now think this is penetrating and has the potential to significantly impact both races adverse to the Walkers. My neighbor did not initiate either discussion, with one group he encountered between Sunday School and church and the other after church. Someone in the second group had read the article below but when my neighbor asked, no one in the first group even knew what the BO was. Both groups were highly concerned with the pandering to homosexuals aspect, and the second group also highly concerned about the illegal alien aspect. The concern was higher on the school board race, but existed for both. What was really telling was that there was consensus in both groups that the Walkers should not be re-elected. To me, this shows the information is spreading among voters and they are starting to use it in making their voting decisions. Of the four places I had heard this earlier, only the one who was a First Methodist member had mentioned using it as determining how they would vote. ORIGINAL ARTICLE ____________________________________________________________________________________ There has been a good bit of chatter among voters about the potential impact of involvment with a church split swinging two key local races against a local power couple. To their credit, these politicians' opponents do not seem to be trying to use this politically against them, nor do any other political organizations. Although more widespread than one would expect, it is still just chatter among voters. It is smart by opposing candidates not to try to use this politically as trying to weaponize anything about an opponent's religion usually backfires on those using it. A good example is former US Senator Elizabeth Dole (R-NC), who ran some TV ads that were interpreted as casting doubt on her opponent's religion, and prompty sank Dole's reelection campaign. To give some background, the situation involves County Commissioner Randy Walker and his wife School Board member Carolyn Walker and the congregation split at First Methodist Church in Washington. The Walker's had long been members of that church but were part of the minority of members who departed in the split. Many "mainline" Protestant denominations have had their central church bodies come under the influence or outright control of those who push more politicized doctrines over traditional religion. This has been going on for decades. First there was the "Social Gospel" which promotes liberal political doctrine, and then the even more radical "Liberation theology". These ideologies promote causes ranging from homosexuality to illegal immigration over traditional religious views. The United Methodist Church was one of the earliest such Protestant denominations to be heavily infiltrated by the Social Gospel, which was what we now call "woke" long before the term "woke" was even coined. Many local church congregations have never been happy with the Social Gospel and there has been increasing pushback, in some cases involving splits in denominations. In the Methodist Church, the pushback finally evolved to creation of a new denomination, the Global Methodist Church which is designed to get the church back to traditional religion and out of politicized doctines like the Social Gospel. This is where the split at First Methodist came in. Many in the church saw the new Global Methodist Church as representing more what they thought a church should be and began a process to leave the United Methodist Church to join the new denomination. The liberal Wikipedia says the split pitted the "progressives" who remained in the United Methodist Church against the "conservatives" who moved to the new Global Methodist Church. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Methodist_Church The Walkers were part of a vocal minority that wanted to remain in the United Methodist Church, and when that issue went against them the Walkers bailed out to another Methodist Church that remained part of the "woke" United Methodist Church. This is what led to the chatter among voters. While it might seem tempting in the throes of hotly contested political campaigns to try to tie some of the Walkers votes in government to their stance on this church split, like Randy Walker's vote in favor of tearing down the monument to fallen Confederate soldiers at Arlington Cemetery or Carolyn Walker's vote in favor of a math curriculum that includes promotion of leftist "social justice" political views in math class, their opponents have wisely not done so. If those issues on those votes as elected officials do get used, they should stand strictly on their own and not be tied in any way to what is dividing our churches. Contested issues within churches need to stay within those churches and not be dragged into politics. Other candidates in these races are to be commended for not trying to drag this church split into political campaigns. It is already a big enough challenge for the churches involved. What about voters? It may well impact how some who were very involved in the issue within that church vote, but probably not much beyond that. Only if the races are very close will that be enough to have a real impact. In spite of the wide chatter on this situation, most voters will likely look at other issues in making up their minds, like the failure of the county commission to reduce taxes in spite of their surplus, and the failing scores of so many Beaufort County schools. Kevin Stocklin writing for The Epoch Times has the following: As the May deadline approaches for finalizing negotiations between the World Health Organization (WHO) and its 194 member nations over how much authority they will cede to the WHO once it declares a global health emergency, many health and policy experts are urging the Biden administration not to sign the United States up to the agreement. In February 2023, WHO member states negotiated the Zero Draft of a new treaty, which wasnt identified as a treaty but rather as the WHO convention, agreement or other international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (WHO CA+). This WHO CA+, which functions as a treaty, has gone through an opaque process of negotiation and amendments ever since, from which the public has been essentially excluded, with the goal of signing it this year. Among the goals for the United States, as set by the Biden administration, are to strengthen the global health security architecture, including WHO strengthening, and engage in ongoing negotiations to amend the IHR and develop a Pandemic Accord. A Dec. 30, 2023, White House fact sheet states, Global health security is vital for international security and solidarity, and cannot be achieved alone. When a Treaty Isnt a Treaty Reggie Littlejohn, president of Womens Rights Without Frontiers, criticized the WHO draft document for being crafted in a way that the Biden administration can sign the United States up to it without Senate approval. The WHO refuses to call the pandemic treaty a treaty, she said at a press conference organized by Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), chairman of the Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations Subcommittee. It calls it an agreement, an accord, a frameworkanything else. Likely because it does not want it to be submitted to the treaty process in the United States and worldwide, Ms. Littlejohn said. According to the WHO, the agreement, once signed by members, will be legally binding. Conventions, framework agreements, and treaties are all examples of international instruments, which are legal agreements made between countries that are binding, the WHO states. The U.S. Constitution gives the president the authority to enter into treaties, which are agreements between the United States and foreign entities, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur. Given the opposition to the WHO treaty, particularly from Republicans, it seems unlikely it would pass the Senate. The United States has a more difficult treaty ratification process than most other member states, said Andrew Bremberg, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. So there has been a recent history over the last several decades to develop new international treaties but not call them treaties, so as to avoid the ratification process. In May 2022, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) introduced a bill in the Senate that would have required the WHO treaty to be considered a treaty, hence obligating the consent of 67 senators. In February 2023, the bill received 47 votes in favor, with 49 senators voting against. Some lawmakers have been frustrated by the Biden administrations negotiations of the WHO treaty, which they say havent been transparent to the public. Trying to pin down the terms that are being negotiated is like trying to nail jello to the wall, said Tony Perkins, chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. It continues to change with every meeting, every approach, and so were doing our best to analyze what the WHO is putting forward. The reason that nobody is being told whats going on here is because it cant withstand the light of day, said Frank Gaffney, chairman of the Center for Security Policy. If you actually went to the American people and proposed that we turn over their personal medical health and freedom to this body that screwed it up recently, they wouldnt want any part of it. The WHO Faces Criticism Beyond the secrecy, one reason that the treaty is facing hostility is that the WHOs performance during the COVID-19 pandemic undermined many peoples confidence in the organization. When the WHO needed to step up and help the world navigate this unprecedented event of a novel Coronavirus and a global pandemic, they instead ignored facts, they parroted back some of the narrative the Chinese Communist Party told them, and thats what we got, stated Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio), chairman of the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic. I think maybe most appalling is that the WHO even delayed naming the pandemic a public health emergency of international concern because the CCP confirmed that the spread of the virus was under control. These are not actions of a properly functioning, transparent, nonpartisan organization ... we need a system where global public health and local public health entities do not mislead the American public in any way, shape, or form. Dr. Monique Wubbenhost, an OB-GYN and former global health administrator at the U.S. Agency for International Development, said the WHOs performance during other pandemics was no better than its performance during COVID-19. I was in West Africa during Ebola in 2014, Dr. Wubbenhost said. The WHOs response was hampered by poor communication, a lack of realization of the seriousness of the outbreak, and inadequate action. During the pandemic in Liberia, the WHO was not able to adequately manage the pandemic response, provide timely and accurate information, or hold member states accountable for their lack of data sharing, she added. She said the WHO hasnt demonstrated that it has addressed the institutional problems that underlie those failures. Corruption, favoritism, inappropriate use of funds, collusion with terrorists, and sexual misconduct have been documented at U.N. agencies, she said. Such incidents show that, sadly, the U.N. appears to lack effective mechanisms for oversight and accountability, and this would apply to any efforts to increase its authority over pandemic prevention, surveillance, response, and recovery. Will More Power Help the WHO Do Better? Proponents of the WHO treaty argue that its purpose is to provide funding and authority so that the WHO can improve its pandemic response. According to the WHOs website: WHO Member States have developed multiple global legally-binding agreements, conventions, accords, and other types of international instruments to protect and promote peoples health, including the WHO Constitution itself, the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and the International Health Regulations. These international instruments represent a commitment by countries of the world to address the health needs of their citizens to advance their health status and strengthen the socio-economic status of their communities at large. But critics argue that the drafts they have been able to review thus far arent likely to achieve this goal. Were going through a multi-year, actually rushed treaty process to have the world adopt a new pandemic treaty, and there is not one provision in there that would have actually dealt with the most important issuethe lack of accountability and transparency by the Peoples Republic of China in disclosing vitally important epidemiological information, Mr. Bremberg said. Experts also question provisions in the WHO agreement that give it the authority to coordinate supply chains for vaccines, medicine, and medical products. In addition, one of the stipulations in the agreement is that during a pandemic, member states will transfer a portion of their medicines and health devices to the WHO, which would then distribute them globally according to its core mission of achieving equity. The WHO is supposed to get 20 percent of all pandemic-related products, Dr. Wubbenhost said. But regarding how those products would then be distributed by the WHO, theres a lack of accountability and there is no independent monitoring or audit body that is identified. The stipulation in the treaty to favor developing nations in order to meet equity goals could result in a transfer of medicines and medical technologies from the United States to countries such as China, analysts say. Much of the draft focuses on providing special treatment for developing countries including financial support and policies designed to promote research collaboration, said Brett Schaefer, a research fellow at The Heritage Foundation. While there are reasons to support these types of activities to help developing countries bolster their health systems, these efforts should be voluntary, not obligatory through a treaty. In addition, because the U.N. considers China to be a developing country, they will benefit from special treatment and access to proprietary technology and know-how. U.S. law doesnt give the federal government authority over health matters, thus leaving it to states. However, the Biden administration wants the WHO agreement and IHR amendments signed in order to justify having more federal control to set health policy, Mr. Gaffney said. [The Biden administration] wants to have somebody else telling it to do what it wants to do, at the peril of our freedoms, and Constitution, and Republic, he said. During COVID-19, even though federal agencies didnt have the legal authority to direct health policy, they frequently issued directives and recommendations on things such as masking, vaccines, and school closures, which were largely followed by municipalities, companies, and school districts. Critics of the treaty argue that having a central, global authority issuing directives would reinforce such efforts to federalize a pandemic response. A Weak Framework Critics worry that, likewise, directives and recommendations from the WHO will become de facto policy in the United States, and they say that signing up would be a step toward global governance at the cost of constitutional rights. This fear of losing civil liberties is heightened by numerous actions by state actors and health officials that violated civil rights during COVID-19, including censorship, lockdowns, vaccine passports, church and school closures, and attempts to force vaccinations such as the 2021 U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) directive that compelled companies to fire unvaccinated employees. I served as chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, and I saw how Western governments used that to violate fundamental human rights, freedom of speech, the censoring of voices on social media platforms, Mr. Perkins stated. Government officials intentionally took down credible scientific voices that challenged the global misdiagnosis and subsequent global protocols; families were separated, churches and other support groups were closed. At the tip of the spear of these failed approaches was the World Health Organization. Instead of acknowledging its failures, the WHO seeks to submit its disastrous approach to the entire world as the way forward in a binding agreement. In November 2023, Human Rights Watch stated that the current draft [of the WHO agreement] fails to enshrine core human rights standards protected under international law ... therefore risking a repeat of the tragic failures during the COVID-19 pandemic. The current proposed text offers a weak framework for ensuring that countries will be accountable for maintaining a rights-compliant response to future pandemics, Human Rights Watch stated. The group said other human rights organizations agreed with its stance, including Amnesty International; the Global Initiative for Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights; and the International Commission of Jurists. One core human right that may come into conflict with the WHO accord is the freedom of speech, in light of efforts by the WHO and other global institutions to fight misinformation. One of the directives under the WHOs net zero draft accord is that members will commit to tackle false, misleading, misinformation or disinformation and conduct regular social listening and analysis to identify the prevalence and profiles of misinformation. This is consistent with the World Economic Forums 2024 Global Risks Report, which calls misinformation the most severe global risk. Echoing that viewpoint, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told attendees at the World Economic Forums Davos summit in January that the top concern for the next two years is not conflict or climate, it is disinformation and misinformation. That view also appears to be gaining traction in the United States, despite First Amendment protections against regulating speech. Recently, several academicians and doctors have charged that their research, which criticizes government policies such as lockdowns and compulsory vaccinations, is being censored in academic journals and the media. In a case currently before the Supreme Court, Murthy v. Missouri (originally filed as Missouri v. Biden), state attorneys general from Louisiana and Missouri have charged that the Biden administration pressured social media companies to censor protected speech that contradicted the government narrative regarding COVID-19 origins, vaccines, and treatments. In September 2023, a district court judge ruled against the Biden administration in this case, declaring that the administrations effort to censor Americans was the most massive attack against free speech in United States history and that the Biden administration blatantly ignored the First Amendments right to free speech. Jones explained the president has refused to meet with the 3,300 sheriffs and police chiefs across the US amid the border crisis and eruption in violent crime nationwide. "We were also told by Mr. Ray, the FBI director, that there are more red flags going off now than before 9-11," Jones said. Here's part of the transcript of the sheriff's press conference where he explains Wray's warning for America (transcript courtesy of Wall Street Apes): "China has safe houses in every state in the United States." "They're bringing something here to cause us harm. You have to believe that. China has safe houses in every state in the United States. My name is Rick Jones. I'm the Butler County Sheriff, Butler County, Ohio. I just came back from the National Sheriff's Training in DC three days ago, two days ago. We were briefed by the FBI director Ray, the director of the FBI, and several federal agencies. There's 3,300 sheriffs in the United States. The President of the United States refuses to meet with the sheriffs of the 3,300. We have a hierarchy. We have a president. We have a vice president. The President of the United States refuses to meet with the sheriffs. He also refuses to meet with the police chiefs of the United States. They have a hierarchy also. He refuses to meet with them to talk about border issues or talk about crime that's going on because of the border issue. We were also told by Mr. Ray, the FBI director, that there are more red flags going off now than before 9-11. Okay? When I say red flags, meaning people that are here in this country that are wanting to do harm to us. We were also explained we're bombing two countries right now. Two countries. These people do not like us before this started. There's thousands of people here from other countries, 160 different countries. They're here not to be our friends. Some of them are coming because they're wanting to come here to the best country in the world, the way we see it. Some are coming here to do harm to us. And we were told by the FBI director, it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when. We were also told five sheriffs went to Israel five weeks after the attack. The only thing that saved the Israelis, their government was the local police. They were outgunned, outmanned. They came over. The Palestinians did. They came over. They killed, raped. The sheriffs were there. They talked to the police. The local police are what saved that country. You can't just call, even in Israel, you can't just call the military up, and they're going to be there, okay? They went house to house, raping, killing. The Israeli police. When our guys got there, the sheriffs said, they just don't hate us. They hate you guys equally. And the same people that train them are the same people that train people to hate us. The FBI director said when 9-11 hit, there's more red flags now than then. So, and he said, these are people that want to kill us and do harm to us. Now, so you're wondering, I want everybody to know what I know. I can't tell you everything, but I want the public to know that we are in a terrible way right now. The United States, and I'm going to get to the local. The United States, we're on the defense. You can't be just defense and not have an offense. We have no offense. We're just defense. We're absorbing these attacks. We're in other countries. We're supplying them with weapons. We're supplying them with our treasure, our money. And we're not doing much back home. So. With that in mind, we were also told that they're going, this is from the federal government, three days ago. They're going to attack our elections." https://www.zerohedge.com/political/more-red-flags-9-11-ohio-sheriff-warns-american-people-worsening-border-invasion BY: Observer Editorial Team Many registered Republicans and unaffiliated voters dont get around to voting in primary elections. These elections are just as important as the general election to be held during November of 2024. The primary election is where the undesirable Republicans, the riff raff, the opportunists and the RINOs (Republican In Name Only) are eliminated from holding office. Too many people complain that there are not enough really good candidates in the November election. The primary election is where we pick those really good candidates. Early Voting begins on February 15 and runs thru Saturday March 2. Then, the election day is Tuesday March 5th. The hours are 8:00 AM to 7:30 PM. The polls close early, at 3:00 PM, on Saturday March 2nd. Unaffiliated or Independent voters may pick either the Republican or Democrat Primary to vote in. This year the primary will be dominated by Republicans. This is mainly because the majority vote in most eastern North Carolina counties is conservative. There are important battles within the Republican Party. This is because many new Republicans and Northern Republicans who have moved into the area are liberal, resembling Democrats. We presented, in an article last week, our recommendations for conservative Republicans. There is a pre-marked sample ballot available at Hood Richardsons office at 110 West Second Street in Washington. Candidates drive issues. If you want to change government, you have to change the people who are running government. Some very expensive issues in Beaufort County Government that will be coming up during the next two years are: subsidized housing, county expanded Medicaid, a new jail and the funding LGBTQ and other woke issues in the schools. Commissioner John Rebholz is chairman of the Beaufort County Affordable Housing Committee. Commissioner Randy Walker is a member of this committee. They last met on Tuesday February 5, 2024. Rebholz and Walker are talking housing to be built on surplus Beaufort County land. The rent proposal is $800.00 per month including washer and dryer with free utilities. Work out the numbers and we believe it is impossible to provide this service without the Beaufort County taxpayers paying part of the expense. Other issues are: who is eligible for this freebie, and will the County create a new department to manage this welfare program? Most of us thought Obama Care took care of socialized medicine in the United States. Recently the State of North Carolina expanded MEDICAID to include many people who had not worked enough to qualify. Again, we thought that was as far as socialized medicine could go. Not so. The Beaufort County Department of Health is proposing to provide MEDICAID health care. This is being proffered as an administrative hoax. That is, they are not asking permission, they are announcing they are providing it and unless the Commissioners object, it will be a done deal. There are a multitude of reasons not to do this. Some of these are undefined medical liability, the difference between public health and private health, increase in the number of County employees, competition with established medical practices, etc, etc. John Rebholz presented statements supporting expanding County MEDICAID when the issue was raised during the February Commissioner meeting. Commissioner Randy Walker seemed to support County expanded MEDICAID. Commissioner Jerry Langley has not given up on a new jail. With the wheeling and dealing that is already going on among the RINOs like Rebholz and Walker you could expect these three voting together with Fake Frankie Waters so all could all have what they want. The jail is not full. The COVID epidemic forced jail administrators to do what Commissioner Hood Richardson advocated and greatly reduce the jail population. Beaufort County provides about 18 million dollars per year for education. The present Board of Commissioners provides the money with no explanation from the school Board as to how it was spent. The School Board comes back each year asking for MORE without accounting for what they did with the money last year. This has allowed wasteful spending and funds to be used for LGBTQ, CRT and other woke promotional materials to be placed in the schools. Programmed curriculums with imbedded propaganda, that require little lecture time by teachers are being purchased. With the method the Board of Commissioners uses to fund schools, once they adopt the budget the schools can then pretty much spend that money the way they wish. The only practical restrictions are that current expense and capital outlay expenditures cannot be moved from one Fund to the other without Commissioner approval. As a practical matter, once the Board of Commissioners approves the budget, the School Board and Superintendent can do what they want with the money. Put another way, there is virtually no oversight of how the money is really spent. Budget development is a kabuki dance to fool the voters. The Conservative Commissioner Team, consisting of candidates: Tandy Dunn, Steve Carawan and Hood Richardson are promising to do the following: 1. Vote only for Republicans for Commissioner Chairman and Vice Chairman, 2. Reduce taxes ten percent the first year in office, 3. Stop growing County Government, 4. Stop paying for CRT, LGBTQ and other woke programs in the public schools, and 5. Eliminate wasteful spending from the continuation budget. You can vote for only one commissioner candidate. There are three conservative school board candidates in the primary. They are: Brian Wood for the Pinetown District, Raymond Start for the River Road District and Stacey Davis for the Old Ford District. Randy Walker is on the County Commission and Carolyn Walker is on the School Board. They are married. While there is nothing illegal about this, it certainly raises some ethical and collusion issues. Republicans are embroiled in a controversy in the Register of Deeds race. A newly appointed Register of Deeds, within four days of taking office, stopped hard copy filing deeds, deeds of trust, powers of attorney and other important papers. She put all of them on the internet as the sole place to obtain copies. There is no question about how unreliable the internet is. In doing this she violated a law, the budget ordinance of Beaufort County. Tim Melton is running for Register of Deeds. Tim Melton promises to file these important documents in hard-copy books in the Court House. We believe the above issues are important enough that every person who is eligible to vote in the Republican Primary should do so and that is especially true for Unaffiliated registered voters. Irish star Andrew Scott has suggested that there should be weekly sales of West End theatre tickets as young people struggle to afford 150 tickets. The 47-year-old actor, known as the hot priest in the comedy series Fleabag and as James Jim Moriarty in the detective show Sherlock, has won Olivier Awards for his theatre work. His latest production, Vanya, an adaption of Russian playwright Anton Chekhovs family drama Uncle Vanya will be shown in cinemas from February 22. Andrew Scott has won Olivier Awards for his theatre work (Isabel Infantes/PA) When the critically acclaimed play was on at the Duke of Yorks Theatre in September, there was a ballot for 10 tickets for under 30s, amid reported sales of seats for up to 180. Scott told Isobel Gough on BBC Radio 4s Broadcasting House programme that he thinks the current situation is a problem. He said: No matter how zeitgeisty or how modern you think your play is, if you are having to spend 150, no person between the age of 16-25 or beyond is going to be able to afford that, that is frustrating to me. Hopefully there is some night or two nights a week when you can get something like a sale rack, you have to be prepared to rummage a little bit. It is important that it doesnt remain an elitist art form. Dominic West who was in The Crown has also criticised the prices of West End theatre tickets (Ian West/PA) The Crown and The Wire star Dominic West is also among actors who have hit out at West End theatre prices, saying that they are crazy at the moment. He told The Times in November that he wanted to be in Arthur Millers A View from the Bridge at the Ustinov Studio in Bath which plays from February 16 to March 16 due to regional audiences having hunger for a good play and for a good night at the theatre. West also said: You get a lot of tourists in London and people are not necessarily there because they want to be there it is because it is part of the tourist trail. Several websites offer cheap theatre tickets for London shows for around 10 or 20 but some productions, such as Plaza Suite starring husband and wife actors Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker as a couple, have prices between 125 and 200. In October 2020, Scott won the best actor Olivier Award for his role in Present Laughter, a modern reflection on fame, desire and loneliness. He also won the 2005 gong for outstanding achievement in an affiliate theatre for A Girl In A Car With A Man, which focuses on a narcissistic male character. Scott recently starred in All Of Us Strangers about an adult dealing with the grief of losing both his parents along with Paul Mescal. The fantasy drama has been nominated for a total of six Baftas, which also includes best director for Looking series writer Andrew Haigh and outstanding British film. The London-born director was honoured with the prize for outstanding directorial achievement in theatrical feature film at the Directors Guild of America (DGA) Awards on Saturday night. The 53-year-old is already a contender for a best directing Oscar for his story covering the rise and fall of the father of the atomic bomb, J Robert Oppenheimer, played by Irish actor Cillian Murphy. Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan, centre, with DGA awards presenters Daniel Kwan, left, and Daniel Scheinert (Chris Pizzello/AP) The director told the DGA audience in Beverly Hills, California: I dont (want to) leave the stage without your understanding how much this means to me. The idea that my peers would think I deserve this means everything to me. The idea that my kids would think that I deserve this means everything. Nolan was previously nominated for the prize for Dunkirk in 2017, Inception in 2010, The Dark Knight in 2008 and Memento in 2001. Murphy, who has also been in Nolans superhero movie Batman Begins, science fiction film Inception and war epic Dunkirk, paid tribute to their partnership. The 47-year-old actor, who is an Oscar nominee for Oppenheimer, which has received 13 Academy Award nods, said working on the film was like a masterclass in how movies should be made and Nolan took audiences on an unexpected journey to leave us in darkness and awe. He added: Its the same each time: the scripts are always truly extraordinary, the roles are always challenging and distinctive, they are intelligent and consequential and, always, they are events. Ryan Gosling, left, with Barbie director Greta Gerwig (Chris Pizzello/AP) Greta Gerwig, who did not win the top prize but was nominated and took home a medallion for her achievement for Barbie, starring Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie, appeared emotional as she took to the stage. The 40-year-old American director, who wrote the biggest blockbuster of last year with her husband, Noah Baumbach, said she was in the company of my heroes as she hailed Nolan and Martin Scorsese, who was also given a nod for Killers Of The Flower Moon, about Native Americans resisting an oil company. Gerwig added: I couldnt begin to tell you how every moment of their film-making has freed me from cuts that have everything to do with energy and nothing to do with following the pools to the heartbreak of the strivers in their pictures to the way they approach fate with all your films. Elsewhere, Past Lives director Celine Song was given the award for outstanding directorial achievement in a first-time theatrical feature film for her movie that chronicled how two South Korean childhood friends rekindle their affections in New York. Also honoured was Peter Hoar for dystopian zombie series The Last Of Us, Christopher Storer for restaurant drama The Bear, and Sarah Adina Smith for 1960s drama Lessons In Chemistry, which stars Brie Larson. Israel has signalled a ground invasion will take place in Rafah (AP) Scotlands First Minister Humza Yousaf has said a threatened Israeli ground invasion of the Gazan city of Rafah would cause devastation beyond comprehension. Mr Yousaf said such action by Israel would be indefensible, and urged the international community to demand an immediate ceasefire. Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked the military to plan for the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people in Rafah ahead of an expected ground 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 The city, on the southern border with Egypt, is providing refuge to more than half of Gazas population of 2.3 million people. Mr Yousaf commented on a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, by Irish deputy premier Micheal Martin who said expanded military operations in Rafah would pose a grave threat to the estimated 1.5 million Palestinians sheltering there and must be condemned. He said all countries must demand an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Mr Yousaf posted on X: Ireland is right. Israel displaced millions of innocent men, women & children to south Gaza. 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 They have nowhere to go. Israels threatened action in Rafah is indefensible & will cause devastation beyond comprehension. International community must demand an immediate ceasefire. According to Israel, Rafah is the last remaining stronghold for Hamas fighters in Gaza, after more than four months of conflict sparked by the deadly October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. It is not clear where civilians in Rafah could move to as Israeli evacuation orders now cover two-thirds of Gaza. UK Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron has said he is deeply concerned about the situation. He posted on X: Deeply concerned about the prospect of a military offensive in Rafah over half of Gazas population are sheltering in the area. Mr Yousaf warned of devastation in Rafah (Steve Welsh/PA) The priority must be an immediate pause in the fighting to get aid in and hostages out, then progress towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire. The latest figures from the Hamas-run health ministry put the overall Palestinian death toll at more than 28,000. Mr Yousafs parents-in-law were trapped in Gaza at the outbreak of hostilities last year following a trip to visit their relatives there. Elizabeth and Maged El-Nakla, from Dundee, were eventually able to leave Gaza through the Rafah crossing. Iran has marked the 45th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution amid tensions gripping the wider Middle East over Israels continued war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip (Vahid Salemi/AP) Iran marked the 45th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution on Sunday amid ongoing tensions in the wider Middle East over Israels continued war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Thousands of Iranians marched through major streets and squares decorated with flags, balloons and banners carrying revolutionary and religious slogans. In Tehran, crowds waved Iranian flags, chanted slogans, and carried placards with the traditional Death to America and Death to Israel written on them. Demonstrators in Tehran burn a US flag during their annual rally commemorating Irans 1979 Islamic Revolution (Vahid Salemi/AP) Some burned US and Israeli flags, a common practice in pro-government rallies. Processions started out from several points, converging at Azadi Square. The military displayed a range of its missiles, including the Qassem Soleimani and Sejjil ballistic missiles, and the Simorgh satellite carrier in the square, where people took selfies with them. During the celebrations, a paratrooper jumped from a plane while displaying a Palestinian flag. An Iranian paratrooper carrying a huge Palestinian flag floats near the Azadi (Freedom) monument tower in Tehran (Vahid Salemi/AP) Many high-ranking Iranian officials attended the celebrations in Tehran, including hardline President Ebrahim Raisi. He addressed the crowds in Azadi Square and called on the United Nations in a speech broadcast by state TV to expel the Zionist regime, as the crowds chanted Death to Israel. Mr Raisi also said the bombing of Gaza has to be stopped as soon as possible. The commander of the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, General Mohammad Salami, and General Esmail Ghaani, the head of the expeditionary force of Irans paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, also took part in the celebrations, while the head of the judiciary body, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejehi, was at the rally in the central city of Isfahan. Domestically-built missiles and a satellite carrier were on display in Azadi (Freedom) Square in Tehran (Vahid Salemi/AP) There was a heavy security presence in major cities across the country. The anniversary came a month after a deadly attack by the extremist Islamic State group in the central city of Kerman that left at least 95 people dead during commemorations for prominent Iranian general Qassem Soleimani whom the US killed in a drone strike in 2020. Iran has tried to blame the US and Israel for the attack as the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip continued. The Islamic Republic launched missile attacks on Iraq and Syria. It then struck alleged anti-Iran Sunni militant group Jaish al-Adl targets in nuclear-armed Pakistan, which responded with its own strikes on Iran, further raising tensions in a region inflamed by the Israel-Hamas war. Demonstrators in Tehran burn a representation of the Israeli flag during the annual rally commemorating Irans 1979 Islamic Revolution (Vahid Salemi/AP) Earlier in January, a drone attack killed three US troops in Jordan, which an umbrella group for Iran-backed factions known as the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed. The US said it held Tehran responsible. Iran threatened to decisively respond to any US attack on the Islamic Republic. The Islamic Revolution began with widespread unrest in Iran over the rule of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. The shah, secretly terminally-ill with cancer, fled the country in January 1979. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini then returned from exile and the government fell on February 11 1979, after days of mass demonstrations and confrontations between protesters and security forces. Donald Trump said he would not defend any country that did pay its fair share towards Nato (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) Natos leader warned on Sunday that Donald Trump was putting the safety of US troops and their allies at risk after the Republican presidential front-runner said Russia should be able to do whatever the hell they want to alliance members who do not meet their defence spending targets. Mr Trumps remarks caused deep concern in Poland, a country in central Europe that has been under Russian control more often than not since the end of the 18th century. Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said no election campaign is an excuse for playing with the security of the alliance. Speaking on Saturday at a rally in Conway, South Carolina, Mr Trump recalled how as president he told an unidentified Nato member that he would encourage Russia to do as it wishes in cases of Nato allies who are delinquent. You didnt pay? Youre delinquent? Trump recounted saying. No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You gotta pay. You gotta pay your bills. Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said that the 31 allies are committed to defending each other. Nato remains ready and able to defend all allies. Any attack on Nato will be met with a united and forceful response, Stoltenberg said. Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the US, and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk. Mr Stoltenberg added in his statement that he expects that regardless of who wins the presidential election, the US will remain a strong and committed Nato ally. The German government did not officially comment on Mr Trumps remarks, but the countrys foreign office published a statement on Sunday morning pointing out Natos principle of solidarity. One for all and all for one. This Nato creed keeps more than 950 million people safe from Anchorage to Erzurum, the foreign ministry said on X, formerly Twitter. German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung wrote in an editorial that if Trump will become US president again, such statements will increase the risk of Putin expanding his war. Europeans can only do one thing to counter this: finally invest in their military security in line with the seriousness of the situation. Mr Trumps comments were of particular concern to Natos front-line countries, like Poland and the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, which were either under the control of Moscow or fully incorporated into the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Fears there run especially high given Russias invasion of Ukraine. While in office, Mr Trump had already threatened not to come to the aid of any country under attack that he considered owed Nato and the US and was not spending enough on defence. His stance destabilised the alliance, particularly countries with borders close to Russia. Under Natos mutual defence clause, Article 5 of its founding treaty, all allies commit help of any member who comes under attack. Article 5 has only ever been activated once by the US in the wake of the September 11 2001 attacks. After Russia annexed Ukraines Crimean Peninsula in 2014, Nato leaders agreed to halt the defence spending cuts made after the end of the Cold War and start moving toward spending 2% of gross domestic product on their military budgets. No country is in debt to another, or to NATO. Nato has undertaken its biggest military build-up since the Cold War since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Beauty dreaming of starting a family with MMA fighter partner after buying a house together Melissa in the studio where she's worked for eight years. Picture by Peter Morrison Love is most definitely in the air on Valentines Day for Cool FM presenter Melissa Riddell. The broadcaster is head over heels for Scott Hazard Harvey, a professional mixed martial arts fighter. They bought a house together last year, and while Scott has yet to pop the question, Melissa cant wait to have children. She said: We bought a house in June and were delighted. We had been renting for two-and-a-half years and knew we wanted to buy a house it was just about finding the right one. If were lucky enough, we would love to one day have children, so definitely we plan to be together for the future. Weve no plans to go our separate ways. The 31-year-old said she was not going to capitalise on the February 29 leap year tradition, when its said women propose to men. Thats something I wouldnt want to take away from Scott. I have no doubt thats something he wants to do in the future, so Im not going to rush it, she added. Melissa and partner Scott Harvey Melissa, from near Portglenone, has been shaking things up as an influencer and Cool FM regular. She graduated from the stations in-house academy scheme to front its late-night Cool Goes Quiet slot for the best part of eight years. Before that, she lived in England. I went to university in England and I feel like I lost the accent over there, Melissa said. I studied drama and performance, and making sure you are articulate is very important. Eight years (on Cool Goes Quiet) is a long time and I would never say that Im no longer ambitious. Ive always been ambitious, but as the years go on, the things you want from life change. My ambitions are now in my home life and the family that I hope to have one day. Career-wise, I feel so happy and so lucky to do what I do and have done. Realistically, I just want to keep doing that as long as I can. Ive done the Cool Goes Quiet show for eight years now and I do the weekend breakfast show. I always wanted the opportunity to do a double-header and I get to do that with my friend (and fellow Cool FM presenter) Curtis (McCosh). We did the podcast and weve stopped that for now, but were in talks about it again. I get to do all this with my friends, and then with my social media side of things, I never expected it to take off the way it has. I just want to do it as long as I can. Its not the most secure job in the world neither parts of my job are secure. I could wake up tomorrow and Instagram and TikTok could be gone. You just never know. Melissa and Scott bought a house together last year Melissas job means she has access to all sorts of big-name pop stars, but for her, its interacting with her listeners, local artists and day-to-day punters that means more. She said: I have interviewed Anne-Marie and Jess Glynne, and they were lovely. But to be completely honest, I get the most pleasure from interviewing the local stars. Brooke Scullion is an absolute doll and weve had her on the show a couple of times. Shes from down the road from me and shes such a nice girl. Shes doing really well. The couple in New York Sometimes those are the interviews you get the most pleasure from because you get to watch what they do afterwards. Cool Goes Quiet has been around for years and years. It is (at) the hour where its all love songs. Its the show I listened to growing up. Coming up to Valentines Day, were going to amp things up a bit. Instead of doing one hour, were going to be doing two hours. We may be taking to the streets of Belfast to see what everyone would like to get played, and there might be some surprises along the way next week. Listen to Cool FM on 97.4 FM and on digital channels Belfast loyalists say theyll defy orders to abandon peaceline pyre so hierarchy can secure Irish government peace funding Loyalists have vowed to defy the UVF and UDA by building an Eleventh Night bonfire on a controversial peaceline in north Belfast. Members of both paramilitary gangs called to the homes of prominent loyalists in the Tigers Bay area on Monday night, warning them there would be trouble if the bonfire on Adam Street went ahead as planned. NI mum on 10th anniversary of childs death: People say it will get easier, but it doesnt Exclusive | Charlie Lawson: My regrets at paramilitary past - I got mixed up with a loyalist terror group during my teens Former Corrie star investigated by RUCs Special Branch after mixing with nefarious company Charlie Lawson during the opening ceremony of the newly redeveloped Windsor Park in 2016. Ivan Little Sun 11 Feb 2024 at 08:20 Former Coronation Street star Charlie Lawson has revealed he was involved with a loyalist paramilitary organisation in his youth. Exclusive | Loyalist supposedly shunned over Ian Ogle murder seen at head of UVF parades East Belfast gang had vowed to rid itself of all of the accused, but pics prove man linked to frenzied killing remains well-regarded Thomas McCartney Ciaran Barnes Sun 11 Feb 2024 at 08:50 These are the images that make a mockery of East Belfast UVF claims about banishing anyone involved in Ian Ogles murder. Chris Hazzard spoke at smash capitalism summit A non-profit South African company paid more than 1,400 for a Sinn Fein MP to speak at a conference about overthrowing capitalism and creating a socialist utopia. Chris Hazzard flew to the event in Johannesburg last October to present an update on the political situation in Ireland and Britain. Details of the trip were declared on the South Down MPs register of interests. The cost of the journey was covered by Pan Africa Today, with flights and accommodation for the seven-day trip between October 13 and 20 coming to 1,484. The Dilemmas of Humanity group that organised the conference describes itself as an international peoples assembly which unites militants, activists, intellectuals, artists, and diverse sectors of our societies to collectively build the answers and actions that we need and want so much. Its website says: What are the central problems facing humanity today? What are the major crises of capitalism? What role does US imperialism play in social, political, economic and cultural conflicts across the world? Dilemmas of Humanity is a space to address these questions, a space for debates and the elaboration of real proposals for the construction of socialism the feasible way to guarantee a future for the peoples of the world. It was not the only trip abroad that month by the Sinn Fein MP, who does not take his seat in the House of Commons, with Mr Hazzard also travelling to the Czech Republic 10 days earlier. According to his declaration, the trip was to present an update at the Rosa Luxemburg European Summer School on the political situation in Ireland and Britain (and) participate in workshops and discussions... on political developments in Europe. The cost of the trip, which came to 743, was met by Rosa Luxemburg Siftung, a lobby group affiliated with the Germany democratic socialist party Die Linke. The Rosa Luxemburg Foundation tweeted a group photograph of the conference showing Mr Hazzard sitting on the floor. Prior to that, in January, the Sinn Fein MP visited Istanbul as part of a human rights delegation that included lawyers, politicians and members of civil society, who were there to observe the political situation in Turkey. The 625.36 bill was covered by the Association for Democracy and International Law, based in Cologne. Sunday Life contacted Sinn Fein for a comment but got no response. Property on Northern Irelands poshest street reduced to a shell after unauthorised works One of the entrances to Senlac Hill The interior of the building appears to have been gutted This is whats left of a near 100-year-old house on Northern Irelands most exclusive street after its owner carried out unauthorised demolition works. Senlac Hill, on Malone Park in south Belfast, now stands as an empty, roofless shell in stark contrast to the other 1m-plus houses on the street. Owner James Bradley pleaded guilty last month to allowing work on the 1925 eight-bedroom home to be carried out without planning approval. The 45-year-old was fined a five-figure sum and ordered to pay court costs for the prosecution brought against him by Belfast City Council. According to court documents, he caused to be executed works for the demolition of a building in a conservation area in September 2022. On January 30, Bradley, who address was given as Balmoral Avenue in Belfast, pleaded guilty to the single charge. The district judge fined him 15,000 and ordered him to pay court costs of 323. Owner James Bradley Sunday Life previously approached Bradley for a comment on the case, but he did not wish to discuss the matter. Senlac Hill, named after the site where the Anglo-Saxon king Harold Godwinson positioned his army for the Battle of Hastings, was last listed for sale in 2020 with an asking price of just under 1.8m. It was constructed to a design in the popular arts and crafts style by architect Thomas Houston. A planning application by Mr Bradley for the demolition of the house and the construction of a new home on the site is still open for consultation. Documents publicly available on a planning portal contain a response document from Belfast City Councils Conservation and Heritage Team. It said demolishing the house and replacing it with a new building would result in harm to a conservation area. As set out, it is considered that the existing building is of cultural significance through its aesthetic/architectural and historic interest, it added. It therefore makes a significant positive contribution to the character and appearance of the conservation area. It is considered that the existing building contributes through age, style and materials. Senlac Hill in 2020 It also contributes to the chronological reading of the conservation area, with buildings from the Victorian and Edwardian era to the ends of the Park to the Lisburn and Malone Roads, and interwar buildings to the middle. In conclusion, balancing the respective contributions of the existing and proposed buildings, would, it is considered, not preserve or enhance and result in harm to the character and appearance of the Conservation Area. Senlac Hill now sits roofless Malone Park forms part of a conservation area which, according to Northern Ireland Direct, are areas that include important examples of social, cultural and aesthetic history must be safeguarded from indiscriminate or ill-considered change. These areas often contain listed buildings. However, being in such as area is not always enough to protect these buildings. According to the council, [the] surroundings [of these buildings] and general environment are often of equal importance, and conservation areas are intended to protect that environment. Demolition work in such areas requires specific council consent, even if the building is not listed. Industry legend Pat who ran much-loved Lisburn Road boutique Jourdan selling blasts from sartorial past A model in a replica of a jumper once worn by Diana Jane McDonald in the 1990s wearing an outfit bought from Jourdan Pat Jourdan closed Jourdan in 2020 after 50 years in business but has now rediscovered classic stock - including a replica of Princess Diana's 'revenge dress - which she is selling online A treasure trove of designer vintage fashion dating as far back as the 1960s has been rescued from a warehouse in Belfast and is being snapped up online. The collection was moved for safekeeping after a bomb attack in the city in the early 70s and has been added to over the decades by the former owner of the couture boutique Jourdan. After decades under wraps, the ball gowns, costume jewellery, daywear and more by famous names such as Frank Usher and Bernshaw were revived for a new audience. Included among the many gems is a replica of Princess Dianas revenge dress, which she wore in June 1994 after the then Prince Charles admitted on TV he had been unfaithful to her. A model wearing a replica of Diana's dress Diana and the dress, created by Greek designer Christina Stambolian, made front-page news after she wore it to a Vanity Fair fundraising gala at the same time as Charles was coming clean. Two copies created by the international fashion house Bernshaw were among the items unearthed in Belfast. Also included are pieces from a one-off collection by the late Marc Bohan, the former creative director at Dior, who dressed Grace Kelly, Sophia Loren and Lauren Bacall. Pat Jourdan, who closed Jourdan in 2020 after 50 years in business, is selling the pieces through Vintage Plums, a new online store. Replicas are proving very popular more generally. A copy of Dianas revenge dress made for the Netflix series The Crown recently sold at auction for 10,000. Pat said: We have two in stock, designed by the international fashion house Bernshaw, in size 10 and size 14. UK sizes back then were smaller, so today they would be an eight and a 12. We also have pieces from a special one-off collection by Marc Bohan from 1992 which are so very rare, as well as so many other incredible brands through the decades up to the year 2000. Credited with building and developing Northern Irelands couture scene, Pats keen eye for successfully predicting what the most fashion-conscious women will want to wear, season after season, made her a legend in the industry. Jourdan, which opened in Queens Arcade and then moved to the Lisburn Road, was for many years was the go-to shop for ladies looking for something special for big events. Jane McDonald in the 1990s wearing an outfit bought from Jourdan But its customer base was not just limited to Northern Ireland, with people flying in from across the UK to shop there. It also counted celebrities among its customers. Pat started in the fashion business with her first boutique, La Babalu in Belfasts Church Lane, in 1964. It was one of eight trendy shops that led to the area becoming known as the Carnaby Street of the city. Pat said it had been an incredible time to work in the fashion industry but an often difficult time to live in Northern Ireland. She continued: Church Lane in the 1960s was so busy on a Saturday. It just came alive with people. When pop groups used to come to the city, they could be seen going up and down the street, in and out of the boutiques. The 1960s produced some of the most talented designers of the last century, such as Ossie Clark, Nolan Miller, Oleg Cassini, Anne Bruh, to name but a few. We were lucky enough to stock their brands. In 1972 we experienced our first direct bombing. We had to find a warehouse to put the stock in while the shop was being rebuilt. We were bombed a further two times after that, which resulted in more stock being held in what I referred to as the warehouse locked in time. As the decades wore on, I completely forgot about it all and it built up and up. When I finally had a look, I honestly didnt realise how much stock there was. So many of the pieces are by legendary designers now deceased or the factories have since closed or changed hands. All from the second half of the last century, weve been able to bring them to a worldwide audience on the internet at unrepeatable vintage pieces. TV presenter Jane McDonald was a regular at Jourdan, picking up costumes for her famous cruises. A dress found in the collection Pat recalled: Six months after her first visit, she returned, and this time she had a hairdresser, a PR person and a manager with her. I wasnt surprised at all that she was on her way. She deserves everything. I remember the captain of a cruise liner flew in from London to get an outfit for his wife for a 20th wedding anniversary gift. He said that when people were joining him at the captains table, he was amazed to hear how many of them had bought their outfits in Belfast at my shop. Almost 60 years after she entered the fashion business Pat is thrilled to still be ahead of the curve, catering for the appetite for vintage fashion with genuine, unworn pieces. She said: Unlike contemporary fashion, rare vintage pieces can command a high price, even when second hand that is, if you could bear to part with them. Irish star Andrew Scott has suggested that there should be weekly sales of West End theatre tickets in London as young people struggle to afford 150 (175) tickets. The 47-year-old actor, known as the hot priest in the comedy series Fleabag and as James Jim Moriarty in the detective show Sherlock, has won Olivier Awards for his theatre work. Advertisement His latest production, Vanya, an adaption of Russian playwright Anton Chekhovs family drama Uncle Vanya will be shown in cinemas from February 22nd. Andrew Scott has won Olivier Awards for his theatre work (Isabel Infantes/PA) When the critically acclaimed play was on at the Duke of Yorks Theatre in September, there was a ballot for 10 tickets for under 30s, amid reported sales of seats for up to 180. Advertisement Scott told Isobel Gough on BBC Radio 4s Broadcasting House programme that he thinks the current situation is a problem. Advertisement He said: No matter how zeitgeisty or how modern you think your play is, if you are having to spend 150, no person between the age of 16-25 or beyond is going to be able to afford that, that is frustrating to me. Hopefully there is some night or two nights a week when you can get something like a sale rack, you have to be prepared to rummage a little bit. It is important that it doesnt remain an elitist art form. Advertisement Dominic West who was in The Crown has also criticised the prices of West End theatre tickets (Ian West/PA) The Crown and The Wire star Dominic West is also among actors who have hit out at West End theatre prices, saying that they are crazy at the moment. He told The Times in November that he wanted to be in Arthur Millers A View from the Bridge at the Ustinov Studio in Bath which plays from February 16th to March 16th due to regional audiences having hunger for a good play and for a good night at the theatre. Advertisement West also said: You get a lot of tourists in London and people are not necessarily there because they want to be there it is because it is part of the tourist trail. Several websites offer cheap theatre tickets for London shows for around 10 or 20 but some productions, such as Plaza Suite starring husband and wife actors Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker as a couple, have prices between 125 and 200. Advertisement In October 2020, Scott won the best actor Olivier Award for his role in Present Laughter, a modern reflection on fame, desire and loneliness. He also won the 2005 gong for outstanding achievement in an affiliate theatre for A Girl In A Car With A Man, which focuses on a narcissistic male character. Scott recently starred in All Of Us Strangers about an adult dealing with the grief of losing both his parents along with Paul Mescal. Advertisement The fantasy drama has been nominated for a total of six Baftas, which also includes best director for Looking series writer Andrew Haigh and outstanding British film. The North's Deputy First Minister, Emma Little-Pengelly, has defended her lack of electoral mandate, saying she cannot change the circumstances of her position but will tackle the big issues facing the region. Ms Little-Pengelly said she has received thousands of messages from the public urging her to work with her colleagues in the Northern Ireland Executive to address the outstanding issues. Advertisement The Lagan Valley MLA accepted the DUP nomination to become the Deputy First Minister and serve alongside First Minister Sinn Feins Michelle ONeill. Ms Little-Pengelly was co-opted into the Assembly to replace Jeffrey Donaldson after the May 2022 general election. Michelle ONeill with Emma Little-Pengelly, as they arrived for the State funeral of John Bruton on Saturday. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Advertisement The DUP leader said at the time that he would remain as MP until the post-Brexit issues around the Northern Ireland protocol were resolved. The powersharing institutions were restored last Saturday after a deal between the British government and the DUP to address unionist concerns over post-Brexit trading arrangements, which included passing new legislation at Westminster. Advertisement Speaking on BBC Northern Irelands Sunday Politics show, Ms Little-Pengelly was asked about her lack of electoral mandate to serve in the Executive. All I can say is that I have been asked to do this role. I am approaching this role in the sense that weve got a significant programme of work to do, she said. Advertisement I am determined to use whatever time that there is, weve got three years left this mandate, that was what I am planning for in terms of driving through and supporting that change and delivery that we need to see. I cant change the circumstances of my position, but as I indicated previously, regardless of the circumstances, I think what people in Northern Ireland want to see is us looking to the future, working together, tackling those big issues. That is what the public wants us to be focused on. Advertisement Emma Little-Pengelly and Michelle ONeill attend a PSNI graduation ceremony at the PSNI College in Belfast (Liam McBurney/PA) In terms of the literally hundreds and hundreds, if not thousands of messages Ive received, that is the core message. It is not an issue by any of these particular points. It is saying to me we want you to try your best, to work hard and to make Northern Ireland work, to make the Executive work. Advertisement It is absolutely critical to get that delivery to challenge all of those big issues that happens within our public services and improve those for everyone in Northern Ireland. Meanwhile, Ms Little-Pengelly also said she will get out and support every person in the North, regardless of their background or beliefs. Advertisement The DUP MLA, who attended the funeral of former taoiseach John Bruton in Co Meath on Saturday with Ms ONeill, said there has been nothing off the table in previous events she has attended. In everything that I do, I will make clear that I am here to work for and to serve every person in Northern Ireland. Regardless of background, regardless of view, I will be working and tackling the big issues of health and education, tackling the big issues of childcare, she added. That is something that benefits families no matter what their view is on the constitutional question, no matter what their community background or what their faith is. Look, in my life Im somebody whos always worked with people and for people right across the community. When you said to me about doing something that was stretching, I dont think that theres anything for me that is off the table in terms of the things that I have done in the past, in relation to the constituencies I have represented. Advertisement I have supported sporting clubs from across all communities, including in terms of the GAA. I will be looking at all invitations that come in and absolutely clear, I will be getting out there and supporting every single person in Northern Ireland. She added: I am determined to build a positive relationship, not just with Michelle ONeill, but all of my colleagues around that table because thats what we need to do in order to move forward. We have to work constructively. Of course, we cant predict whats going to happen. Things will emerge. There will be challenges Ive no doubt, but I think that firm commitment at this stage is what every member around that Executive table should do and I certainly will bring my absolute commitment to that. Here, we have a look at the issues that will dominate Dail proceedings this week. Immigration The immigration issue is proving to be hugely divisive, and it is a big problem for both Government and the Opposition. Advertisement Government has been trying to strike a balance, with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar pledging a crackdown on illegal immigration. Mr Varadkar said they are targeting people who are trying to abuse the generosity of the Irish system. However, the worrying trend of arson on buildings earmarked for asylum seekers is something ministers have pledged to tackle. The latest occurred at a vacant home in Co Kildare which was burnt out. Advertisement Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said those involved will be brought to justice, while she claimed anti-refugee protesters "know exactly" who is behind the string of arson attacks. Advertisement Sinn Fein has previously taken a pro-immigration stance. The party had previously called for all refugees to be granted the same supports Ukrainians were granted after Russia's invasion, before they were recently cut. However, Mary Lou McDonald and senior figures in the party have recently shifted, saying they understand people's concerns around immigration. A survey for The Irish Times shows that Sinn Feins support has fallen by six points, to 28 per cent since last September. Advertisement The partys support has fallen in the last five opinion polls, and from a high of 36 per cent in 2022. Recent polls also show an increase in public concern over immigration issues, with one poll showing that the majority of people want tighter immigration rules in Ireland. Sinn Fein appears to be losing out over its immigration policy, particularly with younger voters who are moving towards parties such as Labour and Social Democrats. The issue will likely be to the fore in Dail discussions this week. Advertisement Over 100 community activists from across the country gathered in Dublin on Sunday to protest against the far-right. Communities Against Racism Ireland has been launched to tackle the hateful divisions developing in many towns around the country. Sinn Fein motion on TV licence fee Advertisement On Tuesday, Sinn Fein are set to table a motion for the TV licence fee to be scrapped and replaced by Exchequer funding to support public service media. After the RTE pay scandal, such a move would have plenty of public support. Advertisement Some of the other opposition parties may also back Sinn Fein, but with Government and Independent votes, it is unlikely to pass. Abroad In the UK, the Conservative Party and Labour are continuing to spar ahead of a general election which is likely to be called this year. UK prime minister Rishi Sunak is facing plenty of internal pressure from his own party too after the launch of the 'Popular Conservatives' faction of the party which includes his predecessor Liz Truss and former minister Jacob Rees-Mogg. Meanwhile, former British chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng has called on Mr Sunak to bring former prime minister Boris Johnson back into the fold ahead of the general election. In the US, Democrats are rushing to the defence of US president Joe Biden after a special counsels explosive claims that the 81-year-old president could not remember major milestones in his life. The president set the angry tone hours after special counsel Robert Hurs report was released, dismissing its conclusions about his memory and insisting he had not forgotten the year his son Beau died, as Mr Hur claimed. Republican frontrunner Donald Trump continues to court controversy. At a rally in Conway, North Carolina over the weekend, Mr Trump revealed that during his first term as US president, he warned Nato allies that he would encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want to countries that are delinquent. Can a cream, serum or retinol hold the key to the fountain of youth? Well, the jury may be out and it could all be down to good genes but we can all have a jolly good go at protecting our skin from premature ageing once we hit 40. Advertisement Its not a mystery as we age, the structural components in skin, such as collagen, decline, says Lizz Star, Origins executive director of global product development. This results in the appearance of fine lines that can become etched into skin with repeated movements. Additionally, mature skin typically has less moisture within and as a result may appear dull and feel dry. Advertisement View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dermalogica UK (@dermalogicauk) Advertisement The good news is, its never too soon to take care of skin with nourishing moisture, says Star. Advertisement As Valerie Cenizo, skin biology laboratory manager for LOccitane puts it: As we age, the needs of our skin evolve, requiring a more targeted and comprehensive skincare routine. Hydration and nutrition is a common need and after the age of 40, its essential to prioritise it. Here, experts share their top tips for a youth-preserving skincare regime Advertisement 1. Cleanse with care As your skin is changing, ask yourself if your routine needs to change too, suggests Star. Are you over-cleansing, and is your skin drier than it used to be? Re-look at the form of your cleanser, or how frequently you cleanse and exfoliate. Emma Lewisham Illuminating Oil Cleanser, Space NK Advertisement You may consider a creamy formula or oil-based cleanser, or less frequent scrubbing, she suggests. 2. Use a specialised serum Use a serum for specific skin needs, advises Cenizo. She recommends an overnight serum, some of which are adapted for all ages to improve the skin barrier protection. Origins PLANTSCRIPTION Active Wrinkle Correction Serum Star agrees: Consider adding a specialised serum to your regime. There are so many great ones that focus on age-related skin concerns, like loss of firmness, or lines and wrinkles. 3. Hydrate with age-specific creams Use a daily cream to improve hydration, nutrition and skin protection, advises Cenizo. After 40, skin also needs more protection against external aggressors the skin barrier becomes thinner and weaker. Advertisement Its beneficial to act on cell renewal, reinforce the skin barrier and add a protective ingredient. She continues, Indeed, a weak barrier induces loss of hydration and makes the skin more fragile against daily aggressors, increasing the premature ageing process. LOccitane Anti-Ageing Immortelle Divine Cream She recommends creams that hydrate and nourish, and contain essential oils with antioxidant and protective skin properties. These limit the impact of daily aggressors that ultimately can improve collagen, skin firmness and elasticity. Collagen is a protein in the body that is responsible for structure, strength and support, explains Gemma Jones, brand trainer at Institut Esthederm. It gives the skin a fresh, plump and firm look, providing elasticity and protecting it from sagging. Unfortunately, with time and environmental factors, the skins protein renewal process diminishes. Institut Esthederm Exclusive Intensive Pro-Collagen+ Cream 4. Give retinol the green light Another key ingredient to add to your daily routine is retinol, says Soraya Saint-Clair, Boots beauty skin specialist. Its a skincare powerhouse that can improve the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, discolouration, blemishes and pores by accelerating cellular turnover. Boots No7 Pure Retinol 0.3% Retinol Night Concentrate For first-time users, she recommends starting with a lower potency to avoid any sensitivity, and minimise irritation; such as a night concentration. Limit initial use to once or twice a week on non-consecutive nights, gradually increasing frequency and then building up to a higher concentration, she advises. 5. Introduce sunscreen to your skincare routine Advertisement No matter your age, one of the most important steps in your daily skincare regime is applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen, urges Saint-Clair. La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMUNE 400 Invisible Fluid SPF 50 There are so many easy-to-wear formulas that sit perfectly under makeup, or on their own as the final step in your morning skincare routine after moisturising. Saint-Clair recommends wearing a minimum of SPF 30 and a high UVA protection all-year round to help prevent damage from both UVA and UVB rays. Last but not least: Dont fall asleep with make up on. It can clog pores, which can lead to breakouts, and drink water like its going out of style, adds Star. Lunar New Year is upon us, with celebrations starting this weekend to welcome in the year of the dragon. The two-week festival marks the beginning of a new Lunar year and a new animal in the Chinese zodiac to represent the next 12 months. Advertisement Billions of people in China and around the world will celebrate, often wearing red clothes, decorating their homes with red lanterns and taking part in traditional dragon dances. Chinese astrologist and Feng Shui consultant Janine Lowe says this will be a year of change and while that might mean a rollercoaster 12 months, the change can also bring new opportunities. Advertisement What does this mean for people born in the dragon year? If youre born in the year of the dragon, which is 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000 and 2012, youre in luck this year is looking like a good year for you. Lowe says that often when people are born in the same year as the current animal, it can sometimes be conflictual, but this year the dragons have this amazing power to be entrepreneurial and creative. Advertisement They may become a sage for their friends, and Lowe adds that theres also a good chance for them to gain wealth or see their wealth expand this year. But, she warns: As long as they focus now on exactly what they want out of the year, theres no point in dilly-dallying around it, they need to know what they want out of the year. And while its not marked as a year of love for the dragon, there may be a chance for people born in the year of the dragon to spark a new romance come September. Advertisement So what about people not born in the year of the dragon? Those born under the other zodiac animals also have a big year ahead of them. For people born in the year of the dog (1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018) it is likely to be a big and conflicting year. Lowe says: Everything is about change, literally in every part of their lives. Its a huge change. Advertisement But dont be too worried she says that amongst the upheaval, positive changes are on the horizon for dog people too. Other zodiac animals will have an easier time rats will experience growth and energy and will have the opportunity to grow in their careers, while tigers will be able to indulge in their love of adventures. Advertisement Advertisement There will be new love interests for snakes this year, and there is a lot of good health, happiness and new connections around for monkeys. Rabbits like an easy, steady-paced life, so this year they will need to learn to adapt to change, and oxen folk will also face challenges and will need to reach out to the people around them, instead of relying on themselves. Goats will be faced with decisions this year, while horses should take up new opportunities that come their way. Lowe adds: Roosters are the secret friend of the dragon and, because its going to be a bit of a rollercoaster year for everybody, my advice is to hang onto the dragons tails and go with the year. She says it will be a very busy year for pigs, because they will end up being the supporters of the year both at home and at work. Will it be a good year for everyone? Generally, 2024 is about revolution and change. While that can daunting, it can also spark creativity and innovation. Lowe advises that creativity and original ideas will help this be the year its meant to be. The dragon, who Lowe explains comes with a lot of power and magic, will help you focus on getting what you truly want. Advertisement She says: The dragon has a lot of really positive stuff behind it, because it is the top Chinese animal. But its not something where you sit at home and do your knitting, and watch Netflix you need to get out of your chair and go make what you need or what you want to happen. And theres every opportunity for that to happen this year. Israels neighbours and key mediators have warned of disaster and repercussions if its military launches a ground invasion in Gazas southern city of Rafah, where Israel says remaining Hamas strongholds are located along with over half the besieged territorys population. The warning came after Israeli air strikes killed at least 44 Palestinians including more than a dozen children in Rafah. Advertisement Hours earlier, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had asked the military to plan for the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people ahead of an invasion. An Israeli soldier waves from his tank in southern Israel near the Gaza border (AP) Benjamin Netanyahu did not provide details or a timeline, but the announcement triggered panic in the region as well as warnings from diplomats. Advertisement More than half of Gazas 2.3 million people are packed into Rafah, many after following Israeli evacuation orders that now cover two-thirds of the territory. Advertisement It is not clear where they could run to next. - UNRWA did not know what is under its headquarters in Gaza. - UNRWA is made aware of reports through the media regarding a tunnel under the UNRWA Headquarters in Gaza. - UNRWA staff left its headquarters in Gaza City on 12 October following the Israeli evacuation orders and as Advertisement Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) February 10, 2024 Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry said any Israeli ground offensive on Rafah would have disastrous consequences, and asserted that Israel aims to eventually force the Palestinians out of their land. Advertisement Egypt has warned that any movement of Palestinians into Egypt would threaten the four-decade-old peace treaty between Israel and Egypt. Mr Shoukry also said Egypt was working to bridge the gap between the warring sides to achieve a permanent ceasefire and free the remaining hostages taken on October 7th in return for Palestinian prisoners in Israel. The negotiations are complex, he said. The German foreign minister said the people of Gaza cannot disappear into thin air (AP) Advertisement Another mediator, Qatar, also warned of disaster, and Saudi Arabia warned of very serious repercussions. There is even increasing friction between Mr Netanyahu and the United States, whose officials have said a Rafah invasion with no plan for civilians there would lead to disaster. The people in Gaza cannot disappear into thin air, German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock said on X, adding that an Israeli offensive on Rafah would be a humanitarian catastrophe in the making. Advertisement Israel says that Rafah, which borders Egypt, is the last remaining stronghold for the Hamas militant group in Gaza after more than four months of war sparked by the October 7th Hamas attack. Palestinians check the destruction after an Israeli strike in Rafah (AP) Air strikes have been carried out by Israel on Rafah almost daily, even after the military told civilians in recent weeks to seek shelter there from the current ground combat in Khan Younis, just to the north. Overnight into Saturday, three air strikes on homes in the Rafah area killed 28 people, according to a health official as well as Associated Press journalists who saw the bodies arriving at hospitals. Each strike killed multiple members of three families, including a total of 10 children, the youngest being three months old. Later on Saturday, an Israeli air strike on a home in Rafah killed at least 11 people, including three children, according to Ahmed al-Sawaf, head of Rafah municipality. Egyptian officials have warned of dire consequences to a ground invasion in Rafah (AP) The dead were taken to Abu Youssef al-Najjar hospital, according to an AP journalist there. Two other strikes killed two policemen and three senior officers in the civil police, city officials said. In Khan Younis, Israeli forces opened fire at Nasser Hospital, the areas largest, killing at least two people and wounding five, according to the medical charity Doctors Without Borders. Advertisement Israeli tanks reached the hospital gates on Saturday morning, Ahmed Maghrabi, a physician at the hospital, said in a Facebook post. Health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra said hospital staff are no longer able to move between buildings because of the intense fire. He said 300 medical personnel, 450 patients and 10,000 displaced people are sheltering there. Today I met with Chancellor Scholz and spoke about several of our shared priorities, including our support for Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression and ongoing developments in the Middle East. I look forward to seeing him again soon at the NATO Summit in Washington. pic.twitter.com/T8h60csW00 President Biden (@POTUS) February 10, 2024 The Israeli military said troops were not currently operating inside the hospital and called the surrounding area an active combat zone. Roughly 80 per cent of Gazas people have been displaced, and the territory has plunged into a humanitarian crisis with shortages of food and medical services. The Gaza health ministry said the bodies of 117 people killed in Israeli air strikes were brought to hospitals over the past 24 hours, raising the overall death toll from the offensive to 28,064, mostly women and children. The ministry said more than 67,000 people have been wounded. Advertisement Israel declared war after several thousand Hamas militants burst across the border into southern Israel on October 7, killing 1,300 people and taking 250 others hostage. Not all are still alive. Israel holds Hamas responsible for civilian deaths because it fights from within civilian areas, but US officials have called for more surgical strikes. US president Joe Biden said this week Israels response is over the top. PRESS RELESAE: the #ICJ will hold public hearings on the request for advisory opinion on the Legal Consequences arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, from 19 to 26 February 2024 https://t.co/aCshb2NaIh pic.twitter.com/Zce3yvwLUS CIJ_ICJ (@CIJ_ICJ) February 9, 2024 Mr Netanyahus office says it is impossible to eliminate Hamas while leaving four Hamas battalions in Rafah. The Rafah border crossing, which is mostly closed, serves as the main entry point for humanitarian aid. Rafah had a pre-war population of roughly 280,000, and the United Nations says it is now home to some 1.4 million additional people who fled fighting elsewhere. The Israeli offensive has caused widespread destruction, especially in northern Gaza, and hundreds of thousands of people no longer have homes. Alexander Stubb declared himself winner of Finland's presidential election on Sunday after a campaign built on promises to make the most of his country's new membership of Nato and back Ukraine in its war with shared neighbour Russia. In his new job, the centre-right former prime minister and investment banker will head up foreign and security policy, represent Finland in Nato meetings and act as commander-in-chief of the military. Advertisement It is "very important that we in Europe take care of our own defence," the 55-year-old told Reuters in the buildup to the vote. He said he agreed with his predecessor Sauli Niinisto "who said that we need a more European Nato". The new job marks Mr Stubb's return to domestic politics after several years abroad working as vice president of the European Investment Bank and director at the European University Institute in Florence. Advertisement Allies describe him as a multi-lingual, pro-European, fiscal conservative. He describes himself as a moderate. He would be "a Western president in many ways" and lean towards the United States, Britain and Nordic neighbours when it came to setting the tone of foreign policy, he told Reuters. Advertisement He would set "no limits" to Finland's support for Ukraine. "My starting point is, paraphrasing (European Central Bank President) Mario Draghi, whatever it takes," Mr Stubb said. The Nordic nation joined the Western military alliance in April last year, breaking with decades of non-alignment in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. During his election campaign, Mr Stubb said Finland should be an active Nato member and seek to have some Nato troops stationed on its territory. Advertisement He has also said he would be ready to let nuclear weapons be transported through the country - though not stored there. "At times, a nuclear weapon is a guarantee of peace," he said at a debate. Many Finns also see cosmopolitan Stubb as a candidate of the Helsinki elite, according to University of Helsinki political scientist Johanna Vuorelma. "The visible and well-known names of the business world are strongly behind Stubb," Ms Vuorelma said. But that was an image he tried to shift during his campaign, by speaking favourably of Finland's social-democratic welfare model, she added. As far back as the 1990s, it was clear that foreign policy was one of his strengths, even though over the years there were questions "over what the level of his domestic political expertise and interest in it was," the head of Finland's Centre for Parliamentary Studies, Markku Jokisipila, said. Advertisement Mr Stubb served as a Member of the European Parliament from 2004 to 2008 before moving home to kick off a political career capped by a string of ministerial posts - foreign affairs, European affairs and trade, finance and then prime minister in 2014-2015. He was ousted in 2016 as chair of the National Coalition Party that he still represents. Mr Stubb is a keen amateur athlete and triathlon champion - though he has said he will cut down on sport once he becomes Finland's 13th president. He is married to British-born lawyer Suzanne Innes-Stubb, 54, with whom he has two grown-up children. Russian forces launched 45 drones over Ukraine on Sunday in a five-and-a-half-hour barrage, officials said. The attack came as Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy continued the reshuffle of his war cabinet with the conflict entering its third year. Advertisement In a statement, the Ukrainian air force said it had shot down 40 of the Iranian-made Shahed drones over nine different regions, including on the outskirts of the countrys capital, Kyiv. Burnt-out cars in a residential area of Kharkiv after a Russian attack (Yevhen Titov/AP) The blitz targeted agricultural facilities and coastal infrastructure, officials for Ukraines southern defence forces wrote on Telegram. Advertisement They said a strike in the Mykolaiv region had injured one person, sparking a fire and damaging nearby residential buildings. Another person was injured in Ukraines Dnipropetrovsk region when a blaze broke out due to falling debris from a destroyed drone, said the head of the regions military administration, Serhiy Lysak. Advertisement The strikes came as Mr Zelenskiy continued his shake-up of military commanders in a bid to maintain momentum against attacking Russian forces. Kyiv announced on Sunday that former deputy defence minister Lieutenant General Alexander Pavlyuk is to become the new commander of Ukraines ground forces. The post was previously held by Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, who was named on Thursday as the replacement for Ukraines outgoing military chief, General Valerii Zaluzhnyi. Advertisement Firefighters extinguish a blaze after a Russian attack on a residential neighbourhood in Kharkiv (Andrii Marienko/AP) New presidential decrees also named Yurii Sodol, former head of Ukraines marine corps, as the the new commander of Ukraines combined forces; Brigadier General Ihor Skibiuk as commander of Ukraines air assault forces; and Major General Ihor Plahuta as commander of Ukraines territorial defence forces. Incoming commander-in-chief Col Gen Syrskyi has signalled that his immediate goals include improving troop rotation at the front lines and harnessing the power of new technology at a time when Kyivs forces are largely on the defensive. Advertisement Meanwhile, Ukraines military intelligence service said on Sunday that attacking Russian forces had been found using Starlink terminals to aid their attack. It released what it said was a recording of an intercepted conversation between two Russian soldiers as proof. Advertisement Starlink terminals, which use a series of satellites run by Elon Musks company Space X to provide high-speed communications, have been vital in giving Ukraines military an edge over invading Russian troops. Advertisement Firefighters extinguish a blaze after a Russian attack in Kharkiv (Yevhen Titov/AP) However, multiple reports of Russian troops using Starlink on the front line in occupied Ukraine have begun to surface in the Ukrainian media in recent weeks. They prompted Space X to release a statement on social media on February 8, saying it does not do business of any kind with the Russian government or its military. However, Western tech components have regularly been found among Russias arsenal as Moscow has become more skilled at evading sanctions, often importing goods via third countries. In a statement on Telegram on Saturday, Mr Zelenskiy said he hopes to reboot the upper levels of Ukraines armed forces with experienced combat commanders. Now, people who are well-known in the army and who themselves know well what the army needs are taking on new responsibilities, he said. A federal judge ordered Elon Musk to testify again in the US Securities and Exchange Commission's probe of his $44 billion (40 billion) takeover of Twitter, giving the regulator and the billionaire a week to agree on a date and location for the interview. US Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler's order, issued on Saturday night, formalised a tentative ruling she made in December that sided with the regulator. Advertisement The SEC sued Mr Musk in October to compel the Tesla and SpaceX CEO to testify as part of an investigation into his 2022 purchase of Twitter, the social media giant that he subsequently renamed X. Mr Musk refused to attend an interview in September that was part of the probe, the SEC said. The agency is examining whether Mr Musk followed the law when filing the required paperwork about his purchases of Twitter stock, and whether his statements in relation to the deal were misleading. Advertisement Mr Musk fought the SEC's bid to interview him, saying it had already done so twice, and accused the regulator of harassment. War in Ukraine Russian forces using Musk's Starlink in occupied a... Read More Judge Beeler rejected that argument. The SEC had authority to issue the subpoena, which sought relevant information, she said in the ruling. Advertisement If the SEC and Mr Musk cannot agree on a date and time for the interview, Judge Beeler said she will hear from both sides and decide for them. Friction between Mr Musk and the SEC began when the regulator sued him after he tweeted "funding secured" in 2018 in reference to a possible plan to take Tesla private. To settle that case, Mr Musk agreed that a Tesla lawyer would vet his tweets about the electric vehicle maker. The SEC sued him again in 2019 for allegedly breaching that provision. Mr Musk has asked the US Supreme Court to review the agreement, saying it violates his constitutional right to free speech. GLADDEN - Hunt Me Down | Dream Records Los Angeles, CA (February 9th, 2024) DREAM Records is pleased to announce the signing of a new artist to its roster, South Carolina native GLADDEN. Today, GLADDEN releases his debut single Hunt Me Down available on all digital retail and streaming services providers. Bamsy and GLADDEN produced the track. Hunt Me Down was recently sent to Christian radio and has seen early adds at WHMX/Bangor, ME, WORQ/Green Bay, WI, WUFM/Columbus, OH and WHRZ/Spartanburg, SC. He also just debuted on Christian Music Weekly's CHR chart at #25. Hunt Me Down is an anthem written for those who feel unlovable. Using hunting as imagery, I really wanted to harp on the fact that we cannot outrun Gods Love for us. Throwing caution to the wind, True Love never stops its pursuit of us. We can either run from love or rest in it. - GLADDEN Part pop, part hip hop, Hunt Me Down will be your new favorite song. Listen or buy Hunt Me Down here The Murdoch clan hasnt paid all that much attention to its Antipodean roots of late. The News Corp empires retired patriarch Rupert Murdoch recently scrapped a planned visit Down Under for this month to celebrate The Australians 60th anniversary. But while a dinner in honour of the masthead is still postponed, the board, chaired by Lachlan Murdoch, will be coming after all. Rupert apparently still has that scheduling conflict, however, meaning his first visit to Australia since 2018 will need to wait a few more months at least. Rupert Murdoch passed the baton as chairman of News Corp to his first son, Lachlan. Were told the boards decision to come to Australia is simply a case of them holding a meeting at a different location. The six other directors include former Spanish prime minister Jose Maria Aznar, British PM Rishi Sunaks old Goldman Sachs pal Masroor Siddiqui and News Corp boss Robert Thomson. What could possibly be keeping the nonagenarian Murdoch so busy? After stepping down from the top jobs at News Corp and Fox Corporation (on a $220 million golden parachute), he promised to keep on walking the floors late at night in his chairman emeritus role. A high-ranking bikie will receive an undisclosed payout following a botched attempt to prosecute him over two drive-by shootings based on an ice-addicted rollover witness account. The bikie, who cannot be named, was charged by NSW police, alongside a highly ranked member of the Nomads and two other men, over an incident on the NSW South Coast in which bullets were sprayed into two homes and a man pistol whipped. Police charged four men off the back of information given by a rollover witness addicted to methylamphetamine. Credit: Edwina Pickles An allegedly unpaid debt owed to the bikie by former Rebels member Florian Fortuna led several Nomads to steal Fortunas motorcycle, police claimed. This led to reprisal by the Rebels, who allegedly turned up at the home of an aspiring Nomad, a man who the courts have given the pseudonym Echo. Its the first lesson of the school day. Year 1 students sit on the classroom floor to spend half an hour reading and writing using phonics before tackling a string of vocabulary tasks. We are checking their knowledge constantly, so we pick up problems in real time, says Troy Verey, the deputy principal at Marsden Road Public in south-west Sydney. The kids use mini whiteboards to record answers and show they grasp concepts, which keeps them engaged and on-task. Students at Marsden Road Public in Liverpool in a literacy lesson. Credit: Wolter Peeters The school, where more than 40 per cent of students are from the lowest socio-educational quartile, is a stand-out for its above-average NAPLAN results especially in writing when compared with pupils from a similar background. We also have reading tests three times a year to help catch the children who are falling behind, he says. Two police officers have been injured during an arrest in Ipswich involving a man armed with a knife and a woman wanted for multiple offences, police allege. A police helicopter had been following a car across south Brisbane suburbs before tyre-deflation devices were used to stop the vehicle at the intersection of Boundary Road and Antimony Street in Carole Park just after 1am on Sunday. When police approached the car, a passenger allegedly emerged with a knife and slashed a senior constable across the arm, causing a serious injury. The officer was given first aid by his colleagues. In the two years since Jazmin Claveria and her husband, Tim Harrington, started their family, both have had to make allowances at work to accommodate the needs of their two young children, but only one of them has suffered a financial setback. Like every other mother on Commonwealth paid parental leave, Claveria missed out on superannuation contributions from government-paid leave during stretches of time she took to care for their babies. Jazmin Claveria pictured with children Hugo, 2, and Penelope, eight months. Credit: Penny Stephens The couple, who live in inner Melbourne, work in the same industry, commercial construction, but by the time Claveria retires, the lack of super payments while on parental leave, and the compounding effect of interest, will have widened an already substantial super gap between them. He has had no interruptions to his super during the time weve had children; its only been myself, says Claveria, whose children, Hugo and Penelope, are aged two and eight months. Lobbyists are gaining unfair access to federal ministers through a system that opens the door to corruption, a leading constitutional lawyer says in a warning to parliament to tighten its rules on who gains favoured status when seeking influence. The finding comes as one of the top lobbying firms says authorities should reveal the names of hundreds of people who hold sponsored passes that give them unfettered access to the corridors of Parliament House. Parliament House in Canberra. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen The moves heighten the debate over undue influence at a time when a Senate committee is about to hold public hearings into whether to bring the lobbying regime into line with stricter rules in countries such as the United States and Canada. University of Sydney law professor Anne Twomey warned the committee that the current rules were at odds with a High Court judgment that criticised favoured access to political leaders and endorsed state laws to cap political donations. A regional Australian mayor says he is no longer pursuing defamation action against ChatGPT maker OpenAI, in what would have been a world-first test case over false claims made by an artificial intelligence chatbot. Brian Hood made global headlines last year when he announced he was considering legal action for false claims that he served time in prison for bribery. ChatGPT claimed Brian Hood was involved in the payment of bribes to Indonesian and Malaysian officials and sentenced to jail. Credit: Simon Schluter Hood, who is now the mayor of the regional Hepburn Shire Council north-west of Melbourne, alerted authorities and journalists at this masthead more than a decade ago to foreign bribery by the agents of a banknote printing business called Securency, which was then owned by the Reserve Bank of Australia. ChatGPT had a different take on his role, however. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size It is still hours until the main event and some 100,000 chanting Indonesians, undaunted by Jakartas smothering humidity, have filled Gelora Bung Karno Stadium to capacity and beyond, flag-waving and fist-pumping in anticipatory rapture from each seat, aisle and vaguely accessible crevice. They have come to see Prabowo Subianto, the former general who is expected to become Indonesias next president, deliver his final stadium-rattling address before Wednesdays national elections. Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto delivers his speech during his campaign rally at Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium in Jakarta. Credit: AP People have fainted. Ambulances blare through the partying crowds locked out outside. Mercifully, the star decides to bring the show forward, arriving onto a stage painted with a giant number two, his place on the ballot alongside running mate Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the 36-year-old son of outgoing president Joko Widodo. Lets not become a dwarf nation, Prabowo growls in Indonesian through a stadium sound system turned up to ten. Dont let us continuously be pitted against each other by foreign nations. Dont let us continuously be lied to. We must become a big nation, a prosperous nation. The Americans saw his presidency coming almost 40 years ago. Then a captain in the military, he exemplified the type of officer who could rise to national leadership, CIA authors wrote in a now-declassified intelligence assessment. Advertisement He is a Javanese Muslim military officer with combat experience in Timor and has a good reputation for leadership. Furthermore, he comes from an old and respected family. His marriage to one of President Suhartos daughters in 1983 further advanced his career along an already promising path. We believe that President Suharto may eventually look to his son-in-law to succeed him both as national leader and as guardian of the Suharto family fortunes. Unfortunately for Prabowo, his path to the palace has been far more tortuous. Joko, commonly known as Jokowi, beat him in both the 2014 and 2019 elections, the nations most recent. Before that, he lost as the vice-presidential candidate for political matriarch Megawati Sukarnoputri, and in 2004 failed to secure the presidential nomination from the party of former authoritarian Suharto. Prabowo Subianto (right-centre) greets supporters with Gibran Rakabuming Raka, his vice-presidential candidate and the son of President Joko Widodo. Credit: Bloomberg This time, bellowing into the microphones at the sunny GBK Stadium, sweat dripping from his face and his blue-shirt darkening, Prabowo, now 72, can finally taste victory. Polls have him favourite to beat former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan and former Central Java governor Ganjar Pranowo. Some also have the Prabowo/Gibran ticket scoring the necessary majority (50 per cent plus one) to avoid a June run-off. Advertisement Merdeka! Merdaka! Merdeka!, he yells, fist-raised to the exultant crowd. The words local roots date to the 1940s fight against Dutch colonial rule. It is also a modern incantation for freedom from any manner of ills. To close his performance, Prabowo steps from behind the podium with a hand-held microphone to lead the audience in a rendition of the old independence song Maju Tak Gentar. Fear not, fear not / Attack, Attack / Go forward, go forward and win. It is one of the truly awful singing voices in politics or otherwise, but the stadium loves it. It is part of the appeal: confident, unbending, endearingly daggy. Water cannons spray the crowd to keep them cool. Women weep trying to touch his outstretched hand. A supporter who passed out due to the heat is helped to safety as Prabowo Subianto speaks. Credit: AP I like his personality, it looks that he is sincere especially after the last election when Pak [Mr or Sir] Jokowi won, he was willing to be his minister, says Alwi Hanafiah after this weekends rally. The 32-year-old driver borrowed his bosss car and set out for the show at 3am from Purwakarta, about 100 kilometres southeast of Jakarta. Alwi voted for Jokowi in 2014 and 2019, and is backing Prabowo this time, in large part because he wants to see the continuation of current policies. Advertisement [My favourite part] was when during his speech, he extended many thanks to all previous presidents. I find that very good, especially when he thanked Ibu [Mrs] Megawati Sukarnoputri. In fact, all this time, Ibu Mega made statements that attacked Pak Prabowo, but, humbly, he thanked her. I was so touched. I was proud of him. Prabowo Subianto was born in Jakarta in 1951, the princeling of an elite Indonesian family with ancestral ties to Javanese sultans. His father, Sumitro, fell foul of the nations founding president Sukarno and moved them variously between Kuala Lumpur, London, Singapore, Hong Kong and Zurich for about a decade. Prabowo, now said to be fluent in English, French, German and Dutch, returned to Indonesia with his family at the beginning of the Suharto years in the late 1960s. His brother, Hashim, is ridiculously wealthy with interests including palm oil and energy. Prabowo, meanwhile, went down the military path, receiving training at Fort Bragg in the United States as one its star pupils, and rising through the Indonesian ranks to become a top general and commander of the elite special forces squad, Kopassus. Lieutenant-General Prabowo Subianto in 1998 amid the political kidnapping storm. Credit: Reuters His career, however, was marked by accusations, often unsubstantiated, of hardman tactics ranging from secret coup-plotting against his father-in-law, Suharto, to fomenting deadly anti-Chinese riots. In 1996, he led the rescue of western and local hostages in West Papua. The helicopter used in the mission was alleged to bear the insignia of the Red Cross, giving villagers a false sense of comfort and drawing some into the open. People were killed. All but two of the hostages were freed. Advertisement I should be given a knighthood by your government, he told Financial Times Journalist Ben Bland in a rare 2013 interview with the foreign press. I saved your citizens, I put my own life at risk and my soldiers were killed. Suhartos 32-year authoritarian regime collapsed in 1998 under the weight of the Reformasi [reform] movement and the Asian financial crisis. The same year, Prabowo was dismissed by a military tribunal for his role in the abduction of democracy activists, twelve of whom remain missing. He maintains he has no knowledge of their fate. Cast into ignominy amid a fledgling Indonesian democracy, he went to live in Jordan. Prabowo and his wife Siti Hediati Hariyadi separated in 2001. It was a low ebb. The previous year, the United States under president Bill Clinton determined the accusations of Prabowos human rights violations disqualified him from entering the country. The ban was upheld through the administrations of George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and only lifted in 2019 when it became too awkward to do otherwise. By then, Jokowi, who is now backing his former rival for the top job, had installed Prabowo as defence minister. Prabowo Subianto draws a crowd. Credit: AP The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age reported in 2014 Australia, too, had Probowo marked on a visa blacklist until it appeared to the government there was a chance he would beat Jokowi in the 2014 election. The Home Affairs Department on Sunday would not comment, citing privacy. Advertisement Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's grip on power loosens as political foes move to oust him. (Photo: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun/File Photo) In an intensifying dialogue between global leaders concerning the precarious situation in Gaza, particularly in Rafah, President Joe Biden articulated a firm stance in a recent conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The White House disclosed that President Biden emphasized the imperative for Israel to formulate a "credible" civilian protection strategy if it proceeds with a military operation in Rafah, a city now teeming with displaced Palestinians. "Israel shouldn't go ahead with a military operation in the densely populated Gaza border town of Rafah without a 'credible' plan to protect civilians," President Biden communicated, highlighting the international concern over the potential humanitarian fallout. This exchange comes amid a backdrop of stern warnings from Egypt, where officials have signaled a readiness to reassess the Camp David Accords-a foundational peace treaty that has underpinned regional stability for nearly five decades. The potential reevaluation of this agreement underscores the gravity of the situation, as Egypt anticipates adverse repercussions should Israeli forces penetrate Rafah, potentially catalyzing a mass exodus of Palestinians into Egyptian territory. Netanyahu, in a defense of his stance, articulated the operational necessity of a Rafah offensive to neutralize Hamas forces, stating on "Fox News Sunday" that an evacuation plan for civilians is under contemplation. "Netanyahu told 'Fox News Sunday' that there's 'plenty of room north of Rafah for them to go to' after Israel's offensive elsewhere in Gaza," illustrating the Israeli government's perspective on the feasibility of civilian relocation amidst escalating conflict. However, the international community remains skeptical of the proposed measures to safeguard civilians in the event of an intensified military engagement. The European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, voiced apprehensions on social media, cautioning against the dire consequences of an offensive in Rafah. "An Israeli offensive on Rafah would lead to an unspeakable humanitarian catastrophe and grave tensions with Egypt," Borrell remarked, encapsulating the shared anxiety of many global leaders regarding the potential for escalated conflict. Moreover, the humanitarian landscape in Rafah presents a grim picture, with aid organizations and the United Nations raising alarms about the logistical and ethical implications of mass evacuations and the dire need for sustained humanitarian aid access. Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UNRWA agency, encapsulated the growing despair among the displaced, stating, "There is a sense of growing anxiety, growing panic in Rafah. People have no idea where to go." Amidst the unfolding crisis, the U.S. maintains a pivotal role, balancing its support for Israel with a steadfast commitment to civilian protection and adherence to international law. "The White House, which has rushed arms to Israel and shielded it from international calls for a cease-fire, has also warned against a Rafah ground operation under current circumstances, saying it would be a 'disaster' for civilians," illustrating the complex diplomatic tightrope the Biden administration is walking. As Rafah stands on the precipice of a potential military escalation, the international community watches with bated breath, hopeful for a resolution that prioritizes human lives and paves the way toward a sustainable peace in the region. Shortage of raw materials and unavailability of containers in August have lengthened lead times the time taken between ordering a chip and its delivery. Israel's Tower Semiconductor has submitted a proposal to India's government to build an $8 billion chipmaking facility in the South Asian nation, national daily Indian Express reported on Sunday. Tower, seeking government incentives for its plan, is looking to manufacture 65 nanometre and 40 nanometre chips in India, the report said. The company and India's IT ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Chip manufacturing is a key plank of Modi's business agenda, but initial bids to offer $10 billion in incentives to the industry have floundered, with some proposals stalled or cancelled. The group is also keen on a lithium-ion with a 60,000 tonnes per annum capacity. In a separate venture, the group will also invest in a copper production plant. Billionaire Sajjan Jindal-owned JSW group is planning to set up an electric vehicle (EV) venture in Odisha that would include producing electric commercial vehicles (CVs) and passenger cars and a battery storage plant. The investment of Rs 40,000 crore, spread over the next few years, will be the largest investment in an electric vehicle capacity in India so far. The project will be a separate initiative from the joint venture planned by the group in association with SAIC Motor Corp in which the group has picked up a 35 per cent stake. SAIC currently operates MG Motor India which is selling two electric cars in the Indian markets. MG Motor has a plant in Halol in Gujarat which manufactures both EVs and internal combustion engine cars. None of the listed JSW group's listed companies are participating in the electric vehicle project. "We aim to revolutionise the automotive industry by producing high-quality batteries and electric vehicles which are not only affordable but also technologically advanced," Sajjan Jindal said in an emailed statement to this paper. "We will focus on high-end research to produce designed by and for Indians and we seek to redefine the way people commute and power their lives by enhancing EV penetration," Jindal said. According to industry estimates, the price difference between electric cars and internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles is almost 30 per cent. The group plans to bring down EV cars on par with the combustion engine cars, said a source in the group. The cars would be priced at around Rs 20 lakh. China has sold 10 million EVs, whereas, India has sold around 0.1 million. As per Jindal, China has set up a 2,000 gigawatt (GW) battery plant and till now India has not set up one GW plant. "We seek to redefine the way people commute and power their lives by enhancing EV penetration," Jindal said. As per the plan, Jindal would set up a 50 GWh battery plant for both mobility and energy storage systems, a commercial e-vehicles plant to produce 100,000 vehicles a year, and a passenger electric car plant with 300,000 cars making capacity. The group will also set up an auto component manufacturing plant for e-power train production. The group is also keen on a lithium-ion with a 60,000 tonnes per annum capacity. In a separate venture, the group will also invest in a copper production plant. "We aim to revolutionise the automotive industry by producing high-quality batteries and electric vehicles which are not only affordable but also technologically advanced. Our total investment will be around Rs.40,000 crore in phases with employment potential of around 11,000 jobs," he said. A JSW group official had earlier said the Indian automobile market is not a "winner takes it all" market and there is a lot of potential for new entrants in the electric vehicles market. "We believe that there is a space for an entrant like us. And we think being an EV-first platform will be what defines us," a group official said. "The electric vehicle revolution has already begun in a small way but more in two-wheelers than in the four-wheeler segment. But we think that the four-wheeler change is going to be very quick, and very fast like it happened in the US and China," the official added. Interestingly, since the early 2000s, it has always been a dream of 64-year-old Sajjan Jindal to produce cars in India. The group had even set up a unit under electricity producer JSW Energy in 2017 to produce electric cars but had to abandon the plan after objections from shareholders. Jindal Investment Blueprint Commercial e-vehicles with a capacity of 100,000 per annum Passenger electric car plant with a capacity of 300,000, auto-components like e-powertrain 50 Gwh Battery plant for both mobility, energy storage system Copper smelter plant with 1-mtpa capacity Lithium ion plant with capacity of 60,000 tpa According to Bakshi, demand for room AC from smaller towns is also increasing substantially Tata Group firm Voltas is facing a major headwind in Qatar as around Rs 750 crore has been stuck due to delays in the realisation of overdue receivables and execution timelines, said its MD and CEO Pradeep Bakshi. In some projects, bank guarantees were "unethically" encashed by some contractors, which was an "uncalled" action to make quick money, derailing the international project business of Tata Group firm in the December quarter, he added. "Unprecedented things are happening in that area, especially in Qatar, wherein, unfortunately, our dues are not being paid to us timely, and inordinate delays are happening. We have completed the project and handed it over, and despite that, payments are not made," Bakshi told PTI. Voltas has already approached the Indian government for help on the issue and also approached the Embassy in Qatar. MEP (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) contractor Voltas has completed the projects in Qatar and handed them over as per the contract. However, its bills are not getting certified and paid. "There has to be some basic ethics when you do business with your partners... Unfortunately, our payments are not coming. "The total gross outstanding is close to Rs 750 crore. There is an additional exposure of 375 core in bank guarantees," Bakshi said. Most of the projects are getting over in the last six to seven quarters, and Voltas is incurring huge losses because of this, which is uncalled for, he noted. In the December quarter, Voltas reported a net loss of Rs 27.60 crore, which was on account of the Electro-Mechanical Projects and Service segment, which reported a loss of Rs 120 crore. In FY23, Voltas had to make a provisioning of Rs 106.43 crore over the cancellation of the contract and encashment of bank guarantee. "Voltas is having this with multiple customers, including Sidra Medical and Research Centre, North Gate Mall, Commercial Boulevard Development etc," said Bakshi. Voltas has a long history of more than four decades in project business, and this is the first time in the last few quarters (around 1.5 years) that it is facing such headwinds, mainly on account of Qatar, he added. "As a remedial action, we are becoming very choosy while selecting the project. We are very selective. And wherever we think it is backed up with proper funding, it is through renowned contractors and the client, those who are good paymasters. We are going to them only. Now, we are not taking any chance whatsoever," he said. The company has project business in GCC countries, including UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman, and was part of several iconic projects of the region like Burj Khalifa, Mall of Emirates, Bahrain City Center, and Palassio Mall in Qatar, among others. Over the outlook, the company said it is consolidating its presence further in the room air conditioner sector, as its penetration level is still very low. Moreover, people are upgrading from window to split AC as their disposable income is increasing. "If you look at our penetration levels in India, which used to be about 3 per cent, nowadays, it has moved to around 5-6 per cent," he said, adding that "now our consumption base is at par with China. Our population is this sort of blessing in disguise for us as the number of youth is growing". According to Bakshi, demand for room AC from smaller towns is also increasing substantially. Voltas is investing around 1,000 crore in the segment, of which Rs 500 crore is for setting up a compressor plant, and the rest is for capacity expansion in the next five years. About funding, Bakshi said: "We are a cash-rich company, but if needed, we will borrow also". Voltas is also operating a JV with the Turkish multinational household appliances manufacturer Arcelik - Voltas Beko, which is one of the fastest-growing brands in the appliances business. "We have retained our leadership position in the AC category. Even in categories like semi-automatic washing machines and refrigerators, we have registered good growth and gained market shares," Bakshi said. This move has raised hopes within the saffron camp of consolidating anti-TMC votes, a trend evident in the party's surge from a 17 per cent vote share in 2014 to 40 per cent in 2019, resulting in 18 Lok Sabha seats Struggling to gain political traction on issues of corruption, the West Bengal BJP is shifting its focus to emotive topics such as the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in a bid to achieve its target of securing 35 out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats from the state. The BJP's strategy is buoyed by the decision of the Trinamool Congress to contest alone in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal, breaking away from the INDIA bloc in the state. This move has raised hopes within the saffron camp of consolidating anti-TMC votes, a trend evident in the party's surge from a 17 per cent vote share in 2014 to 40 per cent in 2019, resulting in 18 Lok Sabha seats. Despite facing internal strife and electoral setbacks since its defeat in the 2021 assembly polls, the BJP's attempts to capitalise on corruption allegations against the Mamata Banerjee government have fallen short. With a target of winning 35 out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats, the BJP is now banking on emotive issues like the Ram Temple and CAA. "Both inauguration of Ram Temple and implementation of CAA are core issues of the party," Agnimitra Paul, BJP state general secretary told PTI. She emphasised the party's resonance with voters in Bengal by saying, "Both the issues are emotive, and people can connect with it." An idol of the new Ram Lalla was consecrated at the Ayodhya temple on January 22, the event coming just months ahead of the Lok Sabha elections and 34 years after BJP veteran LK Advani's iconic 'Mandir Wahin Banayenge' speech during his Rath yatra that shaped Ram Mandir politics. Echoing this sentiment, BJP MP and former state president Dilip Ghosh underscored the emotive appeal of these issues, asserting their historical significance in uniting Hindu voters and addressing refugee concerns, particularly among the Matua community. "The promise of implementing the CAA has played a significant role in BJP's electoral successes," said Ghosh. "The Ram temple issue has benefitted the BJP in the past, and this time too, it will help us to unite the Hindus across the country, including Bengal," the BJP leader said during whose tenure as state president from 2015 to 2021 the party had witnessed a meteoric rise in the state. The Matuas, a significant portion of the state's Scheduled Caste population, have been migrating to West Bengal since the 1950s, fleeing religious persecution in East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. Their cohesive voting behaviour makes them a valuable voting bloc, particularly in alignment with the BJP's stance on the CAA. Riding on the promises of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), the Matua community in 2019 voted en masse for the saffron camp in the state. The CAA, enacted by the BJP-led central government in 2019, seeks to grant Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants, including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians, from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who entered India before December 31, 2014. Union Minister and Matua leader Shantanu Thakur had recently said the CAA will be implemented soon, amidst reports that rules of the legislation would be framed before the Lok Sabha polls. While the BJP aims for over 35 seats, insiders indicate a more pragmatic goal of 24. Speaking on the issue of BJP resorting back to Ram Mandir and CAA to win the election in the state, party leaders said it reflects an "acknowledgement of organisational challenges and a desire to counter the Trinamool's narrative of Bengali sub-nationalism". "Organisationally, we are not in a very good situation where we can claim that we will win 35 seats in the state. Second, as this is the Lok Sabha election, the TMC's pitch of Bengali sub-nationalism won't blunt our narrative, unlike the assembly polls," a senior state BJP leader said. The TMC has fanned the 'Bengali pride' and had created a poll narrative of sub-nationalism to counter BJP's identity politics in the 2021 assembly polls. The party also pointed out that the break-up of the INDIA bloc in Bengal with TMC deciding to fight alone will further help in consolidation of the anti-TMC votes in BJP's account. "After the Left and Congress alliance fell apart in West Bengal in 2019, it had led to a four-cornered contest with BJP bagging the entire chunk of the anti-TMC votes in the state. This time too, we are hopeful that despite the Left-Congress alliance, we will gain the most," a BJP leader said. Responding to the BJP's strategy, the Trinamool Congress remains confident in its appeal to voters, dismissing BJP's communal politics as ineffective. TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said "voters will support Mamata Banerjee to thwart BJP's divisive tactics in Bengal." Political analyst Maidul Islam suggested that the BJP's reliance on emotive issues stems from its organisational weaknesses. "Issues like the Ram Temple, Uniform Civil Code (UCC), and CAA will dominate the narrative in upcoming Lok Sabha polls in Bengal, with polarisation and counter-polarisation at play," he said. Uttar Pradesh minister Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary on Sunday said the Bharat Ratna conferred on former prime minister Chaudhary Charan Singh is an "honour to the 90 crore farmers of India". Singh, who was posthumously conferred with India's highest civilian award on February 9, championed for farmers' causes. Speaking to PTI on Sunday, Chaudhary said, "After Independence, Chaudhary Charan Singh was the only polition to be regarded as the messiah of the farmers. He was the first to say that the path which leads to the development of the country passes through its farms." "He had taken a number of steps in the interest and welfare of the farmers. His name will always remain etched in history in golden letters," the minister for sugarcane development and sugar industry said. "Conferring Bharat Ratna to Chaudhary Charan is an honour to the 90 crore farmers of India," he added. Elaborating on the steps taken by the Bharat Ratna recipient for the welfare of the country's farmers, the UP cabinet minister said Singh brought a number of pro-farmer legislations such as the Consolidation of Holdings Act of 1953 and the Uttar Pradesh Zamindari and Land Reforms Act, 1952. Recalling his relations with the former prime minister, Chaudhary said, "My association with him was almost since my childhood days. It was in 1967 when I first met him. At that time, I was in high school (Class 10)." "With his (Charan Singh's) blessings, I became an MLA (fom Chhata). I had the honour of becoming the chairman of the Mandi Samiti of Kosi Kalan (in Mathura) when I was a student. This was in 1977, when I had appeared in the LLB final year examination after completing MA. Subsequently, in 1985, I was given the ticket by the party (Lok Dal)" he said. Chaudhary has represented the Chhata assembly constituency in Mathura district five times in the UP Legislative Assembly. He was a Lok Dal MLA from 1985 to 1989 and a Congress MLA from 1996 to 2002. From 2007 to 2012, he was a BSP MLA from the same seat. From 2017, Chaudhary has been representing Chhata in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on a BJP ticket. The 72-year-old Uttar Pradesh minister also said that his "struggle for the farmers was inspired by Chaudhary Charan Singh ji" as he called the former prime minister a "fearless leader" and recollected that he was strict in dealing with the 'Patwari strike crisis' in 1953. Asked about the qualities of the late Bharat Ratna awardee that inspired him, Chaudhary said, "Singh saahab's biggest strength was his honesty. He was a true well-wisher of the farmers and led a very simple life." "He was deeply influenced by the ideas and teachings of Swami Dayanand Saraswati, the founder of Arya Samaj. Economics was his favourite subject and he always wanted to strengthen the economy of the farmers." the minister added. Chaudhary added that Singh was also inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and he joined the freedom movement. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 9 announced that former prime ministers P V Narasimha Rao and Chaudhary Charan Singh as well as agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan will be honoured with the Bharat Ratna. Singh is popularly known as a champion of farmers. Opposed to the country's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru's socialist economy, he advocated ownership rights to the farmers. Though Singh was a Congress follower in the beginning of his political career, he quit the party in the 1960s and went on to form the first non-Congress government not just in Uttar Pradesh but entire north India. In his long political career, Singh briefly served as the sixth prime minister and served as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh on two occasions -- from April 3, 1967 to February 25, 1968 and from February 18, 1970 to October 1, 1970. Singh, a scholar of economics, played an important role in rural electrification and the creation of institutions such as the NABARD. He died on May 29, 1987 at the age of 84 years. His birth anniversary, December 23, is celebrated as Kisan Diwas. For China, which is still in the recovery phase, Lim said CAG is looking to add more direct links, especially to provincial capitals such as Guiyang in Guizhou province and Harbin in Heilongjiang province | File image Singapore's Changi Airport Group (CAG) is looking at new destinations such as Jaipur and Lucknow for generating passenger traffic out of India, one of the bright spots for the city state's airport, according to a media report. Lim Ching Kiat, executive vice-president for air hub and cargo development at CAG, said that Changi Airport Group will work with airlines to add more capacity on high-demand routes by increasing frequencies or getting carriers to use bigger planes, The Straits Times reported. We are looking at new destinations like Jaipur and Lucknow. We think there's demand there, said Lim in an interview to the Straits Times. Lim has described India as another bright spot, as passenger traffic and connectivity have already exceeded pre-pandemic levels. Lim said that CAG will work with airlines to add more capacity on high-demand routes by increasing frequencies or getting carriers to use bigger planes. For example, South Korea continues to draw healthy demand for inbound and outbound travel. For China, which is still in the recovery phase, Lim said CAG is looking to add more direct links, especially to provincial capitals such as Guiyang in Guizhou province and Harbin in Heilongjiang province. The ASEAN, Indian and South Korean markets have punched above their weight, says Subhas Menon, director-general of the Association of Asia-Pacific Airlines, which counts SIA and Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific among its 15 members. Menon is hopeful they will pick up 25 per cent to 50 per cent of the slack left by China for the Asia-Pacific region, according to the Singapore Daily report. The Indira Gandhi International Airport has made a 99 per cent recovery as it handled 18.5 million passengers in 2023 compared to 18.7 million passengers that plied through the Delhi airport in 2019, a pre-pandemic level. Singapore's Changi Airport has recovered 86 per cent as it handled 58.9 million passengers in 2023 compared to 68.3 million handled in 2019, according to a table published by The Straits Times based on information sourced and accredited to Sobie Aviation, a Singapore-based independent analysis and consulting firm, specializing in the airline, airports and aerospace sectors. Comparatively, traffic recovery at other leading Asian airports ranged from a low of 55 per cent for Hong Kong International Airport to 92 per cent for Haneda Airport in Japan, as per the table. 'The work on the refinery project is going well. Because of COVID, it has been delayed by one and a half years. We believe that it will be operational by 2026,' Ganbold said | Photo: Bloomberg Mongolia's ambassador to India Dambajav Ganbold has said the India-funded greenfield oil refinery project in South Gobi is on track and will be operational by 2026. However, he acknowledged some delays from the Indian side in delivering products for the refinery plant. "Of course, there are some delays from the Indian side in delivering the products, but overall, the project is progressing well," he told PTI. "It is crucial for our relations, and we eagerly look forward to its completion." With a USD 1.2 billion line of credit announced by India during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Mongolia in 2015, the refinery's construction has been delayed by 1.5 years due to COVID-19. "The work on the refinery project is going well. Because of COVID, it has been delayed by one and a half years. We believe that it will be operational by 2026," Ganbold said. The refinery aims to reduce Mongolia's reliance on Russian oil imports. Upon completion, it will have a capacity of 30,000 barrels per day or 1.5 million tonnes annually, helping the country meet its demand for gasoline, diesel, aviation fuel, and liquefied petroleum gas. Mongolia anticipates a visit by the Indian Prime Minister in 2025, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. "We expect our President to visit India in the second half of this year, and we will celebrate 70 years of diplomatic relations in 2025. Therefore, we hope Prime Minister Modi will visit Mongolia to commemorate this milestone and the 10th anniversary of his first trip," the ambassador said. Ganbold, along with Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and Meenakshi Lekhi, on Saturday, launched the song "Duur", marking the first musical collaboration between India and Mongolia. The song features renowned Indian singer Mohit Chauhan and Mongolian artist Baataraj Erdenetsogt. "I believe this is a great fusion and a promising start," said the ambassador. "We believe the Dragon Year will bring us closer. Indeed, the sky's the limit." He also emphasised that the two countries can strengthen their economic ties by enhancing collaboration in tourism, agriculture, and the mineral sector. "Indian businesses can come to Mongolia for minerals, especially, rare earth elements crucial for telephones," he noted. Expressing a similar sentiment of moving beyond formalities, Minister of Earth Sciences Kiren Rijiju highlighted India and Mongolia's spiritual connection. "Diplomatic relations are limited to formalities, and true friendship comes from informal events, like music, entertainment, and other cultural and social activities," Rijiju said. Netanyahu said Hamas still has four battalions there. Those who say that under no circumstances should we enter Rafah are basically saying lose the war, keep Hamas there, he told ABC News Egypt is threatening to suspend its peace treaty with Israel if Israeli troops are sent into the densely populated Gaza border town of Rafah, and says fighting there could force the closure of the territory's main aid supply route, two Egyptian officials and a Western diplomat said on Sunday. The threat to suspend the Camp David Accords, a cornerstone of regional stability for nearly a half-century, came after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said sending troops into Rafah was necessary to win the four-month-old war against the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Over half of Gaza's population of 2.3 million have fled to Rafah to escape fighting in other areas, and are packed into sprawling tent camps and UN-run shelters near the border. Egypt fears a mass influx of hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees who may never be allowed to return. The stand-off between Israel and Egypt, two close US allies, comes as aid groups warn that an offensive in Rafah would worsen the already catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, where around 80 per cent of residents have fled their homes and where the UN says a quarter of the population faces starvation. UNCLEAR WHERE CIVILIANS WOULD GO Netanyahu, in an interview with ABC News This Week with George Stephanopoulos, suggested civilians in Rafah could flee north, saying there are plenty of areas" that have been cleared by the army. He said Israel is developing a detailed plan to relocate them. But the offensive has caused widespread destruction, particularly in northern Gaza, and heavy fighting is still taking place in central Gaza and the southern city of Khan Younis. A ground operation in Rafah could also force the closure of its crossing, cutting off one of the only avenues for delivering badly needed food and medical supplies. All three officials confirmed Egypt's threats, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to brief reporters on the sensitive negotiations. Qatar, Saudi Arabia and other countries have also warned of severe repercussions if Israel goes into Rafah. An Israeli offensive on Rafah would lead to an unspeakable humanitarian catastrophe and grave tensions with Egypt, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell wrote on X. Israel and Egypt had fought five wars before signing the Camp David Accords, a landmark peace treaty brokered by then-US President Jimmy Carter in the late 1970s. The treaty includes several provisions governing the deployment of forces on both sides of the border. Egypt has heavily fortified its border with Gaza, carving out a 5-kilometre buffer zone and erecting concrete walls above and below ground. It has denied Israeli allegations that Hamas still operates smuggling tunnels beneath the border, saying Egyptian forces have full control on their side. But Egyptian officials fear that if the border is breached, the military would be unable to stop a tide of people fleeing into the Sinai Peninsula. The United Nations says Rafah, which is normally home to less than 300,000 people, now hosts 1.4 million more who fled fighting elsewhere and is severely overcrowded. Netanyahu said Hamas still has four battalions there. Those who say that under no circumstances should we enter Rafah are basically saying lose the war, keep Hamas there, he told ABC News. PALESTINIAN TOLL MOUNTS Israel has ordered much of Gaza's population to flee south with evacuation orders covering two-thirds of the territory, even as it regularly carries out airstrikes in all areas, including Rafah. Airstrikes on the town in recent days have killed dozens of Palestinians, including women and children. Gaza's Health Ministry said Sunday that the bodies of 112 people killed across the territory have been brought to hospitals in the past 24 hours, as well as 173 wounded people. The fatalities brought the death toll in the strip to 28,176 since the start of the war. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and fighters but says most of those killed were women and children. The war began with Hamas' attack into southern Israel on October 7, when Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250. Over 100 hostages were released in November during a week-long cease-fire in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners. Hamas has said it won't release any more unless Israel ends its offensive and withdraws from the territory. It has also demanded the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, including senior militants serving life sentences. Netanyahu has vehemently ruled out both demands, saying Israel will fight on until total victory and the return of all the captives. Israel says it strikes Hamas targets and holds Hamas responsible for civilian casualties because the militants fight from civilian areas The sound of gunfire crackled over the phone as the teenage girl hid in the car and spoke. An Israeli tank was near the vehicle as she and her family were trying to heed Israel's call to evacuate their home in Gaza. Something had gone horribly wrong. Everyone in the vehicle was dead, the teen said. Everyone but her and her five-year-old female cousin, Hind. "They are shooting at us," 15-year-old Layan told the Palestinian Red Crescent. "The tank is next to me." And then there was a burst of gunfire. She screamed and fell silent. That began a desperate rescue attempt by medics with the Palestinian Red Crescent, one of many during the war in Gaza and one that ended on Saturday with the discovery of their ambulance, blackened and destroyed. The two medics were dead. The Palestinian Red Crescent accused Israeli forces of targeting the ambulance as it pulled up near the family's vehicle. The organisation said it had coordinated the journey with Israeli forces as in the past. There was no immediate comment from Israel. The body of five-year-old Hind was found, too, along with her family. Twelve days had passed since the phone call. The world only sees pinhole views of the fighting in Gaza. Few people are let into the besieged territory, communications have been cut multiple times, and only a few journalists are working there. Movement around the tiny enclave carries deadly risk as Israel presses its ground and air offensive. Earlier this week, Israel's prime minister announced plans for a ground invasion of the crammed southern city of Rafah and said well over a million people would need to move. The Health Ministry in Gaza says about two-thirds of more than 28,000 people killed since the start of the war have been children and women. The ministry does not distinguish in its count between civilians and combatants. Israel says it strikes Hamas targets and holds Hamas responsible for civilian casualties because the militants fight from civilian areas. The Hamada family was among more than 80 per cent of Gaza's population evacuating their homes. On January 29, near a gas station in Gaza City, in an area designated by Israel as a combat zone, the family encountered a tank. It was not clear what happened next, but the five-year-old's great-uncle Bashar Hamada, his wife and three of their children were killed. Layan was wounded. She managed to call her father's brother, Omar, to say everyone but her and Hind were dead. She urged him to send an ambulance. He connected her with the Palestinian Red Crescent office in Ramallah, which hoped to instruct her how to save herself and anyone else alive. It was too late. The Palestinian Red Crescent dispatched an ambulance after Layan went silent. Hours later, it lost contact with the medics, Yousef Zeino and Ahmed al-Madhoun, as they arrived at the scene. For days, the organisation shared the story of Hind, her family and the missing medics on social media -- even posting audio of the phone call with Layan -- in a plea for help. On Saturday, after Israeli troops withdrew from the area and civilians told the Palestinian Red Crescent about the bodies, it shared a photo of the ambulance, crumpled and burned. Palestinian Red Crescent spokesperson Raed al-Nims said Israel has killed 20 of its staffers and wounded about 30 others since the war began. Trump, who has long been the front-runner in the GOP presidential race, won three states in a row and is looking to use South Carolina's February 24 primary to close out Haley's chances With two weeks to go before the South Carolina Republican primary, Nikki Haley is trying to challenge Donald Trump on her home turf while the former president tries to quash his last major rival's narrow path to the nomination. Trump, turning his campaign focus to the southern state days after an easy victory in Nevada, is expected to rev up his supporters at a Saturday afternoon rally in Conway, near Myrtle Beach. In his rally speech, Trump insulted Haley by using his derisive nickname for her, "Birdbrain", and lavished praise on South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, who endorsed him early. Trump claimed that he selected Haley to serve as his ambassador to the United Nations in 2017 and represent America on the world stage only because he was motivated to make McMaster -- her second-in-command -- the governor of South Carolina. "She did a job. She was fine. She was OK. But I didn't put here there because I wanted her there at the United Nations," he said. "I wanted to take your lieutenant governor, who is right here, and make him governor." "I wanted him because I felt he deserved it," Trump added. Trump, who has long been the front-runner in the GOP presidential race, won three states in a row and is looking to use South Carolina's February 24 primary to close out Haley's chances and turn his focus fully on an expected rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden in the general election. Haley skipped the Nevada caucuses, condemning the contest as rigged for Trump, and has instead focused on South Carolina, kicking off a two-week bus tour across the state where she served as governor from 2011 to 2017. Speaking to about a couple hundred people gathered outside a historic opera house in Newberry, Haley on Saturday portrayed Trump as an erratic and self-absorbed figure not focused on the American people. She pointed to the way he flexed his influence over the Republican Party this past week, successfully pressuring GOP lawmakers in Washington to reject a bipartisan border security deal and publicly pressed Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel to consider leaving her job. "What is happening?" Haley said. "On that day of all those losses, he had his fingerprints all over it," she added. Haley reprised her questions of Trump's mental fitness, an attack she has sharpened since a January 19 speech in which he repeatedly confused her with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. Haley (52) has called throughout her campaign for mental competency tests for politicians, a way to contrast with 77-year-old Trump and 81-year-old Biden. "Why do we have to have someone in their 80s run for office?" she asked. "Why can't they let go of their power?" A person in the crowd shouted out: "Because they're grumpy old men!" "They are grumpy old men," Haley said. Haley continued the argument when speaking to reporters afterward, citing a report released on Thursday by the special counsel investigating Biden's possession of classified documents. The report described Biden's memory as "poor". "Americans can do better than two 80-year-olds for president," Haley said. Bob Pollard, a retired firefighter, said he cannot support Trump because "he's a maniac", adding that Trump's campaign, in which he speaks frequently of "retribution" and his personal grievances, has "turned into a personal vendetta". Harlie O'Connell, a longtime South Carolina resident who backs Haley, said she plans to support the eventual GOP nominee but prefers it is someone younger. Her husband, Mike O'Connell, drew a contrast between the candidates' approach to foreign policy and said he wants the US to continue assisting Ukraine in its war with Russia, as Haley has pledged. "We need to encourage friendships and not discourage them," he said of international relations. Trump, in his remarks and a social media post on Saturday, criticized foreign aid generally and a plan in Congress to provide nearly $100 billion in aid for Ukraine and Israel. He also repeated his praise for foreign strongmen, calling Russian President Vladimir Putin "very smart, very sharp", Hungary's nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbn as "one of the toughest guys", and Chinese President Xi Jinping smart because he "controls 1.4 billion people with an iron fist". In Conway, people began lining up to see Trump hours before the doors opened to the arena where he was set to take the stage later. Organisers expecting a capacity crowd set up screens outside where an overflow crowd would be able to watch Trump's appearance. The city sits along the Grand Strand, a broad expanse of South Carolina's northern coast that is home to Myrtle Beach and Horry County, one of the most reliably conservative spots in the state and a central area of Trump's base of support in the state in his past campaigns. Tim Carter, from nearby Murrells Inlet, said he had backed Trump since 2016 and would do so again this year. "We're here to stand for Trump, get our economy better, shut our border down, more jobs for our people," said Carter, a pastor and military veteran who runs an addiction recovery ministry. Cheryl Savage from Conway, who was waiting on the bleachers to hear from Trump, said the former president is "here to help us". Savage said she backed Haley during her first run for governor in 2010 but now feels she is hurting herself by staying in the race. "He deserves a second term," Savage said, of Trump. "He did a fantastic job for four years. Pakistan's election commission on Sunday declared the final result of Thursday's general elections in which independent candidates backed by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's party got the biggest piece of the cake by winning 101 seats. The unusual delay in the announcement of results vitiated the atmosphere as several parties cried foul play and some resorted to protests. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced the results of 264 out of 265 contested seats. The result of NA 88 in Khushab in Punjab province was withheld by the ECP due to complaints of fraud and it would be announced after redressing the grievances of the aggrieved. Election to one seat was postponed after the death of a candidate. UNWRA says it had no knowledge of the facility's underground, but the findings merit an independent inquiry, which the agency is unable to perform due to the ongoing war | (Photo: PTI) The Israeli military says it has discovered tunnels underneath the main headquarters of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees in Gaza City, alleging that Hamas militants used the space as an electrical supply room. The unveiling of the tunnels marked the latest chapter in Israel's campaign against the embattled agency, which it accuses of collaborating with Hamas. Recent Israeli allegations that a dozen staff members participated in the Hamas attack on Israel Oct. 7 plunged the agency into a financial crisis, prompting major donor states to suspend their funding as well as twin investigations. The agency says that Israel has also frozen its bank account, embargoed aid shipments and canceled its tax benefits. The army invited journalists to view the tunnel on Thursday. It did not prove definitively that Hamas militants operated in the tunnels underneath the UNWRA facility, but it did show that at least a portion of the tunnel ran underneath the facility's courtyard. The military claimed that the headquarters supplied the tunnels with electricity. UNWRA says it had no knowledge of the facility's underground, but the findings merit an independent inquiry, which the agency is unable to perform due to the ongoing war. The headquarters, on the western edge of Gaza City, are now completely decimated. To locate the tunnel, forces repeated an Israeli tactic used elsewhere in the strip, overturning mounds of red earth to produce a crater-like hole giving way to a small tunnel entrance. The unearthed shaft led to an underground passageway that an Associated Press journalist estimated stretched for at least half a kilometer (quarter of a mile), with at least 10 doors. At one point, journalists were able to gaze upward from the tunnel, through a hole, and make eye contact with soldiers standing in a courtyard within the UNWRA facility. Inside one of the UNWRA buildings, journalists saw a room full of computers with wires stretching down into the ground. Soldiers then showed them a room in the underground tunnel where they claimed the wires connected. That underground room bore a wall of electrical cabinets with multicoloured buttons and was lined with dozens of cables. The military claimed the room served as a hub powering tunnel infrastructure in the area. Twenty meters above us is the UNRWA headquarters," said Lt. Col. Ido, whose last name was redacted by the military. "This is the electricity room, you can see all around here. The batteries, the electricity on walls, everything is conducted from here, all the energy for the tunnels which you walked though them are powered from here. The Associated Press journalist could see the tunnel stretching beyond the area underneath the facility. Hamas has acknowledged building hundreds of kilometers (miles) of tunnels across Gaza. One of the main objectives of the Israeli offensive has been to destroy that network, which it says is used by Hamas to move fighters, weapons and supplies throughout the territory. It accuses Hamas of using civilians as human shields and has exposed many tunnels running near mosques, schools and UN facilities. UNWRA communications director Juliette Touma said the agency was unaware what lay beneath it, saying she had visited the facility multiple times and did not recognise the electrical room. In a statement, Touma wrote that UNWRA had conducted a regular quarterly inspection of the facility in September. UNRWA is a human development and humanitarian organisation that does not have the military and security expertise nor the capacity to undertake military inspections of what is or might be under its premises, read the statement. Also in the tunnel, journalists saw a small bathroom with a toilet and a faucet, a room with shelves and a room with two small vehicles in it that soldiers said the militants used to traverse the tunnel network. The military said Saturday night that the tunnel began at a UNWRA school, and was 700 meters (765 yards) long and 18 meters (20 yards) deep. The military said forces uncovered rifles, ammunition, grenades, and explosives in the facility, claiming it has been used by Hamas militants. Touma said the agency has not revisited the headquarters since staff evacuated Oct. 12, and is unaware of how the facility may have been used. Israel has found similar primitive quarters in tunnels across Gaza over the course of its 4 month-long campaign in Gaza. The offensive was launched after Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people and dragging 250 hostages back to Gaza. Since then, Israeli war planes and ground troops have killed over 27,000 Palestinians in the strip, unleashed a humanitarian catastrophe and wreaked widespread damage. Leaving the facility, it was nearly impossible to identify one window left fully intact. Bullet holes pockmarked the walls. Shrapnel was everywhere, crumpled-up UN vehicles were perched precariously atop building debris. Dogs roamed the area. The Israeli army is occupying our biggest UNRWA headquarters," Touma said in response to Israeli allegations. That's what's outrageous. The attacks in Lebanon came as Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian met in Beirut with Lebanese leaders | Representative image An Israeli drone struck a car near Lebanon's southern port city of Sidon on Saturday, killing at least two people and wounding two others, security officials said. The strike came as tensions across the Middle East grow with the Israel-Hamas war, a drone attack last month that killed three US troops in northeastern Jordan near the Syrian border, and attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels on vessels passing through the Red Sea. The drone strike near the coastal town of Jadra took place about 60 kilometres from the Israeli border, making it one of the farthest inside Lebanon since violence erupted along the Lebanon-Israel border on October 8. An Israeli security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the target of the strike in Sidon was Hamas official Basel Saleh, who was "injured to an unknown extent". The official said Saleh was responsible for enlistment of new Hamas recruits in Gaza and the West Bank. Two Lebanese security officials said the strike damaged a car and killed two people. Drone strikes in Lebanon blamed on Israel have so far killed several officials from Hezbollah as well as the Palestinian militant group Hamas. The previous farthest strike was the January 2 attack that killed top Hamas official Saleh Arouri in Beirut. On Saturday night, Israeli forces shelled the southern Lebanese border village of Houla, killing one person and wounding nine as they left a mosque after prayers, state-run National News Agency reported. The attacks in Lebanon came as Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian met in Beirut with Lebanese leaders including the country's caretaker prime minister, parliament speaker and the head of the militant Hezbollah group. Amirabdollahian said that if the US wants to bring stability to the region again, it should work on forcing Israel to end its military operations in the Gaza Strip. He told reporters after meeting his counterpart Abdallah Bouhabib that after four months of war, Israel and its backers had not achieved "anything tangible". In an apparent reference to attacks by Iran-backed fighters in Yemen, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, Amirabdollahian said that "if American wants calm to prevail in the region, then the mechanism and the solution is to stop the genocide, crimes and the war against Gaza and the West Bank". He blasted Washington, saying the US is working on two tracks, one of which is sending weapons to Israel "and participating in the genocide in Gaza" and at the same time speaking about reaching a political solution to the war. The US Central Command announced on Saturday that the US military conducted self-defence strikes against two mobile unmanned surface vessels, four anti-ship cruise missiles, and one mobile land attack cruise missile that were prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea from Yemen. The military said the missiles and an unmanned vessel in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen presented an imminent threat to US Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region. Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea over Israel's offensive in Gaza, imperiling a key route for trade between Asia, the Mideast and Europe. The Houthis' media office said the US-led coalition launched three airstrikes on Salif district in the Red Sea province of Hodeida on Saturday. In response, the US and the UK launched several airstrikes on Houthi-held areas across Yemen, including the rebel-held capital of Sanaa. The Houthis held a mass funeral in Sanaa on Saturday for 17 of their fighters who they said were killed in strikes by the US-led coalition, according to the Houthi-run SABA news agency. The report didn't say when and where the fighters were killed. In Syria, Israeli airstrikes hit several sites on the outskirts of the capital, Damascus, the Syrian military said on Saturday. The strikes came from the direction of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, Syrian state news agency SANA reported, citing an unnamed military official. UK-based war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said one of the strikes hit a residential building west of the capital. It reported three unidentified people were killed. The observatory said Saturday's assault was the 10th apparent Israeli strike on Syrian territory since the beginning of the year. There was no immediate comment from Israel. Presumed Israeli strikes in Syria in the past have killed high-ranking figures with Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and allied groups. Tensions have also flared elsewhere in the region. A US airstrike in Baghdad on Wednesday killed a commander of Kataib Hezbollah, as part of Washington's retaliation for the killing of three US troops in Jordan last month. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed militias that has launched numerous attacks on US forces in Iraq and Syria, issued a call on Friday for fighters to join its ranks to drive "occupying forces" out of the country. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq has conducted about 170 attacks on bases with US troops in Iraq and Syria over the last four months, saying they were due to Washington's support of Israel in its war in Gaza. Iraqi and US officials launched formal talks last month to wind down the presence of US-led coalition forces in Iraq, but the talks were paused following the strike in Jordan attributed to the Islamic Resistance in Iraq. Officials from both countries announced on Thursday that the talks will resume, with the next meeting set for Sunday. The UAE has expressed deep concern regarding preparations by the Israeli military to launch an operation in the Rafah area, in the south of the Gaza Strip populated by displaced Palestinians, and the serious humanitarian repercussions that may result from the operation. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned against military action that threatens to cause the loss of more innocent life and exacerbate the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip. The Ministry reaffirmed its strong condemnation of any forced displacement of the brotherly Palestinian people, and all practices that violate the resolutions of international legitimacy and international and humanitarian law. The Ministry called on the international community to undertake immediate efforts to reach a ceasefire to avoid further loss of life, and prevent fueling the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Furthermore, the Ministry called for efforts to achieve a comprehensive and just peace, while preventing regional spill-over that risks further violence, tension, and instability. The Ministry reaffirmed the UAE's position, calling for a return to negotiations to achieve the two-state solution with an independent Palestinian state. 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 Decision makers from oil and gas companies, leading pipeline operators, EPCs and storage operators will gather to discuss the latest pipeline industry trends and solutions at the Transportation Oil & Gas Congress (TOGC 2024) this month. The congress is being held in Milan, Italy, from February I9-21. Smart solutions and technologies for digital transformation are among the topics of TOGC 2024, as oil and gas companies see more opportunities for the application of a wide range of rapidly maturing equipment and tools. As the industry is moving towards the world of digitalisation, speakers are going to present the strategies on digital transformation, and share their thoughts on robotics usage, AI and ML implementation, and AR and VR utilisation. The most important thing is the artificial intelligence-based analyses because day by day the machines and the performance of the oil and the pipelines can be changed. So, the system should analyse it and create solutions for yourself because it is the future of the business society, said Gokhan Donmez, Sales Manager of Sulzer. Decision-makers of the companies also discover new solutions for the pipeline integrity maintenance within the Congress: in-line inspection tools and cases, corrosion protection, remote monitoring tools, drones and UAVs. For example, remote monitoring tools like satellites allow companies to monitor pipelines in no-fly zones for aircrafts and drones, as well as to provide a view of the Earths atmosphere, oceans, and land surfaces to track possible geohazards. The benefits of satellite remote monitoring are going to be discussed in frames of the Congress by Daniel Seidel, Co-Founder & Co-CEO at LiveEO. Seidel will speak about complementing pipeline integrity management with satellite analytics to detect geohazards and third-party activity at scale. Remote monitoring tools and other topics related to trends of the oil and gas industry are going to be discussed at TOGC 2024, which brings together C-level audiences and leading technical specialists. Delegates from Bonatti, Sicim, INGL, Eni, ICGB, Exolum, OGE, DESFA, Saipem, Techint Engineering & Construction, Wood, TUPRAS, Moldovagaz will be present at the event. Find out more about TOGC 2024: https://sh.bgs.group/17d --OGN/ TradeArabia News Service The Education Scholarship Act is a mess in my opinion, let me tell you why. Several studies show there is no vast improvement in the pilot districts (Krueger and Zhu) Lizette Gonzalez-Reynolds recently testified before the Senate Education Committee that the results were nothing to write home about, take that how you will. Students are required to take less state exams, only math and English. There is currently no tracking literature in the current document as written. There is currently no discrimination terminology in the document. There is currently nothing about students with disabilities in the document. There is currently nothing about how the first come, first served will be acknowledged. This is going to be a mess if enacted, and the kids, poor and middle-class kids, will be the ones that will suffer the most. Arizona, for example, has the same type of program where all kids are included, and they are struggling to pay for it, and it will soon be gone, in my opinion. The cost is over $1 billion this school year. There is lack of accountability and tracking it is a nightmare. Some are suspected of spending funds on luxury vacations, etc. We do not want these issues. So why would we be pushing it like it will work differently for us. We do have to change the schools and how they are currently structured, but this program is not it. Only the private school folks will benefit from this, and they do not need the help. Christopher Cooper So, am I correct in understanding that what is being called "school choice" and "Education Freedom" is actually another giveaway to people of means in Tennessee? At the expense of people without means? Color me shocked. I don't see anyone posting the average cost of Tennessee private school education versus the amount of the "freedom scholarship" and how many low income students would actually be able to attend private school using those funds, as if they were wanted there anyway. But prominent business folks would sure appreciate that help with tuition, wouldn't they? It is no wonder California and Texas have lost so many residents to Tennessee. Meanwhile, public school loses funds that are already inadequate so we can all subsidize private school for well off families. I guess we'll all benefit from they're being able to spend more to throw crumbs to the less advantaged at their charity events. Tennessee, where the only giveaways we don't like are those that actually benefit someone in need. Darlene Kilgore * * * As usual Darlene Kilgore shows her contempt for the producers of this country who make the country work in her latest harangue about charter schools. Heaven forbid we have a program for lower income students in Democrat cesspools like Memphis if it actually benefited some well off people who pay the bills too. Right out of the Democrat playbook; first play the race card and if that doesn't work use the old class warfare tactic. So the only giveaways we don't like are those that actually benefit someone in need? Well that's funny, every Tennessean I know is proud of our, "Tennessee Promise, " program that provides last dollar aid for tuition and expenses to our extensive network of community colleges. So any high school grad has the opportunity to learn an occupation and graduate with a high paying job and no student debt. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me. Of course I am sure Darlene is opposed since the Promise program is only available to those fabulously wealthy students from families with less than $50,000 annual income. Douglas Jones In 1937, the Soviet Union was entangled in a paradox. Stalin's constitution, adopted the year prior, teased democracy for the Soviet masses - open elections, dissenting voices, multi-candidate elections, real choice -- it would make the Soviet Union the most democratic country on Earth. At least on paper. But constitutions and platforms giveth while the commissars taketh away. As the year dragged on, a desire greater than constitutional commitment emerged - the desire to wield and maintain power. Thus, over 1937-38, the famous show trials against political opponents became the prime events of Stalin's Great Terror. A steady stream of dissenters and "enemies", many of whom had been duped into believing in the promise of a multi-candidate system open to dissent, were shipped to gulags or executed. This lust for power and control was not an isolated incident unique to the Soviet Union of 1937. It is a recurring theme in human history, driven by personal ambitions and the darker facets of human nature. The Catoosa County Republican Party has provided fresh evidence that human nature remains fixed. Mimicking earlier examples from Chattooga County and Pickens, the Catoosa GOP has introduced a rule that requires prospective candidates who wish to appear on the Republican primary ballot to secure a majority vote from the 15-person Catoosa County Republican Party county committee within 12 months prior to the qualifying period. See below. "In order to qualify for office as a Republican, a potential candidate must be approved by the Catoosa County Republican Party County Committee by a majority vote within twelve (12) months prior to the date he or she attempts to qualify." At first glance, this might seem like a reasonable, even benign measure. They claim it is to ensure candidates are genuine Republicans. What criteria will the committee use? Why wasnt that criteria or standard made public and disclosed? This new hurdle to ballot access raises deeper issues about the nature of democratic processes and party control. The Supreme Court has recognized the rights of political parties to select their nominees as part of the First Amendment's freedom of association. Simultaneously, it has acknowledged the state's interest in maintaining clear, consistent election procedures, including that they may mandate that nominees be chosen through primary electionssomething Georgia has done. O.C.G.A. 21-2-153 states that, Unless otherwise provided by law, all candidates for party nomination in a state or county primary shall qualify as such candidates in accordance with the procedural rules of their party; provided, however, that no person shall be prohibited from qualifying for such office if he or she: (1) Meets the requirements of such procedural rules; (2) Is eligible to hold the office which he or she seeks; (3) Is not prohibited from being nominated or elected by provisions of Code Section 21-2-7 or 21-2-8; and (4) If party rules so require, affirms his or her allegiance to his or her party by signing the following oath: I do hereby swear or affirm my allegiance to the (name of party) Party. While parties have the right to select nominees, states can mandate primaries for that purpose. Georgia statute mandates primary elections for party nominations for the major parties, requiring only basic eligibility criteria to be met for candidates. The party believes its extra step is a valid "procedural rule." That will likely be challenged in court. Whatever their criteria, Americans have established norms - participation beats prohibition in matters of public office. We select standard eligibility requirements, then let the people decide who will represent them. Let's be clear about what is happening. Over 10,000 people voted Republican in the 2022 Catoosa primary. Yet the Catoosa GOP county convention, which selected the 15-person county committee, had under 200 people show up. Now, this group, which is a tiny fraction of Republican primary voters in Catoosa County, has granted itself arbitrary powers to exclude primary candidates in a secret vote. To deny voters their First Amendment rights of association. This rejects a core American principle - self-government by the people. The reasoning? "Voters are disappointed by candidates labeled Republican." However, the Georgia Republican Assembly the quasi-third party heavily affiliated with the Catoosa GOP revealed that it was because of low-information voters" when discussing a similar measure in Chattooga County. But lets not rush to judgment. Perhaps we are mistaken. This isn't about depriving Republican voters of their sacred and natural right to scrutinize candidates and make independent choices. Heaven forbid! No, the leaders of the Catoosa GOP, these paragons of virtue, these sage guardians of the ballot, possess wisdom so towering, insights so profound that mere mortal voters pale in comparison. With the noblest of intentions and the purest of hearts, they've graciously assumed the Herculean task of sifting through the riff-raff of candidates. After all, why trouble the simpletons who stumble into a voting booth in the primaries with the arduous task of choosing? Fear not the tyranny of choice; our benevolent overlords of Republican purity have graciously intervened. And it seems likely that these electoral white knights will humbly offer even further thoughtful service and might streamline the process to a single, party-approved candidate for each office or at least only a couple. Why risk the messy business of democracy when you can have the streamlined efficiency masterfully displayed by the 1937 Soviets? So, as you step into the voting booth, remember the luxury of simplicity you've been affordedno need to exercise free will or wrestle with the weighty implications of your civic duty. Just tick the box next to a pre-approved candidate. Easy! And then, dear comrade, kick back. The express train to utopia awaits; no heavy thinking is required! Remember the words of Republican President Abraham Lincoln about the government of the people, by the people, for the people. It was a nice idea. But in Catoosa, as in Soviet Russia, the commissars seem to disagree. Elliot Pierce This image provided by National Institutes of Health (NIH) shows the X and Y chromosomes. Women are far more likely than men to get autoimmune diseases, illnesses like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis that occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks their own tissues. That gender disparity has baffled scientists for decades but new research may finally explain why. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close 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 Hooking up with a virtual stranger requires a certain level of bravery and risk-taking spirit that is highly admirable. But with it, there comes a guarantee of awkward, embarrassing, and downright strange interactions. One womans dating experience is a testament to just how unpredictable matters of the heart can be. Your journey to finding love can lead you into the most unlikely of circumstances. TikToker Cori (@officialcorimiles) is talking about a bizarre date she went on about four years ago with a guy who was a politician and was based in Chicago. On television, politicians usually seem very professional and polished with their eloquent speeches and dressed in their fitted suits. Its hard to imagine them wearing anything else. Thats why its always such a shock to find out what theyre really like behind the scenes. As Cori came to realize, this particular politician worked to navigate the intricacies of legislation by day but indulged in a peculiar fascination with costumes by night. So, she had met up with him a few times already, and this was their third time hanging out. They ended up going back to his place to hook up. Their make-out session on the couch was getting hot and heavy, so he asked her if she wanted to head over to the bedroom. Sign up for Chip Chicks newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox. Have you ever had someone spend a bunch of money at the wrong time? One woman recently got into an argument with her boyfriend because he bought an expensive car he didnt need just before they were supposed to sign the lease on a new apartment. Shes 28 and has been with her 31-year-old boyfriend for a little over two years. Since theyve been together, theyve been living in separate places with roommates, and theyre getting tired of it. So, theyve been looking for an apartment to live in together. It took them a long time to find the perfect place, as she has a dog and struggled to find a dog-friendly apartment. However, she recently got in touch with a friend whos looking for someone to sublet her apartment for eight months. She got approval from the landlord for them to move in with the dog. All they have to do is sign a lease. Just after she and her boyfriend got their credit checks approved by her friends landlord, she found out her boyfriend purchased a second car for himself. He already has a daily driver but wanted a weekend car, which I personally find ridiculous, she said. He has a Honda Accord that is fine, and hes never complained about problems with it. But he recently said he bought another car. He isnt the best with money. He really likes to spend [until] the last dollar, and [he] doesnt have any savings. Although her boyfriend makes around $70,000 a year and pays around $1,100 a month for rent and utilities, shes still had to loan him money, and he doesnt put any of his money away for savings. To make matters worse, the new Corvette her boyfriend bought will cost him $800 a month, and he has already asked her for help to cover his share of their new apartments security deposit. Sign up for Chip Chicks newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox. Whether youre a total sucker for Valentines Day or you view the holiday as a way for businesses to make money, theres no denying that February 14 is a great opportunity to show your loved ones how much you care. No matter who youre celebratingyour family, friends, a new sweetheart, or a longtime partneryou can put that love into action by creating a meal you can share together from the comfort of your own home. The desserts and the main course are the easiest parts to get down. The real challenge is figuring out what side dish to make. It cant be too boring, but it also shouldnt be too extravagant so as not to outshine the rest of the meal. If youre struggling to find the right balance, heres the perfect scrumptious side dish recipe to help complete your romantic dinner. In a video that has been viewed over five million times, TikToker and food blogger Gigi Madanipour (@gigimadanipour) is demonstrating how to make heart-shaped potatoes in the air fryer for Valentines Day. Say goodbye to oven-baked potatoes that lack a satisfying signature crisp, and welcome this more appetizing alternative with open arms! Start by peeling three large russet potatoes and slicing them into rounds. You can cut them as thick or as thin as you want. Each potato should yield about ten to fifteen slices. Next, use a small heart-shaped cookie cutter to carve out hearts from all the potato slices. Allow them to soak for thirty minutes in a bowl of cold water. Then, rinse them off and pat them dry. Finally, season the potatoes with half a teaspoon of salt, a quarter teaspoon of Italian seasoning, and half a teaspoon of garlic powder. Toss a ratio of forty hearts with one tablespoon of olive oil. Air fry them at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for fifteen to eighteen minutes, resulting in potatoes that are fluffy on the inside and crunchy on the outside. Sign up for Chip Chicks newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox. Home News European Parliament condemns massacre of Christians in Nigeria, blames climate change ADF Int'l blasts claim Christian persecution caused by environmental factors, not Islamic extremism The European Parliament has condemned the Christmas Eve massacre of Christians in Nigeria but attributed the violence to climate change and environmental degradation instead of Sharia law, Islamic extremist groups and the dangers of blasphemy accusations. During the 2023 Christmas season, Fulani militants killed at least 195 Christians in over 20 communities in Nigerias Central Plateau State. The attacks also resulted in more than 300 injuries, the destruction of homes, the burning of eight churches and the displacement of 15,000 people. The EU resolution states that the conflict is increasingly described in religious terms, while the perpetrators are yet to be identified and several factors are to be taken into account such as competition for land fueled by rapid climate change and the failure of authorities to hold to account those responsible for violence. 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 further calls on Nigerian authorities to take meaningful steps to identify and address all root causes of the violence in Plateau state, such as competition for scarce resources, environmental degradation and the disappearance of effective mediation schemes. Georgia Du Plessis from the human rights group ADF International criticized the resolution for downplaying the religious motivations behind the attacks, emphasizing that climate change does not lead to the massacre of Christian villages. In 2021, Nigeria was the deadliest country for Christians, with 90% of global Christian martyrdoms occurring there. An average of 14 Nigerian Christians are killed daily due to their faith. Members of the European Parliament Bert-Jan Ruissen and Gyorgy Holvenyi have also voiced concerns over the resolutions failure to acknowledge Islamic extremism as a primary cause of the violence. Saying that it is a mere conflict between farmers and herders fails to acknowledge the other causes. It is Muslim extremists causing death and destruction, Ruissen said. Blinded by ideology, some people are totally insensitive to human suffering when it comes to Christians, Holvenyi added. The timing of the attacks, brutal killings, and destruction of churches cannot be misinterpreted and can only be understood as the persecution of Christians and we should be able to say so. ADF International said it's also involved in a significant legal case supporting Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, a Sufi Muslim musician sentenced to death under blasphemy laws in Nigerias Kano state, challenging the constitutionality of Sharia-based blasphemy laws which could lead to their repeal. The coordinated attacks by Fulani militias from Dec. 23-26 were described as pure terrorism by Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, which led to calls for a prompt, independent investigation by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk. The U.S.-based International Christian Concern has documented the extensive damage and loss of life, calling for the Nigerian authorities to prioritize the arrest and prosecution of the terrorists. Nigeria has been listed in the ICCs annual Persecutors of the Year report for the last three years due to the ongoing violence against Christians. The assailants, often referred to as bandits, are a mix of criminal elements, including ethnic Fulani herders and mercenaries from Chad or Niger. They are well-armed and have been active in northern Nigeria for over a decade. Christian leaders believe these attacks are motivated by a desire to take over Christian lands and impose Islam. Nigeria led the world in Christians killed for their faith in 2022, according to Open Doors 2023 World Watch List report, which also noted the involvement of Fulani, Boko Haram, and Islamic State West Africa Province, or ISWAP, in these raids. Home News Women share their abortion stories: 'The life was just sucked out of me, too' WASHINGTON Three women have opened up about their past abortions and how they eventually forgave themselves after struggling with indescribable emotions and, in some cases, addictions. Last month, thousands of pro-lifers from across the globe braved the cold and snow to attend the 51st annual March for Life, where the theme this year was "With Every Woman, For Every Child." The theme emphasized the movement's dedication to uplifting pregnant women so that no woman feels alone before and after her pregnancy. 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 For those who have had an abortion, many women have described feeling as if abortion was their only option at that moment. Women who spoke with The Christian Post discussed how they found healing after their abortions and have been inspired to help other women facing similar situations they experienced. The following pages highlight their stories. Home Opinion Does Hell have various degrees of punishment? The doctrine of Hell is one that is often neglected or avoided simply because of the weightiness and darkness of the subject. However, its critically important that Christians speak about Hell in the way that the biblical text speaks about Hell. Our doctrinal positions should be formed on the basis of Scripture rather than our feelings about a specific subject. Is your doctrine of Hell different than Jesus doctrine of Hell? What did Jesus teach about Hell? In Jesus earthly ministry, He preached many sermons and taught on various subjects which are visibly evident in his most famous sermon known as The Sermon on the Mount. The preaching of Jesus was not exactly light. As the Prophet greater than Moses, Jesus thundered the truth of the Kingdom of God including Heaven and the judgment of God in the Hell of fire (Matt 5:22). Jesus pointed to the certainty of both Heaven and Hell. Jesus likewise spoke of the eternality of both Heaven and Hell (Matt 25:46). 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 Lord Jesus himself frequently described Hell as a place of righteous judgment upon rebels and lawbreakers. We see evidence of Jesus doctrine of Hell in multiple passages (Matt 5:22; 8:12; 10:28; 13:42; 24:51; 23:33; 25:30; Mark 9:4348; Luke 13:28). In these texts, we see weighty language of wrath, retribution, and punishment that point to the holy vengeance of a sovereign God who must judge sinners. In Jesus parable in Luke 16 regarding the rich man and Lazarus, the doctrine of divine judgment in Hell is illustrated vividly as the rich man immediately drops into the abyss of Hell after his death. In the flames of Hell, the rich man requests a drop of water to cool his tongue, because he states that he was in anguish in the flames of judgment (Luke 16:24). In contrast, Jesus points to the fact that the poor man (Lazarus) was in complete comfort in the presence of Abraham (Luke 16:25). The presence of Abraham was a means of illustrating a place of blessing since the Jews idolized Abraham as their Jewish hero. The parable points to the severity of the divine vengeance of God. When we examine Jesus parables and his preaching on the doctrine of Hell, its clear that he intentionally employed key words to underscore the severity of Hell. Fire: Jesus often used the imagery of fire to illustrate the punishment awaiting the unrepentant. In Matthew 25:41 we find these words by Jesus, Then he will say to those on his left, Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels (ESV). Outer darkness: This term highlights the separation from Gods presence and the despair associated with eternal punishment. In Matthew 8:12, Jesus said, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (ESV). Weeping and gnashing of teeth: This is descriptive language indicating the anguish and regret of those facing judgment. In Matthew 13:42, Jesus warned that those who experience the final judgment of God will be thrown into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (ESV). Degrees of punishment The Bible teaches that Hell will be more severe for some people than for others. While all unbelievers who die outside of the grace of God will experience the wrath of God for eternity in Hell, we must recognize the clear teachings of Scripture that point to varying degrees of punishment in Hell. In Luke 10 and Matthew 11, a parallel passage is found in both Gospels that points to the reality of different degrees of punishment in Hell. It may come as a surprise to some people, but Jesus actually taught that Hell would be more severe for those who lived in cities like Capernaum than for those who lived in the wicked city of Sodom. Notice the words of Jesus from Matthew 11: Woe to you Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to Heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.1 Jesus issues a woe to the people living in three specific cities and contrasted them against three additional cities. The cities near the Sea of Galilee (Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum) had been at the center of Jesus earthly ministry. The people there had seen a great light. They had witnessed his miracles, signs, and wonders and heard his powerful preaching and teaching. They had filled up synagogues and houses as Jesus preached the Scriptures. Yet, most of those people had walked away and rejected Christ. The other cities mentioned by Jesus (Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom) were all cities to the north near the Mediterranean Sea. They were Phoenician cities. William Hendriksen explains: Yet, from Isa. 23 and Ezek. 2628 one receives the definite impression that the commercial seafarers and colonizers who inhabited these cities were proud, money-mad, and cruel. 2 Amos speaks of the people of Tyre selling Israelites as slaves to the Edomites. According to Joel 3:6, the Phoenicians sold the children of Judah and Jerusalem into the hands of the Greeks. We know the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. The city of Sodom was filled with homosexuality and vile sin. Its from this city that we derived the word sodomite to describe sexual deviancy and rebellion against God in grotesque sexual sin. Yet, Jesus provided a warning to the cities that had the most access to his preaching ministry that their judgment would be more severe. As Matthew 11:20 states, they had the most access to Jesus ministry and yet they did not repent. In a modern-day example, a morally acceptable grandmother who attends church every Sunday morning and has never committed any vile crimes against children, embezzled money from her employer, or committed murder can die and go to Hell as an unconverted church member. In contrast, the savage who grows up in a dark jungle and is taught to worship his ancestors and never one time hears the name of Jesus dies and goes immediately to Hell too. However, the grandmothers Hell will be more severe. Why will it be more severe? According to Jesus teaching in Matthew 11 and Luke 10, it will be more severe based on her access to the Gospel and being responsible for her ongoing rejection of Christ. Elsewhere in the New Testament, we find other passages that illustrate the various degrees of eternal punishment. In Matthew 12:36-37, Jesus makes the following statement: I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. According to Christ, every word will be judged, which reveals that there will be a greater condemnation for some people than for others. In Luke 12:47-48, Jesus contrasts two servants who were given a command to follow, and one received a severe beating while another received a light beating. This too illustrates a difference in punishment that will be issued at the return of Christ. And that servant who knew his masters will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more. In Pauls letter to the church in Rome, he writes the following in Romans 2:5: But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when Gods righteous judgment will be revealed. In the verse that immediately follows, Paul writes, He will render to each one according to his works. The records of our lives will be opened according to Revelation 20:12. We will be judged by the deeds we have done and the words we have spoken. The books that chronicle our lives will be opened and every action, word, thought, and deed will be exposed, examined, and judged accordingly. Since every word and deed will be different for every person, its clear that different degrees of punishment will be issued. In another passage in the New Testament, a clear warning is issued by the author to the Hebrews that points to the vengeance of God being directed toward those who commit sin. In Hebrews 10:29-31, we find the following words: How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, Vengeance is mine; I will repay. And again, The Lord will judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. The key language worse punishment and vengeance is mine, I will repay point to the fact that those who deserve worse punishment will receive worse punishment by the Lord himself. Hell will be far more severe for some than for others because our Lord is a righteous and perfect judge who judges with perfect justice and divine judgment. While the doctrine of Hell may have fallen out of popularity among many within evangelicalism, we must adopt the same doctrine of Hell that Jesus taught and the same doctrine of Hell that the New Testament apostles preached. The teachings of the New Testament point to Hells severity, but also of the different degrees of punishment that will be measured out by the sovereign judge of all mankind. Do you know someone who has delayed in coming to Christ? Remind that person that every day given to sin stores up more wrath. Every word spoken, careless thought, and lustful action will be judged accordingly. Jonathan Edwards sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God is the most famous sermon preached in the history of America. Consider the words of a faithful servant of our Lord who preached this sermon powerfully and God used it to awaken many people to their need to repent: The bow of Gods wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise or obligation at all, that keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood. Thus all you that never passed under a great change of heart, by the mighty power of the Spirit of God upon your souls; all you that were never born again, and made new creatures, and raised from being dead in sin, to a state of new, and before altogether unexperienced light and life, are in the hands of an angry God.3 Matthew 10:28: And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in Hell. 1. Matthew 11:2124 English Standard Version 2. William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, Exposition of the Gospel According to Luke, vol. 11, New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 19532001), 577. 3. Jonathan Edwards, Sermon: Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God Originally published at G3 Ministries. Home Opinion Moms for Liberty now a hate group? Are parents who are concerned for their childrens education haters? Are they bigots? Do they deserve to be treated as domestic terrorists? The answer to all of these questions should be No. But lately, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), a group that claims to be the last word on who are haters and hate groups in America, has now added Moms for Liberty to their infamous map of hate. This means, according to the SPLC, that right up there or really, right down there with the skinheads and the Ku Klux Klan is this grassroots organization of mothers concerned about their childrens education. 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 website of Moms for Liberty explains why they exist: The organization's mission is to organize, educate and empower parents to defend their parental rights at all levels of government. Tyler ONeil of the Heritage Foundation wrote the book on the SPLC. Its called Making Hate Pay: The Corruption of the Southern Poverty Law Center. Ive had the privilege to interview ONeil about the infamous work of the SPLC. He told me, The Southern Poverty Law Center is a morally bankrupt organization with upwards of $700 million endowment. And they make their money by demonizing people who disagree with them. Just last week, ONeil wrote, The SPLC, which has weaponized the program it used against the KKK in the 1980s to attack mainstream conservative and Christian organizations, in June added parental rights groups to its so-called hate map, among them Moms for Liberty, Parents Defending Education, Purple for Parents, and Courage Is a Habit. This is scary. America is in the midst of a crisis of education, and a crying need for more parental involvement in their childrens education. But according to the SPLC, if they are parents with a conservative point of view, then theyre bigots. For the American experiment in self-rule under God to work, said virtually every founding father, the people themselves have to be virtuous. George Washington, whose birthday we celebrate soon, said famously, Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. But todays elites seem committed to promoting irreligion and immorality. And if you oppose any of these things, you might just find yourself labeled as a hater or a hate group. That may seem preposterous, but my employer, Coral Ridge Ministries (also known as D. James Kennedy Ministries) has been labeled as a hate group by the SPLC. And we can be found on their hate and antigovernment groups map. Why? Because we disagree with same-sex marriage. We sued them for libel, but they basically said they were practicing their First Amendment right of free speech. When they appear in the media, they appear as Arbiters of Hate. But when it came time to defend their hate designation in court, they meekly stated that it was simply a matter of opinion. Our appeals all the way up to the Supreme Court failed. There was a time when the SPLC did some good work to try and curtail racism in America. But in the last few decades or so, they seem to spend all their considerable resources trying to vilify conservatives and Christians. The Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court Tom Parker once told our viewers in a television interview that the SPLC is basically a gigantic fundraising machine: They have been able to squirrel away overseas while they continued to purport to represent those in poverty and in need. Parker made an interesting suggestion when we were making a documentary on the SPLC. He said we should take our TV crew and go across town, to the other side of the tracks, and get some footage of some of those still experiencing Southern poverty that the Southern Poverty Law Center doesnt lift a finger to help. We followed up on the Chief Justices idea. All of this makes one wonder: Who died and put the SPLC in charge of determining who hates and who does not? Many of the groups that the SPLC now targets as alleged hate groups are perhaps being so labeled because they are effective in making a positive difference, like the Alliance Defending Freedom (which has won several significant cases at the Supreme Court), Liberty Counsel, the Family Research Council, and a host of other conservative Christian groups that defend religious liberty and traditional marriage. The SPLC sets itself up as a prophet. But judging by the endowment theyve built up by scaring northeastern liberals who dont know any Christians, it seems that perhaps theyre more driven by profits. The words of the ancient Hebrew prophet Isaiah come to mind. He said, Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness. Cartoonist Greg Perry reflects on a new survey showing a quarter of Canadians believe the country is offering "too much support" to Ukraine in its fight against Russia, including 43 per cent of Conservative voters. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form U.S. President Joe Biden gestures as he delivers remarks at the White House in Washington, U.S., February 8, 2024. President Joe Biden's campaign national co-chair Mitch Landrieu on Sunday fired back at concerns raised by Special Counsel Robert Hur surrounding Biden's alleged mental deterioration. "They're not even close to being the same cases," Landrieu said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press," responding to comparisons between Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump and Biden's respective investigations surrounding the mishandling of classified documents. "But that's not what the most egregious thing is about this report," Landrieu continued. "It is this ad hominem attack that questioned the president's capacity ... I've known [Biden] for 30 years. I have met with him personally, I've met with him with two people, five people, 10 people. I have been on trips with him crisscrossing the country, rebuilding America based on this incredible infrastructure bill that was passed. And I'm telling you, this guy's tough. He's smart." The comments follow Special Counsel Robert Hur's investigation into possible mishandling of U.S. classified documents that could have endangered national security. Classified documents were kept by Biden in the garage of his Delaware residence after the conclusion of his second term as vice president in 2017, the report noted. Ultimately, while the report maintained the risks raised by the storage of national documents in Biden's residence, the president did not commit any criminal wrongdoing, the report concluded. The report went a step further in citing the president's allegedly "poor memory," which Biden denied in a national address last week. "My memory has not gotten worse," Biden said in the televised address, just hours after Hur's report was released. "...I'm an elderly man, and I know what the hell I'm doing." The national address reignited efforts in Washington to possibly change the top of the Democratic ticket as voters have become increasingly concerned about Biden's age, recent polling has indicated. Landrieu also fired back at efforts to change the Democratic ticket, citing Biden's resilience throughout his career. "Biden's accomplishments have been second to none," Landrieu said. "The one thing Biden is never going to do count on this he is never going to quit." Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas made similar remarks on "Meet the Press" Sunday, citing his personal experiences working with Biden. "I have met with the president many times over the course of the past three years," Mayorkas said. "I prepare intensely for those meetings ... He is probing and detailed and focused on the mission." 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. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was taken back to the hospital on Sunday afternoon by his security detail for symptoms related to a possible bladder issue, and later transferred his responsibilities to his top deputy, the Pentagon announced. Austin is battling prostate cancer and has been recovering from surgery over the past few months. The Pentagon said that Austin initially had retained all the responsibilities of his post when he entered the hospital. On his way to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Austin brought along all "unclassified and classified communication systems necessary to perform his duties," according to Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder. But the Pentagon hours later issued an update, saying that Austin had transferred his duties to Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks just before 5 p.m. ET. "The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the White House, and Congress have been notified," the Pentagon said. "We will provide additional updates on Secretary Austin's condition as soon as possible." Later Sunday night, Walter Reed doctors said that Austin was admitted to the critical care unit. "At this time, it is not clear how long Secretary Austin will remain hospitalized," the doctors said. "His cancer prognosis remains excellent." The Pentagon's disclosure of Austin's hospitalization and its update avoided a repeat of a recent situation where Austin and his staff failed to inform top government officials that Austin was in the intensive care unit for complications related to his cancer surgery. In January, Austin came under fire after the Pentagon waited days to inform the White House and the public that he was in the ICU for unknown reasons at the time. Doctors at Walter Reed later disclosed the prostate cancer diagnosis and released details of his hospital visits. Still, several lawmakers called on Austin to resign for the lack of transparency, though the White House rebuked those demands and doubled down on its support for the Defense Secretary as he battles cancer. Austin's re-hospitalization on Sunday comes just over a week after he publicly apologized for hiding that earlier hospital visit and pledged to be more transparent. "We did not handle this right. And I did not handle this right. I should have told the president about my cancer diagnosis. I should have also told my team and the American public, and I take full responsibility," Austin said at a Pentagon briefing. Displaced Palestinians take shelter in a makeshit tent camp by the beach in Rafah near the border with Egypt in the southern Gaza Strip on January 16, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. - | Afp | Getty Images The Abu Mustafa family's tent is hard against the high concrete and metal fence separating Gaza from Egypt in Rafah, the last relatively safe place in an enclave devastated by Israel's military offensive, but one that may now also come under attack. The family is among more than a million Palestinians now crammed into the area around Rafah and fearing they have nowhere left to flee inside a tiny strip largely reduced to rubble and where fighting still rages. "Every day, we're on the run. Being displaced is tough because I have two daughters with disabilities. I can't carry them around. I don't have a car or a cart," said Laila Abu Mustafa. "If there will be more displacement, I'm not moving," she said. Read more about the Israel-Hamas conflict: Egypt threatens to suspend key peace treaty with Israel Netanyahu: 'Enough' remaining hostages alive to warrant Gaza war Israel warned of disaster if ground invasion is launched on Rafah Palestinians brace for Rafah evacuation, Israeli assault plan Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered an evacuation plan for the civilians who crowd Rafah, camping in streets and empty lots, on the beach and like the Abu Mustafa family on the sandy strip along the Egyptian border. Palestinians children wait in line to receive food prepared by volunteers for Palestinian families ,displaced to Southern Gaza due to Israeli attacks, between rubbles of destroyed buildings in Rafah, Gaza on February 09, 2024. Abed Rahim Khatib | Anadolu | Getty Images Aid agencies say that any assault on the city will be catastrophic in a war that has already caused untold misery. The war began on Oct. 7 when the militant group Hamas that controls Gaza stormed the border fence with Israel, sending in fighters who killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and seized about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Four months later, Gaza is in ruins. Under a massive daily bombardment, Israeli ground forces have overrun most of the enclave, smashing houses, public buildings and infrastructure with air raids, artillery fire and controlled detonations. Palestinian health authorities say more than 28,000 people have been killed in the war, about 70% of them women and children. More than 85% of Gazans are homeless. A U.N. survey found that nearly one in 10 children under five are acutely malnourished. Talks for a deal on a ceasefire and the release of hostages have so far failed to bring an agreement. Last week Israel rejected a Hamas proposal, saying it would not stop fighting while the group retained brigades that Israel says are hiding in Rafah. A Palestinian man and children look at the damage at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, on Feb. 8, 2024. Ibraheem Abu Mustafa | Reuters Egyptian security sources said more high-level talks were planned for Tuesday with senior officials from Qatar and the United States to attend, as well as Israeli and Palestinian delegations. Israeli air raids have started targeting Rafah over recent days. On Sunday, Hamas said Israeli air raids in the Gaza Strip over the previous four days had killed two hostages and injured eight others. The group said any Israeli assault on Rafah would "blow up" the discussions for a deal to free the remaining hostages. Evacuation plan for civilians Speaking in an interview due to air on U.S. network ABC on Sunday, Netanyahu reiterated that Israeli forces would assault Rafah, but said they were preparing "a detailed plan" for where civilians there could go. This photograph taken on January 22, 2024 on the southern outskirts of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip, shows Palestinian families fleeing the city on the coastal road leading to Rafah, amid ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. - | Afp | Getty Images Hungarian President Katalin Novak resigned on Saturday after coming under mounting pressure for pardoning a man convicted of helping to cover up sexual abuse in a children's home. Novak, a close ally of conservative Prime Minister Viktor Orban, resigned a week after her presidential pardon was first reported by local news site 444.hu. The revelation caused a public uproar and demands from the opposition for her and former Justice Minister Judit Varga to quit. Varga, who has been a rising star in Orban's ruling Fidesz party, resigned as a lawmaker on Saturday. The scandal was a rare setback for Orban, who has been in power since 2010, and who faces European parliament elections just as the country emerges from an inflation crisis. Orban has for years campaigned to protect children from what he has described as LGBTQ activists roaming the nation's schools. This has been one of several issues over which Orban has clashed with the European Commission. In this article ABNB Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Illustration by Elham Ataeiazar Daryn Carr is no stranger to side hustles. After his mom died from Covid in 2020, he used funds from her pension to pay off some bills and buy a car. With the remaining money, he invested in crypto and started an ATM business. One day in 2022, while scrolling through Instagram, he came upon another opportunity. Carr found a guy named Anthony Agyeman, who was promoting a type of arbitrage on Airbnb that involved taking listings from hotel booking and short-term rental sites and relisting them on Airbnb at a higher price, retaining the profit. Agyeman claimed in marketing materials that his business, Hands-Free Automation, had "5-year exclusivity contracts" with thousands of property owners that gave it permission to relist their properties at a higher price. Getting involved with Hands-Free Automation, or HFA, required a payment of between $20,000 and $30,000 to effectively own a piece of Airbnb listings. Agyeman described it as a "minimal to no risk" path to extra income with a guaranteed return in three to six months of investment, "then pure profit after." HFA has no affiliation with Airbnb but found a way to make money on the marketplace using a practice that Airbnb explicitly prohibits. Agyeman was following similar tactics that he'd used on Amazon and Shopify , where he promoted the opportunity for investors to passively own virtual storefronts. The tech companies that own these marketplaces all say they use a combination of artificial intelligence and automation along with manual reviews to monitor vendor and customer activity for fraud and other misbehavior, but they've been ill-equipped to deal with the volume of complaints stemming from various sorts of scams. The Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice have cracked down on companies similar to HFA, accusing them of advertising their products with false promises of profit and success and allegedly selling "automated" software that didn't work. HFA and Agyeman haven't been charged by the Justice Department, FTC or any law enforcement agency. Airbnb told CNBC it was unaware of any contact from regulators regarding HFA. For a clearer picture of HFA's inner workings, CNBC spoke with investors in a lawsuit filed against the company in February 2023, as well as six former HFA employees, an Airbnb customer who unwittingly stayed at an HFA-listed property, and a property owner who said his listings were uploaded to Airbnb by HFA without permission. CNBC has granted anonymity to those who requested it because they weren't authorized to speak publicly on HFA's operations, or feared retribution from the company. Brian Chesky, co-founder and CEO of Airbnb, Inc., speaks during an interview with CNBC on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York City, May 10, 2023. Brendan McDermid | Reuters Carr, who lives in New York, wired HFA $1,000 through his crypto debit card at the urging of a salesperson and borrowed an additional $18,490 to pay for HFA's entry-level package. In total, Carr paid HFA $19,497, according to the lawsuit, which Carr filed along with 11 other investors. The plaintiffs alleged that HFA falsely claimed it had relationships with the properties, and that HFA's services violated Airbnb's terms of service. The case is still proceeding. Carr told CNBC that his investment with HFA disappeared, leaving him in debt and working a customer service job to make ends meet. He claims he got scammed and suspects that much of his money went toward subsidizing Agyeman's lifestyle. "I couldn't believe that I lost $20,000 into thin air," Carr said. Thomas Hunker, an attorney for Agyeman and HFA, denied that customer money had been used for anything except the business. "We have always honored our fiduciary obligations with respect to allocation of company money in the best interest of the company," Hunker said in a written response to CNBC. 'It's proven and it works' HFA admitted to customers that it was "continuously encountering problems with" Airbnb "due to the constant changes they have made to their terms and services," according to the lawsuit. Plaintiffs in the suit against Agyeman and other defendants are asking for at least $624,000 in damages from their lost investments. Meanwhile, the defendants continue to advertise and sell products to prospective investors under a new company called Wealthway. They're deploying a team that aims to generate more than $3.5 million in monthly sales, Wessel Botes, a former sales employee who left the company in November, told CNBC. Hunker said in an email to CNBC that HFA identifies properties to list from third-party websites used by hotels and other property owners to "increase bookings." That gives HFA "indirect permission" through those third-party sites to relist rooms on Airbnb, he said, adding that the base price of the booking goes back to the property owner. However, Airbnb has banned the practice in its terms of service and community policy since at least 2021. "Using a 3rd party to book a hotel or 3rd party accommodation and listing it on Airbnb at an inflated rate is not allowed," the policy says. Airbnb told CNBC that business practices such as Agyeman's aren't permitted. The company said it continues to improve systems that identify and remove fake or misleading listings, adding that it had blocked more than 216,000 suspicious listings as of September. Hunker said HFA doesn't have investors, but rather has clients who pay a "flat fee" for an arbitrage service. Yet, HFA says on its LinkedIn page that it helps "Airbnb investors add 300+ properties to their account without having to purchase the properties." Before connecting CNBC with his attorney, Agyeman said in an interview that he wasn't involved in the day-to-day operations at HFA and he denied any financial improprieties. Airbnb told CNBC it had no business relationship with Agyeman and had taken action to curtail his operations. The company said multiple accounts linked to Agyeman and HFA had been removed. The opportunity for property owners to make money is fundamental to Airbnb's business model. The company says that, since its founding in 2007, hosts have made more than $180 billion. En route to upending the hotel industry, Airbnb's market cap has swelled to almost $95 billion, making it bigger than any hotel chain. Airbnb acknowledged in its annual report that "perpetrators of fraud" use "complex and constantly evolving" tactics on the site and that "fraudsters have created fake guest accounts, fake host accounts, or both, to perpetrate financial fraud." Agyeman, who started HFA with co-founder Megan Shears, claims to have created proprietary software that would fully automate the arbitrage process by trawling the internet for properties to relist at a markup. HFA's employees would take care of booking properties and handle guest inquiries and complaints. Agyeman, 27, lives in Texas, as does Shears, 26, according to public records. Their social media posts show luxurious vacation spots next to screenshots of Airbnb bookings purportedly worth thousands of dollars. Several investors said in court filings that they first learned about Agyeman and Shears through Instagram. "It's proven and it works and you get higher returns than the stock market," one HFA promotional video said. Investors in the lawsuit say otherwise. And some customers who used the service to book travel say they lost money and were left scrambling for a place to stay. In February 2022, a customer named Kathy booked a beachside Airbnb on Florida's Sanibel Island for a five-night spring break vacation with her family. Kathy, who spoke on condition that CNBC not use her last name, paid $4,600 upfront for what she thought was a "fantastic" poolside one-bedroom apartment. CNBC identified Kathy as an HFA customer because her name and phone number were posted on HFA's Instagram account. Days went by without word from her host. Kathy, who lives in Texas, repeatedly reached out to Airbnb, but was told she'd have to engage directly with the host to cancel her booking. Kathy looked up the property's address on Google Maps. Rather than a tropical apartment building, she saw what appeared to be a vacant lot. "Please refund my money," she recalled telling the host. Desperate to make sure she had a place to stay, Kathy booked a room at a resort in Fort Myers, more than 40 miles from Sanibel Island. Ultimately, after days of back-and-forth messages, Airbnb refunded about half her money. It ended up being "a super expensive vacation," Kathy said. "I will never use it again," she said of Airbnb. For Agyeman and Shears, Airbnb was just one of their stomping grounds. They had an Amazon and Shopify automation business, a trucking business, and a line of vegan gummies. Agyeman also helped run a YouTube channel focused in part on swapping tips for running a successful business. The duo broke into the arbitrage business in 2020. According to the lawsuit, Agyeman and Shears claimed in marketing material that they had more than 200,000 properties and had "proprietary relationships with Airbnb and Vrbo," Expedia's vacation rental site. Agyeman relied on freelancers who would take data from other travel booking sites to use on their Airbnb and Vrbo listings, according to former employees and internal documents. An internal training video viewed by CNBC instructed copywriters on how to recycle the original listings' details for Airbnb or Vrbo. "PLEASE ANYWHERE IN THE LISTING DO NOT MENTION THAT THIS IS A HOTEL OR THE HOTEL NAMES OF THE HOTEL OR RESORTS," a training document said. HFA said its software algorithmically adjusted the price of a property in response to changes on the original listing. Agyeman said on social media that his employees were "the only ones tapped into Airbnb & Vrbo Arbitrage Automation." One spreadsheet listed 68 different clients as Airbnb investors. Going at least as far back as July 2022, HFA attracted 120-plus investors who collectively paid close to $3 million for "automated" Airbnb, Shopify, or Amazon businesses, according to internal payment tracking and financial records reviewed by CNBC. Carr, who was listed as a property host, said that when it came to his experience with HFA, there was chaos on both sides of the marketplace. On one occasion, he said, he was contacted by the owner of a hotel who found one of its rooms on Airbnb. Another time, a woman messaged him 30 to 40 times when she couldn't find her booking. "People are going to the hotels saying I got an Airbnb, and they're like, 'What are you talking about?'" Carr said. Carr and other HFA investors told CNBC their frustrations were dismissed or met with legal threats. But in a letter to investors cited in the lawsuit, HFA conceded that its Airbnb business had been disappointing. "Due to Airbnb constant changes we believe this program will take much longer than anticipated to help you our client reach your goals," HFA wrote. Still, HFA declined to refund investors' funds, instead offering them an Amazon or Shopify storefront, according to the letter and the lawsuit. Hunker said this was contemplated by the parties' agreements. Getting properties listed on Airbnb involved some finagling, because the company requires hosts to prove ownership. To get around Airbnb's rules, HFA instructed its investors to list their own homes, a former employee and two investors told CNBC. Hunker denies that HFA gave those instructions. Once validated as a property owner, investors could then add more listings that HFA would pull from other websites. Negative reviews flowed in from unhappy would-be vacationers, outraged investors and a business owner who'd discovered his property had been listed without consent. An HFA investor told CNBC that one listing received a comment from a guest who said he paid $800 for a motel room that cost less than half that amount and described it as a "total scam." "Host does not own the property," the reviewer said, according to a screenshot of the message seen by CNBC. "It is a standard motel room, no frills." On a hot September day in Las Vegas in 2022, another guest showed up at an MGM hotel only to discover there was no reservation through Airbnb. Neither the guest nor Airbnb could get in touch with the listed host for hours. Carr, the HFA investor host on record for the property, provided CNBC with screenshots of the messages. "I had my family double parked on the Vegas strip for three hours wasting gas while I was running back and forth between the three MGMs in 103 degree weather being told each time after waiting in line that there was no reservation in my name," the guest wrote. Eventually MGM found the room had been booked through Expedia, which is where HFA turned after receiving the reservation request on Airbnb. An Expedia spokesperson declined to comment. Collin Ballard was shocked in May 2022, when he saw photos from his Dallas hostel advertised on Airbnb. Most alarming was the price: $1,760 a night vs. his starting nightly rate of $40. Collin Ballard found a room from his Dallas hostel listed on Airbnb without his permission. Collin Ballard Ballard wrote to the host, telling him he was the owner and asking him to remove the listing. "I just figured it was someone scamming," Ballard said in an interview, adding that he knew nothing about Airbnb arbitrage. Ballard said nobody ever responded to his message, but the listing was eventually taken down. Gains never materialized Airbnb ultimately removed most if not all of HFA's listings over the course of several months in 2022, according to the lawsuit, though employees and investors told CNBC they weren't sure why. Several investors told CNBC that they encountered verification problems because it was impossible to prove they owned their listings. HFA responded by forging bills or other documents with the stolen listings' address, according to investors, the lawsuit, an HFA training video, and a former employee. If the allegations are true, HFA was sidestepping a key safety feature. False information can make it difficult for Airbnb to respond in an emergency or a situation that calls for the involvement of its safety team. Airbnb told CNBC that it was rolling out a more robust verification process in the U.S. and elsewhere beginning as early as 2024. Hunker denied allegations that HFA forges documents, and said Airbnb doesn't require the lister to be the property owner. By the end of last year, HFA's investors realized that their promised gains were not materializing. Dozens unsuccessfully pressed for refunds of their deposits, according to a former employee, an internal HFA document, and the investor lawsuit. A month after HFA's then-counsel wrote to two dozen investors in January 2023 declining to provide refunds, investors filed their lawsuit, with 22 plaintiffs saying they received fewer than five bookings each, including 16 who said they had no bookings at all. Hunker said HFA could present records showing its clients profited from the company's services on the condition that CNBC sign a nondisclosure agreement. CNBC declined. Agyeman continues promoting his businesses on social media. In his Instagram bio, he includes a new private equity venture called OKU Capital. Agyeman is its only member, according to Florida state filings and the firm's LinkedIn profile. Agyeman's Wealthway advertises "fully managed," "automated" vacation rental businesses with "minimal to no risk." It's similar to HFA, down to the branding on its website. On its website, Wealthway has a video appearing to show a meeting between Agyeman and an Airbnb executive named David Levine, whose LinkedIn profile says he's Airbnb's head of API and enterprise partnerships for North America. "What you guys have been doing at Wealthway is incredible and you guys have been following our partner guidelines," Levine says in the recording. In November, Botes, the former HFA salesman, became suspicious of the clip and sent it to Levine in a LinkedIn message. "That video appears to have been taken out of context and altered," Levine replied, according to screenshots of the messages viewed by CNBC. "Neither I, nor Airbnb, have any affiliation with Wealth Ways Vacation Rentals." Airbnb said it believes the clip is inauthentic. Levine didn't respond to CNBC's LinkedIn message. Hunker didn't respond to a question about the video's authenticity. WATCH: NYC's new legislation cracking down on Airbnb U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) holds a press conference after the Senate passed a continuing resolution to avoid a shutdown of the federal government, in Washington, U.S., November 15, 2023. Senators on Sunday voted to move forward with a $95 billion aid package to fund Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, a positive sign that the long-awaited foreign aid could have the votes to pass after a weekend of slow-going negotiations. "I can't remember the last time the Senate was in session on Super Bowl Sunday, but as I've said all week long, we're going to keep working on this bill until the job is done," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Sunday on the Senate floor. Sunday's vote, which passed with 67 votes in favor, is one of the last procedural hurdles before a final vote, making it a good indicator that the $95 billion bill is headed for success after days of back-and-forth talks. "I think we're going to pass this spending bill for Ukraine. We've already moved past several procedural hurdles that require 60 votes. I think there will be 60 votes in the end," Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who has been a lead negotiator on the bill, said optimistically in a Sunday interview on CBS' "Face the Nation." Since Wednesday, lawmakers have been working the tedious Senate process of spending hours in negotiations, followed by procedural votes and more negotiation. These proceedings will likely carry into next week before a final vote is held, which cuts into senators' scheduled two-week recess before federal budget talks begin. If voting had bled into the Super Bowl on Sunday, Schumer planned to arrange for televisions and pizza on Capitol Hill, according to his spokesperson. The process could be accelerated if all 100 senators unanimously agree to speed up the timeframe, but Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has been vocal about his intention to delay. "I'm not gonna object to the amendments, but I'm going to object to condensing time," Paul told NBC News on Friday. "They'll struggle through this for two or three more days, we're going to beat the crap out of them for being for someone else's border and not our own. And we'll see where the cards lay." On Sunday, Paul estimated that at the going pace, the final vote would likely take place late Tuesday or early Wednesday. A $118 billion version of the bill already failed on the Senate floor last Wednesday. The annual migration of residents returning home for the weeklong lunar New Year celebrations has led to travel chaos due to fully booked flights, concested highways across South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, China, and other parts of Asia. Moreover, Snowfall across China has resulted in thousands of vehicles being stranded along highways, disrupting Lunar New Year travel plans. The annual migration of residents returning home for a week's holiday has led to congested highways and fully booked flights. The Lunar New Year, celebrated with fireworks, feasts, and the exchange of red envelopes filled with cash, marks the beginning of the lunar calendar's first new moon and extends for 15 days until the first full moon. The holiday's dates fluctuate annually, falling between late January and mid-February in accordance with lunar cycles. In Taiwan, festivities for the Year of the Dragon saw the presence of newly elected president Lai Ching-te and Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu. President Tsai emphasized Taiwan's enduring struggle between "freedom and democracy versus authoritarianism," highlighting geopolitical tensions and the island's economic ties but strained political relations with China. Also read: The holiday exodus resulted in congested highways and fully booked flights in Taiwan, China, and beyond, as individuals journeyed home to reunite with family or embarked on vacations abroad. Traditional Lunar New Year customs, such as setting off fireworks and distributing red envelopes filled with money, were observed across Asia. In South Korea, lengthy queues of vehicles formed on highways as millions left the bustling Seoul capital region to visit relatives nationwide. Tourist attractions, including royal palaces, attracted throngs of visitors adorned in traditional "hanbok" attire. Meanwhile, amidst heightened tensions with North Korea, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol expressed gratitude to the nation's soldiers for safeguarding its borders during the holiday season. Vietnam celebrated Tet, its version of the Lunar New Year, with similar fervor, while overseas Asian communities, particularly in cities like New York and San Francisco, organized parades and festivities to mark the occasion. (With inputs from agencies) Its fun, but not all that surprising when Jim Carrey, Matt Damon or Brad Pitt show up on Saturday Night Live to cameo as a famous political figure. The real bewilderment comes when truly out-of-left-field celebrities show up without warning. And over the course of nearly 50 seasons, SNL has played that what the what? card plenty of times. Here are seven of the most Are you freaking kidding me?!?! cameos in the shows history 1 Carol Burnett As recently as last year, Burnett turned frosty when asked if shed ever host Saturday Night Live: I would not be interested. Thats all I can say. Thats because Lorne Michaels repeatedly used her show as an example of hack-y sketch comedy that his SNL would avoid. But Burnett has appeared on the show. Back in Season 10 (a year, perhaps crucially, that Michaels didnt produce), she was in the audience when comic/magician Harry Anderson was host. At shows end, Anderson announced that one of the reasons why were in this business is right here. He went into the audience, took Burnett by the hand and brought her onstage for applause. NBC 2 William S. Burroughs Back in Season Seven, Beat Generation icon Burroughs showed up to sit behind a metal desk and read passages from Naked Lunch. It was about as funny as it sounds. NBC 3 Joey Buttafuoco Heard the name but cant place his infamy? In 1992, Buttafuoco had an affair with a 15-year-old minor, Amy Fisher. Fisher shot Buttafuocos wife Mary Jo in the face, earning her the tabloid nickname Long Island Lolita. How any of these sordid details earned statutory rapist Buttafuoco a walk-on on SNL is a mystery but it happened. The bit: Quiz Show star John Turturro is hosting the show if he cant answer game-show questions correctly, Buttafuoco stood by in the wings to replace him. Broadway Video Advertisement 4 Richard Jewell In 1996, Jewell was first lauded as a hero for discovering a pipe bomb at the Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, then vilified when some suspected he planted the bomb himself. Jewell was eventually proven innocent after the real bomber was caught, somehow earning the former security guard a spot on Weekend Update with a suspicious Norm Macdonald. You can see Jewells awkward appearance at the 2:05 mark. Advertisement Advertisement 5 Monica Lewinsky Lewinsky was an SNL punching bag for months, portrayed by Molly Shannon as an oversexual airhead who flirted (and possibly more) with the most powerful men in the world. Either Lewinsky was an incredible sport or a woman looking to retake control of her narrative when she guested in 1999. But couldnt SNL have found a more dignified sketch than making her a very sexy and very special guest alongside Tim Meadows drooling Ladies Man? Advertisement Advertisement 6 Janet Reno Like Lewinsky, the U.S. attorney general was the subject of a not-exactly-flattering portrayal by Will Ferrell. In a Playboy interview, Ferrell explained, Somebodys always going to do the president and probably the vice president, but theres no reason to do Reno. Its creating something out of nowhere. In January 2001, the real Reno literally crashed Ferrells recurring sketch, Janet Renos Dance Party by breaking through a wall, Kool-Aid Man style. Peacock cut the sketch from its version of the episode, but theres Reno chilling with Lenny Kravitz for the good-nights. Broadway Video Advertisement 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. According to information provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs , more than 160 cooperation meetings will be held among APEC member nations in the Peruvian cities of Lima, Cusco, Arequipa, Trujillo, and Pucallpa. "For the third time, Peru will hold the Presidency of APEC. Russia has always participated very actively in all activities held by this organization. We will participate in all APEC preliminary meetings as well as in the High-Level Week, although a decision has not yet been taken on the latter point, (that is to say) to what extent Russia will be involved, but we will be present," he said. Peru could receive a major boost in terms of cooperation with the implementation of these activities, during its APEC Presidency. In statements to Andina news agency, the Russian envoy remarked that "What does cooperation mean? A major boost in investment, a major boost in trade, in improving conditions for trade, a major boost to improve the preparation of personnel, digitalization, women participation, among other things, that is, in all available areas, and APEC plays a very important role," he explained. Importance On the other hand, Ambassador Romanchenko emphasized that Russia is the only country in the world that has access to the Pacific Ocean on one side and to Europe on the other side, being a natural bridge between the Asia-Pacific bloc and the European continent. "APEC's purpose is to improve trade, improve investment, and improve the exchange of people, as well as the preparation of the population in the area. Thus, all APEC members win, which is why Russia attaches strong importance to the participation in this organization," he added. (END) JCC/FHG/RMB A huge event of international importance took place on Thursday night. Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, sacked the commander-in-chief of his armed forces, Valerii Zaluzhnyi. The general's crime was to have said openly that the terrible war ripping his country apart was now a stalemate. This is of course true. He is also in danger of becoming more popular than his political boss. This too is dangerous. From this under-reported event we learned much more about the reality of this bottomlessly stupid, needless and cruel war than from most of the gushing reporting of it. God grant that it ends soon. As the sound of slamming doors, fists thumping on desks and angry shouts no doubt echoed round the seat of power in Kiev, the world's gaze turned instead to Washington DC and Moscow. In the American capital a tragedy which has long been apparent reached a new and heartbreaking stage. President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) shaking hands with Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi President Joe Biden was humiliatingly let off being prosecuted for mishandling official documents, because he is too old and confused. He is, said a prosecutor, 'a well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory'. The President of the United States ceaselessly reveals this, mixing up world leaders, countries and who knows what else. I have always found Mr Biden a likeable person, though I do not think much of his politics. I find it painful to watch his public decline, dangerous as it is to the world. It angers me that his Democratic Party managers cynically seek to keep him on the ballot for November's Presidential election. How pathetic it is that one of the world's oldest and richest political movements has nobody else to field against the almost equally alarming Donald Trump. In Moscow, still magnificent amid the snow, the creepy despot Vladimir Putin submitted himself to an interview by the bright but erratic broadcaster Tucker Carlson. Putin is ageing greatly, growing to resemble a pink sausage as we old people do, his face puffy and his hair scant. But he still has his wits about him. In my view, interviewing a politician in power, on the record, is the most useless form of journalism known to man. Either the reporter colludes with the politician, who by pre-arrangement exudes a 'story' which can then be put on the front page or the head of the TV bulletin. Or there is some useless sparring, in which nothing is given away. In Putin's case he has the embarrassing habit of actually answering questions at great length (most Western politicians evade answering them at all). This sort of thing is like being trapped in a prison cell with an unpopular and dogged history teacher, ('and then, in 1386...'). You can't go. He wants to tell you everything the mark of a bore and will not stop. Poor Mr Carlson was fighting the urge to yawn so hard, and was so overawed, that he looked at times as if his brain was about to explode. Two deep slit-trenches appeared in the skin above the bridge of his nose as his eyes slid in and out of focus. I expect he still has the headache. A woman holds a photograph of former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valerii Zaluzhnyi during a rally supporting him at Independence Square in Kyiv I knew how he felt. It brought to mind an appalling interview of the future Sir Anthony Blair, which I was granted while he was Shadow Home Secretary. It came close to being physically painful. When, many years later, I finally underwent root canal dentistry, I recalled this encounter. The dentistry was far more enjoyable and passed more quickly. In a long, slow hour he grudgingly told me one previously unknown thing that his student rock band had been called Ugly Rumours my only tiny scoop. But I still cannot see what was wrong with Mr Carlson trying to get something. Various idiots suggested that Putin is like Hitler and to interview him is treason. What bilge this is. The whole point about the Ukraine war is that Britain and America are scared stiff of joining in directly. We still have embassies in Moscow. Their staffs are not traitors. Nor is the BBC's superb reporter Steve Rosenberg, who lives in Moscow, speaks excellent Russian and would no doubt be pleased to win an interview with Mr Putin. But I doubt whether even he would get anywhere. 7mph sign on the approach road to the Oxford Academy in Littlemor. Photo credit: Peter Hitchens Here is the oddest speed limit sign I have ever seen mandating a maximum of 7mph. According to the Oxford Academy, a secondary school in my home town, it works, by making drivers think. I'd add it is also quite close to the actual speed of traffic in that city, since the recent introduction of a new highway scheme. Well, it suits cyclists like me. I shall not be watching Masters Of The Air, the new TV series about the American bombing of Germany in World War Two. I admire immensely the young men who undertook these terrifying missions. But I hate the glamorisation of bombing, which was astonishingly ineffective, as well as often very hard on innocent civilians and hugely wasteful of aircrew. Surveys afterwards showed that bombing German cities cost less than three per cent of German economic strength. The whole bombing offensive, British and American, cost only 17 per cent of German economic potential by 1944. But politicians, being ignorant and easily seduced by TV and movies, still think bombing is a magic weapon and are surprised when it fails as it is now doing against the Houthis. Callum Turner and Austin Butler in 'Masters of the Air' Tories missed a trick with Maggie's miners Just before Christmas 1984, at the height of the bitter and violent miners' strike, Margaret Thatcher invited a group of working miners to dinner, though they might not have come if they'd known she'd be there. The pitmen had been bravely resisting the intimidation of Arthur Scargill's striking supporters. Each received a mysterious phone call. A voice said: 'Be at this address at this time on this day'. When one of them, Roland Taylor, replied he wasn't coming, he was told with even more firmness to be there. 'No, you will be there,' it declared. Then the caller hung up. He checked with his fellow-resisters and they'd all had the same call, so they went together, coming down to London from Nottinghamshire on the train and taking taxis to the address. This turned out to be the grand home of the former Labour MP Sir Woodrow Wyatt (father of the journalist Petronella). As they sat chatting, the door suddenly opened and in walked Mrs Thatcher and her husband Denis. Roland, who is fiercely unpolitical, says no politics were discussed. As she shook his hand, Roland recalls: 'She looked like a china doll, but she gave off an aura of power that was very strong and warned anyone, 'Don't mess with me.' Mrs Thatcher chatted with ease to the miners whose courage would lead to Scargill's defeat. One of them addressed her as 'Maggie' and then became embarrassed, but she insisted that they all called her that. Roland speaks briefly of this event in the recent Channel 4 series. To me there is something tragic about it. If I'd been the Tory Party, I would have rewarded the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire miners who stood up against Scargill. Their pits should still be open. Driving my son back to university recently, we got chatting about lockdown. In between bites of Costa cheese and ham toasties (favourite service station treat), he said how much he enjoyed that time. Being away from the world and able to manage his own timetable, not having to get up at the crack of dawn for school, having an excuse not to say 'yes' to every party. It had been like an extended holiday and he missed it. Such thoughts are quite common for young adults like my son loved, safe, generally a bit of a homebody anyway. Indeed, research has shown that 32 per cent of 18- to 24-year-olds said they felt happier during lockdown. In an agonisingly poignant interview in Friday's Daily Mail, Brianna Ghey's mother, Esther, spoke about how lockdown devastated her daughter's mental health Brianna developed an eating disorder and began to self-harm. At one point she was even hospitalised because her weight dropped so low By contrast, older adults weren't quite so nostalgic not least, I suspect, because having entire families at home together meant much more washing, cooking and cleaning. To this day, the dread words 'What's for lunch?' bring me out in a panic. One reason, I think, that this age group coped so well in lockdown is that many were just about mature enough to navigate the internet without coming to much harm. They enjoyed all the advantages without being too vulnerable to the dangers. But for one group, replacing real life with a virtual one was not so healthy. In an agonisingly poignant interview in Friday's Daily Mail, Brianna Ghey's mother, Esther, spoke about how lockdown devastated her daughter's mental health. As a key worker, Esther often had to leave her daughter 14 at the time at home alone with just her phone for company. 'She was living in this online world,' Esther said. 'She wasn't socialising face-to-face with people and, as I now know, she was looking at things that were quite disturbing.' Brianna developed an eating disorder and began to self-harm. At one point she was even hospitalised because her weight dropped so low. It was only later, following her daughter's murder, that Esther discovered Brianna had been visiting 'disgusting' pro-anorexia and self-harm sites. Around the same time, Brianna began questioning her gender, perhaps in part encouraged by prominent online influencers. Brianna's mother says that none of this came as a huge surprise, since she already felt her daughter was questioning her sexuality and was far more at ease in the company of girls than with boys. Brianna even tried becoming a TikTok star herself, acquiring more than 30,000 followers with her posts about being a trans teen. But the irony was that, as confident as she was online, Brianna struggled offline with social anxiety, not wanting to leave the house and often spending entire days in her room. When the lockdown ended, she found it hard to return to school, not because she was worried about being bullied for her new identity (she wasn't) but just because she felt uncomfortable being around so many people after so long on her own. It was this lack of confidence and sense of insecurity in the real world that, sadly, made her so vulnerable to her killers, and in particular to Scarlett Jenkinson, whom Brianna saw as a friend. There is a cruel irony that when Brianna told her mum she was meeting a new friend, Esther was 'really happy'. But if Brianna was affected directly by lockdown, it also played a part, indirectly, in her death. Around the same time, Brianna began questioning her gender, perhaps in part encouraged by prominent online influencers Her killers had experienced the same conditions though drawn down a much darker route. Their time in isolation surely contributed to turning them into ruthless predators, desensitised by the terrible things that they saw online, and detached from reality. The awful truth about lockdown is that in trying to protect one vulnerable group from a physical illness, another equally vulnerable group were exposed to a whole set of other dangers. And Brianna is not the only victim. At the height of lockdown in 2020/21, 233 children died from abuse or neglect up from 188 the previous year. Children such as ten-month-old Finley Boden, killed by his parents on Christmas Day, or Jacob Crouch, also ten months old, who died at the hands of his stepfather. Also, Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, captured on CCTV footage crying for help from his grandmother and uncle and saying, 'Nobody loves me', too weak to lift his own bedclothes after months of unbearably cruel abuse at the hands of his father and his partner. Like Brianna, we should not forget them. Her mother is right to point out the damage caused by lockdown, just as she is right to call for a ban on smartphones for the under-16s. Let us hope, for once, that those who make the rules take notice. Now just a musky memory? The new owners of The Body Shop are lining up administrators just weeks after 250 stores were sold for millions. My first proper job was as an assistant at its then 'flagship' branch in London's Oxford Street while I was a student. If I remember rightly, I was paid 3.52 an hour, plus a 50 per cent staff discount, and spent many happy hours sampling Peppermint Foot Lotion, Coconut Shampoo and White Musk. In its day, The Body Shop was rather special, a business founded by women for women that remained true to its principles, not the bottom line. How sad to see another little bit of the once vibrant British High Street bite the dust. The Body Shop White Musk Eau De Parfum Fragrance A houthi-run court in Yemen has sentenced 13 people to death for homosexuality and detained another 35. A reminder of what all those protesters are supporting when they wave banners saying: 'Thank you Houthis.' Fair enough if airlines want to charge extra for larger passengers, but does that mean slim ones get a discount? To irritate me, my children asked ChatGPT to write a piece 'in the style of Sarah Vine'. The drivel it produced was worse than my ramblings. So it's no surprise several bogus biographies of King Charles being sold on Amazon have caused dismay. All material produced by AI should be clearly labelled as such. Otherwise we humans may as well give up now. That's rich! Keir's Hampstead chic Hark! Is that the sound of socialist champagne glasses clinking? Keir Starmer is interviewed in Vogue and photographed with his (rather stunning) wife, both wearing a studiously downplayed elegant/casual look best described as Hampstead Heath chic. This image, taken in the spiritual home of metropolitan Lefties and near the resting place of Karl Marx, artfully has a church spire rising between the couple as they lock eyes. If Sir 'my dad was a toolmaker' Keir has any qualms about being in a magazine where a single item of clothing can cost the same as the average junior doctor's salary, he certainly shows no sign of it here. Sir Keir Starmer and wife Victoria in north west London At least putin still knows who he is The scariest thing about Tucker Carlson's interview with Vladimir Putin is that, however unhinged the Russian leader may be, he isn't struggling to remember who he is or who he's at war with. Unlike Joe Biden, who mixes up Mexico and Egypt. Clearly the man is not fit to run a bath, let alone the USA. The most striking thing about THAT celeb-tastic Vogue cover, is what appears to be a fame force-field around Oprah Winfrey. She sits right in the middle like a spider at the centre of a web, while all the others shimmer around her like fireflies. The effect is strangely sinister. And probably quite accurate. Labour's U-turn on its 28billion green policy was a classic case of reality starting to bite. There's a huge difference between real government and fantasy... and this is just the start ITV is screening the Super Bowl tonight. Like Halloween, it's another ghastly American import. And there's an additional treat: David and Victoria Beckham in a 'humorous' advert. Proof that Posh 'n' Becks have finally conquered America or it has conquered us? The March issue of British Vogue magazine which features Oprah Winfrey in the centre It's such a shame Prince Harry's dash to see his father didn't result in something more positive than a half-hour meeting. If a crisis such as this can't thaw the (understandable) froideur between them, it's hard to see what can. Shock news: the President of the United States, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr, is 'a well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory'. In fact, everyone knew that. But because this was the reason given in a legal report for not prosecuting the President for mishandling classified documents, it has shaken the campaign to re-elect Biden much more than if the special counsel had recommended the case proceeded against the 81-year-old in the White House. The normally supportive New York Times launched a barrage of articles questioning Biden's capacity, with one stating: 'The impression the President gives in public is not senility, so much as extreme frailty, like a lightbulb that still burns so long as you keep it on a dimmer.' And the NYT's own editorial board's published opinion was: 'This is a dark moment for Mr Biden's Presidency.' It didn't help that the author of the 388-page report, Robert Hur, gave examples of why he thought Biden would strike a jury as not in full command of his faculties: 'He did not remember when he was vice president, forgetting on the first day of the interview when his term ended ... He did not remember, even within several years, when his son Beau died.' To those who have followed Biden's astonishingly long political career (he became a senator in 1972, when this country's prime minister was Ted Heath), there is nothing surprising even in those apparently bizarre lapses of memory. During the 2020 presidential election the former British ambassador to Washington, Kim Darroch, undiplomatically observed of Biden: 'What we used to say inside the Embassy ... was that he is certainly past his best and his best was never that great.' To those who have followed Biden's astonishingly long political career, there is nothing surprising even in those apparently bizarre lapses of memory, says Dominic Donald Trump's own grip on reality, and, indeed, the English language, seems now to be scarcely less tenuous than his opponent's As far as the details of his own life are concerned, Biden has always struggled to distinguish fact from fiction. This scuppered his first presidential bid, when in 1987 he plagiarised, of all things, a speech by Neil Kinnock, declaiming: 'Why is it that Joe Biden is the first in his family ever to go to university?' But he wasn't. And he claimed his own ancestors 'worked the coal mines of north-east Pennsylvania and would come up after 12 hours'. When asked to supply evidence of these alleged coalmining forebears, Biden was unable to do so. While it is understandable that Biden angrily denounced the special counsel's claim that the President could not say when his son Beau died, Mr Hur's account merely gives a sort of legal version of what we already know. Joe Biden has on more than one occasion claimed that Beau, who did serve in the Iraq War of 2003-2011, died on active service there. In Colorado in 2022, Biden declared he was speaking as 'the father of a man who...lost his life in Iraq'. The real Beau Biden died of brain cancer at the Walter Reed Medical Centre, in Bethesda, Maryland, in 2015. Donald Trump, almost inevitably the Republican candidate for the 2024 presidential election, has naturally made great play of the special counsel's claims about the man he lost to in 2020 (though, in his own self-serving mythology, Trump claims that he and not Biden won that election). In fact, two years ago, Trump, with characteristic delicacy of touch, had already described Biden as suffering from 'late-stage dementia'. But what of Donald J. Trump himself? Come election day he will be 78, when Biden will be on the verge of turning 82. Trump's own grip on reality, and, indeed, the English language, seems now to be scarcely less tenuous than his opponent's. Those attending Trump's rallies witness long passages which defy parsing. And that, too, is hardly new. Try this, from one of his campaign speeches in 2016: 'Look, having nuclear my uncle was a great professor and scientist and engineer, Dr John Trump at MIT; good genes, very good genes, OK, very smart, the Wharton School of Finance, very good, very smart you know, if you're a conservative Republican, if I were a liberal, if, like, OK, if I ran as a liberal Democrat, they would say I'm one of the smartest people anywhere in the world it's true! but when you're a Conservative Republican they try oh, they do a number that's why I always start off: went to Wharton, was a good student, went there, went there, did this, built a fortune you know I have to give my like credentials all the time, because we're a little disadvantaged but you look at the nuclear deal, the thing that really bothers me it would have been so easy, and it's not as important as these lives are...' And he rambles on in the same incoherent vein, for a while longer. At times like that, we have to remind ourselves that Trump is a teetotaller, just to rule out the most obvious explanation. In the current campaign, he has confused President Biden with President Obama, President Orban of Hungary with President Erdogan of Turkey OK, that could happen to any of us and Nikki Haley, his remaining rival for the Republican nomination, with Nancy Pelosi, the Democrat Speaker of the House of Representatives when Trump fomented a mob of his supporters who stormed Congress three years ago. At a recent rally, Trump bellowed: 'Nikki Haley is in charge of security. We offered her 10,000 people, soldiers, National Guard, whatever they want. They turned it down!' In fact, Trump's claim that he had authorised 10,000 National Guardsmen to be deployed to defend the Capitol that day was proven to have been a fiction, in the official report on the shocking events of January 6, 2021 (for which the former president is still facing charges of what amounts to sedition). Having won a third general election in October 1974, on March 16, 1976, only five days after his 60th birthday, Wilson stunned the nation by announcing his resignation The real Nikki Haley, whom Trump had appointed ambassador to the UN, has linked Biden and Trump together as too old for the job of president (understandably, as she is 51). In an interview with CBS, Haley said Trump was 'just not at the same level' as when he had been president in 2016-2020: 'Are we really gonna go into a situation where we have wars around the world...and we're gonna have someone who we can or can't be sure that they're gonna get confused?' And at a rally in New Hampshire, she asked: 'Do we really want to go into an election with two fellas that are gonna be president in their 80s? We can't have someone else that we question whether they are mentally fit to do this.' Her point, however self-serving, is especially relevant not just because of America's vital role at a time of war both in the Middle East and Europe, but also because of the remarkable power of the presidency. He it always has been a he is commander-in-chief, and with executive powers that exceed anything a British prime minister can exercise. Just as it has long been observed that Britain is 'a republic disguised as a monarchy', it can equally be said that the U.S. is a monarchy disguised as a republic with the president as a sort of elected monarch. It would be a good thing whichever of Biden and Trump might end up as president-elect in November if they had the self-awareness of the British Prime Minister Harold Wilson. Having won a third general election in October 1974, on March 16, 1976, only five days after his 60th birthday, Wilson stunned the nation by announcing his resignation. It seems he had become aware that his previously extraordinary powers of recall and grip on detail he had a stellar academic career before entering politics were failing. In short, the Yorkshireman did not feel he could any longer do the job of prime minister. It turned out that he was beginning to suffer the effects of Alzheimers disease, a sad degeneration which became much more obvious in the former PM after his departure from office. In any case, I suspect the American people, just from witnessing Joe Biden's purely physical deterioration, will decide themselves that he is no longer fit for office. Michihiko Hachiya's diary comes to life once more in The Doctor of Hiroshima On August 6, 1945, the world changed forever when the first atomic bomb was dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima, causing unprecedented destruction. The United States detonated the weapon over the city and, together with the bombing of Nagasaki three days later, killed between an estimated 129,000 and 226,000 people. Many first-hand witness accounts of the atrocity have survived in the 79 years since the bomb was detonated - but one of the most detailed descriptions is preserved in a diary kept by Japanese doctor Michihiko Hachiya, who recorded everything from the initial blast to the long-term health impacts on victims. Dr Hachiya's notes are now being republished in The Doctor Of Hiroshima, which will be published at the end of February, making for an invaluable historical document about what really happened when the world's first nuclear weapon was detonated. Originally published in a small Japanese-language medical journal and first translated into English in 1955, the powerful diary brings the events of August 6 to life once more. Japanese doctor Michihiko Hachiya kept a diary after the atomic bomb hit Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 Hachiya, himself seriously wounded in the blast, was the Director of the Hiroshima Communications Hospital. Comprising of 20 staff and around 125 beds, the medical centre was of considerable importance at the time. The hospital was located only 1,500 metres from the blast and a few hundred metres from Hachiya's home. While all buildings in the area appeared to fall to the ground due to the impact of the bomb, the hospital remained standing and became a place of refuge for the injured. The doctor's writings give insight into the day the bomb was dropped - with the first line of the diary describing how peaceful the city was before the attack: 'The hour was early; the morning still, warm and beautiful'. But all changed when the bomb - which Hachiya calls 'pikadon' (pika = the Japanese word for bright flash of light; don = loud boom) - hit the city. The doctor wrote: 'Suddenly, a strong flash of light startled me.' The force of the blast was so powerful that it strips all the clothes from his body as he continued: 'To my surprise, I discovered that I was completely naked', adding a few pages later: 'It occurred to me that, like myself, some strange thing had deprived them [other victims] of their clothes.' 'The uncanny stillness was broken. Our little world was now in pandemonium.' The Japanese doctor's diary describes some of the horrific injuries caused by the bomb as people's skin 'peeled off' A digitally colourised image shows smoke rising 20,000 above the city after the bomb was dropped Harrowing descriptions of the destruction of the city follow - as well as the gruesome realities of many of the injuries. Hachiya managed to explain the sheer devastation across the city, writing: 'Hiroshima was no longer a city but a burnt-over prairie. 'To the east and to the west everything was flattened. The distant mountains seemed nearer than I could ever remember... how small Hiroshima was with its houses gone.' The doctor wrote of injured citizens: 'The people who were burned suffered most because as their skin peeled away, glistening raw wounds were exposed to the heat and filth.' Hachiya's friend, Mr Katsutani, also offered his own descriptions: 'They had no faces! Their eyes, noses and mouths had been burned away, and it looked like their ears had been melted off... 'Even the playground was packed with the dead and dying. They looked like so many cod fish spread out for drying.' Though bed-bound, over the course of the following two months the doctor observed the devastating impact of the bomb on the city and its people in what was described as a 'heartbreaking and inspiring true-life story'. Even Warner Wells, who first translated the diary into English in 1995, admitted that the diary's contents were so frightening that he 'came to dream of the bombing, and on occasion awakened in terror'. Dr Hachiya with his mother, son and wife - pictured in 1955 Roughly half of deaths occurred on the first day, but for months afterwards many continued to die from the ongoing effects of the bomb. The Doctor Of Hiroshima is published on February 29 with Octopus This is something that Dr Hachiya took great pains to describe in the diary, noting initial side effects including nausea, vomiting and diarrhea - while people died mere days after seeming 'perfectly well'. Later symptoms seemed to include malaise and anorexia. And on August 21, he began to notice that he and other patients were losing their hair - but this did not seem to be linked to the number of burns they had received. At one point he observed that he had around 150 scars marking his body after the attack. Earlier entries in the diary question what the 'new weapon' is that has caused such catastrophic destruction on the city. Entries show the hospital's occupants found out about the bombing of Nagasaki on August 11, two days after it occurred, and they did not discover that it is an atom bomb until the following day. Another surreal episode of misinformation comes when Hachiya is told that Japan also possesses such a weapon and has in fact retaliated against the US, leading him to believe that San Francisco, San Diego and Los Angeles have been hit. The 'news' provides such cheer to the hospital that the doctor is able to get out of bed for the first time since he was injured. Hachiya tells: 'A man came in from Fuchu with the incredible story that Japan had the same mysterious weapon, but until now had kept it a strict secret and had not used it because it was judged too horrible even to mention. 'This man went on to say that a special attack squad from the navy had no used the bomb on the mainland of America and that his news had come from no less a source than General Headquarters.' The doctor's final journal entry comes on September 29, 1945, after the arrival of US troops - almost two months after the bomb exploded. Dr Hachiya himself was a remarkable survivor and lived to the age of 77, dying in 1980. His story lives on as a devastating account of the effects of the US's $2billion Manhattan Project - and how it changed the nature of weaponry forever. The Doctor Of Hiroshima is published on February 29 with Octopus. Commenters are divided over whether she should 'do the right thing' or not A woman has taken to social media for advice after being confronted with a huge dilemma. She recently made friends with someone who is getting married and even bagged herself an invite to the wedding. However, the maid-of-honour dropped a bombshell on a night out, leaving her conflicted on whether to tell the bride. Karo Aprano, from Miami, explained the whole story on TikTok, prompting a wave of comments insisting she 'do the right thing'. The video, which was posted under her hande @karoaprano, has already been seen by more than a million people. A woman has taken to social media for advice after being confronted with a huge dilemma She told her followers: 'There is wedding drama in my life right now that I need to share. So I became friends with this girl who is getting married and she invited me to her wedding. 'I am not in her bridal party, we literally just met and became friends but she has been inviting me out with her and her bridesmaids and her whole bridal party. 'Just so that I meet people and I know people who are going to be at the wedding and I become friends with her friends'. Shocked, Karo went on to reveal: 'Last weekend we were out and I got told by the maid-of-honour that the groom has slept with the bride's sister and the bride has no idea - and he's down to do it again. 'So I'm there like woah woah I don't need to know this information, I don't want to know this information, you're putting me in a really uncomfortable situation. 'Can we rewind to five minutes ago when I didn't know this? Because I didn't want to know this and I still don't want to know this. 'The girl that's telling me this is the maid of honour, she is the closest girl to the bride. I'm there like you have to tell her, she's getting married in like two weeks, you cannot let her marry this man. 'She's like no, I can't do it and I say you have to do it, you have to tell her. She just keeps saying no, she's like I'm not gonna do it, I'm not gonna tell her, I'm not gonna ruin her wedding and ruin her relationship with this guy that she's been with for so long'. Karo Aprano, from Miami, explained the whole story on TikTok , prompting a wave of comments insisting she 'do the right thing' The TikToker questions: 'How are you going to let your best friend marry a guy that not only has been with her sister but is going around saying that he'll do it again?' However, despite her best efforts, she couldn't convince the maid-of-honour to tell the bride what she knows, leaving the pressure on herself. Karo remarks: 'As for the sister, that's another story and that's crazy, that's gross, I don't understand people that do that. But that's something else. 'Picture me in the middle of the club, she's telling me this information and I'm just like, you're not gonna tell her? 'Of course now I'm feeling super uncomfortable right because who am I to tell her that? I barely know this girl. 'I met her a month ago, I'm not gonna be the one to tell her her fiance is with her sister. Can you imagine?' She reasons: 'Half of me wants to tell because of girl code, I'm really big on that, but the other half of me is like, I don't know her like that. 'I feel like that's none of my business, I feel like me out of all people, I should be the last one involved. I shouldn't even know this information. More than 2,500 people flocked to the comments to share their own opinions on the situation - many of which think the TikToker is making the wrong choice 'Maybe I was the one that was told that because I'm the irrelevant party in the group, meaning that I'm the new one, I'm not really close with anybody there. 'Sometimes when girls have tea [gossip] that they know they can't tell but they want to get it off their chest, they'll go and tell the irrelevant party. 'Which is exactly what I'm doing right now because I could not contain this information to myself'. She finally concludes: 'So I've kind of just been going back and forth in my head all day like, I shouldn't tell her right? No I'm not gonna tell her. 'I'm not gonna be the one to do that. First of all she might not even believe me. I'm not gonna do it'. However, more than 2,500 people flocked to the comments to share their own opinions on the situation - many of which think the TikToker is making the wrong choice. One user penned: 'You were told for a reason. You dont have anything to lose because you dont really know these people. Tell her and then tell her everyone that knows about it'. A second agreed: 'Maybe you were put in her life for this reason. You wouldn't want it to happen to you. If the friendship ends, it's ok. You just met. Save her.' Meanwhile a third suggested: 'Write her a note and dont sign it,' with a fourth adding: 'Girl, you have nothing to lose, just do it because thats the right thing'. However, one viewer chimed in with: 'I once told a best friend that her boyfriend was cheating on her. She sided with him. We never spoke again. Lesson learned. Dont ever tell'. Another agreed: 'My mom caught her close friend's husband with another woman at the movies. Her friend sided with the husband and didnt believe it'. Worried, someone else queried: 'What if she sees this video?,' with a second adding: 'Thats what I was thinking'. Someone else advised: 'I wouldve told her the maid of honor told me your sister is sleeping with your fiance. That would make her go confront all three of them'. Valentine's Day is just around the corner for loved-up couples - but animal experts have urged people with pets to be wary of some items associated with the big day, which won't be suitable for our furry friends. And it's not just chocolate - which dogs are notoriously bad with due to it containing theobromine, a substance that dogs can't metabolise - lots of other sweet treats pose a danger too. This is because many of them include another problem chemical - xylitol, a popular sugar alternative - that The Blue Cross says can pose a harm to pooches. Vets recommend that you keep any bowls of confectionaries in a hard to reach place so that your pup doesn't end up with a medical emergency. 'If you suspect that your dog has eaten something containing xylitol, you need to get them to the vets straight away as it can be absorbed into the bloodstream rapidly,' the Blue Cross revealed. Vets recommend that you keep any bowls of confectionaries in a hard to reach place so that your pup doesn't end up with a medical emergency. Stock image used It's not just sweet treats either. While a bouquet of flowers may seem romantic to give your significant other, keep your furry friend in mind if they favour lillies. These can be harmful to cats and go so far as to cause acute kidney failure, according to the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). Even drinking water from the vase could be fatal. Elsewhere, while candles are great for setting a romantic atmosphere, be mindful of the danger they pose to animals. Integrative veterinarian Nell Ostermeier from AKC Pet Insurance told Rover: 'Like any other foreign object a dog chooses to ingest, wax can cause gastrointestinal issues and even blockage. 'As such, it's important to keep candleslit or otherwiseout of your dog's reach'. But if you do find your pet in a compromising position, not all hope is lost. Australian vet Dr Nicole, who owns Shy Tiger - a pet care company in Melbourne - also told TikTok followers a hack on how to assess the severity of the situation if your dog has eaten chocolate. In a social media clip, she said: 'Everyone panics if their dogs eaten some chocolate, but did you know that some types of chocolate are more toxic than others? The eight foods to never feed your dogs Chives Grapes Chocolate Garlic Onions Leeks Raisins Sultanas Advertisement It's not just sweet treats either. While a bouquet of flowers may seem romantic to give your significant other, keep your furry friend in mind if they favour lillies. Stock image used 'If it's white chocolate - relax. 'It doesn't really contain the theobromine that is the active ingredient that we worry about. 'Google "Dog toxicity chocolate calculator" and that will give you an amount to type in. If you pass a threshold and your dog has had a toxic amount, next thing you need to do is call your emergency vet'. The personal finance guru, 28, doles out hacks to help 'regular people' get richer Vivian Tu, who goes by Your Rich BFF, has five million followers on social media A personal finance expert who launched her career as a trader on Wall Street is spilling the secrets of amassing wealth while not scrimping on life's little luxuries. Vivan Tu, who goes by the moniker Your Rich BFF across social media, appeared on the podcast Leveling Up with Eric Siu to promote her upcoming book, Rich AF: The Winning Money Mindset That Will Change Your Life. She shared with the host that her ideal net worth would be in the range of $25 million and revealed her strategies to achieve such a figure - including everything from 'being selfish' to legally dodging taxes as means to bump up your bank-account balance. Vivian, 28, kicked off her post-grad career as an analyst at JP Morgan, where she earned $80,000 annually plus bonuses, before moving into a sales position at Buzzfeed, bringing in closer to a mid-six-figure salary through her commissions. Vivan Tu, 28, known as Your Rich BFF on social media, came on the podcast Leveling Up with Eric Su to promote her new book She shared with the host that her ideal net worth would be in the range of $25 million and revealed her strategies to achieve such a figure Since early 2021, Vivian has thrown her energy into building up her brand as Your Rich BFF, using her platform to dole out tips and tricks for everyday people to amass personal wealth. 'What do people get wrong with their money?' asked host Eric. 'You know, I think a lot of us really focus on the scrimping and the saving,' answered Vivian. 'I'm not buying that avocado toast. I'm not buying that Starbucks. That's hard! You're giving up a lot of things you really enjoy. 'How easy is it to ask for a $10,000 raise? That is absolutely heard of. As in happens all the time, happens to so many people. 'A $10,000 raise is really not that strange, and you can get one just by being responsible, making sure you come to the table with quantifiable facts and a good excuse for your boss as to why you deserve one,' she laid out. 'It's easier to make more money than it is to cut out all the things that bring you joy. So my advice is, hey, focus less on the coupon clipping and the little tiny things. Focus on the big stuff. 'Because if you're not asking for a raise every single year, it doesn't matter if you're trying to scrimp and save. You're still not going to get ahead,' she concluded. Since early 2021, Vivian has thrown her energy into building up her brand as Your Rich BFF, using her platform to dole out tips and tricks for everyday people to amass personal wealth Eric then pressed Vivian on 'practical advice' for people to increase 'their earning power.' One of her tips was to 'be selfish' when it come to career moves. 'Any job you either need to be learning or earning, ideally both. And I think it's about being really, really selfish,' emphasized Vivian. Back in the day, she explained, employees were 'incentivized' to stay at the same company for most of their careers, because they'd be promised pensions on their retirement. 'Now, most of us have something called a 401k, which is just a pension, but it's worse, in literally every way,' she continued. 'Because instead of your company contributing to it, you have to contribute to it. 'And instead of your company selecting investments, you have to select investments.' She also brought up a Forbes study from 2014 that found employees who don't switch companies tend to get paid 50 per cent less over their professional lifetimes. So, when it comes to being 'selfish,' she emphasized that every two years employees need to be 'up or out.' 'Every two years, you need to be getting a 10 to 15 per cent promotion at a minimum otherwise, you need to leave. You need to go somewhere that's going to pay you. 'Because if you're not doing that, you're going to be making less.' Extending from that point, she stressed: 'Don't be afraid to job hop.' She emphasized elsewhere: 'I want people to have healthier budgets. I want people to have more in savings' Another major point Vivian made was how to 'avoid paying taxes legally.' One way to do this is to open up retirement and investment accounts, whether a 401k, or IRA, or Roth 401K, or Roth IRA - all 'are a really easy way to avoid taxes legally,' she explained. Money deposited into a 401k or an IRA is 'tax free' this year, though taxed when its withdrawn - while money put into a Roth 401k or Roth IRA is not taxed when its withdrawn. Either way, 'you're only paying taxes one way or the other,' the expert urged. She also recommended claiming your mortgage interest as a tax write-up, while staying on the lookout for various tax credits, such as a $7,500 write off you can claim for an electric vehicle. 'People need to remember that the tax code is written in a way that incentivizes you to do certain things. Our country wants us to be more green. It wants us to save for retirement and invest for retirement. Because guess what if you don't, who has to take care of you? The government, they don't want to do that. They want you to have your own money,' Vivian said. 'They want people to be homeowners, that's why you can have [some of your mortgage interest] written off. 'If you are a small business owner, you can write off, and essentially get a tax break, on expenses, because they want people to start businesses and write off things, like office space or travel or business meals.' She concluded: 'These are all ways to avoid taxes legally. But it allows you to also do something that Uncle Sam wants you to do.' As for treating oneself to actual luxury goods - rather than just small luxuries - Vivian actually recommended skimping where possible. She cited an article from New York Magazine's The Cut that delved into how very wealthy women are buying high-end, very realistic fake bags, rather than shelling out tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars for the real thing. 'Women who are self-made, who make millions of dollars every year, who have supported themselves, who built that nest egg on their own, they're saying: "Why do I need the real thing? I got it like that, people think it's the real thing. And if I'm buying a really, really well-made fake, nobody knows the difference." 'So what's the point? Why should I spend $25,000 on a bag when I can spend $1,000 on the bag, have the exact same results? And it almost to them felt like cheating the system.' Vivian, whose business cleared $3.2 million last year, said that, after all her expenses including salaries for full-time employees and on-retainer support staff, she had enough left to pay herself about $300,000. The hustle, she emphasized, has been beyond worth it. 'My very first job was great. I helped make rich people and ultra-wealthy institutions that managed rich people's money richer. Great, cool, great. 'My second job, I was helping major corporations get richer. They were putting ads on the website, they were launching joint business ventures, they were doing in-person marketing,' she stated. 'Now I help regular people get richer. And how awesome is that?' She emphasized elsewhere: 'I want people to have healthier budgets. I want people to have more in savings. 'I want people to demand - not ask - demand raises. I want them to be investing for their futures.' There's no better time to show the special someone in your life how much they mean to you than Valentine's Day - an entire day dedicated to that small yet mighty four-letter word: love! With February 14 fast approaching, many loved-up couples are hastily planning dinners, buying gifts and setting up dating partners. But, in some parts of the world, Valentine's Day is more than handing your partner a bouquet of flowers or serenading them with poetry - it involves some intense and rather bizarre practices in declaring your love. While chocolates and roses are common ways to show your appreciation and adoration for loved ones on Valentine's Day, mass marriages and naming cockroaches after an ex-partner are more conventional in other communities. In one particular nation, the usual practice of females receiving chocolate from males is reversed - with men lavished with sweet treats by their female partners. Here are seven of these lesser-known traditions that different times, places and cultures have commemorated February 14. In some parts of the world, Valentine's Day is more than handing your partner a bouquet of flowers or serenading them with poetry - it involves some intense and rather bizarre practices Bouquets of flowers with hidden meanings in the United States In the 19th century, roses were less of a common choice when gifting bouquets of flowers to loved ones - instead, different species and colours of flora were selected to express a particular sentiment, according to History.com. READ MORE: The BEST Valentine's Day gifts our shopping editors found on Amazon Advertisement Elizabeth White Nelson, an associate professor of history at the University of Nevada and author of Market Sentiments: Middle-Class Market Culture in 19th-Century America, says how 19th century flower dictionaries gave meanings to every species. For Valentine's Day, she said: 'The idea was that you could give a bouquet that was not just a bouquet of flowers. It had a whole message encoded into the flowers.' A bouquet of snowdrops represented hope, while a bunch of yellow acacia represented concealed love, and to receive either meant the sender wished to express secret feelings of adoration and hoped they would be reciprocated. The professor explains how sending bouquets in the 19th century depended on who you were and what kind of flowers you had access to, which she says was 'a very small group of people in the middle of the winter in the United States.' In the 19th century, roses were less of a common choice when gifting bouquets of flowers to loved ones - instead, different species and colours of were selected to express a sentiment Pig and gingerbread inspired gifts in Germany In Germany, it is tradition to incorporate pigs and gingerbread into gifts on Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day, called Valentinstag in German, only took hold in Germany after the end of World War II. Since then, Germans have put their own twist on the day, including gifting pig-related items on February 14, as the animal symbolises luck in Germany. Meanwhile, it is also common for Germans to give out large heart-shaped gingerbread cookies, known as lebkuchen, to loved ones for Valentine's Day. It is common for Germans to give out large heart-shaped gingerbread cookies, known as lebkuchen, to loved ones for Valentine's Day (Photo: Getty) Puzzle purse gifts in England and the United States In the 18th and 19th centuries, puzzle purses were all the range when gifting a heartfelt present to loved ones on Valentine's Day. A puzzle purse is made entirely of paper, which is folded and containing parts of a message or verses written on different corners. With the puzzle purse intended to be read in a specific order, folds were usually numbered so the recipient knew how to proceed onto the next message. Unfolding one part - and, in turn, undoing the puzzle - revealed a section of writing, which sometimes led to a small gift waiting in the centre. Men receiving chocolate in Japan In Japan, typical gender roles are reversed on Valentine's Day, with women traditionally offering Valentine's chocolates to men. The origin of the practice stems from a chocolate manufacturer's suggestion in 1958 that women use Valentine's chocolates to confess romantic feelings, as reported by History.com. Japanese department stores also promoted the practice in the 1970s, which inspired Japan's White Day, which is known as the nation's reverse Valentine's Day, according to BBC News. Women gift different types of chocolate to express different sentiments about a person, with Honmei choco - which means true feelings chocolate - going to male romantic interests. Giri choco - or, obligation chocolate - is offered to male colleagues or classmates, while tomo choco - friend chocolate - is gifted to friends of any gender. However, the desire to distribute obligation chocolate has been declining, with a 2017 poll revealing that less than 40 percent of women intended to hand out giri choco. Japanese women who follow the gender-specific tradition have their own day to receive presents from the males in their lives when White Day arrives on March 14. In Japan, typical gender roles are reversed on Valentine's Day, with women traditionally offering Valentine's chocolates to men (Photo: Getty) Celebrating Black Love Day in the United States In African-American communities in the United States, Black Love Day is celebrated on February 13. In 1993, Ayo Handy-Kendi, founder of the African American Holiday Association, was inspired to start Black Love Day after seeing Malcolm X's assassination depicted in the biopic Malcolm X. She explained that she wanted a holiday to focus on 'increasing peace and stopping violence' and based it on an alternative date that has not 'evolved from European culture.' Instituting 'a value system based on principles, like Kwanzaa' Handy-Kendi says of Black Love Day: 'The five tenets were showing love for the creator, showing love for ourselves, showing love for the Black family, the Black community and the race.' Traci Parker, an associate professor of Afro-American studies at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, says of Black Love Day: 'To have a place where love can be celebrated, especially in a community where it has been historically attacked, is really important.' In African-American communities in the United States, Black Love Day is celebrated on February 13 (Photo: Getty) Mass marriages in the Philippines In the Philippines, it is common to for mass weddings to take place around the country on Valentine's Day. The ceremonies are part of an incentive by the local governments, who utilise the day as a way to help cash-strapped couples hoping to get married. On February 14 in 2010, 1,500 couples tied the knot at a mass ceremony in a Manila suburb. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, amid social distancing restrictions and, albeit, in reduced numbers, a number of couples got married in a mass wedding ceremony on Valentine's Day. Thanks to efforts of the Filipino government, February 14 is now the most common wedding anniversary in the country. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, albeit, in reduced numbers, a number of couples got married in a mass wedding ceremony on Valentine's Day Celebrating friendship in Latin America On February 14, Valentine's Day includes the celebration of friends, not just lovers, in parts of Latin America, including Ecuador, El Salvador and Mexico. Known as El Dia del Amor y Amistad (Day of Love and Friendship), the occasion marks and honours friendship. In El Salvador, people draw names and exchange gifts - in a tradition known as Amigo Secreto (Secret Friend) - on February 14. In the 1980s, Estonia and Finland began to recognise platonic love and friendship alongside romance on February 14, with friends organisation gifts exchanges and restaurant dates with one another rather than with only romantic partners. In Estonia, Friend's Day is known as Sobrapaev, while in Finland, Friend's Day is called Ystavan Paiva. Naming a cockroach after an ex-partner in the United States In parts of the United States, some take pleasure in using Valentine's Day to reflect on those who have scorned them - by naming them after a cockroach. Sometimes a relationship doesn't work out, or you may have experienced infidelity by a cheating spouse, which can make Valentine's Day difficult. However, for a small fee, several zoos have offered solutions for those who may be suffering from a broken heart by setting up cockroach-naming services. The Bronx Zoo has Name a Roach for your Valentine, Chicago's Brookfield Zoo offers Name a Cockroach After Your Ex and the San Antonio Zoo organises a Cry Me a Cockroach Fundraiser each year. Each zoo offers a type of certificate to commemorate the naming - and to send along to the roach's honoree. In this article, we will be taking a look at the 15 countries with highest pharmaceutical spend per capita. If you are not interested in learning about the global pharmaceutical market, head straight to the 5 Countries With Highest Pharmaceutical Spend Per Capita. In the landscape of global healthcare expenditure, certain countries stand out for their significant investment in pharmaceuticals per capita. These nations allocate substantial resources to ensure access to essential medications and cutting-edge treatments for their populations. Analyzing the countries with the highest pharmaceutical spending per capita provides valuable insights into their healthcare priorities, economic strength, and commitment to advancing medical innovation. Overview of Global Pharmaceutical Market and Economic Impact The global pharmaceutical market is poised for substantial growth, projected to expand by 6.19% from 2024 to 2028, reaching a volume of US$1470.00 billion. New drug launches, increased utilization of existing drugs, and the influence of lower-cost alternatives fuel this growth. Moreover, total spending and global demand for medicines will soar to $1.9 trillion by 2027. ADVERTISEMENT In the United States, which leads the global pharmaceutical market with a 48.9% share of total pharmaceutical revenue, the sector faces challenges such as underperformance in capital markets, rising business costs due to inflation and taxes, and an evolving threat landscape. Nevertheless, industry growth is anticipated, driven by initiatives like reduced taxes and decreased drug prices. The economic impact of pharmaceutical spending is profound, as evidenced by the remarkable growth of the pharmaceutical industry in countries like China and India, where GDP growth exceeds 6%. Such spending not only stimulates economic activity by creating employment opportunities and generating tax revenue but also contributes to enhanced population health and heightened productivity. However, the relationship between pharmaceutical Spending and GDP is intricate and influenced by diverse factors such as healthcare system structure, economic development level, and governmental policies. Story continues Research and development expenses, averaging $2.6 billion per drug, remain substantial. The dominance of the United States in the pharmaceutical realm, accounting for the maximum global pharmaceutical spending in 2021, is evident, with Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) and Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) emerging as key industry players. China emerges as a significant market player, capturing nearly 12% market share. Driving Forces and Trends in Pharmaceutical Innovation Worldwide innovation and research in the pharmaceutical sector play a pivotal role in advancing healthcare and addressing global health challenges. Investment in cutting-edge medical technologies and drug development remains a cornerstone of this endeavor, as reflected in recent financial statistics and reports. The pharmaceutical industry stands out as one of the most research-intensive sectors, with significant investments in research and development (R&D) to discover and develop new drugs. However, the financial landscape for pharmaceutical R&D has become increasingly challenging, with a decline in the projected return on investment (ROI) to 1.2% in 2022, the lowest in the 13-year history of the report. The average cost of developing a new drug has risen to $2.3 billion in 2022, while average forecast peak sales per asset have decreased to $389 million. Innovation in pharmaceuticals is more comprehensive than in developed countries, as highlighted by a study published in the Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice. Rising pharmaceutical innovation in the Global South, including countries like Bangladesh and Colombia, underscores a shift towards a more globally distributed innovation landscape. Investment in R&D in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has increased over the past decade, indicating potential for more significant innovation in these regions. Venture capital investment is crucial in fueling early-stage pharmaceutical innovation, with significant fluctuations observed worldwide. Notably, Asia-Pacific (APAC) pharmaceuticals have seen a notable increase in venture capital investments, with early-stage innovator drug venture funding for APAC biotech reaching $9.4 billion, a 78% increase. However, economic uncertainty in 2022 led to a decrease in total deal volume and value, reflecting challenges faced by the sector. Moreover, the pharmaceutical industry is witnessing a growing demand for personalized medicine, driven by consumers seeking treatments tailored to their needs and genetic makeup. This trend is reshaping research and development strategies, with the global personalized medicine market valued at $2.12 trillion in 2021 and expected to reach $5.7 trillion by 2030. Additionally, the global precision medicine market size was estimated at $73.49 billion in 2022 and is projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 11.5% from 2022 to 2030, reaching a value of $175.64 billion by the end of the forecast period. Innovative Healthcare Leaders: Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lilly, and Novo Nordisk Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), a multinational healthcare corporation founded in 1886, has a rich history of innovation spanning over a century. The company has made significant contributions to pharmaceuticals and medical technology, focusing on treatments for blood cancers and efforts toward finding a cure for multiple myeloma. Furthermore, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) is actively involved in the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, crucial for managing cognitive decline. Johnson & Johnson was recognized as one of the Fortune World's Most Admired Companies in 2024. Its latest innovations include treatments for incurable cancers, catheters for diagnosing and treating atrial fibrillation, and improved surgical staplers, all aimed at enhancing patient care globally. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY), another leading healthcare organization, is dedicated to developing high-quality medicines. With a focus on innovation, Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) aims to launch 20 new drugs over a decade, addressing various medical needs such as diabetes, obesity, immunology, oncology, and neuroscience. Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO), a global healthcare company, specializes in treatments for diabetes, obesity, hemophilia, growth disorders, and hormone replacement therapy. With a robust R&D pipeline, Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) focuses on developing novel treatments for chronic conditions. Notably, Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO)'s semaglutide drugs have shown promise in treating both type 2 diabetes and obesity, leading to increased production capacity to meet growing demand. However, concerns about the inappropriate use and potential side effects of semaglutides have prompted warnings from regulatory authorities, emphasizing the importance of proper medical supervision when using these medications. 15 Countries With Highest Pharmaceutical Spend Per Capita A closeup of pills in a pharmacy, representing the high quality medications of the company. Our Methodology For our methodology, we have ranked the countries with the highest pharmaceutical spend per capita based on their 2022 pharmaceutical spending. For the accuracy of data, we relied on the OECD. Here is our list of the 15 countries with the highest pharmaceutical spend per capita. 15. Slovak Republic Pharmaceutical spending per capita: $531 Slovakia exhibits notable pharmaceutical expenditure, with spending per capita reaching $1,394 in 2020, equivalent to 7.23% of GDP, underscoring a significant investment in healthcare. In 2013, per capita spending on medical goods exceeded OECD and EU averages, reflecting a strong commitment to healthcare. 14. Spain Pharmaceutical Spendings Per Capita: $595 Spain, demonstrates significant pharmaceutical expenditure, with a per capita spending of $595 in 2022. Prescription medicines dominate the market, comprising 79% of pharmaceutical spending in 2019, while imports are crucial in meeting demand, reaching USD 6.3 billion in 2021. 13. Ireland Pharmaceutical Spendings Per Capita: $625 Ireland stands among the countries with highest pharmaceutical spend per capita, reflecting its healthcare investment and medication accessibility. Ireland's spending is comparable to other high-spending nations like Greece and Belgium. Government and compulsory insurance schemes cover over 80% of total pharmaceutical costs in countries such as France, Ireland, and Germany, emphasizing substantial public investment. Over the past decade, Ireland has witnessed significant growth in pharmaceutical spending, alongside Greece, averaging over 11% annually. 12. Iceland Pharmaceutical Spending Per Capita: $632 Iceland ranks among the top countries for pharmaceutical spending per capita. The healthcare spending per capita in the country is $6,636 as of 2022, accounting for 9.65% of its GDP. This spending encompasses prescription medicines and over-the-counter products, reflecting the nation's robust healthcare investment. Projections indicate continued financial commitment, with health expenditures expected to reach 11.25% of GDP by 2029. 11. Belgium Pharmaceutical Spending Per Capita: $649 Belgium is recognized for its high pharmaceutical Spending per capita, with significant investment in healthcare. In 2021, public per capita healthcare expenditure reached approximately 3,717 euros, while the country spends $6600 per capita on health, equivalent to 10.9% of its GDP, surpassing the OECD average. Pharmaceutical spending encompasses both prescription medicines and over-the-counter products. According to the World Bank, Belgium's current health expenditure represents approximately 10.5% of its GDP, reflecting the nation's substantial commitment to healthcare accessibility and investment in pharmaceuticals. 10. Luxembourg Pharmaceutical Spending Per Capita: $706 Luxembourg's pharmaceutical Spending per capita reached $706 in 2022, reflecting a significant allocation towards healthcare. Luxembourg surpasses the OECD average with a per capita health expenditure of $6,436, equivalent to 5.5% of its GDP. This elevated spending is attributed to the country's high GDP. Regarding the type of treatments primarily done, Luxembourg's healthcare system focuses on acute and primary care. The government has a relatively low prevalence of diabetes and obesity and performs better than the OECD average on 95% of health indicators. However, it prescribes more antibiotics than the OECD average, significantly focusing on preventive care. 9. Greece Pharmaceutical Spending Per Capita: $740 Greece ranks among the top countries for pharmaceutical spending per capita, reaching $740 in 2022, covering both prescription medicines and over-the-counter products. High pharmaceutical spending in Greece aligns with healthcare needs, such as higher smoking prevalence and antibiotic usage, reflecting demand for treatments related to respiratory diseases and cancer. Notably, most pharmaceutical Spending in Greece is funded through public sources, ensuring access to necessary medications without burdening individual patients. 8. Italy Pharmaceutical Spending Per Capita: $748 In 2022, Italy's pharmaceutical spending per capita was USD 748, with total expenditure reaching EUR 30.8 billion. Over two-thirds of the population received prescriptions annually. The Italian National Health Service reimbursed 76.4% of total expenditure, while out-of-pocket spending primarily covered Class C medications. Community pharmacy margins are regulated, with wholesalers and pharmacists receiving 3.00% and 30.35% respectively. Agreements between the pharmaceutical industry and the NHS aim to control spending by imposing refunds for excess expenditure. 7. Austria Pharmaceutical Spending Per Capita: $765 In 2022, pharmaceutical sales in Austria reached approximately $8.6 billion, with exports amounting to $13.2 billion. Major import partners include Germany, Switzerland, Ireland, the U.S., and Hungary. Expenditure on retail pharmaceuticals in 2019 totaled $645 per capita, with a low generics share of 32.5% in the ambulatory sector. 6. France Pharmaceutical Spending Per Capita: $766 France ranks sixth among the countries with high pharmaceutical spending per capita, covering prescription medicines and over-the-counter products. In 2021, its spending per capita was lower than the United States', influenced by varying approaches to drug pricing, prescribing volume, and global health budgets. The country's healthcare system offers diverse medical treatments, focusing on regulating drug prices based on value. Click to see and continue reading the 5 Countries With The Highest Pharmaceutical Spend Per Capita. Suggested Articles: Disclosure. None: The 15 Countries With The Highest Pharmaceutical Spend Per Capita is originally published on Insider Monkey. Millions of people around the world are celebrating Lunar New Year and bringing in the abundant year of the Wood Dragon. But - with Valentine's Day on the horizon - what does that mean for the romantic lives of other 12 signs in the Chinese zodiac? Speaking to FEMAIL, astrologist Letao Wang - who is based in Hong Kong - revealed which four will be lucky in love in 2024, and how they can make the best of it. 'This celestial period, marked by the vibrant and dynamic Dragon, is set to fan the flames of passion and companionship,' he said. 'Dragons symbolise strength and good fortune in Chinese culture, and it's no surprise that their year will be auspicious for matters of the heart. Millions of people around the world are celebrating Lunar New Year and bringing in the abundant year of the Wood Dragon. Stock image used Whether single, entwined in a budding romance, or deep within a long-term bond, the energies of this year promise to elevate connections to new heights.' Here, Letao revealed the four signs who can expect good tidings in their love lives this year... DRAGON 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012 Your guardian star in love: Golden Carriage Dragons, take a serene breath as you step into a year that celebrates you. The Golden Carriage star gracefully adorns your skies, whispering of a social tapestry woven with threads of elegance and meaningful connections. Picture yourself crossing paths with influential souls and perhaps, amidst this dance of destinies, a spark of romance kindles. Trust your intuition, for it will be your compass, leading you to those who mirror your deepest sentiments of love and commitment. As 2024 unfolds, it's time for you, dear Dragons, to embrace growth, prosperity, and success. For the single Dragons, fortune smiles upon you with an open heart. Your innate zeal and ardour for love are your guiding starsseize the moments that resonate with your spirit. Put a touch of magic into every gesture of affection; whether it's planning a surprise outing or leaving heartfelt notes, each act weaves into the rich tapestry of the year. And for those whose hearts have found their partner, the Year of the Wood Dragon beckons with a promise of deeper bonds. Whether it's the joyous laughter of children or the tender vow of marriage, the auspicious energies of this year support all matters of the heart and hearth. MONKEY 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016 Your guardian star in love: Dragon Pool For the single Dragons, fortune smiles upon you with an open heart. Your innate zeal and ardour for love are your guiding stars The Dragon Pool star casts a radiant glow, urging you to embrace a transformative phase a time to refine your wardrobe, selecting garments and accessories that resonate with your evolving sense of style and enhance your natural allure. This year, your magnetic charm, quick wit, and sharp intellect become a beacon for potential partners. As social gatherings unfold, you'll notice admiring glances and may even encounter spontaneous invitations to connect. Your social circle is poised to widen, inviting a tapestry of new friendships into your life. However, it's crucial to release the shadows of past relationships that may cloud your judgment with unfounded worries. Approach romantic interests with transparency and honesty, and you'll lay a sturdy foundation for a rewarding partnership. Under the vibrant influence of the Wood element in 2024, your energy levels surge and your expressiveness blossoms, potentially guiding you toward significant milestones, such as engagement or marriage. This year emphasises the core values of support, love, compromise, and patience. In the dance of partnership, fidelity and deep mutual respect are the cornerstones that sustain and enrich a flourishing union. RAT 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020 Your guardian star in love: The General For individuals born under the sign of the Rat, the arrival of the Dragon year in 2024 unfurls a tapestry of promising romantic opportunities. The Rat's inherent adaptability and wit dance harmoniously with the Dragon's magnetic allure, creating an atmosphere ripe for love's blossoming. This period is marked by transformative experiences and deeper communion, promising meaningful connections for the single hearts and enriching bonds for those tethered in love. As tranquility aligns with passion, the year holds a space where intimacy can flourish, nurtured by the dynamic union of these two spirited signs. Basking under the favorable gaze of Tai Sui and shielded by the protective aura of 'The General,' your star shines with a newfound brilliance. Embrace the potential of receiving love-laden missives and heartfelt admiration, born from your professional achievements and the valiant authenticity with which you lead your life. 'The General' beckons you to don your armor with poise and step into life's arena, where you command your destiny with the serene assurance of a gentle warrior. For individuals born under the sign of the Rat, the arrival of the Dragon year in 2024 unfurls a tapestry of promising romantic opportunities. Pictured: The 15th Miyi Lantern Festival to welcome the Lunar New Year in China ROOSTER 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017 Your guardian star in love: Peach Blossom In the auspicious Dragon year of 2024, those born under the vigilant Rooster sign shall find the stars aligning favorably, leading to a blossoming of romantic opportunities. The radiant energy of the Peach Blossom, or 'Tao Hua,' enhances the Rooster's inherent charm, providing a harmonious blend with the bold spirit of the Dragon. This synergy not only magnifies your attractiveness but also nurtures a balance within, setting the stage for seamless romantic encounters. As meticulous Roosters coupled with the Dragon's spirited essence stride forward, they are poised to not only draw in potential partners with ease but also forge meaningful and robust connections. The lively Dragon influence opens a path for hearts to converge and flourish, fostering unexpected meetings and enriching relationships that already have deep roots. Queen Camilla is the King's 'strength and stay' like Prince Philip was for the late Queen Elizabeth II, a palace insider has said amid the monarch's cancer diagnosis. The source told PEOPLE that the 76-year-old will 'buoy' Charles, 75, throughout his cancer treatment. 'She is his strength and stay like [Prince Philip] was for the late Queen. She will be great. She will rally him, she will buoy him. She is amazing. She equips him to do the job he has to do,' said the insider. Charles, who only acceded to the throne 17 months ago, was being treated for a benign enlarged prostate when medics found a 'form of cancer' last week. During her first public engagement since his diagnosis was announced, Camilla said the King, who underwent his first bout of treatment earlier this week, was 'doing extremely well under the circumstances'. Queen Camilla is the King's 'strength and stay' like Prince Philip was for the late Queen Elizabeth II, a palace insider has said It comes after King Charles broke his silence over his cancer diagnosis yesterday and offered his 'heartfelt thanks' to the British public for their 'many messages of support and good wishes'. The monarch has not spoken publicly since it emerged a week ago he has a 'form of cancer', found by doctors while he was being treated for his benign enlarged prostate. In a letter published by Sandringham House, where he has been staying since leaving the London Clinic on January 29, he said he was 'heartened' to hear his experience is inspiring others up and down the country to get themselves checked. The letter, signed by Charles R, reads: 'I would like to express my most heartfelt thanks for the many messages of support and good wishes I have received in recent days. 'As all those who have been affected by cancer will know, such kind thoughts are the greatest comfort and encouragement. 'It is equally heartening to hear how sharing my own diagnosis has helped promote public understanding and shine a light on the work of all those organisations which support cancer patients and their families across the UK and wider world. 'My lifelong admiration for their tireless care and dedication is all the greater as a result of my own personal experience.' Buckingham Palace confirmed the King does not have prostate cancer, saying only that he has a 'form of cancer'. Charles, who only acceded to the throne 17 months ago, was being treated for a benign enlarged prostate when medics found a 'form of cancer' last week. Pictured, Camilla attending her first public engagement since the King's announcement King Charles III departs with Queen Camilla after receiving treatment for an enlarged prostate at The London Clinic on January 29, 2024 in London He was diagnosed after a 'separate issue of concern was noted' and was investigated while he was being treated for his benign enlarged prostate. It is thought that the King will also hold face-to-face meetings in London next week despite his ongoing cancer treatment. He will spend a day or so in the capital, as his trip is likely to overlap with his medical appointments. But the King is well enough to hold a limited number of face-to-face meetings, sources say. Charles has postponed all public-facing duties, but is continuing with behind-the-scenes work on his red boxes of state papers. The letter comes after he was visited by his estranged son, Prince Harry, 39, following the shock announcement on Tuesday. The Duke, 39, flew to London on a ten-hour commercial British Airways flight from Los Angeles to Heathrow on Tuesday and arrived at the royal residence at 2.42pm. He then spent around 45 minutes chatting with his father, which is thought to be their first proper contact in 15 months. It was their first formal meeting in person since the late Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in September 2022. The father and son had a 'brief meeting' before the King and Camilla were driven to Buckingham Palace where a helicopter was waiting to take them back to Sandringham. For his journey back to the States, Harry was spotted in Heathrow's exclusive Windsor Suite as he prepared to fly back that afternoon. It is believed that the royal did not see his estranged brother and heir to the throne Prince William, or sister-in-law Kate. Whitney Ainscough, from Rotherham, used to work in the pharmacy sector A woman has revealed she can earn up to 4,000 a month from social media - but refuses to give up her council house. Whitney Ainscough, 30, from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, has recently witnessed a boom in her social media following, meaning she can rake in thousands of pounds each month. Previously, Whitney lived off Universal Credit. But now her finances have improved, meaning she can undergo expensive beauty enhancements and go on luxury holidays. Despite earning her keep, Whitney regularly receives backlash from critics claiming she buys luxuries with benefits. However, in conversation with The Sun, the mother-of-three revealed that she can make up to 4,000 a month from social media work. Whitney Ainscough (pictured), 30, from Rotherham, used to live off Universal Credit. Now, she's caused a storm online and made thousands of pounds, meaning she can go on lavish trips to Egypt Whitney, who has three children called Cora, 11, Addison, six, and Adley, two, said that she used to work in the pharmacy sector for seven years but later went on to Universal Credit after having her third child. 'While I was universal credit, I was earning next to nothing obviously,' which is why she started to learn social media. 'I started that and now it's become a source of my income. I'm self-employed through it, I'm projected [to earn] well over 100,000 this year,' she said. After causing a storm online with her content, Whitney has enjoyed a 'luxury' lifestyle. She recently had a gastric sleeve in Egypt and plans to have plenty more treatments, including a tummy tuck and a breast reduction. Whitney, who claimed she is clever with money, added that she is completely unfazed by the trolling that argues she is spending government-provided money on such luxuries. She said: 'I love it, it gets me paid and I don't have to leave my house. I mean today, I've already earned 200 and I haven't left my a*** and it's dinner time.' Despite earning plenty of money from social media, Whitney has refused to give up her council house and hopes to acquire a larger four-bed council house soon. Her current rent stands at 450 a month. The mother-of-three regularly receives backlash online, with critics claiming she pays for her luxuries with benefits It comes after Whitney revealed her dismay after forking out 100 to buy her daughter the very best designer shoes for the new school term - only to be told they don't conform to the uniform policy. In a clip shared on TikTok, Whitney explained how she had bought the Vivienne Westwood pumps for her 11-year-old daughter who has just started in Year 7 - but has been left angry after receiving the message from the school. In the 28-second video on her channel, which uses the handle @itsmebadmom, Whitney said she was 'fuming' about the decision. She added that she will now have to buy her daughter a new pair of school shoes, even though she argues the fashion choice has no effect on her child's ability to learn. Whitney's anger left viewers divided, with some jumping to her defence as they agreed a pupil's choice of school shoes makes no difference to the quality of their education, whereas others said she should have read the uniform policy correctly in the first place. Whitney hopes to get a breast reduction and tummy tuck now that she is making money from content creation Speaking in the video, which has amassed 145,000 views, Whitney stands in a field and tells her followers: 'So I've spent 100 on some shoes she cannot wear. Quite a bit fuming'. 'It's only a pair of f*****g Vivienne Westwoods! What's the problem?' The frustrated mother adds: 'But no, so now she's got to have different shoes. I mean, I'd understand if she was affected the learning, but it doesn't, so, yeah'. After watching the clip, fans were curious as to what the shoes in question looked like - leading the mother to film another clip to explain. In the second clip, Whitney held up the black, patent flat shoes to the screen alongside a photo of her daughter. She slammed the unnamed school's decision: 'It's absolutely ridiculous that she can't wear these'. Whitney explained she had decided to spend more money on her daughter's shoes to mark the special occasion that she was starting secondary school. 'You know, as a mum, you can spend 10 pound on shoes, you can pay 100 pound on shoes, but that's the choice I made,' she said. She quipped: 'What's the problem? She's not gonna have a different education because of the pair of f*****g shoes!' Prince William will likely give his wife as much space to recuperate as possible, according to the former press secretary to Queen Elizabeth II. Ailsa Anderson, speaking to Camilla Tominey on GBNews, said she believes the Prince of Wales, 41, will 'shield' his wife from the fallout as she recovers, as well as caring for their three children. This comes amid mounting pressure on the Prince, who is also stepping up his duties as his father King Charles, 75, battles cancer. Ailsa's message about William comes as the Wales mark Children's Mental Health Week on their social media account. The former press secretary said: 'I think William will try and shield her from as much of that pressure as possible. I hear they've gone to Sandringham for half term week next week, to recuperate. Prince William (pictured, left) is likely to give his wife Kate (pictured, right) the space to recuperate, according to to the former press secretary to Queen Elizabeth II, Ailsa Anderson 'And I think he will try and give her as much space as she needs to recuperate.' She also addressed critics who have accused the Wales of not doing enough before the Princess of Wales, 42, had surgery. Ailsa said: 'Give them a break! For Prince William, family and duty go hand in hand.' According to Ailsa, Prince William does 'not want to want to overshadow' his father and his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II when she was reigning monarch'. This, she added, was despite the 'stardust' given to him and Princess Kate. Ailsa continued: 'When the Queen became Queen, she was 26 years old, so she had that stardust too. 'She was that glamorous, young, fragile, beautiful queen. So actually that happened to her as well.' Continuing, she said that she believes William is 'very much his own man, and he will step up in the way he wants to do it'. And that, the former press secretary, may be 'a bit differently from what's gone before. There's no real rule book'. She continued: 'We don't know what they're doing behind the scenes. The royal (pictured) is also picking up some extra strain because his father King Charles is undergoing treatment for cancer 'There are meetings, there is paperwork, there's planning. And also they've got three small children.' Despite the current medical stresses currently blighting The Firm, the Kensington Palace X (formerly Twitter) account, marked Children's Mental Health Week with a Tweet in recent days. They shared a message which said: 'Shining a light on the importance of mental wellbeing for the youngest members of our society during The Kensington Royal Twitter account posted a message this week to mark Children's Mental Health Week '#ChildrensMentalHealthWeek 'Early childhood surroundings, relationships, experiences and development shape mental health in childhood and later life. This thread offers support from various organisations and resources for parents, guardians and families.' Fairly little is known about Kate's condition other than she went for abdominal surgery. It's also known that she spent a fairly lone time - around two weeks in hospital to recover, and that she is unlikely to undertake public engagements until around Easter. However, the couple did reveal several days ago via Instagram that the royal was leaving hospital after around a two-week stay so she could recuperate at home. Q: My cheeks are losing fat which makes me look tired and old. I'd like to correct this with injectables but at 76, is this safe and advisable? A: Age itself is 'no contra-indication for having fillers or other injectables,' says cosmetic physician and surgeon Dr Apul Parikh, although you should always have a proper consultation with a doctor and disclose any underlying health issues for them to plan around. Dr Parikh also thinks this frank exchange with your chosen doctor should serve to establish what is realistic. At your age, 'the main question would be whether there would be too much skin laxity for fillers to make a real improvement,' he says. 'There comes a point where surgery becomes the only transformative option, and you don't want to waste money on procedures that won't give you the outcome you want,' he says. Age itself is 'no contra-indication for having fillers or other injectables,' says cosmetic physician and surgeon Dr Apul Parikh. Stock image used UK beauty writer Inge Van Lotringen (pictured) advises a reader on getting injectables this week If your skin is in good nick, however, you would 'almost certainly need fillers around the middle cheek and cheekbone area, but might also benefit from jawline filler to restore its youthful shape,' he says. That, he estimates, would require at least 4-6ml of filler, charged at 450 per ml at his Central London clinic (apulparikh.co.uk). Prices outside London will be lower, but please choose an experienced doctor. Email your questions to Ingeborg van Lotringen, author of Great Skin, at inge@dailymail.co.uk With Valentine's Day almost here, how can you bag pretty smalls to wear that won't break the bank? The answer is to seek out less-pricey embellishment and fabrics that are finished by hand. It is also a good idea to opt for colours that just look expensive. When it comes to lingerie that has the luxury look without the painful price tag, style-savvy shoppers head to the supermarket. No more underwhelming undies, whatever your budget. BEST BLACK BASICS While Italian tulle, Swarovski crystal embellishment and the finest French Leavers lace explain the 1,140 price tag of this Agent Provocateur set not many of us will be rushing out to buy it. Even with a lottery win, that's a very small slip of fabric for a considerable sum of money. But a pretty, black lingerie set is a classic staple every underwear drawer needs. This delicate mesh set from F&F uses galloon lace, which typically has a little more give and movement, so expect comfort as well as plenty of change from 25. The pink satin bows and scalloped edging may fool a few into thinking you've spent more than 15 for the bra and 7 for the knickers. While Italian tulle, Swarovski crystal embellishment and the finest French Leavers lace explain the 1,140 price tag of this Agent Provocateur set not many of us will be rushing out to buy it A pretty, black lingerie set is a classic staple every underwear drawer needs. Caitriona underwired bra, 675 and full briefs, 465, agent provocateur.com This delicate mesh set from F&F uses galloon lace, which typically has a little more give and movement, so expect comfort as well as plenty of change from 25. Bra, 15 and briefs, 7, F&F at Tesco NEW NUDE This vintage pink set, 186, from Rigby and Peller, is adorned with a shimmery embroidery that elevates it beyond the everyday. PrimaDonna full cup bra, 118 and full briefs, 68, rigbyandpeller.com In a slightly more sheer design, Tu at Sainsbury's mink lace floral bra looks more expensive than it's 10 tag. Mink floral lace bra, 10 and knickers, 4, Tu at Sainsbury's he knickers may be more basic in design, but the highleg style and lace top mean they'll become a favourite Finding the right natural shade isn't easy, with many opting for boring beige. But you can shop the most practical of lingerie sets and make them elegant and expensive looking without resorting to androgynous shapewear. This vintage pink set, 186, from Rigby and Peller, is adorned with a shimmery embroidery that elevates it beyond the everyday. In a slightly more sheer design, Tu at Sainsbury's mink lace floral bra looks more expensive than it's 10 tag. The knickers may be more basic in design, but the highleg style and lace top mean they'll become a favourite. THE BODY IS BACK Lana satin-trimmed lace bodysuit, 115, Coco de Mer, available at net-a-porter.com. The fashionistas' favourite, Coco de Mer's 115 semi-sheer bodysuit in black lace and satin is perfect for creating maximum body confidence without revealing too much Embroidered lace bodysuit, 18, George at Asda. The solid side panels on Asda's 18 version will offer even more support, making it a great date night piece Bodysuits are back. And now they are more flattering than ever (and not to be confused with functional shapewear). Make the right choice and you can wear one to streamline your shape and add extra support where you need it most. Take inspiration from the Dolce & Gabbana SS24 show where Naomi Campbell and Irina Shayk went down the runway in eye-popping black lace lingerie firmly establishing the trend as a desirable look this season. The fashionistas' favourite, Coco de Mer's 115 semi-sheer bodysuit in black lace and satin is perfect for creating maximum body confidence without revealing too much. The solid side panels on Asda's 18 version will offer even more support, making it a great date night piece that's tough enough to be thrown in the washing machine, too. There's a price difference of almost 100, but no one will ever spot the difference. LOOK-AT-ME LINGERIE Marie Jo Suto padded bra, 96 and briefs, 46, rigbyandpeller.com. Luxury lingerie supplier to the late Queen for many years, Rigby & Peller is famous for its precision fit and made-to-measure craftsmanship Animal lace bra, 9.80 and knickers, 4.90, Tu at Sainsburys. Secure your share of the spotlight for much less with this set from Tu at Sainsbury's. Very similar in shape and also two-tone, it has a subtle animal print lace that feels racier than Rigby & Peller's floral option At just under 15 for both the bra and high-leg knickers, it's a fun addition to your wardrobe While both these sets are made from a polyester mix, their varying price tags tell a different story. Luxury lingerie supplier to the late Queen for many years, Rigby & Peller is famous for its precision fit and made-to-measure craftsmanship. This set is softly padded for discreet shaping and comfort while the two-tone neon shade screams look-at-me and at 142, so does the price tag. Secure your share of the spotlight for much less with this set from Tu at Sainsbury's. Very similar in shape and also two-tone, it has a subtle animal print lace that feels racier than Rigby & Peller's floral option. At just under 15 for both the bra and high-leg knickers, it's a fun addition to your wardrobe. TWO TIMES TEAL Saga half-cup bra, 90 and thong, 55, simone-perele.com. If youre looking for an alternative to black but find navy too dark, inject some colour with a pop of teal If youre feeling flush, Parisian brand Simone Perele has a glamorous guipure floral lace blend set, with matching thong, for 145 that gives a delicate amount of coverage Aqua floral lace balcony bra, 12 and floral lace Brazilian knickers, 6, George at Asda But if you want an 18 bargain, George at Asda has a great budget set. It is in a slightly deeper shade with more coverage If youre looking for an alternative to black but find navy too dark, inject some colour with a pop of teal the perfect shade to sit next to lightly tanned skin come the spring/summer months. If youre feeling flush, Parisian brand Simone Perele has a glamorous guipure floral lace blend set, with matching thong, for 145 that gives a delicate amount of coverage. But if you want an 18 bargain, George at Asda has a great budget set. It is in a slightly deeper shade with more coverage. An Australian mum was told her irritable bowel-like symptoms were just a side effect of pregnancy - but they were a sign of something far more sinister. Jamie Kernaghan, from Adelaide, spent years trying to get to the bottom of her gut issues before it was eventually found to be a little-known and incurable cancer called a NeuroEndocrine Tumour. Throughout both pregnancies with daughters Ellie, now 17 and Isabelle, now 14, and long after, the 45-year-old battled bouts of diarrhoea, hot flushes and fatigue. In 2010, six months after giving birth to Isabella, she finally received a diagnosis for the very slow progressing cancer and she feared the shock news would mean she wouldn't see her girls grow up. But almost 14 years on, Jamie is living a relatively normal and happy life and hopes to have many more years left with the disease she's learnt to view as a 'chronic illness' rather than a terminal diagnosis. Jamie Kernaghan (right) was diagnosed with a rare tumour after her symptoms were chalked up to pregnancy side effects. Pictured with daughters Ellie, 17, (centre right) and Isabelle, 14 (left) and husband Steve (centre left) Jamie was dreary and waking up from her anaesthetic after a colonoscopy when she was given some life-changing news. 'I was told, "I'm sorry, it's cancer", and to be honest, I don't know I heard much more that day. I went into a phase where everything is all mumbly around you,' she said. It had been months of testing and scans to get to the bottom of the mum's gut issues that had been plaguing her for years. The colonoscopy revealed a tumour on Jamie's intestine and a biopsy was being sent away for testing to determine how serious it was. It was the Friday before a long weekend so Jamie, then 32, prepared for an anxious wait ahead of her. 'I was told you've got tumour in the bowel but we can also see a mass on your liver,' and that's when he said, "that's not great, it means it's spread",' she recalled. 'You hear all these things about liver cancer and how it's not a great diagnosis. That's what I was left with Friday afternoon thinking, "Oh my gosh, my finishing line has come".' Throughout both of her pregnancies with her daughters and long after, the 45-year-old battled with bouts of diarrhoea, hot flushes and fatigue However over the weekend Jamie received a call from a doctor who told her she had a midgut neuroendocrine tumour (NET). 'It's one of those diseases which is so different for so many people but for me, mine is pretty common in terms of neuroendocrine tumours,' Jamie explained. 'It's a cancer of the neuroendocrine cells, those cells secrete hormones for normal bodily functions, they obviously can go awry and that's what's happened with me.' Many medical professionals think of NETs to be rare however it is the seventh most diagnosed cancer in the country with more the 25,000 Australians currently fighting the disease. The mum's diagnosis came three years after her symptoms started when she and her husband Steve were living in LA and pregnant with Ellie. They continued long after Ellie was born. 'I was always having bouts of diarrhoea. I'd get flushes and was just feeling really tired at times but you put that down to having a young child,' she said. 'I did go for some initial testing trying to get to the bottom of it probably six months after Ellie was born. At the time the doctors were like, "try cutting out dairy, try cutting out gluten".' Her symptoms persisted after the family moved back to their hometown of Adelaide in 2008 and during her pregnancy with Isabelle a year later. In 2010, six months after having Ellie, she was diagnosed with a midgut neuroendocrine tumour Jamie was able to live a normal life in between injections and regular check ups all the way up until September 2022 when a tumour was found in her humerus bone near her shoulder 'My initial consultations with doctors over (in the US) got all messed up because of an international move then when we got back to Australia again I had periods where I'd feel unwell,' she said. 'I was pregnant with Isabelle and I was told it's pregnancy related but after Isabelle was born I realised these symptoms aren't going away. I'm not pregnant anymore.' Jamie went back to her childhood GP who pushed for tests to get to the bottom of what was wrong including the colonoscopy that eventually determined her diagnosis. The good news about NETs is that it moves very slowly giving Jamie and doctors time to work out the most effective treatment options. 'The way the doctor described it was like cancer in slow motion. We have time to look more closely and figure out the best next steps. It's not as dire as if it was straight up liver cancer so that was reassuring but still not amazing,' she said. Jamie describes the three weeks after her diagnosis as a 'haze' of more scans, appointments and tests. 'We were lucky the kids were so little. They had no idea what was going on. My parents and my husband, they really formed a bit of a team,' Jamie said. 'Everyone went into battle mode focusing on protecting me and the kids and trying to figure out all the next stages and appointments.' It was decided Jamie would need major abdominal surgery to remove around 30cm off her bowel, her appendix, gall bladder and as much of the cancer as possible. Jamie had a major abdominal surgery to remove around 30cm off her bowel, her appendix, gall bladder and as much of the cancer as possible '(Surgeons) really de-bulked the big tumours which has given me some more longevity,' she said. 'My liver, I thought why couldn't you take it all out? But they described the liver tumours to me like a poppy seed muffin with lots of little spots throughout.' While they were not able to get all the tiny tumours out, the procedure alleviated many of Jamie's gut issues and meant she would have minimal treatments in the years following. 'I was put onto a drug called lanreotide which is a monthly injection that helps control the release of hormones from the tumours. It doesn't cure the disease, it just controls the symptoms,' she said. 'That along with the surgery absolutely helped. It really felt like I got my life back in a funny way for quite a few years post that,' she said. Jamie was able to live a normal life in between injections and regular check ups all the way up until September 2022 when a tumour was found in her humerus bone near her shoulder. 'It had been there for a little while but it started to quite large and was causing me some pain,' she said. While they were not able to get all the tiny tumours out, the procedure alleviated many of Jamie's gut issues and meant she would have minimal treatments in the years following 'My team decided it was time to move on to a treatment called PRRT (Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy) which is a form of infused radiation.' PRRT was an a eight month process for Jamie where every five weeks she would have four rounds of radiation on the affected area. She finished that treatment in June last year and now all she can do is go for a scan every six months to see if the cancer has progressed like she's done since her diagnosis. 'I've had a really good team around me and they've monitored it really well but it's been one of those diseases where as a patient, you go, "Why can't we do more? Why couldn't I have had this therapy 10 years ago, and to try and get rid of it?",' she said. 'But because it's a cancer in slow motion, the treatments don't work well, the radiation actually need something to kill.' Over the past decade, Jamie has found solace in going to NET support groups, like NeuroEndocrine Cancer Australia, where she's has met people who have had the disease for three decades giving her hope she is here for the long run. 'I came to realise it was going to be a long game for me. I think my mindset changed to this is a chronic illness rather than it's going to kill me tomorrow,' she said. 'But also, I just haven't thought that I will end up an old person, so I've found myself wanting to do everything straight away. I want to build a house, let's do that. I want to go here, let's do that. And probably feel like I've maybe tried to rush things.' Jamie encourages people with similar symptoms to advocate for themselves and push to find answers. 'Looking back, I wish I'd done testing earlier because before it spread my story would probably be very different. It wouldn't have become a lifelong thing, but that's the situation with most NET patients, they get diagnosed too late' she said. 'Anyone that has any of these symptoms or if you're told you've got irritable bowel or you're diary intolerant and you just don't think that is what it is, you've just got to keep going, you've got to become you're own advocate if you know something is not right, you've just got to keep pushing.' Are smear tests ageist? That's what Mariella Frostrup claimed last week about the NHS cervical screening programme, which is offered to women between the ages of 25 and 64. It's designed to pick up changes that could indicate an increased risk of cervical cancer a disease that can almost always be treated successfully with early intervention but still kills hundreds of women in Britain each year. Writing in a newspaper article, the author and broadcaster who is 61 and has recently had her final smear test decried the 'ageist' and 'outdated' policy that means women aged 65 and over are no longer routinely offered smear tests. She described this as another example of 'medical misogyny' by the NHS, and added that she wants to start a campaign to see older women covered by the screening plan. Stock photo of Mariella Frostrup, UK-based journalist and television presenter Mariella Frostrup decried the 'ageist' and 'outdated' policy that means women aged 65 and over are no longer routinely offered smear tests Dr Phillipa Kaye (pictured) is a GP. She believes smear tests will do more harm than good As a GP with a special interest in women's health and as an ambassador for Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust, it caught my attention. I admire Mariella very much, we work together at the charity Wellbeing of Women but I'm afraid we disagree about this one screening women over 65 could end up doing more harm than good. My view is that if we want to eliminate cervical cancer in the UK by 2040, as the Government has pledged, we need to focus our efforts on making the current programme as good as it can possibly be. That means encouraging all eligible women to attend every smear test when invited which doesn't happen and doing everything we can to boost the uptake of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine among 12 and 13-year-olds. Let me explain. WHAT IS A SMEAR TEST? A smear test detects abnormal cells on the cervix, which is the entrance to the uterus from the vagina. Removing these cells can prevent cervical cancer. Most test results come back clear, however, one in 20 women show abnormal changes to the cells of their cervix. In some cases, these need to be removed or can become cancerous. Cervical cancer most commonly affects sexually-active women aged between 30 and 45. In the UK, the NHS Cervical Screening Programme invites women aged 25-to-49 for a smear every three years, those aged 50 to 64 every five years, and women over 65 if they have not been screened since 50 or have previously had abnormal results. Women must be registered with a GP to be invited for a test. In the US, tests start when women turn 21 and are carried out every three years until they reach 65. Changes in cervical cells are often caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV), which can be transmitted during sex. Advertisement Most cervical cancer cases are caused by HPV, which can be sexually transmitted and is also linked to penile and anal cancers, and some head and neck cancers. The virus is common and most people develop antibodies to it naturally, meaning it is cleared by the immune system. But for about one in ten women, high-risk forms can linger and cause changes to cells in the neck of the womb, which can become cancerous. The screening test, which involves inserting a speculum into the vagina and taking a sample of cells from the cervix, used to check for the presence of abnormal cells which had the potential to turn into cancer. Since 2020, it has instead looked for HPV. If the virus is found, the sample is then tested for abnormal cells, and women who have them are referred for a colposcopy, which involves inserting a thin microscope into the vagina to take a close look at the cervix and check for pre-cancerous abnormalities. The abnormalities can be treated and sometimes removed during this or an additional procedure so screening can prevent women from developing cancer. About 5,000 lives are thought to have been saved by the screening programme. Since 2008 we have also been vaccinating 12 and 13-year-old girls against HPV (and, since 2019, boys too). The vaccine is a game-changer. Data shows it can reduce the risk of cervical cancer by about 87 per cent. Rates of the disease have already declined by 25 per cent since the early 1990s. But women born before 1991 have not benefited from it and, like any vaccine, it's not 100 per cent effective, so all women should have regular screenings. Women are first invited when they turn 25 because research has found that abnormalities detected earlier can resolve naturally, and treating women could put them through unnecessary procedures. And they stop at 64 for a good reason, too. Partly, women are less at risk those over 65 are less than half as likely to get the disease than those in their early 30s. But it's also because it takes a long time for a lingering HPV infection to turn into cervical cancer. As gynaecological oncologist Adeola Olaitan, a trustee at Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust, explains: 'It might take ten to 20 years for HPV to turn into cancer. That means if women have been going regularly for smear tests, and particularly if they have had negative results after the age of 50, they're extremely unlikely to end up with cervical cancer which will cause them problems or need treatment during their lifetime.' Another vitally important consideration, according to Theresa Freeman-Wang, one of the country's leading experts in colposcopy and cervical cancer, is to balance benefit versus potential harm and be aware that screening older women could cause them to have unnecessary invasive procedures. She says: 'As women get older, screening becomes more uncomfortable because the lack of oestrogen causes vaginal dryness, so it can be difficult to get a good sample. And when you get one, it can then be technically more difficult to assess it if women aren't on HRT, the cells can appear abnormal even if they aren't.' Women are first invited when they turn 25 because research has found that abnormalities detected earlier can resolve naturally (stock photo) About 3,200 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year in the UK, most commonly between the ages of 30 and 34 (stock photo) That means doctors may perform a colposcopy to check for signs of abnormalities, which can cause significant stress. But these procedures are also difficult to perform in older women because the zone at the neck of the womb where the abnormalities are found recedes with age, making it harder to see. 'You can end up in a situation where you can't assess the area,' says Ms Freeman-Wang. 'That woman might then be offered more treatment, such as a more invasive surgical biopsy, to check we haven't missed anything. 'After this, if women are post-menopausal, there's a chance the neck of the womb can heal shut, which prevents further assessments. In that situation we might need to talk about a hysterectomy that a woman wouldn't have needed if we hadn't started down this path.' For Ms Freeman-Wang, more evidence is needed to assess whether screening over 65s would be of more benefit than harm, especially if they have regularly attended cervical screening. She adds: 'The anxiety I have is that we might be over-treating women who will never be at any significant risk. It's not about misogyny or ageism. 'I don't know the answer. We need to find cervical cancer in older women, but we're not yet at a point where we can recommend extending the screening limit.' So what of the women each year who are diagnosed with cervical cancer after 65? In the absence of screening, most will have it picked up after developing symptoms that include unexpected bleeding, changes to vaginal discharge, pain during sex or unexplained pelvic or lower back pain. These should never be ignored, whatever your age, and should be checked by a GP. About 3,200 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year in the UK, most commonly between the ages of 30 and 34. Rates fall after this point until women reach 65 just after screening stops when there is a slight uptick. Cancer Research UK's figures show 580 cases a year are in women over 65. Some of these women, particularly those in their 80s, will have had only 15 years of screening (the programme began in 1988) and may never have been tested for HPV, leading to a later-life diagnosis. Some cases may be linked to women living longer, so there's more opportunity for undetected HPV to turn into cancer. Rising divorce rates could have a role too, as women may have new sexual partners later in life, exposing them to infection. In 2018, in a submission to the National Screening Committee, Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust pointed this out, adding: 'There is a need for ongoing clinical research to fully ascertain risk and benefits to identify the ideal pathway for those over 64.' The charity still supports this call for more research, as do I. But these cases in older women may also be linked to them not attending their final screenings. Some don't turn up because they believe, wrongly, that being menopausal means they are no longer at risk. Others stop coming because changes to the genitals and reproductive system mean they find it increasingly uncomfortable. We can help by prescribing an oestrogen gel in the weeks before a smear test, using a smaller speculum during the examination or by allowing you to insert the speculum yourself. One trial is also looking at whether self-testing using a simple swab kit at home might help boost the numbers taking part. This is crucial as data shows screening rates are falling just two-thirds of women attend regularly and in more deprived areas it's fewer than 50 per cent. We must also encourage uptake of the HPV vaccine which, like other childhood vaccinations, is still significantly below pre-pandemic levels. So rather than extending the screening programme as Mariella Frostrup suggests, the priority should be making the existing programme better. That means encouraging women to keep up-to-date with their smear tests, and to make sure parents understand the benefits of getting their children vaccinated against HPV. These things will protect all women not just now but in decades to come. As Athena Lamnisos, from the Eve Appeal charity, puts it: 'There isn't strong evidence to screen after 65, but there's evidence that regular screening from your 20s to your mid-60s will protect you.' lFor advice and support visit jostrust.org.uk or call the charity's helpline on 0808 802 8000. Q: My wife suffers from ice pick headaches. She has had scans and seen doctors but no one seems to know why they happen. I am writing to you out of desperation. What can we do to help her? Ice pick headaches, also known as primary stabbing headaches, cause an intense pain around the eye or at the side of the head that comes on suddenly. The feeling lasts for only a few seconds, but can happen up to 50 times a day. Its not known what causes them, but they can be triggered by bright lights or stress. They are more common in people who suffer from similar conditions, including migraines. See a doctor for scans and an examination when they first happen so that they can make sure there is nothing else more serious going on. It is also wise to have an assessment with a neurologist who specialises in this area, as ice pick headaches can be mistaken for things such as cluster headaches, which have similar features a neurologist would be able to spot the difference between the two. Ice pick headaches can be disabling as they cause so much pain, and for this reason pain clinics will often recommend psychological support, says Dr Ellie Cannon Drugs including painkiller indomethacin can be used to prevent the attacks Because the pain of ice pick headaches is so fleeting, despite being so severe, they are hard to treat at the time. However, drugs including indomethacin can be used to prevent the attacks. Indomethacin is a painkiller also used as an anti-inflammatory for conditions such as arthritis. Ice pick headaches can be disabling as they cause so much pain, and for this reason pain clinics will often recommend psychological support. Q: I had a scan a few years ago to see whether I had multiple sclerosis (MS) but it didnt find anything. Ive had extreme fatigue for a decade and my legs often feel sluggish and heavy. Recently Ive felt mild numbness and tingling down one side of my body. Is it still possible I have MS? MS is a neurological disease that can affect the brain, nerves and spinal cord, and impacts about 130,000 people in the UK. It occurs when the immune system turns on the body and attacks the protective layer around nerves called the myelin sheath. The damage this causes can lead to numbness or tingling in the face and body, extreme tiredness, blurred vision, walking problems and even difficulty controlling the bladder. There are different types of the disease, although most people find that their symptoms come and go. Sadly, some peoples MS gets worse over years, without any periods where they get better. It would be worth getting a neurologist to take a look at anybody who has had unexplained symptoms of nerve damage for a long time, despite a long wait to see a specialist on the NHS. When diagnosing a patient with MS, a doctor would firstly rule out other causes of nerve damage, such as deficiency of Vitamin B12. Another test would be a nervous system examination to see how well your reflexes work, which may involve tapping the knee or bicep with a reflex hammer. In some cases an MRI scan can spot MS by picking up damage to the myelin sheath of the nerves in the brain and spinal cord. But somebody can still have MS even if a scan doesnt spot this, as it may not appear in all areas of the brain or may be less visible if they are small or if at an early stage. A neurologist may order other tests to help them diagnose MS, including a lumbar puncture also known as a spinal tap. This involves using a needle and syringe to take some fluid from around the spinal cord, which is then analysed. Someones eyes may also be tested to see if there is damage to the optic nerve, which can be an early sign of MS. Q: A huge 3in cyst was found on one of my ovaries in August and I was put on an urgent list for surgery. But doctors also found I have long QT syndrome, which causes irregular heartbeats, and now there seems to be a suggestion I wont be fit for surgery. What should I do? THE important thing is not to panic. Having to wait for surgery may be a good sign ovarian tumours can be aggressive, so you would usually be called in for surgery quickly if doctors believed the cyst was cancerous. Even so, non-cancerous ovarian cysts can be excruciating. The pressure from the cyst can also cause bloating and pain in the pelvis, and constipation or problems emptying the bladder. Long QT syndrome is a rare condition where the hearts electrical system takes too long to recharge between beats, which can lead to blackouts, palpitations and seizures. Its usually something people have no idea they have until they have an ECG a simple test that records the electrical activity of the heart. The worry is that it is often associated with unexpected death in young adults who were unaware they had it. But knowing that someone has long QT syndrome means doctors can offer treatments to help control it, such as beta blockers or a pacemaker. Having the condition should not cause any delays in getting surgery but a cardiologist may be asked for their opinion in case there is a risk of someones heartbeat becoming dangerously irregular during the operation. Anyone facing unexpected delays in getting care should speak to their GP, who can check that everything is in hand. Sometimes we find that patients think they are on a waiting list when in fact they arent. Do you have a question for Dr Ellie Cannon? Email DrEllie@mailonsunday.co.uk Dr Cannon cannot enter into personal correspondence and her replies should be taken in a general context. Have you been left with no NHS dentist? Damning pictures of a mammoth queue snaking outside a new NHS dentist in Bristol show just how desperate the dental crisis in the UK has become. People regularly turn up on my clinic list suffering dental pain or other problems, but GPs arent trained to treat such issues, so I have to send them away with little more than advice on painkillers. The shortfall of available appointments and high treatment costs have led some patients to resort to extreme measures travelling abroad to get care or pulling out their own teeth, for instance. Have you or someone you know relied on similarly extraordinary lengths? Or have you struggled to find a dentist to take you on as a patient? Please write to the address below and let me know. A mammoth queue forms outside a new NHS dentist in Bristol - show just how desperate the dental crisis in the UK has become Theres no place for homeopathy Amid reports on the Kings cancer diagnosis, I read a story on Dr Michael Dixon, the head of the Royal Medical Household. The GP is also said to be a fan of homeopathy treatment based on diluted substances. But when Dr Dixons position was made public last year, Buckingham Palace was quick to point out he doesnt believe such alternatives can cure cancer. On that, we see eye-to-eye. But I think homeopathy has no place in medicine at all, let alone for such a serious disease. Whenever I say this there seems to be an outcry from believers on social media, outraged that I can dismiss what they see as vital therapy. The fact is that there is no good evidence that homeopathy does anything whatsoever, and it certainly has no place in cancer care. Were safer sticking to conventional drugs. A messy 'love square' has erupted among some of Australia's most glamourous criminals after a drug-trafficking beauty therapist's fiance shacked up with one of her law-abiding friends while she was behind bars. Lash technician Chloe Victoria Smith, 30, is currently serving eight months in jail after being locked up over her involvement in her ex-partner Reece Luscombe's major meth trafficking ring, which operated in Queensland between 2019 and 2020. But after moving on from Luscombe while he was in prison, Smith now finds herself in a similar position after her new bad-boy beau, serial offender Wade Amey, 34, ditched her for her close friend and former colleague Caity Phelan, 25. The drama first unfolded when Smith and Luscombe, 33, were arrested in March 2020 over his ice trafficking network, which was connected to the Finks motorcycle gang and spanned from the Gold Coast to Cairns. The couple had previously lived an affluent lifestyle in Mackay, Central Queensland, as they drove around in luxury vehicles and dressed in designer goods. Chloe Victoria Smith, 30, (pictured) is currently serving an eight-month non-parole period in prison for her role in a major drug trafficking ring linked to the Finks bikie gang Her former partner Reece William Luscombe, 33, (pictured) ran the drug network that supplied meth across Queensland Smith left Luscombe to begin a whirlwind romance with serial offender Wade Amey (pictured) Amey has now left Smith to start dating her friend Caity Phelan (pictured), who is the only one out of the four without a criminal record When detectives from Operation Romeo Suitcase swooped on their home, officers seized a Maserati, $108,620 in cash, weapons, and 185.932g of pure meth with a street value of up to $44,000. Despite Luscombe being remanded in custody and Smith granted bail, the couple initially stayed together for several months as their matters progressed through the courts. However, cracks soon began to emerge after Smith was busted breaching her bail conditions while spending time with Mackay's self-dubbed 'hottest crim' Liam Dunworth, 24. The pair was found together in a locked bedroom during a police raid in April 2021 and charged with possessing ice as well as cash from drug sales - offences which would later land him a prison sentence. The brief romance petered out, and Daily Mail Australia understands Smith went back to Luscombe before the pair separated sometime around mid to late 2022. But just a few months after their break-up, Smith struck up a relationship with Woodford Correctional Centre inmate Wade Richard Amey, who has an extensive rap sheet for various offences, including drug possession, weapon possession and assault. In a since-deleted post, Smith revealed the pair met in early 2023 while she was trying to hook him up with her roommate. Smith and Luscombe are pictured together during happier times Smith has a taste for convicted criminals, having dated three different jailbirds over the past three years Smith shared the above picture of Amey on her Instagram in July, writing: 'Waited so long for you to finally come home baby not long now until we are together. Love you so much' 'I was trying to get him to talk to her and she didnt want a bar of it,' she said. 'I felt bad and decided to talk to him over the phone because I didn't want to be rude.' The relationship quickly progressed, with Smith announcing the couple's engagement weeks later, in February. Just weeks after that, she shared a gushing post with her more than 16,000 TikTok followers, showing her video-calling Amey in prison. 'Say what you want, but this man is my soulmate and we were made for each other,' she wrote. 'I love you so much and cant [sic] wait to be by your side for the rest of my life.' Amey, a New Zealand citizen, was released from prison late last year and deported back home, while Smith was sentenced in September over the drug ring to three years in jail to be paroled after serving eight months. But while Smith stayed by Amey's side while he was in prison, she has not had the same treatment in return - with Smith's friend Bella Agius this week revealing the Kiwi had jumped ship. Taking to a Facebook page dedicated to finding pen pals for Australian inmates, Ms Agius said Smith was seeking companionship as she serves out her term at Townsville Women's Correctional Centre. Smith shared a gushing post in March 2023 about her budding relationship with Wade Richard Amey The former couple announced their engagement on Facebook last February When a social media user asked what had happened with Smith and Amey, Ms Agius replied: 'A sly "friend" of hers is now with him. That's why [they aren't together anymore].' A source familiar with the situation told Daily Mail Australia Amey had started dating Smith's friend Caity Phelan, another beauty therapist who does not have a criminal record, two weeks ago. The source said Smith had stuck by Amey during his incarceration and had taken Phelan into her home and given her work at her lash business when she was going through a rough patch. But Ms Phelan said there was more to the story. 'Chloe did a lot for me, yes, and I'll never not acknowledge that because that's not the type of person I am,' she told Daily Mail Australia. '[But] there's also a whole lot that Chloe did to me that the whole world doesn't need to know about... and sometimes the bad overrides the good. 'Wade and I originally spoke from the beginning so technically no I didn't take Chloe's partner, he was from the start trying to pursue something with me. 'I don't have any ill intentions towards Chloe by the way things have played out, but I don't think I could say the same about her.' Earlier this week, Smith's Instagram bio featured Amey's username next to a black heart emoji. Awkwardly, Ms Phelan's Instagram bio also features Amey's username - although for a second Instagram account - alongside a heart emoji. Ms Phelan (pictured) says Amey had wanted her all along despite his brief romance with Smith Amey (pictured) has an extensive rap sheet spanning more than a decade On Tuesday, Smith's bio was updated, with Amey's username removed and replaced by the word 'single'. Smith's downwards spiral into the world of bad boys appears to have started after she became swept up in Luscombe's nefarious enterprise. Luscombe, who is the father of Smith's third and youngest child, ran the syndicate - storing drugs and money at his house while occasionally allowing other members of the ring to facilitate some of the network's deal. During his sentencing hearing in March 2022, the court heard Luscombe boasted about the violent and assertive tactics he used while presiding over the drug ring. They included claiming ownership of the Maserati as repayment for a drug debt and telling Smith he 'bashed the f***' out of a woman who owed him money, taking jewellery and her car. Luscombe was sentenced to nine years in prison over a raft of offences, including trafficking, aggravated drug possession, and possessing cash and weapons. He was released on parole about October last year. Caity is pictured with her ex Dayne, who was jailed while the pair were dating Smith, who facilitated some of the network's drug deals, pleaded guilty to a dozen charges including trafficking, aggravated drug possession, supplying dangerous drugs and possessing dangerous drugs and property obtained from trafficking drugs. The mother of three was sentenced in September to three years in prison, but will be paroled in May 2024 after serving just eight months. Like Smith, Ms Phelan also has a penchant for criminals. In September 2022, the mum-of-two opened up to media about how her ex-partner Dayne had gone to prison - but despite the 700km distance, their relationship had grown stronger. Just a month later, she shared a video on TikTok expressing her attraction to 'heavily tattooed men with a criminal history'. Despite initially standing by Dayne, the couple appear to have split sometime in the past 12 months before Ms Phelan was wooed by Amey. When contacted for comment about his new relationship, Amey did not have much to say - only insults and threats levelled at the reporter. 'How's this? Get a life and find something better to do, you f***ing loser,' he said. 'Stop writing about me or you will be the next headline of the Daily Mail!' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Smith for comment. LEASE DEAL INKED WITH EDAMAH Swiss group Interlink to set up $200m titanium plant in Bahrain Switzerland-based Interlink Metals & Chemicals said one of its key subsidiaries has inked a 25-year lease deal with Edamah, the real estate arm of Bahrain wealth fund Mumtalakat, to set up a titanium plant in the kingdom at an investment of $200 million. Aussies have been warned to be wary for symptoms of measles after a returned overseas traveller was diagnosed with the highly-contagious disease, sparking a major health alert. NSW Health said the person, who recently returned from Asia, was diagnosed in Murwillumbah in the Northern Rivers and attended at least two different sites while infectious. The authority said those onboard a Singh Company school bus on February 5, in the morning or afternoon, may have been exposed. Measles can spread quickly and symptoms first appear cold-like, before the onset of a red rash. Source: Getty Aussies warned as infectious traveller returns to NSW Similarly, people who were present at the Emergency Department at the Murwillumbah Hospital on February 9 between 1.15pm to 4pm or on February 10 between 12.15pm to 8pm, should also watch for symptoms. Measles is a very contagious viral illness that causes rash and fever and can have symptoms similar to cold or flu initially. It can cause serious complications, including pneumonia and encephalitis. Though rare in Australia due to high rates of vaccination, authorities are warning people to stay vigilant in the wake of major breakouts overseas, particularly in parts of Asia, including Indonesia, India and Pakistan. Late last month, NSW Health issued a measles alert after a confirmed case was found to be infectious while travelling through Sydney International Airport, landing in the ACT. Authorities urge people with symptoms to seek advice North Coast Regional Director of Population and Public Health Dr Valerie Delpech warned people to seek medical advice should they feel unwell. NSW Health said a person who recently returned from Asia was diagnosed with the highly-contagious virus in the last week. Source: Getty "Symptoms of measles include fever, runny nose, sore eyes and a cough, usually followed three or four days later by a red, blotchy rash that spreads from the head to the rest of the body," she said. Story continues "It's important for people to stay vigilant if they've been exposed, and if they develop symptoms, to please call ahead to their GP or emergency department to ensure they do not spend time in the waiting room with other patients." The virus spreads quickly with close contact, especially in those who are unvaccinated. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. It is more than two centuries ago that the first Royal Navy fleet arrived at Sydney Cove and raised the flag of Great Britain. The legacy of the past has grown more complicated with the passing years - not least when it comes to the question of whether or not Australia should keep King Charles as its head of state. The good news for Britain is that, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, a mooted referendum on the subject has been put back. Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, pictured at Taronga Zoo with Sydney Harbour Bridge in the background in 2014 Prince George, then just nine months old, visits a Bilby at the zoo. Bilbies are desert-dwelling marsupials native to Australia One of Kate Middleton's forebears commanded a ship in the very first Royal Navy fleet to land in Australia. This scene, showing British troops of the period on the Australian coast, is taken from the ITV drama The Incredible Journey of Mary Bryant The first Union Flag is raised - a scene celebrated 150 years later by British artist Algernon Talmage But one royal connection that has so far escaped much scrutiny is this: we can reveal that one of the Princess of Wales' ancestors was aboard the First Fleet to travel to Australia. Lieutenant David Blackburn, who was master of HMS Supply, one of the ships in question, set sail in the fleet from Portsmouth, Hampshire at 4am on May 13, 1787. The intention was to establish a penal colony in Australia. Blackburn, who was related to Kate on her fathers side, had celebrated his 35th birthday aboard the vessel on New Year's Day, 1788, before arriving in Botany Bay on January 18 and, with the rest of the fleet sailing to Sydney Cove - now Circular Quay - eight days later. This First Fleet of 11 ships, six of which carried convicts from Britain to Australia, was under the overall command of Captain Arthur Phillip, who went onto become the first Governor of New South Wales . A report at the time recorded the events as follows: 'At daybreak, a large working party had been landed from HM Brig 'Supply' (the first vessel to enter Sydney Harbour) to cut down trees, to clear the ground, land stores, erect a flagstaff and tents, and prepare a camp. 'The remaining 10 vessels of the fleet had arrived in Sydney Harbour by the evening from Botany Bay, which the Governor, after exploring, did not consider suitable for the settlement as the anchorage was unsafe owing to its shallow depth and the swampy nature of the foreshore.' The moment at which Arthur Phillip raises the Union Flag was depicted by British Impressionist Algernon Talmage in 1937 to mark the 150th anniversary of the landing. The painting, which was first exhibited at the Royal Academy, now hangs in Tate Britain. Blackburn is featured sixth from left. 'In the evening of the 26th the colours were displayed on shore,' Phillip recorded. 'The Governor, with several of his principal officers and others, assembled round the flagstaff, drank the king's health, and success to the settlement with all that display of form, which on such occasions is esteemed propitious because it enlivens the spirits and fills the imagination with pleasing presages.' Blackburn, who was the nephew of Kate's great-great-great-great-great-great grandmother Dame Sarah Martineau went onto become Commander of HMS Sirius on its voyage to Norfolk Island in 1790. He died in 1795 at the age of 42. Historian Michael Reed, who discovered the connection, said: 'I discovered in the National Library of Australia handwritten letters by Kate's ancestor Sarah Martineau, and her family'. He judges them crucial to Australian history. 'These letters reveal her private thoughts and show that she lent her nephew 10 [the equivalent of 1300 or $A2,500 today] to help him buy navigational equipment and expensive new uniforms needed for the voyage. 'David was amongst the first Englishmen to attempt to converse with the indigenous Australians, recording and translating their language.' He later sent 'Drawings of Birds, Plants & Fishes of this country' to his family in Norwich. A 1799 painting by John Gosse titled 'The Founding of the Settlement of Port-Jackson at Botany Bay in New South Wales'. The scene depicts the first British penal colony at Sydney Cove as sailors and convicts clear the land for settlement It is ten years since the Prince and Princess of Wales visited Australia, where they posed for pictures in front of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge and took their first-born son Prince George to Taronga Zoo. There had been speculation that the Waleses would visit Australia at some point, perhaps ahead of the tour expected from the King and Queen. With both the King and the Princess suffering recent medical reversals, however, lengthy foreign trips seem unlikely in the immediate term. She was known as the last great Edwardian Lady, a stickler for royal protocol and a firm keeper-up of appearances - at all costs. In her later years, The Queen Mother became a celebrated hostess, throwing glittering parties at her Royal Lodge home featuring guests from music and the arts. According to author Tina Brown, these occasions allowed Queen Elizabeth (as she was more formally titled) to show off one skill in particular. Ali G poses after the MTV Europe Music Award at the Festhalle in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, 2001 Queen Mother was not only a bon viveur but a great mimic The Queen Mother's rendering of Ali G was much appreciated by Prince Harry . The Queen Mother was a talented mimic, says Brown, with some unlikely impersonations up her sleeve. Her Blackader was said to be very good, writes the author in her best-selling book, The Palace Papers. But even better was a rendering of Ali G, much appreciated by Prince Harry. She would say, Darling, lunch was marvellous respec. The Queen mother was not the only humourist in the family. Her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II, was known as a skilled mimic - strictly in private of course - of those she had met. There were fewer constraints upon the Queen Mother, who was happy to tease her daughter, The Queen. Have you been reigning today, Lilibet she would apparently ask when Elizabeth returned exhausted from an engagement. The Queen Mother was famous for her irreverent toasting games, writes Brown, and would lift her glass high-high-high for people she liked and low-low-low under the table for people she didnt, a gesture met by gales of laughter and accompanied by copious amounts of alcohol. According to historian and biographer Hugo Vickers, an invitation to an evening at Royal Lodge was one of the hottest tickets in town. In her later years, The Queen Mother became a celebrated hostess, throwing glittering parties at her Royal Lodge home featuring guests from music and the arts When the Queen seemed drained by her engagements, her mother would ask 'have you been reigning again, Lilibet'?' The Queen Mother was famous for her irreverent toasting games On cultural evenings John Betjeman and Ted Hughes read their poetry. Noel Coward performed at the piano, Raymond Leppard and Ruth, Lady Fermoy (maternal grandmother to Diana) played duets, he told MailOnline. In 1984 a Canadian baritone sang Schubert and Britten songs directed by David Willcocks and Lord David Cecil read from pieces from Mary McCarthy and Max Beerbohm. The Queen Mother died in March 2002 at the age of 101. Since then, Royal Lodge a Palladian mansion in Windsor Great Park has been the home of the Duke of York. His former wife, Sarah Ferguson, also spends time living there. Matthew Gooden had not been born when his father, Shawn, began sexually assaulting two young relatives, aged eight and nine. Matthew spent the first twenty years of his life blissfully unaware of the harrowing truth, leading what he thought was a normal upbringing in the Mormon church, in which his father had risen to the rank of bishop. It was not until Gooden's arrest in September 2022 that he was exposed as the monster he was. But to his son's horror, it transpired that church leaders had known of the abuse allegations almost two years earlier, but 'kept it secret' from police and the wider community. Mormon leader Rhett Hintze was charged by Pennsylvania State Police on January 31 with failing to report a victim's account to the authorities. Rhett Hintze, a Mormon leader in Pennsylvania, was charged on January 31 with failure to report allegations of child sex abuse against a former bishop under his stewardship The former bishop, Shawn Gooden, was sentenced last year to up to five years in prison after pleading guilty to charges including the forcible sodomy of a minor The case echoes a series of 'cover ups' within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly referred to as the Mormon church Instead, the church hierarchy quietly excommunicated Gooden but allowed him to continue attending church functions and meetings with children present, Matthew has claimed. The shocking case echoes a series of 'cover ups' within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly referred to as the Mormon church, exposed by an extensive DailyMail.com investigation last year. And Matthew believes it is indicative of its callous attitude towards abuse. 'The church is interested in protecting its leaders, its reputation, and the victims and their families can just go to hell,' he told DailyMail.com. Matthew describes what he felt was a regular childhood growing up in a Mormon community in Pennsylvania. His father was a partner at a Harrisburg law firm and an upstanding member of the Mormon community. He was selected for senior leadership roles, including bishop and first counselor of the Lebanon County ward. There was no hint of malice or deviancy, let alone the sexual abuse of two young relatives from 1997 to 2000, when the victims were aged between eight to 12 and nine to 13 years old. Matthew was three when his father's abuse of his young relatives stopped. Two decades of family life passed by without a word being whispered. That was until one of the victims began therapy in 2020. Gooden was a respected member of the Mormon community and rose to the rank of bishop and first counselor of the Lebanon County ward. He was also a partner at a Harrisburg law firm In October that year, the truth came out during a counseling session. The therapist fulfilled their statutory duty as a mandated reporter and informed Virginia police - many of the assaults had occurred in the Woodbridge area of that state. But the victim also told the Lebanon County stake president - a church leader who oversees multiple wards - Rhett Hintze. Due to his senior position within the community, Hintze was also a mandated reporter. But, unlike the therapist, he did not report the revelations to the authorities, according to a Pennsylvania State Police report released Wednesday. Not only that, but the church even offered to spare Gooden the humiliation of excommunication if he confessed to police, Matthew claims. Gooden refused and he was ultimately removed from church rolls. But no one else - not even Gooden's family - was to know. 'From that point on, the matter of his excommunication was still largely kept a secret. I wasn't even aware of it at the time. 'Everyone continued to believe he was a member in good standing. He was attending church, he was participating in all the church functions. 'It wasn't really until September of 2022, when Virginia authorities issued the arrest warrant, that the wider world knew.' Matthew had learnt of the allegations a few months earlier, when his father first told him he had been excommunicated 'for something he felt he needed to repent', before telling him why shortly after. But still, it came as a total shock. 'I'd never in a million years thought that he would have been that kind of person,' Matthew, now 26, says. Church President President Russell M. Nelson READ MORE: Mormon leaders accused of 'covering up' an 'epidemic' of sexual abuse that rivals scandals in Catholic church Katie Medley, 35, has blasted the Mormon church for failing to take action against a doctor and ecclesiastical leader who allegedly sexually abused her and around 200 other women Advertisement In July last year, Gooden pled guilty in Virginia to two counts of forcible sodomy with a child under the age of 13, one count of aggravated sexual battery, and one count of taking indecent liberties with a minor. He was sentenced in November to up to five years in jail. Gooden, 48, is awaiting trial on separate charges in Pennsylvania, including the rape of a minor. His erstwhile Mormon colleague, Hintze, 50, is now also facing years behind bars. Pennsylvania State Police say Hintze was informed of allegations that Gooden had sexually assaulted a 12-year-old boy at French Creek State Park in April 2000 by both the victim and Gooden himself in October 2020, but failed to pass this onto the authorities. Failure to report sexual abuse as a mandated reported is a third-degree felony in Pennsyvlania, punishable by up to seven years in prison. It is not the first time the Mormon church has failed to report allegations of abuse against its leaders. In November, DailyMail.com uncovered police records that showed it failed to report a bishop who had confessed to sexually abusing a minor in Idaho. A high-profile case in Arizona last year saw a court rule that church officials had no duty to report a member of his ward who had confessed to sexually abusing his daughter due to 'clergy-penitent privilege'. The abuser, Paul Douglas Adams, continued raping his daughter for seven years after he admitted to his bishop, John Herrod, that his behavior was out of control. The inconsistency is due to the fact that 33 states exempt clergy from reporting information about alleged child abuse to the authorities if it was gleaned during spiritual confession. Pennsylvania is one of those states, but the fact that Hintze was told by the victim about the alleged abuse may explain why he has been charged. As to why Mormon leaders appear unwilling to report abuse, Matthew has a number of possible explanations. 'The first obligation of any church or organization needs to be to protect its most vulnerable,' he says. 'In this case, and in others across the United States, we're seeing that the church is not living up to that. 'It's focused on preserving its own name and reputation and that of the people they put into power. 'To do that, they are overlooking the needs of victims and families. 'Their response is to take a step back and wipe its hands clean of the situation.' Gooden and Hintze worked closely together in their roles as leaders of the Lebanon ward. Matthew, who is still a member of the church and a student at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, says they considered themselves friends and would often hang out outside church business. He believes this relationship is 'problematic' when it comes to allegations of abuse and often leads to a conflict of interest. Matthew believes Hintze's decision to allow his father to continue attending church functions until his arrest years after his confession was wrong not only due to safeguarding, but due to the reverence that male leaders are held in within the Mormon church. 'There were plenty of people in the ward who still looked to him [Gooden] as a source of guidance,' he says. In a statement provided by Hintze's attorney, the Mormon church said it 'works actively to prevent abuse. Our hearts ache for victims of abuse, and the church is committed to addressing such incidents wherever they are found'. It added: 'The church trains its leaders and supports their lawful efforts. The charges now brought by local prosecutors for failing to report the abuse are misguided, and the church will vigorously defend him.' The Navy veteran was initially accused of destruction of property but prosecutors upgraded it to a hate crime, which can carry a five-year sentence His attorney, Davis Yountz, told DailyMail.com he believes Cassidy was hit with the severe charge because of his 'conservative Christian faith' Michael Cassidy, 36, is charged with a hate crime after he destroyed a Satanic statue which was erected in Iowa's state capitol as part of a festive display A veteran who is charged with a hate crime after he decapitated a Satanic statue erected in Iowa's state capitol has been targeted because of his 'conservative Christian faith', his attorney has claimed. Michael Cassidy, 36, faces five years in prison after he destroyed the figure, which was installed as part of a festive display, in December. He said he was 'outraged' by the 'blasphemous' effigy. Prosecutors in Polk County initially charged Cassidy, a flight instructor and former Navy pilot, with fourth-degree criminal mischief, a misdemeanor related to destruction of property. But the charge was suddenly escalated last week to 'third-degree criminal mischief in violation of individual rights', which is a hate crime under Iowa state law. His attorney, David Yountz, told DailyMail.com he is 'very concerned' that the dramatic escalation is because of Cassidy's 'conservative Christian faith'. Michael Cassidy, 36, faces five years in prison after he destroyed a Satanic statue which was installed in Iowa's state capitol as part of a festive display in December The statue was brought to the Capitol by the Satanic Temple of Iowa under state rules allowing religious displays in the building during the holidays Yountz added: 'I certainly believe that he is being uniquely targeted for this type of enhancement [of the charge]. 'There are many other cases in the state of Iowa and nationwide where individuals have vandalized or destroyed Christian symbols and other religious symbols, some Jewish symbols that have not been charged at all, or not been charged with a hate crime.' Cassidy's attorney said the apparent inconsistence was 'a significant concern'. 'Initially, he was cited for a misdemeanor, a low level misdemeanor offense related to destruction of property, that would be more consistent. There are many cases where individuals have done something like this and not been charged at all. 'But those that have been charged - his original charge was fairly consistent with those that have been charged.' The statue was brought to the Capitol by the Satanic Temple of Iowa under state rules allowing religious displays in the building during the holidays. The figure, depicting the horned deity Baphomet, was erected in December during a ceremony led by a 'minister of the Satanic Temple', Mortimer Adramelech. Cassidy was initially hit with a lesser charge related to the destruction of property but prosecutors escalated it to a hate crime He was compelled to travel to Iowa after learning about the statue, which was placed in December A broken remnant of the statue is pictured on the floor of Iowa's state capital The decision to allow the statue drew strong criticism from state and national leaders, including Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and Florida Gov. and presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, both Republicans. Yountz said that Cassidy was compelled to travel to Iowa after learning about the statue. 'He did go there to observe the statue, because he had heard about the controversy. And he wanted to see what could be done, to see if it already had been taken down, or to see if there was a way to have it taken down by the proper authorities,' the attorney said. Yountz said that Cassidy dismantled the statue in a 'very non-disruptive, very quiet manner', adding: 'No one would have known it was him had he not cleaned up after himself and turned himself into the authorities. 'He presents no risk of violence or ill will towards any individual. He didn't even know who put it up specifically. So if they charged a hate crime, who was it that he was targeting?' He said that the charges reflect a 'broader issue in America of people with beliefs like [Cassidy's] finding themselves being persecuted'. The figure, depicting the horned deity Baphomet, was erected in December during a ceremony led by a 'minister of the Satanic Temple', Mortimer Adramelech (pictured) Mortimer Adramelech, a minister of The Satanic Temple, also delivered a speech as the statue was placed Yountz said another example was the decision to charge anti-abortion campaigners over a 'blockade' at a clinic in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2021. Six of those protesters were convicted of Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, or the FACE Act, on January 31 and now face up to ten years in prison. 'I fear that Michael's case is an example of that just on a state level, but is an example of that trend,' said Yountz. A fundraiser to cover Cassidy's legal fees had raised nearly $125,000 by Friday afternoon - more than five times its initial goal of $20,000. The fundraiser was launched by The Republic Sentinel, a conservative news outlet. 'Out of the millions of Christians in this nation, Cassidy was the first to act in bravery and conviction,' a description on the fundraiser reads. 'He was not willing to see God reviled, especially in a building where lawmakers are supposed to honor Jesus Christ as King and look to his law for wisdom as they legislate with justice and righteousness.' Prosecutors allege Cassidy destroyed the statue 'in violation of individual rights' under Iowa's hate crime statute. Lynn Hicks, a spokesman for the Polk County Attorney's Office, said: 'Evidence shows the defendant made statements to law enforcement and the public indicating he destroyed the property because of the victim's religion.' The Satanic Temple was founded in 2013 in Salem, Massachusetts-based and says it doesn't believe in Satan but describes itself as a 'non-theistic religious organization' that advocates for secularism. Voters are divided over the use of nitrogen gas in state executions, according to the first poll on the controversial method since it debuted in Alabama last month on convicted killer Kenneth Eugene Smith. The nationwide DailyMail.com/TIPP Poll of 1,402 US adults offers no clear verdict on the execution that saw Smith breath nitrogen through a mask and die after 22 minutes - during which time he thrashed around and convulsed. While 39 percent of respondents said they supported the lethal gassing of Smith, a similar share 35 percent said they were opposed. Another 26 percent said they were not sure. Results also varied widely depending on the respondent's gender, age, location and political affiliation. More respondents support than oppose the execution method, but opinions were divided Still, the results may help policymakers in the few remaining states that carry out executions, and are considering switching over to nitrogen hypoxia, as it is known. Smith's execution marked the first time that a new method was used in the US since lethal injection, now the most commonly used method, was introduced in 1982. Officials in Alabama have called nitrogen 'effective and humane.' Lawmakers in Ohio are already weighing a switch to nitrogen gas executions. But those present described it as a 'horror show.' Smith convulsed and writhed in the tight black straps of his gurney and appeared to be heaving and retching inside the mask, as his wife Deanna started to sob. The UN's human rights chief Volker Turk called it a regretful and 'novel and untested method of suffocation.' It 'may amount to torture, or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment,' he added. Public support for the death penalty has steadily eroded in the US for decades, over fears of botched executions, wrongful convictions, and the high share of black men who end up on death row. Meanwhile, the number of executions has fallen. Kenneth Eugene Smith was sentenced to death in 1996 after admitting the murder-for-hire killing of a pastor's wife who was beaten and stabbed in 1988. Last month, he became the first person in US history to be executed with nitrogen gas Ohio officials have indicated that they are preparing to re-introduce executions for the first time in almost six years. Pictured: The execution chamber in the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in Lucasville, Ohio There were 24 executions in the US in 2023, down from the 98 in 1999, according to the Washington, DC-based Death Penalty Information Center. Only five states Texas, Florida, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Alabama executed people last year. Most states, 29 in all, have either abolished the death penalty or paused executions by executive action. Ohio, Nevada, and other death penalty states struggle to obtain execution drugs because European drug firms began blocking the use of their products for lethal injections. Smith himself was set to be executed in 2022, but the lethal injection was called off at the last minute because authorities couldn't connect an IV line. Our survey shows respondents grappling with a thorny moral question and the troubling accounts of Smith's final minutes at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore on January 25. Support for nitrogen gas executions was higher in the South and West of the country than in the Northeast and Midwest, our poll showed. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost (pictured) is laying out the 'next steps' to introduce nitrogen hypoxia executions to his state Younger adults were more likely to oppose the method than were those aged 25 and above. Men were keener on the nitrogen gas death sentence than were women 44 percent of men supported it, compared to 34 percent of women. There were also partisan differences nearly half of Republican voters supported the method, against 35 percent of Democrats. Following Smith's historic execution, questions have been raised over whether the untested method is a humane solution to America's issues obtaining lethal injection drugs. Alabama's Attorney General Steve Marshall called Smith's death 'textbook' and has vowed to continue using nitrogen gas. Marshall said of the 165 inmates on Alabama's death row, 43 prisoners have opted to be executed via nitrogen hypoxia over lethal injection when their time comes. 'We'll definitely have more nitrogen hypoxia executions in Alabama,' he added. Ohio, which hasn't executed an inmate since 2018, is weighing re-introducing the death penalty following the first ever use of nitrogen hypoxia in Alabama, Attorney General Dave Yost said. 'Perhaps nitrogen widely available and easy to manufacture can break the impasse of unavailability of drugs for lethal injection,' Yost posted on X/Twitter. 'Death row inmates are in greater danger of dying of old age than their sentence.' Smith was convicted of the murder-for-hire of Elizabeth Sennett, a pastor's wife who was beaten and stabbed repeatedly at her home in the north of the state in 1988. Smith was one of two men convicted in the killing. The other, John Forrest Parker, was executed in 2010. Prosecutors said they were each paid $1,000 to kill Sennett on behalf of her pastor husband, who was deeply in debt and wanted to collect on insurance. The husband, Charles Sennett Sr, killed himself when the investigation focused on him as a suspect, court records show. Scroll down for advice from experts on how to get your foot in the door Banks and corporate giants in the City are headhunting 'superstar' recruits without university degrees, insiders have revealed. Home to more than 600,000 workers within just 1.2 square miles of the capital, the City of London is full of graduates looking to get their foot in the door. However, it's not just university leavers that are able to grab hold of these golden opportunities. A 'mindset has changed' among recruiters with applicants taken straight out of school or college, reports claim. Whether it's remote or in-person working, those on the average salary at London's top firms, take in a huge 100,000 per year - and workers without degrees are being headhunted. Read on for tips and advice on how to bag yourself one of these top jobs, whether you went to university or not. Home to more than 600,000 workers within just 1.2 square miles of the capital, the City of London is the place to be for keen graduates hoping to get a foot in the door at a high-flying firm Make the most of your contacts In all careers, who you know as well as what you know is very important and experts say the City is no exception. Ryan Kaye, founder of the recruitment firm, Market Talent, told The Telegraph: 'You have a chance of securing a role if you havent got qualifications. 'The mindset has changed from grad-only, as companies are realising there are superstars who didnt go to university. 'We are giving mandates to find a school or college leaver over a graduate'. He advised: 'Id look at your network of people, starting with family and friends and then going layer by layer. If they have a connection, its likely the best way in'. Apply quickly Secondly, you'll need to have your finger on the pulse and apply quickly. Kaye points out that within a day, these highly sought after roles get more than 100 applicants. Ryan Kaye, founder of the recruitment firm, Market Talent, told The Telegraph: 'The mindset has changed from grad-only, as companies are realising there are superstars who didnt go to university' He suggests waking up early and allocating a set amount of time each day to looking for and applying for roles - at least five per day. It can also be helpful to make sure you have alerts set for vacancies, so not to miss any opportunities. The recruitment firm founder explains: 'You need to be a super proactive job searcher. 'If youre one of the early ones to apply you have a better chance as the advert could close very fast'. Go for it while you're young Michael Henning, head of investment at recruiter Mason Blake, revealed that if you're in an early stage of your career, you'll 'probably find it easier to get into the market versus if you have 15 to 20 years of experience'. This is because youth can be more valued than talent and young people are more 'moldable'. Mr Kaye adds: 'Firms think younger people are more moldable, and wouldnt necessarily have all the burdens of an older adult so they can fit more into the work/life balance. 'Ive never seen a junior role where theyd consider someone over 30 years old'. How much could you be earning? Mr Kaye told the outlet that a junior analyst graduate role can see workers earning around 25,000 to 35,000. From there, you will reach 60,000 'really quickly' and then 'depending on your role, thats when you start to plateau. But obviously you can keep climbing and itll jump again'. The expert guesses that around 30% of City of London workers earn more than 100,000 and a newly qualified lawyer in a 'magic circle firm' will reach highs of 125,000. To compare, the average salary for a computer engineer is 46,000, with AI engineers reaching highs of 100,000. Meanwhile, junior doctors earn around 30,000 and dentists around 38,000. However, the advice comes just after the news that university graduates have become so adjusted to working from home they won't even come into the office for an interview, according to one boss. Research suggests Gen Z-ers can be convinced to work in person only with the right motivation. The UK's post-lockdown work-from-home boom has seen employers downsize their premises, the blame pinned on 'entitled' and 'quiet quitting' Gen Z-ers who entered the world of work remotely and are allegedly resistant to changing their habits. Bosses have offered ludicrous benefits like pool tables and office pets to lure staff into work, but a new poll suggests they're considered 'useless' by younger staff who want support and benefits directly tied to their personal development. Locals are furious after a neighbour who built a crime fighting fence nicknamed the 'great wall of Colchester' has been ordered to tear it down. The eight-foot tall wooden barrier was put up by the vigilante resident who was fed up of anti-social behaviour plaguing the entrance to the newbuild estate, just outside Colchester City Centre. The resident, who got funding from the estate's developers, originally claimed he did not need planning permission for the barrier. But the council disagreed and has given him six months to have it removed. Neighbours want the 2k fence to stay and claim it has stopped vandalism and attacks where their homes were stoned, car tyres were let down and used needles left in the road. One woman told MailOnline: 'It's been wonderful ever since. The problem literally stopped overnight and it means we have got our lovely little community back it's like heaven.' The eight-foot tall fence (pictured, with a red and white sign) was built across a path into the estate to deter anti-social behavior after residents complained The fence has a warning notice stating that the square and 22 homes on the housing estate are private property A neighbour has built a fence dubbed the 'great wall of Colchester' in order to protect a housing estate battling drugs gangs and vandals (pictured, Cllr Dave Harris and resident Jennifer Redford) Retrospective planning permission was applied for but Colchester Council has ordered the barrier be torn down within six months. City and county councillor Dave Harris, who has taken up the case for the residents, said: 'I have had many complaints about anti-social behaviour and abuse as well as damage to cars and property. 'This is a lovely little estate but it had become a nightmare for people living here. The path was used by the dealers and their customers and there was a lot of associated problems such as damage to cars, windows being smashed and shouting and screaming. 'I had many complaints from residents and asked the land-owners to consider taking steps to curb the problems. The management company suggested putting up a fence to block the path and the residents were happy with that. 'It was put up with council advice but now suddenly the people there have been told that it must come down and they will have to find another way to protect themselves.' Resident Sarah Crace, 37, said: 'Things have been getting worse and worse it was not a safe place to let your children play but since the gate has been built it is a lovely to live here again. 'I was one of the first to move in and until, a couple of years ago it was lovely to live here. But the cut-through soon became a handy route for the dealers and their customers. 'The wall has been very effective and we hope it can stay. Life has been much quieter since it went up and people just feel safer these days.' School caretaker Tim Everett and his wife Jayne who live in the new development are disappointed at the lack of action take to clean up the problems of the drug users and suppliers. But Colchester council say there is no planning permission for the fence and have said it needs to be taken down within six months (pictured, Cllr Dave Harris and resident Jennifer Redford) Residents are furious with the council's decision because they claim it protects them from vandalism and attacks on their cars Tim, a former builder, said: 'We came here because it seemed so nice and peaceful. 'But there are problems and everyone who lives here was in favour of the wall it discourages the dealers and people hanging around the square waiting for their fix.' Another young mother living in the square said: 'The situation was just getting worse and worse - these people were even sitting on my car and openly doing drugs smoking pipes and things. 'It was going on for most of the day and at night until we all decided to do do something about it. 'We all agreed that a fence was the answer so we talked to the agents who manage the place and they used 2,500 to put up the barrier. 'And it's been wonderful ever since. The problem literally stopped overnight and it means we have got our lovely little community back it's like heaven.' Nearby resident Jennifer Radford, 77, said: 'There was often police activity in that area. One of the problems was that there was not enough CCTV or street lights.' But Colchester City Council - despite initially supporting the wall are now insisting it will have to come down. A council spokesman said: 'We request the applicant's co-operation in removing the fencing following the Planning Committee's decision to refuse the application. 'If they do not appeal, or if their appeal is subsequently dismissed, and they fail to cooperate in removing the fencing within a reasonable time-frame, we will be forced to employ statutory enforcement powers.' However a spokesman for Boydens, the Colchester agents who manage the estate said: 'We sought and received written confirmation from the Principal Planning Officer of Colchester Borough Council that no permission would be needed to install the fence and so this was carried out on our clients instruction.' When choosing to buy a car, safety is a major factor for many buyers. Likewise, some flyers opt for seating positions close to the exits, partly due to them being easier to vacate in the event of an accident. But the safest place to sit on various popular modes of public transport is rarely considered, despite some sections presenting less risk than others in the event of a crash, with the choice potentially making the difference between life or death. Car journeys have a relatively high risk in terms of deaths per year, with 1,711 fatalities in road collisions in 2022, according to final estimates in a government report. Of these, 44 per cent of the fatalities were car occupants, 22 per cent were pedestrians, 20 per cent were motorcyclists and 5 per cent were pedal cyclists. Air accidents also have a relatively high chance of the passenger dying, with the European Transport Safety Council estimating that only 90 per cent of aircraft accidents were technically survivable in a study in 1996. But thankfully, new technologies and advances in designs are pushing vehicle safety in the right direction each year. Here, MailOnline looks at the safest place to sit on different types of vehicle if you're involved in a crash when travelling. The back of a plane An investigation of 35 years of aircraft accident data discovered that the middle rear seats of an aircraft had the lowest fatality rate at 28 per cent, compared with the middle aisle seats at 44 per cent When booking a flight, most people choose seats for leg room, to sit beside the window, or to be closer to the exits. People rarely opt for the middle seats in the last row, but these have been statistically shown to be the safest. A TIME investigation of 35 years of aircraft accident data discovered that the middle rear seats of an aircraft had the lowest fatality rate at 28 per cent, compared with the middle aisle seats at 44 per cent. Seats in the back third had a 32 per cent fatality rate, compared with 39 per cent in the middle third and 38 per cent in the front third. Following a crash, passengers near an exit have a higher probability of escaping alive, according to a study published in 2008 from the University of Greenwich. The middle carriage of a train Overall, choosing a seat located in the middle carriages may be the safest option in the event of a collision, according to Ross Capon, president of the National Association of Railroad Passengers Various studies have suggested that broken rails or welds are the leading cause of derailment on main tracks, and these issues more frequently cause derailments near the front of the train. Overall, choosing a seat located in the middle carriages may be the safest option in the event of a collision, Ross Capon, president of the National Association of Railroad Passengers, told CBS New York. 'If you have a head on collision or rear end collision you are probably going to be safer,' Capon said. If you are making a seating decision based on safety, experts also suggested avoiding window seats, with Capon speculating that 'you're more likely to be ejected if you are sitting next to the window'. Safety experts also recommend that those opting for a rear-facing seat will be less likely to be thrown forwards during a collision. Trains are more likely to hit something side-on than head-on or from behind, according to the US Federal Railroad Administration. The rear middle seat of a car A passenger seated in the centre rear seat is less likely to be impacted by a vehicle intrusion in a collision, according to the Australasian New Car Safety Assessment Program Data from a study published in 2008 by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, investigating the survival rates of occupants of passenger cars involved in a fatal crash between 2000 and 2003, showed that the rear middle seat is safer than any other occupant position. It found that overall, the second-row seating positions have a 29.1 per cent increased chance of survival over the first row seating positions. The rear middle seat has a 25 per cent increased chance of survival over the other rear seat positions. Occupants of the rear middle seat were found to have a 13 per cent increased chance of survival when involved in a crash with a fatality than passengers in other seats on that row. The Australasian New Car Safety Assessment Program (ANCAP) also found that a passenger seated in the centre rear seat is also less likely to come into contact with the vehicle in a collision, as reported in Australia's Drive publication. But this seating position is also less likely to be kitted out with advanced pretensioners and load limiters than the rear outboard seats. A pretensioner works to tighten the seatbelt early in the impact in the event of a crash. The load limiter comes into effect once the force reaches a certain level, releasing the tension so that the passenger doesn't pick up a seatbelt-related injury. The front passenger seat is more likely to be impacted by crash forces than the rear seat, but in some cars this can be counterbalanced by the higher levels of protection for this seating position, such as seatbelt pre-tensioners, load-limiters, and airbags. The technology means that for some vehicles, the front passenger seat can be considered safer than the rear. Based on ANCAP's testing, for cars with three rows of seats, the third-row seats typically have fewer safety features than those in the second row. Several third-row seats are considered 'part-time' seats and as such have worse geometry than second-row seats, both for the safety and the comfort of the passengers. Additionally, in some cars with three rows of seats, the curtain airbags do not cover passengers sat in the rear row of seats. If the car is struck from the rear in a crash, the passengers on the third row would not have as much survival space as the first and second rows, according to ANCAP's findings. Towards the middle of a bus and farthest from the traffic Passengers are advised to sit on the opposite side to the traffic to avoid out-of-control vehicles that have crossed over into that lane, according to Business Insider. Seats near the front and back of a bus are more dangerous in a collision, with the safest seat generally between the tyres in the centre. Passengers seated in the centre of the cabin are also more distanced from potential hazards such as windows and exits, according to Sege Seats. For those travelling on a double-decker bus, Lo Kok-keung, a veteran engineer and instructor in traffic accident reconstruction training courses at Hong Kong Metropolitan University, told the South China Morning Post that the middle section of the lower deck was relatively safe for passengers in a crash. 'The area is closer to the centre of gravity of the vehicle, so passengers will absorb less vibration and impact force when the vehicle collides with something,' Lo said. 'When the vehicle brakes suddenly or hits something, the inertia will push people forward. Passengers at the front may be thrown through the windscreen and fall in front of the vehicle. Those in the middle are most likely to hit the seats in front of them but remain in the vehicle,' he said. Lo also noted that the upper deck was certainly not the safest section. He said: 'The higher you are away from the ground, the chance of getting injured will be bigger when a vehicle overturns.' Lower decks or cabins of a boat The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) received reports of 1,263 accidents (casualties and incidents) to UK vessels worldwide or any vessels within UK coastal waters during 2022. A total of 1,351 vessels were involved The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) received reports of 1,263 accidents (casualties and incidents) to UK vessels worldwide or any vessels within UK coastal waters during 2022, with a total of 1,351 vessels involved. The MAIB investigates all types of marine accidents to or on board UK vessels worldwide, and other vessels in UK territorial waters. The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) has noted the dangers of having passengers loose at the front of a vessel when a boat is travelling at high speeds, as the forces there are more intense. An RYA spokesperson told MailOnline: 'The decision on where to sit on power boat will vary from one craft to another, depending on the specifics of the vessel and the seating arrangements. 'Passengers should not be in the forward part of the vessel, and should be seated comfortably around midships. They should have good hand holds and be facing forwards, and should not be seated on the sides of the vessel.' The lower decks and cabin are the safest places on a passenger boat, according to Business Insider. On rough seas, the lower decks present less risk of injury from flying objects. For passengers in the cabin, it recommends taking refuge from flying items in the hallway. As the first week of Parliament for the year draws to a close, one thing has become clear: Albo's got his mojo back. The Prime Minister, known historically for his likeability and happy-go-lucky nature, was clearly rattled at the end of 2023. He'd run a long - and ultimately unsuccessful - campaign to introduce an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, and was under intense pressure after an ill-timed High Court decision saw 141 criminal asylum seekers released onto the streets. But the summer break was clearly rejuvenating for the Labor leader. He knuckled down with his senior team, Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Finance Minister Katy Gallagher, and developed a strategy to help alleviate some of the cost of living pressures facing everyday Aussies. The PM has welcomed the new year with open arms, arriving in Canberra with a pep in his step after his new tax policy went down well with the general public Toward the end of 2023, the PM appeared exhausted and deflated (pictured after the Voice referendum loss) READ MORE: Stage Three winners and losers Advertisement The decision they came to was never going to be an easy conversation to have with the public. Breaking an election promise he'd made no less than 36 times since taking the top job (and up to 100 times during the campaign) opened him up to an unprecedented level of scrutiny. Those opposite have been just as scathing of the decision to modify the Stage Three tax cuts as the PM's inner circle expected. But he's wedged them, and they know it. Failing to support the policy - which puts money back into the pockets of 90 per cent of taxpayers - would hurt the Coalition. And Mr Albanese has spent the week goading them to do just that. 'If you were fair dinkum you'd vote against our measure and you'd commit to roll it back,' he crowed on multiple occasions. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton returned to Canberra on Tuesday revealing he'd support the changes in order to help Australians. He's vowed not to roll them back if elected, but said he'll reveal details of a new tax policy in the coming months. The Prime Minister, known historically for his likeability and happy-go-lucky nature, was clearly rattled at the end of 2023 (pictured in December 2023) The Labor party, not just their leader, know this is a win and have used the Coalition's support as a rebuttal repeatedly during Question Time in both the House and the Senate. 'I do find it interesting that the Opposition are complaining and moaning so much about a policy they actually support,' Senator Katy Gallagher said. 'You [said] this was such a betrayal, a treachery or a trickery and now you're voting for it. If you really thought this was the wrong thing to do, you would vote against it and you would say you'd repeal it,' Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong added. 'If they think we're wrong about this, why don't they vote against them in the Parliament? They've learned nothing from their decade of division. They're trying to revive Morrison era policy. That's not a policy, that's a defibrillator,' Dr Chalmers said. But none are happier than Mr Albanese himself. He knuckled down with his senior team, Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Finance Minister Katy Gallagher, and developed a strategy to help alleviate some of the cost of living pressures facing everyday Aussies Peter Dutton had little choice but to support the changes He risked his reputation on the policy, and all early indicators suggest it has paid dividends. The true test will be in the upcoming Dunkley by-election, which Mr Dutton and his team say was the catalyst for these changes. Toward the end of last year, the PM's responses to questions and criticisms were snipey, tired and poorly constructed. He'd often talk around criticisms entirely, returning to a well-worn complaint about 'the mess we inherited'. Not anymore. In the first fiery week of Question Times, Mr Albanese was quick-witted, well-informed and in touch with his audience. First he compared Mr Dutton to Jack Nicholson's character in The Shining in a bold criticism, swinging an imaginary axe as he shouted: 'Here's Peter.' And on Thursday, he said 'they can change how they vote, but they'll never change who they are'. Mr Albanese cracked several jokes about the ABC series, Nemesis, which is revisiting the Coalition era of governance, and former PM Malcolm Turnbull's searing one-word description of Mr Dutton as a 'thug'. 'You have almost worn out Gina Rinehart's table,' Mr Albanese quipped. When Mr Dutton tried to question the relevance of Mr Albanese's comments, the PM simply landed another blow. 'Having such a thin skin makes it really easy to see the glass jaw,' he said. Now Shawe is backing Elon Musk's call for companies to leave Delaware Court ordered his company to be sold after a legal dispute with the co-founder Few businessmen understand the arcane details of Delaware's Chancery Court system like Phil Shawe, the CEO of translation and language services firm TransPerfect. For nearly a decade, Shawe has been mired in Delaware's specialized business court system, which is in the spotlight after a judge there voided Tesla CEO Elon Musk's record $55 billion pay package last week. Musk responded by vowing to hold a shareholder vote to move Tesla's incorporation to Texas, where the company has its physical headquarters, fuming in a post on X: 'Never incorporate your company in the state of Delaware.' Shawe, who reincorporated TransPerfect in Nevada after facing his own infamous court decision in Delaware, told DailyMail.com in a recent phone interview that he agrees with Musk, and believes no business is wise to remain in the Blue Hen State. 'I was taught in business school that a Delaware corporation was the gold standard, but I think that's changing,' said Shawe. 'This is a really archaic system that is dangerous for corporate America.' Few businessmen understand the arcane details of Delaware 's Chancery Court system like Phil Shawe (pictured), the CEO of translation and language services firm TransPerfect Delaware's specialized business court system is in the spotlight after a judge there voided Tesla CEO Elon Musk's record $55 billion pay package last week Although he moved TransPerfect's incorporation to Nevada in 2018, Shawe is still tangled in litigation in Delaware, primarily related to attorneys fees. 'Get out of the tentacles of Delaware jurisdiction as soon as possible,' he warned. 'Because this is their industry, like gambling is to Nevada or timber is to Maine this is their industry, and they they know how to keep the revenue stream going.' Although it sounds like something from the pages of a Charles Dickens novel, Delaware's Chancery Court long played a role in attracting businesses to the state, with the promise of speedy resolution for complex business disputes. Originally, New Jersey was known as America's top corporate haven, thanks to laws in the state that limited the liability of officers and directors. In the early 20th century, New Jersey repealed those protections, and companies fled to Delaware, which was one of the few other states at the time that allowed corporations to form without a special act of the legislature. Ever since, Delaware has reigned supreme as the destination for incorporation, with two-thirds of the Fortune 500 filing there, in part due to the appeal of its specialized commercial litigation system. Delaware's Chancery Court does not use juries, and the judges who decide its cases, known as chancellors, have typically spent their entire careers in corporate litigation. Few other states have a separate court system devoted specifically to equity law, meaning that complex shareholder lawsuits could end up in front of judges who hear all manner of cases, and be decided by juries of laypersons. Corporations and their executives tend to find reassurance in Delaware's well-developed body of case law, which offers guidance as to what actions and decisions will hold up against lawsuits. But Shawe argues that apparent feature of Delaware's system is actually a bug. 'In reality, having all that case law just gives the chancellor a broad brush to do whatever they want,' he said. 'They'll tell a legal clerk, "Go find me a case that supports this position." And because they have a large body of case law they can pretty much do whatever they want.' NYC Mayor Eric Adams and TransPerfect CEO Phil Shawe attend Grand Opening of TransPerfect Headquarters on Broadway in April 2023 In 1992, when he was just 23, Shawe quit his job in banking to co-found TransPerfect with his former New York University classmate Elizabeth Elting. Business boomed, and the company grew to become one of the largest language services firms in the world. But over time, the two founders had a falling out, and Elting sought an exit. The problem was that each of the two co-founders effectively controlled 50 percent of the privately held company, giving neither side the upper hand in negotiating a buyout. Elting rejected Shawe's offer of $300 million for her half and in 2014 she sued in New York state court. That suit was quickly tossed by a judge, who urged the parties to settle the matter privately. She then filed in Delaware Chancery Court, where the chancellor made a surprising ruling: the profitable, growing business would be seized by the court and auctioned off. 'It was really sort of bananas and it really was upsetting to our employees,' said Shawe. 'It was an unprecedented ruling to take over a private, profitable company not a company in bankruptcy and put a receiver or custodian in, and allow them free rein of the finances of the company.' After years of challenges to the ruling, Shawe was the successful bidder in the public auction in 2017, and effectively paid $385 million for Elting's shares to become the sole owner. (Elting did not respond to a request for comment for this article.) Shawe estimates that, all told, the four-year saga cost the parties and the company about $260 million in legal fees and court costs. 'That's a large number. A quite a large wealth transfer, or tax that went from us to the pockets of Delaware attorneys,' he said. The officers of Delaware Court of Chancery are seen above. The court is a non-jury trial court that serves as Delaware's court of original and exclusive equity jurisdiction Shawe argues that Delaware's Chancery Court suffers from levels of insularity and cronyism that should be red flags to companies who do business there. 'If you want to win in Delaware, it's a very small, insular community, and in a community like this, there's a lot of favor trading,' he said. He argues that there is a 'revolving door' between the Chancery bench and the handful of major law firms in the state, making relationships more important than the merits of a case. And unlike in federal court, where judges are assigned at random, Delaware's head chancellor selects who will hear each case, a system Shawe argues is ripe for abuse. 'I think the natural tendency, when a government or organization has unchecked power for a long time, you have a lot of systematic problems,' he said. Now, the flood of publicity surrounding Musk's compensation case is putting a spotlight on Delaware's business court. The ruling from Chancellor Kathaleen St.Jude McCormick came in a shareholder lawsuit against the Tesla CEO and directors of the company, alleging breach of duties and unjust enrichment for Musk. The compensation plan in question, which helped make Musk the richest person in the world, consisted entirely of performance-based grants of Tesla stock, which Musk was required to hold for at least five years. Those shares will now be cancelled. A number of states, including Texas, Georgia, Utah and Wyoming, have recently moved to set up their own designated business courts, in the hopes of attracting corporate refugees from Delaware. Texas, Musk's proposed destination for Tesla's articles of incorporation, passed a law last year creating its own business court, which will launch in September. A woman's bizarre stunt to prove she was not shoplifting has left others stunned. She was filmed by shoppers unbuttoning her top after being stopped outside of a Costco store in Mexico City. Another lady possibly a security guard can be heard saying: "Take everything off. Come here." The man filming the drama with his phone can be heard chuckling and asking: "What the hell?" Puzzled bystanders stood around watching as the strange event unfolded on Thursday. Stunned shoppers filmed the moment the woman stripped off her clothes and darted out of the store. Source: Jam Press According to local media, several witnesses said the woman was accused by security guards of trying to shoplift. She allegedly began undressing to prove she wasn't carrying any items she hadn't paid for. The woman now topless allegedly ran away through the car park before she could be detained. Woman kicked out of shopping centre over outfit The incident occurred just days before a shopping centre was forced to issue an apology to an Aussie woman after she was allegedly kicked out for having her stomach exposed. Madison Green said she was attempting to do some grocery shopping for her grandmother at Dalby Shoppingworld in Queensland earlier this week when a female security guard at a Woolworths store asked her to leave because of outfit. The video appears to show the guard kicking the shopper out of the centre, claiming she needs to wear a shirt that covers her whole stomach "because that's the law". No such law exists. A spokesperson for Dalby Shoppingworld has since apologised to the woman and said the security guard will no longer patrol the facility. With Jam Press Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. A newlywed couple were left devastated to find their best man had spent over 3k on their credit card - just days after they tied the knot. Aaron Paget, 44, made fraudulent payments on his friends' NatWest card in the weeks running up to and after the big day in 2021. He spent the money on trainers, a jetwash and various tools after taking the card from Michael and Nikki Tattersall's kitchen cupboard at their home in Gosport, Hampshire. Newlywed Michael, a retired HGV driver, had been rushed to Queen Alexander Hospital, Portsmouth, five days before his wedding with heart failure. During this time Paget regularly went with Nikki Tattersall, 51, to visit her husband-to-be. Michael and Nikki Tattersall were married were heartbroken to find their best man Aaron Paget had stolen 3k from their credit card (pictured, the couple on their wedding day in 2021) Aaron Paget (right) was found guilty to one charge of fraud by false representation at Portsmouth Crown Court. Michael and Nikki Tattersall (left) pictured outside court after the case Michael had lost his wallet, and cancelled all the cards within it. He then ordered the replacement cards which arrived five days later. Six weeks later, a neighbour returned the old wallet that she found in her garden, and Nikki put the wallet in the kitchen cupboard. On June 10th, Nikki used the new credit card to buy KFC which Aaron was present for. Nikki Tattersall stated that, "Aaron grabbed the pin number from other my shoulder. "He was sneaky." Aaron switched the NatWest Credit Card from Nikki's handbag with an old card that was cancelled from inside the cupboard. She did not realise the card had been removed by Paget until the bank statement came through the post weeks later. After taking the card, Paget spent 3,233.80 over 11 days, in multiple shops using contactless payments and cash withdrawals. Michael and Nikki, who is his full-time carer, noticed the theft when the credit card statement was sent to the house on July 16, 2021. The couple confronted Paget on the same day, but they claim he denied ever seeing the credit card. Aaron Paget was found guilty to one charge of fraud by false representation at Portsmouth Crown Court on October 6 last year and was sentenced to 28 months imprisonment. Michael, from Gosport, Hampshire, said: 'I didn't expect my best man to betray my trust. We treated him like family. He infiltrated our lives and stole from us. 'It was hard to recover from the great financial loss while I fought for my life in hospital.' Michael and Nikki got engaged in December 2020 after meeting on a dating site in 2016. They planned their small wedding, costing 3k, to be held in July 2021. Just a month beforehand, in June 2021, Michael asked best pal, Paget, a mechanic, to be his best man. During this time, Michael was in and out of Queen Alexander Hospital after being diagnosed with heart failure in February 2020. Nikki said: 'They were really close. Aaron had become part of the family after Michael's diagnosis. 'They had been pals for over two years. Michael even bought him a 400 suit and 180 shoes for the big day so they could be matching.' Despite their close bond, the fraud began after Paget had taken the NatWest credit card on June 10 - just 30 days before the wedding. Amongst the fraudulent transactions were cash withdrawals of 250 and various large purchases in shops like Asda, Tesco and a Spar supermarket. Nikki said: 'He was super helpful. I thought he loved us.' Despite the groom's ill health, their big day, went 'without a hitch'.' They were married in front of 50 guests at Godsball Fareham Registry Office, Hampshire, on 10 July 2021. Paget was a 'huge part' of the day, being a close family friend who was 'trusted by all.' Michael Tattersall's friend Aaron Paget spent 3233.80 on his friends credit card without permission (Pictured, Mr Tattersall with his wife Nikki) Aaron Paget (pictured, outside court) was found guilty to one charge of fraud by false representation and sentenced to 28 months imprisonment Michael and Nikki planned to use the NatWest Credit Card for a honeymoon but after finding out about Aaron fraudulent actions they couldn't go on their holiday. Nikki said: 'I was looking forward to relaxing. Mick had been so poorly, so we just wanted to chill. A nice spa resort to relieve stress after the wedding.' They realised something was wrong when the credit card statement came in with Mick quickly suspecting Paget. Michael said: 'Aaron had helped my wife with a lot of daily tasks due to her condition. 'I had a lot of trust in him, the whole thing is shocking.' The couple first became aware of an issue on 16 July 2021, when Michael's card was declined. Michael reported the issue to the police who called Paget in for an interview. Portsmouth Police were initially unable to help but Nikki and Michael appealed the case with Hampshire Police, in August 2021. They agreed to investigate and after 18 months were able to secure a trial. Nikki said: 'I am over the moon. We've been fighting for so long to get justice. I trusted him, and he completely used us.' America is the largest exporter of used clothing in the world, sending its rejected items to far flung countries where they are burnt, languish in dumps or pollute seas. The US exported $834 million worth of used clothing - over $100 million more than the second biggest exporter, China, in 2021, according to the latest data available from the Observatory of Economic Complexity. These second-hand clothes are sent to countries all around world, including Guatemala, Chile, India and Ghana, where experts say they are causing an 'environmental and social emergency'. Many of the items are rejects from charity shops in the US which are then sold to companies that export them and sell them on to local traders. Traders re-sell what they can, but the rest is often dumped or burned - and the amount that can be salvaged is decreasing as fast fashion drives down the quality and longevity of garments. This aerial view shows a dump site where secondhand clothes are discarded at Old Fadama in Accra, Ghana Cattle walk at a dump site where secondhand clothes are discarded at Old Fadama in Accra, Ghana Traders spread out secondhand clothes for sale at the Kantamanto market in Accra, Ghana. Kantamanto market is vast, spanning over 20 acres in the heart of Accra's business district, and its stalls are dominated by used clothing and shoes from the West and China Ghana is the largest importer of second hand clothes, with garments worth $214 million (170 million) shipped mostly from China, the United Kingdom and Canada. The USA shipped over $5 million worth of clothes to Ghana in 2021 alone. Once there, many of the items end up at the vast Kantamanto market, which spans over 20 acres in the heart of Accra's business district. Its traders import a staggering 15 million garments a week, according to the OR Foundation environmental group. But roughly 40 percent of each bale ends up as waste, they say, dumped in landfills and often washed into the ocean, causing a public health crisis and harming the environment. And the rise of fast fashion over the last two decades has caught the country in a double bind, with an even bigger wave of throw-away clothes coming from richer countries and falling prices for the Ghanaian traders as the quality drops. Although the business has created up to 30,000 jobs by some estimates, local NGOs say it is at the price of an 'environmental and social emergency', with Ghana earning less than a million dollars in 2021 exporting the used garments it receives to other African nations. The clothes 'are mostly dumped indiscriminately because our waste treatment is not advanced', Justice Adoboe of the Ghana Water and Sanitation Journalists Network told AFP. These images were obtained by SkyFi , a consumer app that sees its mission as 'democratizing space' by making access to satellite imagery and technology more readily available to anyone While merchants from Chile's capital city of Santiago buy some of the tens of thousands of tons of discarded clothes as it pours into Chile's Iquique port from the developed world, at least 39,000 tons of truly unwanted items end up in the Atacama each year America and the rest of the developed world's addiction to fast-fashion has escalated into a growing hundred-billion-dollar industry. According to one report, the market size for shoddily made, briefly on-trend clothing increased from $106.42 billion to $122.98 billion in 2023 'When it rains, floodwaters carry the old garments and dump them in drains, ending up in our water courses and begin to cause havoc to aquatic life,' he added. Things got even worse when Ghana's only sanitary landfill dump exploded in August 2019 after being swamped with secondhand clothing. The US exports even more of its clothing - roughly $55million in 2021 alone - to Chile. Chile made headlines in 2021 after a secondhand clothing dump was photographed from space. The red-rocked desert of Chile's Atacama plateau has become a dumping ground for the West's used and faulty fashion items in recent years, with everything from ski boots to Christmas sweaters ending up in landfill in the area. The growing and increasingly toxic pile of discarded clothes reflects the leftovers of the roughly 59,000 tons of used and unsold clothing that arrives at Chile's Iquique port each year from Europe, Asia and the United States. Inside a Megapaca warehouse where clothes from the US are sorted and prepared to be re-sold The US sends the largest portion of its cast-offs to Guatemala, with over $148 million worth of used clothing ending up there in 2021 alone. Now, one company has come up with an innovative solution: selling the clothes straight back to the US as nostalgia items. Last year, Bloomberg reported that Megapaca, the largest importer and retailer of used clothing in Central America, was starting a US website. At one 475,000 square feet warehouse, the company sorts through mountains of US cast-offs, dividing them into shoes, trash and clothing item. They then photograph, price and market them online, where vintage-hunter Americans can buy them. Following 16-day space mission, the spacecraft burst apart as it landed on earth In February 2003, Space Shuttle Colombia was supposed to land following a 16-day mission. But tragically the spacecraft broke apart as it re-entered the atmosphere over Louisiana and Texas, killing all seven people on board. David Brown, Rick Husband, Laurel Clark, Kalpana Chawla, Michael Anderson, William McCool and Ilan Ramon are believed to have died within minutes. It's been two decades since the Space Shuttle Colombia Disaster. The tragedy is set to be retold in a BBC Two documentary series, starting on Monday at 9pm. 'The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth' will capture personal stories of the launch, unfolding disaster and fallout shared by the astronaut's families, as well as NASA staff who were involved in the mission. (L-R) David Brown, Rick Husband, Laurel Clark, Kalpana Chawla, Michael Anderson, William McCool and Ilan Ramon lost their lives in the Space Shuttle Colombia disaster in 2003 A chilling video, shared on Reddit in 2022, depicts the final harrowing moments of the crew in the cockpit before Colombia began to fall apart A chilling video, shared on Reddit in 2022, depicts the final harrowing moments of the crew before Colombia began to fall apart. The post, uploaded by user u/nex0rz onto the subreddit r/CatastrophicFailure, contains footage derived from a tape that had been recorded in the cockpit of the shuttle just before the disaster unfolded. Kalpana Chawla, one of the crew members, and the first Indian woman to fly into space, appears to communicate on behalf of the team to the NASA control room. The beginning of the nine-minute video shows the crew sat as normal wearing their orange space suits and unsecured helmets in the cockpit, as it appears they are told by the control room they have ten minutes to prepare for their descend onto earth. She laughs and jokes with NASA staff at the other end of the mission, and mentions at particular points that she is not wearing parts of her protective wear, such as gloves, as per procedure. The mood among the crew members appeared to be calm, positive and optimistic, with the cockpit footage ending before the shuttle spun out and disintegrated - with no one ever to find out when they first learned something was wrong. The overall footage is particularly haunting as NASA mission's control, at the time, had just discovered that a piece of foam insulation broke off from the external tank and struck the port wing of the orbiter. As Colombia prepared to re-enter the atmosphere of Earth, the damage allowed hot atmospheric gases to penetrate and destroy the internal wing structure, which caused the spacecraft to become unstable and break apart. Astronaut Laurel B. Clark participates in a mission training session in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) April 25, 2002 in Houston, Texas Astronaut Michael P. Anderson, STS-107 payload commander, is pictured on the aft flight deck of the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Columbia January 18, 2003 while orbitng Earth The Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-107, launches January 16, 2003 at Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida Mac Powell stands next to what he believes to be the suspected damaged left wing from the fallen space shuttle Columbia, on his property in Nacogdoches County, Texas A wreath was placed near where a large chunk of the Columbia came to rest near downtown Nacogdochesin, Texas, in February 2003 Columbia Space Shuttle debris lies floor of the RLV Hangar May 15, 2003 at Kennedy Space Center, Florida NASA staff were then faced the terrible decision over whether to let the astronauts know that they may die on re-entry or face orbiting in space until the oxygen ran out. Those on the ground decided that it would be better if the crew were spared knowledge of the risks. There was no way to repair any suspected damage - the crew were far from the International Space Station and had no robotic arm for repairs and it would have taken too long to send up another shuttle to rescue them. Wayne Hale, who went on to become space shuttle program manager, wrote on his blog about the fateful day: 'If it has been damaged it's probably better not to know. I think the crew would rather not know. 'Don't you think it would be better for them to have a happy successful flight and die unexpectedly during entry than to stay on orbit, knowing that there was nothing to be done, until the air ran out?' The Reddit video finally shifts onto the events simultaneously unfolding in the control room, with staff discussing the tire-pressure indicators, and ends with a look of horror and distress washing over the faces of helpless employees. Episode 1 of The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth airs on BBC Two at 9pm on Monday 12 February. Formula One Champion Jenson Button is at the centre of a legal row where he has been accused of fraudulently selling a prized 1970 Ford Bronco for $166,000 at auction, by 'falsely' claiming it belonged to him. Mr Button, 44, who took the 2009 title and is now an F1 pundit for Sky Sports, put the automatic dark blue truck up for sale on a website called Collecting Cars in January 2022. The advert, which is still online, clearly states Button as the owner and adds: 'It has been in Jenson's ownership for the last four years.' It goes on: This is an eye-catching custom truck that would make a superb weekend cruiser or beach car, adding that there are 'just 170 miles on the clock. It was bought by British company director Leo Eccles, 45, but he has now launched legal action against the GP ace, claiming he was not the legitimate owner and instead it belonged to his 'girlfriend' Brittny Ward, who became his wife after the sale. Jenson Button posted this picture to Instagram of him behind the wheel of the Ford Bronco with the caption: 'Cruising in Brittny Wards Bronco, basically keep the battery charged for her!' Leo Eccles (pictured) has now launched legal action against Button claiming he was not the legitimate owner of the Bronco Jenson Button and his model wife Brittny Ward pose for a picture together on holiday Jenson Button and Brittny Ward attend a private dinner hosted by Michael Kors in London in 2016 Mr Button put the automatic dark blue custom truck up for sale on a website called Collecting Cars in January 2022 Mr Eccles says he paid a premium on the car because he believed it was owned by Button but he claims the car is worth a fraction of that value, around $32,000, because his girlfriend was the true owner. As a result of the ongoing legal row, Mr Eccles - who is the director of a Gloucestershire-based gaming firm called Ginger Fox - has still not picked up the car from the US, two years after the sale. According to court documents filed in Los Angeles, and seen by MailOnline, Mr Eccles is claiming that although at the time of the sale the vehicle was advertised as owned by Button, it was in reality his girlfriend Brittny's car. It is claimed that the vehicle was registered in Brittny Ward's name, not Button's. Brittny posted photographs of the Bronco on her Instagram indicating it was hers - tagging them 'my girl', according to the court documents, but the post appears to have since been taken down. In 2019 Button himself posted a picture sat inside the car with the caption 'Cruising in Brittny Wards Bronco, basically keep the battery charged for her!'. Then in November 2020 the former F1 ace featured on a podcast for Collecting Cars, the company that arranged the auction of the Bronco two years later. Their website reveals it has also sorted out the sales of at least three other vehicles for Button, including a Porsche, a VW van and a Land Rover. During the podcast interview, which is still online, Button lists the cars he owns, from a Baja truck to 'a couple of Jaguars', and adds: 'I've got a Bronco, which is actually really not mine, it's my missus' car, but I'll say it's mine'. The court documents state: Buttons successful career and lucrative sponsorship deals turned him to a very wealthy man and his fortune is estimated to be between $150- $170million. Yet, despite his riches, Button had no qualms in listing a vehicle for sale, and advertising it as owned by him. His reputation resulted in the car being sold for $166,000, adding even though the same car was sold for users earlier for a mere $32,000. After Button shared a picture behind the wheel of the Bronco, his wife Brittny replied: 'Naughty boy! It's [sic] doesn't have plates' Button has been married to his wife Brittny since 2020 and the couple have two children Mr Eccles (pictured) asked Mr Button to refund the $166,000 and cancel the sale once he discovered the true ownership saying that he obtained the amount by fraud The paperwork adds: Even though the sale amount far exceeded the intrinsic value of the vehicle it was unconnected to Button. As it turns out, Button did not own the car, and never did. The car was owned and driven by his wife Ward, who posted a picture of the car on her Instagram account with the caption my girl. Mr Eccles asked Mr Button, who also works as a senior advisor for Williams Racing, to refund the $166,000 and cancel the sale once he discovered the true ownership saying that he obtained the amount by fraud. In his claim the married father-of-two who is a keen yachtsman added that Mr Button had failed to mention the car needed substantial repairs when it was listed. It is not clear what the 'substantial repairs' are as the listing for the vehicle states it is in 'fair condition' with a number of 'paint chips' - although it does highlight the fuel injection adjuster display is not working but probably due to 'not being correctly connected'. It then goes on to say there are 'no other known electrical foibles'. The auction website Collecting Cars shows it has sold at least four cars listed as owned by Jenson Button, and two that had previously belonged to him. The court document says that Mr Eccles would not have purchased the car if he had known Mr Buttons girlfriend was the legal owner. He adds that when he approached Button to cancel the sale Button offered a picture of himself in the car and to re-register it in his name. The document which was filed at Los Angeles County Court formally accuses Button and his wife of fraud, intentional misrepresentation and breach of contract and business code. Mr Button (pictured, during his racing career in 2009) claims Mr Eccles is backing out of the deal because he is unable to register the car in his own country Mr Eccles claims the car (pictured) is worth around $32,000, a fraction of that value because Mr Button's wife was the true owner Lawyers for Mr Button say that Mr Eccles was looking for way out of the deal as he had buyers remorse over the car (pictured) But Button has hit back with his own claim for declaratory relief which under California state law is a legal procedure designed for those seeking preventive justice. Specifically, its purpose is to set controversies at rest before they lead to repudiation of obligations, invasions of rights or commissions of wrongs. His claim states Mr Eccles asked him to hold onto the vehicle and put it in storage until he could arrange for transportation and registration in his home country. It also adds how Mr Eccles asked Button to make improvements to the vehicle which he did and which involved fitting rear seatbelts which he paid for. Mr Button claims Mr Eccles is backing out of the deal because he is unable to register the car in South Africa, where he is currently travelling. The counter claim adds that Mr Button and his wife are ready, willing, and able to deliver the vehicle to Eccles but he refuses. Lawyers for Mr Button say that Mr Eccles was looking for way out of the deal as he had buyers remorse. Button married US former model Brittny, 33, in 2022 - after the sale of the Bronco in January of that year - and they now live in Los Angeles with their two children. He had a 17 year career in Formula 1 and won the 2009 title while driving for Brawn. MailOnline has attempted to contact both parties and no date has been set for the hearing in Los Angeles despite the paperwork being filed late last year. Brown, Neri, Smith and Khan who represent Mr Eccles and Foley, Bezek, Behle and Curtis who act for Mr Button, and who are both LA-based legal firms, have also been approached. Lawyer Ethan Brown, speaking on behalf of his client Mr Eccles, told MailOnline: 'No date has yet been set for the full trial but there is a case management hearing due in the next few weeks. 'In essence the claim is the car, at the time it was sold, didn't belong to Mr Button but to his then girlfriend and the payment made was sustainably more than it was worth but that was on the understanding it was owned by Mr Button, which our client says it wasn't. 'The car is still in California and hasn't moved, Mr Button is contending that our client can't get the car registered in South Africa and that is the real issue, and not the ownership of the car, which we are contesting. 'What we are saying is Mr Eccles paid a substantial amount of money for a car that he was led to believe was owned by Mr Jensen Button but he says it wasn't and the owner was Brittny Ward, what he would like is the sale rescinded and his money back.' To those who have encountered Christian Mallon on the jobs market, he is a man of two distinctly different guises. On the one hand there is Dr Christian Mallon, whose carefully composed CV documents an impressive list of qualifications, including a degree in chemistry, a Masters in instrumental analytical science and a PhD in chemical engineering, not to mention a Masters in Business Administration (MBA). In different circumstances, Dr Mallon might be hailed a shining beacon of achievement, not to mention determination for anyone struggling to find work, being in the habit of firing off that very CV at a rate of five job applications a day, or 2,000-odd a year. But then there is the other side to Christian Mallon, one that has come to strike terror into the hearts of small business owners across the UK. This Christian Mallon cuts an altogether more shambolic figure when he appears before employment tribunals, as he has several times in recent years after lodging a dizzying string of claims of disability discrimination against businesses the length and breadth of the country. For, as the Mail revealed last week, Dr Mallon, who has been out of full-time employment since 2019, seems to have alighted on a new career: that of the professional victim, a role that appears to have netted him at least 35,000 in dividends, a figure he disputes. As an employment tribunal judge observed last month, the purpose of making 4,643 job applications, as recorded on a CV website used by Dr Mallon, was not because the claimant genuinely believed he was able to undertake each of those roles, including the role which is the subject of this claim, but to provide an opportunity to seek a settlement or to bring an employment tribunal claim, whether or not there was any merit in such claim. This is effectively now the claimants chosen career. Christian Mallon seems to have alighted on a career as a professional victim, a role that appears to have netted him at least 35,000 in dividends, a figure he disputes So what does this career entail? It all centres around disability discrimination legislation, which requires that job applicants are afforded reasonable adjustments where needed. Dr Mallon, 49, who lives in a 300,000 redbrick detached home on the outskirts of Cannock, in Staffordshire, with his partner and son, has a number of diagnoses to his name. In 2014, he was diagnosed with dyspraxia a condition which he says makes it difficult for him (among other things) to fill in online forms; then in 2021 he was diagnosed with autism and more recently with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). So the 6ft 5in Northern Irishmans modus operandi appears to work something like this. He fires off job applications using a one-click system, which sends his CV far and wide, but without tailoring it to any one job advertised. On his CV, he informs firms that his disabilities mean that he needs to make his application by phone, and he requests interview questions in advance. It is what happens next that is problematic for the companies involved. For when Dr Mallons numerous job applications are rejected usually because he lacks the appropriate skills or experience he is in the habit of issuing replies such as this one from January, 2021: can i ask why you did not follow my reasonable adjustments listed on my cv as i cannot help my medical condition... equality act has been in place for 11 years and doc attached what your duty is under law [sic]. The grammar might be questionable but his intention couldnt be more clear: Dr Mallon is threatening to go legal a costly, time- consuming and stressful experience for all concerned. His exploits were brought under sharp scrutiny last month when he was ordered by an employment tribunal in Southampton to pay 18,000 towards the costs of Electus Recruitment Solutions, a small 12-person business based in Bournemouth. It had rejected his application (one of a string made to the firm) for a role as technical manager in the energy sector because he did not meet the requirements of the job. Dr Mallon had been so unhappy that within six minutes of receiving the response, he was tapping out his reply: can I ask why you did not follow my reasonable adjustment listed on my cv? do you have a problem with disabled people working? as I cannot help my medical condition and find a doc attached why my request is a reasonable one to ask [sic]. Sound familiar? A reserved judgment from an earlier stage of the Electus case notes that the claimant has commenced over 100 claims in tribunals. The Mail has found 57 cases lodged on the Employment Tribunals services website, which only reaches back as far as 2017. The first documented claim seen by the Mail relates to a job application made in 2016. The job in question? Deputy Secretary to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, based in Belfast a role in which the successful applicant would act as chief adviser to the Minister, overseeing a staff of 900 and a budget of approximately 335million. The post required specific criteria, notably professional qualifications and expertise in agriculture and the agri-food industry. Dr Mallon, who did once work in a takeaway, admitted at the tribunal he did not meet the criteria although insisted he still had a 50/50 chance of getting the job as he had the understanding but not the experience. One of the roles Mallon applied for was Deputy Secretary to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, based in Belfast a role in which the successful applicant would act as chief adviser to the Minister, Dr Mallons modus operandi appears to work something like this. He fires off job applications using a one-click system, which sends his CV far and wide, but without tailoring it to any one job advertised. In evidence, he then proceeded to insist he could not click an activation link within an email sent by the ministrys HR team to assist him and was similarly confounded by opening attachments. On this occasion Dr Mallons claim extended to discrimination on the grounds of religious belief, too, based on little more than the fact that he was Roman Catholic and the HR executive was, apparently, Protestant. His claims failed on both counts. Notwithstanding this bruising experience, it is clear from the Mails investigations into Dr Mallons litigious history that his jobseeking efforts have seen him apply for a bewildering plethora of roles, including one post that required a medical degree and another with the National Crime Agency. For those on the receiving end of Dr Mallons scattergun enterprise, its an exhausting, not to mention potentially expensive, encounter. He always follows the same pattern, says one battle-weary businessman. Nobody has wide enough experience to go for the range of jobs he does, he is trying to catch you out. Hes the bane of our life; we are just a small business and I cant tell you the stress he put us under... and thats before you think about reputational damage. Stuart Abbott, whose international business Rasei Ltd is based around highly specialised technology involving graphene composites, agrees. He was looking for a researcher with significant graphene experience to help him develop his small start-up when he advertised in 2021 something Dr Mallon did not have. Yet Dr Mallon deployed his usual response to his application being rejected. The reply from Stuart, who like Dr Mallon has a PhD in engineering, could not have been more diplomatic. As he tells me: The first thing I did at some ridiculous hour in the evening was write back to Christian and say, Look, if conversation is going to help you understand where were at, Ill happily do that. Thanks to Stuarts response, a claim made by Dr Mallon was eventually struck out but not before an exhaustive litigation process. For, in order to lodge a tribunal claim, claimants must first contact Acas (The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service), to see if the problem cannot be resolved out of court. In short, this often means a financial settlement, and Stuart recalls being told he could settle by paying Dr Mallon about 3,000. But he refused to pay a penny, feeling he had done nothing wrong. I spent months racking my brains, Stuart recalls as he waited for the trial, wondering had I done the right thing? I couldnt understand why somebody acted that way. Stuart represented himself, reducing costly legal fees, but says: The stress, you cant put a price on that, the cost of being accused of something that clearly you have not done; its almost like the woke system has fallen over its own scale now to the point at where people like Christian can take advantage of big business. The problem is, not everybodys a big business and some of those he targets are individuals or small teams and the impact that has, the time and the worry and the additional stress, is something you cant measure. According to court documents, Dr Mallon who has two properties he rents out in Scotland and a house in his native Northern Ireland, plus his own business selling nano technology products for motor vehicles (which he calls his hobby job) has netted 35,000 from making disability complaints. Its unclear how that figure has been reached or if it includes settlements made before any claim is even lodged. Like Stuart, Tim Bryne, as chairman of large recruitment firm The Ginger Group, refused to settle. His company had been targeted by Dr Mallon in 2018 when he applied for a job for which, once again, he was hopelessly inexperienced. Acass suggested payment of 6,000 had gone up to 7,000 by the time the claim hit the tribunal schedule. But at the last minute Dr Mallon withdrew the case. Tim says: He doesnt want to go to tribunal and that is evident by the number of times he has withdrawn cases. I believe its all about emotional blackmail. According to employment law specialist Lawrence Davies, of Equal Justice Solicitors, around three quarters of discrimination complaints settle without a tribunal. No wonder, when he says that even a short hearing lasting one to three days will cost 20,000 to 50,000 in legal fees. You get around ten per cent of claimants who withdraw without a settlement when they realise the inherent weakness of their case or to avoid a public confrontation, Lawrence says. The Attorney General can apply to the Employment Appeal Tribunal for a Restriction of Proceedings Order against a serial litigant, although it would appear that, so far, that has not happened with Dr Mallon. He, meanwhile, insists he doesnt want to go to court. If you had done four and a half degrees and worked in 30 jobs, wouldnt you want to work? Dr Mallon tells the Mail, in a long conversation sitting in one of three cars on his driveway. I thought, I am 49 with 18 years left to work. If I dont do anything then I never get to work. If I do something, I am more likely to get work in the future, he says. As for being vexatious, he insists: That is their perception. I would say I am applying for jobs and disclosing my conditions and asking for reasonable adjustments. I need a job. I have a family, a mortgage and child. I need reasonable adjustments and people are not making them. Do you put your hand in the air and tell your story or do you let it go? In a world that was neuro-diverse-friendly, if something happened to you, you would call the disability police. But there is no such police force. The only way is to get Acas involved and then get a tribunal to decide. Since his experience, Tim Byrne has conducted extensive research into Dr Mallons claim history, and in 2019 decided to turn the tables on him for costs. Mr Byrne won 2,000. What he really feels about Dr Mallon, he is too circumspect to say he restricts himself to scruffy and probably quite wealthy. But having spent his life working in business he says this: We have laws in this country to protect people. I used to work in travel and we used to fight all of the complaints because people make false complaints. The reality is companies fight everything because of people like him, who are abusing the system. But, as he points out, where does that leave the genuine victims of discrimination of all kinds whose claims are sitting in an overloaded system, waiting to be heard? Families of Covid victims spoke of their outrage last night after the SNP sent Nicola Sturgeon flowers because of her difficult time giving evidence at the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. In what has been branded a crassly insensitive insult to grieving relatives, both the former First Minister and her former deputy John Swinney received large mixed bouquets from SNP HQ in the wake of their shambolic appearances in front of the inquirys legal panel in Edinburgh. Last night one deeply distressed relative said: The only flowers my mother got was a wreath for her grave. Nicola Sturgeon was sent flowers by SNP after her Covid inquiry grilling Another said: This is a joke. It is utterly disrespectful to us and all of the other families. SNP insiders claimed the party had purchased the flowers because Ms Sturgeon and Mr Swinney had endured painful cross-examinations and may have been left deflated and traumatised. The senior Nationalists were grilled at the end of January and at the start of this month over their decision to delete WhatsApp messages in the midst of the deadly health crisis. During intense questioning, it was revealed they, and others, had wiped correspondence about the pandemic despite Ms Sturgeon promising to hand over all relevant information. However, the SNP did not send flowers to former finance secretary Kate Forbes who also gave evidence but did not delete her WhatsApp messages. Following the evidence sessions one group of enraged families threatened to report former SNP leader Ms Sturgeon to the police amid accusations she had committed a shocking betrayal of the people of Scotland. Last night Jackie Marlow, who is part of a group of relatives suing her late mothers care home following her death in April 2020, said: Im so angry flowers were sent to them. The only flowers my mum got was a wreath. During my mums last weeks in that care home I would have loved nothing more than to visit and take her flowers but I was repeatedly denied that opportunity. There was no compassion shown by the Scottish Government when they made rules that kept families apart. And there was certainly no compassion when Nicola Sturgeon and John Swinney deleted their messages to cover their own backs. Ms Marlow added: It feels as though they are being rewarded for negligence instead of being open about what they discussed. Scottish Tory party chairman Craig Hoy said: Grieving families will rightfully be appalled at this revelation. This is a crassly insensitive insult to the bereaved and those who suffered as a result of repugnant decisions made by Nicola Sturgeon and her government. News of the bouquets comes as First Minister Humza Yousaf told a podcast interview how he had called his predecessor after her appearance on the witness stand. Sturgeon giving evidence at the COVID-19 Inquiry Kate Forbes was snubbed despite keeping all her messages Speaking to Pod Save the UK he said he found it very hard to watch and added: She found it difficult. I spoke to her to see how she was because Nicola is still my colleague. Ive got a job to make sure my colleagues wellbeing is OK. After hearing of the flower deliveries, one incensed SNP source last night said: Nicola Sturgeon and John Swinney were rewarded, basically, for deleting WhatsApps, while Kate Forbes, who did everything right, did not merit flowers. SNP members are paying money every month to the party and they spend it on flowers for them, when Kate was the one who did the right thing. The flowers were sent because they had a difficult time because they deleted WhatsApps. Many of us in the party are incandescent with rage. Ms Sturgeon is said to have written a thank you note to the SNP group for their gift in the wake of her examination. That is despite her testimony raising questions over the legality of her actions. This newspaper told how bereaved relatives instructed lawyers to make a police complaint against Ms Sturgeon and others including Mr Swinney and national clinical director Jason Leitch following the revelations that they destroyed key messages. Ms Sturgeon claimed in August 2021 that she would supply all relevant material to the inquiry but Jamie Dawson, KC, the inquirys lead counsel, revealed she hadnt kept a single WhatsApp message. Under the Inquiries Act 2005, it is a criminal offence if someone intentionally alters or destroys a relevant document. The deleted messages are also being probed by the Information Commissioner, who is expected to look at any potential breaches of the Freedom of Information Act. An SNP spokesman said: Our deepest condolences go out to every person who suffered a bereavement during the pandemic. Cybercrime in Scotland is doubling each year as criminals use technology to dupe unsuspecting victims out of millions of pounds. In a world where business, socialising and communication is increasingly conducted online, police are seeing a huge rise in financial scams committed by crooks hiding behind screens. The Scottish Mail on Sunday can reveal that last year 17,000 online frauds were detected and investigated and such cyber scams account for 95 per cent of all fraud cases police deal with. Now, in a massive push to crack down on the issue, a specialist cyber fraud centre is to open at the Scottish Crime Campus in April. The officer leading Police Scotlands response to the growing threat has laid bare the extent of the swindles and cruel deceptions taking place. Embezzler Emma Hunt was jailed and Assistant Chief Constable Andy Freeburn is determined to target crooks who fleece people and businesses It comes as this newspaper reveals the heartbreaking story of a 16-year-old who took his own life after online blackmailers tricked him into sending intimate pictures and then threatened to share them if he didnt meet their demands. In an exclusive interview, Assistant Chief Constable Andy Freeburn, executive lead for Organised Crime, Counter Terrorism and Intelligence, said: Cybercrime has increased exponentially from around 2018, almost doubling year on year. We know around 17,000 online frauds are committed each year in Scotland or around 50 each day and according to our own figures 95 per cent of all frauds have an online element and it is now synonymous with cybercrime. Behind every one of these frauds there is a victim of crime. They may have lost their savings, their business and indeed their very confidence of going online. Mr Freeburn said a common scam sees the victim being contacted by someone claiming to be from their bank or financial institution alerting them to some suspicious or fraudulent account activity which needs verified with a call back. He added: They then provide a number to call back on for security reasons. They then ask the person to withdraw money and pass this to a third party for safety, often saying it is as part of an inquiry. Businesses are also susceptible to sophisticated computerised scams, sometimes from rogue employees with access to their online systems. Last year office manager Emma Hunt, from Coldstream in Berwickshire, was jailed for three years for embezzling 899,164 to spend on lavish parties, cars, designer goods and a five-star Caribbean holiday. She fraudulently obtained money from a property business and some of its clients between May 31, 2016 and January 20, 2019. As part of her scam she created false invoices for large sums for supplies and business expenses, which she transferred online into her own personal bank accounts. Police Scotland is now work alongside other bodies including HMRC, the National Crime Agency (NCA) and British Transport Police as part of a multi-agency approach to target cyber criminals. Ten years ago an 82 million state-of-the-art facility was opened in Gartcosh, Lanarkshire, with forensic laboratories and support facilities specifically designed to tackle serious organised crime. A decade on, the campus is busier than ever with new techniques and technologies being deployed to detect and prevent crime. Mr Freeburn said: The Scottish Crime Campus is a critical asset. Its the joint location of Police Scotland and key partner organisations. Building on this success, we are launching a Cyber and Fraud Centre where partners will be co-located and tasked with tackling the risk posed by cyber and fraud. This will allow for new standards to be set in intelligence sharing, planning, evidence gathering and enforcement through our combined efforts, expertise and resources. He added: We are exploring new technologies and capabilities and are investing in additional crypto currency tools. Police Scotland will also look to work more closely with other forces in the UK. Until now, national reporting centre Action Fraud has not dealt with fraud and cybercrime in Scotland. But that is set to change. Mr Freeburn said: We saw a massive rise during Covid when people were spending more time online. We are currently reviewing our approach to tackling fraud. This includes the consideration to join a service that will replace Action Fraud. This is to deliver a next generation service for fraud and cybercrime reporting as part of our ambition to creating a fully integrated Law Enforcement Model to tackle cybercrime. Mr Freeburn now has more than 1,000 dedicated officers under him working hard to detect and disturb gangs, prevent cybercrime and bring criminals to justice, but he admits even more needs to be done. Recent operations by his staff have led to concrete outcomes. Six men and one woman were arrested and charged in connection with an alleged high-value fraud, following a joint operation with policing partners in England in December 2023 as part of an ongoing investigation into an elderly woman in Lanarkshire who had a seven-figure sum stolen last year. This month an 18-year-old man was charged in connection with a series of alleged frauds in Dunbartonshire and Glasgow. It came after officers received reports of people being contacted by phone by a person claiming to be a police officer from Glasgow. Mr Freeburn said: We want the public to know that we are working hard and are going to continue to try to be responsive to the threat but we also continue to need the publics support and for them to be vigilant. The Armed Forces are employing growing numbers of diversity and inclusion officers at a time when troop numbers have reached dangerously low levels. The British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force (RAF) have more than 40 staff working full-time on improving equality, with more to be recruited soon even though Ministers have vowed to crack down on 'woke non-jobs'. It comes after a report by the Defence Select Committee warned that the overstretched military may be unable to wage an all-out war. Last night former Minister Sir John Hayes, who obtained details of the diversity schemes in a series of parliamentary written questions, told The Mail on Sunday: 'Taxpayers care about whether the soldiers are up to the job, and frankly the Ministry of Defence should be focusing on just that.' Former Minister Sir John Hayes (pictured) said the government should be focussing on whether the armed forces are up to the job It comes after a report by the Defence Select Committee warned that the overstretched military may be unable to wage an all-out war The figures from the MoD show that the Army has '13 people employed in roles dedicated to diversity and inclusion', while the Royal Navy has 15. The RAF has 14, 'with a further ten positions to be recruited into'. Sir John also learned how much the RAF has spent on diversity recruitment campaigns. Defence Minister Dr Andrew Murrison said: 'In the financial years 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22, the RAF spent 473,690, 168,283 and 921,110 respectively, funding ethnic minority and women campaigns and initiatives.' The figures from the MoD show that the Army has '13 people employed in roles dedicated to diversity and inclusion', while the Royal Navy has 15 (stock photo) The British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force ( RAF ) have more than 40 staff working full-time on improving equality, with more to be recruited soon (stock photo of British troops returning from Afghanistan) However, in 2022 the RAF's head of recruitment, Group Captain Lizzie Nicholl, quit after refusing to follow an order to prioritise women and ethnic minority candidates over white men, believing it to be unlawful positive discrimination. She is in line for a 1 million payout after a report last June backed her allegations of bias. An MoD spokesman said: 'Our priority is protecting national security. These [diversity] roles are not new. 'For the Armed Forces to be effective we must be able to recruit and retain the best people from the broadest cross-section of society, so the small number of colleagues who conduct these responsibilities use their practical experience to help improve training and working culture.' A former detective claims police probably have 'nothing to work with' in the search for missing mum Samantha Murphy - saying their appeal for CCTV is essentially an admission they have no leads. The mother-of-three, 51, was last seen leaving her home on Eureka Street in Ballarat East to go for a morning jog in Woowookarung Regional Park, Victoria, at about 7am last Sunday. Her husband Mick Murphy, 53, raised the alarm when she never returned in time for a pre-planned 11am family brunch date. A massive search for the mum was mounted by police, SES and community volunteers before authorities revealed it would be 'scaled back' over the weekend. The hunt for Mrs Murphy was handed over to the Missing Persons Squad and has reached a grim seventh day without a single trace of her being found anywhere. On Saturday, police urged the public for help by asking for any CCTV or dashcam footage - even if Mrs Murphy is not pictured in the video. A former senior police investigator said the renewed plea 'probably means they [the authorities] have got nothing to work with'. Samantha Murphy, 51, (pictured) vanished without a trace on February 4 The 51-year-old was last seen leaving her home on Eureka Street in Ballarat East to go for a run in the Canadian State Forest at about 7am 'It just keeps reading as a real mystery it's a lot of trawling but they have to do it,' the ex-cop told the Herald Sun. The Missing Persons Squad is urging anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage in the Ballarat East, Mount Helen and Buninyong areas taken around the time of Ms Murphy's disappearance to come forward. READ MORE: Devastating blow for missing mum's desperate family Advertisement Police believe footage of vehicles, other runners and walkers could be crucial to finding witnesses or people who may have further information to her whereabouts. 'Even if the footage does not depict Samantha, detectives are keen to review all footage in the areas between 7am and 7pm on Sunday, 4 February,' police said in a statement. 'Police previously urged everyone in the Ballarat East and Mount Helen areas, particularly around the Canadian Forest, to check their CCTV for any possible sightings over the past six days; however, [we] would now like to collect all footage. 'Despite extensive searches in the area over the past six days, no sign of Samantha has been located.' The hunt for Ms Murphy reached a grim milestone after authorities decided to scale back the search over the weekend. Victoria Police said investigators would remain in contact with Ms Murphy's family. 'The investigative stage of the investigation continues and as any new information comes to hand identifying areas of interest, the search will be scaled up,' a Victoria Police spokesman said. Community members volunteered in the search for the missing mother-of-three on Sunday despite authorities scaling back the ground search The search for Ms Murphy entered its seventh day on Sunday (pictured, members of the public volunteering in the search) 'Police continue to be in regular contact with Samantha's family regarding the developments of the search and the status of the investigation.' READ MORE: Samantha Murphy's family break their silence Advertisement It comes after police sent specialist rescue teams to investigate abandoned local mineshafts in and around the Goldfields area. It's feared she may have strayed from the forest trails where she normally runs and fallen down one of the treacherous shafts which are often obscured by bush. But locals have also said the mineshafts could be used to hide her body if she's fallen victim to foul play. Police are also checking the countless local dams on surrounding farmland to see if there is any trace of her there. 'There's a lot of unused mines in the area,' admitted Crime Command Detective Acting Superintendent Mark Hatt. 'At the moment we've got police search and rescue squad involved in the operation [for that]. They've been involved in the search since day one. 'It's a challenging area and terrain within the area of search operation...it's also thick and rugged bush terrain.' A massive search for the beloved mum was mounted by local police, SES and hundreds of community volunteers (searchers looking for clues into the disappearance of Ms Murphy) Pictured, board information for 'spontaneous volunteers' wanting to help in the search for Mrs Murphy Police sent specialist rescue teams to investigate abandoned local mineshafts in and around the Goldfields area (pictured, location of mines and mineshafts in the Goldfields area) Detectives from the Missing Persons Squad have also called in an army of telecoms technology experts to try to piece together Ms Murphy's movements from the phone data available to them. Superintendent Hatt confirmed Ms Murphy was wearing an Apple Watch and carrying her mobile phone with her when she disappeared. But he was hesitant to share any information on what the phone data had revealed so far. 'We don't comment on that at this stage,' he said. 'We're still working through our expert telecommunications technicians to help us with that.' It's understood a local mobile phone tower registered a ping from Ms Murphy's phone on Sunday after she disappeared but police refused to say more about the timing or location of the phone. 'We can't answer that at this stage,' Superintendent Hatt said. 'Obviously that is going forward to our telecommunications technicians.' Superintendent Hatt added there was no information that indicated any foul play was involved and urged the public to avoid unnecessary and unhelpful speculation. He confirmed the homicide squad was not involved in the investigation as of Friday morning. Superintendent Hatt said the homicide squad was not involved in the investigation as of Friday morning. Ms Murphy's daughter Jessica (centre) broke down in tears at a press conference on Thursday. Jessica, along with her dad, Mick (left), issued a desperate plea for her to return home On Thursday, Mrs Murphy's husband Mick and eldest daughter Jessica issued a desperate plea for her to return home. Through tears, Jessica urged the public to continue searching for her mum. 'Mum, we love you so much and we miss you and we need you at home with us, please come home soon, I can't wait to see you,' Jessica told reporters. 'Mum's a really strong woman, and she's far too determined to give up this fight.' Jessica's father thanked the community for their support in recent days as he appealed for answers. 'People just don't vanish into thin air,' Mr Murphy said. 'Someone has got to know something ... whether it be any little thing that you might think is relevant, just call the police, let them know. 'It'll give us a bit of peace of mind if we get some hope.' Thousands of takeaway delivery drivers will strike on Valentine's Day in a row over pay and 'appalling' working conditions. The wildcat strike will hit operators Deliveroo, Just Eat, Uber Eats and Stuart between 5pm and 10pm on Wednesday, one of the busiest nights of the year for takeaways as couples enjoy a romantic night in. Organisers say the February 14 mutiny will be larger than a Friday night strike involving more than 3,000 couriers in London, Glasgow and Brighton earlier this month. Five people were arrested after scuffles broke out between strikers and riders trying to continue delivering food. Pictured, thousands of takeaway delivery drivers staged wildcat strikes in protest over poor pay on Friday night The strike on Valentine's Day is expected to cause more disruption than the Friday strike Deliveroo has offered drivers who do not strike a 10 'boost' payment for completing five or more deliveries on Valentine's Day. But organisers said this will not be enough to break the strike. The walkout is being organised by a secretive group of couriers known only as Delivery Job UK, via social media including WhatsApp. The leaders appear to be Brazilian nationals living in London. A Supreme Court ruling last year means that delivery app riders are not allowed to join a trade union or bargain collectively but the strike action is being supported by the Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB). In a video released by the Delivery Job UK account last week, a balaclava-clad driver rallied fellow 'asphalt warriors' to join the next strike. 'We were warriors during the pandemic, weren't we? Today, we're being treated like dogs,' he said. Drivers are demanding the minimum fee for a job be increased to 5, plus an additional 2 for every mile travelled after the first. They say that at present a Deliveroo driver can make just 2.90 for a two-mile journey, meaning they are forced to drive dangerously to make ends meet. The walkout is being organised by a secretive group of couriers known only as Delivery Job UK, via social media including WhatsApp (stock photo of a Deliveroo rider) Last week a Deliveroo driver said that his pay at the end of an 11-hour shift was 105, under the minimum wage, which is 10.42 an hour for anyone aged 23 or over. There is also anger at inconsistent rates of pay. Last night a spokesman for Deliveroo said: 'Riders always earn at least the national minimum wage, plus vehicle costs, for the time they are working with us, though the vast majority earn far more than this. 'Riders are also automatically insured for free, and receive income protection if they are unwell.' Just Eat said: 'We provide a highly competitive base rate to self-employed couriers.' Uber Eats and Stuart were contacted for comment. An Uber Eats spokesperson said: 'We offer a flexible way for couriers to earn by using the app when and where they choose. We know that the vast majority of couriers are satisfied with their experience on the app, and we regularly engage with couriers to look at how we can improve their experience.' A Stuart spokesperson added: 'Stuart remains committed to providing competitive earnings opportunities for courier partners and delivering a courier-centric platform. 'We will be working with clients to minimise disruption during the impacted period.' Lord David Cameron says he is deeply concerned about a planned Israeli ground invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah. Rafah, on the southern border with Egypt, is one of the only regions not yet targeted by an Israeli ground offensive and is providing refuge to more than half of Gazas 2.3 million population. It is the last remaining stronghold for Hamas fighters in Gaza, according to Israel, after more than four months of conflict triggered by the militant groups deadly 7 October attack on Israel. Israel has signalled a ground invasion will take place in Rafah, following recent airstrikes (AP) The foreign secretary wrote on Twitter/X: Deeply concerned about the prospect of a military offensive in Rafah over half of Gazas population are sheltering in the area. The priority must be an immediate pause in the fighting to get aid in and hostages out, then progress towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire. It comes after Israels prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu signalled there would be an imminent invasion of Rafah, saying he had asked the military to prepare for the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people there. The plan has raised questions over where civilians could be moved, with Israeli evacuation orders now covering two-thirds of the territory. On Saturday, at least 44 Palestinians including more than a dozen children were killed by Israeli airstrikes in Rafah. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked the military to prepare for the evacuation of people from Rafah (AP) Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy tweeted on Friday: 1.4 million displaced Palestinians are in Rafah, with nowhere to go. Its the gateway for aid to Gaza. An Israeli offensive there would be catastrophic. Far too many civilians have already been killed or wounded. The fighting must stop now. We need a sustainable ceasefire. The leader of the SNP Humza Yousaf has called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Mr Yousaf posted on Twitter/X: Ireland is right. Israel displaced millions of innocent men, women & children to south Gaza. They have nowhere to go. Israels threatened action in Rafah is indefensible & will cause devastation beyond comprehension. International community must demand an immediate ceasefire. Story continues Ireland is right. Israel displaced millions of innocent men, women & children to south Gaza. They have nowhere to go. Israel's threatened action in Rafah is indefensible & will cause devastation beyond comprehension. International community must demand an immediate ceasefire. https://t.co/KZGotu338N Humza Yousaf (@HumzaYousaf) February 10, 2024 Tension has risen between Mr Netanyahu and the US, which has warned Israeli forces against expanding its Gaza ground offensive to the southern city. As the Israeli bombardment has escalated, concerns have been increasing about the plight of Gaza civilians who are enduring shortages of food and medical services. The latest figures from the Hamas-run health ministry put the overall Palestinian death toll at more than 28,000. Mr Netanyahus plan to attack Rafah came as he also rejected Hamass ceasefire proposals. The British Army wants to relax security checks it runs on overseas recruits in an effort to solve the growing staffing crisis, a leaked document has revealed. Understood to be the latest guidance, the internal policy document leaked to the Telegraph, outlines a series of actions that aim to boost falling personnel numbers, and calls security clearance 'the primary barrier to non-UK personnel gaining a commission in the Army.' Vetting is a standard part of the process of becoming an officer in the British Army, and included counter-terrorism checks. Security clearance is described as being 'the most common type of vetting process and determines that a persons character and personal circumstances are such that they can be trusted to work in a position that involves long-term, frequent, and uncontrolled access to secret assets.' The five-year period being a UK resident needed to gain security clearance was described as 'prohibitive to overseas recruits' applying for officer and intelligence roles. The leaked document noted that the Army 'struggles to attract talent from ethnic minority backgrounds into the officer corps.' The leaked document noted that the Army 'struggles to attract talent from ethnic minority backgrounds into the officer corps' Cadets line up for inspection during The Commandmants Parade at Sandhurst Figures from the Ministry of Defence show recruitment targets have been consistently missed in recent years It said that while people from Commonwealth countries can serve in the British Army, just 131 officers from outside of British serve. READ MORE HERE: Army moves hundreds of troops from front line to recruitment offices because force is shrinking too quickly after falling by more than 3,000 troops in last year Advertisement Of these, just 28 are recorded as being from ethnic minority backgrounds, while the rest are white Irish or white Commonwealth. A group of former Army officials have since signed a letter to the UK's defence minister, Grant Shapps, calling the updated policy 'dangerous madness.' The letter's signatories, which include former Royal Marine's head Lieutenant General Sir Henry Beverly and Major General Tim Cross, who was the highest-ranking British officer to be involved in the reconstruction of Iraq following the fall of Saddam Hussein, said: 'The Russians, Iranians and Chinese will be observing our descent into self-hatred and obsessing over diversity and inclusion with glee. 'These intolerable policies are forcing the British Armed Forces into moral disarmament and it cannot stand.' The Army has come under scrutiny for its inability to hire people at all levels of service. Outsourcing giant Capita, which is in charge of recruitment for the Army, recommended that it should ditch or loosen restrictions on hiring soldiers with tattoos and those with a history of asthma to solve its recruitment crisis. A top US general also warned that the UK's shrinking army is 'not what it used to be' (File image) If the army keeps seeing a decline in troops at its current rate, the number of regular soldiers will drop to 67,741 by 2026, according to new analysis (File image) The firm told a defence select committee inquiry into the recruitment of youngsters that many were waiting 150 days to join the Army, partly caused by the medical assessments they have to undertake. Its representatives told MPs that would-be recruits were being 'attracted elsewhere' as the time taken to be accepted was so long that they were finding other jobs in the meantime, amid ominous warnings that the Army, Navy and Marines are all 'haemorrhaging' troops faster than they can be recruited. A top US general also warned that the UK's shrinking army is 'not what it used to be.' A former senior US general has said that while the UK was still seen as America's closest ally, it was also seen as 'having diminished capabilities over the past couple of decades'. They added: 'Hence, while being the most important ally across the board, it is decidedly not what it used to be, regrettably.' Based on the current trends, the army will have just 52,000 troops in 10 years. In a one year period up to September last year, the army's strength plummeted from 79,139 to 75,983 as more soldiers left than started. MailOnline has contacted the Ministry of Defence for comment. Police searching the Thames for the body of Clapham attack suspect Abdul Ezedi have instead found two bodies unconnected to the fugitive suspect. Detectives believe Ezedi entered the river hours after dousing his ex-partner and her two daughters with a corrosive substance. The Met's running theory is that the 35-year-old entered the water near Chelsea Bridge in west London after carrying out the horrific attack on January 31. Marine Policing Unit boats have been pictured on the Thames as officers search for a body. On Saturday, police found one man's body near HMS Belfast and Tower Bridge, at 10.13am, and another man's body near Limehouse, east London at 10.39am, less than half an hour later. A police boat is seen on the Thames as officers search the Thames for the body of Abdul Ezedi Clapham attack suspect Abdul Ezedi is pictured on CCTV hours after dousing his ex and her two daughters with a chemical subtance Both men's deaths are being treated as unexpected and the police are working to identify them so they can inform their relatives. Ezedi, from the Newcastle area, has not been since he allegedly poured a strong alkali on his ex-partner, and injured her two young children, aged three and eight, in Clapham, south London. The mother-of-two is still in a critical condition and sedated in hospital, with police revealing that she was 'too poorly to speak' due to her 'significant injuries'. Both children have been discharged from hospital after witnesses also said the three-year-old girl was 'slammed to the ground'. The Met said yesterday its main working hypothesis was the attacker had 'gone into' the River Thames after being seen leaning over the railings of Chelsea Bridge on the night of the incident before disappearing from view. He was last seen at 11.27pm on Chelsea Bridge - around four hours after the attack on Lessar Avenue in Clapham. He was never seen leaving the bridge area. In a briefing at Scotland Yard, Commander Jon Savell said: 'We have spent the last 24 hours meticulously following the CCTV, and it's our main working hypothesis that he's now gone into the water. CCTV footage of Abdul Ezedi (centre, wearing a black jacket), the suspect in the Clapham alkaline substance attack, crossing over Chelsea Bridge The Metropolitan Police launched a manhunt for attacker Ezedi (pictured) but they now believe he entered the water 'We have looked at all of the available cameras and angles, and with the assistance of Transport for London and CCTV from buses that were travelling over the bridge at the relevant time and there is no sighting of him coming off the bridge.' Asked whether police were willing to say that Ezedi was dead, Detective Superintendent Rick Sewart said: 'I'm prepared to say that he's gone into the water and if he's gone into the water then that's the most probable outcome.' The woman had been in a relationship with Ezedi, with the breakdown of the relationship a possible motive for the attack. Police said it was possible they may never find Ezedi's body due to the speed of the current in the Thames. He told the briefing: 'At this time of year, the Thames is very fast flowing, very wide and full of lots of snags. 'It is quite likely that if he has gone in the water, he won't appear for maybe up to a month and it's not beyond possibility that he may never actually surface.' Mr Savell said the force were in contact with a member of Ezedi's family. Mr Sewart said the Met had tracked Ezedi's movements from the Tower Hill area, where he has walked more than four miles 'with purpose' to Chelsea Bridge. Police boat is seen as officers search the Thames for the body of Clapham acid attack suspect Abdul Ezedi Marine Policing Unit boats have been deployed for the search which will take place at low tide today. Pictured: Chelsea Bridge today Police said it was possible they may never find Ezedi's body due to the speed of the current in the Thames Police revealed the motive behind the 'brutal' attack appears to be the breakdown of a relationship. He is seen with injuries here in a Tesco supermarket after the attack Abdul Ezedi was last seen leaving Tower Hill underground station in east London at 9.33pm on January 31 (pictured leaving the tube station) Forensic police at the scene on Wednesday night near Clapham following the attack Forensics at the scene take picture of the location close to Clapham Common following the incident Abdul Ezedi's last known steps Wednesday, January 31: 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. 21:10 He gets off at Victoria Tube Station and heads towards the district line. 21:16 Ezedi boards an eastbound District Line train. 21:33 Ezedi exits Tower Hill Tube Station. 21:47 - He is seen on Allhallows Lane, EC3. He travels through a passage to Cousin Lane. Then he turns right, walking towards Upper Thames Street. 21:51 - He then turns left onto Upper Thames Street (image released today) 21:54 He travels along Upper Thames Street 21:59 Ezedi passes the City of London School on Pauls Walk EC4, heading towards Blackfriars Bridge. He passes the riverboat pier. 22:04 He then passes the Unilever building and heads towards Victoria Embankment. 22:06 Ezedi passes Carmelite House, junction with Carmelite Street towards Temple. 22:28 - He passes Westminster Pier, goes up steps and continues towards Westminster. 22:33 - Ezedi seen walking south on Westminster bridge 22:36 He walks across Westminster Bridge, down steps on the London Eye side towards Lambeth 22:42 Ezedi seen walking west on south Thames Path towards Lambeth Bridge 22:55 He travels along the Albert Embankment approaching Vauxhall Bridge 23:00 Ezedi crosses Vauxhall Bridge towards stairs (Houses of Parliament side of the river) 23:03 - He crosses Vauxhall Bridge Road, into Grosvenor Road. 23:10 Ezedi walks west bound past the Shell petrol station 23:19 - He passes the Thames Water Building, Grosvenor Road, heading towards Chelsea Bridge 23:25 He crosses over Chelsea Bridge and enters Battersea Park. 23:27 - He crosses back over Chelsea Bridge towards the north side. Advertisement He continued: 'When he has got to the area of Chelsea Bridge, his behaviour visibly appears to change in so much as he walked up and down the bridge - he pauses in the midpoint of the bridge, halfway down the bridge. 'Then he walked to and from the side of the bridge and can be seen to sort of lean over the railings before there is a loss of sight.' Police said that Ezedi would have been in an 'extraordinary amount of pain' with his 'significant injuries' after carrying out 'the most horrific attack'. They described how he travelled from Tower Hill, where he was seen leaving the Tube, to Chelsea Bridge. Mr Savell added: 'He walks purposefully. Halfway across Chelsea Bridge he pauses and paces back and forth towards the railings, as well as looking over them, this is a change in behaviour. Then he is lost from sight. 'We have been closely liaising with a variety of experts through the National Crime Agency throughout the course of this investigation. Those experts have considered our latest information. 'At that time of night, at this time of year, and entering the water from the middle of a bridge at height, the chances of Ezedi surviving are extremely remote. The Thames current is very strong which is an additional factor.' A manhunt to find him has been ongoing for more than a week, with officers raiding two addresses linked to Ezedi in Newcastle in the early hours of Thursday. Earlier this week police said the last confirmed sighting was just before 11.30pm on January 31, a few hours after the attack, as he crossed over Chelsea Bridge and entered Battersea Park in central London, then crossed back over the same bridge minutes later. Ezedi came to the UK hidden in a lorry in 2016, and was turned down twice for asylum before successfully appealing against the Home Office rejection by claiming he had converted to Christianity. He was convicted of two sexual offences in 2018 but was allowed to stay in the UK because his crimes were not serious enough to meet the threshold for deportation. A tribunal judge is understood to have ruled in favour of his asylum claim in 2020 after a retired Baptist church minister confirmed he had converted to Christianity, reportedly describing Ezedi as 'wholly committed' to his new religion. Ezedi, who is not the father of the children who were hurt, suffered significant facial injuries in the incident which police previously said could prove fatal if left untreated. Around 500 people across the county have called police with information about Ezedi and his possible whereabouts since the incident happened. Last week, Nick Aldworth a former national counter-terrorism co-ordinator with 36 years' experience in the police and military, said it was is 'not unlikely' Ezedi could have taken his own life. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I think if we've not seen or heard from him in the the last couple of days, which appears to be the case, he's gone to ground, possibly supported by somebody... 'Or - it's not unlikely or improbable - that he may have taken his own life. There is therefore a body to be found somewhere.' Police said Ezedi left Newcastle in the early hours of Wednesday and travelled south to London and was in the Tooting area by around 6.30am. His vehicle was seen again in Croydon, south London, at around 4.30pm and by around 7pm he was in Streatham. Ezedi allegedly threw the younger child to the ground during the attack at 7.25pm, before attempting to drive away from the scene, crashing into a stationary vehicle and fleeing on foot. Police in hazmat suits raid a home in east London amid the search for Clapham chemical attack fugitive Ezedi Officers were seen smashing in the doors of the property shortly after 2am on Friday Minutes later he boarded a Tube train at Clapham South Underground station, and by 8pm he was at King's Cross Tube station. Ezedi was caught on CCTV at Tesco Express at 8.42pm before he caught a Victoria Line train south at King's Cross at 9pm. 16 minutes later he left Victoria on an eastbound District Line train. At 9.33pm, Ezedi is seen leaving Tower Hill station and an hour later CCTV has him heading south on Westminster Bridge. At 11pm, he he spotted heading north across Vauxhall Bridge. And at 11.25, police have released CCTV of Ezedi entering Battersea Park before crossing Chelsea Bridge. He was not seen leaving after this. Police say three members of the public who came to the aid of the family during the attack, two aged in their 30s and one in her 50s, have all been discharged from hospital with minor burns. MailOnline has contacted the Met Police for comment. More than 32 years after one of the most dramatic arrests Australia has ever seen, the man being taken into custody has revealed that all was not as it seemed. The legendary 'succulent Chinese meal' arrest happened on October 11, 1991 and was filmed by a Channel 7 news crew that had been tipped off about it. 'Gentlemen, this is democracy manifest,' small-time crook and part-time actor Jack Karlson boomed out as the cops tried to get him into a police car. 'Get your hand off my penis,' he continued, hamming it up for the news cameras as he was surrounded by officers outside a Chinese restaurant in Brisbane. But almost a third of a century later, Karlson has revealed that nobody actually grabbed his penis that day - he made it up for show. More than 32 years after one of the most dramatic arrests (pictured) Australia has ever seen, the man being taken into custody has revealed that all was not as it seemed In an interview with New Zealand comedian and TV personality Guy Williams, Karlson was asked why he claimed his penis was being touched by a police officer. READ MORE: Criminal who played a key role in Australia's worst serial killings is set to walk free Mark Ray Haydon (above) has served 25 years for his role in Australia's worst serial killings and is set to be released Advertisement 'Because I'm being arrested,' he said. 'You should be able to say things like that, shouldn't you?' In the original video, which has been watched millions of times on YouTube, Karlson shouted at cops in more like a Shakespearean actor than a man being arrested on suspicion of credit card fraud. 'What is the charge? Eating a meal? A succulent Chinese meal,' he said. 'Ooh, that's a nice headlock, sir. Ah yes, I see that you know your judo well.' Karlson looked at the camera claiming the arrest was 'democracy manifest'. Speaking nearly 33 years later, Karlson opened up on the experience. 'That democracy manifest address, I probably was thinking, well, here it is again,' he said. 'They're doing the same thing all over again. The police run in with guns and handcuffs. I thought, well, let's make a show of all this.' Karlson was also asked about the long held rumour that part of the reason for his rant as he was being arrested was that he was trying to get booked into an insane asylum. 'Oh, I said that. Yeah,' he admitted. 'You said that to the ABC. Were you talking s***,' Williams, asked. 'Yeah. Of course,' Karlson replied, his deep actor's voice still in fine fettle. It turned out the arrest that made him famous was a case of mistaken identity, but the minute-long clip has since become the subject of countless memes and even has its own Wikipedia page. The story behind it has now been told in a book called Carnage: A Succulent Chinese Meal, Mr Rent-a-Kill and the Australian Manson Murders, by journalist Mark Dapin. Small-time crook and part-time actor Jack Karlson (pictured) has grown older, but his booming voice is still intact Karlson is pictured being arrested in Brisbane on October 11, 1991 in front of a TV news crew Dapin, the author of two previous true-crime studies of armed robbers and escapees, describes Karlson as 'definitely the most interesting crim I've ever met'. Karlson is a talented painter and actor who starred in a music video for punk rock band The Chats and appeared as an extra in classic Australian television dramas Homicide, Division 4 and Matlock Police. He has been locked up in prisons in Brisbane (Boggo Road), Sydney (Parramatta, Long Bay) and Melbourne (Pentridge), and escaped from custody three times. But he has never lost his desire and ability to create a scene whenever the chance comes along. Japanese firm is set to have received over 3.4million in contracts since 2019 Fujitsu received an estimated 1.4billion worth of deals with Treasury-linked organisations since the High Court ruled that there had been numerous bugs and errors in its Horizon software. The Japanese communications firm is set to have received more than 3.4 billion through contracts running with Treasury-linked organisations since 2019 despite its role in the Post Office scandal, MPs have found. More than 2 billion worth of contracts were agreed before 2019 and remained active in the following period, the Commons Treasury Committee said. The influential group of MPs last month wrote to organisations including HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Bank of England (BoE) to demand details of their agreements with Fujitsu. Publishing the responses on Saturday, the committee said that all three have spent considerable sums with Fujitsu Services Ltd or Fujitsu Global-owned entities. Fujitsu is set to have pocketed more than 3billion in contracts with Treasury-linked organisations despite its involvement in the Post Office scandal Over 700 subpostmasters were wrongly prosecuted between 1999 and 2015 after Fujitsu's Horizon software made it seem as though money was missing from their branches Pictured: ITV's Mr Bates vs The Post Office documents the scandal Toby Jones led the series' cast as the subpostmaster Alan Bates HMRC has awarded the company eight contracts worth 1.39 billion since the ruling in 2019, while a further six contracts pre-dating the ruling remained active after 2019 but have since ceased. The FCA agreed deals worth around 630 million dating back to 2007 which continued to run after the High Court judgment, and still maintains six contracts worth a combined total of around 9 million. The Bank of England confirmed it had one contract worth 417,000 from 2019 which expired on August 9 2020. The committee had asked all organisations whether Fujitsu's role in the Horizon scandal was considered during the tendering process and whether they thought about ending the deals in light of the scandal. But it said the only response it had received about possible termination had come from the FCA, which confirmed it considered winding down a contract with the firm due to poor performance but decided to retain its services. The FCA is an independent non-governmental body but reports to the Treasury. Committee chairman, Tory MP Harriett Baldwin said: 'We have unearthed some information which, I believe, goes beyond what is known by the Cabinet Office. 'I hope this will aid transparency and scrutiny around the role of Fujitsu as a public sector supplier. 'As set out in some of the letters we received, Fujitsu was often accessed through pre-approved government frameworks run by the Crown Commercial Service. 'The inquiry will run its course and it is welcome news that Fujitsu have agreed to pay towards the compensation that wrongly convicted postmasters are receiving.' Hundreds of subpostmasters across the UK were wrongly prosecuted between 1999 and 2015 after Fujitsu's faulty accounting system made it seem as though money was missing from their branches. In 2019, the High Court ruled that the software had contained 'bugs, errors and defects', leading the scandal to become known as the most widespread miscarriage of justice in British history. Scrutiny of Fujitsu, Government and the Post Office has intensified in recent weeks after the saga was dramatised in ITV's Mr Bates Vs The Post Office. The four-part series became the most watched programme of the year early last month, with its first episode attracting 9.2million viewers. Alan Bates, played by Toby Jones in the series, was one of the over 700 innocent subpostmasters and worked in a shop in Llandudno, north Wales. A statutory inquiry seeking to establish the full facts of the scandal, including the roles played by different organisations, is ongoing. Fujitsu has offered its 'deepest apologies' to victims of the scandal and said it would contribute towards compensation payments for those wrongly convicted. Bosses have indicated the firm will cooperate fully with the inquiry and wait until it nears its conclusion before working out the appropriate amount. In the final episode of the series, viewers saw Mr Bates take his case all the way to the Royal Courts of Justice Alan Bates giving evidence to the Parliamentary Business and Trade committee A Government spokesperson said: 'The impact the Horizon scandal has had on postmasters and their families is utterly horrendous, and it is crucial that something like this can never happen again. 'That is why we have launched a statutory inquiry into the scandal to get to the bottom of what went wrong, as well as providing compensation for those affected. 'We welcome Fujitsu's decision to pause bidding for work with new Government customers until such time as the inquiry concludes. Ahead of that, and as with all contracts, we continue to keep Fujitsu's conduct and commercial performance under review.' A HMRC spokesperson said: 'HMRC works with hundreds of IT partners - big and small - and all of our contracts are publicly available through Contracts Finder. 'The size and complexity of our IT estate means that multiple partners are involved in building and maintaining almost all of our systems and services.' Millions of Muslims are being urged to vote out MPs who did not call for a Gaza ceasefire in a campaign launched by the former leader of a group which was subsequently banned, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. Muslim Vote is plotting to unseat at least 55 Labour and Tory MPs who voted against or abstained on the Gaza ceasefire vote in Parliament last December. The campaign is led by pro-Palestinian activist Muhammad Jalal, who styles himself as a 'writer, political scientist and educator'. His real name is Jalaluddin Patel and he was the UK leader of the now-banned Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir between 2000 and 2005. In 2019, analysis by the Muslim Council of Britain revealed that 31 marginal seats could be decided by Muslim votes, which would be enough to swing a close election. Muhammad Jalal (pictured), whose real name is Jalaluddin Patel, was the UK leader of the now-banned Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir between 2000 and 2005 A plume of smoke rises in the sky of Gaza City during an Israeli airstrike on October 9, 2023 The Muslim Vote campaign was set up by Mr Patel, 46, who tweeted: 'In the 2024 Election, we will focus on those MPs in 55 Muslim-populated constituencies that voted against the Gaza ceasefire. We have to show that the Muslim vote should never be ignored again.' The group plans to organise social media campaigns in target areas to 'reward' pro-Palestine MPs and 'punish' those who failed to vote for a ceasefire. Salman Butt, who is part of Muslim Vote, said in a YouTube video: 'This Election is about punishing those who didn't vote or even call for a ceasefire, and rewarding those who did and took a principled stance.' But last night Mr Patel claimed he only helped the group with data collection and denied being its leader. He also said he was no longer a member of Hizb ut-Tahrir (HT). The Gaza conflict has created the biggest crisis in Sir Keir's leadership. He was widely condemned by Muslim leaders after a radio interview in which he appeared to say Israel had the right to withhold water and power in Gaza. Tensions boiled over when 56 Labour MPs defied Sir Keir and voted for a ceasefire in Parliament. The vote also led to the resignation of eight of his frontbenchers. Some Conservatives welcome the division within the Labour Party, seeing it as a chance to split the opposition vote. And former Labour MP George Galloway is hoping to attract disaffected Muslim voters by standing in the Rochdale by-election later this month. Last night Mr Patel said: 'I am neither affiliated with the Muslim Vote campaign nor an organiser.' But he added: 'I certainly value their efforts to hold advocates of genocide to account, and encourage Muslims to constructively engage politically.' Dramatic footage shows the moment three survivors run from a private jet explosion in Florida which killed the aircraft's two pilots. Crew member Sydney Ann Bosmans, 23, along with passengers Aaron Baker, 35, and Audra Green, 23, were filmed fleeing the fiery inferno after it crashed on Friday. Pilot Edward Daniel Murphy, 50, and second in command Ian Frederick Hofmann, 65, were killed when the jet's engines failed and it crashed on the I-75 outside Naples. Video captured by passing motorist Kyle Cavaliere showed huge plumes of smoke rising from the wreckage moments after the plane went down. 'It landed on a car too,' Cavaliere exclaims as he approaches. As he gets closer, huge flames can be seen as well as debris strewn across the road. Survivors of a private jet crash in Florida were filmed running for their lives after it exploded on the i-75 Crew member Sydney Ann Bosmans, 23, along with passengers Aaron Baker, 35, and Audra Green, 23, narrowly escaped from the wreckage Their plane went down on Friday after a dual engine failure and crashed along the busy interstate Crew member Sydney Ann Bosmans narrowly escaped with her life. She is listed as working as a flight attendant for Hop-a-Jet, the company which owns the plane The video then cuts to a different angle to reveal three people sprinting away from the jet. 'Is there anyone else inside there?' Cavaliere asks as he runs over to help. 'Yes, yes our pilots!' one of the survivors shouts back. Caveliere then asks if they are alive and the woman responds she does not know. The frantic survivors then start asking to use his phone as the clip ends. The pilots reported dual engine failure right before the crash in a confronting mayday call to air traffic control. The plane was just one minute away from making an emergency landing at Naples Airport - but another moment of audio reveals how its pilot already knew they would not make it. The flight was traveling to Naples Airport from Ohio State University Airport, according to FlightAware data, although the college says the plane merely used its facilities and did not have a connection to the university itself. The plane belonged to Hop-a-Jet, a Florida-based private chartering company, and was not related to the university. The Collier County Sheriff's Office has named Pilot Edward Daniel Murphy, 50, and second in command Ian Frederick Hofmann, 65, (pictured) as victims of the crash The private plane crashed into cars on a major highway, causing a massive explosion and killing two of the five people on board The company said it 'received confirmed reports of an accident involving one of our leased aircraft near Naples' and that it would send a team to the crash site. 'Our immediate concern is for the well-being of our passengers, crew members, and their families,' it said. Bosmans is listed as a graduate of the Beyond and Above Corporate Flight Attendant Training school and her Linkedin states she works for Hop-a-Jet. The Federal Aviation Authority closed all southbound lanes for 24 hours while it investigated the crash. One FAA investigator was already on the scene with more to arrive over the weekend. A preliminary report was due in 30 days. Police and emergency responders flooded the scene and state troopers only opened the northbound land four hours after the accident. Loose Women star Katie Piper has donated 1,000 to support the mother who was allegedly 'maimed by Abdul Ezedi'. Ms Piper, 40, who herself was a victim of a horrific acid attack, posted about the GoFundMe which was set to help support the family who were attacked in Clapham on January 31. The hurt woman, 31, who may lose sight in her right eye, remains sedated in hospital and is too poorly to speak due to her 'significant injuries', police said. While her two daughters, aged eight and three, were also doused with a corrosive liquid, with horrified neighbours witnessing the sickening moment one of the girls, who was wearing school a uniform, was thrown to the floor. Both children have been discharged from hospital. The authorities are still hunting for suspect Abdul Ezedi and believe that the 35-year-old entered the water near Chelsea Bridge in west London after carrying out the attack on January 31. Ms Piper, 40, who herself was a victim of a horrific acid attack, posted about the GoFundMe which was set to help support the family The authorities are still hunting for suspect Abdul Ezedi Police believe the Ezedi entered the water near Chelsea Bridge in west London after carrying out the attack on January 31 Police attend the scene of a chemical attack in Lessar Avenue, south London, on January 31 Ms Piper posted about the fundraising page on her Instagram Ms Piper took to Instagram and posted a screenshot of the page and wrote: 'I know from all of your messages and comments many of you are looking for a way to support the lady and her two children who have been injured in the recent acid attack in Clapham London. 'There is a Go Fund me page set up this is the most direct and effective way to help and support them all. 'I've put the link in my bio and stories so you can click to donate. 'Always as donating please do share this page far and wide as many of you know burn treatment is a long process so going over target will still be very much needed. Thank you.' The GoFundMe page, with a target of 50,000 was set up three days ago and has already raised more than 38,000. Ms Piper suffered major injuries and blindness in one eye after she was attacked with acid by her ex-boyfriend Daniel Lynch and accomplice Stefan Sylvestre in 2008. The mother-of-two, who had been dating Lynch for just two weeks, was raped by the martial arts expert in a hotel room when she tried to leave their relationship in March that year. He then obsessively stalked her before ordering Sylvestre, then 19, to throw sulphuric acid on her face, which left her with severe burns and in need of 400 operations. She has since tirelessly campaigned to keep the topic of such attacks in the forefront of the minds of the public and officials since her horrific experience. Ezedi, from the Newcastle area, has not been back since he allegedly poured a strong alkali substance on the woman and the two young children. Marine Policing Unit boats have been pictured on the Thames as officers search for a body today. Since her attack, Ms Piper has since tirelessly campaigned to keep the topic of such attacks in the forefront of the minds of the public and officials since her horrific experience A police boat is seen on the Thames as officers search the Thames for the body of Abdul Ezedi today Friends have launched a fundraiser for the victims of the Clapham chemical attack to help the 'generous, sweet loving mother' and her two daughters 'rebuild their lives' The Met said yesterday its main working hypothesis was the attacker had 'gone into' the River Thames after being seen leaning over the railings of Chelsea Bridge on the night of the incident before disappearing from view. He was last seen at 11.27pm on Chelsea Bridge - around four hours after the attack on Lessar Avenue in Clapham. He was never seen leaving the bridge area. In a briefing at Scotland Yard, Commander Jon Savell said: 'We have spent the last 24 hours meticulously following the CCTV, and it's our main working hypothesis that he's now gone into the water. 'We have looked at all of the available cameras and angles, and with the assistance of Transport for London and CCTV from buses that were travelling over the bridge at the relevant time and there is no sighting of him coming off the bridge.' Asked whether police were willing to say that Ezedi was dead, Detective Superintendent Rick Sewart said: 'I'm prepared to say that he's gone into the water and if he's gone into the water then that's the most probable outcome.' Every school should install airport-style metal detectors to tackle knife crime, the Tory London Mayoral candidate has said. Susan Hall pledged to introduce knife arches into every school in the capital if she is elected. The plans would make it the norm for all pupils to walk through security. At present, only schools in certain boroughs have knife arches. Ms Hall also wants to equip frontline police with a metal-detecting knife wand, which would be less intrusive, and to increase stop and search. Conservative candidate for Mayor of London, Susan Hall (pictured), has pledged to install 'knife arches' into every school in the capital if she is elected It comes as documents released under the Freedom of Information Act show pupils as young as five have been caught with weapons, including machetes, knuckledusters and zombie knives, in the past year. More than 1,100 knife-related incidents were recorded by police in schools between September 2022 and last October. Ms Hall said Mayor Sadiq Khan has spent eight years flip-flopping on stop and search. Its not good enough. 'Squad' member Cori Bush may lose her seat in Congress in landslide fashion this summer, according to a new poll. The Missouri congresswoman, 47, is behind rival Welsey Bell by a staggering 22-points in a new poll by GOP firm Remington Research. Bush, who is on the ballot in the Democratic primary on August 6, was hit last month with a federal investigation over allegations she misused taxpayer funds to employ her husband as her private security guard. The former nurse and BLM activist has also seen her support drop over controversial remarks on the Israel-Hamas conflict, including voting against banning Hamas terrorists involved in the October 7th attacks from entering the US. Missouri congresswoman Cori Bush, 47, is behind rival Welsey Bell by a staggering 22-points in a new poll Prosecutor Wesley Bell would trounce Bush in the Democratic primary if it were held today, a new poll found The poll sampled only 401 likely Democratic voters in the upcoming primaries, but found a large chasm in the support for Bush compared to Bell. Bell, a prosecutor in St. Louis County, registered at 50 percent support among those polled, while Bush came in at 28 percent. He has previously faced his own accusations of misspending $30,000 of taxpayer funds. This included expensing an $816 dinner in a Miami steakhouse, and spending $8,000 on new office furniture after he assumed office, including a new espresso machine, reports the St. Louis Post Dispatch. The only other candidate in the Democratic primaries, former state House Rep. Maria Chapelle Nadal, registered at four percent. The poll had a 4.9 percent margin of error. The Democratic primary is seen as essentially the contest to win the seat in Congress, as the district is solidly Democratic, and a Republican has not held the office since 1949. Congresswoman Bush could not be contacted for comment and does not appear to have a press contact listed on her website. The dismal polling comes after Bush faced severe backlash in recent months following the federal investigation, which she quickly blamed on 'right wing organizations.' Bush shot to prominence during the 2020 BLM protests and firmly came out behind the 'Defund the Police' movement - despite spending over $750,000 on private security since she was elected that year, sparking allegations of hypcrisy. Last month, the Justice Department subpoenaed the congresswoman for records related to the misuse of funds for this private security, after she hired her husband Cortney Merritt as her bodyguard. Bush and Merritts are seen here with President Joe Biden and his wife Dr. Jill Biden during a Christmas party at the White House Cori Bush and her now-husband Cortney Merritts together at the 2020 inauguration. They married in 2023 Bush's had previously met her husband after he was hired to her security detail following her election, and they tied the knot in a private ceremony in early 2023. While hiring family members is frowned upon, it is not illegal. It would only be illegal if push paid her now-spouse over 'fair market value.' In 2022 he was on the payroll of her re-election campaign, and the investigation follows an ethics watchdog demanding an investigating into the $62,000 she paid Merritts from her campaign funds. It also emerged that Merritts was paid as Bush's security guard despite not having a license - which is required by the St. Louis Police Department, according to a Fox News report. Merritts was reportedly also not licensed for security in Washington, D.C. When confronted by the media after news of the federal investigation broke, Bush insisted she wasn't the subject of the investigation and scolded reporters for asking the question. In the face of critics branding her staggering security spending hypocritical given her stance on police funding for the rest of her constituents, Bush argued it was a necessity due to threats to her safety. 'Since before I was sworn into office, I have endured relentless threats to my physical safety and life,' she told reporters on the House steps after the investigation was announced. She added that as a 'rank-and-file member of Congress' she is not entitled to personal protection. Bush (center right) together with her husband Merritts (right), and fellow 'Squad' member Rep. AOC (center left) and AOC's fiance (left) Instead, she claims she has used campaign funds to retain security services, including her husband who she said has 'extensive' experience in the field. 'I have not used any federal tax dollars for personal security services. Any reporting that I have used federal funds for personal security is simply false,' she insisted. Months before the investigation was launched, Bush also caught the ire of critics after voting against a measure to ban Hamas terrorists involved in the October 7 attacks from entering the US. Bush, who was joined in her no vote by fellow Squad member Rashida Tlaib, branded the measure 'redundant' and argued it was designed to incite hate. 'I opposed H.R. 6679 because it is a redundant, empty messaging bill Republicans are using to target immigrants and incite anti-Palestinian hate,' she tweeted. 'Republicans have ZERO credibility on these issues.' Despite opposition from the two progressive lawmakers, the bill easily passed in the house in a 422-2 vote. Peers and MPs are today calling on Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to end the postcode lottery for a devastating bone disease affecting millions of women. Pressure is mounting on Mr Hunt to provide money in next month's Budget for the early detection of the brittle-bone condition osteoporosis throughout the UK by funding Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) in every NHS Trust in England and Wales. These services, which identify osteoporosis early and so prevent painful and sometimes life-shortening fractures, are in operation throughout Scotland and Northern Ireland, as well as in 57 countries worldwide. However, they only are available in just over half of England and Wales's NHS Trusts. As a result, tens of thousands of people a large majority of them women are suffering preventable broken bones and missing out on much-needed treatment. Peers and MPs are today calling on Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to end the postcode lottery for a devastating bone disease affecting millions of women Tens of thousands of people a large majority of them women are suffering preventable broken bones and missing out on much-needed treatment Extending the services would cost just 30 million a year, campaigners say, and result in far bigger savings for the NHS in the longer term. Politicians from both Houses and all three major parties have backed The Mail on Sunday's calls to extend FLS across the whole of the UK. Baroness Meyer, a crossbench peer, highlighted the fact that two-thirds of people who need anti-osteoporosis medications are missing out on treatment. This adds up to around 90,000 people a year again, mostly women. Baroness Meyer described it as shocking that people 'do not realise that they are at risk of osteoporosis, simply because there are not enough Fracture Liaison Services available across the country.' Ruth Sunderland: My 3-point plan to ensure everyone gets the correct treatment I was diagnosed with osteoporosis at the Fracture Liaison Service at Londons St Thomas Hospital after breaking my shoulder and I wrote about my plight in The Mail on Sundays Health section last month, right. I am now receiving treatment but I want everyone to have the same high standard of care I was offered. Here is my manifesto: End the lottery: Make Fracture Liaison Services available in every NHS Trust in England and Wales so everyone in the UK over 50 who breaks a bone can be assessed for osteoporosis. Raise awareness: Include a risk assessment for bone weakness in the free health checks offered by the NHS to people aged 40 to 74. Screen at 70: Hip fractures are heart-attack level events. Systematic screening for risk should be introduced from the age of 70. Advertisement Dame Margaret Hodge, the Labour MP for Barking, said the postcode lottery 'has resulted in a dire situation' and that 'the Budget provides a perfect opportunity to put this right'. Harriett Baldwin, the Tory chairwoman of the Treasury Select Committee, declared: 'I support The Mail on Sunday's campaign to improve diagnosis and treatment'. Daisy Cooper, the Liberal Democrat deputy leader and health spokeswoman, said 'the Government must come forward with a commitment to prevent suffering by extending Fracture Liaison Services to everyone over 50. Even the Government's own Health Minister in the Upper House, Lord Markham, said last week there is a 'very strong case', adding that it is 'something that we are really looking to progress'. Former Labour Health Secretary Lord Blunkett also lined up in support, as did Matt Hancock, the former Tory Health Secretary, and Wes Streeting, the Shadow Health Secretary. Osteoporosis is the UK's fourth most harmful health condition in terms of disability and premature death, surpassed only by coronary heart disease, dementia and lung cancer. It is also a financial drain on the taxpayer, with the care for broken hips alone costing around 2 billion a year. Mr Hunt is short of money for his March 6 Budget but calculations by the Royal Osteoporosis Society show that a modest annual investment of 30 million to extend FLS would more than pay for itself, leading to an overall benefit of 440 million in the first five years. Baroness Altmann said: 'This will ultimately save huge sums to the NHS.' Carolyn Harris, Labour MP for Swansea East, added that early detection is 'crucial', leading to better outcomes for patients and reduced NHS costs. Craig Jones, chief executive of the Royal Osteoporosis Society, said that rolling out FLS across England and Wales could prevent up to 750,000 of the 2.6 million annual sick days caused by fractures. Some 81,000 working-age people suffer fractures each year and a third are forced to quit their jobs and go on to benefits. Also backing the call is Dr Paula Briggs, chairwoman of the British Menopause Society, who said: 'Following menopause, without intervention, women lose 1 per cent of their bone mass annually and half of women over 50 will suffer a fracture because of osteoporosis. The Government should act now.' A man has captured the moment a group of kids shrieked and ran away in fright after a pile of intertwined snakes suddenly fell from a bush at a popular beach. The video clip shows what appears to be at least five tangled snakes suddenly drop down a rock face near stairs at Wattamolla Beach in the Sutherland Shire on Saturday. The sight bewildered beachgoers, who can be heard screaming as two of the reptiles hit the ground. The snake 'mating ball' fell down rock face at Wattamolla Beach in the Sutherland Shire on Saturday, stunning witnesses. Source: TikTok/@moey.hamad1 Woah, the man filming says. Theres two of them! The remaining three clinging to the rock then slowly slither back up to the bush as one of the snakes now on the path takes a closer look at the man, before skulking to the corner of the bottom step just metres away from children playing on the shore. Snake mating ball a 'relatively common phenomenon' WIRES volunteer Gary Pattinson told Yahoo News Australia on Sunday what the beachgoers witnessed is most likely a relatively common phenomenon, in the snake world, known as a mating ball a situation where two or more males are trying to mate with a single female. Gary said the battle often goes on for hours until the struggle is resolved, and noted the snakes are most likely diamond pythons. One can only sympathise with the poor female snake at the centre of such situations, he added. One of the snakes that fell to the ground tucked itself away on the stairs leading to the beach. Source: TikTok/@moey.hamad1 Aussies react to snake footage: 'Just another day' The TikTok video has since gone viral, racking up close to one million views and thousands of comments in one day, some from Aussies who said the sight was just another day. Snakes everywhereWattamolla is in the Royal National Park. Im amazed there arent more snakes seen there, one person wrote. Ive seen one there, for sure they are everywhere. I guess just mostly stay out of the way, another added. Story continues Others informed the man who captured the footage that the snakes were in fact getting jiggy with it. Think you guys might wanna settle down this is a public space, someone joked. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new newsletter showcasing the weeks best stories. Disgraced doctor Andrew Wakefield whose fake anti-vax data has been blamed for the current measles epidemic has set his sights on discrediting the mumps vaccine. The 67-year-old, who fled to the US after being struck off in the UK for fraudulently connecting the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine to autism, is seeking Hollywood fame with his first feature film Protocol-7, which claims the mumps jab causes serious long-term health issues. The film's extended trailer debuted at the Autism Health Summit in San Antonio, Texas last weekend, with Wakefield telling the conference's 500 guests that the vaccine, which has been used for decades, is 'dangerous'. Attendees who paid 310 each for the two-day event gasped as scenes showed a child convulsing after receiving a mumps shot. Disgraced doctor Andrew Wakefield whose fake anti-vax data has been blamed for the current measles epidemic has set his sights on discrediting the mumps vaccine Wakefield is seeking Hollywood fame with his first feature film Protocol-7, which claims the mumps jab causes serious long-term health issues Wakefield, who divorced his wife of 35 years and later dated supermodel Elle Macpherson, told the crowd: 'It's not just a matter of this vaccine doesn't work the disease [mumps] has become more dangerous precisely because of the vaccine.' The movie, which will be released on May 31 and is based on a 'true story', stars Julia Roberts's brother Eric as an executive at Merck who goes up against two whistleblowers who claim the pharmaceutical company's mumps vaccine is faulty. British actor Matthew Marsden, who has appeared in Coronation Street and Rambo, plays Wakefield. The trailer comes as cases of measles in the UK last week hit a ten-year high amid concerns that attempts to contain the outbreak particularly in the West Midlands are not working because of poor vaccination rates. Wakefield's now-disgraced paper, published in the medical journal The Lancet in 1998, claimed the MMR jab caused autism and bowel disease in a study of just 12 children. The General Medical Council struck him off after ruling he behaved unethically by using children who showed signs of autism as 'guinea pigs' and subjected them to needless invasive procedures, including colonoscopies. Since then, Wakefield has reinvented himself in the US as a podcast host and by doing lucrative speaking gigs at anti-vax conferences. In promotional material for the conference, Wakefield was referred to as 'doctor', while a table bearing merchandise, including 15 'Wakefield was Right' T-shirts, did brisk trade. Wakefield told the audience: 'Mumps in children is a trivial disease. We do not need a mumps vaccine.' It is not known if Wakefield was paid for last Saturday's appearance, which was made over Zoom rather than in person because he was sick. A woman answering the door at an address linked to Wakefield in Austin, Texas, said the disgraced doctor was not giving interviews. Dr Martin Scurr, a GP and the Mail's Good Health columnist, said Wakefield was exploiting post-Covid fears about vaccines, adding: 'Sadly he has a lot of followers on social media who believe these conspiracy theories.' A doctor who called for Hammersmith to be 'Jew free', is not racist but 'comfortable with using discriminatory language,' an independent tribunal has found. Dr Dimitrios Psaroudakis, a consultant gynecologist, has been suspended by the General Medical Council for three months after making a number of racially offensive, sexist and derogatory remarks about his colleagues and patients. The Harley Street gynaecologist, who worked at The Evewell fertility clinic, referred to Jewish colleagues as 'leprechaun', 'alky', s**t for brains' and 'big nose' in messages sent to a colleague (Ms A) via email and Microsoft Teams between 2020 and 2022. Dr Psaroudakis told the tribunal he used the term 'Yew' or 'Yewish' in the messages replacing the 'J' of Jewish with a 'Y', because of his accent. The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service concluded: 'The evidence suggested that it was Dr Psaroudakis' common practice to pick out and use what could be considered offensive or derogatory characteristics about people whom he did not like or get along with, and liberally use those terms to describe them. Dr Dimitrios Psaroudakis, (pictured) a consultant gynecologist, has been suspended by the General Medical Council for three months after making a number of racially offensive, sexist and derogatory remarks about his colleagues and patients A Harley Street sign is pictured on January 15, in London, England 'Rather than use someone's name or work title, Dr Psaroudakis preferred to make unpleasant and unacceptable references to protected characteristics of colleagues. 'The Tribunal makes no finding that Dr Psaroudakis is a racist but is satisfied that he is someone who is quite comfortable with using discriminatory language.' Dr Psaroudakis resigned from his role in September 2022 and his suspension came into force in mid-January 2024, around 14 months later. The three-month suspension means Dr Psaroudakis will be able to practice again from April this year. The tribunal heard that Dr Psaroudakis joked about the death of a patient's husband, who took his own life, saying that 'he smelled her shoes?', referring to the patient. Dr Psaroudakis made reference to a telephone call between himself and Ms A in which he took her to say the patient's husband had 'passed out', when she in fact had said 'passed away'. However, the tribunal had no evidence of any such phone call and did not accept the consultant's explanation. It said such comments from a medical professional about a patient's husband killing themselves were 'appalling, disrespectful and morally reprehensible.' Some of the sexually explicit messages referred to 'lube' and 'gregging' a sexual act involving a hat, while one sexist email read: if we hire another woman Im going to kill myself. The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service said a three-month suspension reflected the 'level of seriousness of the misconduct' and 'would send out a message to the doctor, the profession and to the public that such conduct is unacceptable'. It said: 'Dr Psaroudakis admitted his wrongdoing, made full admissions to the allegation, and has taken steps to remediate his actions. 'He has made genuine expressions of regret, remorse and apology, and not sought to blame others. 'Dr Psaroudakis self-referred to the GMC and has fully engaged with his regulator and with this process and he cooperated with the GMC by disclosing the emails and messages of his comments when requested. His comments were intended to be private and never meant to be made public.' Dr Psaroudakis has been contacted by MailOnline for comment. A girl with an IQ of 161 who is taking 28 A-Levels is calling for more support for gifted pupils as she admitted that teachers struggled to keep up with her. Mahnoor Cheema, 17, from Slough, said that when she arrived in Britain aged nine from Pakistan, her school refused to let her move up a year. Despite quickly getting through her class work set by teachers at Colnbrook Church of England Primary School in Berkshire, the teenager said she was given extra maths instead of being allowed to progress to the next stage of her education. Ms Cheema said the institution also put her in a group set up to encourage children to make friends, where they would make pancakes, she told The Times. The school girl has an IQ as high as Albert Einstein's and is taking 28 A-Levels after passing 33 GCSEs. When she moved to Langley Grammar School, she claimed teaching staff would actually try to discourage her from sitting her GCSE exams. They claimed that Ms Cheema was overburdened and had 'dark circles' under her eyes. Mahnoor Cheema, 17, from Slough, said that when she arrived in Britain aged nine from Pakistan , her school refused to let her move up a year The family said they expected more from grammar schools, which was one of the reasons why they returned to the UK When her parents got involved to help their daughter, who was at the end of her tether, they were labelled as 'pushy'. The family said they expected more from grammar schools, which was one of the reasons why they returned to the UK. Frustrated by the lack of understanding of schools, Ms Cheema is calling for more support for smart students in state schools across the nation. 'I feel we are wasting so much talent in the UK,' she told the outlet. 'I think there are so many kids who had talent to do so much but it was wasted because no one recognised their potential or knew what to do with it.' The bright pupil said she had spoken to other talented children who also felt the same way. She therefore believes that institutions have a duty to gifted kids children, just as those with special educational needs are given extra support. Ms Cheema said that maths in the British education system is 'very slow.' She said that children in year three in Pakistani could complete tests given to 11-year-old pupils in Britain. Throughout her time at school, the star student said she struggled to make friends as she found it hard to relate to others. Ms Cheema read philosophers such as Plato and Socrates, whereas her classmates were into Diary of a Wimpy Kid. She got 33 nines in her GCSEs, the highest grade a pupil can score. Ms Cheema read philosophers such as Plato and Socrates, whereas her classmates were into Diary of a Wimpy Kid She also sat every entrance exam for schools within a 20-mile radius of where she lives just for a 'challenge' and came top in three counties. She is also part of Mensa, where you can only qualify for membership if you score within the top 2 per cent of the general population in an approved intelligence test. Her family - who first moved to the UK in 2006 from Lahore, Pakistan - consists of her father, a leading barrister, her mother who has two degrees in economics, a 14-year-old sister who is a national maths champion also with an IQ of 161, and nine-year-old brother Jibran, who is already a grade four piano player. The teenager is now settled and happy at Henrietta Barnett School, a north London grammar institution, a 90-minute drive from her house. She has joined a swimming team, likes to ride horses and attends concerts with her friends. Donald Trump has claimed he would encourage Russia to attack NATO members who don't pay their share of the alliance's budget. The ex-president made the alarming promise to rile up a cheering crowd, that spilled on to the streets outside his rally in Conway, South Carolina, on Saturday. 'The president of a big country stood up and said "if we don't pay, and we're attacked by Russia, will you protect us?" I said you didn't pay, you're delinquent? He said, "yes, let's say that happened". 'No, I would not protect you, in fact I would encourage them (Russia) to do whatever the hell they want, you gotta pay! You gotta pay your bills.' Trump also repeated his frequent claim that while president he strong-armed European allies into paying more for defense. 'NATO was busted until I came along. I said, "everybody's going to pay". They said, "well, if we don't pay are you still going to protect us?" I said, "absolutely not". They couldn't believe the answer,' he said. Donald Trump has claimed he would encourage Russia to attack NATO members that don't pay their share of the alliance's budget The White House called Trump's words 'appalling and unhinged' and argued they 'promoted dangerous chaos'. 'President Biden has restored our alliances and made us stronger in the world because he knows every commander in chiefs first responsibility is to keep the American people safe and hold true to the values that unite us,' it said. 'Encouraging invasions of our closest allies by murderous regimes is appalling and unhinged and it endangers American national security, global stability, and our economy at home. 'Rather than calling for wars and promoting deranged chaos, President Biden will continue to bolster American leadership and stand up for our national security interests not against them.' Trump often claimed he single-handedly convinced NATO members to contribute more, but there is no account of this exchange ever taking place. But NATO funding also doesn't work how Trump frequently claims it does, and his boasting doesn't mesh with reality. No NATO member is failing to pay its share of the alliance's $3 billion common budget, which is based on GDP and which the US pays 16 per cent of. Trump has in the past praised Russian President Vladimir Putin, and even sided with him over US intelligence agencies when Putin denied meddling in the 2016 election Trump claimed twice during his speech repeated his frequent claim that while president he strong-armed European allies into paying more for defense Separate to that, NATO members in 2014 - before Trump even entered the presidential race - pledged to boost their defense spending. A target of two per cent of GDP by 2024 was set, in response to Russia annexing Crimea from Ukraine, and defense spending by the 29 NATO countries has steadily increased. This plan was created well before Trump had any influence on NATO countries, but he took credit for it dozens of time over the past eight years. Trump during a New Hampshire town hall last month also made the same wildly incorrect claim, and argued NATO was 'taking advantage' of the US. 'The European countries took advantage of I want to use the word starting with an S, but I don't want to do it because I see some young, very good-looking children in the audience, and I assume they're watching on television,' he said. 'But they took advantage of us on trade, and then they took advantage of us on our military protection. 'Of the 28 countries at the time, only eight countries were paid up. We were paying the difference. Trump speaks at a 'Get Out the Vote' Rally in Conway, South Carolina 'And I went to them. I said, "if you don't pay, we're not going to protect you". And they said, "do you mean that?" I said, "I mean that". And the next day, billions of dollars poured into NATO.' Trump threatened to withdraw from NATO several times while he was president, calling it 'obsolete' and a drain on American resources. This is despite the about $500 million the US pays in direct funding being dwarfed by the $842 billion defense budget. Congress got so concerned Trump could unilaterally withdraw form NATO if he won a second term that it passed a law in December requiring the president to get a two-third majority of the Senate to do so. Trump has also praised Russian President Vladimir Putin, and even sided with him over US intelligence agencies when Putin denied meddling in the 2016 election. Putin denied he had any interest in attacking NATO countries, like Poland and the Baltic states, in his controversial interview with Tucker Carlson. 'Only in one case, if Poland attacks Russia. We have no interest in Poland, Latvia or anywhere else. Why would we do that? We simply don't have any interest. It is absolutely out of the question,' he said. Putin denied he had any interest in attacking NATO countries, like Poland and the Baltic states, in his controversial interview with Tucker Carlson French soldiers take part in a major drill as part of NATO's 'enhanced forward presence' (EFP) deployment in Poland and the Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in 2022 Trump's claim he would 'encourage' Russia to attack NATO allies had eerie parallels to when he called on Russian hackers to find emails from Hillary Clinton, his Democratic opponent in the US presidential election. 'Russia, if you're listening. I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing,' he said in July 2016 during the election campaign. Hours later, the Main Intelligence Directorate in Moscow appeared to heed the call targeting Clintons personal office and hitting more than 70 other Clinton campaign accounts. That was according to a grand jury indictment charging 12 Russian military intelligence officers with hacking into the Clinton campaign and the Democratic Party as part of a sweeping conspiracy by the Kremlin to meddle in the election. A Missouri mom has been accused of baking her newborn daughter to death in an oven after allegedly mistaking it for a crib. Mariah Thomas, 26, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child after one-month-old ZaRiah Mae was found dead with 'burn wounds', according to an arrest warrant. Cops were called to the mom's Kansas City home to reports of a child not breathing on Friday- the day after Thomas' birthday. When they arrived, they found the infant covered in burns, with her 'blackened' clothing melted onto her diaper. A devastated friend of Thomas' told DailyMail.com that Za'Riah was a 'very bubbly' baby, who was 'smiling all the time'. Mariah Thomas, 26, has been accused of killing her baby Za'Riah Mae by putting her in an oven The one-month-old baby was found at her Kansas City home with burn marks across her body, according to Thomas' arrest warrant Thomas told police she had 'accidentally placed her in the oven instead of the crib', the charging document states She also suggested Thomas' mental health may have played a role in the tragedy. 'Mariah had mental issues from what I know and didnt have the mindset of a adult, she thought like a child,' the friend said, adding she last talked to the mom on Monday. Za'Riah's grandfather told police he received a call from her mom at around 1pm on Friday in which she told him 'something was wrong with the baby and he needed to return home immediately'. On returning home immediately began to smell smoke and found Za'Riah dead in her crib. Thomas told him she had 'accidentally' put her in the oven, according to court filings. Za'Riah was discovered by police in a car seat inside her home with 'apparent thermal injuries on various parts of a her body'. She was wearing a bodysuit over a diaper which appeared to have melted onto it which was 'very dirty, possibly burned'. A charred baby blanket was also discovered and taken as evidence. Police responded to reports of a child not breathing and found the infant dead in her car seat Thomas social media posts portray her as a loving mother but also suggested she was feeling isolated Thomas was transported to police headquarters for an interview where she invoked her fifth amendment right to remain silent. But she consented to detectives obtaining a blood draw and accessing her phone data. Thomas' social media presents her as a doting mom, who referred to her daughter as her 'princess'. In one Facebook post she states her desire to be, 'the best mother I can be to my beautiful daughter.' But in one haunting post made just weeks before the tragedy Thomas complained that nobody was looking out for her. 'Mfs claim they my friend by don't never check up on me or Za'Riah,' she wrote on January 20. Thomas is currently being held at the Jackson County Detention Center. A Nigerian banking CEO on his way to the Superbowl was among six people killed in a horror helicopter crash in the Mohave Desert. Dr Herbert Wigwe, 57, the co-founder of Nigeria's largest bank Access Bank, perished along with his wife, son and three others in the California desert on Friday night. The helicopter went down around 60 miles from Las Vegas, with Wigwe reportedly on his way to Sin City to attend Superbowl LVIII, according to Semafor. The former chair of the Nigerian Exchange Group, Abimbola Ogunbanjoa, was also among those who died when the Eurocopter EC 130 crashed while en route to Boulder City, Nevada. Investigators were seen scouring the crash site early Saturday morning, before confirming that 'no survivors have been located.' Dr Herbert Wigwe, 57, the co-founder of Nigeria 's largest bank Access Bank, died Friday night in a horror helicopter crash over the Mojave Desert The banking CEO and leading figure in Nigerian economic issues perished along with his wife (pictured together), son and three others The former chair of the Nigerian Exchange Group, Abimbola Ogunbanjoa, was also among those who died in the tragedy The cause of the tragedy has not yet been determined by officials, with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department saying the crash site was near Nipton on the edge of the Mojave Desert Preserve. Tributes poured in for Wigwe after news of his death was announced, with the finance executive seen as a leading figure spearheading in the expansion of the Nigerian economy. In his work at Access Bank, he led an initiative to grow its influence across the continent, taking majority stakes or acquiring control over banks in nations including Kenya, South Africa and Botswana. After his bank became the largest in Nigeria by assets in 2019, Wigwe told Semafor that the firm was finalizing efforts to launch its first full banking service in Asia in the first quarter of 2024. He was also known for his influence in education, setting up his own college - Wigwe University - that was set to hold its first classes later this year. Wigwe University was reported to have cost $500 million and planned to enroll 10,000 students over the next five years. The university was part of his drive to improve Africa's economy, as he wrote in an op-ed for Semafor just one month before his death that investing in higher education was crucial to expanding opportunities. He added that improving education was key to controlling mass-migration and mitigating fears over how it destabilizes society, writing how the issue has taken a step back - including how 'Donald Trumps Republicans continue to whip up fears around border security.' Tributes poured in for Wigwe, who spearheaded efforts to expand the Nigerian economy - including by launching his own university that was set to begin classes this year The helicopter crash was the second in California in a matter of days, after a Navy helicopter carrying five marines crashed in the southern California mountains during a storm on Tuesday night. The five men have been identified as: Lance Cpl. Donovan Davis, 21, of Olathe, Kansas; Sgt. Alec Langen, 23, of Chandler, Arizona; Capt. Benjamin Moulton, 27, of Emmett, Idaho; Capt. Jack Casey, 26, of Dover, New Hampshire; and Capt. Miguel Nava, 28, of Traverse City, Michigan. Gen. Michael J. Borgschulte, commanding general of 3rd MAW, said: 'It is with a heavy heart and profound sadness that I share the loss of five outstanding Marines from 3d Marine Aircraft Wing and the Flying Tigers while conducting a training flight. 'These pilots and crewmembers were serving a calling greater than self and were proud to do so. 'We will forever be grateful for their call to duty and selfless service. To the families of our fallen Marines, we send our deepest condolences and commit to ensuring your support and care during this incredibly difficult time.' The Marine Corp released the identities of all five Marines killed when their CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter went down in the mountains close to San Diego on Tuesday The young men were all assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at Miramar Several agencies launched a desperate search early on Wednesday after the chopper was reported missing. Efforts to recover the remains of the five have begun and an investigation into the crash is underway, according to the statement. The helicopter took off from Creech Air Force Base near Las Vegas, Nevada, on Tuesday night and was heading to the Marine Corps Air Station in Miramar when it went missing. The CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter was last reported in the Cleveland National Forest, near the Us-Mexico border and about 35 miles east of its destination. The area is currently covered in snow, making the search more difficult, officials said. Sir Ed Davey boasted about the 'integrity' of the post office's flawed Horizon computer system even after the campaigner Alan Bates had alerted him to catastrophic failings in the system. The Liberal Democrat leader defended the controversial IT system, which is at the heart of Britain's biggest ever miscarriage of justice, in 2010, while he was the minister in charge of the post office. His defence of the system, which followed a face to face meeting with Mr Bates, is contained in a 2010 letter which he sent to a Labour MP who had highlighted the plight of one of her own constituents caught up in the scandal. The disclosure of the letter, which has been obtained by The Mail on Sunday under freedom of information laws, will increase pressure on Mr Davey who has found himself engulfed by the ongoing scandal. His critics claim he turned a blind eye to the concerns of sub postmasters while he was serving as the minister for Employment Relations, Consumer and Postal Affairs. Sir Ed Davey boasted about the 'integrity' of the post office's flawed Horizon software despite being warned by Alan Bates of the system's catastrophic failings The Liberal Democrats leader reportedly only met Mr Bates on the advice of civil servants in order to head off unwelcome headlines He insists he didn't do more at the time because he was lied to by the Post Office. Earlier this week it emerged that he had only agreed to meet with Mr Bates - the eponymous hero of the recent ITV drama - on the advice of civil servants who believed not meeting him would generate unwelcome headlines at a time when journalists were investigating the scandal. In advance of the meeting in October 2010 he was advised not to agree to any of the demands made by Mr Bates, who was then the Chair of the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance. In the newly disclosed letter, which is also dated October 2010 Sir Ed repeated the Post Office's claims about the Horizon system. Several of the assertions he made in the letter are now known to be inaccurate, including his claim that only staff in an actual post office branch could input data into an Horizon terminal. He wrote: 'The integrity of Horizon is built on tamper proof logs, real time back ups and absence of 'backdoors' so that all data entry or acceptance is at branch level and is tagged against the log-on ID of the user.' Mr Davey also raised the idea of 'user mistakes' in the letter even though he had already been told that it was the technology, not the postmasters at fault. He wrote: 'Help lines are available. If an error occurs through a user mistake there is a full system in place for investigation and error resolution.' His remarks about the helpline will raise eyebrows because it is now known that call staff misled callers so they would think they and not the system was at fault. Mr Davey referred to his meeting with the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance in his letter to Glindon. He assured her he had listened to the concerns of campaigners and instructed his officials to raise some of their points with the Post Office. But that claim contradicts the advice he had been given by his own civil servants. The documents obtained by this newspaper show that other MPs also wrote to Mr Davey to highlight the plight of constituents caught up in the scandal. In July 2010 the Labour MP Valerie Vaz wrote to him to highlight her concerns that the Horizon system was 'ridden with faults.' In October 2010 the Tory MP Jonathan Lord wrote to him to ask what action he was intending to take in the light of his meeting with the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance. Mary Glindon, the Labour MP for North Tyneside who received the letter from Mr Davey said: 'If you get a letter from the minister you don't imagine that they are saying something that they don't believe or that is contrary to the facts.' 'Its very disappointing to learn about this.' Chris Trousdale a former sub postmaster and victim of the scandal said many of the claims in Mr Davey's letter were simply incorrect. Other MPs wrote to Sir Ed, who was then the minister in charge of the post office, to voice the plight of constituents' who were caught up in the scandal Mr Trousdale said Sir Ed should have agreed to meet campaigners earlier and acted on their concerns immediately. He said: 'My opinion is that in his position, a position of oversight, if someone has repeatedly come forward for a meeting and he has been given information from a group of people who have become organised surely the first thing you would do when given assurances by the Post Office is to ask probing questions. It's the minimum you would do.' He added: 'Mr Davey now claims he was misled or lied to by Post Office officials. But you cannot now go around saying people lied to you without identifying those people and identifying what they said.' A spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats said: 'Ed held the first meeting on record with Alan Bates to hear his concerns and put those concerns directly to the post office. Ed - like Alan Bates, the sub-postmasters and every other post office minister - was lied to by the post office. 'These lies from the post office constitute an enormous conspiracy and led to the greatest miscarriage of justice of our age.' People with an aggressive form of blood cancer have been given fresh hope as two new drugs are set to be rolled out on the NHS. The medications, epcoritamab and loncastuximab tesirine, were approved by the NHSs spending watchdog within two days of one another, throwing a lifeline to patients living with a type of non-Hodgkins lymphoma that kills four in ten within five years of diagnosis. Every year about 5,500 Britons are told they have diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The condition occurs when some of the bodys immune cells, known as lymphocytes, dont work properly and build up in the lymph nodes or other parts of the body. It commonly shows up as swollen glands in the neck, unexplained weight-loss, night sweats and painless lumps on the body. Following the drugs approval, NHS doctors can now give DLBCL patients either epcoritamab or loncastuximab tesirine when their cancer has not responded to at least two other treatments. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma occurs when some of the bodys immune cells, known as lymphocytes, dont work properly and build up in the lymph nodes or other parts of the body (stock photo) Epcoritamab, sold under the brand name Tepkinly, is given via monthly injections. Its whats known as a bispecific antibody a protein that recognises and attaches to cancer cells, helping the body fight off the disease Loncastuximab tesirine, however, is an antibody-drug conjugate, which is given via a drip and works by seeking out proteins on the surface of cancer cells and delivering chemotherapy to the tumour to kill them Epcoritamab, sold under the brand name Tepkinly, is given via monthly injections. Its whats known as a bispecific antibody a protein that recognises and attaches to cancer cells, helping the body fight off the disease. One study showed that 39 per cent of patients given the treatment were cancer-free after just ten months. Loncastuximab tesirine, however, is an antibody-drug conjugate, which is given via a drip and works by seeking out proteins on the surface of cancer cells and delivering chemotherapy to the tumour to kill them. Dr Dima El-Sharkawi, a consultant haematologist at Londons Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, says the drugs could offer a solution to a fifth of people with DLBCL for whom no other treatment has worked. The outlook for these patients is bleak, often dying within months. The standard treatment for DLBCL is known as R-CHOP a combination of chemotherapy and an immune-boosting cancer treatment called immunotherapy that trains the body to ward off cancer. This currently cures about half of DLBCL patients, but the remaining sufferers have to seek alternative options such as a stem cell transplant formerly known as a bone marrow transplant. This procedure involves stem cells from the patient or a donor being harvested from their bone marrow the spongy tissue inside our bones responsible for making red blood cells and immune system white blood cells. These are multiplied in a lab before being injected into the patient in the hope they stop the body from producing the faulty white blood cells that characterise blood cancers such as DLBCL. More recently, patients have been offered CAR-T therapy, which modifies cells in the immune system to target and attack cancer cells. However, some people are too frail to cope with its side effects which can include breathing troubles, fever, low blood pressure and vomiting and around half of patients who opt for the treatment see their cancer come back. Dr El-Sharkawi says: Theres been an explosion in terms of treatment options for DLBCL. All you need for each patient is for just one of these drugs to work. Alexander Gudmestad, 34, was first given his devastating DLBCL diagnosis in spring 2020 in his native Norway after he discovered several lumps on his neck. The filmmaker, who now lives in Reigate, Surrey, with his wife Lottie, says: I thought it was probably a cold but the lumps didnt stop growing. Id had testicular cancer when I was a kid, so I knew to go to the GP quickly. Alexanders doctors in Norway started treating him with R-CHOP to an initial success, but the cancer returned the following year. He had several more rounds of treatment, including more chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant, but the cancer kept on returning. In 2022, Alexander moved to England and underwent CAR-T therapy on the NHS at the Royal Marsden Hospital NHS Trust. The cancer returned later that year and Alexander started epcoritamab in October. He adds: We didnt know if it was going to work, so I didnt want to put my hopes on it. But a scan last month revealed the really good news that the treatment is working, and that Alexander is now cancer-free. Im very happy that its working and Ill be continuing with the treatment for as long as it does work, he adds. I can live fairly normally with the disease and the treatment for as long as it works, which wasnt an option before. If I was in the same situation two years ago there would have been no hope. The niece of ABC chairperson Ita Buttrose was allegedly bashed by a man before sharing pictures of herself online with a bloodied nose. The former Sydney socialite and one-time Real Housewives star Lizzie Buttrose shared a picture of her bloodied nose and chin to social media over the weekend. Ms Buttrose's caption accused the man who assaulted her of being 'pure evil, allegedly'. Friends of Ms Buttrose commented on the confronting pictures, asking whether the 54-year-old was 'all right'. Ms Buttrose has since removed the post and instead, been sharing pictures of her pet parrot Louis. Niece of media legend Ita Buttrose and former Sydney socialite, Lizzie Buttrose has claimed she was allegedly assaulted by a man she labelled as 'pure evil' Ms Buttrose shared images of her bloodied nose and chin to social media over the weekend but has since deleted the post In 2017, Ms Buttrose allegedly claimed she was assaulted by her ex-fiance Zoran Mijadzevic. Police granted an apprehended violence order (AVO) on behalf of Ms Buttrose following the allegations against the cage fighter. At the time, police alleged Mr Mijadzevic backhanded Ms Buttrose across the face, defaced a piano and smashed a hole in a wall at the pair's Vaucluse home. Ms Buttrose fought the AVO. Police were called to the couple's home 13 times over a period of 10 months. Mr Mijadzevic, who was the seventh man Ms Buttrose had been engaged too, was not charged and is not alleged to be the person responsible for the recent assault. Will Folks, 49, and Larry Marchant, 61, claim they had affairs with Haley in 2008 Donald Trump has mocked Nikki Haley for being on the campaign trail without her husband, whom she allegedly cheated on twice. Michael Haley, a major in the South Carolina Army National Guard, is deployed in Africa and previously served in Afghanistan. Trump attacked his only remaining rival for the Republican presidential nomination at a huge rally in her home state of South Carolina on Saturday. 'Where's her husband? Oh, he's away What happened to her husband? Where is he? He's gone,' he said in Conway. DailyMail.com revealed new details last month of claims by two men that Haley had extramarital affairs with them in 2008. Haley denied both of them. Trump appeared to refer to the alleged affairs as he continued 'he knew, he knew'. Donald Trump has mocked Nikki Haley for being on the campaign trail without her husband, whom she allegedly cheated on twice Haley, a former governor of South Carolina, hit back hard at Trump's criticism of her husband at her own rally later that day Michael Haley, a major in the South Carolina Army National Guard, is deployed in Africa and previously served in Afghanistan Trump's wife Melania has also been completely absent from his campaign, not appearing with him since he announced his candidacy in 2020. Haley, a former governor of South Carolina, hit back hard at Trump's criticism of her husband at her own rally later that day. 'If you mock the service of a combat veteran, you don't deserve a driver's license, let alone being president of the United States,' she said. 'Donald, if you have something to say, don't say it behind my back; get on a debate stage and say it to my face.' Haley added on Twitter: 'Michael is deployed serving our country, something you know nothing about. 'Someone who continually disrespects the sacrifices of military families has no business being commander in chief.' Major Haley had his own response, posting a meme to Twitter reading, 'The difference between humans and animals? Animals would never allow the dumbest ones to lead the pack' and tagged Trump's account. Haley quickly spun Trump's attack into a fundraising opportunity on her website Major Michael Haley had his own response, posting a meme to Twitter reading, 'The difference between humans and animals? Animals would never allow the dumbest ones to lead the pack' and tagged Trump's account Haley later posted photos of her daughter Rena, 25, and Nalin, 22, in front of her tour bus in South Carolina. 'Running for president is hard. Its even harder to do when it feels like Im missing my rock, Michael. But I am so grateful to, and proud of, my kids for being a part of this with me!' she wrote. At another point in Trump's rally, he claimed he only made 'Tricky Nikki' Haley UN Ambassador because he wanted Henry McMaster to replace her as governor. 'She did her job, she was fine, she was OK. But I didn't put her there because I wanted her there at the UN,' he claimed. 'I wanted to take your lieutenant governor, who's right here, and make him governor, that's what I wanted. And I wanted you to have Peggy as a First Lady. Trump also claimed 'Birdbrain' Haley came to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, with her husband, and promised to never run against him. The former president's speech included other wild claims, including President Joe Biden being 'paid off' by China and that Barack Obama was secretly pulling Biden's strings. Haley later posted photos of her daughter Rena, 25, and Nalin, 22, in front of her tour bus in South Carolina 'Running for president is hard. Its even harder to do when it feels like Im missing my rock, Michael. But I am so grateful to, and proud of, my kids for being a part of this with me!' she wrote Trump and Haley together when she was UN Ambassador in 2017. He claimed he only gave her that role so her lieutenant governor could take her job New witnesses last month told DailyMail.com that Haley's denials of the two alleged 2008 affairs were false, and the supposed trysts were brazen and widely known among South Carolina politicos. Will Folks, 49, and Larry Marchant, 61, both signed affidavits in 2010 alleging they had a sexual relationship with the then-South Carolina lawmaker, before she went on to become governor. While the contents of the affidavits were described by major news outlets at the time, this is the first time they have been published outside of Folks' own document which he published on his blog. Haley, 51, denied both at the time, saying she was '100% faithful' to the father of her two children and husband of 28 years. But multiple GOP insiders told DailyMail.com that they were intimately aware of Haley's infidelity as a South Carolina lawmaker. These included tales of steamy liaisons in the back of her Cadillac SUV, 'canoodling' in her lovers' laps at bars, and nights spent together in a Columbia, South Carolina duplex. Haley responded to the article by kicking DailyMail.com reporters out of a campaign event and banning them from future ones. Haley first responded to the allegations when they emerged in 2010 in a statement insisting she has been '100% faithful to my husband throughout our 13 years of marriage' Signed affidavits obtained by DailyMail.com, and now, multiple witnesses, claim Haley had sexual relationships with Columbia lobbyist Larry Marchant Jr., 61,(left) and her communications consultant Will Folks before she was elected governor in 2010 Back in 2007, Folks was shaping Haley's political message as her communications consultant while she served as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives. In a 2010 affidavit obtained by DailyMail.com, Folks stated that he and Haley 'engaged in an inappropriate physical relationship that included numerous instances of inappropriate sexual contact'. Larry Marchant Jr., 61, a Columbia lobbyist, also wrote a sworn statement that year that he had dinner, drinks and sex with Haley in her hotel room at a Salt Lake City conference in June 2008. At the time Haley's two children, Rena and Nalin, were around 10 and 7. 'Rep. Nikki Haley and I were in Salt Lake City attending a conference together on June 14-15,2008,' Marchant wrote in his affidavit. 'We were both staying at the Salt Lake Marriott Downtown. 'After a night together of dinner and drinks with other participants of the conference, Rep. Haley and I returned to the hotel together. 'We went back to her room where we had sexual intercourse and I spent the remainder of the evening. I left her room at approximately 6am. 'I came forward publicly on this matter only after being contacted by the press and after hearing Rep. Haley claim that she had been One Hundred Percent faithful to her husband in response to the Folk's allegations when I knew her statements were absolutely false.' The former UN ambassador has been married to Michael Haley since 1996. They share two children, daughter Rena, now 25, and son Nalin, 22 Marchant, who was married at the time, divorced in 2013, with his wife citing the alleged Haley affair in court papers Marchant, who was married at the time, divorced in 2013, with his wife citing the alleged Haley affair in court papers. The Republican presidential candidate managed to successfully quash the allegations and avoid scandal and ultimately went on to be elected governor in November 2010. But one South Carolina GOP insider told DailyMail.com they knew about Haley's alleged affair with Marchant at the time. 'She was in [Marchant's] office all the time, she'd be there at 11 or midnight, the two of them would be drinking,' the former associate of Haley said. The GOP insider said he had also seen Haley get into the back of her off-white Cadillac SUV with her other alleged beau, Folks. 'I saw them sitting in it a few times with the windows steamed up,' he said. A second prominent South Carolina Republican said he regularly saw the distinctive Cadillac outside Folks's duplex in Columbia, apparently staying overnight. 'I became curious when I saw an SUV parked outside early in the morning and late at night. It had legislative tags, it wasn't hard to figure out whose it was,' he said. A woman from Far North Queensland has sparked a fiery discussion after posting a lengthy rant about tourists who she claims are ignoring important warning signs. The ex-pat, who appears to have lived in Cardwell for several years, complained online last week that day after day after day she is forced to shoo visitors off the towns iconic beach overlooking Hinchinbrook Island. I have come to the conclusion that people who are not Australian cant read warning signs, she posted on Facebook alongside a photo of a sign erected on the beach. The resident in Cardwell, Far North Queensland, claimed tourists frequently ignore warning signs at the beach. Source: Facebook Warning, it reads in English, Chinese and German, urging people not to swim because crocodiles inhabit this area and attacks may cause injury or death. The sign also tells tourists to keep away from the waters edge and take extreme care when launching or retrieving boats. Campers should stay well away from the water and fishermen are discouraged from cleaning fish or leaving fish waste behind. Like the one in the picture, it clearly, in a couple of languages just in case they cant understand the pictures, says that its not the best idea to go onto the beach, the woman added. Local 'yells' at visitors to 'get off the beach' The 68-year-old resident said tourists often visit Cardwell for its idyllic view, and stop to grab a sandwich or one of their apparently famous meat pies and a coffee or beer. Theyll have a walk along the foreshore path and look at the never-ending sandy beach that has absolutely no human footprints on it; they gaze at the horizon dotted with some of the Great Barrier Reef islands and look for the steps down to that beach, she said. Crocodiles in northern Australia are getting bigger every year, local Rodney Fischer recently told Yahoo. Source: Rodney Fischer Because they dont read the signs, and the moment that they get their towel laid out, or pull off their shoes some well-meaning local (like me) will rock up and yell at them get off the beach, or cant you read, you dork?. Story continues The travellers are lucky if they havent let their kids jump into the water yet, and may go away thinking that elderly Australian women are right weird, she continued. If they are not so lucky they might get eaten, the local said. After discovering that all the hullabaloo is because our waters are infested with crocodiles, sharks and stingers, they have a tendency not to come here for their holidays. Woman's warning sign rant backfires The womans rant has ignited a heated debate, with several social media users arguing that the sign doesnt tell people they cant walk or sit on the sand. Um, the sign says not to go in the water and use caution by the water edge one person responded. It does not say do not go on to the beach. The two images are also no swimming and here there be crocodiles not no entry. So maybe a new sign is needed? I am also struggling to understand the issue with just walking along the beach, as long as you dont go put your hand on anything suspiciously log shaped with eyes, another said. A third person who claimed they walk on a croc beach everyday deemed the post a gross exaggeration of the danger. Vigilance yes, but not to stay off of the beach. People fish off of the beach all the time, no problem, someone else wrote. Other Aussies joked that the woman was starving the crocodiles and that its called natural selection. Last year, a man was attacked by a crocodile in Far North Queensland when he and his dog entered dangerous waters. The croc mauled him on the leg before turning on, and killing his dog. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new newsletter showcasing the weeks best stories. She added she told her kids' school to 'kiss my ass' when they told her to delete her X-rated accounts Christian school principal Jeremy Thomas said her erotic antics are 'inconsistent with the teachings of the Bible' A Florida private Christian school condemned an OnlyFans-famous mom as a 'sinner' who will face 'the judgement of Christ' after expelling her sons because she advertised her X-rated account. Michelle Cline, who goes by Piper Fawn online, was initially only banned from bringing her SUV onto campus because it advertised her raunchy career. But her two children were subsequently expelled from Liberty Christian Preparatory School after she allegedly flouted the rules before putting a larger advertising decal on her back windshield instead, which she denies. After banishing her kids, school principal Jeremy Thomas justified his decision because her erotic antics are 'inconsistent with the teachings of the Bible.' 'Pornography is a vice and a sexual sin that destroys lives and breaks up marriages,' the principal told the New York Post. Michelle Cline, who goes by Piper Fawn online, saw her children get expelled because she displayed a decal on her car promoting her OnlyFans account Liberty Christian Preparatory School principal Jeremy Thomas expelled her children, and justified his decision because her erotic antics are 'inconsistent with the teachings of the Bible' The school said Cline 'mockingly' added a bigger decal to the rear of her car after the initial complaints He continued: 'The negative impact of pornography on youth can result in future long-term relationship issues. 'Consuming, producing, distributing, or advertising pornography is inconsistent with the teachings of the Bible, the Church, and LCP. 'Scripture is clear that anyone who causes children to sin will be subject to the judgment of Christ, absent sincere repentance and turning from sin to Him. 'Christ came to save sinners, and died so that all can enter into eternal life and experience His joy. LCP desires to help families nurture and educate their children in the love of God and what is good.' Cline is far from shy about promoting her career, which rakes in a staggering $20,000-a-month with her videos, often featuring her husband. She had been openly advertising her OnlyFans account on her car with window decal, sparking the initial trouble after several parents at her kids' school complained. Cline was then ordered to drop her children off across the street, but claimed to the Post that this 'wasn't enough' and the school decided to expel her children. The school reportedly offered the possibility of re-enrolling her kids if she removed the decal and deleted her pornographic profiles. She said: 'I felt like when they asked me to park off campus, I immediately obliged. I never had my car on campus again and then its like that wasnt enough and they had to take it a step further. 'I just feel like taking it out on the kids wasnt really fair.' Cline had clashed heads with the school board and fellow parents and was initially ordered to walk her kids from a nearby street, but felt they were expelled because that 'wasn't enough' Cline had been openly advertising her X-rated business on her car using a decal, seen here, but parents at her child's school revolted When the school told Cline and her husband on February 5 that her children's place would be terminated immediately, they said it was due to her 'mockingly' replacing a smaller decal with a larger one across the whole back windshield. She denied ever doing so, and said she had the same promotion on her motor for years. 'Weve been involved with this church and school for over five years. And then so its funny, weve done OnlyFans for a good three and a half and then now, at least two of those years, the decals are on the car,' she said. 'Im the same person that was, three years ago, sitting in church service. I havent changed. Its just something that Ive chosen to be more open with. 'But I definitely get singled out now because people are like, Oh, no, she does that. Its like, Ive been doing this. It doesnt make me a different person.' While she was offered the chance to re-enroll her kids if she scrubbed her illicit activity from the internet, the mom said she has no intention of doing so. Because the school added in its offer that she would have to 'desire to sincerely seek repentance and restoration', she felt offended. 'Forgive my language, but I was basically like, kiss my ass,'' she said. She and her husband have reportedly decided to homeschool their children, and plan to move to a new neighborhood. Donald Trump has been widely condemned for claiming he would encourage Russia to attack NATO members who didn't 'pay up'. Among those condemning the former president was the White House, which branded his remarks 'unhinged,' and a former communications aide who said Trump was emboldening Vladimir Putin, amid fears it could even trigger World War Three. The ex-president made the alarming promise to rile up a cheering crowd, that spilled on to the streets outside his rally in Conway, South Carolina, on Saturday. 'The president of a big country stood up and said "if we don't pay, and we're attacked by Russia, will you protect us?" I said you didn't pay, you're delinquent? He said, "yes, let's say that happened". 'No, I would not protect you, in fact I would encourage them (Russia) to do whatever the hell they want, you gotta pay! You gotta pay your bills.' Trump flew back to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida after the rally, where he walked through a ballroom full of cheering supporters to embrace his wife Melania. Donald Trump has claimed he would encourage Russia to attack NATO members that don't pay their share of the alliance's budget Trump was seen being embraced by wife Melania after arriving back at Mar-a-Lago later on Saturday evening The White House called Trump's words 'appalling and unhinged' and argued they 'promoted dangerous chaos'. 'President Biden has restored our alliances and made us stronger in the world because he knows every commander in chiefs first responsibility is to keep the American people safe and hold true to the values that unite us,' it said. 'Encouraging invasions of our closest allies by murderous regimes is appalling and unhinged and it endangers American national security, global stability, and our economy at home. 'Rather than calling for wars and promoting deranged chaos, President Biden will continue to bolster American leadership and stand up for our national security interests not against them.' Trump's former communications director, Alyssa Farah Griffin, wrote on Twitter that his declaration that he would not help NATO allies was 'music to Putins ears'. Griffin, who is now a co-host of The View, also called Trump a 'sad old man' for taunting his opponent Nikki Haley about her husband not being with her on the campaign trail because he is serving with the National Guard in Africa. DailyMail.com previously revealed claims Haley cheated on her husband with two other men, with Trump seemingly making vague reference to the scandal in his remarks. Other prominent figures including lawmakers, retired military officers, journalists, and congressmen expressed horror at Trump's remarks online. Trump's former communications director, Alyssa Farah Griffin, wrote on Twitter that his declaration that he would not help NATO allies was 'music to Putins ears' Trump has in the past praised Russian President Vladimir Putin, and even sided with him over US intelligence agencies when Putin denied meddling in the 2016 election But Richard Grenell, who was Trump's Ambassador to Germany in 2018-20 and Acting Director of National Intelligence in the last months of the Trump Administration, backed up his old boss. He also suggested Trump was referring to a conversation with a German chancellor, although the former president gave no clue as to which leader he was speaking with. 'Germany, the largest economy in Europe and a country that has budget surpluses most every year, started increasing its NATO obligation only after Trump pressured them,' he claimed. 'Biden no longer pressures Germany and so they arent increasing anymore. Today, the Germans still aren't paying the required 2% for NATO members. 'The only lesson for the US taxpayer is that we must have a US president who exerts big pressure on Germany.' NATO members are not 'required' to spend two per cent of their GDP on defense, it is a guideline the alliance agreed to work towards in 2014 - well before Trump. Trump at the rally also repeated his frequent, and dubious, claim that while president he strong-armed European allies into paying more for defense. 'NATO was busted until I came along. I said, "everybody's going to pay". They said, "well, if we don't pay are you still going to protect us?" I said, "absolutely not". They couldn't believe the answer,' he said. Another former ambassador, Michael McFaul, who was Barack Obama's man in Russia in 2012-14, pointed out Trump didn't understand how NATO worked. 'This is crazy. And 8 years later, Trump shows that he STILL doesnt understand how NATO works! Its not a protection racket. They dont pay us to protect them,' he wrote on Twitter. Trump claimed twice during his speech repeated his frequent claim that while president he strong-armed European allies into paying more for defense Trump often claims he single-handedly convinced NATO members to contribute more, but there is no account of this ever taking place. As McFaul explained, NATO funding also doesn't work how Trump frequently claims it does, and his boasting doesn't mesh with reality. No NATO member is failing to pay its share of the alliance's $3 billion common budget, which is based on GDP and which the US pays 16 per cent of. Separate to that, NATO members in 2014 - before Trump even entered the presidential race - pledged to boost their defense spending. A target of two per cent of GDP by 2024 was set, in response to Russia annexing Crimea from Ukraine, and defense spending by the 29 NATO countries has steadily increased. This plan was created well before Trump had any influence on NATO countries, but he took credit for it dozens of time over the past eight years. Trump during a New Hampshire town hall last month also made the same wildly incorrect claim, and argued NATO was 'taking advantage' of the US. 'The European countries took advantage of I want to use the word starting with an S, but I don't want to do it because I see some young, very good-looking children in the audience, and I assume they're watching on television,' he said. 'But they took advantage of us on trade, and then they took advantage of us on our military protection. 'Of the 28 countries at the time, only eight countries were paid up. We were paying the difference. Trump speaks at a 'Get Out the Vote' Rally in Conway, South Carolina 'And I went to them. I said, "if you don't pay, we're not going to protect you". And they said, "do you mean that?" I said, "I mean that". And the next day, billions of dollars poured into NATO.' Trump threatened to withdraw from NATO several times while he was president, calling it 'obsolete' and a drain on American resources. This is despite the about $500 million the US pays in direct funding being dwarfed by the $842 billion defense budget. Congress got so concerned Trump could unilaterally withdraw form NATO if he won a second term that it passed a law in December requiring the president to get a two-third majority of the Senate to do so. Trump has also praised Russian President Vladimir Putin, and even sided with him over US intelligence agencies when Putin denied meddling in the 2016 election. Putin denied he had any interest in attacking NATO countries, like Poland and the Baltic states, in his controversial interview with Tucker Carlson. 'Only in one case, if Poland attacks Russia. We have no interest in Poland, Latvia or anywhere else. Why would we do that? We simply don't have any interest. It is absolutely out of the question,' he said. Putin denied he had any interest in attacking NATO countries, like Poland and the Baltic states, in his controversial interview with Tucker Carlson French soldiers take part in a major drill as part of NATO's 'enhanced forward presence' (EFP) deployment in Poland and the Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in 2022 Trump's claim he would 'encourage' Russia to attack NATO allies had eerie parallels to when he called on Russian hackers to find emails from Hillary Clinton, his Democratic opponent in the US presidential election. 'Russia, if you're listening. I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing,' he said in July 2016 during the election campaign. Hours later, the Main Intelligence Directorate in Moscow appeared to heed the call targeting Clintons personal office and hitting more than 70 other Clinton campaign accounts. That was according to a grand jury indictment charging 12 Russian military intelligence officers with hacking into the Clinton campaign and the Democratic Party as part of a sweeping conspiracy by the Kremlin to meddle in the election. Jill Biden has come out fighting following the scathing special prosecutor's report on her husband's memory, saying claims Joe forgot their son Beau's death were intended 'to score political points.' 'Believe me, like anyone who has lost a child, Beau and his death never leave him,' the First Lady said in a statement shared by a campaign X account. The statement came in response to special prosecutor Robert K. Hur's conclusion that Biden should not be charged for mishandling classified documents, but only because a jury wouldn't convict him because he would appear as 'a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.' But the argument that President Biden couldn't forget his son's tragic death defies public gaffes he has made on the topic in the past. This included a rally from June 2023, when Biden claimed he and Jill 'lost our son in Iraq' - despite Beau passing away in Maryland in 2015 from brain cancer. First Lady Jill Biden defended claims President Biden forgot his son Beau's death in interviews with a Special Prosecutor, saying: 'Believe me, like anyone who has lost a child, Beau and his death never leave him.' The three are pictured together in 2012 Beau served in Iraq and may well have caught the disease from exposure to 'burn pits' where toxic military material is incinerated. But critics of the Bidens are likely to accuse Jill of hypocrisy for choosing to zero in on specifics when her husband has previously paid lip-service to them himself. In her statement shared Saturday evening, the First Lady began: 'Friends, I've heard from so many of you asking about the Special Counsel's report this week. Thank you for your love and support.' She said that viewers 'probably know the basics' of the case, that the president 'cooperated fully with a Special Counsel's investigation and they found he did nothing wrong.' 'No criminal charges were warranted,' she said, linking to an opinion piece by historian Heather Cox Richardson that claimed the prosecutor report 'amounted to a partisan hit job.' But Jill said the conclusion was not what she was releasing the statement about - what she branded 'inaccurate and personal political attacks about Joe.' 'Rather than just saying the case was closed, as they have for others, the Special Counsel claimed that Joe 'couldn't remember the year his son died'. 'Believe me, like anyone who has lost a child, Beau and his death never leave him. 'I hope you can imagine how it felt to read that attack - not just as Joe's wife, but as Beau's mother.' She continued: 'I don't know what this Special Counsel was trying to achieve. We should give everyone grace, and I can't imagine someone would try to use our son's death to score political points. The First Lady responded to special prosecutor Robert K. Hur's (pictured) conclusion that Biden should not be charged for mishandling classified documents, but only because a jury wouldn't convict him because he would appear as 'a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory' 'If you've experienced a loss like that, you know that you don't measure it in years - you measure it in grief. 'May 30 is a day forever etched in our hearts. It shattered me, it shattered our family.' The statement's countering of the scathing prosecutor's report comes less than a year after Biden publicly misspoke over how Beau died. At a rally in Rocky Mountain, North Carolina in June 2023, Biden incorrectly claimed he ran for president while serving as Barack Obama's Vice President, before asserting Beau died while serving in Iraq. Speaking on reports he hadn't planned to run for president again, Biden told the crowd: 'You know, the bottom line is this I ran for president I ran for president for a basic reason. 'I had run when I was vice president, and then Barack and I spent eight years together, and then the new administration came in, and, in the meantime, things changed in our life and our family. 'I lost my son we lost our son in Iraq. Anyway I hadn't planned on running.' Biden had previously made similar claims that his son died while serving in Iraq. Biden seen visiting his son, U.S. Army Capt. Beau Biden, at Camp Victory on the outskirts of Baghdad on July 4, 2009. Beau served in the Delaware Army National Guard before launching his own political career It is true that Beau had served in Iraq, and was deployed and rose to the rank of major in the Delaware Army National Guard from 2008 to 2009. He returned before launching his own political career, serving as Delaware Attorney General and planning a run for Governor of Delaware before he passed away from brain cancer in 2015. President Biden has maintained there is a strong possibility Beau's brain cancer was caused by exposure to burn pits while in Iraq. Jill Biden concluded her statement by noting that she and President Biden only made it through the tough time of their son's death by finding purpose. 'So many of you know that feeling after you lose a loved one, where you feel like you can't get off the floor. 'What helped me, and what helped Joe, was to find purpose. That's what keeps Joe going, serving you and the country we love.' She then addressed his age, countering that experience should be perceived as one of President Biden's strongest assets. 'Joe is 81, that's true, but he's 81 doing more in an hour than most people do in a day. Joe has wisdom, empathy, and vision. 'He has delivered on so many of his promises as President precisely because he's learned a lot in those 81 years. 'His age, with his experience and expertise, is an incredible asset and he proves it every day.' Jill said her son's death 'shattered me, it shattered our family' The First Lady rattled off several of these accomplishments, including 'bringing our country back from COVID', 'creating 14 million jobs', and passing bipartisan legislation 'even in the midst of this hyper-partisan environment.' 'The media may not give him credit, but I'm thankful you realize all he's done for this country. 'Joe is the most resilient person I've ever known. When he gets knocked down, he gets back up and gets back to work. That's what he's doing.' After thanking Democratic supporters for their support, she concluded: 'At some point in our lives, we'll all experience grief and loss. We'll go through challenging moments and twists and turns. 'But we find joy together, we persevere together, and ultimately we'll prevail together.' Beau's biological mother was Neilia Hunter, who was killed in a car crash alongside her one year-old daughter Naomi in December 1972. Beau and his younger brother Hunter - both toddlers at the time - were also in the car when it was struck by a semi and were injured too. Joe met Jill on a blind date in 1975 and the couple wed two years later. The couple welcomed a daughter, Ashley Biden, in 1981. The family of a father-of-two left seriously injured and bedridden after a horrific workplace accident has opened up about the long road to recovery ahead of him. Tyson Purcell, 32, was working at a farm in Illowa, Warrnambool, on Victoria's south-west coast, on January 31 when the accident took place. The young father was hooking up his harness on top of a water tank when he took a wrong step, falling 2.5m onto the concrete below. The self-employed pump and irrigation specialist landed on the back of his head. Mr Purcell sustained multiple injuries including a fractured skull, two brain bleeds and a gash on his left thigh. Father-of-two Tyson Purcell (pictured) has a long road to recovery ahead of him READ MORE: Construction worker's head sliced open when an object fell 4.5metres from above on a building site The construction worker fell 4.5m after he was truck by a concrete hose. Pictured are emergency responders at the scene Advertisement The self-employed worker also injured the opening in the base of his skull where the spinal cord connects to the brain, called the foramen magnum. The father was initially treated locally but was then flown to The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne where he stayed for several days. discharged from hospital, Mr Purcell now has minimum three months of bed rest to recover. Doctors are hoping both the brain bleeds and fractures will heal over, and there is a likelihood the father will need rehabilitation. The irrigation worker has been told he now has an increased risk of a stroke or seizure due to the brain bleeds he still suffers from. Mr Purcell's fiance Jess Evans took time off work but doesn't any leave entitlements left, which means the young family don't have any source of income at the moment. Family friend Mel Howley, told 7news.com.au that the couple are in a tough situation at the moment. Ms Howley said Mr Purcell's movement is limited and 'extremely laboured'. 'It's a long road. Hes been told three months but who knows, honestly, how long he may not be able to work for or drive,' she said. Ms Evans, who is a disability support worker, is looking after her fiance as well as running around after their two kids aged 10 and eight and two dogs. Ms Howley said the mum is running around after the kids, organising school drop-offs as well as taking her fiance to appointments, leaving her exhausted. Friends, family and the local community have rallied around Tyson and his fiancee Jess (pictured with their family) Making matters worse is the fear that something else could happen to Mr Purcell, such as a stroke, is negatively impacting Ms Evans. The couple were described as 'beyond generous by Ms Howley and the first to help others. Ms Howley has set up an online fundraiser to assist with ongoing medical bills. 'I am raising funds for this amazing family, so they can focus on healing, without the stress of wondering how theyll put food on the table, fuel their car for specialist visits in Melbourne, or pay for the multitude of doctor/physio bills,' the page states 'Anyone who knows Tyson and Jess, knows that they would happily give the shirt off their back for someone else. Ms Evans thanked family, friends and community members who have rallied together to support the family as they try to get back on their feet. More than $5,700 has been raised. 'Health is our number one priority right now, so its nice to know that the kindness of others means that, as a family, we can focus on healing without the burden of stressing about how we will pay for all future medical appointments,' Ms Evans said. Ms Howley added the positive response to the fundraiser shows the type of people the couple are. Locals searching for missing mum Samantha Murphy have been left horrified after a sign 19km from where she was last seen was vandalised with a sick joke implying she met with a grisly fate. The mother-of-three, 51, was last seen leaving her home on Eureka Street in Ballarat East, in country Victoria, to go jogging in Woowookarung Regional Park at about 7am on February 4. Her husband Mick Murphy, 53, raised the alarm when she didn't return home for their 11am family brunch date. A widespread search was mounted by police, Country Fire Association and State Emergency Service volunteers and hundreds of locals, but investigators scaled the efforts back over the weekend. Some were shocked by the decision to end the official hunt and decided to take matters into their own hands, scouring the area for the missing mum in small groups. It was during an independent search that locals came across a defaced council sign about a water quality issue at Dean Reservoir, north-east of where she went missing. The sign read: 'Please be aware that the water quality issue is currently affecting the clarity of the water in Dean Reservoir.' Below the paragraph, the vandal wrote: 'Thanks Sam.' Samantha Murphy, 51, vanished while out for a jog in the Woowookarung Regional Park on February 4 Pictured: A council sign that was vandalised with a cruel joke about missing mum Samantha Murphy Pictured: Dean's Reservoir, where the council sign was placed READ MORE: Worrying hidden detail in police statement about Samantha Murphy's disappearance Samantha Murphy, 51, (pictured) vanished without a trace on February 4 Advertisement The resident reported the vandalism to police and posted a photo of the shocking act in a social media group dedicated to the search. A group member wrote: 'The implication is that the reservoir is closed because of Sam. 'I'll leave it up to you to figure out why. If it's a sick joke, it's not funny.' Others suggested it could be a hoax but agreed it should be reported to police anyway. Another team of volunteers found a black bra that had been chopped in half and hung on a post in nearby bushland, which was also reported to police. There were prayers for Ms Murphy and her family at Buninyong Anglican Church on Sunday morning, as the downgraded search entered its eight day. Reverend Mark Schnerring didn't include Ms Murphy in his sermon, but he did tell churchgoers the family were in his prayers. After the service, he told Daily Mail Australia that he does not believe the missing mum will be found alive. 'Well, it doesn't seem like there's anything good that can happen now,' Rev Schnerring said. 'It seems either she's had some kind of accident herself and died, or that she's been killed, I guess they're looking at possibilities.' Samantha Murphy was last seen leaving her home on Eureka Street in Ballarat East to go for a run in the Canadian State Forest at about 7am (CCTV pictured) Local volunteers involved in the search for Samantha found a black bra (pictured) that had been cut in half and hung on a fence Rev Schnerring said he didn't know her circumstances well enough to speculate as to whether she ran away or was kidnapped. 'I think people want to hang on to hope and that she's still OK, but the realism is that it doesn't seem like there's going to be a good outcome,' he added. Investigators called in an army of telecoms technology experts to try to piece together Ms Murphy's movements from the phone data available to them. Crime Command Detective Acting Superintendent Mark Hatt confirmed last week that Ms Murphy was wearing an Apple Watch and carrying her mobile phone with her when she disappeared. It is understood a local mobile phone tower registered a ping from Ms Murphy's phone on Sunday, after she disappeared, but police refused to say more about the timing or location of the phone. 'We can't answer that at this stage,' said Supt Hatt. 'Obviously that is going forward to our telecommunications technicians. Reverend Mark Schnerring is pictured during his Sunday sermon. He told churchgoers that the Murphy family would be in his prayers Pictured: A small group of volunteers at Buninyong Police Station on Sunday morning The official police search for Ms Murphy will be handed over to the Missing Persons Squad. Investigators have now turned to CCTV and dashcam footage to try and piece together Ms Murphy's final movements, saying a full scale search will only resume if fresh information emerges. Hundreds of hours of CCTV has already been submitted to police, according to Seven News. Police have urged anyone with footage in the Ballarat East, Mount Helen and Buninyong areas taken around the time of Ms Murphy's disappearance to come forward. Pictured: A local man searching for Samantha Murphy on his bike on Saturday Police believe footage of vehicles, other runners and walkers could be crucial to finding witnesses or people who may have further information to her whereabouts. 'Even if the footage does not depict Samantha, detectives are keen to review all footage in the areas between 7am and 7pm on Sunday, 4 February,' police said in a statement. 'Despite extensive searches in the area over the past six days, no sign of Samantha has been located.' Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who was in Ballarat on Sunday, passed on his thoughts to Ms Murphy's family and friends. 'It is, has been, I'm sure just such a difficult time,' he said. 'I thank all those people who are involved in the search and hope that it has a good outcome.' 'Baroness Bra' Michelle Mone and her entrepreneur husband Doug Barrowman have sold their 19million Belgravia townhouse, despite it previously being listed as a frozen asset. The six-bedroom home in Eaton Terrace, central London, was placed on an interim court order as part of 75m worth of assets that could be confiscated if the couple were prosecuted of the Covid PPE scandal. But in autumn the property was reportedly sold along with their 6.8m Lady M Yacht, which became infamous after the Tory peer, 52, shared a snap of her on the mega boat captioned 'Business isnt easy. But it is rewarding'. It is believed that the sales are a result of bargaining between the couple's fierce lawyers and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which led to the London home and the boat being dropped from the protective list. It means the under-fire family might have gained significant profits from the lucrative sales. The yacht Lady M became notorious when Baroness Mone shared a picture of herself in the Mediterranean in 2021. It now appears to have been sold The 25m Belgravia townhouse at 4 Chester Square, which can be sold as long as prosecutors are informed and the proceeds remain within the UK Anti-corruption investigators have frozen 75M in assets linked to Baroness Michelle Mone and Douglas Barrowman, a court order revealed. The order blocks sales of the couple's 10M Glasgow property portfolio, Isle of Man estate and townhouse in Belgravia, London Earlier this month it was reported the London home could be sold if CPS is notified in advance and the proceeds are held in a UK bank account. According to an investigation by The Sunday Times, the two assets were not mentioned in the latest 'restraint' order issued in December but instead their 145-acre Ballakew estate on the Isle of Man has been frozen. It is unclear why the Manx estate, worth 25m and listed under Barrowman's name, has replaced the other two assets but the overall value of the assets on the court order reportedly appear largely unchanged. There were 15 bank accounts listed initially, including two accounts at Coutts under the baroness' name and three accounts at private bank C Hoare & Co. Ten 'private wealth management' accounts at Goldman Sachs international are also listed. The CPS had applied for the court order on behalf of the National Crime Agency (NCA) who launched their investigation into PPE Medpro, owned by a consortium led by Barrowman, since May 2021. The probe was launched following suspicions of criminal activity connected to its procurement of PPE contracts. Baroness Mone (pictured in 2017) was made a life peer by David Cameron but has been on leave from the House of Lords since 2022 Baroness Mone and Douglas Barrowman at 'Dining With The Stars' charity dinner Lady Mone and her husband Doug Barrowman (pictured) in a YouTube documentary following the fall-out It later emerged the firm was placed in a VIP pandemic priority lane for government contracts following a recommendation by Mone, who initially denied any links with the firm. She failed to declare any interest in the PPE Medpro to the House of Lords and her lawyers repeatedly denied that she would benefit financially. Leaked documents revealed earlier this month showed Mone emailing the Cabinet Office insisting she did not have 'any financial benefit whatsoever' from her husband's company. It also said she had 'no conflict of interest' in 2020 - five months before 29m was allegedly moved into a trust for her benefit. She had also stated in the emails: My role is to help the NHS deliver on its PPE targets and to ultimately save lives. But Mone later admitted she had lied to journalists over her connections with the company, telling the BBC: 'I wasn't trying to pull the wool over anyone's eyes.' When challenged on the fact she had lied to the press, she said: 'That's not a crime.' Nine other properties bought for 10m in Glasgow's wealthy Park Circus that were purchased after the Government handed 203m in contracts for facemasks, gloves and medical gowns, are also on the list. The couple's 25million Ballakew estate on the Isle of Man is among the assets that fall under the court order requested on behalf of the National Crime Agency Nine properties in Glasgow's highly sought after Park Circus area (pictured) are also covered by the court order, which Baroness Mone says she did not contest Barrowman and Mone at Cheltenham in March 2019; they initially denied having any links with PPE Medpro before it emerged Barrowman ultimately controlled the company while Mone recommended it to the Government during the pandemic Under the terms of the order, the properties can be rented out but not sold. The company was established in May 2020 and awarded an 81m contract for face masks a month later, followed by a 122m contract for surgical gowns, according to a Public Accounts Committee report. Baroness Mone was then made the subject of a Lords inquiry into her role in procuring contracts for the company in early 2022; that probe is on hold while the NCA investigation continues. In the meantime, the Department of Health and Social Care has itself commenced legal proceedings against PPE Medpro, claiming that the gowns were not fit for use. As reporting on her and her husband's involvement with the firm ramped up in December 2022, she took an indefinite leave of absence from the House of Lords. A statement from her office, released in December 2022, read: 'With immediate effect, Baroness Mone will be taking a leave of absence...in order to clear her name of the allegations that have been unjustly levelled against her.' The Conservative peer and Ultimo bra tycoon has been embroiled in controversy surrounding 'Covid VIP lane' contracts worth more than 200million that were awarded to the company during the pandemic Emails to the Cabinet Office reveal the Tory peer insisted she did not have any financial benefit whatsoever from PPE Medpro, owned by her husband Doug Barrowman (right) She had last voted in April that year, and had not spoken in the Lords since March 2020. She is no longer a member of the Conservative party. At the end of 2023, she and her husband admitted that PPE Medpro's contracts led to a 60million profit for the company. Barrowman also admitted that he was the 'ultimate beneficiary' of the company despite UK Companies House listings failing to mention him at all. The Belgravia residence, bought in 2015 for 11m by two companies registered in the British Virgin Isles, was among a number of properties raided by the NCA in April 2022. Months later it was put up for sale in December 2022 for 23m but fell by 4m. The home's new owners have not appeared on any official records, the Times reported. MailOnline has contacted the couple and NCA. Shocking footage of a dangerous 4WD stunt at a popular beach has sparked outrage from locals. Derrin Cook filmed the Silver Toyota Landcruiser speeding along Rainbow Beach, Queensland, with five people hanging on the outside of the vehicle while another 4WD drove alongside it. In the footage, three people can be seen standing on either side of the car while holding on. Two people were sitting on the roof, with one holding a bottle. Mr Cook, who confronted the group has since shared the video online. 'I was hanging out at the beach with my son, when I saw this happening, they were doing it back and forth a few times,' the long-time told the Sunshine Coast Daily. A Silver Toyota Landcruiser was filmed travelling on Rainbow Beach, Queensland, with five people hanging on the outside of the vehicle while another 4WD drove alongside it READ MORE: Wild moment driver rips down a famous beach - as Aussies slam their 'dangerous' antics The driver appeared to momentarily lose full control of their vehicle which angered other visitors to the island Advertisement 'I went up to them and said 'look, don't do this s**t. 'They just laughed at me and kept going, so that was it.' Mr Cook suspected those involved were tourists filming the stunt for social media. 'I said to the driver 'mate, I know the chicks are hot and they look good on Instagram and all that.... but it's not worth doing it for Instagram, it's all good until someone gets squashed.' Queensland Police Service confirmed it's aware of the incident and has launched an investigation. No charges have been laid at this stage. Rainbow Beach sits between K'gari (formerly Fraser Island) and Cooloola National Park and is popular 4WD enthusiasts. As a long-term resident of the Cooloola Coast, Mr Cook said there had been an increase in dangerous behaviour recently. The long-time local said after living there for over 30 years, he didn't want it to be ruined by people doing the wrong thing. 'Weve all been young and done some stupid stuff, but dont do it in a place where theres a lot of other people that can get hurt,' he said. He's also concerns stunt like the one he filmed will cause off-road beach access to no longer be permitted. The latest incident comes after the death of a French student who was killed after the 4WD he was in rolled near the Teewah Beach campground last November. An aged care worker who was savaged by a dog in a horrifying 20-minute attack is still too unwell to understand the gravity of her life-changing injuries, friends have revealed. Lynda Watson, 51, turned up at a client's property in Condell Park, in Sydney's south-west shortly before 1pm last Tuesday when she was suddenly set upon by a French Mastiff. The dog repeatedly bit Ms Watson on the chest and limbs, with a group of nearby tradesmen rushing over to save her after hearing her screams. The tradies threw a bin and rocks at the dog before cops eventually arrived and subdued the animal was a taser. Lynda Watson (pictured), 51, turned up at a client's property in Condell Park, in Sydney 's south-west last Tuesday when she was suddenly set upon by a French Mastiff The mother-of-one reportedly has bandages covering 90 per cent of her body and will undergo a further procedure on Sunday night (pictured: Ms Watson in intensive care) Ms Watson was rushed to Liverpool Hospital in a serious but stable condition, while the dog was removed from the scene by council handlers and then euthanised. The mother-of-one remains in intensive care surrounded by her family, who rushed from interstate to be at her bedside. She reportedly has bandages covering 90 per cent of her body and will undergo a further procedure on Sunday night. 'Our dear friend Lynda has recently endured a harrowing experience she was the victim of a vicious dog attack that has left her hospitalised in the ICU with multiple lacerations and a long road to recovery ahead,' family spokeswoman Peta Banks wrote on GoFundMe. 'In the wake of this traumatic incident, Lynda faces not only physical pain but also the daunting prospect of many months, if not years, of healing ahead.' Ms Banks revealed her friend had already had two long operations to save her left arm and claimed she was lucky to be alive. Ms Watson suffered 'multiple bites' to her chest and arms in the terrifying attack 'She faces many further procedures...she has a very long road of rehabilitation and recovery ahead of her, Ms Banks told The Daily Telegraph. The dog was normally locked in the yard but he was inside the home on Tuesday when Ms Watson turned up and began attacking her. 'The homeowner was present and tried to assist. I believe the dog belonged to the homeowner's son, and that he was not present during the attack,' Ms Banks told the publication. Ms Watson has been described as 'one of the nicest people you could meet'. 'She is selfless and strong, with a loving son who has flown in from Melbourne, a sister from Queensland who hasn't left her side...she is loved by her family, friends, clients, colleagues and the community she is part of,' Ms Banks added. Ms Watson's niece Kiara previously told Daily Mail Australia the dog was a rescue animal. '(My aunt) is extremely traumatised from the attack and it will be a slow recovery time,' she said. 'She is lucky to be alive.' Despite initial reports the dog was an American Pit Bull Terrier, the aggressive animal was a French Mastiff Lynda Watson (pictured) is 'lucky t be alive', according to her family Distressing footage from the scene showed two officers standing behind a wall as onlookers shouted at them to take action. 'It needs to stop now, you've got to get her out of there, mate,' yelled one tradie who was watching from behind a fence. Seconds later, an officers fired a taser. The animal then started barking as someone shouted: 'Where's the ambulance?' Emergency crews arrived a short time later. Witnesses said there was little that could be done to help Ms Dowell until police arrived. Dog handlers are pictured removing the animal from the property on Tuesday 'Two tradesmen actually pulled up and were helping, but they just couldn't stop the dog attacking the woman,' neighbour Peter Burzynski said. One of the men who ran to the woman's aid, who identified himself only as Mohamad, said such dangerous animals should not be allowed. 'I started throwing rocks at it, I threw a crowbar at it, throwing little concrete slabs at it, threw a garbage bin at it and the dog wouldn't move. He kept sitting on the floor and (mauling the woman),' he said. 'That dog shouldn't be out in the public, especially a dog like that. We've all got kids, it could've been any of our kids, could've been our mums, our wives, anybody.' Gaza authorities warned invasion could cause 'tens of thousands' of casualties Israeli premier gave no details of a plan nor timeframe for his forces' invasion Benjamin Netanyahu has promised 'safe passage' to civilians as the threat of an Israeli incursion into the densely-populated city of Rafah continues to loom. Despite international alarm over the potential for carnage in the southern Gaza city, which is crammed with more than half of the enclave's 2.4 million people, Netanyahu insisted today: 'We're going to do it'. 'We're going to do it while providing safe passage for the civilian population so they can leave,' he told ABC News, adding that he believes 'victory is within reach'. Israel's prime minister, who contends 'victory' over Hamas cannot be achieved without clearing battalions in Rafah, directed his military on Friday to prepare for the operation, but has not given a timeframe for it. It remains unclear where the large number of people pressed up against the border with Egypt and sheltering in makeshift tents can go. When asked, Netanyahu would only say Israel is 'working out a detailed plan', without giving further information. Benjamin Netanyahu has promised 'safe passage' to civilians but did not provide details of a plan Gaza's authorities warned on Saturday that a full-scale Israeli invasion of Rafah could cause 'tens of thousands' of casualties A picture taken from Rafah shows smoke billowing during Israeli bombardment over Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip Bitter fighting has raged for more than four months, with Israeli forces sweeping from the north to the south of the embattled Strip. Rafah has become the last major population centre in Gaza that troops have yet to enter, even as it is bombarded by air strikes almost daily. At least 28,064 people have been killed in the onslaught, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry. Gaza's authorities warned on Saturday that a full-scale Israeli invasion of Rafah could cause 'tens of thousands' more casualties. Meanwhile the office of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said the move 'threatens security and peace in the region and the world' and is 'a blatant violation of all red lines'. 'They said Rafah is safe, but it is not. All places are being targeted,' Palestinian Mohammed Saydam said after an Israeli strike destroyed a police vehicle in the city. The Israeli military said it killed two 'senior Hamas operatives' in a strike on Rafah Saturday. It was part of a wider bombardment that killed at least 25 people in the city, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Palestinians search for missing people under the rubble after an Israeli air strike targeted their home in the Rafah refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip, 10 February 2024 An Israeli armored personnel carrier moves a long the border with Gaza on February 9, 2024 in Southern Israel Rafah has become the last major population centre in Gaza that troops have yet to enter, even as it is bombarded by air strikes almost daily The war in Gaza was launched following Hamas's bloody incursion into southern Israel on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people, mostly civilians. Palestinian terrorists also seized 250 hostages, 132 of whom are still in Gaza although 29 are presumed dead, Israel has said. Israel said earlier this week that at least 32 of the 136 hostages still believed to be held in Gaza have died, while Hamas claimed two had been killed and eight others injured in Israeli strikes over the past four days. Hamas' armed-wing, the Al Qassam Brigades, said of the hostages in a statement on its Telegram channel: 'Their conditions are becoming more dangerous in light of the inability to provide them with appropriate treatment. '(Israel) bears full responsibility for the lives of those injured in light of their continued bombing.' In his ABC interview today, Netanyahu said that 'enough' of the remaining Israeli hostages held in Gaza are alive to justify Israel pushing ahead in its war. Israel has vowed to rescue the remaining captives and to not stop in its military campaign until Hamas is eliminated, but Netanyahu's announcement that its army would invade Rafah set off a chorus of concern from world leaders and aid groups. The UK's foreign secretary, Lord Cameron, said on Saturday that he is 'deeply concerned' by Israel's plan to launch an invasion. He said in a post on X: 'Deeply concerned about the prospect of a military offensive in Rafah - over half of Gaza's population are sheltering in the area. 'The priority must be an immediate pause in the fighting to get aid in and hostages out, then progress towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire.' 'The people in Gaza cannot disappear into thin air,' German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock wrote on X, adding that an Israeli offensive on Rafah would be a 'humanitarian catastrophe in the making.' Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry warned Saturday of 'very serious repercussions of storming and targeting' Rafah and called for an urgent UN Security Council meeting. Netanyahu announced the plan for a ground operation in Rafah just days after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Israel seeking a ceasefire and hostage-prisoner exchange. Netanyahu has rejected the proposed truce after what he called 'bizarre demands' from Hamas. But Israel's plans for Rafah have drawn sharp rebuke from main ally and military backer Washington, with the State Department warning that if not properly planned, such an operation risks 'disaster'. In unusually sharp criticism, US President Joe Biden on Thursday called Israel's retaliatory campaign 'over the top'. The war, now in its fifth month, has also spawned intensifying public fury in Israel. Protesters took to the streets of Tel Aviv on Saturday night to demand the release of the hostages, Netanyahu step down and fresh elections be called. 'It's clear Netanyahu is dragging out the war, he has no idea what to do on the day after,' Israeli protester Gil Gordon said. A Ukrainian family of five was among seven killed in a savage Russian attack on a Kharkiv petrol station which saw civilians burned alive as their homes were engulfed in a 'river of fire'. Olga Putyatina, 35, died clutching her baby son Pavlo after Vladimir Putin's forces hit an oil depot in the northeastern city, unleashing a 'hellish lava' of burning fuel that ran down a street and consumed more than a dozen houses. Mrs Putyatina and her three children had been cowering in the bathroom of their home as it was surrounded by the unstoppable inferno, while her husband Grigory perished in the corridor. The respected Ukrainian state prosecutor - who was on maternity leave when the horrific attack happened on Friday night - had been trying to protect her ten-month-old baby and children Oleksiy, seven, and Mykhailo, three. Kharkiv regional investigator Serhiy Bolvinov said: 'The burning temperature was such that the baby's bones and body turned into almost ash. We assume that the mother held the children, hugging and pressing them to her chest.' The entire family of Kharkiv region's prosecutor Olga Putyatina, 35, including her husband Grigory and three of their sons, was burnt alive inside their house during the attack on Kharkiv A fireman seen standing inside a burnt house in Kharkiv the morning after the horrific attack The respected Ukrainian state prosecutor was on maternity leave when the horrific attack happened on Friday night University-educated father-of-three Grigory Putyatin perished in the corridor of his home, according to investigators The devastated mother of Grigory Putyatin, who was burnt alive alongside his wife Olga and three of their sons Firefighters work at the site of a fire after a drone strike on a oil depot in Kharkiv, northeastern Ukraine Kharkiv has faced relentless missile and drone strikes in recent weeks, with the latest attack thought to have been undertaken with Iranian-supplied Shahed drones Bolvinoy had previously said investigators did not know where the baby's body was, and investigators had to comb through the charred debris to find his remains. Kharkiv has faced relentless missile and drone strikes in recent weeks, with the latest attack thought to have been undertaken with Iranian-supplied Shahed drones. Oleksandr Kobylev, head of the Kharkiv regional police war-crimes department, said that burning fuel released from the depot was flowing into people's yards and consuming fences, cars and houses. 'People were doomed,' he said, adding: 'It was hot to stand 150 metres from the fire.' A local report said that Mrs Putyatina and her family were 'held hostage by the fire inside their own house.' The Kharkiv prosecutor's office said of their lost colleague: 'The entire staff of the prosecutor's office expresses sincere condolences to the relatives and friends. 'We share the pain and bow our heads in deep sorrow The terrorist state [Russia] will be held accountable for every human life it has taken.' Mr Putyatin's grief-stricken mother - who lost her son, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren - was seen giving her DNA in the hope of identifying the different family members. A firefighter battles the blaze in the northeastern Ukrainian city after the drone attack on Friday night Oleksandr Kobylev, head of the Kharkiv regional police war-crimes department, said that burning fuel released from the depot was flowing into people's yards A Russian drone attack on Kharkiv claimed the lives of seven people including three children The Russian drone strike saw a former recreation centre and hotel in Zmiiv, Kharkiv region, consumed by flames Ukraine Today Telegram channel said: 'Relatives of the perished family said that they saw later on that they were online on their phones almost all the time between the first and second explosions. 'Both the husband and wife tried to contact someone. Then the connection with them disappeared forever.' Ukrainian journalist Irina Evsa, said: 'No reparations can ever pay for this loss.' Ukraine's air force said on Saturday that it managed to destroy 21 of 31 drones launched nationwide overnight. A Qantas customers complaint about the quality of service they received on two different flights last week has grossed out Aussies. The passenger said they were served an inedible breakfast and left sitting near a leaking air conditioning vent while travelling from Sydney to Brisbane and Darwin to Adelaide for work. Stunned, the customer snapped images of the A/C vent stuffed with paper napkins, grime on a closed window and the soggy mess they were given to eat. The Qantas passenger said their breakfast was 'inedible'. Source: Reddit All I can say with my recent experience is EW, they posted on a Reddit page dedicated to the airline. If you look at the breakfast closely, hash brown is a very soggy mess and its my first time to eat egg that doesnt resemble any food Ive ever ingested. Trust me it is bad. Another photo shows what appears to be a curry with potatoes in a box on the passengers tray table. The breakfast was inedible and Im not usually fussy with food, they added. The potatoes were ok. Aussies react to Qantas customer's gripe While some said they would smash that feed, the large majority of other social media users agreed the passengers experience looked revolting. This is nightmare fuel! And you pay for it! one person commented. Thats uniquely bad for Qantas, another said. Some Aussies said they would happily eat the food, but many were horrified by the 'revolting' images. Source: Reddit I've had better looking meals at Taco Bell for $10, and they have refillable drinks! a third person wrote. I was sitting in my dirty seat that I paid an arm and a leg for just a few nights ago. Eating my dinner in a box, another customer recalled. Then I opened the Qantas in flight magazine to see $1,980 shoes and $45,000 watches. Yahoo News Australia has contacted Qantas for comment. Qantas refunds passengers 'sitting in urine' Last month the airline told Yahoo it was offering a $3,827 refund to a couple who claimed they sat in urine during a nine-hour Qantas fight from Bangkok to Sydney. Story continues All our international aircraft are cleaned between each flight, including vacuuming seats and disinfecting surfaces. We are looking into what has occurred and have raised the issue with our cleaning supplier in Bangkok, which cleaned the aircraft prior to departure, a spokesperson said at the time. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. A police search in the Thames for the body of the Clapham chemical attack suspect Abdul Ezedi has entered its second day hours after the Met's diving unit found two bodies unconnected to the fugitive. Almost two weeks on from the assault, detectives now believe Ezedi entered the river just hours after dousing his former partner and her two little girls in a corrosive alkaline. The London force believes the 35-year-old Afghan asylum seeker entered the water near Chelsea Bridge in west London after leaving Battersea Park. Officers told MailOnline police boat searches will continue on the river at low tide this morning, focusing on the area around the bridge. Marine Policing Unit boats were on the Thames yesterday as officers searched the water for the man accused of carrying out the horrific attack on January 31. Abdul Ezedi was last seen leaving Tower Hill underground station in east London at 9.33pm on January 31 (pictured leaving the tube station) A police boat is seen on the Thames yesterday as officers search for the body of Ezedi Members of the Met Police marine police unit search near Chelsea Bridge after Ezedi was last seen Police found one man's body near HMS Belfast and Tower Bridge at 10.13am on Saturday. Half an hour later detectives found another body near Limehouse, east London at 10.39am. Both men's deaths are being treated as unexpected and the police are working to identify them so they can inform their relatives. Newcastle-based Ezedi has not been seen since he allegedly poured the chemical on the woman and her two children, aged three and eight. The mother-of-two remains in a critical condition sedated in hospital with police revealing she is still 'too [poorly to speak' due to her 'significant injuries'. Her daughters were discharged from hospital after doctors confirmed their injuries were less severe than first thought. Following the attack, which took place on a leafy street in south west London, Ezedi fled the scene, with his movements on that night being captured on CCTV across the capital. The Metropolitan Police launched a manhunt for attacker Ezedi (pictured) but they now believe he entered the water The man was seen on Caledonian Road, King's Cross Station, Victoria Station and Tower Hill tube station in the four hour period after the attack on Lesser Avenue. Abdul Ezedi's last known steps Wednesday, January 31: 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. 21:10 He gets off at Victoria Tube Station and heads towards the district line. 21:16 Ezedi boards an eastbound District Line train. 21:33 Ezedi exits Tower Hill Tube Station. 21:47 - He is seen on Allhallows Lane, EC3. He travels through a passage to Cousin Lane. Then he turns right, walking towards Upper Thames Street. 21:51 - He then turns left onto Upper Thames Street (image released today) 21:54 He travels along Upper Thames Street 21:59 Ezedi passes the City of London School on Pauls Walk EC4, heading towards Blackfriars Bridge. He passes the riverboat pier. 22:04 He then passes the Unilever building and heads towards Victoria Embankment. 22:06 Ezedi passes Carmelite House, junction with Carmelite Street towards Temple. 22:28 - He passes Westminster Pier, goes up steps and continues towards Westminster. 22:33 - Ezedi seen walking south on Westminster bridge 22:36 He walks across Westminster Bridge, down steps on the London Eye side towards Lambeth 22:42 Ezedi seen walking west on south Thames Path towards Lambeth Bridge 22:55 He travels along the Albert Embankment approaching Vauxhall Bridge 23:00 Ezedi crosses Vauxhall Bridge towards stairs (Houses of Parliament side of the river) 23:03 - He crosses Vauxhall Bridge Road, into Grosvenor Road. 23:10 Ezedi walks west bound past the Shell petrol station 23:19 - He passes the Thames Water Building, Grosvenor Road, heading towards Chelsea Bridge 23:25 He crosses over Chelsea Bridge and enters Battersea Park. 23:27 - He crosses back over Chelsea Bridge towards the north side. Advertisement The Met said he then walked more than four miles 'with purpose' from the Tower Hill area to Chelsea Bridge. He entered Battersea Park for a brief period before crossing back over the bridge. He was last seen at 11.27pm on Chelsea Bridge. The suspect was never seen leaving the bridge area. In a briefing at Scotland Yard, Commander Jon Savell said: 'We have spent the last 24 hours meticulously following the CCTV, and it's our main working hypothesis that he's now gone into the water. 'We have looked at all of the available cameras and angles, and with the assistance of Transport for London and CCTV from buses that were travelling over the bridge at the relevant time and there is no sighting of him coming off the bridge.' When asked if police were willing to say that Ezedi was dead, Detective Superintendent Rick Sewart said: 'I'm prepared to say that he's gone into the water and if he's gone into the water then that's the most probable outcome.' The woman had been in a relationship with Ezedi, with the breakdown of the relationship a possible motive for the attack. Police said it was possible they may never find Ezedi's body due to the speed of the current in the Thames. He told the briefing: 'At this time of year, the Thames is very fast flowing, very wide and full of lots of snags. 'It is quite likely that if he has gone in the water, he won't appear for maybe up to a month and it's not beyond possibility that he may never actually surface.' The force are in contact with a member of Ezedi's family. The nation-wide hunt for Ezedi saw two homes raided in Newcastle in the early hours of Thursday morning. Ezedi came to the UK hidden in a lorry in 2016, and was turned down twice for asylum before successfully appealing against the Home Office rejection by claiming he had converted to Christianity. He was convicted of two sexual offences in 2018 but was allowed to stay in the UK because his crimes were not serious enough to meet the threshold for deportation. A tribunal judge is understood to have ruled in favour of his asylum claim in 2020 after a retired Baptist church minister confirmed he had converted to Christianity, reportedly describing Ezedi as 'wholly committed' to his new religion. Ezedi, who is not the father of the children who were hurt, suffered significant facial injuries in the incident which police previously said could prove fatal if left untreated. Around 500 people across the county have called police with information about Ezedi and his possible whereabouts since the incident happened. Last week, Nick Aldworth a former national counter-terrorism co-ordinator with 36 years' experience in the police and military, said it was is 'not unlikely' Ezedi could have taken his own life. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I think if we've not seen or heard from him in the the last couple of days, which appears to be the case, he's gone to ground, possibly supported by somebody... 'Or - it's not unlikely or improbable - that he may have taken his own life. There is therefore a body to be found somewhere.' Police said Ezedi left Newcastle in the early hours of Wednesday and travelled south to London and was in the Tooting area by around 6.30am. His vehicle was seen again in Croydon, south London, at around 4.30pm and by around 7pm he was in Streatham. Police revealed the motive behind the 'brutal' attack appears to be the breakdown of a relationship. He is seen with injuries here in a Tesco supermarket after the attack Forensic police at the scene on Wednesday night near Clapham following the attack Ezedi allegedly threw the younger child to the ground during the attack at 7.25pm, before attempting to drive away from the scene, crashing into a stationary vehicle and fleeing on foot. Minutes later he boarded a Tube train at Clapham South Underground station, and by 8pm he was at King's Cross Tube station. Ezedi was caught on CCTV at Tesco Express at 8.42pm before he caught a Victoria Line train south at King's Cross at 9pm. 16 minutes later he left Victoria on an eastbound District Line train. At 9.33pm, Ezedi is seen leaving Tower Hill station and an hour later CCTV has him heading south on Westminster Bridge. At 11pm, he he spotted heading north across Vauxhall Bridge. And at 11.25, police have released CCTV of Ezedi entering Battersea Park before crossing Chelsea Bridge. He was not seen leaving after this. Police say three members of the public who came to the aid of the family during the attack, two aged in their 30s and one in her 50s, have all been discharged from hospital with minor burns. The designer of an eco-friendly shopping bag admired by the Princess of Wales has launched a legal battle against two Afghan businessmen. Furious Natasha Courtenay-Smith, 46, has accused Nangialai and Ehsanullah Takanai of ripping off her iconic The Notting Hill Shopping bags at Portobello Road Market. The famous tote bag, which comes in different colours, is regularly snapped up by tourists from America to South Korea. Kate Middleton was gifted two of the bags in 2015 when she visited the famous street market. The Takanais have been accused of selling similar designs and call theirs The Notting Hill Shopper bag. Ms Courtenay-Smith alleges they are trying to dupe shoppers into believing it is her product. Ms Courtenay-Smith is suing the pair at the High Court for a breach of copyright after finding out the Takanais were selling what she says are copies of her bags in January 2023. The Takanais deny the accusations and have lodged their own counterclaim saying it is 'a banal arrangement of words'. The famous Notting Hill shopping bag, which comes in different colours, is regularly snapped up by tourists from America to South Korea Furious Natasha Courtenay-Smith, 46, (pictured) has accused Nangialai and Ehsanullah Takanai of ripping off her iconic tote bags at Portobello Road Market They say the logo 'lacks the degree of originality necessary for protection as an artistic work'. The Telegraph reports the court will hear claims from the Takanias that representatives had approached The Notting Hill Bag Company in January last year and had asked to enter into an agreement in order to sell the bags with her trademark, logo and brand name. They claim this request was refused. Ms Courtenay-Smith designed the cotton and jute eco bag in 2009 and it inspired the entrepreneur and former journalist to launch Biz Kids - free daily online business classes teaching children how to be their own boss. It was immortalised in a piece of artwork in 2015 to celebrate 150 years of Portobello market. The bags are officially stocked in a number of shops and stalls along Portobello market. Ms Courtenay-Smith donates 10 per cent of her profits to causes which promote Notting Hill and Portobello Road Market. In a joint statement with her business partners Canpolat An and Taylor An, Ms Courtenay-Smith told MailOnline: 'While imitation is often seen as a form of flattery, we encourage originality. The Takanias are accused of copying a number of Notting Hill shopping bag designs including the original version (right) The bags are officially stocked in a number of shops and stalls along Portobello market and come in a variety of colours The bag was immortalised in a piece of artwork in 2015 to celebrate 150 years of Portobello market Kate Middleton was gifted two Notting Hill shopping bags when she visited Potobello market in 2015 'We simply request that others create their own designs, rather than copying ours. We are both confident in the legal standing of the Notting Hill Shopping Bag design, and committed to its continued mission of making a positive difference to the Portobello Road community. 'We remain focused on the future, continuing the good work that has defined the Notting Hill Shopping Bag for more than a decade to many more decades to come. 'We appreciate the attention this case has garnered and hope it highlights the importance of originality, sustainability, and community support in business practices.' The Takanias solicitors, JP Mitchell, told The Telegraph their bags have been on sale for a number of years and that 'there hasn't been a single instance of confusion over this period'. The genius who invented Israel's Iron Dome defence system is planning to build a laser that can shoot down incoming rockets using beams of light. Dr Danny Gold, the country's equivalent to MI6's Q, created the Iron Dome system which is made up of a series of batteries that use radars to detect and intercept incoming short-range missiles. Israel is now looking to add a 'new dimension' to its multi-layer defence system and has begun testing a laser that can shoot missiles out of the sky, The Sunday Telegraph reported. Dr Gold, who heads up Israel's Defense Research and Development Directorate, said the new laser was being 'played with' during the ongoing conflict with Hamas and has had a 'very good test'. 'We got authorisation one year ago to go to full scale development and bring the system to the field. We will finish the job in numerous years,' he told the newspaper. Details of the new laser come as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday reiterated his intention to extend Israel's military operation against Hamas into Rafah despite international alarm over the potential for carnage in an area that is crammed with more than half of the Gaza Strip's 2.4 million people. The genius who invented Israel 's Iron Dome defence system is planning to build a laser that can shoot down incoming rockets using beams of light. The Iron Dome missile defense system is pictured firing interceptors at rockets launched from the Gaza Strip in May 2023 Dr Danny Gold, the country's equivalent to MI6 's Q, said the new laser was being 'played with' during the ongoing conflict with Hamas and has had a 'very good test'. Dr Gold is pictured at DSEI London in September 2023 As 160,000 Hezbollah rockets are pointed at Tel Aviv and war looms in the north, the Israeli military is looking to expand its air defence system. The Iron Dome, according to Dr Gold, is 'working well' and 90 per cent successful at stopping incoming attacks, but the scientist says 'you never sit still'. The system is part of a shield that envelopes the country. Above the Iron Dome is the so-called David's Sling, which knocks out enemy aircraft and long-range rockets fired from up to 200 miles away. Above the sling are the Arrow 2 and Arrow 3 systems, which offered protection from ballistic missiles fired at Israel by the likes of Iran. Dr Gold says the new laser would not replace the Iron Dome, but work alongside it, noting that the system 'doesn't work through clouds' and 'needs clear skies'. The laser also offers cost advantages, explained Dr Gold. 'To shoot light is nothing. It is the price of electricity,' he said, adding that each missile fired by the dome costs approximately 80,000 ($100,000). The scientist said he can't say 'exactly when' the laser will be ready for routine use but explained how every 'once in a while we play with the current toolkit that we have. If we have the opportunity of people shooting at us, we can expand the testing.' Israeli soldiers operate in what the military described as a Hamas command tunnel running partly under UNRWA headquarters in the Gaza Strip on February 8, 2024 Smoke billows during Israeli bombardment over Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on February 11, 2024 Palestinians return to their damaged homes on February 10, 2024 after the withdrawal of Israeli forces at Al-Rimal neighborhood in Gaza City Friends and family enjoy a Shabbat meal in Sderot, Israel on February 10, 2024 as people begin to return home amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas The war in Gaza was sparked by Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people, mostly civilians, according to a tally based on official figures. Vowing to eliminate Hamas, Israel launched a massive military offensive in Gaza that the territory's health ministry says has killed at least 28,064 people, mostly women and children. Hamas also seized 250 hostages, 132 of whom are still in Gaza, although 29 are presumed dead, Israel has said. In an interview airing Sunday, Netanyahu reiterated his intention to extend Israel's military operation against Hamas into Rafah, Gaza's southernmost town, but promised 'safe passage' to civilians displaced there. We're going to do it while providing safe passage for the civilian population so they can leave,' he said, according to published extracts of the interview. It remains unclear however, where the large number of people pressed up against the border with Egypt and sheltering in makeshift tents can go. When asked, Netanyahu would only say they are 'working out a detailed plan'. As Israeli forces have pushed steadily southwards, Rafah has become the last major population centre in Gaza that troops have yet to enter, even as it is bombarded by air strikes almost daily. Palestinian children, whose families have been displaced, shelter at the border with Egypt, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on February 10, 2024 Israeli soldiers on February 8, 2024 guard a crater-like hole giving way to a small tunnel entrance in UNRWA compound where the military discovered tunnels underneath the main headquarters of the agency - which it claims Hamas has used to attack its forces during a ground operation in Gaza Israeli soldiers sit on top of a tank as wild dogs roam the area of the coastal road during a ground operation in Gaza on Thursday, February 8, 2024 The Israeli premier, who contends 'victory' over Hamas cannot be achieved without clearing battalions in Rafah, directed his military on Friday to prepare for the operation. His announcement set off a chorus of concern from world leaders and aid groups. 'The people in Gaza cannot disappear into thin air,' German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock wrote on social media platform X, adding that an Israeli offensive on Rafah would be a 'humanitarian catastrophe in the making.' Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry warned Saturday of 'very serious repercussions of storming and targeting' Rafah and called for an urgent UN Security Council meeting, while UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron said he is 'deeply concerned' about the prospective offensive. 'The priority must be an immediate pause in the fighting to get aid in and hostages out,' he wrote. Netanyahu announced the plan for a ground operation in Rafah only days after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Israel seeking a ceasefire and hostage-prisoner exchange. Netanyahu has rejected the proposed truce after what he called 'bizarre demands' from Hamas. But Israel's plans for Rafah have drawn sharp rebuke from main ally and military backer Washington, with the State Department warning that if not properly planned, such an operation risks 'disaster'. Israeli soldiers operate in the Gaza Strip on February 8, 2024 near what the military described as a Hamas command tunnel running partly under UNRWA headquarters Palestinian children wait in line on February 10, 2024 to receive food prepared by volunteers for families displaced to Southern Gaza due to Israeli attacks A school run the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (URRWA) where people saught refuge from Israeli bombardments, stands ravaged in the Rimal neighbourhood of Gaza City on February 10, 2024 In unusually sharp criticism, US President Joe Biden on Thursday called Israel's retaliatory campaign 'over the top'. Gaza's Hamas rulers warned on Saturday that a full-scale Israeli invasion of Rafah could cause 'tens of thousands' of casualties. The office of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said the move 'threatens security and peace in the region and the world' and is 'a blatant violation of all red lines'. The Hamas-run territory's health ministry said on Sunday that 94 people were killed in overnight bombardments across Gaza, including in Rafah. The Israeli military said it killed two 'senior Hamas operatives' in a strike on Rafah Saturday. It was part of a wider bombardment that killed at least 25 people in the city, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. To the north in Gaza City, Israel's military claimed that its troops uncovered a Hamas tunnel under the evacuated headquarters of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz called for its head, Philippe Lazzarini, to quit. Israeli soldiers operate in the Gaza Strip on February 8, 2024 as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues Israeli soldiers inside a compound of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the Gaza Strip on February 8, 2024 Israeli soldiers on February 8, 2024 stake position next to crumpled-up UN vehicles perched precariously atop building debris in UNRWA compound, where the military discovered tunnels in the main headquarters of the UN agency that the military says Hamas used to attack its forces during a ground operation in Gaza Lazzarini said the agency had not operated from the compound since October 12 when staff evacuated it under instruction from Israeli forces. Already under pressure after Israel claimed 12 UNRWA staff were involved in the October 7 Hamas attack, he called for an independent investigation into the latest Israeli accusations. An AFP photographer was among a number of journalists taken to the compound and tunnel by the Israeli military on Thursday. UN premises are considered 'inviolable' in international law and immune from 'search, requisition, confiscation, expropriation and any other form of interference'. Hamas has repeatedly denied Israeli accusations that it has dug a network of tunnels under schools, hospitals and other civilian infrastructure as cover for its activities. On Sunday, Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy called UNRWA 'a Hamas front'. The war, now in its fifth month, has spawned intensifying public fury in Israel. Protesters took to the streets of Tel Aviv on Saturday night to demand the release of the hostages, Netanyahu step down and fresh elections be called. Supporters of hostages block a road in Tel Aviv, Israel on February 10, 2024 during a protest calling for their release, amid the ongoing conflict with Hamas Relatives of Israeli hostages in Gaza block a highway as they protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government's refusal to call a ceasefire and exchange hostages with Gaza, in Tel Aviv, Israel on February 10, 2024 Supporters and families of hostages held in Gaza by Hamas light bonfires as they block the traffic on Ayalon main highway during a protest demanding their release, in Tel Aviv, Israel on February 10, 2024 Police officers extinguish the fire set on a barricade during a protest in Tel Aviv, Israel on February 10, 2024 to demand the release of the hostages taken by Hamas Families of hostages and supporters block a road, during a protest calling for their release, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Tel Aviv, Israel on February 10, 2024 'It's clear Netanyahu is dragging out the war, he has no idea what to do on the day after,' Israeli protester Gil Gordon said. The war has had far-reaching impact well beyond Israel and Gaza, with violence involving Iran-backed allies of Hamas surging across the Middle East. A senior Hamas officer survived an Israeli assassination attempt in Lebanon, Palestinian and Lebanese security sources have said, but two other people including a Hezbollah member were killed in the attack. And in Syria, Israeli strikes near Damascus killed three people, a war monitor said, adding the targeted neighbourhood hosted villas for top military and civilian officials. The secretary-general of NATO has warned that Europe must shift to wartime levels of weapons production in order to counter the threat from Russia. Jens Stoltenberg said that 'we need to reconstitute and expand our industrial base'to increase deliveries to Ukraine and refill weapons stocks. He pointed to Russia's invasion of Ukraine as proof that 'peace in Europe cannot be taken for granted'. Although he said NATO doesn't 'seek war' with Russia, 'we need to brace ourselves for potentially decades of confrontation'. The comments come ahead of the second anniversary of Russia's invasion on February 15. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned that Europe must shift to wartime levels of weapons production in order to counter the threat from Russia Mr Stoltenberg pointed to Putin's invasion of Ukraine as proof that 'peace in Europe cannot be taken for granted' A firefighter works at a site of a Russian drone strike in Kharkiv yesterday Russian drone strikes hit Kharkiv on Friday night, triggering a 'River of Fire' which killed seven Ukrainian soldiers remove camouflage from artillery in the direction of Kreminna, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on February 6 Rescue services work at the scene of a missile strike which injured three people in, Kharkiv, Ukraine, on February 7 Mr Stoltenberg told Germany's Welt am Somntag: 'If Putin wins in Ukraine, there is no guarantee that Russian aggression will not spread further. 'Supporting Ukraine now and investing in NATO's own capabilities is our best defence.' His words come amid an increase in pleas for shells, ammunition and military aide from Ukraine, as its battle with Russia continues into a third year. Moscow has shifted to a wartime economy and has investing massive sums in its military for the war. It is spending 40 per cent of its GDP on its defence budget, which the Western countries are struggling to match, The Times reported. On Friday, German chancellor Olaf Scholz and US President Joe Biden urged Congress to approve more aid for Ukraine. Biden said: 'The failure of the United States Congress, if it occurs, not to support Ukraine, is close to criminal neglect,' he said. 'It is outrageous.' A day earlier the Senate pushed ahead with a $95 billion bill approving aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, days after another package, which included immigration reforms, was killed off. On Friday, German chancellor Olaf Scholz and US President Joe Biden urged Congress to approve more aid for Ukraine. Pictured in the White House in Washington German Chancellor Olaf Scholz speaks to the German press outside of the White House Boris Pistorius, the German defence minister, (pictured) said the EU promise to provide a million shells to Ukraine by March wouldn't be possible In November Boris Pistorius, the German defence minister, said the EU promise to provide a million shells to Ukraine by March wouldn't be possible. Arriving at a meeting of EU defence ministers in Brussels, Pistorius also questioned the wisdom of having set the target in March this year, with a 12-month deadline. Pistorius's comments were the first public admission by a senior European minister that the target would not be met, although diplomats and officials have been expressing scepticism privately for months about the goal. The target was set in response to Ukraine's urgent and ongoing need for 155 millimetre artillery shells, which have become a key element in its fight against Russia's invasion as the conflict descended into an intense war of attrition. 'I didn't promise one million rounds, and that was on purpose. The right question to be asked would be whether one million was ever a realistic goal,' Pistorius told reporters. Russia's military for many years has been considered to be the second most powerful in the world, behind only the might of the United States. Moscow has also called up more conscripts and replenished its forces on the battlefield. It has more troops, new armoured vehicles and a new supply of artillery from its allies North Korea and Iran s also making extensive use of drones. An explosion of a missile is seen in the sky over the city during a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv on February 7 Poland was forced to scramble at least three F-16s on Wednesday as Russia fired missiles towards its NATO border with Ukraine, say reports As buildings burned in Ukraine (pictured Wednesday), the deep threat of a wider war involving NATO - which counts the UK and US as members - was highlighted by the Polish alert early on Wednesday as Russian missiles appeared to be heading over Ukraine towards Poland With time now working in Putin's favour, there are concerns among Western military figures that he could next set his sights on NATO's eastern flank and to countries which - like Ukraine - were once behind the Soviet Union's Iron Curtain. If he does, it is feared that NATO could be powerless to stop a first wave of attacks against its smaller members in the immediate Russian warpath. The fear of a Russian assault has been expressed by NATO officials. READ MORE - NATO scrambles F-16 jets in Poland as Russia launches one of its largest onslaughts of the war, with missile strikes across Ukraine Advertisement Last month, NATO defence chiefs met in Brussels where several emphasised the importance of countries in Europe increasing their readiness for a Russian attack. Admiral Rob Bauer, the chairman of NATO's Military Committee, warned the alliance must brace itself for an all-out war with Russia in the next two decades, while Norway's defence minister said it should be ready in two or three years. This came after secret plans were leaked revealing that Germany is preparing for Putin's forces to attack NATO as early as 2025, and after a senior NATO general said the alliance was preparing for such a scenario to happen within 20 years. As buildings burned in Ukraine, the deep threat of a wider war involving NATO - which counts the UK and US as members - was highlighted by the Polish alert early on Wednesday as Russian missiles appeared to be heading over Ukraine towards Poland. Poland was forced to scramble at least three F-16s on Wednesday as Russia fired missiles towards its NATO border with Ukraine, say reports. In the event the missiles turned away from the NATO country and hit targets across Ukraine as part of a massive new onslaught unleashed by Russia. NATO defence ministers will meet in Brussels on February 15 and a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group will be a key feature. A man has tragically drowned at a popular beach in front of shocked beachgoers after desperate attempts by surf lifesavers and paramedics to save him. Emergency services were called to Scarborough Beach in Perth's north-west at about 8.20am on Sunday after a 46-year-old male was pulled unconscious from the water. Surf lifesavers administered CPR in an attempt to revive the swimmer while waiting for paramedics to arrive. Emergency services were called to Scarborough Beach, in the coastal Perth suburb of Scarborough at about 8.20am on Sunday after a 46-year-old male was pulled unconscious from the water (pictured stock image of Scarborough Beach) A St John WA spokeswoman confirmed to Daily Mail Australia four St John WA crews attended the scene. Sadly, the man died at the scene. It is believed the 46-year-old's death is not suspicious. Police will prepare a report for the Coroner. Despite four ambulance crews on the scene, the man could not be revived (stock image) Prince William is 'still processing' his father's shock cancer diagnosis, royal insiders have revealed, and say he 'remains determined' to keep putting his family first. While the heir to the throne returned to public duties last week after having decided to 'clear his diary' in order to support the Princess of Wales during and after her operation last month he is not expected to pick up full-time royal duties quite yet. William, 41, will now retreat with his family to Anmer Hall on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk for their children's half-term holidays, where they may also be able to spend time with the King. But those close to him say that he is still digesting the shock of his father's diagnosis so soon after Kate's major surgery, while also contemplating what this time could mean for his role and his family's future. 'At times like this, it is a reminder that as well as being the future head of state, he is also a human being', a royal source told The Times. Prince William is 'still processing' his father's shock cancer diagnosis, royal insiders have revealed, and say he 'remains determined' to keep putting his family first Those close to him say that he is still digesting the shock of his father's diagnosis so soon after Kate's major surgery 'At times like this, it is a reminder that as well as being the future head of state, he is also a human being', a royal source said 'He is processing the news of his father having cancer as a human being. Given the seriousness with which he takes his role, of course it is something he will be thinking about.' Meanwhile, William remains determined to prioritise his family, with royal aides saying he will not 'deputise' for the King, who is also supportive of his decision. A source said: 'The Prince has always made clear that his priority is to support his wife and family for the time being and he did not put a timescale on that.' It is understood that his team at Kensington Palace are speaking to their opposite numbers at Buckingham Palace about which public engagements William could potentially attend in his father's place. They are likely to be along the lines of further investitures and, perhaps, leading the family at events such as the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey early next month. But with His Majesty insisting on keeping his hand firmly on the tiller of State business during his treatment, it is highly unlikely that the future king will be required to take over any constitutional matters. It is understood that William, 41, has his father's '100 per cent' backing in returning at his own pace. A source said: 'The King adores Catherine and thinks she is doing a wonderful job. He understands that family comes first.' William will be with Kate and the children again next week during their half-term holiday Prince William will continue to put his wife and children's welfare to the fore as he steps up to help his ailing father It comes after the King issued a statement on Friday expressing gratitude for his support. Prayers and support from at home and from the worlds furthest corners had followed the announcement he was undergoing treatment for an unspecific form of cancer. Hand-signed Charles R and topped with the bold red letterhead of Sandringham House, the note read: I would like to express my most heartfelt thanks for the many messages of support and good wishes I have received in recent days. As all those who have been affected by cancer will know, such kind thoughts are the greatest comfort and encouragement. It is equally heartening to hear how sharing my own diagnosis has helped promote public understanding and shine a light on the work of all those organisations which support cancer patients and their families across the UK and wider world. My lifelong admiration for their tireless care and dedication is all the greater as a result of my own personal experience. Charles, 75, will now divide his time between Sandringham and Highgrove, and travel privately to London every week for his cancer treatment. King Charles and offered 'heartfelt thanks' to the British public on Saturday evening in a letter from Sandringham House King Charles and Queen Camilla are pictured leaving Clarence House On Thursday, Queen Camilla, who has been by her husbands side since his diagnosis, said the King was very touched by the messages of support he has received from around the world In some ways it will be business as usual. He is expected to attend the morning Sunday service at St Mary Magdalene Church, where he was pictured last week with Queen Camilla, 76, a day before his cancer diagnosis was announced. Friends of the workaholic monarch say he will likely be indulging in two of his favourite hobbies walking and water painting while doing what clearly doesnt come naturally taking it easy. Despite cancelling all public engagements, insiders joke that he will work through his red boxes of paperwork before hes had his boiled egg in the morning. A friend noted: Boredom will be one of the hardest things for him. Iran has marked the 45th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution with a parade of rockets, drones and a satellite carrier as the regime aims to project an image of strength amid escalating tensions in the Middle East. Marking the anniversary of the 1979 deposition of US-backed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the celebrations have seen American flags burned and chants condemning the US, UK and Iran's arch foe Israel. Speaking to crowds gathered in Tehran, President Ebrahim Raisi castigated Israel over its war in Gaza, accusing the 'Zionist entity' - Iran's term for the country - of committing 'genocide' with the support of the US and other Western states. Meanwhile a parachutist unfurled a huge Palestinian flag over the parade as marchers below voiced their support for Gaza, with Iran continuing to position itself as one of the main supporters of terror group Hamas. Already simmering tensions have been threatening to boil over in the region since the bloodiest ever Gaza war erupted on October 7 following Hamas's attack on Israel, sparking violence between Iran-backed militant groups and US forces. An Iranian woman holds Iran's national flag as she walks over the Israeli flag in Tehran Thousands gathered to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Tehran, Iran Iran's two-stage Simorgh (Phoenix) satellite carrier is displayed in Tehran as people gather to mark the 45th anniversary of the Islamic revolution Demonstrators burn a US flag during their annual rally commemorating Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution in Tehran, Iran A parachutist unfurled a huge Palestinian flag over the parade as marchers below voiced their support for Gaza With marchers holding up Iranian and Palestinian flags, harsh criticism of the US - often dubbed the 'Great Satan' in Iran - and Israel dominated ceremonies marking the anniversary. Iran has hailed Hamas's attack on southern Israel, which saw some 1,160 people killed, a 'success' but denied any direct involvement. More than 28,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched its full-scale invasion, according to Hamas authorities. Raisi demanded that the 'bombing of Gaza should be stopped as soon as possible' and declared that 'the death of the Zionist regime has come', in his speech to thousands at the Square in western Tehran. He asked about Israel: 'How can a regime that has violated 400 statements and resolutions of international organisations adhere to UN covenants? 'We believe that one of the important steps that should be taken is the expulsion of the Zionist regime from the United Nations.' Israel, with the backing of its Western allies, has vowed to eradicate Hamas while Iran has continued to fund proxy groups including Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria, and the Houthis in Yemen. The US has accused Tehran of 'actively facilitating' attacks on US forces in the Middle East and of backing attacks on Red Sea shipping by the Houthi rebels, charges Iran has denied. Demonstrators burn representations of the Israeli and U.S. flags during their annual rally commemorating Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution in Tehran, Iran A man carries an anti-US placard upside down in front of the Iranian-made missiles displayed in the annual rally Iranians walk next to the Simorgh rocket carrier READ MORE: US warns Iranian-backed militia leaders they could be targeted at ANY time in retaliation for death of three US soldiers in Jordan Advertisement Iran has been under crippling US sanctions since Washington's 2018 withdrawal from a landmark deal which granted it sanctions relief in return for curbs on its nuclear programme. During today's events, chants of 'Down with the United States', 'Down with Israel' and 'Down with the United Kingdom' rung out in Tehran. American and Israeli flags were burned and walked over by furious protesters who also held up signs with anti-US slogans. Meanwhile, red, white and green Iranian flags were put up to decorate the streets and adorned patriotic marchers. Military hardware was on display around Azadi Square, with Iranian-made Qiam ballistic missiles, Shahed 136 drones and Simorgh satellite launchers wheeled out to be admired by attendees. A young woman with Iranian flag face paint holds up a flag as she attends one of the anniversary events A woman raises a portrait of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as people gather to mark the 45th anniversary of the Islamic revolution in Tehran Crowds held up portraits of the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as well as of the founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, and popular general Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in an US strike in January 2020. While thousands of loyalists gathered to show their support to the regime, there has also been mounting unrest across Iranian society, with a rise in criticism of the regime since the 2022 killing of Mahsa Amini in 2022. Amini, 22, died in police custody after being arrested for allegedly violating the Islamic republic's strict dress code for women. Angry protests which ensued amounted to some of the worst political unrest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and have prompted a wave of dissent in the months since. Red, white and green Iranian flags were put up to decorate the streets and adorned patriotic marchers. While thousands of loyalists gathered to show their support to the regime, there has also been mounting unrest across Iranian society Videos have been shared online allegedly showing Iranians shouting angry slogans about the government as anniversary fireworks were set off last night, despite the dangers of voicing opposition in the totalitarian state. Today's events were held a month after bombings at a ceremony in the southeastern city of Kerman to commemorate commander Qassem Soleimani, who was killed by a US drone in 2020. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack that left 84 people dead and 284 wounded, saying that two of their terrorists detonated their explosive vests in the middle of a crowd. There was a heavy security presence on Sunday at events around the country majority-Shiite Iran remains on high alert for attacks by the Sunni extremist group and other 'enemies' of the state. Two police officers have been killed and a third left in a coma after a narco speedboat rammed into their smaller vessel in a horror crash at a Spanish port. The sickening moment, which took place at Barbate near the windsurfers' paradise of Tarifa in south west Spain, was caught on film and shows the two boats engaged in a game of cat and mouse at the port. Bystanders can be heard laughing during the footage, which was posted online, as the vessels go round in circles with the smaller police boat attempting to stop the drug traffickers, who were in several boats after taking shelter from a storm in the port at the Costa de la Luz. The narcos' high-powered semi-rigid inflatable boats are used to smuggle cannabis into southern Spain from Morocco and sell for up to 150,000. One of the traffickers' vessels then collides into the police boat in what has since been described by officials as a 'deliberate' attempt to kill the police officers. David Perez Carracedo, a 43-year-old married father-of-two from Barcelona, was killed in the horror boat crash. The other victim was Miguel Angel Gomez Gonzalez, a 39-year-old father-of-one from the town of San Fernando, near Cadiz, along the south west coastline A third officer was left in a coma after a narco speedboat rammed into the smaller police vessel at a Spanish port An onlooker can be heard telling a friend 'they've been hit' as they provide a running commentary on the horrifying Spanish boat crash. Both of the male victims were Civil Guards and had children. One has been named as Miguel Angel Gomez Gonzalez, a 39-year-old father-of-one who belonged to an elite underwater diving section called the GEAS and came from the town of San Fernando, near Cadiz, along the south west coastline. The other was David Perez Carracedo, a 43-year-old married father-of-two from Barcelona, who was in the force's Rapid Action Group unit which was initially set up to counter terror group ETA, who operated in the Basque region of northern Spain until 2018. The survivor lost his arm in the nightmare crash and remains in a coma. Eight people have been arrested in relation to the incident. Six are thought to have been in the speedboat when it rammed into the police vessel, while the other two are believed to have helped with the getaway, picking up their trafficker friends in a car and taking them to dry land. Officials have bemoaned the inferior resources handed to the police in comparison with the narcos they attempt to hunt down, with one describing the sickening boat crash as a symptom of the 'David and Goliath situation'. The sickening moment, which took place at Barbate near the windsurfers' paradise of Tarifa in south west Spain, was caught on film and shows the two boats engaged in a game of cat and mouse at the port Six are thought to have been in the speedboat when it rammed into the police vessel, while another two are believed to have helped with the getaway, picking up their trafficker friends in a car and taking them to dry land Agustin Leal, a spokesman for Civil Guard association JUCIL, described Friday night's incident as a 'savage murder.' The association also demanded the immediate resignation of Interior Minister Fernando Grande Marlaska, saying: 'The videos that have been published make what has happened even more terrible, with people cheering on the killers and laughing at the Civil Guard officers who with their depleted resources have died while they were trying to do their jobs and stop drug traffickers.' Another Civil Guard association, the AUGC, said: 'We deeply regret this tragic incident and are waiting for more details of what happened. 'We demand a thorough Interior Ministry investigation.' Ana Villagomez, anti-drug prosecutor for the province of Cadiz which Barbate is part of, said the footage 'gave the impression' the powerful narco speedboat deliberately went for the police vessel. Complaining the security forces weren't being given the resources they needed to tackle the better-equipped drug traffickers, she added: 'The feeling the criminal gangs have is one of impunity. 'It's a David and Goliath situation.' The incident comes just hours after police arrested a British man in nearby La Linea after discovering more than 4,500 kilos of cannabis resin at his southern Spain home. The man was said to have been storing the large parcels of drugs, which appeared to have the names of recipients 'Ralph' and 'Coly' scrawled on them, on behalf of a narco gang. Police described the bust as one of the largest-ever seizures in Spain's southern region of Andalucia in a so-called 'guarderia', the name given to properties whose owners are often accomplices of narco gangs paid to let them store drugs. M25 road rage killer Kenny Noye (pictured), now back on the streets after serving 21 years in jail for the murder, is believed to still own a 1.7 million villa nearby which he reportedly bought under the alias Michael Mayne Tarifa, a fishing town on the Costa de La Luz in southern Spain, is a windsurfers' paradise (Stock Photo) Barbate, where the boat crash took place, is the town where M25 road rage killer Kenny Noye was arrested in 1998 after going on the run to Spain following the stabbing of Stephen Cameron. Noye was finally stopped by police as he sat down to feast on fish and white wine at famed Barbate eatery El Campero with a girlfriend. The career criminal, now back on the streets after serving 21 years in jail for the murder, is believed to still own a 1.7 million villa nearby which he reportedly bought under the alias Michael Mayne. A Labour by-election candidate who accused Israel of allowing the October 7 Hamas massacre to go ahead to justify an invasion of Gaza will be allowed to run to become an MP, the party said today. Azhar Ali, who is defending a Labour majority of more than 9,000 in Rochdale on February 29, has apologised for claiming the Netanyahu government deliberately allowed 1,400 of its citizens to be massacred in order to give it the 'green light' for military action. Mr Ali is the strong favorite to win the safe seat after the death of its former MP Tony Lloyd, meaning Labour could have a new MP in early March who believes in a conspiracy theory. The bombshell remarks contained in a secret recording obtained by The Mail on Sunday also recorded him saying Sir Keir Starmer had 'lost the confidence' of his MPs over his stance on the conflict. Labour's election co-ordinator Pat McFadden today said that Mr Ali would still be the candidate in the February 29 vote - though he stopped short of saying he would stand in the seat in the general election later this year. 'It was wrong to say that, he should never have said it,' Mr McFadden told Sky News. Asked if he remained a Labour candidate, he added: 'In the upcoming by-election? Yes he will.' The Board of Deputies of British Jews said: 'Were it not too late to do so, we would have called on Labour to replace Mr Ali as a candidate. It is clear to us that Mr Ali is not apologising out of a genuine sense of remorse.' Azhar Ali (pictured) apologised 'unreservedly to the Jewish community for my comments which were deeply offensive, ignorant, and false' Labour's election co-ordinator Pat McFadden today said that Mr Ali would still be the candidate in the February 29 vote - though he stopped short of saying he would stand in the seat in the general election later this year. Mr Ali also claimed that Sir Keir Starmer had 'lost the confidence' of his MPs over his stance on the conflict Raphi Bloom, co-chairman of the North West Friends Of Israel, added: 'To accuse the Israeli government of wilfully allowing Jews to be slaughtered is a disgraceful and shocking thing to say.' Tory Vice-Chairman Craig Tracey said: 'The fact that Sir Keir's candidate for Rochdale is spreading these bizarre and offensive anti-Israel conspiracy theories shows that for all his bluster, he's failed to change his party. 'These are the ramblings of an internet crank, not someone who aspires to be a Member of Parliament.' Last night Mr Ali issued a statement to The Mail on Sunday, saying: 'I apologise unreservedly to the Jewish community for my comments which were deeply offensive, ignorant, and false. Hamas's horrific terror attack was the responsibility of Hamas alone, and they are still holding hostages who must be released. October 7 was the greatest loss of Jewish life in a single day since the Holocaust, and Jews in the UK and across the world are living in fear of rising anti-Semitism. I will urgently apologise to Jewish leaders for my inexcusable comments. 'The Labour Party has changed unrecognisably under Keir Starmer's leadership he has my full support in delivering the change Britain needs.' Mr Ali made his initial remarks at a meeting of the Lancashire Labour Party soon after the attacks, making the astonishing claim that the Israeli government had removed its border security to give the Hamas terrorists free rein. He told the meeting: 'The Egyptians are saying that they warned Israel ten days earlier... Americans warned them a day before [that] there's something happening... They deliberately took the security off, they allowed... that massacre that gives them the green light to do whatever they bloody want.' The Labour candidate is defending a Labour majority of more than 9,000 in Rochdale on February 29 Rochdale during the launch of his campaign for the up-coming Rochdale by-election After someone suggested Sir Keir was 'held in high regard', Mr Ali replied: 'Can I disagree with you... A lot of the MPs I've spoken to, non-Muslim MPs, feel that on this issue, he's lost the confidence of the parliamentary party.' Mr Ali was selected last month to contest the by-election, caused by the death of Sir Tony Lloyd. He served a five-year stint as a Government advisor under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. Sir Keir has come under intense pressure over his handling of the Gaza crisis. In November, 56 of his MPs defied him and backed calls for a ceasefire; he is now calling for a 'sustainable ceasefire'. On Friday, Shabana Mahmood, the Shadow Justice Secretary, said 'there has been a sense of a loss of trust... that needs to be rebuilt' between the party and British Muslims, adding that she 'wanted a ceasefire then, I want a ceasefire now'. Gary Mond, Chairman of the National Jewish Assembly, said: 'Some 1,400 innocent Israeli citizens were murdered, beheaded, burned alive and raped in the most barbaric way imaginable by terrorists from Hamas and affiliated groups. 'It is these actions the whole world needs to condemn, including Mr Ali... and not indulgence in speculation regarding the causes. 'As regards Sir Keir Starmer, in refusing to call for a cessation of the war, he demonstrates a recognition of Israel's basic right to defend itself, and by implication Israel's right to exist. 'This is laudable and is endorsed even by those who are not supporters of the Labour Party.' It is the dawn of a transformation in British cuisine, Michelin-starred chef Claude Bosi has revealed, with French cheeses making way for homegrown product. According to the French chef, British cheeses now make up half the cheese board at his renowned Bibendum restaurant and all at his Brooklands establishment. 'The evolution of cheese here has been amazing,' he told The Telegraph. 'Using British cheese is an easy choice, but when I came to England 25 years ago there was hardly any choice. The best cheese at the time was a cheddar or a bit of Stinking Bishop.' Bosi arrived as head chef at Overton Grange in 1999, before opening and gaining two Michelin stars at Hibiscus in the market town of Ludlow the following year. It is the dawn of a transformation in British cuisine, Michelin-starred chef Claude Bosi (pictured) has revealed He also has two Michelin stars for both Bibendum, in South Kensington, and Brooklands at The Peninsula, overlooking Hyde Park. The chef said he arrived at a time when the general attitude towards food was 'eat, work, go home'. In other words, not about enjoying 'a large plate of cheese with a glass of wine'. But over the years he has seen the change in demand and quality. Even a decade ago, Bosi served very few British cheeses across his restaurants. Now, his cheese boards are 50 per cent French and Italian produce and the rest from Britain. 'We have a Davidstow cheddar that is one of the best ever as good as a 48-month-old Comte if not better,' said Bosi. According to the French chef, British cheeses now make up half the cheese board at his renowned Bibendum restaurant and all at his Brooklands establishment (stock photo) Cheese in a specialist cheese shop in Cark in Cartmell, Cumbria According to Bosi, customers have become 'so demanding' for British cheeses, which has encouraged farmers and producers to 'put more time in' to what they make. And this has had an effect worldwide. Since 2019, no country has had more cheeses in the Top 16 of the World Cheese Awards than the UK. 'They want to see what British food is about and British cheese is now an easy sell for them,' Bosi told the publication. 'Customers are 100 per cent more open to British cheese than they were 15 years ago. After all, a great cheese is a great cheese, wherever it comes from.' Crocodile numbers are on the rise in Australia, prompting authorities to warn locals and visitors to be careful, especially since the average size of the predators is also growing at a rapid rate. The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) recently conducted a survey across East Kimberley rivers including the King, Ord and Bekerly rivers to examine and "track the recovery of crocodiles" after historical overharvesting but the results aren't too surprising says local fisherman Rodney Fischer. Fischer, who frequents the Ord River near Wyndham in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, suggests the saltwater crocodile population in Australia found in NT, WA and Far North Queensland is "just getting back to a healthy amount" after becoming protected in the 70s. Before that, crocodiles were regularly killed and their eggs taken en masse for their skin. Crocodiles in northern Australia are getting bigger every year, local Rodney Fischer told Yahoo. Source: Rodney Fischer "It takes a long time for them to build their population up. The mortality rate of the crocodiles was high," he told Yahoo News Australia, "So it just takes decades for them to build their numbers back up". And that's likely what we're seeing now. He also said that people are "starting to see more in places where they hadn't seen them before", likely because they're known to move into new territories and take over. "So long as habitats are there, crocs will move back into them and set up their territories and establish their populations there," Fischer said. Croc population has grown in size A DBCA spokesperson told Yahoo that "the population of estuarine crocodiles continues to grow by around 8 per cent per year on average". The Berkeley River plays host to 42 "salties", with a density of 0.9 individuals per km of river surveyed. The Ord River is home to around 2,000 individuals, with an average of seven animals per km of river surveyed. While DBCA staff directly counted a total of 102 different crocodiles in the King. Story continues The croc population is also growing, with people warned to be careful. Source: Rodney Fischer "Some of the biggest increases we've seen in the Ord are in the upstream sections, in the freshwater not just more animals but bigger animals as well," DBCA ecologist Ben Corey told ABC News. Eighty per cent of these were larger than 1.8 metres in length. Grown into 'humongous, big, beautiful crocodiles' While female crocs tend to be smaller, usually a maximum length of about three or three-and-a-half metres, the average male is about 4.2 metres, Fischer told Yahoo. But he's often seeing them much, much bigger and there's reason for that too. "I've been seeing some five-metre or even five-and-a-half-metre crocodiles on the Ord River," he said. "They've just grown into humongous, nice, big, beautiful crocodiles. "In the 70s, most of the big crocs were shot leaving a lot of smaller ones behind. And because they can live up to 100 years, we're just starting to see some of those smaller crocodiles that have continued to grow". The average male crocodile is about 4.2 metres. Source: Rodney Fischer It's these crocs Fischer claims people are seeing regularly. "But it depends on the food supply too," he said. "Here on the Ord River, there's an endless supply of cattle. So the crocodiles are getting big quicker at a younger age." Visitors and locals warned to 'be careful' But the messaging remains the same around croc-infested waters. "People just need to be careful," said Fischer, who films crocodile content for his YouTube channel, Tropical Exposure. "Take notice of signs when visiting the area and look out for each other," he said. "And don't go into waters where crocodiles live. If people do that, then it'll be alright". Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new newsletter showcasing the weeks best stories. Actor Ralph Fiennes has called to end trigger warnings at threatres suggesting that audiences have 'gone too soft'. The Harry Potter star, 61, said that stage performances should leave audiences 'shocked and disturbed' adding that the element of surprise is 'what makes threatre so exciting'. Trigger warnings ahead of performances have become increasingly commonplace in recent years, warning audiences of violence, abuse, bereavement, loud noises and even references to smoking. Fiennes has now joined his peers, such as Lord of the Ring's star Sir Ian McKellen and actor Christopher Biggins, to call for the excessive warnings to be axed. When asked by BBC's Laura Kuenssberg is audiences have gone too soft said: 'I think audiences have. We didn't used to have trigger warnings. Ralph Fiennes (pictured on the BBC today) has called to end trigger warnings at threatres suggesting that audiences have 'gone too soft' The Harry Potter star, 60, who is currently starring in Macbeth has called for the excessive warnings to be axed 'There are very disturbing scenes in Macbeth, terrible murders and things, but I think the impact of theatre is that you should be shocked and you should be disturbed. 'I don't think you should be prepared for these things and when I was young we never had trigger warnings before a show.' The actor added that he would get rid of trigger warnings but would keep notifications about strobe lighting, and other props that could damage a person's health, in place. 'Shakespeare's plays are full of murder and full of horror, and as a young student and lover of the threatre I never experienced trigger warnings like oh by the way in King Lea Gloucester's going to have his eyes pulled out,' he said. 'Theatre needs to be alive and in the present. It's the shock, it's the unexpected, that's what makes the theatre so exciting.' The actor, known for The English Patient, Schindler's List and The Grand Budapest Hotel, is currently starring in an immersive touring production of Macbeth. Last year, Sir McKellen blasted trigger warnings after he ridiculed the signs at his own play Frank and Percy at The Other Palace in London. A warning has been placed on the theatre's website saying the show contains strong language, sexual references and discussions of bereavement and cancer. The 84-year-old said: 'Outside theatres and in the lobbies, including this one, the audience is warned "there is a loud noise and at one point, there are flashing lights", "there is reference to smoking", "there is reference to bereavement".' Last year, Sir McKellen blasted trigger warnings after he ridiculed the signs at his own play Frank and Percy at The Other Palace in London Actor Christopher Biggins blasted the Globe for proving trigger warnings ahead of Julius Ceasar He added: 'I think it's ludicrous, myself, yes, absolutely. I quite like to be surprised by loud noises and outrageous behaviour on stage.' Bosses of the London's world-renowned Globe threatre were slammed in 2022 after they provided warnings ahead of Shakespeare's centuries-old play Julies Ceasar. The Roman dictator was famously stabbed to death inside the halls of Rome's senate which is a scene that features in the modern production of Shakespeare's classic. But the Globe - which is on the site of the Bard's original playhouse - alerts the audience before performances that the show will contain 'stage blood and weapons including knives.' It warned: 'Content guidance: Depictions of war, self-harm and suicide, stage blood and weapons including knives.' Actor Christopher Biggins blasted the theatre: 'Do we have to have signs for everything under the sun. It's a joke. What they are trying to do is insulting to the mentality of theatre-goers.' Bosses of the London's world-renowned Globe threatre were slammed in 2022 after they provided warnings ahead of Shakespeare's centuries-old play Julies Ceasar Example of a trigger warning shown ahead of Sir McKellan's performance in Frank & Percy Former minister Ann Widdecombe added: 'You don't go to see Romeo and Juliet if you want a light-hearted evening.' Yet the Globe has not been deterred by criticism of its pre-performance notifications. Last month those watching Antony and Cleopatra on the Thames-side threatre were warned that the play would show discrimination to black women. A trigger warning on its website says the play features 'misogynoir references' a combination of 'misogyny' and 'noir'. This video is no longer available This video is no longer available Disturbing footage has emerged of a group of girls allegedly attacking two women on a busy train platform, forcing shocked witnesses to intervene. Four girls aged 11-15 have been charged over the wild melee at Burwood station in Sydney's inner-west on Saturday night. In a video posted to Instagram and on Reddit, the four girls were seen allegedly attacking two women by hitting, grabbing and pulling their hair. One woman was allegedly hit by three girls while the other had her headscarf torn off her head as she dragged one of them away. One fell to the ground and screamed as a girl tried to pull her by her hair across the platform. In a video posted to Instagram and then widely seen on Reddit, a group of girls can be seen fighting and screaming at Burwood station in Sydney's inner west At one point in the footage, four girls were seen seen allegedly hitting, grabbing and pulling the hair of two women, causing one of them to fall to the ground READ MORE: Major update in alleged murder of grandmother in Queensland Vyleen White is pictured celebrating her 70th birthday at her family home last June, eight months before her tragic death Advertisement A man is seen to enter the fight and tries to separate the group, screaming 'Chill, girl'. One of the victims approached a female station attendant, who tried to verbally intervene, as the girls continued to grab the other woman while verbally abusing her. Other passengers also stepped to help stop the incident escalating further. It's unknown what sparked the attack. A NSW Police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia emergency services had been called to the station about 9pm, responding to reports of a brawl. 'On arrival, officers attached to Burwood Police Area Command were told three women aged 27, 27 and 44 and a 27-year-old man had been assaulted by a group of girls,' they said. 'Police arrested four girls at the scene who were taken to Burwood Police Station. Three girls aged 11, 12 and 14 were charged with two counts of common assault while a 15-year-old girl was charged with four counts of common assault. All four girls were granted bail. All due to appear at children's court later in February. Transport for NSW says it's aware of the incident and is assisting police with the investigation. Christian Brueckner, who is suspected of snatching missing toddler Madeleine McCann, was pictured partying just a few weeks after he was first questioned about her disappearance. Photos show the convicted paedophile partying with friends a few weeks after the police first interviewed him in connection with the missing child. Brueckner, a German national, is the prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in Portugal in 2007, but he has not been charged at any point with her disappearance and he has denied that he was involved. Madeleine was on a family holiday in Praia da Luz, in Portugal when she vanished on May 3, 2007. Brueckner was made a formal suspect by prosecutors in Portugal in 2022. He had previously been identified as a suspect by German prosecutors in 2020, at which point he was named as Christian B. Madeleine was on a family holiday in Praia da Luz, in Portugal when she vanished on May 3, 2007. Brueckner was made a formal suspect by prosecutors in Portugal in 2022 Christian Brueckner, a German national, is the prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in Portugal in 2007, but he has not been charged at any point with her disappearance and he has denied that he was involved The last picture of Madeleine McCann taken on May 3 2007, the day she went missing Brueckner, 47, is currently serving an unrelated jail term in Germany for rape. He is also set to appear in court in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, on February 16, accused of five offences between 2000 and 2017 in Portugal. Photos seen by MailOnline show him in 2013, celebrating his 37th birthday with a group of friends. They were taken in a kiosk in Braunschweig, near Hanover - which Brueckner ran from 2012 to 2016. He is shown smiling and laughing and eating steak, vol-au-vents, Russian salad and Spanish omelette. The Sun reported that a former friend of Brueckner said he was the 'life and soul' of the party. The newspaper reported the source as saying: 'He would get everyone drunk with free booze and we would end up partying until two or 3am. His birthday was the same. It ended up being a really long night.' One photograph shows him hugging his pet dog while on the floor - thought to be the same dog that police found in 2016 buried with memory sticks containing child abuse videos. Madeleine Beth McCann went missing from her bed while on holiday with her family on the evening of May 3 2007, aged three. Police scoured the location near Silves that Brueckner reportedly called his 'little paradise' in May 2023. The site is about 30 miles from Praia da Luz holiday resort where Madeleine was snatched. Christian Brueckner was officially named as a suspect in April 2022 after his yellow and white VW T3 Westfalia campervan was reportedly spotted near the Praia da Luz resort in Portugal where Maddie vanished. Brueckner has denied he was in the area at the time and distanced himself from the allegations against him. But German prosecutors say phone logs show he received a call on May 3 2007 near the Ocean Club. Personnel at Barragem do Arade reservoir, in the Algave, Portugal, searching in May 2023 as part of the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann Pictured is the Arade Reservoir in Portugal, where a shrine was found six months after the disappearance of Madeleine McCann Brueckner maintains that he was miles away with a young woman. READ MORE - Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner will likely stay silent during upcoming trial for unrelated sex offences but 'has nothing to hide' his lawyer says Advertisement He remains the sole significant suspect in the case since 2007. Madeleine's family kept the investigation open with private detectives until Scotland Yard opened its own enquiry in 2011. Nine years later, police in Braunschweig, northern Germany, identified a convicted paedophile and German national as a new suspect. In 2021, prosecutors said they were '100 per cent sure' that they had the right man. German prosecutor Hans Wolters said evidence included phone analysis placing him at the Ocean Club resort the family was staying at when Madeleine went missing and an alleged confession Brueckner made to a friend. In April last year, it was reported Christian Brueckner may not face charges in Germany over Madeleine's disappearance after a court ruled prosecutors had no jurisdiction to pursue a case against him, however. Voters in Finland are casting their ballots the next president who will be tasked with steering the country's foreign and security policy following its NATO membership and amid rising tensions with neighbouring Russia. Some 4.3million people are going to the polls to choose between former conservative prime minister Alexander Stubb and ex-foreign minister Pekka Haavisto, a Green Party MP running as an independent. The president of Finland commands the military and holds executive power in formulating foreign and security policy together with the government, especially concerning countries outside the European Union such as the United States, Russia and China. Both candidates largely agree on Finland's foreign policy and security priorities, which include maintaining a hard line toward Moscow and Russia's current leadership, strengthening security ties with Washington, and the need to help Ukraine both militarily and at a civilian level. Stubb took the top spot in the first round of the election on January 28 with 27.2 per cent percent of the vote and is the favourite to win the presidency. A run-off election was required because none of the candidates got more than half of the votes. Millions head to the polls today to cast their ballots for Finalnd's next president. Green Party backed candidate for a nonpartisan constituency association Pekka Haavisto (centre) is pictured casting his vote with spouse Antonio Flores (right) in Helsinki today Preliminary votes of the second round of the Finnish presidential election are counted in Helsinki, Finland, on February 11, 2024. Former conservative prime minister Alexander Stubb (not pictured) took the top spot in the first round of the election on January 28 with 27.2 per cent percent of the vote and is the favourite to win the presidency National Coalition Party presidential candidate Alexander Stubb (left) and his wife Suzanne Innes-Stubb (right) cast their vote in Espoo, on February 11, 2024 Millions of eligible voters are heading to the polls today as they choose between two experienced politicians to be their next president. In Helsinki, Erja Vanhanen, 59, was among the first to vote when polling stations opened at 7am. She told reporters that her choice was 'a leader with values who is on the side of minorities and who takes a stand on these issues when necessary'. The changing geopolitical landscape in Europe will be the main concern for the new head of state, who - while having limited powers compared to the prime minister - leads the country's foreign policy together with the government and acts as supreme commander of Finland's armed forces. Relations between Moscow and Helsinki deteriorated following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, prompting Finland to drop decades of military non-alignment and join NATO in April 2023. Russia, with whom Finland shares a 1,340-kilometre (830-mile) border, swiftly warned of 'countermeasures'. 'The fact that we've just joined NATO has a lot of significance because the building of the NATO institution in Finland and what it will look like will largely be a task for the new president,' Theodora Helimaki, doctoral researcher in political science at the University of Helsinki, said. 'The top two were perhaps the most experienced in terms of foreign policy,' she added regarding the first round. Finnish former foreign minister Pekka Haavisto (left) of the Green League (VIHR) who is running as an independent and his spouse Antonio Flores (right) campaign in Lahti, Finland, on February 10, 2024, one day ahead of the decisive second round of the presidential election A woman casts her vote in the second round of the Finnish presidential election in Espoo, on February 11, 2024 A man casts his vote in the second round of the Finnish presidential election in Espoo, on February 11, 2024 Stubb came out ahead in the first round on January 28 with 27.2 per cent of votes, while Haavisto came in a close second with 25.8 per cent of the vote - qualifying them for the second round. An opinion poll by public broadcaster Yle published on Thursday saw Stubb getting 54 per cent of the vote, compared to 46 per cent for Haavisto. In the post-Cold War period, Helsinki maintained good relationships with Moscow. Outgoing president Sauli Niinisto, first elected in 2012, once prided himself on his close ties with Russian leader Vladimir Putin before becoming one of his most trenchant critics. Niinisto contacted him directly to announce the decision to join NATO. Since then, there has been radio silence and neither candidate is expecting a phone call from the Kremlin if they win the election. In August 2023, Finland observed an influx of migrants entering through its eastern border without visas. Helsinki claimed Moscow was pushing the migrants to destabilise it, and in response closed their border in November - a move supported by both candidates. Stubb and Haavisto, who have both served as foreign minister, share similar visions for the country's position towards Russia, calling for additional sanctions against Moscow and support for Ukraine. 'The European Union can do much more to help Ukraine,' Haavisto said during a televised debate on Thursday evening. 'Ukraine's road is our road, and at the moment they are fighting for the freedom of Europeans. They deserve all the support that we can give to them,' Stubb agreed. Preliminary votes of the second round of the Finnish presidential election are counted in Helsinki, Finland, on Sunday Feb. 11, 2024 Finnish voters are choosing between two experienced voters to be their next president. The winner's main task will be to steer the Nordic country's foreign and security policy now that it is a member of NATO, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Pictured: Preliminary votes of the second round of the Finnish presidential election being counted in Helsinki today For Helimaki, the differences between the candidates come down to nuance on certain issues, such as the storage or transport of nuclear weapons in Finland. Haavisto does not want them on Finnish soil though he recognises that as a member of NATO, the Nordic country must take part in exercises relating to the alliance's nuclear policy. Stubb meanwhile feels that the country should not exclude 'any part' of NATO's nuclear deterrence. Given their similarities, voters are likely to make their decision based on their political preferences, according to Matti Pesu, leading researcher at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs. 'While Stubb's liberalism is related to Western organisations and Western values, Haavisto has more of a global emphasis: the UN, peace, development,' Pesu said. When it comes to personality, Stubb comes across as a 'kind of modern politician and fairly open in how he talks', while Haavisto 'is a more traditional, more careful Finnish politician'. Voter turnout in the first round was 75 per cent. Today's polls close at 8 pm. Soldiers and politicians have reacted with fury after British soldiers were told to make Remembrance commemorations more 'inclusive' by making them less Christian. Official Army policy states that they should avoid making Armistice Day events on November 11 'wholly religious' to avoid offending veterans of other religions and none. The 'Policy, Guidance and Instructions on Inclusive Behaviours', first published in June 2022, says that 'Acts of Remembrance should be agnostic of religious elements and separated from Remembrance Services'. A source close to Grant Shapps, the Defence Secretary, told the Telegraph he was 'furious' to discover the orders, adding: 'The Secretary of State is Jewish and he's not offended one bit by Christian remembrance services - in fact, he believes it's at the core of our nation's history and who we are.' Official Army policy states that they should avoid making Armistice Day events on November 11 'wholly religious' to avoid offending veterans of other religions and none. A source close to Grant Shapps, the Defence Secretary, told the Telegraph he was 'furious' to discover the orders, adding: 'The Secretary of State is Jewish and he's not offended one bit by Christian remembrance services - in fact, he believes it's at the core of our nation's history and who we are.' Meanwhile, a dozen ex-senior officers have written to the minister branding the policy 'a particular insult to our ancestors who fought and died to lead the world in ending slavery'. The group of retirees, which includes Major General Julian Thompson, Rear Admiral Roger Lane-Nott and Lieutenant General Sir Henry Beverly, said the UK's 'civic culture on November 11 is sacred, Christian, tolerant and inclusive on our terms'. It came as it was revealed the Armed Forces are employing growing numbers of diversity and inclusion officers at a time when troop numbers have reached dangerously low levels. The British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force (RAF) have more than 40 staff working full-time on improving equality, with more to be recruited soon even though Ministers have vowed to crack down on 'woke non-jobs'. It comes after a report by the Defence Select Committee warned that the overstretched military may be unable to wage an all-out war. Last night former Minister Sir John Hayes, who obtained details of the diversity schemes in a series of parliamentary written questions, told The Mail on Sunday: 'Taxpayers care about whether the soldiers are up to the job, and frankly the Ministry of Defence should be focusing on just that.' Former Minister Sir John Hayes (pictured) said the government should be focussing on whether the armed forces are up to the job It comes after a report by the Defence Select Committee warned that the overstretched military may be unable to wage an all-out war The figures from the MoD show that the Army has '13 people employed in roles dedicated to diversity and inclusion', while the Royal Navy has 15. The RAF has 14, 'with a further ten positions to be recruited into'. Sir John also learned how much the RAF has spent on diversity recruitment campaigns. Defence Minister Dr Andrew Murrison said: 'In the financial years 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22, the RAF spent 473,690, 168,283 and 921,110 respectively, funding ethnic minority and women campaigns and initiatives.' The figures from the MoD show that the Army has '13 people employed in roles dedicated to diversity and inclusion', while the Royal Navy has 15 (stock photo) The British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force ( RAF ) have more than 40 staff working full-time on improving equality, with more to be recruited soon (stock photo of British troops returning from Afghanistan) However, in 2022 the RAF's head of recruitment, Group Captain Lizzie Nicholl, quit after refusing to follow an order to prioritise women and ethnic minority candidates over white men, believing it to be unlawful positive discrimination. She is in line for a 1 million payout after a report last June backed her allegations of bias. An MoD spokesman said: 'Our priority is protecting national security. These [diversity] roles are not new. 'For the Armed Forces to be effective we must be able to recruit and retain the best people from the broadest cross-section of society, so the small number of colleagues who conduct these responsibilities use their practical experience to help improve training and working culture.' The gut-wrenching diary of a Lieutenant written on the first day of the Somme, a battle which resulted in the deaths of around 300,000 soldiers, has been dug out 108 years on. The entry was penned by Lieutenant Ernest Pearson on July 1 1916, known as the bloodiest day in British history with 57,000 casualties including 20,000 deaths, and gives a 'blow by blow' account of the brutal First World War battle. The soldier's notes show how early optimism was soon wiped out as British troops were mown down on the disastrous first day. Lt Pearson initially describes waking up on 'The Day of the Great Battle' adding that it was 'probably one of the greatest in history, the roar of the guns is incessant'. The lieutenant was stationed near Authuille Wood with the 11th Notts & Derby Regiment and he details the attack on the German-held Nab salient which began at 7.30am. The poignant diary of a World War One Lieutenant written on the first day of the Somme, a battle which resulted in the deaths of around 300,000 soldiers, has been dug out 108 years on Despite a positive start, the slaughter soon begins and the soldier solemnly announces that the 70th Infantry Brigade, which also went on to serve in World War Two, 'has been cut to pieces' Lt Pearson initially describes waking up on 'The Day of the Great Battle' adding that it was 'probably one of the greatest in history, the roar of the guns is incessant' (pictured: British soldiers with a Vickers machine gun) Five minutes later, the soldier writes that there are 'infantry over Bosche front line'. Bosche was a derisive term for the Germans during World War One. And things continue to look positive in the early hours of the Somme with Lt Pearson jotting down that the 16th Highland Light Infantry, a successful battalion during the war which lost more than 500 men during the bloody battle, had started 'shooting Germans in the trenches'. But early progress soon grinds to a halt and, by 10.05am, the diarist reports 'no progress, both Brigades held up by machine gun fire'. And just over an hour later, the first signs of the true violence of the battle are detailed with Lt Pearson writing that 'casualties [are] very heavy'. There then follows eight hours of deadlock as the British attempt to block a heavy German barrage but the slaughter continues and the soldier solemnly announces that the 70th Infantry Brigade, which also went on to serve in World War Two, 'has been cut to pieces'. He adds: '8th Y&L [York and Lancaster] went into action 22 officers 677 O.R. [other ranks] & came out 65 O.R.' The A5 diary covers the build-up to the famous battle, which killed around 125,000 British soldiers, from June 16 and details the first few weeks of the Somme up until July 27 1916. The British and French had joined forces to fight the Germans on a 15-mile-long front but the grim battle ended in an attritional stalemate in November 1916 having lasted 141 days. The collector's item has gone up for sale for 800 at C&T Auctions, of Ashford, Kent and has been consigned by a private collector. The sale is set to take place on February 14 Lt Pearson initially describes waking up on 'The Day of the Great Battle' adding that it was 'probably one of the greatest in history, the roar of the guns is incessant' The lieutenant was stationed near Authuille Wood with the 11th Notts & Derby Regiment and he details the attack on the German-held Nab salient which began at 7.30am The diary also outlines the numbers and the strength of a number of battalions fighting at the Somme Matthew Tredwen, specialist at C&T Auctions, said: 'Lt Pearson's diary recounts the preparations for the Battle of the Somme, the events of the day and its aftermath' The Tommies had advanced just seven miles and failed to break the resolute German defence. On the last day of the battle, however, the 51st Highland Division took Beaumont Hamel and captured 7,000 German prisoners. The plan was for a 'Big Push' to relieve the French forces, who were besieged further south at Verdun, and break through German lines. Although it did take pressure off Verdun it failed to provide a breakthrough and the war dragged on for another two years. On top of more than 100,000 British deaths, another 200,000 French troops and 500,000 Germans were either killed or wounded in action. Battle of the Somme: One of the deadliest fights in history Lasting 141 days, the Battle of the Somme was the bloodiest battle of the First World War. The British suffered 420,000 casualties, including 125,000 deaths, during the intense fighting. Another 200,000 French troops and 500,000 Germans were either killed or wounded in action. It is estimated 24,000 Canadian and 23,000 Australian servicemen also fell in the four-month fight. A British soldier keeps watch over No Man's Land as his comrades sleep during the Battle of the Somme in 1916 The British and French joined forces to fight the Germans on a 15-mile-long front, with more than a million-people killed or injured on both sides. The Battle started on the July 1, 1916, and lasted until November 19, 1916. The British managed to advance seven-miles but failed to break the German defence. On the first day alone, 19,240 British soldiers were killed after 'going over the top' and more than 38,000 were wounded. But on the last day of the battle, the 51st Highland Division took Beaumont Hamel and captured 7,000 German prisoners. The plan was for a 'Big Push' to relieve the French forces, who were besieged further south at Verdun, and break through German lines. Although it did take pressure off Verdun it failed to provide a breakthrough and the war dragged on for another two years. Advertisement It is estimated 24,000 Canadian and 23,000 Australian servicemen also fell in the fight. The collector's item has gone up for sale for 800 at C&T Auctions, of Ashford, Kent and has been consigned by a private collector. The sale is set to take place on February 14. Ahead of the battle, each soldier was instructed to carry 220 rounds of ammunition and was 'forbidden to stop to collect souvenirs'. On top of more than 100,000 British deaths, another 200,000 French troops and 500,000 Germans were either killed or wounded in action The British and French had joined forces to fight the Germans on a 15-mile-long front but the grim battle ended in an attritional stalemate in November 1916 having lasted 141 days The plan was for a 'Big Push' to relieve the French forces, who were besieged further south at Verdun, and break through German lines (pictured: a piper of the 7th Seaforth Highlanders pipes men) It is estimated 24,000 Canadian and 23,000 Australian servicemen also fell in the fight Matthew Tredwen, specialist at C&T Auctions, said: 'Lt Pearson's diary recounts the preparations for the Battle of the Somme, the events of the day and its aftermath. 'The account starts with optimism but quickly turns to despair due to the huge number of casualties. 'There is a fascination among collectors with the first day of the Somme as it is one of the most historic events of World War One.' The last living man born in a ghost village has returned for a farewell visit to the settlement which was evacuated in World War II. The tiny Isle of Purbeck settlement has been deserted for 81 years after the army commandeered it during the war. Peter Wellman, 99, recently returned to the village of Tyneham, Dorset, that was evacuated just before Christmas in 1943 to enable the army to extend its ranges. Around 250 people and the valley farms were forced out, but promised they could return when Hitler had been seen off. But they were never allowed back. While still on MoD land, the ruins of the village and the walk to the beach at Warbarrow Bay are open to the public for 160 days of the year and remain a moment in time that was frozen. Peter Wellman, 99, recently returned to the village of Tyneham, Dorset, that was evacuated just before Christmas in 1943 to enable the army to extend its ranges The school that Mr Wellman went to and the church at which attendance was mandatory have been restored, but the rest is decaying with time The tiny Isle of Purbeck settlement has been deserted for 81 years after the army commandeered it during the war The school that Mr Wellman went to and the church at which attendance was mandatory have been restored, but the rest is decaying with time. Mr Wellman, who was born in Tyneham in 1924, had attended the village's annual memorial service until last year when he had a fall. But his daughter Lynne and son Michael drove him back for a look around as the last remaining villager. When Peggy Read died before Christmas in Australia aged 94 it left her childhood friend Mr Wellman as the last living connection with the village. The tenants of Tyneham, near the beautiful Lulworth Cove, gave up their homes for Allied forces who needed space to practise their manoeuvres ahead of the 1944 D-Day invasion of Normandy in the Second World War. In a spirit of resigned patriotism, they told officials in a letter pinned to the church door that they had given up homes lived in for 'generations' to 'help win the war to keep men free'. Despite defiantly adding that they would 'return one day' and being promised the same by the Government, the 225 villagers were never able to go back because their homes were forcibly purchased by the Ministry of Defence and the site became part of a firing range. Mr Wellman said: 'I don't suppose I'll ever come back, which is a shame. 'After Peggy died I am the last person to have been born and raised here. 'I do love it here and people are always very interested in hearing about what life was like. But we knew no different. 'We had no electricity, no mains gas and no running water - we had to pump that from near the church. There's a tap there now. 'I remember going to the beach and fishing and we often had mackerel. We were happy until we got moved out.' Mr Wellman, whose family connections to Tyneham go back many generations and whose grandfather was the shepherd, attended the little single-room school. He said he 'scribbled like anyone else would' and when the school closed in 1933 when he was nine, he spent several years attending another school by bus. While still on MoD land, the ruins of the village and the walk to the beach at Warbarrow Bay are open to the public for 160 days of the year and remain a moment in time that was frozen Around 250 people and the valley farms were forced out, but promised they could return when Hitler had been seen off. But they were never allowed back The village was owned by the Bond family who lived in the grand Tyneham House that is now mostly gone At 14, he started work on a nearby farm where he stayed for 36 years and then he had a job in the clay industry until retirement. Many of the villagers enjoyed long lives and he put it down to the lifestyle. He said: 'Fresh air is the main thing and hard work with a good heart and a contented mind. That's how you live. 'Now I'm the only one left. They've all gone.' Mr Wellman recalls watching a dogfight in the sky above the fields he was working in during the war, and waving at the Spitfire pilot who downed an enemy plane. The village was owned by the Bond family who lived in the grand Tyneham House that is now mostly gone. They were resistant to modernity meaning life in the village in 1943 was much like it had been a century earlier. After a campaign led by campaigner Rodney Legg to allow the residents back, the MoD in 1975 permitted people to visit what was left, and it has become an increasingly popular place for day-trippers and tourists. Mr Wellman, who now lives in nearby Swanage with his family, is also the last person to speak with an authentic Tyneham valley accent. The widower, whose family lived in Tyneham for generations, has two children, two grandchildren, three great grandchildren and two great great grandchildren. Pictured is Tyneham School in 1927. Peter Wellman is in the front row, second from the left. He was four and had yet to start his schooling Pictured is Peggy Read, who died before Christmas in Australia aged 94 Mark White, the grandson of Peggy Read who was the second last Tyneham resident and who has researched the village for years, said: 'Peter is the last living link to the village. 'Tyneham was completely unremarkable until December 1943 when the residents were forced to leave. 'They were promised they could move back but the place was compulsory purchased in the late 40s and the only ones who returned were those who were allowed to be buried in the churchyard. 'People like my nan and Peter have unintentionally become immortalised in history.' Local historian Gordon Lewis, the author of Tyneham Then and Now, said villagers agreed to leave their homes as they wanted to do their bit for the war effort. He said: 'The residents were given just 33 days to leave. 'The farmers who were tenants of Tyneham House had to sell all their livestock, the families had to offload all their furniture. 'Nowadays, if people were told they had to abandon their homes they would probably chain themselves to the church railings. 'But back then they genuinely believed they would be coming back after the war ended, and they saw it as their duty as part of the war effort. 'It must have been a shock to the villagers when they found out they could not return.' A survivor of the Manchester Arena bombing has urged parole bosses to keep a jihadi who plotted to behead a British soldier in jail. Parviz Khan, 52, was handed a life sentence in 2008 after conspiring to behead a British Muslim soldier. He pleaded guilty to the plan and was sentenced to a minimum of 14 years behind bars, before being denied parole in early 2022. The extremist, who planned to film himself killing his intended victim 'like a pig', has now been granted a Parole Board hearing date 'in the autumn'. But Jade Clough, who was seriously injured in the 2017 suicide bombing which killed 22 people, has said the thought of him being freed is 'horrific'. 'If this man is released, those responsible will have blood on their hands. He is a monster', she told The Mirror. Ms Clough, 34, has urged the parole board to keep him locked up, adding: 'These individuals do not deserve second chances. 'It's sickening. It's disgusting he should even be considered for this'. Jade Clough, a survivor of the Manchester Arena bombing has urged parole bosses to keep a jihadi who plotted to behead a British soldier in jail Parviz Khan, 52, was handed a life sentence in 2008 after conspiring to behead a British Muslim soldier Parvis Khan was the ringleader of a group which plotted to kidnap and behead a British soldier in 2008. His gang was later reported to be inspired by Choudary's al-Muhajiroun network. At trial, Mr Justice Henriques left the court in no doubt how dangerous he believed Khan to be. He told him at Leicester crown court: 'You have been described by the Crown as a man who has the most violent and extreme Islamist views and as a fanatic. 'Having studied over the last month, I unhesitatingly accept that description of you. 'You not only plotted to kill a soldier, but you intended to film a most brutal killing.' The judge said Khan's aim was to deter any Muslim from joining the British Army. 'This was not only a plot to kill a soldier but a plot to undermine the morale of the British Army and inhibit recruitment,' he said. Ms Clough also revealed her skepticism of the Government monitoring, after surviving the attack carried out by 22-year-old Salman Abedi - who was known to security services. She told the publication: 'Abedi was a known risk. The circumstances with Khan are similar. There have been serious warnings previously. The risk is too great'. She added her belief that he was one of the 'most dangerous men' in the country and that even the thought of him being released 'brings back nightmares' for her. Suicide bomber Salman Abedi was responsible for the attack at the Ariana Grande concert CCTV image of Salman Abedi at Victoria Station making his way to the Manchester Arena The mother-of-one and teacher from Stockport suffered severe leg injuries in the Manchester Arena bombing. She had taken her teenage nephew to the Ariana Grande concert when the blast occurred - killing 22 and injuring over 80. Meanwhile, Colonel Richard Kemp, a terrorism expert and the British Army's former commander in Afghanistan, also urged parole bosses to keep Khan locked up. He told The Mirror: 'We have seen before dangerous jihadis released and then commit the most appalling acts of terrorism which kill innocent people. 'This man is extremely dangerous. I would urge the parole board to keep him locked up. I would exercise extreme caution around him.' Khan's case will be considered by the board on April 29. France should install 'buoy blockades' like those deployed by the US along its border with Mexico in the Channel to prevent migrant boat crossings, Robert Jenrick has said. The former immigration minister urged Paris to step up its use of the tethered inflatable barriers ahead of a visit to Texas to see them in action along the Rio Grande. He said that before he resigned last year he worked with France to install buoys in canal and river mouths used by smugglers to launch boats in calmer waters. But he wants the floating chains set up in the sea. They roll so they are hard to climb and also have nets below them under the water. 'The Western world faces a migration crisis. It's vital the UK adopts the latest technology and the most effective tactics from other countries that are facing similar challenges,' Mr Jenrick told the Telegraph yesterday. Migrants walk past large buoys being used as a floating border barrier on the Rio Grande, The former immigration minister urged Paris to step up its use of the tethered inflatable barriers ahead of a visit to Texas to see them in action along the Mexican border 'As immigration minister, I worked with French officers to deploy buoys to blockade the smuggler's boats. They proved highly effective and as the Governor of Texas has now shown they work at scale too.' 'As immigration minister, I worked with French officers to deploy buoys to blockade the smuggler's boats. They proved highly effective and as the Governor of Texas has now shown they work at scale too. 'As currently conceived the Rwanda policy won't provide the effective and sustainable deterrent we desperately need. 'The Government can't afford to simply wait and see. We need to be doing absolutely everything we can to end this national security emergency. More blockades aren't a silver bullet, but they would provide an important step forward.' However the use of the floating barrages is controversial in the US. A court last year blocked Texas Governor Greg Abbott from deploying a 1,000-foot barrages last year, a decision he is appealing. The Biden administration has argued that the barrier in Eagles Pass is unlawfully blocking navigation and poses humanitarian concerns. After the administration sued Texas in July to remove the barrier, San Antonio-based US District Court Judge David Ezra ordered state officials to move the buoys to an embankment on the US side of the river - which serves as the border with neighboring Mexico - pending the outcome of the litigation. The barrier is one of the strategies Abbott has used to try to prevent migrants from crossing the river, also including coils of razor wire placed along the riverbank. Abbott contends that Biden, a Democrat, has been too lenient with border security as record numbers of migrants have been caught crossing illegally during his presidency. Joe Biden is incapable of assuring voters he can handle another presidential term, his team has 'no plan' on how to deal with his senile behavior, and he should simply 'not be running for re-election,' according to New York Times authors. Anxieties from the liberal Times' Editorial Board and opinion writers show how worried they are that ailing Biden may not be able to beat 'bad man' Donald Trump this year. The back-to-back opinion pieces knifing the elderly president, 81, over the weekend comes after a Justice Department report ripped into his handling of classified documents and portrayed him as a forgetful old man. The 388-page report by Special Counsel Robert Hur confirmed he would not be charged - but it said that was because a jury would probably conclude he had 'diminished faculties' and was a 'well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.' Biden's lack of enthusiasm on the campaign trail, coupled with his doddering public appearances and 'crotchety grandpa' attitude, are huge concerns during this 'dark time' in his presidential tenure, according to the left-leaning broadsheet paper. 'He needs to do more to show the public that he is fully capable of holding office until age 86,' the Times board stated on Sunday. The back-to-back opinion pieces knifing the elderly president, 81, comes after a Justice Department report into his handling of classified documents was released On February 9, the New York Times' Editorial Board published a damning, honest opinion piece, titled: 'The Challenges of an Aging President.' The team at the newspaper concluded: 'This is a dark moment for Mr. Bidens presidency. They said that Biden's performance at his news conference on Thursday night was 'intended to assure the public that his memory is fine and argue that Mr. Hur was out of line' - but this is not what happened. Instead, according to the opinion piece, 'the president raised more questions about his cognitive sharpness and temperament, as he delivered emotional and snappish retorts in a moment when people were looking for steady, even and capable responses to fair questions about his fitness.' The board wrote: 'His assurances... didnt work. He must do better the stakes in this presidential election are too high for Mr. Biden to hope that he can skate through a campaign with the help of teleprompters and aides and somehow defeat as manifestly unfit an opponent as Donald Trump.' They admitted Trump 'has a very real chance of retaking the White House.' The piece suggested Biden is being hidden by his advisors because of his senile age - and instead of being out campaigning with the people and building confidence, he is doing the complete opposite. It read: 'The combination of Mr. Bidens age and his absence from the public stage has eroded the publics confidence. He looks as if he is hiding, or worse, being hidden. 'The details in Mr. Hurs report will only heighten those concerns, which Mr. Trumps campaign is already exploiting.' This was not the only opinion piece highlighting Biden's senescence published in the New York Times this weekend. Maureen Dowd, 72, is a long-time journalist and opinion writer for the Times. She published a column on February 10 with the headline: 'Mr. President, Ditch the Stealth About Health.' She wrote for the NYT: 'Stealth about health is no longer possible, and the sooner President Bidens team stops being in denial about that, the better off Democrats will be.' The liberal columnist argued Biden has put himself in bubble wrap - and that going on the defensive when Trump is on the offensive during a time when the 'world is on fire' will not work for the Democrats. Dowd argued Jill Biden and his advisors have tried to come up with ways to 'obscure signs of senescence' but none of their tricks have worked. As a result of trying not to come across as a 'crotchety grandpa,' he in fact has shown himself as a full-blown 'crotchety grandpa.' President Joe Biden (L) and former President Donald Trump (R) Dowd said that despite Biden running against a 'bad man' - Trump - is not 'not enough' and he needs to 'acknowledge to himself that his moments of faltering are a big weakness.' The NYT writer said: 'Many Americans are quite concerned about the 81-year-old presidents crepuscular mien. Its the elephant in the room except that elephants never forget. 'Donald Trump, 77, makes his own verbal slips and shows signs of aging, but he conveys more energy. 'When the president rushed out Thursday night to show he was compos mentis, rebutting what special counsel Robert Hur said, he was peevish with the media and blamed his staff for mishandling classified documents. 'Petulance is never a good look. Biden should have taken a breath. 'Pushing back at the image of a crotchety grandpa, he came across like a crotchety grandpa. Im well-meaning and Im an elderly man, and I know what the hell Im doing, he barked.' Dowd argued Biden's team 'clearly has no plan for how to deal with the presidents age except to shield him and hide him and browbeat reporters who point out that his mental state is a genuine issue.' She sternly warned: 'Democrats should grab their smelling salts for a long case of the vapors. Its going to be a most virulent, violent year.' The third, scathing opinion piece published by the New York Times this weekend concerning Biden came from 44-year-old political analyst Ross Douthat. His damning piece was titled: 'The Question Is Not If Biden Should Step Aside. Its How.' Douthat wrote in the Times: 'Joe Biden should not be running for re-election. 'The impression the president gives in public is not senility so much as extreme frailty, like a lightbulb that still burns so long as you keep it on a dimmer.' He said if Biden drops out and anoints Vice President Kamala Harris 'shes even more likely to lose to Donald Trump.' But, he says: 'If he drops out and doesnt endorse his own number two, hed be opening himself to a narrative of identitarian betrayal aging white president knifes first woman-of-color veep and setting his party up for months of bloodletting and betrayal, a constant churn of personal and ideological drama.' According to latest polls, Biden's chance of being the Democratic nominee has plunged to just 60 percent- giving a boost to potential candidates Michelle Obama, Gavin Newsom and Kamala Harris. This comes as a new poll showed that Americans are deeply skeptical about Biden's mental capacity to serve a second term as he begins in earnest to make his case for re-election. According to a new NBC poll, a total of 76 percent of voters have either major or moderate concerns about Biden, 81, having the necessary mental and physical health to be president for a second term. A stunning 62 percent of voters in the poll say they have 'major concerns' about Biden's mental and physical health. The poll reflects the mood on the campaign trail, as Biden's aides are increasing the number of campaign events but also risking more embarrassing moments for the president. This week, Biden's staff struggled to explain why the president repeatedly referred to deceased European leaders as if they were still in power. The poll reflects the mood on the campaign trail, as Biden's aides are increasing the number of campaign events but also risking more embarrassing moments for the president. This week, Biden's staff struggled to explain why the president repeatedly referred to deceased European leaders as if they were still in power. The poll of 1,000 registered voters was conducted January 26-30, prior to Biden's confusion about speaking with two different world leaders who died before the events he recalled. On Wednesday, Biden recalled a 2021 conversation with German Chancellor Helmut Kohl during a fundraiser event in New York City. Kohl died in 2017. On Sunday, Biden spoked about a 2021 conversation with Francois Mitterrand, a French president who died in 1996. Conquest to overcome. Conquest also a tiny spot on a map of central New York. Conquest occasionally shown on the Channel 9 weather map. Conquest selected to signify separation from the town of Cato. Conquest our home. We are humbled at the honor bestowed on us at the last town board meeting. Our plaque reads: "Joni & Dewey Lincoln Day: Whereas, a day to be set aside to honor a very special couple in the Town of Conquest, Resolved that Supervisor Charles Knapp declared August 5, 2023 and every August 5 thereafter be Joni & Dewey Lincoln Day in the Town of Conquest. Councilman Patrician Causey-Wilson: Aye, Councilman Cindy Lamphere: Aye, Councilman Jack Lees: Aye, Councilman Paul VanNorstrand: Aye." Dewey, of course, is a native Conquestite, and I was welcomed with open arms and hearts when we moved into our ancestral home in June 1965. Not sure what will happen on Aug. 5 this year perhaps a day of service making United Methodist Committee on Relief hygiene kits and, yes, there will be cake! This year, Aug. 5 follows our Aug. 3 Conquest Community Celebration and Aug. 4 Amazing Grace Parish picnic. Not to get too far ahead of ourselves, Conquest will be hosting an Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 29. Stay tuned for more details and check the town website! We will also be celebrating our path of totality during the solar eclipse on April 8. This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The last total eclipse to be seen here was in 1925, and the next in 2144. We are still planning, but lots of good stuff will be happening at our rec field from noon to 5 p.m. You will definitely be made aware of the umbra and Bailys beads. The Conquest Fire Department honored lifetime members at its recent banquet. These volunteers have given thousands of hours to protect and save. Honored at the banquet were Leon Good, Barry Rubenau, Cy Waterman, Jim Burke, Paul Sikora and Wayne Burke. Also receiving honors were Hazel Dunn, George Halstead, Roy Traver, Eileen Traver, Dewey Lincoln, Randy VanNorstrand, Todd Brown, Craig Young, Doug Baker and Larry Waterman. Honoring folks who have given time, imagination and energy to our town is important and appreciated. Too often we wait for an obituary or eulogy to say "thank you." Dewey and I are humbled that our efforts to make our town better have been noticed. Our senior citizen recognition is another time that we have recognized our achievers. I would encourage every town, village and organization to make sure that volunteer hours are recognized and that staff efforts are duly cited. I was recently challenged to share Port Byron school history/anecdotes, so occasionally I will add them to my Conquest column. Arthur A. Gates was an administrator with vision and hands-on hard and fast rules. Before leaving the classroom, each teacher was required to make sure that the window shades were pulled up and down to make sure the middle parts of each window were covered. When Mr. Gates drove by the building, he thought it was important to have visual uniformity. Another Mr. Gates rule story: One time, Miss Krayka was trying to squeeze lunch into her busy schedule. She joined us in the lunch line and then observed Mr. Gates coming in the far door. Oh, girls, hide me, she grimaced. At the time we all had big skirts with crinolines, so it was easy for us to surround her. Mr. Gates continued his walk through the cafeteria and she explained that physical education instructors were asked to wear regular clothing when they left the gym area, and she still was wearing her gym uniform. As I remember, we were rather proud to be trusted with this small subterfuge. Climate change and pro-Palestine protesters have occupied the British Museum today to demand the gallery end its partnership with oil giant BP. Demonstrators from Energy Embargo for Palestine and the Free Palestine Coalition flooded the atrium of the London-based museum on Sunday for a staged sit-in. Carrying banners, Palestinian flags and shouting 'from the belly of the beast, hands off the middle east', the protestors called on museum executives to 'drop BP now'. The British Museum in December confirmed it was extending its 27-year-long partnership with BP by another decade in a deal worth 50million. The petrol firm's money is expected to help fund the overhaul of the museum's Bloomsbury site. But today's protesters are slamming the institution for continuing to work with BP, alleging that the energy company is 'fuelling colonial genocide' in Gaza. Demonstrators from Energy Embargo for Palestine and the Free Palestine Coalition are holding a sit-in the atrium of the British Museum in London today Carrying banners, Palestinian flags and shouting 'from the belly of the beast, hands off the middle east', the protestors called on museum executives to 'drop BP now' The two protest groups held a demonstration in the British Museum on Sunday to demand that it 'end its 10-year partnership with British Petroleum, an energy company profiting from Israel's colonial genocide', Energy Embargo for Palestine wrote on X. Flag-waving protesters sat on the atrium floor clapping and chanting 'I believe that we will win' and 'your profits are covered in Palestinian blood' as museum goers passed by. According to one witness, several museum visitors were seen 'sitting down and joining the protest'. Activists dropped leaflets from an upper level of the museum, causing the pamphlets to rain on the demonstration. The flyers apparently detailed the museum's partnership with BP and how the energy firm is allegedly 'profiteering from Israeli settler-colonialism', Energy Embargo for Palestine said. The protesters also read the poem 'If I Must Die' - written by Dr Refaat Alareer, who was killed alongside his family in an Israeli airstrike in December - aloud to attendees of the demonstration. Sit-in organisers say they are angry that Israel granted gas licences to BP and five other companies on October 30 last year - just weeks after Hamas's attack on Israel launched the ongoing war. Activists dropped leaflets from an upper level of the museum, causing the pamphlets to rain on the demonstration (pictured) The flyers apparently detailed the museum's partnership with BP and how the energy firm is allegedly 'profiteering from Israeli settler-colonialism', Energy Embargo for Palestine said 'We will not watch idly as energy companies based in Britain fuels Israel's colonial genocide,' Energy Embargo for Palestine leaders tweeted. 'Shame on British cultural institutions that parade their partnerships with energy companies profiting from colonial genocide and ethnic cleansing!' A museum spokesperson told MailOnline: 'The British Museum respects other people's right to express their views and allows peaceful protest onsite at the Museum as long as there is no risk to the collection, staff or visitors.' The demonstration ended after attending officers asked the group to leave, Camden police said. Israel in October awarded 12 licences to six companies to explore for natural gas off the country's Mediterranean coast, aiming to create more competition and diversify suppliers. The licences would allow the companies to explore in an area west of the massive Leviathan field, which supplies Israel with gas and is also used for export. The licences will last for an initial three years, with the option to extend to up seven years, depending on progress - enabling the licence holder to first study the area and only then decide whether to continue development. There is nothing to suggest that the companies who were awarded licences are contributing to the ongoing war or genocide, as alleged by the protesters. MailOnline has approached BP for comment. Flag-waving protesters sat on the atrium floor clapping and chanting 'I believe that we will win' and 'your profits are covered in Palestinian blood' as museum goers passed by A 'drop BP now' banner is seen on display as protesters flood the British Museum atrium The poem 'If I Must Die' - written by Dr Refaat Alareer, who was killed alongside his family in an Israeli airstrike in December - was also read aloud to attendees of the demonstration The museum announced it was extending its longstanding partnership with BP last year after much speculation that the relationship was going to come to an end. The first phase of the Museum's 'Masterplan' will see the opening of a new archaeological research facility this June, which will house items ranging from nails from the famous Sutton Hoo ship to rare Peruvian fabrics and ancient fingerprints preserved on 5,000-year-old antler picks. The Museum also plans to phase out of the use of fossil fuels on its estate and replace them with low carbon alternatives. Plans for an international architectural competition to redevelop around 7,500 square metres of gallery space have also been announced. The project will focus on the Museum's Western Range galleries, which house objects including the Elgin Marbles. Also in the pipeline are plans to restore many of the celebrated listed buildings on the museum's estate. In recent years, BP has seen funding partnerships ended by the Tate, the National Portrait Gallery, the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Scottish Ballet and the Royal Opera House. The Science Museum continues to receive funding for an educational academy from BP. Earlier this year, Freedom of Information requests submitted by lawyers working for the environmental group Culture Unstained revealed there were no plans to host BP-sponsored events at the museum next year. The most recent contract ended in February but the partners resisted stating explicitly that their partnership was over. The British Museum is to extend its 27-year-long partnership with oil giant BP by another decade in a deal worth 50million Some of the funding provided by BP will go towards overhauling buildings on the estate. Above: A depiction of the planned new 'Study Room' In one of the responses seen by the Daily Mail, the museum last year said: 'The corporate supporter may continue to exercise their supporter benefits as part of the existing partnership until the end of this calendar year.' But it added: 'There are no other contracts or agreements in effect between the museum and BP.' Last June, Culture Unstained's director called on the Museum to end its partnership with BP. He said: 'If it is serious about responding to the climate crisis, the museum must now confirm that there will be no future relationships with fossil fuel producers, take down BP's name from its lecture theatre and roundly reject the climate-wrecking business it represents.' The prime suspect in the disappearance of Maddie McCann allegedly confessed to a friend and petty criminal the British toddler 'didn't scream' after she was ripped from her parent's holiday home, never to be seen again. Madeleine McCann was just three years old when she vanished from her bed at her parent's holiday home in the coastal town of Praia da Luz, Portugal on May 3, 2007, sparking one of the world's most enduring cold cases. While no one has ever been charged with the toddler's disappearance, German authorities in June 2020 revealed convicted rapist Christian Brueckner was their prime suspect. This week, he faces trial in Germany on unrelated charges. Mr Brueckner, who is known under German privacy laws as Christian B, stands accused of raping a 14-year-old and two other women, as well as sexually assaulting other children, and is currently in jail convicted of rape. Madeleine McCann (pictured) was just three years old when she vanished from her bed at her parent's holiday home in the coastal town of Praia da Luz, Portugal on May 3, 2007, sparking one of the world's most enduring cold cases Christian Brueckner has been named as the prime suspect in McCanns abduction and presumed murder READ MORE: Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner 'partied with friends at his booze-fuelled birthday bash just weeks after he was first quizzed about the missing toddler' The last picture of Madeleine McCann taken on May 3 2007, the day she went missing Advertisement Integral to the upcoming trial is petty criminal and former friend to Brueckner, Helge Busching, who told journalist Jutta Rabe the sex criminal had confessed to him at a music festival that Maddie McCann 'didn't scream'. 'He said 'she didn't scream, she didn't scream', that is what Brueckner said and then I looked at Mr Brueckner and thought 'what are you telling me now?',' Mr Busching said, in audio aired on Sunday on 60 Minutes. Ms Rabe told 60 Minutes: 'And, then his reaction to that, that is, 'Huh? What did you just say? She didn't scream? How can you know?' ... In this moment, he realised, 'he knows it. He, he has been there. He took her out'.' Mr Busching claimed to have twice reported his suspicions to police, first to Scotland Yard in 2008 and again on the 10th anniversary of her disappearance, though there was no follow up until 2020. At the time, phone data obtained by German police put Brueckner near the holiday house while he was living between Germany and Portugal. The revelation turned the convicted rapist into the prime suspect. According to 60 Minutes, Mr Busching will give evidence he saw videos of Brueckner assaulting women. Ms Rabe also told the program she had been receiving regular letters from Brueckner in prison. The prosecutor in the McCann case, Hans Christian Wolters, told 60 Minutes he had no doubt Brueckner is their prime suspect and that Mr Busching was a 'believable' witness who gave evidence in another case against Brueckner. 'The investigation is still going on. We have work to do and when we will come to an end, and if we think it's enough, then we will charge Christian B and if it's not enough then we have to close the case,' he said. Helge Busching (pictured) was a former friend of Christian Breuckner Former WWE star Billy Jack Haynes has been accused of shooting and killing his 85-year-old wife before an hours-long stand-off with the police. Haynes, 70, whose real name is William Albert Haynes, was a fixture of the Portland wrestling scene and appeared at WrestleMania III. He is now suspected of killing his 'angel' wife, Janette Becraft, 85, on the morning of February 8 at his home in the Lents neighborhood of Portland, Oregon. Tactical teams descended on the home after reports of a shooting but Haynes refused to leave the house, sparking a two-hour stand-off with cops. He 'eventually came out' and was taken into custody - police then found Becraft shot dead inside the house. Billy Jack Haynes, 70, is suspected of shooting and killing his wife Janette Becraft, 85, was found shot dead in the Portland, Oregon, home on February 8 No motive has been released for the alleged killing and formal charges have not yet been announced. Haynes had reportedly settled down at the house after he retired from wrestling. Becraft was the mother of another pro-wrestler, Tod Becraft, who fought under the name Tod Ruhl. Haynes and Tod were best friends and met when they were nine years old. When Becraft's husband Dwight died, she married Haynes. An obituary for Tod Becraft, who died in 2021, reads: 'Billy Jack Haynes was Tods best friend. They met when Tod was nine years old. 'After Dwight passed away, Janette and Billy Jack married. Janette named her guinea pig Lil Todster, after her beloved son.' Becraft's daughter, Kim Becraft Finlay, wrote on Facebook: 'You are now flying with the Angels. They are lucky to have such a beautiful soul. Love you Mom.' Her niece, Sue Becraft, wrote: 'When a family member is murdered, as my Aunt Jan was this past Thursday morning in Portland, all that comes flooding back is the endless work her daughter did to get her away from her abuser. 'Hearing the pain and heartbreak in her voice as she tells me He shot her this morning, she didnt make it. 'She loved her mother deeply and did all she could, but services she called to help her, only failed her and Jan.' Haynes competed in the WWE between 1986 and 1988 - his biggest match was at WrestleMania III He refused to cooperate with police and didn't come out of the house for two hours Police then entered the house and found Becraft shot dead Haynes retired from the ring in 1995 The couple were well known in the area, neighbor Steve Odry told KOIN: 'He was telling me all kinds of stories about old wrestling and I told him how I used to go watch him.' Neighbor Brelynn Matthieu said it was a 'tragedy', she added: 'I was pretty decently close to both of them and loved them very much. Its a really sad day, all around.' Haynes was taken into custody after the shooting. Police said: 'He is in police custody at a local hospital while he is being treated for a medical condition unrelated to the homicide or his contact with law enforcement. 'Once he is released from the hospital, which may be days from now, he is expected to be booked into jail. Haynes charges will be released once he is booked.' Haynes is best known for his time in WWE between 1986 and 1988, he fought in WrestleMania III. He retired from the ring in 1995 after fighting in New Japan Pro Wrestling and then WCW and USWA. Crowds of hundreds gathering to watch the grand departure of 3billion warship HMS Prince of Wales, ahead of the biggest NATO exercise since the Cold War, have been left bitterly disappointed after it failed to make it out of the harbour. The 65,000-tonne Royal Navy aircraft carrier was primed and ready today to make the journey from Portsmouth Naval Base to Norway to take part in Exercise Steadfast Defender which is set to involve more than 40 ships. This comes exactly a week on from the failed departure of the vessel's sister ship HMS Queen Elizabeth last weekend when an 'issue' was found with its starboard propellor coupling at the last minute. Since then, the race has been on to replace Big Lizzie with the HMS Prince of Wales and before the big day scaffolding was removed from the aircraft carrier's flight deck. And it seemed like it would be full steam ahead for the 284-metre (931 foot) ship as excited bystanders lined the walls of Portsmouth Harbour to wave it off to Scandinavia. Crowds of hundreds gathering to wave off the 3billion warship HMS Prince of Wales, ahead of the biggest NATO exercise since the Cold War, have been left bitterly disappointed after it failed to make it out of Portsmouth Harbour The 65,000-tonne aircraft carrier (pictured, with HMS Queen Elizabeth) seemed ready to make the journey from Portsmouth Naval Base to Norway to take part in Exercise Steadfast Defender which will involve more than 40 ships It appeared to be full steam ahead for the 284-metre (931 foot) ship as excited bystanders lined the walls of Portsmouth Harbour to wave it off to Scandinavia Anticipation had been mounding as Ministry of Defence (MoD) police boats closed off the area and the mouth of the harbour was shut off to traffic. But the carrier fell at the first hurdle with some spectators unsure as to whether it had moved out of the jetty at the naval base at all. One punter said: ''I hope it hasn't broken down again.' The HMS Prince of Wales has had a frustrating recent record of setbacks. The warship broke down off the Isle of White 18 months ago after a coupling on its 33-tonne starboard propeller malfunctioned. The vessel was on its way to a diplomatic mission and was due to meet up with US Navy, Royal Canadian Navy and the US Marine Corps. But after the hitch, HMS Prince of Wales had to be brought under tow back into the harbour. Within 20 minutes of the failed attempt to leave British shores, the hundreds that had gathered for the big moment realised that it would not be setting off today and began to go their separate ways. HMS Prince of Wales's (pictured, foreground) comes exactly a week on from the failed departure of the vessel's sister ship HMS Queen Elizabeth (background) last weekend when an 'issue' was found with the starboard propellor coupling at the last minute Anticipation had been mounding as Ministry of Defence (MoD) police boats closed off the area and the mouth of the harbour was shut off to traffic The carrier fell at the first hurdle with some spectators unsure as to whether it had moved out of the jetty at the naval base at all A Ministry of Defence (MoD) spokesman said that sailing had been postponed but did not give a reason for the last-minute decision. He said: 'The aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales is due to sail from Portsmouth soon, subject to suitable tide and weather conditions. 'Any further updates on sailing times will be published on KHM Portsmouth's shipping movements later today.' The series of failures on consecutive weekends has raised questions over whether the Royal Navy will be able to deploy an aircraft carrier in the Red Sea amid continued attacks on merchant ships by Iran-backed Houthi rebels. A British-owned cargo vessel was attacked in the Red Sea earlier this week in what was believed to be a Houthi rebel drone strike. The attack on the Barbados-flagged ship happened west of Hodeida in Yemen just after midnight on Tuesday, when the captain reported 'a small craft' had pulled up on his Port side. Moments later, there was an explosion on the bridge which damaged the windows. Announcing the change of plans last Sunday, Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Andrew Burns said: 'Routine pre-sailing checks identified an issue with a coupling on HMS Queen Elizabeth's starboard propeller shaft. As such, the ship will not sail on Sunday. Within 20 minutes of the failed attempt to leave British shores, the hundreds that had gathered for the big moment realised that it would not be setting off today and began to go their separate ways Announcing the change of plans last Sunday (pictured: HMS Queen Elizabeth in Portsmouth) , Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Andrew Burns said: 'Routine pre-sailing checks identified an issue with a coupling on HMS Queen Elizabeth's starboard propeller shaft' A Royal Navy spokesman said: 'On completion of initial investigations, HMS Queen Elizabeth will sail for Rosyth in Scotland so any necessary repairs can be carried out in due course' 'HMS Prince of Wales will take her place on NATO duties and will set sail for Exercise Steadfast Defender as soon as possible.' A Royal Navy spokesman said: 'On completion of initial investigations, HMS Queen Elizabeth will sail for Rosyth in Scotland so any necessary repairs can be carried out in due course. 'The cause of the issue with HMS Queen Elizabeth is wear and tear of her starboard propeller shaft coupling.' Christian Brueckner, who is suspected of snatching missing toddler Madeleine McCann, is pictured at his booze-fuelled birthday bash just a few weeks after he was first questioned about her disappearance. Photos show the convicted paedophile partying with friends a few weeks after the police first interviewed him in connection with the missing child. The party was one of many that took place at his rented kiosk, his last registered address, on the Altstadtring inner ring road of the German town of Braunschweig. He had rented the kiosk and apartment, owned by a German businessman, in December 2012, having fled back to Germany in 2008, a year after Madeleine had vanished. Brueckner, a German national, is the prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine in Portugal in 2007, but he has not been charged at any point with her disappearance and he has denied that he was involved. Madeleine was on a family holiday in Praia da Luz, in Portugal when she vanished on May 3, 2007. Brueckner was made a formal suspect by prosecutors in Portugal in 2022. He had previously been identified as a suspect by German prosecutors in 2020, at which point he was named as Christian B. Photos show the convicted paedophile partying with friends a few weeks after the police first interviewed him in connection with the missing child The party was one of many that took place at his rented kiosk, his last registered address, on the Altstadtring inner ring road of the German town of Braunschweig Madeleine was on a family holiday in Praia da Luz, in Portugal when she vanished on May 3, 2007. Brueckner was made a formal suspect by prosecutors in Portugal in 2022 Christian Brueckner, a German national, is the prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in Portugal in 2007, but he has not been charged at any point with her disappearance and he has denied that he was involved Brueckner, 47, is currently serving an unrelated jail term in Germany for rape. He is also set to appear in court in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, on February 16, accused of five offences between 2000 and 2017 in Portugal. Photos show him in 2013, celebrating his 37th birthday with a group of friends. They were taken in a kiosk in Braunschweig, near Hanover - which Brueckner ran from 2012 to 2016. Known as the 'party nerve centre' of the area, it functioned as a shop and off licence by day and a bar at night. He is shown smiling and laughing and eating steak, vol-au-vents, Russian salad and Spanish omelette. The Sun reported that a former friend of Brueckner said he was the 'life and soul' of the party. The source said that 'lots of young children' would come in the daytime for sweets - and Brueckner would give the presents and extra treats. The last picture of Madeleine McCann taken on May 3 2007, the day she went missing Kate and Gerry McCann, the missing toddler's parents, in 2017 Locals had their suspicions of the man, but this escalated when the police came in 2013 with an order for him to answer questions relating to the missing three-year-old. But Brueckner boasted he had 'swatted' away the questions from the police easily and 'didn't come over as stressed' about it. The newspaper reported the source as saying: 'He would get everyone drunk with free booze and we would end up partying until two or 3am. His birthday was the same. It ended up being a really long night.' One photograph shows him hugging his pet dog while on the floor - thought to be the same dog that police found in 2016 buried with memory sticks containing child abuse videos. Madeleine Beth McCann went missing from her bed while on holiday with her family on the evening of May 3 2007, aged three. Police scoured the location near Silves that Brueckner reportedly called his 'little paradise' in May 2023. The site is about 30 miles from Praia da Luz holiday resort where Madeleine was snatched. Christian Brueckner was officially named as a suspect in April 2022 after his yellow and white VW T3 Westfalia campervan was reportedly spotted near the Praia da Luz resort in Portugal where Maddie vanished. Brueckner has denied he was in the area at the time and distanced himself from the allegations against him. But German prosecutors say phone logs show he received a call on May 3 2007 near the Ocean Club. Personnel at Barragem do Arade reservoir, in the Algave, Portugal, searching in May 2023 as part of the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann Pictured is the Arade Reservoir in Portugal, where a shrine was found six months after the disappearance of Madeleine McCann Brueckner maintains that he was miles away with a young woman. READ MORE - Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner will likely stay silent during upcoming trial for unrelated sex offences but 'has nothing to hide' his lawyer says Advertisement He remains the sole significant suspect in the case since 2007. Madeleine's family kept the investigation open with private detectives until Scotland Yard opened its own enquiry in 2011. Nine years later, police in Braunschweig, northern Germany, identified a convicted paedophile and German national as a new suspect. In 2021, prosecutors said they were '100 per cent sure' that they had the right man. German prosecutor Hans Wolters said evidence included phone analysis placing him at the Ocean Club resort the family was staying at when Madeleine went missing and an alleged confession Brueckner made to a friend. In April last year, it was reported Christian Brueckner may not face charges in Germany over Madeleine's disappearance after a court ruled prosecutors had no jurisdiction to pursue a case against him, however. Nikki Haley and her husband Maj. Michael Haley both lashed out on X after Donald Trump criticized him for being absent on the campaign trail with her wife while deployed in Africa. Former President Trump attacked his only remaining rival for the Republican presidential nomination at a rally in her home state of South Carolina on Saturday and specifically took aim at her deployed husband. 'Where's her husband? Oh, he's away,' Trump said from Conway, South Carolina. 'What happened to her husband? Where is he? He's gone.' Major Haley serves in the South Carolina Army National Guard and is currently deployed to Africa. Meanwhile, his wife former U.N. Amb. Nikki Haley is running in the Republican presidential primary against Trump. Nikki Haley slammed 2024 competitor Donald Trump as having 'no business being commander in chief' after he disrespected her husband, who is an Army National Guard Major 'Where's her husband? Oh, he's away,' Trump said at a Saturday rally in South Carolina. 'What happened to her husband? Where is he? He's gone.' Former U.N. Amb. Nikki Haley's husband Maj. Michael Haley (left) is currently deployed in the Horn of Africa 'Michael is deployed serving our country, something you know nothing about,' Haley wrote on X, formerly Twitter, in response to a video of Trump's remarks. 'Someone who continually disrespects the sacrifices of military families has no business being commander in chief,' the 2024 hopeful added. Maj. Haley added his own retort by tagging Trump and a bunch of media outlets and networks in an X post with an image of a wolf with the message: 'The difference between humans and animals? Animals would never allow the dumbest ones to lead the pack.' Notably, Trump's wife and former First Lady Melania Trump has also been completely absent from his campaign trail. She has not appeared publicly alongside him since the former president announced his candidacy in 2020. It appeared Trump was referencing reports of Haley's affairs with two men who were not her by saying at his rally: 'He knew, he knew.' DailyMail.com revealed new details last month of the mens' claims of 2008 affairs with Haley, who was a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives at the time. Haley denied both allegations of an affair. While her husband is deployed as a staff officer with the 218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade in the Horn of Africa, the couple's two children Rena and Nalin have joined their mother on the campaign trail. Trump took several attacks at Nikki Haley during a rally in her home state of South Carolina on Saturday and called out her husband for not campaigning with her despite being deployed in Africa Maj. Haley posted to his X account a meme with a wolf with the message: 'The difference between humans and animals? Animals would never allow the dumbest ones to lead the pack' During her own rally on Saturday, Haley responded to Trump's attacks with: 'If you mock the service of a combat veteran, you don't deserve a driver's license, let alone being president of the United States.' 'Donald, if you have something to say, don't say it behind my back; get on a debate stage and say it to my face,' the former governor of South Carolina added. That same day, Haley posted photos of daughter Rena, 25, and son Nalin, 22, in front of her tour bus in South Carolina. 'Running for president is hard,' she wrote with the post. 'It's even harder to do when it feels like I'm missing my rock, Michael. But I am so grateful to, and proud of, my kids for being a part of this with me!' Rena's husband Joshua Jackson has also, at times, appeared alongside the family on the campaign trail. At another point in Trump's rally on Saturday, the former president claimed he only made 'Tricky Nikki' Haley his United Nations Ambassador because he wanted Henry McMaster to replace her as governor in South Carolina. 'She did her job, she was fine, she was OK. But I didn't put her there because I wanted her there at the UN,' Trump said. 'I wanted to take your lieutenant governor, who's right here, and make him governor, that's what I wanted. And I wanted you to have Peggy as a First Lady.' Trump also claimed 'Birdbrain' Haley came to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, with her husband, and promised to never run against him. Dame Maureen Lipman has urged the public not to forget about the Israeli hostages still being held captive by Hamas following the October 7 attacks as she attended a demonstration in North London today. The Corrie star, 77, visited London's Jewish Community Centre in Hampstead where she placed a lock on a bridge in tribute to those who remain in Gaza. Prominent members of Britain's Jewish community such as TV presenter Rachel Johnson and MP Luciana Berger attended the event which saw more than 100 locks, engraved with the names of those taken by Hamas, attached on the installation. Historian Sir Simon Schama, author Howard Jacobson, politician Sir Iain Duncan Smith and journalist Toby Young also gathered at the bridge which ahs been renamed the Lovelock Hostage Bridge. Asking the public not to forget those help hostage, Dame Maureen said: 'Standing alongside my fellow Jewish achievers, (we are) pinning a lock, a symbolic lock, to say don't put this to the back of your mind,' she said. Dame Maureen Lipman has urged the public not to forget about the Israeli hostage still being held captive by Hamas during a demonstration held at the Lovelock Hostage Bridge today The Corrie star was joined by Iain Duncan Smith, TV presenter Rachel Johnson and MP Luciana Berger Ms Lipman puts a lock on the bridge in tribute to those Israelis still held hostage by Hamas in Gaza 'Please remember that this lock represents love, you're a mother, you're a grandmother, you're a grandfather, you're a daughter. These people have been taken, they're civilians. 'People are very quick to talk about civilian deaths and 'appropriate'. It's appropriate for us to be here today and to remember those people who have been suffering.' The actress went on to add that the war would end if Hamas releases the hostages. 'If they give back the hostages the war will be over,' she said. 'And you won't have to march every Saturday and stand on the cenotaph.' The ITV star was forced to have a bodyguard while filming for Coronation Street last year following a surge in anti-Semitic attacks across the UK. Her security man was 'never more than two yards' from the actress who has appeared in the soap since 2018. A source said: 'He didn't let her out of his sight, and he only actually stepped away from her just as the cameras started rolling for filming. 'It's not unusual to see security guards on location, but it is extremely rare to see them so closely with one person at all times. The Lovelock Bridge was installed outside London's Jewish Community Centre in Hampstead Coronation Street 's Maureen Lipman, 77, was given a bodyguard by soap bosses amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict and the UK's soaring anti-semitic attacks 'And it is a sign of how seriously Corrie are taking the threat and sticking to their duty of care towards Maureen.' When the war broke out in October, Ms Lipman was one of 210 public figures who called out the BBC for refusing to refer to Hamas as terrorists and slammed 'bleeding heartless liberals' who failed to criticise the attack on Israel. She was among a vast group of people, Jewish and non-Jewish, who called out the corporation. They wrote: 'We are a group of concerned British citizens and residents from a wide range of backgrounds and professions who stand in solidarity with British Jews and condemn all forms of anti-Semitism, whether in Britain or elsewhere.' In a criticism of the BBC, the signatories say: 'We ask the media, members of all political parties and everyone in public life to call out Hamas for what it is: a terrorist organisation.' The BBC eventually U-turned and quietly dropped the use of the word 'militants' to refer to Hamas after weeks of building pressure. Instead the broadcaster calls the group a 'proscribed terrorist organisation' by the UK Government and others. Marcel Knobil, founder of the Lovelock Hostage Bridge, said he conceived the installation as a way for people around the world to be able to show their love and solidarity for the hostages. Members of the public are encouraged to visit the bridge any day from 10am to 10pm. Locks can be picked up for free at the centre's reception, and donations to the Hostage and Missing Families forum are welcome. Police have released CCTV footage in their search for a man who brutally attacked a young woman outside of a Tesco Express store. The victim, in her 20s, was assaulted near the store on Ilkeston Road, Nottingham. The woman suffered a broken jaw in the attack which happened on August 18 last year. Police pursued multiple lines of inquiry to find the suspect and have now released CCTV footage of a man they would like to speak with. The man, dressed in a dark jumper with the hood up, appears to be talking on the phone as he walks down the street and glances behind him. Police have released CCTV footage in their search for a man who brutally attacked a young woman outside of a Tesco Express store Police pursued multiple lines of inquiry to find the suspect and have now released CCTV footage of a man they would like to speak with The man, dressed in a dark jumper with the hood up, appears to be talking on the phone as he walks down the street and glances behind him Detective Constable Ben Grayson, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: 'This was a nasty assault during which the victim was punched to the ground and kicked to the face. 'We understand that the quality of this footage is very poor, but we are hopeful that somebody who knows this man may recognise him from what he is wearing and the way he is walking. 'We remain determined to get justice for this victim and urge anyone with any information - no matter how small or insignificant it may seem - to come forward immediately.' Anyone with information can call 101 quoting incident 445 of 18 August 2023. The head of NATO has accused Donald Trump of putting lives at risk by suggesting that Russia should invade member countries that don't 'pay up.' Jens Stoltenberg hit back after the Republican front-runner said he would 'encourage' Russia to 'do whatever the hell they want' if it attacked a country not paying the required 2 percent of national income. The White House called the words 'appalling and unhinged', and the chief of the defensive alliance added his voice to the storm of protest unleashed by Trump's comments at a campaign rally in South Carolina. 'Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the US, and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk,' Stoltenberg said in a statement. 'NATO remains ready and able to defend all allies. Any attack on NATO will be met with a united and forceful response. 'I expect that regardless of who wins the presidential election the US will remain a strong and committed NATO ally.' Donald Trump has claimed he would encourage Russia to attack NATO members that don't pay their share of the alliance's budget NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg warned that 'any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security' as he tore into the Republican frontrunner's remarks Trump was seen being embraced by wife Melania after arriving back at Mar-a-Lago later on Saturday evening The former president was met with cheers as he made his promise to supporters in Conway, South Carolina, on Saturday. 'The president of a big country stood up and said 'if we don't pay, and we're attacked by Russia, will you protect us?' he told the crowd. 'I said you didn't pay, you're delinquent? He said, 'yes, let's say that happened'. 'No, I would not protect you, in fact I would encourage them (Russia) to do whatever the hell they want, you gotta pay! You gotta pay your bills.' Trump flew back to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida after the rally, where he walked through a ballroom full of cheering supporters to embrace his wife Melania. The White House said Trump's words 'promoted dangerous chaos', and would embolden Russia's President Putin. 'President Biden has restored our alliances and made us stronger in the world because he knows every commander in chief's first responsibility is to keep the American people safe and hold true to the values that unite us,' it said. 'Encouraging invasions of our closest allies by murderous regimes is appalling and unhinged and it endangers American national security, global stability, and our economy at home. 'Rather than calling for wars and promoting deranged chaos, President Biden will continue to bolster American leadership and stand up for our national security interests not against them.' Trump's former communications director, Alyssa Farah Griffin, wrote on Twitter that his declaration that he would not help NATO allies was 'music to Putin's ears'. Trump's former communications director, Alyssa Farah Griffin, wrote on Twitter that his declaration that he would not help NATO allies was 'music to Putin's ears' Trump has in the past praised Russian President Vladimir Putin, and even sided with him over US intelligence agencies when Putin denied meddling in the 2016 election But Richard Grenell, who was Trump's Ambassador to Germany in 2018-20 and Acting Director of National Intelligence in the last months of the Trump Administration, backed up his old boss. He also suggested Trump was referring to a conversation with a German chancellor, although the former president gave no clue as to which leader he was speaking with. 'Germany, the largest economy in Europe and a country that has budget surpluses most every year, started increasing its NATO obligation only after Trump pressured them,' he claimed. 'Biden no longer pressures Germany and so they aren't increasing anymore. Today, the Germans still aren't paying the required 2 percent for NATO members. 'The only lesson for the US taxpayer is that we must have a US president who exerts big pressure on Germany.' NATO members are not 'required' to spend 2 percent of their GDP on defense, it is a guideline the alliance agreed to work towards in 2014 - well before Trump. Trump at the rally also repeated his frequent, and dubious, claim that while president he strong-armed European allies into paying more for defense. 'NATO was busted until I came along. I said, 'everybody's going to pay'. They said, 'well, if we don't pay are you still going to protect us?' I said, 'absolutely not'. They couldn't believe the answer,' he said. Another former ambassador, Michael McFaul, who was Barack Obama's man in Russia in 2012-14, pointed out Trump didn't understand how NATO worked. 'This is crazy. And 8 years later, Trump shows that he STILL doesn't understand how NATO works! It's not a protection racket. They don't pay us to protect them,' he wrote on Twitter. Trump claimed twice during his speech repeated his frequent claim that while president he strong-armed European allies into paying more for defense Trump often claims he single-handedly convinced NATO members to contribute more, but there is no account of this ever taking place. As McFaul explained, NATO funding also doesn't work the way Trump frequently claims it does, and his boasting doesn't mesh with reality. No NATO member is failing to pay its share of the alliance's $3 billion common budget, which is based on GDP and which the US pays 16 percent of. Separate to that, NATO members in 2014 - before Trump even entered the presidential race - pledged to boost their defense spending. A target of 2 percent of GDP by 2024 was set, in response to Russia annexing Crimea from Ukraine, and defense spending by the 29 NATO countries has steadily increased. This plan was created well before Trump had any influence on NATO countries, but he took credit for it dozens of time over the past eight years. Trump, during a New Hampshire town hall last month, also made the same wildly incorrect claim, and argued NATO was 'taking advantage' of the US. 'The European countries took advantage of I want to use the word starting with an S, but I don't want to do it because I see some young, very good-looking children in the audience, and I assume they're watching on television,' he said. 'But they took advantage of us on trade, and then they took advantage of us on our military protection. 'Of the 28 countries at the time, only eight countries were paid up. We were paying the difference. Trump speaks at a 'Get Out the Vote' Rally in Conway, South Carolina 'And I went to them. I said, 'if you don't pay, we're not going to protect you'. And they said, 'do you mean that?' I said, 'I mean that'. And the next day, billions of dollars poured into NATO.' Trump threatened to withdraw from NATO several times while he was president, calling it 'obsolete' and a drain on American resources. This is despite the about $500 million the US pays in direct funding being dwarfed by the $842 billion defense budget. Congress got so concerned Trump could unilaterally withdraw form NATO if he won a second term that it passed a law in December requiring the president to get a two-thirds majority of the Senate to do so. Trump has also praised Russian President Vladimir Putin, and even sided with him over US intelligence agencies when Putin denied meddling in the 2016 election. Putin denied he had any interest in attacking NATO countries, like Poland and the Baltic states, in his controversial interview with Tucker Carlson. 'Only in one case, if Poland attacks Russia. We have no interest in Poland, Latvia or anywhere else. Why would we do that? We simply don't have any interest. It is absolutely out of the question,' he said. Putin denied he had any interest in attacking NATO countries, like Poland and the Baltic states, in his controversial interview with Tucker Carlson French soldiers take part in a major drill as part of NATO's 'enhanced forward presence' (EFP) deployment in Poland and the Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in 2022 Trump's claim he would 'encourage' Russia to attack NATO allies had eerie parallels to when he called on Russian hackers to find emails from Hillary Clinton, his Democratic opponent in the US presidential election. 'Russia, if you're listening. I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing,' he said in July 2016 during the election campaign. Hours later, the Main Intelligence Directorate in Moscow appeared to heed the call targeting Clinton's personal office and hitting more than 70 other Clinton campaign accounts. That was according to a grand jury indictment charging 12 Russian military intelligence officers with hacking into the Clinton campaign and the Democratic Party as part of a sweeping conspiracy by the Kremlin to meddle in the election. An LA private school based in a hotel claims it was forced to close after the homeless shelter it shares the building with made it unsafe for students. The Academy of Media Arts moved into the first three floors of the LA Grand hotel in downtown Los Angeles in 2022, sharing the building with the Inside Safe homeless shelter run. The owner of the school, Dana Hammond, has now filed a breach of contract lawsuit against the owner of the hotel, claiming he had promised the shelter would be moved out but it was still going, making the campus unsafe. The school claimed there were a series of incidents including a woman exposing herself to students, another woman lying naked outside the hotel threatening to 'shoot and stab' a security officer and a man breaking into the school. The school's fifty students - ninth to twelfth graders mostly from low-income black and Latino families - have now been forced to find last-minute alternatives. The Academy of Media Arts moved into the LA Grand hotel in 2022 but claims they have now been forced to leave The hotel is also the site of a homeless shelter that the school claims has made campus unsafe Principal Dana Hammond claims the homeless shelter onsite was putting their students lives at risk There was already a mass exodus from the school with enrollment dwindling from 250 students when it opened to just 50 and Hammond said he was unable to pay the $100,000-a-month rent. Hammond told the LA Times: 'Our students lives were in jeopardy because of the Inside Safe residents. 'Were not enemies of the homeless shelter, we just cant put them in the same building as a high school.' Their complaints included 'human poop on sidewalk, the smell of urine across campus, outburst from 'inside safe' tenants, break-ins by inside safe tenants, drug paraphernalia found on campus, inside safe tenants found in trash bins.' In the lawsuit, Hammond claimed the school had been told the homeless residents would be moved out soon after they moved in, but that didn't happen. A lawyer for Hammond told the LA Times: 'Huang repeatedly made false and misleading representations to suggest that the L.A. Grand Hotel would cease to be a homeless shelter in the near future, despite the fact that Huang had no intention of terminating the lucrative agreement.' The school has had its own issues aside from safety on campus, it was scrutinized by the LAUSD for failing to meet academic standards and for failing to do criminal background checks on teachers. It also had seven principals in four years. DailyMail.com contacted Hammond and the Academy for Media Arts for comment. The hotel owner could not immediately be reached for comment. Hammond claims he was told the homeless shelter would be moving out of the building shortly after the school moved in Los Angeles is battling with a housing crisis with over 75,500 people sleeping rough on any one night in 2022 The hotel is owned by Chinese billionaire Wei Huang, who fled the country in 2018 in the wake of a fraud and bribery scandal. He is considered a fugitive by the US attorney's office. He bought the Grand in 2010 and ran it as a four-star hotel, but in 2021 it became a site for Project Roomkey, a federal program to provide shelter for homeless people during the pandemic. The city has paid Huang more than $25 million for use of the site since 2022. They recently extended their lease to continue operating the shelter through to the end of July at a cost of $20 million. The Mayor's spokesperson told the LA Times: 'The mayors office does not condone the behavior of the fugitive owner of the Grand.' But they added: 'The L.A. Grand has brought hundreds of unhoused individuals inside from the tough elements of living on the streets. The work continues to save lives every day.' Mayor Karen Bass committed herself to tackling the homeless crisis as soon as she took office last year Image shows rows of makeshift places to stay for people sleeping rough at night Los Angeles is in the grips of a homelessness crisis. Since 2015, homelessness has increased by 70 percent in the county and 80 percent in Los Angeles city itself. Last year, California had about a third of all homeless people in the country, and Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, and other Golden State cities have among the largest numbers of unsheltered people in the country. In that count, Los Angeles had the most homeless people in the state, 65,111. For Latin Rite Catholics, Lent begins this week on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 14. For Eastern Rite Catholics, Lent begins on Clean Monday, Feb. 19. The secular world sometimes equates the Christian Lent, the Muslim Ramadan and the Jewish Yom Kippur as the same thing, but only in different religious traditions. Certainly, there are outward similarities, but the fundamental orientation of Lent for Christians is quite different. For Roman Catholics particularly, Lent is oriented toward the sacraments of initiation: baptism, confirmation and Eucharist. The origin of Lent arises in the early days of Christianity when people spent an extended period of time (one, two, three years) preparing to be received into the church at the Easter Vigil (the Saturday night before Easter Sunday). The last days of this preparation period were more intense as Easter approached. This intensive period, eventually confined to 40 days in remembrance of Jesus 40 days in the desert, was what we know today as Lent. This intensive period of preparation still happens today for those individuals enrolled in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, a process of preparation for adults to be received into the Catholic Church. For those Christians already baptized, Lent is a time of renewal of their baptism. It is a time of introspection with an emphasis on the three traditional disciplines of Lent: prayer (growing in our relationship with God), fasting (removing those things that impede our spiritual growth) and almsgiving (sharing what we have with others, especially those most in need). These three disciplines can lead us to examine our life in light of the Gospel and to seek the Lords forgiveness for what we have done or have failed to do. The sacrament of reconciliation (also called penance or confession) is the ordinary means for Catholic to ask Gods forgiveness and celebrate Gods mercy. In addition to the regular times for Confession in our parishes, a special Day of Penance & Mercy is scheduled in all the Catholic churches of the Diocese of Rochester on Thursday, Feb. 22: the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, to whom Jesus Christ gave the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Matt 16:19). On that day, the various churches will have specific times for confession, when any Catholic can come and experience Gods love and mercy in this sacrament of forgiveness. In addition to the scheduled times for individual confession, there will be a city-wide Lenten Communal Penance Service at 7 p.m. Monday, March 18, at St. Marys Church. (The Advent Communal Penance Service took place at Holy Family Church this past December.) The Communal Penance Service consists of readings from Scripture, an examination of conscience and an opportunity for individual confession to any number of priests who will be present. The early church fathers called the sacrament of reconciliation a second baptism bringing us back to the fullness of life in Christ Jesus. That is why at the Easter Vigil, all those who are baptized renew their baptismal promises in conjunction with those making their baptismal promises for the first time. In Auburn, there are many opportunities in Lent that can lead to spiritual growth. Check your local parish bulletin. St. Marys Church offers vespers and benediction every Sunday afternoon at 4. Its a wonderful half hour of peace and quiet to conclude Sunday and prepare for the week ahead. On first Fridays, St. Hyacinth Church has Mass at 9 a.m. followed by all-day Eucharistic Adoration, concluding at 3 p.m. with the Divine Mercy Chaplet and benediction. On the Fridays of Lent, the Stations of the Cross are prayed in common at noon and 7 p.m. in a different Catholic church in Auburn. Here is the schedule: Feb. 16 at Holy Family, Feb. 23 at St. Marys, March 1 at St. Alphonsus, March 8 at St. Francis, March 15 at Sacred Heart, March 22 at St. Hyacinth at noon and a special service at SS. Peter & Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church at 7 p.m. Lent is a time for all Christians to get back to basics and renew their baptismal commitment in preparation for the great Easter festival. She was later pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics A man has been charged with murder after a woman was found dead inside a house Essex Police found the woman, who was in her 60s,seriously injured inside a property in Chelmsford on Friday February 9. Tragically, she was later pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. Police were called to the property, in Readers Court, at around 2.30pm following reports of a suspicious man, who the police later engaged with at the house. Sebastian Compton, 47 from Readers Court, Chelmsford was arrested on Friday 9 February and has now been charged with the woman's murder. He has been remanded in custody to appear at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on Monday 12 February. The property at Readers Court in Chelmsford where a 60-year-old woman was found dead on Friday February 6 Detective Chief Superintendent Rob Kirby, who is leading the investigation, said: 'I'd like to reassure those living in the Great Baddow area that there is no wider threat to the community.' 'Although we have secured a charge, our investigation continues. 'I'd continue to ask anyone who has information or footage of any part of the incident, particularly in the areas of Readers Court and Dorset Avenue, to get in contact.' If you have any information, CCTV, dash cam or other footage in relation to this incident, then please get in contact with us - reference 579 of 9 February. Brianna Ghey's brave mother Esther has paid tribute to her daughter at a vigil to mark one year since the brutal murder of the transgender schoolgirl. Members of the community rocked by the senseless murder gathered at the Golden Square Shopping Centre in Warrington to pay their respects and support Brianna's family. Flowers, candles and a painting of Brianna were laid outside the shopping centre, with many mourners wearing her favourite colour pink in tribute to the teen. Speaking to the congregation, Brianna's tearful mother spoke of how her daughter 'was an amazing, unique and joyful teenager'. 'I will be forever thankful that I was lucky enough to spend 16 years with her. She taught me so much and gave me so much happiness and love,' Esther Ghey said said. Brianna Ghey 's brave mother Esther was among tearful mourners today who joined a vigil to mark one year since the teenager was stabbed to death Brianna, 15, was killed Culcheth Linear Park near Warrington, where she was stabbed 28 times in her head People react as they attend a vigil to mark the one year anniversary of the murder of Brianna Grey in Warrington, Britain, 11 February 2024 People light their mobile phone torches during a vigil to mark the one year anniversary of the murder of Brianna Grey Tributes are left at a vigil to mark the one year anniversary of the murder of Brianna Grey. This one from Billy reads: 'Just like a star you will shine forever in our hearts and memories' Candles. flowers and tributes are displayed in honour of Brianna A mourner lays a bunch of pink flowers underneath a canvas painting of Brianna Scarlett Jenkinson (left) and Eddie Ratcliffe, who were convicted last year in the killing of Brianna Ghey, and sentenced and named on February 02 She added: 'If there's one piece of advice that I can give to any parent, it would be to hold your children tight, and never stop telling them that that you love them. 'I would like to thank you all for coming here today and paying respect to Brianna. I hope wherever she is now she can feel the love and respect we have for her today.' Brianna's headteacher Emma Mills told those gathered to honour her memory by being 'true to yourself'. 'Brianna knew who she was,' she said. 'And she was determined to be true to that. This determination spirit is something that I always admired about Brianna, and it's a deserving legacy for us to remember her by.' She said that the pressure to conform is 'so intense' for teenagers. 'Societal pressure to conform is very real, for all of us,' she said. 'But the level of pressure as a teenager amongst your peers can be so intense. 'Brianna knew who she was, and she didn't bow to the pressures around her. Please remember that about her. Be true to yourself, be yourself, and not a version of yourself that you think others want you to be.' Serial killer obsessives Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, both 16, were jailed earlier this month for murdering the 15-year-old. They lured Brianna into Culcheth Linear Park near Warrington, where she was stabbed 28 times in her head, neck and back with a hunting knife brought by Ratcliffe. Detectives fear the 'warped' duo with a 'taste for killing' may have moved onto another victim had they not been arrested barely 24 hours after they knifed Brianna to death. 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 - a year ago today. 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'. A person lights a candle during a vigil to mark the one year anniversary of the murder of Brianna Grey A person holds a candle and flowers in memory of Brianna at the vigil held today in Warrington Esther Ghey, mother of Brianna Ghey, speaks at the vigil today in Warrington Brianna's mother Esther was seen arriving at the vigil today one year on from when her daughter was killed Friends of Brianna Ghey, speak during a vigil to mark the 1 year anniversary of her death in the Old Market Hall on February 11 A friend of Brianna's wipes away her tears after making a speech at the vigil held to mark the one year anniversary of her death People remember Brianna at the vigil held in Warrington today People gathered in the Golden Square Shopping Centre in Warrington this afternoon During the two teenagers trial, who were 15 at the time of the murder, Brianna's mother Esther told the court her daughter had 'plans for her future' that she will never be able to fulfill. She said: '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.' 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.' Brianna's father Peter 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.' Phone torches are lit to mark a minutes silence during a vigil to mark the 1 year anniversary of Brianna Ghey's death in the Old Market Hall on February 11 A balloon with Brianna's name is seen during a vigil to mark the 1 year anniversary of Brianna Ghey's death A friend of Brianna Ghey speaks during a vigil with a picture of Brianna in the background Brianna 'was really witty', Esther says. 'She had such a sharp tongue. I always got the brunt of it, as her mother. She always had a comeback. She always had to have the last word' Esther Ghey, the mother of murdered 16-year-old Brianna Ghey, near a heart shaped balloon during a vigil in Golden Square Brianna's tearful mother Esther (pictured) spoke of how her daughter had 'taught me so much and gave me so much happiness and love'. A note left for angel Brianna today at her vigil Jenkinson and Ratcliffe showed no emotion as they were sentenced to 22 years and 20 years, respectively, after a judge ruled that Brianna had been killed because she was trans. 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 anniversary vigil held this afternoon had been organised by Peace in Mind - a campaign to improve mindfulness in schools - being driven by Brianna's mother Esther. She told the Mail this week that the aim of the vigil was 'to see what we are doing and to know how much she is loved'. Esther, 37, attended the vigil with her partner Wes Powell, 30, and Brianna's older sister Alisha, 19. The family will spend time quietly reflecting on their loss but there will be no graveside visit, as Brianna's ashes are kept in a pink casket in her bedroom, where Esther regularly goes to talk with her younger daughter. 'Brianna doesn't have a grave,' Esther said through tears, before pausing to collect herself. 'Sorry, I don't think I've told anyone this before Because Brianna just loved being in her bedroom, I've got her ashes in a pink casket in her room, so she's always with us. Esther is convinced that, had her daughter's killers not been able to send disturbing messages to each other on such platforms or view the dark web, Brianna would be alive today Esther pictured with Brianna whose ashes are kept in a pink casket in her bedroom 'I spoke to one of Brianna's very close friends, who said, 'Brianna wouldn't want to be in the dirt.' I know she wouldn't want to be on her own. She wouldn't want to be buried. She would want to be at home with her family. 'So I made her room exactly how she would want it. She's got freshly painted pink walls and a pink fluffy rug. She always wanted a pink fluffy rug and I wouldn't let her have one because she always spilt drinks on the floor.' Ever since the evil pair were jailed, Brianna's mother has been open speaking about her daughter's death and campaigning to curb mobile phone use amongst children. After Brianna's death her mother discovered her daughter had been visiting 'disgusting' pro-anorexia and self-harm sites on Twitter. The teenager had developed an eating disorder and at one point was hospitalised when her weight dropped so low. She is calling for better regulation of social media and wants new legislation to help parents control what their children can access online through their smartphones. Esther believes that had her daughters depraved killers not been able to send such disturbing messages to each other online or access the dark web, her girl would still be alive today. Tearful Esther gave a speech today as mourners gathered to pay their respects to Brianna Candles, cuddly toys, pink flowers and balloons were all laid down in tribute to Brianna She said: 'How many parents out there don't know if their child is accessing this kind of stuff? 'It's scary. That's why I'm calling for mobile phone companies to take more responsibility.' Esther is also asking for donations to the Mindfulness in Schools Project, a charity that delivers training for teachers and builds lessons for children with the aim of helping them navigate difficulties in life. So far she has raised more than 70,000 and eventually hopes every school in the country will have a mindfulness teacher which, she says, would be a fitting legacy for her daughter. While Esther had to step down from her role as a food technician following her daughters death she has found a new vocation trying to protect the mental health of other youngsters. Actress Selma Blair has been met with backlash following a comment she left on Instagram that some have called Islamophobic. More than a week ago, Blair commented on a video posted by Abraham Hamra, a Syrian, Jewish refugee who called out Squad members Rashida Tlaib and Cori Bush for being the sole members of Congress to vote against a measure barring anyone who participated in the October 7 terror attacks from immigration to the US. In a now-deleted comment, Blair wrote under the video: 'Thank you very much. Deport all these terrorist supporting goons. 'Islam has destroyed Muslim countries and then they come here and destroy minds. They know they are liars. Twisted justifications. May they meet their fate.' In the video, Hamra calls Tlaib - the only Palestinian-American member of Congress - a 'liar,' 'moron,' and 'hateful antisemite.' The video called out Progressive representatives Rashida Tlaib and Cori Bush, after both voted against a bill to prevent Hamas terrorists from coming to the US 'The truth,' Hamra says, 'is the Jews have been victimized by the Arabs, and not the other way around.' Tlaib defended her 'no' vote by saying it is 'redundant with already existing federal law.' 'Its just another GOP messaging bill being used to incite anti-Arab, anti-Palestinian, and anti-Muslim hatred that makes communities like ours unsafe,' she said. Tlaib represents Michigan's 12th Congressional District, which contains one of the largest Muslim communities in the US. Blair, a Jew, who in addition to her on-screen career, has become an avid disability rights activist following her multiple sclerosis diagnosis several years ago. Users across social media reacted with anger to Blair's comment, claiming she had revealed 'herself to be a raging Islamaphobic [sic] bigot.' Controversial activist group the Council on American-Islamic Relations also condemned the actress. 'No one is born a bigot, and we should never assume that someone is doomed to remain a bigot. 'Based on the hateful and ignorant remarks that Ms. Blair made, we doubt that she has ever engaged in any meaningful interactions with her Muslim colleagues in Hollywood or other members of the American Muslim community,' said the organization's Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell. He also called on 'Hollywood studios and agencies to stop punishing artists who express support for Palestinian human rights while ignoring hateful comments by artists who support the ongoing genocide in Gaza.' A handful of other Hollywood celebrities including Michael Rappaport and Debra Messing also responded positively to the video. 'THANK YOU,' Messing wrote, adding several prayer hands emojis. Tlaib (left) and Bush (right) speak in Washington, DC, just days after the October 7 attacks demadning a ceasefire Tlaib, donning a keffiyeh, watches her colleague, Cori Bush speak in front of protestors at the National Mall Squad members Bush and Tlaib have themselves been facing accusations of antisemitism since the outbreak of the war following the October 7 terror attacks. Tlaib was censured by her colleagues in the House in November for ongoing comments and actions regarding the war. Bush has also been criticized heartily by her constituents for her myriad comments directed at Israel, accusing the Jewish state of 'ethnic cleansing' and 'genocide.' Analysts are currently predicting that Bush will lose her upcoming primary by double-digits against Prosecutor Wesley Bell, who is also running in her Missouri District as a Democrat. Two weeks ago, Bush confirmed she was under federal investigation for spending hundreds of thousands of dollars of campaign funds on personal security, including services provided by the man who is now her husband. President Joe Biden's 'small gaffes' are irrelevant to his reelection campaign, ally Sen. Chris Coons insisted amid rising concerns over his fitness for office following a bombshell report bringing into question his memory and mental acuity. The president's campaign co-chair Mitch Landrieu also defended Biden against the damning report from the Justice Department, calling it 'BS.' 'I have been on trips with him crisscrossing the country,' Landrieu told NBC's Meet the Press host Kristen Welker in a Sunday morning interview. 'And I'm telling you, this guy is tough. He's smart. He's on his game.' 'When you go into brief the president, you've got to you better have your big boy pants on. And this kind of sense that he's not ready for this job is just a bucket of BS that's so deep, your boots will get stuck in it,' he said in response to the special counsel's description of Biden in its report released Thursday. Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) said the Justice Department report claiming President Joe Biden forgot the date of his son's death is 'offensive and appalling' Biden fumed at Special Counsel Robert Hur's accusation in his report that he didn't know the year his son Beau died Following suggestions in special counsel Robert Hurs report about Pres. Biden's memory, Democratic Sen. Chris Coons tells @JonKarl that the idea that somehow Joe Biden forgot the date of his son's death is offensive and appalling. https://t.co/AQOMsCpxnm pic.twitter.com/qe0EbcGRXP This Week (@ThisWeekABC) February 11, 2024 DOJ Special Counsel Robert Hur released his report on Thursday after a year-long investigation in Biden's mishandling of classified documents. He did not recommend charges against the president as he noted Biden's 'diminished faculties' and poor memory. In interviews with investigators, Biden forgot the years he was vice president and could not remember the year his son Beau died. While Hur did not recommend charges, the report claimed Bidne's lax attitude about classified documents posed a significant national security risk. A reason investigators decided not recommend pressing charges was because 'at trial, Mr. Biden would likely present himself to a jury, as he did during our interview of him, as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.' Meanwhile, Sen Coons (D-Del.) also defended Biden against criticism over Biden forgetting key details of his life. 'We are in a fight for the soul of our nation,' Coons told ABC News program This Week in repeating a Biden-Harris campaign tagline. 'And the idea that somehow Joe Biden forgot the date of his son's death is offensive and appalling.' He noted that Biden and Trump and 'most elected officials' make 'small gaffes' frequently. 'That's not what matters,' he insisted. Meanwhile, a new ABC News/Ipsos poll released on Sunday shows that a whopping 86 percent of American voters think Biden, 81, is too old for another term. Asked about Democrats who want to see someone else at the top of the party's 2024 ticket, Landrieu said: 'The one thing Joe Biden is never going to do is count on this: He is never, ever going to quit.' 'Because that's not what he's done his entire life,' he added. Biden campaign co-chair Mitch Landrieu said Sunday morning: 'This kind of sense that he's not ready for this job is just a bucket of BS that's so deep, your boots will get stuck in it' WATCH: Bidens campaign co-chair says the special counsels depiction of the president is "just a bucket of B.S. thats so deep your boots will get stuck in it."@MitchLandrieu: "This guy's tough. He's smart. He's on his game." pic.twitter.com/co576Uv7Sy Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) February 11, 2024 He said that the campaign does view the 15-month investigation and proceeding report as 'legitimate' despite the president and his allies discrediting much of what was written about him and his memory. 'The conclusion was that the president had engaged in no wrongdoing, period, end of story,' Landrieu said in his NBC interview. 'But unfortunately, that's not where the special prosecutor left it.' 'He decided to add, ad-hominem, gratuitous attacks about the president's, the death of the president's son - which everybody knows is just an incredible personal thing to him, as it is to any parent who's lost somebody - and then extra attacks [that were] just ridiculous,' he lamented. Labour was facing fury over its Rochdale by-election campaign today after a senior frontbencher posed for pictures with the party's conspiracy theorist by-election candidate. Shadow international development minister Lisa Nandy was photographed at an event alongside Azhar Ali hours after he apologised for claiming Israel allowed Hamas to kill 1,400 Jews on October 7 in order to justify an invasion of Gaza. The Labour leadership this morning tried to distance the party from Mr Ali, a local councillor, with campaign co-ordinator Pat McFadden branding his remarks 'wrong'. But he also confirmed he would remain the Labour candidate for the February 29 vote triggered by the death of MP Tony Lloyd from cancer last month, because he is already on the ballot paper. A picture of 'Rochdale's brilliant candidate' Mr Ali with Ms Nandy, the Wigan MP and a former chairwoman of Labour Friends of Palestine, was shared on X by a local councillor this afternoon. Former Tory deputy chairman Brendan Clarke-Smith branded it 'truly shocking', adding: 'Despite their rhetoric Labour clearly havent changed. They continue to endorse those espousing these views and think its acceptable for them to sit in our Parliament.' A picture of 'Rochdale's brilliant candidate' Mr Ali with Ms Nandy, the Wigan MP and a former chairwoman of Labour Friends of Palestine, was shared on X by a local councillor this afternoon. Azhar Ali (pictured) apologised 'unreservedly to the Jewish community for my comments which were deeply offensive, ignorant, and false' Labour's election co-ordinator Pat McFadden today said that Mr Ali would still be the candidate in the February 29 vote - though he stopped short of saying he would stand in the seat in the general election later this year. Mr Ali also claimed that Sir Keir Starmer had 'lost the confidence' of his MPs over his stance on the conflict Mr Ali is the strong favorite to win the safe seat, meaning Labour could have a new MP in early March who believes in a conspiracy theory. The bombshell remarks obtained by the Mail on Suinday also recorded him saying Sir Keir Starmer had 'lost the confidence' of his MPs over his stance on the conflict. Labour's election co-ordinator Pat McFadden today said that Mr Ali would still be the candidate in the February 29 vote - though he stopped short of saying he would stand in the seat in the general election later this year. 'It was wrong to say that, he should never have said it,' Mr McFadden told Sky News. Asked if he remained a Labour candidate, he added: 'In the upcoming by-election? Yes he will.' The Board of Deputies of British Jews said: 'Were it not too late to do so, we would have called on Labour to replace Mr Ali as a candidate. It is clear to us that Mr Ali is not apologising out of a genuine sense of remorse.' Raphi Bloom, co-chairman of the North West Friends Of Israel, added: 'To accuse the Israeli government of wilfully allowing Jews to be slaughtered is a disgraceful and shocking thing to say.' Tory Vice-Chairman Craig Tracey said: 'The fact that Sir Keir's candidate for Rochdale is spreading these bizarre and offensive anti-Israel conspiracy theories shows that for all his bluster, he's failed to change his party. 'These are the ramblings of an internet crank, not someone who aspires to be a Member of Parliament.' Last night Mr Ali issued a statement to The Mail on Sunday, saying: 'I apologise unreservedly to the Jewish community for my comments which were deeply offensive, ignorant, and false. Hamas's horrific terror attack was the responsibility of Hamas alone, and they are still holding hostages who must be released. October 7 was the greatest loss of Jewish life in a single day since the Holocaust, and Jews in the UK and across the world are living in fear of rising anti-Semitism. I will urgently apologise to Jewish leaders for my inexcusable comments. 'The Labour Party has changed unrecognisably under Keir Starmer's leadership he has my full support in delivering the change Britain needs.' Mr Ali made his initial remarks at a meeting of the Lancashire Labour Party soon after the attacks, making the astonishing claim that the Israeli government had removed its border security to give the Hamas terrorists free rein. He told the meeting: 'The Egyptians are saying that they warned Israel ten days earlier... Americans warned them a day before [that] there's something happening... They deliberately took the security off, they allowed... that massacre that gives them the green light to do whatever they bloody want.' The Labour candidate is defending a Labour majority of more than 9,000 in Rochdale on February 29 Rochdale during the launch of his campaign for the up-coming Rochdale by-election After someone suggested Sir Keir was 'held in high regard', Mr Ali replied: 'Can I disagree with you... A lot of the MPs I've spoken to, non-Muslim MPs, feel that on this issue, he's lost the confidence of the parliamentary party.' Mr Ali was selected last month to contest the by-election, caused by the death of Sir Tony Lloyd. He served a five-year stint as a Government advisor under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. Sir Keir has come under intense pressure over his handling of the Gaza crisis. In November, 56 of his MPs defied him and backed calls for a ceasefire; he is now calling for a 'sustainable ceasefire'. On Friday, Shabana Mahmood, the Shadow Justice Secretary, said 'there has been a sense of a loss of trust... that needs to be rebuilt' between the party and British Muslims, adding that she 'wanted a ceasefire then, I want a ceasefire now'. Gary Mond, Chairman of the National Jewish Assembly, said: 'Some 1,400 innocent Israeli citizens were murdered, beheaded, burned alive and raped in the most barbaric way imaginable by terrorists from Hamas and affiliated groups. 'It is these actions the whole world needs to condemn, including Mr Ali... and not indulgence in speculation regarding the causes. 'As regards Sir Keir Starmer, in refusing to call for a cessation of the war, he demonstrates a recognition of Israel's basic right to defend itself, and by implication Israel's right to exist. 'This is laudable and is endorsed even by those who are not supporters of the Labour Party.' A school cop accused of raping a drunk 16-year-old has also been charged with raping his 17-year-old girlfriend after prosecutors realized she was 15 when she fell pregnant with their baby. Elias Huizar, 39, was arrested after his girlfriend reported him for the attack on her friend who was staying overnight at their home in West Richland, Washington. Now, it has emerged that the former Yakima police officer sought a protection order against his girlfriend when she was 13 and told friends they had been sleeping together, according to the Tri-City Herald. In the most recent alleged incident, the girlfriend had gone to sleep in a spare room next to her 16-year-old friend who was feeling sick after all three had spent the evening drinking at the home on February 3, court documents record. She then woke to find Huizar attacking her drunken friend before he left the room 'like nothing had happened', when she confronted him, according to the Tri-City Herald. Elias Huizar, 39, served with the Yakima Police Department between 2014 and 2022 He was assigned to be a school resource officer at Washington Middle School in Yakima He now faces charges of his alleged rape of a drunk teen and getting his teenage girlfriend pregnant Huizar allegedly set off in pursuit of the pair when they fled in his truck with the nine-month-old baby, only breaking off when the girls reached Benton City and pulled over next to a Benton County sheriff's deputy. He then refused entry to West Richland police officers arrived at his home triggering a two-hour standoff until the Tri-Cities Regional SWAT team forced their way into the house where he was 'doing laundry,' according to the Herald. Huizar served with the police department between 2014 and 2022 and was assigned to be a school resource officer at Washington Middle School in Yakima. The Tri-City Herald reported that Huizar secured a protection order against his now girlfriend in 2019 after she told friends they were in a relationship and the friends reported it to the school principal. The girl denied it and claimed her account had been hacked when social media posts about the alleged relationship were revealed. 'A criminal investigation was completed by the Attorney General's Office and the case was unfounded,' Huizar wrote in his petition for the protection order. '(She) was then expelled from school.' The petition claimed the girl had contacted Huizar's then wife, downloaded photos from the couple's Facebook pages, and taken 'numerous' covert photos of Huizar. Yakima County Judge Gayle Harthcock approved the protection order which prevented the girl from coming within 500 feet of him or his family for a year. Huizar and his wife divorced in 2020, and the girl claims in the court documents that Huizar contacted her in 2022 when she was 15 and they began a relationship. Huizar received his badge in December 2014 from Yakima Police Chief Dominic Rizzi The school saw a fatal shooting in August 2021 when one 13-year-old gunned down another It is not clear where it's not clear where Huizar has been working since leaving the department The former officer still features prominently on the police department Facebook page The home in West Richland where the abuse is alleged to have taken place Their child was born in April last year, and the pair began living together in the West Richland home when she was 17. Huizar has been charged with second-degree rape, furnishing alcohol for minors, and third-degree rape over his relationship with the 17-year-old. His bail was set at $200,000 but he has since bonded out of jail with stipulations that he doesn't contact either of the teens or consume any alcohol. He is due to appear in court again on February 15. This Yorkshire takeaway isn't celebrating the Chinese New Year of the Dragon in style after being slapped with a one-star for food hygiene standards. Shocking pictures have revealed the disgusting state of Woo-Kee Chop Suey Bar in Leeds with a cluttered kitchen, grimy sinks and food left opened and scattered in the fridge-freezers. Leeds City Council inspectors visited the takeaway in Station Road, Cross Gates, on July 3, on behalf of the Food Standards Agency. Inside the kitchen of Woo-Kee Chop Suey Bar in Leeds (pictured) where clutter fills the counter tops Cluttered shelves and counter tops (pictured) at Woo-Key Chop Suey Bar on Station Road Food left out on the counter (pictured) at Woo-Kee Chop Suey bar in Leeds Chips left out on the counter and surrounded by clutter (pictured) at Woo-Kee Chop Suey Bar Grimy sinks, pots and pans cover the counter (pictured) at Woo-Key Chop Suey A dirty fridge-freezer (pictured) found by inspectors from Leeds City Council Cooking oil pictured underneath a shelving unit (pictured) A one-star hygiene rating means overall that 'major improvement is necessary'. The pictures revealing the state of the Chinese takeaway were shared with Leeds Live via an FOI (Freedom of Information) request. Inspectors stated that management of food safety needed 'major improvement,' and improvement was also necessary for 'cleanliness and condition of facilities and building.' Whereas, hygienic food handling was considered to 'generally satisfactory'. Woo-Kee Chop Suey Bar has been approached for a comment. A man has been charged with murder and fraud in connection with the death of a former Birmingham city councillor. Wallis Webb, 65, was found dead at a property on Baldmoor Lake Road in the Erdington area of Birmingham on Tuesday morning. His family have released a statement today saying he was a local politician who 'believed in trying to help others'. West Midlands Police force said Mr Webb's bank card had been used after his death. Sakander Hussain, of Ingleton Road, Birmingham, was arrested on Thursday and has been charged with murder and fraud by false representation. Wallis Webb, 65, was found dead on Tuesday morning. His family have released a statement today saying he was a local politician who 'believed in trying to help others' The councillor was found dead at a property in Baldmoor Lake Road in the Erdington area of Birmingham on Tuesday morning (stock picture) Sakander Hussain, 25, was arrested on Thursday and appeared before Birmingham Magistrates' Court (pictured) on Saturday The 25-year-old appeared before Birmingham Magistrates' Court on Saturday and was remanded until his next court appearance. A 51-year-old man, who was arrested on suspicion of fraud, has been bailed with conditions while police continue their investigation. In a statement released through West Midlands Police, the family of Mr Webb said: 'To try to compress a life into short sentences does not do anybody justice. This is by far the hardest of them all. 'Wallis was a councillor for a short period of time, because he really believed in trying to help others and felt strongly about the hardships people now have to endure without the help so many need. 'This is yet another life taken in a shocking and senseless manner.' West Midlands Police have asked anyone with any information that could help their investigation to contact them via the online live chat service or call 101, quoting log 631 of February 6. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas labeled record high numbers of migrant crossings on the southern border a 'crisis' but said 'we don't bear responsibility for a broken system.' Mayorkas - who was nearly impeached last week in a 214-216 vote - was pressed on his handling of the border on Meet the Press on Sunday, saying: 'It certainly is a crisis, and, well, we dont bear responsibility for a broken system. And were doing a tremendous amount within that broken system.' He added: 'Fundamentally, fundamentally, Congress is the only one who can fix it.' He was referring to Republicans last week blocking a bipartisan border deal that would have increased regulations and limited crossings, despite repeatedly calling for Biden to shut the border. Mayorkas also dismissed Republicans' failed attempts to impeach him over his handling of the border crisis as 'baseless allegations' claiming 'I am really not distracted by them.' BREAKING: DHS Secretary Mayorkas says he does not bear any responsibility for what is happening at the US border, says Congress is the sole culprit. WATCH pic.twitter.com/nul1Njq0n8 Simon Ateba (@simonateba) February 11, 2024 Mayorkas blamed the migrant crisis on a 'broken system' and said it's up to Congress to fix it It comes after officials revealed over 302,000 people crossed the border illegally in December. It is the highest total for a single month ever recorded in history and it marks the first time migrant encounters have reached over 300,000. Many states and elected officials have blamed the Biden administration for the lack of action to address the border. The White House, meanwhile, has blamed Congress for not acting to solve border The House Homeland Security Committee led by Chairman Mark Green, R-Tenn., had been investigating Mayorkas and compiling a report of his 'dereliction of duty' over several months. Green told DailyMail.com that his committee's investigation 'made clear' that the border crisis 'finds its foundation in Secretary Mayorkas' decision-making and refusal to enforce the laws passed by Congress, and that his failure to fulfill his oath of office demands accountability.' Despite the failed vote, Mayorkas isn't safe yet as Johnson spokesperson Raj Shah said Republicans 'fully intend to bring Articles of Impeachment against Secretary Mayorkas back to the floor when we have the votes for passage.' 'It's a delay is all this is,' Homeland Security Chair Mark Green, R-Tenn said. Addressing the attempted impeachment on Sunday, Mayorkas said: 'Theyre baseless allegations, Kristen, and thats why I really am not distracted by them and focused on the work of the Department of Homeland Security.' US soldiers intercept migrants as they try to cross a fence in the Mexican-US line U.S. Border Patrol agents assembled the migrants at a transit center in Eagle Pass, Texas. Authorities have been overwhelmed by the crush of border-crossers Mayorkas has previously told MSNBC that the challenge of 'displaced people,' around the world is due to the 'effects of climate change, poverty, increasing level of authoritarianism.' He has also placed blame on Texas GOP Gov. Greg Abbott who he says is 'refusing to cooperate' with other governors and local officials to coordinate efforts. 'It's a remarkable failure of governance to refuse to cooperate with one's fellow local and state officials,' he continued. Abbott has bused over 65,000 migrants to cities like New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Philadelphia, Denver and Los Angeles since August 2022. He also recently installed razor wire along the banks of the Rio Grande, which has snagged and injured some asylum-seekers. Abbott has pledged to continue to use razor wire despite a recent Supreme Court order. Abbott has asserted the state's 'right to self-defense' against what he has termed a migrant 'invasion,' declaring: '[President Biden's] actions have caused an unprecedented invasion that we must defend against.' The Biden administration maintains Texas is impeding the federal enforcement of immigration law. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security stated: 'Enforcement of immigration law is a federal responsibility. Rather than helping to reduce irregular migration, the State of Texas has only made it harder for frontline personnel to do their jobs and to apply consequences under the law. We can enforce our laws and administer them safely, humanely, and in an orderly way.' Several Republican governors have expressed support for Texas to continue the standoff between the state and the federal government with a senior CBP official telling Fox News the relationship between Texas and Border Patrol officials on the ground remains 'strong.' Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene insisted the Republican Party's narrow defeat in its attempt to impeach Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas was not a failure While the move to impeach Mayorkas over the border crisis failed, Republicans have promised to bring it up for another vote. Speaker Mike Johnson spokesperson Raj Shah said Republicans 'fully intend to bring Articles of Impeachment against Secretary Mayorkas back to the floor when we have the votes for passage.' Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene assured reporters Tuesday night after the vote that they will bring impeachment before Congress again once House Majority Whip Steve Scalise returns from cancer treatment. She said the next vote could potentially come as soon as next week, saying 'this is not over yet.' 'There hasn't been a failure yet,' the Georgia representative said when asked if House Republican leadership had done just that by not getting the votes to impeach. 'We're going to bring it back.' Greene repeatedly mentioned Scalise's impending return and believes he'll be a key vote when he's back in Washington. 'We still can bring back Steve Scalise and we hope that he's well and he can come back very soon, we look forward to having him come back and we look forward to having him be a solid yes on impeaching Secretary Mayorkas,' Greene added. She continued to hit the Democrats for standing by, in unison as a party, behind Mayorkas over the crisis at the border. Greene stated it was a choice: 'Democrats are either owning those as their policies and defending Secretary Mayorkas, saying he's doing nothing wrong, or they can vote to impeach Secretary Mayorkas.' She said Democrats who vote no are 'defending Mayorkas and defending that 300 Americans are dying every single day, that over 10 million have crossed our border, that Americans are the victim of rape, murder, assault, cartels causing all kinds of problems in our country. Kids are being kicked out of school to house migrants, Americans are being forced to pay for it!' Greene admitted it was always going to be a small margin but that there will be consequences for the 'No' votes in both parties. 'We knew it was going to be close going in, because our majority is so razor-thin, of course my colleagues that voted no, I think they'll be hearing from their constituents,' she said. She believes that 'several of our members need to think about things over the weekend' and thinks the Republican down votes should 'go home and talk to their constituents.' Grant Shapps is ordering a review of the British Army's woke nonsense' inclusion policy following reports it wants to relax security checks for overseas recruits to boost diversity. The Defence Secretary said there will be no 'lowering of security clearance requirements on my watch' after a leaked internal policy document outlined a series of actions that aim to boost falling personnel numbers. According to the Telegraph, the armed forces are looking overseas to attract ethnic minority talent because they have long failed to hit recruitment targets and is calling security clearance 'the primary barrier to non-UK personnel gaining a commission in the Army.' The leaked document noted that the Army 'struggles to attract talent from ethnic minority backgrounds into the officer corps. Mr Shapps is said to be 'genuinely furious about this woke nonsense' and does not believe such policies are the way to address the military's recruitment crisis. Meanwhile, fellow Cabinet minister Michael Gove said political correctness should not 'impair our ability to defend our borders'. Grant Shapps said there will be no 'lowering of security clearance requirements on my watch', after an leaked internal policy document outlined a series of actions that aim to boost falling personnel numbers According to the Telegraph, the armed forces are looking overseas to attract ethnic minority talent because they have long failed to hit recruitment targets Figures from the Ministry of Defence show recruitment targets have been consistently missed in recent years Mr Shapps said: 'I am ordering a review of diversity and inclusivity policy at the MoD. 'We want people from all backgrounds to serve in our military but some policies appear to be more about a political agenda than practically improving the lives of our dedicated soldiers and military personnel. 'There will certainly not be any lowering of security clearance requirements on my watch. 'And no-one should be offended by having religion as part of remembrance services. You don't have to be Christian to appreciate and respect the history and traditions of the United Kingdom.' A source close to the Defence Secretary said: 'He's determined it is rooted out on his watch. He's ready to go to battle on it... 'There are personnel issues that need addressing in the armed services but some of these policies are about a woke agenda.' READ MORE HERE: Army moves hundreds of troops from front line to recruitment offices because force is shrinking too quickly after falling by more than 3,000 troops in last year Advertisement Vetting is a standard part of the process of becoming an officer in the British Army, and included counter-terrorism checks. Security clearance is described as being 'the most common type of vetting process and determines that a person's character and personal circumstances are such that they can be trusted to work in a position that involves long-term, frequent, and uncontrolled access to secret assets.' The five-year period being a UK resident needed to gain security clearance was described as 'prohibitive to overseas recruits' applying for officer and intelligence roles. The leaked document said that while people from Commonwealth countries can serve in the British Army, just 131 officers from outside of British serve. Of these, just 28 are recorded as being from ethnic minority backgrounds, while the rest are white Irish or white Commonwealth. A group of former Army officials have since signed a letter to the UK's defence minister, Grant Shapps, calling the updated policy 'dangerous madness.' The letter's signatories, which include former Royal Marine's head Lieutenant General Sir Henry Beverly and Major General Tim Cross, who was the highest-ranking British officer to be involved in the reconstruction of Iraq following the fall of Saddam Hussein, said: 'The Russians, Iranians and Chinese will be observing our descent into self-hatred and obsessing over diversity and inclusion with glee. 'These intolerable policies are forcing the British Armed Forces into moral disarmament and it cannot stand.' A top US general also warned that the UK's shrinking army is 'not what it used to be' (File image) If the army keeps seeing a decline in troops at its current rate, the number of regular soldiers will drop to 67,741 by 2026, according to new analysis (File image) Housing Secretary Michael Gove told Sky's Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips that equity and inclusion policies should not 'impair our ability to defend our borders'. 'Grant Shapps, the Defence Secretary, has been looking at the specific policies we have in the Ministry of Defence in order to ensure that we strike the right balance, that we provide protection for individuals in our armed forces, that we make sure that we draw all the talent available in this country to ensure that we have a strong and diverse military. 'But also to make sure that these policies operate in such a way as to ensure that political correctness, or some of the more - what's the word? - 'out there' approaches that people take towards diversity, equity and inclusion don't impair our ability to defend our borders and to make sure that this country is secure.' The Army has come under scrutiny for its inability to hire people at all levels of service. Outsourcing giant Capita, which is in charge of recruitment for the Army, recommended that it should ditch or loosen restrictions on hiring soldiers with tattoos and those with a history of asthma to solve its recruitment crisis. The firm told a defence select committee inquiry into the recruitment of youngsters that many were waiting 150 days to join the Army, partly caused by the medical assessments they have to undertake. Its representatives told MPs that would-be recruits were being 'attracted elsewhere' as the time taken to be accepted was so long that they were finding other jobs in the meantime, amid ominous warnings that the Army, Navy and Marines are all 'haemorrhaging' troops faster than they can be recruited. An MoD spokesman said: 'Our priority is protecting the national security of the United Kingdom and ensuring the operational effectiveness of our armed forces. 'We take security extremely seriously and ensure that all personnel have the appropriate security clearance, which is reviewed on a case-by-case basis.' Cadets line up for inspection during The Commandmants Parade at Sandhurst The leaked document noted that the Army 'struggles to attract talent from ethnic minority backgrounds into the officer corps' A top US general also warned that the UK's shrinking army is 'not what it used to be.' A former senior US general has said that while the UK was still seen as America's closest ally, it was also seen as 'having diminished capabilities over the past couple of decades'. They added: 'Hence, while being the most important ally across the board, it is decidedly not what it used to be, regrettably.' Based on the current trends, the army will have just 52,000 troops in 10 years. In a one year period up to September last year, the army's strength plummeted from 79,139 to 75,983 as more soldiers left than started. MailOnline has contacted the Ministry of Defence for comment. In the same week Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the first round of pro-housing communities as part of an initiative she launched in 2023, the city of Auburn is seeking to participate in the program. Auburn Mayor Jimmy Giannettino has sent a letter of intent to Hochul and RuthAnne Visnauskas, commissioner of New York State Homes and Community Renewal, expressing the city's interest in being designated as a pro-housing community. Hochul created the Pro-Housing Community Program last year to provide incentives to local governments that increase their housing stock. The municipalities must support documentation of housing growth to receive the designation or adopt a resolution that commits to pro-housing principles. Once certified by the state, the participating local governments will have access to $650 million in state funding through several programs, including the Downtown Revitalization Initiative Auburn won a $10 million DRI award in 2018 New York Main Street, a program administered by New York State Homes and Community Renewal. Hochul unveiled the 20 communities that are among the first to receive the pro-housing certification, including the village of Pulaski in Oswego County the lone central New York municipality on the list. Statewide, seven cities Binghamton, Dunkirk, Kingston, New Rochelle, Newburgh, Poughkeepsie and White Plains were approved for the designation. "We are no longer on a path to achieve our full potential if we don't have enough housing to keep the people, the families, the teachers, the firefighters, everyone who wants to stay in their communities where they were raised, where they want to raise kids because we have stopped building," Hochul said. The problem is affecting communities across New York, including the state's largest municipality. In New York City, the number of vacant rental properties decreased to 1.4% last year a 55-year low. In Auburn, Giannettino acknowledged there is a "housing crisis," with low vacancy rates and high rents blamed for "eliminating housing access and choices." The city's homeownership rate is 46%, which is below the statewide average (54%). "The city of Auburn recognizes that the work to alleviate the housing crisis will continue and the city will need to implement practices, such as adopting policies that affirmatively further fair housing, streamline permitting, incorporating regional housing needs into planning decisions, increasing development capacity for residential uses and enacting policies that encourage a broad range of housing development," Giannettino wrote. Cayuga County officials, including Giannettino, have already prioritized addressing the housing problem as they prepare for Micron's arrival in central New York. Micron, a semiconductor chip manufacturer, is planning to invest $100 billion over 20 years to build a large chipfab in Onondaga County. The project will create 9,000 jobs and over 40,000 more in supporting industries. With Micron expected to increase the regional population, there will be a need for more housing construction. Cayuga County has a subcommittee to explore ways to boost the housing stock. The panel is led by Jenny Haines, director of the city's Office of Planning and Economic Development. Giannettino is a member of the subcommittee. Chris Wallace has ripped into Tucker Carlson over his Vladimir Putin interview, saying his former Fox colleague is worse than a 'useful idiot.' The veteran journalist, 76, called Carlson 'an eager puppy' during his two-hour interview with the Russian president in Moscow this week. There has been no love loss between Wallace and Carlson in recent years - with Tucker calling his former co-worker a 'bitchy little man' in the past.' Wallace said on his CNN show, The Chris Wallace Show: 'Tucker Carlson showed up in Moscow to interview Vladimir Putin. It turned out to be anything but an interview. Veteran journalist Chris Wallace, 76, called Carlson 'an eager puppy' during his two-hour interview with the Russian president in Moscow this week Tucker traveled to Russia to interview Putin and the two-hour interview was broadcast on Thursday 'Putin droned on for two hours and seven minutes, while Tucker sat there like an eager puppy. Occasionally, but rarely, he got in a question. 'But more telling than what Tucker asked, is what he didn't ask. Nothing about why Putin invaded a sovereign country. Nothing about targeting civilians. 'Nothing about Russian war crimes. 'A reporter can ask Putin a tough question if he wants a real interview.' This was clearly in reference to Wallace's own gig interviewing Putin - which he did for Fox News in 2018. He showed a clip of that conversation briefly before cutting back to his monologue. In the interview from 2018, Wallace asked Putin: 'Why is it that so many of the people that oppose Vladimir Putin end up dead or close to it? Speaking to his audience, Wallace continued: 'During the Cold War, gullible Westerners who spread Soviet propaganda were dismissed as "useful idiots." But calling Tucker that is unfair, to useful idiots. 'No, he's made a cynical decision to chase MAGA's affection for dictators and what better way to cash in than Putin's Kremlin.' It was Putin's first interview with a Western media figure since his full-scale invasion of Ukraine two years ago. Putin mocked former Fox News' host Tucker Carlson's failure to get into the CIA after college during their controversial interview that was broadcast Thursday night White House national security spokesman John Kirby tried to minimize the impact of Carlson's interview ahead of its release: 'Remember, you're listening to Vladimir Putin. And you shouldn't take at face value anything he has to say.' Putin has heavily limited his contact with international media since he launched the war in Ukraine in February 2022. Russian authorities have cracked down on independent media, forcing some Russian outlets to close, blocking others and ordering a number of foreign reporters to leave the country. Two journalists working for U.S. news organizations The Wall Street Journal's Gershkovich and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Alsu Kurmasheva are in jail. Asked by Carlson whether Russia would release Gershkovich, Putin said Moscow is open to talks but repeated that the reporter was charged with espionage, an accusation Gershkovich has denied. 'He was caught red-handed when he was secretly getting classified information,' Putin said of Gershkovich, adding that he doesn't exclude that the reporter could return home. 'There is no taboo on settling this issue,' Putin said. 'We are ready to solve it but there are certain conditions that are being discussed between special services. I believe an agreement can be reached.' Meanwhile, Putin mocked former Fox News' host Tucker Carlson's failure to get into the CIA after college during their controversial interview that was broadcast Thursday night. The issue arose when Putin blamed, without any pushback from Carlson, that the CIA was responsible for the 2014 Revolution of Dignity in Ukraine. The movement began after the then-Russia friendly government of the country was peacefully overthrown by mass protests following the rejection of a cooperation deal with the European Union. When Carlson asked who backed the overthrow, Putin replied: 'With the backing of CIA, of course, the organization you wanted to join back in the day, as I understand. We should thank God they didn't let you in. Although it is a serious organization, I understand.' The Russian president then pointed to his own history working as an intelligence officer. New York City police officers are being assaulted at a record-high rate as the number of criminals allowed to walk the streets and illegal migrants in the Big Apple skyrockets. In 2023, the number of officers hurt by violent suspects totaled just over 4,000 during the first nine months of the year. NYPD statistics indicate that the total number of violent events is projected to land around 5,400. In the year 2022, that figure was about 4,700 - a 20 percent jump compared to 2021, when the number was about 3,950. According to the New York Post, Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry said the record number of cops assaulted is a 'full-blown epidemic.' 'The vicious attacks on police officers weve seen recently didnt come out of nowhere. This dangerous environment has been building for years,' he said. 'Its not going to get better until those who attack police officers are consistently prosecuted and kept in jail. And that wont happen unless New Yorkers keep speaking up to demand an end to the chaos.' For data from the first three-quarters of 2023, 261 of the injuries inflicted on cops were categorized as either substantial or seriously - a number that puts the year on track to see a 10 percent spike in the figure. The shocking data has come to light as attention is being brought to the dozen or more illegal migrants who were responsible for viciously attacking police officers in Times Square. Just one of the suspects was ever jailed for the offense. Last week, Manhattan's hyper-progressive DA Alvin Bragg announced too late that he was indicting several of the officers' attackers on felonies. Four of the migrants indicted on Thursday are believed to have fled NYC after being arrested and released with no bail - Darwin Gomez, Kelvin Servita, Wilson Juarez and Yorman Reveron. 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. Mayor Eric Adams has said the cost of the migrant crisis in New York City is an eye-watering $4.6 billion. New York Governor Kathy Hochul pledged to commit $2.4 billion to the crisis last month, which is more than double last year's proposal. There remains no plan in place to curb the number of migrants streaming into NYC - nor the violence faced by law enforcement officers on a daily basis. Officers have faced a growing number of publicly hostile incidents, including several in January. On January 17, a Brooklyn woman was charged after deliberately mowing down an officer with her car on 72nd and Park Avenue. She reportedly told authorities: 'F**k these cops, it's a lesson to him.' Several days later, an officer was slashed in the head by a psychotic criminal in Brooklyn - two other cops were also sent to the hospital following the violent offense. And just before the new year, a teenager from Brooklyn Academy High School was arrested after physically assaulting and spitting on a cop outside the school. Jhoan Boada, 22, was arrested in connection to the attack and was pictured leaving the courthouse with his middle fingers up at reporters and smirked The man believed to be at the center of the attack, Yohenry Brito, 24, is the only one of the suspects being held on bail. He's currently being held on Rikers Island A man, right, is surrounded by three units of New York Police Department officers who attempt to calm the man down October 3, 2023 in New York City. The agitated man claimed abusive police behavior after he and his car were pulled over for an inspection Sergeants Benevolent Association President Vincent Vallelong told the Post that he believes the reason to many NYPD officers are being injured on the job is that 'criminals have become emboldened because there are no consequences for resisting arrest or fighting with officers.' 'If todays criminals are not afraid of attacking police officers, they have even less qualms about hurting members of the public.' 'You have too many City Council members that just hate the cops and want to abolish them,' said retired NYPD Sgt. Joseph Giacalone, an adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. For the last two years, NYPD officers have handed over their badges in record numbers, a pattern that Adams has called a 'law enforcement crisis.' In 2022, some 3,700 officers handed in their badge, the highest number reported since the 9/11 attacks more than 20 years ago. Last year, nearly 250 officers quit during the first two months of the year. This time last year, nearly every precinct was understaffed, causing response times to go up and forcing mayor's office to zero in on the problem of police recruitment, which the passage of today's bill does not serve to help. Donald Trump has taken aim at Taylor Swift - saying she is being 'disloyal' to the man who made her so much money, while branding Travis Kelce a 'liberal.' The Republican hopeful, 77, said it was his lawmaking that allowed popstar Taylor to propel to stratospheric fame and success - not 'crooked' Joe Biden. Trump said there's 'no way' she can endorse Democrat Biden ahead of the election. Swift, while steering clear from mainstream politics, vowed to kick Trump out of the White House during the last election - and announced she voted Democrat. However, Trump's message wasn't all doom and gloom for Swift and her Kansas City Chiefs tight end boyfriend Kelce - as he announced 'I like her boyfriend, Travis.' Donald Trump has taken aim at Taylor Swift - saying she is being 'disloyal' to the man who made her so much money, while branding Travis Kelce a 'liberal' Swift is seen with boyfriend Travis Kelce, as Kelce's team heads to the Super Bowl Trump wrote on Truth Social on the day of the Super Bowl: 'I signed and was responsible for the Music Modernization Act for Taylor Swift and all other Musical Artists. 'Joe Biden didnt do anything for Taylor, and never will. 'Theres no way she could endorse Crooked Joe Biden, the worst and most corrupt President in the History of our Country, and be disloyal to the man who made her so much money. 'Besides that, I like her boyfriend, Travis, even though he may be a Liberal, and probably cant stand me!' The Music Modernization Act was legislation signed into law on October 11, 2018, which modernized copyright-related issues within the music industry. After executive Scooter Braun bought Big Machine Records in 2019 and took ownership over Swift's masters, she took the savvy initiative to re-record her first six studio albums to undermine the value of her early music now in Braun's possession. Enabled by quirks in the copyright licensing system, Swift was able to regain ownership over her lyrics, voice, and albums with the re-records - using the old titles of her songs with the suffix stamp of approval 'Taylor's Version.' Taylor, who raked in over a billion dollars during her Eras Tour last year, started dating Kelce in the late summer, and has jetted to Las Vegas from her concert in Japan to watch his Super Bowl on Sunday. The Chiefs are facing the San Francisco 49ers this evening. Swift posted in her X account in October 2020: 'I spoke to @vmagazine about why I'll be voting for Joe Biden for president' This comes after Trump allegedly told aides that it doesn't matter if Taylor Swift endorses Joe Biden - because he is 'more popular' than she is anyway. The 77-year-old was commenting on reports that the pop megastar was preparing to endorse Biden, and that Biden's campaign were desperate for her to appear on stage with the president at a rally. Swift endorsed Biden in 2020. He is said to believe that even the pop megastar will fail to deprive him of a win in November, despite Dems hoping Swift could dramatically sway the vote. The New York Times reported that Swift is a key name on Biden aides' 'wish lists of potential surrogates.' Trump also, according to Rolling Stone, said that it was wrong that Swift was named as Time magazine's person of the year in December 2023, because the accolade should 'obviously' have gone to him. This comes after Trump told aides that it doesn't matter if Taylor Swift endorses Joe Biden - because he is 'more popular' than she is anyway Swift's political clout is sought after by all sides, but for years she remained avowedly neutral. Born in Pennsylvania but moving to Nashville as a young girl to pursue music, she was initially loathe to say anything that would alienate her traditionally Republican country music fanbase. But in 2018, she spoke out against Republican senator Marsha Blackburn, saying her voting record 'appalls and terrifies me.' Trump - who in 2012 called her 'fantastic' and 'terrific' - was angered by Swift's remarks. 'You know, Marsha Blackburn is doing a very good job in Tennessee, she's leading now substantially,' Trump said. 'She's a tremendous woman. 'I'm sure Taylor Swift doesn't know anything about her. And let's say that I like Taylor's music about 25 percent less now.' Swift then backed Biden, and last year, a single Instagram post of hers led to 35,000 new voter registrations. A poll this month from Redfield & Wilton Strategies showed 18 percent of voters said they're 'more likely' or 'significantly likely' to vote for a candidate endorsed by Swift. A woman who crashed her car while suffering a stroke was ordered out of her vehicle at gunpoint and cuffed by Washington police, before being mocked by jail staff as she lay on the floor for without help for more than 24 hours. Nicole McClure eventually spent 17 days in hospital after having part of her head removed by surgeons and is now suing Thurston County police for ignoring her symptoms following the crash in March 2022. Dashcam video recorded state trooper Jonathan Barnes slamming her over the hood of his car demanding: 'When's the last time you used meth? When was the last time you used heroin?' 'I haven't I don't,' she pleaded, 'I'm confused. I think I'm tired.' She lay vomiting and incontinent for more than a day at the county jail before any medic examined her, and she was finally rushed for emergency surgery. Nicole McClure was arrested at gunpoint after a low speed crash in Thurston County The 40-year-old was hauled from her car and cuffed over a patrol car hood by Trooper Jonathan Barnes who accused her of having taken drugs, but administered no test In fact McClure was suffering from a serious stroke which required emergency brain surgery 'Nicole recalls being laughed at and told "Have another shot,"' attorney Anne Vankirk said in a statement. 'Had Nicole received immediate medical attention, her condition would have been significantly easier to treat and the outcome far less severe.' McClure, 40, had left work early suffering from a headache and dizziness when she was spotted by Barnes driving too slowly and weaving out of her lane as she tried to get home to Olympia. She did not respond when Barnes tried to pull her over, eventually crashing her car into a roundabout. The officer pulled his gun on her and yelled at her as he approached the wreckage and she stepped out with her hands up. He accused her of resisting after she did not respond to his demand that she drop the car keys clutched tightly in her hand. 'She's trying to use these keys to stab,' he said on tape. 'She's trying to use these keys as a weapon.' McClure spent 17 days in hospital and her lawyers claim she has been permanently disabled by the unnecessary delay in her treatment In his written report the trooper struck out a section detailing medical questions with the remark 'Did not ask' 'Nicole recalls being laughed at and told 'Have another shot',' as she lay on the jailhouse floor for more than 24 hours attorney Anne Vankirk said in a statement Barnes, who won the 'Core Values Award' at his troop's graduation ceremony in 2019, arrested her on suspicion of intoxicated driving and felony evading but did not test her at the scene for drugs or alcohol and did not call medics, despite the crash. In his written report, the trooper also struck out a section detailing medical questions with the remark 'Did not ask.' He took her instead to a nearby hospital, where he did not mention the crash but where she was given blood tests for alcohol and drugs that eventually came back negative. While in the jail, pressure was building inside her brain from a frontal-lobe subdural hematoma. 'She was left with a notably deteriorating condition and continuing to ask for help,' Vankirk said. 'She was found in a puddle of her own urine almost a full day later.' Two jail staff then helped her onto a bed in the cell after realizing she was unable to stand, and when she began 'vomiting uncontrollably,' she was moved to a second cell and 'forcibly changed' out of her clothes. 'A few hours later, a member of the jail's medical team was called, and they advised that she be taken to the hospital immediately,' the lawsuit claims. McClure underwent emergency brain surgery and had a large piece of her skull to relieve pressure on her brain and 'save her remaining brain function.' She spent nearly three weeks in hospital and her lawyers claim she has been left permanently disabled by the delay in her treatment. 'Nicole is a hardworking young woman who will never be the same again,' said Vankirk. 'Despite the fact that she was observed to be in a car-disabling collision, no medical evaluation was offered to her,' Vankirk said. 'She suffers from severe traumatic brain injury and remains unable to care for herself or engage with life in meaningful ways.' Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney's Office confirmed it had been served with the lawsuit. 'While we can't discuss the specifics of any pending litigation, I can confirm that the safety of inmates, staff, and the general public remains a top priority for the Thurston County Corrections Facility,' said spokeswoman Tara Tsehlana. Climate activists have hurled soup at a Monet painting in a French museum yesterday after pulling a similar stunt on the Mona Lisa last month. The Musee des Beaux-Arts in Lyon, France's third largest city, said in a statement that the attack on Claude Monet's 'Le Printemps' (Spring) took place at 3.30pm local time on Saturday. The 1872 painting was protected by glass, but will still undergo a close inspection and restoration, the museum said. The museum said it would file a complaint for vandalism, adding that two activists were arrested. Riposte Alimentaire ('Food counterattack') claimed the attack in a posting on X, with a woman identifying herself 20-year-old Ilona saying 'we have to act now before it is too late.' The same group, which calls for a sustainable supply of healthy food for all, also claimed January's soup attack on the Louvre museum's Mona Lisa painting, which was also behind glass. Activists Ilona (left) and Sophie (right) from climate group Riposte Alimentaire took responsibility for the attack on Claude Monet's 'Le Printemps' The 1872 painting 'Le Printemps' (pictured) was protected by glass, but will still undergo a close inspection and restoration, the museum said Riposte Alimentaire ('Food counterattack') claimed the attack in a posting on X, with a woman identifying herself 20-year-old Ilona (pictured) saying 'we have to act now before it is too late' Activists Ilona and Sophie asked bystanders in the museum after yesterday's soup attack: 'This spring will be the only one we have left if we don't react. What will our future artists paint? What will we dream of if there is no more spring?' 'We love art,' the movement says on X, 'but future artists will have nothing to paint on a burning planet.' In a posting about the Monet splashing on X, Lyon's mayor, who is from the green party, said he 'regretted the action' but added that 'in the face of climate emergencies, anguish is legitimate. We will respond with determined actions.' Riposte Alimentaire's activists Sasha, 24, and Marie-Juliette, 63, claimed responsibility for the attack on the Mona Lisa on January 28 and asked the shocked crowd after they threw the soup: 'What is more important? Art or the right to healthy and sustainable food?' The group later said the soup throwing marked the 'start of a campaign of civil resistance with the clear demand... of the social security of sustainable food'. Riposte Alimentaire calls itself a 'French civil resistance movement which aims to spur a radical societal change for the environment and society'. Eco-morons hurled soup at the bullet-proof glass protecting Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa painting at the Louvre in Paris on January 28 (pictured) The duo stand in front of the splattered artwork with one revealing a white t-shirt with the words 'Riposte Alimentaire' ('Food counterattack') This is the moment the eco zealots hurl tomato soup at the Mona Lisa According to its website, Riposte Alimentaire is demanding the French government ensure food security in the country, including the distribution of 'food cards' holding 150 'per month per person to buy approved food products.' The website also explains that the group is an offshoot of a larger climate activist collective called 'Last Renovation' - which is part of a campaign that has seen protesters target historic landmarks, artwork and commuters across Europe. Riposte Alimentaire's website says the group 'was built as a result of the Last Renovation campaign, which in 2022 and 2023 led actions throughout France to demand an energy renovation plan for buildings. 'Strengthened by a community of civil resistance which obtained a first victory, the Last Renovation campaign was transformed to tackle an even more ambitious and systemic subject: Social Security for Sustainable Food,' it adds. But the page also explains that Riposte Alimentaire and Last Generation are part of an even larger collective of activists, who fall under the 'A22' network. 'France and 11 other countries around the world are coordinating their efforts to take, at home, the first urgent and essential step to truly implement the necessary transformation of our societies,' the website says, before listing its other groups. Activists under the A22 umbrella have poured black dye into Rome's iconic Trevi Fountain while calling for the end of fossil fuels. Others have dyed Venice's famous canals green. Last Generation protesters have also blocked busy roads during rush hour in some of Europe's busiest cities, forcing locals into dragging them out of the way. A22 also includes Just Stop Oil, a British group which has pulled similar stunts in the UK, much to the chagrin of politicians and the public. In October 2022, two activists from the Just Stop Oil group grabbed headlines when they splashed tomato soup over the glass protecting Dutch master Vincent van Gogh's 'Sunflowers' at the National Gallery in London. At the time, they complained that art lovers were more concerned with paintings than the planet. Last year, climate activists waded into the waters of Rome's world-famous Trevi Fountain and poured in a black liquid to symbolise oil Extinction Rebellion activists turned Venice's canals green in December in a protest over what the group said at the time was a lack of progress at climate talks during Cop-28 in Dubai Three environmental activists attached themselves to the glass cover of the iconic renaissance painting in the Sala Botticelli of the Uffizi Gallery in Italy in July 2022 Activists from Last Generation threw flour over a car painted by the Pop Art icon that was on display in Milan's Fabbrica del Vapore art centre, in November 2022 The website also lists groups in Sweden, the United States, Germany, Switzerland, Norway, Italy, New Zealand, Denmark, Canada and Austria. In its defence of the Mona Lisa stunt, Riposte Alimentaire referred to a survey of 996 people last year by the Ipsos polling group that found that one in three French people were not always able to afford enough healthy food for three meals a day. Member Till Van Elst said the group wanted the state to allow people to buy selected food items at reduced rates through a specialised social security card. Under the scheme, democratic assemblies would choose the food to be subsidised. 'We want citizens to really be able to... decide what is in their plates,' he told AFP. Culture Minister Rachida Dati led criticism of the soup attack. 'The Mona Lisa, as our heritage, belongs to future generations. No cause can justify targeting it,' she wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Italy in particular has seen several stunts, prompting the country to bring in a law that would see activists fined up to 50,000 euros for forms of protest. Last year, climate activists waded into the waters of Rome's world-famous Trevi Fountain and poured in a black liquid to symbolise oil. 'Our country is dying,' they shouted after unfurling a banner, as tourists visiting the monument took photos, cheered and booed. While the group said the liquid was carbon based and would not damage the fountain, Rome's mayor said regardless, the city would have to throw away the 300,000 litres of water circulating the Trevi Fountain and replace it. The group has also hurled paint at Milan's famous La Scala opera house, food at the glass protecting iconic paintings, and sprayed the Italian Senate with orange paint. In October 2022, two activists (pictured) from the Just Stop Oil group grabbed headlines when they splashed tomato soup over the glass protecting Dutch master Vincent van Gogh's 'Sunflowers' at the National Gallery in London Environmental activists from Just Stop Oil slow march from Trafalgar Square in central London as they continue their latest round of protest actions against fossil fuels in London, United Kingdom on November 20, 2023 Its members have also blocked traffic, infuriating motorists. Several videos have shown the activists sitting across the middle of busy roads, causing long traffic jams during morning and afternoon rush hours. This has invariably led to members of the public taking matters into their own hands, ripping banners out of the activists' hands and dragging them off the road. In October irate motorists repeatedly kicked and dragged climate protesters blocking traffic in Milan. Around 20 'Ultima Generazione' - translated as Last Generation - activists blocked a road, drawing the anger of several drivers left stuck in the resulting traffic. Footage showed several activists sitting on a crossing point over the multi-lane road at a busy intersection, causing chaos for drivers during rush hour by linking hands and holding up an orange climate emergency banner. Several drivers, furious at the protesters for blocking their way, got out of the cars and banded together to carry them off the road in shocking scenes caught on video. Other climate activist groups have also been active in Italy. In December, protesters from Extinction Rebellion used a dye to turn Venice's famous Grand Canal green, in protest over what they said at the time was a lack of progress at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai . Activists from the group were seen dangling from the Rialto Bridge over the canal with the aid of hard hats and climbing ropes, while displaying a banner that read: 'COP28: While the government talks, we are hanging by a thread.' And in 2022, Italian eco-zealots glued their hands to Botticelli's masterpiece Primavera at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. That same year, 11 activists threw flour over a car painted by Andy Warhol that was on display in Milan's Fabbrica del Vapore art centre. Ipad minister Michael Matheson could be suspended as an MSP over his data roaming expenses scandal. The former health secretary faces a potentially damning report into how he charged taxpayers 11,000 for data used on a government iPad whilst on holiday in Morocco. One of the outcomes of the report could be a referral to the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee (SPPAC), which has the power to issue suspensions to MSPs. The committee has handed out suspensions and withheld MSPs pay over previous breaches of the parliamentary code of conduct. Michael Matheson has been under scrutiny Mr Matheson left Humza Yousafs cabinet last week. But last night opponents said that the report, by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, may make his position as a constituency MSP untenable. Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said: We already knew that Michael Matheson lied to the public and the Press, which is why he should have been sacked as health secretary months ago yet Humza Yousaf was too weak to do the right thing. But if the report shows he lied to the Presiding Officer about his iPad use, then his position as an MSP is untenable too. Remember, it was Michael Matheson and the SNP who initiated this investigation and called for due process supposedly to get to the bottom of what happened but as his story changed it seems he repeatedly lied to try to cover his tracks. He has disgraced his office and shown contempt for the parliament and, therefore, is unfit to be a member of it. Humza Yousaf has been called 'weak' for failing to fire Matheson months ago In 2018 the cross-party SPPAC suspended Nationalist Mark McDonald without pay for a month after he sent an inappropriate text message to a woman. Mr Matheson will be handed a 12,712 resettlement payout after quitting as a minister enough to pay the 10,936 bill he charged to taxpayers before being shamed into agreeing to settle it himself. His replacement, Neil Gray, yesterday said his predecessor had a right to choose whether he kept the cash despite the controversy surrounding his conduct. Speaking on the BBCs The Sunday Show, the new health secretary said: That is a right that is afforded to him in exiting office. On the scandal leading up to the resignation, Mr Gray said: He made a mistake, theres no doubt in that. He has admitted that and apologised for that mistake and he should be afforded the due process. Responding to the interview, Mr Ross said: This shows how arrogant and out of touch SNP ministers have become. Tory MSP Graham Simpson has fronted a Members Bill to introduce a system to oust an MSP found to have breached parliamentary rules. Such a system exists at Westminster where an MP can be recalled for improper conduct. He branded Mr Mathesons version of events preposterous and said it could be the sort of case which could be covered by my Bill. If I could give one piece of advice about politics, though it applies to life in general too, it would be this: listen to people you disagree with. One voice worth cupping your ear towards is Geoff Aberdein, former chief of staff to Alex Salmond. Speaking on the Holyrood Sources podcast last week, Aberdein pointed to fresh polling showing the SNP still ahead of Labour, albeit just and no more. Humza Yousaf called Michael Matheson a man of integrity and honesty despite the iPad scandal He asked: At what point do these kinds of polls start being disappointing for the Labour Party given the current challenges the SNP face? The polling period when this was conducted was right during the Covid WhatsApp furore for the SNP. And yet the SNP was still marginally ahead on each. Now, Aberdein was not making a partisan point. He went on to talk about the likely scale of losses facing the SNP and Humza Yousafs stubbornly bad personal poll ratings. But he underscored the need for Labour to manage expectations ahead of the general election, whenever that will be. Woeful That, for me, sums up the woeful state of Scottish politics in 2024. The Labour Party needs to be thinking about managing expectations. The Labour Party. Whatever you might think of that outfit, it is the very definition of an anti-incumbent party. It has been out of power at Westminster for 14 years and out of power at Holyrood for 17 years. There are voters today who hadnt been born the last time Labour won the Scottish local elections. We keep hearing this will be a change election, when voters of various political persuasions will kick out the current UK Government because they feel its time for fresh blood. As the official Opposition in the House of Commons, it is naturally Labour that stands ready to benefit from this mood, and if the polls are accurate it stands to benefit handsomely. Yet in Scotland, where Labour is able to position itself as the change party twice over, the polling looks very different. In five polls since the start of the year, the results were: Labour and SNP tied, SNP narrowly ahead, Labour narrowly ahead, SNP ahead, Labour narrowly ahead. Maybe the party will suddenly break free from the Nationalists and its Scottish support will start to look more like the levels seen in the rest of the country. And, true enough, there will probably be a Scottish variant of the shy Tory syndrome seen down south, with ex-Labour voters who decamped for the SNP reluctant to admit that they are contemplating a return to the red flag. But after the year the SNP has had arrests, defections, Humza Yousaf youd think shy Labour voters wouldnt feel the need to be quite so shy. As for those voters who still back the Nationalists, if gender wars, iPad bills and deleted WhatsApps havent prompted them to rethink their support, you have to wonder what it would take. Make no mistake: Labour will take a significant number of seats off the SNP on polling day, but it will be nothing like the 2015 landslide when the Nationalists captured all but one of Labours seats. This lack of voter enthusiasm is hardly limited to Labour. The SNP has a young leader, barely a year into the job, fizzing with energy, and hes polling like someone who has been in post for a decade. Humza Yousaf cant break through with the voters and his government just cant catch a break. He has no record worth bragging about, his party staggers from scandal to scandal, and his ministerial talent pool only has a shallow end. Then there is his predecessor, who is beginning to cause him as many problems as her predecessor caused her. Then theres the Tories. After 14 years in government, they have almost nothing to show for it, and are squabbling bitterly with one another over this unavoidable fact. They have a better story to retail in Scotland, where they can pitch themselves as the party that has led the charge against the SNP for the past eight years. Collapse I wouldnt write them off. As weve discussed in this column before, there are a number of seats where a sufficient collapse of the Nationalist vote could help the Conservatives score a gain. But even their best efforts are going to be hampered by the unpopularity of the Tory government in Scotland. It is for these reasons, and others, that I dont believe this will be a change election not in Scotland, at least. I think it will be a pick-your-poison election, when voters are asked to choose the least worst of three leaders who wouldnt be anyones first choice. This, to my mind, gets to the root of the sense of voter malaise north of the Border. Its not that there is no party worth voting for, its that none of the main parties has a leader worthy of the name. We have had a rotten run of luck lately. Vacuous PR man David Cameron and overgrown student politician Ed Miliband. Wobbly Theresa May. Odious Jeremy Corbyn. And the less said about Liz Trusss unfortunate 49 days, the better. Now in Scotland we are confronted by the prospect of Humza Yousaf, Rishi Sunak or Sir Keir Starmer. The fourth horseman of the apocalypse must be delayed somewhere. None of them seems able to stay in the same place politically for more than five minutes. None displays the wisdom, insight, strength of character or good judgment we expect from great leaders. None has the faintest clue about ordinary peoples lives. Sir Keir may be the darling of the commentariat, but the public is decidedly lukewarm. In the most recent polling of Scottish voters, one third approves of his performance, one third disapproves and one third feels neither fair nor foul towards him. Twice as many Scots distrust him as trust him. Slippery Little wonder. He has abandoned his flagship promise to pour 28billion into greening the economy. He blames the Tories stewardship of the economy for making it unaffordable, though Im not convinced it was ever affordable. But the point is that when youre breaking your promise before you even get into government, youre signalling that youre slippery and untrustworthy. If poor decision-making was a currency, Humza Yousaf would boast an embarrassment of riches. As it is, he is just an embarrassment. The Michael Matheson iPad scandal is a case in point. Any leader with the skimpiest morsel of good judgment would have known instantly that Matheson had to go. Yet Yousaf not only backed his health secretary, he called him a man of integrity and honesty. Now that man has quit his ministerial post and is poised to be damned by a parliamentary inquiry into the affair. The First Minister has been left looking foolish and out of his depth. As with Sir Keir, the voters can sense this, which is why Yousafs approval rating is just 25 per cent and his disapproval rating at 42 per cent. It is why 51 per cent of voters say they dont trust him. Then theres the Prime Minister, who is disapproved of by 56 per cent of Scots and distrusted by 64 per cent. His decision to make a 1,000 bet with Piers Morgan over the success of the Rwanda policy is among the most politically tone deaf things I have ever seen from a Prime Minister. The Tories have presided over unprecedented levels of illegal immigration. In the past five years, 114,000 people entered the UK via small boats sailed across the English Channel. In that same time, many people have died attempting to make this treacherous journey. This is a matter of border integrity, national security and life and death itself. This is not something you make a wager on. What on earth was he thinking? This is the choice we face at the coming election. Is a bit of substance too much to ask for? Is a sense of duty? Is competence? Politicians complain about voters being cynical, or thinking all elected officials are as bad as each other, but I dont blame them. Not when this trio is the best our politics can offer. If this is a pick-your-poison election, I pick none of them. A woman has died after a rental truck crashed into a pole in Melbourne's south east. The Budget rental truck was travelling north along Jacksons Road in Noble Park North when it veered off the road and crashed into a pole just before 3am on Monday. Emergency services rushed to the crash site and found a female passenger dead at the scene. The 32-year-old male driver fled the crash but was tracked down a short time later by the police canine squad in Noble Park near the intersection of Elonera Road and Princes Highway. A woman has died after the Budget rental truck she was passenger in, veered off the road and crashed into a pole in Melbourne's south east Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives are at the scene and are working to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the crash. The driver is in custody and is assisting police with their inquiries. No charges have been laid. Motorists are being advised to avoid the area or allow for extra travel time for detours as Jackson Road remains closed in both directions. Anyone who saw the truck prior to the crash, has dashcam footage or information is being urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Senators advanced a $95 billion foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan on Sunday despite opposition from Donald Trump and Republican hardliners. The Democratic-led Senate voted 67-27 in a rare Sunday session to clear the latest procedural hurdle and move the foreign aid measure toward an ultimate vote in the coming days. 'I cant remember the last time the Senate was in session on Super Bowl Sunday, but as Ive said all week long, were going to keep working on this bill until the job is done,' Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said. If voting had bled into the start of the Super Bowl, Schumer had reportedly planned to bring in televisions and pizza for Capitol Hill staff - but one senator wasn't taking any chances and arrived with a take-out bag of hamburgers. The aid bill money is viewed as essential by Kyiv, as it grinds toward the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer pushed for the vote on the aid spending package Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., arrives for the vote with a carry out bag of hamburgers The legislation includes $61 billion for Ukraine, $14 billion for Israel in its war against Hamas and $4.83 billion to support partners in the Indo-Pacific, including Taiwan, and deter aggression by China. It also would provide $9.15 billion in humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza and the West Bank, Ukraine and other conflict zones around the globe. Senate passage this week would send the bill on to the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, where it faces an uncertain future as many house Republicans are opposed to further aid to Ukraine. Eighteen Republicans backed the legislation on Sunday despite Trump taking to social media to criticize the bill and say the foreign aid should take the form of a loan. Democratic President Joe Biden, who has been seeking the aid for months, on Friday said Congress would be guilty of 'neglect' if it failed to pass the measure. The last version of the House-version of the bill, which was tied in with $20 billion of spending on US border security funding was shot down by Republicans. House Speaker Mike Johnson, who has a slim 219-212 Republican majority, has indicated that he could try to split the aid provisions into separate measures once the bill arrives from the Senate. But a standalone aid bill for Israel fell victim in the House last week to opposition from Democrats who favor the broader Senate legislation and from hardline Republicans who wanted compensating spending cuts, in a pair of humiliating defeats for Johnson. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., center, arrives at the Capitol on Sunday Kyiv views the aid as essential as they near the second anniversary of Russia's invasion In the aid package, $14 billion is marked for Israel for its fight against Hamas $4.83 billion of the aid would go to support partners in the Indo-Pacific, including Taiwan During a visit to Kyiv on Friday, a bipartisan delegation of House lawmakers vowed to do their part to pass the measure. Senate Republicans believe bipartisan passage would help stir support among Republicans in the House. 'It will shape the environment such that... more Republicans will feel comfortable advancing the bill,' Senator Todd Young, an Indiana Republican, told reporters. Republican support for the measure could grow and the pace of progress could quicken if Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and McConnell can reach an agreement allowing votes on Republican amendments. Republicans want amendments that could address the record flow of migrants across the U.S.-Mexico border and forgo humanitarian assistance provisions by restricting foreign aid to weapons and material. But some Republicans who oppose further aid to Ukraine have vowed to delay consideration by forcing the Senate to comply with a labyrinth of time-consuming parliamentary rules. The number of sex offenders convicted of committing another attack after being freed from jail has hit a new high fuelling fears probation officers are failing to keep the public safe. Figures obtained from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) show 121 serious sexual offences were committed over five years by prisoners released from sentences for previous sex crimes. It means scores of victims suffered sex attacks while the offender was supposedly being monitored by probation officers. Data released under Freedom of Information laws shows 49 of these cases took place in the most recent year. One horrific example was last year's case of Anthony Roberts, a serial sex offender who carried out a frenzied knife attack. Roberts, 56, had been freed from prison five months earlier despite a warning in parole reports that he posed an imminent risk of 'serious injury and potential death'. Figures obtained from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) show 121 serious sexual offences were committed over five years by prisoners released from sentences for previous sex crimes. Pictured: Anthony Roberts It means scores of victims suffered sex attacks while the offender was supposedly being monitored by probation officers. Pictured: Jordan McSweeney Data released under Freedom of Information laws shows 49 of these cases took place in the most recent year. Pictured: Zara Aleena, 35, who was murdered by Jordan McSweeney His criminal record included attacking women and indecent exposure. In his latest attack, for which he received a life sentence, he assaulted a woman in her 70s with a knife as she walked alongside the River Severn in Worcester. Last year inspectors said the probation service was 'struggling', faced 'chronic staff shortages' and was 'consistently weak' in protecting the public. Justin Russell, the then chief inspector of probation, said he had 'significant concerns' that officials were making 'inaccurate, incorrect or incomplete' assessments of offenders' risks. He also warned a rise in probation officers working from home was potentially increasing the risks with some appointments becoming little more than 'check-ins'. In January last year Mr Russell's team found probation blunders meant a sexual predator described as a 'ticking timebomb' was left free to kill a law graduate. Zara Aleena, 35, was walking home from a night out with friends when Jordan McSweeney leapt out of the darkness and murdered her in a frenzy of violence. The 29-year-old thug had been released on licence from jail nine days earlier. Justin Russell (pictured), the then chief inspector of probation, said he had 'significant concerns' that officials were making 'inaccurate, incorrect or incomplete' assessments of offenders' risks Mr Russell has said McSweeney, who had been wrongly classified as 'medium risk' rather than 'high risk', should have been recalled to prison six days before the attack. Rebecca Hitchen, of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, said: 'Every part of the criminal justice system is crumbling when it comes to responding to violence against women and girls.' An MoJ spokesman said: 'Fewer than 0.5 per cent of offenders subject to supervision go on to commit serious further offences and our new laws keep the most serious criminals behind bars for longer.' David Spencer, of the think-tank Policy Exchange and a former detective chief inspector with the Metropolitan Police, said: 'Dangerous criminals are free to roam our streets. It is a horrific indictment on the ability or willingness of Government to take the steps necessary to keep us all safe.' Travellers from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) plan to increase their spending on breaks and holidays over the next three years and will have more of an eye on sustainability than ever before, a report has said. In fact, most now check the sustainability of their travel plans, and are prepared to pay over 20% more for environmentally-friendly accommodation, said Marriott Bonvoy in a report that captured the Future Travel Trends. Other key trends will also come to the fore. Artificial Intelligence (AI) will become a key tool for holiday planning with half of people in both the UAE (52%) and KSA (50%) already using it for this purpose. Meanwhile, dupe destinations that are similar to traditional holiday destinations but closer and cheaper will be another key theme. In addition, slow holidays where travellers take their time, connect with the local culture, disconnect from technology and minimise their impact on the environment will be another significant trend. These are the key outtakes from the Middle East findings of Marriott Bonvoys 2024 Future Travel Trends research, in collaboration with foresight agency The Future Laboratory, which analysed the travel plans of 14,000 travellers across Europe and the Middle East over the next three years. The rise of AI The era of AI holiday planning is very much here half or more (52% from the UAE and 50% from KSA) have used AI to help them plan or research a holiday. Meanwhile 77% in both countries say they are likely to in the future, showing the trend is set to grow further still. Amongst those who did use AI, 95% in both the UAE and KSA say it influenced their holiday decision in some way. This includes booking the accommodation it recommended (36% in UAE and 39% in KSA), booking the activities it recommended (39% in UAE and 31% in KSA), and booking food it recommended (34% in UAE and 35% in KSA). Emerging Trends The research investigates several travel trends that are likely to emerge or strengthen over the coming years. Amongst them, slow holidays are becoming increasingly popular. Four in five travellers from the UAE (82%) and 77% from KSA say they have already been on a slow holiday. Meanwhile, 82% from the UAE and 80% from KSA say they plan to go on a slow holiday in the next three years. In addition, dupe destinations such as the vineyards of Northern Spain instead of South Africa or surfing in Portugal instead of Hawaii will be another key theme. A third from the UAE (33%) and a similar number from KSA (34%) that are intending to go away in the next three years are planning to save travel time and money by having a similar experience through a dupe destination. Solo holidays, something 70% of travellers from the UAE and 69% from KSA who have been away in the past three years have done in that period, will also continue to be a significant trend, with 70% from UAE and 72% from KSA planning to do one. Changing Summer Holiday Patterns The extremely high temperatures that parts of Europe experienced this summer could be set to impact holiday plans in the coming years for Middle Eastern holidaymakers. Eighty-six per cent in the UAE and 83% in KSA say that if these temperatures became a regular occurrence, it would impact their summer holiday plans. While there is no suggestion that people would avoid holidays because of this, some may be amending what they intend to do and when they choose to travel. Nearly half in the UAE (46%) and over half in KSA (53%) say they would instead choose to go somewhere cooler, and 26% in UAE and 24% in KSA would visit the destinations at different times of the year. Rise in Spending and Sustainability More than nine in 10 UAE adults (93%) and 89% of adults from KSA say they will be going on holiday next year. Of those going on holiday next year, 66% from the UAE and 69% from KSA say they plan to spend more than usual on holidays over the period. Over the next three years, sustainability will be on the agenda more than ever before. More than eight in ten from the UAE (83%) and a similar number from KSA (78%) say they would be happy to pay more for environmentally friendly accommodation. The amount extra they would be happy to pay is significant 21% for those from the UAE and 22% for those from KSA. In addition, nearly nine in 10 (88%) from UAE and eight in 10 (79%) from KSA say that accommodation providers and holiday companies have a responsibility to support the local communities where they offer holidays. For many, sustainability is already important 75% of those from the UAE and 70% of those from KSA say they looked into how sustainable the last accommodation they stayed in was. In addition, 45% from the UAE and 42% from KSA say they check the environmental impact of their travel plans most or every time they travel when they book a holiday. Value for Money Whilst on the whole spending on holidays is set to increase, travellers will continue to seek good value for money and save where they can. Just 1% of those from the UAE and 2% of those from KSA planning to take holidays in the next three years say they wont be looking to save money on some elements of their holidays. A third of UAE and KSA travellers (both 32%) will try to save by going on more domestic holidays. And 34% from the UAE and 29% from KSA will use loyalty programmes to pay for some or all of their holiday with points. Neal Jones, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, Marriott International-Europe, Middle East & Africa, said: With the leisure travel market well and truly back to normal we are now in a stronger position when it comes to looking at future trends and travel habits for the sector over the next few years. The post-Covid travel rebound is still going strong but because of what travel means to people, theres been a seismic shift in peoples thought processes and prioritisation of funds. We are seeing that there is a more considered approach to travel, and a more emotional connection to travel thats really unfolding in tandem with peoples core values. Two trends we have seen coming to the fore in particular from the consumer research are sustainability and AI particularly amongst younger travellers under the age of 45. Being ecologically responsible is moving from being a nice-to-have to a must-have for many of these travellers and will only become more so. Whats really interesting to see from this research is the already-established use of AI for holiday planning. Generative AI is perfectly placed to analyse huge amounts of information for travellers, and offer them recommendations based on it. With nine in 10 of those who have used it saying it impacted their travel plans, we expect its use to become even more mainstream in the next three years. As a result, travel providers like us need to ensure that we have the information available for AI to find and share with those doing their holiday research. TradeArabia News Service David Wilcox Executive editor Follow David Wilcox Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today At The Citizen and auburnpub.com, we're often asked why we didn't cover something. The answer is almost always because we didn't know about it. We receive a lot of requests for coverage: meetings, new businesses, high school games, and the list goes on. Our staff is small, so we can't cover everything. When we can't, we typically ask to be sent information, and maybe a picture, so we can at least publish something. That way, we do cover almost everything we're asked to to at least some extent. But we can't cover something if we don't know about it. And the best way to make sure we know about it is to tell us. This may sound obvious, but you'd be surprised how many times we're asked why we didn't cover something by someone who didn't bother to ask us beforehand. We're not psychic. Sure, we know much of what's happening in the community by virtue of covering it for a living but not everything. So unless you're absolutely certain we're planning to cover the story you want us to, please just take a moment to tell us about it. It's as simple as emailing citizennews@lee.net, calling me at (315) 282-2245, or messaging @auburncitizen or @citizenwilcox on Facebook. Even if we can't send a reporter and place the story on the front page, we will in all likelihood publish something. And if we don't, you have all the more reason to ask us why. Odds and ends The Citizen and auburnpub.com introduced a small change this week to our police blotter: We will no longer publish the addresses of people charged with crimes. We may encounter situations that warrant exceptions, like high-profile arrests or ones where the address is relevant. But our new policy is to only publish the municipalities where the accused reside. We made this change due to privacy concerns, which continue to evolve in step with the internet. As they do, it's our responsibility to consistently reevaluate them. Yes, such addresses are public record. But that doesn't obligate us to make someone more physically findable just because they trespassed, possessed drugs or some other low-level crime. To argue that we have such an obligation for that reason is to argue that we should also publish divorces, name changes and literally every other public record. To circle back to the subject of this column, I welcome any feedback on this change at david.wilcox@lee.net, (315) 282-2245 or @citizenwilcox on Facebook. Letters to the editor are also welcome at the form at auburnpub.com or citizenletters@lee.net. A massive oil spill off the coast of Tobago island which has turned the beaches black is 'not under control', the countries' Prime Minister said. The spill was caused after a mystery 300ft-long vessel capsized on Wednesday in waters off the Caribbean island, having made no emergency calls, with no sign of crew, and no clear sign of ownership. The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Keith Rowley, declared a national emergency today as oil leaking from the vessel affected some ten miles of coastline. 'Cleaning and restoration can only begin as soon as we have the situation under control. Right now the situation is not under control,' the prime minister told journalists. Divers have so far been unable to plug the leak that caused the beautiful white beaches of Tobago island to turn black. The spill was caused after a mystery 300ft-long vessel capsized on Wednesday in waters off the Caribbean island, having made no emergency calls, with no sign of crew, and no clear sign of ownership (oily Tobago island beach pictured) This video grab taken from a handout footage released on February 10, 2024 by the Tobago House Assembly shows emergency workers scramble to clean up a massive oil spill after a mysterious vessel ran aground near the Caribbean island earlier this week This video grab shows the oil spill from above as the black masses painted the white beaches black The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Keith Rowley (right), declared a national emergency today as oil leaking from the vessel affected some ten miles of coastline Hundreds of volunteers have been toiling since Thursday to halt the spread of the oil, and the government has asked for even more to lend a hand. The leak has damaged a reef and Atlantic beaches, and residents of the village of Lambeau have been advised to wear masks or temporarily relocate. The spill comes at the height of Carnival, threatening the tourist business that is crucial to the dual-island nation's economy. Just how badly tourism will be affected remains unclear. A cruise ship carrying 3,000 people docked in Tobago on Sunday. Rowley said the mystery vessel might have been involved in 'illicit' business, adding: 'We don't know who it belongs to. We have no idea where it came from, and we also don't know all that it contains.' This picture shows the measures taken by the Coast Guard to stop more oil washing ashore Divers have so far been unable to plug the leak that caused the beautiful white beaches of Tobago island to turn black (pictured above) View of the oil spill at Rockly Bay in Tobago island, Trinidad and Tobago, on February 10, 2024. An oil spill caused by a mysterious ship that ran aground in the waters of Trinidad and Tobago on February 7 spread along some ten miles of coastline The oil spill caused the sand to turn black and waves brought in more and more oil 'Tobago was never ever ready for this kind of a spill (aftermath pictured),' the Chief Secretary of Tobago's House of Assembly, Farley Chavez, told local media Divers spotted the name 'Gulfstream' on the craft's side and have identified a length of cable, possibly indicating it was in the process of being towed, Rowley said. The island's Emergency Management Agency said there were no signs of life on the vessel. 'Tobago was never ever ready for this kind of a spill; you're talking about an island that does not have sufficient amount of booms, an island that doesn't have storage, adequate storage capacity for this kind of oil or for toxic material,' the Chief Secretary of Tobago's House of Assembly, Farley Chavez, told local media. 'We never prepared for this as an eventuality.' Fujitsu chiefs have been paid more than 26million since its flawed software behind the Post Office IT scandal was introduced, an investigation has found. The company's highest paid British-based directors have received annual pay packages worth in excess of 1million, according to company accounts published last month. This is likely to include any bonuses and incentives, as well as salaries, the BBC reported. Fujitsu also paid more than 11million to outgoing directors since 1999 the year its controversial Horizon contract with the Post Office started. The bumper pay deals were handed out to Fujitsu bosses while hundreds of subpostmasters were wrongly accused of theft. The company's highest paid British-based directors have received annual pay packages worth in excess of 1million. Pictured, the Fujitsu head office in Bracknell, Berkshire Alan Bates, a former Post Office sub-postmaster whose life was ruined because of the Horizon scandel Labour MP Kevan Jones (pictured) said: 'They were being paid millions for failure but that failure had consequences' Labour MP Kevan Jones said: 'They were being paid millions for failure but that failure had consequences. 'It ended up with people's lives being ruined and individuals being sent to prison. That is something which Fujitsu needs to explain.' A Fujitsu spokesman said the company 'regards this matter with the utmost seriousness and offers its deepest apologies to the subpostmasters and their families'. It comes as separate figures by the Commons Treasury committee showed that Fujitsu was awarded Whitehall contracts worth at least 3.4billion since a damning High Court ruling into its Horizon software in 2019. A woman in a trench coat has shot up the Houston megachurch of celebrity pastor Joel Osteen - before being killed by two off-duty cops. The suspect entered the building with a five-year-old boy shortly before 2pm and the child was shot and critically injured. Police Chief Troy Finner said it was not clear whether the young child was struck by the officers - a 28-year-old Houston police officer and a 38-year-old agent with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission - who returned fire. Finner added a 57-year-old man was shot and wounded. Finner said after the woman began shooting, both officers 'engaged' her and the woman was killed. He praised the officers for quickly confronting the woman, adding, 'She had a long gun, and it could have been a lot worse.' Emergency vehicles line the feeder road outside Lakewood Church during a reported active shooter event A woman in a trenchcoat entered the Houston megachurch of celebrity pastor Joel Osteen and started shooting Sunday afternoon and was killed by two off-duty officers working security, police said Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said it was not clear whether the young child was struck by the off-duty officers who returned fire. He said a 57-year-old man also was shot and wounded The child was in critical condition after being taken to a hospital. The man who was wounded in his hip was stable. The shooting happened between services at the megachurch that is regularly attended by 45,000 people every week, making it the third largest megachurch in the U.S., according to the Hartford Institute for Religion Research. Osteens televised sermons reach about 100 countries. It was not clear where Osteen was at the time but he joined police at a news conference afterward and said the church is 'devastated.' But he added that the shooting could have been much worse if it had happened during the larger 11am service. He added he would pray for the victims and for the woman who did the shooting and their families. 'Were going to stay strong and were going to continue to, to move forward,' Osteen said after authorities spoke. 'There are forces of evil, but the forces that are for us -- the forces of God -- are stronger than that. So were going to keep going strong and just, you know, doing what Gods called us to do: lift people up and give hope to the world.' Witnesses told reporters that they heard multiple gunshots shortly before the church's 2 p.m. Spanish language service was set to begin. Carlos Gonzalez, a worship singer, hugs a fellow churchgoer after the shooting The shooter entered the Houston church with a 5-year-old boy shortly before 2 p.m. and the child was shot and critically injured The Harris County Sheriff's Office said officers responded to a possible shooting at the Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas , shortly after 2pm Osteen said the shooting could have been much worse if it had happened during the larger 11am service Members of the Houston Police Bomb Squad respond to a shooting at Lakewood Church Our hearts are with those impacted by todays tragic shooting in Houston. Places of worship are sacred. I have spoken with Mayor Whitmire and offered the full support of Texas to bring this criminal to justice. Join Cecilia and me in praying for the Lakewood Church community. pic.twitter.com/OVr7pJ0g7Q Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) February 11, 2024 Christina Rodriguez, who was inside the church, told Houston television station KTRK that she 'started screaming, `Theres a shooter, theres a shooter,' and then she and others ran to the backside of a library inside the building, then stood in a stairway before they were told it was safe to leave. People stood outside the building as authorities evacuated the church. Officials later announced a reunification center had been set up for people to find their loved ones, at a nearby fitness center. Witness Paula Laverde said: 'So there was one shot first and then there was a set of shots and then we started running and then there were multiple sets of shots, I can't really count them, it was at least five times that they shot multiple times.' Longtime church member Alan Guity, whose family is from Honduras, said he was resting inside the churchs sanctuary before the 2pm service as his mother was working as an usher when he heard gunshots. 'Boom, boom, boom, boom and I yelled, `Mom,' he said. The 35-year-old ran to his mother and they both laid flat on the floor and prayed as the gunfire continued. They remained there for about five minutes until someone told them it was safe to evacuate. Outside, Guity said, he and his mother tried to calm people down by worshiping and singing in Spanish, 'Move in me, move in me. Touch my mind and my heart. Move within me Holy Spirit.' Houston Police officers watch over displaced churchgoers outside Lakewood Church, Worshippers could be seen leaving the building as authorities evacuated the church before the news conference Officials announced a reunification center had been set up at a nearby gym for people to find their loved ones At least 20 police and fire trucks were near one of the churchs entrances Sunday afternoon, including the fire departments hazardous materials truck Guity was among the many congregation members who waited Sunday evening to be allowed to return to their vehicles as police continued to search the building. The church is located in what used to be an arena where the NBA's Houston Rockets used to play years ago. The church said in a statement: 'There is an active situation involving shots fired at Lakewood. Law enforcement is on the scene. That is all the information we have at this time. Please pray for Lakewood and our community.' One witness said he heard around 30 gunshots as he ran out of the church with his daughters. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said 'our hearts are with those impacted by todays tragic shooting and the entire Lakewood Church community in Houston. Places of worship are sacred.' At least 20 police and fire trucks were near one of the churchs entrances Sunday afternoon, including the fire departments hazardous materials truck. Finner said it was reported that the woman had a bomb, but no explosives were found when her vehicle and backpack were searched. Worshippers could be seen leaving the building as authorities evacuated the church before the news conference. Officials announced a reunification center had been set up at a nearby gym for people to find their loved ones. A man and a woman who were arrested earlier today over the XL Bully attack that left an eight-year-old boy with 'serious head injuries' have now been charged. Amanda Young, 49, and Lewis Young, 30, who are not related to the victim, have been charged with being a person in charge of a dog dangerously out of control and causing injury. Police were called to Wadham Road in Bootle, Merseyside just after 5.20pm on Saturday after a report that the dog had bitten the child on the head in the communal area of flats nearby. The boy was taken to hospital for the treatment of serious head injuries, where he remains in a serious but stable condition, Merseyside Police said. Detective Inspector Gary Stratton, in a statement earlier today, said: 'This was a horrific attack which has left a young child requiring emergency surgery for injuries to his head. 'I want to reassure people that he is receiving the best possible care and treatment for his injuries, which are described as life-changing.' Police were called to Wadham Road in Bootle, Merseyside just after 5.20pm on Saturday after a report that the dog had bitten the child on the head in the communal area of flats nearby An XL Bully dog (stock image). Amanda Young, 49, and Lewis Young, 30, who are not related to the victim, have been charged with being a person in charge of a dog dangerously out of control and causing injury Officers seized the dog, which was put down later on Saturday with the agreement of the owner. Mr and Ms Young, both of Wadham Road, Bootle, have been remanded in custody and will appear at Liverpool Magistrates' Court on Monday. This is the latest in a string of attacks by XL Bullies despite new laws making it illegal to walk the breed off a lead or unmuzzled. Wadham Road in relation to the rest of Merseyside. Merseyside Police have arrested a woman, 49, and a man, 30, on suspicion of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control and causing injury Wadham Road in Bootle where an 8-year-old boy was attacked by an XL Bully and left with 'life changing' injuries On Tuesday, February 6, a woman and two children were attacked by an XL Bully in Battersea Park, London. The woman claims the unleashed XL Bully 'launched itself on the pram' carrying her one-year-old daughter, tipping it over and biting the child. Last Sunday, February 4, a 68-year-old grandmother was mauled to death by an XL Bully in Jaywick, Essex. The grandmother, named locally as Esther Martin, was attacked by the dog in front of her 11-year-old grandson. NHS consultant Richard Baker said the breeds' powerful jaws inflict more damaging wounds than other breeds, resulting in broken bones, shredded skin and damaged nerves. He said: 'It's a crushing or a tearing injury. Once they grip, they don't let go.' Since February 1, it has been a criminal offence to own or possess an XL Bully dog in England and Wales unless you have a valid Certificate of Exemption. It is also an offence to sell an XL Bully dog, abandon an XL Bully dog or give away or breed the dog. Brianna Ghey's heartless killer Scarlett Jenkinson laughed after Googling her murder, as she gleefully declared from behind bars: 'I know how famous I am'. The warped 16-year-old, who was fascinated by notorious serial killers, dismissed the agony of her victim's parents and said 'they don't mean anything to me.' When asked if she felt any regret for Brianna's murder, Scarlett replied 'I did for two hours. Now I don't give a f**k and I'd do it again.' Jenkinson and accomplice Eddie Ratcliffe lured the transgender school pupil to Linear Park, Culcheth, where she was stabbed 28 times to the head, neck, chest and back. It comes as a vigil was held earlier today to mark one year since Brianna's brutal murder. Flowers, candles and a painting of Brianna were laid outside Golden Square Shopping Centre in Warrington, with many mourners wearing her favourite colour pink in tribute to the teen. Jenkinson is currently being held at Adel Beck Secure Childrens Home in Leeds, West Yorkshire, and is expected to stay there until she is 18 years old. A source told The Sun that Jenkinson is reveling in her fame at the secure unit and even before she was found guilty, she Googled her name and saw that people were taking about her. Scarlett Jenkinson (left) and Eddie Ratcliffe, who were convicted last year in the killing of Brianna Ghey, and sentenced and named on February 02 Jenkinson and accomplice Eddie Ratcliffe luredschool Brianna Ghey (pictured) to Linear Park, Culcheth, where she was stabbed 28 times to the head, neck, chest and back The source said Jenkinson asked staff to buy her a book on US serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, also known as the Milwaukee Cannibal or the Milwaukee Monster, who killed and dismembered his victims. At her trial, it was revealed 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. Both Jenkinson and Ratcliffe were found guilty of murder and were sentenced to life in prison at Manchester Crown Court, and the judge permitted for the teenagers to be named publicly for the first time. Paying tribute to her daughter today, Esther Ghey said: 'I will be forever thankful that I was lucky enough to spend 16 years with her. She taught me so much and gave me so much happiness and love. 'If there's one piece of advice that I can give to any parent, it would be to hold your children tight, and never stop telling them that that you love them. 'I would like to thank you all for coming here today and paying respect to Brianna. I hope wherever she is now she can feel the love and respect we have for her today.' Brianna's headteacher Emma Mills told those gathered to honour her memory by being 'true to yourself'. 'Brianna knew who she was,' she said. 'And she was determined to be true to that. This determination spirit is something that I always admired about Brianna, and it's a deserving legacy for us to remember her by.' 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 - a year ago today. 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'. Senior Tories yesterday urged Rishi Sunak to 'swallow his pride' and ask Boris Johnson to help him take the fight to Labour at this year's General Election. The Prime Minister is under mounting pressure to bury the hatchet and harness Mr Johnson's campaigning skills which helped deliver a landslide in 2019. Friends of the former PM yesterday confirmed he would expect Mr Sunak to make the first move if he wants him to return to the political frontline in an election campaign expected this autumn. Former business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng urged Mr Sunak not to let pride stand in the way of deploying one of the Tories' greatest electoral assets. 'I've always been a big Boris fan,' he said. Housing Secretary Michael Gove also welcomed the idea of a return for Boris Johnson (pictured) Former business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng (pictured) urged Mr Sunak not to let pride stand in the way 'He had very good success as an electoral force. We're 20 points behind, and the polls haven't really moved in the last year. So it's not time to simply say 'more of the same'.' Speaking to GB News, Mr Kwarteng added: 'Something has to change for us to have a chance of winning. And if that means swallowing some pride and suppressing a bit of ego by reaching out to someone who's a proven campaigner then, yeah, he should do that.' Housing Secretary Michael Gove also welcomed the idea of a return for Mr Johnson. The two led the successful Vote Leave campaign during the 2016 Brexit referendum. But Mr Johnson fell out with Mr Gove when he torpedoed his campaign to succeed David Cameron as prime minister. One of Mr Johnson's last big acts in government was to sack Mr Gove, who allies accused of disloyalty. But Mr Gove yesterday encouraged Mr Sunak to bring him back for the campaign. 'Every Conservative should be doing all we can to make sure Rishi is re-elected,' he said. 'Boris has got enormous gifts and I would hope he would play a role... in the electoral fight ahead. It is up to him he has already done great service to this country and that has to be respected.' Asked whether Mr Sunak should pick up the phone to Mr Johnson, Mr Gove added: 'Maybe they should go for a drink together.' The Conservative clamour for Mr Johnson to be handed an election role is growing following a string of gloomy opinion polls putting Labour 20 points ahead. At the weekend, science minister Andrew Griffith said Mr Johnson was a 'great voice' for the Tories. Calls for action are likely to intensify later this week if the Conservatives perform badly in crunch by-elections in Wellingborough and Kingswood on Thursday. Downing Street is braced for fresh calls for Mr Sunak to resign if the Tories lose both seats. The Prime Minister (pictured) is under mounting pressure to bury the hatchet and harness Mr Johnson's campaigning skills which helped deliver a landslide in 2019 Mr Sunak is currently estranged from his predecessor, who has criticised his stance on a number of issues, including the decision to scrap the northern leg of HS2. In a recent interview with ITV Mr Sunak revealed he still speaks to Mr Johnson. But apart from a few words at last year's Remembrance Day service at the Cenotaph, the two are thought to have barely spoken in the past 12 months. Mr Johnson is said to have been bruised by Mr Sunak's failure to intervene to stop the witch hunt which drove him out of Parliament and his reluctance to force through his resignation honours list in full. A spokesman for Mr Johnson declined to comment on the suggestion that he help out on the campaign trail. A No 10 source said Mr Sunak would like 'the whole Conservative family to come together to beat Labour', adding: 'Boris, and everyone else united in that aim, will be welcome.' Ever looked in the mirror to see what messages you've unknowingly been giving off to those around you? Whether we like it or not, our faces are hugely important in shaping how we are perceived. And some studies even suggest that our faces can reveal hidden details of our personalities. From the size of your cheeks to the movement of your eyes, there is a lot to discover in the humble mug. So, what does your face say about you? Your browser does not support iframes. Eyebrows What does your face say about you? Eyebrows People with raised brows are seen as richer, more trustworthy, warm and confident Face Width Some argue that having a wider face is a sign of higher testosterone. A wide face has been linked to a higher sex drive, greater levels of aggression, and a higher likelihood of cheating in a relationship. Jawline A chiselled or square jawline is linked to higher confidence and social boldness in men. Mouth People with a down-turned mouth are seen as poorer, colder, more incompetent, and less trustworthy Eyes People who blink more score more highly for neuroticism. Optimists will spend less time looking at negative stimuli. Advertisement Whether it's an inquisitive raised brow or a deep frown, our eyebrows are a very expressive part of our face. The brow is so important that a study from the University of York even suggests that it might be a vital part of our human evolution. The research suggests that jutting brows gave our ancestors the ability to communicate a wider range of emotions, which helped them to forge vital social bonds. Co-author of the paper, Dr Penny Spikins, said: 'Tiny movements of the eyebrows are also a key component to identifying trustworthiness and deception. 'On the flip side it has been shown that people who have had botox which limits eyebrow movement are less able to empathise and identify with the emotions of others.' So, simply having big eyebrows can make you appear more trustworthy and empathetic. But it also matters where your eyebrows are on your head, according to researchers from the University of Glasgow. They analysed the snap judgements people make and found that faces with raised eyebrows were seen as richer, more trustworthy, and warmer. Lowered eyebrows on the other hand were considered a sign of being untrustworthy. However, the researchers note that this might be more a reflection of stereotypes than of a real personality difference. Dr Thora Bjornsdottir, a psychologist from the University of Stirling and co-author of the paper, told MailOnline that we tend to overgeneralise from a set of 'very socially useful' observations. Cara Delevigne is famous for her broad, expressive eyebrows. Experts say that brows like these are so important to our ability to communicate emotion that they were a key step in our evolutionary success Will Poulter might get his warm and trustworthy appearance from his particularly high and arched eyebrows according to some studies For instance, it is useful to be able to observe someone's eyebrows because this tells us a lot about their emotions. But, Dr Bjornsdottir explains that we are 'hypersensitive to facial appearance that resembles cues related to these judgments'. 'Facial cues tied to these judgements then go on to affect judgements of other traits that we associate with them but they also affect judgements of personality,' she added. Mouths It doesn't take a psychologist to tell that a person who smiles more might just be happier. But, the mouth also plays a vital role in our perceptions of other people. The same University of Glasgow study found that faces with down-turned mouths were perceived as being poorer, less competent, colder, and untrustworthy. Dr Bjornsdottir explains that these perceptions might also have their roots in some valid and socially useful observations. Because it is evolutionarily important, humans are extremely sensitive to subtle differences in people's mouths and how they relate to emotion. We then tend to make assumptions about characteristics like warmth and trustworthiness. Scientists say that people with down-turned mouths appear colder and less trustworthy. Could this be the secret to how Willem Dafoe (pictured) can play such convincing villains? While it might seem odd to include characteristics of class or wealth, these also stem from our habit of over-generalising. Dr Bjornsdottir said: 'In our research, we found that because of the stereotypical links between social class and certain traits, there is an overlap in the facial features that lead to judgments of both social class and these traits.' In other words, since people with downturned mouths are seen as incompetent, and working-class people are stereotyped this way, facial features and class become linked. But Dr Bjornsdottir also suggests that there could also be something more significant than stereotypes at play. In her earlier research, she found that people were able to guess someone's wealth from a picture at rates significantly better than chance. Kanye West is known for not smiling in public, but scientists say people who wear more cheerful expressions are generally seen as wealthier Scientists suggest that our habitual expressions, like Victoria Beckham's lack of smiling, can actually permanently shape our faces in a way that other humans can recognise She suggests that socio-economic factors might actually shape people's faces in subtle ways that humans are able to recognise. Essentially the idea is that people who experience more well-being spend more time displaying happier emotions such as smiling. Face shape Whether you have a wide, square or narrow face might also be an indication of what kind of person you are. Some scientists believe that the 'Facial Width to Height Ratio' or fWHR can actually be an important sign of a whole range of character traits. Studies have linked a wide and square head or a high fWHR with a number of traits related to dominance, aggression, and stereotypical masculine behaviour. A study of students and prisoners at Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt found that a high fWHR was an indicator of psychopathic tendencies. The researchers found that men with wide faces were more likely to exhibit 'self-centred impulsivity' and 'fearless dominance'. The wide-faced men in the study were also more likely to blame other people for their problems. Studies say that squarer-faced men have higher sex drives and are more likely to cheat in relationships. Wayne Rooney was well known for his affairs and sexual antics and has a noticeably square head READ MORE: Men with short and wide faces have higher sex drives and are more likely to cheat, claim scientists Advertisement In another study, researchers from Nipissing University found that people with wider faces had higher sex drives and were more likely to cheat while in a relationship. Other studies have found that having a square face has a big impact on how you are perceived. Researchers from the University of New South Wales asked volunteers to rate 17,607 male and female passport photos for aggression. The results revealed that faces with a high FWHR (square faces) were rated as more aggressive than people with low FWHR (oval faces) particularly if they belonged to young men. The researchers suggest that young male square faces may serve as a signal of physical strength, which is why we perceive them as more aggressive. The reason for this link is that fWHR is believed to be 'sexually dimorphic' meaning that it is a trait linked to the presence of sex hormones. Studies have also shown that men and women with wider faces, like Margot Robbie, are perceived by others as being more aggressive Some researchers theorise that higher levels of testosterone, the male sex hormone, cause fWHR to increase. This means that men and women with squarer faces have higher levels of testosterone which could make them stronger, and more aggressive. However, the evidence for this theory is somewhat mixed. One study of 241 fighters in the UFC found that having a wider face was correlated with more success. The researchers suggest that wide faces are a sign of 'formidability' caused by higher levels of testosterone. Yet other researchers have explicitly rejected the idea that a wide face is a biomarker of high testosterone. One 2016 paper studied the faces of 91 members of the Tsimane indigenous group in Bolivia and found no correlation between testosterone and fWHR. Dr Bjornsdottir also told MailOnline that she was sceptical, saying: 'Although people tend to agree on what they believe someone's personality is from their face, recent research does not find a link between facial width to height ratio and testosterone.' Khabib Nurmagomedov (pictured) is one of the most successful mixed-martial artist of all time. Scientists say his fighting ability could have been predicted from the squareness of his head Jawline A chiselled jaw might be the quintessential movie star look, but is there anything more to this than a pretty face? One 2022 study measured the faces of 904 college students in China to look at something called the 'mandibular line angle'. This is a measure of how square your jaw is, taken by measuring the angle between a horizontal line and a line drawn around the chin. The researchers also put the students through a test for 16 personality factors. The results revealed that a lower mandibular line angle, giving a squarer jaw, was positively associated with a number of traits. In particular, they found that men with more square jaws scored higher for social boldness and confidence. Researchers measured the 'mandibular line angle' of Chinese college students by measuring the angle between a horizontal line and a line mapped around their chin and jaw. The researchers suggest that this might be due to a process called 'facultative personality calibration', by which someone cultivates a personality to match their genetic traits. Square jaws and confidence don't have a genetic connection or a common underlying reason. Instead, it essentially boils down to the fact that people with square jaws are seen as more attractive and so generally enjoy more positive social interactions. In turn, this makes it more likely for the square-jawed among us to develop confident personalities. Researchers say that men with chiselled jawlines, like Zac Efron, are more confident because their faces are perceived by others as more attractive But our jaws and cheeks might still hold some relevant information about our biology. Studies have found that humans are generally quite good at predicting the health of other people by looking at their faces. Dr Bjornsdottir explains that this developed because 'being able to tell generally who appears unwell and who appears healthy is important for disease avoidance.' One study, conducted by researchers from Macquarie University in Sydney, found that slimmer faces are perceived as healthier. Faces with less facial fat around the cheeks and chin were associated with good blood pressure, healthy BMI, and lower body fat percentage. Study author Dr Ian Stephen said: 'The findings provide strong support for the hypothesis that the face contains valid, perceptible cues to physiological health.' Having a square jaw with lower amounts of facial fat can be a sign of confidence and good health. According to some scientists, it should be easy to tell that someone like Pedro Pascal is healthy and outgoing Eyes The eyes are often said to be the windows to the soul and, while scientists might not go that far, they can actually tell us a lot about a person. There is a lot of pseudoscience on the subject of what your eye colour says about your personality. But these theories, often grouped under the name iridology, have been widely dismissed by the scientific community. The better way to learn about someone from their eyes is to keep track of where they are looking. Research by a psychologist at Brandeis University used eye tracking to discover that optimists might literally see the world through 'rose-coloured glasses'. To learn about someone from their eyes the best thing to do is keep track of where they look. Optimists will avoid negative stimuli while neurotic personalities tend to blink more frequently (stock image) Participants were shown a series of images of subjects ranging from positive to negative. The results revealed that those who tested high for optimism would spend significantly less time looking at negative stimuli. Likewise, a 2018 paper published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, used AI to track the eye movements of 42 participants while they ran errands on a college campus. By comparing the data with the results of personality questionnaires, the researchers discovered that eye movements were a good predictor of certain personality traits. The researchers wrote: 'Our findings demonstrate a considerable influence of personality on everyday eye movement control.' In particular, they found that people with higher scores for neuroticism, a trait related to distress, anxiety, and worry, tended to blink more frequently than other participants. So, if you want to figure out what someone is like, looking into their eyes is definitely a good place to start. From fairytale villages to azure waters, MailOnline Travel has picked out 15 of their best snaps Advertisement If these photos don't spark your wanderlust - nothing will. They've been taken by travel couple Danielle Zito and Fede Supital Terron, who document their epic adventures through jaw-dropping photography. The pair met in 2017 while working on a cruise ship, which was crossing the Atlantic from the Canary Islands in Spain to Miami. But it wasn't until 2021 that they began travelling full-time. They've now ticked off 75 countries together and post stunning snapshots on their website (scratchyourmapa.com) and Instagram (@scratchyourmapa), where they have raked in 22,500 followers. With their permission, MailOnline Travel has picked out incredible pictures and videos from their travels. Globetrotting couple Danielle Zito and Fede Supital Terron have allowed MailOnline Travel to run 15 incredible photos from their adventures. They're pictured above looking out at the striking rock formations in Etretat, a town in Normandy, France The left photo captures the couple sitting next to the bright-blue waters of Lago di Braies, a beautiful lake in the heart of the Dolomites. On the right, the pair are shown in a transparent canoe enjoying the azure waters of Spanish Point, Bermuda Danni, from New Jersey, and Fede, from Buenos Aires, said they have been travelling since the moment they met. The reason they photograph their travels? They said: 'We love photography, and we have always both had a passion for capturing memories to keep for ourselves.' And they go to great lengths to get the perfect shot, lugging around a 'large backpack' of photography gear with them, which includes a mirrorless camera with various lenses and a drone. They even plan their outfits to 'match the vibe and colours of the destination'. Their favourite place they've captured? An Island in Yemen named Socotra. Why? They said: 'The sky is always full of stars, the waters are crystal clear, and there are unique landscapes that you cant find elsewhere.' The pair use a variety of photography equipment, including drones, to capture their impressive images. This aerial shot shows the two relaxing in the waters of Socotra, an island of the Republic of Yemen in the Indian Ocean LEFT: Danni and Fede stand on Kjeragbolten, a boulder jammed into a crevice 984m (3,228ft) above sea level on Kjerag mountain in the Lysefjord in Norway. The popular tourist destination can be reached without any hiking equipment. RIGHT: The pair stand atop Trolltunga. One of the most amazing rock formations in Norway, it 'hovers' 700 metres (2,296ft) above Ringedalsvatnet lake LEFT: Diving head-first into the blue-green waters of Studlagil. They describe this spot on Instagram as the 'coolest canyon in Iceland'. RIGHT: Standing before the cascading Kravica Waterfall in Bosnia & Herzegovina They picked out Iceland, Norway, Italy and Greece as some of their favourite European destinations. The reason? They said: 'All of them have super friendly people, delicious food, and incredible landscapes.' And the pair picked out Argentina, El Salvador and Peru as places in the Americas that they 'really love'. But they haven't been impressed by every country they've visited. The couple said they were left disappointed by Monaco. They explained: 'It has a ton of hype around it, but truthfully, it's ridiculously overpriced, and not such an attractive destination in our opinion.' Similarly, Marrakech is another destination they were deceived by. They explained: 'Its a city that is very chaotic, and we unfortunately found a lot of people that were trying to scam us, which not a lot of people talk about when they are glamorising Marrakech.' LEFT: The pair strike a pose in front of a colourful wall in Caminito, an open-air museum and traditional alley in La Boca, a neighbourhood of Buenos Aires. RIGHT: Danni and Fede visited the Libreria Acqua Alta, a quirky bookshop in Venice with steps made from books LEFT: A starry night in Socotra, where the couple claim 'the sky is always full of stars' and has 'unique landscapes that you can't find elsewhere'. RIGHT: Danni and Fede stand before a beautiful sunrise on a dune on the island The pair describe travelling as a 'roller coaster', the highs of which, they said, involve sharing moments around the globe, connecting with locals, learning about new cultures and creating lasting friendships. But the lows include their car breaking down in Mexico, and their photography equipment being stolen in Ecuador. And, when it comes to their jobs, they said: 'There is often more work than play, and we have to make a lot of sacrifices.' While they are now able to fund their adventures through content creation, blogging and photography, they said they spent the first two years dipping into their savings, working side jobs and restricting their living expenses. They sometimes even resorted to 'sleeping in a car, sharing a bed, or living off protein bars'. The impressive Burj Khalifa occupies the middle of the left photograph. At 830m (2,723ft) in height, it's the world's tallest structure and one of Dubai's most popular attractions. The right image captures the stunning greenery of Val di Funes, a valley in South Tyrol, Italy The two are pictured here in the fairytale village of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie. In their Instagram post for this image, they say it may just be one of the cutest towns in all of France They explained: 'Blogs and content creation are no overnight success, and it took us a couple of years before we started to make a real income. 'It's harder than any job we have ever had, but it certainly can be done by anyone that puts their mind to it.' The secret to their success? They said: 'For us, the number one is always communication. Discussing places you want to travel, the pace and style of travel, and who does what in each job is key.' For more from Danni and Fede, visit their website scratchyourmapa.com. Or find them on Instagram at www.instagram.com/scratchyourmapa or TikTok www.tiktok.com/@scratchyourmapa. She took to TikTok to share the differences between the UK and Australia An Australian woman who moved to the UK last year has shared a long list of the bizzare and quirkly differences she's noticed since being here. Kate Heaslip, 22, moved to Manchester with her friend Sarah with the aim of staying for around five months. From accents to food, she took to social media to reveal the small things that she's finding dissimilar to life down under. Her TikTok, posted under her handle @kate.heaslip, has already been seen by more than 25,000 people - with fellow Australians rushing to the comments to share their own experiences. Filming the video on a train, Kate told viewers: 'Sarah and I just moved, a month ago now, from Australia to the UK. We're gonna talk about the differences that we've noticed since being here'. An Australian woman who moved to the UK last year has shared a long list of the bizzare and quirkly differences she's noticed since being here Crossing the road She revealed that the first thing she 'notices a lot' is actually to do with crossing the road. The 22-year-old explained: 'The little green man that tells you when you can walk across the road doesn't make a beeping noise. 'It's also next to you so you have to turn your head like this to know when it's going, you can't even just look across the road'. However, one British commenter advised: 'The crossings usually have a green man opposite you too. Some crossings beep and others dont, depends on the type of crossing, I think but not 100 per cent' The TikToker responded: 'Yes I've seen some that beep. The beep isnt as cute though,' alongside a laughing emoji. No seasoning Moving on to food, Kate expressed her disappointment at the lack of seasoning in the UK. Kate Heaslip, 22, moved to Manchester with her friend Sarah with the aim of staying for around five months She said: 'They don't salt their chips. None of the chips in any food places have salt on them, especially chicken salt but I think that's south Australian isn't it'. This point struck a chord with other Australians who've also made the move, with one person commenting: 'Oh my god, the no salt on their chips. The whole time in Europe I just wanted chicken salt on chips'. Another added: 'I cried when I got Maccas [McDonald's] chips for the first time and they had no salt. I was so homesick and just cried and cried'. Meanwhile, a third penned: 'I'm a Kiwi in Ireland and the salt thing is the same here! What do these people have against seasoning?' Sticking to the left side of the street The third difference on the TikToker's list is the way Brits walk down the street, without sticking to one side. She revealed: 'When you're walking down the street, this one annoys Sarah, no one sticks to the left and the right. Adding that it should always be 'left' and people should 'stick to their left'. In the comments, another Australian agreed, insisting: 'No cause literally, stick to the left'. Someone else chimed in with: 'Its a London thing they stick left in Manchester,' to which Kate argued back: 'I can tell you first hand they absolutely do not hahaha Im dodging all day long'. Drink sizes Kate continued: 'One thing that gets me, Sarah couldn't care less about this - coke cans or any sort of fizzy drink can is 330ml instead of 375ml. 'Which isn't a big difference but it's the difference in the last sip once you finish your food'. Annoyed, the Australian joked that it 'kills her every time'. Greeting people and accents Next, a common difference that puzzles people from other countries is British slang and greetings. The TikToker said: 'Where we would say 'Hello, how are you?' they would say 'You alright?' or 'Are you okay?' She admitted: 'I just don't know how to answer that'. Similarly, the 22-year-old was also left puzzled by the variety of accents in the UK. Kate told her followers: 'This is one thing I find really facsinating. In Australia, everyone apart from the east coast, basically sounds the exact same. 'Some people have more of an Aussie accent but it's basically the same around the whole country'. Talking about the UK, she explained: 'You go down the road two kilometers and someone has a completely different accent'. Bedding Discussing bedding, she added: 'I haven't noticed this one but Sarah said there's no top sheet, people don't use a top sheet - random'. A fellow Austrlalian in the comments remarked: 'No top sheet is just so wrong,' with another person adding: 'Omg no the top sheet. As they shouldnt hahahaha'. Puzzled, she also adds that she finds it 'smart' that supermarket workers sit down down a chair, rather than stand. Brits and Australians flocked to the comments to share their own experiences and advice The weather Another surprising element of living in the UK, was the weather. Kate said: 'Another thing that I found surprising when I got here is how not cold it is. 'Do you know what I mean? It is freezing sometimes but I thought I was gonna need more coats. It might get cold actually, I'm not gonna jinx that'. One viewer joked: 'You say it's not cold lol it's not even winter yet,' to which the TikToker responded: 'I know Im not ready for it'. Despite the long list of quirks, Kate admitted she 'does love it here'. Adding: 'The differences are really weird but that's the coolest part, is seeing what's different about here and home and I love it'. One viewer penned: 'No way! These are so accurate! Moved from NZ this year and the green man not beeping shocked me!' Meanwhile, a second quipped: 'The salt thing I learned living with Brits before coming here so knew I needed salt on everything'. A third added: 'Differences are best things about other countries,' with a fourth revealing: 'Id love to move to Aus! Find it so funny when Aussies come over here'. Other Australians remarked: 'I agree with every single one of these' and 'Yes to the kids having accents! It is weird to hear at first'. A slew of screen stars have made appearances on London's West End over the years. And while many actors and actresses have launched their careers in theatre, some have been seen making a return and others have surprised fans with their recent debuts. One star set to make his return is Tom Holland as he prepares to feature in a new production of Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet after his success as Spider-man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Meanwhile, Cara Delevingne, Felicity Huffman and Sarah Jessica Parker are making their theatre debuts as they also trade the bright lights of Hollywood for live productions. Here, MailOnline takes a look at some famous faces who will be gracing the West End in 2024. From Tom Holland's return to the stage to Cara Delevingne, Felicity Huffman and Sarah Jessica Parker's stage debuts. MailOnline takes a look at some famous who will grace the West End (Tom pictured this month) Tom Holland Tom Holland has announced his return to the West End in a new production of Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet. The film and TV star, 27, best known for playing Peter Parker in the latest Spider-Man movies, will portray Romeo Montague in the Jamie Lloyd Company's version of the romantic tragedy. Director Lloyd, 43, said: 'Tom Holland is one of the greatest, most exciting young actors in the world. 'It is an honour to welcome him back to the West End.' Tom made his stage debut as a child when he starred in Billy Elliot The Musical at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London in 2008. Romeo And Juliet will mark his first West End role as an adult. Romeo And Juliet is a story that has been staged hundreds of times on the West End and The Crown actor Josh O'Connor and Irish star Jessie Buckley appeared in a version of the play, filmed for TV inside the National Theatre in 2021. Other actors to have played Romeo on stage include Harry Potter star Alfred Enoch, The Lord Of The Rings actor Sir Ian McKellen, Game Of Thrones' Sean Bean and Bodyguard actor Richard Madden. Romeo And Juliet will run at the Duke Of York's Theatre from May 11 to August 3. Further casting is yet to be announced and general booking opens to the public on February 13 at 12pm. Cara Delevingne Cara Delevingne is set to make her stage debut in London's famed West End Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club in the Playhouse Theatre next month in a role made famous by Liza Minnelli Cara Delevingne is set to make her stage debut in London's famed West End Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club in the Playhouse Theatre next month. The actress and model, 31, will appear alongside Olivier award-winning Luke Treadaway - who will star as The Emcee. She is taking on the role of Sally Bowles made famous by Liza Minnelli in the 1972 film version during a 12-week run, starting next month. And thrilled to grace the iconic stage, Cara has said 'there are no words to explain her excitement'. The duo will be performing for three whole months from March 11 right up until June 1 2024. Cara and Luke will be taking over from Jake Shears and Rebecca Lucy, who are currently performing until March 9. Speaking about her exciting new stint, Cara said: 'There are no words to explain the excitement I have to return home to make my stage debut in such an iconic role. 'I am so inspired by the brilliant actors who have played Sally in past productions around the world and in this one in the West End. 'I cannot wait to be a part of this brilliant cast and production.' Luke added: 'I cant wait to become a member of the Kit Kat Club and join this extraordinary production. Its a huge thrill to be asked to take this on and Im very excited to get started.' Felicity Huffman Felicity Huffman, 61, is set to make her UK stage debut Hir at London's Park Theatre as she makes a comeback following her conviction as part of a college admissions scandal The Desperate Housewives star said she is 'still processing' after serving 11 days in prison for fraud in 2019, but is preparing to star in a revival of the Taylor Mac comedy (pictured at federal court in Boston in 2019) Felicity Huffman is set to make her UK stage debut as she makes her acting comeback following her conviction for a college admissions scandal. The Desperate Housewives star, 61, said she is 'still processing' after serving 11 days in prison for fraud in 2019, but is preparing to star in a revival of the Taylor Mac comedy play titled Hir at London's Park Theatre. Felicity will play Paige, the radical and liberated mother of a transgender son, marking one of her first acting roles since the Varsity Blues scandal. 'I did a pilot for ABC recently that didn't get picked up. It's been hard,' she told The Guardian. 'Sort of like your old life died and you died with it. I'm lucky enough to have a family and love and means, so I had a place to land.' She nominated for an Academy Award in 2006 for playing a trans woman in the drama Transamerica, a role she said she 'wouldn't be able to do now' amid the debate around authentic casting. 'I think we should reflect the audience and that's got to include everybody. There has been such inequity for so long and now the pendulum must swing the other way. But I hope it leads to a situation where anyone can play anything,' she said. Felicity added in a statement to West End Theatre: 'Im honoured to get to work with Steve Kunis and to perform at the Park Theatre. 'As an ardent fan of Taylor Mac Im so thrilled I get to act in one of Taylors brilliant plays. 'I studied in London back in the palaeolithic era and it has been a dream of mine to come back here and work someday. Im a lucky gal.' Hir will run at the Park Theatre from February 15 until March 16. Sarah Jessica Parker Just weeks ago Sarah Jessica Parker made her West End debut in Plaza Suite at the Savoy Theatre in London (pictured on stage) Just weeks ago Sarah Jessica Parker made her West End debut in Plaza Suite at the Savoy Theatre in London. The actress has been met with a slew of scathing two star reviews following the show's debut in December. Plaza Suite, in which Sarah features alongside her real life husband Matthew Broderick, was unveiled at the Savoy Theatre in front of a slew of stars in the wake of uproar over the obscenely priced tickets. The revival of Neil Simons triptych of sketches, which the couple took to the Broadway stage previously, is directed by John Benjamin Hickey and helmed by the superstar couple, aged 58 and 61 respectively, who have been married since 1997. The plays, all set in suite 719 in New Yorks Plaza Hotel, are called Visitor From Mamaroneck, Visitor From Hollywood and Visitor From Forest Hills - and while the fusty stories were criticised, the couple were praised for carrying the play. With top-end tickets reaching nearly 400, nearly every review gave a nod to the price tag, with a gaping divide among critics as to whether it is worth it for the SATC star and her spouse, who returns to the West End after The Starry Messenger in 2019. The website for the play, originally performed on Broadway's Plymouth Theatre in 1968, lists: 'A delightfully witty exploration of love and marriage, Plaza Suite had New York City audiences enchanted with its charm and its starry cast.... 'Now, from January 2024, Londons West End gets the chance to witness two world-class performers and Hollywood icons transform into three unique couples, each finding themselves entangled in hilariously outlandish situations within the walls of the legendary Plaza Suite hotel room.' The three stories go as followed: 'Karen and Sam are a long-married pair whose relationship may be headed for an early checkout. Muriel and Jesse are former high school sweethearts who seem destined for an extended stay... 'And Norma and Roy are the mother and father of the bride, ready to celebrate their daughters nuptials if only they can get her out of the bathroom'. The Daily Mail's Patrick Marmion wrote: 'You want showbiz? You want celebrity? You want reassuringly expensive A-lister stardust?.. 'Here it comes in the shape of Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick, with their hit Broadway production of Neil Simon's Sixties comedy about marriages teetering on the brink in a New York hotel room... 'With a few tickets retailing at an eye-watering 300 (decent seats are 75-125 and good ones 200), it's pulling a notably well-heeled crowd TV favourite Hannah Waddingham was among the guests at the gala performance last night... 'And I'm not sure who's stooping lower with the Moet & Chandon vending machines the producers, the punters or the wine-makers. But John Benjamin Hickey's production doesn't scrimp on the stage set.' Michelle Visage Michelle Visage has transformed into Morticia Addams' ahead of her performance on the West End New pictures show Michelle in her costume and makeup, looking the spitting image of the Morticia character (pictured left and Anjelica Huston as Morticia in 1991 right) Michelle Visage has transformed into Morticia Addams' ahead of her performance on the West End. The RuPaul's Drag Race star, 55, is set to star in The Addams Family: The Musical Comedy live in concert at the London Palladium next month. She is appearing opposite Ramin Karimloo as Gomez Addams and Lesley Joseph in the role of Grandma. New pictures show Michelle in her costume and makeup, looking the spitting image of the Morticia character. She donned a long black witch-like dress, with flowing tattered sleeves and a plunging neckline, showing off her cleavage. The play is based on the fictional family created by American cartoonist Charles Addams in the 1930s, who have a love for the macabre. The musical was created by Andrew Lippa, Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice in 2009 and has been nominated for two Tony Awards. The synopsis reads: 'Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and has a shocking secret that only Gomez knows; shes fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family! 'Now, Gomez Addams must do something hes never done before keep a secret from his beloved wife, Morticia. 'Everything will change for the whole family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesdays normal boyfriend and his parents.' In 2023, Chinese legacy automaker Dongfeng Motor made significant efforts towards the comprehensive transformation of new energy vehicles. Throughout the year, the automaker launched new energy vehicle brands and models, adjusted management structures, formed collaborations in the new energy sector, and further explored export businesses. Photo credit: Dongfeng Motor Dongfeng Motor's wholly-owned vehicle brands witnessed a successful transition to new energy despite overall sales in 2023 being somewhat underwhelming. Particularly, the premium brand, VOYAH, experienced significant growth in the latter half of the year. Gasgoo conducted a year-end review focusing on key automotive enterprises and component manufacturers. In this article, we will delve into the pivotal events that unfolded for Dongfeng Motor in 2023. Dongfeng Motors VOYAH brand delivers over 50,000 vehicles in 2023 On January 1, 2024, Dongfeng Motor's premium new energy vehicle brand, VOYAH, disclosed its December 2023 delivery results, marking a momentous accomplishment with 10,017 units delivered, signifying a staggering 479% year-on-year soar. New-generation Dongfeng Aeolus Shine hits Saudi Arabian market Dongfeng Motor announced on December 11 the launch of the all-new Dongfeng Aeolus Shine in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with sales initiated across all Dongfeng showrooms in the region. VOYAH Zhuiguang PHEV hits market, starting at 252,800 yuan Dongfeng Motors premium new energy vehicle brand VOYAH officially put its Zhuiguang PHEV onto the market on December 5. Dongfeng Sharing launches self-driving bus trial operation in Shiyan, Hubei Province The Shiyan Intelligent Connected Application Demonstration Project kicked off its on-road trial operations on November 27. Dongfeng Motors autonomous driving arm, Dongfeng Sharing, deployed ten self-driving Sharing-Bus into operations in Shiyan, Hubei Province. Dongfeng, Inceptio Technology delivers co-developed smart heavy-duty trucks On November 24, Dongfeng Trucks alongside Inceptio Technology completed the inaugural delivery of their customized intelligent driving heavy-duty trucks in Yangzhou city, Jiangsu Province. Dongfeng Motors VOYAH announces foray into Dutch auto market In recent days, the Fully Charged Live Europe car exhibition in the Netherlands opened its doors, featuring a grand showcase by Dongfeng Motor's premium new energy vehicle (NEV) brand, VOYAH, who exhibited there the VOYAH FREE and the VOYAH Dream models, according to a post on Dongfeng Motor's WeChat account. This signifies the official entry of VOYAH into the Dutch automotive market. VOYAH, CATL form cooperation in superfast charging battery, battery safety, big data areas On November 2, VOYAH, a high-end smart new energy vehicle (NEV) brand under Dongfeng Motor Group, and the Chinese power battery giant CATL, inked a significant strategic cooperation agreement. VOYAH Dreamer MPV makes Europe debut in Denmark On October 26, Dongfeng Motor's premium new energy vehicle brand, VOYAH, inaugurated its VOYAH showroom in Copenhagen, Denmark, and kicked off sales of its Dreamer (DREAM) MPV model. Dongfeng Nissan introduces PATHFINDER to China market at Auto Guangzhou 2023 The Auto Guangzhou 2023 commenced on November 17, witnessing Dongfeng Nissan's proactive stance as it showcased its impressive lineup, signaling a diversified and revitalized strategic approach. The company emphasized its commitment to three power pathways: oil-fueled, electric, and hybrid. Dongfeng Motor, Nissan Motor to jointly develop new energy vehicles under new cooperation strategy On November 11, Dongfeng Motor Co., Ltd. (DFL) held a new strategy release event in Wuhan, Hubei Province, marking a transformative moment in its 20-year journey. Dongfeng Passenger Vehicle Company, DPCA ink agreement for NEV model development On November 12, Dongfeng Passenger Vehicle Company and Dongfeng Peugeot-Citroen Automobile (DPCA) signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement in Wuhan, which signifies Dongfeng's tangible support for the development of DPCA's new energy vehicle (NEV) endeavors. Dongfeng Motor introduces electric vehicle brand e On November 10, Chinese automaker Dongfeng Motor Corporation (DFMC) launched its new mainstream electric technology brand, e, and debuted the brand's first C+ segment sedan, the e007. Dongfeng Motor Corporation establishes R&D institute to boost new energy vehicle development On November 6, Dongfeng Motor Corporation (DFMC) announced the plan to establish an R&D institute for advancing the companys transition to new energy vehicles and enhancing R&D efficiency. https://autonews.gasgoo.com/new_energy/70029288.html Dongfeng Nissans Venucia unveils three tech brands, V-Online FCV, VX6 all-electric SUV On November 3, Venucia, a brand under Dongfeng Nissan, held its logo rejuvenation and autumn new product launch event in Guangzhou. Venucia is making a comprehensive foray into the new energy vehicle (NEV) field, introducing a fresh brand logo and three major technology brands, along with two NEV products the all-electric Venucia VX6 and the hydrogen-powered edition of the Venucia V-Online. Dongfeng-Stellantis DPCA exports Peugeot 408X to Vietnam On October 22, the Peugeot 408X, manufactured by Dongfeng Motor's joint venture with Stellantis, known as Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen Automobile Company (DPCA), officially made its debut in Vietnam. Dongfeng Forthing's Leiting EVs embark on first overseas export to Israel On September 28, Dongfeng Forthing, the passenger vehicle brand under Dongfeng Motor, saw 400 units of its Leiting pure electric vehicles (EVs) loaded onto a ship in Port of Shanghai, setting sail for delivery to Israel. VOYAH opens showrooms in Finland VOYAH, the premium new energy vehicle brand under Dongfeng Motor, continues its global outreach with another successful expansion in the European market, as the brand recently forayed into Finland. Dongfeng Forthing presents new energy vehicle lineup at IAA MOBILITY 2023 Dongfeng Motors wholly-owned auto brand, Dongfeng Forthing, made a strong presence at the IAA MOBILITY 2023 with the display of its four new flagship models for overseas market. VOYAH deepens collaboration with Tencent for smart mobility advancement VOYAH, the premium new energy vehicle brand under Dongfeng Motor, recently inked a strategic cooperation agreement with Chinese IT giant Tencent. Built upon the previous collaboration, this deepened strategic partnership promises to usher in a new era of digital innovation and smart mobility, expanding across multiple domains. Dongfeng Motor Groups sales revenue rises 2.9% YoY in H1 2023 On August 28, Chinese automaker Dongfeng Motor Group Company Limited (Dongfeng Motor Group) unveiled its mid-year performance report for 2023, with sales revenue reaching 45.677 billion yuan in H1, marking a 2.9% year-on-year increase. Dongfeng Motor launches electric vehicle brand NAMMI On August 23, the global launch ceremony of Dongfeng Motor's new pure-electric vehicle brand, NAMMI, was held in Chengdu. New VOYAH FREE carrying Baidu Apollos intelligent driving package hits market On August 19, Dongfeng Motors premium new energy vehicle brand VOYAH saw the newly refreshed VOYAH FREE model officially hit the market, pricing at 266,900 yuan. Dongfeng Motor to set up integrated headquarters for AEOLUS, e, Nami brands On August 16, Dongfeng Motor Corporation (referred to as "Dongfeng Motor") unveiled its strategic action plan for its independent new energy vehicle (NEV) business, marking a significant management overhaul. The plan involves the integration of three major product series under the Dongfeng AEOLUS, Dongfeng e, and Dongfeng Nami brands. Dongfeng Motor unveils Venucia-branded fuel cell passenger cars engineering prototype Dongfeng Motor Corporation, a leading Chinese automobile manufacturer, announced a few days ago via its WeChat account that the engineering prototype of its Venucia hydrogen fuel cell passenger car made its debut. The automaker plans to deliver 10 mass-produced units of this vehicle for demonstration operation by the end of 2023. Dongfeng Motor introduces Quantum electric architecture Dongfeng Motor unveiled its Dongfeng Quantum intelligent electric architecture at the 2023 Dongfeng Motor Brand Spring Launch Event and the 7th Technology Innovation Week, held in Wuhan, Hubei Province on April 10. VOYAH to adopt Baidus ERNIE Bot onto vehicles On February 15, Baidu Apollo announced that Dongfeng Motors premium new energy vehicle brand VOYAH has officially became one of the first automakers to integrate Baidus ChatGPT-like ERNIE Bot onto its vehicles. VOYAH sets sail to Israel, local delivery of FREE to start in March Dongfeng Motors new energy vehicle brand, VOYAH, held a brand launch event in Tel Aviv, Israel, with its signature VOYAH FREE SUV model kicking off presale on January 23. A new Netflix documentary drama has been slammed for 'woke washing' as viewers review bomb the show. The six-part documentary Alexander: The Making Of A God has an average Google review score of just 2.5 stars, with a number of viewers complaining at its focus on the historic ruler's sexuality. Alexander the Great is well-known as one of the most successful military men of all time, amassing an empire in the fourth century BC from his native Macedonia as far as India, and also into Egypt, before he died aged just 32. But, with the help of experts, Alexander: The Making Of A God aims to recount his conquest through a new lens including by exploring his relationships. An X account named 'End Wokeness' gave a review the week after the January 31 release: 'Netflix made a new documentary about Alexander The Great. Within the first 8 minutes, they turned him gay.' Netflix's Alexander: The Making Of A God has been slammed for being 'woke' as it placed an emphasis on the ancient ruler's same-sex relationships A post on X from an account called 'End Wokeness' received backlash, however, as many scholars have suggested that the account in the new docudrama is largely correct Despite the uproar, same-sex relationships were a feature of ancient Greek life, particularly for powerful men A number of negative reviews for the six-part series cited 'wokeness' as they slammed it, but many also gave more general critiques of the acting, casting and storytelling However, that post was soon hit with a community note which explained that the Macedonian king, born in 356 BC, is commonly believed by scholars to have engaged in sexual relations with other men. One commenter on the post said: 'I dont think it was Netflix that made him gay.' Men having sexual relations with each other was, in fact, commonplace in ancient Greece. In the first episode, Cardiff University professor Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones explained that 'same-sex relationships were quite the norm throughout the Greek world.' He added: 'The Greeks did not have a word for homosexuality, or to be gay. It just wasnt in their vocabulary whatsoever. There was just being sexual.' History graduate at the University of Manchester in England Alexandra Birch previously wrote of the era for The Manchester Historian: 'Sexual orientation was not the defining factor in sex, rather the role that each participant played: the dominant, higher-class, older partner took an active role, and the younger, lower-class partner took a passive one. 'Nonetheless, homosexual men of the same class experienced social stigma as the passive role was more effeminate. As a Macedonian king, Alexander could partake in sexual relations with anyone, so long as he maintained the dominant role.' Despite the early explanation, a number of other viewers were also left dissatisfied. One posted a one-star review to Google: ' The show starts off full on homoerotic, because according to Netflix everyone is gay. 30 minutes of skippable scenes later the show goes full on into Woke Washing. 'What is that? Every single piece of history was made as "Safe and inoffensive [sic]" as possible. Even the supposed "experts" were choking on their sanitized descriptions. 'The dialog and lines appear to be written by a child who grew up on memes. The "Total War" video game series had better motivational "pre war" speeches than this show of charged positivity. WHO WAS ALEXANDER THE GREAT? Alexander III of Macedon was born in Pella, the ancient capital of Macedonia, in July 356 BC. He died of a fever in Babylon aged 32. As King of Macedonia, he led an army across the Persian territories of Asia Minor, Syria and Egypt claiming the land as he went. His greatest victory was at the Battle of Gaugamela, now northern Iraq, in 331 BC, and during his trek across these Persian territories, he was said to never have suffered defeat, which is said to have earned him his moniker. His eventual empire spanned three continents, from Greece in the west, to Egypt in the south, Danube in the north, and India to the East. Alexander was buried in Egypt, but it is thought his body was moved to prevent looting. A bust of the fourth century BC ruler Advertisement 'Both Kings, Alexander and Darius [Alexander's Persian adversary] were depicted as weak and groveling. Not words and behaviors you'd expect from warlord rulers. The show seemed to lean more towards a pity show for Darius than a Documentary of Alexander. 'It was terrible. Netflix needs to stop making shows and go back to being a streaming service.' While Alexander the Great had at least two children and three marriages, literature concerning him also notes that his most prominent companion was his general and bodyguard Hephaestion. Additionally, upon conquering King Darius' Persia, Alexander is said to have taken the former king's eunuch Bagoas as a lover. But his apparent love of Hephaestion endured until the bodyguard's death, when Alexander was said to be 'lay weeping on his comrade for a day & night before being pried away'. Elaborate funeral games were held in Babylon in Hephaestion's honour, and Alexander died aged just 32 a year later. One unconvinced, self-proclaimed 'history buff' insisted that 'I can say with certainty that there is zero evidence Alexander was gay,' as they left a two-star review. A major reason people believe that Alexander the Great's sexuality is not completely clear is due to previous scholars erasing LGBTQ references in previous eras including the Byzantine and Victorian periods. George Washington University professor Athena Richardson wrote: 'Even in a culture that accepted bisexuality, Alexander and Hephaestion's relationship was an outlier and thus treated differently. 'My research shows how this same-sex relationship was erased, censored, and altered to fit norms of subsequent cultures. 'Ancient biographers may have conducted censorship to conceal any implication of femininity or submissiveness in Alexander that this relationship dynamic might suggest. As a result, subsequent cultures would have hidden the relationship too.' But, with one-star the most popular score for reviewers of the docudrama, there were many who criticised the series regardless of its presentation of sexuality. One read: 'Appalling. Historically inaccurate, misses out all the most interesting parts of Alexander's political and military life, and even barely shows him as gay. 'There are reviews saying this show is somehow "woke" ( as if that's a bad thing?), but it isn't, it's far worse.' A major reason people believe that Alexander the Great's sexuality is not completely clear is due to previous scholars erasing LGBTQ references in previous eras including the Byzantine and Victorian periods There was some positivity around the series, however, with some viewers calling for a continuation of the series Many reviews slammed the acting, casting and storytelling as their reasons for leaving a negative review rather than any political or social agenda. But it was not all bad for the streaming giant. One of the series' five-star reviews reads: 'I enjoyed watching the documentary/movie. It's interesting to hear from experts explaining events based on the little traces that were left behind from Alexander's time. 'I've read the reviews here, and I don't understand why people are over-critical regarding the acts or the production. I guess, for some people they need to see blood smashing on their screens to enjoy the watching. I hope Netflix will continue the series.' Unlikely media couple Caleb Bond and Rosie Waterland split just weeks after giving an outrageous interview in which they admitted spending 'five days in a hotel room' together after first meeting. Waterland, a feminist writer and comedian, was 30 when she first made contact with Bond, then an outspoken 17-year-old conservative, in 2016. When he was a little older, in 2019, the pair met up in Adelaide and their relationship blossomed. The pair sat down for a much-talked-about interview with Good Weekend magazine last July, in which Bond, now a Sky News Australia presenter, said he had 'a thing for older women' and the first thought he had when he met Waterland was 'you're hot'. At the time, Bond was 20 and Waterland was 33, and 'we found ourselves in a hotel room and didn't leave for five days. We just clicked.' 'By the end of the week, we were a couple,' he said. But Daily Mail Australia has confirmed that Bond and Waterland called it quits not long after their Good Weekend feature hit newsstands - with Waterland debuting her new boyfriend, James Joseph Asciak, this week. Left-leaning feminist Rosie Waterland was 30 when she met conservative commentator Caleb Bond when he was just 17. They have now gone their separate ways. Above, posing for a Good Weekend column about couples, 'The Two of Us', supplied with permission Waterland and Bond split after they gave an outrageous interview about their 13-year age gap, their sex life and disparate political views Waterland met Bond online when he was just 17 and three years later they stayed in a hotel room 'for five days and didn't leave' before embarking on a romance which has now ended Waterland told Good Weekend their political differences fuelled their banter and fostered a shared empathy, saying she would 'tease him for his pro-monarchy stance' and 'we grew this unlikely online friendship'. When Waterland, now 37, visited Adelaide from Sydney in 2019 and Caleb agreed to meet to 'see if the chemistry translated from typing to talking', they got a room at a hotel. 'He was 20 by then and the skinny teenager from his byline picture was gone,' she told GW. 'He'd grown a beard, filled out, had a glow-up. The banter translated and we've been a couple ever since. Waterland said they disagreed on most things, including how to dress and politics 'We're an odd couple. He wears a shirt, cuff links, tie, suit and tweed blazer with a pocket square. I wear T-shirts. Caleb doesn't own one; he says they're undignified. 'I never thought I'd end up with a man who won't call himself a feminist. 'He believes in equality, but claims that the word has been co-opted by extremists. We have raging arguments, albeit respectful ones.' In the interview, Waterland talked about her difficult childhood 'of abuse and neglect'. 'My parents were alcoholics and I lived in more than 100 houses, including foster homes. 'My post-traumatic stress disorder is largely under control but, last year, I was hospitalised three times. We started fighting lots. He said, "I feel like I'm dating a different person. The Rosie I met has gone."' Waterland said if she was triggered, Bond would reassure her. Bond said in the interview, which was published shortly before their split, that he was into older woman and immediately thought 'she's hot' before spending the week in bed together For his part, Bond told the publication that after the five-day session in the Adelaide hotel room, he drove to Sydney during the Covid pandemic and 'had no option but to move in with her'. He said they were 'both headstrong' but that 'butting heads can make you better people'. 'I don't like being told I'm wrong, which Rosie does, sometimes, like any good girlfriend,' he added. 'It's surprising how often we land in the same ballpark, though the road we take may differ. Not sure who that disturbs more: her or me.' It is understood Waterland and Bond split 'about six months ago' - soon after the article's publication - but they remain on good terms. 'It was an amicable break-up,' a source said. On Thursday, Waterland posted a photo on Instagram of herself kissing James Joseph Asciak - her new boyfriend - as they sat in the back of a campervan. The couple met when Asciak drew a picture of Waterland as a Polly Pocket, the small dolls marketed by Barbie manufacturer Mattel, which became a fad in the 1980s. Waterland and her new boyfriend James Asciak are setting off on a 'van life' road trip Asciak, who previously ran a support group for children with disabilities called Wild Rumpus, and an occupational therapy rehabilitation service, Geronimo, is now embarking on a 'van life' adventure with Waterland. She captioned the photo, 'Highly recommended: falling for a boy who draws a picture of you as Polly Pocket and very conveniently owns a campervan.' She said this was 'right when you would like to escape on a road trip to test out every single local bakery between Sydney and Melbourne. 'Stay tuned for all the pie/lamington/vanilla slice reviews. We are currently accepting bakery recommendations please and thank you.' Pictured is Waterland's new man, James Asciak On his Instagram page @jajo.in.a.van, Asciak said he had moved out of his home and into his campervan a year ago 'and set off on an indefinite adventure travelling around Australia. 'It has been a life-changing experience figuring out who I am outside of my job, liking myself a little more, and exploring the unknown and unexpected. 'None more so unexpected than drawing @rosiewaterland into her Polly Pocket home, and having that spark the start of a pretty great relationship, and make me want to rejoin the real world again. 'We're currently meandering our way from Sydney to Melbourne (eating our way through vanilla slices and pies) and keen to visit you all soon! 'So yeah, I guess the moral of the story is that if you like a person, draw them a picture, and it'll all work out pretty lovely.... and give you someone to share the next adventure with.' Nick Cannon is skipping romance on Valentine's Day to make his oldest daughters feel special. The father-of-12, revealed the daddy and daughters date will be with his oldest daughter Monroe, whom he shares with ex-wife Mariah Carey, 54, and Powerful, three, whom he shares with Brittany Bell. 'Normally what I do, I take my daughters out on that day specifically,' the actor, 43, told People. 'I'm definitely going to do something fun with Monroe and Powerful,' the Daily Cannon host said. 'Just making sure everybody feels loved. No major plans, but just spreading the love.' The media star has several daughters and sons with various women: he shares Beautiful, 15 months, and twins Zillion and Zion, two, with Abby de la Rosa; Onyx, 17 months with LaNisha Cole and Halo, about 14 months with Alyssa Scott. Nick Cannon, 43, is skipping romance on Valentine's Day to make his oldest daughters feel special (Pictured in Los Angeles in November 2023) He shares sons Golden, six, and Rise, 17 months with Brittany Bell; Legendary, 15 months with Bre Tiesi; and Monroe's twin, Moroccan, 12, with Mariah. He and Alyssa Scott were parents to baby Zen, who died from brain cancer at age five months in December 2021. The Misfits star, who has admitted that the pregnancies leading to the births of most of his children were unplanned, told the Language of Love with Dr. Laura Berman podcast in June 2023, he had a vision that encouraged him to spread his seed. 'You get them in pieces, or they're fragmented,' he said, explaining the promptings didn't come to him in a 'Father Abraham conversation,' in which God promised to make him the 'father of many nations' in the Bible. 'I've never heard that clarity, but I heard that like, "Yo, you're gonna be a father of many. There's gonna be your great influence, your lineage, your offspring are gonna do great things,"' he explained. His unconventional family is at the center of the multi-hyphenate's life. 'My entire life is challenging. I don't live a normal existence, but I embrace it. I love challenges,' he told People. And it's the simple things that keep him going. The Daily Cannon host said he will spend February 14 with his oldest daughter Monroe, 12, whom he shares with ex-wife Mariah Carey. 'Normally what I do, I take my daughters out on that day specifically,' the actor told People Nick's Valentine's Day plans also include daughter Powerful, three, whom he shares with Brittany Bell. He said his younger girls; Beautiful, 15 months, Onyx, 17 months and Halo, about 14 months are too young to participate this year The father of 12 said, 'I'm definitely going to do something fun with Monroe and Powerful. Just making sure everybody feels loved. No major plans, but just spreading the love (Pictured in Los Angeles in April 2023) 'Just hearing your kids say, "I love you, Daddy." You know what I mean' he asked. 'The first time they say it, whether they're 1 year old or 18 months, to hearing it from your kids that are on the brink of being teenagers, there's nothing better than that.' As for adding more kids to his family, the he's content with his even dozen. 'I'm chilling right now. There's no plans on the horizon as of yet. 'It's so funny, everybody's always trying to get me to have more kids,' he continued. 'It's like, 12 ain't enough?' Idris Elba and his wife Sabrina were every inch the picture-perfect couple as they attended the glitzy opening of the One&Only One Za'abeel in Dubai on Saturday. The model, 34, put on a dazzling display in a silver sequinned gown as she joined her dapper spouse for the event. Her dress boasted a matching cream satin head scarf and a tasseled fringed hem, with the couple joining stars including Jennifer Lopez and Vanessa Hudgens for the launch. Meanwhile Idris, 51, looked incredibly dapper in a cream zip-up polo shirt. He teamed the smart shirt with a pair of black tailored trousers before adding a pair of black shades to finish off the look. Idris Elba and his wife Sabrina were every inch the picture-perfect couple as they attended the glitzy opening of the One&Only One Za'abeel in Dubai on Saturday The model put on a dazzling display in a silver sequinned gown as she joined her dapper spouse for the event Later in the evening the happy couple headed to the after party and proceeded to get the party started as they hit the DJ decks. Sabrina looked sensational in a chic red halterneck dress as she stood behind the DJ decks alongside her husband and pals. The beauty further accessorised the glam ensemble with a pair of silver droplet earrings and a diamante bracelet. Sabrina adorned a glam makeup look and further elevated her height with a pair of silver strappy heels. Meanwhile, Idris was in his element as he took to the decks to get the party started. Joining them also at the star-studded event were pals Jessica Debruyne, boxer Ramla Ali, Georgia Coleridge, and Chanel Ayan. After walking the red carpet stars gathered at an exclusive party in the sky at The Link, Dubais new lifestyle destination that floats 100 metres above the street and offers unobstructed views of Dubais awe-inspiring and famed skyline. The event comes after Idris and his wife showed off their chic senses of style as they arrived at the premiere of Bob Marley: One Love at the BFI IMAX in London In January. Her dress boasted a matching cream satin head scarf and a tasseled fringed hem, with the couple joining stars including Jennifer Lopez and Vanessa Hudgens for the launch Meanwhile Idris, 51, on the other hand looked incredibly dapper in a cream zip-up polo shirt Later on in the evening the happy couple headed to the after party and proceeded to get the party started as they hit the DJ decks Sabrina looked sensational in a chic red halterneck dress as she stood behind the DJ decks alongside her husband and pals The beauty further accessorised the glam ensemble with a pair of silver droplet earrings and a diamante bracelet Sabrina adorned a glam makeup look and further elevated her height with a pair of silver strappy heels Meanwhile, Idris was in his element as he took to the decks to get the party started The English actor and DJ sported a loosely fitted white shirt and teamed it with a pair of black jeans Canadian media personality Sabrina looked sensational in a black dress with a plunging neckline. She wore a fur coat in the same colour over her arms as she posed alongside her famous husband. Sabrina opted for some black heels and donned some dazzling jewellery for the occasion. Bob Marley: One Love - released on Wednesday 14 February - stars Kingsley Ben-Adir, 37, as the legendary musician and Lashana Lynch, 36, as his wife Rita. The film synopsis reads: 'Bob Marley: One Love celebrates the life and music of an icon who inspired generations through his message of love and unity. 'On the big screen for the first time, discover Bob's powerful story of overcoming adversity and the journey behind his revolutionary music.' The musician died in 1981 at the age of just 36 from cancer. Sabrina recently opened up about teaming up with her husband Idris as they launched their own skincare line, S'ABLE Labs. The event comes after Idris and his wife showed off their chic senses of style as they arrived at the premiere of Bob Marley: One Love at the BFI IMAX in London In January Idris ensured he caught the eye as he wore a bold patterned blue, beige and green coat on the red carpet It comes after Sabrina recently opened up about teaming up with her husband Idris as they launched their own skincare line, S'ABLE Labs, admitting it was a 'learning curve' Fashionista Sabrina, who met Idris in 2017 before they tied the knot in 2019, spoke out in an interview with People when she discussed how different it had been working with her husband. She admitted there was, 'a big learning curve' in the process of collaborating with her other half for their business. 'It's not a perfect tie-in, but weve definitely developed ways of working together, Sabrina said. 'We started a podcast to kind of see how other people were doing it, and we learned so much,' she added. 'I think it's having correct boundaries and understanding that like you know, finding work is not the same as finding a date night,' she added. 'There are appropriate avenues work hours, for instance, that's been a big learning curve for me,' she admitted. She added that she, 'cant imagine doing it with anyone else,' other than her husband Idris. Elsa Pataky and Teresa Palmer turned heads with their glamorous attire at the AACTA Awards on the Gold Coast on Saturday evening. But just hours before, they were spotted arriving completely makeup-free to their hotel in Queensland to get ready for the star-studded event. It seems there was a reason Elsa turned down free Tim Tams on the red carpet, as she was seen chewing on a snack while she stepped out of a vehicle. The Spanish model and actor, 47, rocked a flawless complexion and appeared to be in good spirits as she arrived at her hotel in a black tank top. With her blonde locks tumbling down her back in their natural texture, the Fast and Furious franchise star stopped for some friendly words with her entourage. Elsa Pataky, 47, (left) and Teresa Palmer, 37, (right) turned heads with their glamorous attire at the AACTA Awards on the Gold Coast on Saturday evening Later that evening, Elsa, who is married to Hollywood star Chris Hemsworth, showed off her enviable curves in a stunning metallic gold gown. The figure-hugging shimmering gown featured a fitted waist and paired beautifully with a pair of black strapped heels. She opted for a bronzed makeup palette to bolster her stunning features and looked as glamorous as ever as she stepped out without husband Chris, 47, at her side. But just hours before, they were spotted arriving completely makeup-free to their hotel in Queensland to get ready for the star-studded event It seems there was a reason Elsa turned down free Tim Tams on the red carpet, as she was seen chewing on a snack while she stepped out of a vehicle The Spanish model and actor rocked a flawless complexion and appeared to be in good spirits as she arrived at her hotel in a black tank top With her blonde locks tumbling down her back in their natural texture, the Fast and Furious franchise star stopped for some friendly words with her entourage Elsa is pictured seemingly eating something as she arrived at the hotel Later that evening, Elsa, who is married to Hollywood star Chris Hemsworth, showed off her enviable curves in a stunning metallic gold gown Despite the Thor star's absence, Elsa was anything but alone at the high-profile event, as she was seen posing on the red carpet with her dear friend Teresa. The I Am Number Four star, 37, made a much more colourful arrival to the hotel earlier that evening, as she stepped out of the car in a bright button-down. The aqua co-ord set featured a shirt and a pair of shorts decorated in various bright flowers, which she accessorised with a beige hat to tuck her blonde tresses beneath. Teresa made a much more colourful arrival to the hotel earlier that evening, as she stepped out of the car in a bright button-down The aqua co-ord set featured a shirt and a pair of shorts decorated in various bright flowers, which she accessorised with a beige hat to tuck her blonde tresses beneath Teresa could hardly wipe the smile off her face as she embraced a member of her entourage in a tight hug before heading into the hotel where Elsa stayed The actor had every reason to be overjoyed as she was nominated for the AACTA Award for Best Lead Actress in a Drama following her performance in The Clearing She unfortunately lost to Fringe star Anna Torv, who took out the award later that night for her role in The Newsreader Nevertheless, Teresa ensured all eyes were on her as she walked the red carpet in a beautiful black gown and $9,240 Chanel handbag Teresa could hardly wipe the smile off her face as she embraced a member of her entourage in a tight hug before heading into the hotel where Elsa stayed. The actor had every reason to be overjoyed as she was nominated for the AACTA Award for Best Lead Actress in a Drama following her performance in The Clearing. She unfortunately lost to Fringe star Anna Torv, who took out the award later that night for her role in The Newsreader. Nevertheless, Teresa ensured all eyes were on her as she walked the red carpet in a beautiful black gown and $9,240 Chanel handbag. Keanu Reeves looked ready to tackle a big stunt on the set of his new movie. The 59-year-old Matrix alum - who recently gave a touching tribute to his late John Wick co-star Lance Riddick - was spotted filming Good Fortune alongside his stunt double in Los Angeles on Saturday. Dressed in a dark suit, tan trench coat and a set of angel wings, the action star gave a thumbs up while standing atop a roof, with what seemed to be a wire attached to his back. Beside Keanu, his stunt double sported an identical outfit, while a production assistant held the wire a few feet behind the duo. The upcoming comedy from Aziz Ansari also stars Seth Rogen and Keke Palmer. Keanu Reeves, 59, was spotted filming Good Fortune alongside his stunt double in Los Angeles on Saturday Dressed in a dark suit, tan trench coat and a set of angel wings, the action star gave a thumbs up while standing atop a roof, with what seemed to be a wire attached to his back After Keke was added to the cast last month, Aziz said in a statement: 'Keke is a delight to work with. Im so happy shes a part of our cast and even more excited to provide a quote for this press release announcing her casting.' The Parks & Recs alum wrote and directed the film for his debut feature. It marks Ansari's second shot at stepping into the director's chair. The creator of Netflix's Master of None had initially been involved in the comedic drama Being Mortal for Searchlight. However, the project was indefinitely halted in 2022 due to concerns about inappropriate behavior from actor Bill Murray on set. Details for Good Fortune are still being kept under wraps, although Lionsgate Chair Joe Drake gave a statement in April, saying, 'We have indeed found good fortune with this film. We love the script and believe strongly in Aziz as both a performer and a director. 'And when you add in Seth and Keanu two incredible world-class talents toplining alongside Aziz, this has the potential to be a very special film for us. We moved quickly to land this project once it was available.' Last week, Keanu took home the first annual Lance Reddick Legacy Award at the 2024 Saturn Awards. The upcoming comedy from Aziz Ansari also stars Seth Roged, pictured 2023 Keke Palmer also stars in Good Fortune; pictured in February Keanu is set to revisit his iconic role as John Wick in the upcoming film, Ballerina, alongside Ana de Armas The actor was close friends with Reddick, starring in the John Wick movies together before Reddick passed away at 60 in March. Reeves began his speech by sending out his 'gratitude and appreciation to the Saturn Awards for recognizing and honoring the warm, beautiful spirit of an exceptional artist that is Lance Reddick.' He added, 'And for honoring me with the inaugural Lance Reddick Legacy Award. For over 25 years, Lance made an imprint and raised the bar in every work of art and genre he was in.' Keanu is set to revisit his iconic role as John Wick in the upcoming film, Ballerina, alongside Ana de Armas. Nicole Kidman is coming home to Australia to film her latest project, Mice. Based on the 2011 debut novel by Gordon Reece, Mice is a psychological thriller that follows a 17-year-old girl named Shelley and her mother as they face their moral convictions, bullying, violence and fear. The film will be created by Kidman's production company Blossom Films and fellow Australian company Made Up Stories. It will be directed by acclaimed director Justin Kurzel, who is best known for Snowtown, True History Of The Kelly Gang and The Turning. Speaking to Confidential, Made Up Stories co-founders Steve Hutensky and Bruna Papandrea confirmed the project would be filmed Down Under. Nicole Kidman, 56, (pictured) is coming home to Australia to film her latest project 'Mice' 'We would film it in Australia, yeah,' Hutensky said, as Papandrea added: 'It is very early stages but it is based on a wonderful book by an Australian novelist named Gordon Reece. It is wonderful.' Hutensky also Kurzel for being an 'amazing director'. Kidman will star in the project, presumably playing the mother of Shelley, although no casting decisions have been announced. The film will be created by Kidman's production company Blossom Films and fellow Australian company Made Up Stories. (Pictured with Made Up Stories' co-founder Bruna Papandrea) It comes after news broke that Amazon has decided not to stream Kidman's latest series Expats in Hong Kong due to the city's current political climate. Kidman bought the rights to the series, which is based on the 2016 book The Expatiates by Janice Y.K. Lee, through Blossom Films. It comes after news broke that Amazon has decided not to stream Kidman's latest series Expats in Hong Kong due to the city's current political climate However, the streaming service Amazon Prime has chosen to self-censor the show, which is based in Hong Kong, to 'pre-empt any future potential business risk', reported The Sydney Morning Herald on Tuesday. Film censorship expert Kenny Ng from Hong Kong Baptist University, told NBC News on Monday that the move not to air the show in its own city is 'a very safe gesture'. He speculates the decision was made due to a scene in the fifth episode of the six-part series which references the 2014 Umbrella Movement in the city. Kidman bought the rights to the series, which is based on the 2016 book The Expatiates by Janice Y.K. Lee, through her production company Blossom Films. (Pictured in a scene from the series) The Umbrella Movement was a political movement during the Hong Kong protests which used umbrellas as passive resistance against the police's use of pepper spray. Kenny said Amazon likely wanted to practice an abundance of caution and not disseminate any references to pro-democracy movements within the city. However, Hong Kong lawmaker Dominic Lee Tsz-king said the decision was made independently by the streaming platform and had no government influence. Abbott Elementary has just started classes for the 2024 school year, but the Emmy winning comedy will continue matriculating into 2025. The good news was announced by school custodian Mr. Johnson, aka William Stanford Davis, 72, during Disneys Television Critics Association Press Tour, according to Deadline. The show's producers welcomed the announcement on social media writing, 'Because we all deserve a little more Abbott in our lives. #AbbottElementary will be coming back for Season 4!' The first episode of season three kicked off with a bang Wednesday night with a one hour premiere. The storyline explained the show's absence from the air waves due to the writers and actors strikes which shut down production for several months over the summer in a unique way. Abbott Elementary has been renewed for a fourth season just days after season three debuted on ABC They wrote a storyline in which the lapse in coverage at the school was due to the camera crew being robbed and too poor to quickly replace their equipment. The episode also included a some special guests at the Philadelphia based school - Jalen Hurts from the Philadelphia Eagles, along with fellow players Brandon Graham and Jason Kelce. Creator and star Quinta Brunson, 34, won the Best Actress in a Comedy Emmy for her work in season two. She shared the news on social media and has already been hit up with offers to be a guest star. 'I'm petitioning to be the choir director. Abbot needs an acapella group,' suggest comedian Amber Riley. 'Congrats,' wrote American Idol finalist Paris Bennett, 'I sure cant wait until a role for this show cross my agents desk.' Fargo actor Lamorne Morris joked, 'No. I refuse to be a guest star. Thanks for asking. But nope.unless you ask. Then. I'm down.' William Stanford Davis, 72, who stars as school custodian Mr. Johnson, made the announcement at Disneys Television Critics Association Press Tour Show creator and star Quinta Brunson, 32, won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (Pictured in Los Angeles in January) Series regulars Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Lisa Ann Walter, Chris Perfetti and Emmy Award winner Sheryl Lee Ralph are all returning to the teacher's lounge Taraji P Henson, who had a guest role as the mom of Quinta's Janine Teagues, shared her enthusiasm. 'THATS MY BABY!!! LETS GOOOOOOOOOO!!!!' Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Lisa Ann Walter, Chris Perfetti and Emmy Award winner Sheryl Lee Ralph are all returning to the teacher's lounge. The show was a ratings winner for season two, pulling in a strong 3.56 for adults ages 18-49. Those were the strongest numbers for an ABC comedy since the 2019-2020 season when Modern Family ended its 11 season run. Ellen Pompeo will return to her beloved character Dr. Meredith Grey in at least four episodes of Grey's Anatomy season 20. Per The Hollywood Reporter, the 54-year-old actress could possibly be in even more episodes of the upcoming installment. Pompeo signed on to produce and star in a limited series for Hulu and was not expected to have much airtime in the next season of Shonda Rhimes' long-running show. She was reduced from series regular to recurring after announcing her departure from Grey's in November 2022. Jessica Capshaw, 47, will also reprise her role as Arizona in a single episode. Ellen Pompeo, 54, will return to her beloved character Dr. Meredith Grey in at least four episodes of Grey's Anatomy season 20 while Jessica Capshaw, 47, will also appear in one episode; pictured in 2013 Per The Hollywood Reporter Pompeo could possibly be in even more episodes of the upcoming installment; They are seen in a still from the show Last season, Pompeo appeared in less than 10 of the 20 episodes before she was written out in the finale after her character relocated to Boston. She is is expected to continue to do her signature voiceover for the show, which began in 2005 during season one. It's been teased that Meredith will have a substantial storyline ahead of the upcoming March 14 premiere. The forthcoming bit of the show will be much shorter than planned, with only 10 episodes due to last years writers' and actors' strikes. It will also be the first season for Meg Marinis as showrunner, following Krista Vernoff's exit. Vernoff, 52, who started as a staff writer on the series when it debuted in 2005, worked her way up to head writer and showrunner of the series. She was brought back in 2017 to serve as showrunner on both Grey's Anatomy and the spin-off Station 19, but has since left both shows. Meanwhile, Marinis has been with since season three and begun her tenure as a writer's production assistant. It's been teased that Meredith will have a substantial storyline ahead of the upcoming March 14 premiere Pompeo signed on to produce and star in a limited series for Hulu and was not expected to have much airtime in the next season of Shonda Rhimes' long-running show Last month Pompeo reunited with several of her Grey's Anatomy castmates during the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony. The cast united to mark the show's 20th season, making it the longest-running prime time medical drama in TV history. She was joined by James Pickens Jr., Katherine Heigl, Chandra Wilson and Justin Chambers at the awards show, where they announced the winner of the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. During the ceremony, the actress gave a short speech in which she remarked that Grey's Anatomy's creator, Shonda Rhimes, knew that the show would 'have a lasting influence on television.' Blink-182 bandmembers Travis Barker, Tom DeLonge and Mark Hoppus are off to Adelaide following their incredible Perth concert at RAC Arena. After putting on a jaw-dropping show for their WA fans, the California-founded rock band were spotted leaving their hotel on Saturday to head to the airport. Drummer Travis, 48, who left his wife Kourtney Kardashian behind with their children in Sydney, put on a very grungy display as he hopped into the car. The musician sported a black baggy T-shirt which read 'Don't Trust Anyone', paired with a pair of sagging black pants that dragged along the ground. Flaunting his numerous tattoos, the actor finished off his all-black look with a dark beanie to hide his head as he was swarmed by his entourage. Blink-182 bandmembers Travis Barker, 48, (left) Tom DeLonge, 48, (centre) and Mark Hoppus, 51, (right) are off to Adelaide following their incredible Perth concert at RAC Arena Meanwhile, Tom, 48, sported a much brighter look as he slipped on a white T-shirt over his black jeans and sneakers. The co-lead vocalist pulled a red cap down over his dark locks, turning it backwards as he finished his ensemble off with a gold chain. Last to slide into his vehicle was Mark, 51, who opted for a trendy outfit featuring a red-and-black sweater over black ankle-length slacks. After putting on a jaw-dropping show for their WA fans, the California-founded rock band were spotted leaving their hotel on Saturday to head to the airport Drummer Travis who left his wife Kourtney Kardashian behind with their children in Sydney, put on a very grungy display as he hopped into the car The musician sported a black baggy T-shirt which read 'Don't Trust Anyone', paired with a pair of sagging black pants that dragged along the ground Flaunting his numerous tattoos, the actor finished off his all-black look with a dark beanie to hide his head as he was swarmed by his entourage Travis rocked his usual dark, baggy look He could be seen speaking with his entourage as he walked toward the car With a black cross-body bag slung over his torso, the bassist donned his usual black framed glasses and pair of white sneakers. Blink-182 are only performing one concert per big city in Australia, with Perth as their opening act and Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane next on their list. The trio will then jet over to New Zealand for their final shows in Auckland and Christchurch before they continue the rest of their World Tour. Meanwhile, Tom sported a much brighter look as he slipped on a white T-shirt over his black jeans and sneakers The co-lead vocalist pulled a red cap down over his dark locks, turning it backwards as he finished his ensemble off with a gold chain Tom is pictured climbing into one of the vehicles Blink-182 last toured Down Under in 2013. At the time, drummer Travis did not join the band due to his fear of flying, which stemmed from being a passenger in a fatal plane crash in 2008. Brooks Wackerman, of Bad Religion and Avenged Sevenfold, filled in on the sticks. At the time, the band said they attempted all measures to help Travis get over his fear of flying, but ultimately had to make the trip without him. Last to slide into his vehicle was Mark who opted for a trendy outfit featuring a red and black sweater over black ankle-length slacks In 2023, Chinese automaker Changan Automobile demonstrated a robust market performance, with sales and profitability surpassing the industry average. The company achieved steady growth in the two major areas of new energy vehicles and overseas expansion. Furthermore, Changan Automobile enhanced its competitiveness by seeking external collaborations in the fields of automotive intelligence and battery swapping technologies, addressing any shortcomings. Photo credit: Changan Auto Gasgoo conducted an annual review of key automakers and component companies. In this article, we will retrospectively examine the notable milestones and accomplishments that took place for Changan Automobile in 2023. Changan Automobile posts 8.82% YoY rise in 2023 annual auto sales Chinese automaker Chongqing Changan Automobile Co., Ltd. ("Changan Automobile") reported an annual sales volume of 2,553,052 vehicles in 2023, representing an 8.82% rise year-on-year, according to the companys announcement on January 9. Changan DEEPAL delivers 136,912 vehicles in 2023 In December 2023, DEEPAL, Changan Automobile's new energy vehicle brand, achieved a delivery volume of 18,338 vehicles, marking a 13.5% month-on-month increase and an outstanding 57.4% year-on-year surge, as the company disclosed on January 2. Changan Auto, Ganfeng Lithium forge partnership to boost R&D of solid-state batteries In a dedicated effort to advance the Project Shangri-La New Energy Development Plan and refine its industrial layout, Changan Automobile officially signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with Ganfeng Lithium, one of the world's top producers of the commodity used in electric vehicle, on December 22 in Ningbo city, Zhejiang province. This collaboration aims to accelerate the transformation of Changan Automobile into a leading intelligent, low-carbon mobility technology company. Changan NEVO Q05 hits market, starting at 119,900 yuan Changan NEVO officially put its inaugural plug-in hybrid electric SUV, the Q05, onto the market on December 12, with a price range of 119,900 yuan to 149,900 yuan. AVATR 12 commences delivery nationwide On December 10, AVATR announced the nationwide delivery launch of the AVATR 12, arriving gradually in 40 cities across 19 provinces in China. Changan Automobiles Zhu Huarong assumes chairman of AVATR Technology AVATR Technology, the premium new energy vehicle company jointly backed by Changan Automobile, Huawei, and CATL, announced on December 12 that Changan Automobile's Party Secretary and Chairman, Zhu Huarong, assumes the role of Chairman at AVATR Technology. Changan DEEPALs S07, L07 right-hand drive models hit Thai market On November 29, Changan Automobile saw its DEEPAL S07 and DEEPAL L07 right-hand drive models officially hit the Thai market at the 40th Thailand International Motor Expo. Changan Automobiles Deepal brand targets annual global sales of 450,000 units by 2024 Emphasizing a strong commitment to global growth, Deepal, the new energy vehicle (NEV) brand under Changan Automobile, plans to launch two all-new models next year, targeting a global annual sales volume of 450,000 vehicles by 2024, Deepal's CEO, Deng Chenghao, announced on Nov. 27 via his Weibo account. Changan Automobile releases brand strategy for Southeast Asian markets On Nov. 27th, Changan Automobile held a brand launch event in Bangkok, Thailand, marking its determined business expansion in the Southeast Asian markets. First Changan Golden Shield standard cell rolls off line On November 24, Changan Automobile saw the first standard cell under the "Golden Shield" ("Jin Zhong Zhao" in Chinese Pinyin) brand roll off the production line at the factory of CATL-Changan EV Battery Co., Ltd. ("CCEC"), marking a swift progression following the automaker's unveiling of its new battery plan and the Golden Shield battery brand at the Auto Guangzhou 2023. Changan Automobile intends to invest in Huaweis future new company dedicated to IAS business On November 25, Changan Automobile and Huawei signed an "Investment Cooperation Memorandum", under which Huawei is set to establish a new company, focusing on the R&D, production, sales, and services of intelligent driving systems and incremental components for intelligent connected vehicles (ICVs). NIO, Changan Auto join forces to develop battery swap-related business On November 21, Changan Auto and NIO signed a cooperative agreement in Chongqing city on battery swap-related businesses. This groundbreaking collaboration aims to establish battery swap standards, facilitate the construction and sharing of battery swap networks, engage in joint R&D of battery-swap-enabled vehicle models, and implement an efficient battery asset management system. Changan Auto launches battery-dedicated development plan at Auto Guangzhou 2023 The 21st Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition, which was inaugurated on November 17, 2023, witnessed a significant stride as Changan Auto unveiled its battery business development plan, marking a solid step towards transforming into a technology company for intelligent and low-carbon mobility under the Shangri-La Plan dedicated to new energy vehicle business. AVATR 12 hits market, starting at 300,800 yuan On November 10, AVATR, the premium new energy vehicle brand jointly developed by Changan Automobile, Huawei, and CATL, officially inaugurate the global market launch of its intelligent luxury sedan, the AVATR 12. Changan Automobile breaks ground on manufacturing base in Thailand On November 8, Chinese automaker Changan Automobile held a groundbreaking ceremony for its Thailand manufacturing base in Rayong, Thailand. Changan Mazda, ThunderSoft partner for intelligent cockpit innovation On November 6, Changan Mazda announced a strategic partnership with ThunderSoft, a Chinese software company specializing in intelligent cockpits and smart connectivity solutions. Changan Automobile boasts 113.9% YoY soar in Q3 net profit Chongqing Changan Automobile Co., Ltd. (Changan Automobile) released impressive performance report for the third quarter (Q3) of 2023 with an operating revenue of 42.714 billion yuan, marking a substantial 48.43% surge year-on-year. Changan Mazda, TINNOVE co-build Human Factors Engineering lab On October 23, Changan Mazda Automobile Co., Ltd. (Changan Mazda) and TINNOVE (Phoenix Auto Intelligence Co., Ltd.) inked a strategic cooperation agreement, setting the stage for deep collaboration in various areas, including big data applications and in-car app development. AVATR starts launching HD map-free NCA application AVATR, the new energy vehicle brand jointly backed by Changan Automobile, Huawei, and CATL, announced on Monday the gradual roll out of its map-free Navigation Cruise Assistance (NCA), an advanced smart driving system that operates independently of high-definition maps, enabling nationwide accessibility. Klaus Zyciora joins Changan Automobile as Vice President, Global Design Head On October 7, Chinese legacy automaker Changan Automobile announced the appointment of Klaus Zyciora as Vice President with a specific focus on global design. Changan Automobile expands presence in Thai market On September 25, as part of its internationalization strategy, Chinese automaker Changan Automobile held a signing ceremony with its Thai dealers and an executive study camp at its Global R&D Center. Changan Deepal achieves cumulative sales of over 100,000 units On September 22, Deepal, the new energy vehicle brand under Changan Automobile, announced its cumulative sales have surpassed 100,000 units in just 14 months after the launch of its first model. Changan Automobile unveils latest achievements in smart digitalized vehicle segment Changan Automobile, the renowned Chinese legacy automaker, hosted the "2023 Changan Auto Tech Ecosystem Summit" and introduced the results of the companys leap into smart mobility. Changan Automobiles net profit surges 30.65% YoY in H1 2023 Chinese automaker Chongqing Changan Automobile Company Limited (Changan Automobile) saw a double-digit year-on-year growth in both semi-annual revenue and net profit, according to its report released on August 30. AVATR 12 makes global debut at IAA MOBILITY 2023 On September 5, AVATR, the premium new energy vehicle brand jointly developed by Changan Automobile, Huawei, and CATL, officially unveiled its the luxurious AVATR 12 sedan at the IAA MOBILITY 2023. AVATR raises 3 billion yuan in B round financing On August 31, AVATR, the premium new energy vehicle brand jointly backed by Changan Automobile, Huawei, and CATL, announced the successful completion of its B round financing with 3 billion yuan secured. Changan launches Qiyuan new energy vehicle brand On August 27, Changan Automobile officially launched the "Qiyuan" brand new energy vehicle (NEV) brand, completing the automaker's NEV layout alongside the existing Deepal and AVATR brands. AVATR to be the first auto brand to carry CATLs Shenxing Superfast Charging Battery On August 16, AVATR, the premium new energy vehicle brand jointly developed by Changan Automobile, Huawei, and CATL, has emerged as the first automotive brand to integrate CATL's game-changing Shenxing Superfast Charging Battery into its lineup. Changan Automobile, Baidu inaugurate joint AI data center On August 16, Chongqing Changan Automobile Co., Ltd. (Changan Automobile) and Baidu formed an in-depth partnership targeting such fields as cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), big data, and the Internet of Things (IoT). Changan DEEPAL inks cooperation agreement with Huawei DEEPAL, Changan Automobile's dedicated new energy vehicle brand, announced on August 16 a significant partnership with Huawei, solidifying its commitment to technological innovation. Changan Ford plans to build joint venture with Changan Automobile for new energy vehicles On August 11, Chinas Anti-Monopoly Enforcement Bureau of the State Administration for Market Regulation has revealed that Changan Ford Automobile Co., Ltd. ("Changan Ford") intends to establish a new joint venture with Chongqing Changan Automobile Co., Ltd. ("Changan Automobile"). Changan Ford takes over operations of Ford Mustang Mach-E in China On the first day of August, Changan Ford, the joint venture between Changan Automobile and Ford Motor Company in China, announced the official takeover of the operation of Ford Mustang Mach-E in the Chinese market, starting the same day. Changan Automobile deepens cooperation with Tencent on multiple fronts On July 11, Changan Automobile and Tencent signed an agreement to deepen their strategic cooperation. The two sides will strengthen their partnership in multiple areas to jointly promote higher quality digital transformation and help Changan Automobile expand overseas markets. Changan DEEPAL discloses plans to enter ASEAN, Europe markets On June 30, DEEPAL, Changan Automobile's new energy vehicle brand, held a brand strategy launch event and the large-scale delivery ceremony of the DEEPAL S7. CATL, Changan Autos joint venture established for battery production, sales According to Qichacha, a Chinese corporate database, CATL Changan Power Battery Co., Ltd. (referred to as CATL Changan) was incorporated on Jun. 28 with a registered capital of 1.5 billion yuan. Changan's DEEPAL sets up joint venture with StarPower Semiconductor DEEPAL, the new energy vehicle brand under Changan Automobile, recently announced the establishment of a new joint venture with StarPower Semiconductor. Changan Automobile plans to enter European markets in 2024 Chinese legacy automaker Changan Automobile recently disclosed during an investor inquiry session its accelerated strategic plan to expand into five major regional markets, including Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa, Asia-Pacific, and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Changan Automobile, Geely Holding forge strategic partnership Chongqing Changan Automobile Co., Ltd. ("Changan Automobile") and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (Geely Holding) signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement on May 9. Changan Automobile boasts 53.65% YoY surge in Q1 2023 net profit attributable to shareholders On April 27, Chinese major automaker Chongqing Changan Automobile Co., Ltd. (Changan Automobile) released its financial report for the first quarter of 2023, which showed a two-digit year-on-year soar in net profit attributable to shareholders. Changan Lamore becomes first mass-produced model to carry Baidus ERNIE Bot On March 16, Changan Automobile announced that its Changan Lamore (Yida) sedan will be the first mass-produced model in China to carry Baidu's ERNIE Bot AI technology. AVATR forms comprehensive cooperation with Huawei for cloud services On March 23, AVATR, the new energy vehicle maker backed by Changan Automobile, Huawei, and CATL, announced it inked a cooperation agreement with Huawei Software Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Software) for cloud services. Model Caprice Bourret has revealed how she felt 'over the hill' when she was just 28. The American, who shot to fame after presenting at the National Television Awards in 1996 said ageism in modelling is so rampant, 'I was thinking, 'Oh my goodness I'm 28, that's the end of my career. It affected me in a horrible way - It was a sickness in the industry.' But the former Dancing On Ice star who has her own lingerie brand was asked on the Dirty Mother Pukka podcast what advise she would pass on to her own daughter. She urged women: 'We don't have to be victims. Embrace getting older, it is one hell of a journey and it's great when you get there.' Model Caprice Bourret has revealed how she felt 'over the hill' when she was just 28 The now 52-year-old urged women to embrace getting older and that they don't have to be victims of ageism She continued: 'I was really scared - it really affected me in a horrible way. It was a sickness in the industry and I would probably just tell her 'you know what, you're only going to get better'. 'Embrace getting older because it is one hell of a journey and it's great when you get there.' The California-born TV personality implored women not to fall foul of victimhood and added: 'Let's not be victims, ladies, because we don't have to.' But the model, who married Ty Comfort in 2019, admitted 'ageism is real' though she's managed to turn it into a positive - by focusing on looking after her own body. She said despite ageism, 'I am still having great opportunities because I look after my body' She said: 'Ageism is real but here I am with my positivity. 'There's a flip side: if I work really hard with the way I look, and that's my prerogative, (because) I like feeling good and it makes me feel good on the inside and outside. The now 52-year-old has two ten-year-old sons, one born by surrogate, with British financier Ty Comfort. She said despite ageism, 'I am still having great opportunities because I look after my body.' Cillian murphy has revealed he would reprise his role as infamous gangster Tommy Shelby should Peaky Blinders hit the cinemas. Speaking today on Desert Island Discs, the 47-year-old Hollywood sensation admits he was relieved when the BBC drama ended in 2022 but is now totally on board with a movie adaptation. Murphy also hinted that the programmes writer, Steven Knight, had more stories to tell about the Birmingham-based Shelby clan and their criminal activities between the 1880s and 1910s. Cillian murphy has revealed he would reprise his role as infamous gangster Tommy Shelby should Peaky Blinders hit the cinemas The cast of the Birmingham-based gangster drama Peaky Blinders Cillian Murphy portraying notorious gangster, Thomas Shelby in BBC hit series Peaky Blinders He explained: I have always said that if Knight delivers a script that I know he can deliver, because he is such a phenomenal writer, Ill be there. If we want to watch 50-year-old Tommy Shelby, lets do it. Peaky Blinders launched in 2013 and garnered huge audiences both in Britain and overseas, attracting roles for silver-screen stars such as Tom Hardy and Anya Taylor-Joy. Murphys remarks will be seized upon by fans as the clearest indication yet that a movie adaptation is on its way which was further fuelled when the Oppenheimer star was last week spotted drinking in a pub with Knight. Murphy also paid tribute to his co-star Helen McCrory Murphy also paid tribute to his co-star Helen McCrory, who played the formidable Aunt Polly until her death from cancer in 2021. He said: Helen was always funny and always brightened up every set. I loved her and still miss her. Desert Island Discs airs on BBC Radio 4 today at 11.15am. As the headquarters of the worlds leading fashion bible, Vogue House has stood as a symbol of style and elegance. But that was not quite the reality after staff threw a wild party to bid adieu to the Mayfair building the magazine has occupied for the past 66 years. Such was the carnage left by the 300 champagne-fuelled revellers including swathes of lewd graffiti that most of the second and sixth floors had to be repainted before publisher Conde Nast handed back its keys. Several X-rated illustrations and the outline of a body, painted to make Vogue House look like a murder scene, were deemed to be less than amusing in the cold light of the morning after. Staff threw a wild party to bid adieu to the Mayfair building the magazine has occupied for the past 66 years (pictured) Staff crept back inside ostensibly to clear their desks and were still going five hours later EXCLUSIVE READ MORE: Victoria Beckham joins Kate Moss and Gigi Hadid as 40 legendary British Vogue cover Advertisement A cartoon portrait of Vogues acerbic boss Dame Anna Wintour fell particularly flat. With some irony, some of the worst damage was in the second-floor offices of World Of Interiors magazine. A source said: Its editor Emma Redmayne found her office being used as the smoking room. On the sixth floor, all the Gen Z staff of Glamour were dancing like they were at a Central Saint Martins fashion student rager. There was an anarchic, creative old-school energy. But Anna is an immaculate person, so Vogue House had to be put back in perfect condition. That might be considered overkill given that Monaco-based Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer, who paid 75 million for 1 Hanover Square, plans to demolish it. The party started at 5pm on the last day, January 31, after Dame Anna was whisked away in a luxury car, having posed briefly for pictures outside. Staff crept back inside ostensibly to clear their desks and were still going five hours later. The source added: Clearing the desks became dancing on the tables. 'There were disco balls, bunting, singing and plenty of prosecco, with Tony from Vogues canteen The Hatch and John the receptionist. Staff were told to work from home for a week to recover before starting at new offices in The Strand. Few of us enjoy getting older but Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes seems to despise it more than most. 'I hate ageing,' the 53-year-old tells me. The retired athlete is desperate to keep her youthful looks and reveals her methods of keeping time at bay: 'I have had Botox in the past, but only twice. 'It runs out and then I forget about it. I have a lot of facials and I suppose I stay fit.' Last year, the Loose Women regular spoke frankly of how the encroaching menopause was taking its toll, especially on her sleep. 'I don't want to age,' she tells me. Keep saying it enough and it just might happen! The retired athlete is desperate to keep her youthful looks and reveals her methods of keeping time at bay. (Dame Kelly Holmes attends an exclusive preview dinner) Last year, the Loose Women regular spoke frankly of how the encroaching menopause was taking its toll, especially on her sleep (Kelly Holmes wins the Women's 800m during the Athens Olympics) Wills's throne... yours for 400 A wooden chair the Prince sat on during a visit to Poland was sold on Friday for 440 It's not just the Princess of Wales who has the Midas touch you can count on William, too. A wooden chair the Prince sat on during a visit to Poland to meet British and Polish troops stationed near the Ukrainian border, was sold on Friday for 440. The chair is part of the furniture at Butero Bistro in Warsaw where William tucked into a 7.50 pork sandwich. Is this the Juan for Princess Olympia? Maria-Olympia, 27, was entwined at a birthday bash with Chilean Juan Santa Cruz, 52 Her old love Peregrine 'Perry' Pearson is dating Game Of Thrones star Sophie Turner and it seems Princess Maria-Olympia of Greece, right, has a blossoming friendship of her own. Maria-Olympia, 27, was entwined at a birthday bash with Chilean Juan Santa Cruz, 52, whose worldwide restaurants including Notting Hill's Casa Cruz. The Princess dated Perry, 29, son of Viscount Cowdray, for three years before their split. Meanwhile, Juan tells me that he and Maria-Olympia are 'just very good friends'. In sunnier times, Simon Cowell and David Cameron were seen slurping its famous concoctions but cold financial reality has hit popular Cotswolds ice cream and milkshake parlour Tickettyshake. The Chipping Norton establishment has been forced to close after the landlord doubled the rent. Britain's Got Talent judges Cowell and Amanda Holden, pictured left with a Tickettyshake milkshake, were big fans, with Cowell said to be partial to the parlour's Golden Buzzer variety. Co-owner Julia Cook says that she is heartbroken to close the business after 11 years. 'Onwards and upwards, eh! On to new beginnings,' she told followers of the shop in a video on social media. Off the menu Brooklyn Beckham arrives at the Premiere Of 'Lola' at Regency Bruin Theatre It seemed like a seal of approval for Brooklyn Beckham's much-mocked attempts to become a celebrity chef. But it appears his tie-up with UberEats to offer the 'ultimate takeaway menu' as devised by the 24-year-old, left, was a PR gimmick rather than a genuine bid to get his culinary vision to the masses. YouTuber Archie Manners blagged his way into the East London kitchen and found so many free meals had been sent to journalists that real orders were declined. It even failed to win good headlines, with the food branded 'inedible'. Not even a sprinkle of Hollywood stardust has helped the owners of a Grade II-listed pub sell the place. The Chequers Inn in Smarden, Kent, belongs to Melissa Spalding, the wife of Bake Off star Paul Hollywood, and it is where the pair met in 2019. I'm afraid the pub has had no takers, despite its price being cut to 900,000 a year after it was listed. Eton has produced 20 Prime Ministers, but don't try telling Bear Grylls that it leaves pupils equipped for the world. He says he wishes he'd been taught about nutrition and mental health much better than Latin, I'm sure. He has now written a book, Mind Fuel For Young Explorers, offering tips on resilience. A portrait of Lady Diana Spencer from 1981, the first after she became engaged to the then Prince of Wales, is on sale for 35,000. It's a pencil study, made by the artist Bryan Organ in preparation for his famous portrait of Diana in the Yellow Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace, and is on sale through the art dealer Philip Mould. The finished picture is currently on display in the National Portrait Gallery in London, alongside a similar one of Charles by the same artist. Shirt for sale, one hot owner Actor Colin Firth pictured in character as Mr Darcy With Valentine's Day just around the corner, here's something sure to send Colin Firth fans' hearts aflutter his iconic Mr Darcy shirt is up for grabs. The white garment, famously worn by Colin in the scene when he emerges from a lake in the BBC's 1995 production of Pride And Prejudice is being sold by Kerry Taylor Auctions and is estimated to fetch 10,000. That might sound steep, but you do get a signed photo of Colin thrown in too! She may have been snubbed at the Oscars this year, but Margot Robbie has managed to get her hands on another unique trophy. The Hollywood star was handed a one-off packet of chocolate biscuits on the red carpet complete with her name and finished in a lurid shade of Barbie pink. The 33-year-old, who produced and starred in the hit movie Barbie, was given the TimTams, below, as she arrived at the 13th annual Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Awards yesterday, held at the Home of the Arts centre on the Gold Coast. Margot Robbie reacts after being given a packet of Tim-Tams on the Red Carpet for the 2024 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards A packet of Margot's branded Tim Tam's are seen on the red carpet Margot wore a Vivienne Westwood gown. She missed out on an Oscar this year 'This is wild, I'm gonna keep this for ever,' she said of the Australian biscuits, which are similar to Penguins. However, her delight was not matched by Spanish actress Elsa Pataky, 47, who turned down her packet of TimTams. Margot, who wore a Vivienne Westwood gown, then headed into the ceremony, where she scooped the Trailblazer Award and a Best Actress gong for her role in Barbie. Naomi Watts hit the bustling streets of New York City once again alongside her four-legged co-star, Bing the Great Dane, on the set of the film The Friend. The two-time Oscar-nominated actress, 55, was seen all bundled up while walking the massive dog in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Downtown Manhattan. Watts stopped to pose with her castmate dressed in a red overcoat that covered most of her 5ft2in figure. It appears the film's costume department had her in black pants and a multi-colored scarf that wrapped around her neck and tucked inside the jacket. Considering the temperatures have been hovering between the mid-40s and 50s Fahrenheit, Watts also wore black leather gloves and a gray beanie cap over her blonde tresses that fell out of the hat a few inches past her shoulders. Naomi Watts, 55, was pictured posing on the set of The Friend with her massive co-star Bing, who plays Apollo in the drama film being shot in New York City The British-Australian actress bundled up in a red overcoat, scarf, hat, gloves on the set of the film about a writer who adopts a heartbroken Great Dane following the death of his owner With a large purse over her right shoulder, Watts has been spotted shooting scenes in the area with the huge pooch, who plays Apollo, by her side the last couple of days. Later in the night Naomi was pictured looking chic as ever outside of a fashion show in New York. She wore a long black coat over a stylish white maxi dress. The actress paired the look with black leather gloves, a black clutch and matching boots. Written, produced and directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel, The Friend is a film adaption of Sigrid Nunez's 2018 novel of the same name, which won the U.S.'s National Book Award For Fiction, about a woman's bond with her Great Dane. The story follows a writer who adopts a heartbroken Great Dane that had belonged to a now deceased friend and mentor, according to Deadline. Both the book and the drama film tackle elements of love and friendship, along with the grief and ultimate healing they share while establishing their relationship. Nunez was inspired to write the novel in part due to acquaintances and friends convinced their lives would end by suicide, according to Wikipedia. In fact, a friend of Nunez's died by suicide as she was writing The Friend. As for the film production side, this is the eighth time the long-standing writing-directing partnership of McGehee and Siegel have teamed up for a feature movie. They first came together to collaborate on the thriller Suture (1994) that included a cast of Dennis Haysbert, Mel Harris, Sab Shimono, Dina Merrill and David Graf. Watts says a dog trainer is on set, helping her establish a relationship with the massive 150 pound pooch by doing doggy trainers every 20 minutes or so Later in the night Naomi was pictured looking chic as ever outside of a fashion show in New York She wore a long black coat over a stylish white maxi dress The Friend is a film adaption of Sigrid Nunez's 2018 novel of the same name, which won the U.S.'s National Book Award For Fiction, about a woman's bond with her adopted Great Dane Their most recent writer, producer and director collaboration was for the drama film Montana Story, starring Haley Lu Richardson, Owen Teague, Gilbert Owuor, Kimberly Guerrero, Eugene Brave Rock and Asivak Koostachin. During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in late January, Watts shared some details about her experience starring alongside a 150 pound dog. 'It's not often that a dog has the starring role,' she said, before adding, 'He's a special dog. Very lovable. He's a good dog.' The Shoreham, Kent, England native, who also spent part of her childhood in Sydney, Australia, shared how she works with a trainer on set at all times. 'I have to have all kinds of doggy trainings,' she explained. 'You know, every 20 minutes, we have to go through all of these these tricks. He can do a lot of things.' As the production for The Friend continues on in New York City, there's still no official word on a premiere date just yet. Chris Rock took his mother Rosalie out for dinner at Crustacean in Beverly Hills on Friday night. The 59-year-old comedian appeared to be in high spirits as he had a lighthearted conversation with his mother before they made their way into the eatery to spend a bit of quality time with each other. The performer - who was recently spotted in the company of Kanye West and Bianca Censori - kept it casual in a navy blue t-shirt that was worn underneath a black button-up jacket. Rock also wore a pair of olive green cargo pants, and he completed his look with bright white sneakers. The Grammy Award-winning comedian's outing took place not long after it was revealed that he would be directing a remake of the 2020 dark comedy feature Another Round. Chris Rock rocked a casual look as he took his mother Rosalie out for dinner at Crustacean in Beverly Hills on Friday night The news about the actor's upcoming project was revealed by Deadline last month, and it was also announced that Leonardo DiCaprio would serve as one of the project's producers. Stuart Bloomberg has written a draft of the feature's script, and a new writer will be contacted to polish up the screenplay with Rock. Another Round is centered on a group of schoolteachers who take part in an experiment where they attempt to stay in a constant state of drunkenness during their working hours. The cast of the film, which was directed by Danish filmmaker Thomas Vinterberg, was led by Mads Mikkelsen, and it also included Thomas Bo Larsen, Magnus Millang and Lars Ranthe. Another Round premiered during the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival, and it was released in Denmark in September of that year. The feature received widespread critical acclaim, and it currently holds a rating of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. Another Round went on to receive the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. Vinterberg was also put up for the award for Best Director, which ultimately went to Chloe Zhao. The 59-year-old comedian appeared to be in high spirits as he had a lighthearted conversation with his mother before they made their way into the eatery to spend a bit of quality time with each other The Grammy Award-winning comedian's outing took place not long after it was revealed that he would be directing a remake of the 2020 dark comedy feature Another Round The cast of the film, which was directed by Danish filmmaker Thomas Vinterberg, was led by Mads Mikkelsen, and it also included Thomas Bo Larsen, Magnus Millang and Lars Ranthe Rock's version of Another Round currently does not have a prospective release date; he is seen in 2023 Rock's version of Another Round currently does not have a prospective release date. The comedian made his directorial debut with the political comedy feature Head of State, which was released in 2003. The performer's latest directorial effort was the 2015 comedy special, Amy Schumer: Live at the Apollo. Rock was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special for his work on the project. Stevie Wonder is being enticed to star at Glastonbury after negotiations with Madonna broke down. The 73-year-old has been offered the festivals coveted Sunday night headline slot, with a source saying: It will be a massive coup if we get him. He last starred at Glasto in 2010. Many reckoned his set was up there with the best seen here, added the source. Hopes of luring Madonna, 65, to Somerset for the first time vanished when it emerged that her set would be too expensive. If he accepts, Stevie Wonder will join Coldplay and Dua Lipa as the three headliners at the festival from June 26 to 30. Stevie Wonder performing at The 66th Annual Grammy Awards on February 4 2024 Crowds of people gather in front of the main Pyramid Stage to watch Diana Ross perform at the 2022 Glastonbury Festival Madonna performs on the first night of her 'Celebration Tour' at the O2 Arena in London Sources previously revealed that talks with Madonna collapsed after organisers refused to pay the fee to bring her live show to the festival. A Glastonbury source told The Mail on Sunday at the time: 'To be honest it's been a real blow not being able to nail down a deal with Madonna. 'Emily was so keen to have her play the legend slot. After she saw Madonna's tour in London in October she raved about her on Instagram, something she rarely does without Glastonbury in mind. 'But everyone knows that after last year, and the criticism over the gender balance, we've got to have big name females heading the line-up. Dua Lipa is a real catch. Now we need another. 'There is still some hope it an be resurrected but it's pretty unlikely. There are money issues at the root of this, it's a real shame.' Pink has been very vocal about her love for Australia and the people who live Down Under as she kicks off her latest Summer Carnival Tour. And now it's been revealed one of her closest friends is a very famous Aussie media personality. Rove McManus has boasted a close friendship with the pop icon, 44, since the early 2000s when she frequented his titular late-night chat show. 'We kind of hit it off, and every time she came back she was more and more famous and our show was becoming more and more popular and it just kind of meshed that a friendship blossomed,' Rove told News.com.au on the red carpet at the AACTA Awards. 'She's funny, she's witty, she's got a huge heart, very caring and very generous of her time.' Australian media presenter Rove McManus has spoken about his longtime friendship US pop star Pink. Pictured together in 2010 Rove, 50, went on to say Pink's husband Carey Hart even 'taught me how to ride a motorbike', though it was a 'rough' learning curve for him. The So What hitmaker has even paid personal tribute to the media personality and his wife Tasma Walton on Instagram throughout the years. In 2018, she shared a picture of herself posing with the couple, alongside the caption: 'One of my all time biggest and forever gratitudes is this; my travels have brought me gems.' 'We kind of hit it off, and every time she came back she was more and more famous and our show was becoming more and more popular and it just kind of meshed that a friendship blossomed,' Rove told News.com.au on the red carpet at the AACTA Awards Rove went on to say Pink is 'funny, she's witty, she's got a huge heart, very caring and very generous of her time' She continued: 'Unique antique collectable one of a kinders. These people that I love with my whole heart and see so rarely. 'My life and my heart is so full because of them, these rad f**king humans spread across the globe. I love you @rovemcmanus and @tasma_walton and I missed you dearly.' In 2016, Rove revealed during his breakfast radio show he had learned about Pink's second pregnancy, with child Jameson, months before it became public news. The So What hitmaker has even paid personal tribute to the media personality and his wife Tasma Walton (right) on Instagram throughout the years He said he and wife Tasma learned about the happy news when they had lunch with the popular performer. 'We went out for lunch, and Taz [wife Tasma Walton] was like, "We dont have to leave the property if thats a problem." But Pink was like, "Nah, dont worry about it,"' he explained. Pink is currently back in Australia for her Summer Carnival Tour which kicked off in Sydney on February 9. In 2016, Rove revealed during his breakfast radio show he had learned about Pink's second pregnancy , with child Jameson, months before it became public news Next, she'll jet off to Newcastle, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Townsville for several more concerts before continuing around the world. Pink isn't the only massive celebrity Rove seems to have a close friendship with. On Sunday, after the AACTA Awards wrapped, the television presenter shared a selfie of himself and Aussie star Margot Robbie to Instagram. 'Huge night for this trailblazer last night and it couldnt happen to a nicer, sweeter, harder-working, talented person,' he said, referencing the Trailblazer Award the actor went home with. He finished his post with: 'The definition of superstar. (Alternate caption: Shrimp and The Barbie.)' Married At First Sight groom Jack Dunkley admitted during Sunday's commitment ceremony that he was dating a woman just weeks before appearing on the show. The 34-year-old personal trainer, who is currently paired up with his TV bride Tori Adams, was questioned by relationship expert John Aiken on whether he was in a relationship when he signed up. Jack admitted he had been seeing someone but eventually ended their relationship. 'Firstly again I'm sorry that is has had to come out. The girl I was with was very passionate and I could tell she was looking for long term,' he said. 'I ended that relationship as respectfully as I could.' Married At First Sight groom Jack Dunkley (pictured) admitted during Sunday's commitment ceremony that he was dating a woman just weeks before appearing on the show 'How long ago was that?' John asked before Jack revealed the relationship ended seven to eight weeks ago. 'So just to be clear you were seeing someone else while you were talking with us?' a shocked John said. 'Yes but it wasn't serious. It was a friends with benefit situation,' Jack explained. John then asked Tori on her reaction to Jack's admission but she admitted her 'level of trust hasn't changed.' 'What he was doing from the morning of the wedding and beyond is my concern,' she said. Jack and Tori both revealed they had decided to remain in the experiment. The 34-year-old personal trainer, who is currently paired up with his TV bride Tori Adams, was questioned by relationship expert John Aiken (pictured) on whether he was in a relationship It comes just days after Jack admitted on Tuesday he really did tell his ex-girlfriend he was 'going overseas' before appearing on the show. Jack was recently accused of dumping ex Courtney Jade to go on the series. While he said that isn't the reason they split, Jack admitted on Today Extra he did lie to Courtney about where he was going following their breakup. Jack admitted he had been seeing someone but eventually ended their relationship. Pictured with Tori 'When I originally did the break-up, I kind of softened the blow,' he said, adding that he didn't feel right just telling Courtney he wanted to go on MAFS to get married. 'I said I had some work to do in Sydney. [Courtney] turned around and said, "I'm going to move to Sydney. What's your boss' number? I'm going to call him and let him know I'm coming."' Jack added: 'It was a bit of a soft blow, but I had my hands tied a little bit. So, I regrettably said I'm actually going overseas for a few months. So, the door is shut.' Feb 19, 2023; Washington, DC, USA; XFL co-owner Dwayne Johnson watches the game between the D.C. Defenders and the Seattle Sea Dragons from the sideline during the second quarter at Audi Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports Theres been a lot of discussion this month about Dwayne The Rock Johnson reportedly being set for the WrestleMania XL main event in April, and a lot of backlash to that from many wrestling fans. Thats seen Johnson embrace his heel side with some promos, including one about Cody Crybabies thinking Cody Rhodes should be there instead of him. But on Friday, that led to right-wing figure Nick Sortor (whose bio has him as On-scene covering stories MSM wont. | Seen on @TuckerCarlson Tonight, Fox News, Newsmax, Timcast, etc) spreading a video of fans booing Johnson and chanting Maui at him during a Thursday press conference. CROWD IN VEGAS BOOs THE ROCK DEMANDING HE FOLLOW THROUGH WITH AID FOR MAUI Oprah and Dwayne @TheRock Johnson promised TENS OF MILLIONS to the victims of the Maui fires, but many victims still have not seen a dime. It looks like the audience is fully AMERICA FIRST and is pic.twitter.com/UUR83VPHjP Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) February 10, 2024 As seen in the community note attached to that tweet, Sortor falsely claimed those chants was about Johnson supposedly not living up to his promise to fund relief on Maui after the August 2023 wildfires there. They were actually a reference to the character Johnson played in Disneys Moana. And Johnson weighed in on this himself in strong terms Sunday morning: I typically refrain from responding to toxic, false clickbait garbage like this because I hate dignifying bullshit with a response, but when you use Hawaiis tragic events to draw attention to yourself I wont stay quiet. This moment youre referring to is from our @WWE press https://t.co/z76m1Q7w1N Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) February 11, 2024 Heres the full text of Johnsons response: I typically refrain from responding to toxic, false clickbait garbage like this because I hate dignifying ******** with a response, but when you use Hawaiis tragic events to draw attention to yourself I wont stay quiet. This moment youre referring to is from our @WWE press conference this past Thursday where I turned heel wrestling parlance for bad guy. Im playing it up with our crowd as they boo. Its what we do in our WWE universe, and we all love every second of it. For the record: Our Peoples Fund of Maui has already DELIVERED over $50 MILLION DOLLARS to over 8,000 survivors who were affected by the fires, and Im grateful to the bone that weve been the primary funders. Hawaii is where I grew up, where I raise my children throughout the year and where my ancestors are buried. These are my Polynesian people and these are OUR American people. You cant imagine how much they are still struggling daily to put their lives back together and take care of each other. Our Poly American people are as resilient as people come, and they will raise and get back on their feet. Nick, instead of posting ******** like this that you know is false I encourage you to post something positive for Hawaii, for our Polynesian American people. Or actually take positive action and come to Hawaii to help out in an uplifting way. Im in Hawaii now, and I guarantee you, youll get great content that can actually make a difference in peoples lives. Genuinely. Lets put our energy and our online platforms into lifting people up. Acknowledging the good things that people do. Raising awareness for the suffering in ways that can effectively help. It takes so much effort to be negative, and create and spread bullshit but when you spread positivity, kindness, and lead by example you can really impact lives. Im sorry to all our Poly/Hawaiian ohana of Maui, for shining light on this toxicity as you struggle through tough times I always try to be Naau Pono. Love U. Aloha, DJ That is quite the response. And yes, while there are plenty of things fans can take exception to around Johnsons supposed involvement in the WrestleMania main event, the work of his Peoples Fund of Maui really doesnt seem to be one, and doesnt appear to be what fans were referencing here. And its quite something to see Johnson weigh in on this himself. [The Rock on Twitter/X] Brendan Fevola has been left incensed after a rude driver parked their car directly across his family's driveway, blocking the exit and stopping him from leaving. The Melbourne radio host, 43, took to Instagram on Sunday to blast the rude motorist by uploading footage of the white vehicle sitting outside his property. 'So I need to leave my house. What should I do guys? Car's just parked straight in front of my driveway,' a shirtless Brendan told his fans as he walked towards the car. Fans flooded the post with suggestions, some of which involved calling a towing company or performing illegal acts like vandalising the car. Brendan's partner Alex promptly commented on the post with an angry face emoji. Brendan Fevola, 43, (left) has been left incensed after a rude driver parked their car directly across his family's driveway, blocking the exit and stopping him from leaving Shortly after, Brendan returned to his page to share an update on the situation. Still filming the car, Brendan explained to his fans that he'd decided to place a handwritten note on the windscreen wipers. 'Update for people playing at home. Left a bit of a note. There is a triathlon up the street, so people have just parked here thinking they can park anywhere,' he lamented. 'So I need to leave my house. What should I do guys? Car's just parked straight in front of my driveway,' a shirtless Brendan told his fans as he walked towards the car Shortly after, Brendan returned to his page to share an update on the situation. Still filming the car, Brendan explained to his fans that he'd decided to place a handwritten note on the windscreen wipers The note appeared to say 'How rude and inconsiderate', in capital letters. The former AFL star went on to share some of his fans' suggestions about what to do - including keying the car, smashing the windows and slashing the tires. One fan gave the vulgar suggestion that he should 'lay a turd', which Brendan jokingly said he 'quite liked'. He continued: 'Yeah, but they're still here. We live in a dead end street, so they deliberately parked there. Maybe key it.' Married At First Sight groom Collins Christian clashed with relationship expert John Aiken during Sunday night's commitment ceremony. The 28-year-old was questioned by John about his feelings towards his wife Natalie Parham when things got heated. Natalie was explaining how she wanted to leave the experiment after Collins showed her no affection at the dinner party. 'My dad passed away two months ago and my anxiety and grief was starting to over take and I never thought at a dinner party, I would feel alone,' she said. 'I had to ask him to hold my hand to walk into the dinner party even though I was shaking.' Married At First Sight groom Collins Christian clashed with relationship expert John Aitken during Sunday night's commitment ceremony Collins then admitted he could show Natalie more affection before adding: 'It's been prevalent that Nat's grief has been a huge part of this experiment.' 'Grief aside, to the best of her ability she has been present,' John said. Collins interrupted: 'You just said grief aside... I'm sorry but if I'm being honest I don't agree with you. You can't just put grief aside, it's a huge factor.' 'I'm not saying that the grief is not playing into this,' John said before Collins tried to interrupt him again. 'I haven't finished talking... I'm saying she's here as a complete package and wants a connection and you said you can't think of anything you've doing to bring her close. That's a problem. What do you think you should do to make her feel close?' John continued. 'No sorry, I came to you for advice... you tell me,' a frustrated Collins said. The 28-year-old was questioned by John about his feelings towards his wife Natalie Parham when things got heated An unimpressed John continued: 'You have never been in a relationship before but you're talking to me as if you're an expert and what I'm saying is you need to open your mindset and you need to start listening.' 'You challenging me is deflecting from the issue at hand here... I want you to take ownership and be the agent of change here.' Natalie then broke down as she admitted she doesn't trust Collins before eventually revealing her decision to leave. However Collins voted to stay, forcing the pair to remain in the experiment. Home and Away star James Stewart has baffled his fans by sharing a mind-boggling photo capturing him posing up a storm with his twin brother and their daughters. The veteran actor, 48, shared a gallery of eye-popping pictures to Instagram alongside his brother Nick, his daughter Scout, 11, and niece Grace. James' twin Nick has his striking facial features and soap star good looks, with only his salt-and-pepper hair distinguishing him from his famous sibling's jet-black locks. Meanwhile, Stewart's daughter and niece could pass for sisters, with both sporting long brunette hair and Nirvana t-shirts. Stewart kept the sentiments short and sweet by captioning the photo with 'twinning'. Home and Away star James Stewart (left) has baffled his fans by sharing a mind-boggling photo capturing him posing up a storm with his twin brother and their daughters Many of James' followers quickly took to the comments section to gush over the striking photo. 'It's absolutely mind-blowing,' one fan wrote and a second person added: 'Winning at twinning'. James has played Justin Morgan on Home and Away since 2016. He shares his daughter scout with his ex-fiancee, Packed to the Rafters star Jessica Marais. The Melbourne-born actor married his Home and Away Sarah Roberts co-star in 2019. James' twin Nick has his striking facial features and soap star good looks, with only his salt-and-pepper hair distinguishing him from his famous sibling's jet-black locks. Meanwhile, Stewart's daughter and niece could pass for sisters In July, Stewart has warned young actors that they should refrain from partying too hard at the Logie Awards. The Home and Away star said careers can be damaged by celebrities getting too loose. 'The foyer is going to be filled with a bunch of potential people who are going to hire you in the future,' he told Perth Now. James added the hardest partying is best done in private. 'There are always closed doors. Some parties behind closed doors are meant for a reason,' he said. Stewart married his Home and Away Sarah Roberts (right) co-star in 2019 Catriona Rowntree has shared an important health update after her older sister was diagnosed with stage four cancer. The Getaway host, 52, revealed on Sunday that her sister, Lucinda, was responding well to chemotherapy and her diagnosis was positive. 'Lucinda is doing well. Very tired as she nears the end of her chemo, but the doctors are happy and results will be in this week,' Catriona told the Herald Sun. She added her sister's family life was going well which was helping keep her in good spirits. 'Her daughter Katie just got engaged and her other daughter Georgia has been asked by Blue Illusion to be in a shoot with my mum celebrating three generations of women. Catriona Rowntree (pictured) has shared an important health update after her older sister was diagnosed with stage four cancer 'Lots to look forward to... and live for.' In April 2023, Catriona marked her sister's birthday by sharing a bittersweet Facebook post about her sibling's health struggles. The TV presenter revealed Lucinda's cancer was 'apparently incurable' and that a GoFundMe campaign had been launched to help pay for her living expenses. Lucinda, a mother of four, was forced to quit her job as a schoolteacher in Sydney's Upper North Shore after receiving the devastating diagnosis. Catriona began her post with a tribute to 'blonde beauty' Lucinda, whom she described as a 'true gem' whose 'smile and laugh warms everyone's heart'. The Channel Nine star also fondly recalled how Lucinda 'never caused her parents an ounce of worry' as a child, nor suffered any 'boyfriend dramas' as she married her childhood sweetheart Johnno. The Getaway host, 52, revealed on Sunday that her sister Lucinda was responding well to chemotherapy and her diagnosis was currently positive Catriona said of Lucinda's diagnosis: 'I'm trying so hard to choose my words carefully here, other than to say a lot of tears have been shed - but Lucinda is fighting and positive. We all are. 'She has started chemo (sheer hell) and immunotherapy (our bright light) at Royal North Shore Hospital. Lucinda is now unable to work as she commits to the fight of her life. Her girlfriends have created a GoFundMe page to ease the household stress and I've asked her permission to share this with you.' Catriona also revealed Lucinda is the 'first to be placed on a new medical trial' that may not save her life, but could help other cancer sufferers in the future. Catriona is the youngest of four siblings, including brother Andrew and sisters Lucinda and Marisa. She added her sister's family life was going well which was helping keep her in good spirits. (Pictured is Catriona, second right, and Lucinda, front centre, with family members, including her mother Heather, front left) Pregnant Sofia Richie covered up her growing baby bump on Saturday as she attended the star-studded Khaite fashion show during New York Fashion Week. The soon-to-be mother, 25, stole the spotlight as she cradled her baby bump in a chic black trench coat. She opted for further elevating her height with a pair of studded black heeled boots and donned a pair of classic black shades. Sofia, who looked effortlessly chic in the all-black ensemble, also toted her essentials around in a black clutch bag. To finish off the look, the beauty styled her luscious blonde locks in loose waves for the event and adorned a glowy makeup look which consisted of a sheer pink lip and a bronzed base. Pregnant Sofia Richie covered up her growing baby bump on Saturday as she attended the star-studded Khaite fashion show during New York Fashion Week It comes after Sofia looked nothing short of sensational alongside Jasmine Tookes and Shay Mitchell at the Tommy Hilfiger show during New York Fashion Week on Friday. The Hollywood beauties turned heads in stylish outfits for the runway extravaganza held at NYC's famed Grand Central Oyster Bar. The new brand ambassador for the label cradled her baby bump in a chic tan trench coat as she arrived at the soiree alongside her handsome husband Elliot Grainge. Jasmine echoed Sofia's laid-back style by donning a tan trench coat similar to Sofia, while Shay impressed in a black rendition of the coat, adding a leggy display to her ensemble. The terrific-looking trio led a cavalcade of stars at the soiree, including Sistine Stallone, Jennifer Flavin, Chris Appleton, Justine Skye, Glorilla, Olivia Ponton, Becky G and Anna Wintour. It was quite an unforgettable evening as the daughter of music legend Lionel Richie - who is expecting her first child with Elliot - looked incredible during the big night out. The stunner swept her signature blonde locks up in a bun allowing her natural beauty to take center stage. Richie's outing comes following news that her legendary father Lionel, 74, is already weighing in on potential baby names and has even banned one. The soon-to-be mother, 25, stole the spotlight as she cradled her baby bump in a chic black trench coat She opted for further elevating her height with a pair of studded black heeled boots and donned a pair of classic black shades Sofia, who looked effortlessly chic in the all-black ensemble, also toted her essentials around in a black clutch bag To finish off the look, the beauty styled her luscious blonde locks in loose waves for the event And adorned a glowy makeup look which consisted of a sheer pink lip and a bronzed base 'You can't call her Lionella,' the four-time Grammy winner joked during an interview with E! News at The Greatest Night in Pop premiere in Los Angeles. 'You know what? I'm gonna leave that to the parents.' He proceeded to explain that he just plans on being 'that loving Pop-Pop that comes in the door and spoils the child.' Lionella, an Italian name that derives from his first name, means 'little lioness.' Lionel is already a grandparent to his eldest daughter Nicole Richie's two kids Harlow, 16, and Sparrow, 14. Last week, Sofia revealed that she is six months pregnant with a baby girl. 'Ive learned more in the past six months than I have in my entire life,' she told Vogue, before noting her little one is a 'Gemini.' Richie said she found out about her pregnancy 'very, very early', saying: 'I was about four weeks pregnant. I was on a trip to Milan for fashion week, and I was going to the Prada show. I was doing a really quick 24-hour turnaround, and I felt terrible but didn't think much of it. I thought it was jet lag.' It comes after Sofia looked nothing short of sensational as she attended the Tommy Hilfiger show during New York Fashion Week on Friday The new brand ambassador for the label donned a chic tan trench coat as she arrived at the soiree alongside her handsome husband Elliot Grainge Ahead of going to an Ed Sheeran concert in Los Angeles, she decided to take a pregnancy test due to the couple 'casually trying' for a baby since their wedding. 'When we turned over all three tests at the same time they were all positive. He was so excited, and we both cried. It was crazy and overwhelming and so hard not to scream it from the rooftops. But knowing I was so early, I was so protectiveeven with my friends.' Sofia and the British record executive waited until the star was eight weeks pregnant before telling their parents - presenting the pregnancy tests in a Hermes box. Sofia said: 'Watching their reaction go from like, "I'm about to get an expensive present" to like "Im about to get a grandchild" was really sweet.' Revealing why she kept her pregnancy under wraps until the third trimester, the star said: 'I wasn't not posting because I felt like I wanted to have this grand announcement. Richie's outing comes following news that her legendary father Lionel , 74, is already weighing in on potential baby names and has even banned one 'There was an anxiety for me about hitting certain milestones [when it came to the pregnancy], and once I passed that 21-week mark, I felt like I was in the safe zone.' Sofia and Elliot sparked romance speculation in January 2021, just a few months after Sofia and Scott Disick, 40, broke up after dating on and off for almost four years. Grainge proposed to Sofia in April 2022 and she shared the news on Instagram, captioning the photo: 'Forever isnt long enough @elliot.' A year later, the couple tied the knot at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes, France. The wedding was attended by several celebrity guests including her father, her sister Nicole Richie,42, and her husband Joel Madden, Cameron Diaz, 51, and her husband Benji Madden, as well as Paris Hilton, 42, and her husband Carter Reum. Hollywood star Henry Winkler is currently performing his one-man show The Fonz and Beyond across Australia. On Saturday, the Happy Days star, 78, shared a gallery of photos to social media capturing him meeting Robert Irwin, 20, at Australia Zoo on the Sunshine Coast. The beloved actor was all smiles in one adorable picture which captured him tenderly cradling a koala while he posed up a storm alongside Irwin. Another hilarious picture showed Henry sitting on a rock at the zoo while a meerkat stood on his shoulder. Many of Winkler's followers quickly went wild over the amazing photos and took to the comment section to share their appreciation. Hollywood star Henry Winkler (pictured) is currently performing his one-man show The Fonz and Beyond across Australia 'A landmark event for Australia,' one fan wrote and a second person added: 'You are both awesome'. 'Two of my favourite people,' a third person added. In October, Henry revealed the surprising reason he turned down John Travolta's star-making role as Danny Zuko in Grease. The comedian told Kyle and Jackie O that he declined the role of the cheeky greaser because it felt too similar to his iconic Happy Days character The Fonz. 'At the time I did not understand the world very well and I thought I could beat type-casting. It was too close to The Fonz,' he began. On Saturday, the Happy Days star, 78, shared a gallery of photos to social media capturing him meeting Robert Irwin , 20, at Australia Zoo on the Sunshine Coast. Both pictured 'When I met my wife Stacey she had a four-year-old. I was a candle on his birthday cake before I met him. He called me Fonz and I was so crazy about type-casting I argued with him.' Winkler added he came to regret the decision after it brought Travolta worldwide fame and opened up many doors for him. 'The thing I regret is when I went home I bought a V8 tomato juice. Travolta went home and bought a plane,' he joked. Henry has worked in showbusiness for over 50 years and has appeared in popular movies like Scream, The Waterboy and Click. Phillip Schofield's wife Stephanie Lowe has reportedly not filed for divorce because 'she still loves him' and is his 'support system'. The former This Morning host, 61, and his wife, 59, separated in 2020 after he came out as gay, but she continued to stand by him and they did not legally divorce. However, in May last year, Phillip admitted to having a relationship with a much younger man who worked with him on This Morning, and later lying about it. The presenter described their romance as 'unwise but not illegal' and explained it took place during his nearly 30-year marriage. Phillip resigned from both This Morning and ITV and said that he was 'so very sorry' to Steph for being unfaithful. Phillip Schofield 's wife Stephanie Lowe has reportedly not filed for divorce because 'she still loves him' and is his 'support system' (pictured together in 2014) The former This Morning host, 61, and his wife, 59, separated in 2020 after he came out as gay, but she continued to stand by him and they did not legally divorce However, in May last year, Phillip admitted to having a relationship with a much younger man who worked with him on This Morning, and later lying about it (pictured on This Morning with Holly Willoughby in March 2023) At the time, it was reported that Steph had been left 'devastated' by the revelation and angry that her husband had lied to her. However, it has now been reported that she is choosing not to file for divorce because she does not want him to 'fall any further' then he already has, and despite everything, 'the love is still very much there.' Speaking to OK!, a source said: 'Whatever Phillip has done behind Stephs back, she still loves him. Even if the love they shared in the beginning of their marriage is different to what it is now, the love is still very much there.' They continued: 'Steph is, and always will be, Phillips support system. She hasnt divorced him because she doesnt want to see him fall any further. 'Phil has caused his wife a lot of hurt in recent times. But theres no denying, they still have a great friendship and share a lot of love.' It comes after it was reported that Phillip was planning to spend Christmas with Steph and their two daughters Molly, 30, and Ruby, 27, last year. The couple were also said to be on 'better terms' in December, seven months after Phillip's bombshell confession, when a source told the Mail: 'Steph is absolutely devastated, she had no idea of any of this. 'She is a trusting woman who has supported Phil for many, many years so this has been a real shock to her. Phil always positioned the man as a friend so that has prompted a fair bit of anger, to put it mildly. At the time, it was reported that Steph had been left 'devastated' by the revelation and angry that her husband had lied to her (pictured in 2019) However, it has now been reported that she is choosing not to file for divorce because she does not want him to 'fall any further' then he already has, and despite everything, 'the love is still very much there' (pictured November 2019) It comes after it was reported that Phillip was planning to spend Christmas with Steph and their two daughters Molly, 30, and Ruby, 27, last year (all pictured November 2018) 'It is literally the most heartbreaking thing that could have happened to Steph, it isn't just the relationship but the deceit.' However, Phillip continued to wear his wedding ring and waved it during an interview with BBC journalist Amol Rajan in June 2023. He also insisted: 'I had a wonderful marriage, have a wonderful marriage, although its not brilliant right now, with an incredibly supportive wife and two wonderful children.' Phillip also characterised his relationship with his wife at the time as: 'We are separated but we are very much together.' He also opened up on the moment he confessed the truth to Steph about the secret affair, saying: 'Oh my god, can you imagine how difficult that conversation was? 'Lets just say it was an incredibly difficult conversation. The most difficult conversation Ive ever had to have with her, and she is extremely disappointed because I lied to her as well. But she wished me well today, and so well see.' The couple married in March 1993 after meeting when Phillip worked in children's television and Steph was a BBC production assistant. They held their wedding in Scotland's Ackergill Tower in 1993 and celebrated their silver anniversary in 2018 - just two years before Phillip came out as gay. The couple married in March 1993 after meeting when Phillip worked in children's television and Steph was a BBC production assistant (pictured in 2001 with daughters) In February 2020, the presenter told his Instagram followers about his sexuality, saying he had the support of his wife and daughters (all pictured in 2016) In February 2020, the presenter told his Instagram followers about his sexuality, saying he had the support of his wife and daughters. 'You never know whats going on in someone's seemingly perfect life, what issues they are struggling with, or the state of their wellbeing and so you won't know what has been consuming me for the last few years. 'With the strength and support of my wife and my daughters, I have been coming to terms with the fact that I am gay.' In a follow-up post, he spoke about how Stephanie had continued to support him after he came out. 'Steph has been incredible I love her so very much. She is the kindest soul I have ever met. My girls have been astonishing in their love, hugs and encouraging words of comfort. 'Both mine and Steph's entire families have stunned me with their love, instant acceptance and support. Of course, they are worried about Steph, but I know they will scoop us both up.' At the time, Steph issued a heartfelt statement in support of her husband and said she would support him in taking the 'brave step'. She wrote: 'We have had to face the most emotionally painful time in our 27 years of marriage. I love Phillip, as much today as I ever have, and always will.' Sofia Richie looked elegant as she stepped out in New York City on Saturday. The 25-year-old known for her understated style, has been in the Big Apple for Fashion Week. The influencer was spotted doing a bit of retail therapy in between runway shows on 5th Avenue. The model, who is expecting her first child with husband Elliot Grainge, 30, wore a full length khaki Minnie coat from Khaite that camouflaged her growing baby bump. She had on a long black crew neck sweater and Alo Yoga leggings with black ankle socks and a pair of white Stuart Weitzman sneakers. Sofia styled her long blonde hair in a chic bun, and wore natural looking makeup. The social media star accessorized with large diamond earrings, as well as a gold 11:11 pendant and chain from Logan Hollowell. Sofia Richie, 25, looked elegant as she stepped out in New York Saturday. The model, who is expecting her first child with husband Elliot Grainge , 30, wore a full length tan coat that camouflaged her growing baby bump. She wore cat's eye sunglasses with a tortoise shell frame, and carried a cedar toned Khaite shoulder bag. After telling her millions of followers she was going to take a two-week break from wearing nail polish, the fashionista seemed to be sporting the results of a recent manicure that included a bold, red polish. Sofia, who is the daughter of music legend Lionel Richie, 74, and designer Diane Alexander, told Net-A-Porter magazine for its December issue that she felt her career in the spotlight seemed a given. 'I feel like I was kind of thrown into this world, whether I liked it or not; but I dont take it for granted,' she explained. 'What Im most passionate about in my life now is fashion, so I have been put in the greatest position to execute that.' She was introduced to the world of modeling at age 15, when a friend of her older sister Nicole Richie, 42, asked if Sofia would like to take part in a Teen Vogue fashion shoot. 'I was a young kid, being able to play dress-up and take photos. It was so exciting, so fun,' she recalled. After living out a few wild years in her late teens, Sofia, decided to buckle down and work on her image. 'There were steps that I felt I had to take, ' she explained. 'Lets figure out your personal style so that when people think of you, theres a clear vision of how you dress, how you feel, a vibe you give off.' She wore a long black crew neck sweater and Alo Yoga leggings with black ankle socks and a pair of white Stuart Weitzman sneakers Sofia styled her long blonde hair in a chic bun, and wore natural looking makeup. The social media star accessorized with large diamond earrings and a gold pendant and chain Seen with - from left - Becky G and Kelly Rutherford at Tommy Hilfiger RTW Fall 2024 at the Oyster Bar at Grand Central Station on Friday Richie with her husband Elliot Grainge are seen arriving to the Tommy Hilfiger fashion show She decided to create 'a business plan for myself, for my brand, so that any company I work with moving forward will be in alignment with me. And just putting myself in the right spaces, not being seen absolutely everywhere.' Since then, she has developed a following which clamors for her take on the ultra-luxe style she has come to espouse. Besides welcoming her little one into the family, the burgeoning designer has plans to birth her own brand of SRG beauty products, fashion, and interior design. 'Three things Im super-passionate about; I havent really shown people my home, so Im excited to open that door,' she said. Kanye 'Ye' West has seemingly confirmed what the world already suspected happened between himself and second 'wife' Bianca Censori aboard that water taxi in the canals of Venice, Italy on August 28. On Saturday, the 'canceled' 46-year-old released a song called F** Sumn off his long-delayed album Vultures 1 in which he rapped: 'Shawty wanna f*** on something? / F*** on me / Suck on me, publicly.' Ye and his 29-year-old Yeezy head of architecture's indecent exposure scandal promptly got them banned from the boat rental company, Venezia Turismo Motoscafi. 'On board, the driver had to keep a lookout for traffic and did not see these obscenities. If this had happened, he would have immediately disembarked and reported the transgressors to those in authority,' the company exclusively told DailyMail.com in a statement on September 3. 'In addition, there was a third person on board the taxi, who accompanied Mr. and Mrs. West, who obstructed the captain's view to the stern in any case. We completely dissociate ourselves from such acts and behaviour. Mr. West and his wife will certainly no longer be welcome on board our company's boats.' Kanye 'Ye' West has seemingly confirmed what the world already suspected happened between himself and second 'wife' Bianca Censori aboard that water taxi in the canals of Venice, Italy on August 28 On September 5, a Venice police source told DailyMail.com that they were investigating West and Censori's 'offensive' public display of affection. 'There are standards of public decorum that have to be followed by tourists and locals alike and any breaches are severely punished,' the source noted. 'The images show the couple clearly in a state of intimacy and if the local prosecutor decides to press charges then we will notify the couple, most probably through the relevant embassies. The offence being investigated is acts contrary to public decency which is punishable by an administrative sanction.' The 24-time Grammy winner's objectification and BDSM parading of Bianca's body has clearly taken center stage in his creative process, as she posed nearly nude on the cover of Vultures 1. Last Thursday, Ye performed F** Sumn live during the album release party held at the United Center in Chicago last Thursday alongside his $ partner Ty Dolla $ign. In the audience was West's eldest child - North West - who proudly rocked one of his black $20 Vultures 1 shirts currently on sale on his website. The Atlanta-born hip-hop star once made a huge fuss about his 10-year-old daughter being on TikTok, but he ironically has no problem prominently featuring her guest rapping on his new song Talking/Once Again. Little North rapped: 'It's your bestie. Miss, Miss Westie. Don't try to test me. It's gonna get messy. It's gonna get messy. Just just bless me! Bless me!' On Saturday, the 'canceled' 46-year-old (pictured February 2) released a song called F** Sumn off his long-delayed album Vultures 1 in which he rapped: 'Shawty wanna f*** on something? / F*** on me / Suck on me, publicly' Ye and his 29-year-old Yeezy head of architecture's indecent exposure scandal promptly got them banned from the boat rental company, Venezia Turismo Motoscafi (2022 stock shot) On September 5, a Venice police source told DailyMail.com that they were investigating West and Censori's 'offensive' public display of affection (pictured last August) The 24-time Grammy winner's objectification and BDSM parading of Bianca's body has clearly taken center stage in his creative process, as she posed nearly nude on the cover of Vultures 1 Last Thursday, Ye performed F** Sumn live during the album release party held at the United Center in Chicago last Thursday alongside his $ partner Ty Dolla $ign In the audience was West's eldest child - North West - who proudly rocked one of his black $20 Vultures 1 shirts currently on sale on his website The Atlanta-born hip-hop star once made a huge fuss about his 10-year-old daughter being on TikTok, but he ironically has no problem prominently featuring her guest rapping on his new song Talking/Once Again All four of Ye's children attended the Chicago concert, and he pays ex-wife Kim Kardashian $200K/month in child support as part of their 20/80 custody arrangement Vultures 1 has already managed to offend Ozzy Osbourne, whose 1983 live performance of Black Sabbbath song War Pig was illegally sampled on West's track Carnival (which also name drops Taylor Swift) The estate of the late Donna Summer Instastoried on Saturday that the Chicago State University drop-out allegedly sampled her 1977 disco hit I Feel Love without permission on his track Good (Don't Die) Ye and Ty Dolla $ign will next release Vultures 2 and Vultures 3 independently on March 8 and April 5, respectively, via iTunes, Apple Music, and his YZY website All four of Ye's children attended the Chicago concert, and he pays ex-wife Kim Kardashian $200K/month in child support as part of their 20/80 custody arrangement - according to TMZ. Vultures 1 has already managed to offend Ozzy Osbourne, whose 1983 live performance of Black Sabbbath song War Pig was illegally sampled on West's track Carnival (which also name drops Taylor Swift). 'He is an antisemite and has caused untold heartache to many,' the 75-year-old Godfather of Metal tweeted last Friday. 'I want no association with this man!' The estate of the late Donna Summer Instastoried on Saturday that the Chicago State University drop-out allegedly sampled her 1977 disco hit I Feel Love without permission on his track Good (Don't Die). 'He changed the words, had someone re-sing it or used AI but it's I Feel Love copyright infringement!' the post read. Ye and Ty Dolla $ign will next release Vultures 2 and Vultures 3 independently on March 8 and April 5, respectively, via iTunes, Apple Music, and his YZY website. Heather Locklear's daughter is engaged. On Sunday it was shared on social media that Ava Sambora, 26, accepted a proposal from her boyfriend of five years, Tyler Farrar. They were seen by the ocean in a stunning grassy landing decorated with white flowers as he got down on one knee. Ava had on a white dress with a cardigan and purse on her shoulder as she added strappy white high heels with her blonde hair down as he slipped on the ring. The bauble was a large diamond from Layna Friedman Jewelers. 'Hard launch,' both Ava and Tyler wrote in their caption for the images taken by photographer Maxfield Bonta. He had on a white shirt and sneakers with khaki slacks. Mom Heather hit the like button on the sweet post. Heather Locklear 's daughter is engaged. On Sunday it was shared on social media that Ava Sambora, 26, accepted a proposal from her boyfriend of five years, Tyler Farrar They were seen by the ocean in a stunning grassy landing decorated with white flowers as he got down on one knee Ava had on a white dress with a cardigan and purse on her shoulder as she added strappy white high heels with her blonde hair down as he slipped on the ring Heather Locklear 's daughter is engaged. On Sunday it was shared on social media that Ava Sambora, 26, accepted a proposal from her boyfriend of five years, Tyler Farrar. Heather and Ava at the Scary Movie 5 film premiere in Los Angeles in 2013 Ava and Tyler have been dating for years and often feature each other on social media. She first showed him off in 2019. The Hollywood veteran shares Ava with her second husband, Bon Jovi lead guitarist Richie Sambora, whom she was married to from 1994 to 2007. Ava has been a busy girl with her studies. In May 2023 she earned her master's degree in marriage and family therapy from the University Of Southern California. Ava beamed with pride as she wore her cap and sash that said Class of 2023 while posing on the picturesque campus. Her mom, who attended the graduation, wrote on Instagram, 'Such a proud mama. Congratulations my baby, with your masters in MFT. With your hard work and perseverance and kind hear.' The Los Angeles native explained in her caption that accompanied photos of her at USC. 'Today I will graduate from USC with a Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy!' began Sambora's note that was shared. The bauble was a large diamond from Layna Friedman Jewelers 'Hard launch,' both Ava and Tyler wrote in their caption for the images taken by photographer Maxfield Bonta He had on a white shirt and sneakers with khaki slacks. Mom Heather hit the like button on the sweet post The lovebirds have been together since 2019 The Hollywood veteran shares Ava with her second husband, Bon Jovi lead guitarist Richie Sambora, whom she was married to from 1994 to 2007; the trio are pictured in 2005 Locklear took to Instagram to wish her mini-me daughter a happy 26th birthday in October. The Melrose Place veteran posted several throwback photos to when the blonde was a little baby There was an image where Ava was blowing out the pink and red candles of her chocolate birthday cake Family resemblance: Ava (right) is a dead ringer for her famous mother Heather (left, pictured aged 22 in 1984) 'I am beyond grateful for the past two years and all the wonderful people I met along the way. Cheers to the class of 2023!' she finished. Ava wore a pale gray satin mini dress that showed off her legs as she added nude strappy heels. The star also had on a red and yellow Class of 2023 sash in place and her black cap on. In another image, she wore her black gown while sitting on a field next to mature trees while on the Los Angeles campus. USC costs about $64,000 a year. Good girl: Ava has earned her master's degree in family therapy from the University Of Southern California . She finished in May 2023 The ladies are arm-in-arm at the This Is 40 premiere in LA in 2012 Locklear was memorably on TV's Melrose Place from 1993 until 1999. She also popped back on the new version of the show from 2009 until 2010. Heather was also known for her marriages - she was wed to Pamela Anderson's ex, Tommy Lee, as well as Sambora. This comes after she had a rough patch as she went in and out of rebab in 2018 and 2019; the star appears to be much better these days and more stable. Heather played scheming Amanda Woodward on Melrose Place until the show ended in 1999. (clockwise from top left) Rob Estes, Locklear, Jack Wagner, Jamie Luner, Josie Bissett, Thomas Calabro, Kelly Rutherford, John Haymes Newton It was reported in 2021 that Heather 'couldn't be happier' with her fiance Chris Heisser, with sources saying the couple are 'in a really good place' as they take their relationship to the next level. An insider said: 'Heather and Chris are in a really good place right now. They couldn't be happier. They each go out of their way to make the other feel special - she'll cook for him, he'll buy her flowers, etc.' The star and her fiance are high school sweethearts, and their romance dates back to the 70s, although they fell out of touch and only reunited in 2017. For Heather, the upcoming wedding will be her third. In 2021 she said that she was 'fearful' of her return to television. The actress appeared as Kristine Carlson in the made-for-TV film Don't Sweat the Small Stuff: The Kristine Carlson Story - which is based on the book series by Kristine and her husband Dr. Richard Carlson - and she was apprehensive about her first small screen role in four years. Seen here in 1985 at the start of her career as she modeled a macrame swimsuit Locklear, Adrian Zmed, William Shatner in the 1980s series TJ Hooker 'The challenging part of it was so fearful for me,' she said while speaking to reporters during Lifetime's Fall Movies press event. One emotional scene which sees Kristine learning her husband - played by Jason MacDonald - has died was shot on the second day of filming. Heather turned to Kristine herself to help research the powerful moment, and added: 'She said, "It's almost like a child dying." And that stopped me in my tracks.' Although the star wasn't sure if she'd be able to hit the right emotional level the scene called for, she settled and 'felt very safe'. And while Heather had other concerns about remembering her lines after a few years away, she found it 'so easy' to get back into old habits. She told People: 'I don't know why I was so fearful of memorizing lines, how about getting emotion across.' Kyle Sandilands has buried the hatchet with Barnaby Joyce by defending his late night tumble amid calls for the former deputy prime minister to resign. Daily Mail Australia revealed exclusive video of Joyce, 56, sprawled on the footpath at Lonsdale Street, in the Canberra suburb of Braddon, close to midnight last Wednesday. Radio host Sandilands has been locked in a long-standing feud with Joyce since 2015, after he slammed the politician's decision to give former Hollywood couple Johnny Depp and Amber Heard 50 hours to get their dogs out of Australia or face them being put down. Yet despite their turbulent history, Sandilands chose to defend Joyce on his KIIS FM radio show on Monday by slamming the person who filmed him on the footpath. 'Instead of the guy offering assistance, this sort of TikTok age, the guy thought it'd be funny to film him and not even ask him, "Are you alright?" That's pretty s**t', Sandilands said. Kyle Sandilands, 52, (left) has buried the hatchet with Barnaby Joyce, 56, (right) by defending his late night tumble amid calls for the former deputy prime minister to resign Sources last week said the Nationals frontbencher was sitting on a large pot plant while having an animated phone conversation with his wife, Vikki Campion, when he fell off, 'rolled around' on the ground and continued with his call. Joyce has since blamed mixing prescription medication with alcohol for his behaviour. 'Poor old Barnaby. Now, Barnaby and I had our ups and downs. I've threatened him and I've also supported him,' Sandilands continued on Monday's show. Daily Mail Australia revealed exclusive video of Joyce sprawled on the footpath at Lonsdale Street, in the Canberra suburb of Braddon, close to midnight last Wednesday Sandilands went on to recall how he defended Joyce over starting a secret relationship with his press secretary Vicki Campion, which resulted in the end of his marriage to his first wife. The scandal culminated in the then-Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull instituting a ban on ministers having sex with their staffers, colloquially known as a 'bonking ban'. 'Remember when [Joyce] started rooting his like assistant or whatever, or one of his staffers and everyone said, "Oh, that's horrible"... and then they put the 'bonking ban' in place?' Sandilands continued. 'I was no fan of the bonking band. I love having sex with the staff in the past. I know everyone's had sex with the people they work with,' he jokingly added. 'Instead of the guy offering assistance, this sort of TikTok age, the guy thought it'd be funny to film him and not even ask him, "Are you alright?" That's pretty s**t', Sandilands said. (Barnaby Joyce is pictured with his wife Vikki Campion on Tuesday) Sandilands' feud with Joyce started after the ex-Deputy Prime Minister made an official complaint to the media watchdog in 2015, after the radio host verbally abused him during an on-air stoush. The heated segment, which occurred on KIIS FM in March 2015, related to actor Johnny Depp's dogs Pistol and Boo being smuggled into Australia. Kyle called the then Agriculture Minister a 'wan***', 'loser, 'absolute joke', and a 'gerbil of a thing', before Mr Joyce hung up abruptly. Radio host Sandilands has been locked in a long-standing feud with Joyce since 2015, after he slammed the politician's decision to give former Hollywood couple Johnny Depp (left) and Amber Heard (right) 50 hours to get their dogs out of Australia or face them being put down Mr Joyce gave former glamour couple Johnny Depp and Amber Heard 50 hours to get the dogs out of the country or face them being put down, citing quarantine rules designed to protect Australia from animal-borne diseases. Kyle, no stranger to controversy, was riled up before the interview with Barnaby, saying the minister's comments about the two dogs made Australians look like 'hillbilly redneck losers.' But Sandilands' comments, while disrespectful, were part of a robust exchange of views between the pair and did not breach the industry code according to the media watchdog. My Joyce disputed the ruling, complaining and insisting Kyle should be properly reprimanded for the incident. Fans have accused the BBC for breaking guideline rules during Michael McIntyre's Big Show on Saturday. As Big Brother's AJ Odudu appeared on the pre-recored programme, some viewers questioned her 'subtle plug' of her Google Pixel phone. During the Send To All segment, the former Google Pixel ambassador, 35, stressed to Michael that she preferred a Google Pixel phone, rather than an Apple iPhone. AJ, who was the face of the brand from 2022 to 2023, complained Apple phones are 'too fragile', after Michael pointed out her Google Pixel phone. She said: 'Five times in one week I dropped my phone and smashed it. It was five consecutive days in a row and I thought "I cant have this".' Fans have accused the BBC for breaking guideline rules during Michael McIntyre's Big Show on Saturday As Big Brother's AJ Odudu appeared on the pre-recored programme, some viewers questioned her 'subtle plug' of her Google Pixel phone Fans watching the programme couldn't help but notice the subtle advertisement, claiming it is against the BBC's rules. All advertising must be clearly presented as commercial content. The advertisement must be clear to the audience it is a commercial message as secretive or subtle advertising is prohibited, according to BBC guidelines. Viewers wrote: 'AJ does a television commercial for the Google Pixel phone. This is on the BBC. Whats all that about?' 'Its the fact she actually FRONTS an ad for Google Pixel thats the big no-no here.' 'It stuck out like a sore thumb.' 'Noticed this too'. 'AJ Odudu spoke about her Google Pixel phone being better than an iPhone for about a minute. Clearly against their guidelines interested to see what they say as we were agog!' A BBC Spokesperson said: 'Ahead of broadcast of the programme, it was confirmed to the BBC that AJ Odudu was no longer under contract to promote any smartphone related organisations.' During the Send To All segment, the former Google Pixel ambassador, 35, stressed to Michael that she preferred a Google Pixel phone, rather than an Apple iPhone AJ complained Apple phones are 'too fragile', after Michael pointed out her Google Pixel phone She said: 'Five times in one week I dropped my phone and smashed it. It was five consecutive days in a row and I thought "I cant have this" AJ was the face of Google Pixel from 2022 to 2023 Fans watching the programme couldn't help but notice the subtle advertisement, claiming it is against the BBC's rules on X, formerly known as Twitter AJ showed off her incredible figure in a pink feathered mini dress while appearing on the penultimate episode. She showed off her toned legs and arms in the halterneck dress with a feathered neckline. AJ posed for snaps backstage before making her appearance on the show as part of the amusing segment Send To All. Send To All is a segment of the show where Michael takes a celebrity's phone and sends an embarrassing text to all their contacts. Big Show is filmed at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane and features a host of celebrity guests each episode. Michael, 47, has presented all 43 episodes of the show. Its first episode premiered on Christmas Day in 2015. Just hours before, AJ put on a sizzling display in a blue bikini in stunning holiday snaps from her trip to Jamaica. It comes just weeks before Celebrity Big Brother is expected to return for series 23, its first series since 2018. AJ looked incredible in a feathered pink mini dress on the penultimate episode of Michael McIntyre's Big Show The Big Brother presenter showed off her toned legs and arms in the halter neck dress with a very fluffy neckline Last week AJ Odudu gave fans a glimpse at the Celebrity Big Brother eye ahead of the start of the new series next month Last week, AJ Odudu gave fans a glimpse at the Celebrity Big Brother eye ahead of the start of the new series on March 4. Show fans took to social media to claim the television presenter had posted a black and white snap of the eye logo in a now-deleted Instagram Story. The pictured showed the logo, similar to last year's civilian version with the eye surrounded by emojis, in a tunnel reminiscent of the entranceway to the Big Brother house which featured in the 2023 reboot series. Alongside her case-solving skills, viewers have long admired the clothes worn by Emilia Fox in Silent Witness. From floral dresses to herringbone jackets, the BBC1 drama's forensic pathologist Dr Nikki Alexander dresses flawlessly. And now the Mail can reveal that, in a case of art imitating life, Ms Fox has a personal collaboration with the brand, Wyse London, which makes many of the clothes worn by her character. Ms Fox, 49, has made no secret of her long-running friendship with the brand's owner, Marielle Wyse, 60, and announced in May that she had collaborated on a line selling a pink blazer for 265 and matching trousers for 180. The BBC has strict rules about its talent promoting products on its platform but a spokesman for BBC Studios told the Mail: 'A range of brands are worn across the series, none of which are named or given undue prominence. Clothing is sourced by the costume department and paid for in full.' In one episode of Silent Witness, Emilia Fox wears a floral print top from Wyse London The same floral top is then modelled by Catherine Weller, Wyse's stylist and content creator who bears a resemblance to the actress Ms Fox, 49, has made no secret of her long-running friendship with the brand's owner, Marielle Wyse, 60, and announced in May that she had collaborated on a line selling a pink blazer (pictured) for 265 and matching trousers for 180 A spokesman for Ms Fox has said the actress has no financial benefit from the collaboration and there was no sponsorship deal in place. In the current season of Silent Witness, her character has worn at least one item from the clothing range in every episode. In one episode she wears a floral print top which is seen on the brand's website being modelled by Catherine Weller, Wyse's stylist and content creator who bears a resemblance to the actress. In the first episode of the latest series, shown last month, Dr Alexander wears a 295 berry red Isobel cord dress and 260 dark grey tweed herringbone jacket. In the second she was seen in a 170 sleeveless jumper and a 220 cordless double-breasted jacket. The advert for the pink blazer and matching trousers on the Wyse London website Ms Fox announced the collaboration in May via her Instagram account where she heaped praise on the brand All items are currently available on the Wyse London website. Later in the series, Ms Fox is seen in the berry red dress again, a 165 pink blouse and a 245 flannel jacket. A 275 bluebell dress also became a favourite for Ms Fox during filming. Ms Fox began wearing Wyse outfits on screen in the series which aired in 2022. At the time she was showcasing Wyse via her Instagram account and had been doing so since 2019, when she was pictured wearing a dress from Wyse during her appearance on Celebrity Gogglebox. She later posted a photograph on Instagram and tagged the brand. When her collaboration was announced in May, she said it 'feels like a joyous celebration of our friendship and shared belief in wearing clothes that are stylish, expressive and fun'. A Pennsylvania woman has warned of the potential harms of 'natural' supplements after she developed deadly liver damage within two months of taking a herbal capsule for menopause symptoms. Dental insurance worker Amber Heimbach, 39, described her eyes and skin as 'looking yellow like Marge Simpson' - a recognized symptom of jaundice, which develops when the liver malfunctions. Doctors treating the mom of four concluded that the life-threatening problem appeared to be the result of the black cohosh she'd been taking to combat hormone-related mood swings. The herb, which is found in North American woodlands, has previously been the subject of health warnings from international government agencies - due to its 'toxcity' to the liver. The 39 year-old mother of four developed yellowing skin and eyes two months after she started taking a herbal supplement to combat menopausal symptoms. British Government agencies have issued warnings about the supplement taken by Ms Amber Heimbach, due to its 'toxic' effect on the liver. However, it is marketed as a 'natural health remedy' for menopausal symptoms, costing around $8-13 dollars for roughly 100 capsules. Ms Heimbach's ordeal began in October last year, when she visited her primary care physician for help with pre-menopausal symptoms including mood swings and heavy bleeding. She was offered prescription medication, but instead opted to go down the natural route, purchasing black cohosh from her local drug store. The tablets successfully alleviated her symptoms for nearly two months before she began to feel unwell. Amber, from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, said: 'I know I'm approaching the age of pre-menopause and I was noticing a lot of different symptoms. 'I was having heavy bleeding and emotional ups and downs. I could tell my hormones were out of balance. Prior to taking the supplement, Amber Heimbach was a 'healthy' woman who rarely visited her doctor. Yellowing skin and eyes are hallmarks of jaundice - which happens when the liver stops functioning properly. 'I went to my doctor and they suggested putting me on medication and birth control. I'm a pretty healthy person so didn't feel ready to do that or go on any medication. 'I wanted to go down the healthier route and see if there were any vitamins or supplements I could take to ease some of my side-effects.' Ms Heimbach said she did 'a bit of research' and stumbled on black cohosh which 'helps with stress and gives you an energy boost', according to the advertisements she came across. 'It was natural and over-the-counter so I presumed it would be fine.' Initially, Ms Heimbach noticed some improvement in her symptoms. She said: 'I had less mood swings, I was sleeping better and I had more energy. It was working well.' However by mid-November she began experiencing stomach pains, which seemed to be getting worse and worse. Her skin and eyes began 'looking a bit yellow', prompting her to visit the emergency room. A liver that is working poorly cannot get rid of bilirubin - a substance which, when release, triggers yellowing of the eyes and skin called jaundice. Doctors performed tests and discovered tell-tale signs of an enlarged gallbladder, as well as rocketing levels of enzymes released when the liver is damaged. She was rushed to urgent care and, a few days later, underwent a further barrage of tests to check for any underlying disease that may have caused her liver to fail. Ms Heimbach said specialists explained there was a chance she may need a liver transplant. Black cohosh, which is found in North American woodlands, is sold under the guise of a 'natural' menopause support product 'They were trying to figure out what was happening to me. There were a lot of conversations about getting a liver transplant and also keeping an eye on my gallbladder. 'They were more concerned that my liver was seeping over into my gallbladder. A 2016 report from the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said there has been a growing concern worldwide about the risk of adverse effects on the liver associated with use of black cohosh. The government agency recommended that warnings regarding rare adverse reactions should be added to black cohosh products. 'I just kept thinking 'what is happening to me?,' said Ms Heimbach. 'I'm a very healthy person, I never go to hospital, I go to the doctor once every five years. 'It was scaring me. I was scared about being away from my family and having to go through a liver transplant and whether my body would accept it.' She informed her doctors about the natural supplement she had been taking for the last 50 days which she believed may have been causing her unusual symptoms. 'They were pretty confident that the black cohosh was causing all these issues. All the other tests they were doing came back negative.' A 2020 study published The United States National Library of Medicine (NLM) stated that products labeled as black cohosh has been implicated in many instances of liver injury. Luckily, Ms Heimbach was given intensive treatment and subsequently discharged from hospital, as her enzyme levels gradually returned to normal. But her eyes and skin are still yet to completely lose their yellow tinge, much to the amusement of her family. 'The big joke was that I looked like the highlighter in the family. Some family members said "why don't you get a blue wig, you could be Marge Simpson",' she said. 'They were very loving and trying to help me get through it. If you pull my eyelid down you can still see a bit of yellowness but without doing that, you can't see it anymore now. 'I just feel so blessed I didn't need a transplant. Any woman considering taking supplements, do your research and consult with your doctor. 'I'll never touch it again in my life.' Tata Group firm Voltas is facing a major headwind in Qatar as around Rs 750 crore has been stuck due to delays in the realisation of overdue receivables and execution timelines, said its MD and CEO Pradeep Bakshi. In some projects, bank guarantees were unethically encashed by some contractors, which was an uncalled action to make quick money, derailing the international project business of Tata Group firm in the December quarter, he added. Unprecedented things are happening in that area, especially in Qatar, wherein, unfortunately, our dues are not being paid to us timely, and inordinate delays are happening. We have completed the project and handed it over, and despite that, payments are not made, Bakshi told PTI. Voltas has already approached the Indian government for help on the issue and also approached the Embassy in Qatar. MEP (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) contractor Voltas has completed the projects in Qatar and handed them over as per the contract. However, its bills are not getting certified and paid. There has to be some basic ethics when you do business with your partners... Unfortunately, our payments are not coming. Duty concessions on gold, which accounts for 80 per cent of Indias imports from Peru, is the most challenging issue for New Delhi under the proposed free trade agreement with the South American nation, a report said on Sunday. Economic think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said that gold, a high-value product with low volume, attracts a 10 per cent basic customs duty in India, and even minor tariff concessions could lead to a significant increase in imports. India and the South American nation Peru are negotiating a free trade agreement to promote bilateral trade and investments between the two countries. In such pacts, two trading partners either significantly reduce or eliminate customs duties on the maximum number of goods traded between them, besides easing norms to promote trade in services. The next round of talks is expected to start this week in Lima, Peru. Tariff concessions on gold, accounting for USD 1.8 billion or 80 per cent of Indias imports from Peru in FY23, is the most challenging issue for India, GTRI founder Ajay Srivastava said. He argued that after tariff concessions under the India-UAE free trade agreement, gold imports from the UAE, Indias second-largest gold supplier, doubled in 2023 compared to 2022. Peru, the fifth-largest supplier to India, could see a similar surge in gold imports if concessions are made, the report said. In 2023, Indias global imports of unwrought gold are estimated at USD 43 billion, with Switzerland accounting for 40 per cent of these imports, it said, adding that given Perus gold mines, its gold would easily meet any Rules of Origin criteria. FTAs offer concessions on effective duties rather than on the bound duty. Excluding gold from an FTA would violate the World Trade Organizations Article XXIV, which requires duty cuts on substantial trade for FTAs, Srivastava said. He also said that Indias bound duty on gold is set at 40 per cent, but the current applied tariff is 10 per cent. FTAs allow concessions in effective duties and not on bound duty. If the FTA does not include gold, it may not meet the WTO Article XXIV condition for FTAs to have duty cuts on substantial trade, Srivastava said. Peru has a bilateral trade pact with major economies like the US, EU, China, Australia, and Singapore. It also has multi-country agreements with the Pacific Alliance (Chile, Colombia, and Mexico) and the Andean Community (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador). These FTAs allow tariff-free imports of most products imported into Peru. Despite their significant contributions, women in science still face systemic barriers, including gender bias, unequal representation and limited access to opportunities Yesterday, we celebrated the International Day of Women in Science, a day dedicated to recognising and honouring the achievements of women in the field of science. This annual event serves as a reminder of the invaluable contributions women have made to scientific progress and innovation throughout history. It is an opportunity to highlight their accomplishments, shed light on the challenges they face, and inspire future generations of women to pursue careers in science. Recently, while presenting the interim Budget 2024, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman highlighted that female enrollment in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) courses has reached 43 per cent, which is one of the world's highest figures. She said, "Female enrollment in higher education has gone up by 28 percent in ten years. In STEM courses, girls and women constitute 43 percent of enrollmentone of the highest in the world. All these measures reflect the increasing participation of women in the workforce." She also mentioned the empowerment of women through entrepreneurship, ease of living, and dignity, mentioning, "Thirty crore Mudra Yojana loans have been given to women entrepreneurs." From historic figures like Savitribai Jyotiba Phule, who was the first female teacher of India and founded the first girls school, to Lady Abala Bose, who was the first Indian woman to study medicine at Madras University, to Kamala Sohonie, the first Indian woman to receive a PhD in a scientific discipline, to Ayyalasomayajula Lalitha, Indias first woman engineer, to Shakuntala Devi, who was popularly known as the Human Computer," women continue to leave an indelible mark on the scientific landscape. Today, women scientists are assuming leadership positions in groundbreaking projects like Chandrayaan-3 and the Aditya-L1 solar mission, showcasing their continued influence and expertise in pushing the boundaries of scientific exploration. The Government has taken significant strides to bolster STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education, recognising its pivotal role in driving innovation, economic prosperity, and societal advancement. Initiatives like the Vigyan Jyoti Scheme, spearheaded by the Ministry of Science and Technology, are breaking gender barriers by empowering young girls in STEM fields through exposure and mentorship programs. Additionally, programmes like INSPIRE foster innovation among students through scholarships and research opportunities, while Atal Tinkering Labs nurture creativity and problem-solving skills among school students. The Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan promotes a culture of innovation in schools, bridging the gap between theory and real-world applications. Moreover, the government provides research fellowships and grants, digital learning resources through the National Digital Library, and skill enhancement programmes via Skill India, all aimed at nurturing a skilled workforce and fostering growth in STEM-related industries. These concerted efforts underscore the government's commitment to nurturing a robust ecosystem for scientific inquiry and technological advancement in the country. Women in STEM in India have been steadily challenging stereotypes and contributing significantly to various disciplines. Pioneers like Dr. Tessy Thomas, known as the "Missile Woman of India," have shattered glass ceilings in fields traditionally dominated by men. Indian women researchers are excelling in areas like space technology, biotechnology, and mathematics, making remarkable advancements. Additionally, the government's Vigyan Jyoti scheme aims to encourage young girls to pursue STEM education and careers, fostering inclusivity. Women have made groundbreaking strides in diverse scientific domains, ranging from astronomy and biology to engineering and computer science. Their discoveries, innovations, and leadership have enriched our understanding of the world and advanced technological progress. Women have played a pivotal role in shaping the scientific landscape, yet their contributions have often been overlooked or undervalued. By celebrating the International Day of Women in Science, we aim to rectify this imbalance and bring attention to the remarkable achievements of women scientists. It is crucial to showcase diverse role models in science to inspire young girls and women to pursue their passions and break down the barriers that still exist in the field. While progress has been made, women in science still face numerous challenges. Gender bias, a lack of representation, and unequal opportunities persist in many scientific fields. It is essential to work towards creating a more inclusive and equitable environment for women in science. By providing equal opportunities, mentorship, and support, we can empower women to thrive and contribute their unique perspectives to scientific advancements. Despite their significant contributions, women in science still face systemic barriers. By encouraging and showcasing the achievements of women in science, we hope to ignite a passion for discovery and innovation in young girls. (The writer is an IPS officer and the director RACE Lab, Samvedna India, views are personal) Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday took serious note of TMC member Saket Gokhales raising his voice in the House and warned him against repeating the indecorous behaviour. The Chairman fell short of naming the TMC member when he kept raising his voice in the house during question hour and asked TMC floor leader Sukhendu Sekhar Ray to see him in his chamber during the day. Gokhale had asked a supplementary question on overcrowding of trains and steps taken by the government to increase the capacity of trains. However, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told him that his supplementary question did not pertain to the question since it was related to the implementation of Kotipalli-Narasapur railway project, and asked him to take an orientation course instead. I request your kind self to have an orientation course for the honourable member because when a supplementary question has to be asked, that has to be related to the questions, the minister said. Gokhale took offence to these remarks of Vaishnaw and started raising his voice. Mr Gokhale, your conduct is ignoble, indecorous, against rules. Your party leaders need to enlighten you, the chairman said, asking Sukhendu Sekhar Ray to speak. I am extremely pained. It is expected of the floor leader to enlighten the young member. If he makes it a habit day in and day out, force my hands. This is not a mileage matter. Mr Ray, I strongly appeal to you to take up the matter in your parliamentary party, take up the matter with your leadership. I have the highest regard for all political parties. I want this house to make the government accountable but you cant be a part of the shouting brigade and that is also getting into an absolutely irrational approach, the chairman said. Ray in his response said the question raised by his party member may not be related to the main question, but the minister could have said that since it is not related to the question he is not answering. Instead, he in his excitement said he should take an orientation course. I am not supporting what my member has said. The Chairman said, I would urge Mr Sukhendu Sekhar Ray to make it convenient to see me in the chamber today. I take a very serious view of the matter. Dhankhar said such conduct should not be repeated so that the public time for which the public pays up is not misspent. Meanwhile, Gokhale said the Centre was imposing Hindi over English and other regional languages in government business, holding that this was against the federal structure. Raising the issue during the Zero Hour, Gokhale demanded that English must be used for government business. The TMC member pointed out that, at the start of the current Budget session of the Meghalaya assembly, it was announced that the Governor would deliver his address to the House in Hindi. The BJP leaders in Meghalaya supported this announcement, saying Hindi is our national language, he said. Gokhale said the official language of the state of Meghalaya is English. Gokhale said the government has recently passed three new criminal laws in Parliament and these laws have been given very complicated Hindi names. He urged that English must be used for government business that extends to all of India, including non-Hindi speaking states. After his remarks, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar told Gokhale that he has taken oath under the Constitution. The Chairman said Article 351 of the Constitution provides that it shall be the duty of the Union to promote the spread of the Hindi language. Ahead of the floor test for the newly aligned Nitish Kumar-led NDA Government on Monday, while political parties were busy keeping their members together through sumptuous meals, antakshari, and indoor games, all eyes are also focused on the role of incumbent Speaker Avadh Bihari Chaudhary, an RJD member, and Jitan Ram Manjhi-led HAM, a constituent of the present Nitish regime. Sources indicate that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar himself is apprehensive of potential cross-voting by some of his party MLAs who have reportedly been unreachable since last week. The JD(U) chief is seemingly facing internal dissent within the party for his frequent changes in stance, treating the party as his personal fiefdom, and his recent decision to replace his close confidant and predecessor Lallan Singh as the chief of JD(U). Another former JD(U) president and once a close aide to Nitish, RCP Singh, is also aiming to sideline Nitish from Bihar politics entirely. RCP, who was part of Narendra Modis Cabinet as a JD(U) partner and has now joined the BJP. The Bihar Assembly has a total strength of 243, with the majority mark set at 122. The NDA holds a comfortable majority with 128 seats, comprising 78 from BJP, 45 from JD(U), 4 from Hindustani Awam Morcha, and Independent MLA Sumit Singh. On the other side, led by RJDs Tejashwi Yadav, efforts are underway to woo 14 legislators, as the party remains the largest in the Bihar Assembly with 79 MLAs, followed by the Congress with 19, Left parties with 18, and the lone AIMM also in the Mahagathbandhan. Sources indicate that Manjhi had a meeting with an emissary of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad a day earlier, and now he is attempting to exert his influence with four MLAs in his camp, including the formers son, who was sworn in as part of the newly formed Nitish Ministry. Sources said the RJD has offered Manjhi a Rajya Sabha seat, a Lok Sabha seat, and two Cabinet berths in case the Tejaswi-led front is supported by him. Manjhi had demanded two berths in the newly formed NDA Cabinet. The former Chief Minister, known as a mercurial leader, was apparently keeping his options open. Manjhi himself has disclosed that an Opposition party had offered him the post of Chief Minister but did not reveal which party did so. Sources also said the NDA alliance is planning to move a no-confidence motion against the Speaker an hour before the trust vote. The Speaker had refused to give in to the ruling alliances demands and resign from his post, adding that he would only step down based on the results of the floor test. As per the rules, a no-confidence motion can be brought after 14 days [of giving notice to the Secretary of the Assembly] or on the 14th day. Until then, the Speaker remains in his office. Sunday brought worry for all political parties except for the BJP, as legislators of the RJD, the JD(U), the Congress, the CPIML were playing truant, with some not attending their respective party meetings, not showing up for meals, and worst, some of them keeping their mobile phones not reachable. The biggest headache has come for Nitish as a few of his party legislators were conspicuously absent for the meeting at the residence of senior party leader and Cabinet Minister Shrawan Kumar. An MLA of a Left party (an ally of the RJD-led grand alliance) was said to have met with Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) chief Manjhi at the behest of Lalu. The luncheon meeting at former Deputy CM Tejaswis official residence, where RJD legislators were later joined by their CPIML colleagues, had stated to wait for the Khela Hoga (game plan) when Nitish walked out from the Mahagathbandhan alliance to join BJP. In a statement clarifying the RJD legislators stay-over at Tejashwis residence, party spokesman and Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha said the legislators had decided to spend the next 48 hours together. He also said the RJD MLAs were playing antakshari inside. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said he is confident the BJP will cross the 370 seats mark in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, and even the Opposition leaders in Parliament are saying the ruling coalition will get more than 400 seats. He was addressing a public meeting of tribal community members in Madhya Pradeshs Jhabua district. Modi alleged the Congress was anti-tribal and thought of villages, farmers and the poor only during elections. He said he had got overwhelming love from the people as he visited temples associated with Lord Ram in the South of the country. Aware of their imminent defeat, the Congress and its allies are resorting to last ditch-tactics, the PM said, adding that loot and divide is the motto of the Congress. The Congress when it is in power indulges in loot, while out of power engineers divisions (in society) based on language, region and caste, he said here. The Congress has drowned in its own sins and the more it will make efforts to come up the further it will slide down, the PM asserted. It got decimated in the 2023 (Assembly polls) and will be wiped out in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, he said. The people showed the mirror to the Congress in the Assembly polls. The mood of the nation is similar in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Modi asserted. The PM asked voters to ensure polling of additional 370 votes in each booth, compared to the last elections, for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to win 370 seats, out of the 543 Lok Sabha seats. Even the Opposition leaders in Parliament are now saying abki baar 400 paar for the (BJP-led) National Democratic Alliance (NDA), he said. I am sure the BJPs lotus symbol will cross the 370-mark on its own, Modi said. The PM said he has not come to Jhabua to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, but as the sevak to thank the people for their overwhelming support in the recent Assembly elections. The BJP recently won the Assembly polls in MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh with a thumping majority. Our double engine Government is working with double speed in Madhya Pradesh, he said referring to the Rs 7,550 crore development projects which he launched before addressing the meeting. Targeting the Opposition, he said, The Congress remembers villages, the poor and farmers only during elections, he said. We have started a campaign against sickle cell anaemia not for votes, but for the health of tribals, he said. The Centre last year launched the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Eradication Mission 2047, which aims to address the pressing health challenges posed by the sickle cell disease, particularly among the tribal population. Jhabua is a tribal dominated district which shares borders with Gujarat and Rajasthan, both BJP-ruled States. Incidentally, out of the 47 Lok Sabha seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes across the nation, six are in Madhya Pradesh, four in Gujarat and three in Rajasthan. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP had won 28 out of 29 Lok Sabha seats in MP, including the six reserved for STs, and all 26 in Gujarat and 25 in Rajasthan. In the South, women, children and elderly persons have showered countless blessings on me when I visited temples connected to Lord Ram there. I experienced overwhelming blessings, he added. Attacking the Congress further, the PM said the party never thought of tribal development or respecting them when it was in power for a long time, and treated them only as vote banks. For the BJP, tribals are not a vote bank but the pride and future of the country. Modi guarantees to work for them, he told the gathering. Only 100 residential schools were opened for tribal children during Congress rule (till 2014), while the figure has now increased by four times, the PM pointed out. No tribal children will be deprived of education, he said. Then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee set up a Ministry for Tribal Welfare, Modi said, adding, The Congress did not bother about villages and remained worried about their palaces. Now, local Congress functionaries are asking senior leaders how to go about asking for votes against Modi. They are in trouble. The Congress is in shambles and in MP is seeing desertions, the PM said. The three main political parties in Pakistan on Sunday intensified their efforts for the formation of a coalition Government after it became clear that the coup-prone country faced a hung Parliament after general elections marred by allegations of rigging. The general elections were held on Thursday, but the unusual delay in the announcement of results vitiated the atmosphere as several parties cried foul and some resorted to protests. Former prime minister and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supremo Nawaz Sharif received the backing of the powerful Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir on Saturday for his call for a unity Government to pull Pakistan out of its current difficulties. The Pioneers report published recently that Kerala was fast becoming the graveyard for wild animals is being substantiated by the States Forest Department, an institution set up to protect jungles and wild animals. The entire population in Wayanad district has demanded a death sentence for a wild tusker that killed a 47-year-old man in Mananthawadi, a forest suburb, on Saturday. Residents insist that the Forest Department should eliminate the elephant, either by shooting it or tranquilising and relocating it to a safer area. However, recent incidents prove that the Forest Department does not have qualified veterinary specialists for tranquilising the elephant. A few weeks ago, we saw an elephant known as Thanneer Komban succumbing to a tranquilising shot administered by the Forest Departments veterinary surgeon. No investigation was conducted to determine the cause of the pachyderms death, said V K Venkitachalam, chairman of the Heritage Animal Task Force, an organisation in Thrissur dedicated to wildlife welfare. Venkitachalam noted that the death of Thanneer Komban, reportedly tranquilised by a Government veterinarian, could be attributed to outdated tranquiliser. The tranquilising pistol and drug have expired, and there is no official record indicating the provision of new tranquiliser. Additionally, there is a shortage of qualified veterinarians to tranquilise elephants or other wild animals, he added. The past two months saw a leopard and a wild boar being killed within minutes of receiving tranquiliser shots, which Venkitachalam considers a strange coincidence. A K Saseendran, Kerala Minister for Forest and wild Life, who celebrated his 78th birthday on January 29 remained incommunicado for hours and ordered the tusker be tranquilised at the earliest and shifted to Muthanga Elephant Camp. However, the Minister was non-committal regarding the missions timing. Local residents in Mananthawadi, many of whom reside on forest land allocated to them by regional political parties, blamed the Forest Department for the elephants intrusion into residential areas. Venkitachalam countered, saying the animals habitat has diminished due to the Governments concessions to the forest mafia, who distribute forest land at their discretion. There is a lack of water and vegetation for elephants and other wild animals, prompting them to encroach upon human settlements in search of sustenance. We cannot blame wild animals for their efforts to survive, he said. As a token of goodwill, the Government has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the deceaseds family and employment for the widow of the individual killed by the tusker. Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader V Sugnana Kumari Deo passed away on Saturday while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Chennai. She was 87. Deo, who belonged to the royal family of Khallikote died at 12.44 am, said family sources. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had rushed to the hospital and inquired about her health condition on Friday evening. The Khallikote Queen was first elected to the Odisha Legislative Assembly in 1963 and won a total of 10 times in her long political career from the Khallikote and Kabisuryanagar constituencies. She won eigh times from Khallikote and two times from Kabisuryanagar. Born in Chennai on August 5, 1937, she was elected in 1963, 1974, 1977, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2004, 2009 and 2014. She was first elected in 1963 on a Congress ticket. She won again from 1974 to 1977 as an Utkal Congress MLA and became the MLA of Khallikote for the third time from 1977 to 1980 with a ticket from the Janata Dal. She became an MLA for the fourth time with the same party from 1985 to 1990. She was elected from Khallikote for the fifth time in 1990. She also won the subsequent election as a Janata Dal MLA in 1995. Deo was elected from Khallikote on BJD tickets in 2000, 2004; and as the constituency was reorganised, she was elected for two terms in 2009 and 2014 from Kabisuryanagar on BJD tickets. Though she was a 10-time MLA, she never agreed to become a minister. A five-day training programme on bakery products and industry promotion in collaboration with Uttarakhand Livelihood Mission commenced at Patanjali Training Centre in Samriddh Gram in Haridwar on Saturday. Inaugurating the programme, the additional secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, Charanjit Singh said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi had been repeatedly stressing on the overall uplift and livelihood enhancement of women through activities of self-help groups. He also appreciated the efforts made by Patanjali in this direction, hailing the Patanjali model as ideal for business promotion and livelihood improvement The chief executive officer of Uttarakhand State Rural Livelihood Mission (UKSRLM) Anand Swaroop in his address thanked Patanjali for its collaboration in organising the training camp. Before the programme commenced, Acharya Balkrishna while participating in a high level meeting laid stress on holistic training for village development and business growth. A senior office bearer of Patanjali informed that the participants were being imparted training not just on making biscuits, bread, cakes and the like but also in their branding, packaging, labelling and marketing. He further said that the entire team had visited Patanjali Gramodyog, Food Park and Patanjali Research Institute. In a suspected case of rape and murder, the body of a seven-year-old girl, who went missing in a village in Etah, was recovered by the police from a mustard field on Sunday morning. The victims family members alleged that she was raped before being killed, officials said. Senior Superintendent of Police Rajesh Kumar Singh said prima facie it appeared that the girl was strangled to death. Her family members have alleged that she was raped before the murder, Singh added. According to the SSP, information was received at the Kotwali Dehat police station on Saturday night that a seven-year-old girl was missing since 12 noon from her house in a local village. Quoting the family members, Singh said the girl had gone out around 12 pm to play with her friends. After she did not return for a long time, her family members approached the police. A missing complaint was filed and a police team launched a hunt for the girl with the help of a dog squad, SSP added. Following the trail of the dogs, the police recovered the girls body from a mustard field located near the village on Sunday, he said. Four teams have been formed to uncover the incident. The girls body was sent for post-mortem. The police are waiting for the report to confirm whether the victim was sexually assaulted or not. Meanwhile, police arrested a man on Sunday for allegedly killing his 67-year-old father and 27-year-old adopted sister at their home in the Katra Ghulam Ali locality of Amroha city late on Friday. The 42-year-old accused, Ishank Agarwal, has confessed to killing his father, Yogesh Chand Agarwal, and Srishti, whom the latter had adopted three years ago. Ishank said he had a dispute over property with his father, who had registered half of his property in the name of Srishti. Srishti is the daughter of Yogeshs brother-in-law, Amrohas Superintendent of Police Kunwar Anupam Singh informed reporters while giving details of the case on Sunday. Yogesh Chand Agarwal was the district chief of the Amroha Vyapar Mandal and a patron of the Sewa Bharati, a wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. According to police, Ishank has set up a cardboard trading business and has settled in New Delhi with his wife, Mansi, for the last few years. He used to come to his parental home once or twice in a week and reached Amroha on Friday morning. Ishank filed a complaint of a double-murder at the Kotwali police station against unidentified assailants after the cremation of his father and adopted sister. He informed the police that all the four in the family had dinner together around 11:30 pm on Friday and that he and his wife slept on the first floor while his father and adopted sister slept on the ground floor. He also said that neither he nor his wife could hear any voice during the struggle his father and sister were having with unidentified killers. The police said their investigation revealed that an attempt was made to wipe out stains of blood from the room where the two were found dead. Their throats were slit with a sharp weapon. We have found some blood stains at the staircase leading to the first floor where Ishank and his wife claimed they were sleeping at the time of incident. Fifteen CCTV cameras have been installed in the house but all were not working, which made us suspicious that anyone close to the family could be the killer. We took Ishank into custody on Saturday evening and after a few hours, he confessed to killing his father and the adopted sister, the SP said. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said that no stone will be left unturned in the development of Mandla region. Ayurveda college will be started in tribal dominated Mandla. Along with the medical college of allopathy, the district should also get the benefit of Ayurveda system of medicine. The importance of Ayurveda was evident during the time of Covid, when Ayurvedic kadha saved people from the pandemic. Very soon an Excellence College will also be started in Mandla and students will benefit from the upcoming session. Yadav was taking part in a state level programme held on Saturday at Rani Durgavati College campus in Mandla where he transferred a total financial assistance amount of Rs 1576 crore to 1.29 crore Ladli Behnas of the state. He also transferred an amount of Rs 340 crore to the accounts of 56 lakh 61 thousand beneficiaries availing social security pension, with a single click. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav performed bhoomi pujan and dedicated various development works worth Rs 134 crore. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav also symbolically provided benefits to the beneficiaries of 12 pension schemes. Yadav said that this land is the land of brave women. Rani Durgavati laid down her life for the countrys honour and dignity. Similarly, Rani Avanti Bai also sacrificed her life for the nation. An initiative has been taken through the new education policy to make the students of schools and colleges aware of the sacrifices of such brave women. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that the saga of the valour of such brave women must reach the new generation. Today the statue of Rani Durgavati has been unveiled here. Earlier, on October 5, 2023, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had performed bhoomi pujan in Jabalpur for a special memorial on the 500th birth anniversary of Rani Durgavati based on various aspects of her life. Now this memorial will become an important center to inform the people about the importance of the sacrifice of Rani Durgavati. It's cost is Rs 100 crore. The Chief Minister said that Shree Anna is produced in this area. To benefit its producers, the state government decided to give additional incentive of Rs 10 per kg (Rs 1,000 per quintal) to the farmers. There is a need to encourage the production of Kodo-Kutki. The Chief Minister said that the decisions were taken in the Council of Ministers meeting in Jabalpur to give priority to tribal dominated areas and to honour brave women like Rani Durgavati. Chief Minister Yadav said that development is taking place in all sectors under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Modi who is committed to tribal development. He has worked to benefit the citizens through innovative schemes like Jan Dhan Yojana and many other useful schemes. Prime Minister Shri Modi will meet the tribal community in Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh on Sunday, 11 February. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that there was a time when there was no plan for proper utilization of Narmada water. In the last two decades, proper use of Narmada water for drinking water and irrigation in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat has changed the lives of the citizens. Yadav said that the state government has laid emphasis on celebrating festivals that highlight the importance of Indian culture. In this sequence, a special week was celebrated on the occasion of Makar Sankranti festival last month. Many ancient games were organized in this week, including Kabaddi Kho-Kho, racing, kite flying etc. We should have connection with every festival. Participation of the government along with the common people in celebrating our festivals is being ensured. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that today is Ladli Behna day. The life of every Behna has been made easier with the monthly financial assistance being provided to them. The Bharatiya Janata Party has stressed that ensuring that peace and harmony is maintained and that strict action is taken against the culprits in the Haldwani riot is the priority of the government. Responding to the oppositions reaction to the Haldwani incident, the BJP has stated that the opposition has maintained a silence regarding the miscreants who carried out a deadly attack on the personnel of the police and administration, and media persons on Thursday. The BJP State media in-charge Manveer Singh Chauhan said that the attempt made to disturb the peace in Uttarakhand by criminal elements guilty of encroachment and illegal construction is highly deplorable. The authorities will identify such miscreants and they will face legal action. He also questioned the timing of the demand raised by Congress and INDIA bloc leaders for action on the district officials and an inquiry into the riot by a sitting judge of the High Court. The priority of any government in such a situation is to maintain the peace and order for which the police is working efficiently under chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhamis leadership. The police and investigation agency are also working to act against the culprits and legal action will be taken against all those involved in the riot so that they do not even think about indulging in such crimes in the future. The police have started identifying the accused and some arrests have also been made.As far as the question of action on the district officials and probe by a sitting judge is concerned, a magisterial inquiry has already been ordered into the Haldwani incident. Action will be taken accordingly if negligence or strategic gaps are ascertained by the probe, he said. Chauhan also accused the INDIA bloc of spreading confusion regarding the notice issued for removal of the encroachment. He stressed that a notice had been issued for removal of the encroachment and that the Uttarakhand High Court has maintained its decision regarding the removal of encroachments. Questioning the intention behind the demand of the opposition, he said that it is asking for action on the police and administration but is remaining silent on the encroachers who helped the miscreants carry out such violence. Those who are talking of official carelessness have not once said that breaking the law, attacking the police and government workers with petrol bombs, guns and stones while committing arson is highly deplorable. It is unfortunate that police women were also beaten and that deadly attacks were made even on journalists. It is even more unfortunate that none of the opposition leaders has criticised the miscreants for such attacks. They have not been able to gather the courage to oppose those who carried out the deadly attacks and riot, the BJP State media in-charge added. Taking a dig at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva on Sunday said here the AAP supremo has betrayed Congress as expected, and in doing so his claim to win all seven seats in Delhi might even surprise Mungerilal. Making this assertion, Sachdeva also said until yesterday, Kejriwal was talking about an alliance with Congress to win one or two seats, now he is claiming to win all 7 alone, making a mockery of himself. Sachdeva said Delhi BJP has been continuously saying since 2013 that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is not a trustworthy person, and the way he has used political colleagues and sidelined them, it would not be an exaggeration to say that an old adage - There is none amongst known whom he hasnt cheated - fits on Kejriwal perfectly. The Delhi BJP President said until now, Kejriwal had been deceiving political colleagues like Kiran Bedi, Prashant Bhushan, Kumar Vishwas, Kapil Mishra, Shazia Ilmi, etc., but now he is deceiving other parties like Congress in the name of the Indi alliance. The Delhi BJP President said we have been saying consistently that Kejriwal will not form an alliance with Congress or any other party. Just two days ago he announced to fight alone in Punjab showing his workers the dream of winning all the 14 seats by contesting alone in Punjab and Chandigarh and today Kejriwal has claimed to contest and win all the 7 seats in Delhi, leaving Congress in shock of contesting alone. Sachdeva said the way Kejriwal has forced most of his original party members to quit politics, similarly, he has not spared Congress either by surprising announcement to contest all seven seats alone after long alliance talk. Sachdeva said Kejriwal travels across the country, confusing people with his education and health models along with stories of free electricity, but now the people of the country are well aware of the failure of his schemes and will not be misled anymore. He said among the people across the country, the schoolroom scam has exposed his education model while the fake medicines scam has exposed his healthcare model. People have come to know that most of Delhis electricity consumers, especially those with commercial connections, have to buy the countrys most expensive electricity. Staff Reporter n New Delhi Taking a dig at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva on Sunday said here the AAP supremo has betrayed Congress as expected, and in doing so his claim to win all seven seats in Delhi might even surprise Mungerilal. Making this assertion, Sachdeva also said until yesterday, Kejriwal was talking about an alliance with Congress to win one or two seats, now he is claiming to win all 7 alone, making a mockery of himself. Sachdeva said Delhi BJP has been continuously saying since 2013 that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is not a trustworthy person, and the way he has used political colleagues and sidelined them, it would not be an exaggeration to say that an old adage - There is none amongst known whom he hasnt cheated - fits on Kejriwal perfectly. The Delhi BJP President said until now, Kejriwal had been deceiving political colleagues like Kiran Bedi, Prashant Bhushan, Kumar Vishwas, Kapil Mishra, Shazia Ilmi, etc., but now he is deceiving other parties like Congress in the name of the Indi alliance. The Delhi BJP President said we have been saying consistently that Kejriwal will not form an alliance with Congress or any other party. Just two days ago he announced to fight alone in Punjab showing his workers the dream of winning all the 14 seats by contesting alone in Punjab and Chandigarh and today Kejriwal has claimed to contest and win all the 7 seats in Delhi, leaving Congress in shock of contesting alone. Sachdeva said the way Kejriwal has forced most of his original party members to quit politics, similarly, he has not spared Congress either by surprising announcement to contest all seven seats alone after long alliance talk. Sachdeva said Kejriwal travels across the country, confusing people with his education and health models along with stories of free electricity, but now the people of the country are well aware of the failure of his schemes and will not be misled anymore. He said among the people across the country, the schoolroom scam has exposed his education model while the fake medicines scam has exposed his healthcare model. People have come to know that most of Delhis electricity consumers, especially those with commercial connections, have to buy the countrys most expensive electricity. The east central railway has cancelled a number of pair trains on the Daltonganj route. The important cancellation is Sasaram Ranchi express train. It stands cancelled for its Up and Dn journey from Feb 15 to 23 said the Daltonganj railway station superintendent Umesh Kumar. Again Palamu express train for Patna and back will not come and go from Daltonganj for the same period Feb 15 and 23. It will run on a diverted route. Rajdhani Express train and Garib Rath train will come and go to/ from Daltonganj but will take a diverted route for the period Feb 15 and 23. However trains like Passenger Shuttle, GDR and BDM passenger trains will remain cancelled for Up and Dn journey from Feb 15 to 23. Umesh Kumar said Barkakana Dehri On Sone passenger train stands cancelled from today Feb 11 till 23. The cancellations is all due to non interlocking work going on. End Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Saturday, said that good governance in Uttar Pradesh was a result of extensive reforms carried out by his government rather than an overnight development. Addressing the Good Governance Day 2024 programme held virtually in New Delhi, Chief Minister Yogi said that Uttar Pradesh stood as a model of good governance in the country today. Outlining the developmental strides made by the state in the last few years, Chief Minister Yogi underscored the contrast with previous governments which perpetuated societal divisions based on caste, creed, region and language. He said: Uttar Pradesh had the potential earlier also, but the previous governments failed to make good use of it. We have empowered the impoverished through a multitude of schemes, fostering self-reliance among them. Highlighting Indias potential to lead globally, the chief minister commended the organisers for orchestrating the two-day Good Governance Mahotsav 2024 at the Dr Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi. He lauded the event for embodying the prime ministers vision of a developed India. The chief minister asserted that India, in the last decade, has emerged as a beacon of progress globally, capable of leadership even in challenging times. Furthermore, he mentioned the improvement in the domestic security landscape and the effective crackdown on corruption through the JAM Trinity (Jan Dhan, Aadhaar and Mobile), alongside ensuring last-mile delivery of government schemes through direct benefit transfer (DBT). Yogi Adityanath lamented the historical denigration of Indian traditions but expressed satisfaction in witnessing the global embrace of practices like Yoga, symbolising a revival and recognition of Indias ancient wisdom, attributing it to Prime Minister Narendra Modis initiatives. He said: The vision of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat is being realised today. As many as 193 countries of the world celebrate 21st of June as International Yoga Day. By connecting with this sage tradition of India, the whole world expresses gratitude towards our traditions. All this has been possible because of Prime Minister Modi. The chief minister elaborated on ongoing development projects, emphasising infrastructure and connectivity enhancements in Uttar Pradesh, alongside significant strides in law and order enforcement. He stressed the importance of effective implementation and monitoring of schemes, lauding the governments adept utilisation of technology and commitment to transparent governance. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath unveiled the states ambition to nurture a burgeoning entrepreneurial ecosystem, with a target of grooming one lakh young entrepreneurs annually. He highlighted initiatives like interest-free loans of up to Rs 5 lakh for new entrepreneurs and the states transition from a BIMARU state to a revenue surplus one, fostering a conducive environment for industrial investment. The chief minister said that investment proposals worth Rs 40 lakh crore were received during the UP Global Investors Summit last year, and they would create employment opportunities for 1.30 crore youths. The chief minister also talked about the CM Internship Scheme and the Pledge Park Scheme. While discussing the improved connectivity in the state, the chief minister said that soon UP would become the first state in the country to have 21 airports. UP has the maximum number of expressways, he added. The event witnessed substantial turnout of youth invitees, including among others Jayant Kulkarni, executive director of Ram Bhau Mhalgi Prabodhini, Dr Vinay Sahastrabuddhe, Gorangdas, Abhay and Chitra. Moving ahead in the direction of implementation of the provisions of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) bill in Uttarakhand the State government has constituted a nine-member committee headed by former chief secretary Shatrughna Singh. The members of the committee are additional secretary, Legal, Sudhir Singh, deputy inspector general of police (Training) Barinderjeet Singh, vice chancellor of Doon University Surekha Dangwal and social worker Manu Gaur. The additional secretaries of Personnel, Panchayati Raj, Urban Development and Finance will be four ex-officio members of the committee. Former chief secretary Singh, Dangwal and Gaur were also the members of the five- member expert committee set up by the State government on UCC. The governor of Uttarakhand lieutenant general (retd) Gurmit Singh has given his approval for setting up the committee headed by former the CS. The committee will prepare the draft of different regulations related with the UCC bill. The draft will include different procedures and provisions for easy implementation of the UCC. The constitution of the committee highlights the resolve of the Pushkar Singh Dhami government on UCC. It will be recalled that Uttarakhand created history when the UCC bill was passed by the Vidhan Sabha on February 7. The UCC bill mandates similar laws of marriage, divorce, maintenance and succession in all the religions and communities in the State. While the scheduled tribes have been kept out of purview of the bill, the UCC endeavours to reform social evils such as child marriage, polygamy and Talaq. The UCC will make the registration of marriage compulsory and bans second marriage of individuals in case of either husband or wife being alive. The UCC makes no discrimination between legitimate and illegitimate children. Registration of live-in relationships has been made mandatory in the UCC and children born out of such relationships will have all the rights accorded to children born from a marriage. A delegation of the INDI Alliance and civil society met the governor lieutenant general (retd) Gurmit Singh at Rajbhawan on Saturday. The delegation demanded that a judicial probe or inquiry by a High Court judge should be ordered to investigate the recent Haldwani violence. The delegation was led by Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Karan Mahara who had visited the affected areas of Vanbhulpura in Haldwani on Friday. Mahara requested the governor to intervene to restore peace and communal harmony in the State. The delegation submitted a memorandum to the governor on the occasion. The leaders in the memorandum said that a free and fair inquiry is needed to find the cause of the violence of such a large scale. The delegation said that the government should either order a judicial inquiry or the investigation should be done by a serving or retired judge of the HC. The leaders pointed out that prima facie serious questions on the failure of administration; haste and use of force have come up in the incident. The memorandum stated that from last one year the anti-encroachment campaign is under the scanner as complaints of action without serving notice and partisan action have been received. The leaders also opined that severe retribution by the police in the name of dealing with the situation should have been avoided. The delegation requested the governor that he should direct the government to act within the ambit of constitution and law. The delegation included PCC vice president (Organisation) Mathura Dutt Joshi, chief spokesperson Garima Dasauni, Mahanagar president Jaswinder Gogi, Amarjeet Singh, national secretary of Samajwadi Party SN Sachan, CPI leader Samar Bhandari, CPI-Ms RS Negi, CPI ML leader Indresh Maikhuri, AAP leader Ravindra Anand, Kamla Pant and others. Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav has expressed grief over the demise of senior journalist Rakesh Agnihotri's father and social worker RN Agnihotri. CM Yadav has prayed for peace of the departed soul and to give strength to the bereaved family to bear this loss. Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla also expressed profound grief over the demnise of RN Aggnihotri. Shukla in his condolence message stated that late Agnihotri was a soxcial worker and respected in the society. He prayed for the peace to departed soul. He breathedh is last at his home town Nawgong in Chhatarpur district. The last rites would be performed in Nowgong on Sunday morning. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will be visiting the Ram temple in Ayodhya on Monday. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener will be accompanied by his wife and parents. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will also accompany him on the visit to the holy town, which is witnessing heavy footfall since the grand consecration ceremony last month. Kejriwal had earlier said he had not received a formal invitation for the pran pratistha ceremony that was held on January 22. He had also said he wants to visit the temple with his family and would prefer to go later. Lakhs of people from across the country are visiting the temple since it was opened to the public after the consecration ceremony led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Leaders cutting across party lines are also visiting the holy town. Although invited to the consecration ceremony at the temple that took place on January 22, Kejriwal said his preference was to visit the temple later with his parents, wife, and children. Kejriwal had mentioned during the consecration ceremony that the Delhi government would strive to organise special train services to Ayodhya. The consecration ceremony of Lord Ram Lalla at Ayodhyas temple took place on January 22, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducting the rituals alongside a team of priests. Acharya Satyendra Das is the chief priest of the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Temple in Ayodhya. Ahead of the proposed farmers Delhi Chalo March on February 13, the Delhi Police has banned large gatherings in the north east district in the national Capital and tight security is being maintained on all borders of Delhi. To prevent farmers from Haryana and Punjab from reaching the Delhi border, the Delhi Police has started preparations, and large cranes and containers have been placed at the borders. If farmers attempt to enter the Delhi border by crossing Haryana and Punjab in any way, the border will be sealed with cranes and containers. The police conducting exercises to practice firing tear gas shells in case farmers refuse to cease their activities to prevent a repeat of the January 26, 2021 incident, in which protesting farmers clashed with cops on the Capitals streets. There are reports that at least 20,000 farmers with 2,000 tractors are set to enter Delhi day after tomorrow. These farmers are from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka. Intelligence agencies fear ant-social elements can enter the agitation and disrupt law and order. Information has been received that some farmer organisations have given a call to their supporters to gather/march to Delhi on 13th February for their demands of the law on MSP and others. They are likely to sit at the border of Delhi till their demands are met. In order to avoid any untoward incident and to maintain Law & Order, a precautionary Order of section 144 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, is required to be issued to save the lives and property in the area, Delhi Police said. A large number of farmers from Haryana and Punjab , Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan are expected to march towards the national capital on Tuesday under their Delhi Chalo March organised by around 200 farmer unions. Cranes have been deployed to move these barriers if farmers try to cross into Delhi. Delhi Police have anticipated that some farmers may use other public transport available, in order to hoodwink, the Delhi Police. According to Delhi Police intelligence estimate, some farmers may also come beforehand and gather outside the homes of VIPs such as the Prime Minister, ministers and BJP leaders. We have imposed Section 144 of the CrPC (prohibitory orders). Information has been received that some farmer organisations have given call to their supporters to gather/march to Delhi on February 13 for their demands of law on MSP. No one will be allowed to breach law and order situation, according to an order issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (northeast) Joy Tirkey. The order said the farmers are likely to sit Delhi borders till their demands are met. Keeping in view the kind of behaviour and adamant approach farmers showed during protests in the past, there is a possibility of mobilisation/activities of farmers/supporters from their respective districts to Delhi along with Tractor/Trolleys/Arms. Farmers will also come from Haryana, Punjab, UP, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, MP and other possible area, it said. A precautionary order of section 144 is required to be issued to save life and property in the area, avoid any untoward incident and maintain law and order, the communication said.There are five different points in the order like prohibit gathering of general public at all borders between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh and nearby areas in the jurisdictional area of northeast District. Prohibit entering of tractors, trolleys, buses, trucks, commercial vehicles, personal vehicles, or horses etc, carrying protestors in Delhi from Uttar Pradesh. Order that the northeast district police shall make all efforts to prevent protestors from entering Delhi. Order that no person or protestor shall be allowed to bear arms, including firearms, swords, trishul, spears, lathi, rods and the police shall make all efforts to detain these persons on the spot. Order that any person found to be acting in contravention to this order shall be liable to be punished under section 188 of the IPC, said the DCP. Bracing for the agitation, police are fortifying Delhis border with Uttar Pradesh and Haryana with barricades and by deploying more than 5,000 security personnel. On Thursday, farmers from Uttar Pradesh went on a sit-in demonstration on the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway as police blocked their protest march to Delhi, resulting in massive traffic chaos. We are in contact with our counterparts in Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh to know that how many farmers organisations will join the protest and number of expected people. We have proper arrangements to deal with any law and order situation, said a senior Delhi Police officer. Proper security plan has already been chalked-out. Borders will have multi-layer security check points. Vehicles entering the national capital will be checked properly. We had already installed barricades at different border of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Police personnel will be in anti-riot gears, said the police officer. According to Delhi Police intelligence estimate, some farmers may also come beforehand and gather outside the homes of VIPs such as the Prime Minister, ministers and BJP leaders. The intelligence report also highlighted that farmers unions had conducted 40 rehearsals before the scheduled march, out of which 10 were conducted in Haryana and 30 in Punjab. In Punjab, the majority of the rehearsals were held in the Gurdaspur district. The intelligence report further added that farmers can come to the national capital by car, bike, metro, rail, or bus.Farmers from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, and Karnataka are expected to participate in this agitation. In addition, over 100 meetings have been organised by the farmer organisations in connection with the agitation, the report mentioned. It further added that anti-social elements may participate in this agitation and disrupt law and order. The report also said that some farmers may gather outside the residences of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda, and senior BJP leaders before entering Delhi. he annual fee has been fixed for 1 to 301 or more beds hospital. The proposal to charge an annual fee of Rs 10000 for a hospital with 1 to 15 beds and Rs 5 lakh for a hospital with 301 or more beds were among several decisions at BMC budget presentation on Saturday. Number of beds in nursing home and hospital annual license fee would be 1 to 301 beds starting from Rs 10000 to Rs 5 lakh. Mayor Rai while presenting budget that BMC will give a one-time rebate of 6 percent property tax on installing solar panels before March 31. This exemption will be given in the financial year 2024-25. The opposition created a ruckus about the interim budget. Leader of Opposition Shabista Zaki said that there is no provision in the interim budget. Replying to how many BCLL buses are running in the city and how many times their maintenance has failed, how many rupees have been spent on it? MIC member Manoj Rathore replied, 'A total of 368 buses are running in the city. Its management, maintenance and operation is done by the bus operator company. A question has been raised regarding the protection of the lake.' On this, Yeti said, 'DPR has been made at a cost of 62.50 crore rupees for the protection and beautification of the zones, which is still under consideration. MIC member Rajesh Hingorani replied, 'The LED light gets damaged due to technical reasons. If the LED is defective during the warranty period, the concerned contractor immediately replaces it. The leader of the opposition said, '4 crore worth of lights have been purchased. If the guarantee is in hai to them kyon nahin change ja raha hai? He said that lights and goods were stolen from Nehru Nagar costing Rs 50 lakh. Leader of Opposition Shabista Zaki said, 'Let answer be read . The people of the city want to hear the answer. Mayor or tyranny will not work.' On the agreement of the President, the Congress councilors went to their seats and sat down. He asked the mayor to respond verbally. After this the question period started. Earlier, the leader of the opposition told the media that due to the poor condition of the Municipal Corporation, it could not collect from 2016-17. If the situation was bad then twelve and a half percent was deducted from the employees, there is no account of that either. He had to collect it. This is abuse of employees. Now, when the employee retires, he will get his full GPF fund. But, the day the corporation deposits the amount, it will get interest from that day. At least 34 hearings were held in this case. He did not appear in that either. Nagar Nigam Leader of Opposition Shabista Zaki said there is no provision for the interim budget. A question has been raised regarding the protection of the lake.' On this, Yeti said, 'DPR has been made at a cost of 62.50 crore rupees for the protection and beautification of the zones, which is still under consideration. MIC member Rajesh Hingorani replied, 'The LED light gets damaged due to technical reasons. If the LED is defective during the warranty period, the concerned contractor immediately replaces it. The leader of the opposition said, '4 crore worth of lights have been purchased. If the guarantee is in hai to them kyon nahin change ja raha hai? He said that lights and goods were stolen from Nehru Nagar costing Rs 50 lakh. In a landmark development to strengthen Odishas position in the electric vehicle (EV) sector, a mega-scale integrated electric vehicle and EV battery manufacturing project will be set up in the State. In this regard, the JSW Group signed an MoU with the State Government to establish mega EV plants in Cuttack and Paradip. The agreement was inked in the presence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. While at Cuttack there would be EV vehicle and component manufacturing plants; at Paradip a copper smelter and a lithium refinery would be set up, said a release from the Chief Ministers Office (CMO). This historic moment marks JSW Groups strategic entry into Odisha, amidst competitive offers from other states, the CMO release stated. The ambitious project, with an investment of Rs 40,000 crore, would help create over 10,000 jobs for youths. Further, the JSW Groups commitment to skilling the local workforce would ensure that the benefits of this industrial growth are widespread, enhancing the employability of youths in cutting-edge manufacturing processes. CM Naveen Patnaik said, This day marks a great leap forward in our journey towards industrial excellence and sustainable development. The project would catalyse the growth of MSMEs, spurring the development of a vibrant ecosystem of ancillary industries and also heralds Odishas significant entry into the ever-growing automobile industry sector in India, he said. JSW Group Chairman Sajjan Jindal said JSW chose Odisha for its first EV unit due to the State Governments unparalleled support to industries. Odisha has all the potential to become a one-trillion-dollar economy, Members of the Uttar Pradesh assembly will have darshan of Ram Lalla in the newly-consecrated temple in Ayodhya Dham on Sunday. The members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies are expected to go to Ayodhya Dham on Sunday. They will return to Lucknow by Sunday evening. Samajwadi Party president and leader of opposition Akhilesh Yadav was also invited by the Speaker Satish Mahana to come along, but he turned down the invitation saying he will go to Ayodhya on the call of Bhagwan Ram. All the MLAs and the ministers will assemble at Vidhan Bhawan and leave for Ayodhya Dham in luxury buses arranged by the UP State Road Transport Corporation. Ram dhun will be played in the buses during the journey from Lucknow to Ayodhya Dham. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will reach Ayodhya by air on Sunday morning. Speaker Satish Mahana urged the MLAs to use only the buses for the journey to Ayodhya and avoid private vehicles as there will be parking problems in Ayodhya. Ahead of the 2024 elections, popular Ollywood actor Manoj Mishra joined the Congress on Saturday. He joined the party in the presence of Congress in-charge for Odisha Ajoy Kumar, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Sarat Pattanayak and Congress Legislature Party Leader Narasingha Mishra. Manoj Mishra hasnt joined Congress with any expectation. However, the party will treat him respectfully and make sure that he serves the people. The decision regarding giving him a ticket for the elections will be taken by the party high command, said Narasingha Mishra. In his reaction, Manoj Mishra said, Earlier, I wanted Odia cinema to reach national level. Now, I have joined Congress with a desire of ensuring Odishas excellence at national level. I am here to serve the people of western Odisha who have been neglected. I didnt join BJD or BJP because the parties are in power in the State and at the Centre, respectively, and I wouldnt have been able to raise the issues of my region, he said. I have come to serve, not to do politics. My wish is not to contest elections but to work for the state and my region, he added. Caspers Construction in Beatrice has been operating the community for 50 years. Gene Caspers grew up in the Auburn area and previously worked for another construction company for about 13 years. I was traveling a lot and my daughter, Deanne, was about three and half years old, he said. I needed to be home. Gene and Elsie started the business on March 1, 1974. Deanne Caspers-Moon said she grew up in the business. I remember we had a landline telephone, and I answered a lot of Caspers Construction phone calls from the house when I was a young child, she said. The construction company builds commercial clients and highway construction. They work in an area around 90-100 miles surrounding Beatrice so they can be home every night. Weve done a lot of buildings in the Industrial Park like Exmark, Neapco and Accuma, Gene said. Weve worked with Sampson on the hospital and the additions. Also, the YMCA and the additions. Deanne came back to the family business in 1999. I really enjoy it, she said. Gene recently turned 80 years old and comes into work every day. He has no intention of retiring anytime soon. He wants to stay active. Its all Ive ever known, he said. Im really proud of the business and the family we have here. The company employs approximately 15 people. We are fortunate to have guys who have been with us for over 20 years, Deanne said. Were all family. One employee just retired after 38 years, and a couple have been with Caspers Construction for over 30 years. Gene said there have been several changes in the industry over the years. There are so many things that were done by hand and now theres equipment, Gene said. Equipment has gotten more advanced through the years, Deanne said. Deanne said they have tried to be community partners. The community has been very good to us, she said. "We have tried to be a community partner and give back. Were so thankful for our community, our employees and our subcontractors. Caspers Construction was being recognized by Behlen Buildings as one of the top five builders in the country. The meeting was being held in Tucson, Arizona in February. An orientation program was organized on Saturday for the students pursuing PG courses in various departments of Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Center (BMHRC). Dean Academics Dr Rajneesh Joshi attended the program as the guest of honor whereas Director In-charge, BMHRC, Dr Manisha Shrivastava and Registrar of Madhya Pradesh Paramedical Council, Sheloj Joshi were present as special guests. First of all, Dr Surbhi Sahay, Associate Dean (Academics) of BMHRC, informed the invited guests and students about the various postgraduate courses running in BMHRC and the facilities available here. Dr. Manisha Shrivastava, Director In-charge , BMHRC, highlighted that the facilities provided to the students in BMHRC are being increased. Students have high expectations from us and we are confident that we will live up to the expectations of the students. Students should complete their studies without any stress. There will be no problem in their career development. Try to do your best work in the course in which you have taken admission.Addressing the PG students, Dr Rajneesh Joshi informed that while doing PG, you will also have to do a research project and before starting research work, it is important to understand its basic principles. There are four pillars of a research project- Autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence and legality. First of all, get the consent of the patients being included in the research. Keep the language of the consent form simple so that it can be understood easily. Put yourself in the patient's place and make decisions. Don't hide any information from them regarding your research. Be sure to inform the patient about the benefits of the treatment and the risks associated with it. Also make sure that he or she is mentally capable of participating in the research. Do not reveal personal information of patients involved in research and also assure them of this. Make sure that your research does not harm any patient's health. Assess thoroughly whether the treatment being given in connection with the research can be of any benefit to him or not. Finally, check whether the research work you are doing is correct from the point of view of law or not. No one's rights should be violated by it.The special guest of the program, Sheloj Joshi told the students that they are very fortunate that they are doing their post graduate course in BMHRC. Corporators gathered to attend the interim budget meeting of Bhopal Municipal Corporation on Saturday. As the meeting started, a pilgrimage tour was announced for all 85 corporators and six aldermen. The tour will include Ujjain's Mahakaleshwar Temple and Ayodhya's newly inaugurated Ram Lalla Mandir, said BMC chairman Kishan Suryavanshi. As the discussion began, Congress corporator Shrine Khan raised questions on safety at a firecracker shop in Bhopal after a hazardous blast at a cracker's factory in Madhya Pradesh's Harda, which killed 13 people and left 200 injured. Mayor Malti Rai in an attempt to avoide the question, said she would rather give a written reply than answer in the municipal meeting. Irked, Congress corporators trooped to the House and started raising slogans. BJP corporator Devendra Bhargava alleged that Employee Provident Fund (EPF) of BMC staff has not been deposited between 2016 to 2020, however it was deducted at rate of 12 per cent from their salaries. He said Rs 20 crore was deducted from employees but BMC did not deposit the fund. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to kickstart the Lok Sabha election campaign in Madhya Pradesh from the Ratlam-Jhabua Scheduled Tribes (ST) constituency tomorrow. This move underscores the BJP's focus on garnering support in tribal-dominated areas. The Bhil and Bhilala tribes, with their significant influence across 10-12 districts in western Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat, are at the centre of this strategy. PM Modi is scheduled to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for development initiatives totalling approximately ? 7,500 crore. The focal point of this campaign is a grand janjatiya rally near Gopalpura airstrip in the Bhil-dominated district of Jhabua in western Madhya Pradesh. Preparations are going on to accommodate at least one lakh people. Historically, the Congress party has predominantly won the Ratlam-Jhabua ST seat, securing victory 14 out of 18 elections and by-elections since 1952. However, the BJP has made inroads, winning the seat in 2014 and 2019. The political landscape of this constituency has long been shaped by two prominent Bhil figures. First is Dilip Singh Bhuria, who won the seat five times for the Congress from 1980 to 1996 and once for the BJP in 2014. The other is Kantilal Bhuria, a former Union Minister and state Congress chief, who also won the seat five times for the Congress between 1998 and 2015. In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, Kantilal Bhuria was defeated by the BJP's first-time MLA Guman Singh Damor by a margin of over 90,000 votes. Despite the BJP winning only three of the eight assembly segments in this constituency during the 2018 state elections, their performance improved in the 2023 state elections, winning four segments and narrowly losing another. The Ratlam-Jhabua ST and Guna seats, traditionally Congress strongholds in Madhya Pradesh, were captured by the BJP in the 2019 national election, buoyed by the Modi wave, even as the state had a Congress government. Notably, Jhabua's strategic importance lies in its potential to influence tribal voters in neighbouring districts of Gujarat and Rajasthan, making it a key battleground in the BJP's electoral strategy. Lohardaga police has succeeded in solving the mystery of the case of shooting of Kudu market secretary cum former PACS member Santosh Kumar Manjhi alias Manglu and arrested four of the six criminal including the main conspirator behind the crime. The arrested crime personnel include Satyajit Kundan, Ritesh Kumar Bharti, Vijay Ram Pawar, Aman Singh. Raids are being conducted at various places to arrest two others. Superintendent of Police Haris Bin Zaman told in a press conference on Saturday that on 04.02.2024, Santosh Kumar Manjhi alias Manglu, sensor of Kudu Bazar Tand under Kudu police station, was shot dead by unknown criminals. In this regard, a case related to conspiracy to murder was registered in Kudu police station. Thereafter, to uncover the murder, an SIT team was formed under the leadership of Assistant Superintendent of Police (IPS) and SDPO Lohardaga and a raid was conducted to arrest unknown criminals. And the said crime personnel were arrested. The arrested criminals admitted to killing Santosh Kumar Majhi alias Manglu due to personal rivalry. The mobile phone used in the incident, the money found in the murder conspiracy and the car and motorcycle used in the incident were seized from the criminals. Among the above accused, Satyajit Kundan had the Apple company's 11 Pro Max mobile phone used in the incident. One Plus mobile phone used in the incident, TVS motorcycle and Rs 1000 left after spending in the murder conspiracy were found from Ritesh Kumar Bharti, a mobile phone of Real Me company was used in the incident from Vijay Ram Pawar. A phone, a white Honda car and Rs 2500 left after being spent in the murder conspiracy were found from Aman Singh, itel company's keypad mobile used in the incident, the sky blue vat he was wearing at the time of the incident was a murder. Rs 1500 left after spending was found in the letter and a red glamor motorcycle used in the incident has also been recovered. The raid SIT team included Assistant Superintendent of Police, SDPO Ms. Shraddha Ferketta, Sadar police station in-charge Inspector Anil Oraon, Kudu police station in-charge Vishwajeet Kumar Singh, SI Dhananjay Kumar Paswan, SI Holika Sima Technical Branch, SI Dinesh Prasad Mehta, ASI Sanjay Kumar, Sanjay Kumar, Soldiers and technical team were involved. Delhi Congress on Sunday said that the BJP Government should be ashamed of the fact that the Pragati Maidan tunnel, constructed at a whopping cost of `777 crore, and which the Prime Minister inaugurated with much fanfare, has now turned out to be a monument of shame, as a year after its inauguration, the tunnel has become a potential threat to commuters. He said after the glamour of G20, Pragati Maidan Tunnel is now going to prove dangerous for the passengers. Delhi Congress president Arvinder Singh Lovely on Sunday said that the tunnel was the finest example of the amritkaal of the corrupt under the BJP rule, as flawed design and hasty construction of the tonnel, has made it unusable and dangerous. He said that if a prestigious, Centrally-funded project could be so recklessly executed under the very nose of the BJP Government in the national Capital, what would be the fate of such projects elsewhere in the country? Lovely said that after squandering hundreds of crores of rupees of tax payers money for the construction of the Pragati tunnel, the Public Works Department of Delhi, which was given the job to execute the project, which in turn engaged L&T for the work, was now engaged in a mutual blame games while the commuters suffer. He wondered if there was a design flaw in the project, why wasnt it detected before the construction work began? Railways has taken action in the case of cockroaches in the food of Vande Bharat Express running from Rani Kamalapati railway station to Jabalpur. Railways and IRCTC have fined the contractor. A fine of around Rs 45000 has been imposed on the contractor. The complaint of finding cockroaches in the food was made directly to the Prime Minister by a passenger on social media. Actually, Dr. who lives in Jabalpur. Shubhendu Keshari was traveling from Rani Kamalapati Railway Station to Jabalpur in Vande Bharat Express train number 20173. That's when a cockroach was found in his food. After the complaint, the case reached Delhi from Bhopal and Jabalpur. After Keshari's complaint, the Railways took cognizance of the fact that passengers have complained many times about Vande Bharat food before this. The cockroach was found February 1, 2024. Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) also took the post seriously and responded to the passenger on behalf of IRCTC on the passenger's 'unpleasant experience' during the journey. He also apologized. Pictures of this thali have also been shared in a post shared by the passenger on social media 'X'. The catering contract is still with the same contractor. On this incident, railway officials say that Itarsi's company supplies food to Vandebharat Express. Jabalpur Mandal fined Rs 25,000 and IRCTC fined Rs 20,000 on the contractor on the passenger's complaint. However, the catering contract is now with the same contractor. Railways after the incident, considering the seriousness of the matter, we have imposed a fine of around 25000 on the caterers. Apart from this, IRCTC has imposed a separate fine in this regard so that such incidents do not reoccur. Under the Community Policing Program initiated by the District Police, a group of students hailing from remote rural areas affected by militancy, residing within the Gudabandha police station area, were given the opportunity to embark on a tour of Jamshedpur city. This initiative aimed to foster a closer bond between law enforcement officials and the community, while providing the students with exposure to urban life beyond their immediate surroundings. Details of the Program:The excursion, organized by the District Police, facilitated an enriching experience for the students, allowing them to explore various facets of Jamshedpur city. Accompanied by police personnel, the students visited prominent landmarks, educational institutions, and cultural hubs within the city. Interaction with Authorities:During the tour, the students had the privilege of meeting with Kishore Kaushal Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and Rishab Garg Superintendent of Police (SP) (Rural), where they had the opportunity to engage in insightful discussions. These interactions provided the students with valuable insights into the workings of law enforcement agencies and the importance of community engagement in maintaining peace and security. Impact and Significance: The Community Policing Program not only served as a means to bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community but also empowered the students with knowledge and exposure beyond their immediate environment. By fostering such initiatives, the District Police aim to instill a sense of trust, cooperation, and mutual understanding between the police force and the residents of remote rural areas affected by militancy. The tour of Jamshedpur city under the Community Policing Program proved to be a transformative experience for the students from remote rural areas. It not only broadened their horizons but also strengthened the bond between the police and the community, laying the foundation for collaborative efforts in ensuring peace and security in the region. Such initiatives underscore the proactive approach of the District Police in fostering positive relationships and empowering communities to combat challenges effectively. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Saturday, hailed the economy of the state, stating that it was the second largest in the country. He said that UP was contributing more to the countrys gross domestic product (GDP) under his government, adding that his government had pulled the state out of the BIMARU Rajya category. Inertia and lack of vision was the hallmark of the previous governments in Uttar Pradesh and they lacked the instinct to work for the development of the state, the chief minister said while replying to the general debate in the state assembly on Saturday. He added, Development, farmers, youth, women and poor were nowhere in the priority list of the previous government while the Bharatiya Janata Party government has more than doubled the size of the annual budget in seven years. The economy of UP is the second largest in the country. The contribution of UP to the countrys GDP has increased. We have pulled UP out of the status of BIMARU state. This has happened without imposing any taxes on the people. The cost of diesel and petrol is the least in UP, he said. Invoking Lord Ram, the chief minister said, The first budget of our government was dedicated to Ram and the eighth budget was also dedicated to Bhagwan Ram as navya, bhavya, divya mandir has been constructed in Ayodhya. We have worked for everyone without discrimination. When our government presented its first budget in 2017, we had said that it would be dedicated to Lord Ram. It is our luck that as we present our eighth budget, the Ram temple in Ayodhya has been constructed and the Pran Pratishtha ceremony has been completed. Lord Ram is the symbol of lok mangal, he said. The chief minister said that the resources of the state government should be used for the welfare of the people of the state and this was the idea of Ram rajya. The states money should be made available to its people without any bias. This is the idea of Ram rajya.... Earlier, the method of pick and choose was adopted, he said. The chief minister said with strict financial discipline, the state government had succeeded in doubling the GDP of the state. He said the size of the budget had not increased with the increase in outlay, the per capita income of the people had also increased. He said the target of the government was to fill the gap between the national average of per capita income and states income. The chief minister said till 2017, the states GDP was between Rs 12-13 lakh crore and it had now more than doubled. He said the share of UP in national GDP had increased to 9.2 per cent and it should be equal to our share in national population 10 per cent. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also hit out at leader of opposition Akhilesh Yadav and accused him of impoverishing the state during his tenure. In the five years of your tenure you gave a failure state but we made a secure state. You looted millions and we will give the state one trillion, he said addressing Akhilesh Yadav in the assembly. His statement was followed by a round of applause from the treasury benches. The chief minister also criticised Akhilesh Yadav for not accepting the invitation of the speaker to visit Ayodhya for the Ram temple consecration last month. The chief minister said Akhilesh Yadav had problems with the fact that India had become the fifth largest economy in the world. He has doubts that the country has become the fifth largest economy; he also has a problem that Uttar Pradesh has become the number one state, he said. When Akhilesh Yadav interjected, the chief minister said, You have already denied the offer of the speaker. You dont want to go to Ayodhya and you often go to Britain and you know who books your tickets. The chief minister also welcomed the bestowing of Bharat Ratna on the late Chaudhary Charan Singh, saying, The development work done by Chaudhary Charan Singh as chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and as prime minister of the country is memorable. His honour is the honour of the farmers of the country. Charan Singh brought in revenue changes and it is because of his work that farmers are central to the policies of the government today, he added. The chief minister took a jibe at the fissure between the alliance between Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Lok Dal, whose president, Jayant Chaudhary, the grandson of Chaudhary Charan Singh, has apparently been warming up to the BJP since the announcement of the countrys highest civilian award. He said, I hoped that when the leader of the opposition was speaking he would remember Chaudhary Charan Singh. But the crack could not be fixed. Led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana, over 325 legislators of Uttar Pradesh, barring those from Samajwadi Party, offered prayers to Lord Ram at his newly-consecrated grand temple at Ram Janmabhoomi complex in Ayodhya on Sunday. Grateful for this spiritual journey, the legislators expressed their appreciation for Chief Minister Yogi for extending this opportunity to them. Along with the ministers and legislators from the ruling coalition, members of Bahujan Samaj Party, Rashtriya Lok Dal and Congress also joined in the collective reverence for Lord Ram. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who joined the legislators in Ayodhya after arriving from Pune, visited the Ram temple with them and paid obeisance, as people in the temple complex chanted Jai Shri Ram. In a post on X, Yogi Adityanath said he along with his colleagues in the government offered prayers at the grand and divine temple of Prabhu Shri Ram Lalla. In a 14-minute video shared on X by Yogi Adityanath, some legislators, including Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana, were seen singing the bhajan Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram. Some legislators sat on the stairs of the temple and posed for group photographs. Enthusiasm was visible among Ayodhyas residents who showered flowers as the legislators arrived in the temple town in 10 buses. Wives of some of the legislators also accompanied them. Some of the leaders who visited the Ram temple on Sunday included Raghuraj Pratap Singh of Jansatta Dal Loktantrik, OP Rajbhar of Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party, Aradhana Mishra of Congress, Umashankar Singh of BSP and Rajpal Singh Baliyan of RLD. Speaking to reporters after visiting the Ram temple, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said, Got the much-awaited and divine darshan of Lord Ram Lalla. May the devotees of Lord Ram get His blessings, and in 2024 (Lok Sabha elections), the (Narendra) Modi government is formed (at the Centre), and 400-plus seats are bagged. May the figure of 300-plus seats be achieved (by the Bharatiya Janata Party) in UP in 2027 (assembly polls). Speaking to reporters in Ayodhya, Principal Secretary (Home) Sanjay Prasad said the group did not visit the Hanuman Garhi temple located near the Ram Mandir due to paucity of time and owing to the crowd there. On the Samajwadi Party declining the trip, Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak and Maurya said it was because they had ordered firing on Ram bhakts and this was part of their minority appeasement politics. For many, this pilgrimage marked a historic milestone, culminating in the realisation of a dream cherished for centuries, the construction of a grand temple of Lord Ram. The unity displayed by the government and legislators from across the political spectrum was hailed as a momentous occasion, attributing it to Chief Minister Yogis visionary leadership. Such camaraderie, they noted, would be etched in the annals of history, alongside the contributions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Reflecting on the profound significance of the pilgrimage, the legislators expressed overwhelming emotions and shared anecdotes of their anticipation leading up to the journey. Some took the opportunity to lament the absence of Samajwadi Party and its leader Akhilesh Yadav, criticising their decision not to partake in the darshan of Lord Ram. In interviews with the media, legislators from various parties conveyed their sentiments of reverence and gratitude. Congress MLA Aradhana Mishra reminisced about her longstanding connection with Awadh, considering the pilgrimage as an auspicious and deeply personal moment. BSP MLA Umashankar Singh commended the governments arrangements and emphasised his partys commitment to secularism, denouncing any politicisation of the pilgrimage. NISHAD Party president and UP minister Sanjay Nishad described the occasion as monumental, underscoring the emotional significance of reconnecting with Lord Ram after many years. Expressing gratitude, BJP MLA Ritesh Gupta said, I am fortunate to get the opportunity to have the darshan of Lord Ram Lalla. After the Pran Pratishtha ceremony, everyone wanted to visit Ayodhya and have a darshan. Today, because of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, all the MLAs will be travelling to Ayodhya together. BJP MLA Sarita Bhadauria said, I consider myself very lucky that I got the opportunity to go to Ayodhya. I am fortunate enough to get the darshan of Ram Lalla. Our whole generation is lucky. RLD leader Rajpal Balyan acknowledged the decision as good, leading them together for the visit. When asked about the Samajwadi Partys refusal to visit Ram temple in Ayodhya, he responded, They had refused even when there was a conference in Varanasi involving leaders from across India. If they are still not going today, it is their decision. We, being Hindus and followers of our faith, are going today. Jansatta Dal Loktantrik MLA Raghuraj Pratap Singh said, Just look at the happiness on each and every face here. It is a big honour not only for me, but all the legislators (who are going to Ayodhya)." Speaking to reporters before leaving from Lucknow, Speaker Satish Mahana said, This is a matter of faith. Nobody could be forced to visit the darbaar of any God. If a person has not come due to various reasons, then it is his matter. He expressed his joy at being part of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mukti Andolan. The buses carrying the legislators left for the Ram Janmabhoomi temple from Vidhan Bhawan on Sunday morning. The legislators were chanting Jai Shree Ram as they gathered outside the Vidhan Bhawan before leaving for Ayodhya. Arrangements for the Ayodhya visit were made by Minister of State for Transport (Independent Charge) Dayashankar Singh, an official statement said. The Uttar Pradesh government, in its green energy initiative, has announced plans to construct one million tonne per annum (mtpa) green hydrogen production capacity. This ambitious project is expected to create 1,20,000 fresh employment opportunities. The groundwork for this transformative endeavour was laid during the UP Global Investors Summit in February 2023, where the state received investment proposals totalling a remarkable Rs 2.73 trillion for green hydrogen plants from 20 leading companies. These proposals, a testament to the states attractiveness for sustainable investments, have set the stage for Uttar Pradesh to emerge as a frontrunner in the burgeoning green hydrogen market. Green hydrogen, produced by utilising renewable energy in an electrolyser to break down water, stands as a beacon of sustainable innovation. This process ensures that the production is free from carbon emissions, aligning with global efforts to combat climate change. Furthermore, the states vast network of rivers provides a unique advantage, as water plays a pivotal role in the production of green hydrogen. The global green hydrogen market, estimated to reach $90 billion by 2030, represents a colossal opportunity for Uttar Pradesh. The sector is projected to grow at an impressive compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 54 per cent during 2021-2030, having been valued at $1.83 billion in 2021. This move positions Uttar Pradesh not only as a leader in sustainable energy but also as a key player in the global green hydrogen landscape. In addition to the ambitious production targets, Uttar Pradesh is gearing up to establish two Centres of Excellence (CoE) dedicated to research and innovation in green hydrogen. These CoEs, falling under the purview of the UP New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA), will contribute to advancing the states technological capabilities in this cutting-edge field. The green hydrogen policy being formulated by the state will offer a comprehensive package of investment incentives. These include benefits on capital outlay, land availability, power transmission, and more, reinforcing the commitment to make Uttar Pradesh an attractive destination for green energy ventures. UPNEDA Director Anupam Shukla said, The Green Hydrogen Policy 2023 is poised to usher in large scale green hydrogen production in the state. The policy has been crafted to provide financial incentives to relevant enterprises, beyond the ease of doing business. He added, To promote green hydrogen/green ammonia production and this sector in the state, the government has prepared a draft of Uttar Pradesh Green Hydrogen Policy 2023. The process to get the said draft policy approved by the government is in the final stage. For the establishment of pumped storage hydro plants in the state, action is being taken to identify sites and implement them. For this work, the process has been started to set up nine projects with a total proposed capacity of about 12,000 MW by five developer companies. Bioenergy and solar energy portal has been developed by UPNEDA for effective and transparent approval of projects. Developers can register their projects through these portals for state government approval. All approvals are given through this portal. An online process for issuing No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the production of biodiesel from biodiesel projects has also been launched. The policy aims to increase hydrogen blending in regions where green hydrogen is consumed, facilitating a seamless integration into existing energy ecosystems. It is anticipated that the policy will pave the way for the establishment of carbon dioxide recovery units, effectively utilising carbon produced from biogas and other industries. NEW YORK Even as Catholic dogma continues to repudiate same-sex marriage and gender transition, one of the most prominent religious orders in the United States the Jesuits is strengthening a unique outreach program for LGBTQ+ Catholics. The initiative fittingly called Outreach was founded two years ago by the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit who is one of the country's most prominent advocates for greater LGBTQ+ inclusion in the Catholic Church. Outreach, a ministry of the Jesuit magazine America, sponsored conferences in New York City in 2022 and 2023, and last year launched a multifaceted website with news, essays and information about Catholic LGBTQ+ resources and events. On Tuesday, there was another milestone for Outreach the appointment of journalist and author Michael O'Loughlin as its first executive director. O'Loughlin, a former staff writer at online newspaper Crux, has been the national correspondent at America. He is the author of a book recounting the varied ways that Catholics in the U.S. responded to the AIDS crisis of the 1980s and 90s Hidden Mercy: AIDS, Catholics, and the Untold Stories of Compassion in the Face of Fear. O'Loughlin said he's excited by his new job, viewing it as a chance to expand the range of Outreach's programs and the national scope of its community. Its an opportunity to highlight the ways LGBT people can be Catholic and active in parishes, ministries and charities," he said. Theres a lot of fear about to being too public about it. ... I want them to realize theyre not alone. O'Loughlin says his current outlook evolved as he traveled to scores of places around the U.S. to promote his book, talking to groups of LGBTQ+ Catholics, and their families and friends, about how to make the church more welcoming to them. Those conversations made O'Loughlin increasingly comfortable publicly identifying as a gay Catholic after years of wondering whether he should remain in the church. Its doctrine still condemns any sexual relations between gay or lesbian partners as intrinsically disordered." The latest expansion of Outreach occurs amid a time of division within the global Catholic Church as it grapples with LGBTQ+ issues. Pope Francis, a Jesuit who has met with Martin and sent letters of support to Outreach, has made clear he favors a more welcoming approach to LGBTQ+ people. At his direction, the Vatican recently gave priests greater leeway to bless same-sex couples and asserted that transgender people, in some circumstances, can be baptized. However, there has been some resistance to the pope's approach. Many conservative bishops in Africa, Europe and elsewhere said they would not implement the new policy regarding blessings. In the U.S., some bishops have issued directives effectively ordering diocesan personnel not to recognize transgender people's gender identity. Amid those conflicting developments, Martin and other Jesuit leaders are proud of Outreach's accomplishments and optimistic about its future. There seems to be deep hunger for the kind of ministry that were doing, not only among LGBTQ Catholics, but also their families and friends, Martin said by email from Ireland, where he was meeting last week with the the country's Catholic bishops. Pope Francis has been very encouraging, allowing himself to be interviewed by Outreach and sending personal greetings to our conference last year, Martin added. Perhaps the most surprising support has been from several bishops who have written for our website, as well as some top-notch Catholic theologians who see the need for serious theological reflection on LGBTQ topics. Martin will remain engaged in Outreach's oversight, holding the title of founder. The Rev. Brian Paulson, president of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States, evoked both Jesus and the pope when asked why his order had embraced the mission of Outreach. Pope Francis has repeatedly called leaders in the Catholic church to emulate the way Jesus spent his ministry on the peripheries, accompanying those who had experienced exclusion, Paulson said email. I think the work of Outreach is a response to this invitation. Paulson also said he was impressed by Martin's grace and patience in responding to the often harsh criticism directed at him by some conservative Catholics. There was ample evidence of Outreach's stature at its conference last June at a branch of Fordham University in New York City. The event was preceded by a handwritten letter of support sent to Martin by Pope Francis, extending prayers and good wishes to the participants. Its a special grace for LGBTQ Catholics to know that the pope is praying for them, Martin said. Another welcoming letter came from Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York. It is the sacred duty of the Church and Her ministers to reach out to those on the periphery, he wrote to conference attendees. 25 LGBTQ+ people who changed the course of history 25 LGBTQ+ people who changed the course of history Julius Caesar Alexander the Great Leonardo da Vinci Isaac Newton Chevalier d'Eon Walt Whitman Oscar Wilde Emily Dickinson Lili Elbe Virginia Woolf Wilfred Owen Josephine Baker Frida Kahlo Alan Turing Bayard Rustin Billie Holiday James Baldwin Gore Vidal Andy Warhol Harvey Milk Tab Hunter Jackie Shane Divine Marsha P. Johnson Freddie Mercury When devotion and power mingle, shackles of slavery shatter, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Sunday, describing Maharashtra as a land of both. Addressing a gathering on the eighth day of Shri Geeta Bhakti Amrit Mahotsav organised in Alandi, Pune, Chief Minister Yogi said: It was here that Guru Samarth Ramdas provided his guidance to the brave Chhatrapati Shivaji. When devotion and power mingle, the shackles of slavery shatter. This is what we have witnessed in Ayodhya with the construction of a grand and divine Ram temple after 500 years of bondage. With the company of saints and the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we all have been witnesses to the historical date of 22nd of January. The new and grand Ayodhya is inviting you all. During the ceremony, Yogi Adityanath presented an angavastra and an idol of Lord Ganesha to Swami Govind Dev Giri, along with releasing a souvenir commemorating the saints life. He was also honoured by Shankaracharya Vijayendra Saraswati with traditional angavastra and prasad. Reflecting on the occasion of Swami Govind Dev Giris 75th birth anniversary, Yogi Adityanath expressed his admiration for the saints lifelong dedication to Vedic Sanatan dharma and his invaluable contributions to Hindu society. Yogi Adityanath shared his long-standing desire to visit Alandi, a place he had read about in his childhood while studying the Dnyaneshwari. He stated: At the age of just 15, Pujya Dnyaneshwar ji Maharaj did the work of showing a new path to the devotees by preaching Dnyaneshwari. In just 21 years, the revered Dnyaneshwar ji Maharaj had done the work of spreading the spirituality of India across the globe by taking Sanjeev Samadhi. He praised the spiritual legacy of Maharashtra, exemplified by luminaries like Samarthguru Ramdas and Chhatrapati Shivaji, whose valour and devotion continue to inspire. Highlighting the significance of Maharashtras history of bravery, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath mentioned the Defence Industrial Corridor of Uttar Pradesh, named in honour of Veer Chhatrapati Shivaji, underscoring the enduring spirit of resistance against oppression. Yogi Adityanath added that when he became the chief minister of UP, the name of the Mughal Museum being built in Agra was changed to Chhatrapati Shivaji Museum. He also talked about how Chhatrapati Shivaji made Aurangzeb suffer with his bravery. Expressing gratitude for the event, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath extended an invitation to all attendees to visit Ayodhya, the site of the grand Ram temple, symbolising the triumph of devotion over adversity. The event was attended by notable figures including Swami Ramdev, Mahamandaleshwar Swami Avdheshanand of Juna Akhara, Swami Chidanand Saraswati, Swami Rajendradas, and other esteemed guests, alongside a multitude of devotees and citizens. Yogi offers prayers at Sanjeevan Samadhi Pune (PNS): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited the Sanjeevan Samadhi temple of Pujya Dnyaneshwar Maharaj in Pune on Sunday morning and offered prayers. Swami Govind Dev Giri Maharaj welcomed Yogi Adityanath at the temple. On this occasion, Maharashtra ministers Chandrakant Patil and Dilip Walse Patil as well as UP Jal Shakti Minister Swatantradev Singh were present. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath offered flowers at the Sanjeevan Samadhi of Dnyaneshwar Maharaj and worshiped him as per the rituals. He also met the saints present there. On behalf of the temple, a picture of revered Dnyaneshwar Maharaj ji was presented to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The saints honoured Chief Minister Yogi by presenting the idols of Shri Ram, Janaki and Lakshman. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge Sunday hit out at the Modi government, accusing it of "destroying" 'kisan' and 'jawan' in the 10 years of its regime. Extending his party's support to farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' call, Kharge claimed that the central government has not issued any notification on repealing the three farm laws yet. In 2020, a large number of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, held a year-long protest on Delhi's border points -- Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur -- against the three now-repealed farm laws. These laws were -- The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act. Kharge was addressing the convention of Punjab Congress workers here ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. In his address, Kharge said former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri's slogan, "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan" fits best in Punjab. He said the state is unique as it is only here that both 'jawan' and 'kisan' are found. He said that at some places there are 'kisan' but no 'jawan', and in some places there are 'jawan' but no 'kisan'. "But the Modi government destroyed both 'jawan' and 'kisan' in the last 10 years," he alleged. He said that farmers had protested at the Delhi borders against the farm laws. "But they (the Centre) suspended the three farm laws. They did not issue any notification of repealing it," he claimed. "Where is the notification of repealing these laws?" he asked. The Congress president accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of calling farmers' names and describing them as "terrorists" and "andolan jeevis" (those who thrive on agitation) in a derogatory manner. Referring to the farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' call on February 13, Kharge congratulated farmers for heading to the national capital for their rights and extended his party's support to them. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha had announced 'Delhi Chalo' march by more than 200 farmers' unions on February 13 to press the Centre for accepting several demands, including enactment of a law to guarantee a minimum support price (MSP) for crops. Kharge alleged that Rs one lakh crore allocated for the agriculture sector had "lapsed" as the Modi government did not spend it on agriculture. He said Rs 40,000 crore allocated for the 'Fasal Beema Yojana' was "pocketed" by private insurance companies. Besides, for the first time in independent India's history, farmers were paying tax of Rs 25,000 per hectare, he claimed. Kharge further alleged that the Modi government was not filling about 30 lakh vacancies in various government departments and public sector undertakings. He alleged that Prime Minister Modi does not want the scheduled castes, the scheduled tribes and the backward classes to get 50 per cent reservation in jobs. He said the big industries set up under the public sector by former PM Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru were being handed over to "one single friend" of the prime minister. Responding to Modi's question as to what the Congress did, Kharge said, "We built dams, brought white and green revolution and set up institutions like the Punjab Agriculture University". He challenged the BJP and PM Modi to name a single such thing they had done for the country. Taking a jibe at the prime minister, he said sometimes Modi flags off a single train twice, first from south and second time from the north. Meanwhile, Congress leader Navjot Singh was conspicuous by his absence. In a post, Sidhu wrote, "We welcome @kharge saheb to the pious land of the Great Guru's... Every worker of the Congress looks up to his guidance today and as Supreme Commander of the grand old party his wish will be our command !!!" Among those present included Congress Punjab affairs in-charge Devender Yadav, Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, former chief ministers Charanjit Singh Channi, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal among others. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Free Report) had its price target boosted by Barclays from $680.00 to $810.00 in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, Benzinga reports. They currently have an overweight rating on the stock. Several other equities analysts also recently commented on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. restated an overweight rating on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Wednesday, November 8th. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $763.00 to $805.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday. BMO Capital Markets lifted their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $710.00 to $865.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday. StockNews.com raised Eli Lilly and Company from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Friday, November 3rd. Finally, Truist Financial reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a $650.00 target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a report on Wednesday, November 29th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and seventeen have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Eli Lilly and Company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $621.81. Get Eli Lilly and Company alerts: View Our Latest Analysis on Eli Lilly and Company Eli Lilly and Company Price Performance Shares of Eli Lilly and Company stock opened at $740.16 on Wednesday. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $620.02 and its 200-day simple moving average is $581.02. Eli Lilly and Company has a 52 week low of $309.20 and a 52 week high of $745.70. The company has a market capitalization of $702.64 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 127.61, a PEG ratio of 2.10 and a beta of 0.32. The company has a quick ratio of 0.82, a current ratio of 1.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.59. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 6th. The company reported $2.49 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.30 by $0.19. Eli Lilly and Company had a return on equity of 50.78% and a net margin of 15.36%. The business had revenue of $9.35 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.95 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.09 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was up 28.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts expect that Eli Lilly and Company will post 12.52 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Eli Lilly and Company Increases Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 8th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 15th will be paid a dividend of $1.30 per share. This is a boost from Eli Lilly and Companys previous quarterly dividend of $1.13. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 14th. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.70%. Eli Lilly and Companys dividend payout ratio is currently 77.93%. Insider Activity In other news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 78,573 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $648.07, for a total transaction of $50,920,804.11. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 99,333,810 shares of the companys stock, valued at $64,375,262,246.70. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 195,055 shares of company stock valued at $125,254,657. 0.13% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Buckhead Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 0.7% in the 4th quarter. Buckhead Capital Management LLC now owns 2,104 shares of the companys stock worth $1,226,000 after purchasing an additional 15 shares in the last quarter. Levin Capital Strategies L.P. increased its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 3.8% during the 4th quarter. Levin Capital Strategies L.P. now owns 415 shares of the companys stock worth $242,000 after buying an additional 15 shares during the last quarter. Clearwater Capital Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 1.3% during the 4th quarter. Clearwater Capital Advisors LLC now owns 1,202 shares of the companys stock worth $701,000 after buying an additional 15 shares during the last quarter. JGP Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 0.9% during the 4th quarter. JGP Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,843 shares of the companys stock worth $1,074,000 after buying an additional 16 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cassia Capital Partners LLC increased its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 1.8% during the 3rd quarter. Cassia Capital Partners LLC now owns 951 shares of the companys stock worth $511,000 after buying an additional 17 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 81.38% of the companys stock. Eli Lilly and Company Company Profile (Get Free Report) Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, and markets human pharmaceuticals worldwide. It offers Basaglar, Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog U-100, Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix 50/50, insulin lispro, insulin lispro protamine, insulin lispro mix 75/25, Humulin, Humulin 70/30, Humulin N, Humulin R, and Humulin U-500 for diabetes; and Jardiance, Trajenta, and Trulicity for type 2 diabetes. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Eli Lilly and Company Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Eli Lilly and Company and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The competition to kill the most animals is something that its recent years has become a flashpoint for many of us who care about wildlife and are tired of the abuse that people put on them, when life alone is tough enough for so many species. Part of the charm of such killing contests to rural residents is that it is part of their image of being self-reliant. Though killing hundreds of animals, only to dump them in the trash is symbolic of wanton-waste, none of it reflects this desired image of self-reliance, but rather cruelty. Every year, in America more than 60,000 animals from coyotes to racoons, to prairie dogs are slaughtered by people eager to win an often-impressive prize in terms of cash or guns, scopes etc. Today, some allow night killing, others reward the heaviest animal killed, some for the lightest. The bottom line is the winning group has often used night vision, calling devices and bait. Some sit in warmed huts elevated in trees to slaughter innocent animals that come in to feed on a carcass. Other contests focus on crows and even wolves. According to Wildlife Biologist Bob Crabtree, who studied coyotes in Yellowstone for many years and recently published a paper making clear that the Integrated Patch Occupancy Model (Ipom), used for counting wolves, was completely not reliable and overcounts to the tune of 150%, has stated if a rancher wanted to control coyotes, they would need to kill 70% of them in their range, something that is not going to happen. If not, then coyotes will build back bigger than before. The very groups that put theses contests on can be churches, police departments, stockmen and sportsmen groups and the usual method is to support some worthy charity to cut down on public outcry. The upcoming Coyote Derby in Huntley, Feb. 15-17, is another example with funds going to the Highway Patrols, Hope Foundation. The Highway Patrol answers to the state Attorney General Austin Knudsen, who is an avowed predator hater. The other issue with such derbies is the fact that livestock interests promote them as a means of helping cattle men and women. Science show conclusively otherwise. What continues to be so wrong is the fact that people are making big money in this slob hunting adventure. Some states have come to understand that this is not hunting, for there is no real fair chase, much like trapping. These include, Arizona, California, Colorado, Maryland, Vermont, Oregon, Washington and New York which have banned such contests. In Montana and Idaho, we have bounties, which in effect are wildlife killing contests. Sponsored by the Foundation for Wildlife Management and co-paid by taxes of the citizens of Idaho. They produce outrageous and non-scientific facts to draw a large membership of mostly slob hunters and trappers, that refuse to deal with the science that wolves and predators are not ending elk and deer; last year was proof, with record numbers of both in Montana. Some of these contests occur on public lands, others on private, but public pressure is the most important tool to stop this madness. What we know is that wildlife killing contests need to be banned in all 50 states. We can and must fight back and let our voice be heard by the attorney general and those that think flagrant killing of wildlife is fun. When in reality these are people devoid of soul and morality. In the interim, go to Bvconservation.org for more information. A lawsuit accusing the Standing Rock jail of dehumanizing treatment and an unauthorized strip search of a Native American woman known for rescuing others stuck in sex trafficking has been dismissed. On Feb. 6, 2021, Lissa Yellow Bird-Chase, who is a registered member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, alleged she was treated in a dehumanizing fashion while at the Standing Rock jail after she was arrested in Corson County, South Dakota. The county borders Sioux County in south-central North Dakota, where Fort Yates and the jail are located. In the original lawsuit, Yellow Bird-Chase said she was driving a client she rescued from sex trafficking to a rehabilitation center when she was pulled over for speeding in Corson County. The sheriffs deputy initially told Yellow Bird-Chase she would get off with a warning, but the officer then asked to search her vehicle for drugs, to which she said no, according to court documents. Yellow Bird-Chase admitted to having a little baggie of marijuana and a pipe she used for lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, but deputies found used needles and an empty baggie on the passenger, court documents state. Yellow Bird-Chases case was dismissed Jan. 31 with prejudice in U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota. "With prejudice" means it is permanently dismissed. The same day, Yellow Bird-Chase and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Schoepf and Melissa Burkland agreed that the case would be dismissed and both parties would pay their own costs. The American Civil Liberties Union of North Dakota filed the lawsuit on Sept. 28, 2022, against the U.S. government. It alleged the Bureau of Indian Affairs officers assaulted, humiliated and dehumanized Yellow Bird-Chase when she was taken to the Standing Rock Detention Center in Fort Yates. Yellow Bird-Chase was forced to strip in front of six BIA officers in a place that had people coming and going, and was forced to crawl, according to court documents. Later, she was taken to a drunk tank, where she was held for 16 to 18 hours despite passing a Breathalyzer test and offering to do further testing, according to the lawsuit. Yellow Bird-Chase is broken and feels "exploited," she told The Forum. It was dismissed at my request. First, all the pertinent videos were overwritten even though there were multiple requests for preservation. Second, to that of my witness, the person who was with me at that time was murdered last fall, and her case remains unsolved, Yellow Bird-Chase said. North Dakota U.S. Attorney Mac Schneider contradicted Yellow Bird-Chase's statement, saying staff in his office takes their jobs seriously and that the videos exist but are under seal. "We let our public filings in court speak for themselves, and those public filings cite directly to video evidence produced in this case," Schneider said. In May 2023, the ACLU of North Dakota filed a motion to withdraw from the lawsuit after viewing that video, which is currently sealed as evidence in the case. They seek leave to withdraw in light of information they recently acquired through discovery, privileged information they acquired during their review of this discovery, and a recent breakdown in attorney-client communications, court documents stated. The United States responded by saying that video evidence they produced contradicts most if not all of the allegations made by plaintiff in her complaint, and having now reviewed the evidence, plaintiffs counsel wants out. The court granted the ACLU of North Dakotas request to withdraw as counsel. Now that Yellow Bird-Chases case is over before it was ever heard, there is nothing more she can do, she said. They talked to the witness who verified my claims, but without video or witness, its over," she said. KILLDEER, N.D. Tom Murphy said the money he expects to lose from his investments in the Agridime cattle company is substantial but its not gonna break me. Still, he worries about neighbors, especially younger ranchers who put money into what federal investigators have now labeled a Ponzi scheme taking money from investors to pay off earlier investors, until the scheme collapses. The young guys are the ones that are going to be in trouble, he told the North Dakota Monitor. Murphy said he knows of others in North Dakotas Dunn County who borrowed against their property to invest in Agridime literally betting the farm. Most, but not all, are ranchers like Murphy, who has about 250 head of cattle north of Killdeer. Texas-based Agridime owes North Dakota investors about $40 million, according to one state official. Killdeer-based sales representative Taylor Bang is accused by the North Dakota Securities Department of making $6 million in commissions from illegal contracts. Federal investigators shut down Agridime in December and are trying to figure out what the company has for assets, including about 8,000 head of cattle in 18 states, and processed meat, according to an update posted on Agridime.com, which was taken over by the Securities and Exchange Commission. With regard to the cattle and meat, we have found Agridimes records to be, at a minimum, outdated and inaccurate, the update said. North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said there have been 149 investors identified in North Dakota. Carl Karpinski of the North Dakota Securities Commission said they are owed about $40 million, more than any other state where Agridime operated until federal authorities took over. North Dakota is kind of the epicenter, Karpinski said. The full impact of the North Dakota losses is unclear. On top of the $40 million from people who invested in cattle on paper, with the promise of large returns, there are ranchers who sold cattle to Agridime but have yet to get paid. In December, the Securities and Exchange Commission said there was $191 million owed to 2,100 investors in 15 states. The North Dakota agencies are still working with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the investigation that also involves the FBI. Bold claims One Agridime advertisement promised a 15% to 20% return on investment and said, Have you ever wanted to make money raising cattle without having to do all the work? A complaint from the SEC said Agridime sometimes promised as much as a 32% return on investment. An Agridime video describes how for $2,000 per beef calf, the money would be used to pay for feed and expenses until it could be processed. Agridime would ultimately sell the beef. But an SEC complaint against the company said Agridime diverted at least $58 million in investor funds to make Ponzi payments to prior investors. Agridime was incorporated in 2017. The Agridime website lists Josh Link, Tia Link and Jed Wood as owners. Bang later joined as a sales agent, which is how Murphy got involved. Bang is not named in the SEC complaint. Murphy said his first investments in Agridime went well money was wired into his bank account at the promised time. The success of Agridime lured in other investors. His next investment was not due to pay a return until May, but he doesnt see that happening. North Dakotas Securities Department issued cease-and-desist orders against Agridime and sales rep Bang in December. The order against Bang accuses him of earning $6 million in illegal sales commissions and selling unregistered securities without a license. That number is way high, Bang told the North Dakota Monitor in December. He said at the time he became involved with Agridime when company representatives were in his sales territory. I said, Hey, lets try to work together instead of against each other and make it better for everybody. Murphy and other ranchers had worked with Bang as a cattle broker for years before Bang became involved with Agridime. He had a fantastic reputation, Murphy said of Bang, who grew up in Killdeer. Even years when the cattle prices fell and he may have lost money, Bang honored those contracts, Murphy said. He said he doesnt think Bang intended to swindle anyone, but eventually Agridime could not make good on its promises. Bang did not return messages left on his cellphone on Jan. 31. Flagged by a banker The tip that led to the investigation came from a North Dakota banker who was working with a client who had invested in Agridime, Goehring said. The banker was questioning if Agridime was legitimate. Because Agridime was selling shares in cattle investments, Goehring said it wasnt an Agriculture Department issue but a Securities Department one. Karpinski said North Dakota was the second state to issue a cease-and-desist order against Agridime after Arizona, where part-owner Josh Link lives. He said those state orders helped launch the federal investigation. Karpinski said that after such an order is given, the parties subject to the order can request a hearing and make their case to continue to do business in the state. Agridime requested a hearing and kept taking investments another $9 million before federal authorities shut it down. But North Dakota investors still placed orders with Agridime, including Murphy. Thats how dumb I was, Murphy said. Murphy said he asked Bang about the May cease-and-desist order. He said Bang told him business as usual, for Agridime. He said the contract he signed was pretty simple too simple, with no indication of where the calves were being fed or would be processed, or brand or ear tag information to identify a specific animal. He said it was Josh Link, not Bang, who signed the contract. If you took it in to a lawyer, theyd laugh you out of the office, he said. Bang and his attorney, Brent Edison of Vogel Law Firm in Fargo, have requested a hearing on the cease-and-desist order. Edison said one purpose of the hearing would be to determine whether the cattle investment contracts fit the definition of a security. When asked if Bang also was owed money by Agridime, Edison told the North Dakota Monitor that Bang was similarly situated to other Agridime investors. Karpinski said It is certainly a possibility that he was at least partially a victim, but noted that Bang did receive millions in commissions. The cease-and-desist order requested that Bang give money from those commissions to the state to establish a fund that would help pay back investors part of what they are owed. Karpinski said that hasnt happened yet. He said federal authorities may want the money for their own fund. Were not going to be able to double recover, he said. He added that the amount paid back could be subject to negotiation but hes going to need to pay that money back at some point, Karpinski said. Karpinski said the hearing is on hold while the federal investigation continues. On the investigation, Edison said, We would cooperate to the extent that we could do so. Sold cattle, didnt get paid Larry Sorenson, of Watford City, said he didnt become aware of the cease-and-desist order against Agridime until after he had agreed to sell cattle to the company. He said Agridime still owes him money for cattle that were processed last year. He had sold cattle to Agridime the two previous years, he said, and had gotten paid on time. I felt comfortable that they were a reputable company, he said. He contracted a price with Agridime. The cows were sent to a feedlot in Kansas. Sorenson retained ownership of the cattle while Agridime picked up the feed bills. He said the cattle should have grown to market weight by September or October, and he would get paid in November. As far as he knows, the last of the cows was slaughtered on Nov. 26, but he hasnt gotten paid and is not sure he will be. Its going to be late in the year before we see anything, if we do see anything, Sorenson said. Without that revenue, he may have to take out an operating loan for the coming year. Sorenson has filed a claim through the Packers and Stockyards Act, which would require that Agridime establish a bond fund that could be tapped to cover claims from beef producers who didnt get paid. There also is a bond fund in North Dakota, but only for $140,000, Goehring said. He said he was working with Agridime last spring to increase the bond, but the company never complied. The North Dakota Department of Agriculture did not renew Agridimes license when it expired in June. Goehring said the lesson for producers is to understand who youre dealing with. A solid sequence of public facts connects the people involved in the deal to sell the Bulgarian assets of Czech State-owned electric power utility, CEZ, with Prime Minister Boyko Borisov. A joint investigation by Lidove noviny and Bivol reveals key links in the chain leading from Prague to the Sofia suburb of Bankya, where Borisovs home is located. Nikola Molchan, who has been investigated three times for murder, is part of the team of the Bulgarian buyer Inercom. He is translating during negotiations between CEZ and Inercom. Molchan is a financial executive in a company owned by Maya Hristova from MM Group, who is close with the owner of Inercom, Ginka Varbakova. Hristova registered a company in Prague, MM Global s.r.o., on September 21, 2017 just on the eve of the negotiations for the sale of CEZ assets in Bulgaria. Nikola Molchan, who had later become an official participant in the negotiations with Inercom, was appointed Chief Financial Officer. On the other hand, Maya Hristova is a long-time business partner of Peter Pepi Lashov. According to recordings from the #Yanevagate scandal, published by Bivol, Lashov is one of Prime Minister Boyko Borisovs most trusted people and regularly plays cards with him at the PMs home in Bankya. In the past, Borisov and Lashov also had infamous common partners /see here/. The Bulgarian news site ClubZ was the first to report Molchans presence in the talks between Inercom and CEZ, citing two independent sources. This fact is now officially confirmed by CEZ Group. Molcan had translated during meetings between CEZ and Inercom, held in Prague, the groups spokeswoman Alice Horakova told Lidove noviny in a reply to reporters questions. Lidove noviny also reveals that Molchan had been investigated in the Czech Republic for the murders of his girlfriend and his own father, but charges had not been pressed because of lack of enough evidence. Molchan a trusted person in circles close to SIC and Inercom Nonetheless, the role of the Czech man, who also has Bulgarian citizenship, is not just one of translator and interpreter. For years, he has been a close associate, partner and confidant in business circles around SIC and Inercom, whose trail leads to Prime Minister Borisov. Maya Hristova, together with her son Marin Hristov, owns a group of companies named MM, dealing with luxury car and real estate sales, leasing, insurance, restaurants, and construction. The upscale office building on the Sofia beltway, located just across from the Boyana Residence of the Bulgarian president, belongs to them. Inercoms offices are in the exact same building. They had been bought at the beginning of 2017 for BGN 1.5 million from the company MM World, of which Maya Hristova is sole owner. The Varbakovi and Hristovi families are obviously maintaining a close relationship, as shown on Maya Hristovas Facebook page. Socialite archives keep the memory of a lavish charity event organized by Hrisotovi, which was also attended by one of the former owners of the Sofia shopping mall Paradise Center David Mihajlovic. His partner, Paata Gamgoneishvili, a Russian oligarch of Georgian origin, was named by Lidove noviny as part of the Inercoms financing scheme in the CEZ Bulgarian assets deal. Besides Varbakovi, Maya Hristova is close to the famous restaurant and high-end nightclub owner Petar Pepi Lashov. A reporter of the Bulfoto Agency had taken a photo of him as early as 2006 at the opening ceremony at the new office of MM Group where he had been present with his wife and children. On the other hand, the relationship between Hristova and Lashov has very specific business dimensions as well. Lashovs company PL BG is an investor in a building on 79 Belovodski Pat on a plot owned by the company MM Development. This is visible on the construction site sign from March 2012. After finishing the building, PL BG sold to MM Development five apartments and 11 parking spaces in it for just over BGN 1 million. MM Development is jointly owned by Maya Hristova and her son Marin Hristov. Subsequently, MM Development resold some of the properties to other individuals and legal entities close to the group, which in reality makes the building a property of co-owners close to each other. Im going with Pepi to Bankya Petar Lashov is one of the protagonists in the #Yanevagate recordings as they reveal that he is a frequent visitor of Prime Minister Borisovs home in Bankya and they play cards together. The participants in the recorded conversations are disgraced former judges Vladimira Yaneva and Rumyana Chenalova and attorney Momchil Mondeshki. In one of these conversations, the latter offers to meet Boyko Borisov through an intervention by Lashev, or as he calls him Pepi Lashev, in an attempt to help Yaneva. The recordings do not make it clear who the other card players are, but Mondeshki claims that Lashov had regularly invited him to go up there. I am going to get Pepi and go to Bankya; they are playing cards there every night, he says In the sequel of this recording, the participants focus on Borisovs relationships with some ladies, to whom he had not been indifferent. Some of these relationships had been discreet, but his love affair with one of these women, named Maya, had been well-known to many in the powerful circles to which Vladimira Yaneva (VYA), Rumyana Chenalova (RCH) and Momchil Mondeshki (MM) belonged at the time. VYA: It is a fact that he has a positive attitude towards certain women; towards some of those that he has been with. MM: Certainly. VYA: Now, there was one, he bought her a house in Barcelona for a million and a half euro. There is another one, she walked around clad in Scervino, I forgot her name, what was her name, she was the wife of one of his very close friends from the Tomcats circle, I cannot think of her name at the moment. MM: Yeah VYA: Anyway. She was his protocol. And, even though she was the wife of a close friend, he started a love affair with her, but in a sense, I do not know if they are still together, if they have broken up, I have no idea. I cannot tell you what happened. MM sighs. VYA: But he certainly had special feelings for her. In a sense, this was not just for one bang. MM: Yeah (sighs). VYA: However, half of Sofia knew about Maya. MM: Yeah. VYA: Which is terribly unpleasant, I must say, after all. RCH: Terribly. VYA: After all. The identity of the Maya in question, about whom half-Sofia knew, has remained unclear, but there were media publications at the time linking her to Maya Hristova from MM Group. Protagonists with dark past and present All of the protagonists listed here so far: Nikola Molchan, Maya Hristova and Petar Lashov have had troubles with the law and links with organized crime. Petar Lashov is seen as one of the heirs of the murdered crime boss Georgi Iliev. Iliev was shot dead by a sniper at the Buddha Bar in the summer resort of Sunny Beach on August 25, 2005, around midnight. The Buddha Bar nightclub chain is owned by Lashov, and he was standing right next to Iliev at the time of his execution. Lashov also has a business partnership with the infamous Iraqi national, Samir Iskander Francis, who was also partner with Boyko Borisov in their joint company Prayhim. Besides Borisov, the Iraqi was also partner with another infamous figure from the underground Zlatko The Barret Ivanov. This group turned out to be embroiled in illegal trafficking of amphetamines in the Middle East and, subsequently, in the kidnapping and shooting of two Bulgarian drivers in Iraq 14 years ago. Francis became quite wealthy through property swaps at a time when Borisov was Mayor of Sofia. Nikola Molchan has managed in the past the company Rakov Dol Projects, which Dnevnik daily described in 2004 as connected with the SIC group. The partners in the project had been part of the structures of the group; one of them is Georgi Kogelov, who has had a joint business with Valeri Yosifov, former chairman of the SIC supervisory board. In the 1990s, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov also gravitated around this group, as revealed by an article in the Capital newspaper from November 1995, accompanied by a photo. In it, he is seen with Rumen The Pasha Gotzov Nikolov, with whom he had a joint business in the company Teo International. The company ran an illegal cigarette factory in the Black Sea town of Kraimorie, which had been raided and closed by the anti-mafia police a few months prior to the taking of the picture, in March 1995, following an investigation by current Bivol Director, Assen Yordanov, then published in Standard daily. Bivol discovered another interesting link around Molchan, leading to Borisovs closest circles. His brother Vladimir was a partner in the company Europeum Sofia with Georgi Kolarov Panov, who, in turn, was on the board of the Association Bulgarian Council for Sustainable Development with Tsvetelina Borislavova, a longtime partner in life and live-in girlfriend of Borisov. According to media publications, Maya Hristova has also worked in the past as an insurance broker in structures close to SIC. A year ago, her name appeared in police reports. In April 2017, the MM Group offices were raided by the Main Directorate for Combatting Organized Crime (the anti-mafia GDBOP unit) in an anti-tax and money laundering operation led by the Specialized Prosecutors Office. Since then, no further information has been provided on the progress of this investigation. Her name appeared in the media last October as well, in connection with the kidnapping of 25-year-old Adrian Zlatkov, son of the wealthy businessman, Toni Zlatkov a competitor of Maya Hristova. Borisov personally and urgently formed a task force at his own home in Bankya to solve the case. Why the father of the abducted young man went personally to the home of the Prime Minister to seek help, remains a mystery, but the fact that Toni Zlatkov is a business partner of notorious Dimitar Mitko The Karate Player Stefanov, a former member of CEZ Bulgarias Supervisory Board and manager of a company owned by The Pasha, can probably explain the mobilization of such emergency tasks force at the Prime Ministers headquarters. The case remains unsolved, but the young man was released in good health after his family paid a hefty amount of money. CEZ Committee is ignoring the facts, for now On the very first day after it was announced that Inercom had bought CEZ business in Bulgaria, Bivol published information that Ginka Varbakovas husband had had business relations in the past with the close to SIC former model Evgenia Kalkandjieva. We recalled the fact that Dimitar Stefanov was for years a member of the Supervisory Board of CEZ Bulgaria and reminded of the links between The Pasha and Borisov. Minutes after our publication, which became viral on the Internet, the Prime Minister reacted from Brussels. Borisov told journalists that he had requested the resignation of Energy Minister Temenuzhka Petkova because she had known Ginka Varbakova. Petkova commented modestly that with her resignation she was protecting the good name of Prime Minister Borisov. No media asked the question of what this resignation should be protecting him. In the days that followed, it became clear that connections with SIC remain taboo for Bulgarian media, with few exceptions. Bivol, however, will continue to investigate the dark side of this scandalous deal that will determine the future of millions of Bulgarian citizens. Following the establishment of the ad-hoc parliamentary committee to investigate the CEZ deal, Bivols editorial office forwarded to it a series of questions, which, after two sessions of the Committee, remain unanswered. We have no information either on whether our questions had been discussed. Next week, the Committee will hear Prime Minister Borisov. Our newest disclosures raise new, very serious questions that we will also send to the Committee. *** If you find this article useful, support our work with a small donation. Pay a Bivol Tax! We will highly appreciate if you decide to support us with monthly donations keeping the option Monthly Like this: Like Loading... This post is also available in: BulgarianRussian Dominic Barton waits to appear as a witness at the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates on Feb. 1, 2023, in Ottawa. Western understanding of China is"pathetic," and the Communist Party-run country should be seen as a source for new ways of thinking, says Dominic Barton, Canadas former top envoy to Beijing. Mr. Barton, the chair of mining giant Rio Tinto Ltd. RIO-N, has been among the most influential figures in Ottawa's recent posture toward the rising superpower, spending more than two years as ambassador to China. After he stepped down from that post, the federal government named him to a 14-member Indo-Pacific Advisory Committee, which wound down operations last summer. Many Western countries have begun working to distance themselves from China. The U.S. has resolved to push back on what the State Department, in an integrated country strategy, calls Beijing's harmful practices, such as the use of forced labour, and the channeling of state-directed investment in ways that threaten our economic welfare and national security. The European Union wants to limit its reliance on China in key areas, such as materials needed for electric vehicles and wind turbines. Canada's Indo-Pacific strategy, released last year, called China an increasingly disruptive global power that has grown accustomed to disregarding the international rules and norms that enabled its immense rise. Canada will challenge China in areas of disagreement, the strategy pledged, noting that Canada has been on the receiving end of China's coercive diplomacy. Mr. Barton this week argued for a different approach in remarks to a Lunar New Year dinner hosted this week by several groups including the China-Britain Business Council at The Dorchester Hotel in London. The dinners corporate sponsors included the Bank of China, HSBC and PetroChina. The Globe and Mail obtained a recording of Mr. Bartons remarks at that dinner, in which he is effusive about Chinas role in the world and the need to grow closer to its people and companies. In a world that has grown more turbulent and volatile, he said, its imperative that we continue to deepen our understanding and engagement at this people-to-people level. And as we think about our understanding in the West of China, I think it is very weak its frankly, pathetic how much we understand of the civilization and the culture, he said, comparing the hundreds of thousands of Chinese students studying in Western countries with the smaller number pursuing studies in the opposite direction. Indeed, he said, Western societies and companies have much to learn from the authoritarian country. China is not a big market only. Its a source of innovation. Its a source of talent. And its going to be a source of new ways of thinking that can benefit us all, he said. Mr. Barton declined a request for an interview but in a statement to The Globe said his message in London was that China plays a key role in our world, and I believe it is more important than ever to engage and deepen our mutual understanding of Chinese society to create opportunities for all. Guy Saint-Jacques, a former Canadian ambassador to China who spent almost 40 years in the diplomatic corps, said its clear the West should spend more time studying China but in part for defensive purposes, given the Chinese Communist Partys tightening grip on the country and its attempts to change international institutions to fit its purposes. We need more young people to learn and we need government officials and think tanks to get more interested to learn about China, but I would say, mainly about the Communist Party of China, because the government now, for all practical purposes, is the same as the Communist Party. He said what was missing from Mr. Bartons speech to the business audience was a warning. Companies doing business in China should know they risk being victimized by espionage and theft, he said. They face the prospect of being entangled in supply chains tainted with forced labour. There is still good business to do in China but diversify your markets because you could be in for a surprise if China invades Taiwan, Mr. Saint-Jacques said. David Mulroney, another former Canadian ambassador to China who spent 30 years in the foreign service, said it appears Mr. Barton was tailoring his remarks for a business audience. Still, he said, business leaders are not blind to Mr. Xis increasingly autocratic control over Chinas economy even as it copes with a real estate crisis, significant youth unemployment and weak demand. Mr. Bartons CEO colleagues, themselves formerly fans of Chinas paramount leader, have been chastened by growing evidence that Xi is mismanaging the Chinese economy and, through his global assertiveness, leaving China increasingly isolated. Mr. Barton was a key figure in securing the release of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor on what Ottawa called spurious charges. Before becoming Canadas top diplomat to Beijing, he was also effusive in his praise toward China as the global managing partner of consulting firm McKinsey. Im a bull on China, he told the Council on Foreign Relations in 2016, adding: I probably drank the Kool-Aid there for too long. Mr. Bartons comments this week suggest he has emerged from his time as ambassador with a continued affection for the country. This may seem odd for a British company to start extolling the virtues of innovation in China. But I want to, he said, describing robot-run factories that operate in the dark, artificial intelligence-backed tools for discovering new pharmaceuticals and the major global role for Chinese companies in shipbuilding and the manufacture of solar cells, lithium-ion batteries and electric vehicles. Rio Tinto has built a considerable reliance on China, a country that accounted for 57 per cent of the companys global revenues in 2021 and has become an important part of its corporate function. In 2022, Rio Tinto opened a China Technology and Innovation Centre in Beijing, which the company said would help it harness Chinas leading expertise in research, technology and innovation to help solve some of our operational and business challenges. Mr. Barton described Chinas outsized role in filing for patents and installing renewable energy capacity although he left unmentioned that China remains reliant on coal for the overwhelming majority of its electricity, with authorities responding to recent heat waves by permitting huge quantities of new coal-fired capacity. For a company like Rio Tinto, which relies [on] and requires engineers, Chinas become an important source of talent as we grow, Mr. Barton said. He added: Its important that we all learn and understand what is happening on each side. Former diplomat Gordon Houlden, whose foreign service career included postings in Beijing and Hong Kong, said he shares a concern about the falling number of Canadians studying in China where they might gain a better insight into the worlds second-largest economy. Today, he estimated, the number is in the hundreds instead of thousands. He noted China is producing roughly eight times as many science, technology, engineering and mathematics graduates as the United States. You can always understand your potential adversary better than you do now, Mr. Houlden said. Ad Paradigm Press 8,788% Return Predicted For THIS Crypto (already up 40% in 6 months) THIS cryptocurrency has gained 40% in 6 months. A crypto millionaire who has researched the space for a decade says it will go up 8,788% in 5 years. The name of this cryptocurrency is revealed right here: Click to get the name of the cryptocurrency Ad Investors Alley Beat inflation with this ONE dividend stock (March 26 Deadline) Inflation just rose to 3.2%... And recession worries are picking back up again... That's why I suggest you collect this instant income on March 26... With ONE stock paying a MONTHLY dividend... And yielding a juicy 8.05% -> far bigger than bonds and inflation... Click here now to learn how to collect the next BIG dividend The strategic territory of the Taiwan Strait has become increasingly complex, with the recent call from a US Congressman to Elon Musk adding another layer of intrigue. In a move highlighting the evolving role of private actors in... More of this article World leaders gathered in China last week for the third forum on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Xi Jinpings massive, trillion-dollar physical and digital connectivity project. As the BRI turns 10 this year, Beijing is looking to reboot Xis signature foreign policy program amid criticism of the debt load it often burdens partner countries with and other environmental and human concerns. In light of these criticisms, China emphasized last week that the future of the BRI is smaller and greener projects. Mixed feelings on the BRI were evident by the lack of high-level participation at this BRI forum compared to previous summits. Still, representatives from over 130 countries attended, with major business deals announced with countries like Ethiopia, Egypt, Thailand and Chile. As the U.S.-China rivalry has heated up in recent years, the BRI is seen as part of Chinas push to create alternatives to the U.S.-led global order. USIPs Carla Freeman and Henry Tugendhat look at how the BRI has evolved, how it fits into Xis broader foreign policy vision and whats in store for the BRI in the years ahead. How has the BRI evolved over the last 10 years? Tugendhat: Xi launched the BRI in 2013 as a new Silk Road aimed at expanding Chinese exports of infrastructure goods and services. Among many ambitions, China hoped this initiative could increase trade networks, diplomatic relations and further strategic goals. Chinas attention originally focused on Central and Southeast Asia and Europe, then quickly expanded to encompass most of Africa, Latin America and even some Western partners, such as Italy and Australias Victoria State. However, the Global South has remained the primary focus of the initiative, and China frequently invokes narratives of South-South cooperation and win-win deals as it promotes the BRI. Contrary to common perceptions of a coordinated plan, the BRI has no formal budget, nor does it offer any guarantees of financing to countries that sign MOUs. The only funding that was created as a direct result of the BRI is the Silk Road Fund, which has financed 75 projects worth a total of $22 billion according to Chinas State Council. However, China has also defined export credits offered by its EXIM Bank and the China Development Bank (CDB) as key pillars of the BRI. Since the early 2000s, China EXIM and CDB began issuing loans to Global South governments and institutions to pay for infrastructure projects. In many respects, the BRI launch was a rebranding of Chinese export finance to create a coherent narrative that could encompass wider diplomatic and strategic goals. According to data gathered by Boston Universitys Global Development Policy Center, China EXIM and CDB lending to Africa and Latin America started to decrease around 2016. It was around this time that some debtors started straining under the weight of Chinas forthcoming credit. Venezuela stands out in particular. Since then, these banks lending to Global South countries has continued to fall, with fewer and fewer disbursements each year between 2017 and 2023. The increase in debt defaults among many of the worlds poorest countries, some of whom were holding unsustainable debts to China, was likely a factor. These financial headaches started to outweigh the diplomatic gains that China may have hoped for when it originally signed off on these agreements. As a result, there was some speculation that the BRI was winding down or phasing out. This weeks announcement that China hopes to commit new loans to BRI countries through the China EXIM Bank and CDB is therefore significant. A 2021 study by AidData found that 35% of BRI projects have been challenged by corruption, excessive debt or labor exploitation. What lessons, if any, has China learned over the last 10 years to address these problems? Freeman: Corruption has plagued numerous Chinese projects in BRI countries, many of which are in countries where large-scale infrastructure projects are particularly prone to being exploited by corrupt officials. Aside from corruption, some projects in BRI countries have carried with them significant adverse environmental and social impacts, particularly as many have proceeded without adequate planning, including environmental or social impact evaluation. Chinese infrastructure projects have opened sensitive environmental areas to development increasing biodiversity loss while dams and other changes to water flows are putting new pressures on critical water resources. While China works to improve its environmental record at home, the BRI has also proved a conduit for Beijing to export some of its most unfriendly climate technology. In addition to social displacements forced by large-scale infrastructure development, there are other human rights concerns associated with the BRI, including violations of local labor laws. The lack of transparency surrounding many Chinese projects in BRI countries has fueled controversy over how China intends to use its growing economic influence. There is speculation that China uses debt to trap countries into providing long-term access to public assets, for example. Although careful research challenges this accusation, the reality is that China is still struggling to find a solution that is acceptable to all parties involved in many BRI countries debt sustainability issues. How does the BRI factor into Xi Jinpings broader quest to build an alternative to the U.S.-dominated international order? Freeman and Tugendhat: The BRI is first and foremost a diplomatic initiative. Chinas vision is that this will strengthen bilateral relationships and boost exports of Chinese goods and services while improving the economies of recipient countries. But this broad tent policy has also allowed China to pursue its strategic objectives of reducing the constraints on its geopolitical and economic rise it perceives go hand-in-hand with the U.S.-dominated international order. Indeed, when the BRI was first rolled out in Kazakhstan in 2013, the Obama administration was pressing forward with its Asia Pivot and dedicating more political and military resources to the Western Pacific to Chinas East. Amid worries about the growing U.S. presence in the South and East China Seas, Wang Jisi, Chinas foremost strategist, proposed that China undertake its own pivot and march West, boosting development in its restive western hinterland and making it a platform for Eurasian integration through new transportation infrastructure that would give China unimpeded access to new markets. Moreover, the BRI is fundamentally a set of bilateral relationships between China and project host countries. This broadly defined policy claims to offer an alternative to policy prescriptions and lending by the U.S.-dominated Bretton Woods institutions, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. Chinas export credits certainly have an economic rationale as they can support Chinese firms who might not otherwise have the necessary funding to enter new markets, but they also advance strategic goals such as: offering financing for countries that switch diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing or allowing China to deepen its ties with countries traditionally in the United States spheres of influence. But the BRIs diplomatic role involves more than just infrastructure and financing; it is also a platform for Beijing to position itself as a leader on Global South issues. Xi used this years BRI forum to roll out a proposal for global governance of artificial intelligence, underscoring the importance of equal rights to such technology for development just a day after Washington added new restrictions to limit Chinas access to advanced chips. Other Chinese initiatives announced in the past few years, like the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiative seek to boost Chinas profile further while couched in language that explicitly challenges international American leadership and promises an alternative future drawing on Chinese wisdom. Whats ahead for Belt and Road Initiative 2.0? Freeman and Tugendhat: It was certainly not a given that that China would announce a second iteration of the BRI that relied on more credit. Given the current debt sustainability challenges among some BRI members, Beijing could have pivoted in multiple directions, such as increasing its zero-interest loan program through its Ministry of Commerce, increasing grant-based aid or raising their financial contributions to their new multilateral institutions the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the BRICS New Development Bank in order to pool risk. Instead, the Chinese government is encouraging China EXIM and CDB to raise an additional $100 billion toward new BRI projects. For now, its unclear what would distinguish these banks typical fundraising activities and disbursements from the BRIs focus. Moreover, there is no clarity about which regions will be targeted by this increase in finance. Its also possible that Africa and Latin America will receive very little additional lending going forward as Chinese policy banks shift to focus on supporting their exporters in other regions of the world. They may also be more sensitive to lending to countries at risk of debt distress. There is also no clarity over the length of time envisioned for these additional disbursements of $100 billion. Despite speculation that the current economic headwinds slowing Chinas once booming economy might derail the BRI, Xis vision for a new Silk Road is here to stay. There is no doubt that after its decade of accumulated experience and international scrutiny, it has been recalibrated to give greater attention to risk going forward. At the latest BRI forum, Xi laid out eight guiding principles for a new and improved high quality BRI, aimed at strengthening the BRIs record on issues like corruption, the environment and debt over the next 10 years. To reduce corruption, Xi promised a new system to evaluate companies integrity and compliance as part of a plan for "integrity-based" BRI cooperation. More will also be done to green the BRI, building on a record of unprecedented investment in renewable energy this year. Moving forward, the BRI will almost certainly comprise smaller projects consistent with an already observable trend, with small is beautiful likely to be a new BRI mantra. The BRI will remain a source of international competition as much as a driver of connectivity. Still, even if it is new and improved, the BRI is likely to face stiff competition from other big economies eager to help play a role in filling the still enormous deficit in global infrastructure a boon for some savvy would-be recipient governments able to pick among competing infrastructure partners. China plans to focus more heavily on using advanced technology to increase digital connectivity through the BRI, including expanding digital finance and e-commerce platforms already viewed with unease by the West. The United States and its allies and partners see these plans for this Digital Silk Road as not only potentially risky for Western commercial interests but also to internet openness and control and influence over data. The war in Ukraine has already marked a setback for the BRIs goal of trans-Eurasian connectivity to Europe. Indeed, Hungarys Viktor Orban was the only EU leader at the BRI forum. However, Russia, with its own vast Eurasian footprint, appears eager to expand its cooperation through the BRI. Although facing an International Criminal Court warrant, Vladimir Putin made his first trip across Russian borders to attend the BRI forum, a sign of Russias interest in deepening engagement in the BRI as it focuses on reorienting its economy toward Asia. Ad Advantage Gold URGENT: Is the IRS Spying On Your Money? A digital dollar is picking up momentum in Washington DC, even with the dangers it could present to everyday Americans. Its great for them but what about us? What about for your savings? Your portfolio? A digital dollar would be a MASSIVE financial shift, and anyone who doesnt take steps to prepare for a digital dollar could fall victim to it instead. Click here to get your free Digital Dollar Guide The following companies are subsidiares of Laboratory Co. of America: 1957285 Ontario Inc. dba Quality Underwriting Services, 2089729 Ontario Inc., 2248848 Ontario Inc., 3065619 Nova Scotia Company, 3257959 Nova Scotia Company, 8165335 Canada Inc., 8348596 Canada Inc., 896988 Ontario Limited, 9279-3280 Quebec Inc., Accupath Diagnostic Laboratories Inc., Assets of Pathology Inc, Beacon LBS IPA Inc., Beacon Laboratory Benefit Solutions Inc., CannAmm GP Inc., CannAmm Limited Partnership, Center for Disease Detection International, Center for Disease Detection LLC, Centrex Clinical Laboratories Inc., Chiltern, Clearstone Central Laboratories (U.S.) Inc., Clearstone Holdings (International) Ltd., Clinical Outreach Laboratory Services, Clipper Holdings Inc., Colorado Coagulation Consultants Inc., Colorado Laboratory Services LLC, Correlagen Diagnostics Inc., Covance Inc., Curalab Inc., Cytometry Associates Inc., Czura Thornton (Hong Kong) Limited, DCL Acquisition Inc., DCL Medical Laboratories LLC, DCL Sub LLC, DIANON Systems Inc., DL Holdings Limited Partnership, Decision Diagnostics L.L.C. (aka DaVinici/Medicorp LLC), Diagnostic Services Inc., DynaLifeDX, Dynacare - Gamma Laboratory Partnership, Dynacare Company, Dynacare G.P. Inc., Dynacare Holdco LLC, Dynacare Laboratories Inc., Dynacare Laboratories Limited Partnership, Dynacare Northwest Inc., Dynacare Realty Inc., DynalifeDX Infrastructure Inc., Envigo's nonclinical contract research services business, Esoterix Genetic Counseling LLC, Esoterix Genetic Laboratories LLC, Esoterix Inc., Execmed Health Services Inc., FirstSource Laboratory Solutions Inc., GDML Medical Laboratories Inc, Gamma Dynacare Central Medical Laboratories GP Inc., Gamma Dynacare Central Medical Laboratory Limited Partnership, HHLA Lab-In-An-Envelope LLC, Health Testing Centers Inc., Health Trans Services Inc., Home Healthcare Laboratory of America LLC, IDX Pathology Inc., Impact Genetics Corporation, Impact Genetics Inc., Kaleida LabCorp LLC, Lab Delivery Service of New York City Inc., LabCorp BVBA, LabCorp Belgium Holdings Inc., LabCorp Central Laboratories (Canada) Inc., LabCorp Central Laboratories (China) Inc., LabCorp Colorado Inc., LabCorp Development Company, LabCorp Employer Services Inc., LabCorp Health System Diagnostics LLC, LabCorp Indiana Inc., LabCorp Japan G.K., LabCorp Limited, LabCorp Michigan Inc., LabCorp Nebraska Inc., LabCorp Neon Ltd., LabCorp Neon Switzerland S.a.r.l., LabCorp Specialty Testing Billing Service Inc., LabCorp Specialty Testing Group Inc., LabCorp Staffing Solutions Inc., LabCorp Tennessee LLC, LabCorp UK Holdings Ltd., LabWest Inc., Laboratoire Bio-Medic Inc., Laboratory Corporation of America, Lifecodes Corporation, LipoScience Inc., Litholink Corporation, MEDTOX Scientific Inc., MNG Laboratories, MedAxio Insurance Medical Services GP Inc., MedAxio Insurance Medical Services LP, Medical Neurogenitics LLC, Medtox Diagnostics Inc., Medtox Laboratories Inc., Monogram Biosciences Inc., Monogram Biosciences UK Limited, Myriad Autoimmunes Vectra Testing Business, NWT Inc., National Genetics Institute, New Brighton Business Center LLC, New Imaging Diagnostics LLC, New Molecular Diagnostics Ventures LLC, Orchid Cellmark ULC, Ovia Health, PA Labs Inc., Paclab LLC, Path Lab Incorporated, Pathology Associates Medical Lab LLC, Pee Dee Pathology Associates Inc., Personal Genome Diagnostics Inc., Persys Technology Inc., Pixel by LabCorp, Princeton Diagnostic Laboratories of America Inc., Protedyne Corporation, SW/DL LLC, Saint Josephs-PAML LLC, Sequenom Biosciences (India) Pvt. Ltd., Sequenom Inc, Sequenom Inc., Tandem Labs Inc., Toxikon Corporation, Tri-Cities Laboratory LLC, Viro-Med Laboratories Inc., Visiun, and Yakima Medical Arts Inc.. Read More Ad Crypto 101 Media Altcoin FRENZY Alert Bitcoin recently crossed the highest price in its 15-year history Less than 2 years after one of the most vicious crypto market meltdowns we've ever seen! Bitcoin's BOOM also sent shockwaves through the altcoin market, with select coins seeing HUGE moves in a matter of days Like Fetch.ai, that gained over 350% in just the last 30 days Click here now to register for the event (FOR FREE!) Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Patricia Logue, has urged the public to get involved in the latest in her series of interactive online discussions to give advice and guidance to households in coping with the cost of living. The latest webinar takes place on Tuesday, 13th February at 7.00pm when Mayor Logue meets online with representatives from Advice North West who can offer support on a wide range of issues. Formerly Citizens Advice North West, they are one of a number of agencies in the Derry Strabane Council area, who provide free, confidential, independent and impartial advice on a range of issues that can affect people in their everyday lives. This can include benefits, health, employment, immigration, family, debt and money, consumer issues, law and courts, tribunal representation and housing.The webinar event with Advice NW will focus on the new Universal Credit benefit and advice for people dealing with debt. Members of the public can attend the event live via zoom where they can submit their questions to the panel via a chat box facility. The online discussion is the third in a series of four webinar events to highlight the support and guidance available locally in managing household budgets. Many households across our Council area are experiencing another tough winter of struggling to meet the financial demands placed on them by rising energy and food prices, said Mayor Logue. My webinar with Advice North West will provide information on what to do if you receive a notification that you have been moved to Universal Credit, how to complete a claim and what happens your benefit payments while youre waiting on your claim to be processed There will also be details on how Universal Credit affects other benefits that you might receive and also how it applies to those who are in employment. Advice NW offer a service that can help you with the situation and organise manageable repayments. The final webinar in the series takes place on Tuesday March 12th when Mayor Logue meets the Consumer Council at 7pm. The full lists of webinars and links are available at www.derrystrabane.com/helpwithcostofliving, no pre-registration is necessary. Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly has defended her lack of electoral mandate, saying she cannot change the circumstances of her position but will tackle the big issues facing Northern Ireland. Ms Little-Pengelly said she has received thousands of messages from the public urging her to work with her colleagues in the Northern Ireland Executive to address the outstanding issues. The Lagan Valley MLA accepted the DUP nomination to become the deputy First Minister and serve alongside First Minister Sinn Feins Michelle ONeill. Ms Little-Pengelly was co-opted into the Assembly to replace Sir Jeffrey Donaldson after the May 2022 general election. The DUP leader said at the time that he would remain as MP until the post-Brexit issues around the Northern Ireland protocol were resolved. The powersharing institutions were restored last Saturday after a deal between the UK Government and the DUP to address unionist concerns over post-Brexit trading arrangements, which included passing new legislation at Westminster. Speaking on BBC Northern Irelands Sunday Politics show, Ms Little-Pengelly was asked about her lack of electoral mandate to serve in the Executive. All I can say is that I have been asked to do this role. I am approaching this role in the sense that weve got a significant programme of work to do, she said. I am determined to use whatever time that there is, weve got three years left this mandate, that was what I am planning for in terms of driving through and supporting that change and delivery that we need to see. I cant change the circumstances of my position, but as I indicated previously, regardless of the circumstances, I think what people in Northern Ireland want to see is us looking to the future, working together, tackling those big issues. That is what the public wants us to be focused on. In terms of the literally hundreds and hundreds, if not thousands of messages Ive received, that is the core message. It is not an issue by any of these particular points. It is saying to me we want you to try your best, to work hard and to make Northern Ireland work, to make the Executive work. It is absolutely critical to get that delivery to challenge all of those big issues that happens within our public services and improve those for everyone in Northern Ireland. Meanwhile, Ms Little-Pengelly also said she will get out and support every person in Northern Ireland, regardless of their background or beliefs. The DUP MLA, who attended the funeral of former taoiseach John Bruton in Co Meath on Saturday with Ms ONeill, said there has been nothing off the table in previous events she has attended. In everything that I do, I will make clear that I am here to work for and to serve every person in Northern Ireland. Regardless of background, regardless of view, I will be working and tackling the big issues of health and education, tackling the big issues of childcare, she added. That is something that benefits families no matter what their view is on the constitutional question, no matter what their community background or what their faith is. Look, in my life Im somebody whos always worked with people and for people right across the community. When you said to me about doing something that was stretching, I dont think that theres anything for me that is off the table in terms of the things that I have done in the past, in relation to the constituencies I have represented. I have supported sporting clubs from across all communities, including in terms of the GAA. I will be looking at all invitations that come in and absolutely clear, I will be getting out there and supporting every single person in Northern Ireland. She added: I am determined to build a positive relationship, not just with Michelle ONeill, but all of my colleagues around that table because thats what we need to do in order to move forward. We have to work constructively. Of course, we cant predict whats going to happen. Things will emerge. There will be challenges Ive no doubt, but I think that firm commitment at this stage is what every member around that Executive table should do and I certainly will bring my absolute commitment to that. Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) is launching a photo competition in Louth and nationwide: My Favourite Waterbody. LAWPRO is a national shared service working on behalf of the 31 local authorities in Ireland coordinating efforts to achieve good water quality across the country. Speaking at the competition launch, Anthony Coleman, Director of Services at LAWPRO said: I am delighted to launch this nationwide competition to find out peoples favourite waterbodies. "Ireland is bountiful with iconic waterways and scenic landscapes, and we know how important these waters and wetlands are to people. We want you to take part by submitting a photo of your favourite waterbody in Louth to be in with a chance of winning a prize. The competition is open to anyone across Ireland, entrants under 18 years of age must be submitted by a parent/ guardian. If your photo includes anyone aged under 16 years of age, only a parent/guardian may submit the content. The overall winner will receive a 500 voucher for Powerscourt Hotel Resort and Spa in Co Wicklow along with an A3 framed print of your winning photo and there will also be regional prizes of framed prints. The top photos will be featured in LAWPROs 2025 calendar and winners will receive a calendar along with their prize. The closing date for entries to My favourite waterbody is 5pm on Friday the 15th of March 2024. To enter the competition please email a photo to photocomp@lawaters.ie as an attachment along with your name, age, address and the location of your submitted photo. For full competition rules and T&Cs visit: Press Release: Local Authority Waters Programme Launches National Photography Competition - Local Authority Water Programme (lawaters.ie) The team at Local Enterprise Office Louth are inviting local businesses to be part of Local Enterprise Week 2024. Taking place from Monday 4th to Friday 8th March, Local Enterprise Week offers loads of great free learning and networking events for local businesses. Pamela Kerr, Senior Enterprise Development Officer at Louths Local Enterprise Office, explains: Being in business requires business owners to constantly learn, adapt, change and grow. And at the Local Enterprise Office, were here to provide really valuable support. Although we provide mentoring, training and support throughout the year, Local Enterprise Week is our chance to really showcase those and invite local businesses to come and talk to us. Weve planned a dynamic schedule of events, with learning to suit businesses at all stages. Check out the line up on localenterprise.ie/louth. Pamela explains: We kick off the week on Monday with a really hot topic, how to use AI to make your business more efficient. Led by expert trainer Stuart Nelson, this session will support business owners in developing an action plan to introduce AI into their business. Throughout the week, Geraldine Johnston of Boyne Communications will deliver Idea Generation Workshops in Ardee, Drogheda and Dundalk. These evening-time sessions are a brilliant opportunity for both new and existing business owners to brainstorm ideas and innovations to help develop their business. Sarah Mallon, Coordinator of Local Enterprise Week continues: An important part of Local Enterprise Week each year is our collaboration with business organisations like Network Louth, Drogheda Chamber and Dundalk Chamber. This year is no different. We have partnered with them to create three very special events for business that are open to all, regardless of whether you are members. Network Louth will host an International Womens Day event on building self-confidence and nurturing connections. Drogheda Chambers Business Breakfast will focus on financial planning and insurance options for business owners. Dundalk Chamber will stage their annual Cross Border Economic Conference on the theme of building a sustainable all-Ireland economy. Regionally were also partnering with our colleagues in LEO Cavan, Monaghan and Meath on regional events, while LEO Dun Laoghaire and LEO Kildare will host two show stopping Spotlight events. All of these events are opening to Louth businesses and youll find details on our website. She continues: These are just some of the brilliant learning and networking events and well have mentoring and business advice clinics running throughout the week. Sarah concludes And well wrap up the week with the Louth Enterprise Awards Business lunch on Friday. Its always a wonderful opportunity to network with other business owners and the support agencies who are here to help your business along. So whatever stage your business is at, there's something for you at Local Enterprise Week. Check out the full line-up on LocalEnterprise.ie/Louth and book your places now. And do share this information with anyone you think should take part in this year's events. Local Enterprise Week is brought to you by Local Enterprise Office Louth, proudly supported by Louth County Council and Enterprise Ireland. Entrants from Dundalk are urged to take part in this year's Miss Universe Ireland, with the news that the 73rd Miss Universe Competition is now officially open for applications. For the first time ever, applicants can be married or divorced, they can be mothers or trans women and there is no upper age limit of height requirements. Contestants from over 90 countries compete each year for the title of Miss Universe. Miss Universe Ireland will be crowned in June 2024 and the competition is now open for applications with a straightforward application process available on www.missuniverseireland.ie. The closing date for applications is February 29th 2024 at 5pm. This is an opportunity to follow in footsteps of previous winners Roz Purcell, Joana Copper and current title holder Aishah Akorede and represent Ireland at the spectacular final of the competition which takes place this year in Mexico in November. Aishah Akorede (24), from Leixlip, Co Kildare is making waves as the current Miss Universe Ireland. She represented Ireland in El Salvador last year and was featured in news outlets across the globe, including CNN, in her National Costume for Ireland as she rocked the incredible stage a handmade recycled unique creation from Claire Garvey Designs called Cliodhna ,The Celtic Goddess of The Sea. Aishah, a Law Graduate, is currently completing the Chartered Governance Qualification Programme. She also holds a Masters in International Corporate Governance with a Degree Plus Employability Award from Queens University Belfast. She also works as a Fashion Model but her greatest passion is her work as founder of 'Recrowned Ireland': a social justice initiative aimed at helping women feel comfortable, confident and aware. The Miss Universe Organization (MUO) is a global, inclusive organization that celebrates all cultures, backgrounds and religions creating a safe space for women to share their stories and drive impact personally, professionally, and philanthropically. The women who participate in this international platform serve as inspirational leaders and role models to their communities and fans around the world. The Miss Universe Organization exists to advocate for a future forged by women - women with the courage to push the limits of whats possible, who are curious enough to make world-shaking discoveries, and audacious enough to do this over and over. The 73rd Miss Universe Competition takes place in Mexico in November 2024. New census data released this month showed that 13% of the county's population or almost 17,900 people were volunteering in their community and various organisations in April 2022. Of these there were 8,682 females and almost 9,200 males volunteering. The most popular voluntary activity was in a sporting organisation, where just over 6,800 Louth people were volunteering. More than 5,200 people volunteered in their community while over 5,100 were involved in social or charitable organisations. More than 3,600 people were volunteering in a religious or church group while there were 374 volunteers in political organisations. More than 2,500 people were volunteering in more than one group or activity. Looking at broad age groups, the largest group of volunteers were among people aged 45-64 where there were 6,778 people volunteering. A further 5,110 people aged 25-44 were also involved in voluntary activities. There were 3,074 volunteers aged 65 and over. More than 800 children (under 15 years old) and almost 2,100 people aged 15-24 were also volunteering. Nationally, the data shows that volunteering levels are similar across ethnic groups, with 14.8% of those with a white background volunteering and 15.8% of ethnic minorities volunteering. Olivia Conlon, Louth Volunteer Centre Manager commented: We see high levels of interest in volunteering from new people arriving in Ireland, for example people seeking protection and Ukrainians. "Through volunteering, people can become active members of their new community, make friends, learn English and build their own local network. It's important to remember that people making Ireland their home make a huge contribution to our communities. "We know that many organisations are currently struggling to recruit volunteers and wed encourage them to ensure that their volunteer programmes are open and inclusive to all members of the community. "Small changes can make a big difference to attracting diverse volunteers. For example, covering a volunteers bus fare to travel to the organisation can make it possible someone who is unemployed or living in direct provision to volunteer. The data also shows that almost 25% of people who work from home for some part of the week volunteer. Time is often identified as the most common reason people dont volunteer and this data indicates that people who have more time are more likely to volunteer. However, its important to note that not all volunteer roles demand huge time commitments as Olivia explained: "Volunteering has changed a lot over the last number of years. There are more ways to volunteer than ever before including shorter, more flexible roles. "Wed encourage people to think about what time they have spare and even if its only an hour a week or a few days here and there, youd be surprised at whats available. "Similarly, we encourage organisations to think about the roles they have and how they can make them more attractive to volunteers while still making a meaningful contribution to the organisation. "Although its not possible for every role, we work with organisations to help them break down their roles into shorter, more task-based opportunities. Overall, the data showed consistent levels of volunteering in Ireland. When compared with similar data from the 2006 Census, the level of volunteering among those over the age of 15 is similar. The data also confirmed trends seen across Ireland in recent years with sport being the most popular activity and those over the age of 45 being more likely to volunteer. The Corrs have announced the Talk on Corners tour which will hit the UK and Ireland this November. Performing tracks from their acclaimed second album plus a selection of their greatest hits to fans all over the United Kingdom & Ireland, the multi-million selling sibling quartet will kick off the tour at Belfasts SSE Arena before heading to the 3Arena Dublin, Manchesters AO Arena, Glasgows OVO Hydro and Newcastles Utilita Arena. Joining them will be Aussie pop royalty Natalie Imbruglia. Presales for Talk On Corners Tour will start Wednesday 7 February 2024, at 10am while additional pre sales will run throughout the week, with general on-sale following on Friday 9th February, at 10am. The tour announcement follows news that the band whose biggest hits include Runaway, What Can I Do? And Breathless are planning a first ever vinyl release of second studio album Talk On Corners, with more details to come. One of Australias most loved pop artists, Natalie Imbruglia will join The Corrs across all UK & Ireland tour dates. For more information and ticket purchasing, visit: LiveNation.co.uk. The Corrs: Talk On Corners UK & Ireland Tour 2024 Friday 8 November - SSE Arena - Belfast Saturday 9 November - 3Arena - Dublin Monday 11 November - AO Arena - Manchester Tuesday 12 November - Utilita Arena - Cardiff Thursday 14 November - Resorts World Arena - Birmingham Friday 15 November - Utilita Arena - Newcastle Sunday 17 November - OVO Hydro - Glasgow Monday 18 November - Utilita Arena - Sheffield Author Clara Kumagai, who is based in Dundalk has been shortlisted for the 2024 KPMG Childrens Books Ireland Awards for her book Catfish Rolling. The shortlist for the 34th annual awards was announced yesterday by RTE broadcaster Rick OShea at a special event in the Crescent Arts Centre in Belfast. Clara Kumagais debut book Catfish Rolling, published by Head of Zeus, is a coming-of-age young adult novel which explores the themes of identity, relationships, grief and ecology. The novel is set in a world of Japanese myths, folklore and magical realism. Clara was born in Canada, before moving to Ireland as a child. She writes fiction and non-fiction for children and adults. The shortlisted titles, which include five debut writers and three current or former Laureates na nOg, or Childrens Laureates, will compete for six awards at the KPMG Childrens Books Ireland Awards ceremony, held 22nd May in partnership with the International Literature Festival Dublin. These include the KPMG Childrens Books Ireland Book of the Year Award, as well as honours for fiction, illustration and the Junior Juries Award which will be decided by young readers across the island of Ireland. Louth schools invited to join Junior Juries Programme Childrens Books Ireland is inviting schoolchildren from across Louth to join their nationwide judging panel of young readers. Participating school groups, library groups and book clubs are invited to select suitable titles from the shortlist and collectively vote for their favourite book. Elaina Ryan, CEO of Childrens Books Ireland said: This is the only Irish awards dedicated to celebrating books created for children and its the biggest year weve had yet! We need readers of all ages to get involved to crown their winner of the KPMG Junior Juries Award. This is a great way for schools, libraries and book clubs to get stuck into reading, exploring the shortlist with our free Junior Jury print and digital resource packs. There will even be a chance for some groups to win sets of the shortlisted books, attend the Awards ceremony in May or even welcome one of the shortlisted authors or illustrators along for a visit! Its a brilliant programme and theres still time to register on our website. The 2024 Awards mark the fifth year of KPMGs sponsorship. Johnny Hanna, Partner in Charge KPMG Belfast said its a great source of pride to support the awards: Ireland has such a wealth of great writing and illustration talent for readers of all ages. This years Junior Jurors will have their work cut out for them but what an enjoyable task it will be! The KPMG Childrens Books Ireland Awards and Junior Juries programme are supported by the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaion and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland National Lottery Funding. Damian Smyth, joint Head of Literature and Drama at the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, said: These awards recognise some of the most outstanding books of the last year the picturebooks, stories and novels that have captured the hearts and imaginations of young readers. The Arts Council of Northern Ireland offer our congratulations to all those who have made this years shortlist. Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) in partnership with RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences (core partner), Dublin City University, Trinity College Dublin and Tyndall National Institute have announced the launch of the 7M funded DigiBio Innovators Initiative Programme which aims to enhance and accelerate digital health innovation in Ireland. The DigiBio digital health needs-led innovation programme provides innovators with innovation training, mentorship and direct access to healthcare environments to identify commercially viable opportunities across all stages of the care pathway. The DigiBio programme is aimed at high calibre experienced individuals with clinical, commercial, financial, entrepreneurial and/or technical backgrounds. Through the programmes "learn by doing" approach, participants will become highly skilled innovators, who will learn to identify and select unfulfilled market needs. This in turn will lead to new product and process ideas, ultimately with a view to commercialisation through the creation of high potential digital health start-ups. Opportunities for digital solutions will include areas such as mobile health, health information technology, AI, digital therapeutics, wearable devices, telehealth, telemedicine, and personalized medicine. Access to expertise and mentorship in these areas will be available through the consortium partners. The DigiBio Post Graduate Diploma programme will run annually commencing in September 2024 with participant recruitment starting early in 2024. Participants will receive a stipend of 38k and will be required to participate full time in the 10-month programme DigiBio is supported under the Innovators Initiative Programme co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the Southern, Eastern & Midland Regional Programme 2021-2027. Speaking today, Dr Diarmuid Callaghan, President DkIT said: We are delighted Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) in partnership with RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences has secured this meaningful investment for the DigiBio programme. "This investment leverages DkITs digital health focussed research, innovation, education and business supports, which include the dConnect Digital Health Innovation Hub, the Connected Health & Wellbeing Industry Cluster, the Regulated Software Research Centre, the Netwell Casala research centre and School of Informatics and Creative Arts. We welcome the opportunity to work alongside the progressive partners that the DigiBio programme brings to realise its ambition. Aidan Browne, Head of Business Development & Innovation at DkIT added: "This investment is a welcome endorsement of the calibre of work at DkIT with partners and stakeholders over the last number of years with a vision of creating a Digital Health innovation ecosystem. Digital health innovation is a critical area of focus nationally, and we are excited to launch the DigiBio Innovator's Programme to foster innovation in this space. "We believe that this programme will help identify and develop the next generation of digital health innovators who will drive growth and create new opportunities in Ireland and beyond." Prof. Fergal OBrien, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences added: RCSI is delighted to be a partner in the DigiBio programme. The programme aligns with our mission to educate, nurture and discover for the benefit of human health and our strategy to maximise economic and societal impact from our research activities. We look forward to enabling the programme by providing access to Clinical Champions and immersive environments spanning the healthcare continuum, aligned with our core strengths and with an initial focus on primary care. CORK County Council has opened applications for the Creative Startup Scheme 2024. The scheme supports artists, designers, and craftspeople to establish retail spaces. The Mayor of County Cork Frank OFlynn said the fund will be a boost for the successful applicant projects and will help to stimulate creative activity throughout the county. Over the past four years, the scheme has supported the establishment of several creative retail spaces, including Blackwater Valley Makers in Fermoy, Owenabue Arts Collective in Carrigaline, Le Cheile Arts in Dunmanway, and Orla O Visual in Mallow, said Mr OFlynn. Creative businesses have the potential to breathe new life into our towns and villages, to establish them as destinations, and set them apart with individuality and this scheme makes it financially viable for aspiring creative entrepreneurs to start up. Speaking about the impact this scheme has had on her business and the wider community, Orla ORegan, of Orla O Visual in Mallow, said that it had made creative business more viable. She said: Local people are just delighted with the space as a means to buy locally-made creative products, and to engage with workshops which are held here. Since receiving the grant, there were several sold-out workshops held in the studio. The scheme is funded by Creative Ireland. Cork County Council will accept proposals for temporary or seasonal pop-up shops in vacant retail units. The scheme may also support proposals from small retailers who wish to expand the number of artists or makers they show, or extend the space they occupy. The maximum amount that may be awarded for any one project will be 3,000. An information session will be held online on Thursday, February 15, at 1pm. To register, email creative.ireland@corkcoco.ie. The closing date for applications is 5pm on March 15. Cork County Councils Arts and Library Service is also seeking creative facilitators and musicians to work with them over the next two years, as part of a panel of experienced, skilled facilitators. Applications are open up to 5pm on March 15. A man who climbed over a locked gate admitted trespassing in a manner that might have caused fear, but he claimed that his only purpose was to go to the toilet. Judge Mary Dorgan imposed a sentence of three months, with the last month suspended, on Antonio Arundel at Cork District Court. Shane Collins-Daly, solicitor, said the accused was caught short and that was why he climbed the gate. He was drunk, he climbed a fence onto the curtilage of this property, Mr Collins-Daly said. Judge Dorgan said: He did not break into any building. The judge then sentenced him to three months and suspended the last month. She said the accused should deal with his addiction issues. Mr Collins-Daly said: There wont be an appeal. Antonio Arundel, who is in his 30s and from Shannon Lawn, Mayfield, Cork, pleaded guilty to trespassing on curtilage of the Dominican retreat centre, on Middle Glanmire Road, in a manner likely to cause fear. Sergeant Gearoid Davis said the incident occurred on January 24, after 1am. Sgt Davis said there was a report from a security manager about a man on the grounds without permission. The caller was in fear of this stranger, who climbed the front gate of the property and ran along the grounds of the property. Gardai found him hiding in a ditch, Sgt Davis said. A man has had a speeding charge struck out, after a judge heard he had been driving to find a mobile phone signal, so he could tell his father of the sudden death of his brother. Ryan OKeeffe had been caught driving at 82kmph in a 60kmph zone, near Castletownbere, and had failed to pay the required fixed-charge notice, over fears that an accumulation of penalty points could put him off the road. The self-employed painter and decorator told Judge James McNulty, at Bantry District Court, that on the morning of the speeding detection, he had just learned that his uncle had died. The detection occurred at 10.57am on July 25, 2023, at Derrymihan West, near Castletownbere. Mr OKeeffe said he was working on a job and there was no signal. He said he learned that his uncle had had a heart attack and that he had passed away that morning. Mr OKeeffe said his parents were in Spain at the time. I was trying to get down to town for a signal to tell my father that his brother was after passing away, Mr OKeeffe told the judge. Judge McNulty said that the defendant had received extremely bad news on the day in question and that the level of speed was not the gravest road-traffic offence. I think it would be unjust to convict, given the exceptional circumstances, he said, striking out the charge. Mr OKeeffe, a father of three from Julie Villa, Dublin Pike, Whites Pike, in Cork, offered to make a charitable donation, but the judge said it was not necessary. Additonal funding to bring the Mallow Relief Road one step closer to reality is expected to be announced as part of an upcoming funding package. Fianna Fail TD Padraig OSullivan told The Echo that he has been given indications that funding for the project will be allocated under a package expected to be announced soon by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). Mr OSullivan said additional funding would enable the Mallow Relief Road project to progress to detailed design and environmental assessment and that it would go for planning after that. The Cork North Central TD said he understood that the list of projects is being finalised and that a date for the announcement of the funding has yet to be established. 'The lift that Mallow needs' Mr OSullivan said that the Macroom bypass, the final section of which was officially opened late last year, has been transformative for the area and said he hoped the Mallow Relief Road would be similarly beneficial. A lot of the local people there are very satisfied and its given the town a lift, so this might very well be the lift that Mallow needs, he said. Speaking about the project following a parliamentary question submitted by Mr OSullivan in recent weeks, Transport Minister Eamon Ryan acknowledged that the Mallow Relief Road is identified as a project for consideration in the current National Development Plan. Town bypasses allow for traffic to be redirected from the centre of our towns and villages, freeing them up for pedestrians and cyclists, improving air quality, and allowing public realm improvements. In the case of Mallow, this will have a significant impact on HGV traffic, which is a particular problem for the town. It is also anticipated that this scheme will enhance active travel linkages to Mallow train station. This is in keeping with the Town Centre First policy, and supports compact growth in town centres, which is a National Strategic Outcome. Preferred route selected A preferred route has now been selected, and the next phase will involve the detailed design and environmental evaluation of the scheme. I can confirm that 100,000 was allocated for the Mallow Relief Road scheme in 2023. As with all national roads projects in the NDP, the delivery programme for the project will be considered in terms of the overall funding envelope available to TII. TII will outline further funding arrangements for 2024 in the near future, he continued. Regarding additional funding for the project, a spokesperson from the Department of Transport told The Echo that it was not possible to comment on allocations for specific projects at this time. The national roads allocations for 2024 will be announced in the near future, they added. A proposed new state-of-the-art water treatment facility aimed at addressing ongoing boil water notices in East Cork has been green-lit by An Bord Pleanala. Planning permission was initially approved for the new facility in Whitegate by Cork County Council in May 2023, however following the statutory planning process, appeals were subsequently lodged. Uisce Eireann has now been informed that An Bord Pleanala has upheld this decision. The water utility company said it is now working to finalise the required contractual agreements and budgetary approvals, with a view to commencing construction on the project in the second half of this year. The construction phase of the project is expected to take approximately 22 months. We are delighted to be progressing with the long-term plans for Whitegate, infrastructure delivery programme manager for Uisce Eireann, Hugh Kennedy, said. Along with our colleagues in Cork County Council, we wish to again thank everyone in Whitegate for their patience and co-operation. This has been a very frustrating time for the community as we have had to put boil water notices in place to protect the health of the community. The issues with the water quality in the area are well known, but I want to assure the people of Whitegate that we are committed to delivering this new treatment plant in the shortest possible timeframe. The proposed water treatment plant will address the frequent boil water notices that the people of East Cork have experienced over the last number of years, Uisce Eireann said. This involves a major upgrade of the water treatment plant that will ensure a safe, reliable drinking water supply to customers. The proposed works will include the decommissioning of the old water treatment plant and the construction of a new plant that will be able to treat approximate six million litres of water per day. The new plant will contain a new coagulation, flocculation and clarification system, a new filtration system and a new disinfection system. Social Democrats councillor for East Cork, Liam Quaide, said the proposed development is very welcome and gives real prospect to East Cork residents of a way out of recurring boiled water notices, and all the stress and inconvenience those bring. Glanua have been appointed to deliver the design, planning, construction and commissioning works on behalf of Uisce Eireann. Uisce Eireann has reminded customers supplied by the Whitegate Public Water Supply that the boil water notice issued on October 18 last remains in place. Up to 1,000 people attended the weekly Cork Palestine Solidarity Campaign (CPSC) demonstration on Saturday, calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. It was the 18th rally in the city centre organised by CPSC. The main speaker was Dr Laurence Davis, a senior lecturer in government and politics at University College Cork. When we protest, we are not only addressing ourselves to those in power. We are also responding to the continuing call of the Palestinian people for a justice long denied, he said, addressing the rally. We are expressing solidarity with, and giving hope to, those in a seemingly hopeless situation. We are, in short, practising democracy in the best and truest and most principled and inclusive sense of the word, Dr Davis said. The demonstrators, marching behind banners, included contingents representing various professions and social groups, including Teachers for Palestine, Parents Against Genocide, Irish Association of Social Workers, and Health Care Workers for Gaza. Several political parties were also represented and carried banners, including the Social Democrats, Sinn Fein, People Before Profit-Solidarity, and the Workers Party. James Cox A report from a British think-tank that accused Ireland of freeloading when it comes to European defence is "entirely accurate", according to a TD and former deputy commander of the Army Ranger Wing. The report from Policy Exchange also said Ireland presents a "backdoor" security threat to Britain from Russia, China and Iran. It was written by former British defence secretaries Michael Fallon and George Robertson. It also recommended the UK expanding its air and naval presence in Northern Ireland. Cathal Berry told BreakingNews.ie: "It's a bipartisan report, one author is from Labour, the other Conservative, so it represents the moderate UK view. "However, the facts stand on their own merits, it's entirely true that we're freeloading. There's a phrase 'show me the makeup of your cabinet, and your budget, and I'll show you what your priorities are'. "We've got two ministers for education, and no standalone defence minister. The budget is 1.25 billion for 2024 for defence, which is the lowest in Europe. "By GDP, it's only a third of the European average. It shows how much of an outlier Ireland is from a defence perspective. Why? We don't take it seriously. All you have to do is look at the makeup of the Cabinet. We're way out of kilter from the European norm." Mr Berry also said neutrality is "being used as an excuse" when it comes to security arrangements. Ireland isn't neutral at all, we're just floating around on our own. "Neutrality is being used as an excuse. You can contribute on a case-by-case basis, as you wish. That's what independent sovereign nation states do. "If it's in our national interest to contribute, we should. That's why we have an MOU [memorandum of understanding] with the UK. "The more neutral you are, the more capable you should be militarily. Look at Austria. Sweden and Finland, formerly neutral. "Ireland isn't neutral at all, we're just floating around on our own. We didn't really have a defence policy until 2000, for the first 80 years of our existence." Mr Berry said the report's findings were all accurate, despite it being written from a UK perspective. "We have no military grade sonar capability in Ireland. If that doesn't tell you we don't take defence in our home waters seriously, you don't need further evidence. "We can only put two of our naval ships to sea at any one time. In 2006, we had eight Irish Naval ships at sea, so all we're asking is to go back to where we were 15 years ago. "This does undermine Ireland's reputation internationally. A lot of international commentators have said, why should British and French taxpayers bail out Ireland from a military perspective?" He added: "We spent 1.25 billion on defence. When our citizens get in trouble abroad, we're the first to ring a Nato country and ask for help. In fairness, the country does help. The following week we're telling the same countries how evil they are for being in Nato. "There's a duplicity there that needs to stop. We're giving about 2 billion in overseas development aid, so 2 billion for charity, 1.25 billion on defence. The irony is that we rely on the charity of other countries when our citizens get into trouble abroad. "Are we freeloaders? Yes, for sure. It's a bipartisan report, and I'd agree with the evidence presented. However, we don't need the UK to tell us how bad things are. "Ireland is like a guy who goes to the pub with his friends and never buys a round when it's his turn. Worse still, Ireland is like the guy who the very next morning mocks his friends for supporting the drinks' industry. That's how Ireland is conducting its affairs internationally. "We're a rich country, we should be net contributors in this area. "If there's a major evacuation operation taking place globally, Ireland should be offering seats on aircraft to other countries, not thumbing seats to get our troops out there and our people home. It reflects so poorly on the country. We don't do that in any other sector or area in Irish society, and it reflects so poorly from a defence perspective." Mr Berry said Ireland is in a "vulnerable position", citing worries over the subsea cables in our waters amid the presence of Russian boats off the Irish coast. Cathal Berry said the report's findings on Ireland 'freeloading' when it comes to European defence were accurate. "Most countries either join a collective defence arrangement or a regional security arrangement, or they provide for their independent defence capabilities. "The vast majority of countries choose between those options. Ireland has created its own category where you do neither. You don't join a collective defence arrangement, and you don't provide for your independent sovereign defence capability. We are really exposed and vulnerable. "The lesson from the last few years is that it's neutral countries who are targeted, countries that don't have the collective security. "We have to be careful. We're a strategic location, we're the bridge both geographically and metaphorically between North America and the European continent. We have neither joined a regional security arrangement nor provided for our own defence. That's reckless, irresponsible and lazy. A day of reckoning will come, and you can be sure of that. "Defence Forces numbers are in freefall, there are 7,500 people in the Defence Forces. We're withdrawing from Undof [United Nations Disengagement Observer Force] in Syria at the end of the year because we don't have the numbers to man it. That will affect Ireland's peacekeeping reputation. Fifteen years ago we had 850 troops overseas, now we can't even keep 500." WASHINGTON Senators dont call them the Flight 3407 families anymore. On Capitol Hill now, they are just the families. Such is the status of the disparate set of strangers who pulled together as a lobbying force and one singular family after an exhausted, poorly trained pilot and copilot lost control of a Continental Connection plane and crashed it into a home in Clarence Center on Feb. 12, 2009. Fifty people 49 in the plane and one on the ground were killed. Fifteen years later, on Monday, those who lost loved ones that day will mark the anniversary with a ceremony at the Long Street crash site. But they will also mark something even larger: an unprecedented era of aviation safety that they helped create. Not one American commercial passenger plane has crashed in the 15 years since the Flight 3407 tragedy. Experts say thats not only because of layer upon layer of safety improvements over the decades, but also because of the measures mandated by law after Congress heeded the families wishes and passed landmark aviation safety legislation 18 months after the crash. Thanks to that law, pilots are required to get better training, more experience and more rest. And airlines get better information about good pilots and bad ones thanks to the creation of a pilot record database. Regional airlines and their supporters have continued to challenge the laws provision requiring new pilots to have the equivalent of 1,500 hours of flight experience before flying commercial passengers. But time and again and as recently as last week the families and their congressional allies have beaten back challenges to that requirement. Scott Maurer, one of the leading members of the families group, thinks he knows why. The longer we go without another fatal accident, its so much harder to say that what was done was wrong and not working, said Maurer, whose daughter Lorin was killed in the crash. I mean, its clearly working. Safer than ever Recent headlines might not make flying seem all that safe. After all, missing bolts allowed a door plug to blow out on an Alaska Airlines flight last month, leading to new scrutiny of Boeing, the manufacturer of the 737 MAX. And on top of that, several recent runway incursions led to near collisions at U.S. airports. But those are just isolated incidents. We have the safest aviation system in the world, Jennifer L. Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, said after the Alaska Airlines incident. It is incredibly safe. We are the global gold standard for safety around the world. Given that no one has been killed in a U.S. plane crash in recent years, the National Safety Council was, in 2021, unable to even calculate the odds of that happening. But Arnold I. Barnett, the George Eastman professor of management science at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, looked at a longer time frame and calculated that the odds of boarding a U.S. commercial plane and getting killed in a crash in recent years were one in 337 million. At that rate, a passenger could on average take one flight every day for 922,000 years before succumbing to a fatal crash, Barnett wrote in a recent essay in the Hill, a Capitol Hill newspaper. Barnetts research indicated that in each decade since the 1960s, the worldwide odds of getting killed in a plane crash have dropped by about half. In an interview, Barnett cited multiple reasons for the increase in aviation safety. Modern planes are much more resistant to icing. Technological improvements about airplanes have rendered wind shear a common cause of crashes in the 1970s and 1980s to be a nuisance more than a threat. Improved crash avoidance systems have practically eliminated midair collisions. And planes are now constructed of materials aimed to slow the spread of fires, which meant that when a Japan Airlines plane collided with a Coast Guard plane at a Tokyo airport last month, all 379 passengers on the commercial jet were able to escape. Then theres the fact that while several regional commercial planes crashed in America in the years before Flight 3407, none has crashed since the families forced Congress to bolster pilot training and rest requirements. I think people can certainly be confident in believing that this was a wise thing to do, Barnett said. It made sense. The data are perfectly consistent with the view that it made sense. An ongoing battle Despite the astonishing record of U.S. airlines in recent years, maintaining aviation safety remains an ongoing battle for the Flight 3407 families, their congressional allies and the federal government alike. Key members of the families group have made several trips to D.C. in the past year to fight to preserve the so-called 1,500 hour rule amid efforts to change it by lawmakers who contend that it caused a pilot shortage. Those efforts have failed repeatedly. Just last week, the Senate Commerce Committee passed a Federal Aviation reauthorization bill after senators who had threatened to try to change the 1,500-hour rule abandoned their fight. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, long the families leading legislative advocate, explained why. As the majority leader, I determine what comes to the floor and what doesnt, Schumer, a New York Democrat, said. And I said: If we dont have a bill that meets my needs and the families needs theyre one and the same the bill was not going to go to the floor. The Senate action comes six months after Rep. Nick Langworthy, a Republican who represents Clarence, and then-Rep. Brian Higgins, a Buffalo Democrat, worked together to stymie a powerful committee chairmans effort to water down the 1,500-hour rule. Still, that rule has its critics both inside and outside the aviation industry. Gary Leff, an airline industry expert who serves as chief financial officer at the Mercatus Center, a free-market think tank at George Mason University, said airline executives have told him that they have to retrain pilots out of the bad habits they picked up piling up routine flying hours in small planes. In many cases, youre literally just looking for hours, youre not simulating the world conditions, or building up the kind of experience that you need for emergencies, said Leff, who sees the 1,500-hour rule as a union-backed effort to make pilots more scarce and therefore better paid. Rep. Sam Graves, the Missouri Republican who pushed for changes to the 1,500-hour rule last year, made similar arguments. But Langworthy said he won over converts to his cause by noting that it might not be so smart for members of Congress to go into an election year having watered down regulations that contributed to create an unprecedented era of aviation safety. There are people flying on planes every day that theres never been a commercial air crash during their lifetimes, Langworthy said. And thats a wonderful thing. The latest FAA bill is expected to reach final passage in the coming weeks, and Karen Eckert of the Flight 3407 families said its important that it do so. The bill itself has really important other safety initiatives in it regarding near misses, funding of air traffic controllers, and some other issues that arent part of what weve been focused on but certainly are critical to the flying public, said Eckert, whose sister Beverly was killed in the crash. Its a good bill. Even after the FAA bill passes, Langworthy expects the Flight 3407 safety provisions to face other challenges. I fully suspect that the next time the FAA reauthorization has to come up, well deal with it again, Langworthy said. Well keep fighting to preserve the standards because this is an accomplishment that Im very proud of. Im very proud of our community. I think that with what families have achieved in 15 years, you dont see a lot of parallels. Neither does Schumer. He noted that all senators involved in aviation issues simply refer to the Flight 3407 families as the families, familiar as they are with the citizen lobbyists presence on Capitol Hill. These are inspirational people, Schumer said. And how this worked was just what the Founding Fathers wanted the country to be. This is the best of America: people feeling a need and lobbying their legislators and getting it done. Ammonia proposals for Northern Ireland could reduce farm incomes by up to 38%, a new report warns. Agricultures primary economic output could fall by up to 35m if NI-only ammonia restrictions went ahead, the research concluded. The findings were published by accountancy firm KPMG, which looked at the Department of Agriculture's (DAERA) potential policy changes. Industry groups such as the Ulster Farmers Union (UFU), Dairy Council for NI, and NI Meat Exporters Association commissioned KPMG to investigate. The NI government is seeking to reduce total agricultural ammonia emissions by at least 30% from 2020 levels. But the UFU, speaking on behalf of the groups, said the report shows that ammonia restrictions in planning could delay progression in reducing emissions and have severe consequences for the future of farming in the region. UFU president David Brown said: "Ammonia is a very complex issue and our farmers are very aware of this, but these proposals have the potential to do the opposite of what is intended. The report shows that these harsher ammonia rules will mean that fewer planning applications will be successful, preventing hundreds of farmers from being able to develop and modernise sustainably so they can reduce emissions further. "Many farmers have been actively embracing practical mitigation measures such as low emission slurry spreading equipment, feed formulations and fertiliser types. "However, we are very concerned that necessary investments in improved housing and manure management facilities are likely to be significantly curtailed." The report says that unsuccessful planning applications could lead to a fall in farm infrastructure investment between 20%-25% with consequences for the wider economy agricultural construction is worth around 60-70m. Without investment in farm infrastructure, farmers could struggle to introduce ammonia mitigation measures such as improved scrapers, slat mats in livestock sheds and covers for slurry pits. When a farm's planning application is rejected, not only will this derail their morale to reduce ammonia emissions, but the cost will be significant for the business, the UFU said. For dairy farmers, the report warns that income could drop by 21%, while it could reduce by 30% for beef farms and 38% for pigs enterprises. "As a result, the farm would become inefficient, and it will be impossible for the business to remain competitive impacting NIs ability to produce food locally," Mr Brown said. "Our agri-businesses, rural economy, communities, and consumers will be severely affected by this too." He added: "We need to find a more balanced way forward that allows farmers to develop and deliver ammonia reductions, ensuring farm families can maintain a viable business as food producers." When St. Amelia Church hired Lisa Noble as its business manager, church officials did not know that she also used the name Lisa Prynn, and that Prynn had served a prison term after stealing from three of her employers. Now they know, and frustrated officials of the Town of Tonawanda church say they hope the woman known as Lisa Noble, Lisa Prynn and Lisa Prynn Noble will be arrested soon in connection with the theft of $465,000 in church funds. Its very disappointing, said the Rev. Sebastian C. Sibby Pierro, the former pastor who was involved in hiring Noble last year. You hire someone, you trust someone, and then when something like this happens, its a real slap in the face. In addition to disappointing, its also puzzling. Catholic parishes have been the victims of embezzlement multiple times in the past 30 years, despite repeated warnings about how vulnerable they are and after a group studying the problem recommended a series of controls be put in place to prevent it from happening. When Noble was hired in March 2023 to oversee finances at the church one of the largest in the Buffalo Diocese church officials were unaware that she had been in legal trouble repeatedly under the name Lisa Prynn, Pierro told The Buffalo News on Friday. Prynns past legal problems included a Chapter 7 bankruptcy filed in 1999, two small judgments filed against her and more significantly a 2009 conviction for grand larceny in Niagara County. Former employee focus of $465,000 missing from St. Amelia Catholic Church The ongoing investigation at St. Amelia Church in the Town of Tonawanda is the latest in a long line of thefts from local churches and religious organizations, going back decades. In September 2009, the late Niagara County Judge Matthew J. Murphy III sent Prynn to prison for 18 months to three years after she pleaded guilty to stealing $2,000 from the Lockport location of the Beacon Center, a drug treatment facility, where she worked as a billing specialist. In 2008, a Monroe County judge allowed Prynn to plead guilty to a misdemeanor and placed her on probation for stealing $5,800 from a medical practice in Brighton. And in 2001, Prynn had been put on probation for five years after she pleaded guilty to stealing more than $5,000 from the Erie County chapter of the Muscular Dystrophy Association, according to court records. After Prynn apologized for repeatedly stealing from employers, Murphy told her, If I could make a suggestion, dont get involved with jobs that involve handling money. Less than 15 years later, she was hired as business manager at St. Amelia. Six months later, Pierro said, the church fired her after learning she had been stealing. Pierro was the church pastor when Noble was hired. He is now senior parochial vicar for a family of churches that includes St. Amelia. Noble never would have been hired if church officials knew about the criminal deeds of Lisa Prynn, the priest told The News. We hired her under the name Lisa Noble, which is the name she gave, Pierro recalled on Friday. The diocese ran a record check on her, but no red flags came up under that name. A grand jury recently indicted Noble in connection with thefts from the church and from a local medical office where she worked, two law enforcement officials told The News. The amount of money stolen from the medical office was described as a lot, a significant amount by one of those officials. Now, shes on the run, a law enforcement official said. Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn said he could not confirm or deny those reports. There is an investigation at St. Amelia, and it is continuing, Flynn said Friday. I can confirm that the information came to our office after it was uncovered by the church and the diocese. A substantial amount of money is missing. Other than that, I still cannot comment further at this time. Pierro and three other sources close to the case told The News that Noble is believed to have left Western New York, and that police are trying to track her down and arrest her. The News tried to reach Noble on three phone numbers publicly listed for Lisa Prynn, but all the numbers were disconnected. Internal controls bypassed How did someone manage to steal so much money from a local church, especially when times are tight in the Buffalo Diocese and when similar crimes have happened on multiple occasions at other Western New York parishes? A transition in leadership at the parish last summer may have allowed the thefts to go undetected longer than they normally would have, according to the Rev. Michael LaMarca, current pastor. The parish had procedures in place for handling money and accounts that called for the business manager to hand over to a bookkeeper monthly bank and credit card statements for the parish. The business manager withheld those statements for a period when St. Amelia was in the process of joining with five other Tonawanda-area churches as a family of parishes under a restructuring plan designed to revitalize parish life amid a growing dearth of priests and mounting financial pressures. The diocese grouped 160 parishes into 36 families, each of which has a pastor. LaMarca started July 1 in that post for family No. 18, which includes St. Amelia, as well as St. Christopher, St. Andrew Kim Mission, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Jude the Apostle and Our Lady of Czestochowa. Sex abuse lawsuits against Buffalo Catholic parishes remain on hold Chief Judge Carl L. Bucki of U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Western District of New York said the pause in litigation was necessary to consider more fully whether a diocese reorganization plan can protect parishes, schools and other affiliated Catholic entities from sex abuse lawsuits. The check in place is that the business manager does not reconcile the bank statements or the credit card statements. Its done by a separate bookkeeper, said LaMarca. When the bookkeeper was finally given the opportunity to perform the reconciliation, thats when it was spotted. The business manager broke protocols put in place by the diocese and turned in a bank statement only after being pressed by parish leadership for the information. One anomaly was spotted and that just led to a balloon, an explosion, that really led to us finding everything else, LaMarca said. Its still not clear how Noble was able to get access to so much money in bank accounts. Under the parishs procedures, the business manager does not have signing authority, LaMarca said. Weve asked the bank why that was possible, and no answer was given, he said. LaMarca said he wouldnt comment on what vetting or backgrounding procedures were done prior to the hiring of Noble because he was not at the parish at that time. Despite the large amount of missing funds, parish ministries have not been curtailed, LaMarca said. All ministries have been able to continue, both on the parish and the school side, without interruption, he said. LaMarca said he also was confident the parish would recover a majority of the funds lost. I realize we wont be able to recover all of them. Were working with the bank and insurance to see what can be done. Weve already been able to receive some back through a fraud filing, he said. LaMarca also said the diocese and parish are trying to be as open as possible about what happened. They took the unusual step of publishing Nobles name and a description of her alleged crimes in the parish bulletin on Jan. 28. The bulletin item was entitled St. Amelia Fraud Case Update. Its frustrating, its embarrassing, but we want to make sure that we are transparent and communicating what we are able to communicate, he said. Churches often victims At least 40 of the regions churches and religious organizations have been victimized by thieves, dating to the early 1990s, according to News archives. Those thefts ranged from a few hundred dollars to $1.5 million stolen by a diocese comptroller. Nearly 15 years ago, after the discovery of embezzlement at three parishes totaling more than $1 million, Bishop Edward U. Kmiec assembled a committee of professionals to help churches tighten up their financial controls and prevent future thefts. The committee, which included former Buffalo Police Commissioner Rocco J. Diina and executives from banks, an insurance company, and a large accounting firm, met several times and gave Kmiec, who was leading the diocese at the time, several recommendations that were then forwarded to parishes. We made a number of recommendations. The problem is each parish is run as a separate entity, said Peter M. Vito, who served on the bishops committee. So, one parish may adopt the recommendations that the bishop put forth and another parish, because of a multitude of reasons, either financial, or just, quite frankly, laziness, they dont adopt it. And they ultimately wind up getting taken. Vito, former commissioner of Erie County Central Police Services, said embezzlement account for roughly 30% of cases handled by his private investigations firm, which has unraveled thefts at dozens of churches, small businesses and other organizations. To cut down on cash thefts, the diocese in 2004 mandated the use of tamper-evident bags in securing parish offertory collections. But Vito said larger dollar thefts are almost always manipulation of the accounting, such as the use of fictitious vendors and check schemes in which someone with check-signing authority deposits checks made to a parish into another account. Another common form of embezzlement is the fraudulent use of credit cards using a parish card, for example, to buy products at a home improvement store for private use. Vito said he recommends the use of purchase orders instead of organizational credit cards to cut down on fraud. Implementing dual control mechanisms requiring that at least two separate individuals authorize or initiate transactions is probably the simplest way for churches to prevent insider theft, said Vito. But he also acknowledged that many churches rely on volunteers and have trouble finding and paying qualified employees who can make sure dual control policies and procedures are followed correctly. Churches sometimes wrongly assume that anyone they hire has the best interests of the organization in mind, and they dont do the appropriate background checks on job candidates, Vito added. Bankruptcies on the record of someone applying for a bookkeeping or business manager post absolutely would be red flags, he said. In a lot church embezzlement cases, in particular, no backgrounding was done at all before an employee was granted check-signing authority, said Vito. Sharon Osbourne thinks America is "becoming more scary". Sharon Osbourne is relocating to the UK The 71-year-old star and her husband Ozzy Osbourne are preparing to the return to the UK, after living on the West Coast of the US for decades. Sharon - who was born in London - told PEOPLE: "We are moving back to the UK this year. Well live in our house in Buckinghamshire. "America is changing. Its becoming more scary. "The UK isnt immune to that. Everywhere feels jittery right now but the UK perhaps less so." Ozzy, 75, is more hesitant about returning home to the UK. But Sharon believes that he'll soon adjust to life in Britain. She said: "Ozzys a little anxious about the distance between him in the UK and the kids and the grandchildren in LA. But, once he gets here and feels the love there is for him, hell find that very healing." Ozzy was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in February 2019, and Sharon admitted that he's been through lots of ups and downs in recent years. The TV star - who has been married to Ozzy since 1982 - explained: "Ozzy has gone through terrible depressions. And when youre not in a good state of mind, its hard for the body to heal. Ive had to become his cheerleader. Thats something I hadnt planned at this stage of my life. Its not been easy watching your husband go through such agony physically." Sharon also revealed that she too struggles to find happiness. The outspoken star - who has Aimee, 40, Kelly, 39, and Jack, 38, with Ozzy - said: "Am I happy? No. I worry too much about Ozzy, the kids, the grandkids." King Charles has thanked for the public for their support after his cancer diagnosis. King Charles has recently been diagnosed with cancer The 75-year-old monarch was recently diagnosed with "a form of cancer" following a "corrective procedure" for an enlarged prostate, and Charles has now expressed his "heartfelt thanks" to the public for their "comfort and encouragement". In a statement released by Buckingham Palace, he said: "I would like to express my most heartfelt thanks for the many messages of support and good wishes I have received in recent days. "As all those who have been affected by cancer will know, such kind thoughts are the greatest comfort and encouragement. "It is equally heartening to hear how sharing my own diagnosis has helped promote public understanding and shine a light on the work of all those organisations which support cancer patients and their families across the UK and wider world. My lifelong admiration for their tireless care and dedication is all the greater as a result of my own personal experience." Charles - who ascended to the throne in 2022, following the death of Queen Elizabeth - recently started his cancer treatment. Buckingham Palace also explained that the monarch wanted to share news of his diagnosis "in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer". A statement read: "His Majesty has today commenced a schedule of regular treatments, during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties. Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual. "The King is grateful to his medical team for their swift intervention, which was made possible thanks to his recent hospital procedure. He remains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible. "His Majesty has chosen to share his diagnosis to prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer." Robert De Niro knew Leonardo DiCaprio was special as soon as they met. Robert De Niro's first impression of Leonardo DiCaprio: 'That kid had something special' The pair - who have starred in three movies together over the past 30 years - first met when Leonardo auditioned for the 1993 drama 'This Boy's Life', which also starred De Niro. Although Leonardo, now 49, had not auditioned for the central role of Tobias, Robert told the producer how impressed he was by the young actor's audition. He told PEOPLE: "I said to Art Linson, the producer, I said, Art, that kid was really, it was interesting. I didn't push it. I just said, That kid had something special, and then they turned around and wound up using Leo." Robert, 80, and Leonardo went on to work with each other on the 1996 drama 'Marvins Room' and the 2023 western crime drama film 'Killers of the Flower Moon'. Speaking about their 'Killers of the Flower Moon' characters, where he played the nephew of De Niro's character, Leonardo recently told Deadline: "I happened to have done a film [titled] 'This Boy's Life' where I had an abusive stepfather in De Niro. So it was this insanely coincidental, full circle, sort of similar relationship. "It felt like I was stepping into the same or a similar character 30 years later, grown up. [De Niro] was still [playing] this abusive character. He was the abusive stepfather. "Developing Ernest [DiCaprio's character] was interesting because out of all the stuff that I researched all his writings, all the testimony, speaking to relatives in Oklahoma the one resounding consistent element was that this man was quite slow and easily manipulated, that [De Niro's character] Hale had this mental stronghold over him." He also spoke about the thrill he got from working with De Niro and director Martin Scorsese and the awe he felt at the "dual relationship between actor and filmmaker". He said: "It's all we spoke about in our younger age. And to be able to have gotten to have my first opportunity working with Mr. De Niro on 'This Boys Life', and then have him refer me to Marty saying, 'Heres this kid, I just worked with him.' And then having done, what is it, six films with [Scorsese] now? Something like that. "And then 30 years later now, getting to work with both of them, my two sort of cinematic heroes, and creating this entire story and narrative in these characters was, needless to say, one of the highlights of my entire career and life." Inbound cargo volume at major US container ports is expected to see year-on-year (YoY) increases in the first half this year despite attacks on ships in the Red Sea, according to the Global Port Tracker report released recently by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett Associates. Only about 12 per cent of US-bound cargo comes through the Suez Canal, but the situation in the Red Sea is bringing volatility and uncertainty that are being felt around the globe, NRF vice president for supply chain and customs policy Jonathan Gold said in a release. Inbound cargo volume at major US container ports is expected to see YoY increases in the first half this year despite attacks on ships in the Red Sea, according to the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates. Carriers are using a surplus of capacity built up during the pandemic to ease the impact, and improvements are already being observed. US retailers are working to mitigate the impact of delays and increased costs. However, the longer the disruptions occur, the bigger impact this could have. More needs to be done among partners and allies to ensure the safety of vessels and crews in order to avoid yet another year of supply chain disruption, he added. Carriers are using a surplus of capacity built up during the pandemic to ease the impact as voyages are diverted around the Cape of Good Hope or to the US West Coast, and improvements are already being observed, Hackett Associates founder Ben Hackett said. The shipping industry has rapidly adjusted by adding extra vessels to its networks, and has returned to normal weekly ship arrivals, he said. Service from Asia to the US East Coast is working well and the dramatic rise in freight rates is showing signs of easing, with pressure from shippers likely to quickly bring these down, he added. US ports covered by Global Port Tracker handled 1.87 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU)one 20-foot container or its equivalentin December. That was down by 1 per cent month on month (MoM), but up by 8.3 per cent YoY. Decembers results brought 2023 to 22.3 million TEUdown by 12.8 per cent from 2022. Ports have not yet reported Januarys numbers, but the Tracker projected the month at 1.81 million TEUup by 0.3 per cent YoY. February is forecast at 1.86 million TEUup by 20.4 per cent YoY, and March at 1.71 million TEUup by 5.5 per cent YoY. February is traditionally the slowest month because of Lunar New Year factory shutdowns in Asia. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS) Bollywood icon Mithun Chakraborty was recently rushed to a hospital after the veteran star felt weak in the upper right and lower limbs. The hospital then admitted that the actor had suffered from an Ischemic Cerebrovascular Accident (Stroke) in his brain. This sudden health scare has worried fans and colleagues alike, who have been eagerly waiting for updates on his condition. Mithun's Co-Star and Director Share Updates on His Health Now, his co-star Debashree Roy has come out of the hospital and had a word with us. In a recent development, Shastri director Pathikrit Basu shared his experience after meeting Mithunda in the hospital. "Well, let me tell you that I have just come out of the hospital. I met him and he is better. Mithunda also said that he would resume the shoot after a few days. He talked about the things he would be doing when he comes back on the set." This statement has brought a sigh of relief to many. Debashree Roy Provides Insight into Mithun's Current Status Approximately 10 minutes ago, we also spoke with Debashree Roy, who is set to star opposite Mithunda in his upcoming film Shastri "I also met Mithunda in the hospital. He is better now, he was taken to the hospital in time, and yes, his sugar levels had gone down. He was feeling quite uneasy. But now he is out of the ICU and recuperating in a room." This detailed account gives fans hope that the beloved actor is on the mend. The Road to Recovery and the Impact on "Shastri" Debashree also told us that Mithunda was supposed to go to Bangalore in a day or two, but now that trip seems to have been postponed. "He and I are supposed to shoot for the next schedule of Shastri from February 23. But now I don't know whether he will resume on the 23rd or later. It will depend on what the doctors advise Mithunda," she concluded. This unforeseen health issue has certainly affected the film's schedule, but the primary focus remains on Mithun Chakraborty's health and recovery. Mithun Chakraborty is one of the brightest shining stars in the history of Indian cinema. His contribution to the industry is unparalleled, and his health scare has certainly sent shockwaves through Bollywood. Fans, colleagues, and well-wishers around the world are praying for his speedy recovery. We at Times Now/Zoom join them in hoping to hear the good news of his return to health soon. RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The inaugural Space Debris Conference commenced in Riyadh, focusing on the pivotal theme of "Towards Securing the Future of the Global Space Economy." Hosted by the Saudi Space Agency and partnered with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the Communications and Space Technology Commission, the event gathered over 400 experts, 70 speakers, and various industry leaders globally. Its goal is to foster dialogue on space debris, highlighting Saudi Arabia's commitment to space protection, collaboration, and knowledge exchange. Engineer Abdullah bin Amer Al-Swaha, Chairman of the Board of the Saudi Space Agency, emphasized the urgency of addressing space debris amid increasing space activities. He underscored the conference's role as a catalyst for global cooperation and innovative solutions. Dr. Mohammed bin Saud Altamimi, CEO of the Saudi Space Agency, highlighted Saudi Arabia's dedication to sustainable development and innovation in space, including its leadership in the G20's Leaders Initiative for Space Economy. The conference's agenda spans two days, featuring sessions on legislation, future trends, risk mitigation, and space governance. Discussions will include initiatives for space debris removal, enhancing orbital safety, and shaping the future of space governance. The event also hosts an exhibition showcasing local and international companies' space technologies, aiming to raise awareness and foster collaboration in tackling the challenges posed by space debris. In summary, the Space Debris Conference serves as a pivotal platform for global cooperation and innovation in addressing the challenges of space debris, underscoring Saudi Arabia's commitment to space protection, sustainable development, and collaboration in the global space economy. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2337980/Space_Debris_Conference.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/the-first-edition-of-the-space-debris-conference-debuts-in-riyadh-with-the-participation-of-470-experts-and-speakers-302058671.html Miami, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - February 11, 2024) - LinkDaddy has developed a "done-for-you" (DFY) SEO service that combines traditional SEO, backlinking, social media marketing, content creation, and continuous monitoring to obtain links from high-domain-authority websites, which can be used to organically influence search engine discoverability. More information is available at https://linkdaddy.com/ "Done-For-You" SEO Service with Dofollow Backlink Building Launched by Linkdaddy To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/195790_b967a2d14427dacc_002full.jpg The DFY service is particularly aimed at time-limited company owners who lack the expertise for the necessary digital legwork required to mount an SEO campaign. "Most business owners don't have the patience and time to keep pace with Google's constant algorithm changes. But we do, and this ensures that the campaigns we launch for our clients adhere to the latest ranking guidelines," LinkDaddy founder Tony Peacock said. With over eight years on the market, LinkDaddy has built a solid reputation for enhancing businesses' online visibility through sound SEO practices, such as building high-quality backlinks. "These clickable weblinks on external sites, blogs, and listings drive traffic to the business' website and create a level of authenticity favored by search engine algorithms," Mr. Peacock explained. "Webpages with the highest number of backlinks, therefore, organically rise to the top of search results." While backlinks provide the core of their DFY SEO service, LinkDaddy also includes the development of content. Negating the need for an in-house creative team, LinkDaddy's DFY offers cost savings by providing engaging content that is not only customized to the business but focused on filling the gaps identified by SEO audits. Subscribers to the new DFY service will receive monthly updates from a dedicated SEO expert assigned to their account. This will help businesses chart the performance of campaigns and garner insights that can be used to enhance future SEO efforts. Interested parties who want to learn more can book a discovery call with Mr. Peacock through https://linkdaddy.com/ Contact Info: Name: Tony Peacock Email: tony@linkdaddy.com Organization: LinkDaddy Address: 1065 SW 8th St PMB 622, Miami, Florida 33130, United States Website: https://linkdaddy.shop To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/195790 SOURCE: Plentisoft Actress Ankita Lokhande and her husband Vicky Jain garnered severe criticism for their verbal spats during their stint in Bigg Boss 17. Now, in a recent interview, the Pavitra Rishta star spoke about their bond and asked people to not judge their relationship. Once I came out, there was media, questions. There was a pressure. Nobody is putting that pressure on you but you feel pressured. People are judging your relationship. We know what kind of relationship we share. We know our bond very well. There (Bigg Boss 17 house) I said certain things, he (Vicky Jain) said certain things. I dont want people to judge us on that because I am not judging any relationship. Ankita told to News 18. Advertisement She added, I am not in any competition. I am not a perfect person but I am good for myself and my relationship. Couples fight at their homes but we do not see it. We did not know that we would fight this much because we never had any problems. Our fights started there (Bigg Boss house) and ended there. Now people are like, How are they together? People are commenting on divorce, putting us down. Stop judging us, guys. Live your life the way you want to live and let us live our life. Advertisement Bringing light to the lost leader from the chapters of history! Starting a new chapter, right after BB17 feels extra special Grateful to be a part of this project alongside @RandeepHooda , produced by @anandpandit63 @ZeeStudios_ Dont miss out on the date, 22nd March 2024 pic.twitter.com/hQn3sgASqY Ankita lokhande Jain (@anky1912) January 30, 2024 Advertisement On the professional front, Ankita Lokhande will be next seen in Randeep Hooda starrer Swatantrya Veer Savarkar , which also marks his directorial debut. The film is produced by Zee Studios, Anand Pandit, Randeep Hooda, Sandeep Singh & Yogesh Rahar co-produced by Roopa Pandit, Sam Khan, Anwar Ali, Panchali Chakraborty. Also starring Amit Sial, Swatantrya Veer Savarkar is slated to release on 22nd March 2024 in two languages Hindi and Marathi. Adolescents attitudes toward drinking have generally become more negative, while their attitudes toward non-drinking have become accepting. Researchers argue that this stems from a longer, more protracted transition into young adulthood, concerns about the future and a pressure to succeed in life Alcohol consumption among younger generations has been declining for years. And with many pubs and cocktail bars now catering to the sober and sober curious , its easier than ever to opt out. Starting in the US in the late 1990s, and spreading to several other wealthy countries in the early 2000s, young people began to drink less than previous generations, or avoid drinking alcohol altogether. Advertisement The proportion of 16- to 24-year-olds who report drinking alcohol in the last week fell from 67 per cent in 2002 to 37 per cent in 2021 . The decline was even steeper for younger teens. In England, the proportion of 15-year-olds who have drunk alcohol in the past week fell from 52 per cent to 20 per cent between 2001 and 2021 , although some of this may be due to changes in the survey methods over that period. We have been researching the decline in youth drinking in England and Australia, using both surveys and interviews with young people. When we present our findings to other researchers and the wider public, we find that adults are often surprised to hear that young people today drink less. In our experience, their reactions suggest a belief in outdated stereotypes of young people as irresponsible and feckless. Advertisement They also sometimes jump to incorrect conclusions about the reasons why young people are drinking less, projecting adults motives for abstaining onto young people. Drinking less alcohol The reasons behind the decline are complex, but by analysing survey data and interviewing young people in England and Australia, we can provide some answers. The change reflects a general trend in young peoples attitudes toward risk. From smoking to sex, young people including those in early adolescence and in their early twenties are generally more risk averse than previous generations . Advertisement This extends to where they choose to, or feel able to, spend time. Some young people have less independent access to public spaces, like parks, than past generations because of increased restrictions on their ability to access such spaces. There is also evidence that they view socialising in such spaces with alcohol to be unsafe and morally suspect . Advertisement Recent research shows that drinking has become less routine and expected for young people, while not drinking has become more socially acceptable. This could be due to more efforts by governments and businesses like supermarkets to make alcohol less available to young people. However, it cant be the only explanation, as in some countries where there has been a decline in youth drinking, policies regulating young peoples access to alcohol havent changed. Advertisement Adolescents attitudes toward drinking have generally become more negative, while their attitudes toward non-drinking have become positive and accepting . Researchers argue that this stems from a longer, more protracted transition into young adulthood, as well as young peoples concerns about the future and feeling a strong sense of pressure to succeed in life, including economically. We found most of the young people we spoke to didnt consider peer pressure to be an important factor in their decisions to drink or not, except for a small number of university students who resented how alcohol-centric social life at university is. Advertisement Myths about youth drinking People we have spoken to about our research often assume that if young people arent drinking, they must be doing something else instead that is equally (or even more) harmful, such as smoking cigarettes or cannabis. In fact, the opposite is true: smoking and cannabis use decreased at the same time as alcohol. There were some signs of increases in cannabis use among schoolchildren before the pandemic and smoking among young adults after the pandemic . Advertisement But both of these like the rise in teen vaping occurred years after the decline in youth drinking was well-established. In other words, some groups of young people may be smoking cannabis or tobacco and vaping more, but they are unlikely to be doing so in place of drinking alcohol. And while the rise of the internet and social media happened at the same time as the drinking decline, there is little evidence that young people are using technology in place of drinking. On the contrary, it is those who use the internet the most who also tend to drink the most . Advertisement It is important to note that the decline in youth drinking is not the same as the growing sobriety movement. The latter has been behind temporary abstinence campaigns like Dry January, and helped by social media influencers, celebrities and online communities promoting sobriety as a way a of life. Those who speak publicly about their decision to go sober usually describe how this decision was made after years of binge drinking. The sobriety movement is about adults reassessing their relationship to alcohol. This is very different from teenagers deciding, actively or passively, not to take up drinking. Advertisement Though at least one study has identified links between young peoples decisions not to drink and their health consciousness , the general trend is not about giving up alcohol, but about not really developing a drinking habit in the first place. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article . Instead of resorting to the age-old tactic of postponement or delay, marked by disputes and strife, it is imperative for the diverse and community-minded populace to unite and actively implement this legislation In Indias multifaceted legal landscape, a singular, all-encompassing family law that resonates across diverse socio-religious groups remains absent. The proposition of a Common Civil Code (CCC) seeks to bridge this gap, envisioning a unified legal framework that melds the myriad strands of family laws into a coherent whole. The CCC is envisaged as a codified set of common laws aiming to supersede diverse personal legislation, especially regarding women and children in India, thereby governing social domains such as matrimony, succession, and guardianship uniformly across all citizenries. This initiative is pivotal in fostering engendered-legal egalitarianism, fortifying the constitutional fabric of the Indian polity, and advancing the ethos of gender equality, woman empowerment, child security, and social equity, thereby knitting a more cohesive and inclusive societal tapestry. Advertisement As we stride into the 21st century, the clarion call for a CCC resonates louder than ever, particularly as Uttarakhand has approved the CCC. Uttarakhand has become the first state in the country after Independence to adopt the CCC, though similar legislation has been operational in Goa since the days of Portuguese rule. Key proposals The Uttarakhand CCC bill marks a significant stride towards reforming personal laws in India; it proposes the abolition of practices like polygamy and child marriage, advocating for a uniform marriageable age to ensure that girls have the opportunity to complete their education. The bill envisions equal inheritance rights for both sons and daughters and uniform divorce procedures, emphasising the necessity of marriage registration for accessing state services. This initiative extends adoption rights across the board, including for Muslim women, and calls for the elimination of controversial practices such as halala and iddat, while also making provisions for legal recognition of live-in relationships. This will not only empower the women of Uttarakhand and protect its children, but it will also act as a precedent for the whole of the country. Advertisement Furthermore, the bill carefully navigates the socio-cultural landscape of Uttarakhand by exempting Scheduled Tribes, acknowledging the need to preserve the unique heritage of the states indigenous communities. It proposes a harmonised approach to divorce, mandating court oversight and introducing a cooling-off period to foster reconciliation. Innovative measures for child custody in cases of parental disputes suggest grandparents as potential guardians, simplifying the guardianship process for orphaned children, and outlining provisions for the welfare of a deceased spouses parents. These comprehensive proposals reflect a thoughtful attempt to balance the preservation of cultural diversity with the pursuit of legal uniformity, aiming to weave a stronger fabric of national integration and social justice. Advertisement Time and again, PM Modi has emphasised that the country cannot function with multiple laws and underscored that the Common Civil Code aligns with the founding principles and ideals of the Constitution. The move by the Uttarakhand government to approve the CCC signals a step closer to the realisation of a uniform legal framework in the state, addressing issues of personal law that have long been a point of contention. Further, the Indian government is expected to utilise Uttarakhands bill as a foundational blueprint for crafting a national CCC bill, with plans to introduce it in Parliaments winter session. However, the political arena shows a divide on the CCC, with parties like Congress, CPI, and Trinamool among those opposing it, while AAP, Shiv Sena, and others support the initiative. Advertisement Historical journey The discourse surrounding the CCC in India has long been a focal point of intense debate and contention, challenging the fabric of Indian political and social spheres for many years. Its first mention can be traced back to the 1833 Charter Act, which granted the British government the authority to codify Hindu and Muslim laws. The laws were mainly around banning grotesque practices like Sati and legalising widow remarriage in the Hindu community. In the lead-up to Indias independence, the Lex Loci report of 1840 underscored the imperative for a unified legal framework, particularly concerning criminal, contractual, and civil law, leading to their significant development and acknowledgment. Despite this progress, the Queens Proclamation in 1859, which vowed non-intervention in religious matters, ensured that personal laws remained untouched, preserving traditional religious legal practices. However, it was only in the early 20th century that the idea of a CCC began to gain significant momentum. Advertisement The CCCs journey, deeply rooted in the constitutional directive enshrined in Article 44, embodies the aspiration for universal legal equality, yet its realization remains elusive, shadowed by ongoing religious and cultural debates. The concept was significantly deliberated upon during the formation of the Indian Constitution, aiming to bring disparate personal laws under a unified legal canopy, thereby promoting commonality and fairness in social matters for all citizens. Advertisement The genesis of the CCC discourse can be traced back to the pivotal discussions within the Constituent Assembly, where luminaries such as Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, Sardar Patel, Hansa Mehta, and Meenu Masani, among others, laid the foundational arguments for a modernized legal system that upholds gender equality and individual rights, championing the cause of national unity and secularism. Despite the efforts of the notable leaders and later the inclusion of the CCC in the Directive Principles of State Policy, the proposal was met with resistance, particularly from sections of the Muslim community, highlighting the intricate challenge of reconciling a unified legal framework with Indias pluralistic identity. Advertisement After the Constitution came into effect, the Indian government undertook several reforms in Hindu personal laws. In the 1950s, a series of laws known as the Hindu Code Bills were passed, which reformed Hindu law and made it more progressive, especially concerning womens rights. These included the Hindu Marriage Act, the Hindu Succession Act, the Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, and the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act. Advertisement However, similar reforms were not carried out for other religious communities, particularly Muslims, due to political sensitivities and resistance from these religious groups. The imperative for a CCC has also been underscored by various rulings from Indias apex court, advocating for a harmonized legal framework that transcends the segmented laws currently governing familial and personal matters. These legal pronouncements not only interpret the constitutional mandate but also highlight the pressing need for a CCC to align with evolving societal norms and principles of justice. Below are five Supreme Court judgements that have significantly contributed to the discourse on the CCC: Advertisement Shah Bano Case (1985): A watershed moment, this case emphasised the need for a common civil code for womens economic empowerment. The court underscored the disparities in maintenance granted to Muslim women under personal laws compared to women from other communities. Sarla Mudgal Case (1995): Focusing on the constitutional ethos of the nation, this case stressed the importance of a CCC in preventing discrimination against women based on religious lines. The court reiterated that a CCC would contribute to the larger goal of gender justice and equality. Advertisement John Vallamattom Case (2003): Highlighting the urgency of a CCC to avoid discrimination against vulnerable sections, particularly women, this judgement emphasised the need for a uniform legal framework to ensure justice and equal rights. Danial Latifi Case (2001): While addressing the issue of maintenance, the court stressed the necessity of a CCC to ensure gender justice and protect the rights of women. Advertisement Joseph Shine Case (2018): A landmark judgement on adultery, this case underscored the need for gender-neutral and common laws. It contributed to the ongoing discourse on a CCC by emphasising the importance of eliminating discriminatory practices in the name of personal laws. All the above judgements and SC observations time and again emphasised the need for the CCC to safeguard the rights of vulnerable and weaker sections of societywomen and childrenwho are often dependent on the male members of the family across diverse socio-religious groups. The need for CCC India currently operates under a system of separate personal laws. Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, and Jains are governed by the Hindu Code Bill (which includes laws like the Hindu Marriage Act, Hindu Succession Act, etc.), while Muslims are governed by their personal law (Shariat), which includes laws like the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act. Christians and Parsis have their own separate personal laws. Additionally, the Indian Divorce Act and the Special Marriage Act are laws that anyone can opt into, regardless of their religion. All communities are structured in a manner where male supremacy dominates within the family and outside. There can be variations in degrees of patriarchy or gender discrimination, but there is little doubt that in the overall context, womens relegation reinforces itself, generally leaving little space for egalitarianism. Currently, personal laws are discriminatory towards women, especially in the areas of marriage, divorce, and inheritance. For instance, Muslim women do not have the right to maintenance after divorce, similar to a Hindu woman. This created ambiguity and discrimination among them. The discussion around polygamy within Islamic jurisprudence underscores its constrained intent, primarily safeguarding orphans and promoting equity among spouses, as delineated in the Quran. This viewpoint spurred legal reforms in nations like Turkey and Tunisia, outlawing polygamy on secular and theological bases, respectively. Such legislative changes are part of a wider movement towards modernising laws to better align with contemporary socio-economic and moral frameworks, as seen in Algeria and Morocco. Examples from other countries validate the significance of the CCC. Even countries like Saudi Arabia are taking steps to reconstruct their laws to enhance gender equality and social welfare. Russia, the USA, Switzerland, Brazil, and Germany are among the few countries that have their own CCC. However, in India, despite increasing calls for reform, especially from Muslim women, the laws governing polygamy remain entrenched in tradition and lack formal codification, presenting a key opportunity for legal reform. As Babasaheb Ambedkar and other learned members of the Constituent Assembly had proposed, uniformity in personal laws is essential for empowering women and ensuring gender equality in matters of marriage, divorce, and inheritance. A CCC would eliminate discriminatory practices that deprive women of their rights and provide them with equal opportunities and protections. Numerous social and political organisations have actively championed the cause of a Common Civil Code (CCC) in India. This advocacy can be traced back to 1967, when the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, in its manifesto, pledged to enact a CCC if it assumed power, with a specific focus on issues like marriage, adoption, and succession. In 1972, the Maharashtra Muslim Womens Conference, presided over by Sharifa Tyabji, voiced support for the CCC and fundamental rights for women. Subsequently, in 1974, a delegation of six Muslim individuals met with President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, urging the adoption of a common code to safeguard womens rights. Prominent figures like Maharashtra Chief Minister Sharad Pawar, Harkishan Singh Surjit of the Communist Party of India (M), and the Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) expressed their endorsement of the CCC, emphasising its alignment with Article 44 of the Constitution. This advocacy continued through various party manifestos, culminating in a call for the CCCs implementation. The Common Civil Code will thus ensure that all women and children, regardless of their religion, are treated equally and fairly in all matters of personal law. Besides, having a single set of laws would address the problems of multiple laws in different regions within the same legal framework. It would be more convenient for judicial procedures, and freedom of choice would be given to individuals. The implementation of a CCC would also strengthen the true character of the Indian Constitution. Unaffected stance Unlike the apprehensions surrounding it, this law will not influence the marital customs of different religions or tribes. It is important to emphasise that the Common Civil Code will not interfere with the customs and traditions of any religion or tribe in India. Marital customs, such as Nikah among Muslims, Anand Karaj among Sikhs, Phera in front of fire among Hindus, and Holy Matrimony among Christians, will continue to be practiced according to the respective beliefs of each religion. Furthermore, the Common Civil Code will not impact the customs and traditions of tribal communities in the country. The Indian Constitution contains provisions to protect the social and traditional practices of tribes, such as Article 371(A) for Nagas and Article 371(G) for Mizos. Additionally, the establishment of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes and the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006 further safeguard their rights and customs. Tribal areas are designated under the Fifth and Sixth Schedules of the Constitution, and various councils and autonomous bodies ensure the protection of tribal customs and traditions. Therefore, the Common Civil Code will not affect the constitutional safeguards in place for tribal communities. Way forward The current governments commitment to the welfare of women and children goes beyond mere words, evident in its tangible actions at the grassroots level. The recent passage of the Nari Shakti Vandan Bill in Parliament marks a substantial milestone in the pursuit of gender equality. Furthermore, a series of impactful initiatives, including the PM Ujjwala scheme, support for Anganwadi workers, a dedicated focus on maternal health, and programmes such as the Lakhpati Didi scheme, Mission Shakti, Mahila Samman Savings Certificate scheme, and PM Matru Vandana Yojna, all underscore its unwavering dedication. Concurrently, resources from PM CARES have been channeled to provide aid to children orphaned during the COVID-19 pandemic, while initiatives like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, skill development programs, and AI-integrated learning platforms are strategically positioned to secure a prosperous future for the nation. The forthcoming adoption of the Common Civil Code (CCC) serves as another significant step in the governments mission to empower women and children, reaffirming its steadfast commitment to their well-being and progress. There is no chance of the welfare of the world unless the condition of women is improved. It is not possible for a bird to fly on one wing. -Swami Vivekananda As we navigate the whirlwind of global evolution, marked by rapid technological strides and transformative socio-economic shifts, the imperative for adaptive legal frameworks becomes paramount. The CCC emerges as a beacon of progressive legal thought, aspiring to weave the rich tapestry of existing personal laws into a contemporary legal narrative, discarding antiquated notions that no longer serve the collective conscience. Instead of resorting to the age-old tactic of postponement or delay, marked by disputes and strife, it is imperative for the diverse and community-minded populace to unite and actively implement this legislation. This aspiration is in harmony with the constitutional ethos encapsulated in We the People of India, celebrating the nations intricate mosaic of cultures while advocating for an equitable legal edifice that ensures justice and equality for every citizen. The author is a Professor at Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi. 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 . Kristen Dixon spent a lot of time with her grandmother when she was younger, but dementia robbed Jeanne Corby of the ability to enjoy the kinds of activities they once shared so easily. The two find a welcome reprieve at the Musical Memories Cafe, inside an old bakery turned performing arts venue, where people eat, sing and dance together. The cafe, about 20 miles south of Buffalo, is a social gathering space twice a month for isolated older adults, those with dementia and their loved ones. Its a nice memory to have with her, especially since its hard to make any new memories, said Dixon, 40, a medical accounts manager who lives in West Seneca. Many cafe visitors walk slowly, use a cane or a walker, or arrive in wheelchairs as they make their way to the tables at the West Falls Center for the Arts. They listen to live music for an hour, eat lunch and commune. The music makes them reminisce about their lives, said musician Doug Yeomans, who started his set last Wednesday with Here Comes the Sun. You know when youre at that age and youre thinking youve got more years behind you than you have in front of you? I think it means a lot to them to just get to remember, Yeomans said. For regulars with Alzheimers and other kinds of dementia, listening to music stimulates their minds. Theyll sit together, and theyll remember the verse of the song. Theyll sing every verse of the song. Theyll clap, said Carolyn Panzica, executive director of the nonprofit arts center, which has operated the memory cafe since 2018. For that hour, they get some of that old joy back. The latest cafe lunch included pulled pork sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, salad and dessert. The music, food and fellowship are all free. The need is great In New York, Alzheimers is a growing crisis. The state has the second-highest prevalence of the disease in the United States, according to a study by the Alzheimers Association. Roughly 410,000 New Yorkers 65 or older have an Alzheimers diagnosis. That number is expected to grow by 12% by 2025. People of color, lower incomes and who live in rural communities have higher rates of Alzheimers and other dementia. These individuals are lost in time and place sometimes, said Dr. Borna Bonakdarpour, a neurology professor at Northwestern University. That by itself causes agitation and anxiety when they cant place themselves. In 2022, Bonakdarpour co-authored a study examining a music-based interventions impact on caregivers and dementia patients. Beyond the pall of disease, family caregivers of Alzheimers patients endure emotional and financial hardships that siphon their energies and time. When theyre under distress, they cant help the patient, it gets into this vicious circle, Bonakdarpour said. Family members, sometimes, they just give up their jobs to take care of their loved ones. Memory cafes can serve as refuges from the confines of home, both for the caregiver and patient. They provide social cohesion, peer support and access to health resources. The ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center recently recognized the West Falls cafe as an innovative and exemplary program for its service model. Houses of worship, arts venues and senior centers are among the places that host such gatherings. The success of the West Falls shows spurred the nonprofit to expand its free memory cafe offerings to the Amherst Senior Center and Dale Association in Lockport. The cafe has served almost 11,000 free lunches during the past two years. European roots The model, originated in the late 1990s by Dutch psychiatrist Bere Miesen, aims to break the stigma associated with dementia. Recent studies also show social isolation increases risk of dementia among older adults. Isolation can feed into dementia itself, Bonakdarpour said. Memory cafes are a life enrichment activity. They are not therapeutic interventions, nor do they act as respite care facilities where those with dementia can be dropped off on their own. Their welcoming environments can offer people opportunities to play games, make art or enjoy music. More than 1,000 memory such sites operate in person or virtually in the United States, according to AARP. New York has 18 listed on the Memory Cafe Directory website, memorycafedirectory.com, including the Syracuse Memory Cafe in DeWitt and a senior center that runs a memory cafe in Queensbury, south of Lake George. The cafes are typically funded by grants, individual and corporate donors or religious institutions. Its familiar to them The spread of Alzheimers, the most common form of dementia, begins in the back of the brain. Neurons get damaged and brain regions shrink. However, the front and middle areas of the brain, where long-term memories are stored, and the cerebellum the part of the nervous system responsible for processing rhythm, balance and other cognitive functions are not touched by the disease until later stages. Alzheimers patients can recognize songs from their younger years. That jolt from the past can soothe and reduce agitation or anxiety. They feel safer because its familiar to them, Bonakdarpour said, noting music can be a way to communicate with patients emotionally if they become nonverbal. Although considered safe, music can have negative side effects, Bonakdarpour said. Too much noise can make patients uncomfortable. Sensory overload itself is not a great idea, he said. It has to be within a certain amount that is not overwhelming to people. Musical nostalgia can also be triggering. Some songs can bring back bad memories for people, he said. Not everybody loves every instrument. Some people may have a bad experience with certain sounds or songs, so we need to know about that. Keeping loneliness at bay The three cafe sites in the Buffalo region attract 40 to 50 people, Panzica said. So far, she hasnt fielded any complaints that the music is too tiring or overwhelming. Talking with families guides how the nonprofit curates the concerts at the memory cafe. Beloved popular tunes from the 1950s, 60s, 70s, and 80s dominate the set lists. Happy and uplifting music is the common theme and expectation. Its a joyous event and we want the music to reflect that, Panzica said. It can manage the stress of all involved. Local musicians serenade attendees and perform a range of genres, from jazz, blues and bluegrass to classical, Japanese and African drumming. Theres acoustic guitar and barbershop quartet harmonies. Cafe-goers also get a free hot meal and spend meaningful time together outside of a clinical setting. Florence Kollatz, of Boston, walks around to each table at Musical Memories Cafe in West Falls, greeting friends old and new, and snaps photographs with her cellphone. At the next session, the 82-year-old gives hard copies of the photos to those she photographed. She once asked one of the regulars why she hadnt seen him or his wife in several weeks and why he arrived alone. The man told her his wife had died, that Kollatz took the last picture of them together, and he now keeps the photo on his refrigerator. Thats why I take pictures, she said. Kollatz didnt bring anyone to care for during her first visit to the cafe, and wondered if she belonged. She told Panzica that she takes care only of herself. She says, Then youre welcome here, and Ive been coming in ever since, Kollatz said. A need fulfilled Panzica and her husband, Bill, bought the building on Davis Road in 1996 and opened Butterwood Desserts. They sold the dessert business in 2009, and with Yeomans help, eventually started live music and renovated the structure. The arts center also offers childrens programs, music lessons to veterans and music therapy, Bill Panzica said. There are concerts almost every weekend. Ticketed events on the weekends support the other efforts, along with grants and donations, Carolyn Panzica said. To reserve a spot for those programs, call 716-570-6520 or email westfallsartcenter@gmail.com. Linda Gonzalez, a 75-year-old retiree from East Aurora, used to bring her husband to the cafe, where they could relax and relish in some hospitality. Hes in a nursing home now, but she still comes to help out and to touch base with other caregivers. Others also are welcome to volunteer. You start talking to somebody and theyll know exactly what youre going through, Gonzalez said, and you can be a real support to one another. Its just a very positive space where people can feel accepted. Dixon said her grandmother usually doesnt say a word during the drive to the cafe. Corby doesnt have much social ability anymore. She cant call her friends and is unable to make plans herself. Shell forget she has a granddaughter. But as soon as we pull in the driveway, Dixon said, she knows where we are. Eleanore Catolico is a reporter with the NY-Michigan Solutions Journalism Collaborative. Barbara OBrien is a staff writer with The Buffalo News. China is already well entrenched across the country. Others, like the US, will use a weak government for its own (diverse) interests. Writing off Pakistan as a nuisance to be simply set aside is the laziest of analyses There is complete confusion among the ranks of analysts, both inside and outside Pakistan. Much-debated television debates and so-called expert commentors predicted that Imran Khan was destined to get a whopping vote and that the rest of the parties were history. As always, reality proved them wrong. What Pakistan is looking ahead to is yet another coalition, which means instability and, surprise, more space for army manoeuvring. Advertisement The match fixing before Everyone now knows the extent of pre-poll match fixing. Not just Imran Khan and an entire cohort of his party leaders jailed, but the sheer overkill in even charging his wife Bushra Bibi to seven years in jail, along with a Rs 0.5 million fine each, for contracting marriage during the Iddat (period of waiting) of the former first lady. That was the third conviction of the former Prime Minister in a week, and the Iddat case was widely seen as an attempt at character assassination when really nothing else was available. Thats the key to Khans success. No matter how much the army tries, it has not been able to prove personal corruption, other than a case on taking gifts meant for the prime ministeral office at a fraction of their price. Thats peanuts in South Asian politics. Advertisement As for the serious charge of treason in publicly discussing a secret cable that allegedly exposed a US plot to remove him, thats pure politicsat least in the eyes of the voters. The rigging thereafter Post-poll fixing is not that easy, though there were no shortage of attempts. The most widely discussed case is that of Nawaz Sharif himself, whose win at the Lahore seat (NA-130) and the Mansehra seat are both highly suspicious. In the first, the numbers dont match on Form 47, which the Election Commission of Pakistan issues, and in the latter, a fact check seems to conclude that Nawaz bagged 80,382 votes to PTIs Gushtap Khan, who secured 105,249 votes and won the seat. Advertisement Theres more, which this author noticed while watching emerging numbers. In Multan, where PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshis family has been winning for decades given his spiritual background in the city of saints, his daughter Meher Bano, who was leading comfortably in the count (as reported), followed by a Pakistan Peoples Party candidate, suddenly lost to the son of former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani, who was trailing thirdin another much delayed count. On the other hand, there were notable wins that were allowed. Advertisement That includes Latif Khosa of the PTI, who won against veteran Pakistan Muslim League leader Khwaja Asif. Khosa left the PPP in a huff and joined the PTI at a time when almost everyone was leaving it. Another win for Zartaj Gul in DI Khan, who had earlier a dramatic escape from being arrested for multiple cases and then granted protective bail. Advertisement Then were the charges (not allegations) by one of the most respected politicians, Jibran Nasir , who testified to a huge run for PTI, but that polling stations were making excuses by not giving the final form to polling agents. Then there are videos in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which are usually the most courted because theyre pretty much open to selection, where voters are throwing out ballot boxes, not to mention terrorist attacks to prevent polling. All in all, the end verdict. The Pakistani army is terrible at this. The degree of blatant effort smacks either of desperation or inadequacy, or both. Advertisement The numbers point to electoral khichdi The final results of 266 seats are yet to come in, with only 246 announced. But as of now, the PTI has won despite all odds. That is the main issue. If the scripted pre-poll fixing had not taken place, there is no doubt at all that the party would have won hands down. Advertisement It is the unofficial result. The Election Commission website is still showing the 2023 party position: PTI-backed candidates stand at 97, PML (N) at 73, PPP at 53, and Muttahida Quami Movement (Pakistan) with 17 may become a kingmaker of sorts. It has won hugely in Karachi . The math is terrible. Horse trading will be on with a vengeance for the top post, and even if PPP and PMLN combine, the total is not enough to form a simple majority at 134. Advertisement Then there is the loaded question as to whether PTI independents will agree to be part of a coalition. So far, the leaders have refused. Though PTI as a party has not been dissolved, most might prefer to be part of a small party, which they can dominate, and then raise chaos on the opposition benches. That is the PTIs metier. Advertisement However, technically, these are independents and open to persuasion. Thats not so easy. In Khyber Pakhtukhwa, for instance, few would agree to cross the floor to support PML (N), given their strong majority in the state and the fact that voters would hold them accountable. The rage against the army is the highest here and in Balochistan, where the PTI unsurprisingly scored a zero. Blasts in Pishin and Qilla Saifullah targeted an independent and the JUI (F), respectively. Then theres the PTIs strong position in Punjab, where they will probably be more prone to alliances with the PPP and other real independents. Advertisement Is this the worst election ever? Yes, and no. Remember the party-less election of General Zia time, which was as ridiculous an experiment as any? Remember also the party cobbling tactics in the past where entire new groups were created, like the PML-Qaid by the formidable Choudhrys of Gujerat? The sheer violence inherent in Khan himself coming to power, with protests after protests, stands out for its sheer, blatant disregard for any international opinion. Advertisement Gen. Asim Munir will go down in history as one of the blackest generals ever, and the army has tarnished worse than ever before. His speech called for a healing touch (read, dont target the army ever again), clearly not even bothering to hide that hes in charge. Which other countrys army chief gives a post-election speech and direction? The dangers ahead are many. First, Munir himself, given his lack of elite qualifications, such as passing out of the Kakul Military Academy for one, and the total chaos of the last several months, may lead to his being put to pasture. Thats no easy process. There are bound to be pulls and pushes within the army on this. Second, another cobbled coalition is going to be unable to give the desperately needed guidance that the country needs. Expect more chaos inside the country. Three, Sharifs nascent push to improve relations with India is likely to be a still-born initiative. Yet peace with India is entirely in Pakistans interests. Finally, for those on television talking about ignoring Pakistan, remember that a dangerously ungoverned country will only see more foreign interference and erosion. China is already well entrenched across the country. Others, like the US, will use a weak government for its own (diverse) interests. Writing off Pakistan as a nuisance to be simply set aside is the laziest of analyses. Delhi knows better. Weve been through the trauma for years. The writer is a Distinguished Fellow at the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, New Delhi. She tweets @kartha_tara. 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 . General Zaluzhnyi had gained enormous credit for spearheading the successful effort by Ukrainian forces to halt and then reverse Russias initial attack launched on 24 February 2022 On 8 February, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he was removing General Valerii Zaluzhnyi from command of the military and promoting General Oleksandr Syrskyi, the Commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, to replace him. I thanked him for two years of defence of Ukraine, President Zelenskyy said on social media, adding: We also discussed who could be in the renewed leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Advertisement General Zaluzhnyi had gained enormous credit for spearheading the successful effort by Ukraines forces to halt and then reverse Russias initial attack launched on 24 February 2022. He was appointed Commander-in-Chief in July 2021, just half a year before Russia launched its all-out invasion. The Armed Forces of Ukraine, under his leadership, had succeeded in pushing back initial Russian advances near the capital, Kyiv, and then led successful counteroffensives later in 2022, freeing parts of eastern and southern Ukraine. Both General Zaluzhnyi and General Syrskyi played key roles in those campaigns. The dismissal ended weeks of speculation about the fate of General Valery Zaluzhnyi, whose relationship with President Zelenskyy had deteriorated, and there were strong rumours regarding his exit. Brewing friction The Ukrainian forces under General Zaluzhnyi had contained the initial Russian onslaught. That was a great achievement, because almost everybody expected the Russian forces to steamroll their way across the plains of Ukraine. But lately, his record has been tarnished by the failure of last years counteroffensive, which ran into well-prepared Russian defences. Advertisement Last years highly anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive, using soldiers trained by NATO allies and Western weapons and equipment, reclaimed little territory, falling far short of expectations. General Zaluzhnyi and his American counterparts disagreed sharply over tactics; he ignored US advice to concentrate his forces, which he believed could have caused far higher casualties. Advertisement The President and General Zaluzhnyi also increasingly differed over strategy, and there was the underlying fear that General Zaluzhnyis increasing popularity, both within the military and among ordinary citizens, made him a potential political threat to President Zelenskyy. A poll by the Kyiv Institute of Sociology found that 88 per cent of Ukrainians supported the General. Presidents Zelenskyys approval rating, though also high, was markedly lower at 62 per cent. Advertisement But of all the reasons mentioned, it is the difference regarding the new conscription law that would increase the size of the military. There was a reported disagreement about how many soldiers Ukraine needs to mobilise this year. General Zaluzhnyi proposed mobilising close to 500,000 troops, a figure Zelenskyy viewed as impractical given the scarcity of uniforms, guns, and training facilities and the potential challenges related to recruitment. Advertisement President Zelenskyy said publicly that Ukraine lacks the funds to pay so many new conscripts. General Zaluzhnyi countered that Ukraine is already short of forces because of mounting casualties and needs to match those 400,000 new soldiers that Russia plans to mobilise. In an opinion piece for CNN General Zaluzhnyi wrote about the inability of state institutions in Ukraine to improve the manpower levels of our Armed Forces without the use of unpopular measures. Advertisement It is also reported that an essay for the Economist last year had infuriated President Zelenskyy, as General Zaluzhnyi compared the state of the conflict to a stalemate like the First World War. General Valery Zaluzhnyi said, Just like in the first world war, we have reached the level of technology that puts us into a stalemate." He also stated that it would take a massive technological leap to break the deadlock. There will most likely be no deep and beautiful breakthrough. This grim view of the war clashed with President Zelenskyys effort to show that Ukraine is making good progress in order to ensure that Ukraines allies stay committed. Advertisement In a CNN article, General Zaluzhnyi suggested that Ukraines leadership had not tackled problems in the defence industries, which had led to production bottlenecks and ammunition shortages. He warned Ukraine was now having to contend with a reduction in military support from key allies as they have become ensnared by their own political tensions and distracted by conflicts elsewhere. He said the best way for Ukraines army to avoid being drawn into a positional war, in which fighting is conducted along permanent and fortified frontlines, is for Ukraine to master unmanned weapons systems, or drones, which he called the central driver of this war. Advertisement Colonel Oleksandr, a battalion commander fighting in eastern Ukraine, has been quoted in the Washington Post as saying, My personal opinion is you cant do something like this right nowZaluzhnyi is someone 80 per cent of the military considers a good authority. This is a catastrophic step, he said, The morale of both the military and society will go way down. Advertisement New Commander-in-Chief General Oleksandr Syrskyi, the 58-year-old Commander of Ukraines Ground Forces, who is the new Commander-in-Chief, was credited with leading the defence of Kyiv in the first month of the war and then orchestrating a successful counteroffensive in the North Eastern Kharkiv region in 2022. General Syrskyi began his soldiering career during the last years of the Soviet Union, training in Moscow. With Ukraines independence in 1991, he rose through the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, becoming a Major General in 2009. He played a prominent role in Ukraines fight against Russias invaders in the eastern Donbas region in 2014 and 2015. Advertisement Two years later, he became the commander of all Ukrainian forces involved in the anti-terrorist operation as the conflict with Russia in Eastern Ukraine became known. But as per a report in the Washington Post, he is especially disliked, among rank-and-file soldiers, as he is considered by many to be a Soviet-style commander who kept forces under fire too long in Bakhmut when Ukraine should have withdrawn. Advertisement As per the Financial Times, some analysts have expressed misgivings about General Syrskyis decision-making since February 2022 and concerns over his ability to resist political interference in operational matters. The future The upheaval comes at a difficult moment for Ukraine in the war, amid intensified Russian attacks, wrangling in the United States over providing aid to Ukraine, and bringing to the fore the tensions between Ukraines civilian and military leadership. Proposed aid for Ukraine has stalled in Washington and Brussels because of internal political disputes in the United States and the European Union. House Republicans have blocked a White House request for an additional $60 billion related to the war in Ukraine. General Zaluzhnyis removal also poses strategic risks at a time when Russia has intensified its attacks and Western security assistance for Kyiv has slowed. The general has built strong rapport with his Western counterparts and has often been able to advocate directly for certain material and seek counsel on battlefield strategy. The decision to remove senior military leadership in the midst of conflict poses risks, including a disruption to operational planning. But President Zelenskyy said a new command team must begin by laying out a detailed action plan for the year ahead. However, the future plan will need to account for the uncertainty around the pace and quantity of Western weapons and the challenges in recruiting new soldiers to the fight. There is no doubt that after the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel, the focus of the Western powers has shifted, and this is affecting aid to Ukraine. Conclusion General Zaluzhnyi posted on Facebook: A decision was made about the need to change approaches and strategy. The tasks of 2022 are different from the tasks of 2024. Therefore, everyone must change and adapt to new realities as well. He added a picture of him and the president shaking hands and smiling. Ukraines Defence Minister Rustem Umerov thanked General Zaluzhnyi for his achievements and victories" but added: Battles 2022, 2023 and 2024 are three different realities. 2024 will bring new changes for which we must be ready. New approaches, new strategies are needed. Until now, Ukraine has enjoyed relative stability in its military ranks compared with Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin had named General Valery Gerasimov to the top job one year ago, dismissing General Sergei Surovikin, who had been in the post for just three months. The Kyiv regime has many problems, and everything has gone wrong there, thats for sure, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on 7 February when asked about General Zaluzhnyis possible dismissal. Obviously, the failed counteroffensive and problems at the front increase the disagreements between members of the Kyiv regime, he said. The dismissal, however, brings to the fore civil-military relations in times of conflict and the differing perceptions on how to conduct war. It appears that General Zaluzhnyi wasnt willing to force attacks without actual equipment and reserves to keep up appearances. The author is a retired Major General of the Indian Army. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. Read all the Latest News _,_ Trending News _,_ Cricket News _,_ Bollywood News _,_ India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook _,_ Twitter and Instagram _._ The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change recently released a report on the status of snow leopards in India. Here is a report on an unusual case related to a big collection of snow leopard furs in Dehradun and how they were discarded Snow leopards are rightly termed ghosts of the mountains, as their sighting is extremely rare. The terrain in which the snow leopards move and dwell is challenging for humans to access easily. After killing deer and tigers, a Shikari used to head for the high Himalayas to shoot down a snow leopard to achieve the first-rate game hunter statues. Advertisement A strange case took place during British rule at an institute in Dehradun. The incident was peculiar! The Imperial Cadet Corps (ICC), providing military education and training to youths of princely families, found it impossible to trace the source of the 28 snow leopard skins present in their collection. The skins were sent from Dehradun to Peshawar for storage and got sold there as it was difficult for the ICC to look after them. The story of the high number of snow leopard skins traced during British rule in Dehradun will surprise wildlife experts and lovers, as the population of this endangered species was never very high. A new study by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Government of India) shows the presence of just 718 snow leopards in India. The estimated populations in different states are: Ladakh (477), Uttarakhand (124), Himachal Pradesh (51), Arunachal Pradesh (36), Sikkim (21) and Jammu and Kashmir (9). Twenty-eight is not a small number. Advertisement The mystery of the 28 snow leopard skins never got solved. How did the Imperial Cadet Corps get them? Were they purchased or received as a gift from someone? Were they hunting trophies of the ICC? The issue came to light in 1916, when the ICC (Dehradun) found it hard to store the big collection of snow leopard skins. The institute wanted to create some free space in their store for other materials. For this, an investigation about the source from where the skins were obtained started. The entire exercise was to know about the price at which they were purchased. Terming it rare and needing careful attention, the first search operation concluded on 5 September 1916 with an official note: Paper regarding the purchase of the skins and their value are not readily traceable. Advertisement As the Imperial Cadet Corps wanted to discard the 28 snow leopard skins, another search operation started soon, and in his 20 September 1920 communication, the ICC commanding officer office states, There is nothing in the records of the office to show when all the skins were purchased & what their value is. A bill from Cockburns Agency, dated 29 February 1908, for two skins giving the price of Rs 50 and Rs 55 respectively. The other skins were probably brought in 1902-03. Advertisement After a long official process and approval from the Foreign and Political Department (Shimla), a private firm was shortlisted. Mull Chand & Sons - furrier, carpets and curio dealer based in Shimla and Peshawar- offered the storing facility for the entire lot for a monthly charge of Rs 10. The firm asked the Imperial Cadet Corps that the leopard skins should be perfectly cured, and the firm will take no responsibility for any damage, if any, caused by the storage. Advertisement Three files are in the collection of the National Archives of India (New Delhi), which document the unusual incident related to 28 snow leopard skins and their disposal. The rare snow leopard skins finally reached Peshawar in 1916 and stayed there for over four years. Once the snow leopard furs reached Mull Chand & Sons store, nobody from the Imperial Cadet Corps ever bothered to approach them. In March 1920, the firm was forced to contact the ICC and ask them to collect their 28 snow leopard furs, as it was hard for them to keep storing them for long. They also asked the academy to pay Rs 520 as storage charges. Advertisement As the letter from the firm from Peshawar reached Dehradun again, a confusing official process began. Right from inspecting the skins, accessing their condition, and finding buyers. The idea of auctioning failed miserably, and finally, Mull Chand & Sons was authorised to sell the snow leopard skins in Peshawar at a fair price. Advertisement To sell the rare furs, the firm placed an advertisement in an English-language newspaper in Peshawar. They finally managed to sell the lot for Rs 500. After deducting Rs 50 as commission, the firm deposited Rs 450 in the treasury. The firm executed a complicated exercise but was yet to get payment for storing the skins for four years and one month. The Imperial Cadet Corps paid the amount on 14 March 1921. Advertisement The 28 snow leopard skins were sold for Rs 500; their storage charge was Rs 520; and an additional Rs 50 was paid as commission. The Imperial Cadet Corps had to pay a total of Rs 70 and spend a long time in the process to dispose of the 28 snow leopard skins. Advertisement The whole operation took about five years to complete. An advertisement published in an English daily in 1922 shows information about the sale of snow leopard skins taking place in Kashmir, and each fur was offered for Rs 350. Rather than making money, the ICC had to spend money to somehow get rid of the snow leopard skins. Advertisement 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 . Beau Biden died in 2015 from a brain tumor. Its something that Biden speaks of regularly, and cites as both a reason why he didnt run in 2016 and a later motivator for his successful 2020 run In an email to campaign contributors on Saturday, First Lady Jill Biden stated she was unsure of the purpose of the special counsels suggestion that President Joe Biden was unable to recall the date of his eldest sons death. We should give everyone grace, and I cant imagine someone would try to use our sons death to score political points, she wrote. If youve experienced a loss like that, you know that you dont measure it in years you measure it in grief. Advertisement In a note to supporters, she vehemently defended her husband amid efforts by Bidens team to allay Democratic worries regarding the special counsels concerns regarding Bidens ageing and memory. The report concluded that Biden would not face any criminal charges for having classified documents after leaving office. The president shouldnt be charged for keeping the documents, according to Special Counsel Robert Hur, a Republican former US attorney appointed by Donald Trump. Hur also noted that in an interview with investigators, Biden claimed he couldnt recall even within years when his oldest son Beau had passed away. Hur characterises this as a hypothetical defence, saying the 81-year-old president could demonstrate that his memory is hazy, fuzzy, faulty, poor, and having significant limitations. Believe me, like anyone who has lost a child, Beau and his death never leave him, Jill Biden said. It was an unusually personal observation for a special counsel investigating the presidents handling of classified documents. Beau Biden died in 2015 from a brain tumor. Its something that Biden speaks of regularly, and cites as both a reason why he didnt run in 2016 and a later motivator for his successful 2020 run. Advertisement May 30th is a day forever etched on our hearts, Jill Biden said in a note to supporters about the day Beau Biden died. It shattered me, it shattered our family. What helped me, and what helped Joe, was to find purpose. Thats what keeps Joe going, serving you and the country we love. Advertisement The references to Beau Biden in Hurs report enraged the president, who later said: How in the hell dare he raise that? Biden mentioned that he had sat for five hours of interviews with Hurs team over two days on Oct. 8 and 9, even though Israel had just been attacked on October 7th and I was in the middle of handling an international crisis. Advertisement Voters have been concerned about his age. In an August poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs, 77% of US adults said Biden is too old to be effective for four more years. It was one of the rare sources of bipartisan agreement during a politically polarized era, with 89% of Republicans and 69% of Democrats saying Bidens age is a problem. Advertisement Joe is 81, thats true, but hes 81 doing more in an hour than most people do in a day. Joe has wisdom, empathy, and vision, Jill Biden said. His age, with his experience and expertise, is an incredible asset and he proves it every day. Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, the chief military spokesperson for Israel, announced on Tuesday that thirty-one of the hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza have passed away Hamas military branch, Al Qassam Brigades, announced on Sunday on the groups Telegram channel that two Israeli hostages had died and eight others had been critically injured as a result of Israeli strikes on the Gaza strip over the previous ninety-six hours. Because they are unable to receive the necessary therapy, their ailments are getting worse. Regarding the remaining hostages, the statement stated that (Israel) bears full responsibility for the lives of those injured in light of their continued bombing. Advertisement In their unprovoked onslaught on October 7, Hamas terrorists killed 1,200 people in southern Israel and abducted at least 250 more, according to Israeli estimates. Over 28,000 Palestinians have died as a result of Israels military attack on the Gaza Strip in retaliation, according to the health ministry headed by Hamas. Over 100 Israeli and foreign hostages were released by Hamas during a week-long truce in late November, in return for Israel freeing approximately 240 Palestinian inmates. Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, the chief military spokesperson for Israel, announced on Tuesday that thirty-one of the hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza have passed away. Advertisement We have informed 31 families that their captured loved ones are no longer among the living and that we have pronounced them dead, he told a regular media briefing. According to Israel, there are still 136 captives being held in Gaza. The UNRWA has come under increased scrutiny since the start of the current war since it helps thousands of Palestinians who are impacted by Israeli airstrikes and offers vital aid Alleging that all tunnels used by Hamas to operate beneath the Palestinian enclave were powered from this location, the Israeli military asserts that it has found a tunnel beneath the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) headquarters in Gaza. The 700-meter-long and 18-meter-deep tunnel was invited by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to be inspected by foreign journalists. Advertisement Acting on ISA intelligence, the forces discovered a tunnel shaft near an UNRWA school, leading to an underground terrorist tunnel beneath UNRWAs main headquarters. The forces found electrical infrastructure inside the tunnel connected to UNRWAs main HQ, suggesting it was supplying the tunnel with electricity generated by the fuel provided through humanitarian aid, the IDF said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). It further stated that intelligence and documents found confirmed the offices use by Hamas terrorists and that the tunnel contained multiple blast doors and various intelligence assets seized by the forces. Large quantities of weapons, including rifles, ammunition, grenades and explosives, were uncovered hidden in the buildings offices, claimed the IDF. Advertisement In a statement released on Saturday, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini stated that as the bombing in the region grew more intense on October 12, UNRWA employees had evacuated from the organizations headquarters in Gaza per Israeli directives. We have not used that compound since we left it nor are we aware of any activity that may have taken place there, he said, adding that the last inspection for UNRWA Gaza premises was completed in September 2023. Advertisement Since retaliatory strikes followed an Islamist terror incident on the Israeli mainland, Israeli forces have found a tunnel they allege is being utilized by Hamas on previous occasions. Israel has insisted that Hamas was carrying out its operations while avoiding attacks in Gaza by digging a vast network of tunnels beneath schools and clinics. Advertisement The Israeli military declared in November of last year that it had found a tunnel shaft beneath the troubled al-Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza. It claimed to have discovered a 55-meter-long and 10-meter-deep tunnel beneath Gazas biggest hospital. In addition, the Israeli military asserted that it had discovered and demolished three tunnel shafts close to the Rantisi Childrens Hospital in Gaza in December of last year. Advertisement The tunnels and other locations resembling bunkers have not yet been directly linked by international observers to military operations carried out by Hamas or other Palestinian organizations. The UNRWA has come under increased scrutiny since the start of the current war since it helps thousands of Palestinians who are impacted by Israeli airstrikes and offers vital aid. Advertisement This is in response to remarks made by right-wing Netanyahu administration officials characterizing the conflict as Gazas Nakba, a reference to the 1948 Palestinian displacement. A different minister was removed from cabinet meetings after suggesting that a nuclear bomb be dropped on Gaza. Before earlier attacks on Gazas cities, the Israeli military had urged citizens to evacuate south; however, at this point, there is nowhere obvious to go, and relief organizations have warned that many people may perish A senior Hamas leader was quoted on Sunday by the Hamas-run Aqsa Television station as saying that any Israeli ground offensive in Rafah on the Gaza border will blow up the hostage swap negotiations. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that it has given the military the task of creating a strategy to remove four alleged Hamas battalions from Rafah and destroy them. Advertisement As truce negotiations proved unproductive, Netanyahu last week declared that Israeli soldiers will continue fighting until total victory. The majority of the displaced have taken refuge in Rafah, which is near the Egyptian border. Before earlier attacks on Gazas cities, the Israeli military had urged citizens to evacuate south; however, at this point, there is nowhere obvious to go, and relief organizations have warned that many people may perish. According to Israeli counts, the fighting in Gaza started on October 7 when Hamas terrorists broke through border defenses to attack Israeli cities. Approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and 250 were taken hostage and returned to Gaza. More than 28,000 Palestinians, primarily civilians, have been killed as a result of Israels heavy shelling and ground offensive in retaliation, according to medical authorities in Gaza, which is controlled by Hamas. Trump, who has long been the front-runner in the GOP presidential race, won three states in a row and is looking to use South Carolinas Feb. 24 primary to close out Haleys chances and turn his focus fully on an expected rematch with Biden in the general election Two weeks remain until the South Carolina Republican primary, where Nikki Haley will face off against Donald Trump on her home ground. In an effort to defeat his final significant opponent for the nomination, the former president is resorting to his well-honed strategy of personal jabs. Days after winning easily in Nevada, Trump shifted his campaigns focus to the southern state. At a rally on Saturday afternoon in Conway, close to Myrtle Beach, he enthralled a sizable crowd by praising his tenure in office, restating his debunked accusations that the 2020 election was rigged, demonising the news media for being biassed against him, and launching personal attacks on Haley, her husband, and President Joe Biden. Advertisement In his rally address, Trump mocked Haley by referring to her as Birdbrain, and praised South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, who backed him early on. Trump stated that he chose Haley to serve as his ambassador to the United Nations in 2017 and represent America on the global stage only because he wanted to appoint McMaster, her second-in-command, governor of South Carolina. She did a job. She was fine. She was OK. But I didnt put her there because I wanted her there at the United Nations, he said. I wanted to take your lieutenant governor, who is right here, and make him governor. I wanted him because I felt he deserved it, Trump added Advertisement Trump, who has long been the front-runner in the GOP presidential race, won three states in a row and is looking to use South Carolinas Feb. 24 primary to close out Haleys chances and turn his focus fully on an expected rematch with Biden in the general election. Haley skipped the Nevada caucuses, condemning the contest as rigged for Trump, and has instead focused on South Carolina, kicking off a two-week bus tour across the state where she served as governor from 2011 to 2017. Advertisement Speaking to about a couple hundred people gathered outside a historic opera house in Newberry, Haley on Saturday portrayed Trump as an erratic and self-absorbed figure not focused on the American people. She pointed to the way he flexed his influence over the Republican Party this past week, successfully pressuring GOP lawmakers in Washington to reject a bipartisan border security deal and publicly pressed Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel to consider leaving her job. Advertisement What is happening? Haley said. On that day of all those losses, he had his fingerprints all over it, she added. Haley reprised her questions of Trumps mental fitness, an attack she has sharpened since a Jan. 19 speech in which he repeatedly confused her with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. Haley, 52, has called throughout her campaign for mental competency tests for politicians, a way to contrast with 77-year-old Trump and 81-year-old Biden. Advertisement Why do we have to have someone in their 80s run for office? she asked. Why cant they let go of their power? A person in the crowd shouted out: Because theyre grumpy old men! They are grumpy old men, Haley said. Haley continued the argument when speaking to reporters afterward, citing a report released Thursday by the special counsel investigating Bidens possession of classified documents. The report described Bidens memory as poor. Advertisement American can do better than two 80-year-olds for president, Haley said. Bob Pollard, a retired firefighter, said he cannot support Trump because hes a maniac, adding that Trumps campaign, in which he speaks frequently of retribution and his personal grievances, has turned into a personal vendetta. Harlie OConnell, a longtime South Carolina resident who backs Haley, said she plans to support the eventual GOP nominee but prefers it is someone younger. Advertisement Its just time for some fresh blood, OConnell said. Her husband, Mike OConnell, drew a contrast between the candidates approach to foreign policy and said he wants the U.S. to continue assisting Ukraine in its war with Russia, as Haley has pledged. We need to encourage friendships and not discourage them, he said of international relations. Advertisement Trump, in his remarks and a social media post on Saturday, criticized foreign aid generally and a plan in Congress to provide nearly $100 billion in aid for Ukraine and Israel. He also repeated his praise for foreign strongmen, calling Russian President Vladimir Putin very smart, very sharp, describing Hungarys nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban as one of the toughest guys, and saying Chinese President Xi Jinping is smart because he controls 1.4 billion people with an iron fist. Advertisement At another point in his speech, he escalated his years-old attacks on the NATO military alliance. Trump suggested that if one of the member countries was attacked by Russia but had not met its military spending goals under the alliance, not only would America not protect that military ally but Trump would encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want. Advertisement In one very personal attack, Trump repeatedly questioned why Haleys husband Michael Haley, who is deployed on a yearlong stint in Africa with the South Carolina Army National Guard, hasnt been on the campaign trail. Trump, whose own wife, Melania Trump, has not joined him as he campaigns, asked: What happened to her husband? Where is he? Hes gone. He knew. He knew. Advertisement Haley responded sharply in a post on X, saying: Michael is deployed serving our country, something you know nothing about. Someone who continually disrespects the sacrifices of military families has no business being commander in chief. Trump also ramped up his attacks on the media, maligning the press at least a half-dozen times, with the crowd registering their agreement with boos. He wrapped up with an at times apocalyptic vision of the country, listing ills from dirty, crowded airports to looming nuclear war and, if he loses the election, predicting the stock market would crash like it did in 1929, touching off the Great Depression. He referred to his supporters who were prosecuted for their roles in the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol as hostages who have been unfairly imprisoned for long periods of time. He made his extended lament while speaking over an instrumental song that QAnon adherents have claimed as their anthem. In Conway, people began lining up to see Trump hours before the doors opened to the arena where he was set to take the stage later. Organizers set up outside screens for an overflow crowd to watch. The city sits along the Grand Strand, a broad expanse of South Carolinas northern coast that is home to Myrtle Beach and Horry County, one of the most reliably conservative spots in the state and a central area of Trumps base of support in the state in his past campaigns. Tim Carter, from nearby Murrells Inlet, said he had backed Trump since 2016 and would do so again this year. Were here to stand for Trump, get our economy better, shut our border down, more jobs for our people, said Carter, a pastor and military veteran who runs an addiction recovery ministry. Cheryl Savage from Conway, who was waiting on the bleachers to hear from Trump, said the former president is here to help us. Savage said she backed Haley during her first run for governor in 2010 but now feels she is hurting herself by staying in the race. He deserves a second term, Savage said, of Trump. He did a fantastic job for four years. Israel has been accused by the Palestinians of fabricating data in order to damage UNRWA, which has 13,000 employees in the Gaza Strip and has long served as a lifeline for the community that depends on handouts According to the IDF, Israeli soldiers have found a network of tunnels hundreds of metres (yards) long that runs partially beneath UNRWAs Gaza headquarters. They describe this discovery as further proof of Hamass abuse of the primary Palestinian assistance organisation. During a crisis for UNRWAwhich has initiated an internal investigation and seen a number of donor nations suspend financing amid charges last month by Israel that some of its personnel acted as Hamas operativesarmy engineers walked reporters from foreign news outlets through the tunnels. Advertisement Israel has been accused by the Palestinians of fabricating data in order to damage UNRWA, which has 13,000 employees in the Gaza Strip and has long served as a lifeline for the community that depends on handouts. The organisation describes its operations as strictly humanitarian and manages assistance distribution, primary healthcare clinics, schools, and other social services. Among the northern regions that Israeli forces and tanks overran early in the four-month-old battle against the ruling Islamist organisation Hamas is Gaza City, home of UNRWA Headquarters. Thousands of residents were forced to evacuate south. The reporters on the strictly guarded tour descended to the concrete-lined tunnel through a hole beside a school on the edge of the UN site. An army lieutenant-colonel conducting the tour explained that after twenty minutes of trekking down the stuffy, tight, and occasionally curving corridor, they came below UNRWA Headquarters. Advertisement The tunnel, which the military said was 700 metres long and 18 metres deep, bifurcated at times, revealing side-rooms. There was an office space, with steel safes that had been opened and emptied. There was a tiled toilet. One large chamber was packed with computer servers, another with industrial battery stacks. Advertisement Everything is conducted from here. All the energy for the tunnels, which you walked through them are powered from here," said the lieutenant-colonel, who gave only his first name, Ido. This is one of the central commands of the intelligence. This place is one of the Hamas intelligence units, where they commanded most of the combat. Advertisement But Ido said Hamas appeared to have evacuated in the face of the Israeli advance, preemptively cutting off communications cables that, in an above-ground part of the tour, he showed running through the floor of the UNRWA Headquarters basement. It appeared that heavy Israeli barrages and sustained winter rains may also have played a part in the departure: Several stretches of the tunnel were clogged with dislodged sand and knee-high water. Advertisement In a statement, UNRWA said it had vacated the headquarters on Oct. 12, five days after the war began, and was therefore unable to confirm or otherwise comment on the Israeli finding. UNRWA does not have the military and security expertise nor the capacity to undertake military inspections of what is or might be under its premises, the statement said. Advertisement In the past, whenever (a) suspicious cavity was found close to or under UNRWA premises, protest letters were promptly filed to parties to the conflict, including both the de facto authorities in Gaza (Hamas) and the Israeli authorities. UNRWAs supporters say it is the only agency with the means of aiding Palestinians in deepening humanitarian distress. Israel says the agency is perforated by Hamas and must be replaced. Hamas has denied operating in civilian facilities. Advertisement We know that they (Hamas) have people working in UNRWA. We want every international organization to work in Gaza. That is not a problem. Our problem is the Hamas, Ido told reporters. Lack of cellphone reception in the tunnel made geolocating it as under UNRWA Headquarters impossible. Instead, reporters were asked to put personal items in a bucket that was lowered by rope into a vertical hole on the grounds of the headquarters. They were reunited with the still-tethered items during the tunnel tour. Advertisement As a condition of taking journalists on the trip, the Israeli military did not allow photographs of military intelligence such as maps or certain equipment in the convoy of armoured vehicles they traveled in. It also requested approval before transmission of photographs and video footage taken on the trip. The front-runner for Indonesias presidency on February 14, Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, has faced criticism on the agreement from opposing contenders during the campaign The defense ministry spokesperson announced late on Saturday that Indonesia had abandoned a contentious deal to purchase Mirage 2000-5 fighter fighters from Qatar for 733 million euros ($790 million). There is no purchase of Mirage jets. Even though it was planned, it has been cancelled meaning there is no active contract, spokesperson Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak said in a statement, but did not elaborate. Advertisement The ministry claimed last month that financial difficulties had caused the agreement to buy the 12 fighter jets to be postponed and that the military will instead acquire a modification for its current F-16 and Sukhoi aircraft. When the intended purchase was revealed last year, MPs expressed disapproval because they believed the used jets were outdated. The front-runner for Indonesias presidency on February 14, Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, has faced criticism on the agreement from opposing contenders during the campaign. Nonetheless, he defended the purchase during a presidential debate, claiming that the nation needed the used aircraft while it waited for its new ones to arrive and that they were still good for another 15 years. Advertisement Under Prabowos direction, the armed forces have been updating their aging fleet with Rafale fighter jets, drones from Turkish Aerospace, and fighter jets and transport helicopters from Boeing and Lockheed Martin in the United States. (With agency inputs) Three people have been charged in connection with property damage at the former Radison Hotel site in Grand Island. Jace Mitchell, 20, of Niagara Falls, Faith Schriber, 21, of the City of Tonawanda, and Jeremiah Zuch, 20, of North Tonawanda were charged with third-degree criminal trespass and third-degree criminal mischief. The three were reportedly involved in damaging items on the property, including throwing a table down the stairs inside the former hotel, and damaging a minivan parked in the area, according to the Erie County Sheriff's Office. On Sunday, a witness advised the Sheriffs Office that there were suspicious vehicles on the property and of the damaged table and minivan. Deputies said they confirmed what the witness described happening and noticed other damaged items on the property. An investigation helped reveal the identities of those involved, deputies said. Mitchell, Schriber and Zuch turned themselves in Friday at the Grand Island Sheriffs substation and were released with appearance tickets. They will appear in Grand Island Town Court on Feb. 28. When Widodo first took office in 2014, opponents wrote him off as a political lightweight. However, he gained credibility as a mild-mannered reformer who vowed to combat inequality and poverty by utilising Indonesias wealth of natural resources and tourism industry to grow the countrys economy The extraordinary ascent of Joko Widodo from his childhood in a riverbank slum to the president of Indonesia brought to light the extent to which the third-largest democracy in the world had strayed from a harsh authoritarian period ten years prior. Regarded by some as Asias Barack Obama, Widodos second and final five-year term ends in October. He is leaving behind a legacy of impressive economic growth and an ambitious array of infrastructure projects, the most ambitious of which is a $33 billion plan to move Indonesias congested capital to the frontier island of Borneo. Advertisement When Widodo first took office in 2014, opponents wrote him off as a political lightweight. However, he gained credibility as a mild-mannered reformer who vowed to combat inequality and poverty by utilising Indonesias wealth of natural resources and tourism industry to grow the countrys economy, which is the biggest in Southeast Asia. Before winning his first term as president, he held the office of mayor of Solo City, where he was raised by a working-class family in shacks that were erected illegally along a river. He then rose to the position of governor of Jakarta, the nations capital. The first president of Indonesia to rise from outside the governing and armed forces was Widodo. However, detractors claim he prospered on political concessions, submitted to political party faithful, and pardoned former generals who worked for the late dictator Suharto. Despite providing a buffer against resistance to his leadership, his pragmatic compromises also posed a threat to Indonesias precarious democracy, which allowed a commoner like himthe son of a wood sellerto rise to power. Advertisement Even for previous leaders, reaching political agreements in the nation that is the worlds biggest island and has severe religious, ethnic, and economic divisions has proven to be an ongoing challenge. After securing a second term in 2019, Widodo faced intense criticism when he named Prabowo Subianto, his primary rival in two presidential elections, as defence minister. Advertisement I am aware that there are people calling me stupid, dumb, ignorant, a pharaoh, a fool, Widodo said in his state of the nation address last year. What breaks my heart is that the polite culture and noble character of this nation seem to have ebbed away. Freedom and democracy are used to vent malice and slander. Advertisement A special forces general accused of committing human rights atrocities in the Suharto era, Subianto is now the frontrunner in the Feb. 14 elections. His vice-presidential running mate is Widodos eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, who is the mayor of Surakarta, Widodos hometown in Central Java province. Widodos son did not meet the age requirement of 40 for his candidacy but the Constitutional Court headed by the presidents brother-in-law made an exception in a ruling last year. Advertisement A group of critics was considering an impeachment complaint against Widodo but legal experts said the chances of it succeeding are slim. Hes still popular and parliament is dominated by his allies. Also known as Jokowi, Widodo, now 62, nurtured an image of an Indonesian everyman with a soft spot for the underclass and down-to-earth lifestyle that resonated with a wide base of ordinary voters. Advertisement He often mingled with working-class crowds in cheap sneakers and rolled-up sleeves to check on their concerns. He took selfies with hordes of journalists and is one of the biggest fans of Metallica, the American heavy metal band whose concerts in the Indonesian capital he watched when he was the Jakarta governor. Advertisement Widodo has enjoyed consistently high approval ratings of over 70% in recent months, an impressive feat in the final years of a decadelong presidency. It also makes him a powerful election endorser, a kingmaker, despite legal restrictions against the practice. Opponents have accused him of covertly using his clout to back his son and Subianto to create a new political dynasty. Advertisement He has laughed off the accusations and called on Indonesians to help the next leaders press on with reforms to foster economic growth. Widodos flagship projects centered on linking the nation of more than 17,000 islands with bridges, a high-speed train, toll roads, ports and airports. Jokowi is not a perfect leader, but still hes the best leader weve ever had, said Dwi Mustikarini, a Jakarta resident, He made Indonesia better and was respected by world leaders, but unfortunately, his political ambition to create a dynasty was like an obstacle for him to ending his reign with a soft landing. Advertisement Aiming to generate more revenues and job opportunities, Widodo banned the export of selected raw materials like nickel ore and encouraged their local processing to get better prices in foreign markets. In a bid to lure investors and tourists and spur growth and employment beyond traffic-choked and overcrowded destinations like Jakarta, he launched one of the most ambitious and controversial projects of his presidency: relocating the capital about 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles) away to Borneo, a vast region of lush tropical rainforests where orangutans roam. Advertisement In mid-2022, despite warnings from environmental activists of massive deforestation and protests by Indigenous communities, construction of the new capital began. It is envisioned as a futuristic green city about twice the size of New York. A grand inauguration is planned on Aug. 17 coinciding with Indonesias Independence Day, but authorities say the final stages of the city wont likely be completed until 2045. Advertisement Under Widodo, Indonesia saw a period of remarkable growth averaging 5% annually, except in 2020, when the economy contracted due to the coronavirus pandemic. His economic roadmap, called Golden Indonesia 2045, projects Indonesia becoming one of the worlds top five economies with GDP of up to $9 trillion, exactly a century after it won independence from Dutch colonizers. That could be achieved if future leaders would muster the courage to make difficult and unpopular decisions and gain the support of different sectors, Widodo said in his speech last year. He warned that squandering the opportunity could bring Indonesia back to instability. Largely focused on domestic issues, the Bahasa-speaking Widodo also played a role on the world stage, where he often spoke through an interpreter and at times appeared uncomfortable with formalities and protocol. In 2022, he became the first Asian leader to visit Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv and later Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Moscow to help encourage the two enemies to start a dialogue. Later that year, he hosted a summit of the G20 leading rich and developing nations. In a delicate balancing act, he met President Joe Biden in the White House for talks on boosting defense cooperation after meeting Chinese President Xi Jingping in China to expand trade and investment. Asked by journalists what he would do when he steps down, Widodo said he plans to return to his family in his hometown, where his political journey began, and play an active role in protecting the environment. Thats the plan, Widodo told Bloomberg Television in a recent interview. But sometimes, plans can change. A law mandating conscription was introduced in 2010 but has not been enforced until now. Those who fail to comply with the draft face imprisonment for up to five years, the legislation says As it tries to restrain armed rebel forces fighting for more autonomy in various regions of the nation, the junta in Myanmar announced on Saturday that all young men and women must serve in the military. For a maximum of two years, all men and women between the ages of 18 and 27 must serve; for a maximum of three years, specialists such as physicians up to the age of 45 must serve. According to official media, the service can be continued for a total of five years while the state of emergency is in effect. Advertisement Following a coup by the military in 2021 to overthrow an elected government, Myanmar has been plunged into anarchy. Since October, the Tatmadaw, as the military is known, has suffered personnel losses while battling a coordinated offensive by an alliance of three ethnic minority insurgent groups, as well as allied pro-democracy fighters who have taken up arms against the junta. It is the biggest challenge the military has faced since first taking power in the former British colony in 1962. Analysts have said the Tatmadaw is struggling to recruit soldiers and has begun forcing non-combat personnel to the frontline. The duty to safeguard and defend the nation extends beyond just the soldiers but to all citizens. So I want to tell everyone to proudly follow this peoples military service law, junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun told state media. Advertisement A law mandating conscription was introduced in 2010 but has not been enforced until now. Those who fail to comply with the draft face imprisonment for up to five years, the legislation says. As Israeli forces have pushed steadily southwards, Rafah has become the last major population centre in Gaza that troops have yet to enter, even as it is bombarded by air strikes almost daily Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu assured safe passage to evacuated inhabitants in Rafah, the southernmost town in Gaza, despite the ongoing danger of an Israeli assault. Netanyahu reaffirmed in a Sunday interview that Israel will continue its military campaign against Hamas into Rafah. Netanyahu told ABC News that were going to do it in spite of worldwide concern about the possibility of bloodshed in an area where more than half of the 2.4 million residents of the Gaza Strip are crowded. Advertisement Were going to do it while providing safe passage for the civilian population so they can leave, he said, according to published extracts of the interview. It remains unclear however, where the large number of people pressed up against the border with Egypt and sheltering in makeshift tents can go. When asked, Netanyahu would only say they are working out a detailed plan. As Israeli forces have pushed steadily southwards, Rafah has become the last major population centre in Gaza that troops have yet to enter, even as it is bombarded by air strikes almost daily. They said Rafah is safe, but it is not. All places are being targeted, Palestinian Mohammed Saydam said after an Israeli strike destroyed a police vehicle in the on Saturday. Advertisement The Israeli premier, who contends victory over Hamas cannot be achieved without clearing battalions in Rafah, directed his military on Friday to prepare for the operation. His announcement set off a chorus of concern from world leaders and aid groups. The people in Gaza cannot disappear into thin air, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock wrote on social media platform X, adding that an Israeli offensive on Rafah would be a humanitarian catastrophe in the making. Advertisement Saudi Arabias foreign ministry warned Saturday of very serious repercussions of storming and targeting Rafah and called for an urgent UN Security Council meeting, while UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron said he is deeply concerned about the prospective offensive. The priority must be an immediate pause in the fighting to get aid in and hostages out, he wrote. Advertisement Sharpening US rebuke The war in Gaza was sparked by Palestinian Islamist group Hamass unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Vowing to eliminate Hamas, Israel launched a massive military offensive in Gaza that the territorys health ministry says has killed at least 28,064 people, mostly women and children. Advertisement Militants also seized 250 hostages, 132 of whom are still in Gaza, although 29 are presumed dead, Israel has said. Netanyahu announced the plan for a ground operation in Rafah only days after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Israel seeking a ceasefire and hostage-prisoner exchange. Netanyahu has rejected the proposed truce after what he called bizarre demands from Hamas. Advertisement But Israels plans for Rafah have drawn sharp rebuke from main ally and military backer Washington, with the State Department warning that if not properly planned, such an operation risks disaster. In unusually sharp criticism, US President Joe Biden on Thursday called Israels retaliatory campaign over the top. Gazas Hamas rulers warned on Saturday that a full-scale Israeli invasion of Rafah could cause tens of thousands of casualties. Advertisement The office of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said the move threatens security and peace in the region and the world and is a blatant violation of all red lines. The Hamas-run territorys health ministry said on Sunday that 94 people were killed in overnight bombardments across Gaza, including in Rafah. The Israeli military said it killed two senior Hamas operatives in a strike on Rafah Saturday. Advertisement It was part of a wider bombardment that killed at least 25 people in the city, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. UNRWA under pressure To the north in Gaza City, Israels military claimed that its troops uncovered a Hamas tunnel under the evacuated headquarters of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). Advertisement Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz called for its head, Philippe Lazzarini, to quit. Lazzarini said the agency had not operated from the compound since October 12 when staff evacuated it under instruction from Israeli forces. Already under pressure after Israel claimed 12 UNRWA staff were involved in the October 7 Hamas attack, he called for an independent investigation into the latest Israeli accusations. Advertisement An AFP photographer was among a number of journalists taken to the compound and tunnel by the Israeli military on Thursday. UN premises are considered inviolable in international law and immune from search, requisition, confiscation, expropriation and any other form of interference. Hamas has repeatedly denied Israeli accusations that it has dug a network of tunnels under schools, hospitals and other civilian infrastructure as cover for its activities. Advertisement On Sunday, Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy called UNRWA a Hamas front. Public fury The war, now in its fifth month, has spawned intensifying public fury in Israel. Protesters took to the streets of Tel Aviv on Saturday night to demand the release of the hostages, Netanyahu step down and fresh elections be called. Its clear Netanyahu is dragging out the war, he has no idea what to do on the day after, Israeli protester Gil Gordon said. The war has had far-reaching impact well bedyond Israel and Gaza, with violence involving Iran-backed allies of Hamas surging across the Middle East. A senior Hamas officer survived an Israeli assassination attempt in Lebanon, Palestinian and Lebanese security sources told AFP, but two other people including a Hezbollah member were killed in the attack. And in Syria, Israeli strikes near Damascus killed three people, a war monitor said, adding the targeted neighbourhood hosted villas for top military and civilian officials. Both the caretaker government and the top electoral body have disproved allegations of deliberate delay in compiling and releasing final results After verifying reports about voting materials being stolen and damaged, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) ordered re-elections at several polling locations around the country, as reported by Geo News. As the 48-hour compilation process approaches, the poll organising body is nearing the end of its announcement of vote results, having successfully navigated all difficult periods of the February 8 countrywide elections. Advertisement Geo News reports that the commission addressed concerns from around the nation about instances of grabbing and destroying voting materials at different polling places, which forced local election officials to postpone voting procedures. In a recent development, the top electoral body has scheduled re-polling at multiple polling stations on February 15. Results from these polling stations will be announced upon the completion of the re-polling event. The list of constituencies and the number of polling stations are given below, in which re-polling was ordered, as per Geo News. NA-88 Khushab-II Punjab Re-polling will take place at 26 polling stations following the destruction of voting materials by crowd of outrageous people. PS-18 Ghotki-I Sinh Re-polling will be held in the constituencys two polling stations after unidentified individuals snatched voting material on February 8. PK-90 Kohat-I Khyber Pakhtunkhwa The ECP has mandated re-polling at 25 polling stations in the mentioned constituency due to damage caused to voting material by terrorists on election day. Meanwhile, the electoral body has instructed the regional election commissioner to submit a probe report within three days regarding complaints of vandalism at a polling station in NA-242 Karachi Keamari-I-Sindh. Advertisement Previously, several parties with past parliamentary roles raised concerns about the credibility of the results following delays, despite assurances from the election commission regarding the timely release of official results. Both the caretaker government and the top electoral body have disproved allegations of deliberate delay in compiling and releasing final results. Since Khans independents campaigned as individuals, they outperformed the party of another former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, which garnered 75 seats and became the largest single party in parliament According to the website of the electoral commission, independent candidates, who were mostly supported by the imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan, won 101 of the 264 seats in Sundays national election in Pakistan. The national elections on Thursday ended more than sixty hours before the final count was made public, a delay that sparked concerns about the procedure. Advertisement Since Khans independents campaigned as individuals, they outperformed the party of another former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, which garnered 75 seats and became the largest single party in parliament. Sharif stated that after failing to secure a certain majority on its own, his party is in talks with other parties to create a coalition administration. A few minor protests occurred overnight after Khans PTI party promised to stage peaceful nationwide demonstrations on Sunday if the vote total was not made public during the night. The temporary administration of Pakistan claims that a mobile internet outage on election day produced communication problems, which is what prompted the delay. Rights organizations and international governments, including the US government, expressed worry over the interruption, which the authorities claimed was due to security concerns. Advertisement A PTI party secretary called off nationwide protests in a post on the social media site X on Sunday, but she suggested there should be rallies at specific polling places where they were worried about forged results. Khans PTI party was linked to about 93 of the independent candidates who were successful in winning seats. Advertisement Because they had broken electoral laws and were therefore prohibited by the election commission from competing for office under the electoral symbol of their party, Khans supporters were running as independents. Millions of Khans fans turned out to vote for him in spite of the ban and his incarceration for convictions stemming from charges of corruption, illicit marriage, and state secret leaks. Khan is prohibited from serving in any government while he is incarcerated. Advertisement The ineligibility to get any of the 70 reserved seats in parliament, which are allotted based on party strength in the final tally, is one of the disadvantages the independents have when attempting to form a government. Up to 20 of these seats could go to Sharifs party. The electoral commission had already noted that results for two seats could not yet be included: one seat required a polling postponement due to the death of a candidate, and another seat would not have its polling finished until later this month. The announcement of victory by bitter rivals and former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan has increased unpredictability as the nation grapples with a number of pressing issues that require prompt attention, such as negotiating a new IMF program to support the countrys faltering economy The general election in Pakistan concluded with no party securing a majority in parliament, following polls tainted by political unrest, militant violence, and concerns about transparency. The announcement of victory by bitter rivals and former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan has increased unpredictability as the nation grapples with a number of pressing issues that require prompt attention, such as negotiating a new IMF program to support the countrys faltering economy. Advertisement When the National Assembly is called in the next days, a prime ministerial candidate must then demonstrate a simple majority of 169 seats in the assembly. Of the 336 seats in the Assembly, 266 are chosen by direct election on election day. Additionally, 70 reserved seats60 for women and 10 for non-Muslimshave been allocated, with the ultimate positions of the parties in the Assembly being decided by their combined strength in the house. Here are four possible outcomes for what might come next: In order to build a majority in parliament, Sharifs party, which garnered 75 seats, reached an agreement with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the son of the deceased former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, which garnered 53 seats. Advertisement Together with other smaller parties, the two form a coalition government led by Sharif, his brother, who serves as prime minister and assigns key positions to other parties. With Bhutto Zardari as foreign minister and Sharifs brother Shehbaz as prime minister, the two parties shared power in government for sixteen months till August. Advertisement After winning 93 seats on their own, Khans independent candidates joined a smaller party in parliament to form a unified bloc, which is necessary for them to be granted reserved seats. They would be able to field a prime minister candidate and get closer to a majority as a result. They can also work to have their jailed leader released under an agreement, or they can work with other parties to support a consensus candidate, which would put Khans followers in power. Khan cannot hold the position of prime minister. Advertisement Despite having the most seats, Sharif and Khans candidates cannot form a government without the PPP. The PPP makes an agreement to choose the youthful Bhutto Zardari as prime minister, with both parties hoping to keep the other out of office. Prior to the elections, he promoted the idea, claiming that his new strategy would enable Pakistan to overcome its numerous crises, something that previous senior leaders had failed to do. Advertisement There is perpetual uncertainty since no one can establish a government. The most formidable and well-organized military in Pakistan intervenes to reestablish order and seizes control, as it has done three times in the nations 76-year historythe most recent instance being the fall of Sharifs administration in 1999. (With agency inputs) Following the polls, PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif hinted at the formation of a national unity government akin to the PDM alliance, entrusting his brother and former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with the task of initiating consultations for government formation According to Dawn, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) are actively exploring routes to form governments in Punjab, Balochistan, and the Central region following the recent elections. Both sides are moving cautiously forward, defending their positions and carefully working out the details of a possible power-sharing agreement. Advertisement Asif Ali Zardari, the head of the PPP, is expected to have important meetings today in Islamabad and Lahore to discuss the details of their prospective alliance, Dawn said. Concurrently, a group representing the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) is in Lahore in response to the PML-Ns invitation to talk about their post-election plans. According to Dawn, following the polls, PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif hinted at the formation of a national unity government akin to the PDM alliance, entrusting his brother and former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with the task of initiating consultations for government formation. A senior PML-N official said, The PML-N leadership explored the prospect of supporting the PPP to form the federal government, focusing on Punjab, where Shehbaz Sharif holds a substantial majority. Advertisement However, unlike the swift formation of the PDM in 2022, deliberations this time are expected to be more thorough. In a statement to a private Pakistan TV channel, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb confirmed initial consultations between Shehbaz Sharif and Asif Zardari, underlining that both leaders would seek their parties input regarding coalition building. Advertisement Addressing queries about engaging with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) or its independent allies, Aurangzeb clarified, The PML-N has no intentions to engage with PTI independents. Shehbaz Sharif is expected to be a frontrunner for the premiers position within the proposed coalition government in Islamabad. A myriad of discussions are ongoing within the PML-N and PPP concerning coalition formation, including deliberations on the prime ministerial and presidential candidates as well as the allocation of key provincial positions, a party source said. Advertisement Meanwhile, Shehbaz Sharif, during a party meeting in Model Town, emphasised the imperative of political unity for Pakistans welfare, pledging to meet public expectations and prioritise economic relief measures. The meeting also apprised attendees of the PML-Ns dialogues with other political entities regarding government formation in the Centre, exploring various avenues for governance in Islamabad and Lahore. Advertisement Amidst the buzz within the PML-N, the PPP maintains a reserved stance, refraining from divulging its strategies prematurely. PPP leaders, refuting speculations, underscored that no decision regarding joining a PML-N-led coalition had been reached, emphasising ongoing assessments of election results and the evolving political landscape, reported Dawn. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari reaffirmed the partys commitment to constructive politics, highlighting its presence across all four provinces and its pivotal role in potential government formations. Advertisement We seek to transcend divisive politics and foster stability crucial for economic prosperity, Bhutto-Zardari remarked, disapproving of Nawaz Sharifs preemptive address following the elections. Asserting the partys focus on establishing consensus governments, Bhutto-Zardari stressed the necessity of coalition-building, especially in Balochistan. The terrorist commander, who was wanted by law enforcement for his involvement in multiple terrorist acts, including targeted killing of innocent civilians as well as extortion, also had weapons, ammo, and explosives retrieved from him, according to the ISPR The military announced on Sunday that Pakistani security forces have killed a militant ringleader connected to the outlawed group Daesh during an intelligence-based operation in the unrest-plagued Khyber district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The Pakistan Armys media branch, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said that the security forces launched an operation in response to information on the alleged presence of a high-profile terrorist in the area. Advertisement The military announced in a statement that Surat Gul, also known as Saifullah, of Daesh (Islamic State), a high-value terrorist ringleader, had been eliminated during a fierce gunfight. The terrorist commander, who was wanted by law enforcement for his involvement in multiple terrorist acts, including targeted killing of innocent civilians as well as extortion, also had weapons, ammo, and explosives retrieved from him, according to the ISPR. Attacks on electoral commission offices in the provinces of Sindh and Balochistan as well as candidates running for office surged ahead of Pakistans general elections, which were held on February 8. At least 12 people were killed and numerous others injured in a major bomb blast outside the election office of an independent candidate in Pakistans Balochistan province, a day before the national elections. Nine PTI-backed independents, including six former lawmakers, filed petitions challenging the results of the provisional elections in their respective constituencies. The Peshawar High Court will hear the cases, and Justice Shakeel Ahmad and Justice Syed Arshad Ali will preside over the hearings It was revealed on Sunday that losing candidates in Pakistans fiercely contested general elections have swamped the countrys courts with applications contesting the preliminary results in their districts. The number of independent candidates, the great majority of whom were supported by the imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khans Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party, emerged as the single largest block of winners in the elections held on February 8, even though the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) emerged as the single largest party. Advertisement The PTI said that although the candidates it supported had won the most seats, the results had been tampered with to deny it the majority, and its defeated candidates had flooded the courts to reverse the trend. Many prominent politicians, including former Punjab chief minister Parvez Elahi and his wife Qaisera, former finance minister Taimoor Jhagra and former KP speaker Mahmood Jan, Islamabad-based lawyer Shuaib Shaheen, former Punjab health minister Dr. Yasmin Rashid, and Rehana Dar, mother of Usman Dar, who oversaw youth affairs in the PTI government, are among those who have filed challenges against the results, according to a report in the Dawn newspaper. The triumphs of former defense minister Khawaja Asif, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz, and PML-N Attaullah Tarar in Lahore were challenged in separate petitions before the high court, accusing them of manipulating Form 47s, which displayed the combined results of every seat. The petitioners assert that they defeated their opponents based on the Form 45 that was given to them, which shows the results of each polling place. But without them, their wins in the Form 47 were purportedly reversed into losses. Additionally, they have demanded that the Form 47 results be generated in accordance with the Form 45s and have accused cooperation in the altering of election results. Advertisement Omar Dars wife, Ruba Omar, has challenged the election results in PP 146 Sialkot. According to Form 45, Ruba Omar has won, however she was plainly beaten in Form 47 owing to cooperation. Independent candidate Shahzad Farooq has contested Maryams victory from NA-119, claiming that the returning officer announced the results while he was away and that the presiding officers failed to provide Form 45. Although Farooq says he defeated Maryam, the match was rigged. Advertisement Zahir Abbas Khokhar has contested PML-Ns Atta Tarars election from NA-127, arguing that Tarar lost in accordance with Form 45 but declared himself the winner in Form 47 with clear cooperation. Three PTI candidates filed a lawsuit in Karachi with the Sindh High Court, claiming that the Returning Officers (ROs), those who put together Form 47, and other parties broke electoral laws and rigged the whole thing. Advertisement The contenders in NA-238 (East-IV), NA-248 (Central-II), and NA-231 (Malir-III) are PTI provincial chief Haleem Adil Sheikh, Arsalan Khalid, and advocate Khalid Mehmood, respectively. The PTI Sindh president contended that he had a clear lead of about 65,000 votes based on the Form 45 that his election agents had collected from every polling place. However, the petitioner was ranked second with over 36,800 votes, and MQM-Ps Sadiq Iftikhar was shown as the winner from NA-238 with over 54,000 votes in the contested Form 47. Advertisement Members of Imran Khans legal team, Muhammad Shuaib Shaheen, and Mohammad Ali Bukhari of the PTI have attacked their defeats at the hands of Tariq Fazal Chaudhry of the PML-N and Independent candidate Raja Khurram Shehzad, respectively, in Islamabad. The two candidates filed their petitions in the IHC, but the registrar office objected, saying the petitioner should go to the proper forum. The candidates then filed their application with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). Advertisement Nine PTI-backed independents, including six former lawmakers, filed petitions challenging the results of the provisional elections in their respective constituencies. The Peshawar High Court will hear the cases, and Justice Shakeel Ahmad and Justice Syed Arshad Ali will preside over the hearings. Former KP Assembly deputy speaker Mahmood Jan (PK-72), former provincial ministers Taimoor Jhagra (PK-79) and Kamran Khan Bangash (PK-82), former MNAs Sajid Nawaz Khan (NA-28) and Hamidul Haq (PK-80), former lawmaker Arbab Jehandad Khan (PK-74), former Peshawar district nazim Mohammad Asim (PK-78), and attorneys Ali Zaman (PK-73) and Malik Shahab (PK-75) are among the petitioners. Advertisement The legal disputes typically linger in the courts for weeks or months at a time and have no bearing on how governments are formed. Candidates also employ some of these hurdles as a means of preserving their reputations. A nationwide election-day mobile telephone blackout and the slow counting of results led to suspicions the military establishment was influencing the process to ensure success for the PML-N Pakistani police issued a warning on Sunday, threatening to clamp down on unlawful assemblies, after the call from Imran Khans party, which is in jail, for followers to demonstrate against the purported electoral manipulation that occurred last week. With the bulk of them affiliated with Khans Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, independent candidates emerged victorious in the polls, severely undermining the prospects of the army-backed Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to secure a majority government. Advertisement However, independents are unable to establish a government, and as opposing parties work out potential combinations, the nation will experience weeks of political unrest. Leaders of the PTI assert that if vote manipulation hadnt occurred, they would have gained even more seats. A nationwide election-day mobile telephone blackout and the slow counting of results led to suspicions the military establishment was influencing the process to ensure success for the PML-N. Throughout Pakistan elections were manipulated in a subtle way, PTI chairman Gohar Ali Khan told a press conference Saturday, calling on supporters to protest peacefully on Sunday. Authorities warned they would take strict action, saying so-called Section 144 orders were in place under a colonial-era law banning gatherings of two or more people. Advertisement Some individuals are inciting illegal gatherings around the Election Commission and other government offices, said a statement Sunday from Islamabads police force. Legal action will be taken against unlawful assemblies. It should be noted that soliciting for gatherings is also a crime. A similar warning was also issued in Rawalpindi, while AFP correspondents saw dozens of police equipped with riot gear assembling near Liberty Market in Lahore. Advertisement Khans party defied a months-long crackdown that crippled campaigning and forced candidates to run as independents to emerge as the winners of Thursdays vote. Final results were announced Sunday, with independents winning 101 seats, PML-N 75, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) 54, and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) 17. Ten minor parties mopped up the remaining 17 seats, with two remaining vacant. Advertisement The results have clearly indicated that no single party possesses a simple majority to establish a government, said Zahid Hussain, a political analyst and author. The political future of the country from this point onward is highly uncertain. Still, PTI leaders insist they have been given a peoples mandate to form the next government. Advertisement The people have decided in favour of Imran Khan, chairman Khan told Arab News in an interview. A coalition between the PML-N and the PPP who formed the last government after ousting Khan with a vote of no confidence in April last year still seems the most likely outcome. The countrys military chief told feuding politicians to show maturity and unity. Advertisement The nation needs stable hands and a healing touch to move on from the politics of anarchy and polarisation which does not suit a progressive country of 250 million people, General Syed Asim Munir said in a statement released Saturday. The military looms large over Pakistans political landscape, with generals having run the country for nearly half its history since partition from India in 1947. Advertisement The military-backed PML-N, founded by three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif, declared victory as the party with the largest number of seats, but to form a government he will be forced to cut deals with rivals and independents. Khan was barred from contesting the election after being handed several lengthy prison sentences in the days leading up to the vote. Advertisement He was convicted earlier this month of treason, graft and having an un-Islamic marriage in three separate trials among nearly 200 cases brought against him since being ousted. Beijing has allegedly since subsequently sent out police boats that harass Philippine vessels and keep Filipino fishermen from accessing the lagoon, where fish are more abundant, according to Manila Chinese warships were accused by the Philippine Coast Guard on Sunday of engaging in dangerous tactics while on a nine-day patrol close to a reef off the coast of Southeast Asia. In order to ensure the safety of Filipino fishermen in the area and to monitor the seas surrounding Scarborough Shoal, a productive fishing ground in the South China Sea, the Philippine warship BRP Teresa Magbanua was sent out in early February. Advertisement China took the reef from the Philippines in 2012, and since then, it has been a source of tension between the two nations. Beijing has allegedly since subsequently sent out police boats that harass Philippine vessels and keep Filipino fishermen from accessing the lagoon, where fish are more abundant, according to Manila. During the patrol, Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessels performed dangerous and blocking manoeuvres at sea against BRP Teresa Magbanua four times, with the CCG vessels crossing the bow of the PCG vessel twice, the Philippine Coast Guard said in a statement. The Philippine Coast Guard said its ship was also shadowed by four Chinese Coast Guard vessels on more than 40 occasions. Advertisement The coast guard also observed what it described as four Chinese Maritime Militia vessels. The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Scarborough Shoal is 240 kilometres (150 miles) west of the Philippines main island of Luzon and nearly 900 kilometres from the nearest major Chinese land mass of Hainan. Advertisement Under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which China helped negotiate, countries have jurisdiction over the natural resources within about 200 nautical miles (370 kilometres) of their shore. The Philippine Coast guard also distributed food and groceries to a hundred Filipino fishermen in 14 boats, the statement said. Advertisement The incidents came two months after tense standoffs between China and the Philippines around disputed reefs in the South China Sea that saw a collision between vessels from the two countries and Chinese ships blasting water cannon at Philippine boats. China claims almost the entire sea and has ignored an international tribunal ruling that its assertions have no legal basis. Advertisement It deploys boats to patrol the busy waterway and has built artificial islands that it has militarised to reinforce its claims. Chinese and Philippine officials last month agreed on the need for closer dialogue to deal with maritime emergencies in the waterway. Residential structures and a gas pipeline in Mykolaiv were damaged by falling debris from a downed drone and the blast wave, according to the military command According to the Ukrainian military on Sunday, Russia launched drone assaults on Kyiv and southern Ukraine during the night, hurting at least one civilian and causing damage to residential buildings, a gas pipeline, and the river and sea port of Mykolaiv. Overnight, 40 out of 45 Russian-launched Shahed attack drones were destroyed by Ukraines air defense systems, the Air Force of Ukraine claimed on the messaging app Telegram. Advertisement The air alert in the capital lasted almost two hours, Serhiy Popko, the head of Kyivs military administration, said on Telegram. He continued by saying that as the drones approached Kiev, they were all shot down. Based on initial reports, there were no deaths or major damage in or around the capital. It was certified clear skies over Kiev shortly before 4 a.m. (0200 GMT). According to the southern military command of Ukraine, 26 Russian-launched Shahed drones were destroyed by its air defense systems over the course of more than five hours of combat, primarily over the Mykolaiv region close to the Black Sea. According to the military, at least one civilian was hurt in the incident in southern Ukraine. Advertisement The priority for the enemy was again the coastal strip of infrastructure and agro-industrial facilities, the military said. Residential structures and a gas pipeline in Mykolaiv were damaged by falling debris from a downed drone and the blast wave, according to the military command. The military reported that four drones were shot down above the Black Sea port of Odesa. Advertisement (With agency inputs) The IMO, the United Nations agency responsible for security at sea, is working to ensure that parties continue to talk so that the situation does not degenerate any further, and we can return to a safe maritime environment, Secretary General Dominguez told AFP on Thursday Arsenio Dominguez, the chairman of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), told AFP that the organisation is working tirelessly to resolve the Red Sea situation, which is seriously impeding international cargo transportation. Since November, Yemens Houthi rebelswho get backing from Iranhave attacked many ships in the Red Sea, specifically aiming for Israel as a show of solidarity with the people living in the Gaza Strip, which is engulfed in the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Advertisement The rebels are continue attacking, shooting on Tuesday at the US ship Star Nasia and the UK vessel Morning Tide in retaliation for the US and UKs strikes. The IMO, the United Nations agency responsible for security at sea, is working to ensure that parties continue to talk so that the situation does not degenerate any further, and we can return to a safe maritime environment, Panama-born Secretary General Dominguez told AFP on Thursday. We are working tirelessly to coordinate action that will lead to a resolution, Dominguez added from the IMOs London headquarters. The region is crucial for the global transport of goods, with around 12 percent of global maritime trade normally passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which controls access to the southern Red Sea. Advertisement Many shipowners have decided to stop operating in the Red Sea, instead sending their ships on the longer route around the south of Africa. But this is not the ideal solution, admitted Dominguez, as it increases the cost of transport, and ultimately the price of the cargo. We now have more than 60 percent of the annual tonnage the normally goes through the Suez Canal now going around southern Africa, he explained. Advertisement Insurance has also gone up and increased fuel use is creating additional costs. There is also a human impact, with crew having to spend extra days at sea, said Dominguez. The IMOs objective is therefore to provide practical and operational measures so that ships can continue to operate, he added. Despite the headwinds, Dominguez said he remained optimistic about a resolution to the conflict. This is the second of four columns observing Black History Month. She used her pen to speak to the world. Frederick Douglass spoke these words to describe her, Brave woman! You have done your people and mine a service. If the American conscience were only half alive, a scream of horror, shame and indignation would rise to heaven. What a revelation of existing conditions your writing has been for me. Ida B. Wells-Barnett first met Frederick Douglass in February 1893 when he heard her speak against lynching. They became friends and firm allies. They both wrote about the injustices faced by Blacks. Ida B. Wells Barnett was born into slavery on July 16, 1862, in Holley Springs, Miss. Her father, James Madison Wells, was born to a slave named Peggy and her white owner. He was hired out as a carpenter apprentice to a man named Bolling. His wife, Elizabeth, was the cook for the family. During Reconstruction, the Wells family struggled for independence like so many other freed slaves. Life was difficult after slavery and left Blacks landless and uneducated. Many ended up tending plots of land in return for a share of the crops produced. Sharecropping forced them to be dependent on the white owners for advances in food and other necessities from the plantation store. Sharecropping was a state of servitude no better than slavery. By contrast, the Wells family did experience a sense of independence due to Idas father using his skills as a carpenter. However, there were still scars of slavery as Jim Wells remembered how brutally his wife was treated and beaten. Ida moved to Memphis after the death of her parents and an infant brother due to a yellow fever epidemic. She worked to keep the family together. The Black Masons offered to help by separating the rest of the family. However, Ida was determined to keep her siblings together. With the help of her grandmother, she was successful. After moving to Memphis, she got a job teaching at a local school for $20 a month. During the week friends took care of the children while Ida rode a mule six miles a day to work. She joined a literary club at a local church and members would read to each other. She developed an interest in writing. She began to write articles for a local Black newspaper. Her articles included commentary on the poor conditions of Blacks in Memphis. Then her writing took a turn when she heard of the lynching of Thomas Moss, Calvin McDowell and Henry Stewart. They were taken out and lynched after a confrontation by a mob of whites. Before being lynched, they were shot 100 times. The era of Reconstruction was dangerous for Blacks with the emergence of hate groups such as the Ku Klux Klan. The lynching of Black men occurred all over the South. Wells began to investigate the lynchings. She documented them in the Memphis Free Speech and Headlight newspapers. Her investigative journalism articles were carried by Black owned newspapers throughout the country. She felt it was time to own a newspaper. She bought an interest in the Free Speech in 1889. She became the editor and with the help of a Black minister, they sold 500 copies of the paper every Sunday in the church. She began to write stronger articles against lynching. She published a 100-page pamphlet called the Red Record documenting lynching in the United States. Whites became angry and her newspaper office was destroyed and all of its contents went up in flames. She carried a pistol for protection. She began to travel to tell people about the injustices that Blacks endured. In 1893 and 1894, she traveled to England, Scotland and Ireland spreading the news about lynchings in the United States. She told people that more than 1,000 Blacks had been murdered in the past 10 years. She called it a national crime. When she returned to the United States, Wells went to the opening of Chicago Worlds Columbian Exposition. She met Frederick Douglass. They protested that the achievements of Blacks were left out. Wells decided to stay in Chicago to carry on her work. She met a Black newspaper man named Ferdinand L. Barnett. He owned a paper called the Conservator. They married in 1895 and had four children. Ida B. Wells-Barnett died on March 25, 1931. In 1950, Chicago named her as one of its outstanding women. Her home became a National Historic Landmark in 1974. In February 1990, a U.S. postage stamp was released in her honor. She was posthumously awarded a Pulitzer Prize special citation for her work as a journalist. Eva M. Doyle is a columnist for the Criterion. She is celebrating 45 years of writing the Eye On History column. Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump speaking during a rally at Coastal Carolina University on February 10, 2024 in Conway, South Carolina. Win McNamee/Getty Images Donald Trump suggested that the US could let Russia attack non-paying NATO countries. The White House said that his suggestion was "appalling and unhinged." Trump frequently criticized NATO during his presidency. The White House said former President Donald Trumps suggestion that the US could let Russia attack non-paying NATO countries is "appalling and unhinged." Speaking at a rally in South Carolina on Saturday, Trump recounted an alleged meeting hed had with NATO leaders in which the president of a big country said: "Well, sir, if we don't pay, and we're attacked by Russia, will you protect us?" "I said, 'You didn't pay? You're delinquent?' He said: 'Yes, let's say that happened' No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You gotta pay." Trump says he would encourage Russia to attack NATO allies: I said I would not protect our NATO allies. In fact, I would encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want pic.twitter.com/ak1a3Mtwzq Biden-Harris HQ (@BidenHQ) February 10, 2024 In response to Trumps comments, White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said in a statement: "Encouraging invasions of our closest allies by murderous regimes is appalling and unhinged, and it endangers American national security, global stability, and our economy at home." "Rather than calling for wars and promoting deranged chaos, President Biden will continue to bolster American leadership and stand up for our national security interests not against them, he said. Trump is putting US and European soldiers at increased risk NATO US M1 Abrams tanks fire during a NATO military exercise in Adazi, Latvia, 2016. Reuters This is important if there were a second Trump presidency, NATO members fear that President Vladimir Putin's ambitions for expanding Russian influence over neighboring countries will be encouraged. Story continues NATO is a military alliance comprised of 30 nations formed in the wake of World War II as the US and its allies sought to counter the Soviet Union's growing influence in Europe and beyond. It is based on the principle of mutual defense, meaning an attack on one member state is considered an attack on all of them. NATO responded to Trump's comments in a statement on Sunday, reported by Sky News. "Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the US, and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk," said the statement, attributed to NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg. "I expect that regardless of who wins the presidential election the US will remain a strong and committed NATO ally," it said. As president, Trump frequently criticized NATO and threatened to withdraw from the alliance. He often complained that other countries were not spending enough to support the alliance and that the US was paying more than its fair share. In July 2018, for example, Trump tweeted : "Presidents have been trying unsuccessfully for years to get Germany and other rich NATO Nations to pay more toward their protection from Russia. They pay only a fraction of their cost. The US pays tens of Billions of Dollars too much to subsidize Europe, and loses Big on Trade!" A top European Union official recently revealed that as president, Trump told him the US would never help Europe if it was under attack. Trumps comments come ahead of the second anniversary of Russias invasion of Ukraine. The former president has complained about the amount of money the US has sent to non-NATO member Ukraine, which totals around $43 billion. Republicans in Congress have since been blocking a $60 billion funding proposed by the Biden administration. Trump has also praised Putin for his intelligence and has claimed that if in charge, he could end the conflict in a day, without explaining how he would do so. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg recently warned of widespread implications for Europe if Putin succeeds in Ukraine. "If Putin wins in Ukraine, there is no guarantee that Russian aggression will not spread to other countries," Stoltenberg told German newspaper Welt Am Sonntag. "We have to prepare ourselves for a confrontation that could last decades," he said. Read the original article on Business Insider Voter turnout in the first round was 75 percent and polling stations open at 9:00 am local time (0700 GMT) and close at 8:00 pm (1800 GMT) Saturday Night Partly cloudy skies early followed by increasing clouds with showers developing later at night. Low 43F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Only an end to Gaza war will bring peace to region: Iran FM IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Feb 10, 2024 Beirut, IRNA -- Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian has said that the solution to restore peace in the West Asia region is to stop the Israeli regime's war on Gaza. The top Iranian diplomat made the comment on Saturday afternoon at a joint press briefing with his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bou Habib in Beirut where the two held talks on issues of mutual interest. Amirabdollahian described the talks as good, saying that Tehran and Beirut emphasize that war is not a solution, and that they do not welcome the expansion of the conflict in the region. "We believe that the Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, has acted accurately and wisely in terms of both politics and standing up against the Israeli regime's crimes," the top Iranian diplomat said. Of course, it is clear to people across the world that more than four months of war in Gaza and the West bank has brought no tangible results for Israel and its backers, he added. Amirabdollahian referred to the US role in the Gaza war and broader conflict in West Asia as well. "The US is taking two paths simultaneously. On the first path, it continues to send weapons [to the Israeli regime] and be complicit in the genocide in Gaza. On the second path, the US speaks of a political solution. We clearly say that if the US wants peace [to be restored] in the region, the solution is to stop the war in Gaza." Elsewhere in his remarks at the presser, the Iranian foreign minister said that he received promising reports from his Lebanese counterpart and other senior officials about internal developments in the Arab country, adding that Iran wants nothing but good for Lebanon. The Lebanese foreign minister also said at the press briefing that his talks with Amirabdollahian focused on stability in Lebanon, the necessity of a stop to the war in Gaza as well as empowering the Lebanese armed forces, among other issues. Amirabdollahian and Bou Habib met on Saturday afternoon on the second day of the top Iranian diplomat's visit to Lebanon. Amirabdollahian also met other senior Lebanese officials including the prime minister and the parliament speaker. 4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran FM reaffirms support for Lebanon's stability IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Feb 10, 2024 Beirut, IRNA -- Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian has said that Iran attaches great importance to continuation of talks with Lebanon, highlighting the Islamic Republic's firm support for Lebanon's stability and security. Speaking at a meeting with Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati in Beirut, Amirabdollahian said on Saturday the Islamic Republic has tried to stop the Israeli regime's war on Gaza in the last four months so as to prevent the expansion of the scope of war in the region. He asserted that Palestinians are the true owners of Palestine and they are the ones who should make decisions for Palestine and its future, adding, "We know that they have plans and political initiatives for the post-war phase as well." The Iranian foreign minister also referred to the recent US-UK attacks on Yemen, saying the attacks are a violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the war-torn country and increase risks of intensifying the crisis in the region. Mikati, for his part, said his country is striving for peace and stability. "Efforts should be made to end the war against Gaza and eliminate the risk of expanding the scope of the war in the region," he noted. He also thanked the Islamic Republic for supporting Lebanon's stability and explained the latest political situation in the Arab country as well as the border conditions between Lebanon and the Zionist regime. Regional resistance groups, including Lebanon's Hezbollah, have conducted retaliatory operations against the Israeli regime in defense of the innocent Palestinian people. At least 28,337 Palestinians have been killed since the beginning of the Zionist regime's war on Gaza on October 7. 4354**9417 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran FM meets Nasrallah, resistance leaders in Beirut IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Feb 10, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian has met with Secretary-general of Hezbollah Hassan Nasrallah and some other resistance leaders in the Lebanese capital Beirut. According to Al Mayadeen TV channel, Amirabdollahian who is visiting Lebanon to hold talks with Lebanese politicians, met with Nasrallah on Saturday and the two sides discussed various issues, including recent developments in the region such as the Gaza war, southern Lebanon, and other resistance groups. On Friday, the Iranian foreign minister arrived in Beirut, which is the first leg of his regional tour. The top diplomat is scheduled to hold discussions with senior Lebanese officials on the complete cessation of the Israeli criminal war on Gaza, the removal of the siege of the strip, and the issue of governance of the besieged area in the post-war era. Amirabdollahian meets Palestinian resistance leaders The FM also held talks with resistance leaders such as Islamic Jihad Secretary General Ziyad Nakhalah, Hamas representative in Lebanon Osama Hamdan, and deputy secretary-general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) Jamil Mazhar in Beirut. The resistance officials emphasized that as a result of steadfastness by the Palestinians, signs of victory of the Palestinian people are emerging, and that the Israeli enemy is suffering from internal and international pressures and the regime could achieve none of its announced objectives in the war on Gaza. The Palestinian resistance leaders also extended congratulations on the 45th victory anniversary of the Islamic Revolution of Iran and expressed gratitude for Tehran's support during the four-month-long Israeli aggression. The Iranian minister highlighted victories of the Palestinian resistance fighters on the ground, noting that one of the achievements of Operation Al-Aqsa Storm is that the issue of Palestine has once more turned into the top priority of the Islamic world and the international community and that the resistance movement has consolidated its undeniable position in Palestine and regional equations. It is worth mentioning that this is Amirabdollahian's third visit to Lebanon since the onset of Israeli regime's aggression against Gaza. 4208**9417 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hezbollah pounds several Israeli regime targets IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Feb 10, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- The Lebanese resistance movement, Hezbollah, on Friday carried out several military operations against Zionist regime targets. Hezbollah said it targeted the Kaila Barracks of the Israeli army in the occupied Syrian Golan with dozens of Katyusha rockets in response to the Zionist regime's attacks on southern Lebanon. It targeted a Merkava tank at the Al-Baghdadi base and fired missiles at the Al-Malikiyah base and the Zibdin base in Shebaa. It also targeted the Zionist regime's spying equipment at the Ramta base in Shebaa and in the vicinity of the Al-Malikiyah base with "appropriate weapons." The Israeli regime's spying equipment in the Doviev Barracks was also targeted with appropriate weapons earlier in the day. The Lebanese resistance movement conducts regular raids against the Israeli regime's military position in retaliation for the occupying regime's offensives against Gaza and southern Lebanon. At least 28,337 Palestinians have been killed since the beginning of the Zionist regime's war on Gaza on October 7. 4354**9417 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US, UK conduct airstrikes on Yemen's Al-Hudaydah, Sa'ada IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Feb 10, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- Aircraft of the United States and Britain carried out new round of air raids on two Yemeni governorates of Al-Hudaydah and Sa'ada. According to Al Masirah TV network, the US and the UK conducted new attacks on regions such as Al-Taif, Al-Khateeb, and Al-Jabanah in Al-Hudaydah Governorate on Friday noon, as well as on Qutaynat area of the Baqim district in Sa'ada Governorate in the evening of the same day. The two occupying countries continue dispatching war planes to pound areas in Al-Hudaydah Governorate and western coasts of the Arab country. Mohammad Abdul-Salam, the spokesman of Ansarullah movement, warned on Thursday night that the continuation of US-UK aggressions will not force the Yemeni people to stop supporting the Gaza residents, and that these acts will not help protect ships linked to the Israeli regime, but such measures will endanger international shipping in the Red Sea, the Arab Sea, and the Gulf of Aden. The US and Britain kicked off indiscriminate airstrikes against Yemeni armed forces' positions inside Yemen following the passing of a resolution at the UN Security Council, which urged the Arab country to stop threatening Israeli ships and Israel-bound vessels in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait. In response, the Yemeni army and the Ansarullah movement emphasized that they would keep on the drone and missile attacks on Israel-linked ships in order to force the regime to stop the ongoing onslaught on Gaza and the siege of the strip. 4208**9417 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address bobby and sophie flay smiling outside - Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images There are lots of dishes that have been named after people by enterprising chefs looking to celebrate someone famous or possibly market on name recognition. Arthur Wellesley, the former Duke of Wellington and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, lends his title to the sumptuous beef wellington, and Russian prima ballerina Anna Pavlova is honored with a crunchy meringue dessert that is wildly popular in Australia. But, occasionally dishes are named after folks not quite as well known but no less special, relatively at least. Such is the case with a dish on the debut menu of Bobby Flay's new French restaurant Brasserie B, as the celebrity chef told Tasting Table in an exclusive interview. A love letter to the "bustling brasseries" he loves to frequent in Paris, Brasserie B features a plethora of French classics, but only one dish is named after a person. Featured a la carte on the extensive raw bar menu and on the impressive "Tower Magnifique," the Bay Scallops Sophie are an ode to Flay's daughter, who has an affinity for crustaceans. "Sophie has been a shellfish lover since the day she was born," Flay noted. "I mean, literally, she was eating mussels and clams when she was like six months old. Shellfish is always her thing." Read more: Ina Garten's 12 Best Cleaning Tips For A Mess-Free Kitchen A Bit Of Flay Flair bay scallops sophie - brasseriebvegas / Instagram The dish features bay scallops served with tangerine, espelette hot sauce, and crunchy garlic. Anyone with even a passing familiarity with Flay knows that he rose to fame cooking cuisine influenced by the flavors of the American Southwest, so what is he doing cooking French food? Well, putting aside the fact that Flay, like nearly all Western chefs, has a background and training in French culinary technique, the chef explained to us that he's always been drawn to Paris and French cuisine. And, it's a love affair that he's shared with his daughter. "When she was 12 years old, the first overseas trip I took her on was actually to Paris," Flay remembered. "She and I, we went to the Louvre, stayed for about 20 minutes, saw the two or three most important things... And then we went and ate all over Paris." The pair likely ate at the famed La Coupole, which Flay called "the most classic French brasserie," and is a spot famous for its stunning raw bar. Just as likely was the absence of the unusual flavor pairings in Bay Scallops Sophie. The toppings are nods to his Southwestern cuisine background. "Basically in every category," said Flay, "there's a sense of me taking a little bit of my own creative license in terms of flavor." Read the original article on Tasting Table. Israeli attack targets western Damascus region People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 15:15, February 10, 2024 DAMASCUS, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- An Israeli missile attack targeted areas west of the Syrian capital of Damascus after midnight, witnesses and local media said early Saturday. Loud explosions were heard in the western countryside of Damascus, with the pro-government al-Watan news outlet saying it was an Israeli attack. The explosions were heard on the outskirts of the Dimas area west of Damascus as well as in the Mashrou' Dummar neighborhood, according to witnesses and pro-government media outlets. Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the explosions were the result of an Israeli missile attack on military targets in the Dimas area, which is close to the Syrian-Lebanese border. The Syrian Defense Ministry said the attack was launched from over the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, noting that the air defense system intercepted some of the missiles. The attack left material damage, it noted. The attack was the second in less than 24 hours. Earlier Friday, two unmanned aerial vehicles violated the Syrian airspace from the direction of the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, and were shot down west of Damascus around 2:10 p.m. local time (1110 GMT), said the defense ministry. The attack is the latest in a string of Israeli targeting of Syrian areas. After midnight Wednesday, nine people were killed and over 20 others wounded after an Israeli missile attack targeted a residential area in Homs city, causing its collapse. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Peace will return to West Asia if Israeli war on Gaza stops: Iran's foreign minister Iran Press TV Saturday, 10 February 2024 7:24 PM Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian of Iran says peace will be restored to West Asia if Israel stops its war in Gaza. Addressing a joint press conference with his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bou Habib in Beirut on Saturday, the Iranian minister underscored the glaring fact that the United States continues to send weapons to Israel in its brutal campaign in the besieged Gaza Strip. Amir-Abdollahian also highlighted the irony in that the United States speaks about finding a political solution to the crisis in Gaza. Pointing to his "good" negotiations with the Lebanese officials on bilateral and regional issues, the Iranian minister said Tehran and Beirut have always been against the expansion of war in the region and believe it is not a solution to the Palestinian issue. The top Iranian diplomat said the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has acted "wisely and carefully" both in fighting the crimes of Israel and pursuing a political path. "It is clear to the world that more than four months of war in Gaza and the West Bank have led to no tangible result for Israel and its supporters." The Lebanese foreign minister, for his part, said Tehran and Beirut agree that all countries should make efforts to stop the ongoing onslaught in Gaza and dispatch humanitarian aid to the war-stricken Palestinians. Bou Habib said in talks with his Iranian counterpart, the two sides discussed the necessity to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701 on stability in Lebanon. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel blocks food for 1.1mn Palestinians in besieged Gaza, UNRWA warns Iran Press TV Saturday, 10 February 2024 6:30 PM The Israeli regime has been holding up food aid for over one million Palestinians starving in the besieged Gaza Strip, the main UN aid agency to Palestinians has warned. The director of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, said on Friday that a convoy of food donated by Turkey has been kept for weeks in Israeli confiscation. Lazzarini warned that Tel Aviv had imposed restrictions on UNRWA, a measure that prevents the shipment of food from reaching the Palestinians. Reports said 1,049 shipping containers of rice, flour, chickpeas, sugar, and cooking oil enough to feed 1.1 million people for one month are blocked in the port city of Ashdod awaiting clearance from regime's customs authorities while an estimated 25 percent of families in Gaza face catastrophic hunger. On Friday, the World Food Program warned that the besieged Palestinian territory could be plunged into famine as early as May. The UN agency defines a famine as when 30 percent of children are malnourished, one-fifth of households face acute food shortages and two of every 10,000 people are dying from hunger or malnutrition. According to the UN organization, 1.4 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are living in makeshift camps and don't have enough food to feed their families, despite receiving food aid. Also, less than four percent of fresh water is drinkable and the surrounding sea is polluted by sewage. "Our water is salty as if you are drinking from the sea," says 50-year-old Um Amir, a mother of 11 whose home accommodates an extended family of 20. So far, international efforts have failed to stop the months-long onslaught against the Palestinians trapped in Gaza, leaving the hapless population in dire conditions as the 2.3 million people have nowhere to go. The US and other countries, as well as international organizations, have warned Israel that an invasion of the southern city of Rafah would lead to "disaster", while the United Nations has continued to express concern over devastating consequences for the Palestinians. "Where are they supposed to go? How are they supposed to stay safe?" asked the UN's humanitarian affairs and relief chief Martin Griffiths on Saturday. Israel's ceaseless attacks on the Gaza Strip since early October have killed at least 28,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, with thousands more missing, buried under the rubble. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hezbollah seizes Israeli drone 'in good condition,' strikes military outposts Iran Press TV Saturday, 10 February 2024 6:10 PM Hezbollah resistance fighters have taken control of an Israeli drone after it violated the Lebanese airspace near the border with the occupied territories. Lebanon's Arabic-language al-Mayadeen television news network reported that Hezbollah intercepted the Skylark drone and seized it "in good condition." The Skylark is a small unmanned aerial vehicle typically used for surveillance and produced by the Israeli weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems. Hezbollah forces also struck the Israeli military's Jal al-Alam outpost with missiles, reportedly injuring several Israeli troops. Later in the day, the Lebanese resistance group targeted the Khirbet Maar military base with Falaq (Dusk) missiles, and artillery units in the illegal Dishon settlement with several Katyusha rockets. The Hebrew-language media outlets reported that at least 10 missiles were launched from southern Lebanon towards the Western Galilee region in the 1948 Israeli-occupied territories. Additionally, Hezbollah fighters targeted a group of Israeli soldiers inside a building in al-Manara settlement. Senior Hamas official in Lebanon survives drone strike Moreover, a high-ranking official with the Palestinian Hamas resistance movement survived an Israeli assassination attempt in southern Lebanon. Lebanon's official National News Agency said an Israeli drone struck a car in the coastal town of Jadra, located north of Sidon and south of the capital Beirut. A Palestinian source, requesting anonymity for security concerns, said the strike "was a failed attempt to assassinate a senior official in Hamas movement." A Lebanese security official, also requesting anonymity, identified the target as Hamas recruitment officer Bassel Saleh. Shortly after the initial strike on Saleh's car, a second Israeli drone hit the same location, killing two people, the official said. Saleh "survived but suffered burns on his back and was admitted to hospital," the Lebanese official said. The official said Saleh is "in charge of a recruitment unit in the West Bank." Hezbollah said one of its members had been killed in the Jadra attack. The Israeli regime launched its devastating hostilities in the Gaza Strip on October 7 after the territory's Hamas-led Palestinian resistance groups carried out the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity. The Israeli military has also been carrying out attacks against the Lebanese territory since then, prompting retaliatory strikes from Hezbollah in support of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. The movement has vowed to keep up its retaliatory operations as long as the Tel Aviv regime continues its onslaught on Gaza. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Saudi Arabia warns of 'catastrophe' if Israel invades Rafah Iran Press TV Saturday, 10 February 2024 6:07 PM Saudi Arabia has urged the UN Security Council to urgently convene a meeting to prevent the Israeli regime from causing "an imminent humanitarian catastrophe" in Gaza's overcrowded border town of Rafah. Four months into Israel's onslaught on Gaza, the regime's military forces have now ramped up airstrikes on Gaza's far south, where more than half of the territory's population of 2.4 million has been forcibly displaced. On Saturday, the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas warned of an imminent "massacre" by the Israeli forces in Rafah. Later in the day, Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry warned the Israeli regime "of the extremely dangerous repercussions of storming and targeting" Rafah. "This continued violation of international law and international humanitarian law confirms the necessity of convening the Security Council urgently to prevent Israel from causing an imminent humanitarian catastrophe." The regime's leader Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the Israeli military on Friday to prepare to evacuate civilians from Rafah ahead of a planned ground operation in the city. Aid organizations, however, say such a move will be nearly impossible to fulfill, given the scale of devastation elsewhere in Gaza, and the huge numbers of people trapped in the besieged area. Qatar urges immediate UN Security Council action Qatar's foreign ministry also joined the chorus of condemnations, saying in a statement that the UN Security Council needs "to take urgent action to prevent the Israeli occupation forces from storming Rafah and committing genocide in the city." It also urged the council to "provide full protection for civilians in accordance with international law and international humanitarian law." Gazans cannot disappear into thin air: Germany In Germany, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, also warned against any Israeli military invasion of Rafah, saying, "The people of Gaza cannot disappear into thin air." "The need in Rafah is already unbelievable - 1.3 million people are seeking protection from the fighting in a very small space," she said, warning that an offensive by the regime's military forces on the city "would be a humanitarian catastrophe." Egypt warns of 'dire consequences' Egypt also warned the regime against causing further mass displacement of Palestinians by attacking the southern town of Rafah. "There is limited space and great risk in putting Rafah under further military escalation due to the growing number of Palestinians there," Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said on Saturday. He warned that an escalation would have "dire consequences." In a report on Friday, The Wall Street Journal said Egyptian officials warned the decades-long peace treaty between Egypt and Israel could be suspended if Israel's forces enter Rafah. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) warned on Friday that Israel's bombardment of Rafah would be a "recipe for disaster." Since Israel started its war on Gaza in early October, 1.9 million people - 85 percent of Gaza's population - have been internally displaced. The Israeli attacks have killed more than 28,000 people so far, according to the Gaza health ministry. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel's continued attacks on Gaza hospital constitute 'war crime': Hamas Iran Press TV Saturday, 10 February 2024 5:37 PM The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has strongly condemned Israeli forces' siege of Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis in southern Gaza and the deployment of snipers around the health facility, stressing that targeting patients and medical staff in the only functioning medical complex in the besieged enclave constitutes a war crime. The resistance group made the remarks in a statement on Saturday, after the charity organization Doctors Without Borders, known by its French acronym MSF, said Israeli forces had trapped patients and staff inside the health facility after opening fire on them. Hamas went on to say that Nasser Hospital has been subjected to "systematic and brutal destruction" since the beginning of Israel's aggression on Gaza in early October, as it warned against the occupying regime's continued violation of medical facilities protected under international law. The resistance group further called on the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to urgently intervene to protect the hospital and its facilities from systematic targeting. It also urged the humanitarian organizations to send medical teams to assess the catastrophic conditions of the hospital and to witness what "the Nazi occupation" military commits against patients, medical staff, and unarmed displaced people. Earlier in the day, MSF said Israeli forces had fired on people inside the health facility, with concerns that medical staff are unable to move inside the hospital due to fears of getting shot. "For the last 20 days, the hospital had been under siege. Footage posted online showed that Israeli forces had fired upon trying to leave the facility," MSF said. It also noted that two people were killed and five others were injured, including one nurse who was severely wounded. "Israeli forces are continuing operations in the immediate vicinity of Nasser Hospital. Heavy fighting is trapping people inside the building and preventing anyone from entering to access care," it said. Israel waged its brutal war on besieged Gaza on October 7 after Hamas carried out an unprecedented operation against the occupying entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people. So far, the Tel Aviv regime has killed over 28,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Al-Aqsa Storm revived Palestine as main issue of Muslim world: Iran's FM Iran Press TV Saturday, 10 February 2024 4:59 PM Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian says Operation Al-Aqsa Storm by the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas and other Gaza-based groups against Israel revived the issue of Palestine as the Muslim world's "foremost and principal matter of concern." Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks during a meeting with Secretary General of the Islamic Jihad movement Ziyad al-Nakhalah, member of Hamas' politburo Osama Hamdan, and deputy secretary general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) Jamil Mazhar, in the Lebanese capital Beirut on Saturday. "Among the major outcomes of Operation Al-Aqsa Storm was the revival of the issue of Palestine as the foremost and principal issue of the Muslim world, and the international community. The resistance front could also consolidate its position and indisputable role both in the Palestinian territories and the international arena," the top Iranian diplomat said. He demanded an immediate cessation of Israeli atrocities against the Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. The Iranian minister underscored the need for a unified stance among the Palestinian factions to manage proposed political initiatives aimed at the settlement of the Gaza crisis, distribution of humanitarian aid among the civilian population in the territory, and exchange of Israeli captives for Palestinian prisoners. Amir-Abdollahian also pointed to his consultations with various foreign officials and international organizations on the resolution of the Gaza conflict. He said the Palestinian people are the only ones entitled to seal the fate of Palestine. Regional and international actors, the Iranian minister said, should refrain from imposing their wills upon the Palestinian nation and respect Palestine's right to self-determination. For their part, the Palestinian resistance leaders elaborated on ground battles in Gaza, and pointed to the certain signs of victory for the Palestinian nation as a result of their heroic steadfastness and the resolve of resistance fighters. The leaders said the situation is in favor of resistance as the regime has failed to achieve any of its declared objectives in Gaza under mounting internal and international pressure. They also congratulated Iran on the 45th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution, and praised the Iranian leadership, government and nation for supporting the Palestinians. Israel began the brutal campaign in Gaza on October 7, 2023, after it was caught off-guard by Operation al-Aqsa Storm, which was in retaliation for the regime's incessant crimes against the Palestinians. Since the start of the aggression, Israel has killed more than 28,000 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The campaign has devastated Gaza, destroyed hospitals and displaced half of its population of 2.4 million. Israel has also imposed a "complete siege" on Gaza, cutting off fuel, electricity, food and water to the Palestinians living there. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran's foreign minister: Gaza war will bring nothing for warmongers Iran Press TV Saturday, 10 February 2024 4:20 PM Iran says war is not a solution to the Palestinian issue and it will have no outcome for the warmongers. Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks in a meeting with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in Beirut on Saturday. The Iranian minister called for a swift end to Israel's hostilities in Gaza. Amir-Abdollahian said all influential regional and international players admit that Israel's brutal campaign has failed despite the unqualified support the regime receives from the United States. Washington, he said, claims it does not seek to expand the scope of conflict in the region, but there is no sign of willingness on the part of the Americans to work for an end to Israel's savagery. The Iranian foreign minister also commented on attacks by the US and Britain on Yemen. He said it was a "strategic mistake" made by the two countries which violated Yemen's national sovereignty and territorial integrity. The strikes on Yemen fuel the fire of crisis in the region and the Red Sea, Amir-Abdollahian said. Central to Iran's foreign policy agenda is support for the Palestinian resistance, the minister stated. On Lebanon's support for Palestine, Amir-Abdollahian expressed Tehran's praise for the Lebanese nation. He said Iran would work for the promotion of political process and stability in Lebanon. During the meeting, Berri thanked Iran for supporting Lebanon. He called for more efforts to end the war against the Palestinians and establish ceasefire. The Lebanese official said Beirut supports any agreement among the Palestinian groups to run the territories. 'Iran firmly supports Lebanon's stability' In a separate meeting with Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati in Beirut on Saturday, Amir-Abdollahian reaffirmed Iran's strong support for the promotion of stability in Lebanon. The top Iranian diplomat said Tehran has gone to great lengths over the past few months to put an end to Israel's brutality in Gaza and prevent the spillover of the conflict. The Palestinians are the true owners of their land, the Iranian minister said. "We know they have political plans and initiatives for the post-war phase as well." Mikati said in the meeting that more needs to be done to establish an immediate ceasefire in the besieged Gaza Strip. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hamas warns of Israel's imminent 'massacre' in hemmed-in Rafah Iran Press TV Saturday, 10 February 2024 3:49 PM The Palestinian resistance movement of Hamas has warned of an imminent "massacre" by the Israeli regime forces in Rafah, as more than half of Gaza's population cramming into the border city brace for a full-blown invasion. Hamas on Saturday warned that there could be many more dead and injured Gazans if the Israeli forces attacked the far south city of Rafah, bordering Egypt. Hamas insisted that any violent action by the Israeli forces would have catastrophic repercussions that "may lead to tens of thousands of martyrs and injured if Rafah ... is invaded". The Palestinian resistance group that controls the Gaza Strip said it would hold "the American administration, international community, and the Israeli occupation" responsible if Israelis invaded the southernmost city in the Gaza Strip. Half of Gaza's 2.4 million people have been forced to leave their homes and seek refuge in and around Rafah. Many of these displaced Gazan refugees sleep outside in tents and makeshift camps, lacking food, water, and sanitation. International organizations have sounded the alarm over an Israeli ground invasion, with Doctors Without Borders saying in a statement, "Israel's declared ground offensive on Rafah would be catastrophic and must not proceed. There is no place that is safe in Gaza and no way for people to leave." On Friday, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, said a major Israeli offensive in Rafah "can only lead to an additional layer of endless tragedy". Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered the Zionist forces to make plans for "evacuating" Rafah and "destroying" Hamas fighters in the city. Witnesses reported new strikes on Rafah early on Saturday, raising fears of a looming Israeli ground invasion. Israeli forces killed more than two dozen Palestinians in strikes on Rafah that were launched immediately after Netanyahu reported that an imminent invasion of the city in southern Gaza was being planned. Three Israeli air raids on residential areas in Rafah killed at least 31 people overnight into Saturday, according to a health official and The Associated Press journalists who saw the bodies arriving at hospitals. The US and other countries, as well as international organizations, have warned Israel that invading Rafah would lead to "disaster", while the United Nations has continued to express concern over devastating consequences for civilians. "Where are they supposed to go? How are they supposed to stay safe?" asked the UN's humanitarian affairs and relief chief Martin Griffiths on Saturday. Israel's invasion of Gaza has killed at least at least 28,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, with thousands more missing, likely remaining under rubble. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli airstrike kills Hamas politburo chief's son in Gaza Strip: Reports Iran Press TV Saturday, 10 February 2024 1:49 PM A son of Ismail Haniyeh, head of the political bureau of the Palestinian Hamas resistance group, has reportedly been killed after Israeli warplanes launched a series of airstrikes in the besieged Gaza Strip. Unconfirmed media reports said 22-year old Hazim Haniyeh lost his life on Saturday as Israeli warplanes struck a residential neighborhood in the coastal territory. Palestinian sources said Israeli fighter jets have targeted Haniyeh's family and relatives in the Gaza Strip multiple times since the Tel Aviv regime started its genocidal war against Palestinians early October last year, killing at least 14 of them in the process. Hamas has warned that the Israeli military will commit massacres in Rafah following an order by the regime's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to to carry out a ground invasion in the southern Gaza Strip city . The resistance group also noted that the US administration's position of not supporting the attack on Rafah, where more than 1.4 million Palestinians are displaced in harsh humanitarian conditions, does not absolve it of full responsibility for its fallout. Meanwhile, the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor has lashed at Israeli troops, arguing that the forces press ahead with their atrocities in Gaza 15 days after an International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling on genocidal crimes in the region. The Israeli army continues to carry out systematic and widespread destruction of residential areas and neighborhoods, civilian infrastructure and facilities, the rights group said. Euro-Med said Israeli forces have killed 1,864 Palestinians, including 690 children and 441 women, in addition to injuring more than 2,933 people since the court's ruling last month. "Thus, Israel continues to violate its international obligations and the decision of the highest court in the world by committing the crime of all crimes - the crime of genocide," the group said. The ICJ, also called the World Court, issued an interim ruling last month, ordering Israel to take "all measures within its power" to prevent acts that could amount to genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The Hague-based court, however, stopped short of ordering a ceasefire. Israel waged the bloody war on Gaza on October 7 after Hamas launched Operation al-Aqsa Storm in the occupied territories in retaliation for the Tel Aviv regime's incessant crimes against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. Since the start of the aggression, the Tel Aviv regime has killed at least 27,947 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the territory. The campaign has devastated large swathes of Gaza, destroyed hospitals and displaced half of its population of 2.4 million. Israel has also imposed a "complete siege" on the coastal sliver, cutting off fuel, electricity, food and water to the more than two million Palestinians living there. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The nonprofit organization that owns and operates Monticello has denied employee accusations that jobs are in jeopardy after a third-party company was hired to manage the eateries on and around the mountaintop. The denial comes only after The Daily Progress published the story of a Monticello cook who resigned in protest after neither the foundation nor the third-party management team could guarantee current employees their old jobs at their old pay rate. The Thomas Jefferson Foundation, which previously issued a statement providing very few details about the fates of its food service workers, now says that those employees have been offered the chance to keep their jobs and some have even been offered more money. Those workers specifically include those working at the Farm Table Cafe at the Monticello visitor center and neighboring Michie Tavern, which Monticello executives announced they would be acquiring this year. At both Michie Tavern and Farm Table Cafe, existing employees who sought continued employment with Constellation Culinary Group have been offered positions, and all roles that have been filled are at or above prior compensation, Jenn Lyon, a Monticello spokeswoman, told The Daily Progress. In addition, more than 10 part-time employees working jobs that did not originally include benefits will become full-time employees with benefits, according to the foundation, and all Michie Tavern servers will now make $15 per hour, plus tips. Changes are also planned at Jefferson Vineyards, which the foundation acquired last year, including new food service and additional jobs. Lyon sent her statement Friday, the same day The Daily Progress published the story of Frank Jackson, the lead cook for the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, who resigned in protest after the foundation hired Philadelphia-based Constellation Culinary Group to manage its food service employees. Jackson said that he and his colleagues were told they would have to reapply for their current jobs and that future financial compensation could differ from what they were paid before. They have not informed us what jobs will be available, exactly when they will be available, what the interview process will consist of or what the pay schedule will be, Jackson said after stepping down. Of the 30 or so job listings Constellation has advertised in the Charlottesville area, none provide details about pay, so Jackson said that after Constellation was brought on, he researched the advertised pay for its employees elsewhere. The company manages operations at the Weill Cafe at Carnegie Hall in New York City, Stir restaurant at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the catering operations at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. Jackson said the job listings, posed in larger cities at larger museum operations, paid less than what he made as lead cook. Theres no empirical evidence that Ill make more than I do now. There is evidence Ill make less, Jackson said. No one has told me its going to be all right. No one says were going to watch out for you. No one says youll be taken care of. Jackson went on to say that he had been told all employees at the Farm Table Cafe would be laid off March 1. When The Daily Progress reached out to Constellation to verify Jacksons claims, the company provided a statement, never directly saying whether staff would have to reapply for their current jobs or accept pay cuts. Constellation Culinary Group is excited to provide opportunities for current employees to continue to be a part of the Michie Tavern team, while creating additional new positions for talented hospitality and culinary professionals in the broader Charlottesville community, Morgan Bedore of Constellation told The Daily Progress in a statement. Our company maintains a commitment to offering competitive rates that align with industry standards and the local market. When The Daily Progress reached out to the Thomas Jefferson Foundation to verify the same claims, the foundation responded with the exact same statement. The statement Lyon issued Friday, that those who sought continued employment have been offered positions, suggests that Jackson was correct in asserting food service employees were asked to reapply for their jobs. Lyons latest statement does not make clear when any decisions were made. Its something that caught Jacksons eye. Told of Monticellos response, Jackson said he doesnt trust the institution but hopes the newest information is accurate, for the sake of his former coworkers. Who knows if theyre telling the truth, Jackson said. I also imagine being called out influenced any decision on pay, so its a bit of horse before the cart to applaud that, if true. The Thomas Jefferson Foundation has faced mounting criticism over the past year over its lack of transparency, specifically regarding the many changes in leadership and management on the mountaintop. Several high-ranking officials have departed without explanation, including former President Leslie Greene Bowman, renowned Jefferson scholars Annette Gordon-Reed and Peter Onuf, the winemaker known as the Father of Virginia Wine Gabriele Rausse and more than a dozen others. Planned Israeli offensive in Rafah 'alarming': EU's foreign policy chief Iran Press TV Saturday, 10 February 2024 12:38 AM The Israeli regime's plans for a military offensive on Rafah in the Gaza Strip are "alarming," the EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borell has said. Borell said on X on Friday that "1.4 million Palestinians are currently in Rafah without a safe place to go, facing starvation". Four months into Israel's assault on Gaza, the regime's military forces have now ramped up airstrikes on Gaza's far south, where more than half of the territory's population of 2.4 million has been forcibly displaced. Israel's warplanes bombed the city overnight on Thursday and Friday. At least three children were among eight people killed on Friday morning in the military attacks on homes in Rafah, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent. Five of those killed were members of one family. "Reports of an Israeli military offensive on Rafah are alarming," he added. "It would have catastrophic consequences worsening the already dire humanitarian situation and the unbearable civilian toll." Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told officials to "submit to the cabinet a combined plan for evacuating the population and destroying the battalions" of Hamas holed up in Rafah, his office said. Earlier on Friday, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) warned that Israel's bombardment of Gaza's overcrowded border town of Rafah would be a "recipe for disaster." Philippe Lazzarini, the head of UNRWA, said on Friday that an offensive in Rafah would be a "recipe for disaster" given that 1.4 million people had taken refuge there. "You have 1.4mn people, you have tens of kilometers of people living in the streets in plastic makeshifts ... and you try and figure out a military offensive in the middle of these completely exposed, vulnerable people, it's a recipe for disaster." "Any large-scale military operation among this population can only lead to an additional layer of endless tragedy that's unfolding." United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a post on X on Friday that an Israeli incursion into Rafah would "exponentially increase what is already a humanitarian nightmare with untold regional consequences." UNICEF, the UN agency for children, also warned that more than 600,000 children and their families have been displaced to Rafah, many of them multiple times, as a result of Israeli attacks. Since it started its war on Gaza in early October, 1.9 million people - 85 percent of Gaza's population - have been internally displaced. The Israeli attacks have also killed almost 28,000 people so far, according to the Gaza health ministry. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hezbollah head meets Iran's FM, says Resistance will emerge victorious Iran Press TV Saturday, 10 February 2024 11:06 AM The secretary general of the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement says he is confident that the Palestinian nation and resistance factions will eventually emerge victorious and the Israeli regime will suffer a humiliating defeat in the Gaza Strip. Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah made the remarks in a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in the Lebanese capital Beirut on Saturday, during which they discussed the latest regional developments, most notably the ongoing Israeli offensives against Palestinians in the besieged coastal territory. The meeting was also attended by Iran's ambassador to Beirut Mojtaba Amani, senior adviser to the Iranian foreign minister Ali Asghar Khaji, and director general of the Iranian Foreign Ministry's West Asia and North Africa Department Mahdi Shoushtari. Nasrallah hailed the unflinching support offered by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei as well as the Iranian government and nation for oppressed and resilient Palestinians. He pointed to the high combat readiness as well as utmost unison and cooperation among all forces of the Axis of Resistance, stressing that, "The Zionist enemy is faced with a strategic crisis and has failed to achieve any of its declared objectives goals" for the war on Gaza. The Hezbollah leader went on to commend Ayatollah Khamenei's sensible, transparent and sovereign positions vis-a-vis unfolding developments in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank as matchless among world leaders. Nasrallah described the resistance front as an important playmaker in regional equations, saying, "The victory of the Palestinian nation and the resistance front is certain and definite." For his part, Amir-Abdollahian briefed the Hezbollah chief on Iran's diplomatic efforts at the international arena in support of Palestine and their resistance groups, stressing that the measures have especially focused on a political solution to the Palestinian issue that would help restore the people's rights. He stated that recognition of the Axis of Resistance as the main party in proposed political initiatives attests to the significant role that the umbrella group plays in Palestine and the entire West Asia region. "The Palestinian resistance front has acted wisely and authoritatively both on the path of resilience and a political solution [to the Gaza conflict.] "In any political initiative, the role of Palestinians and consensus among Palestinian leaders and groups should be taken into serious consideration," the Iranian foreign minister emphasized. Heading a political delegation, Amir-Abdollahian has traveled to Lebanon in the first leg of a regional tour that focuses on ways to bring an end to the Israeli regime's onslaught on Gaza. Talks on the bilateral, regional and international issues, especially the developments in Palestine, and discussions on ways to stop the Tel Aviv regime's aggression against Gaza are on the agenda of his regional tour. Following his visit to Beirut, the top Iranian diplomat will head to the Syrian capital of Damascus and the Qatari capital of Doha. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel bombs Rafah after Netanyahu orders invasion of crowded town Iran Press TV Saturday, 10 February 2024 8:46 AM Israel has launched heavy bombing of Rafah after prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered troops to prepare for the invasion of the densely crowded town in the southern Gaza Strip. The official Palestinian news agency WAFA said new strikes hit the city early Saturday after the Israeli military intensified air raids ahead of an imminent ground invasion. "We don't know where to go," said Mohammad al-Jarrah, a Palestinian who was displaced from further north to Rafah. Media reports said at least 11 residents were killed and many others injured late Friday after the Israeli military targeted a house in the al-Nasr neighborhood north of Rafah. Three people were also killed in an bombing that targeted a house in the al-Geneina neighborhood, east of the city. Netanyahu's planned invasion of Rafah, where an estimated 1.3 million people have fled, has drawn condemnation from rights groups and world countries. The city is the last major population center in the Gaza Strip that Israeli troops have yet to invade and also the main point of entry for desperately needed relief supplies. Elsewhere in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli artillery targeted the Taiba school sheltering displaced people east of Khan Yunis, with the regime's boats firing shells at the Deir al-Balah beach in the middle of the besieged enclave. Israeli forces also raided al-Amal Hospital in Khan Yunis after a weeks-long siege during which the Palestinian Red Crescent has reported "intense artillery shelling and heavy gunfire." The medical organization said Israeli forces had arrested eight of its members at the hospital, including "four doctors, as well as four wounded individuals and five patients' companions." Ahmed Moghrabi, a surgeon at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, described as "very dangerous" the situation at the medical complex, with staff unable to move between buildings due to Israeli shelling. "We can't move from one building to another building," Moghrabi, a plastic surgeon, said in a video posted to Instagram. "It's very dangerous." Palestine's Safa News Agency said four people had been killed in a bombing inside the courtyards of the Nasser complex. The news agency also reported an aerial bombardment of agricultural land near the coastal entrance to the town of al-Zawaida in the central Gaza Strip. On Friday, Netanyahu ordered the military to "prepare to operate" in Rafah despite warnings that such a move "would be a disaster." His office said he had ordered the military to come up with a "combined plan" that includes both a mass evacuation of civilians in Rafah and attacks on Hamas fighters. At the start of the aggression on Gaza in early October last year, the regime ordered 1.1 million people in the north of Gaza to evacuate and move south of the enclave which has been the target of intense bombing. Rights groups sounded alarm at the prospect of a ground invasion, with Doctors Without Borders saying in a statement, "Israel's declared ground offensive on Rafah would be catastrophic and must not proceed. There is no place that is safe in Gaza and no way for people to leave." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Feb. 9: 'Axis of Resistance' operations against Israeli occupation Iran Press TV Saturday, 10 February 2024 6:30 AM By Press TV Website Staff Amid Israel's genocidal military campaign in Gaza, which has killed nearly 28,000 Palestinians, most of them children and women, resistance groups in Palestine and across the region continue their operations against the Tel Aviv regime and its Western backers. The operations carried out by the Palestinian and regional resistance groups on Friday, February 9, are as follows: Al-Qassam Brigades' operations on Feb. 9: Shelled Israeli forces infiltrating the Kitabah area west of Gaza City with mortars. Successfully detonated an anti-personnel mine targeting Israeli soldiers in the Absan al-Kabira area, east of Khan Younis city, leading to casualties. Al-Quds Brigades' operations on Feb. 9: Targeted Israeli army vehicles and gatherings in the eastern Gaza governorate with a barrage of rockets. In a joint operation with the Mujahideen Brigades, used heavy and light weapons to target Israeli military concentrations behind the eastern cemetery in Jabalia, achieving direct hits. Engaged in clashes with Israeli soldiers and army vehicles in the western areas of Khan Younis city, using machine guns and anti-armor shells. Mujahideen Brigades' operations on Feb. 8: Shelled Israeli army vehicles and a concentration of soldiers in southwestern Gaza with 107mm rockets. Hezbollah's operations on Feb. 9: Eastern sector: At around 14:20 local time, a Merkava tank was targeted at the Al-Baghdadi site. At around 15:10 local time, the Israeli military's surveillance equipment was targeted at the Ramta site in Shebaa with appropriate weapons. At around 15:30 local time, the Zibdin site in the Shebaa was targeted with missiles. At around 16:35 local time, the Bayad Blida site was targeted with missiles. At around 17:50 local time, the Kaila Barracks of the Israeli army in the occupied Syrian Golan was targeted with dozens of Katyusha rockets. Western sector: At around 11:15 local time, the Israeli military's surveillance equipment in the Doviev Barracks was targeted with appropriate weapons. At around 15:30 local time, the Israeli military's surveillance equipment in the vicinity of the Al-Malikiyah site was targeted with appropriate weapons. At around 16:00 local time, the Al-Malikiyah site was targeted with missiles Iraqi resistance's operations on Feb. 9: Targeted a vital position of the Israeli military on the coast of the Dead Sea, confirming its destruction. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iraqi resistance strikes 'vital' Israeli target on Dead Sea coast Iran Press TV Saturday, 10 February 2024 1:25 AM The Islamic Resistance, an umbrella group of Iraqi anti-terror groups, strikes a "vital" Israeli target in support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, who are enduring a genocidal war by the occupying regime. The resistance announced the development in a statement on Friday, the 126th day of the war. "The fighters of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq targeted a vital target for the Zionist entity on the coast of the Dead Sea," the statement read. The umbrella group said the operation had come "in support of our people in Gaza, and in response to the massacres committed by the occupation entity against Palestinian civilians, including children, women, and the elderly." The Israeli regime launched the war on October 7 last year following an operation staged by Gaza's resistance groups, dubbed Operation al-Aqsa Storm, during which hundreds were taken captive. Nearly 28,000 Palestinians, mostly women, children, and adolescents, have died in the war so far. The Islamic Resistance vowed that it would keep up targeting "the enemy's strongholds" as long as the occupying regime sustained the war. The resistance has also been striking American military targets across the Arab country and neighboring Syria both in protest at the United States' continued occupation of the countries, and Washington's untrammelled support for the Israeli military onslaught. Most recently, the US military announced carrying out a drone strike against the eastern section of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, killing three people, including a senior commander of Iraq's Kata'ib Hezbollah, a major component of the Islamic Resistance. The Wednesday strike came "in response to the attacks" on US troops and killed "a Kata'ib Hezbollah commander responsible for directly planning and participating in attacks on US forces in the region," the military's Central Command said on social media. Kata'ib Hezbollah reacted to the atrocity by saying the assassination "calls us to remain steadfast in the jihadist approach," referring to the endeavor for the sake of God. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Moldova Pushes Back Against Russian Election Plans In Transdniester By Denis Dermenji, Mircea Ticudean and Andy Heil February 10, 2024 CHISINAU -- After weeks of quiet deliberation, Moldova's pro-European government has rejected a Russian request for polling stations in the separatist sliver of Moldovan territory between the Dniester River and the Ukrainian border during voting next month to formalize Vladimir Putin's presidential reelection. The decision won't have any meaningful effect on Russia's March 15-17 presidential election or even on the Kremlin's ability to harness pro-Putin sentiment among the estimated 220,000 Russian citizens in Transdniester. But Moldova's pushback is another sign that countries on Russia's periphery are committed to countering Russian influence amid its unprovoked war on Ukraine, even complicating routine and previously ignored transgressions. Moldova is not among the 29 countries that, along with the EU, have been explicitly deemed by Russia as "unfriendly" for "hostile" actions against its diplomatic representation abroad since 2021. But its pro-European president and government have worked closely with the West in support of Ukraine, sped up its EU membership bid, and even fought off what they alleged was a Russian intelligence plan to destabilize Moldova. Chisinau has issued fairly perfunctory objections in past years to Russia's defiant end runs to get ballots to its nationals in Transdniester, where secessionism is already bolstered by a small contingent of Russian troops whose stubborn presence dates back to 1992. Current and former Moldovan officials acknowledge they are virtually helpless to stop the shuttling of ballots from Russia via its embassy in Chisinau and then onwards to the heavily Russian-speaking region of Transdniester. A former deputy prime minister for reintegration, Alexandru Flenchea, has described the ballots entering the country from Russia via diplomatic mail and then "transported to Tiraspol in the trunks of Russian Embassy cars." More than 96 percent of the 74,000 votes at 24 polling stations in Transdniester in 2018 were for Putin, well above even what critics say was a fraudulently bloated overall margin of victory. Three years later, Russia opened 27 Transdniestrian polling stations for Russia's national legislative elections. Russia's March presidential election, which Putin is easily expected to win, is the first since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. With Moscow complaining loudly of security and staffing obstacles to Russian citizens voting in Moldova and dozens of "unfriendly" countries, the Moldovan Foreign Ministry sat on its hands as a Russian deadline for establishing polling stations ahead of the election passed. Finally, on February 7, Moldova said no. "We have forbidden the organization of [the] presidential election anywhere outside of diplomatic missions, but if an attempt is made to organize the polls anywhere else, this will be counterproductive," Foreign Minister Mihai Popsoi announced. "The state of the Republic of Moldova is more resilient now than ever," Popsoi, who was appointed just nine days earlier, said. In response to the question of what the Moldovan authorities would do if Russia tried to open polling stations in defiance of the prohibition, he vowed that they "will try to counter actions that are detrimental to this decision." In response, a pro-separatist Transdniestrian news agency reported that by "preventing the opening of polling stations," the Moldovan authorities were "grossly violating the rights" of the 220,000 Russian citizens living in the region. Oazu Nantoi, a lawmaker for the ruling coalition's Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS), said that "until now, Moldovan authorities were participating in a show" when it came to holding Russian elections in Transdniester. Even if Chisinau said no, he said, it "closed its eyes" and failed to act. In the current international context, he added, the Moldovan government had finally "found courage" and political will. "Chisinau imitated dissatisfaction, and Russia behaved as it wanted," Nantoi told RFE/RL's Moldovan Service days before his country rejected Russia's request for more polling places. "Now, the Republic of Moldova is in a completely different situation." As if to underscore Chisinau's commitment to fighting malign Russian influence, Interpol Moldova announced on the same evening as Popsoi's declaration that it was seeking the arrest by Russian authorities of fugitive Moldovan businessman Ilan Shor, whose pro-Russian political party was banned last year as a threat to national security. "I think this is really a symptom of just how times are changing," Peter Wolf, a principal adviser with the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), said of the public back-and-forth recently between Moscow and some foreign capitals over how and where Russians abroad could gather to vote. In most cases, Wolf said, election organizers and host countries can find some level of acceptance, even if they are not entirely friendly. "I think that now it's just one of those things where you can create [a] problem if you want to," he said. "But in the past, I think those things were relatively low-profile." Russia Scaling Back International law and diplomatic practice permit voting inside diplomatic premises like embassies and consular missions after notifying the host country. But opening additional polling stations requires the consent of the host country, which must ensure safety at such venues. Transdniester proclaimed independence from then-Soviet Moldova in 1990 out of concern that Chisinau would seek reunification with Romania. In the spring of 1992, in the final days of the U.S.S.R., Moldova declared independence, and Chisinau and Tiraspol fought a brief but bloody war. Over 1,000 people were killed before the conflict was quelled by the Russian military. Moscow still maintains about 1,000 "peacekeepers" in the region. The war in Ukraine has meant there will be fewer polling stations for Russians living abroad. In January, the Russian Foreign Ministry complained that its polling presence around the world might have to be sharply curtailed, despite a dramatic exodus since the start of the full-scale war on Ukraine nearly two years ago. It blamed the risk of diminished voter access on fears for the safety of Russians in "unfriendly" countries and on dozens of forced consular closures and reduced embassy staffing amid ongoing diplomatic tensions. Russia backtracked slightly when Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on January 26 that "polling stations will be open in all countries in which there are diplomatic missions and consular offices of our country, including 'unfriendly' ones." She cited plans for 300 polling stations outside of foreign capitals -- so potentially at consulates but not in cities where Russia maintains embassies. That is down by one-quarter from the 400 or so foreign polling locations that Russia operated for the 2018 presidential vote. Zakharova blamed forced closures of "almost 30 of our institutions abroad" and other measures by host countries for a "significant reduction" in embassy staffing, "primarily in the Baltic countries, Moldova, Germany, the United States, the Czech Republic, and Finland." She cited "threats to voters in unfriendly countries" and "provocations," including illegal demonstrations outside Russian embassies and consulates. Moldova was no different. The Russian Foreign Ministry said on January 26 it would field fewer polling stations in Moldova this time around. No Mail-In Votes Russian election laws oblige officials to finalize their list of all polling stations at least 45 days before an election -- which was late January for the March 15-17 vote. Russia's Central Election Commission may unilaterally establish polling places up to five days before the election. Russia is among the 70 or so countries -- many of them from the former Soviet Union or the former Yugoslavia, Wolf says -- that require in-person voting by its citizens abroad, rather than electronic or mail-in ballots. According to Russia, there were some 2 million registered Russian voters living outside the country as of July 2023. Some 444,000 Russians voted from abroad in the 2018 presidential election, with support among them about 7 percentage points higher than the nearly 78 percent he received nationally. But nearly 1 million Russians, including many who oppose Putin and the war in Ukraine, have moved abroad since the 2022 full-scale invasion. The European Union has imposed curbs on Russian immigration, leaving a handful of destinations, including Armenia and EU candidates Georgia, Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia-Herzegovina, to absorb most of the European influx. In some cases where relations are "problematic," Wolf says, the international community can play a crucial role in mediating or even organizing voting outside of diplomatic premises. But he added that a large domestic population that has foreign passports and voting rights abroad presents problems beyond the usual issues involving large migrant-worker and refugee populations. "And I guess that's true in Transdniester, because you have so many Russian citizens there," Wolf said. "But you also have similar cases, of course -- think about Serbs or Croats living in Bosnia-Herzegovina." He noted that in Bosnia's case, "there are plenty of embassies and consulates" to accommodate Serbian and Croatian voters. He also noted international assistance in some circumstances, such as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe helping organize Serbian polling stations in Kosovo until Pristina quit the arrangement last year. Russia has circumvented local authorities to put polling stations in places where its troops control territory, especially when such areas border Russia -- for example, in Crimea and the four other Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine. Moscow has already said it will have polling stations in those five regions, which it claims to have annexed over international objections. It's been the same in the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia since a five-day war left Russian soldiers defending breakaway authorities that comprised about one-fifth of Georgia in 2008. Moscow and Tbilisi still have not resumed diplomatic relations. Farther south, in the Balkans, officials in Bosnia-Herzegovina -- which Moscow has not listed among its "unfriendlies" but where it has run diplomatic cover for secessionist Milorad Dodik in the majority-Serb republic that makes up half the country -- have also refused to welcome Russian polling stations. A source in the Bosnian Foreign Ministry told RFE/RL's Balkan Service late last month that the Council of Ministers had not approved Russia's request due to unnamed "legal deficiencies." The Russian Embassy in Sarajevo did not respond to an inquiry about plans to organize outside voting for resident Russians. In Serbia, a mostly Orthodox country with closer ties to Russia and nearly 30,000 Russian nationals, neither the authorities nor the Russian Embassy responded to an RFE/RL inquiry about the possible opening of additional Russian polling places. There was no information available in neighboring Montenegro, which is on Moscow's "unfriendly" list and has around 25,000 registered Russian residents. The Foreign Ministry of another "unfriendly" Balkan state, North Macedonia, noted in a response to RFE/RL that there is "no provision that excludes the possibility of other countries conducting elections in their diplomatic and consular missions on the territory of North Macedonia." Written and with reporting by Andy Heil, based on reporting by RFE/RL Moldovan Service correspondents Mircea Ticudean and Denis Dermenji and with contributions by RFE/RL's Balkan Service Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/moldova-russia-election- putin-transdniester-pushback/32813386.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 Hungarian President Resigns Following Outrage Over Pardon Of Accomplice In Child Sex-Abuse Case By Palma Fazekas February 10, 2024 BUDAPEST -- Hungarian President Katalin Novak has resigned following public outrage over her pardon of a man convicted of being an accomplice to child sex abuse. Novak, a rising star in the ruling Fidesz party, flew back early from a state visit to Doha on February 10 amid protests to announce that she was stepping down from a her post. "I issued a pardon that caused bewilderment and unrest for many people," Novak said in a video published on state television. "I made a mistake." The 46-year old Novak was chosen by parliament in 2022 to become president, a largely ceremonial position. She is the both the youngest person and the first woman to ever serve in that post. Novak, who previously served as Hungary's minister for families, in April pardoned Endre K., who was sentenced to more than three years in prison in 2018 for pressuring victims to retract their claims of sexual abuse by the director of a state-run orphanage. Endre served as deputy director of the institute. The director was sentenced to eight years for abusing at least 10 children between 2004 and 2016. News of the pardon only came to light on February 2, when a local news outlet broke the story. The president is not required to publish the list of people pardoned. Outrage immediately followed, culminating in a protest organized by the oppostion Momentum Movement on February 9 in Budapest that attracted several thousand people. Hungary's long-serving authoritarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has emerged unscathed from the scandal so far. The 60-year old Orban, who has been in power since 2010, has positioned himself as a champion of "traditional" family values. In his only public statement regarding the scandal, he called for changes to the constitution to prevent child abusers from being pardoned in the future. Judit Varga, who co-signed the pardon while serving as justice minister last year, announced on February 10 that she would step down as the leader of the Fidesz party ticket for the European Parliament elections this summer. No decision has been made yet as to who will replace her on the ticket. With reporting by Tibor Vovesz Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/hungary-president-katalin- novak-resigns-pardon-child-sex-abuse-case/32813703.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 UNRWA Situation Report #75 on the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem (All information from 6-7 February 2024, is valid as of 7 February 2024 at 22:30) UNRWA 10 Feb 2024 Day 123-124 of Hostilities Key points The Gaza Strip Intense fighting in/around Khan Younis (southwest of Gaza) over the last 17 days is causing loss of life and damage to civilian infrastructure, including UNRWA's largest shelter in the southern area, the Khan Younis Training Centre (KYTC). This is forcing thousands of Palestinians to flee further south towards Rafah, which is severely overcrowded, with reports of Israeli Forces' strikes in Rafah on 7 February. It is estimated that there are currently up to 1.5 million people in Rafah. Further fighting in Rafah would further hamper overstretched humanitarian operations. Accessing isolated populations north of Wadi Gaza remains a challenge. Between 1 January and 5 February only 10 UNRWA/UNRWA inclusive missions reached north Wadi Gazi out of 35 planned. As of 7 February, the total number of UNRWA colleagues killed since the beginning of hostilities is now 154 . . As of 7 February, up to 1.7 million* people (over 75 per cent of the population) ** have been displaced across the Gaza Strip, some multiple times.*** Families are forced to move repeatedly in search of safety. Following intense Israeli bombardments and fighting in Khan Younis and the Middle Area in recent days, a significant number of displaced people have moved further south. *This includes one million individuals residing in or near emergency shelters or informal shelters. As of October 12, approximately 160,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) were recorded in north Gaza and Gaza governorates. The ability of UNRWA to provide humanitarian support and updated data in these areas has been severely restricted. The ongoing hostilities, evacuation orders issued by Israeli Forces, and the constant need for safer locations have resulted in people being displaced multiple times. **UNRWA has reported in Situation Report 64 that up to 1.9 million IDPs are either residing in 154 UNRWA shelters or near these shelters. Due to the continued escalation of fighting and evacuation orders, some households have moved away from the shelters where they were initially registered. ***There are instances where the same IDPs are registered in multiple shelters due to the fluid movement of populations; hereafter, estimates are used for these shelters. UNRWA plans to conduct a more accurate count of IDPs in shelters, including informal shelters, as soon as the security situation allows. The West Bank, including East Jerusalem Several Israeli Security Forces (ISF) search and arrest operations leading to confrontations with Palestinians occurred between 6-7 February. Between 6 - 7 February, the following ISF search and arrest operations occurred: Overnight between 5 -6 February, ISF conducted a search and arrest operation in Aqbat Jaber refugee camp, central West Bank. In addition to search and arrest operations, overnight between 5- 6 February, ISF reportedly physically assaulted and injured one Palestinian at Wadi an Nar checkpoint, Southern West Bank. In the early morning on 6 January, three Palestinians were detained during a search and arrest operation in Nablus, northern West Bank. Then overnight between 6-7 February, another six Palestinians were detained. And on the night of 7 February, ISF reportedly opened fire during clashes with Palestinians in the city. On 6 February, a Palestinian from Balata camp allegedly attempted to attack ISF soldiers in the vicinity of Beit Furik checkpoint, northern West Bank. ISF reportedly shot and killed him then closed the checkpoint denying Palestinian access. Overnight between 6-7 February, ISF conducted search and arrest operations in Tulkarm city, Tulkarm refugee camp, Jenin city, Jenin refugee camp, Nur Shams refugee camp, Tammun, Al Yamun and Qalqiliya, northern West Bank. Exchanges of fire took place in several locations; six Palestinians were detained, and two Palestinians injured with live ammunition in Tammun. ISF bulldozers reportedly damaged and destroyed the infrastructure in Jenin refugee camp and Nur Shams refugee camp. On 7 February, it was reported that ISF surrounded a Palestinian house in Al Damaj quarter in Nur Shams refugee camp, targeted it with missiles, set it on fire, demolished parts of it, killing three Palestinians and injured two Palestinians with live ammunition, including a woman. UNRWA services were severely affected. Overnight between 6-7 February, clashes were reported between Palestinians and ISF in the vicinity of Road 60 in Al Khadr, southern West Bank. ISF reportedly held several Palestinians west of the village. On 7 February, ISF conducted a search and arrest operation in Tubas, northern West Bank. Exchange of fire was reported between Palestinians and ISF in Wad El Far'a, south of Tubas. A Palestinian was injured with live ammunition shrapnel and another Palestinian was detained. On 7 February, ISF reportedly opened fire at journalists and Palestinians near Iktaba village, opposite Nur Shams Camp, northern West Bank. On 7 February, ISF reportedly protected settlers while they entered Khallet Al-Farra community, southwest of Yatta, southern West Bank. The settlers reportedly physically assaulted Palestinians seized their cell phones and forced them to sit on the ground for long hours. On 7 February, ISF reportedly chased Palestinian youths in the Bab Al 'Amud Damascus Gate area in Jerusalem, central West Bank. ISF reportedly held a Palestinian child and handed him a summons order for interrogation. On 7 February, Palestinians demonstrated outside UNRWA offices in Jenin city and Nablus city, northern West Bank, and in Beituniya and West Jerusalem, central West Bank. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel Discovers Hamas Tunnels Under UNRWA Gaza Headquarters By VOA News February 10, 2024 Israeli forces have discovered a tunnel network hundreds of meters long extending partly under UNRWA's Gaza headquarters, the military says, calling it new evidence of Hamas militants burrowing under the main relief agency for Palestinians. Israeli Army engineers took reporters with foreign news outlets through the tunnel passages. They entered a shaft next to a school on the periphery of the United Nations compound, descending to the concrete-lined tunnel. After 20 minutes of walking through the hot, narrow and occasionally winding passage, they got underneath UNRWA headquarters, according to an army lieutenant-colonel leading the tour. The military said the tunnel was 700 meters long, 18 meters deep bifurcated at times and it revealed side rooms. There was an office space, with steel safes that had been opened and emptied. There was a tiled toilet. One large chamber was packed with computer servers, another with industrial battery stacks. "Everything is conducted from here. All the energy for the tunnels, which you walked through them, are powered from here," said the lieutenant-colonel, who gave only his first name, Ido. Ido said Hamas militants appeared to have evacuated when Israel Defense Forces, also known as IDF, were advancing. He said they preemptively cut communications cables, which he showed, that ran through the floor of the UNRWA headquarters' basement. It appeared that heavy Israeli barrages and sustained winter rains also may have played a part in the militants' departure. Several stretches of the tunnel were clogged with dislodged sand and knee-high water. Call for UNRWA official to resign After the discovery of the tunnel, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz called for the resignation of UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini on a post on social media platform X. Katz dismissed Lazzarini's claim that he was unaware of the tunnel's existence as "not only absurd but also an affront to common sense." In a statement, UNRWA said it had vacated the headquarters on October 12, five days after the terror attack occurred, and was therefore "unable to confirm or otherwise comment" on the Israeli finding. "UNRWA ... does not have the military and security expertise nor the capacity to undertake military inspections of what is or might be under its premises," the statement said. This is a time of internal crisis for the U.N. relief agency, which is facing Israeli allegations that some of its staff were working for Hamas. The agency has launched its own internal probe into the claims, and several donor countries have frozen their funding. The Palestinians have accused Israel of falsifying information to tarnish UNRWA, which employs 13,000 people in the Gaza Strip and has been a lifeline for the aid-dependent population for years. The humanitarian agency runs schools, primary health care clinics and other social services, and it distributes aid. "We know that they [Hamas] have people working in UNRWA. We want every international organization to work in Gaza. That is not a problem. Our problem is the Hamas," Ido told reporters. Hamas has denied numerous and longstanding accusations that it operates in and underneath civilian facilities, such as schools and hospitals. The Israeli military did not allow journalists to take photographs of military intelligence, such as maps or certain equipment in the convoy of armored vehicles they traveled in. It also requested approval before transmission of photographs and video footage taken during the trip. Israel targets Rafah Israeli airstrikes targeted the Gaza city of Rafah Saturday after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered an evacuation plan for civilians from the southern border city ahead of an expected ground invasion creating widespread panic. More than half of Gaza's 2.3 million people are packed into Rafah, many after evacuating two-thirds of Gaza's territory. It's not clear where these people could find shelter next. The Associated Press, citing health officials and eyewitnesses, reported at least 44 people were killed including more than a dozen children when airstrikes hit several homes in the Rafah area. Netanyahu's office said Friday the military was ordered to develop a plan to evacuate civilians in Rafah and destroy four Hamas battalions it said were deployed there. Hamas has been designated a terror group by the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union. Rafah borders Egypt and officials there have warned that any ground operation in the area or mass displacement across the border would undermine its 40-year-old peace treaty with Israel. It is also the main humanitarian aid entry point to Gaza and intense fighting could further hamper relief efforts. Egypt's foreign minister, Sameh Shoukry, warned that any Israeli ground offensive on Rafah would have "disastrous consequences," claiming that Israel aims to eventually force the Palestinians out of their land. The dire humanitarian situation has sparked Arab and U.N. concerns that Palestinians may eventually be driven over the border. Egypt has sent about 40 tanks and armored personnel carriers to northeastern Sinai within the past two weeks as part of a series of measures to bolster security on its border with Gaza, two Egyptian security sources said. UN warns of risk of 'gigantic tragedy' Netanyahu's announcement came hours after U.S. President Joe Biden delivered some of his strongest criticism yet of the Israeli military campaign in Gaza, calling Israel's conduct in the military operation "over the top" during a news conference late Thursday. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said there would be the risk of a "gigantic tragedy" if the IDF expanded its offensive into the town. "We would not support in any way forced displacement, which goes against international law," Guterres' spokesperson told reporters Friday about a potential evacuation of Rafah. "An escalation of the fighting in Rafah, which is already straining under the extraordinary number of people who have been displaced from other parts of Gaza, will mark another devastating turn in a war that has reportedly killed over 27,000 people - most of them women and children," Catherine Russell, the executive director of UNICEF said. Some information for this story was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Operation Iron Swords - Day 127 - 10 February 2024 Rafah Governorate (the southernmost part of the Gaza Strip ) has become the focus of anticipation regarding the next stage as the war enters its fifth month. It hosts the vast majority of displaced people, most of whom reside in random tents throughout the city, amid difficult humanitarian conditions and a scarcity of aid. The area of Rafah does not exceed 151 square kilometers, and about 1.3 million displaced people are currently crowded there in extremely difficult conditions. Israel wants to launch a military operation in the city, after destroying all aspects of life in the northern and central Gaza Strip. According to a report prepared by Salam Khader, satellite images show the displaced people gathering in a very small area of the city, which Israel designated as a safe zone, and then bombed many of its areas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed his army to prepare for a land incursion into the city located on the Egyptian-Palestinian border, which strengthens the hypothesis of the forcible displacement of displaced people towards the Sinai Peninsula. The United Nations warned of a humanitarian catastrophe and serious regional repercussions as a result of Israel moving forward with its plans regarding Rafah. The New York Times reported that US intelligence officials told Congress this week that Israel had weakened the fighting capabilities of the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ), but was no closer to eliminating the movement. The newspaper revealed that the session of intelligence officials in Congress, which took place behind closed doors, did not address estimates related to human losses among the movements fighters. American intelligence officials pointed out that estimates of Hamas' casualties are neither accurate nor meaningful, and do not give an indication of whether the Israeli military presence in the Gaza Strip has addressed the fundamental issues for which Israel launched the war. The Israeli occupation government announced at the beginning of the aggression on the Gaza Strip that eliminating Hamas was one of the main goals of the war, but American and Israeli officials doubted its ability to do so. Last November, the American newspaper The Wall Street Journal quoted an informed source as saying that the American intelligence community doubts Israels ability to achieve its declared military goal of eliminating the Hamas movement. The source added that the Israeli military campaign on the Gaza Strip could harm Hamas and its infrastructure, but it would not be able to eliminate it. Hamas is still capable of bombing Israeli cities and towns, and reports in recent days regarding renewed fighting in Gaza City and the northern regions of the Strip indicate that Hamas and the rest of the Palestinian factions have It renewed its ability to move in those areas over which the occupation army had declared its tight control. Israeli Army Radio had said that the Israeli forces are still far from achieving their goal of eliminating Hamass missile capabilities, stressing that this requires, according to estimates, between one and two years. The radio reported that many of the rocket launching pads in the Gaza Strip are buried underground, which makes it difficult for Israeli forces to find them. Army Radio said that the missile batch that targeted the city of Tel Aviv early at the end of last January was launched from platforms in Khan Yunis that were only 20 and 30 meters away from Israeli army forces. War Termination Iran has information that the Palestinians have developed political initiatives for the post-war era as the developments in the Gaza Strip herald a political settlement of the crisis, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said. The top Iranian diplomat, who has traveled to Beirut in the first leg of a regional tour, met with Lebanons Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati. Reaffirming Irans support for Gaza and describing Palestinians as the true owners of Palestine, Amirabdollahian said only they are entitled to decide their fate. We have been informed that they (Palestinians) have political plans and initiatives for the post-war stage, the Iranian minister said. He noted that while the developments in Gaza are moving towards a political solution, the Israeli prime minister still sees his survival in war. Amirabdollahian stressed the need for collective efforts to finalize a political solution and end the Israeli regimes military onslaught and war crimes against Palestinians as soon as possible. Tel Aviv delivered Israel's response to Hamas' paper on the prisoner exchange deal to Qatar, Egypt and the United States. After the Israeli War Council discussed Hamas' response for several hours, talks took place between senior Israeli officials and their counterparts in Qatar, Egypt and America, during which Israeli messages were conveyed. The correspondent of Alalam News Network. Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, said that the occupation expressed to the mediators its rejection of the ratio set by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners versus Israeli prisoners. The occupation also expressed to the mediators in Qatar and Egypt its rejection of the demands of the Palestinian resistance, regarding Al-Aqsa Mosque and the status of Palestinian prisoners in its prisons, and said that they are unacceptable and have no connection to the current deal. Israel refused to discuss the issue of lifting the siege on Gaza during prisoner exchange negotiations, and Israel will not accept the withdrawal of its forces from the center of the Gaza Strip and the return of the displaced to the north in the first stage, but at the same time the occupation is ready to withdraw from the city centers in the Strip. Israel told the mediators that it opposes Hamas' request to add the phrase "permanently" to the clause that stipulates indirect negotiations regarding a return to peace in the first phase of the deal. The reason for this is Israel's refusal to commit to ending the war after completing the implementation of the hostage release deal. Israel also made clear to the mediators in Qatar and Egypt that it is not prepared to discuss, within the framework of negotiations on the hostage deal, Hamas condition for lifting the siege on Gaza. Israel assured the mediators that the key to releasing Palestinian prisoners that Hamas presented in its answer was unreasonable. A source in the administration of US President Joe Biden confirmed to Al Hurra on Friday that the director of the US CIA will visit Egypt in the coming days to participate in negotiations related to an agreement to release Hamas hostages. A source in the Biden administration told Al Hurra: The CIA director is visiting Cairo on Tuesday to participate in Egyptian-Qatari meetings regarding the prisoner exchange deal. On Thursday, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken concluded his fifth regional tour since the outbreak of the war, during which he sought to push for a long truce that would allow the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip and the delivery of more aid. Washington continues to work to reach an agreement formula in cooperation with Doha and Cairo. An informed source in the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) told Al Jazeera Net that the movement is in open contact with mediators in Qatar and Egypt to receive a clear Israeli response regarding the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip and the exchange of prisoners. He added that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is maneuvering in the media to avoid pressure from Israeli society and the families of Israeli prisoners, as well as international pressure to end the aggression, and he is not serious about moving towards reaching a comprehensive agreement. The Hamas source added, "There is no meaning to any agreement that does not achieve security, shelter, relief, reconstruction, and a decent life for our people. The continuation of the military aggression cannot be accepted under any circumstances, nor the continuation of the siege on the Gaza Strip ." He explained that the Israeli occupation must realize that its failure in the military field does not qualify it for success in media, diplomatic or negotiating maneuvers. Yesterday, Friday, the Hamas delegation concluded a visit to Cairo, during which it held, over two days, tripartite meetings with Egyptian and Qatari mediators, during which they discussed Hamas response to the proposal that was prepared in Paris for a ceasefire. On the other hand - and according to the American website Axios - Israel is scheduled to send a delegation to Cairo next Tuesday to meet with the Director of the American Central Intelligence Agency ( CIA ), William Burns, the head of Egyptian intelligence, Abbas Kamel, and the Qatari Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, to discuss efforts to reach a deal with Hamas in Gaza. Earlier, the Walla website reported that Israel had delivered its response to Qatar and Egypt, indicating that Israel had rejected many of Hamas demands and expressed its readiness to negotiate on the basis of the original Paris proposal. According to the Israeli website, Tel Aviv rejected a number of points in Hamas response to the proposals, indicating that it informed the mediators of its refusal to commit to ending the war or lifting the siege on the Gaza Strip after completing the implementation of the deal. Operational Update Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant and other Israeli officials announced in recent days that the Israeli army will expand its ground operation to Rafah to dismantle the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military arm of the Hamas movement, in the city of Rafah, according to their claim. The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation "Kan" reported that Tel Aviv informed a number of countries in the region and the United States that it was preparing for a military operation in the Rafah area. According to what Israeli Channel 12 reported, Netanyahu and the Chief of Staff of the Israeli Army, Herzi Halevy, had discussed a few days ago the continuation of the military operation in the Gaza Strip. The channel pointed out that a dispute broke out between the two, regarding Netanyahus instructions to prepare to begin an operation in Rafah, as Netanyahu urged the Israeli army to find quick solutions to this issue, while Halevy stressed that the army has a plan, but favorable conditions are needed. During their discussion, Netanyahu pointed out that time is short, and that the dismantling of the Hamas brigades in Rafah must be completed before the next month of Ramadan . Halevy responded that the army is preparing a plan, and pointed out the details that are still incomplete, namely the necessity of evacuating Gazans who were evacuated to Rafah, and the understandings with Cairo regarding the Philadelphia axis. According to Channel 12, Netanyahu had indicated in his meeting with US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, that the operation in the region would begin within two weeks. The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth revealed that the plan for the ground operation in the city of Rafah , adjacent to the Egyptian border with the Gaza Strip, was prepared about 3 weeks ago. This comes as Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced yesterday, Friday, that he had instructed the security level and the Israeli army to prepare a plan to carry out a military operation in Rafah. The Israeli newspaper explained, on its website, that the army has practically approved its plan that it prepared for the military operation in Rafah, which also includes the evacuation of the population from there, pointing out that the instructions that Netanyahu spoke about for the occupation of Rafah may be understood as a kind of political games, In order to highlight a tough leadership line on his part. Netanyahus office issued a statement in which he said, The goal of the war, which is to destroy Hamas, cannot be achieved while 4 Hamas-affiliated brigades are maintained in Rafah. It is clear that an intensified military operation in Rafah requires the evacuation of the civilian population from the combat areas. Therefore, the Prime Minister instructed "The army and the security establishment must submit a dual plan to the cabinet, focusing on evacuating the population and destroying the Hamas brigades." In recent days, Israeli officials have indicated that there are Israeli preparations for a military operation in Rafah, to exert more pressure on the Hamas movement, in conjunction with the mediators efforts to reach a deal that leads to the release of the hostages. Although Netanyahu's office tried to reduce talk of a dispute between Netanyahu and Halevy, informed sources told the channel that Netanyahu expected the Chief of Staff to implement the plan, before the Israeli occupation was forced to make decisive political decisions that would affect the military operation. A stormy discussion took place during the government session, and opinions were calling for more military action in Gaza and cutting off aid. Minister Miri Regev said: This is the right time for stronger military pressure, to make Sinwar chase us, not that we will chase him. The extremist minister added: This is our opportunity, more pressure right before Ramadan, and just as they attacked us during Simchat Torah, it is certain that in Ramadan we should not be more kind and merciful to them. Despite international warnings regarding the imminent Israeli attack on Rafah ; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the army to prepare a plan to evacuate residents from Rafah and begin an operation there, according to a statement issued by his office on Friday. This is what the Palestinian presidency stressed as a real threat and a dangerous prelude to the implementation of the rejected Israeli policy that aims to displace the Palestinian people from their land. The Kan report stated that after the request of both Egypt and the United States, the ground operation in Rafah would begin only after two conditions: A massive evacuation of residents from Rafah and its environs. An agreement between the Israeli occupation entity and Egypt on Israeli military activity against the tunnels in the Philadelphia axis (Salah al-Din Axis). The report added that Israel had prepared a detailed plan, with an experimental model, that allows the return of tens of thousands of Gazans to northern Gaza, which is as follows: First, complexes will be set up in clinics and schools with bakeries. Later, a tent city will be set up nearby. After that, food, water and humanitarian equipment will be brought in continuously from the Erez and Karni crossings in northern Gaza. Then responsibility for the region will be transferred to local officials in Gaza, and the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Palestinian Territories will participate in implementing this step. It was noted that the Israeli security apparatus has begun preparing a plan to evacuate residents from Rafah and is studying both possibilities: Evacuating citizens to Khan Yunis, north of Rafah, or allowing the return of a large number of Gazans to specific locations in northern Gaza. The Israeli forces intensified their targeting in the southern Gaza Strip, especially in the city of Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians were displaced to the region as a result of the Israeli military operation in the Strip. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also informed the War Council of the date of completion of the Israeli occupation armys operation in Rafah by the beginning of the month of Ramadan, corresponding to March 10, according to an Israeli official told CNN. The HAMAS government media office in Gaza warned of "a global catastrophe and massacre that could leave tens of thousands dead and wounded if Rafah Governorate is invaded by the Israeli army." According to military and strategic expert Major General Fayez Al-Duwairi, Netanyahu asked Israeli Army Chief of Staff Herzi Halevy for two separate operations, because the situation in Rafah is different from the rest of the Palestinian areas. The Chief of Staff spoke about the evacuation process, which will be forced and not voluntary, and Al-Duwairi said that the destination - according to the Israelis - will be through three options: that the Palestinians be evacuated to the north, which the occupation demands to be a buffer zone. The second option is for them to be evacuated to the Al-Mawasi area extending to the west of Khan Yunis and the outskirts of Rafah. The third option is to deport them to the Egyptian Sinai . But, doesnt Egypt have sovereignty over its land? Al-Duwairi asked. According to Al-Duwairi, the Israelis want to displace the Palestinians from Rafah to Sinai, and if they fail to do so, they will try to control the Philadelphia Corridor , but the military expert explained that the Israeli position is still ambiguous about the next step, especially in light of the differences between Netanyahu and the Chief of Staff regarding the implementation mechanism. Al-Duwairi also suggested that the Israeli threat and threat were merely a pressure card on the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) to make concessions. The official Israeli Broadcasting Authority said that the military operation in Rafah would begin after the completion of a large-scale evacuation of civilians from the city and its suburbs. Before that, the Prime Ministers Office announced - yesterday, Friday - that it had asked the army to develop a plan to evacuate the population and destroy 4 battalions affiliated with the Hamas movement, which it said were deployed in Rafah. Regarding field developments in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, Al-Duwairi spoke about the occupation forces siege of hospitals and streets by snipers. He said that there are streets in the area that he called Street of Death, stressing that clashes are still continuing in that area between the Palestinian resistance and the Israeli occupation forces. Regarding the decline of the occupation forces and their withdrawal from the southwestern Gaza area, Al-Duwairi said - in his daily military analysis on Al Jazeera - that the resistance videos shown yesterday and the day before yesterday confirm that fierce fighting is still taking place between the resistance and the occupation army forces. On Thursday, the United States said that it will not support any Israeli military operation in Rafah that does not take into account the plight of civilians, at a time when US President Joe Biden described the Israeli military response following the attack by Hamas (listed on US terrorist lists) on the 7th. From October it was "exceeded". While the spokesman for the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Stephane Dujarric, said on Friday that civilians in Rafah must be protected, and there must not be any mass forced displacement, and added: We are very concerned about the fate of civilians in Rafah. For its part, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Saturday in which it warned of the extremely dangerous repercussions of the storming and targeting of the city of Rafah by Israeli forces, also declaring its categorical rejection of any forced deportation of civilians. It said that the border city of Rafah with Egypt is the last refuge for hundreds of thousands of civilians who were forced to flee by the brutal Israeli aggression, as more than a million displaced people fleeing destruction and battles are gathering in the rest of the besieged areas of the Strip. For his part, the Israeli analyst, Eli Nissan, considered that Egypts movement of tanks and armored vehicles is not aimed at confrontation with Israel, but rather to prevent attempts to cross the border from Rafah to Sinai. Meanwhile, the Egyptian military expert, Nasr Salem, considered that any military operation, whether Palestinian civilians were evacuated from Rafah beforehand or not, would be disastrous, and the international community, led by the United States, must stand against it. Speaking to Al-Hurra website, he considered that Egypt is acting within the limits of the peace agreement concluded with Israel, noting that Egypt is responsible for its borders...and its borders are a red line, and the state rejects forced displacement or any operations that touch the international border line. He continued: "Egypt's movements are within the framework of defending and preserving its borders." Following Israel's announcement of its intention to carry out a military operation in Rafah, the Palestinian presidency said in a statement on Friday that Netanyahu's goal is to "displace the Palestinian people from their land." The statement said, "The occupation's taking this step threatens security and peace in the region and the world, and it crosses all red lines." For its part, Reuters quoted an Israeli official, who requested to remain anonymous, that his country will work to "organize the movement of the displaced in Rafah to the north, after they fled from it previously, before any military operation." Speaking to Al-Hurra, Sayed Ghoneim, a visiting professor at the Royal Military Academy in Brussels, said that there are Israeli fears regarding the operation in Rafah, related to the losses among Palestinian civilians in light of international pressure, in addition to the issue of displacement to Egypt, and fears of Cairos position. He added that Israel "does not want to provoke the Egyptian side, which has an uncompromising position, which is not to displace the Palestinians from the Gaza Strip." Agence France-Presse reported on Saturday that the Israeli army launched raids in the vicinity of Rafah during the past hours, while the Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip indicated that 25 people were killed last night as a result of Israeli raids in the border city with Egypt. The agency also monitored Hamas' warning, on Saturday, of a "massacre" taking place in Rafah, which has become the last refuge for more than a million displaced people. For his part, the Israeli analyst Nisan told Al-Hurra that the decision to start the military operation in Rafah will be postponed until coordination with Egypt and the evacuation of more civilians in Rafah and Khan Yunis, saying that Rafah is considered the main artery for smuggling weapons from Sinai to Gaza. Egypt denied such accusations last month, and said in a statement to the State Information Service, Marketing these lies is an attempt to create legitimacy for its quest to occupy the Philadelphia Corridor or the Salah al-Din Corridor, in the Gaza Strip along the border with Egypt, in violation of the signed security agreements and protocols. "Between it and Egypt, here it must be strictly emphasized that any Israeli move in this direction will lead to a serious and serious threat to Egyptian-Israeli relations." Nissan pointed out that these movements "are being carried out in coordination with America and Egypt, so that the approach of the forces to Rafah does not cause thousands to move towards Egypt, because Israel does not want to create tension with Cairo, which rejected the issue of the displacement of Palestinians to Sinai." He also pointed out that Israel is under American pressure "for internal reasons, to reduce the intensity of operations due to their negative repercussions on (US President Joe) Biden before the elections scheduled for November." He added: "There is a desire to end the process before the month of Ramadan," which begins in less than a month. Ghoneim explained that Israel is likely to use the same combat tactics that it implements in Khan Yunis, and not as was the situation in the northern Gaza Strip at the beginning of the military operation. US President Joe Biden confirmed that he is pushing hard to reach a sustainable truce in Gaza, noting that "military behavior has gone beyond the limit." The visiting professor at the Royal Military Academy in Brussels pointed out that the Israeli army "used large conventional force and a large concentration of fire, whether artillery, air or naval, as the goal was to seize the land and hold on to it." He explained, "The matter was different in the battles in the south due to the large population concentration and the availability of greater information, which made him reduce his forces, use special forces, and launch raids or sweep operations on specific sites," pointing out that this would likely be the form of any operation in Rafah. Reuters reported, citing two Egyptian security sources, that Cairo sent about 40 tanks and armored personnel carriers to northeastern Sinai in the past two weeks as part of a series of measures to enhance security on its border with the Gaza Strip. The forces were deployed before the occupation expanded its military operations to include the city of Rafah in southern Gaza, to which most of the residents of the Gaza Strip were displaced in search of a safe haven, which exacerbated Egypts fears of the possibility of forcing the Palestinians to leave the Gaza en masse. Last month, the Egyptian State Information Service reported details of some of the measures taken by Egypt on its borders in response to Israeli insinuations that Hamas had obtained weapons smuggled from Egypt. The authority added that three rows of barriers make it impossible to smuggle anything from above or below the ground. Photos from the Sinai Foundation for Human Rights, an independent group, showed what appeared to be the construction of the wall in December, with several sand barriers behind it. Later photos, which the group said were taken in early February, show what appears to be three layers, one on top of another, of barbed wire draped over the wall. Reuters was unable to independently verify the images. Satellite images taken in January and December showed some new construction along the 13-kilometre border near Rafah, and the wall extending to the edge of the sea on the northern end of the border. Reuters quoted an Israeli official that a regular discussion is taking place between Tel Aviv and Cairo about restructuring security on the border, which he said still has a small number of tunnels. The official added that Israel will try to organize the movement of displaced Palestinians towards northern Gaza, before any military operation there. Egyptian security sources downplayed any discussions and said they were giving priority to efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza. The Egyptian State Information Service described the smuggling accusations as lies aimed at covering up Israels desire to occupy the buffer border zone, known as the Philadelphia Corridor. The HAMAS mayor of Rafah said, "Any military action in the city crowded with more than 1.4 million Palestinians will lead to a massacre and a bloodbath, and we turn to the international community and every living conscience to stop the genocide against the Palestinian people." The HAMAS government media office in Gaza warned of a global catastrophe and massacre that could leave tens of thousands dead and wounded if Rafah Governorate is invaded by the Israeli army . The media office said in a statement : The Israeli occupation media reported on the intention and threats of the occupation army to attack and invade Rafah Governorate (south of the Gaza Strip ), which includes more than 1,400,000 Palestinian citizens, including 1,300,000 displaced people from other governorates, which threatens the occurrence of a global catastrophe and massacre that may result. Tens of thousands of martyrs and wounded." The statement added: We hold the American administration, the international community, and the Israeli occupation fully responsible for the catastrophe and global massacre that the occupation threatens to commit, which may occur at any time in conjunction with its committing thousands of massacres in the governorates of the Gaza Strip over the course of the genocidal war . The statement continued: We call on the UN Security Council to convene immediately and urgently and take a decision that ensures that the Israeli occupation is obligated to stop the genocidal war it is committing against civilians, children and women in the Gaza Strip, as well as to stop the deliberate killing against tens of thousands of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and to stop the occupations continuing threats against the Rafah Governorate and other Governorates." Maps All maps are lies. Not only is it easy to lie with maps, it is essential, wrote cartographer Mark Monmoneir in his book How to Lie with Maps. He showed that condensing complex, three-dimensional spaces onto a two-dimensional sheet of paper [in old days] is bound to be reductive. But it is impossible to comprehend the war in Gaza without reference to maps, otherwise the entire conflict is reduced to an endless series of meaningless acts of random violence and the suffering of civilians. The first characteristic of guerrilla warfare is the loss of a front line. Evidently, different mappers have different ideas of how to depict the war in Gaza, notably those that seek to depict Israeli progress in the ground campaign. Part of the problem is latency. The news that forms the basis of the maps takes time to filter out to mappers, and the cartographers take time in crafting their maps, and it takes time to curate them. These processes are uneven among mappers, so their maps may differ in detail. Probably there is some ideological bias, or at least thematic apperception, which is understandable in wartime. It may come as no surprise that al-Jazeera maps depict rather less Israeli territorial progress than other sources. Finally, there remains the epistemological question of just exactly what are the colored in areas depicting. Naively, this might be understood as areas of Israeli control, that are no longer contested by the HAMAS. Or possibly these are areas of Israeli presence, in many of which the possibility of an RPG-wielding HAMAS militant popping out of a tunnel unexpectedly remains a live possibility. With the "zero-range" combat characterized by small unit tactics on both sides, maps may be prey to a fallacy of misplaced concreteness. Bystanders Israel announced on Saturday the discovery of a tunnel in Gaza City, which it said was dug by Hamas under the headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). The UN agency, which Israel accuses of being completely infiltrated by the movement, confirmed that the building had been evacuated on October 12. The Saudi Foreign Ministry warned in a statement on Saturday of the extremely dangerous repercussions of storming and targeting the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip, which is the last refuge for hundreds of thousands of civilians who were forced to flee by the brutal Israeli aggression. It considered that "this continued violation of international law and international humanitarian law confirms the necessity of convening the UN Security Council urgently to prevent Israel from causing an imminent humanitarian catastrophe for which everyone who supports the aggression bears responsibility." Pressure on Egypt is escalating in conjunction with Israel's intention to expand its military operations to include the city of Rafah, south of Gaza, to which most of the Gaza Strip's residents were displaced in search of a safe haven, which has increased Cairo's fears of the possibility of forcing the Palestinians to leave en masse from the Gaza Strip towards Sinai. Two reports by the New York Times and Wall Street Journal stated that Egypt warned that any Israeli scenario that would lead to an influx of Gazans into its territory could jeopardize the Camp David Peace Treaty that the two countries signed in 1979. The New York Times quoted a senior Western diplomat in Cairo as saying that Egyptian officials urged their Western counterparts to inform Israel that they would consider any move to force Gazans to cross into Sinai as a violation that would effectively suspend the 1979 peace treaty. Another senior Western official, a US official and an Israeli official said the message was more direct, with Egypt threatening to suspend the treaty if the Israeli army pushed Gaza residents into Egypt. In turn, the Israeli official said that the Egyptian government conveyed this warning to US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on Wednesday, when he was on a visit to Cairo during which he met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. The American official confirmed that Egypt has made clear that it is ready to deploy more of its forces on the border, including tanks, if Israel pushes the Palestinians into Sinai. Two Egyptian security sources said that Cairo sent about 40 tanks and armored personnel carriers to northeastern Sinai in the past two weeks as part of a series of measures to enhance security on its border with the Gaza Strip. In the same context, the Wall Street Journal indicates that the relationship between Egypt and Israel is moving from a state of tension to the point of collapse. The newspaper notes that Egyptian officials and others familiar with the situation say that relations between the two countries are at their lowest levels during at least the past two decades. The newspaper reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi have not spoken at all in recent weeks. It quoted Egyptian officials as saying that Sisi had rejected several calls from the Israeli leader in the recent period. Egypt says Israel must be responsible for the fate of the civilian population in the territories it occupies, and is also concerned that Hamas and other militants may enter the country with civilians fleeing the war, threatening the security situation in Egypt. However, the newspaper says that Netanyahu has continued to pressure Egypt to accept large numbers of Palestinian refugees, according to Egyptian officials. Egyptian officials confirmed that Sisi and the country's military leaders were concerned about talk by Israeli politicians and media in November about the necessity of forcibly transferring Gaza residents to Egypt. Egyptian military intelligence found no evidence of a plan to expel the Palestinians, but Israeli statements convinced the Egyptian government of the existence of such a secret Israeli program, according to Egyptian officials. Egypt said that any attempt to transfer millions of displaced Palestinians would tear apart relations between the two countries, Egyptian officials said, which was the first warning of this kind, according to the newspaper. The newspaper says that in recent weeks, Israel has tried to push Egypt to accept launching a military operation to secure control of the Egyptian border with Gaza, after it accused Cairo of failing to prevent Hamas from smuggling weapons into Gaza. Egypt refuted this accusation, and Diaa Rashwan, head of the Egyptian State Information Service, said, It must be strictly emphasized that any Israeli move in this direction will lead to a serious threat to Egyptian-Israeli relations. Meanwhile, Israel's legal team at the International Court of Justice, where it is defending the country against a charge of genocide, said Cairo is responsible for the failure to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza from the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing. The Wall Street Journal shows that senior Egyptian intelligence and security officials called for a meeting on the same day to discuss withdrawing the Egyptian ambassador from Tel Aviv in response to these comments. But after nearly five hours of discussions, they decided it would be better instead to issue a statement denying the allegations, leading some who are familiar with the thinking of both sides to conclude that there is still room for de-escalation between the two countries. Palestinians have long felt haunted by memories of the Nakba and surrounded by the ghosts of the expulsion of 700,000 from their homes with the declaration of the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. Many of them were expelled or fled to neighboring Arab countries, including Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, and many of them or their descendants still live in refugee camps in these countries, and some of them went to Gaza. Israel disputes the narrative that they were expelled from their homes. The conflict that has erupted between Israel and Hamas since October 7 has witnessed unprecedented Israeli bombing and ground offensive in Gaza, devastating urban areas across the Strip. Palestinians and UN officials say there are no longer any safe areas inside Gaza in which to take shelter. There has never been a war of this ferocity in Gaza before, and in the conflicts and clashes with Israel in the past few years, there has been no mass flight from Gaza across the border. But there were incidents in which Gaza's border with Egypt was breached, even though the number of crossings was in the hundreds or thousands, and these people were not looking for shelter or wanting to stay. More than a million people, displaced south after four months of Israeli bombing, are crowded into Rafah and its surrounding areas on the border of the coastal strip with Egypt, which has strengthened security measures for fear of a mass exodus. Egypt sent about 40 tanks and armored personnel carriers to northeastern Sinai during the past two weeks, as part of its moves to enhance security on its border with the Gaza Strip, according to Reuters. Speaking to Al-Hurra website, military and political analysts considered that the Egyptian move does not aim to pave the way for a clash with Israel, but rather to secure the Egyptian borders, in light of Egypt considering the issue of the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza to Sinai a red line whose crossing constitutes a threat to national security and the liquidation of the Palestinian cause. Reuters said, on Friday, that with the outbreak of war in Gaza since October 7, Egypt worked to strengthen its borders by building a concrete wall topped with barbed wire with Gaza, in light of fears that the Palestinians might be forced to leave the Strip en masse. What increased these fears was the arrival of more than 1.4 displaced Palestinians near the Egyptian border. The agency quoted two Egyptian security sources as saying that Cairo established sand barriers and strengthened surveillance at border posts, in addition to transporting tanks and armored vehicles. Two Egyptian security sources said that Cairo sent about 40 tanks and armored personnel carriers to northeastern Sinai in the past two weeks as part of a series of measures to enhance security on its border with the Gaza Strip. Regarding this move, Sayed Ghoneim, a visiting professor at the Royal Military Academy in Brussels, said that the move is considered a response consistent with the Egyptian political goal, and it is a defensive mission to respond in the event of any escalation. Ghoneim explained in statements to Al-Hurra: This does not mean that the goal is to fight, but rather if there are actually forces there, they will be ready to carry out a combat mission if necessary. Regarding the scenarios related to the possibility of the Israeli military operation in Rafah causing Palestinians to head towards the Egyptian border, he said: I do not expect Egypt to use force against civilians. The American magazine Foreign Affairs published a long article dealing with the impact of the Gaza war on the Islamic and Arab worlds, saying that this war created a new Islamic front that may be the greatest challenge facing America. The article written by Toby Matthiessen, a senior lecturer in global religious studies at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom, explained that the Gaza war is no longer limited to the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas ) and Israel. He pointed to the extension of this war and the participation of the so-called Axis of Resistance, which includes Iran , Lebanon , Syria , Iraq , and Yemen , in it, and that it has surpassed that until now, 4 months after its beginning, it has become a strong unifying force for Sunnis and Shiites and has awakened a comprehensive Islamic front that includes the Sunni Arab masses. , which overwhelmingly opposes Arab normalization. The article added that for the United States and its partners, this development constitutes a strategic challenge that goes far beyond confronting the Iraqi factions and the Houthis with targeted strikes. By bringing together a region long divided, the war in Gaza threatens to further undermine American influence and, in the long term, could make many American military missions untenable. He said that this new rapprochement also raises major obstacles to any US-led efforts to impose a top-down peace agreement that excludes Palestinian Islamists. The writer reported that Arab opinion polls and social media show great Arab support for the Hamas movement and its strategy of armed resistance, and a significant decline in support for the United States and the regimes closely associated with it. The same opinion polls now show, according to the article, that an overwhelming percentage of the population - more than 90% - opposes establishing relations with Israel, adding that the Arab Opinion Index for last January, a survey conducted in Doha that included 16 Arab countries, shows agreement. More than 3 quarters of respondents said their views of the United States had become more negative since the war began. Matthiessen advised the pro-Western Arab countries to seek to bridge the widening gap between their policies and the sympathy of their citizens, saying that after years of neglect, these masses will urgently press for a just solution to the Palestinian issue, which threatens to spark a new wave of Arab uprisings. He stressed that it is increasingly clear that it will be impossible for Washington to stop the regional escalation unless it is able to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, end the occupation, and finally establish a viable Palestinian state, adding that in the absence of concrete, credible steps in this direction, the pressure will continue. Popular influence on governments in the region. Matthiessen concluded his article by emphasizing that without a just and broad solution to the Palestinian issue, the Middle East will never achieve lasting peace or the kind of political and economic cooperation that many have long dreamed of, indicating that the alternative is an endless cycle of violence, the decline of Western influence, and the integration of the region. In a way that is completely different from what the West wants, and even fundamentally hostile to it. Axis of Resistance The Secretary General of Hezbollah, His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, upon receiving Iranian Foreign Minister Hussein Amir Abdollahian and his accompanying delegation, affirmed that there is no doubt about the inevitability of the Palestinian peoples victory and resistance, and stressed that the wise, frank and capable stance of His Eminence the Leader of the Islamic Revolution regarding the current events in Gaza and the West Bank is unique in its kind. This is Emir Abdullahians third visit to Beirut during the past four months, and he is accompanied by the Deputy Minister and Director of the West Asia and North Africa Department at the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Mehdi Shushtari, the Foreign Ministers Senior Advisor for Political Affairs, Ali Asghar Khaji, and the Iranian Ambassador to Beirut, Mojtaba Amani. Sayyed Nasrallah thanked the support shown by His Eminence Imam Khamenei, the President of the Islamic Republic, the government and the Iranian people to the oppressed and powerful Palestinian people, and touched on the high capabilities of the resistance and the ongoing coordination between the resistance movements in order to support Palestine and Gaza, saying, The Zionist enemy is now experiencing a crisis and a strategic impasse and has not achieved any of its goals. His goals on the field. Sayyed Nasrallah considered the resistance an important element in the regions equations, stressing, There is no doubt that the victory of the Palestinian people and the resistance is inevitable. For his part, Amir Abdullahian stressed during this meeting that accepting the resistance to be a major party in the proposed political initiatives shows the role and status of the resistance in Palestine and the region. He stressed that the performance of the Palestinian resistance in resistance and steadfastness, as well as in the political solution, was characterized by wisdom and ability, and that any political initiative must take into account the role of the Palestinian people and the consensus of the leaders of the resistance factions as a basic issue. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said in a press conference in Beirut that the end of the war means the end of Netanyahu and the extremist government of the false occupation entity, and our impression is that Netanyahu is trying to keep the White House hostage so that he may remain in power for a few more months. During a press conference at the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran at the conclusion of his visit to Lebanon, the first leg of his regional tour, which also takes him to Syria and Qatar, Abdullahian reviewed the consultations that took place with the Lebanese authorities, and answered journalists questions. In response to a question about the results of his consultations with the Lebanese authorities, he said: I held very important and constructive discussions with senior officials in friendly and brotherly Lebanon. Amir Abdullahian added that bilateral relations between Iran and Lebanon are at their best in all areas of common interest, and we held important discussions about ways to expand cooperation and help Lebanon progress and develop. The Foreign Minister said in response to a question about whether there are signs of stopping the war in Gaza or not? With regard to regional issues, there are common views between Iran and Lebanon. Despite Netanyahu and the Zionist entity's interest in continuing the war, perceptions indicate that the region is moving toward stability, security, and a political solution. The head of the Iranian diplomatic corps continued that since the beginning of the Gaza crisis, we announced that war will never be the solution, and it is clear to everyone that the end of the war means the end of Netanyahu and the extremist government of the false occupation entity . Our impression is that Netanyahu is trying to make the White House a hostage so that he can remain in power for a few more months at the head of the Israeli occupation entity, and that the White House is the one that must choose between remaining a hostage of Israel or focusing on the political solution and ending the war. Amir Abdullahian said in response to Al-Mayadeen correspondents question about reaching a political solution in Gaza, and what is the basis for his words? Today is the 127th day of the aggression and genocide practiced by the Zionist entity in Gaza and its crimes in the West Bank. We have all seen that during this relatively long period, the Israeli entity has not achieved any of its declared goals, and therefore, the allies of this entity believe that they must focus on the political solution. He said: Despite the catastrophic destruction and killing in Gaza, the resistance and Hamas acted wisely and responsibly, whether in the field of resistance or in the field of political solutions. The head of the diplomatic corps said: The political ideas recently put forward in the name of Hamas are part of the wise and realistic interest of the Palestinian resistance to focus on the political solution and stopping the genocide in Gaza. He added that our assessment is that the Zionist entity will never be able to fight on two fronts. The strength of the resistance enjoyed by Lebanon and Hezbollah is unimaginable for the Israeli entity. In the Gaza War, Hezbollah was able to protect the territorial integrity of Palestine and its oppressed and powerful people and, in coordination between the Lebanese government and the army, provided a strong response to the aggressive ideas of the Zionist entity in southern Lebanon and northern occupied territories. The Foreign Minister said: We are well aware of the high ability to resist Lebanon. The head of the diplomatic corps said: Any move by the Zionist entity to launch a large-scale attack on Lebanon will determine the end of Netanyahu and the end of the current situation in the region. Amir Abdullahian pointed out that the resistance, the army, and the resistance fighters in Lebanon will prevent the realization of such ideas. Netanyahu is struggling to get out of the Gaza quagmire. The head of the diplomatic corps said about a question about the plans of Iran and the countries of the Axis of Resistance to legally prosecute the crimes of the Zionist entity: In the past four months, during the crisis and war in Gaza, academics, lawyers and legal experts in Iran and the world held meetings to address the legal and international aspects of war crimes and genocide committed by the Israeli entity in Gaza and the West Bank. The Foreign Minister continued: We strongly support the action taken by the South African government to file a complaint against the Zionist entity in the International Court of Justice. Iran, along with other Islamic countries and the region, will continue its strong efforts in this direction to prosecute war criminals affiliated with the Israeli entity. In response to a question about the fact that some in Lebanon say that Iran has linked Lebanon to the axis of resistance and consider this interference in Lebanons internal affairs, Amir Abdullahian said: Lebanons history shows that Lebanon is in the first trench of the axis of resistance, and therefore Iran has always wanted nothing but the best for Lebanon in Within the framework of the axis of resistance and within the framework of friendly relations with the country of Lebanon. The world knows Lebanon for its resistance, and there is no need for Iran to announce this. If it were not for the Lebanese resistance, Lebanon would not exist today. This is what the history of Lebanon mentions, not the Islamic Republic of Iran. In response to a question about what is said about Irans support for Hamas as a partner in the destruction of Gaza, he also said: The Al-Aqsa Flood operation was a purely Palestinian decision and within the framework of the liberation movement based on international law. The root of what is happening in Gaza today is not October 7 and Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, but rather the occupation of the Zionist occupation entity for more than 75 years. In my last meeting with British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, I told him to allow the Palestinian people, for once after nearly 75 years, to decide their own fate. In Beirut, the Iranian and Lebanese foreign ministers held a press conference that addressed the issues discussed by the two sides and regional developments. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said that the Palestinian resistance carried out its work accurately and wisely at the field and political levels. He added: It is clear that after more than four months have passed since this war , the Zionist entity and its supporters have not achieved any tangible achievement. He continued that Tehran is not seeking to expand the scope of the war in the region, noting that developments in Gaza are moving towards a political solution, but Netanyahu wants war. He added: We affirm that war is not the solution and we did not welcome the expansion of war in the region. We believe that the Palestinian resistance and Hamas acted rationally while standing up to the crimes of the Zionist entity and during the political process. Amir Abdullahian said : We say clearly that if America is looking for peace in the region, the solution is to stop the war and genocide in Gaza. He added: We received promising reports from senior Lebanese officials and the minister regarding internal developments in Lebanon. Iran only wants what is best for Lebanon. In turn, the Lebanese Foreign Minister said there was talk about the necessity of implementing Resolution 1701, which was issued regarding the stability of Lebanon, as well as stopping the crimes of the Zionist entity, withdrawing from all Lebanese territory, and strengthening the capabilities of the Lebanese Armed Forces to enable them to carry out their responsibilities. He also stressed the need for all countries to make efforts to stop the war and send humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. Israeli media confirm that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who is considered the mastermind of the October 7 attack, has been lost in contact for ten days, as he has not made any contact with the Qatari or Egyptian mediators. The Times of Israel quoted Channel 12 as saying that the reason for his disconnection is unclear, noting that there are several scenarios for the reasons, as it may be because he is on the run... or a tactical trick, or simply unable to make contact due to problems. Continuing communications in Gaza. The channel notes that "Hamas has taken several decisions in the past few days without him (Sinwar)," but "the decisions are not necessarily related to the hostage deal." The Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported that the Israeli security establishment's assessments reported that "Sinwar had nothing to do with the issuance of Hamas' response to the Qatari mediator's hostage deal earlier this week." Hamas' response included a stipulation that the deal must be "subject to the approval of the Hamas leadership in Gaza." A senior Israeli officer said that the army believes that Sinwar is hiding in Khan Yunis, his hometown, according to a Reuters report. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq confirmed that the opportunity of the past days revealed with certainty to the Iraqi people, friends and responsible parties that the occupying enemy does not abandon its meanness and treachery and does not understand anything other than the language of weapons. In a statement, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq added , The American occupation increased its crimes by assassinating the senior leader Abu Baqir al-Saadi in Baghdad, thus violating all the rules of engagement, and pointed out that American crimes will not increase the Islamic Resistance with its declared factions unless it adheres to its responsibilities towards its people. And her country and nation under any circumstances. The statement concluded, "We call on our brothers in jihad to join the ranks of the resistance and to be determined to participate effectively in expelling the occupation at this historical stage in Iraq and the region." This is the text of the statement: In the name of God, the most gracious, the most merciful (Until, when the Hour came to them suddenly, they said, How unfortunate we are for what we neglected in it.) What the Islamic Resistance gave today, the opportunity for the occupation forces to leave the Holy Land as a lifeline, was not obtained yesterday, despite their mediations and pleas before they were decisively defeated in 2011. At that time, the resistance mujahideen were driving the occupation soldiers to the price of fire, and turning its bases into ruins and rubble. The opportunity of the past few days has revealed with certainty to the Iraqi people, friends, and responsible parties that the occupying enemy does not abandon its meanness and treachery, and does not understand anything other than the language of weapons. This is clearly demonstrated in its recent targeting of the Mujahideen of the Popular Mobilization Forces in Al-Qaim, Akashat, and other locations. His assassination of the senior leader increased his crimes. Abu Baqir al-Saadi in Baghdad, thereby violating all the rules of engagement, which increases the Islamic resistance with its declared factions except in adhering to its responsibilities towards its people, country and nation under any circumstances. At a time when we look to those we trust to excuse us, as we know better than others about the malice of our enemy, the fields of confronting him, and the mechanism of subduing him, with painful strikes and broad attacks, so that he is forced to submit and be defeated in order to serve the interests of our people and the issues of our nation, we call on our brothers in jihad to join the ranks of the resistance. That they resolve to participate effectively in expelling the occupation at this historical stage in Iraq and the region. Islamic Resistance in Iraq Friday - Rajab 28 - 1445 AH Palestinian academic and dramatist Walid Seif believes that modern means of communication have made a great contribution to breaking the barriers of the Zionist media and Zionists, reaching a broad base that was hidden from the facts and the Palestinian narrative, and governed by misleading stereotypes. The critic and writer - who is considered one of the most prominent authors of historical drama in the Arab world, with his great works The Palestinian Westernization, Omar, Al-Khansa, Salah al-Din, Rabi of Cordoba, Saqr Quraish, and othersbelieves that the modern communications revolution It has broken the barrier of the media and official monopoly on narratives, but we should, in his opinion, build on this change with popular institutional work. In his interview with Al Jazeera Net, Saif rejects the comparison between historical blogging and literary blogging, but at the same time he believes that if the literary text rises to the desired global level, its impact is deeper and more lasting, then dialogue: Does the Al-Aqsa operation represent a continuation of the Nakba and the alienation of Palestine or a change in its course, and how do you read the future of the Palestinian issue? Since the Nakba, the Palestinian cause has been subjected to many fluctuations at the political and military levels, but what is certain is that the Palestinian people as a whole have not forgotten their cause, as the leaders of the Zionist movement bet, and their struggle and tireless moral and practical rejection of all attempts aimed at liquidating the cause and obliterating identity have not stopped. Rather, he is now, 75 years after the Nakba, more committed to his legitimate national rights and more willing to sacrifice and fight for them and to develop tools of struggle and resistance. The second constant, on the other hand, is the escalation of Zionist violence and extremism in political trends. The Palestinian response is commensurate with the escalation of the Zionist challenge. The third constant is the official Western colonial complicity and unconditional strategic support for the Zionist entity. The fourth constant is the continued official Arab impotence, which ranges between inaction and complicity. However, the recent barbaric aggression on Gaza has brought about an unprecedented change in the level of international popular sympathy for Palestinian national rights, and may have extended to some official bodies that have realized that aggressive Zionist policies have a high cost. On the international community, and on regional and international security together. It also contributed greatly to breaking the monopoly of the biased Western media on the Zionist narrative, which led to expanding public awareness of the facts of the issue and the grave injustices to which the Palestinian people have been exposed over 75 years, and placing current events in their long historical context. In addition, this barbaric and brutal aggression has returned the issue to its central position at the regional and international levels, and all of these are real gains that should not be underestimated. If we invest and develop it well, it can lead to positive changes in the interest of the cause. In light of these considerations and readings, the issue has only one path, regardless of the minor fluctuations, and it is the path that leads to achieving justice and national and human rights for the Palestinian people. What made the Palestinian novel break through the barriers of prevention and danger in the Arab and West? Is it because the Palestinian people were victims of global control or because they are resistant to it? There is no doubt that modern means of communication have made a great contribution to breaking the barriers of the Zionist media and Zionists. It reached a broad base that was hidden from the facts and from the Palestinian narrative, and governed by misleading stereotypes about Arabs and Muslims in general and about the Palestinian people and their cause in particular. In my opinion, the resulting picture truly combines the sufferings of the victim and the steadfastness of the resistance together in the face of the worst forms of Zionist violence. What calls a people to make all these costly sacrifices other than the set of sieges and injustices that leave them no choice but resistance: freedom, or death? Man, by nature, does not explode in resistance and sacrifice in the way the world witnessed except when he realizes that he has nothing to lose yet. There is an Arab popular passion for the symbols of the Al-Aqsa Flood, which is matched by government movements in the West before the Arab world against this passion and spread. Can security and media control make the people forget the Al-Aqsa Flood and its effects? As I mentioned earlier, the modern communications revolution has broken the barrier of the media and official monopoly on narratives, but we should, in my opinion, build on this change with popular institutional work that cuts across the boundaries of societies to maintain the momentum of popular support and develop it into an effective political force that accumulates pressure on the official institution as it grows. Awareness that Zionist policies also threaten the strategic and security interests of the entire world, and that the Western peoples themselves pay an important part of their material, political and security costs. In any case, the struggle of the Palestinian people since the Nakba until now is enough to ignite memory so that the world will not forget until we forget, and we will not forget. What has caught your attention about the flood process so far, and that you think should be written about and preserved? All of it encourages thinking, contemplation, activity, interaction, and writing on the emotional, human, political, and even philosophical levels as well. The position does not allow here to review all of them, but one of the important matters related to the topic is to raise awareness and thinking about the entirety of Western civilization and its vision of the different other, and the violent tendencies it entails and the duality between declared universal human principles and values and practical practices, and the idea of ??Western centrality that sees the other as less governed. Humanity of white European man. Whereas these were philosophical intellectual questions limited to the cultural and intellectual elites, the scope of thinking about them, criticizing them, and deconstructing them has now expanded. It led to the embarrassment of a large segment of the neoliberal class in our Arab world, who are the Westernizers who have seized the Western center and who promote subordination to it and the embodiment of its social culture as a condition for progress. If the current events have expanded awareness of the Palestinian issue and the rights of its people, they have also expanded awareness of the Western colonial reality, its discourses, and the conditional relationship between it and the Zionist entity, which it sees as an extension of it in a different civilizational space accused of backwardness, terrorism, and hostility to Western civilizational values, to which the Western center places an absolute universal value. On the other hand, recent events have also highlighted the conditional relationship between the demand for Palestinian liberation and the demand for Arab liberation and advancement, and thus the idea of ??the Arab-Islamic depth of the Palestinian issue has been re-established as the central issue upon which other Arab demands are united. I repeat here what I said in more than one place, occasion, and text: The tyrants were always the police of the invaders, and the one who tied the hands of the Palestinian people during the Nakba and its aftermath is the one who tied the hands of the Arabs, and has continued to bind them ever since. This is not an abstract intellectual slogan, but rather a fact confirmed by history. The issue and the modern history of the Arabs in the era of direct colonialism and beyond, but it must be noted that the West is not a single entity. There are intellectual elites and popular forces on its side who side with human rights, and constitute a true ally of the oppressed, the oppressed, and the marginalized inside and outside their societies. We should not be led away by Western positions. Official and public relations have so far led to slipping into the idea of ??a clash of civilizations, an idea that the official West is working on to camouflage the legal aspects of the conflict. If you were to write a script for a Western film about what happened during the months of the Al-Aqsa Flood, what would you convey to the Western viewer? Which eyes are more influential and lasting in conveying what happened: the historians eye or the writers eye? The Palestinian issue is an inexhaustible source of literary and dramatic works in which sophisticated treatment can move from the specific circumstantial to the general humanitarian, touching on the human condition in different places and times. This is a distinctive feature of arts and literature, and I cannot make specific choices. In literature and the arts, the dimensions and aspects are intertwined between the deep emotional that touches the human conscience, the intellectual, the political, and the historical, and at its center is the human being himself. As for the comparison between historical blogging and literary blogging, I do not see it as appropriate. Each has conditions, goals, and functions, even if they are intertwined in many aspects, but I can say that if a literary text rises to the desired global level, it has a deeper and more lasting impact, and addresses a broader base of recipients. It addresses the mind, conscience, and artistic taste together, and is more capable of inserting the recipient into his inner world. It would transform dry historical material into personalized human material. The history of conflicts is not just history, numbers, and general incidents, but rather translates into human tragedies, into human beings of flesh and blood, dreams, hopes, pain, existential questions, and varying responses between despair, hope, withdrawal, and resistance, and all of these may come together in the biography of a single person. Will you be showing dramatic works during the coming month of Ramadan or the following? I have completed writing a dramatic text, and I am now working on another text that will be a huge historical work, God willing. I hope to work on implementing them so that they will be presented during Ramadan the following year. Allied for Democracy The recent visit of US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, revealed the depth of the discrepancy between the two countries, according to a newspaper report. Financial Times. After a day of meetings between American and Israeli officials, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blinken held a separate press conference, which may reveal a discrepancy between the two parties on issues related primarily to the next phase of the war in Gaza and how to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas. In the sector, according to the newspapers estimate. The newspaper quoted a senior fellow at the Carnegie Foundation, Aaron David Miller, as saying in this regard: Blinkens visit reflected how difficult the entire diplomatic process was. Miller, who was also previously a State Department official, also said, While the United States has been, and continues to play, an important role, I think we have to be very vigilant about assessing the degree to which Washington can change the course of this crisis. Essentially, the crisis. In another sign of the gap between the two allies, US President Joe Biden, on Thursday, directed a rare implicit criticism of Israel. He said during a press conference, The response in Gaza... is excessive, stressing that he had made efforts since the beginning of the war to lessen its impact on civilians. In addition, the United States, Israel's most prominent political and military supporter in the war, warned of a "disaster" in Rafah. US State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel said that Washington has not yet seen any evidence of serious planning for such an operation, warning that carrying out a similar operation now, without planning and with little thought in an area where a million people have been displaced, would be a disaster. Returning to Israel, the contrast was stark, according to the newspapers words, between Blinken and Netanyahu in their assessment of the recent conditions offered by Hamas as part of the hostage release proposal, as nearly 130 hostages remain with Hamas. Blinken said that while the proposal - which called for a 135-day cessation of hostilities, the withdrawal of the Israeli army from Gaza, and the release of at least 1,500 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons - was difficult to achieve, it nonetheless offered "space to reach an agreement." But Netanyahu rejected these proposals, describing them as "fake." Instead, he insisted that the only way to free the kidnapped people was total victory over Hamas. He added that to achieve this, Israel will expand its military operations to include the city of Rafah in southern Gaza, where more than a million displaced people live in miserable conditions. This, in turn, contradicts the efforts made by American officials over the past few months to persuade Israel to reduce the intensity of the fighting, according to the newspaper. In another reference to what the newspaper describes as the Biden administrations growing frustration with Netanyahu and far-right members of his coalition, such as ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, Blinken also said he raised our deep concerns about actions and rhetoric that inflame tensions and undermine international support. To Israel, including government officials. Israel was not the only stop on Blinken's tour, which included four countries in the Middle East, which highlighted the challenges facing American diplomacy, according to the Financial Times. There were also "indications" that Saudi Arabia - which Blinken visited on Monday - wanted to verify positive messages from the United States about the Kingdom's chances of normalizing its relations with Israel. The Biden administration is using Israel's ambition to normalize with Saudi Arabia as part of its efforts to broker a "just and lasting peace" agreement between the Palestinians and Israelis, which would eventually include the creation of an independent Palestinian state something Netanyahu has long resisted. In response to American comments that Washington received positive reactions from both sides, Riyadh issued a statement in which it said that there will be no diplomatic relations with Israel unless an independent Palestinian state is recognized on the 1967 borders. In a clear message to the United States and its Western allies, Riyadh also called on all permanent members of the United Nations Security Council to accelerate the recognition of the Palestinian state. The Saudi statement was issued after Blinken held talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The statement stressed that while Riyadh is ready to discuss diplomatic relations with Israel as part of a broader peace plan, it also wants to make clear that Israel and Western powers will have to make significant concessions to the Palestinians. Commenting on this, Sanam Vakil, head of the Middle East Program at Chatham House, said that the US ministers tour shows that the United States is not yet exerting sufficient pressure on Netanyahu, as she put it. "Perhaps the strategy should be more international and multilateral," she added. However, American officials believe that Washington's diplomacy has had an impact. Blinken insisted on Wednesday that US pressure had prompted Israel to allow more aid into Gaza - although aid organizations say that is still far short of what civilians in the besieged enclave need. Meanwhile, a person familiar with the matter told the newspaper that despite Netanyahus rejection of Hamas conditions, Israeli officials continue to participate in meetings about the next steps toward a possible deal. An Israeli official, whose identity was not mentioned by the newspaper, said: Netanyahu may have closed the door on the idea proposed by Hamas, but that does not mean that he closes the door on a deal of any kind. For his part, Jonathan Reinhold, professor of political science at Bar-Ilan University, said that the United States has also succeeded in dissuading Israel from being drawn into a broader conflict with other enemies in the region, such as Lebanese Hezbollah, whose militants have been exchanging fire across the border with Israeli forces since October. Meanwhile, observers warn that the window for achieving breakthroughs on the hostage deal, let alone reaching a broader solution to the conflict, is receding. The US presidential election campaign began to accelerate, and Miller said, Once it began in earnest, the Biden administrations appetite to invest its political capital in long-term attempts to broker a peace agreement increased and diminished. Biden issued a National Security Memorandum requiring recipients of US military aid - including Israel - to issue certificates. Written that they will comply with international humanitarian law, and that they will cooperate with US humanitarian assistance efforts. While the memorandum did not refer to Israel specifically, it is widely seen as directed against Israeli military operations in Gaza, and immediately after the memorandum was issued, the major Jewish lobby organizations in the United States attacked President Joe Biden. In his speech at the White House, Biden criticized the Israeli military campaign in Gaza. He said: I believe, as you know, that the response in the Gaza Strip was exaggerated, at a time when the Biden administration is avoiding demanding a ceasefire, or placing any conditions or restrictions on US military aid to Israel, despite pressure from some progressive lawmakers. The issuance of the Memorandum comes at a time when the White House is pressuring Congress to pass legislation providing additional military aid to Israel worth $14 billion. The new memorandum requires the US Secretary of State to obtain credible assurances from countries receiving military aid that they will use the aid in accordance with international humanitarian law. It will not arbitrarily deny, restrict, or obstruct, directly or indirectly, U.S.-supported humanitarian assistance efforts. The memorandum requires all countries, including Israel, to provide written guarantees within 45 days, or aid will be suspended. If the Secretary of State or Defense later assesses that there is reason to question these assurances, they must submit a plan, within 45 days, to assess and correct the situation, including requesting new assurances or cutting off defense aid. This memorandum sparked immediate criticism from leaders of a number of the most powerful American Jewish organizations. Sam Markstein, spokesman for the Republican Jewish Coalition, described the memo as yet another part of the Biden administration that is unfairly pressuring Israel. He criticized Biden's statements about the Israeli aggression against Gaza, describing them as "ridiculous." Merton Klein, President of the Zionist Organization of America, attacked Biden's statements in which he considered that Israel's response in Gaza was exaggerated, and described them as "absolutely outrageous." Klein stressed that "Biden's condemnation of Israel's just and necessary response to the United States' ally does not take into account the fact that Israel strictly adheres to human rights laws and is making unprecedented efforts to protect civilians and fight terrorist groups such as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad , which pledge to repeat the October 7 massacres." /October repeatedly, until Israel is annihilated. Klein criticized Biden, and said: We cannot forget that Biden pushed for a premature ceasefire in May 2021, before Israel could complete the task of defeating Hamas. If he had not pressured Israel to end its response to the Hamas attacks in May 2021, for what happened on October 7. It is disgusting that Biden is pressuring Israel to subject Israeli citizens to Hamas terrorism again. AIPAC , the largest Israeli lobby organization in the United States, considered the arms transfer memorandum an unnecessary directive that imposes an additional burden on Israel. She stressed the need to support Israel in its war against Hamas, Hezbollah and other Iranian proxies. AIPAC's statement added, "The Israeli army is a moral army fighting on a complex and unprecedented urban battlefield in accordance with international law. It is confronting a terrorist group that deliberately and despicably uses innocent Palestinians as human shields, hides among and under civilians, and continues to hold 136 hostages, including 8 Americans." Dylan Williams, vice president of the Center for International Policy, tweeted a comment on AIPAC's statement, describing it as "opposition to the Biden administration's modest move to support humanitarian law." He considered that AIPAC's position means "refusing to apply American law and the law of war to Israel," and allowing it to violate them at the expense of American taxpayers. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who has been pushing in the Senate to pass similar policies, described the new memorandum as placing new conditions on aid that could give the United States more leverage toward Israel. Although the new regulations apply to all countries receiving American weapons, they come amid increasing friction that has recently emerged between the Biden administration and Israel regarding the nature of its military operations in Gaza, as he put it. Van Hollen said, "The memorandum was modeled on his demands in the Senate to impose conditions on the provision of aid, and included all the main and necessary elements." Hollin added that the memorandum "will give the Biden administration much greater leverage to get the Netanyahu government to reduce civilian casualties in Gaza and overcome the political obstacles placed in the way of providing humanitarian aid to Gaza." Howlin praised the memo for avoiding a vote on his draft resolution, which was likely to be opposed by Republicans , and which would likely divide Democrats , some of whom strongly oppose placing conditions on American aid to Israel. Senator Hollin's amendment was also unsubstantiated in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. The White House confirmed on Friday that the United States had briefed Israel on a new memorandum related to American national security that reminds countries that receive weapons from Washington to abide by international law. White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said in a press conference on Friday: We informed the Israelis about the National Security Memorandum and they expressed to us their intention to provide written guarantees regarding the use of American weapons in accordance with the law of war, according to what Al-Hurras correspondent reported. "They reaffirmed their willingness to provide this type of guarantee," she added. She stated that "the National Security Memorandum does not impose new standards on military aid to foreign countries." In response to a question about the US Presidents statements on Thursday, in which he said that the Israeli response in Gaza to the October 7 attack was exaggerated, she said: Bidens description of the Israeli military operations in Gaza as exaggerated does not represent a change in his position or his messages. She reaffirmed that "there is no change in our policy regarding providing military support to Israel." She explained, "There are no new standards in this memorandum. We are not imposing new standards for military assistance. Instead, we are publicly clarifying existing standards under international law, including the law of armed conflict." Jean-Pierre stressed that the memorandum came as a result of discussions with American lawmakers. A US official told Reuters that other countries that use US weapons had also been notified, declining to mention those countries by name. The memorandum is a statement of the administration's policy and was sent, Thursday, from the White House to senior Cabinet officials responsible for national security to ensure the implementation of its goals, according to what Reuters reported. The memorandum does not impose new conditions on how US military equipment can be used, but it requires the Biden administration to send a report to Congress annually on whether countries meet the requirements, according to Reuters. Washington provides annual military aid worth $3.8 billion to Israel, its old ally. Democrats and Arab American groups have criticized the Biden administration's support for Israel, which they say provides it with a sense of impunity. One section of the memo reminds recipients of US military aid to respect their obligations under international law and reduce the risk of harm to civilians. The conflict between Israel and Hamas falls within the framework of a complex international justice system that has emerged since World War II, much of which aims to protect civilians. Even if countries say they are acting in self-defense, international rules regarding armed conflict apply to all participants in the war, according to Reuters. US President Joe Biden faced criticism at home saying that he should call for a permanent ceasefire in the conflict in Gaza, while the US administration confirms that it supports Israel's right to self-defense, and criticized the toll of civilian casualties as a result of Israeli operations in Gaza and settler violence in the West Bank. The New York Times revealed the details of a closed meeting between Americans of Arab origin and a senior aide to US President Joe Biden, during which he admitted to making mistakes in the administrations response in Washington to the Gaza war. The American newspaper noted that Biden's aide and deputy national security adviser, Jon Finer, met with Arab American leaders in Michigan this week, and said that he did not have "any amount of confidence" that the current Israeli government is ready to take "meaningful steps" toward establishing a Palestinian state. The New York Times considered that Finer's statements during the meeting were "one of the (US) administration's clearest expressions of regret" for what it considered "mistakes" committed since the start of the war, following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7th. On Thursday, Biden said that the Israeli military response to the October 7 attack in Gaza went too far. He told reporters at the White House: I see, as you know, that the response behavior in the Gaza Strip has gone beyond the limit. Biden continued: I am now pressing hard for this ceasefire related to the hostages. There are many innocent people who are starving, and many innocent people who are living in distress and dying, and this must stop. The remarks, one of his harshest criticism yet of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, come at a time when the Democratic president is under increasing domestic pressure to pressure Israel to stop the fighting. American lawmakers welcomed a new directive issued by President Joe Biden, which appeared to ease the division among Democrats over the aid package for Israel that is being approved in Congress. The new directive calls for cutting off military aid to countries that violate international protection for civilians, according to what the Associated Press reported. During the meeting with Arab American political leaders in Dearborn, Michigan, Finer said: We are well aware that we have made mistakes in our response to this crisis since October 7, according to recordings of the meetings obtained by the New York Times, whose authenticity was confirmed by a Security Council official. American nationalist. Finer continued his speech: We left a very devastating impression, referring to the extent to which the president, the administration, and the state value the lives of the Palestinians. The New York Times indicated that Biden's advisor's statements provide a glimpse into what is going on behind the scenes of the administration's attempts to rally support in the crucial state of Michigan, which includes a large number of Americans of Arab origin, before the presidential elections this year. The Mayor of Dearborn, Abdullah Hammoud, had refused, along with several local officials, to meet with Biden campaign officials, and said in a later statement that he would like to speak with decision-makers, before the administration arranged a closed meeting on Thursday, according to the newspaper. Biden's latest directive on Israel's military aid package had immediate effect, giving Secretary of State Antony Blinken 45 days to obtain "credible and reliable written assurances" from foreign recipients of US military aid who are engaged in conflicts on the ground, including Israel and Ukraine, that they use US military assistance in accordance with international humanitarian law, human rights law, and other standards. The US House of Representatives had rejected a bill submitted by Republicans to provide $17.6 billion to Israel. Foreign governments that fail to provide these guarantees on time will have their military aid temporarily halted. The US administration also has the option of suspending military assistance, if it deems that a foreign government is not truly complying with humanitarian law and protecting civilians, even if it claims to do so. The Israeli Broadcasting Authority quoted sources confirming that the United States is preparing to impose sanctions on Israeli army soldiers working in the West Bank due to the lack of law enforcement against settler violence against Palestinians. An internal report by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that if the US government does not provide answers regarding a series of accusations against soldiers and units of the Israeli army operating in the West Bank within 60 days, the United States will impose sanctions on the soldiers, in addition to army leaders. The broadcasting corporation reported that the administration of US President Joe Biden warned Israel several times against not enforcing the law against settler violence against Palestinians, but Tel Aviv's response was not satisfactory. According to the broadcaster, Israel takes the Biden administration's threats seriously, as the government prepares for the possibility of expanding sanctions to include army officials, members of the Knesset , and ministers. A ministerial discussion on this issue is expected to be held in cooperation with the Military Prosecutors Office to find out how to avoid expanding the matter, according to the official body. On January 1, Biden signed an executive order allowing the imposition of sanctions on Israeli settlers who attack Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, as well as blacklisting 4 of them. The executive order authorizes the issuance of financial sanctions and visa restrictions against individuals found to have attacked or terrorized Palestinians or seized their property. Butcher's Bill / Oasis of Martyrs The Israeli army concluded in an investigation that it is possible that hostage Yossi Sharaabi was killed unintentionally, as a result of an Israeli raid in the Gaza Strip, according to the Times of Israel newspaper. The Israeli army presented the results of the investigation to the family of hostage Sharaabi (53 years old), who was killed in mid-January, according to what the newspaper quoted Israeli officials as saying. Sharabi is believed to have been in a building that collapsed after the Israeli army bombed a nearby building. The investigation concluded that the building that was bombed was struck in accordance with the protocols of the Israeli army. However, the army's investigation concluded that "the possibility that Sharaabi was killed by his kidnappers cannot be ruled out." The investigation said that the Israeli army had intelligence information indicating that an attack was being planned against the forces, from the building that was bombed, according to the Times of Israel. In the same building where Sharaabi was killed, Hamas also held two hostages, Itay Svirsky (38 years old) and Noa Argamani (26 years old). The Israeli army still believes that Svirsky was later killed by Hamas militants, and did not die in another raid as the Palestinian movement claimed. The Israeli army believes Argamani is alive. The bodies of Sharabi and Svirsky are still in the Gaza Strip. On 7 October 2023, Hamas and other armed groups present in the Gaza Strip carried out an attack in Israel, killing more than 1,200 persons, injuring thousands and abducting some 240 people, many of whom continue to be held hostage. It was the second largest loss inflicted on the Israeli forces after the 1973 war. Palestinian armed groups launched thousands of missiles at Israel Following this attack, Israel launched a large-scale military operation in Gaza, by land, air and sea. The 1,200 Israelis killed on the first day would be the equivalent of 36,000 Americans killed in an attack, as a proportion to Israels population of 9.3 million people (compared to 332 million in the USA). Israeli President Isaac Herzog stated: Not since the Holocaust have so many Jews been killed in one day". PM Netanyahu stated "On October 7th, Hamas murdered 1,400 Israelis. Maybe more. This is in a country of fewer than 10 million people. This would be equivalent to over 50,000 Americans murdered in a single day. Thats twenty 9/11s. That is why October 7th is another day that will live in infamy." Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant considered 05 February 2024 that half the number of Hamas militants were killed or seriously injured by Israeli army forces. The HAMAS Ministry of Health in the besieged sector announced that the number of victims of the Israeli operation its beginning had risen to 28,064 martyrs, and the killing of nearly 10,000 Palestinian children and 6,600 women killed. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. The number wounded was 67,611. The Palestinian Government Media Office in Gaza had said much earlier that the number of missing people had risen to more than 8,000, including including 4,700 children and women, amid expectations that the toll will be double thi figures. The IDF intensified its military operations in the West Bank, and increased the pace of incursions and raids into cities, towns, and camps, resulting in the martyrdom of 380 Palestinians, the injury of about 3,950, and the arrest of 5,780, according to official HAMAS sources. As of 17 January 2023, the Israeli escalation in the West Bank led to the death of 360 Palestinians, the injury of nearly 2,200, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, and the arrest of about 6,000, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Club. More than 130 Hezbollah fighters were killed in Lebanon during exchanges of bombing operations with Israel. Israel revised down the death toll from the October Hamas attacks in southern Israel from 1,400 to 1,200. IDF had said previously it was holding 1,500 bodies of terrorists, a total that now would increas to about 1,700. The total announced number of Israeli officers and soldiers killed had risen to 564 since the start of the war on October 7, including 234 killed since the ground invasion as a result of the ongoing clashes with the Palestinian resistance. Among them were at least 56 with the rank of platoon commander, 43 with the rank of company commander, 9 with the rank of battalion commander, and 5 with the rank of brigade commander. These officers constitute 23% of the total deaths of the Israeli army in the war on Gaza. Israeli media reported that 27% of the Israeli military casualties in the war were officers. In detail, the media highlighted that three brigade commanders, four battalion commanders, and other senior officers have been killed in the war so far. The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported that 29 of the army's deaths were caused by "friendly fire" and operational incidents since the start of the ground war in Gaza, late last October. The Israeli authority explained that "18 army soldiers were killed by friendly fire, two were killed as a result of gunfire (without explanation), and 9 Israeli soldiers were killed in ammunition, weapons, or run-over accidents." The Jerusalem Post newspaper revealed that 15 soldiers were killed in the Strip without their bodies being found. According to some reports statistics indicate that 20% of the Israeli losses were due to friendly fire. Because the nature of the battle has become completely different from what was expected, and it lacks a front line. It was announced that soldiers wounded in the Gaza Strip battles numbered to 2,815 since the beginning of the war, including 1,296 who had been wounded since the start of the ground attack on October 27, 2023. The Israeli army reported that 407 who are still receiving treatment for their injuries in the Gaza battles, and the condition of 48 of them is serious. The number of injured among the Israeli army since the start of the ground operation in the Gaza Strip on October 27 included 602 minor cases, 430 moderate cases, and 264 critical cases. The Israeli army published new data about those wounded in the military operation in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army announces that 540 soldiers were injured in the Gaza StripThe Gaza government announces that the Israeli army committed a horrific massacre in an area it claimed was safe According to army data, 540 soldiers, including 27 seriously injured, were injured in operational incidents since the start of the bombing of the Gaza Strip. There were also 21 accidental shooting incidents in the Gaza Strip, 54 bilateral shooting incidents and 31 traffic accidents. In addition, 388 incidents occurred, including ramming anti-tank rifles, anti-aircraft guns, weapons and machine guns. At least 13,794 Israelis were injured, according to i24 TV. Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper had reported that 5,000 soldiers had been wounded since the beginning of the war on October 7, and that the Ministry of Defense had recognized 2,000 soldiers as disabled so far. An estimate by the Israeli Ministry of Defense expected that the number of soldiers with disabilities in the war taking place in the Gaza Strip since October 7 of last year would reach 12,500 soldiers. The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth said that the Soldiers' Rehabilitation Department of the Ministry of Defense has dealt with 3,400 soldiers who were classified as disabled in the army since last October 7. The Israeli army revealed that about 9,000 of its soldiers have received psychological assistance since the beginning of the war on the Gaza Strip on October 7, and about a quarter of them have not returned to combat. This came according to a new statement revealed by the Army Medical Corps, according to Channel 12 and the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth. According to the statement, nearly 9,000 soldiers have applied for psychological assistance since the beginning of the war, and approximately a quarter of them have not returned to combat. The statement continued, "In total, about 13,000 regular and reserve soldiers required accompaniment or medical treatment at some level during the fighting, and thousands of them were injured in the battles." Al Jazeera military and strategic expert Major General Fayez Al-Duwairi expressed his conviction that the numbers of dead and wounded announced by Israel cannot represent the truth, due to a discrepancy between the Israeli armys data and the Walla website, which is close to the army itself. In an interview with RT, Military strategist retired Tunisian Brigadier General Tawfiq Didi said that the number of Israeli army deaths in the Gaza battles is much greater than what Israel announces. Didi explained in an interview with the Best Saying program on RT channel, The number of people killed in battles can be easily known, as the equation in wars is that for every 3 wounded there is a dead person, and the numbers now in Israel hover around 12,500 wounded and disabled people, and when we divide by Three, we find that the death toll exceeds 4,000, especially after eliminating more than a thousand tanks and armored vehicles, and I know what happens when Kornet missiles hit a tank. Its ammunition explodes and no one is left alive. He added, "The Israelis announce their dead only of those of Jewish origin and of the first race, meaning all Arabs, Falash, and those who are among them. They are not counted because they are of the second category. So I am sure that the number exceeds 4 thousand dead, and this is a very easy military calculation." He pointed out, "The Palestinian resistance documented everything it did, unlike the Israelis. The resistance documented shooting at tanks and armored vehicles and destroying the houses in which the Israeli soldiers were holed up, and we saw them being killed... We saw the Kornet hitting the tanks, we saw Al-Yassin 105, so the difference is clear." Hostages Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed have been held as hostages in Gaza since 2014 and 2015, respectively. Unlike the roughly 240 people kidnapped in the Hamas October 7 terrorist attacks, the campaign for the release of Mengistu and al-Sayed has received little publicity. Mengistu is known to suffer from what HRW deemed "serious" mental health issues. "Avera crossed one of the safest borders in the world, under the eyes of the security services," recalled Gil Elias, a relative. "We're talking about a mentally ill person who got lost." The calls for the release of Mengistu and al-Sayed have been barely audible during the many years they have been held captive in Gaza. Israel had previously estimated there were 116 living hostages in Palestinian custody. Israel declared 20 out of 136 people in Gaza captivity dead in absentia, after announcing its forces had recovered the bodies of two hostages. By another count, 132 of them are still being held in Gaza, and 25 of them have been confirmed dead. Israel considers those still held by Hamas to be hostages regardless of whether they are dead or alive. Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy earlier had told reporters that Hamas still held 137 ca Russo-Ukraine War - 10 February 2024 - Day 716 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 on 31 January 2024, Ukraine conducted a strike on Russia's Belbek air base in Crimea, resulting in the destruction of a radar control coordination facility bunker. This will almost certainly degrade Russia's ability to coordinate air activity in the Black Sea region, increasing reliance and strain on the already stretched A-50 MAINSTAY aircraft fleet, as well as an increasingly depleted pool of trained personnel available to direct air operations. Russian air doctrine relies heavily on ground control stations like the one at Belbek to coordinate its airborne assets, particularly fighters. This is especially prevalent during current combat operations where the airspace is contested and becoming increasingly complex. It is almost certain that Russian pilots and ground personnel alike are now suffering from combat fatigue due to the demand of Ukraine operations. Any further strikes on critical coordination nodes in Crimea will almost certainly increase these pressures, creating a heightened possibility of mistake or miscalculation. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of February 10, there were 87x combat engagements. The Russian occupiers launched a total of 3x missile and 43x air strikes, carried out 53x MLRS attacks at the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements. Unfortunately, Russian attacks resulted in wounded civilians. Residential private and apartment buildings, and other civilian infrastructure in 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 Seredyna-Buda, Druzhba (Sumy oblast). Around 30x settlements came under Russian artillery and mortar fire, including Liskivshchyna, Arkhypivka, Leonivka, Hrem'yach (Chernihiv oblast), Stara Huta, Rozhkovychi, Fotovyzh, Volfyne, Veselivka, Stepok, Hrabovs'ke (Sumy oblast), Kozacha Lopan', Okhrimivka, Mykolaivka, Zemlyanky, Vil'khuvatka, Dvorichans'ke (Kharkiv oblast). Kup'yans'k axis: Russian forces conducted no offensives. Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Dvorichna, Syn'kivka, Petropavlivka, Berestove (Kharkiv oblast). Lyman axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 6x assaults near Terny, southeast of Vyimka, Rozdolivka (Donetsk oblast). In that area the Russian adversary, with air support, made attempts to breach Ukrainian defense. Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at more than 10x settlements, including Nevs'ke, Bilohorivka, Serebryans'ke forestry (Luhansk oblast), Terny, Tors'ke, Serebryanka, Verkhn'okam'yans'ke, Rozdolivka (Donetsk oblast). Bakhmut axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 9x attacks in the vicinities of Bohdanivka, Ivanivske, Andriivka and Klishchiivka (Donetsk oblast), where Russian forces made unsuccessful attempts to improve their tactical situation. Around 10x settlements came under artillery and mortar fire, including Vasyukivka, Chasiv Yar, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka, Andriivka New York (Donetsk oblast). Avdiivka axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 22x attacks near Novobakhmutivka, Avdiivka and 10x more attacks near Sjeverne, Tonen'ke, Nevel's'ke (Donetsk oblast). In that area, Russian forces made attempts to breach Ukrainian defense. Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at more than 15x settlements, including Keramik, Novobakhmutivka, Berdychi, Lastochkyne, Avdiivka, Netailove (Donetsk oblast). Mar'inka axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back the Russian invaders in the vicinities of Heorhiivka and Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast). In that area, Russian forces, with air support, made 31x attempts to improve its tactical situation. Russian forces launched an air strike near Kostyantynivka (Donetsk oblast). The settlements of Maksymil'yanivka, Heorhiivka, Novomykhailivka, Paraskoviivka Kostyantynivka were under Russian artillery and mortar fire. Shakhtars'ke axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 1x assault near Vodyane (Donetsk oblast). The occupiers launched an air strike in the vicinity of Vuhledar (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Vuhledar, Prechystivka, Zolota Nyva, Blahodatne, Staromaiors'ke, Rivnopil' (Donetsk oblast). Zaporizhzhia axis: Russian forces conducted no offensives. Around 20x settlements, including Temyrivka, Malynivka, Hulyaipole, Charivne, Mala Tokmachka, Novoandriivka, Lobkove (Zaporizhzhia oblast), were under Russian artillery and mortar fire. 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 1x unsuccessful assault on positions of Ukrainian troops. Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Chervonyi Mayak, Krynky (Kherson oblast). On top of that, the invaders launched MLRS strikes at the settlements of Tyahynka, Ivanivka, Tokarivka, Veletens'ke (Kherson oblast). During the day of February 10, the Ukrainian Air Force launched air strikes on 3x concentrations of Russian troops, weapons and military equipment, 1x command post and 2x artillery systems. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in the period from 4 to 10 February 2024, The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation carried out 31 group strikes with precision-guided weapons, including long-range air and sea-based weapons, and unmanned aerial vehicles against facilities of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex. The production facilities of enterprises engaged in the production and repair of aircraft, reconnaissance and strike UAVs and uncrewed boats, coastal and operational-tactical missile systems, as well as rockets for multiple-launch rocket systems, have been hit. In addition, units of the AFU, nationalist formations, and foreign mercenaries have been eliminated. The goals of the attacks have been reached. In Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces have occupied more advantageous lines and also repelled 36 attacks by assault groups of 25th airborne, 30th, 32nd, 44th mechanised brigades of the AFU, 13th, 18th brigades of the National Guard close to Sinkovka (Kharkov region) and Terny (Donetsk People's Republic). In addition, enemy manpower have been neutralised near Novosyolovskoye (Lugansk People's Republic), Kislovka, and Berestovoye (Kharkov region). The enemy losses were over 725 troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, 24 motor vehicles, and 10 field artillery systems. In Krasny Liman direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces have improved the front line and, in cooperation with aviation and artillery, repelled 14 enemy attacks. Enemy manpower and hardware of 60th and 63rd mechanised brigades, the 12th Azov Special Forces Brigade and the 5th Brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard have been hit close to Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People's Republic), Yampolovka, Torskoye, and Grigorovka (Donetsk People's Republic), as well as Serebryansky forestry. During the week in this direction the enemy losses were up to 1,500 servicemen killed and wounded, 11 armoured fighting vehicles, 31 motor vehicles, and three field artillery systems. In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces have occupied more favourable lines and positions and repelled 26 enemy attacks near Krasnoye, Leninskoye, Kleshcheevka, Shumy, and Pobeda (Donetsk People's Republic). Aviation and artillery have struck AFU and National Guard units close to Bogdanovka, Novy, Kurdyumovka, Novgorodskoye, Belogorovka, Andreevka, Georgievka, and Katerinovka (Donetsk People's Republic). The enemy losses were more than 2,190 troops, two tanks, 13 armoured fighting vehicles, 38 motor vehicles, 19 field artillery systems, and one Grad MLRS. In South Donetsk direction, the units of the Vostok Group of Forces have improved the front line position over the past week. Five attacks by the AFU have been repelled, as well as units of the 72nd Mechanised Brigade, 105th and 128th territorial defence brigades, and the 1st Brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard have been defeated close to Ugledar, Makarovka, Urozhaynoye, and Staromayorskoye (Donetsk People's Republic) and Priyutnoye (Zaporozhye region). The enemy losses were up to 1,160 soldiers, three tanks, six armoured fighting vehicles, 23 motor vehicles, and 14 field artillery guns. In Zaporozhye direction, units of the Russian troops have hit manpower and hardware of 128th mountain assault, 33rd, 65th, 118th mechanised brigades of the AFU, and the 3rd Brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard close to Rabotino, Novodanilovka, Nesteryanka, Pyatikhatki, and Shcherbaki (Zaporozhye region). The enemy losses were more than 210 troops, four armoured fighting vehicles, nine motor vehicles, four field artillery systems, and one Grad MLRS. In Kherson direction, Russian troops, in cooperation with aviation and artillery, have hit 35th and 37th marine brigades, 121st and 124th territorial defence brigades, and the 23rd Brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard close to Tyaginka, Mikhailovka, Ivanovka, Tokarevka, Zolotaya Balka, Antonovka, and Stanislav (Kherson region). The enemy losses were more than 245 servicemen, 25 motor vehicles, seven boats, six field artillery guns, and one HIMARS MLRS. Operational-Tactical Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, Missile Troops and Artillery of the groups of forces have neutralised, over the past week, two launchers and a radar of the S-300 anti-aircraft missile system have been hit, as well as eight ammunition depots of the AFU. Aviation and air defence facilities shot down MiG-29 and Su-25 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force, 34 HIMARS, Vampire, Uragan, and Olkha multiple-launch rocket system projectiles, as well as 488 unmanned aerial vehicles during the week. During the week, 36 Ukrainian servicemen have surrendered. In total, 570 airplanes and 265 helicopters, 12,166 unmanned aerial vehicles, 464 air defence missile systems, 14,956 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 1,218 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 8,008 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 18,419 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 Amirabdollahian says region moving towards political stability IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Feb 10, 2024 Bierut, IRNA -- Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian has said that the Israeli regime has reached none of its stated goals of the Gaza war despite mass killings in the Palestinian territory, adding that the West Asia region is moving toward political stability. Amirabdollahian, who is on a visit to Lebanon, made the comments on Saturday at a press conference with Iranian and Lebanese reporters, briefing them on the result of his talks with senior officials in Beirut. Iran and Lebanon share common views on regional issues, he said, adding that it is understood that the region is moving towards political stability despite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his cabinet's will to continue the war. Since the beginning of the crisis, we have said that war will not be a solution, the Iranian foreign minister said, adding that it is clear to everybody that the end of the war means the end of Netanyahu and the Zionist regime. Amirabdollahian said that Netanyahu is attempting to use the White House as a tool in order to remain in power for a longer period. He added that the Israeli prime minister will not be able to fight at two fronts, and that the Israeli regime cannot image how powerful Lebanon's Hezbollah resistance movement is. He warned that any move by the Israeli regime to launch an attack against Lebanon would seal the fate of Netanyahu. "Lebanon's resistance, military and resilient people will obstruct the realization of such ideas," Amirabdollahian said. Pointing to his earlier meeting with the secretary general of the Hezbollah resistance movement, the Iranian foreign minister said exchanging views with Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has always been a focal point of the Islamic Republic in regional developments. Regarding tensions in the Red Sea, Iran's top diplomat said Yemen follows a specific roadmap, which he said was to exert pressure on the Israeli regime to halt its genocide and crimes against Palestinians in Gaza. "Iran strongly supports the security of navigation and shipping, and we also benefit from trade by sea and shipping," he emphasized. Yemeni armed forces have been targeting Israeli-linked ships and those bound to the occupied territories since mid-November in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza. Tensions further escalated when the United States and the United Kingdom began the ongoing coordinated airstrikes against Yemeni targets on January 11. "The US and the US, in a wrong approach, extended the war to the Red Sea. Peace and tranquility in the Red Sea depend on stopping the war and crisis in Gaza," Amirabdollahian said. He said the joint US and Israeli aggression and genocide in Gaza pushed the region into its current situation. "We believe that the future of the region will be determined in such a way that peace, stability and lasting security will be established," he added. 4353**4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran's Alborz destroyer returns home after Red Sea deployment IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Feb 10, 2024 Moscow, IRNA -- Iran's Alborz destroyer has returned to Iranian waters following a 91-day deployment to the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, being replaced by the Alvand frigate that entered the Red Sea on Saturday. The Iranian Navy's 94th flotilla of warships, which includes the Alborz destroyer, was welcomed by Navy commanders in the 1st Naval Region based in Bandar Abbas, the southern Hormozgan Province, on Saturday. Rear Admiral Farhad Fattahi, a senior navy commander in the 1st Naval Region, welcomed the flotilla and its staff. "The presence of the Navy's strategic naval fleets in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea...brings pride to the great nation of Iran and is a thorn [in the side] of the humiliated enemies of the Iranian nation," the commander said. The flotilla was deployed to the Red Sea amid rising tensions in the region over the Israeli regime's genocidal war on the Gaza Strip. The Yemeni armed forces have been targeting Israeli-linked ships and those bound to the occupied territories since mid-November in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza. Tensions further escalated when the United States and the United Kingdom launched the ongoing coordinated airstrikes against Yemeni targets on January 11. 4353**4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran's Navy welcomes home 94th flotilla after Red Sea mission Iran Press TV Saturday, 10 February 2024 3:17 PM The Iranian Navy's 94th flotilla of warships has entered the territorial waters after a long mission in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. The Islamic Republic is expanding its naval presence in high seas amid tensions stoked by outsiders in the region. The flotilla, led by Alborz frigate, entered the territorial waters of the Islamic Republic on Saturday, after sailing more than 12,000 kilometers of sea routes in 91 days. During a welcoming ceremony in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, Rear Admiral Farhad Fattahi, deputy commander of the First Naval Region of Iran's Navy, hailed the presence of Iranian flotillas in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. The commander said the naval deployment is to safeguard Iran's national interests and serves as a source of pride for the Iranian nation. Captain Ali Khazaei, commander of the Iranian Navy's 94th flotilla, said Iranian marines implemented the guidelines set out by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei concerning protection of Iran's interests and assets in high seas, and hoisted the Islamic Republic's flag in international waters. Alborz frigate passed through the strategically crucial Bab el-Mandeb Strait and entered the Red Sea on January 1. The Iranian Navy has dispatched Alvand destroyer to the Red Sea as part of the flotillas that take part in regular missions in international waters. Iran's Navy has in recent years achieved self-sufficiency in manufacturing surface and sub-surface vessels. It has also increased its presence in international waters to protect naval routes and provide security for merchant vessels and tankers. Ayatollah Khamenei said in August 2023 that the Navy's presence in remote waters such as the Pacific and Atlantic oceans contributes to national security. "The United States and other superpowers monopolize general issues about mankind. If they could, those powers would even claim the seas in their name so that others would not have access to the natural resources." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Islamic Resistance in Iraq calls on 'brothers in jihad' to help expel US troops Iran Press TV Saturday, 10 February 2024 10:00 AM The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of anti-terror groups, has called on "our brothers in jihad to join the ranks of the resistance" and help drive out US troops from the Arab country. The call made in a statement issued Friday came after the US military admitted responsibility for a drone strike in Baghdad Wednesday night, which killed three people, including senior Kata'ib Hezbollah commander Abu Baqer al-Saadi. The statement touched on the "opportunity" which it said the group had granted to "the occupation forces to leave the land of the sanctities", suggesting that the chance had been withdrawn after the assassination. "The opportunity of the past days has certainly revealed to the Iraqi people, friends, and responsible entities that the occupying enemy does not leave its villainy and treachery, nor does it understand any language other than the language of arms. "This was clearly demonstrated in its recent targeting of the fighters of the Popular Mobilization Forces ... and its crimes were further increased by the assassination of the great leader Abu Baqir al-Saadi in Baghdad, thereby violating all rules of engagement," it said. "We call on our brothers in jihad to join the ranks of the resistance ... (and) participate actively in expelling the occupation at this historic stage for Iraq and the region," the group added. Saadi, commander in charge of Kata'ib Hezbollah's operations in Syria, was assassinated on Wednesday night after a US drone strike hit a moving vehicle east of the Iraqi capital. Two other Kata'ib Hezbollah officials also lost their lives in the attack. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it had assassinated the "commander responsible for directly planning and participating in attacks on US forces in the region." On Thursday, Iraq said repeated US strikes in the country are pushing the Baghdad government to end the presence of American troops, calling them a cause of instability. Yahya Rasool, military spokesperson for Iraqi Prime Minister Shia' al-Sudani, said the so-called US coalition "has become a factor for instability and threatens to entangle Iraq in the cycle of conflict". "This path pushes the Iraqi government more than ever before to end the coalition's mission which has become a factor of instability for Iraq." Early this month, at least 16 Iraqis were killed in US airstrikes ordered by President Joe Biden following the deadly drone attack on the American base in Jordan. The US aggression has agitated the Iraqi government which is pushing Washington to discuss a timeline for the withdrawal of its troops in the Arab country. The United States has 2,500 troops in Iraq with the express purpose of advising and assisting local forces to prevent a resurgence of Daesh. However, they have repeatedly targeted anti-terror groups integrated into the official Iraqi armed forces. Anti-US sentiments have also been growing in the region over Washington's unconditional support for Israel's atrocious onslaught against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Israel launched the war on Gaza following a historic operation by Hamas resistance group against the occupying entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address In Letter From Prison, Former Myanmar Leader Writes of Suffering By Ingyin Naing February 10, 2024 The day Kim Aris received a letter from his mother, Aung San Suu Kyi, marked a significant moment after almost three years of silence. Speaking on February 2 in an interview with VOA via Zoom from his home in England, Aung San Suu Kyi's youngest son expressed concern about his mother's health in prison. Aris confirmed with VOA that he had received a letter sent by his mother through the British Foreign Office. "Originally, it was just a picture, but I now have the original as well, a hard copy in her handwriting," he said. He said his mother a Myanmar's detained pro-democracy leader a isn't receiving adequate medical treatment. The handwritten letter detailed her suffering from dental and other health problems. "She was thanking me for the things I sent her in the care package and sending love to the family," Aris said of the letter. "But she also said that she's still suffering from ongoing health problems. Her teeth are still bad, which makes eating very difficult at times, and she has osteoporosis, which is ongoing even though she is generally well." He said he is concerned about the well-being of his mother. "She's 78 years old now and has been kept in horrible conditions without adequate health care. So, I'm worried about her," he said. "To the best of my knowledge, she is held in the Naypyidaw prison, separated from other prisoners in solitary confinement." Ousted, convicted, imprisoned Aung San Suu Kyi was arrested on February 1, 2021, after the military seized power from her elected government. The ensuing protests led to global outrage. Despite widespread belief that corruption charges filed against her were contrived for political purposes, she received a 27-year sentence. "I sent a care package in September when we heard my mom was unwell," said Aris. "Although it arrived in Rangoon [Yangon] in September, she only received it at the end of December, and I received her reply in mid-January." When asked about the unexpected permission for Suu Kyi to write to him, Aris speculated, "I'm sure they want to try and make themselves look better, but at the same time, they are allowing her property in Rangoon to be auctioned off." On January 25, a court in military-controlled Myanmar ordered the auction of Suu Kyi's family home, where she spent 15 years under house arrest. This decision followed a lengthy legal dispute, granting half ownership to her estranged older brother, Aung San Oo, who holds U.S. citizenship. The auction is scheduled for March 20, with a floor price of 315 billion Myanmar kyats (about $90 million). "The property that she lived in Naypyidaw was not her own property. That was government property," said Aris. "So, if she loses her house in Rangoon, she won't have any property of her own in Burma [Myanmar] at all." He continued, "The military have already seized all her other assets, which she's built up for charitable works, and she wanted to use the house at University Avenue for the charitable works that she was setting up. Unfortunately, they've seized everything and along with the rest of the country. Everything has gone backwards." "A lack of justice" A Myanmar human rights lawyer close to Suu Kyi's family, speaking anonymously for security reasons, told VOA by phone Thursday, "There is a lack of justice in the so-called legal process, which has disregarded a longstanding decision by the Myanmar Supreme Court in 2018." The country's highest court rejected Aung San Oo's appeal to auction off the house under the civilian government in 2018. However, the ruling from a Yangon district court, located in the nation's largest city, emerged approximately 18 months after the military-controlled Supreme Court approved a special appeal initiated by Aung San Oo. This legal development grants him half ownership of the familial property in Yangon, covering a 1.9-acre area along Inye Lake and featuring a two-story colonial-style edifice. The property holds profound historical significance, having been granted by the government to Suu Kyi's mother, Khin Kyi, following the assassination of her husband, the revered independence hero General Aung San, in July 1947. Khin Kyi's passing in December 1988 a shortly after a failed mass uprising against military rule in which Suu Kyi played a pivotal role as a co-founder of the National League for Democracy party a adds a poignant layer to the property's narrative. The Myanmar human rights lawyer said, "The rushed decision to sell the house is particularly unjust, given that Suu Kyi, who is currently in prison, resides in this house. The court, however, did not take this into consideration at all." Aris said, "Unfortunately, the military makes up the rules as they go along, and if it makes life harder for my mother, then they will follow this." Despite the challenges, Aris maintains hope about future communication with his mother. "I'll be writing to her again and sending more care packages," he said. "I hope that they get through." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pakistan Elections Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 10 February 2024 Australia notes the initial results of Pakistan's general elections held on 8 February 2024. As a friend of Pakistan, Australia has consistently called for a free, fair, inclusive and credible election process - in line with Pakistan's Constitution and its international obligations. We express our condolences for the loss of life incurred by terrorist attacks in the lead-up to and during elections. Australia welcomes the increase in the number of women registered to vote and the fact that millions of Pakistanis chose to vote. It is regrettable, however, that the Pakistani people were restricted in their choice, since not all political parties were allowed to contest these elections. Australia supports a democratic, stable and prosperous Pakistan which upholds its commitments to democratic principles including human rights, media freedoms, freedom of expression, and freedom of association. As a long-standing partner we look forward to working with Pakistan towards a shared vision of an open, stable, prosperous and inclusive region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pakistan's ex-PMs Sharif, Khan both claim victory in controversial election Iran Press TV Saturday, 10 February 2024 7:10 AM Pakistan's former prime ministers and bitter rivals Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan both claim victory in a national election marred by delayed results and deadly militant attacks. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), led by 74-year-old Sharif, managed to secure 71 seats out of the 265 seats in the parliament at the latest count, meaning that it won the most seats by a single party in Thursday's election. However, PML-N failed to win a clear majority on its own, prompting Sharif to talk to other groups to form a coalition government. "Pakistan Muslim League is the single-largest party in the country today after the elections and it is our duty to bring this country out of the whirlpool," Sharif told a crowd of supporters gathered outside his home in the eastern city of Lahore on Friday. "Whoever has got the mandate, whether independents or parties, we respect the mandate they have got," he further said, adding, "We invite them to sit with us and help this wounded nation get back on its feet." This is while candidates affiliated with 71-year-old jailed Khan, whose Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party was barred from the polls and ran as independents, managed to secure 91 seats at the latest count, meaning that he won the most seats overall. On his X social media account, Khan posted an artificial intelligence-generated message and rejected Sharif's claim to victory, while congratulating his supporters "on winning the 2024 elections." "I trusted that you all would come out to vote - and you honored that trust and your massive turnout has shocked everyone," said Khan in his audio-visual message, adding that no one would accept Sharif's claim because he had won fewer seats and because there had been rigging in the polls. Khan's supporters had used his physical appearance that was from a genuine video clip recorded last year but mixed it with his AI-generated voice and speech. The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the son of assassinated prime minister Benazir Bhutto, secured only 51 seats and reached third place, with the rest seats won by small parties and other independents. It is reported that PML-N succeeded in reaching an agreement with PPP to establish a coalition government at both the federal and provincial levels. A party must win 133 seats out of 265 in the National Assembly being contested to form the next government. Thursday's election was marred by militant attacks that claimed the lives of at least 28 people in two blasts near candidates' offices in the Pakistani province of Balochistan. The first bomb went off in Pishin district, north of Quetta city, killing 16 people, while the second one was detonated in Qila Saifullah to the east, killing 12. Dozens of other people were wounded in the attacks. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Minister of Defence General of Army Sergei Shoigu inspects implementation of state defence order for UAV production in Udmurtia 10.02.2024 Sergei Shoigu inspected the production lines of UAV samples supplied to the Russian Armed Forces under the state defence order at JSC Kalashnikov Concern. The head of the Russian military department was informed that new workshops have been opened since 2022, the launch of which allowed to increase the production of UAVs by 60 per cent, and in the future - to multiply their output. Thanks to the commissioning of new facilities, the production of precision weapons, including Vikhr-1 guided missiles, Kitolov-2 guided artillery shells, and Strela anti-aircraft guided missiles, are to double. The Russian Defence Minister focused the attention of the enterprise's management on the demand for anti-aircraft guided missiles. 'This is a very necessary thing, all critical infrastructure, economic facilities - oil, gas, refining - should be protected with this product,' emphasised Sergei Shoigu. Also at the enterprise the Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation was shown new composite materials used in the production of unmanned aerial vehicles, significantly increasing their survivability. At ZALA AERO Group's leading enterprise, which produces Lancet barrage munitions and reconnaissance drones, the Russian Defence Minister was presented with new models of reconnaissance and strike UAVs, which have been modified based on the experience of their use in the special military operation. Sergei Shoigu was also informed about the latest initiative developments of the company based on algorithms of real-time data analysis and processing, advanced research in the field of data transmission channels and navigation systems. These developments will make it possible to link all the company's products into a single system capable of effectively identifying and defeating enemy objects in an automated mode. At the Unmanned Systems Group, the Russian Minister of Defence was informed about the development by the company's specialists of a wide range of aircraft and helicopter-type UAVs with various payload variants. The company's employees have developed their own training and advanced training programme for UAV crews, which allows them to master and effectively use UAVs in the course of combat operations in the shortest possible time. At the end of the work, the Russian Minister of Defence held a working meeting with the heads of defence industry enterprises and representatives of the military authorities, during which he summed up the results. Sergei Shoigu noted that most of the tasks set a year ago for the enterprises have already been solved. 'Now we have to move on to the next stage, which is called 'solving the tasks that came in during the special military operation'. Many of them are familiar to you. These are issues of retransmission, control, guidance, target designation. The capacities that have been created allow us to solve most of the tasks that we are facing today. I mean the fight against FPV-drones, this is also the electronic warfare threat in the tactical link, and the use of artificial intelligence', - said Sergei Shoigu during the meeting, after which he set tasks to the management of the enterprises to increase the pace, quantity, and quality of products by increasing the automation of production facilities. Department for Media Affairs and Information NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Defense Minister Shoigu Inspects Production of Drones Sputnik News 20240210 Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has inspected the implementation of the state defense order for the production of reconnaissance and attack drones by defense industry enterprises in the Russian Republic of Udmurtia, the Defense Ministry reported. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, during a working trip to troops of the Central Military District, inspected the implementation of the state defense order for the production of reconnaissance and attack unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by enterprises of the defense industry in Udmurtia, the ministry said. The minister instructed the management of the enterprises to increase the speed, quantity, and quality of products by increasing the automation of production facilities. UAVs should be used to solve the tasks of relay, control, guidance, and target designation during special operations, Shoigu said at a meeting with defense industry enterprises producing drones of various classes. Sergei Shoigu was also shown new Russian composite materials that significantly increase the survivability of drones, the Russian Defense Ministry said. Shoigu noted that most of the tasks set for the enterprises a year ago have already been accomplished. "Now we need to move on to the next stage, which is called 'solving the tasks received during the special military operation.' Many of them are familiar to you. They are issues of retransmission, control, guidance, target designation," the minister said. The Kalashnikov Group will double the production of Vikhr-1 guided missiles, Kitolov-2 projectiles, and Strela anti-aircraft missiles, the Russian Defense Ministry added. "The head of the Russian Defense Ministry was informed that... thanks to the commissioning of new production facilities, the output of high-precision weapons, including Vikhr-1 air-launched guided missiles, Kitolov-2 guided artillery shells, and Strela anti-aircraft guided missiles, will increase twofold," the ministry said. Shoigu emphasized that the company's management should pay attention to the demand for anti-aircraft guided missiles. "The head of the Russian Defense Ministry was informed that since 2022 new workshops have been opened, the commissioning of which allowed to increase the production of unmanned aerial vehicles by 60%, and in the future to multiply their output," the ministry said. The Lancet drones developer presented Sergei Shoigu with new samples of reconnaissance and attack UAVs, which were improved taking into account the experience of the special military operation. Shoigu was also told that new developments by the ZALA AERO company will allow for all combat drones of its production to be united into a single system and to attack enemy objects in an automated mode. The capabilities of the Russian Armed Forces enable it to fight successfully against Ukrainian FPV drones in the special operation zone, Sergei Shoigu concluded. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syria's air defense units repel Israeli missile strike near Damascus Iran Press TV Saturday, 10 February 2024 5:45 AM Syrian air defense units have repelled an Israeli missile strike near capital Damascus, amid an upsurge in the Tel Aviv regime's acts of aggression against the Arab nation and its war on the Gaza Strip. "At 1:05 a.m. local time on Saturday (2205 GMT Friday), the Israeli enemy carried out an aerial attack from the direction of the occupied Golan Heights, and targeted a number of sites in the Damascus countryside," the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) quoted an unnamed military source as saying. The source added that Syrian air defenses shot down most of the missiles. The report noted that there were no injuries in the strike, but there were material losses. The strike came a few hours after the Syrian Army's air defense units shot down two Israeli drones that had penetrated into the country's airspace from the direction of the Golan Heights. They were hovering over neighborhoods in the western flank of Damascus, before they were intercepted and destroyed. Israel frequently targets military positions inside Syria, especially those of the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah which has played a key role in helping the Syrian army in its fight against foreign-backed terrorists. Tel Aviv rarely comments on its attacks on Syrian territories, which many see as a knee-jerk reaction to the Syrian government's success in confronting and decimating terrorism. Israel has been one of the main supporters of terrorist groups that oppose the democratically-elected government of President Bashar al-Assad since the foreign-backed militancy erupted in Syria. The missile attack on Syria came amid incessant Israeli bombing campaign in the besieged Gaza Strip. Israel launched the bloody war on Gaza on October 7 after Palestinian Hamas resistance movement launched Operation al-Aqsa Storm in the occupied territories in retaliation for the Tel Aviv regime's incessant crimes against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. Since the start of the aggression, the Tel Aviv regime has killed at least 27,947 Palestinians, most of them women and children, and injured another 67,459 individuals. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Norway to support efforts to locate missing persons in Ukraine Government of Norway Press release | Date: 10/02/2024 Norway is providing NOK 100 million for efforts to find and identify persons who have gone missing in Ukraine in connection with Russia's war of aggression. It is estimated that there are between 30 000 and 40 000 missing persons in Ukraine. Many have been killed but not identified, while others have been abducted, held captive, deported to Russia, separated from their families or become victims of human trafficking. 'Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has had terrible consequences for the civilian population. Norway seeks to facilitate efforts to find and identify those who have been killed or are missing, including children who have been forcefully taken to Russia. This is crucial for the affected families who live in constant distress and uncertainty about what has happened to their loved ones. These efforts are also a means of holding Russia accountable for its violations of international law in Ukraine,' said Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide. Norway is providing NOK 100 million in funding to the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) in Ukraine for the period 2024-2026. The agreement on the three-year support package was acknowledged at a meeting held today at the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs between State Secretary Eivind Vad Petersson and Director-General of the ICMP, Kathryne Bomberger. The ICMP is assisting the Ukrainian authorities in accounting for a large number of missing persons through among other things mortuary-based analyses and DNA testing. The funding from Norway will help to enable the ICMP to further safeguard the rights of the missing persons and their families. Under the project, funding will be used to support the activities of civil society organisations that assist the relatives of missing persons, to enhance the technical and professional expertise of the Ukrainian authorities and to expand the capacity of the ICMP's DNA laboratory in the Hague to make it possible to identify a greater number of missing persons from the ongoing war. The objective is to better equip the Ukrainian authorities to investigate and prosecute violations of international law using fact-based evidence. The funding for the ICMP is being allocated under the Nansen Support Programme for Ukraine. The identification of missing persons is also an important part of efforts to hold Russia accountable for its illegal aggression in Ukraine. Norway is providing support along several tracks in the ongoing effort to hold Russia accountable for actions in Ukraine that are in violation of international law. The primary responsibility for prosecuting individuals responsible for international crimes lies with the Ukrainian justice system. Ukraine thus has a key role to play in this context, but other countries have opened national investigations as well. In March 2022, Norway was one of over 40 countries that referred the situation in Ukraine to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in order to enable the ICC to open an independent investigation more quickly. Norway participates in the Dialogue Group on Accountability for Ukraine, which was established to document and prosecute Russia's war crimes and human rights abuses committed in Ukraine, and in the Council of Europe's Register of Damage for Ukraine. Norway was also involved in invoking the OSCE's Moscow Mechanism three times since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. Furthermore, Norway plays a leading role in the working group for the return of deported children and other civilian hostages and prisoners of war, which was established under Ukraine's peace formula. About the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) The International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) is an intergovernmental organisation that seeks to secure the cooperation of governments and other authorities in locating persons missing as a result of conflicts, human rights abuses, disasters, organised violence and other causes and to assist them in doing so. The ICMP was established in 1996 and its initial mandate was to help account for the approximately 40 000 persons who were missing due to conflict in the former Yugoslavia, most of whom were missing in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Some 70 % of the persons reported missing are now accounted for. At the request of various governments, the ICMP has been involved in identifying missing and dead persons in many countries across the world, including Syria and Iraq. Norway is not a state party to the ICMP but supports its efforts to help hold perpetrators accountable. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US and German leaders pressure US Congress for Ukraine aid Iran Press TV Saturday, 10 February 2024 11:01 AM German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Joe Biden urged US lawmakers to approve a long-delayed military aid package for Ukraine, warning that Kiev could defend itself against Russia without it. On Friday, Biden criticized Congress for not passing the fund for Ukraine, and said that it would be "close to criminal neglect" if it failed to do so. "The failure of the United States Congress in not supporting Ukraine is close to criminal neglect," Biden said in the Oval Office, as he hosted Scholz who came to visit Biden to lend his support to obtain funding from Congress for Kiev. "It is outrageous," he said. The White House has consistently issued warnings for several months now, emphasizing that the absence of assistance from lawmakers to Kiev would severely impact its capacity to combat Russia. Scholz, who is the leader of Europe's biggest military backer for Kiev, said he hoped for progress in unblocking the multi-billion-dollar US assistance for Ukraine. "Without the support of the United States and without the support of European states, Ukraine would have not a chance to defend its own country," Scholz warned. "That is why we are both firmly convinced that this must happen now, but also confident that the American Congress will ultimately make such a decision," he told reporters. He further remarked that Europe has now made decisions to get "necessary financial support to the budget." The European Union approved a four-year, 50 billion-euro ($54 billion) facility for Ukraine last week. He later hinted that Congress to allocate funds for Ukraine as well, as he advocated for Biden, adding, "Hopefully Congress, the House, will follow you and make a decision on giving the necessary support." While talking about the Russian military campaign in Ukraine with reporters, Scholz said he had been encouraged by the US Senate's move on Thursday to advance a $95.34 billion bill that includes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. The ongoing political deadlock in Washington has resulted in a shortage of crucial ammunition for Kiev, coinciding with the gradual advances made by Putin's forces in a relentless winter offensive in eastern Ukraine. Meanwhile, on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the West in a first interview with a Western journalist that it is "impossible" to defeat the Kremlin in Ukraine. "Up until now, there has been the uproar and screaming about inflicting a strategic defeat to Russia on the battlefield," Putin said during the more than two-hour interview. "But now they are apparently coming to realize that it is difficult to achieve, if possible, at all. In my opinion, it is impossible by definition," he added. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address At Least 8 People, Including 3 Children, Killed In Fresh Wave Of Russian Strikes On Ukraine By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service February 10, 2024 At least eight people were killed and several others wounded in a fresh round of Russian drone strikes and shelling on February 10 that also damaged port infrastructure critical for Ukraine's food exports, the military and regional officials said. A drone strike on a fuel depot in the eastern city of Kharkiv -- Ukraine's second-largest -- killed seven people, including three children, and wounded another three, regional Governor Oleh Synyehubov said on Telegram early on February 10. Kharkiv chief prosecutor Oleksandr Filchakov said on Telegram that three drones hit the fuel depot in the Nemyshlianskiy district of the city. Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov earlier said that fuel from the depot set several nearby homes on fire and that some 50 people were evacuated from the area. "The bodies of five people, including three children, were found in one of the homes," Synyehubov said, adding that two children were aged 4 and 7, while the third one was a 6-month-old baby. "Two more people died in another home," Synyehubov said. In the Kherson region, Russian troops shelled the village of Veletenske, killing a woman and wounding her elderly parents, the regional military administration reported on Telegram. "A residential building in which a family lived was hit. The parents were wounded, their daughter died on the spot," the report said. In the southern region of Odesa, four people were wounded by Russian drones, regional Governor Oleh Kiper said. He said nine Iranian-made Shahed drones were launched at the Black sea port city of Odesa, all being shot down by Ukrainian air defenses. "The debris from one of the downed drones damaged port infrastructure, and a port worker was wounded and has been hospitalized," Kiper wrote on Telegram. A second and third wave of Russian drones targeted Ukraine's Izmayil port on the Danube, Kiper said, adding that port infrastructure and technical facilities were damaged along with trucks and cars. Civilian homes and roads were also damaged by the attack, despite air defenses destroying 12 drones, Kiper said. "Three port workers were wounded.... All are hospitalized. One of the victims is in serious condition," he said. NATO said it had deployed Turkish F-16 warplanes from a base in southern Romania on reconnaissance missions after Russia struck port infrastructure at Izmayil and Reni on the Danube, Romania's Defense Ministry said in a statement. The two ports are located just across the Danube from the border with alliance member Romania. The statement said there were no debris from Russian drones were detected on Romania's territory. Romania has found Russian drone debris on its territory several times before. Since the collapse in July of a United Nations-brokered deal allowing the safe passage of Ukrainian grain shipments from Black Sea ports, Ukraine has used its Danube ports of Reni and Izmayil on the border with Romania to ship food to the Romanian Black Sea port of Constanta. Separately, the Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched a total of 31 drones at Ukraine's Kharkiv and Odesa regions on February 10. The Ukrainian air defenses shot down 23 drones, it said. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-kharkiv-drone-attack- children-killed-ukraine-children/32813375.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 'Our Grandchildren Will Never Forgive Us': Walesa Says World's Moment To Forge Russia's Future Is Now By Margret Johnston February 10, 2024 WASHINGTON -- Former Polish President Lech Walesa, who was in the U.S. capital this week with a message for Americans about the importance of continuing their support for Ukraine, says the world currently has a unique opportunity to force political change in Russia and should not let it pass. Walesa stressed during a rare public appearance that while Ukrainians are fighting "courageously" and Western countries are stepping up to help, the struggle to seize the narrative through what he called "peaceful propaganda" is the real key to victory. The 80-year-old labor leader turned politician and Nobel Peace Prize winner said he came to Washington mainly to stress the importance of commanding the information space and to encourage the country not to retreat from its leadership role. "The whole world has joined together against Russia. It has never been like this. It's our great opportunity to finally put some order into this world," Walesa said in an address on February 8 at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a Washington think tank. Walesa said fate has given the United States the role of leader in meeting these challenges and it cannot retreat now. "Our grandchildren will never forgive us" if it does, he said. The co-founder of Poland's Solidarity movement, who served from 1990 to 1995 as Poland's first postcommunist president, said he fought his struggle against the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact more than 40 years ago mainly with information and he encouraged the United States to do a better job "fighting with propaganda" against the current regime of Russian President Vladimir Puin. This includes tactics such as publishing data about the number of Russian soldiers killed and maimed in the war and the stories behind those losses. Ordinary Russians must be reminded that their neighbors or their neighbors' sons may no longer be alive because they were sent to "die for Putin." Westerns should help Russians "internalize what needs to be done." In the decades since he left politics Walesa has been a champion of democracy and the rule of law, encouraging Eastern Europe's formerly communist countries to pursue progress through democratic means. Walesa was celebrated in Washington in 1989 as the man who did more than any other single individual to bring down communism in Eastern Europe and addressed a joint session of Congress. There was little fanfare for his current visit and no indication that he made a stop at the U.S. Capitol to lobby for President Joe Biden's proposed $60 billion military aid package for Ukraine that is being held back by demands from Republican lawmakers that it be accompanied by deep changes in domestic border policy. Sporting a lapel pin with the blue-and-yellow colors of the Ukrainian flag, he told the audience at the CSIS that military aid must continue while he fretted over America abandoning its leadership role. "Numerous civilizations in the past have crumbled because somewhere along the way they forgot about leadership, and we are heading in this direction. We will destroy our civilization unless the United States retakes its leadership role," he said. With the U.S. presidential election on the horizon and the possibility that voters could elect populist Donald Trump for a second time and endorse his nationalist agenda, Walesa also warned against demagogues, saying when there is a dearth of solutions offered, that type of leader tends to rise to power. He said Poland "made a bad choice" -- a reference to the Law and Justice party, which governed Poland for eight years with a conservative, nationalist, and sometimes anti-EU agenda until it lost its majority in parliament in October. He urged Americans to avoid the mistakes made by Poland, adding, "In your country I also see some poor choices are being made." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/lech-walesa-ukraine-russia- war-united-states-support/32813630.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 Readies New Sanctions Targeting Foreign Companies Helping Russia's War Effort By Reid Standish February 10, 2024 The European Union is preparing to sanction military and tech firms from China, Kazakhstan, Serbia, and other countries helping Russia's war effort, according to a document seen by RFE/RL, as the bloc steps up efforts to curtail evasion. Russia has managed to overcome sweeping EU and U.S. technology sanctions aimed at stifling its military-industrial complex by rerouting crucial goods like microprocessors through friendly third nations, such as China. The West has been cautious to date about targeting companies in third countries amid concerns over alienating leaders, choosing diplomacy instead. But with Russia ramping up missile and other weapons production with Western-made chips, pressure is growing on Brussels and Washington to take action. Now, ahead of the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, the EU is expected to announce a 13th package of Russia-related sanctions that targets entities in six foreign countries, according to the document seen by RFE/RL. The targets include four firms from China and one each from Kazakhstan, Serbia, India, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and NATO-member Turkey. Overall, there are 21 entities on the list, the rest of which are based in Russia. The entities included on the list are not final and additional companies and persons could be added or removed before a final version is passed. Brussels has so far sanctioned three Chinese firms in past packages and has been in discussions with Beijing over China's growing role in supplying Russian companies with nonlethal but militarily useful equipment. Russian imports of dual-use goods through firms based in Central Asia and China have skyrocketed since the start of the war, including electronics and components produced by Western companies, such as microchips and drones. During a visit to China in December, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council chief Charles Michel warned Chinese leader Xi Jinping to address a list of 13 companies identified by Brussels alleged to be involved in supplying Russian firms. The four Chinese firms on the current draft sanctions package include: Guangzhou Ausay Technology Co Limited, Shenzhen Biguang Trading Co. Limited, Yilufa Electronics Limited, and the Hong Kong-based RG Solutions Limited. If included in the final version, the Serbia-based firm Conex Doo Beograd-Stari Grad would be the first company from the Balkan country to be included in an EU sanctions package tied to the war in Ukraine. The Almaty-based Elem Group would also be the first company from Kazakhstan to be in a package should it not be removed following discussions next week as EU ambassadors meet to finalize the list. Two Kazakh firms were included in a draft version of the 12th sanctions package seen by RFE/RL in November, but were not included into the final version. Elem Group was added to the U.S. Department of Commerce's Entity List in December and an RFE/RL investigation in June found that the company had shipped hundreds of dual-use parts to the St. Petersburg-based electronics dealer Streloi E-Kommerts. Streloi E-Kommerts was hit with sanctions from the U.S. Treasury Department in December, which said the company was part of Russia's military procurement network. Elem Group has denied any wrongdoing and Kazakhstan's Ministry of National Economy claimed in December that the company has not been trading with foreign entities since May. The company was incorporated in Kazakhstan less than three weeks after Russia's invasion and one of its founders, Russian businessman Kirill Tulyakov, was also a founder of Streloi E-Kommerts. The new sanctions list, which includes companies and individuals, will continue to be debated in Brussels as the bloc looks to revitalize waning levels of Western support and assistance to Ukraine. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/european-union-sanctions- foreign-companies-helping-russia-ukraine-war/32813674.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 Deputy Defense Minister Dismissed Amid Military Reshuffle By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service February 10, 2024 Ukraine's First Deputy Defense Minister Oleksandr Pavlyuk has been dismissed from his post, the government announced on February 10, the latest of major personnel changes at the top of Ukraine's army after President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the military needed a "reset." The move was announced on Telegram by Taras Melnychuk, the government's representative in the Ukrainian parliament, who said Pavlyuk was "transferred to another job," without giving any other details. Melnychuk did not say who was replacing Pavlyuk. Zelenskiy on February 9 appointed Major General Anatoliy Barhilevych as Ukraine's new chief of the General Staff in another major personnel change after naming Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskiy as commander in chief. Barhilevych replaced Lieutenant General Serhiy Shaptala. Zelenskiy announced Barhilevych's appointment in his nightly video address, saying he had acted at Syrskiy's recommendation. Zelenskiy described Barhilevych as "an experienced individual who understands the tasks of this war and Ukrainian objectives." Zelenskiy also said that Syrskiy has already identified candidates for positions as his deputies but did not name them, saying only that all have combat experience, are professional, and possess "a clear knowledge of the front and the real needs of Ukrainian soldiers." In his first remarks since being appointed to command Ukraine's armed forces, Syrskiy said the country must change and improve its methods of warfare if it is to defeat invading Russian forces. Syrskiy, who on February 8 was named by Zelenskiy to take over the lead of the armed forces from General Valeriy Zaluzhniy, said in a post on Telegram that "a clear and detailed planning of the actions of all military administration bodies" was needed. "Only changes and constant improvement of the means and methods of warfare will make it possible to achieve success on this path," he wrote in the post on February 9, adding that new technical solutions, including drone systems and adding means of radio-electronic warfare are needed. Syrskyi is regarded as the architect of the most important Ukrainian victory of the war, the counteroffensive in the eastern Kharkiv region in September 2022 that chased Russian forces out of the cities of Kupiansk and Izyum. The change in the leadership of the armed forces comes at a crucial time for Ukraine, which has failed to recapture significant territory from Russia since late 2022. Kyiv also faces a potential disruption in military aid supply from the United States, its biggest backer, as Republican lawmakers block a $61 billion aid package over demands for deep changes in U.S. border policy. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-military-reshuffle- zelenskiy/32813571.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 Russian Military Prevented Ukraine's Attack on Civilian Ships in Black Sea Sputnik News 20240210 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russian navy foiled an attempted attack on February 9 by Kiev on Russian civilian transport ships with the use of unmanned semi-submersible boats in the southwestern region of the Black Sea, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Saturday. "On the evening of February 9, 2024, the Kiev regime carried out an attempted terrorist attack on Russian civilian transport vessels in the southwestern region of the Black Sea using semi-submersible unmanned boats," the ministry said. Russian navy patrol boats and fleet aviation stopped the attack, the ministry said, adding that as a result, a Ukrainian unmanned boat had been destroyed and other boats had been stopped by electronic warfare systems. At the same time, no civilian transport ships or ships of the Russian navy were damaged, the Russian military stated. In a separate development, the Russian Armed Forces carried out 31 strikes with missiles and UAVs on facilities of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex, locations of Ukrainian troops and foreign mercenaries, the Russian Defense Ministry said. "Aircraft production and repair facilities, reconnaissance and attack UAVs and unmanned boats, coastal and operational-tactical missile systems, as well as missiles for multiple launch rocket systems were hit," the ministry said. Russian units inflicted more than 245 casualties on Ukrainian forces and destroyed 25 vehicles, seven boats, six field artillery guns and one HIMARS MLRS combat vehicle in the Kherson area during the week, the ministry added. The ministry also reported that Russian troops in the South Donetsk area improved their positions on the front line during the week, repulsing five attacks. The Ukrainian forces lost up to 1,160 servicemen and three tanks. During the week, 36 Ukrainian servicemen surrendered to Russian forces. "In the south Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok battlegroup improved their position along the front line over the past week," the ministry said. During this week the Russian military hit two launchers and a radar of a Ukrainian S-300 SAM system, as well as eight ammunition depots of the Ukrainian forces, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Three Injured in Ukrainian Shelling of Khutor in Russia's Belgorod Region Sputnik News 20240210 BELGOROD Russia (Sputnik) - Three workers have been injured in the Ukrainian shelling of the Ponury khutor in the Grayvoronsky District of Russia's Belgorod Region, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Saturday. "The outskirts of the Ponury khutor in the Grayvoronsky district came under Ukrainian shelling. As a result of the shelling, three workers were injured. The men sustained shrapnel wounds in various parts of their bodies. They have been taken by an ambulance brigade to Belgorod City Hospital No. 2," Gladkov said. All of those injured are receiving the necessary medical assistance, the governor added. Earlier, Gladkov said that the Ukrainian military had fired 14 shells at four border districts of the Belgorod region over the past 24 hours, with no casualties. On Saturday, Gladkov published on his Telegram channel information about the shelling that took place in the region on February 9. Four districts were hit by 14 artillery shells. In addition, a Ukrainian kamikaze drone attacked a truck. According to the head of the region, there were no casualties. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Combat commanders, brigades' real-life experience must be implemented for the Armed Forces' success - address by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy President of Ukraine 10 February 2024 - 19:14 Dear Ukrainians, In Kharkiv, the clearing of debris and emergency work continues after a strike using Shahed drones. Four people have been rescued. Assistance is being provided to all who have been affected. Dozens of people have been evacuated. More than 20 buildings have been saved from the spread of fire. Unfortunately, there are casualties. Among them are three children, very young boys: seven years old, four years old, and seven months old. My condolences to their families and loved ones! Russian terrorists must and will be held accountable for all their actions. History must remember that those responsible for such killings did not escape punishment. And it will. Today, I spent the entire day in meetings with military leadership and the Government. We continue to reboot the management team in the Armed Forces. Now, people who are well-known in the army and who themselves know well what the army needs are taking on new responsibilities. Combat commanders of this war, whose experience will be useful at the all-army level. Colonel Vadym Sukharevskyi - his focus is on unmanned systems and the development of utilization of drones by our soldiers, and Colonel Andriy Lebedenko - his focus is on innovation, specifically the technology component of the army and combat systems - have been appointed deputies of Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. Clear practice with new technologies is needed. There are more than enough theories; everything must work in practice for the sake of Ukrainian goals and the maximum preservation of the lives of our soldiers. Brigadier General Volodymyr Horbatiuk - his focus is on operational work, staff work, planning, management, in every staff, they must fully understand the front, Brigadier General Oleksiy Shevchenko - his focus is on logistics, ensuring maximum quality of logistics in our army, and Brigadier General Mykhailo Drapatyi - he will be responsible for the quality training of our military - have been approved as deputies of the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. All the real-life experience of combat commanders, combat brigades, our units, who have built a quality training system for soldiers and evaluation and analysis of combat actions - all this experience must be implemented for the success of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. I also held a detailed and wide-ranging meeting regarding Ukrainian arms and ammunition production - everything we already produce and what we plan to produce. Drones, drone munitions, artillery, and rounds, our equipment. The development and provision of mobile fire groups was in focus. The Commander-in-Chief, commanders, government officials. Clear tasks regarding financing and expediting contracts. Everything planned for the year will be executed. And one more thing. I spoke with President Macron of France. And these were very fruitful, much-needed talks. Needed right now. The content of the talks, which strengthens us for sure - all of us in Europe. I informed Emmanuel about the situation on the battlefield - everything very clearly. About the threats, about our needs. We thoroughly discussed what will strengthen our soldiers. EW and air defense, artillery. I thanked him for the effective French Caesar systems. We discussed the current shortage of artillery rounds and how we can fill it. Ukraine appreciates France's leadership in the Coalition to strengthen our artillery created within Ramstein, which adds perspective to our defense against Russian attacks. We also discussed in detail the security agreement between our states - security commitments. We are already finalizing the agreement. Teams are actively working, and we can reach a very ambitious level, which will be a necessary signal to the entire global community. A signal that Europe knows how to protect lives, knows how to add security - for generations. Emmanuel, Mr. President, I thank you! Thank you to everyone who helps Ukraine! Glory to all our warriors - everyone who saves us from Russian madness. Glory to our people! Glory to Ukraine! NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed Ukraine's defense needs, preparation of bilateral document on security commitments with Emmanuel Macron President of Ukraine 10 February 2024 - 16:31 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a phone call with President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron. Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed condolences to the families and loved ones of the French humanitarian workers killed by a Russian strike in Kherson region and wished a speedy recovery to the wounded. The Head of the Ukrainian state thanked France for its staunch support from President Emmanuel Macron's administration and French society. The leaders of the two states discussed the current situation on the battlefield and Ukraine's defense needs, including drones, artillery systems and ammunition, electronic warfare means, and various types of air defense systems, both portable and long-range. The President of Ukraine highly appreciated the initiation of a coalition to strengthen Ukraine's artillery by France and the United States, under which Paris will transfer dozens of Caesar artillery systems and ammunition to Ukraine. The heads of state also discussed the development of a bilateral document on providing security commitments within the framework of the Vilnius Declaration of the G7. According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the active preparation of bilateral security agreements by leading European countries demonstrates Europe's leadership, motivates Ukrainian society and soldiers, and sends powerful signals to Russia regarding Europe's unwavering support for Ukraine. The Presidents of Ukraine and France also coordinated the calendar of future joint events. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Environmental Compact for Ukraine is not only about holding Russia accountable for environmental damage, but also about the future for the next generations - Andriy Yermak President of Ukraine 10 February 2024 - 10:26 The Environmental Compact for Ukraine, developed by the High-Level Working Group on the Environmental Consequences of the War, is an unprecedented document that will make Ukraine an example to the world in environmental protection. This was stated by Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak, at a briefing following the meeting of the High-Level Working Group on the Environmental Consequences of the War in Kyiv. Andriy Yermak stated that the Environmental Compact for Ukraine, developed by the High-Level Working Group, is an unprecedented document. "This has never happened before in history, when a country at war not only thinks, but works to restore the environment, punish the guilty, and also show the whole world what and how can and should be done to ensure the future for the next generations," he said. The document focuses on three priorities. The first is to assess the environmental damage caused by Russia on the territory of Ukraine. European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevicius emphasized the importance of gathering evidence of Russia's environmental crimes. "We provide satellite imagery and finance the collection of evidence so that ultimately Russia will be held accountable not only for crimes against humanity and Ukrainians, but also for the damage inflicted on the environment. These crimes will remain after the war: chemicals from shelling, destruction of buildings and water infrastructure, thousands of tonnes of scrap metal, landmines, and so on. All of this results in pollution," said the EU Commissioner. The second priority is to punish for committing these crimes. Andriy Yermak expressed confidence that each fact of Russia's crime will definitely become the ground for future legal proceedings, and ultimately the ground for compensation and reparations. The third priority is the environmental recovery and the elimination of damage done. According to the head of the Office of the President, it is not just about recovery, but about improving people's living space through modern technologies and environment-friendly solutions. "It's about the water we drink, the air we breathe, how invaders will pay not only for each life, for lost health, but also the death of animals, and the destruction of our nature," he said. According to the head of the President's Office, soon this compact will be passed on to all world leaders for consideration and will be a topic of discussion at international forums and conferences. It will also lay the groundwork for specific political decisions at the conference that will take place after the inaugural Global Peace Summit at the leaders' level, including the working group that operates under point 8 of the Peace Formula "Ecological Safety." Andriy Yermak thanked Margot Wallstrom, co-chair of the working group, and all its participants for their work and support of Ukraine. The co-chair of the High-Level Working Group on the Environmental Consequences of the War, former Deputy Prime Minister and former Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, Margot Wallstrom, said that the group members focused on approaches to assessing the environmental damage inflicted on Ukraine by the war, as well as on holding the aggressor country accountable and the green reconstruction of our state. Margot Wallstrom said that approximately 30 out of 50 recommendations outlined in the Environmental Compact address the Ukrainian government, while the rest concern assistance from partner countries and civil society. "What Ukraine is doing now is innovation, it is leadership in the world. Ukraine emphasizes the importance of the environment and, despite the war, gives it priority. Through this document, we provide the world with new methodologies, technologies, and standards for assessing the environmental damage caused during the war," she said. According to her, thanks to the Environmental Compact, Ukraine will be able to ensure accountability for environmental damage and will also serve as an example of environmental recovery to the world, based on cutting-edge technologies. Vice President of the European Parliament and former Minister for International Development of Finland Heidi Hautala added that members of the High-Level Working Group continue their work, cooperating with governments of other countries, including representatives from the Global South. "We need to convince governments and international organizations that this document is the best plan to address environmental damage. We will continue to work, if necessary, as advisors and ambassadors of this plan," said Heidi Hautala. She also said that the implementation of this document will facilitate Ukraine's accession to the European Union, which also pays significant attention to environmental issues. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine Aid Bill Inches Forward in US Senate to Uncertain Fate By VOA News February 10, 2024 The U.S. Senate is working through the weekend on a $95.3 billion military aid package, of which about $60 billion would go to support Ukraine's defensive war against Russia. Late Friday, 64 senators voted in favor of the bill while 19 voted against it. Fourteen Republicans joined Democrats to move the proposal toward the next stage while facing objections from a core group of Republicans a more closely aligned with the GOP's presidential front-runner, Donald Trump a who don't consider U.S. support of Ukraine against Russia a priority. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told the senators he would be willing to amend the package to win over more support, but the New York Democrat also warned they would stay in session "until the job is done." Even if the foreign aid package clears the Senate with possible Sunday voting, the package still faces a deeply uncertain fate in the House. In that chamber, the Republican majority is even more opposed to helping the U.S. ally in Europe, as the war between Ukraine and Russia enters its second year. Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday decried a Republican delay on approving new U.S. aid to Ukraine. "The failure of the United States Congress, if it occurs, not to support Ukraine is close to criminal neglect. It is outrageous," Biden said in the White House Oval Office alongside German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Scholz made a whirlwind stop in Washington to support Biden's efforts to gain funding for Ukraine. Scholz addressed growing concerns in Europe about the standoff between the Democratic president and House Republicans on Ukraine funding. "Without the support of [the] United States, and without the support of the European states, Ukraine will have not a chance to defend its own country," Scholz said. Former Polish President Lech Walesa also visited the U.S. capital this week to rally for renewed U.S. military aid to Ukraine. The 80-year-old labor leader turned politician and Nobel Peace Prize winner said the world currently has a unique opportunity to force political change in Russia and should not let it pass. "The whole world has joined together against Russia. It has never been like this. It's our great opportunity to finally put some order into this world," Walesa said in an address on February 8 at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, or CSIS, a Washington policy group. Walesa said he came to Washington mainly to underscore the importance of commanding the information space and to encourage the country not to retreat from its leadership role, VOA sister organization RFE/RL reports. The United States has been Ukraine's largest supplier of military assistance in the war, but that help is stalled while Congress wrangles over a bill providing aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the latest Russian attack on Kharkiv, writing on February 10, that "terror cannot go unpunished" and that "Russia must be held accountable for every life it has ruined and destroyed," The Kyiv Independent reports. A Russian drone attack struck a gas station in Kharkiv overnight on February 10, triggering a large fire that engulfed 15 residential homes and killed at least seven people, including three children. Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov later reported that 57 people had been injured in the attack and declared February 11, as a day of mourning in the city. According to Zelenskyy, four people were rescued and dozens of others have been evacuated from their homes. Serhii Bolvinov, head of Kharkiv Oblast police's investigative department, reported on Facebook that an entire family was burned alive in their home. The youngest child was less than one year old. "It is impossible to identify the body of the baby at the scene. The burning temperature was such that the bones and the baby's body almost turned to ashes," Bolvinov wrote. Due to its proximity to the Russian border, Kharkiv and the surrounding oblast are frequently targeted by Russian drones and missiles. 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 Tokyo, Japan, Feb. 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Shibwifhat, the latest sensation on the Solana blockchain, is set to disrupt the crypto world as the ultimate Dogwifhat killer. With its unique approach and promising trajectory, Shibwifhat is poised to take the market by storm. Inspired by the success story of Dogwifhat, which skyrocketed to an impressive ATH of over +500 million market capitalization, Shibwifhat aims to surpass its predecessor and claim the throne as the premier project on Solana. Dogwifhat's current market capitalization stands at over +200 million, showcasing the immense potential of projects on the Solana chain. Inspired by the success story of Dogwifhat, which skyrocketed to an impressive ATH of over +500 million market capitalization, Shibwifhat aims to surpass its predecessor and claim the throne as the premier project on Solana. Dogwifhat's current market capitalization stands at over +200 million, showcasing the immense potential of projects on the Solana chain. CoinMarketCap Comparison Dogwifhat: ViewDogwifhat on CoinMarketCap ATH: +500 million market capitalization Current Market Capitalization: +200 million Shibwifhat presents investors with an exciting opportunity to capitalize on the momentum of a burgeoning project with a small market capitalization. Just as Shib emerged as a formidable competitor to Doge in its heyday, Shibwifhat now embodies the same disruptive energy on the Solana blockchain. "We believe Shibwifhat has the potential to redefine the landscape of decentralized finance on Solana," said founder of Shibwifhat. "The parallels between Shibwifhat and the early days of Shib are uncanny, and we are confident that our project will surpass all expectations." Shibwifhat offers a fresh perspective and innovative features that set it apart from its predecessors. With a dedicated team of developers and a passionate community backing its vision, Shibwifhat is primed for exponential growth. Investors looking for the next big opportunity nee to look no further than Shibwifhat. With its small market capitalization and immense potential for growth, Shibwifhat represents a compelling investment opportunity in the dynamic world of cryptocurrency. For more information about Shibwifhat and to join our community, please visit Shibwifhat's website at https://shibwifcoin.com/ . About Shibwifhat Shibwifhat is a revolutionary project on the Solana blockchain, aiming to disrupt the crypto world and establish itself as the ultimate Dogwifhat killer. With a small market capitalization and a dedicated team, Shibwifhat is poised for exponential growth and success. Disclaimer: The information provided in this release is not investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is recommended that you practice due diligence (including consultation with a professional financial advisor) before investing or trading securities and cryptocurrency. Advertising Debut collection Reality Swirl is about the dreams of the Over Konfident designer Olga Kononenko. As Olga says, these dreams are crazy and the opposite of reality, and this inspired her to create clothes. The collection was complemented by extravagant shapes and fantastic images. The collection includes a variety of clothing items: blue and pink jackets, gray and beige vests. Each item in the collection has its own unique name that expresses the ideas and concepts of design. Over Konfident challenges stereotypes creating clothes for different body types. Olga Kononenko emphasizes the importance of storage and rethinking the technique of creating clothes and combining new materials. Every design and detail in this collection represent a vision of my dreams combined with reality. I can't imagine any collection without handwork, because I create most of the clothes myself: from idea to realization, the designer says. The range of clothing is available at the link on the brands website: https://www.overkonfident.com and on the Instagram page of the brand. Olga Kononenko is a Ukrainian designer who received her education at the Italian Istituto Marangoni. The "Reality Swirl" collection is the debut collection of the designer and her brand "Over Konfident". Stories Summary of Major Findings Data and Maps Residential segregation between blacks and whites persists today, even though Congress outlawed overt housing discrimination a half century ago. The most segregated metropolitan areas, though, are not the Southern cities that were the battlefields of the civil rights movement; they are older cities in the Northeast and Midwest that absorbed black residents during the Great Migration.But why are so many cities and metropolitan areas still split along racial lines? And what is the role of local government in reinforcing those divides?To answer those questions, Governingconducted a six-month investigation of black-white segregation in the small cities of downstate Illinois. The area is the veritable byword for Middle America, and it helped launch the political careers of Abraham Lincoln and Barack Obama. But it also includes some of the most segregated places in the country.Segregation may be more pronounced in major metropolitan areas, like Chicago and Detroit, but our investigation found that it is a common feature in smaller metro areas, too. Whats more, by looking at small cities, we were able to distill some of the common problems in local government that exacerbate segregation, in areas such as housing, schools and law enforcement.Americas racial divide runs right through the Heartland. Examining segregation in these Midwestern cities provides a lens for viewing much larger patterns in the country as a whole.The black-white divide is still a major problem. Government policies are partially to blame.Segregated schools arent just the products of segregated neighborhoods. In many cases, predominantly white schools are driving the racial divide.Decades of local zoning regulations and land use policies have kept racial segregation firmly rooted in place.Cities' efforts to get tough on crime can make it harder for low-income residents to find good jobs and housing.The Peoria area had the sixth-highest level of segregation measured between blacks and whites of any metro area in the country, while the Danville area ranked 12th nationally. Kankakee, Rockford and Springfield were similarly among the top third most segregated metro areas between black and whites.Levels of segregation within the Champaign-Urbana, Danville and Peoria areas have remained essentially unchanged since 1980, counter to prevailing national downward trends.Many areas of Illinois have experienced significant white flight over the past several decades. This pattern has continued in recent years in some urban neighborhoods. ( View map Our analysis of federal data found the Peoria metro area had the most segregated schools between black and white students of any area nationally, regardless of size. The problem is prevalent throughout the state, with black-white school segregation in eight of 10 Illinois metro areas in the top third in the U.S. Only Bloomington-Normal and Carbondale recorded lower levels of segregation.Segregation within individual school districts is much less severe than in entire metro areas, suggesting school district boundaries contribute to segregation.Over the past 15 years, nearly all large urban downstate Illinois school districts lost at least a third of white student enrollment. Suburban school districts haven't experienced nearly the same declines.Racial disparities in household incomes are severe throughout Illinois. In Springfield, differences between median black and white incomes were greater than any other metro area nationally. They were also among the top 10 percent in the Bloomington-Normal, Decatur, Kankakee and Peoria metro areas.The latest Census estimates suggest Peoria has the highest black poverty rate of any larger metro area. Several other Illinois metro areas similarly recorded among the steepest black poverty rates nationally. BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 10. President of the Russian SAFMAR Group Joint Stock Company (JSC) Mikhail Gutseriev has sent a congratulatory letter to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on the occasion of his confident victory in the snap presidential election, Trend reports. Will be updated This week, Huawei's offices in France were searched by financial prosecutors, but the French authorities were quick to point out that this is a preliminary investigation and does not imply any wrongdoing. However, there are reasons to suspect the Chinese-based company of corruption, favoritism, and influence peddling. Both Huawei and the French authorities have confirmed that the raid was carried out on Tuesday but did not provide any further details. The company's spokesperson responded by reminding France that Huawei has invested millions into research in the country and that a factory making wireless communication equipment worth billions will go operational in 2025. The factory will provide jobs and value, so there's no reason for Huawei to meddle in internal affairs. He pointed out that Huawei has been in France for the last 20 years and has always abided by the law, and it will continue to do so. Still, it the firm will cooperate and assist French authorities in the investigation. Source OnePlus on why just 5 years of updates, Phone (2a) render was fake, Week 6 in review Welcome to your week 6 recap. OnePlus defended its policy of giving its users 5 years of software updates (4 years of major OS updates, and 5 years of security support) over the 7 years of Samsung and Google. OnePlus is focusing on the quality of the software and its fluidity over what it deems a promise that misses that point. A press image made the rounds this week, supposedly of Nothing's first midranger, the Phone (2a). It showed a phone without a Glyph interface and a similar design to the Nothing Phone (1). It turns out the render isn't of the Phone (2a) - Steve H. McFly (aka @OnLeaks) revealed that the render is fake. SmartPrix further elaborated that the source of the render is a Nothing smartphone that didn't make it out of the planning stage. The final nail in the coffin was a teaser by Nothing itself, which didn't match the phone in the fake render. Case closed. Nothing Phone (2a) leaks in hands-on images The device will feature a different camera setup compared to Phone (1) and Phone (2). The Galaxy A55 5G got its NBTC certification, confirming 25W charging support. The phone is close to launching and is rumored to sport an Exynos 1480 chip wtih 8GB of RAM. Asus has a Zenfone 11 Ultra in the works. It looks like the ROG Phone 8 Pro, has a 6.78-inch 144Hz display, the same 50MP wide, 13MP ultrawide, and 32MP 3x telephoto, and the same 5,500mAh battery, and Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. Xiaomi's 14 series is coming to the global stage on February 25. We'll get the compact Xiaomi 14 and the Xiaomi 14 Ultra - the 14 Pro is unlikely to get out of China. Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra emerges in major leak Renders and full specs of the upcoming Zenfone flagship were discovered inside the ROG Phone 8 firmware. We got an exclusive first look at the Redmi A3. It will have a 6.71 display, the first in the series with a high refresh rate (90Hz), and will cost less than INR 10,000. iPhone 16 camera bump design changes again says rumor Apple may be looking to change the camera placement on the iPhone 16 so it can record spatial video. Three tourists huddle under a large umbrella as they cross a street in Tumon around 2 p.m. Oct. 10, 2023, or two hours before Typhoon Bolavens closest approach to Guam at 4 p.m., about 50 miles. Guams fur babies took center stage at the 2nd Annual Guahan Paws for Pets Paws in the Park event on Saturday at Plaza de Espana in Hagatna. Paws for Pets is the nonprofit group behind the annual outreach and adoption event, supported by just about anybody who doesnt mind getting licked in the face. Its a great turnout today. Its our second annual (event). Last year was pretty big but this ones bigger, said Tina Guzman, founder and president of the organization. With most of the logistics behind them, Guzman and vice president Ciera Tamayo spent the day trading paw-print passports for raffle tickets as visitors had a chance to win prizes from an enormous sponsor pool that featured everything from grooming to gas certificates. We had a lot of support from our sponsors, said Tamayo. Among the services offered at the event were pet licenses, which are required by law, and rabies shots for $15 about half the price on a normal visit to the vet. Territorial veterinarian Dr. Mariana Turner and her staff were on hand all day to register new licenses and administer shots. They worked hand in hand with other entities such as Guam Animals in Need to educate and assist pet owners islandwide. Vendor Seve Susuico from Pet Shippers Guam and Harper Valley Kennels said the entire day was enjoyable, and it was great to see all the different pets people owned. Its beautiful. For the people to come out on such a hot day, it was awesome, he said. Its nice to see the different dogs, different owners and different pets, its perfect. The Boujie Boonie Dog Salons Lindsay Stephens said she had no idea what Guams dog-loving community was like before she moved here four years ago. She offers dog owners full grooming services. I loved seeing all the dogs here, a great event, she said. Do I have a favorite? No, I like them all. Well, Im pretty partial to boonies, but, you know. Televisions, sectional sofas and work boots are among recent questionable government purchases that Sen. Telo Taitague raised, as these were bought using federal American Rescue Plan funds that are supposed to be used only for pandemic relief and recovery. Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero also directed the use of $23 million in ARP funds to absorb the cost of waiving credit card convenience fees that taxpayers would otherwise pay every time they make credit card payments to the government. Of that amount, $20.8 million has so far been spent, leaving $2.7 million available. The governor again extended the credit card fee waiver to Sept. 30, citing healthy returns or increased tax collections because of it. Total ARP funds under the governors control have gone down from $210.9 million as of Dec. 31 to $209.4 million as of Jan. 31, or $1.5 million in additional spending over the last month. These are based on the Bureau of Budget and Management Researchs latest ARP funding status report to senators. The governor is still reserving most or $133 million of the remaining ARP funds as seed money for a new Guam Memorial Hospital, the location of which is still not determined whether in the Barrigada-Mangilao area or Ypao Point in Tamuning. The ARP funds under the governors purview reached $598.3 million-plus, much of which has gone to COVID-19 pandemic response and recovery including direct financial aid to families, businesses, payments for quarantine and isolation hotels, aid to GMH and private clinics, and assistance to utilities, airport and seaport agencies. Of the total amount, nearly $377 million has been spent and another $11.9 million encumbered. This leaves $209.476 million-plus still available or not spent yet. Adelup said although theyre already encumbered, theres flexibility on their use depending on the need. But Taitague once again calls on Adelup to spend the still available funds for the existing GMH and other areas needing funds. If these funds havent been used this long after the end of the pandemic, why arent they being used where there is critical need? Taitague said. Taitague, so far the only senator consistently raising questions about Adelups spending of ARP funds, monthly reporting of ARP fund expenses, said the latest report again shows that there continues to be questionable expenditures apparently unrelated to pandemic recovery. The senator questions why money is being spent on items such as televisions, sectional sofas, and work boots while some agencies are struggling to meet their mandates. Taitague believes that the people of Guam deserve to know what justifies such expenditures while public roads and schools are in disrepair. During the Legislatures deliberations on the fiscal 2024 GovGuam budget act, Taitague was able to include a provision that required more details in the monthly reporting of ARP fund expenditures. Because the Legislature had no say in the programming and expenditure of these funds, it is important that the Legislature and the public be aware of how this money is being spent, the senator said. These are some of the remaining ARP funds and their allocations, which are not set in stone: Early campaign signs have been up in the south while the list of individuals picking up candidate packets continues to grow, including former federal official Ginger Cruz for delegate and former senator Vicente Tony A. Ada. The potential list of candidates include incumbents, newcomers and those wanting to return to public office. Cruz, a Democrat, could potentially run against incumbent Del. James Moylan, only the second Republican to represent Guam in Congress since 1972. Cruz, an adjunct professor at the University of Guam and founder/CEO of policy advocate Mantid International, is a former deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and former deputy inspector general for Iraq reconstruction. Ada, a Republican and former candidate for lieutenant governor, and former Democrat Sen. Judith Guthertz, are among potential candidates for the 38th Legislature who already previously served as senators. Guthertz also picked up a packet for the Guam Education Board. As of Feb. 9, at least 79 candidate packets have been picked up or requested, based on Guam Election Commission records. Among them are seven of the 15 incumbent senators potentially seeking re-election, including Sens. Thomas Fisher, Dwayne San Nicolas, Joe San Agustin, Telo Taitague, Frank Blas Jr., Jesse Lujan, and Tina Muna Barnes. Most mayors likely seeking re-election Of Guams 19 incumbent mayors, 11 so far picked up packets for a potential re-election run. They include Talofofo Mayor Vincente S. Taitague, Tamuning Mayor Louise C. Rivera, Humatak Mayor Johnny A. Quinata, Barrigada Mayor June Blas, Mongmong-Toto-Maite Mayor Rudy Paco, Hagat Mayor Kevin Susuico, Sinajana Mayor Robert Hofmann, Yona Mayor Bill Quenga, Inalahan Mayor Anthony P. Chargualaf, Asan-Maina Mayor Frankie Salas, and Yigo Mayor Anthony Sanchez. Guams longest serving mayor for 32 years, Agana Heights Mayor Paul M. McDonald, told Pacific Daily News hes not seeking re-election. Since then, multiple potential candidates for Agana Heights mayor have picked up packets, and McDonald said hes not likely to endorse anyone since all are either his relatives or he has close ties with. But its in the southernmost village that multiple campaign signs by potential mayoral candidates have already been up. Potential candidates can start filing their packets with GEC on Feb. 26. May 3 is the last day to file candidate packets, three months before the Aug. 3 primaries. The general election is Nov. 5. Picked up packets for delegate: Ginger Cruz, Democrat Picked up packets for the Consolidated Commission on Utilities: Nonito V. Blas Jr. Picked up packets for the Guam Education Board: Recognizing the need to uphold Guams 48-hour law and ensure timely filing of magistrate complaints, the Judiciary outlined its process for morning magistrate hearings with key government agencies on Friday afternoon. Presiding Judge Alberto C. Lamorena III led the discussion, attended by heads of the Office of the Attorney General, Public Defender Service Corporation, Alternate Public Defender, Department of Corrections, and Guam Police Department. In all my 35 years overseeing the magistrate hearings, the Judiciary has remained steadfast in ensuring accessibility, impartiality, and fairness in our legal system, Lamorena said in a statement. Lamorena said Fridays discussion underscores the commitment to these principles. We are confident that the process we outlined will receive the full cooperation of our public safety stakeholders, ensuring that justice is not only served, but seen to be done, he added. Under the process, morning magistrate hearings must be requested by the AGs office by filing the magistrates complaint to the court no later than 4 p.m. the day before, according to a weekend press release from the Judiciary. The 4 p.m. deadline allows sufficient time for the Judiciary to notify all relevant parties and update the court calendar on the website. Exceptions to the deadline will only be made for serious charges involving violent crimes. During the discussion, Lamorena emphasized that morning magistrate hearings will only be held for cases that would otherwise fail to meet the 48-hour requirement under Guam law during the regular 3 p.m. hearings. If a magistrate judge determines that an afternoon hearing can be accommodated without violating the 48-hour requirement, it will be re-scheduled accordingly. Declarations of probable cause must also include a record of the time of arrest. Upon receipt of magistrate complaints, the clerks office will distribute copies of the complaints to the relevant parties, including the AGs office, Public Defender, and Alternate Public Defender, if applicable. The Judiciarys Probation Services will provide probation reports to the magistrate judges and relevant parties once the magistrate disposition report is received from the attorney general. The government of Guam is seeking a protected status for lands around the island meant to preserve the environment while also keeping interference out of military operations. The designation opens the door for the Department of the Interior, Department of Agriculture, and Department of Defense to pay private landowners and GovGuam to voluntarily keep their farms, ranches, forests and wetlands on property near military installations, instead of having these lands turned into development projects. Conservationists from local, federal, and nongovernmental organizations gathered for a workshop at Hyatt Regency Guam last week to work towards the possibility of having the island designated a Sentinel Landscape. Some 610,000 acres across a number of states have already been designated permanently protected under Sentinel Landscape, and over $1 billion has been pumped into preservation efforts since the initiative launched in 2013. Thats according to Patrick Keeler of the Nature Conservancy, one of the largest environmental groups in the nation, which also maintains a regional office on the island. Keeler, who formerly worked for GovGuam Bureau of Statistics and Plans, is now working to coordinate local and federal agencies on the Sentinel Landscape effort. He told the Pacific Daily News they are looking to get the designation, which has been in the works since 2021, ironed out before the end of the year. Completing last weeks workshop was one of the last steps, and community outreach is planned so residents can learn about the programs and opportunities available, Keeler said. He said residents will essentially be able to take their land and, not touch it and still get paid for it. GovGuams Soil and Water Conservation Districts are a key partner in the outreach, according to Keeler. Connect to funding Keeler said the designation will help connect public and private landowners to a number of federal programs, and speed along applications for conservation grant funding. Various grants to help farmers raise specialty crops, keep rivers safe from pollution, and maintain recreational trails, among other things, are listed on a landowner resources page on the Sentinel Landscape website. Officials from the Department of Agriculture at last weeks workshop expressed an interest in getting funding to rapidly respond to wildfire damage and address the sudden appearance of invasive species on Guam, among a number of other funding possibilities. Landowners can also opt in to either sell undeveloped land for a conservation area, or agree to a conservation easement, where development rights are restricted in favor of certain benefits, according to the Sentinel Landscape website. Easements might be beneficial in a number of Guam-specific situations, Keeler said, where multiple people have a stake in a single parcel of land, preventing it from being built on. When its 10 people from a family on this property, and you know, its not going to get developed, you might as well be getting either some tax breaks or some funds for it, he said. Keeler stressed that the program was 100% voluntary. National security The Sentinel Landscape designation is specifically for areas where national security interests, working lands, and conservation converge, according to Keeler. Thats pretty much the entire island, he said. Military installations by nature prevent certain types of development, he saidno one can build a skyscraper by a landing stripfor example. To that end, the DoD was instead moving to invest money into areas around where they were building, and the Sentinel Landscape designation would hopefully maximize the benefit for the island, he said. Various agencies involved in the Sentinel Landscape initiative have moved to acquire large tracts of land near bases across the U.S., and turned them into conservation areas. In one instance, about 11,000 acres of one coastal area in Georgia located near a nuclear submarine base were acquired as conservation easements, a 2020 Sentinel Landscape report notes. Prior to the acquisition, the area was zoned for about 10,000 homes. The protection area would prevent incompatible development that would undermine the installations ability to deploy nuclear submarines into the Atlantic Theatre, the report notes, and improve climate change resiliency. Last weeks workshop even prompted a visit to Guam by Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Environmental Management and Restoration Ron Tickle. We are really committed to trying to identify and successfully take on these challenges that may cause us issues for the Guahan Sentinel Landscape project, Tickle told attendees. The work we do together through this partnership can help tackle these challenges from enhancing climate change resilience to increasing recreational opportunities for communities, he said. Governor cautions against land takings Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero told members of the workshop that there will be push back to the project in the community, and urged the involvement of local land agencies like the Department of Land Management and CHamoru Land Trust Commission. We are very passionate about protecting our lands and our oceans. We are very protective and very passionate in making sure that our lands are protected. So that is why we are so welcoming about conservation and preservation. But I also want you to be very sensitive to the fact that our people fear land condemnation, Leon Guerrero said. It will be known to you that there are people that do not support, do not support, taking away property and taking away land, she said. Though she appreciated how the military had revamped its way of dealing with host communities, the island did not want the capacity to work limited land and sea resources to be limited. Please think about these thoughts that I have just shared with you, the governor said. Because absent that, I dont think we will have a successful Sentinel Landscape program. BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. Chairman of the Grand National Assembly of Turkiye Numan Kurtulmus has made a statement regarding the resolution adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on the refusal to ratify the credentials of the Azerbaijani delegation, the Milli Majlis (Parliament) of Azerbaijan told Trend. The statement laments the failure to confirm the authority of the Azerbaijani delegation in PACE and emphasizes that Azerbaijan, having been a member of the Council of Europe since 2001, has significantly contributed to upholding the organization's fundamental principles through its efforts and cooperation over the years. Azerbaijan has also played a pivotal role in key missions such as preserving cultural diversity and fostering intercultural dialogue. The decision made by PACE signifies the exclusion of a Council of Europe member country from PACE activities. The document highlights that amidst escalating geopolitical tensions, political disputes, and global conflicts, the importance and influence of multilateral diplomacy should not diminish. PACE should serve as a forum for dialogue and collaboration rather than conflict, emphasizing the need for continued strength and relevance in this regard. The credentials of Azerbaijan's delegation to PACE were challenged on the opening day of the 2024 winter plenary session. Frank Schwabe, who heads the German delegation to PACE, proposed to deny the Azerbaijani delegation's credentials because Azerbaijan allegedly "organized the expulsion of Armenians from Karabakh". Thus, PACE was dissatisfied with the fact that they were "not invited" to observe the presidential elections to be held on February 7. Before that, in October 2023, the PACE adopted a one-sided and biased resolution regarding localized anti-terrorist measures undertaken by Azerbaijan in Karabakh. Haiti - Cooperation : Substantial contribution from Japan to strengthen the ONI capacitie's The Organization of American States (OAS) and the Government of Japan (permanent OAS observer since 1973) today announced their partnership to continue strengthening the capacities of the National Identification Office of Haiti (ONI) through a substantial contribution of the Japanese Government to an ongoing OAS project. Through this cooperation, Japan joins a history of OAS commitment to consolidating Haitis identification system, starting with the OAS-supported introduction of the countrys identification card in 2005. The OAS also helped establish ONI and its 141 registration offices located throughout Haiti; assisted ONI in managing its database and in updating the electoral roll for five elections; Supported ONI in positioning the identification card as the required document not only to vote, but also to access public services and programs, and for citizens daily administrative and commercial transactions; and trained more than 2,000 ONI operators, coordinators and management staff. Most recently, in 2023, the OAS launched a new effort with support from the Government of the United States, through USAID, to strengthen ONIs capacities, expanding ID card distribution and registration system thanks to the deployment of mobile units throughout the country. The project "Supporting the Office of National Identification of Haiti in the re-registration, issuing and distribution of the new national identification card,scheduled to conclude in 2025, is the one Japan is joining today. OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro said "We are deeply thankful to the Government and people of Japan for this generous grant contribution and their steadfast support for Haiti. This project began with a contribution from USAID, and we acknowledge them here too. Japans funding will become even more important as Haitis National Identification Card is also crucial for the exercise of the economic, social, and political rights of Haitians. This is what we do: 'More rights for more people'" Japans decisive involvement in this project will reinforce current efforts, enhancing the registration and issuance of identification cards while contributing to the improvement of data management and technological infrastructure. This new component also aims at strengthening capabilities to face crises that may impact access to the right to identity. In this regard, this contribution will also be dedicated to securing the energy autonomy of key offices for ONI operations. HL/ HaitiLibre BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. President Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Seyyed Ibrahim Raisi on the occasion of the country's national holiday, Trend reports. "On my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, I extend congratulations to you and your entire nation on the occasion of the national holiday of the Islamic Republic of Iran - the Day of Victory of the Islamic Revolution. The historically unifying friendly relations and shared spiritual values between our peoples provide a good basis for the development of Azerbaijani-Iranian intergovernmental relations and cooperation. The interaction between our countries in trade, economics, transportation, and other areas is gratifying today. I believe that the relations between Azerbaijan and Iran will continue to develop in an atmosphere of friendship and cooperation to the benefit of our peoples. On this remarkable day, I extend my best regards to you, and wish your people peace and prosperity," the letter says. Sunday February 11, 2024 Mogadishu (HOL) - Several governments have condemned the attack by al-Shabab on a military base in Mogadishu, which killed several Somali officials and five military trainers, four from the United Arab Emirates and one from Bahrain, on Saturday afternoon. The United States Embassy in Mogadishu strongly condemned the cowardly attack and reaffirmed its unwavering support for Somali efforts to build peace. The embassy extended its deepest condolences to the loved ones of those who lost their lives in the terrorist attack against UAE military trainers and Somali soldiers working to advance the nation's stability. advertisements The Pakistani foreign ministry released a statement strongly condemning the terrorist attack against the UAE military trainers and under-training Somali soldiers at the military base in Mogadishu. The statement offered its deepest condolences to the governments and people of the UAE and Bahrain, as well as to the families of the victims, and prayed for the swift recovery of all the injured.The Somaliland Ministry of Foreign Affairs also condemned the attack, expressing prayers for the victims' sacrifice towards peace in the region and offering solace to their families and the UAE government during this time of mourning.The attack targeted troops at the General Gordon military base in Mogadishu, although details about the attack and casualties remain scarce. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud offered his condolences to the UAE.The UAE's Ministry of Defence announced the death of three of its troops and a Bahraini soldier in a "terrorist act," adding only that two others were wounded.One of the injured died on arrival in the UAE's Abu Dhabi on Sunday, it said. Aries: Make it a point not to get into unnecessary battles this week and maintain concentration on the task. This is a time when you can suffer losses. Therefore, your work has to be thorough and perfect. If you need to re-evaluate your strategies, seek recommendations from colleagues or mentors. If you adopt a more conservative standpoint, you can withstand the storm and emerge stronger in the coming weeks. Read daily money and career horoscopes for all zodiac signs and know your fortune for today at Hindustan Times.(Unplash) Taurus: This is the time to reexamine your professional relationships. If you have kept a certain distance from colleagues or superiors, now is the time to close the gap. Speak in a group and voice your opinions, let others know you are there and contribute your ideas freely. Indeed, your integrity and willingness to interact will improve your professional reputation and could even lay the ground for admiration and recognition. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Gemini: Your peers and supervisors will be amazed by your devotion and work ethic this week. Be ready for recognition of your achievements, accompanied by more responsibilities or even promotion. Your creativity will come to the fore at team meetings, so by all means, do share your innovative ideas. Now is a perfect moment to build a good rapport with your colleagues. Accept the spotlight with humility and dignity, and brighten your career. Cancer: This new week brings optimistic opportunities for job growth. You should consider enrolling in training or acquiring skills related to your interests to boost your career. Shortlist your budget for courses or workshops to increase your skills and value. Those of you working in leadership positions are encouraged to find ways of improving your abilities and constantly keep up with the latest industry trends. Leo: This week, prepare for communication issues at work that can cause misinterpretations. Monitor the electronic devices closely; save and store any vital data. Yet, business trips may run into unforeseen delays, so make proper provision. Focus on long-term goals and build relationships with coworkersall this will be very important for you. This is the right opportunity to start a new business or suggestion that will suit your career objectives. Virgo: Do not be afraid to accept and overcome challenges by demonstrating your abilities and commitment. Maintain communication channels to create value-adding discussions that enable collaboration. It is a week to make a professional digital footprint and leave a mark on those around you. If you seek a new job, keep your guard up and be ready for surprises, as opportunities that nobody saw coming can arise. Libra: The week may require more effort and time on your job. Notwithstanding the frustrations, especially when unanticipated challenges crop up, keeping cool is vital. Do not let transient failures disorient your overall efficiency. This week's difficulties can be a rung on the ladder towards success. Cherish them as development opportunities, and let your resilience guide you through the storm of any work-related turmoil. Scorpio: Your attitude towards technology and methodologies will make you a more valuable team member and may, as a result, bring new and fascinating opportunities your way. Listen to the advice of the technical experts, as it could lead you to ways of becoming efficient and productive. Your success in the marketplace may depend on how quickly you can change with time and accept new ideas and solutions. Sagittarius: Working professionals must know that their career path is not entirely individual but also intersects with others' paths. Accept that everyone has the right to be happy and prosperous. This attitude will develop a healthy relationship and make the working environment peaceful. Cheer for the wins of others as if they were your own, and in the same way, you will see the universe doing the same thing to you. Capricorn: Make use of online forums to improve your professional presence. The working people should use the opportunity to make friends with their colleagues and, thus, establish trust and cooperation because it will help them achieve common aims. Participate in parties, virtual meetups, and industry meetings to find valuable contacts. The way you formulate and present your intentions and desires will be an essential prerequisite for finding partners or mentors. Aquarius: This week, the working people may face high workloads. While it may be intimidating, consider it an opportunity to highlight your abilities and commitment. Be organized and communicate well, and your toil will be rewarded. Allow for team collaboration and new ideas among your employees, as collective efforts bring success. On the whole, the combination of ambition and pragmatism will lead to success. Pisces: Be ready to work together towards more significant achievements. If you are a job seeker, look for gigs that will give you the chance to unleash your creative spirit while proving that you can manage administrative tasks. Learn how to navigate office politics with a lot of caution and diplomacy, just so that your actions do not hurt the general mood of the workplace. ---------------------- Neeraj Dhankher (Vedic Astrologer, Founder - Astro Zindagi) Email: info@astrozindagi.in, neeraj@astrozindagi.in Url: www.astrozindagi.in Contact: Noida: +919910094779 Lim Ching Kiat, executive vice-president for air hub and cargo development at CAG, said that Changi Airport Group will work with airlines to add more capacity on high-demand routes by increasing frequencies or getting carriers to use bigger planes, The Straits Times reported. HT Image We are looking at new destinations like Jaipur and Lucknow. We think theres demand there, said Lim in an interview to the Straits Times. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Lim has described India as another bright spot, as passenger traffic and connectivity have already exceeded pre-pandemic levels. Lim said that CAG will work with airlines to add more capacity on high-demand routes by increasing frequencies or getting carriers to use bigger planes. For example, South Korea continues to draw healthy demand for inbound and outbound travel. For China, which is still in the recovery phase, Lim said CAG is looking to add more direct links, especially to provincial capitals such as Guiyang in Guizhou province and Harbin in Heilongjiang province. The ASEAN, Indian and South Korean markets have punched above their weight, says Subhas Menon, director-general of the Association of Asia-Pacific Airlines, which counts SIA and Hong Kongs Cathay Pacific among its 15 members. Menon is hopeful they will pick up 25 per cent to 50 per cent of the slack left by China for the Asia-Pacific region, according to the Singapore Daily report. The Indira Gandhi International Airport has made a 99 per cent recovery as it handled 18.5 million passengers in 2023 compared to 18.7 million passengers that plied through the Delhi airport in 2019, a pre-pandemic level. Singapores Changi Airport has recovered 86 per cent as it handled 58.9 million passengers in 2023 compared to 68.3 million handled in 2019, according to a table published by The Straits Times based on information sourced and accredited to Sobie Aviation, a Singapore-based independent analysis and consulting firm, specializing in the airline, airports and aerospace sectors. Comparatively, traffic recovery at other leading Asian airports ranged from a low of 55 per cent for Hong Kong International Airport to 92 per cent for Haneda Airport in Japan, as per the table. China's Xiaomi has told New Delhi that smartphone component suppliers are wary about setting up operations in India amid heavy scrutiny of Chinese companies by the government, according to a letter and a source with direct knowledge of the matter. Xiaomi India(REUTERS) Xiaomi, which has the biggest share in India's smartphone market at 18%, also asks in the letter dated Feb. 6 that India consider offering manufacturing incentives and lowering import tariffs for certain smartphone components. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The Chinese company assembles smartphones in India with mostly local components and the rest imported from China and elsewhere. The letter is Xiaomi's response to a query from India's information technology ministry asking how New Delhi can further develop the country's component manufacturing sector. ALSO READ- HyperOS transition underlines softwares role in Xiaomi Pad 6s renewed vigor India ramped up scrutiny of Chinese businesses after a 2020 border clash between the two countries killed at least 20 Indian soldiers and four from China, disrupting investment plans of big Chinese companies and drawing repeated protests from Beijing. While Chinese companies operating in India are reticent to speak publicly about the scrutiny, Xiaomi's letter shows that they continue to struggle in India, especially in the smartphone space where many critical components come from Chinese suppliers. In the letter, Xiaomi India President Muralikrishnan B. said India needed to work on "confidence building" measures to encourage component suppliers to setup operations locally. "There are apprehensions among component suppliers regarding establishing operations in India, stemming from the challenges faced by companies in India, particularly from Chinese origin," Muralikrishnan said, without naming any companies. The letter said the concerns were related to compliance and visa issues that it didn't elaborate on, and other factors. It said "the government should address these concerns and work to instil confidence among foreign component suppliers, encouraging them to set up manufacturing facilities in India." Xiaomi and the IT ministry did not respond to queries for further information and comment. Indian authorities last year accused Chinese smartphone company Vivo Communication Technology of breaching some visa rules and alleged it siphoned $13 billion in funds from India. India has also frozen more than $600 million in Xiaomi assets for alleged illegal remittances to foreign entities by passing them off as royalty payments. Both Chinese companies deny any wrongdoing. Other than regulatory scrutiny of the likes of Xiaomi and Vivo, India has since 2020 also banned more than 300 Chinese apps, including ByteDance's TikTok, and halted planned projects such as those planned by Chinese automakers BYD and Great Wall Motor. ALSO READ- Crores remitted out of India: ED files charge sheet in probe against Chinese phone maker Vivo The source said many executives of Chinese electronics companies struggle to get visas to enter India, and their companies continue to face slow clearances for investments due to heavy scrutiny by New Delhi. In the letter, Xiaomi's Muralikrishnan also made a case for further lowering India's import tariffs, just after New Delhi's Jan. 31 move to reduce import taxes on battery covers and phone camera lenses. Xiaomi is also asking India to reduce import tariffs on sub-components used in batteries, USB cables and phone covers, according to the letter. ALSO READ- Xiaomi unveils its first electric vehicle. First look, features here Reducing the import tariffs could "increase India's manufacturing competitiveness ... in terms of costs", Xiaomi said in the letter, but getting component manufacturers to set up shop in India would require bigger incentives. In January, India's top industrial policy bureaucrat Rajesh Kumar Singh signalled that India could ease its heightened scrutiny of Chinese investments if the two countries' border remains peaceful. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to formulate BJP's strategy for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls during his meetings with the party leaders in Karnataka on Sunday, President of state unit of BJP, B Y Vijayendra said. Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi.(PTI) He also said the meeting is likely to discuss facing the polls together with alliance partner JD(S), with proper coordination between workers and leaders of both parties at the ground level and may also deliberate on the number of seats to be given to the regional party. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Also Read - Karnataka medical college slaps action against 38 students for doing reels in hospital premises Shah arrived in the "palace city" early today and is scheduled to take part in meetings with state BJP core committee members and leaders of the party's Mysuru cluster later in the day. He is also expected to visit Sutturu near here to attend Sutturu Jathra (fair) and visit Chamundeshwari temple on Chamundi hills. "The meeting will see participation of 120 leaders from Mysuru, Mandya, Hassan and Chamarajanagar Lok Sabha constituencies. Also there is a meeting with state BJP core committee, where discussions will be held on the strategy for upcoming Lok Sabha polls," Vijayendra said. Addressing reporters here, he said, as BJP and JD(S) will be facing the election together, it has to be ensured that there are no issues between the workers of both parties at the ground level, and the meeting will focus on this too. "We will strategise with an aim to win each constituency and seek the guidance of Amit Shah, who is known as election Chanakya," he added. The BJP and JD(S) have forged an alliance and decided to fight the upcoming general elections together in Karnataka. Seat sharing parleys are on between the two parties. BJP had won 26 of the total 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, including Sumalatha Ambareesh, an independent supported by the party from Mandya, in the 2019 polls. The Congress and the JD(S) had secured one seat each. To a question regarding the first such meeting of the BJP ahead of Lok Sabha polls being held in Mysuru, which is the home district of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the state BJP chief said there is nothing special about it, and the BJP and JD(S) are strategising to win all the constituencies in the state. "Other than being Chief Minister's home district, it (Mysuru) is the stronghold of BJP, as people have been supporting the party in the Lok Sabha polls... in Chamarajanagara constituency, we will have to find a new candidate with senior leader Srinivas Prasad (sitting MP) announcing political retirement and strategise to win the seat," he said. "In Mandya, under changed circumstances, we have heard discussions in the media about JD(S) asking for the seat, but no official discussions have taken place, all this will be discussed in today's meetings," he added. Asked about Sumalatha Ambareesh pitching for Mandya seat and what would be the party decision on the matter, Vijayendra said the Delhi leadership of the party will take a call. "Discussions are on in Delhi, we don't have information about it and what's on the mind of the party's national president (J P Nadda)," he said. Sumalatha Ambareesh had recently called on Nadda, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior BJP leaders in Delhi. Hitting out at Congress for organising "My Tax, My Right" campaign alleging injustice by the central government in tax devolution and grants to the state, during Shah's visit, Vijayendra alleged that it was being done to 'cover up' the state Congress government's failures." Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday said that the Congress manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections will be "pro-people." Congress to come out with people-friendly manifesto: Karnataka DCM DK Shivakumar While speaking at the meeting of the Congress Manifesto Committee, Shivakumar said, "Congress will prepare a people-friendly manifesto that will help all sections of society. A similar exercise was done while preparing a manifesto for the Assembly election, and we launched the five-guarantee scheme based on the same." Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Also Read - On 'shoot and kill' call from BJP leader, DK Shivakumar says his brother not scared Taking a jibe at the BJP, he said that during the last 10 years, not a single scheme was launched that changed lives. "The 10 years of Manmohan Singh government were about improving the lives of people, but during the 10 years of BJP rule, even a single scheme was not launched that changed the lives of people. Schemes such as food security, MGNREGA, the right to education, and others were introduced during the UPA rule," he said. Shivakumar further said that though Karnataka was a progressive state, 61 per cent of the population lived in rural areas. "As much as 96 per cent of the tax revenues came from urban areas, but the contribution of our farmers was immense, and we can't move forward without them," he said. He said that the Congress had always implemented schemes that empowered the poor. "The Congress government has always implemented any scheme that empowers the poor economically, socially, and educationally. We had introduced Nyay in the previous election, and many schemes were based on that. The idea of the Gruhajyothi scheme took birth in a meeting between Siddaramaiah, Surjewala, and myself. Now, Modi is trying to copy that by giving 300 units of free power through the solar grid," he said. He also alleged that the BJP was trying to launch guarantee schemes based on the schemes of the Congress. "The same BJP that was criticising our guarantee schemes has now launched the Modi guarantee campaign. The BJP, which was criticising the guarantee scheme as a burden on the exchequer, is now launching similar schemes in many states. Congress always believes in bringing change into the lives of people," he said. He called upon the participants of the manifesto meeting to provide ideas that are rooted in reality. "We have raised our voice against the injustice meted out to our state. Other states are also raising their voice now. The Union government can set this injustice right if it wants to," he said. He further said that a committee was formed under the leadership of Higher Education Minister to review the National Education Policy (NEP). "We are working on removing the NEP. I have had discussions with my BJP friends who run educational institutions, and they say it is impossible to implement NEP. The BJP tried to push the NEP down the throat of Kannadigas in a hurried manner. We have formed a committee to review the NEP under the leadership of Higher Education Minister M C Sudhakar," Shivakumar added. The Border Security Force (BSF) shot down a China-made drone near the India-Pakistan International Border in Gurdaspur, the force said on Saturday. The quadcopter drone entering Indian territory from Pakistan was intercepted during its movement on the border near Rossey village in Gurdaspur district and shot down by the BSF troops in the night hours on Friday. The quadcopter drone entering Indian territory from Pakistan was intercepted during its movement on the border near Rossey village in Gurdaspur district and shot down by the BSF troops in the night hours on Friday. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The damaged drone lost control and fell on a farming field. The likely dropping area was immediately cordoned off by the BSF troops, said the BSF, which is mandated to guard the 3,323 km India-Pakistan border. Further, an extensive search was carried out, and at about 10.18 pm, the BSF troops successfully recovered one small drone in partially broken condition. The recovery took place in a farming field adjacent to Rossey village in Gurdaspur district, the BSF said. The recovered drone is a Quadcopter (Model - DJI Mavic 3 Classic, made in China). Keen observation and quick response with exemplary shooting skills of the BSF troops made yet another dent in the malicious plans of adversaries to create mayhem in the border area by drone intrusion, added the force. The sounds of gunfire and bombs have been replaced by the noise of development in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370, lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha said on Saturday. J&K lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha during the Global Business Summit in New Delhi on Saturday. (ANI) The Article, which granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, was abrogated on August 5 in 2019 and the state bifurcated into Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Speaking at the ET Now Global Business Summit 2024 in New Delhi, Sinha asserted that good governance has finally become a reality in J&K. Stone pelting and strikes at the behest of Pakistan is history and J&K is marching ahead like any other part of India with nightlife and cinema halls making a comeback, Sinha said. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. He added that his administration has acted tough on supporters of Pakistan to restore the rule of law. There was no relation between good governance and J&K for a very long time since independence. In my 40 months of personal experience, J&K is now being counted among states having good governance which I am considering as a big achievement, Sinha said. The credit for the change in the ground situation in J&K goes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has achieved targets that were considered impossible, he said, referring to the abrogation of Article 370. J&K has achieved what was considered unthinkable, fulfilling the long standing wishes and aspirations of the people. The discrimination has ended and so has terrorism. The change happened because of the sacrifice of (Jana Sangh founder) Syama Prasad Mookerjee, devotion of others and the strong political will of Modi who overcame a challenge as big as the Himalayas and made J&K a permanent part of India, which is historic, the lieutenant governor said. He also referred to a couple of speeches of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Parliament. Vajpayee aptly highlighted the pain of the people by raising genuine points that it is a shame that even a PM has no power to buy a piece of land in J&K or the Parliament has no mandate to seek accounts of the money pumped into J&K, Sinha said. He said that Parliament was also informed about the thousands of people going across the border for guerilla training. It was an irony that those helping Pakistan were being rewarded in J&K while pro-India people faced disrespect, Sinha said. The lieutenant governor said the time has changed as his administration restored the rule of law and ensured fast-paced development with money from the central government spent in a transparent manner. BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, sent a cable of congratulation to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on his re-election for a new presidential term, Trend reports. According to the Saudi Press Agency, the Crown Prince expressed his sincere congratulations and best wishes of success to the head of state and to the people of the Republic of Azerbaijan, further progress and prosperity. Delhi chief minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, along with Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann, will visit the newly inaugurated Ram Temple in Ayodhya on Monday, accompanied by their families, news agency ANI reported on Sunday citing party sources. AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal with Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann. Delhi CM and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal along with his family members and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann will visit Ayodhya's Ram Temple tomorrow, 12 February, ANI said quoting AAP. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Although invited to the consecration ceremony at the temple that took place on January 22, Kejriwal said his preference was to visit the temple later with his parents, wife, and children. "I want to go with my wife, children, and parents to visit Ram Mandir. We will go after the consecration ceremony," Kejriwal told reporters in the national capital. Responding to questions about the invitation in January, Kejriwal mentioned, I received a letter from them (government)...when we called them, we were informed that a team would come to give a final and personal invitation. That team has not come yet. He said according to the invitation letter, only one person is allowed to attend the ceremony, and with so many VVIPs, a lot of security will be focused on them. Delhi government plans special trains to Ayodhya Kejriwal mentioned during the consecration ceremony that the Delhi government would strive to organise special train services to Ayodhya. I met everyone. Everyone seems happy. After the consecration of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on January 22, we will try to arrange more pilgrim trains for Ayodhya for people to visit, Kejriwal said. Earlier on Sunday, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, along with deputy chief ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, as well as other members of the state Assembly and Legislative Council, visited Ayodhya's Ram Janmabhoomi Temple. The Uttar Pradesh Assembly and Legislative Council members travelled to Ayodhya via buses. As MLAs visited the Ram Janmabhoomi temple near the border of Barabanki and Ayodhya, locals showered petals on them. Bulldozers were positioned in a row to welcome the convoy of Uttar Pradesh MLAs. The consecration ceremony of Lord Ram Lalla at Ayodhya's temple took place on January 22, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducting the rituals alongside a team of priests. Acharya Satyendra Das is the chief priest of the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Temple in Ayodhya. Patients suffering from diabetic retinopathy, a condition that can lead to blindness among diabetics, will receive improved treatment at King Georges Medical University (KGMU), which is expanding its facilities for this ailment. For representation only (Getty Images/iStockphoto) In the budget proposed by the state government, 2 crore has been allocated for the further development of the centre, originally conceptualised in 2021. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. This centre is being developed in phases with advanced equipment. We will have distal vitrectomy for removing lesions or any collections in the retina, optical coherence tomography for visualising retina layers, laser photocoagulation for vessel-related issues, and a wide-angle imaging system, said Dr Sudhir Singh, spokesperson for KGMU, sharing details of the equipment for the centre. Diabetic retinopathy causes damage to the blood vessels in the retina due to uncontrolled blood sugar levels, affecting the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the eye. With 4% of people in Uttar Pradesh being diabetic and 18% being pre-diabetic, the significance of the diabetic retinopathy treatment centre is substantial. The costs of procedures in private hospitals are prohibitive for many, thus KGMUs diabetic retinopathy center will also serve those unable to afford private hospital expenses. The new equipment is being purchased to meet the needs of our patients. With additional funds, we will be able to treat more patients and increase admissions, said Dr Singh. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, Speaker Satish Mahana, cabinet ministers, and members of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council will visit the Ram Temple in Ayodhya today. The delegation, comprising both MLAs and MLCs, is set to pay homage to the revered deity, Ram Lalla. Uttar Pradesh legislators ahead of their visit to Ayodhya.(Deepak Gupta / Hindustan Times) The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) has organised ten luxury buses to facilitate the pilgrimage. Each bus, with a seating capacity of 44, will ferry the lawmakers on the approximately 135-kilometer journey from Lucknow to Ayodhya. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The invitation extended to all members of the legislative bodies saw varied responses from political parties. While the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its alliance partners enthusiastically accepted the invitation, the Samajwadi Party (SP) declined to participate. Samajwadi Party declined because of politics. All believe in Lord Ram, but SP fears that going to Ram Temple would disturb their vote politics, BJP MLA from Etawah Sadar, Sarita Bhadauria, alleged. Visuals from outside the Uttar Pradesh Assembly in Lucknow showed BJP leaders chanting 'Jai Shree Ram' before leaving for Ayodhya's Ram Temple. "I am fortunate to get the opportunity to have the darshan of Lord Ram Lalla. After the Pran Pratishtha ceremony, everyone wanted to visit Ayodhya and have a darshan. Today, because of CM Yogi Adityanath, all the MLAs will be travelling to Ayodhya together," BJP MLA from Moradabad, Ritesh Gupta said. BSP MLA Umashankar Singh said that one should not politicise this issue. "The leaders of the Samajwadi Party are politicising the issue but we are not. Our party is secular and we respect all religions...One should not politicise this," he said. BJP MLA Mayankeshwar Sharan Singh said, "The entire country is happy. We are getting this opportunity after centuries. This generation is very lucky." At a two-day meeting of BJP's national office-bearers in December, the party leaders and workers were instructed to actively participate in programmes organised by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Vishva Hindu Parishad for the Ram Temple's construction. BJP workers were also instructed to distribute pamphlets detailing the Centre's steps towards the grand Ram Temple and highlight opposition actions against the construction. Faith and fervour intermingled with politics as Uttar Pradesh lawmakers, cutting across party lines barring the Samajwadi Party, sat in 10 luxury buses that played soft Ram Dhun to arrive in Ayodhya for a darshan of Ram Lalla on Sunday. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath with lawmakers at the Ram temple in Ayodhya on Sunday. (ANI PHOTO) This was the first such joint visit by lawmakers to the temple town, brimming with pilgrims since the January 22 inauguration of the Ram temple. More politicians, including prominent opposition names, are expected here in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, in which the Ram temple is likely to be among the BJPs major campaign themes. Delhi and Punjab chief ministers Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann will visit Ram temple on Monday. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. While all other opposition lawmakers including those from the Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party and even Rashtriya Lok Dal (though final, a formal announcement of it joining the NDA is still awaited) hopped on to the buses packed by MLAs of the BJP and its allies, the Samajwadi Party remained an exception, having announced that its legislators would visit the temple separately, a move that provided the BJP ready political fodder. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who joined his ministers and all lawmakers as he landed directly from Pune to be part of the Ayodhya trip, also shared a video in which lawmakers, including assembly speaker Satish Mahana, were seen singing and swaying to the tunes of the devotional song, Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram. Politics resumed soon after the divine temple experience as BJP lawmakers targeted the Samajwadi Party leadership over its decision to stay away from the joint temple visit. Mainey Bhagwan Ram se prarthana ki sapa samaptwadi party ho jaaye kyunki jo Ram ka nahin wo kisi kaam ka nahin (I prayed to Lord Ram to finish SP politically as one who cant be of Ram is good for nothing), said deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya before he left for Lucknow after the darshan. Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak felt it was a classic case of minority appeasement. Another minister JPS Rathore recalled the Ayodhya firing in the 1990s when the then SP government under Mulayam Singh Yadav was in power, a decision that saw the Vishwa Hindu Parishad dubbing the then chief minister Mullah Mulayam. Though the SPs 2012 win in Ayodhya in the assembly polls made Mulayam remark Ayodhya has forgiven me, the BJP has consistently invoked the firing on karsevaks as proof of SPs minority appeasement. What else can you expect from those whose hands are soiled in blood? They will take time to atone for their sins, Rathore said. An emotional U.P. assembly speaker Satish Mahana also referred to the firing. For me it is an emotional moment as I was in Ayodhya when a dhancha (structure) stood in place of the temple. I was also there during the 1990 firing. I was here when construction started. Now, its a divine experience to be able to watch Ram Lalla in all glory, Mahana said. Almost all other lawmakers, who emerged after their temple visit, were routinely asked by waiting electronic media contingents to comment on SPs decision to stay away. Almost all of them happily engaged in hitting out at the main opposition party, which has traditionally relied on its MY or Muslim-Yadav chemistry for poll gains. In the 2022 U.P. assembly polls, the BJP coined its own MY formula one that that stood for Modi-Yogi combine to prevail over the opposition. Before politics started flowing outside, chief minister Yogi Adityanath and assembly speaker Satish Mahana who had invited the lawmakers for the trip, prayed along with lawmakers. The leaders clapped as devotional hymns were played as Adityanath was also seen guiding pilgrims who were allowed darshan despite the VIP visit. The decision to allow pilgrims inside Ram temple during the VIP visit was ostensibly made to streamline pilgrim flow as was the decision by the lawmakers to forego the tradition of visiting the Hanumangarhi shrine ahead of Ram temple visit as the temple was choc-a-bloc with devotees. Just before the ministers arrived, Champat Rai, the general secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, was spotted telling a group of priests from Delhi that darshan had been allowed for 14 hours to streamline pilgrim flow. The SP decided to abstain from the temple visit even though veteran lawmaker Shivpal Yadav was the first of opposition legislators to demand that the speaker should arrange a joint Ayodhya visit of the legislators. He then backed out of the February 11 temple visit, stating that his request was for January 22 inauguration. Now, we would visit separately, Yadav said. Congress lawmaker Aradhana Misra Mona was part of the temple delegation as was BSPs lone MLA Uma Shankar Singh. The RLDs nine lawmakers were all there as well, a decision that not only showcased their religious zeal but also indicated their growing proximity to the BJP. The Congress, which had on the eve of the temple visit expelled its leader Pramod Krishnam, the head of the Kalki Dham in Sambhal, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Yogi Adityanath would visit on February 19, was quick to indicate that Ram was for all. We came here as we are all for Ram and then this wasnt a BJP invite but one from the assembly speaker, who represents all, said Aradhana Mishra who also sought to defend the SP. I think one can visit temple whenever they find it right, she added. The BJPs OBC allies, including leaders of Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, Nishad Party and Apna Dal (S), were in full attendance as was Jansatta Dal (Loktantrik) chief Raghuraj Pratap Singh Raja Bhaiya. Asserting that the shackles of slavery shatter when devotion and power mingle, chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said the confluence of bhakti and shakti led to the construction of the grand Ram temple in Ayodhya. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath being felicitated during the Gita Bhakti Amrit Mahotsav organised on the occasion of the 75th birthday of spiritual Guru Govind Dev Giri Maharaj, in Pune on Sunday (ANI PHOTO) We got the opportunity to see that unprecedented moment, Yogi Adityanath said, addressing a gathering on the eighth day of the Shri Gita Bhakti Amrit Mahotsav organised in Alandi, Pune. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. It was here that Guru Samarth Ramdas provided his guidance to the brave Chhatrapati Shivaji. When devotion and power mingle, the shackles of slavery shatter. This is what we have witnessed in Ayodhya with the construction of a grand and divine Ram Temple after 500 years of bondage. With the company of saints and the efforts of Prime Minister Modi, we all have been witness to the historical date of January 22. The new and grand Ayodhya is inviting you all, he said. He described Maharashtra as a land of both bhakti and shakti, a U.P. government spokesperson said. During the ceremony, Yogi Adityanath presented an angvastram and an idol of Lord Ganesh to Swami Govind Dev Giri, along with releasing a souvenir commemorating the saints life. He was also honoured by Shankaracharya Vijayendra Saraswati with the traditional angvastram and Prasad. Reflecting on the occasion of Swami Govind Dev Giris 75th birth anniversary, Yogi Adityanath expressed his admiration for the saints lifelong dedication to Vedic Sanatan Dharma and his invaluable contributions to Hindu society, the spokesperson said. Yogi Adityanath shared his long-standing desire to visit Alandi, a place he had read about in his childhood while studying the Dnyaneshwari. At the age of just 15, Pujya Dnyaneshwar Ji Maharaj did the work of showing a new path to the devotees by preaching Dnyaneshwari. In just 21 years, the revered Dnyaneshwar Ji Maharaj had done the work of spreading the spirituality of India across the globe by taking Sanjeev Samadhi, Yogi Adityanath said. He praised the spiritual legacy of Maharashtra, exemplified by luminaries like Samarthguru Ramdas and Chhatrapati Shivaji, whose valour and devotion continue to inspire. Highlighting the significance of Maharashtras history of bravery, Yogi Adityanath mentioned that defence corridor of Uttar Pradesh, named in honour of Veer Chhatrapati Shivaji, underscoring the enduring spirit of resistance against oppression. He added that when he became the chief minister of U.P, the name of the Mughal Museum being built in Agra was changed to Chhatrapati Shivaji Museum. He also talked about how Chhatrapati Shivaji made Aurangzeb suffer with his bravery. We are related to Shivaji, not to the Mughals, he said. Expressing gratitude for the event, Yogi Adityanath extended an invitation to all attendees to visit Ayodhya, the site of the grand Ram temple, symbolising the triumph of devotion over adversity. The event was attended by notable figures including Swami Ramdev, Mahamandaleshwar Swami Avadheshananda of Juna Akhara, Swami Chidanand Saraswati, Swami Rajendradas, and other guests, alongside a multitude of devotees and citizens. YOGI ADITYANATH OFFERS PRAYERS Yogi Adityanath also visited the Sanjeevan Samadhi temple of Dnyaneshwar Maharaj in Pune on Sunday morning and offered prayers. Swami Govind Dev Giri welcomed the chief minister at the temple. Ministers in the Maharashtra government Chandrakant Patil and Dilip Walse Patil as well as UP Jal Shakti Minister Swatantradev Singh were present on the occasion. Adityanath offered flowers at the Sanjeevan Samadhi of Dnyaneshwar Maharaj and worshipped him as per the rituals. He also met the saints present there. On behalf of the temple, a picture of Dnyaneshwar Maharaj was presented to the chief minister. The saints felicitated Yogi by presenting the idols of Lord Shri Ram, Mata Janaki and Lakshman. Special POCSO court judge V V Virkar, in the order passed on February 4, held that the prosecution has failed to prove the charges against the accused, who needs to be given the benefit of doubt. HT Image A copy of the order was made available on Sunday. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The prosecution alleged that on November 17, 2019, the man, resident of Thakurpada in Kalwa area of Thane, sexually assaulted and harassed the girl, then aged 13 and residing in the same area. The accused on several earlier occasions followed the girl, made advances towards her and touched her inappropriately, the prosecution claimed. The man was booked under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. However, defense counsels contested the charges and told the court that all the allegations against the accused were false and baseless. The judge in her order said as far as the contents of the complaint or happening of the incident are concerned, the testimony of the investigation officer "cannot be said to be of any use to the prosecution and such contents can be said to be proved only upon the evidence of the prosecutrix or her mother to whom she narrated the incident." "But as is clear, the prosecutrix and her mother did not support the prosecution case and turned hostile, there is nothing on record to establish the allegations as mentioned in the complaint," she said. Hence, none of the allegations can be held to have been proved against the accused, the court said, while acquitting him of all charges in the case. Navi Mumbai Navi Mumbai, India - Feb. 10, 2024:Koparkhairane police arrest four people and seize 20 kg ganja, during press conference at DCP Zone-1 Office APMC in Navi Mumbai, India, on Saturday, February 10, 2024. (Photo by Bachchan Kumar/ HT PHOTO) (HT PHOTO) Koparkhairane Police have arrested four persons including three women who were selling ganja in Koparkhairane. The accused were nabbed by the police in a combing operation conducted in front of Balaji Exotica Building in Koparkhairane on Wednesday. The trio were found to be in possession of 20.200 kg ganja worth 3.63 lakh. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Koparkhairane police had received information that there was drug supply going on in the slums of sector 9 opposite Balaji Exotica in Koparkhairane. Following the information that they received, the police conducted a combing operation in the slums and nabbed four persons identified as Anil Shinde (45), Radubai Kale (40), Seema Pawar (33) and Surekha Shinde (30) in possession of the Ganja. Among the four accused, the main accused is Shinde who himself is also a drug addict. Ever since Shinde is in our custody, he has not consumed drugs due to which he is showing withdrawal symptoms. He is now being shifted to JJ Hospital. Only after further interrogation of the accused, we can get the source of the drugs that reached the slums, senior police inspector Audumbar Patil from Koparkhairane Police Station said. The remaining three women are in custody of the police till February 12. The accused were arrested under the relevant sections of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. In a cause of concern for the ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U) in Bihar, three of its MLAs again skipped the crucial meeting of legislators convened in Patna on Sunday evening. The floor test of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government is scheduled for Monday. Six MLAs had earlier skipped the luncheon meeting at the house of minister Shravan Kumar on Saturday. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar arriving at the residence of his cabinet colleague Vijay Choudhary in Patna on Sunday. The JD (U) has 45 MLAs in the house of 243 in Bihar assembly, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has 79 MLAs, while its alliance partner Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular (HAM-S) has four MLAs and with support of one independent, the NDA has 128 MLAs in the house against 115 of the Grand Alliance (GA). To achieve the majority mark, an alliance needs 122 MLAs. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The JD-U MLAs who did not attend the meeting include Rupauli MLA and former minister Bima Bharti, Sursand MLA Dilip Ray, who was earlier with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Barbigha MLA Sudarshan Kumar. JD (U) minister Vijay Kumar Chowdhary, however, downplayed the absence of three MLAs and said that they had informed the party about their absence for this meeting. We are assured of proving our majority. Two-three MLAs did not come but they had informed the party. All of them would be here by morning. Our (NDA) strength is 128 and we will prove it, Chowdhary told media persons. We will get the majority with ease. There is no need to worry, the CM told the meeting, as quoted by Chowdhary. The meeting lasted for more than 90 minutes. Giving a brief about the proceedings of Monday, Chowdhary said that after the governors address, the first proposal would be brought for the removal of Speaker. As per the rules, the Speaker would ask as to how many legislators do support the proposal to remove the Speaker. As per legislative rules, if 38 or more MLAs support the proposal, it gets accepted and then in scenario it is expected that the Speaker vacate his chair till the proposal is defeated. The deputy speaker takes over the chair and takes up the proposal to remove the Speaker. Then the trust vote will be taken up, he said. JD-U MLA Gopal Mandal, who also skipped Saturdays lunch said, 2-3 MLAs were not present today but they are in touch with us. BJP MLAs return Meanwhile, the BJP MLAs who were attending two-day training camp at Bodh Gaya returned to the state capital on Sunday evening and re-assembled at the residence of deputy chief minister Vijay Kimar Sinha for dinner. However, the much-publicised virtual address of Union home minister Amit Shah did not take place and instead the party leaders were given pep talk by the partys Bihar in-charge Vinod Tawde. It (the two-day training camp) is once-a-year affair. It has been held ahead of the upcoming parliamentary election for which we have to frame a strategy, so that NDA wins all the 40 parliamentary seats in the state, said a BJP legislator. Speaking about the floor test, deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha said, They (RJD) are in fear. They know that their MLAs can leave them anytime as they (MLAs) are fed up with dynastic and corrupt politics. The mentality of keeping MLAs as a forced labourer weakens the democracy. People in this 21st century have started looking beyond those who made Bihari a kind of abuse. There is nothing to fear. The big question is why are (RJD) MLAs locked inside the house of former deputy CM (Tejashwi Yadav)? We will win, said BJP MP Ravishankar Prasad. HAM-S leader and former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi had already reiterated his partys support for Nitish Kumar. The HAM-S legislators earlier on Sunday held a meeting at the residence of Manjhi. Everybody is intact in the NDA. Today, everybody holds PM Modis leadership in high regard. All MLAs (BJP, JD-U, HAM) will be present tomorrow (Monday), said Manjhi after the meeting. RJD, Left MLAs camp at Tejashwis house Meanwhile, opposition RJD and Left legislators of the Mahagatbandhan or the Grand Alliance, have been camping at the 5 Desratan Marg residence of former deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav since Saturday evening. Former chief minister Rabri Devi met the legislators on Sunday while Congress state president Akhilesh Prasad Singh also visited the residence. People familiar with the matter said that 78 MLAs of RJD out of 79 MLAs and 16 MLAs of three left parties are staying inside Tejashwi bungalow. One woman RJD MLA, Neelam Devi is said to be staying at her residence in Patna. The JD-U and BJP leaders have slammed the RJD for keeping its MLAs in Tejashwis house. What are they scared of? Why are the MLAs of the RJD being kept inside the house ? It shows their desperation, said BJPs state spokesperson Ajay Alok. More than USD 80,000 in reward money has been pledged for information leading to the arrest of 42-year-old Kenneth DeHart, Blount County Sheriff James Lee Berrong said. HT Image The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said it has issued warrants charging DeHart with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm in the Thursday evening shootings. Deputy Greg McCowan (43) was killed in the shooting while Deputy Shelby Eggers (22) was treated at a hospital and released, the sheriff's office said on Friday. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. A sheriff's office spokesperson said the search was ongoing Saturday. Law enforcement officers were expected on Saturday afternoon to conduct a "non-tactical ground search" in an area northeast of Maryville where DeHart's vehicle was found abandoned, WBIR-TV in Knoxville reported. "We're committed to track him down," Berrong said on Friday. "We're going to get him and he's going to be brought to justice in Blount County." The bureau said in a Friday news release that deputies had initiated a traffic stop on a sport utility vehicle. The car had been stopped on suspicion of erratic driving, said Ryan Desmond, the district attorney general for Blount County. The driver, identified by authorities as DeHart, refused to get out of the SUV, and a deployed stun gun had no effect, the bureau said. The driver produced a gun and fired shots, striking both deputies, then at least one deputy returned fire and DeHart drove from the scene, the bureau news release said. McCowan later died at a hospital, according to authorities. Desmond said on Friday that DeHart's brother had been arrested and accused of being an accessory for aiding the suspect after the homicide. The brother was jailed, and Desmond said he faced a Monday court appearance. A woman identified by media outlets as the shooting suspect's girlfriend also was arrested on Thursday night on her own "accessory after the fact" charge in adjoining Sevier County, where records show she was also jailed on Saturday. A procession of law enforcement vehicles joined a hearse containing McCowan's body that travelled on Friday in Maryville, which is about 27 kilometres south of Knoxville. McCowan began his career as a deputy in 2020 after graduating from a regional law enforcement training class, Berrong said on Friday. (AP) SZM CUET PG 2024: The National Testing Agency (NTA) will open the application form correction window of the Common University Entrance Test for Postgraduate or CUET PG 2024 today, February 11. Candidates who want to make changes to the submitted forms can do it by logging in to their dashboards on pgcuet.samarth.ac.in. CUET PG 2024 application correction begins today on pgcuet.samarth.ac.in (Getty Images/iStockphoto/ Representational image) CUET PG 2024 correction: List of changes allowed Candidates are not allowed to change: Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Mobile number e-Mail address Address (permanent and present) Candidates are allowed to change any one of these fields: Name Father's name Mother's name Photograph Signature Candidates will be allowed to change all these fields: Class 10/equivalent details Class 12/equivalent details Graduation details Postgraduation details Exam city selection/preference (within the same state/UT) Date of birth Gender Category Sub-category/PwD. The deadline for making these changes is February 13 (11:50 pm). The option to edit the subject/test paper code along with the university/programme/course preference will continue to be available throughout the correction period, NTA said. The option to add universities will continue to be available till 11:50 pm on February 23, it added. NTA said that if the fee increases after a candidate makes changes, s/he will have to pay the additional amount. Corrections will be accepted only after the payment of the additional fee, it added. BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. The hotline "112" of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Azerbaijan received information that one person was caught in a landslide in the city of Fuzuli, Trend reports citing the ministry. In connection with the information received, the forces of the State Fire Service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations were immediately deployed to the scene of the incident. When assessing the operational situation on site, it was established that one citizen found himself underground as a result of a landslide that occurred during restoration work on an underground gas pipeline. As a result of urgent and urgent measures taken, the citizen was saved. The Commissioner for Entrance Examinations, CEE Kerala, will close the KMAT 2024 Session 1 registration period on February 12. Candidates who have not applied yet for the Kerala Management Aptitude Test can do it through the official website of CEE Kerala at cee.kerala.gov.in. CEE Kerala will close KMAT 2024 Session 1 registration on Feb 12 KMAT 2024 applictaion fee: The applictaion fee is 1000 for general category candidates. For SC /ST candidates, the application fee is 750. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. KMAT 2024 age limit: There is no age limit KMAT 2024 educational qualification: Candidate should have completed the Bachelor's Degree of a minimum of three years' duration in the field of Arts, Science, Engineering, Commerce, Management or equivalent to satisfy the eligibility criteria for the examinations. KMAT 2024 direct link KMAT 2024 Session 1: Know how to apply Visit the official website of CEE Kerala at cee.kerala.gov.in. Click on the KMAT 2024 Session 1 registration link on the home page. Register and proceed with the application Make the payment of application fees. Click on submit and download the page. Keep a hard copy of the same for further need. Fresh admit cards have been issued by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore for all candidates appearing for the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2024 in Uttarakhands Haldwani in the backdrop of the current unrest. The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore has shifted all GATE 2024 candidates from Haldwani to Bareilly amid the current situation. Fresh admit cards have also been issued that can be used as a curfew pass. (AFP) The new Admit Cards are available for download on goaps.iisc.ac.in. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. In a fresh notification by IISc Bangalore, candidates from Haldwani who were enrolled to appear for EC (Session S7) and EE (Session S8) papers have been shifted to a new exam center in Bareilly, and the admit card can be used as a curfew pass. Also read: NMC warns medical colleges against compelling PG students to stay in hostels The notification further stated that a printed copy of the Haldwani Centre admit card or the new Bareilly Centre admit card shown on mobile phone will be accepted for entry to the center. Besides, buses have also been arranged for candidates to reach Bareilly. The National Medical Commission (NMC) has warned medical colleges and institutions against compelling post-graduate students to stay in the hostels offered by them and charging hefty amounts for the same. NMC warns medical colleges against compelling PG students to stay in hostels (HT Photo) It said the medical colleges failing to follow the directive may have to face action, such as monetary penalties, reduction of seats and stoppage of admissions. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. In a public notice issued on February 8, the commission referred to the Post Graduate Medical Education Regulation (PGMER), 2023, which says: "It will be mandatory for the college to provide appropriate residential accommodation to post-graduate students. However, it will not be mandatory for the PG students to stay in the hostel." The NMC said it has received a number of complaints from post-graduate students alleging that medical colleges are compelling them to stay in the hostels offered by them and about the hefty amounts being charged by the institutes on this account. "All the medical colleges and institutes are directed to take cognisance of the above-mentioned regulation, failing which NMC may take action as per regulations 9.1 and 9.2 of the PGMER, 2023, which includes monetary penalty, reduction of seats, stoppage of admission etc.," the notice stated. Sometimes there are incidents that shake us to our core, leaving us questioning the state of humanity. Carlesha Gaither Freeland's story is one such narrative. In a chilling account that captured the nation's attention, she was abducted at knifepoint while simply trying to make her way home. Over the span of three harrowing days, she faced unspeakable terror at the hands of her captor. While many may not be familiar with the details of this incident, her courageous journey has now been transformed into a film. Abducted at Knifepoint: The harrowing true story of Carlesha Gaither(lifetime tv ig) Also read: Is Masters of the Air Based on true events? Tom Hanks unveils untold WWII air combat tales Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Who is Carlesha Gaither? Carlesha Freeland-Gaither, a Philadelphia native, was employed as a nursing aide at Presbyterian Hospital when she was abducted. She lived with her boyfriend, and on the day of the incident, she had plans to meet him. It's reported that she intended to call him so he could meet her six blocks away and walk her home. Abducted at Knifepoint: The Carlesha Gaither story According to the police report and as depicted in the film adaptation, on November 2, 2014, at approximately 9:40 pm ET, 22-year-old Carlesha was walking home after visiting her godson. Suddenly, Delvin Barnes appeared and forcibly pulled Carlesha into his Ford Taurus. Despite the terrifying situation, Carlesha's mother described her as a resilient fighter. Carlesha attempted to defend herself by using a hammer found in the car to strike Barnes, but unfortunately, her efforts were unsuccessful. At that moment, a witness named Dwayne Fletcher attempted to intervene and stop Barnes from abducting Carlesha, but unfortunately, his efforts were unsuccessful. However, he acted promptly by dialing 911 and providing all the necessary details. While speaking to NBC10, Fletcher said, He heard me because I was screaming, Yo! You! What are you doing?! Yo, you! I dont know if her screams overpowered mine, but [Barnes] was moving fast though." Three days later, police located Carlesha in Jessup, Maryland, and successfully rescued her, taking Barnes into custody. Major clues that aided the police in tracking her down were her strategic actions. She intentionally dropped her mobile phone and glasses and even provided the correct credit card PIN to the abductor, all of which helped authorities pinpoint her location. Also read: Kelce craze sweeps wager trend: Top 5 Super Bowl LVIII Bets in Chiefs-49ers In her interview with NBC10 she said, "But the first thing when a person takes you, they ask you for any items that you have that you contact people. So I figured maybe if I just leave my phone since I'm pretty sure it was going to be taken away from me, that somebody knew I was on my way home." She further added, Anybody that knows me knows that I wear glasses and I wouldn't leave them anywhere, so if somebody walked by it was evidence. DNA from my glasses and my cellphone which had my contacts." Luckily those items were collected by Fletcher who rushed to the crime scene. How did the police find Carlesha? Unaware of the extensive media coverage surrounding her kidnapping and the viral video that captured her abduction, which had created a strong online demand for justice, Gaither-Freeland was found shackled within the car's trunk. She later learned that Barnes was traveling to Virginia to see his daughter. Barnes' love for his daughter gave Gaither-Freeland hope despite his horrible deeds. Officials stated that at the time of his arrest, Barnes was wanted on charges of attempted murder and rape related to a separate incident in which he had attacked and attempted to kill a teenager in Virginia in October of 2014. In 2016 he was sentenced to 35 years in prison. Abducted Off the Street: The Carlesha Gaither Story is streaming on Lifetime channel It was family time for the Bhatts and the Kapoors this Sunday. Alia Bhatt was seen with her mother-in-law, Neetu Kapoor as they exited a restaurant in Mumbai. Apart from Neetu, Alia was also seen with her mother Soni Razdan, and sister Shaheen Bhatt. As they went towards their own cars, Neetu hugged Alia and playfully squished her cheeks. (Also read: Rishi Kapoor holds granddaughter Raha Kapoor in his arms in edited photo; Neetu Kapoor calls it too adorable) Alia Bhatt with Neetu Kapoor and Soni Razdan. Alia Bhatt with Neetu Kapoor, Soni Razdan and Shaheen Bhatt Alia was seen in a casual look in a green top under a shirt and baggy jeans. Neetu Kapoor was spotted beside her, in a white shirt. As Neetu went towards her car, she hugged Alia and squished her cheeks. The paparazzi, who were stationed outside, clicked pictures of the entire family. Shaheen was seen in a bright pink sweater, while Soni opted for a printed shirt. Alia also walked them towards their car. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The actor also obliged to many young fans who patiently waited to click a picture with her. When a photographer tripped while taking her pictures, Alia said, Are, aaram se (please be careful)! Neetu on giving advice to Alia and Ranbir Neetu was recently seen in Koffee with Karan Season 8 where host Karan Johar asked the actor about one thing from her marriage that she wished Alia and Ranbir would embrace. To this, Neetu replied, "Nothing. Because in today's day and age, do what you want to do. Just be happy. And also, every generation is different. What I went through, I can't expect them to do the same thing, so they know their own vibe." Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor tied the knot on April 14, 2022, and announced her pregnancy in June 2022. On November 6, last year, the actor-couple welcomed their first child, a baby girl, named Raha. Alia will be next seen in Jigar, which is directed by Vasan Bala. She also announced her next with director Sanjay Leela Bhansali titled Love and War, where she will be seen with Ranbir Kapoor and Vicky Kaushal. Entertainment! Entertainment! Entertainment! Click to follow our Whatsapp Channel Your daily dose of gossip, films, shows, celebrities updates all in one place Actor Imran Khan is back. After years away from limelight, Imran turned cover star for Vogue India, and during his recent interview with the magazine, Imran recalled a fan encounter he had in London. The actor revealed a woman asked him to park her car, without recognising who he was. While Imran carried out the task, another woman, who was sitting in the passenger seat of the car recognised him. Also read: Imran Khan moved out of bungalow, sold Ferrari, left films to fix himself Imran Khan spoke about a 'memorable encounter' with a fan in London. Imran Khan recalls how a fan asked him for help When asked about his 'most memorable encounter with a fan, Imran Khan said, I was walking down a street in London and I could see this car going back and forth and back and forth, trying to parallel park. Door opens and this girl charges out, 'Can you please help me park my car? I take the keys from her and as I am getting in, there is another girl in the passenger seat, who gets out. All of that is happening while I back the car into its spot and I get out and shes like Thank you. Thank you are you? and I said, Yes and she goes, Oh my God, oh my God its you. Imran Khan's low phase In his cover interview with Vogue India, Imran Khan also revealed selling his car and bungalow to fix himself for his daughter, Imara, whom he shares with ex-wife Avantika Malik. Imran recalled hitting a rough patch in his life back in 2016, which is why he decided to quit acting. Imran said during the interview, "I hit a low in 2016 where I felt broken inside. Luckily, I was working in an industry that had rewarded me financially, so by the time I was 30, I didnt have to worry about money. At that point, it wasnt my career because I wasnt excited by it enough to want to work hard for it. I had recently become a father and thought, This is valuable. This is something I take seriously. I wanted to be the best version of myself for Imara. I decided it was no longer my job to be an actor. Now, I had to fix myself; be at my healthiest and strongest for my daughter. Entertainment! Entertainment! Entertainment! Click to follow our Whatsapp Channel Your daily dose of gossip, films, shows, celebrities updates all in one place Actor Shah Rukh Khan recently travelled to Qatar and attended a few events. Many photos of the actor has now emerged on social media platforms. Taking to X (formerly known as Twitter), a fan account @SRKUniverse also shared several videos of the actor in Doha. (Also Read | When Shah Rukh Khan revealed what he gave as his first Valentine's Day gift to wife Gauri Khan) (L) Shah Rukh Khan with Qatar PM; with FIFA president. Shah Rukh meets Qatar PM In a picture, Shah Rukh is seen speaking with Qatar prime minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. Shah Rukh smiled as he shook hands with the Qatar PM. Shah Rukh was seen in a white shirt under a blue and grey jacket and pants. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The caption read, "Qatar Prime Minister HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani welcomes Bollywood Superstar Shah Rukh Khan as he attends AFC Final in Doha as Special Guest of Honor. Worlds biggest star for a reason @iamsrk." Shah Rukh poses with FIFA president In another photo, Shah Rukh was seen posing for the lens with FIFA president Gianni Infantino at the AFC Asian Cup Final in Qatar. In a clip, Shah Rukh was seen at a watch exhibition event. He met several people, greeted them, shook hands and also posed with them for the camera. Shah Rukh also shared conversations and jokes, as seen in a clip with people around him laughing. He was seen wearing a white shirt and beige pants. He also wore sunglasses. The actor was accompanied by his manager, Pooja Dadlani. About Shah Rukh's films Fans saw Shah Rukh last in Dunki alongside Taapsee Pannu. Directed by Rajkumar Hirani, Dunki opened to mixed reviews upon its release on December 21 last year. The comedy-drama, based on an illegal immigration technique, 'donkey flight', also starred Vicky Kaushal, Boman Irani, Vikram Kochhar and Anil Grover. Recently, he spoke at a fan meet-and-greet for Dunki. He was on a four-year hiatus before he returned to the movies last year with Pathaan, Jawan and Dunki. He had said, Normally, you feel a little nervous and you feel that, 'I hope I've got the film right'. Previously, some of my films didn't do well so I thought I'm not making good films. He had added, "But I think more than my films, it was the love of the people for Pathaan, Jawan and Dunki... This whole country and people outside of India have actually taken me to their heart more than the films and said that, 'Don't take a break for four years, two to four months are fine'. So, I'm very, very thankful to all of you, to the audience and the whole world for making me realise that what I do is right and I should keep on doing it." Entertainment! Entertainment! Entertainment! Click to follow our Whatsapp Channel Your daily dose of gossip, films, shows, celebrities updates all in one place Actor Neetu Kapoor has reacted to an edited photo featuring her late husband, actor Rishi Kapoor, and their granddaughter Raha Kapoor. Taking to Instagram recently, a fan account posted the photo. In the edited picture, Rishi held Raha Kapoor as he smiled, looking at her. (Also Read | Koffee With Karan: Neetu Kapoor recalls how Rishi Kapoor was never a friend to his children) Rishi Kapoor with Raha in an edited picture. Rishi carries Raha in his arms in edited photo Rishi wore a blue T-shirt in the edited picture while Raha was seen in a printed white dress and a tiara. The picture was shared with the caption, "I wish Rishi ji was with us even today... and with Raha too." Sharing it on her Instagram Stories, Alia Bhatt's mother Soni Razdan wrote, "This is such a great edit. It fills our hearts with happiness. Thank you (folded hands and purple emojis)." Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Neetu reacts to Rishi and Raha's edited pic Re-sharing Soni's post, Neetu Kapoor wrote in her Instagram Stories, "This is too adorable (smiling face with hearts emoji)." Rishi Kapoor died on April 30, 2020. His and Neetu's son Ranbir Kapoor married actor Alia Bhatt on April 14, 2022. They welcomed their daughter, Raha Kapoor, in November 2022. Neetu Kapoor shared Soni Razdan's post on her Instagram Stories. About Raha Last year in December, during Christmas, Ranbir Kapoor and Alia stepped out for their first public appearance with their Raha. She was dressed in a white and pink frock with a reindeer on the front and a pair of red shoes. Ranbir carried the little one in his arms with Alia by their side. The couple also thanked the media for their wishes as Raha made her "paparazzi debut". Alia spoke about Raha In November last year, Alia had talked about keeping Raha's face from getting splashed across social media. "I don't want it to seem like I am hiding my daughter. I am proud of her. If the cameras were not rolling right now, I would put a giant image of her on the screen. I love her. I am proud of our baby. But we are new parents. We don't know how we feel about her face splashed out all over the internet, she's barely a year old," she had said at an event as quoted by news agency PTI. Ranbir remembered Rishi recently Recently, Ranbir won the Best Actor Award (Male) for his performance in Sandeep Reddy Vanga's film Animal at the Filmfare Awards. In his acceptance speech, Ranbir expressed his gratitude to Rishi. "Every day I think of you, I remember you and everything that I feel for you...the love, the affection I try to channelise it through this part and I hope you are up there in peace and resting," he said. Ranbir also gave a cute shout to Raha, "And last but not least my daughter Raha...naughty....you were born and a week later I started principal shooting for Animal ..and every single day just to come home to you has been the most joyful experience of my life. Mumma and papa are bringing you a bua and a massi (referring to black lady) tonight to play... I can't wait to experience every adventure with you...I love you naughty. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen...see you at the movies." Entertainment! Entertainment! Entertainment! Click to follow our Whatsapp Channel Your daily dose of gossip, films, shows, celebrities updates all in one place Actor Shah Rukh Khan and wife-interior designer Gauri Khan have been married for over three decades now. As Valentine's Day 2024 is around the corner, we take you back to the time, when Shah Rukh spoke about his first gift on the special day for Gauri. One of the most-loved couples in Bollywood, Shah Rukh and Gauri married in 1991. (Also Read | When Shah Rukh Khan revealed his first crush, said after meeting Gauri Khan at a party he thought: 'Ehi kudi leni hai') Gauri Khan and Shah Rukh Khan have been married for more than 32 years. Shah Rukh's first Valentine's Day gift to Gauri In 2023, Shah Rukh held an Ask SRK session on one of his social media platforms. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), a fan had asked, "What was your first gift for Valentine's Day to Gauri ma'am? @iamsrk #AskSRK." He had said, "If I remember correctly, its been what 34 years now.a pair of pink plastic earrings, I think" Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Shah Rukh's post and interview about Gauri Shah Rukh is one of the most romantic heroes across the film industries. In 2020, he had shared a picture with Gauri on X as they held hands. He had written, "36 years...ab toh Valentines bhi humse pooch kar aata hai (now even Valentines asks our permission before arriving). Wishing you all, love beyond restrictions..." Shah Rukh and Gauri Khan got married on October 25, 1991. They are parents to three children--Aryan, Suhana and AbRam. A few years ago, when asked by an audience member of Rajat Sharma's show Aap Ki Adalat, who was his first ever crush, Shah Rukh had said, Mera first crush Gauri thi (my first crush was Gauri). He continued in Hindi, "She was 14 then, and I was 18. I met her at a party (in Delhi). She was the first girl, who spoke to me for more than three seconds. I was so encouraged by her gesture that... He then said in Punjabi, Ehi kudi leni hai (I have to be with this girl only). About Shah Rukh's latest film Fans saw Shah Rukh last in Dunki. Recently, at a fan meet-and-greet event for the film, he had said, "Normally, you feel a little nervous and you feel that, 'I hope I've got the film right'. Previously, some of my films didn't do well so I thought I'm not making good films. But I think more than my films, it was the love of the people for Pathaan, Jawan and Dunki..." "This whole country and people outside of India have actually taken me to their heart more than the films and said that, 'Don't take a break for four years, two to four months are fine'. So, I'm very, very thankful to all of you, to the audience and the whole world for making me realise that what I do is right and I should keep on doing it," he had added. Dunki, directed by Rajkumar Hirani, released in theatres on December 21. The comedy-drama, based on an illegal immigration technique, 'donkey flight', also stars Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal, Boman Irani, Vikram Kochhar and Anil Grover. Entertainment! Entertainment! Entertainment! Click to follow our Whatsapp Channel Your daily dose of gossip, films, shows, celebrities updates all in one place The upcoming 2024 Hanteo Music Awards will mark the 31st anniversary of the annual awards ceremony that has for so long recognised artists in their best element. Musical contributions for the past year are judged based on the Hanteo Chart listings. Max Changmin of TVXQ will helm this year's extravaganza, slated to be held on February 17 and 18, 2024, at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul. aespa and ZEROBASEONE are listed as two big names in the performing lineup of the 2024 Hanteo Music Awards.(Instagram) Hanteo Music Awards in Seoul comes after the previously held prestigious events - Circle Chart Music Awards, Golden Disc Awards in Jakarta and Seoul Music Awards. With 50 music acts nominated for the top spot, Artist of the Year, big names like NCT DREAM, SEVENTEEN, NewJeans, (G)I-DLE, aespa and others have made it to the qualifying list. The award criteria will consider the combination of the Hanteo Global score, global voting score and judging score. Here's what we know about the forthcoming night of musical stars. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Where to watch Hanteo Music Awards 2023 Unfortunately, any significant HMA 2024 livestream details are yet to be officially announced. We will update this page when that happens. Korean channel SBS M and Mnet Japan were labelled the official broadcast partners for the previous year's show, while Mnet Smart+ and IdolPlus facilitated online streaming. Also read: BTS' RM makes fans emotional as he says 'hoping our connection will continue' 2023 Hanteo Music Awards lineup The first roster of performers to be present at the ceremony includes Lee Chan Won, LUCY, VIVIZ, PLAVE, Parc Jae Jung and Daybreak. The following lineup announcement revealed that aespa, ZEROBASEONE, Kim Jae Hwan, KISS OF LIFE, Jung Dong Won and tripleS would also perform at the upcoming event. DJ Vandal Rock, Billlie, Kep1er, JUST B, VANNER, 8TURN and TEMPEST's names were added to the third lineup of performers. Day 1 lineup: Billlie, LUCY, Kep1er, Jeong Dong Won, JUST B, ATEEZ, DAYBREAK, TEMPEST, VIVIZ, VANNER, Kim Jae Hwan, Lee Chan Won, PLAVE, Libelante Day 2 lineup: aespa, Par Jae Jung, 8TURN, KISS OF LIFE, ZEROBASEONE, YB, tripleS; NCT 127 and NCT DREAM are also expected to attend the show on February 18, 2024. In addition to the K-pop performers, the HMAs have also confirmed some presenters for the awards night. Lee Won Seok, Jung In, Kim Jong Seo, Cho Hang Jo, Danny Ahn, KARA's Han Seung Yeon, 2AM's Jo Kwon, Byul, Apink's Yoom Bomi, Fly to the Sky's Brian, Gabee, Kim Hyung Suk, Sunye, Yoo Il Sang and Kim Dong Wan will be in attendance as presenters. 2024 Hanteo Music Awards nominees The 31st Hanteo Music Awards has sorted eligible hits released between January 1 to December 31, 2023. Voting for several categories, open through the Whosfan application, now remains closed. Some nominees have been listed below. Other unmentioned award categories include the Bonsangs (Main Awards), Whos Fandom Award, Best Producer Award, Global Artist Award and Daesangs (Grand Prize) - Best Artist, Best Album, Best Song and Best Performance. Rookie of the Year (Male) 8TURN Evnne Fantasy Boys PLAVE RIIZE BOYNEXTDOOR Ampers&One ZEROBASEONE xikers n.SSign Rookie of the Year (Female) LIMELIGHT ODD EYE CIRCLE YOUNG POSSE KISS OF LIFE Loossemble TripleS Emerging Artist Award B.I ATBO TEMPEST THE NEW SIX Billlie Kep1er LUN8 Kwon Eun Bi EPEX VIVIZ YOUNITE Xdinary Heroes Special Award (Trot) Young Tak Jang Min Ho Hwang Young Woong Lee Chan Won Park Seo Jin Jung Dong Won Special Award (Ballad) BOL4 Kim Jae Hwan Lee Seok Hoon Kim Se Jeong D.O. Parc Jae Jung Younha Taeyeon Naul Special Award (Band) LUCY NELL ONEWE Young K F.T. ISLAND Nerd Connection THORNAPPLE Xdinary Heroes Jung Yong Hwa Special Award (Hip-Hop) Crush Epik High Giriboy Jessi B.I BIG Naughty Sik-K Loco Special Award (Virtual Artist) MAVE SUPERKIND PLAVE ISEGYE IDOL Post Generation Award CRAVITY STAYC TREASURE AB6IX Jeon Somi Lee Chan Won LUCY VERIVERY Weeekly P1Harmony CIX Jung Dong Won VANNER WEi Subscription to paid content Gain access to all that Trend has to offer, as well as to premium, licensed content via subscription or direct purchase through a credit card. Donald Trump proudly claims credit for signing the Music Modernization Act, a legislation milestone that updated copyright laws to accommodate streaming. He boasts, "I signed and was responsible for the Music Modernization Act for Taylor Swift and all other Musical Artists." Taylor Swift performs as part of the "Eras Tour" at the Tokyo Dome, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Toru Hanai)(AP) Taylor Swift and the Joe Biden dilemma In a recent Truth Social post, Trump questions Swift's potential support for President Joe Biden, asserting that Biden has done nothing for her. He boldly states, "Theres no way she could endorse Crooked Joe Biden, the worst and most corrupt President in the History of our Country." Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Disloyalty accusation: Trump's perspective Trump accuses Swift of potential disloyalty, suggesting that she owes her endorsement to the man who made her a lot of moneyhimself. He emphasizes, "I signed and was responsible for the Music Modernization Act for Taylor Swift and all other Musical Artists." Kelce, politics, and fandom Trump acknowledges Swift's boyfriend, Travis Kelce, a Kansas City Chiefs tight end, expressing admiration despite potential political differences. He notes, "I like her boyfriend, Travis, even though he may be a Liberal, and probably cant stand me!" Super Bowl LVII anticipation The timing of Trump's post raises eyebrows as it precedes Swift's expected appearance at Super Bowl LVII, where she's set to cheer on Kelce. The political undertones add intrigue to the highly anticipated event. Conspiracy theories surrounding Taylor Swift Swift's recent political involvement has fueled wild conspiracy theories, including claims that she's part of a Department of Defense operationa theory debunked by the Pentagon. Additionally, unfounded notions connect Swift's relationship with Kelce to a Democratic plan to influence Biden's election. Biden campaign's Taylor Swift endorsement hopes The Biden campaign, eager for Swift's backing, is reportedly considering sending Biden to one of Swift's tour stops. Despite online speculations, there is no evidence linking Swift's relationship with Kelce to Biden's political strategy. Trump's music legacy: A tangent worth noting Trump's signing of the Music Modernization Act marked a significant overhaul in musical licensing, simplifying the process and ensuring fair compensation, especially for sound recordings predating 1972. After keeping his fans on edge for a while, Kanye West has finally unleashed his newest album, Vultures, much to the delight of his ardent followers. Although there are several lyrics with cryptic clues that the internet is busy decoding, one verse from the album has stirred up quite a buzz online. In these lyrics, Kanye hints at a boat trip he took in Italy with his wife, Bianca Censori, sparking curiosity and raising eyebrows among listeners. Kanye West has dropped his newest album, Vultures,(Instagram, X) Also read: Kanye West snatches phone and berates pap who questioned controlling Censori, Im a legend Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Kanye West's Vultures lyrics subtly refer to Italy's boat ride incident It appears that Kanye West may have subtly referenced his eventful boat excursion with Bianca Censori during their summer getaway in Italy on his latest album, Vultures 1. The trip stirred controversy, with the rapper even facing a ban from the boat company due to alleged indecent exposure. The song F-k Sumn, includes a rap verse Shawty wanna f***k on somethin? / F***k on me / S*** on me, publicly. Many internet users pointed out that the lyrics hint towards their European Gateway. The song featuring Ty Dolla $ign is just another cryptic line from the ever-unpredictable Ye. F-k Sumn is among the 16 tracks dropped by Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign on their collaborative album released last Friday. The album cover features Kanye in all-black attire and his recognizable Jason Voorhees mask standing behind Bianca Censori almost nude with just a little piece of cloth and her high boots. Also read: Vultures: Kanye West mentions Taylor Swift again, releases NSFW Bianca Censori album cover Kanye West Italy boat ride incident The rapper Vultures and his wife Bianca Censori were banned in September of last year for indecent exposure, after Kanye showed his butt while on a boat ride, by a Venice boat company. Venezia Turismo Motoscafi, a boat rental company in Venice, stated that its staff were unaware of the incident until the news went viral. In an interview with Daily Mail, the boat company said, The driver had to keep a lookout for traffic and did not see these obscenities, If this had happened, he would have immediately disembarked and reported the transgressors to those in authority. We completely dissociate ourselves from such acts and behaviour. Mr. West and his wife will certainly no longer be welcome on board our companys boats. The 2024 Anime Trending Awards (ATA) will feature a long list of categories that will receive votes from the community. Voting polls closed on February 8 at 4 pm Tokyo time, and now we await the winner announcements on D-day. The tenth edition of the community award series will keep up the usual trend as it will once again become the voice of international anime fans. Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 and Suzume are nominated at this year's Anime Trending Awards.(AniTrendz) Anime Trending has studied weekly Top 10 rankings of recent releases since 2013. The annual award ceremonies first kicked off in 2014. Since then, ATA has often presented shout-outs from production teams, thanking their international audiences. This year's event is yet another anticipated night. Nominees for all 30 categories are out on the official website. Some of which have been listed below. Here's everything you need to know about the upcoming show. Also read: Korean Netflix reality shows of 2024: Single's Inferno 4, Zombieverse 2 and more Where to watch Anime Trending Awards 2024? You may tune into this series of fan-voted anime awards on the AniTrendz website (https://www.anitrendz.com/ata), Twitch channel, YouTube Live, Facebook Live or even Twitter Live. 10th Anime Trending Awards: When to watch? The tenth ceremony edition of this awards show will be livestreamed on March 9 or 10, 2024, depending on your location: March 9 at 6 pm US Pacific West (PST) March 9 at 9 pm US Eastern Time Zone (EST) March 10 at 2 am Greenwich Time for theUK (GMT) March 10 at 10 am Philippine Standard Time (PST) March 10 at 11 am Japan Standard Time (JST) March 10 at 12 pm Australian Easter Daylight Time (AEDT) 2024 Anime Trending Awards Nominees Anime of the Year and Anime Movie of the Year are two of the most important categories among the 30 that seek to crown the best anime releases and the various aspects associated with these premieres. Some categories are Character of the Year - Boy of the Year, Girl of the Year, Couple of the Year, Supporting Boy of the Year and Supporting Girl of the Year; Aspect Awards - Best in Adapted Screenplay, Best in Animation, Best in Character Design, Best in Original Screenplay, Best in Soundtrack, Best in Voice Cast and many more. Anime of the Year Dr Stone: New World Hell's Paradise Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury Season 2 Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 My Happy Marriage Oshi No Ko Spy X Family Season 2 Tengoku-Daimakyo The 100 Girlfriends Who Really Really Really Really Really Love You The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten The Dangers in My Heart The Eminence in Shadow The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady Tomo-Chan is a Girl! Vinland Saga Season 2 Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead Anime Movie of the Year Actor Amit Sadh is set to take audiences on an exhilarating ride with his upcoming documentary, Motorcycles Saved My Life. Explaining the title, Sadh shares, Once I was shooting a film in London, and the contract said that I couldnt ride a bike for the entirety of the shoot, so as soon as the film finished I went to the nearest bike store and there I found a cap that said - Motorcycles Saved My Life - This phrase resonated so much with me, that I always thought I would make a film with this emotion. amit sadh motorcycles documentary For Sadh, motorcycles are more than just machines; they are liberators of the soul and guides to self-discovery. He expresses his desire to share this transformative experience with others, stating, When I decided to take my next ride, we decided to film it so that we can share the experience I have with people. Motorcycles for me, beyond being machines, are liberators of the soul and guides to self-discovery. My hope is that this journey inspires others to find their path to fulfillment on the open road. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The film encapsulates Sadhs deep connection with motorcycles and the profound impact they have had on his life, in which he went on a bike trip from Mumbai to Leh. Currently, the actor is actively seeking for collaborations to help bring his vision to the widest possible audience. At the moment I am looking for partners who can help me take the film to the largest audience possible. We are in conversation with a few people and Im very excited to see this reach as many people as possible. The teaser response has been heartening to say the least, I am very grateful to my fans and my team for making this dream of mine a reality, the 44-year-old ends. New Delhi: This year marked the highest number of prisoners sent to death row in nearly 20 years, with 561 prisoners, a report has revealed. As per the report, there has been a 45.71% increase in the population of inmates sent to death row since 2015. In 2023, 120 death sentences were imposed by trial courts across the country, and 561 prisoners were living on death row at the end of the year (Representative Photo) In 2023, 120 death sentences were imposed by trial courts across the country, and 561 prisoners were living on death row at the end of the year, a report - Death Penalty in India: Annual Statistics Report, published by Project 39A said. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. This marks the largest death row population in nearly two decades. Only one death sentence was confirmed in 2023, making it the year with the lowest rate of death sentence confirmations by the appellate courts since 2000. The year 2023 also witnesses a 45.71% increase in the death row population since 2015, the report stated. Project 39A is a criminal justice research and legal aid program at the National Law University in Delhi, and is inspired by Article 39-A of the Indian Constitution, which promotes equal justice and equal opportunity by removing economic and social barriers. The report, which is the eighth edition by the publisher, also revealed that in 2023, trial courts across the country imposed 120 death sentences with the highest number of sentences from Uttar Pradesh i.e. 33 followed by 12 in Jharkhand and 11 each in Gujarat, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh and 10 in West Bengal. Uttar Pradesh had the largest death row population at 119 prisoners. The highest number of trial courts death sentences in 2023 was imposed in murder cases involving sexual offences, which is 64 (53.33%) out of 120 death sentences. This has been a rising trend in trial courts since our first annual statistics report in 2016, the report said. The report however noted that the rate of disposal of death penalty confirmation proceedings at the high court in 2023 had seen a decrease of 15% in prisoners since the previous year. From the 57 cases decided by the High Courts involving 80 prisoners, 1 prisoner had their death sentence confirmed and 36 prisoners saw their death sentences commuted to life imprisonment. 36 prisoners were acquitted of all charges and 5 had their cases sent back for re-trial to trial courts due to procedural errors concerning examination of witnesses and fair trial violations in the original trials, the report read. The report highlighted that the Supreme Court did not confirm any death sentences in 2023 while deciding 10 cases involving 11 prisoners and acquitted 6 prisoners who were on death row, criticizing the quality of evidence and police investigation. The report also mentioned that the President of India rejected one mercy petition in March 2023 in a case of kidnapping, rape and murder of a minor in 2008. There are a total of 488 death row prisoners awaiting judgment from the high courts, it said. According to the report, 541 and 490 inmates were on death row at the end of 2022 and 2021, respectively, and 167 and 146 death sentences were awarded in 2022 and 2021. The report said the death row population has increased over the years and in 2023, the most Following his expulsion from the Congress for indiscipline, Acharya Pramod Krishnam on Sunday said there can not be a compromise on Ram and Rashtra (nation). Pramod Krishnam (HT FILE) The Congress party on Saturday expelled Acharya Pramod Krishnam for six years for repeatedly making anti-party statements. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. "In view of complaints about indiscipline and repeatedly making statement against the party, Congress president has approved the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee's proposal to expel Shri Pramod Krishnam for six years with immediate effect," a statement issued by Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal said. Reacting to the action against him, Pramod Krishnam said in a post in Hindi, There can be no compromise on Ram and the nation, and tagged senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. When asked to comment on his expulsion, Krishnam told reporters that he will hold a press conference at 1pm at Kalki Dham in Sambhal. I do not want to say anything, at 1:00 pm at Kalki Dham I will hold a press conference and say whatever I want to there, he said. Krishnam of late has been criticising some decisions of the party leadership and earlier this week asserted that the opposition INDIA bloc no longer exists in reality. He said the bloc immediately contracted a lot of diseases right after its birth only to go on a ventilator thereafter. I think there is no such thing as INDIA Alliance. When INDIA alliance was created, it immediately contracted a lot of diseases right after its birth. Then it went to the ICU and ventilator. Nitish Kumar performed its (INDIA) last rites in Patna...I don't think it exists anymore, Krishnam told ANI. He recently took a dig at the timing of the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra saying other political parties are gearing up for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections but it seems Congress is preparing for the 2029 elections. He had also met Prime Minister Modi earlier this month and invited him to the foundation stone laying ceremony of Shri Kalki Dham in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal on February 19. After West Bengal, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has turned its attention towards the mining mafia in Bihar, where large syndicates are allegedly involved in illegal sand mining, causing environmental degradation and huge losses to the state exchequer, people familiar with the developments said. In the past eight months alone, ED has established that illegal sand mining has caused revenue loss worth 400 crore to the Bihar government. (File) The financial crimes probe agency last week attached properties belonging to several accused persons including a politician worth over 50 crore in two money laundering cases pertaining to illegal sand mining and sale. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. In the past eight months alone, ED has established that illegal sand mining has caused revenue loss worth 400 crore to the Bihar government. We are aware of the menace of sand mining with major syndicates running the illegal sand mining business and causing environmental degradation and loss to exchequers resources in Bihar and other states. We undertook scrutiny of various first information reports (FIRs) in Bihar and found that a few big giants were involved, and rampant mining is happening without the fear of law, said a senior ED officer, who didnt want to be named. The first case under EDs scanner pertains to Janata Dal-United (JD-U) MLC, Radha Charan Sah, who was arrested by the agency in September 2023. The allegations are that a company - Broadsons Commodities Pvt Ltd, against whom 19 FIRs were registered by the Bihar Police, was involved in the illegal mining. Broadsons has been involved in illegal sand mining and selling of sand without using the departmental prepaid transportation e-challan, issued by the mining authority, Bihar and has caused huge revenue loss to the extent of 161.15 crore to the government exchequer, ED said in a statement on February 6 after attaching properties worth 26.19 croire belonging to Sah. EDs probe revealed that the sale and mining of sand was mainly controlled by the syndicate, of which Sah is a member, and huge proceeds of crime were generated. Sah layered and laundered the proceeds of crime with the assistance of his son Kanhaiya Prasad using hawala network. He used it in acquisition and development of a resort in Manali (Himachal Pradesh) through a company, where his sons are shareholders, and to carry out constructions in the school in Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) run by his family-owned trust. He used the facade of a firm and a trust owned by his family members to layer the proceeds of crime, ED said in its statement. The second case pertains to a company, Aditya Multicom Private Limited, and its directors Jag Narayan Singh and Satish Kumar Singh. This money laundering case was registered by ED based on 24 FIRs filed by the Bihar Police. It is alleged that Aditya Multicom has been involved in illegal sand mining and illegal sale of sand and has caused revenue loss to the extent of 249.63 crores (approx.) to the (Bihar) government exchequer, ED said in a separate statement on February 6. ED last week attached properties worth over 25 crore belonging to the company and its directors. Officials cited above said that the Bihar mining department has already been informed about the irregularities and revenue loss to it. Earlier, ED has investigated illegal sand or coal mining cases in West Bengal, in which Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Abhishek Banerjee is under scanner; Jharkhand where former chief minister Hemant Soren is being probed in a matter related to illegal mining; and similar case in Chhattisgarh in which some former senior state government officials were under the scanner. Asserting that there are more instances of illegal mining cases in various states, the second officer cited above, who also requested anonymity, said these syndicates have muscle and power. They support the companies, which are front, to give security deposits in their bidding processes, etc. and get back their investments with windfall profits. The funds generated through illegal mining are either returned to the syndicates in cash or laundered by infusing into the dummy accounts of labourers and employees of the company. Then comes the expertise of chartered accountants, who help both companies and syndicates in managing their ill-gotten wealth, this officer added. Drawing parallels to the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday expressed confidence that any development regarding the birthplace of Lord Krishna would also transpire following law and in a spirit of harmony. Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.(PTI) Be it Mathura, Kashi or Ayodhya, these are very sacred places for all of us. People expect that Shri Krishna's birthplace should also be developed, Fadnavis told reporters. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Just as the temple of Lord Ram has been built under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi under the complete legal process, in the same way, Lord Krishna Janmabhumi will also happen in harmony and under the law, he added. Fadnavis's remarks come amid renewed demand for the construction of a Krishna temple where the Shahi Idgah mosque stands in Mathura. This site is claimed by some Hindu groups to be the birthplace of Lord Krishna, a major deity in Hinduism. Hindutva outfits claim that the Shahi Idgah mosque was built on the site of the original Kesava Deo temple, which marked the birthplace of Lord Krishna. The temple was said to have been destroyed during the reign of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in the 17th century. The dispute has gained renewed attention following the resolution of the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute in Ayodhya. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath also appeared to make a pitch in the assembly for a temple where a mosque stands now in Mathura, saying that Krishna Kanhaiya wouldn't have it any other way. Participating in a debate on the Governor's Address, he recalled the Mahabharata episode in which the Kauravas refused to concede land equivalent to the "point of a needle" to the Pandavas. He said the same thing happened with Kashi, Mathura, and Ayodhya. "We have asked only for three." Referring to a recent Varanasi district court order allowing a Hindu priest to offer prayers in a cellar in the Gyanvapi complex, located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple, Yogi Adityanath said, "When people saw the celebration in Ayodhya, Nandi Baba too said why he should wait. Without waiting, he too got the barricades removed in the night," he said. And Lord Krishna too wasn't the one to be dissuaded, he added. "Aur hamare Krishna Kanhaiya kahan manane wale hein." Ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, voters in Meghalaya have begun receiving their electoral photo identity cards (EPIC) as part of the electoral process, people aware of the matter said on Friday. However, several have received multiple voter ID cards. (Representative Photo) While some have got two, there are instances when either a fresh voter or an enrolled one making a correction or alteration has got their cards more than three times, said people. Significantly, amongst such multiple cards being issued to a single voter, some have different electoral numbers. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. According to the people, the electoral cards are currently being issued throughout the state, commencing on National Voters Day, held on 25th January 2024, through the respective booth-level officers (BLO) of all constituencies. They in turn collect the EPICs from their enumerator at the office of the deputy commissioner who is the designated electoral registration officer (ERO), said people. According to some officers, when such cases of duplicity in the cards were detected, and immediately brought to the knowledge of the respective enumerators, they were asked to continue with the exercise. So, we carried on with our designated duty and kept on distributing the cards since we thought it must be part of the process, and more so since our superior has advised us so, a BLO of a semi-urban constituency told HT after being repeatedly assured confidentiality. Though it is confusing, we are on an assignment to complete as this is commissioned by the Election Commission of India and so we are following orders, the officer added. Another BLO of another constituency on Thursday found an EPIC belonging to the same voter, but, with two different numbers i.e. while the first eight characters are the same, the last two vary. When queried as to which is the correct enrolment number, the BLO replied, I really cant say. Only senior officers know the answer. People with knowledge of the electoral process expressed surprise at such an occurrence. Throughout my career, I have been integrally involved with the election department in various capacities and this has never occurred before. I dont know what to say. Even Aadhaar and PAN cards are issued singly not in multiples, a senior government employee said refusing to be named. Shillong MP, and president of the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC), Vincent H Pala said, I am shocked and alarmed by this information. I shall find out more about this, and if this is true, then surely someone must clarify such a grave blunder, some definite answers must be given especially when we are going to the polls soon. The opposition All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) Meghalaya unit president Charles Pyngrope said the situation is very alarming. If this is true then it is very alarming. With the MP elections soon to be held throughout the country, I think the election commission should enquire into such instances immediately and take immediate corrective measures to rectify any anomaly. A voter with two different EPIC numbers will be confused about which is the right one. Who will take the blame ECI or the voter? Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Meghalaya, B.D.R. Tiwari responded by saying this is not possible. It could be a mistake, it should not happen, maybe the voter has not returned the old one (these are brand new cards), this is done at the electoral registration officers level, he added. Preliminary enquiry reveals that such duplicity has taken place in only one batch but we are still probing further and if any lapse is detected, appropriate remedial measures will be initiated promptly, the CEO said, adding, The cards are printed in Hyderabad, and I think some mistake must have taken place there, but again, it is the responsibility of the respective EROs to ensure this does not happen. Rest assured the matter will be addressed shortly. After Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that the Citizenship Amendment Act will be implemented before the Lok Sabha polls, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi said on Sunday that the law is wrong and against the essence of India and is purely based on religion. AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi (PTI) "This is the wrong law. It is against the essence of India and is formed purely based on religion. CAA cannot be seen alone. It has to be seen with NPR-NRC. Those Hindus and Sikhs living in Pakistan and Afghanistan can come here; we have never opposed them. A long-term visa allows them to become Indian citizens through a process. It aims to harass Muslims, Dalits and the poor. During the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government, we also got a resolution passed in the assembly that the government will conduct a census but NRC-NPR will not be allowed here," he said. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. "AIMIM has always been against CAA and will continue to oppose it," Owaisi added. ALSO READ| Delhi Traffic Police issue advisory in view of proposed farmers' protest. Check details here Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Saturday that the Citizenship Amendment Act, which was passed by Parliament in December 2019, will be notified and implemented before the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. "CAA is an act of the country; it will definitely be notified. It will be notified before the polls. CAA will be implemented by the polls, and there should be no confusion around it," Shah said, speaking at the ET Now-Global Business summit here in the national capital. "CAA was a promise of the Congress government. When the country was divided and the minorities were persecuted in those countries, Congress assured the refugees that they were welcome in India and that they would be provided with Indian citizenship. Now they are backtracking," Shah said. The CAA, introduced by the Narendra Modi government, aims to confer Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants, including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians, who migrated from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and arrived in India before December 31, 2014. Following the passage of the CAA by Parliament in December 2019 and its subsequent presidential assent, significant protests erupted in various parts of the country. Silchar: Assam state cabinet on Saturday discussed introducing the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, however, no final decision was taken in the meeting, according to minister Jayanta Mallabaruah. Assam State Cabinet (Representative Photo) Earlier on Saturday, Mallabaruah hinted that the UCC will be one of the important issues of discussion in the state cabinet scheduled for the evening. He said there may be some relaxation for the tribal people in the UCC. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Earlier this month, chief minister Himanat Biswa Sarma stated that his government would implement the UCC but will keep the tribal population away from its purview. A Uniform Civil Code means that all sections of society, irrespective of their religion, shall be treated equally according to a national civil code, which shall apply to all uniformly. Sarma had earlier said that his government is closely monitoring the UCC draft bill being prepared by the Uttarakhand government to see if the same can be implemented in the northeastern states. The chief minister had said that the state government was depending on Uttarakhands decision. We are keen on introducing UCC in Assam; however, we first want to see the Uttarakhand governments UCC bill. Uttrakhand state assembly passed the UCC Bill on February 7 after a day-long discussion to become the first country to do this. The Assam cabinet meeting around 7pm on Saturday started and it was attended by Sarma and other ministers, including Mallabaruah and Pijush Hazarika. The meeting went on till 9:30pm, following which the chief minister announced the list of decisions taken, however, UCC was not one of them, said Mallabaruah. Speaking to the media after the meeting, Mallabaruah said, Issues like polygamy is related to UCC, and a lot of discussions are going on. Maybe by the end of the budget session, it (UCC) will come. He said that once Narendra Modi becomes the Prime Minister for the consecutive third term, some big decisions will be taken for the betterment of the country. The budget session of the Assam Legislative Assembly started on February 5 and will conclude on February 28. A total of 11 bills are expected to be placed during this session and some of them have been placed already. According to the minister, the cabinet approved the Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Bill 2024, criminalising treatments of congenital diseases like deafness, dumbness, blindness, physical deformities, and autism by using traditional magical methods. Singh, who was posthumously conferred with India's highest civilian award on February 9, championed for farmers' causes. HT Image Speaking to PTI on Sunday, Chaudhary said, "After Independence, Chaudhary Charan Singh was the only polition to be regarded as the messiah of the farmers. He was the first to say that the path which leads to the development of the country passes through its farms." Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. "He had taken a number of steps in the interest and welfare of the farmers. His name will always remain etched in history in golden letters," the minister for minister for sugarcane development and sugar industry said. "Conferring Bharat Ratna to Chaudhary Charan is an honour to the 90 crore farmers of India," he added. Elaborating on the steps taken by the Bharat Ratna recipient for the welfare of the country's farmers, the UP cabinet minister said Singh brought a number of pro-farmer legislations such as the Consolidation of Holdings Act of 1953 and the Uttar Pradesh Zamindari and Land Reforms Act, 1952. Recalling his relations with the former prime minister, Chaudhary said, "My association with him was almost since my childhood days. It was in 1967 when I first met him. At that time, I was in high school (Class 10)." "With his (Charan Singh's) blessings, I became an MLA (fom Chhata). I had the honour of becoming the chairman of the Mandi Samiti of Kosi Kalan (in Mathura) when I was a student. This was in 1977, when I had appeared in the LLB final year examination after completing MA. Subsequently, in 1985, I was given the ticket by the party (Lok Dal)" he said. Chaudhary has represented the Chhata assembly constituency in Mathura district five times in the UP Legislative Assembly. He was a Lok Dal MLA from 1985 to 1989 and a Congress MLA from 1996 to 2002. From 2007 to 2012, he was a BSP MLA from the same seat. From 2017, Chaudhary has been representing Chhata in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on a BJP ticket. The 72-year-old Uttar Pradesh minister also said that his "struggle for the farmers was inspired by Chaudhary Charan Singh ji" as he called the former prime minister a "fearless leader" and recollected that he was strict in dealing with the 'Patwari strike crisis' in 1953. . Asked about the qualities of the late Bharat Ratna awardee that inspired him, Chaudhary said, "Singh saahab's biggest strength was his honesty. He was a true well-wisher of the farmers and led a very simple life." "He was deeply influenced by the ideas and teachings of Swami Dayanand Saraswati, the founder of Arya Samaj. Economics was his favourite subject and he always wanted to strengthen the economy of the farmers." the minister added. Chaudhary added that Singh was also inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and he joined the freedom movement. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 9 announced that former prime ministers P V Narasimha Rao and Chaudhary Charan Singh as well as agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan will be honoured with the Bharat Ratna. Singh is popularly known as a champion of farmers. Opposed to the country's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru's socialist economy, he advocated ownership rights to the farmers. Though Singh was a Congress follower in the beginning of his political career, he quit the party in the 1960s and went on to form the first non-Congress government not just in Uttar Pradesh but entire north India. In his long political career, Singh briefly served as the sixth prime minister and served as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh on two occasions -- from April 3, 1967 to February 25, 1968 and from February 18, 1970 to October 1, 1970. Singh, a scholar of economics, played an important role in rural electrification and the creation of institutions such as the NABARD. He died on May 29, 1987 at the age of 84 years. His birth anniversary, December 23, is celebrated as Kisan Diwas. Delhi chief minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal addressed a gathering in Punjab's Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha constituency on Sunday. During his speech, he hit out at the central government and the Punjab governor, accusing them of stopping funds to the state. Delhi chief minister and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal (PTI) Talking about AAP's meteoric rise in the last 10 years, he said that the party was able to form government in two states(Delhi and Punjab) and won assembly seats in other states. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Addressing the crowd in the jansabha, Kejriwal said: "...BJP is scared that if AAP completes so many people welfare works, nobody will be able to stop AAP's win...Delhi people have decided to give all seven Lok Sabha seats to AAP...if the people of Punjab also give us all 13 Lok Sabha seats...all your wishes will be fulfilled....BJP is scared of only one party, the AAP...". ALSO READ| Who is Sagarika Ghose, renowned journalist nominated by Trinamool Congress for Rajya Sabha polls? During his address in Punjab's Khadoor Sahib on Sunday, Kejriwal said for the last 75 years, there were corrupt governments in Punjab. He said that for the first time in the last 75 years, the Punjab government has bought a private power plant (GVK Power's 540-megawatt private thermal power plant at Goindwal Sahib in Tarn Taran) and that too at a cheap rate. He promised low-cost electricity to merchants, businesspersons, industrialists etc. through the power plant. Kejriwal further said that the newly launched Punjab governments flagship scheme Ghar Ghar Muft Ration (doorstep delivery of ration) will decimate 'ration mafia' in the state. AAP has opted out of INDIA bloc in Punjab Earlier, on Saturday, Kejriwal announced that AAP will contest all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab and one in Chandigarh. He said that AAP candidates in all of these 14 seats will be declared in the next 10-15 days New Delhi: For nearly five million candidates taking the constable (GD) recruitment examination from next week, the written test will be conducted in 13 regional languages apart from Hindi and English, the union home ministry said on Sunday. 4.8 million candidates are set to take the examination this year (Representative Photo) The examination will be held between February 20 and March 7, 2024, across 128 cities for recruitment of constables in the central armed police forces(CAPFs). Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. This is the first time the constable recruitment examination in the Central Armed Police Forces will be conducted in regional languages. Until now, the questions were set only in English and Hindi. This historic decision has been taken on the initiative of Union home minister and minister of cooperation Amit Shah to increase the participation of local youth in the Central Armed Police Forces and to promote regional languages, an official spokesperson said, adding that there are 4.8 million candidates, who are set to take the examination. The 13 regional languages include Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Marathi, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Odia, Urdu, Punjabi, Manipuri and Konkani. Constable (GD) examination is one of the flagship examinations conducted by the Staff Selection Commission (SSC), attracting lakhs of youths from across the country. The ministry of home affairs and SSC have signed an MoU to facilitate the conduct of the examination in the above-mentioned 13 regional languages in addition to Hindi and English. Accordingly, SSC has issued a notification to conduct the constable (GD) examination, 2024, in 13 other regional languages in addition to English and Hindi, the spokesperson said. He said that the reach of this examination will increase among the candidates in the entire country, and everyone will get an equal employment opportunity. The examination is conducted every year by the SSC for recruitment to forces such as the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Border Security Force (BSF), the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). Together, the forces have a strength of nearly one million. These armed forces are posted across the country for different duties ranging from managing law and order, internal security, counterinsurgency, protecting frontiers and security of vital installations across the country. Over the last several years, many political leaders from southern and northeastern states have demanded that the constable (GD) be conducted in regional languages so that language does not become a barrier. Over 70,000 posts are vacant in six CAPFs BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, SSB and Assam Rifles, according to government data. To be sure, all of these vacancies are not in constable (GD) rank but other ranks as well. The recruitment to fill these vacancies is conducted regularly by SSC. The Karnataka unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party must capitalise on Prime Minister Narendra Modis popularity and translate it into increased vote share, Union home minister Amit Shah said in a strategy meeting in Mysuru on Sunday ahead of the 2024 parliamentary elections. Union home minister Amit Shah felicitates sculptor Arun Yogiraj, whose idol of Ram Lalla has been installed at Ram Temple in Ayodhya, during a programme, in Mysore (PTI) There is a favourable political environment for the BJP across the country, Shah said at the meeting attended by BJP core committee leaders and cluster leaders of Mysuru-Kodagu, Mandya, Hassan and Chamarajanagar Lok Sabha seats. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Shah also issued a stern warning to members against making any loose statements regarding the alliance between the BJP and the Janata Dal (Secular), said a party leader who declining being named. It was important to maintain unity and refrain from airing opinions, Shah is understood to have said, aimed at curtailing discord within the party ranks. He underscored the significance of a cohesive approach towards alliance matters. During the meeting, Shah presented a comprehensive plan ahead of Lok Sabha polls, said state party chief BY Vijayendra. State leaders have assured Shah that the allies will fight the elections unitedly in all 28 constituencies and make efforts to win. There has been no discussion on the seat sharing. It will take place in Delhi between the senior leaders of both parties. But it has been made clear that whoever is the candidate, all efforts should be made to ensure their victory, said Vijayendra. ... He said that in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls the situation is favourable for the NDA to win all 28 seats in Karnataka. He gave suggestions regarding our plan of action in converting Narendra Modis popularity into votes, Vijayendra said. Read more: Shiromani Akali Dal to return to NDA's fold? What Amit Shah said Shah pointed to 45 assembly seats across five districts and asked MLAs to intensify public outreach efforts starting from Monday, another leader said, seeking anonymity. His thorough briefing provided the BJP state leaders with a clear understanding of the challenges ahead and the limited time frame available for preparations for the 2024 elections, the leader said. Addressing the core committee meeting at Edison Blue Hotel in Mysuru, Shah reiterated the importance of maintaining unity within the alliance and cautioned against repeating past mistakes that led to the downfall of the Congress-JD(S) coalition. To streamline efforts, Shah outlined a strategy where each of the eight assembly segments in each parliamentary constituency must commit to exerting maximum effort to enhance the partys prospects. Shahs visit to Karnataka included participation in the Sutturu Jathra event near Mysuru, where he praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for promoting Indias cultural heritage on the global stage. He commended Modi for his initiatives in preserving yoga, Ayurveda and Indian languages, while ensuring the countrys security and prosperity. Meanwhile, state revenue minister Krishna Byre Gowda asked Shah to announce drought relief compensation within the state. Accusing the Centre of causing significant delays in releasing funds for drought relief, Gowda highlighted the urgent need for assistance in light of the states declaration of drought in 223 taluks (sub- districts). Read more: Ram Temple verdict reflection of India's secular character: Amit Shah in Lok Sabha The state government has requested a total compensation of 18,172 crore, including 4,663 crore under the National Disaster Response Fund, to address crop loss. Gowda stressed the seriousness of the situation and called for an immediate decision on drought compensation, emphasizing that it was a constitutional obligation of the Centre to assist states in times of crisis. It is a sensitive issue and for the welfare of the people. The compensation under NDRF is a States right and the constitutional obligation of the Centre. We are not asking for help or charity, he said. Gowda expressed frustration over the delay in addressing the issue, citing the submission of a memorandum to the Centre four-and-a-half months ago and subsequent postponements of high-level committee meetings. He emphasized that the prolonged delay has exacerbated the hardships faced by farmers and other affected individuals in the state. Meanwhile, chief minister Siddaramiah slammed Shah over his states treasury is empty remarks. Home minister Amit Shah...has vented his envy towards our government by saying the treasury is empty because of the guarantee schemes. If this is his firm opinion, he should participate in a public debate with me. I can prove that our treasury is not empty because of the guarantee schemes... he said. Shah has come... with empty hands. He hasnt called for a single meeting so far to provide relief funds for the drought, the CM said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that an education system rooted in Indian values was the need of the hour. He was addressing an event, via video conferencing, to commemorate the 200th birth anniversary of Arya Samaj founder Swami Dayanand Saraswati at his birthplace at Tankara in Gujarats Morbi district. Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually delivers his remarks on the birth anniversary of Swami Dayanand Saraswati on Sunday. (ANI) PM Modi praised the social reformer, who advocated for Indian society to return to the Vedas at a time when people were ensnared in slavery and superstitions that prevailed throughout the nation. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. An education system based on Indian values is the need of the hour. Arya Samaj schools have been a centre for this. The country is now expanding it through the National Education Policy. It is our responsibility to connect society with these efforts, Modi said. Swami Dayanand was born in Gujarat and was active in Haryana. The Prime Minister spoke about his connection with both regions and acknowledged the profound influence of Swami Dayananda on his life, stating, his teachings have shaped my perspective, and his legacy remains an integral part of my journey. He highlighted the social reformers role in awakening India from the shackles of ignorance and superstition, leading a movement to rediscover the essence of Vedic knowledge. In times when our traditions and spirituality were fading, Swami Dayananda called upon us to Back to Vedas, said PM Modi, underscoring Swamis efforts to provide scholarly commentaries on the Vedas and rational interpretations. Our social evils were used as a means by the British government to portray us as inferior. Some justified the British rule by referencing social changes. Swami Dayanandas advent dealt a severe blow to these conspiracies. The Arya Samaj founder gave a logical explanation on the Vedas, openly attacked the stereotypes of orthodoxy and explained what the real nature of Indian philosophy is, he said. The result was that confidence started returning in society. People started knowing the Vedic religion and started connecting with its teachings, PM Modi said. The Prime Minister continued, A series of revolutionaries such as Lala Lajpat Rai, Ram Prasad Bismil, and Swami Shraddhanand emerged, influenced by Arya Samaj. Hence, Dayananda Ji was not just a Vedic sage but also a sage of national consciousness. Acknowledging the extensive network of Arya Samaj institutions across the globe, Prime Minister Modi said, With over 2,500 schools, colleges, and universities, and more than 400 gurukuls educating students, Arya Samaj is a vibrant testament to modernity and guidance. He urged the community to take up the responsibility of nation-building initiatives with renewed vigor in the 21st century. Calling Dayanand Anglo Vedic (DAV) institutions a living memory of Swamiji, the Prime Minister assured their continued empowerment. During his era, Swami Dayanand advocated for gender equality in society. He emphasised womens rights and their active participation. Today, through new policies and sincere efforts, the nation is progressing in womens empowerment, Modi said. Just a few months ago, the country enacted the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, enabling womens reservation in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies. This would be a fitting tribute to Maharishi today, the Prime Minister added. He also encouraged students of the DAV educational network to engage with Mera Yuva Bharat, an autonomous organisation established by the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, aimed at empowering the nations youth. Ahead of another agitation by farmers on February 13, the Delhi Police on Sunday imposed section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code at the Uttar Pradesh borders to avoid any untoward incident and maintain law and order. Farmers of Bharatiya Kisan Parishad (BKP) during protest outside the Noida authority office on Friday. (Sunil Ghosh/HTPhoto)(HT_PRINT) Information has been received that some farmer organisations have given a call to their supporters to gather/march to Delhi on 13th February for their demands of the law on MSP and others. They are likely to sit at the border of Delhi till their demands are met. In order to avoid any untoward incident and to maintain Law & Order, a precautionary Order of section 144 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, is required to be issued to save the lives and property in the area, the Delhi Police said in an order. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. According to the order, the gathering of public at all borders between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh and nearby areas in the jurisdictional area of north east district will be prohibited. Also Read | Punjab-Haryana border sealed ahead of farmers' Delhi march on Feb 13, mobile internet suspended Prohibit entering of Tractors, Trolleys, Buses, Trucks, commercial vehicles, personal vehicles, on horses etc, carrying protestors in Delhi from Uttar Pradesh. Order that the North East District Police shall make all efforts to prevent protestors from entering Delhi, the order stated. Order that no person / protestor shall be allowed to bear arms, including firearms, swords, trishul, spears, lathi, rods etc. North East District Police shall make all efforts to detain these persons at the spot. Order that any person found to be acting in contravention to this order shall be liable to be punished under section 188 of the India Penal Code, 1860, it added. Also Read: Section 144 in Panchkula, mobile internet snapped in 7 Haryana districts ahead of farmers' Delhi march | 10 points Elaborate arrangements are also underway to seal the Punjab-Haryana borders in Ambala, Jind, and Fatehabad districts ahead of the planned 'Delhi Chalo' march. Why are farmers protesting? Farmers are demanding a law guaranteeing a minimum support price (MSP), one of the conditions they had set when they agreed to withdraw their agitation against the now-repealed farm laws in 2021. They are also demanding implementation of the Swaminathan Commissions recommendations, pensions for farmers and farm labourers, farm debt waiver, withdrawal of police cases and justice for victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence. In 2020, a large number of farmers from Punjab and nearby areas of Ambala gathered at the Shambhu border and broke police barriers to march towards Delhi. The farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, held a year-long protest on Delhi's border points Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur against the three now-repealed farm laws. Earlier, the Haryana government invoked Section 144 in Panchkula, prohibiting processions, demonstrations, and the carrying of weapons, said DCP Sumer Singh Pratap. The Haryana Police has issued a traffic advisory, urging commuters to limit travel on main roads on February 13 due to anticipated disruptions. Alternative routes have been suggested for commuters travelling between Chandigarh and Delhi to mitigate potential traffic congestion. Mobile internet services and bulk SMSes have been suspended in seven Haryana districts to prevent the spread of misinformation and maintain public order. Senior police officials, including Haryana's DGP and Ambala's SP, have conducted inspections at border points to assess security arrangements. Concrete barricades and road closures have been set up at the Shambhu border, while the Ghaggar river bed has been dug up to impede movement. (With inputs from agencies) Twenty-five more people have arrested in connection with the February 8 riots after the demolition of an "illegal" madrassa in Haldwani in Uttarakhand, police said on Sunday, as a delegation of two Muslim bodies visited the area and alleged that protesters are treated differently on the basis of religion. Police officers patrol a road a day after clashes during a government demolition drive in Haldwani.(Reuters) Nainital Senior Superintendent of Police Prahlad Meena said the fresh arrests took the total number of people arrested so far to 30, and added that key accused Abdul Malik would be nabbed soon. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. On Thursday, violence broke out over the demolition of an illegally built madrassa in the Banbhoolpura area, with locals hurling stones and petrol bombs at municipal workers and police, forcing many police personnel to seek refuge at a police station, which the mob then set on fire. In the violence, six rioters were killed and more than a hundred, including police personnel and mediapersons, were injured, according to the police. Curfew remained in force in Banbhoolpura but was lifted from the outer areas of the town. Shops were still shut and roads deserted in Banbhoolpura. Internet services also remained suspended in the area to prevent rumour-mongering through social media platforms. Nearly 1,100 security personnel are already deployed in the town. And, the state government has sought four companies -- containing about 100 personnel each -- of central paramilitary forces from the Home Ministry to maintain law and order in Banbhoolpura. During the day, a delegation of the Uttarakhand Congress met Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and demanded an impartial probe into the violence. Dhami told the delegation led by Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Yashpal Arya that the state government had taken immediate action to maintain law and order in the riot-hit area and that the Kumaon commissioner was conducting a magisterial probe into it and would submit his report in 15 days. The chief minister expressed his determination to deal sternly with those involved in the violence. "Action is continuously being taken against the rioters and unruly elements involved in the Haldwani violence. All rioters are being arrested one after another. The drive against illegal encroachments in the state will not stop," the chief minister said in a post on X. Addressing the media Sunday evening, SSP Meena said most of the fresh arrests had been made from within the limits of Nainital district in the past 24 hours. Seven pistols and 54 live cartridges that had allegedly been looted from the Banbhoolpura police station were recovered from those arrested, the police officer said. Asked whether those arrested included key accused Abdul Malik, the SSP said he would be arrested soon. Malik had allegedly built the illegal structure whose demolition triggered the violence. On Sunday, a delegation of representatives from the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind and Jamaat-e-Islami Hind visited Haldwani. Condemning the police action in Haldwani, Jamiat chief Maulana Arshad Madani said the report submitted by the delegation was extremely painful. "According to the report, the police are arresting people by breaking all limits of cruelty and abuse, even breaking doors and forcibly entering houses," he said, alleging that both men and women were being harassed. "We have also written a letter to the Uttarakhand DGP yesterday demanding immediate attention in this regard. Not just the abuse of innocent citizens but also the nefarious series of arrests that have started should be stopped immediately," he said. Madani said there should be a fair investigation into this whole incident. Local people protesting against the administration is not a crime, he said. He alleged that the police "used lathicharge and started firing" to suppress a protest by local residents against municipal officials who had reached the site with bulldozers. Madani alleged that the police, instead of enforcing law and order, "become a party against Muslims everywhere" but act differently in cases involving others. "Discrimination on the basis of religion among (different groups of) protesters is deplorable," he said. Meanwhile, Maulana Mahmood Madani, who heads the other faction of the Jamiat, has written a letter to Union Home Minister Home Minister Amit Shah, expressing profound concern over the situation in Haldwani. He questioned the haste in carrying out the demolition and urged that a lasting solution needed to be found on demolitions, particularly involving religious places. A woman tourist from Hyderabad fell to her death in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu in a paragliding accident on Sunday, according to the police. The pilot has been arrested by the police in the case of the 26-year-old woman's death. A tourist fell to her death during paragliding in Himachal Pradesh (Representational image)(Photo by Aqil Khan/HT_PRINT) Police, in their reports, said that the pilot in the paragliding facility failed to properly secure the safety belt of the tourist, which led her to fall to her death from a considerable height during the paragliding session. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The tourism officer, Sunaina Sharma, mentioned that the pilot was registered and the equipment used was approved, attributing the tragedy to negligence in securing the safety of the woman tourist. Speaking to PTI, tourism officer, Kullu Sunaina Sharma said investigations suggest that a "human error" led to the unfortunate accident. She said the site and equipment were approved, the pilot was registered and there were no weather-related issues. A postmortem of the body was conducted at Regional Hospital Kullu and the body is being handed over to the family members for final rites, reported PTI. Further, a magistrate inquiry has been called into the incident by the District Collector of Kullu, Torul S Raveesh. An FIR under sections 336 and 334 of the IPC has been registered at Patlikuhal Police Station. After the mishap, all paragliding activities have been halted in Kullu's Dobhi village, where the incident took place. Bhopal: A man and a woman in their early 20s were hacked to death allegedly by the latters father and two others over their inter-caste relationship in Datia district of Madhya Pradesh, police said on Saturday, adding a case of murder has been registered against three absconding accused. According to the police, three accused including the father of the deceased woman are absconding. (Representational image) The bodies of Neha Yadav (20) and Rohit Vishwakarma (22), both residents of Ruaha village in Datia, were recovered from a field in their village on Friday late night, a senior police officer said, suspecting it to be a case of hate crime. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The two were in a relationship for the past few months. When Nehas family came to know about it recently, they sent her to stay at her maternal uncles house in Sewda town, Datia superintendent of police (SP) Pradeep Sharma said. They, however, eloped on January 21 following which the womans family registered a missing complaint at Baghuvapura police station in Datia. The woman and the man belonged to different castes within the Other Backward Classes (OBC). After their bodies were recovered from an agricultural field on Friday night, the police questioned the family members of the woman. During the probe, it came to light that the womans father, Arvind Yadav, along with two others hacked the couple to death, the SP said. A first information report (FIR) under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered against Arvind Yadav and two others, who are currently absconding. The bodies have been sent for a post-mortem examination. Police are trying to nab the accused. Further probe is underway, the SP added. "ULFA: The Mirage of Dawn" by seasoned journalist Rajeev Bhattacharyya traces the journey of the outlawed group from its inception in the late 1970s to the present, when peace is being negotiated between a faction led by Arabinda Rajkhowa and the Centre. HT Image Baruah now heads the anti-talks ULFA (Independent) faction and is believed to be hiding somewhere in China's Yunnan province. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The first batch of ULFA militants was trained in Pakistan in 1991-92 in three groups comprising a total of about 40 cadres. One group was trained near Peshawar and other functionaries were taken for short visits to Kandahar in Afghanistan and the arms bazaar at Darra Adam Khel near the Safed Koh mountains in Pakistan, the book says. It says the ISI "expected ULFA to be totally submissive, which irked Baruah no end". "He was not willing to bow down before the agency and accept all its diktats, such as taking regular commands for operations to be conducted in Assam. At some point, he was convinced that their association with the ISI had reached a dead end. He abruptly stood up in the last meeting and left the venue with a 'goodbye'," the author writes. But the ISI "knew that Baruah was a prize catch who could not be allowed to get offended". The agency knew that many benefits could be reaped from the ULFA, including access to other separatist groups from the northeast who could be trained in Pakistan, the book, which was launched here Saturday, claims. "So, the agency not only allowed the second batch to complete its training but also soon instructed its officials at the embassy in Dhaka to request Baruah to dispatch the next batch. This he did, and also landed at the ISI headquarters in Rawalpandi The spat was not only over but it had sealed a deal that was to endure for many years," the book, published by HarperCollins India, says. The modules offered to the cadres were of different durations ranging from 17 days to three months. It also says that Lt Gen Asfaq Pervez Kayani, who was later appointed chief of ISI, interacted and shook hands with a batch of ULFA functionaries when they were undergoing training in that country. Kayani succeeded Gen Pervez Musharraf as the chief of Pakistan army in 2007. The book also describes how Baruah was imprisoned for over two months in Bangladesh by the country's intelligence agency Directorate General of Forces Intelligence. The episode unfolded in mid-1993 after a consignment of sophisticated weapons sourced from Romania in a ship was confiscated by police at Chittagong. Baruah along with another senior functionary was taken into DGFI custody and kept at the Mirpur military cantonment after they approached the intelligence agency to release the weapons. "DGFI was fully aware about the activities of ULFA and other rebel groups from India's Northeast in Bangladesh. But it never expected the outfit to be so brazen as to secretly import a large consignment of weapons into the country! So, Paresh and the other ULFA functionary were lodged in separate cells of the DGFI, but none was subjected to physical abuse, unlike what usually happens at such places," Bhattacharyya writes. The duo was released only after Baruah sat on a hunger strike inside the cell that prompted the agency to quiz them and then release them unconditionally. The book also talks about how Baruah survived four assassination attempts in Bangladesh. "One of the planned attempts on Paresh's life, which almost killed him, happened at the Satcherri camp in Bangladesh, ahead of Operation All Clear. It was a meticulous exercise planned at least three years in advance by the Special Branch of the Assam police. A man in his mid-twenties, named John, was indoctrinated to perform the task in return for recruitment in the police and a hefty sum of money," it says. However, John escaped from the camp before he could pull the trigger. The book discusses all the major episodes related to the ULFA, delineates their causes and effects, and debunks interpretations about the movement that have gained currency over the years. The author says the ULFA's campaign for Assam's sovereignty and independence has come at a heavy price, with long term implications. According to an estimate by some leaders of the pro-talks faction, around 1,900 functionaries have lost their lives in the movement since the rebel group emerged. More civilians have died in the violence, either as a result of being targeted by the group, caught in the crossfire between the rebels and security forces or exterminated by the secret killers. But, four decades into the blood-spattered movement, the group is nowhere near achieving its goals. Its predicament has been the same as that of other rebel organisations in the Northeast that stay on the back foot despite the aggressive counter-strategies employed by the government. The author also asserts the ULFA cannot regain the position of strength it had in the late 1980s or in the 1990s, as the "space for its existence has shrunk" in Assam. Bhubaneshwar: A TV journalist of an Odia TV channel was seriously injured late on Saturday night after he was attacked by a group of unidentified miscreants in Bhubaneshwar city, police said. (Representative Photo) Police said the journalist, identified as Jyotiranjan Mohapatra, working as a reporter for Bada Khabar TV channel, sustained grievous injuries on his head after he was attacked with a sword in the VSS Nagar area on Saturday night. He is stated to be out of danger. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Mohapatra said he was going home after work when four persons on two bikes started to follow him. They came closer to my motorcycle and swung a sword at me. As I fell, they attacked me with the sword and fled the scene, he said. He said the miscreants abused him over his reportage, adding he has no idea regarding the possible reason behind the attack. Police said that an investigation into the matter has been launched, and efforts are being made to arrest the assailants. Indias oldest paramilitary force, the Assam Rifles, finds itself haunted by new questions in crisis-hit Manipur, where ethnic violence that erupted in May 2023 has left hundreds of people dead and tens of thousands displaced, and where the force that dates back to 1835 is fighting allegations of discrimination against the Meitei community. The Assam Rifles was formed in 1835. (The Assam Rifles/X) The role of the Assam Rifles in the Northeastern state returned to the spotlight three weeks ago when a radical Meitei group demanded its withdrawal from Manipur, while Kukis sought to nip any such move, exposing deep fissures in Manipuri politics and society that have obstructed peace. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. At a meeting called by the radical Meitei group Arambai Tenggol in Imphal on January 24, as many as 36 Meitei legislators and two MPs took an oath to protect Manipurs integrity and signed a memorandum to be sent to the Centre. Among the six demands in the oath was the removal of Assam Rifles from Manipur. The Kukis reacted in less than 24 hours, with a demand of their own. On January 25, 10 Kuki MLAs wrote to home minister Amit Shah about the meeting called by the Meitei radical group and the demands of the Meitei legislators to replace Assam Rifles with another force. The Kuki MLAs made a request too the Assam Rifles should stay put in the state for the safety of the tribals. The ethnic clashes and the turn of events in Manipur, which have left at least 210 people dead and around 50,000 displaced, have driven a wedge between the people over the role of the Assam Rifles, whose responsibilities include counterterrorism operations in the Northeast and Jammu and Kashmir, and guarding the India-Myanmar border that passes through Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. Twenty Assam Rifles battalions are deployed along the border. Read more: Manipur tribal groups head to Delhi to meet IB, MHA officials The Assam Rifles can also be called to assist the army in warlike situations. It took part in the two world wars, the 1962 war with China and the 1971 India-Pakistan war. It was also a part of Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in Sri Lanka in the late 1980s. Serving Assam Rifles personnel on the ground and the armys former top commanders who HT spoke to believe a variety of reasons are behind the attempts to tarnish the Assam Rifless image, including a controversial past, a possible administrative miscalculation to post the force near Kuki areas and a false narrative set by militants from both sides. A strict teacher is not liked by the students, said a senior officer, who is posted in Manipur and learnt his trade operating in the Northeast. We followed the law. In the initial months after the clashes erupted, Kuki militant groups, who are under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement, were not part of the violence, he explained, asking not to be named. To be sure, some SoO militants also joined the conflict later. But the valley-based militant groups were active. When our personnel stopped such militants and chased them back, they mischievously started a narrative about the force being biased. The protests began sometime in June-July last year. The Assam Rifles has a sanctioned strength of almost 67,000 personnel. The administrative control of the force is with the Union ministry of home affairs, while its officers are drawn from the Indian Army. Over the years the force has been more active in Manipur and Nagaland because of the insurgent groups there and cross-border smuggling. While the Assam Rifles has played a key role in bringing peace to the region, the force has also had its brushes with controversy. In July 2004, 12 Meitei women stripped outside Imphals iconic Kangla fort to protest the killing of a 32-year-old Meitei woman, Thangjam Manorama, who they alleged was gang-raped and murdered by Assam Rifles personnel. Allegations of extra-judicial killings have also cast a shadow over the forces role. Read more: What conflict-hit Manipur showcased at Republic Day parade Lieutenant General Konsam Himalay Singh (retd), who has had four tenures in the northeast region, said the latest controversy could be historically and psychologically linked to the past. It may have started with a security decision too, he said. When the so-called buffer zones (sensitive zones) were set up last year, the Assam Rifles was mostly located closer on the side adjacent to the adjoining hills dominated by a few Kuki tribes, while CAPF/state police forces were seen alongside the valley villages. This could have also led to some affected parties perceiving the force is close to the Kukis. Singh also attributed the controversy to the prevailing climate of suspicion, fear and uncertainty thereby magnifying every friction on the ground Some elements on both sides have also made attempts to portray the forces as partial and project armed civilian volunteers as saviours. The entire force shouldnt be targeted because of isolated incidents. Assam Rifles personnel said the criminal groups used women to block roads and interfere in the forces operations. Women, especially the elderly, were put in front of mobs to stop the security forces. This was carefully done by the criminal elements to ensure that the forces did not reach the crime spots on time. There are so many viral photos of elderly women refusing to let the forces move ahead. Our food trucks were robbed too. At some places such women protesters even demanded identity card of the Assam Rifles personnel before letting them move in the villages. But our boys exercised restraint. There was not a single controversy, said a second officer, who also asked not to be named. On July 26, the army released a video calling out women protesters for blocking routes and interfering in operations. The residents do not have a problem. They saw how the force rescued both communities. The Assam Rifles personnel also helped people who were unwell at the relief camps. At least four children must have been born in such relief camps. Another reason why there are protests is because the force is actively recovering drugs and weapons from the criminals, the second officer said. But even nine months after the clashes began, there are Meira Paibis (Meitei women) who continue to guard roads because they say they do not trust the Assam Rifles. On the Imphal-Bishnupur highway, Meira Paibis sit in tents and keep the area under watch through the night, people aware of the matter said. I was a part of the 2004 protest when the 12 women stripped in Imphal in 2004. We do not trust the Assam Rifles. They have always helped Kukis. So every night, at least one woman from each household leaves their house and joins the others in standing guard. The Kuki groups may attack anytime. The state police is not equipped so we sit guard and inform our volunteers the moment anyone spots armed Kuki militants, said Sylvis, the head of the Meira Paibi group at the Uripok Lamboikhongnangkhong Impha village near Imphal. But experts reiterate the force is doing its best and the question of replacing the force does not arise. Read more: Centre set to take key decisions related to Manipur: CM Biren Singh The call to remove the Assam Rifles from Manipur is unrealistic, said Lieutenant General Shokin Chauhan (retd), a former director general of the force. The Assam Rifles is an all-India, all-class force and does not discriminate against any community, said Chauhan, who has also served as the chairman of the Ceasefire Monitoring Group responsible for implementing ceasefire ground rules between the Centre and Naga insurgent groups, he added. Assam Rifles personnel said the situation along the India-Myanmar border would improve significantly in the backdrop of the governments suspension of the free movement regime (FMR), which allowed people from both sides of the frontier to travel 16km into each others territory without paperwork. Last week, Union home minister Amit Shah said the Centre is set to build a border fence along the India-Myanmar border. The 1,643-km border, of which only 10km is fenced, is used by smugglers and insurgent groups from across the border. Over the last four years, the force has seized drugs worth at least 4,500 crore, mainly sourced from Myanmar, according to official data. Our force does not report to the state government. The massive crackdown on drugs by us does hurt the local criminal elements. Some of these criminal elements are influential. They want the force to be removed from Manipur. Manipur police are also not biased. But almost 90% of people in the state police will be locals so these criminal elements want to have a force where the personnel are locals. They may believe that it is easier to influence a state force, said a third officer. Military affairs expert Lieutenant General DS Hooda (retd) said the Assam Rifles will have a key role, especially after the governments latest announcement on border fencing and ending FMR. The Assam Rifles is engaged in border guarding and counter insurgency duties. It is a known fact that the India-Myanmar border is unfenced. It is also a fact that there are many militant groups, especially in Manipur and Nagaland, who use the porous border. But with FMR suspension, I see the Assam Rifles as more effective. With the movement of people at the border restricted, I see them focusing more on counter insurgency, Hooda added. Legislators of the Grand Alliance remained holed up in different parts of Patna on Sunday as the Opposition attempted to keep its flock intact ahead of the crucial trust vote with its leaders saying that they dont intend to give a walkover to the ruling alliance, which, on the face of it, appeared to have the required numbers. Police outside former Bihar deputy CM Tejashwi Yadavs in Patna India, on Sunday (Santosh Kumar/ HT) On Sunday night, a team of Patna police reached former deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadavs residence, where 79 lawmakers from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and 16 from three Left parties had been staying since Saturday, after the family of one of the RJD leaders filed a complaint saying he was untraceable. The police left after the leader, Chetan Anand said that he was staying there on his own accord, people aware of the matter said. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. You can see me here, outside Tejashwi Yadavs house, with my alliance partners. All the MLAs are here together voluntarily, out of solidarity. We are not like those who go into a huddle, calling it a training workshop. We are also unlike those who host a luncheon only to find that many are not turning up, partys national spokesperson Manoj Jha said, dismissing speculation that the lawmakers were being forcibly held. Read more: JD(U) says no 'khela' in Bihar floor test, Cops' brief visit to Tejashwi's house | 10 points The 19 Congress MLAs, who were moved to Hyderabad, returned to the Bihar capital. We will go home after the vote in the assembly, said a party legislator, speaking on condition of anonymity. Bihar assembly speaker Awadh Bihari Choudhary, an RJD leader, is facing a no-confidence motion, moved by the ruling alliance. After the customary address of Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, the state assembly is slated to decide on the no-confidence motion against the Speaker before taking up the floor test. The motion against the Speaker needs to be backed by 122 of the states 243 MLAs for his removal. The NDA currently has 128 state legislators in its fold. Tomorrow, the MLAs would have to choose between two Gandhis. One is just an image inscribed on currency notes. The other was a living epitome of truth who had uttered the name of Lord Ram upon being felled by an assassins bullets, Jha said. All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday said he has the highest respect for Lord Ram but 'hates' Nathuram Godse, the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MP Asaduddin Owaisi speaks in the Lok Sabha during the Budget Session of the Parliament, in New Delhi on Saturday. (ANI Photo/Sansad TV) "I have the highest respect for Lord Ram but hate Nathuram Godse because he killed the person whose last words were Hey Ram," Owaisi said during a discussion in the Lok Sabha on the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya and the consecration ceremony on January 22. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Owaisi raised concerns about the perceived alienation of the 17 crore Muslims in India and questioned the government's motives, saying, Today, 17 crore Muslims of India are feeling alienated, and the country does not need 'Baba Modi'. He demanded clarity from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on whether the government represents all communities or only caters to a specific religious group. "Is this government under the leadership of PM Modi for a particular community, the practitioners of a certain religion, or the entire country? Does this government have a religion of its own?" Owaisi asked. Critiquing the government's handling of the Ayodhya event and the subsequent resolution moved in the Parliament, Owaisi questioned whether it symbolised the triumph of one religion over another. "Through this resolution on the January 22nd event in Ayodhya, is this government sending out a message that it marked the triumph of one religion over the other? What larger message are they sending out to the 17 crore Muslims in the country?" the AIMIM chief asked. The Ram temple construction took centre stage on the last day of Parliament's budget session Saturday with both houses holding a discussion on its consecration ceremony and Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying adoption of a laudatory resolution on it will give constitutional strength to the future generations to feel proud of the country's values. Several members in both Lok Sabha and Rajya participated in the discussion that lasted a few hours. The CPI-M staged a walk-out from Rajya Sabha. Senior politician Sharad Pawar on Sunday said the Election Commission's decision to allot the NCP name and symbol to Ajit Pawar-led group was "surprising" as the poll body has "snatched" the party from the hands of its founders and gave it to others. Sharad Pawar(File photo) He also said the programme and ideology are important for the people while a symbol is useful for a limited period. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. In a setback to Sharad Pawar, the Election Commission on February 6 recognised the Ajit Pawar faction as the real Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and also allotted the party symbol 'clock' to the group led by him. "I am confident that people will not support the Election Commission ruling against which we have approached the Supreme Court," Sharad Pawar told reporters in Pune. ALSO READ| Sri Lanka, Mauritius will get UPI services, PM Modi to be virtually present The Election Commission not only snatched our symbol but also handed over our party to others, he said. "The EC snatched the party from the hands of those who founded and built it and gave it to others; such a thing never happened before in the country," said Pawar, who founded the NCP in 1999 after breaking away from Congress. Pawar, who had served as chief minister of Maharashtra and also as union minister, recalled that he had contested his first election on the symbol of 'a pair of bullocks'. "The programme and ideology are more important than any symbol," he said. The EC had said that its decision followed the laid-out tests of maintainability of such a petition which included tests of aims and objectives of the party constitution, the test of party constitution and tests of majority, both organisational and legislative. The poll body has allotted 'Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar' as the party name for the group led by Sharad Pawar. The BJP's strategy is buoyed by the decision of the Trinamool Congress to contest alone in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal, breaking away from the INDIA bloc in the state. HT Image This move has raised hopes within the saffron camp of consolidating anti-TMC votes, a trend evident in the party's surge from a 17% vote share in 2014 to 40% in 2019, resulting in 18 Lok Sabha seats. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Despite facing internal strife and electoral setbacks since its defeat in the 2021 assembly polls, the BJP's attempts to capitalise on corruption allegations against the Mamata Banerjee government have fallen short. With a target of winning 35 out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats, the BJP is now banking on emotive issues like the Ram Temple and CAA. "Both inauguration of Ram Temple and implementation of CAA are core issues of the party," Agnimitra Paul, BJP state general secretary told PTI. She emphasised the party's resonance with voters in Bengal by saying, "Both the issues are emotive, and people can connect with it." An idol of the new Ram Lalla was consecrated at the Ayodhya temple on January 22, the event coming just months ahead of the Lok Sabha elections and 34 years after BJP veteran LK Advani's iconic 'Mandir Wahin Banayenge' speech during his Rath yatra that shaped Ram Mandir politics. Echoing this sentiment, BJP MP and former state president Dilip Ghosh underscored the emotive appeal of these issues, asserting their historical significance in uniting Hindu voters and addressing refugee concerns, particularly among the Matua community. "The promise of implementing the CAA has played a significant role in BJP's electoral successes," said Ghosh. "The Ram temple issue has benefitted the BJP in the past, and this time too, it will help us to unite the Hindus across the country, including Bengal," the BJP leader said during whose tenure as state president from 2015 to 2021 the party had witnessed a meteoric rise in the state. The Matuas, a significant portion of the state's Scheduled Caste population, have been migrating to West Bengal since the 1950s, fleeing religious persecution in East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. Their cohesive voting behaviour makes them a valuable voting bloc, particularly in alignment with the BJP's stance on the CAA. Riding on the promises of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), the Matua community in 2019 voted en masse for the saffron camp in the state. The CAA, enacted by the BJP-led central government in 2019, seeks to grant Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants, including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians, from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who entered India before December 31, 2014. Union Minister and Matua leader Shantanu Thakur had recently said the CAA will be implemented soon, amidst reports that rules of the legislation would be framed before the Lok Sabha polls. While the BJP aims for over 35 seats, insiders indicate a more pragmatic goal of 24. Speaking on the issue of BJP resorting back to Ram Mandir and CAA to win the election in the state, party leaders said it reflects an "acknowledgement of organisational challenges and a desire to counter the Trinamool's narrative of Bengali sub-nationalism". "Organisationally, we are not in a very good situation where we can claim that we will win 35 seats in the state. Second, as this is the Lok Sabha election, the TMC's pitch of Bengali sub-nationalism won't blunt our narrative, unlike the assembly polls," a senior state BJP leader said. The TMC has fanned the 'Bengali pride' and had created a poll narrative of sub-nationalism to counter BJP's identity politics in the 2021 assembly polls. The party also pointed out that the break-up of the INDIA bloc in Bengal with TMC deciding to fight alone will further help in consolidation of the anti-TMC votes in BJP's account. "After the Left and Congress alliance fell apart in West Bengal in 2019, it had led to a four-cornered contest with BJP bagging the entire chunk of the anti-TMC votes in the state. This time too, we are hopeful that despite the Left-Congress alliance, we will gain the most," a BJP leader said. Responding to the BJP's strategy, the Trinamool Congress remains confident in its appeal to voters, dismissing BJP's communal politics as ineffective. TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said "voters will support Mamata Banerjee to thwart BJP's divisive tactics in Bengal." Political analyst Maidul Islam suggested that the BJP's reliance on emotive issues stems from its organisational weaknesses. "Issues like the Ram Temple, Uniform Civil Code (UCC), and CAA will dominate the narrative in upcoming Lok Sabha polls in Bengal, with polarisation and counter-polarisation at play," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be present at the launch of Unified Payment Interface (UPI) services in Sri Lanka and Mauritius, and also RuPay card services in Mauritius, on 12 February, 2024 at 1pm via video conferencing, the ministry of external affairs said in a press release on Sunday. President of Sri Lanka, Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister of Mauritius, Pravind Jugnauth will also attend the video conference. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will witness the launch of Unified Payment Interface (UPI) services in Sri Lanka and Mauritius(File photo) The launch of UPI in Sri Lanka and Mauritius is expected to benefit thousands of people through a faster and seamless digital transaction experience and enhance digital connectivity. UPI settlement services will become available for Indian nationals travelling to Sri Lanka and Mauritius as well as for Mauritian nationals travelling to India. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. "The extension of RuPay card services in Mauritius will enable Mauritian banks to issue cards based on RuPay mechanism in Mauritius and facilitate usage of RuPay Card for settlements both in India and Mauritius," said the ministry of external affairs. ALSO READ| Bihar floor test: How numbers stack up as MLAs get ready for crucial number game What is UPI ? According to the official website of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), UPI is "a system that powers multiple bank accounts into a single mobile application (of any participating bank), merging several banking features, seamless fund routing & merchant payments into one hood. It also caters to the Peer to Peer collect request which can be scheduled and paid as per requirement and convenience." UPI was first launched on 11th April 2016 by Dr Raghuram G Rajan, the then RBI Governor, in Mumbai. Success story of India's UPI mechanism As a Fintech technology, UPI is a major hit in India and has played a major role in the country's digital payments success story. Unified Payments Interface has more than 380 million (38 crore) users in India, as per NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL). In January, as many as 12.2 billion (1220 crore) transactions were made through the facility. Recently, India's UPI payment system was launched in France. Tourists can now book tickets for the Eiffel Tower in Paris through the UPI mechanism. The Supreme Court has asked its registry to stop referring to trial courts as lower courts. It will be appropriate if the Registry of this court stops referring to the Trial Courts as Lower Courts. Even the record of the trial court should not be referred to as Lower Court Record (LCR). Instead, it should be referred as the Trial Court Record (TCR), a bench of justices AS Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan said in an order passed on February 8. The Supreme Court of India (File) The Court was hearing an appeal by two murder convicts challenging an order of the Allahabad high court passed in October 2018 upholding their conviction and life sentence for an incident in 1981. Posting the matter for hearing in August, the court asked the Registrar (Judicial) to take note of this order for future compliance. The bench further directed the registry to supply soft copies of the trial court record to the lawyers appearing for the convict and the state of Uttar Pradesh. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. This is perhaps the first time by a judicial order the registry has been asked to stop the practice of referring to trial courts as lower courts. In the recent past, Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud and other judges of the Supreme Court have categorically expressed their displeasure over addressing trial courts as lower courts or subordinate courts and trying to dispel the impression that district court judges are somewhat inferior to judges of high courts or Supreme Court. Last month, justice Oka, one of the judges who passed this order, while giving a memorial lecture, expressed his angst over disrespect shown to trial courts. Speaking on the topic Access to Justice in the context of 75 years of Indian Constitution, justice Oka said that the judiciary has failed to meet the expectations of common man over the past seven decades. One reason for not fulfilling expectation of common man is that we neglected our trial and district courts which are the primary court in our system, he said, adding, For years together we used to describe these courts as lower courts or subordinate courts. There cant be a lower court. Every court is a court. He further stated that the real place where common man gets justice is the district courts. For a common man who cannot afford to have multiple litigation for social, economic reasons, perhaps, these are the courts which are the final courts, the judge remarked. Soon after taking over as CJI in November 2022, CJI Chandrachud said, We should move towards a modern and an equal judiciary, seeking to inculcate a sense of self-worth in the district judiciary. CJI said, We have fostered a culture of subordination....A great deal has to be done not only in terms of infrastructure of our district judiciary which is extremely important for which we have to lay the foundation stones today. But we must have to also change our mindset as superior court judges of SC and high courts of how we look at our district judiciary and how we perceive of them. BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. The principles of the peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan have been agreed upon, Yerevan has the political will to sign this document, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan said, Trend reports. Essentially, the principles of the peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan have been agreed upon, and at the end of last year it seemed to us that we were very close to final agreement, Pashinyan said in an interview with The Telegraph. Negotiations on a peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia are being held through direct meetings. The arrest warrant was issued recently against Superintending Engineer Anil Verma, Executive Engineer R K Gautam, Sub Divisional Officer Sarvesh Yadav and Sub Divisional Officer Ravi Anand. HT Image State Information Commissioner Ajaya Kumar Uprety said the warrant was issued under section 18 (3) of the Right to Information Act and powers given in the CPC (Civil Procedure Code) 1908. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. "This is the first time the UP state information commission has initiated such a strong penal action against erring officials ever since the RTI Act came into existence in 2005," State Information Commissioner Ajaya Kumar Uprety told PTI. prety has asked Kashi zone Deputy Commissioner of Police Pramod Kumar to produce these officials before the Commission on February 20 when this case will be heard in Lucknow. He also asked him to apprise the Commission how this warrant is being executed. The matter pertains to an electricity connection dated January 1, 1911 in the Kazakpura area of Varanasi against consumer Uma Shankar Yadav. The electricity department has raised a bill of 2.24 lakh against this connection. When Yadav disputed the bill and refused to pay it, the department issued an RC (recovery challan) against him. Yadav approached department officials to correct the bill, but his pleas fell on deaf ears. Disappointed, Yadav took the recourse of the RTI. "While hearing the case, the commission had asked the officials following questions -- Whether in 1911 the electricity was being given to consumers in Varanasi? How the bill was calculated and what was the cost per unit? Which was the company that was transmitting power to the consumers then? Was UPPCL (Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited) in existence then?" a source said. The electricity department officials failed to answer these questions despite repeated summonses, prompting the Commission to issue an arrest warrant against them. The warrant addressed to DCP Pramod Kumar said that Superintending Engineer Anil Verma, Executive Engineer R K Gautam, SDO (Upkendra Chauk, Macchodari Varanasi) Sarvesh Yadav and SDO (Lohta) Ravi Anand have been summoned to the Uttar Pradesh State Information Commission to answer the questions "pertaining to an electricity connection dated 1911". "But these officials have failed to turn up on the dates of hearing. Neither have they given any reply to the Commission about their non-appearance. Prima facie, it appears that these officials have been deliberately ignoring/disobeying the orders of the Commission," the warrant said. Hence, exercising its power under section 18(3) of the Right to Information Act, 2005 and CPC 1908, the Commission "orders you to arrest and produce these officials before the Commission" without fail, the warrant said. Bubble wrap, balaclavas and puffy jackets took centre stage at the Helmut Lang show that kicked off New York Fashion Week on Friday. "I feel like living in New York, a lot can happen in a day. So I feel like I want to provide a tool for you to be ready for whatever it takes," said Vietnamese-American designer Peter Do following the show. (Also Read | New York Fashion Week: Pregnant model, mom with a baby, and a trans physically disabled model rule Collina Strada show) Oversized wool coats, quilted jackets, turtlenecks, hoods, balaclavas reinforced Helmut Lang's collection. (AFP) An in-demand designer who also heads his own line, Do was tasked with reinventing Helmut Lang's chic and minimalist aesthetic, which shaped fashion in the 1990s and 2000s, before the Austrian designer quit. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Now the brand belongs to Japanese giant Fast Retailing, which also owns Uniqlo. Under the dome of a former bank in Brooklyn's trendy Williamsburg, Do revisited the inventions of his artistic ancestors, including coloured bubble wrap made from silk worn as pants and jackets. Oversized wool coats, quilted jackets, turtlenecks, hoods, balaclavas reinforced the collection's "protection and projection" themes. Some were inspired by space suits, while the colour palette echoed the bright, almost fluorescent orange of the past. "I just want to see the street represented," Do said. With a dozen shows a day until mid-week, the Big Apple heralds the start of the Autumn-Winter 2024 ready-to-wear fashion weeks, ahead of London, then Milan and Paris. Testament to Lang's influence, the schedule was changed in the late 90s when he decided to leave Paris for New York, so that the US megacity would come first. A number of heavyweights and renowned American ready-to-wear designers are expected this season, including Tommy Hilfiger later Friday, followed by Michael Kors, Thom Browne and Tory Burch. Carolina Herrera and Gabriela Hearst are also on the calendar. Paris-based designer Ludovic de Saint Sernin, a proponent of intimate, androgynous designs, will also make a rare detour to New York with a show on Sunday evening. Sonam Kapoor is one of Bollywood's unbeatable fashionistas. The actor never fails to captivate her fans with her remarkable sartorial choices, ranging from heritage clothing to chic red-carpet-ready gowns and steal-worthy casual fits. During the ongoing New York Fashion Week 2024, the actor served another fashionable look you will want to steal. She attended the Tommy Hilfiger Fall Winter 2024 show in a chic pantsuit and a classic pinstriped shirt. Scroll down to check it out. Sonam Kapoor attends the New York Fashion Week for Tommy Hilfiger's Fall Winter 2024 showcase. (Instagram) Sonam Kapoor at Tommy Hilfiger New York Fashion Week show Tommy Hilfiger showcased their Fall Winter 2024 collection at the New York Fashion Week in the Grand Central Station, attended by A-listers like Kelly Rutherford, Becky G, and Damson Idris. The show ended with a performance by Jon Batiste. Tommy Hilfiger paid tribute to New York as a leading character in his journey to the design big-time as the city's fashion week got underway. Sonam Kapoor shared her chic look for the event on Instagram with the caption, "What an amazing experience @tommyhilfiger 36 hours in my fave [New York) in an iconic location and a fabulous show...the most fun I've had in a while! Thank you so much for having me...can't wait to come back!' Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Sonam attended the show in a stylish black pantsuit featuring an oversized blazer and baggy pants set. Considering oversized coats, quilted jackets, and turtlenecks reinforced the collection's "Protection and Projection" theme, Sonam's look was on point. While her blazer features notch lapel collars, double-breasted closure, padded shoulders, full-length sleeves, an open front, and an oversized silhouette, the pants have a flared fit and a high-rise waist. Sonam styled the suit with a blue and white pinstriped shirt featuring a collared neckline, full-length sleeves, and front button closures. She tucked the blouse inside her pants to give the ensemble a put-together touch. She accessorised the ensemble with statement brooches, stacked gold rings, earrings, and white loafers. Lastly, centre-parted open locks, deep red lips, subtle eye shadow, sleek eyeliner, mascara on the lashes, rouge on the cheekbones, and feathered brows completed the glam picks. One of America's greatest presidents, Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809 in Larue County, Kentucky, United States and his birthday is now celebrated as a poignant reminder of the enduring wisdom and leadership of the 16th president of the United States, who served only four years in the presidency, from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. With his words echoing through the annals of history and his life and legacy inspiring generations around the world, it is fitting to reflect on some of his most inspirational quotes ahead of his birth anniversary this Monday. Abraham Lincoln's birthday: Inspirational quotes by the leader (Photo by Twitter/CUNYCitizenship) Radio, a low-cost medium specifically suited to reaching remote communities and vulnerable people, has offered a platform to intervene in the public debate for over a century now and irrespective of peoples educational level, it continues to play a crucial role in emergency communication and disaster relief. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), radio has crossed the 100-year milestone hence, it is a significant occasion to commemorate the medium's extensive virtues and continuing potency as it faces challenges to its audience and revenue numbers from digital platforms, social media, digital and generational divides, censorship, consolidations and economic hardships. World Radio Day 2024: Date, history, significance and theme (Photo by Rod Flores on Unsplash) Date: World Radio Day is marked annually on February 13, 2024. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. History: It is generally believed that the first radio transmission was made by Guglielmo Marconi in 1895 and radio broadcasting of music and talk that was aimed towards a wider audience came into existence, albeit experimentally, sometimes around 1905-1906. The radio came into existence commercially in the early 1920s. Radio stations came into existence almost three decades later and the radio and broadcasting system became a common commodity around the world by the 1950s. Almost 60 years later, in 2011, Member States of UNESCO proclaimed February 13 as being World Radio Day. It was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2013 as an International event. One of the most widely consumed medium at the global level, the UN says the radio has the ability to shape a societys experience of diversity, stand as an arena for all voices to speak out, be represented and heard. Following a proposal from Spain, UNESCOs Executive Board recommended to the General Conference the proclamation of World Radio Day, based on a consultation process carried out by UNESCO in 2011. Subsequently, the then Director-General of UNESCO proposed the formation of United Nations Radio on February 13, 1946 and subsequently at its 36th session, UNESCO proclaimed February 13 as World Radio Day. The UN General Assembly formally endorsed UNESCOs proclamation of World Radio Day on January 14, 2013. During its 67th session, the UN adopted a resolution proclaiming February 13 as World Radio Day. Significance: According to the United Nations, the objective of World Radio Day is to raise greater awareness among the public and media regarding the importance of radio. The day also aims to encourage radio stations to provide access to information through their medium and enhance networking and international cooperation among broadcasters. Theme: The theme for the World Radio Day, celebrated on February 13, 2024 is "Radio: A century informing, entertaining and educating". The United Nations states, The 2024 observance highlights the history of radio and its powerful impact on news, drama, music and sports. It also recognises the ongoing practical value as a portable public safety net during emergencies and power outages, caused by natural and human-made disasters, such as storms, earthquakes, floods, heat, wildfires, accidents and warfare. Furthermore, the continuing democratic value of Radio radio is to serve as a grassroots catalyst for connectedness within underserved groups, including immigrant, religious, minority, and poverty-stricken populations. Experts insist that Yoga practices play a crucial role in promoting hormonal balance, offering potential benefits for individuals dealing with conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and thyroid disorders. These conditions can significantly impact hormonal levels, leading to various health challenges. Yoga for hormonal balance: Add these exercises to your fitness routine for PCOS and thyroid management (Photo by Conscious Design on Unsplash) In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar, Founder of Akshar Yoga Kendraa, shared that through specific Yoga asanas (postures), pranayama (breath control) and meditation, individuals may find relief and support in managing hormonal imbalances. He elaborated - Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Yoga for PCOS: PCOS is a common hormonal disorder affecting people with reproductive age. It is characterized by irregular menstrual cycles, high levels of androgens (male hormones), and ovarian cysts. Yoga can help manage PCOS symptoms by addressing hormonal fluctuations and improving overall well-being. Asanas such as - Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclining Bound Angle Pose) and Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) can stimulate the reproductive organs and regulate hormonal balance. Pranayama, especially Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril Breathing), can enhance hormonal harmony and reduce stress, a factor that often exacerbates PCOS symptoms. Meditation and mindfulness practices can contribute to stress reduction, positively impacting hormonal regulation. Yoga for Thyroid Disorders: Thyroid disorders, including hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, involve an imbalance in thyroid hormone production. Yoga offers a holistic approach to support thyroid health, promoting balance in the endocrine system. Sarvangasana (Shoulder Stand) and Halasana (Plow Pose) are beneficial for stimulating the thyroid gland and improving its function. Kapalbhati Pranayama, a dynamic breathing technique, can boost metabolism and support thyroid function. Ujjayi Pranayama (Victorious Breath) helps balance the endocrine system, aiding in thyroid regulation. Overall Hormonal Balance: In addition to specific asanas for PCOS and thyroid disorders, incorporating a regular yoga practice can contribute to overall hormonal balance. Stress management, a key element in hormonal health, is addressed through various yoga techniques. Yoga Nidra, a form of guided relaxation, can significantly reduce stress and promote hormonal equilibrium. Savasana (Corpse Pose) at the end of a yoga session allows the body to enter a deep state of relaxation, fostering hormonal balance. Balasana (Child's Pose) is a restorative pose that calms the nervous system, indirectly impacting hormone levels. Healing walk - Lift your arms up keeping them at shoulder width distance. Now, start walking with your arms raised in this position and your hands can be up in the air for 1-3 minutes. Initially this may not be possible as you will have to train the muscles of your arms and shoulders and strengthen them. Build up to 1-3 minutes gradually by starting of with a minute increase and so on until you are physically capable enough with the strength required to hold your arms up for 1-3 minutes straight. One round practice will require you to perform a minimum of three sets of these walks of minimum 1-3 minutes each. Mind-Body Connection - Yoga emphasises the connection between the mind and body, recognizing that mental well-being is integral to hormonal balance. Practices like meditation and mindfulness enhance self-awareness, reducing the impact of stress on hormonal health. Regular meditation practices, such as Mindful Breathing or Swaas Dhyan, can positively influence the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, a key player in hormonal regulation. He concluded, Yoga encourages a healthy lifestyle, including mindful eating, which can support hormonal balance. Incorporating yoga practices into a routine can be a valuable complement to conventional treatments for hormonal imbalances, including PCOS and thyroid disorders. It offers a holistic approach, addressing physical, mental, and emotional aspects of well-being. By embracing the simplicity and effectiveness of Yoga, individuals can take proactive steps toward achieving hormonal balance and overall health. As Rio de Janeiros Carnival celebrations kicked off on Saturday, dozens of dogs dressed as mermaids, superheroes, butterflies and clowns paraded alongside their owners in one of the citys most beloved canine street parties. The Blocao a play on words that joins bloco, which refers to Carnival street parties and cao, or dog in Portuguese gathered over 200 people in Rios beachside Barra de Tijuca neighborhood on Saturday morning. Clad in tulle and sequins, fluffy fashionistas took part in a contest to choose the days top costumes. Dogs and owners celebrate Carnival in Rio de Janeiro with canine street party(AP photo) On a small stage in the middle of a leafy square, pups of all sizes and breeds strutted and wagged their tails. Organizers announced the contestants over a microphone, as confetti rained down. Alana the chihuahua was dressed as a glittery mermaid, Trinde the cocker spaniel as a cape-wearing Hermione, and Bidu the Shih-tzu as a furry Superman. Scooby Doo, a massive pit monster, was a crowd-pleaser as a lion with an unruly golden mane. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Pacoca, a 2-year-old dachshund with 100,000 followers on Instagram, paraded as a hot dog stuffed in a bun and topped with ketchup and mustard. Hes an influencer, said his owner Helena Ribeiro, 32, who wore a red shirt emblazoned with a Heinz ketchup label. Pacocas costume, she said, was inspired by his breed. It suits him! Rodrigo Pirola and Cecilia Myrele, both 39, came dressed as Fred and Wilma Flintstone, matching their 4-year-old basset hound Amora, who wore an orange dress inspired by Pebbles Flintstone. Amora is our daughter; we are a family. We go everywhere together, Myrele told the Associated Press. Here, everybody is crazy in love with dogs. Carolina Eduardo, 27, dressed her 13-year-old sand-colored mutt Rebeca in a Snow White costume, pinning a glossy dark wig between her ears as the cherry on top. Channeling Rios ubiquitous ice tea hawkers a staple of the citys beaches Charlotte, a 3-year-old border collie mix, wore an orange outfit and carried two miniature tin kegs on her back. I love Carnival, I love parties, said her owner, Veronica Beck, 47, as fellow dog lovers snapped pictures of Charlotte. Its this moment of joy. And its a way to celebrate this with our dogs. Because they also bring such joy to our lives. The pups and their owners braved searing temperatures to take part in the bloco. Organizers distributed water and goodie bags with treats, as canine participants panted in the shade, their tongues hanging out. This year, the heat is not making it easy for us, said organizer Marco Antonio Veira, known as Toto. He noted a major concern was the overheating asphalt, which could scald paws. We have to preserve the well-being of the animals. Following the costume competition, the bloco began to weave around the square as dog lovers and their pets swayed and shimmied to the rhythm of Brazilian pop classics. Twin sisters Daniely and Flavia Mendes, both 43, were among the revelers, singing along with the crowd. They have been taking part in the bloco nearly every year for the past decade and, on Saturday, they brought their identical Shih-tzus, one dressed as Superman and the other clad in a colorful, hand-made clown costume. For dog parents, its a way for us to have fun, said Daniely Mendes. It brings our community together. With fireworks, feasts and red envelopes stuffed with cash for the kids, numerous Asian nations and overseas communities have welcomed Saturday the Lunar New Year. Highways clogged, flights fully booked as Lunar New Year travel peaks across Asia (Photo by GREG BAKER / AFP) It begins with the first new moon of the lunar calendar and ends 15 days later on the first full moon. The dates of the holiday vary slightly each year, falling between late January and mid-February as it is based on the cycles of the moon, Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Festivities to mark the Year of the Dragon in Taiwan were marked by appearances by newly elected president Lai Ching-te and the speaker of the Legislature, Han Kuo-yu, who represents the opposition Nationalist Party that favors political unification with China. In her address, Tsai said Taiwan faced a continuing conflict between freedom and democracy versus authoritarianism that not only affects geopolitical stability, but also impacts the restructuring of global supply chains. These past eight years, we have kept our promises and maintained the status quo. We have also shown our determination and strengthened our national defense, Tsai, who is barred by term limits from seeking a third four-year term, said in reference to the self-governing island democracy's close economic ties but fraught political relations with China which threatens to invade the island to realize its goal of bringing Taiwan and its high-tech economy under its control. Taiwan, China and other areas saw highways clogged and flights fully booked as residents travelled home to visit family or took the approximately one-week holiday as an opportunity to vacation abroad. Firing bottle rockets and other fireworks is a traditional way of welcoming the new year and seeing off any lingering bad memories. Children are given red envelopes stuffed with cash as a show of affection and to help them get a leg-up in the coming months. Long lines of cars congested South Korean highways on Saturday as millions of people began leaving the densely populated Seoul capital region to visit relatives across the country for the Lunar New Years holiday. Royal palaces and other tourist sites were also packed with visitors wearing the countrys colorful traditional hanbok flowing robes. Groups of aging North Korean refugees from the 1950-53 civil war, which remains unresolved, bowed northward during traditional family rituals held in the Southern border town of Paju. The holiday came amid heightened tensions with North Korea, which has been ramping up its tests of weapons aimed at overwhelming regional missile defenses and issuing provocative threats of nuclear conflict with the South. The South's President Yoon Suk Yeol started the holiday by issuing a message of thanks to South Korean soldiers, saying that their services along the frontline barbwires, sea and sky were allowing the nation to enjoy the holidays. Vietnam also celebrated the Lunar New Year, known there as Tet. Parades and commemorations are also being held in cities with large Asian communities overseas, particularly in New York and San Francisco. Amid chants of Jai Shri Ram, Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami introduced his states uniform civil code (UCC) bill in the state assembly on Tuesday. Dehradun: Members of Uttarakhand Numainda Group protest against the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) bill during a special session of Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly, in Dehradun, Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. (PTI) It took just one day for the bill to be passed by a voice vote. The presidents signature is all that remains to make Uttarakhand the first state in post-Independent India to have one law for residents in matters concerning marriage, divorce (and maintenance), adoption and inheritance. Citizens in Uttarakhand will no longer be allowed to follow the practices of their personal, religious laws. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Officially, gender justice is the motive behind such a move. So, no more polygamy and goodbye to the pernicious practice of halala that requires the consummation of an intervening marriage before a divorced couple can marry again. A uniform legal marriageable age, 18 for women and 21 for men, now applies to all. A regressive move There is one clause that is cause for deep concern: Live-in relationships [sic] must be registered with a registrar who has the power to investigate the relationship and summon either partner or anyone they choose for more information. The registrar must also inform the local police station of the presence of such a couple. Failure to register, or even providing wrong information, carries a jail term of up to six months plus a fine. Nothing is stated about providing couples with protection in cases where their own families are opposed to the relationship. At a time when the Allahabad high court just last week refused to provide protection orders to eight interfaith couples, theres a suspicion that behind the clause is an impetus to preserve the status quo of marriage and family. The clause is hugely problematic for at least three reasons. First, it erodes the autonomy of adult women who, under the Constitution, have the freedom to choose their own partners. They do not require either parental consent or the states permission to do so. Indeed women are, in theory at least, free to marry whoever they want once they are 18. But in at least six BJP-ruled states, including Uttarakhand, there are laws that on the ground make it impossible for interfaith couples to marry. These anti-conversion laws, currently under legal challenge in the Supreme Court, are premised on the unproven conspiracy theory that wily Muslim men entrap gullible Hindu women into marriage with the ulterior motive of getting them to convert. In Parliament, the minister of state for home has conceded there is no evidence of this theory. And the countrys National Investigation Agency tasked with unearthing it in Kerala also failed to come up with proof. And yet, that did not stop Maharashtra from setting up a committee to track not just interfaith but also inter-caste marriages in December 2022. Minister of women and child development Mangal Prabhat Lodha made the astounding claim that there were 100,000 cases of love jihad in the state. However, not one of these presented themselves to be examined in the three times that the committee met between December 2022 and October 2023. The disproportionate anxiety over interfaith and inter-caste relationships, including live-in relationships, betrays the states inherently paternalistic attitude towards adult women citizens. This is not furthering the cause of gender justice but increasing the grip of institutionalised patriarchy around womens throats. Second, the UCC goes against the grain of past judicial pronouncements, including on privacy and on consensual adult sexual relationships. Even laws passed by Parliament, the Domestic Violence law, for instance, have recognised relationships in the nature of marriage. Children born out of such relationships have legal rights and status. Far from taking a rights-based momentum forwardthe UCC could have, for instance, recognised civil partnerships between same-sex couplesit restricts itself to being a chowkidar. Slippery slope Theres a third problem that might perhaps be the most insidious. What happens in Uttarakhand need not stay in Uttarakhand, particularly if the BJP comes back to power later in the year. A common civil code has been the partys core ideological objective, along with the Ram temple in Ayodhya and the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. So far, the party has achieved two of its objectives. Uttarakhand could well become the laboratory for a larger UCC, in which case the states assumption of locus parentis comes dangerously close to vigilantism. Sadly, its a vigilantism that finds favour with large sections of the population in a country where 93% of modern Indians still have marriages arranged in accordance with faith and casteand where a 2021 Pew Survey showed a majority of those interviewed disapproved of interfaith marriage. Concerns about the states presence in the bedrooms of its citizens have been voiced selectively. For instance, on the issue of criminalising marital rape, the patriarchs say this will result in too much intrusion. Yet, the same patriarchs have no quarrel with the state monitoring who is cohabitating with whom. So, you have a contradictory situation: In modern India its ok to rape your wife, but its not ok to marry, or live with, the person you love. [Also read Utkarsh Anand on the provisions of the UCC] The following article is an excerpt from Namita Bhandares Mind the Gap. Read the rest of the newsletter here. Namita Bhandare writes on gender. The views expressed are personal. Earlier this week, Jeff Bezos' statement with federal regulators marked his parting ways with nearly 12 million Amazon shares worth more than $2 billion. Having stepped down as the CEO of the multinational tech company in 2021, the executive chairman has pulled off such a power move for the first time in over two years. FILE - Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos speaks at the Amazon re:MARS convention in Las Vegas on June 6, 2019. Bezos filed a statement with federal regulators indicating his sale of nearly 12 million shares of Amazon stock worth more than $2 billion on Feb. 7, 2024, and Feb. 8. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)(AP) Notifying the US Securities and Exchange Commission of the 11,997,698 shares' sale on February 7 and 8, Bezos may aim to climb up the hierarchy to claim the "world's richest man" title again. Another previous statement from his company revealed that he plans to sell 50 million shares (total worth $8.5 billion) by this year's end. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Bloomberg Billionaires Index (updated at the end of every trading day in New York) also reported that the executive chairman's estimated wealth has risen by $22.6 billion this year due to escalating company stock. Bezos is now listed as the second person on the world's wealthiest people chart, just below Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk. The publication lists his total net worth (as of February 11) as $200B, while Musk takes the lead with a $209B net worth. Also read: Ex-Apple engineer sentenced to 4 months in prison. Here's why Analysing Jeff Bezos' Amazon shares sale The American magnate hasn't outrightly mentioned the reason for this release of shares. However, it undoubtedly drives one's attention to the closing gap between his and Musk's net worth. Before the recent offload, Bezos only had a gap of $5 billion between him and Elon Musk's fortune. This new development has significantly bridged that distance, with his net worth rising to $209 billion in just a few days. Business Insider also reminded us that the former Amazon CEO had gained the title of the richest person in 2017. He overtook Bill Gates at the time. Despite the ups and downs, Bezos remained at the top of the index from 2018 to 2021 until Musk snagged this post. Despite Musk still being in the lead, his Tesla stocks have taken a severe hit this year, whereas Bezos is reaching for the upper skies. BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. The US Congress has decided to approve an agreement with Turkiye on the sale of 40 new F-16 fighter jets and the modernization of existing F-16 fighters, said the US embassy in the country on X (Twitter), Trend reports. US Ambassador Jeff Flake said that Congress' approval this week of Turkiye's purchase of 40 new and 79 modernized F-16 fighter jets is a big step forward. "Turkiye's fleet of F-16s is crucial for NATO forces in ensuring future interoperability between allies," he said. On January 27, following Turkiye's decision to ratify Sweden's NATO accession, Ben Cardin, Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, endorsed the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkiye. An astonishing video of three bears, captured near a national highway in Tamil Nadu, left many netizens stunned. The clip was shared by the official handle of All India Radio News. As per the news agency, the bears were from Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve in Erode district and ventured out of the Asanur forest onto the national highway. Snapshot of the three bears near national highway in Tamil Nadu. (Instagram/@All India Radio News ) All India Radio News also added in the caption of their post, "The Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary is the largest sanctuary in the state. Located at the Confluence of the Eastern and the Western Ghats, the habitat has tremendous biodiversity, and is contiguous with Mudumalai, BRT and Bandipur tiger reserve." (Also Read: Scary video shows huge bear trying to break into woman's Washington home: Watch) Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The clip shows the three bears playing with each other. As vehicles pass by them, they all look at the bears in surprise. Watch the video here: This post was shared on February 11. Since being posted, it has gained over a thousand views. The post has also received numerous likes. Earlier, a picture of another bear spotted in Sikkim went viral on social media. A rare Tibetan Brown Bear was discovered thanks to the Sikkim Forest Department and WWF-India. (Also Read: Forest dept puts in curbs after bear attacks man in Karnataka) "The camera traps that recorded the bear were placed by Phuchung Lachenpa, Tashi Palden Lachenpa and Palden Lepcha in the high altitudes of Mangan district and caught this elusive bear in December 2023. These photos highlight the characteristic yellowish scarf-like collar of this bear that broadens from the shoulders to the chest," reported All India Radio News. A general manager of a local radio station in Alabama took to Facebook to share about an incident that knocked the station off the air. In his post, Brett Elmore shared how his building was vandalised and a 200-foot radio tower was stolen from the property. A 200-foot radio tower in Alabama was stolen without any trace (representational image). (Unsplash/Chris Anderson) This is going to get out eventually, so I might as well make it public before it does. I have heard of thieves in this area stealing anything, but this one takes the cake. This morning, my bush hog crew went down to a tower site we have behind MarJac to do an early cleanup of the property before we did some more work down there. When he arrived, he called and notified me that not only was my building vandalised, but my two hundred foot tower was gone! Elmore wrote. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. He added that every piece of equipment in the building of the radio station called WJLX was stolen. The police are currently investigating the matter. Elmore also requested people in his community to get in touch with the police if they have any information about the theft. In a conversation with CNN, Elmore talked about the importance of the radio station in his community. This has always been a radio town. People here love the radio station and have always supported it, he told the outlet. The community here they depend on us. The main part of broadcasting is to serve your community and our community has had its radio voice silenced, he added. Take a look at the post: The post was shared a few days ago, and many reacted to it using angry emojis. An individual wrote, Insane! I hope they are caught and sentenced. Another added, Thats messed up. A third posted, That is some serious thievery! Hope they get caught. A fourth wrote, That may be the worst thing I have heard. How is that even possible? What would they think of that? How long are you going to be off? In a tragic incident, a baby in Missouri, Kansas city in the US, was found dead after her mother mistakenly put her into an oven. As per reports, the mother of the child, Mariah Thomas has been charged with a Class A felony of Endangering the Welfare of a Child in the 1st degree, Death of a Child. The baby was found dead at the spot. (Pixabay.) According to Sky News, police responded to a complaint of a child not breathing. A probable cause statement stated responders found the baby with apparent burns, and later was pronounced dead at the scene. (Also Read: Another toddler dies in US due to accidentally shooting themselves with a gun) Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Jackson County Prosecutor, Jean Peters Baker told that the mother was putting her child down for a nap, and accidentally placed the child in the oven instead of the crib, reports Fox4. As per The Guardian, Baker said in a statement, We appreciate all first responders who worked this scene and the prosecutors who went to the scene in order to issue these charges. We acknowledge the gruesome nature of this tragedy and our hearts are weighted by the loss of this precious life. We trust the criminal justice system to respond appropriately to these awful circumstances. The statement did not offer an explanation about how that mistake was made. NASA took to Instagram to share a special creation to celebrate the Lunar New Year. They shared a three-dimensional and rotating view of a nebula that appears to be in the shape of a dragon. The space agency created it using data collected from the SOFIA mission. Lunar New Year: The image is taken from a 3D view of the Orion Nebula created by NASA. (Instagram/@nasa) Happy Lunar New Year. Welcome to the Year of the Dragon. This three-dimensional view of the Orion Nebula Earths closest star-formation nursery was created using data from the SOFIA mission," NASA wrote. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Also Read: NASA shares iconic throwback pic of astronaut who performed first untethered spacewalk 40 years ago It reveals the detailed structure of the nebula, including a bubble that has been blown clear of gas and dust by a powerful stellar wind. In this way, massive stars can regulate star formation around them, and SOFIA helped astronomers better understand this effect, they added. About SOFIA mission: According to NASA, The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) was a mission of discovery, revealing unseen and sometimes unseeable parts of our universe. While science flights have ended, SOFIAs data from a total of 732 nights observing over the course of the mission are publicly available for scientists to study and conduct further research in the future, the space agency added. NASA also shared a description of the visual. A rotating three-dimensional view of the Orion Nebula in what appears to be in the shape of a dragon. The nebula has a blue center, with red wispy fragments on the outer detail, they explained. Take a look at the incredible view: The post was shared about four hours ago. Since then, it has collected more than 1.7 lakh likes. The share has further accumulated several comments. What did Instagram users say about this NASA post? My favourite nebula. OMG! wrote an Instagram user. How exactly are nebulae formed? asked another. To which, NASA replied, A nebula is a giant cloud of dust and gas in space. Some nebulae (more than one nebula) come from the gas and dust thrown out by the explosion of a dying star, such as a supernova. Other nebulae are regions where new stars are beginning to form. For this reason, some nebulae are called 'star nurseries'". A third posted, It looks so beautiful. A fourth shared, Just wow. While many wrote Happy Lunar New Year in the comments, some shared GIFs of dragons to celebrate the Year of the Dragon. What is the Year of the Dragon? According to the Chinese Zodiac, each month honours an animal. 2024 is the Year of the Dragon which honours the mythical creature that is a symbol of strength and is revered in Chinese culture. A company in South Korea is offering its workers 100 million Korean won ($75,000) each time they become parents. But why? Booyoung Group, a construction company is offering this hefty sum to address the low birth rate in South Korea. As per reports, the company also announced that it would give cash payments totalling 7 billion Korean won ($5.25 million) to staff members who have given birth to 70 children since 2021. Booyoung Group is 100 million Korean won to its employees when they become parents. (Unsplash ) Booyoung Groups Chairman Lee Joong-keun told CNN that they are offering direct financial support to the employees to help ease the financial burden of raising children. He also said, "I hope we would get recognized as a company that contributes to encouraging births and worries about the countrys future." (Also Read: South Korea shatters its own record for worlds lowest fertility rate: Report) Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. As per CNN, he stated at a company event that employees with three newborns will be given the option of getting 300 million Korean won ($225,000) in cash or rental housing if the government supplies land for the building. As per Statistics Korea, a government organization responsible for managing national statistics in South Korea, the fertility rate or the average number of expected babies per South Korean woman over her reproductive life span fell from 0.81 to 0.78 in 2022. According to experts, the rate must be at least 2.1 to maintain the 52 million-person population of the nation. Relative to the previous year, the number of newborns declined from 260,600 to 249,000. People around the world are celebrating the week of love - Valentines Week. During this period, many take to social media to share their love stories and some of them claim a place in netizens' hearts. Tokyo resident Yasushi Yassan Takahashis tale belongs on that list too. Why? Years ago, he quit his job and travelled to make a very special GPS art for his girlfriend. Valentine's Week: A Japanese Man created this GPS art using Google Earth to propose to his partner. (YouTube/@Google) Yasushi used Google Earth and Street View to propose to his girlfriend, Natsuki. He undertook this journey of love to spell the word Marry Me. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Google shared a video of his amazing proposal on YouTube with a title that reads, How an artist used Google Earth to craft a record-setting wedding proposal. In the video, Yasushi recollects how he embarked on the journey back in 2008. He also shares the hardships he faced on the way. Towards the end of the video, the GPS art he made appears on the screen. It shows the word Marry Me written with a heart beside it. The clip also shows his girlfriend who gleefully declares that she accepted his proposal and said yes. Take a look at this video: Though the video was shared years ago, it keeps on resurfacing every now and then, especially during Valentines Week. About Valentines Week: Valentine's Week starts with Rose Day on February 7. Propose Day, Chocolate Day, and Teddy Day fall on February 8, February 9, and February 10, respectively. These days are followed by Promise Day on February 11 and Hug Day on February 12. The second last day of this week is Kiss Day on February 13. This special week concludes with Valentines Day on February 14. As chances rise of a Joe Biden-Donald Trump rematch in the U.S. presidential election, Americas allies are bracing for a bumpy ride. Former US President Donald Trump (AFP)(AFP) Many worry that a second term for Trump would be an earthquake, but tremors already abound and concerns are rising that the U.S. could grow less dependable regardless of who wins. With a divided electorate and gridlock in Congress, the next American president could easily become consumed by manifold challenges at home before even beginning to address flashpoints around the world, from Ukraine to the Middle East. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. French President Emmanuel Macrons recent verdict was blunt: Americas first priority is itself. The first Trump administration stress-tested the bonds between the U.S. and its allies, particularly in Europe. Trump derided the leaders of some friendly nations, including Germanys Angela Merkel and Britains Theresa May, while praising authoritarians such as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian leader Vladimir Putin. He has called Chinas Xi Jinping brilliant and Hungarys Viktor Orban a great leader. In campaign speeches, Trump remains skeptical of organizations such as NATO, often lamenting the billions the U.S. spends on the military alliance whose support has been critical to Ukraines fight against Russia's invasion. He said at a rally on Saturday that, as president, he'd warned NATO allies he would encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want to countries that didn't pay their way in the alliance. Trump also wrote on his social media network that in future the U.S. should end all foreign aid donations and replace them with loans. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned that Trump risked endangering U.S. troops and their allies. Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the U.S., and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk, he said in a statement Sunday. Biden, meanwhile, has made support for Ukraine a key priority and moral imperative. But Bidens assertion after his election in 2020 that America is back on the global stage has not been entirely borne out. Congressional Republicans have stalled more military aid for Ukraine, while America's influence has been unable to contain conflict in the Middle East Thomas Gift, director of the Centre on U.S. Politics at University College London, said that whoever wins the presidential race, the direction of travel will be the same toward a multipolar planet in which the United States is no longer the indisputable world superpower. Most allied leaders refrain from commenting directly on the U.S. election, sticking to the line that its for Americans to pick their leader. They are conscious that they will have to work with the eventual winner, whoever it is and behind the scenes, governments will be doing the backroom work of quietly establishing links with the contenders political teams, said Richard Dalton, a former senior British diplomat. But many of America's European NATO allies are worried that with or without Trump, the U.S. is becoming less reliable. Some have started to talk openly about the need for members to ramp up military spending, and to plan for an alliance without the United States. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he was currently on the phone a lot with my colleagues and asking them to do more to support Ukraine. Germany is the second-largest donor of military aid to Kyiv, behind the U.S., but Scholz recently told German weekly Die Zeit that the country couldnt fill any gap on its own if the U.S.A. ceased to be a supporter. Trump's comments on Saturday about NATO rang alarm bells in Poland, which shares a border with Ukraine. We have a hot war at our border, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Sunday. He warned: We must realize that the EU cannot be an economic and civilizational giant and a dwarf when it comes to defense, because the world has changed. Russia, meanwhile, is busy bolstering ties with China, Iran and North Korea and trying to chip away at Ukraines international support. Macron also suggested American attention was focused far from Europe. If Washington's top priority is the U.S., he said its second is China. This is also why I want a stronger Europe, that knows how to protect itself and isnt dependent on others, Macron said at a January news conference. Trump does have supporters in Europe, notably pro-Russia populists such as Hungary's Orban. But former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson raised some eyebrows when he argued recently that a Trump presidency could be just what the world needs. Johnson is a strong supporter of Ukraine in its struggle against Russian invasion, whereas Trump has frequently praised Putin and said hed end the war within 24 hours. However, Johnson said in a Daily Mail column that he didnt believe Trump would ditch the Ukrainians, but instead would help Ukraine win the war, leaving the West stronger and the world more stable. Bronwen Maddox, director of the international affairs think tank Chatham House, said arguments like that underestimate how destabilizing Trump has been, and likely would continue to be if reelected. For those who say his first term did not do much damage to international order, one answer is that he took the U.S. out of the JCPOA, the deal to curb Irans nuclear program. Irans acceleration of its work since then has left it a threshold nuclear weapon state, she said during a recent speech on the year ahead. Biden was a critic of Trump's Iran policy but hasn't managed to rebuild bridges with Tehran, which continues to flex its muscles across the region. Dalton, a former U.K. ambassador to Iran, said prospects for the Middle East would be slightly worse under Trump than Biden. But he said divergence on the regions main tensions the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Iran's ambitions would be limited. No U.S. administration is going to make a serious effort to resolve differences with Iran through diplomacy," Dalton told The Associated Press. "That ship sailed quite some time ago. Palestinians and their supporters, meanwhile, implore Biden to temper U.S. support for Israel as the civilian death toll from the war in Gaza climbs. But hard-liners in Israel argue the U.S. is already restraining the offensive against Hamas too much. Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israels far-right national security minister, recently said Biden was not giving Israel his full backing and that if Trump was in power, the U.S. conduct would be completely different. Much like its allies, America's rivals are not openly expressing a preference for the election outcome. Trump developed a strong rapport with Turkeys Erdogan, calling them very good friends during a 2019 meeting at the White House. Yet Turkey-U.S. relations were fraught during his tenure. The Trump administration removed Turkey from its F-35 fighter jet project over Ankaras decision to purchase Russian-made missile defense systems, while Trump himself threatened to ruin Turkeys economy. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told CBS in January that he doesn't believe there will be any difference between a Trump and a Biden presidency. He argued that Russia-U.S. relations have been going downhill since George W. Bush's administration. China, where leaders initial warmth toward Trump soured into tit-for-tat tariffs and rising tensions, little changed under Biden, who continued his predecessors tough stance toward the United States strategic rival. Zhao Minghao, a professor of international relations at Fudan University in Shanghai, said that for China, the two candidates were like two bowls of poison. Gift, from University College London, said the move to a more fractured world is "going to happen regardless of whether Donald Trump or Joe Biden is elected. Its just sort of a reality," he said. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Follow the latest breaking news and developments from India and around the world with Hindustan Times' newsdesk. From politics and policies to the economy and the environment, from local issues to national events and global affairs, we've got you covered. ...view detail Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that those trying to tell him to rethink his decision of entering into Rafah were helping Hamas after international calls over military operations in the city. Israel, no matter what, will get the remaining Hamas battalions in Rafah, he said in an interview. Israel-Hamas War: Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seen. (AFP) Benjamin Netanyahu said, Those who say that under no circumstances should we enter Rafah are saying, lose the war, keep Hamas there. We're going to get the remaining Hamas terrorist battalions in Rafah, but we're going to do it, and in this, I agree with the Americans, while providing safe passage for the civilian population so they can leave." Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. "Victory is within reach," he said, criticising calls for Israel to avoid carrying out a military offensive inside Rafah. "It's part of our war effort to get civilians out of harm's way; it's part of Hamas's effort to keep them in harm's way," he asserted. What's going on in Rafah amid Hamas war? Nearly a million Palestinians have fled to Rafah- Gaza's southernmost city- amid the conflict which began on October 7 last year. Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the military to plan evacuation from Rafah, his office said, ahead of an anticipated ground offensive. Rafah currently houses more than 1.3 million people, most of whom are living there amid war, according to the United Nations. Israel's war in Gaza has killed a total of 28,176 Palestinians while 67,784 have been injured since October 7, the Gaza health ministry said. What world leaders have said on Israel's Rafah plans? German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock wrote on social media platform X that the people in Gaza cannot disappear into thin air as an Israeli offensive on Rafah would be a "humanitarian catastrophe in the making." Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry warned of "very serious repercussions of storming and targeting" Rafah and called for an urgent UN Security Council meeting. UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron said he is deeply concerned as the priority must be an immediate pause in the fighting to get aid in and hostages out. Toronto: Canada has condemned the violence that marred parliamentary elections in Pakistan while expressing its concern over the process. Police (right) stand guard as supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest outside an election commission office in Karachi on Saturday, amid claims the election result delay is allowing authorities to rig the vote-counting. (AFP) Several other countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom as well as the European Union have already expressed their concern over the polls to the National Assembly which were held on February 8. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. In a statement on Saturday, Global Affairs Canada, the countrys foreign ministry, said, We condemn the incidents of electoral violence, which are attacks on democracy. Canada remains committed to supporting the people of Pakistan in their aspirations for a more stable, prosperous and democratic future. The statement added, We join civil society, including the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, in their concerns about the lack of a free, fair and transparent democratic process, including cellular and Internet service disruptions and attacks on media workers. It said that Canada will remain a firm and consistent voice, speaking up for the protection and promotion of human rights and the advancement of democratic values in Pakistan. The statement came as the elections were held with former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan incarcerated and unable to campaign during the elections and his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) barred from fielding candidates under its banner. Though its candidates ran as independents and emerged as the largest bloc in the elections, several results changed overnight in favour of the Pakistan Muslim League and its leader, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who has the support of the powerful Armed forces to head the country. Pakistan Peoples Party is another significant factor as it holds the balance of power in the formation of the next government. In Islamabad. Canada congratulated the millions of citizens who voted in the elections and said it will continue to work with Pakistan on our shared priorities, including enhancing climate resilience, strengthening trade and advancing gender equality. Disney animation figure of dragon on Saturday joined other icons including Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse in a grand celebration held at Shanghai Disney Resort to usher in the first day of the Chinese New Year. The dragon figure, Mushu, is a sidekick to Mulan, the main character in the Disney-animated film "Mulan" adapted from a Chinese legend. At the celebration, Joe Schott, president and general manager of Shanghai Disney Resort, hosted a ceremonial task of dotting the eyes for the two slumbering lions, bringing them to life to bless everyone with luck in the Chinese Year of Dragon. On the eve of the Chinese New Year on Friday, the Disneyland was illuminated by a special fireworks display featuring the Chinese character for dragon high in the night sky. Running from Friday through to the Lantern Festival on Feb. 24, Shanghai Disney Resort would stage a series of holiday celebrations to immerse visitors in the festive atmosphere blending traditional Chinese elements with Disney's storytelling. King Charles III of the United Kingdom addressed the British people for the first time after it became known that he had cancer. The monarch expressed his sincere gratitude for the many words of support and good wishes he has received in recent days. ADVERTISIMENT His statement was published on the official Facebook page of the royal family on Saturday evening, February 10. Charles noted that everyone who has had cancer knows that such support is the greatest comfort and encouragement. The King also expressed his joy at the impact his openness about his diagnosis has had. By speaking out about his condition, he has helped to promote public understanding and shed light on the work of all those organizations that support cancer patients and their families in the UK and around the world. "My lifelong admiration for their tireless care and dedication is made all the greater by my own personal experience," Charles added. ADVERTISIMENT In the comments to the post, people from the UK and around the world wished him a speedy recovery. Only verified information on our Telegram OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Toronto: Ontarios Trade Minister is scheduled to begin a mission to India on Monday with the objective of attracting Indian tech businesses to the Canadian province. Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Victor Fedelis week-long visit will also be the first by a prominent Canadian leader to India since bilateral tensions erupted in September over the killing of pro-Khalistan figure Hardeep Singh Nijjar on June 18 in Surrey, British Columbia. Victor Fedeli, Ontarios Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. (Supplied photo) In an interview with the Hindustan Times prior to the visit at his office in downtown Torontos business district, Bay Street, Fedeli said, This trip will be very tech heavy. Well meet with a lot of tech companies and I think the importance is to share with them the great opportunities that they have by looking at a facility in Ontario to augment their head office capabilities in India. That this wont cannibalise the work that theyre doing there or their market share in their region, this is a way for them to enter the North American market. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. He described the trip, which will take him to Mumbai and Bengaluru as a roll-up-your-sleeves sales mission. He said preparatory interactions with Indian companies have been positive without the overhang of the nosedive in bilateral relations between the Federal governments. Part of it (the visit) is a signal to India that Ontario is open for business. And, the real message that well deliver is the value proposition of coming to Ontario hasnt changed in the last year. Theres still those solid business reasons why they should be here, he said. Fedeli was expected to travel to India in November last year for a trade mission but was caught in the bilateral freeze. His visa had expired in September and he was unable to get another in time as India had suspended issuance of visas to Canadians after Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus statement in the House of Commons that there were credible allegations of a potential link between Indian agents and Nijjars murder. We just opted to come in February instead and look forward to our trip back again in November, Fedeli said, adding, We just thought, weve always got this great value proposition. Its not going anywhere. That value proposition includes access to 51 countries with which Canada has tariff-free agreements if Indian businesses chose to co-locate to Ontario, as well as the provinces ecosystem in the tech and life sciences sectors with advanced manufacturing capabilities and talent in the burgeoning fields of artificial intelligence and robotics. Again, we think that this is a perfect opportunity to send the signal to India and to the businesses that we are open for business and the fundamentals havent changed. So, lets roll up the sleeves and do business together, he stressed, asked whether he was prepared for criticism over the visit. He was also prepared for this sales mission, handing out a visiting card printed in Hindi. The tech (sector) is the low hanging fruit. They want to be here. We want them here. Weve got a great opportunity for them. So, well focus on that. Well fish where the fish are. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi repeated a plea to other governments to isolate Israel and said the country should be removed from the United Nations for its continued offensive on Gaza. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi during his speech in city of Minab, southern Iran.(AFP) An important step that must be taken is Israels expulsion from the world body, Raisi said in a televised speech on Sunday to an annual gathering for the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. He didnt elaborate on how the measure would impact Israel, which is preparing a ground offensive in Gaza targeting a key refugee outpost for Palestinians in Rafah. Militants from the Iran-backed Hamas group, which considers Israel an illegitimate state, are the target of the action. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Iranian officials, including the countrys supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, had previously called on Muslim countries to cut off economic ties with Israel, including curbs on oil supplies to the country. The remarks came as Iran paraded a range of missiles and combat drones on city streets on Sunday. A satellite launcher, which officials said was used to send three Iranian research satellites into space last month, was also put on public display in Tehran. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have uncovered a clandestine subterranean data centre belonging to Hamas, nestled beneath the headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the war-torn Gaza Strip. The sophisticated server farm, equipped with an electrical room and accommodations for Hamas IT personnel, was strategically positioned directly beneath the UN agency's complex in Gaza City's Rimal neighbourhood, reported Times of Israel. This picture shows Israeli soldiers inside a tunnel that the army claimed is a "Hamas command tunnel" under a compound of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in Gaza City.(AFP) The military claimed the room served as a hub powering tunnel infrastructure in the area. This covert setup was allegedly intended to shield the facility from Israeli airstrikes and ensure its secrecy. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. "Twenty metres above us is the UNRWA headquarters," said Lt Col Ido, whose last name was redacted by the military. "This is the electricity room, you can see all around here. The batteries, the electricity on walls, everything is conducted from here, all the energy for the tunnels which you walked though them are powered from here." It did not prove definitively that Hamas militants operated in the tunnels underneath the UNWRA facility, but it did show that at least a portion of the tunnel ran underneath the facility's courtyard, according to the Associated Press. The military claimed that the headquarters supplied the tunnels with electricity, reported AP. The head of the UN agency for Palestinian Refugees denied any knowledge of a Hamas data centre beneath its Gaza headquarters. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said that the agency was not aware of the activity transpiring beneath its premises, asserting that the agency's staff vacated the Gaza City headquarters in October following Israeli evacuation orders amid escalating hostilities. Lazzarini said that UNRWA conducts regular inspections of its premises in times of no active conflict, the most recent being in September 2023. We have not used that compound since we left it nor are we aware of any activity that may have taken place there, the UN official said in a post on X. UNRWA is a Human development and humanitarian organisation that does not have the military and security expertise nor the capacity to undertake military inspections of what is or might be under its premises, he added. Lazzarini stressed the need for an independent inquiry into the matter, citing a lack of expertise and capacity on the part of UNRWA to conduct military inspections. The official further stated that the Israeli authorities have not officially informed UNRWA about the alleged tunnel. The allegation that Hamas was running a data centre under UNRWAs nose has added to growing concerns over the level of Hamas infiltration in the agency, according to Times of Israel. Oh, you knew, Israels Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, known by its acronym COGAT, said in a post shortly after Lazzarini pleaded ignorance. Digging a tunnel takes longer than 4 months. We invited senior @UN officials to see, and during past meetings with you and other UN officials, we stated Hamass use of UNRWA's headquarters. You chose to ignore the facts so you can later try and deny them. Any Israeli ground offensive in Rafah on the Gaza border will "blow up" the hostage exchange negotiations," Hamas-run Aqsa Television channel quoted a senior Hamas leader as saying on Sunday. Israel-Hamas War: Smoke billowing during Israeli bombardment over Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip.(AFP) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said it had ordered the military to develop a plan to evacuate Rafah and destroy four Hamas battalions it says are deployed there. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Most of the displaced have sought shelter in Rafah, on the border with Egypt, but after fruitless ceasefire talks, Netanyahu this week said Israeli forces would fight on until "total victory." Israel's military ordered civilians to flee south before previous assaults on Gaza's cities, but now there is no obvious place to go and aid agencies have said many people could die. The conflict in Gaza began on Oct. 7 when Hamas gunmen stormed border defences to attack Israeli towns, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 hostages back to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies. Israel responded with a massive bombardment and ground offensive in which more than 28,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed, according to medical authorities in Hamas-run Gaza. King Charles III attended church for the first time since his cancer diagnosis along with his wife Queen Camilla. The monarch arrived at St. Mary Magdalene Church close to Sandringham House where he has been recuperating following his first treatment for cancer. This comes after King Charles expressed thanks for the messages of support he has received from the public. The monarch said that such thoughts are the greatest comfort and encouragement. King Charles III and Queen Camilla walk with Canon Paul Williams as they arrive to attend a Sunday church service at St Mary Magdalene Church, in Sandringham.(AP) It is equally heartening to hear how sharing my own diagnosis has helped promote public understanding and shine a light on the work of all those organizations which support cancer patients and their families across the U.K. and wider world," he said, adding, My lifelong admiration for their tireless care and dedication is all the greater as a result of my own personal experience." Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. King Charles was last seen on Tuesday leaving Clarence House in London after starting his treatment. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he has not spoken to US President Joe Biden since the president made remarks about Israel's military. Joe Biden said that Israels military response in the Gaza Strip to the October 7 attacks by Hamas has been over the top so far and it has got to stop". US president Joe Biden with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu(Reuters) Im of the view, as you know, that the conduct of the response in Gaza, in the Gaza Strip, has been over the top. There are a lot of innocent people who are starving, a lot of innocent people who are in trouble and dying, and its got to stop," he had earlier said. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Benjamin Netanyahu responded, I appreciate President Biden's support for Israel since the beginning of the war. I don't know exactly what he meant by that. On humanitarian crisis across Gaza, Joe Biden said that Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi initially did not want to open up the gate to allow humanitarian material to get in." I talked to him, I convinced him to open the gate. I talked to Bibi to open the gate on the Israeli side, he said, referring to Benjamin Netanyahu. Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf on Saturday claimed that President Arif Alvi would invite the PTI to form the government as they had secured a majority in the National Assembly, local media reports claimed. Supporters of Imran Khans PTI in Karachi on Saturday. (REUTERS)(HT_PRINT) Amid the delay in the publication of Pakistan's election results, the PTI has given a call for a nationwide protest on Sunday to protect the sanctity of the vote as independent candidates are in the lead with 100 seats. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Gohar Khan, the chairman of Imran Khan's PTI party who also acts as the former prime minister's lawyer, called on "all institutions" in Pakistan to respect his party's mandate. At a press conference, Gohar Khan said if complete results of the elections were not released by Saturday night, the party would hold peaceful protests on Sunday outside government offices returning election results around the country. Follow Live Updates on Pakistan election results 2024 Pakistan of 241 million people voted on February 8 in the general elections, as the country struggles to recover from an economic crisis and battles militant violence in a deeply polarised political environment. Both Imran Khan and his political rival and former PM Nawaz Sharif, declared victory on Friday, increasing uncertainty over who will form the next government at a time when swift policy action is needed to address multiple challenges. Some reports claimed that both the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) are strongly pursuing paths to establish governments in the Centre, Punjab, and Balochistan. Both parties are proceeding cautiously, guarding their strategies while delicately negotiating the contours of a potential power-sharing arrangement. On Sunday, PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari is scheduled to convene significant meetings in Lahore and Islamabad to deliberate on the specifics of their proposed coalition, reported Dawn. Pakistan election results 2024: Latest updates Pakistan President Arif Alvi has claimed that had Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) been used during the general elections, held on February 8, the nation would not be facing the current crisis, referring to the delay in results. Despite the commission's lofty claims, the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) new Election Management System (EMS) failed, Geo News reported. In this photo released by President Office, Pakistan's President Ariv Alvi casts his vote at a polling station during the country's parliamentary elections, in Karachi, Pakistan, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024. (AP) Remember 'our' long struggle for Electronic Voting Machines. EVM had paper ballots that could be counted separately by hand (like it is being done today) BUT it also had a simple electronic calculator/counter of each vote button pressed. Totals of every candidate would have been available & printed within five minutes of closing of poll. The entire effort that included more than 50 meetings at the Presidency alone was scuttled. Had EVMs been there today, my dear beloved Pakistan would have been spared this crisis, Arif Alvi wrote on X (formally Twitter) on Saturday. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. President Alvi recalled the previous PTI-led government's efforts to implement EVMs, noting that the extensive endeavour, involving over 50 meetings at the presidency alone, was ultimately abandoned. These remarks from the president come amidst the Election Commission of Pakistan's failure to release the complete election results two days after polling concluded at 5 pm local time on Thursday. According to Geo News, the president emphasised that if the machines had been utilized, the totals for each candidate would have been readily available and printed within five minutes of the poll closing. What is EVM? An EVM is an electronic device designed for recording votes. It comprises two main units: a control unit and a balloting unit, which are connected by a five-metre cable. The control unit is typically positioned with the presiding officer or a polling officer, while the balloting unit is placed inside the voting compartment. Instead of providing a traditional ballot paper, the polling officer controlling the control unit releases a ballot by pressing the ballot button. This allows the voter to cast their vote by pressing the blue button on the Balloting Unit corresponding to the candidate and symbol of their choice. EVMs are not reliant on electricity and operate using a standard battery. The Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) is an additional system integrated with EVMs to enable voters to verify that their votes have been correctly recorded. When a vote is cast, a slip containing the serial number, name, and symbol of the candidate is printed and displayed through a transparent window for 7 seconds. Subsequently, the printed slip is automatically cut and deposited into the sealed drop box of the VVPAT. Pakistan election results Amidst the delay in Pakistan's election result announcement, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has called for nationwide protests on Sunday to uphold the integrity of the vote. Following a core committee meeting, the PTI announced plans for peaceful protests nationwide to safeguard the sanctity of the electoral process. Led by Imran Khan, the PTI-backed independent candidates have secured approximately 100 seats out of the 266 seats in the National Assembly, according to provisional results released by the ECP. The party alleges that the delayed results are a deliberate tactic aimed at manipulating the outcome in favour of other candidates. These results signify a setback for Nawaz Sharif and the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), who was perceived as the frontrunner before the polls and enjoyed support from the Pakistani military. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Doha on Sunday for talks on securing a ceasefire in the Gaza war with the Qatari emir, whose country has been at the heart of mediation efforts and hosts political leaders of militant group Hamas. Israel-Hamas War: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas attends a meeting.(Reuters) Palestinian news agency WAFA said Abbas would meet emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Monday, but did not say if he would also meet leaders of Hamas, a group that has long been at odds with Abbas and his West Bank-based Fatah group. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The Palestinian ambassador to Qatar, Munir Ghannam, told Voice of Palestine Radio on Sunday that Abbas and the emir would discuss efforts to secure a Gaza ceasefire with Israel and ways to increase aid for the territory's 2.3 million people. "Qatar plays an important role in the international efforts and mediation to reach a ceasefire. Therefore, coordination with Qatar, also with Egypt, is of special importance, to bring an end to this aggression against our people," Ghannam said. Qatar hosts the head of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, as well as another senior leader in the group, Khaled Meshaal, who handles diaspora affairs in the Hamas political office. Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007 from Ramallah-based Abbas after a brief civil war with security forces that were loyal to the Palestinian president. Abbas' authority has largely been reduced to the Israeli-occupied West Bank, which is larger than Gaza but which is also fractured by Israeli settlements. Past attempts, mainly led by Egypt, to resolve disputes between Hamas and Fatah have so far failed to end the rifts, which analysts say weakens Palestinian efforts to secure a state of their own on land now occupied by Israel. Most countries deem Jewish settlements built on land Israel occupied in a 1967 Middle East war as illegal. Israel disputes this. The Philippines' coast guard (PCG) on Sunday accused China of "dangerous and blocking" manoeuvres while its vessel patrolled near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea this month. A China Coast Guard vessel manoeuvres near Philippine Coast Guard vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea.(Reuters) Manila's coast guard said in a statement that on a nine-day patrol near the shoal by its 97-metre (318-foot) vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua, four Chinese coast guard (CCG) vessels had shadowed the boat more than 40 times. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Four Chinese maritime militia vessels were also present near the shoal, the PCG said. Located within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ), Scarborough shoal is also claimed by China, making it one of Asia's most contested maritime features and a flashpoint for flare-ups. The PCG said its vessel was in the area to protect Filipino fishermen "from further harassment" in their traditional fishing ground. "The CCG vessels performed dangerous and blocking manoeuvres at sea against BRP Teresa Magbanua four times, with the CCG vessels crossing the bow of the PCG vessel twice," it said, adding that the Chinese vessels had "recklessly" disregarded international rules on preventing collisions at sea. China claims almost the entire South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion in annual ship commerce. Its territorial claims overlap with the EEZs of the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. The Chinese foreign ministry said on Sunday that the Scarborough Shoal is Beijing's sovereign territory and that Chinese coastguard activities in the area were legal. "China requires the Philippines to respect China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests and stop maritime infringement activities. China will continue to firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in accordance with the law," it said in response to a request from Reuters for comment. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague said China's claims had no legal basis, a decision Beijing has rejected. Ukrainian lingerie brand Zhilyova Lingerie has responded to the scandal with Russian model Irina Shayk. Recently, the Russian model took part in a photo shoot for Vogue magazine with fashion legends, wearing a Ukrainian-made bra. The situation caused dissatisfaction and outrage among Ukrainians as Shayk did not condemn Russia, only once calling for help for Ukraine at the beginning of the full-scale invasion. ADVERTISIMENT Earlier, the model posted a photo with the letter Z on social media, which she later deleted due to hate speech. The Zhilyova Lingerie brand made an official comment under one of its Instagram posts. It says that all shootings are held in secret, so the Vogue team does not give information about the model who will pose in the brand's clothes. "We found out about the fact that our brand was used in the shoot today, with the release of the issue," Zhilyova Lingerie said. The brand contacted the publication to prevent similar situations in the future. ADVERTISIMENT Only verified information on our Telegram Obozrevatel and Viber. Don't fall for fakes! A royal expert has claimed that Prince Harrys short visit to his father, King Charles III, who has been diagnosed with cancer, may have stirred the pot among the Royal Family. Prince Harry's brief visit to his father, King Charles III, amid a cancer diagnosis sparks speculation and stirs the royal pot (AP Photo/Nick Didlick, File)(AP) The Duke of Sussex arrived in the UK from California on Tuesday, as soon as he learned about his fathers illness, but he left for LA the next day to join his wife, Meghan Markle, who stayed behind in the US. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The royal expert Robert Jobson told The Sun, This is one of the reasons Charles probably didnt want all the drama. The fact of Harry flying over does give the suggestion that his condition may be a lot worse than it actually may well be. ALSO READ| Prince Harry snubs Prince William in brief UK visit after King Charles' cancer news I think a lot of people will be sitting there thinking, Oh well, it must be bad because hes on the plane. Harry brings with him a certain drama. Will there be a reconciliation with William and the King? It stirs that whole pot, he cited. Prince Harry's Netflix comments intensify relations with Queen Camilla Jobson also noted that Harry had criticised Queen Camilla in his book Spare, which may have soured his relationship with his father. He added, The Queen was with the King. Lets be honest - he wasnt too complimentary about Queen Camilla in his book Spare. He wasnt very complimentary about her on Netflix. They dont get on. Second, theres not been a lot of contact. That brings its own level of complexity and drama which he doesnt need at the moment. The royal expert continued, The royals do stick to a pretty military clock. You have to get the helicopter pilot there, all these things. So his plans had to be changed. The one thing the King doesnt like is changing his plans. He gave him long enough for a kiss and hug, and wished him all the best. Prince Harry prioritises family over feud in significant gesture to King Charles A PR expert has also said that Prince Harrys gesture of flying to the UK to see his father shows his desire to mend fences with his family. ALSO READ| Prince Harrys meet with King Charles lasted 12 minutes: Was it for Netflix?' Renae Smith told the Express, Prince Harrys decision to be with King Charles following his cancer diagnosis suggests a significant gesture of family solidarity and support. This action indicates that, despite any previous publicised tensions or disagreements within the Royal Family, personal and family bonds can take precedence in times of crisis. Its a demonstration of prioritising family connections over past disputes, which could indeed open a pathway towards reconciliation within the Royal Family. Ukraine's military intelligence said on Sunday that it had confirmed Russian forces were using Elon Musk's satellite internet company Starlink's terminals on the battlefield, releasing what it said was an intercept of a conversation between two Russian soldiers as proof. Russian President Vladimir Putin (via REUTERS) ALSO READ| At least 9 Pakistanis killed in shooting in southeastern Iran: Report Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. It made the claim on the Telegram messaging app, where it posted a brief audio clip of the conversation. While a sizable portion of the American population has its eyes locked on the Super Bowl weekend, former US President Donald Trump had different plans. The golden-themed evening marked the Trumpettes' first Mar-A-Lago gala for Trump since 2020 due to the coronavirus shutdown. Donald Trump's recent appearance with Vivek Ramaswamy at Mar-a-Lago has got the internet wondering if the American entrepreneur will be appointed as the VP in Trump's 2024 presidential race.(Instagram / houseinhabit) It has indeed been a tumultuous month for Trump. His 2024 presidential race campaign has included all sorts of highs and lows. From his GOP dominance to primary wins in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada, and a US Supreme Court session scrutinising his eligibility for the upcoming presidential elections due to his raucous contributions to the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol, Trump has had quite the wild ride. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. However, for the minute, his fan club seems to be doing everything in its power to cheer him on. The mega MAGA (Make America Great Again) event at Mar-A-Lago was also attended by the former First Lady Melania Trump. Many X and Instagram users alike jumped in to celebrate her as the epitome of grace and elegance, as she came ahead to support the Trumpettes fan club gala. It marked a rare appearance from her end as she's not been attending many other campaign events lately endorsing Trump's name. She wasn't the only one by his side. Vivek Ramaswamy, the former candidate for the 2024 United States presidential election who's now come out in support of Trump, was also one to check-in his attendance. Also read: Self-driving Waymo car set on fire in San Francisco In 2020, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis accompanied Donald Trump and the then-first lady. The switch has been flipped as the former governor is now the former president's rival for the upcoming Republican presidential nomination. However, now that Vivek Ramaswamy and his wife Apoorva T Ramaswamy were by the Trump family's side, the internet is in an uproar. Netizens react to Donald Trump and Vivek Ramaswamy being together at the Mar-A-Lago gala Renowned social media personality Jessica Reed Kraus, who's gotten in a skirmish or two, also took to her Instagram stories to report the happenings of the "Golden Evening for a Golden President". Her stories snapped Trump greeting Ramaswamy and beckoning him to the stage. She captioned it: "Feels a little VPish to me". She wasn't the only one to join in on the speculations. Tweets like VP energy?, VIVEK for VP, I like Vivek being on the Trump team took over X (formerly Twitter). Another X user commented: I wonder if vivek will be vice president? I have never been so impatient in my life to know who the vp pick is. Waiting sucks. While another chimed in, I hope Trump picks Vivek for VP. The internet was in awe of how Vivek is seriously moving up in the world. Many agreed with the sentiment and saw it as his golden ticket to the elections, as others believed that Trump would symbiotically benefit with Ramaswamy by his side. Although nothing is set in stone, this event has spoken great volumes for potential future happenings. Will Trump and Ramaswamy become a close-knit unit after all? The internet is holding on for dear life to see what happens next. On Friday, in a speech to the National Rifle Association (NRA) on Friday night, former US President Donald Trump vowed to defend the rights of gun owners if he makes a comeback to the White House. Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at a Get Out The Vote rally at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, S.C., Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)(AP) He boasted that he resisted any pressure to enact gun control measures during his presidency. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. We did nothing. We didnt yield, he said to the cheering crowd at the NRAs Great American Outdoor Show in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. I was the best friend gun owners have ever had in the White House. And your Second Amendment will always be safe with me as your president. ALSO READ| Texas woman sentenced to 3-yr in prison for threatening judge overseeing Trump case Six years after Parkland massacre Trumps remarks came after he won the Nevada caucuses on Thursday night, cementing his lead in the Republican race. He used the NRA platform to appeal to his conservative base, who value gun rights as a core issue. He also contrasted himself with the Democrats, who have been calling for stricter gun laws in the wake of numerous mass shootings that have claimed more than 3,000 lives since 2006. One of those shootings, the Parkland massacre that killed 17 people at a high school in Florida, will mark its sixth anniversary next week. Trump faced criticism for his inconsistent response to Parkland and other gun violence incidents as president. He initially expressed support for stronger background checks and criticized a Republican senator for being afraid of the NRA." He said he would take on the gun lobby and solve the problem of gun violence. ALSO READ| Traitor to journalism: Boris Johnson calls out Tucker Carlson for ludicrous interview with Putin But he soon backtracked after meeting with the NRA, and instead endorsed minor reforms to the background check system and the idea of arming teachers. The former president also posted on X (formerly Twitter), that there was not much political support (to put it mildly)" for gun control. The only significant action his administration took on guns was banning bump stocks, the devices that enable semi-automatic weapons to fire like machine guns. Bump stocks were used by the gunman who killed 58 people in Las Vegas in October 2017. The American people are the ones who will suffer and die: Biden campaign TJ Ducklo, a spokesman for Bidens reelection campaign, slammed Trump for pandering to the gun lobby and said the American people are the ones who will suffer and die if hes allowed anywhere near the Oval Office again. ALSO READ| Nikki Haley challenges Donald Trump on her home turf in South Carolina as Republican primary looms Trumps next challenge is the South Carolina primary on Feb. 24, where he will face off against his sole remaining rival, Nikki Haley. The former governor of South Carolina is hoping to use her home state advantage to slow down Trumps momentum and stay in the race until Super Tuesday on March 5, when more than a dozen states will vote and award a large number of delegates. Former US president Donald Trump has made a shocking statement that he would support Russia in attacking any NATO allies who have not paid their dues. CONWAY, SOUTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 10: Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump gestures to members of the audience as he leaves a Get Out The Vote rally at Coastal Carolina University on February 10, 2024 in Conway, South Carolina. South Carolina holds its Republican primary on February 24. Win McNamee/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by WIN MCNAMEE / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)(Getty Images via AFP) He said this on Saturday at a rally in Conway, South Carolina, where he was campaigning for the states primary on February 24. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Trump has been critical of NATO, the 31-member military alliance that the US has pledged to defend, and of Ukraine, which has been fighting against a Russian invasion since February 2022. ALSO READ| Why is ageing an issue in Joe Biden's and Donald Trump's presidential campaigns? You didnt pay, youre delinquent? The former president claimed that he once told a leader of a large country that he would not help them if they were attacked by Russia because they were delinquent. "One of the presidents of a big country stood up and said, 'Well, sir, if we dont pay, and were attacked by Russia, will you protect us? Trump said, adding I said, You didnt pay, youre delinquent? No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You got to pay. You got to pay your bills. Many political analysts in the US were alarmed by Trumps remarks, which some doubted ever happened. Sounds as if Trump is kind of encouraging Russia to attack our Nato allies, David Corn, an MSNBC analyst and the Washington DC bureau chief of Mother Jones, said on X (formerly Twitter). Alyssa Farah Griffin, a conservative commentator, said Trumps comments were music to the ears of Vladimir Putin, the Russian president. ALSO READ| Donald Trump promises to be the best friend gun owners have ever had in the White House Trump also praised the failure of a bill in Congress that aimed to solve the immigration crisis on the US-Mexico border. The bill was backed by Joe Biden, the current president and Trumps rival in the 2020 election, which Trump lost. Trump promised that if he won in 2024, he would launch a massive deportation operation on his first day in office. Trump has been doing well in the polls against Biden, despite facing more than 90 criminal charges in different courts. The charges accuse him of trying to overturn the 2020 election, keeping government secrets after leaving office, and paying off a porn star who says she had sex with him. Formerly recognised as the Google Self-Driving Car Project, a Waymo driverless car was vandalised in Chinatown, San Francisco. Firefighters also confirmed that the vehicle was later set on fire after the violent scene on Saturday night. FILE PHOTO: A Waymo rider-only robotaxi is seen during a test ride in San Francisco, California, U.S., December 9, 2022. REUTERS/Paresh Dave/File Photo(REUTERS) NBC Bay Arena reported that the car was spotted on Jackson Street, between Stockton and Grant, at 9:25 pm. Around this time, the Waymo vehicle was surrounded by a group of 10 to 15 people, Lt Mariano Elias added. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Also read: NYC Mayor imposes curfews on 20 migrant shelters following Times Square shootout About the Waymo car fire incident Several videos of the incident also started floating on X (formerly Twitter). They show a mob of vandalisers huddled around the driverless car as they continue attacking it. Eventually, the same car went up in flames. Gia Vang from NBC Bay Area reported that the autonomous vehicle was intentionally set on fire. San Francisco Fire claimed that it was no accident. The videos on social media show a group of people breaking the car's window. A hooded man can be seen banging on the car window with his skateboard. Once the window was down, these people threw a firework inside the car, ultimately leading to the eruption of fire. Although the cause of the fire was identified swiftly, arrests are yet to be made. As for any casualties or injuries, luckily nothing of the sort was reported since no one was inside the vehicle. The Waymo car fire reportedly broke out during the Lunar New Year celebrations in San Francisco. Other videos of the incident also revealed attackers drawing graffiti on the robotaxi, while others were busy bashing in the passenger window of the Jaguar. San Francisco Fire Department also shared its report on the mishap on social media. Though the scene was contained by the authorities, final pictures reveal that the entire car was engulfed in flames. When we get a pet, we want it to live with us as long as possible. However, how can we predict the life expectancy of a pet? ADVERTISIMENT Researchers from the British Dogs Trust analyzed data from more than 580,000 dogs to derive correlations that can help people make a better choice. The results of their work were published by Mail Online. Scientists studied the impact of breed, body size, head shape, and gender on a dog's life expectancy. As a result, they determined the average life expectancy for different breeds. They got good news for owners of Lancashire Heeler, Tibetan Spaniel, and Bolognese. They turned out to be the longest-lived breeds. However, Caucasian Shepherd, Presa Canario, and Cane Corso were the dogs with the highest risk of early death. Previous studies have indicated that the average life expectancy of a dog is between 10 and 13.7 years. However, it was still unclear how life expectancy correlated with breed. In order to identify certain patterns, the researchers collected data on 584,734 dogs in the UK, including 284,734 that died. The study included representatives of 155 pure breeds, and hybrids were grouped separately. ADVERTISIMENT In addition to the breed itself, scientists also took into account the dog's gender, body size, and muzzle shape. It turned out that, based on the combination of these features, small long-nosed animals such as dachshunds and shelties have the longest average life expectancy. They live an average of 13 years. The flat muzzle of a dog has a negative impact on life expectancy. Thus, French and English bulldogs had the lowest average life expectancy: 9.1 years for males and 9.6 years for females. In terms of specific breeds, the Lancashire Heeler topped the list with the highest life expectancy, which was 15.4 years. It was followed by the Tibetan Spaniel (15.2 years), the Bolonka (14.9), the Shiba Inu (14.6), and the Papillon (14.5). At the opposite end of the list was the Caucasian Shepherd Dog. Its average life expectancy was the lowest: only 5.4 years. A step above it was the Presa Canario with its 7.7 years, followed by the Cane Corso (8.1), Mastiff (9), and Affenpinscher (9.3). ADVERTISIMENT As for sex, females turned out to be longer-lived than males. Their average life expectancy was 12.7 years versus 12.4. The researchers did not specifically study the reasons for these differences, but they suggested that flat-faced breeds are at high risk of developing a number of diseases. And this negatively affects how long they live. That is why the scientists urged people who dream of getting a pug, a bulldog, or a Pekingese to think carefully about their choice and never buy an animal from an unverified place. Yes, a puppy from a good kennel will cost more, but you will know that its owners treat its mother well and take care of her health in time, not just use it for irresponsible breeding. This approach also affects how healthy the offspring will be. In general, this approach should be applied to any dog if you plan to get this wonderful animal. ADVERTISIMENT Subscribe to OBOZ.UA on Telegram and Viber to keep up with the latest events. While Russian troops are bombarding Ukrainian towns and villages, causing destruction, killing and injuring civilians, new problems and troubles are falling on the territory of the Russian Federation one after another. In the last 24 hours alone, almost 200,000 Russians were left without electricity in the Rostov region, the roof of a school gym collapsed under the weight of snow in the Orenburg region, and a "client" of a psychiatric clinic in Kalmykia set off an explosion in a rehabilitation center. ADVERTISIMENT The apocalyptic picture of Russian everyday life was complemented by fires that have already become traditional, which broke out in several regions of the Russian Federation. The media and the aggressor state's Telegram channels are reporting on new Russian troubles. For example, according to Russian media reports, almost three hundred settlements in Rostov region have no electricity. Electricity began to disappear in the homes of Russians the day before, on February 10: first, 70,000 people were left without electricity, then 100,000 in the evening of the same day, and by the morning of February 11, 195,000 residents of 282 settlements in the region were without electricity. ADVERTISIMENT According to official statements by the Russian Ministry of Energy, the blackout was caused by "icing of the wires" due to freezing rain and snow: the thickness of the ice on the wires is almost 4 cm. "Under the weight of the ice, wires and lightning protection cables on the power lines break, which leads to technological disruptions. Even the reinforced concrete supports cannot withstand the icy load," the media quoted the Russian Ministry of Energy as saying. ADVERTISIMENT And in the village of Donskoye, Orenburg region, the roof of a school gym collapsed under the weight of the falling snow. And here, Russian propagandists even found a positive. "Fortunately, no one was injured, and students have a day off today. Preliminarily, it was the weight of the snow," they report. Now the "lucky" students will study remotely, the propagandists add. The night before, there was also "fun" in Kalmykia. In the city of Elista, a patient of a psychoneurological dispensary set off an explosion in the Alternative Mediation and Psychological Assistance Center, located on the first floor of an apartment building. ADVERTISIMENT "According to the investigation, a conflict arose between the man and an employee of the Alternative Psychological Assistance Center, which was located in a residential building. The man, who was registered at the dispensary, detonated an explosive device and died. An employee of the center and his relative were injured," a Russian publication reported. The irony is that the staff of the mentioned center trained psychologists and taught them how to resolve disputes and conflicts. ADVERTISIMENT Another publication adds that the wounded psychologist of the center and her husband were hospitalized in serious condition. The Telegram channel "Cheka-OGPU" published details about the man who carried out the explosion. "28-year-old Sergei Danilov is from Elista. He was engaged in one-time repairs of office equipment and setting up the Internet. He lived in a private house and led a reclusive lifestyle: he did not have any social media accounts, did not maintain friendships with anyone. It is known that Sergei Danilov was registered with the republican IPD with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, he had a split personality," the Russian publicist writes, adding that the bomber was going to his death: before going to the center, he put on a "shahid belt" and blew himself up after arriving at the target. ADVERTISIMENT But the most interesting thing is that the "fun" in Elista did not stop with the bomber's death. After the explosion, security forces came to his house to search it, and apparently, they found something. Around 01:30 local time, another explosion occurred in the victim's house: this time, Russian guardsmen were injured. "Initially, the soldiers said that a tripwire had been installed in the house, but experts rejected this version based on the nature of the injuries. The fact is that the injured security forces were wearing special ammunition, but despite this, one lost his legs, another lost his eyes, and the third received concussion and multiple shrapnel wounds. In addition, acetone was spilled on the floor and surfaces throughout the house and powder was scattered," writes the Cheka-OGPU. ADVERTISIMENT According to the public, in the morning they found traces of an extremely dangerous and unstable explosive substance that is not used for military purposes - aciton triperoxide. The diagnosed bomber had placed "traps" with this substance throughout the house. So, the newspaper writes, the security forces may not be able to get to his computer, where, as they assume, the clue to the man's motives may be stored. If the house is not cleared of mines, the Cheka-OGPU adds, it will simply be blown up. A new day brought new fires in Russia. In the city of Maysky in Kabardino-Balkaria, a clothing market was on fire in the morning. The fire area reached 2 thousand square meters. The fire in the terminal of the airport in Novokuznetsk, Kemerovo region, which is currently under construction, was somewhat more modest in terms of the area of fire. ADVERTISIMENT "A fire broke out in the terminal of the Novokuznetsk airport under construction in Kuzbass, the causes are being investigated," Russian media reported. By 10 a.m., the Russian Emergencies Ministry said it had extinguished an open fire on an area of 300 square meters. They also assured that no one was injured: they said all the people in the building had been evacuated. But in Togliatti, in the Samara region of the Russian Federation, the fire was much more "convincing." A hotel complex was on fire there. ADVERTISIMENT "In addition to the rooms of the Zhara Beach Resort, the complex houses the Nebo nightclub. The area of the fire reached 800 square meters. According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, two people were injured. The building was evacuated by 20 participants of the Zhigulevskaya Mile festival," Russian media reported. As a reminder, on February 9, it became known about a severe fire at the Ilyich Oil Refinery in the Krasnodar Territory of the Russian Federation. Russians complained about UAVs and explosions. The operational headquarters of the region admitted that a fire had occurred on the territory of the Ilyich Oil Refinery and issued a statement saying that "the open fire was promptly extinguished by the plant's services." Later, it became known that two refineries in the Krasnodar Territory were hit that night. They were hit by drones during the SSU operation. ADVERTISIMENT BOSTON The Healey-Driscoll administration is naming a director to move forward with the West-East Rail initiative. Andy Koziol, current director of rail and transit, is expected to lead the charge to extend passenger rail service from Boston to Worcester, Springfield and Pittsfield. In her first budget, Gov. Maura Healey worked with the Legislature to secure funding for staff support for the project, including creating the director position. The state Department of Transportation recently received a $108 million federal grant toward undertaking the necessary trackwork to enable two daily Amtrak round trips between Boston and New Haven, Conn., with a stop in Springfield, dubbed the Inland Route. The Boston & Albany Corridor has also been accepted into the Federal Railroad Administration's Corridor ID Program, which will lay the necessary groundwork to expand passenger rail operations west of Springfield to Pittsfield and beyond. The Healey-Driscoll administration also included $12 million for the Palmer and Pittsfield rail projects. Koziol joined MassDOT's Rail & Transit Division in June 2023 with a goal to advance passenger rail initiatives and improve transportation options across Massachusetts. He has more than 15 years of transportation planning experience centered on implementing safe, equitable multimodal transportation, with a primary concentration on commuter rail and intercity rail planning. "We have never been closer to making West-East Rail a reality, and I am pleased to see Andy take on this important role to continue building on our progress," said Healey in a statement. "He will be a strong leader for West-East Rail and for the people of central and Western Massachusetts who are eager to see this vision come to life. This rail connection will expand access to job and housing, spur economic development in our communities, and strengthen our state's competitiveness." Before joining MassDOT, Koziol worked for 12 years at the Rhode Island Department of Transportation, where he collaborated closely with the MBTA and Amtrak on rail service and capital planning. His experiences there included managing the planning and design of passenger rail stations, short- and long-range service planning on the Northeast Corridor, and success with obtaining federal grants for rail initiatives. Previously, Koziol spent three years working as a transportation analyst with the Cape Cod Commission. As the West-East Rail director within the Rail & Transit Division, Koziol will provide comprehensive oversight and coordination of ongoing and future projects in support of the project and the Compass Rail program with MassDOT staff and consultant support. He will be responsible for implementing federal grants, such as the federal Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) awards received for the Inland Route and Springfield Union Station area improvements and lead the pursuit of additional federal resources to advance the effort to expand passenger rail service. "Andy's competence, experience and passion for transportation are exactly what we need in this crucial moment for our state's infrastructure," saidransportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt. "West-East Rail will be transformational for Massachusetts. It will help better connect our rural communities to economic opportunities, provide additional seamless travel routes by train, and encourage more travelers to opt for public transportation. I thank Andy for all his great work at MassDOT thus far and cannot wait to work with him further." West-East Rail is an integral component of Compass Rail, the state's overall vision for intercity passenger rail services. Compass Rail includes existing north-south services along the Knowledge Corridor in Western Massachusetts as well as proposed west-east services between Boston and Albany, New York. Born and raised in Massachusetts, Koziol holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a Master of City and Regional Planning degree from Rutgers University. "The importance of West-East Rail cannot be understated," said Koziol. "I look forward to continuing to work with my dedicated colleagues at MassDOT, and other champions of the overall Compass Rail program, to deliver for the people of Massachusetts the connectivity they deserve." Harry's Supermarket on Wahconah Street which was gutted by fire last year is on the market. The grocery never reopened. Harry's Supermarket For Sale After Severe Fire PITTSFIELD, Mass. A "gutted" Harry's Supermarket is on the market after a severe fire last year. The store has been boarded up since. The more than 8,000-square-foot building on Wahconah Street is listed for $799,000 by Coldwell Banker Realty. It sits on a 0.88 acre lot and property taxes last year were nearly $15,500. The commercial space is described as having a "large open floor space" that is the "gutted former Harry's Supermarket" with two parking areas. Currently, the 1950s building is boarded up, as the windows were broken to release smoke at the time of the fire in July 2023. On Friday, the Pittsfield Fire Department confirmed that the official cause of the blaze is undetermined. The case is closed at the moment and will be revisited if the owners file an insurance claim. The storied Harry's Supermarket originally opened in Pittsfield in 1914 and stayed in the Nichols family until being sold to new owners in 2021 for $750,000. In 2014, the store celebrated its 100-year milestone. Land records show the new mortgage recorded under SRH Realty LLC in 2021 and a discharge was filed in 2022, meaning that the mortgage is paid off. Harry Nichols Sr. opened the business as a variety store in Wahconah Street in 1914 and it was run by his family of 11. The family also operated Nichol's Package Store and a pharmacy, which have since been sold and closed. "My grandfather started it in 1914. He had seven sons and two daughters, a big family. They all lived above the store where the pharmacy used to be. Their whole crew was the family," son Robert Nichols told iBerkshires in 2014. "When they came back from the war, they kind of split up. They opened the package store. They opened the supermarket." In 1957, the family built the store that stands today to replace the variety store. Nichols even had fond memories of playing in the store before he was an employee and his father had taken it over. Six People Displaced, Kitten Rescued After Pittsfield Fire PITTSFIELD, Mass. Six people are homeless after a first-floor fire in their apartment building Saturday on South Atlantic Avenue. No one was injured and the cause of the blaze is under investigation. Firefighters were called at about 4:11 a.m. on Saturday for a reported structure fire at 17-19 South Atlantic. They found heavy fire was showing from the first floor, according to Deputy Chief Matthew Noyes. A second alarm was called and, in all, in Engines 1, 3, 5 and 6 responded. Crews performed primary and secondary searches of the building and a kitten was located and transferred to a medic crew for care. The fire was brought under control in approximately 30 minutes. Six residents were displaced and were being assisted by the American Red Cross. On Sunday night, February 11, Ukrainian defenders of the sky repelled a Russian drone attack on Kyiv, destroying all Shahed attack UAVs. The enemy drones were neutralized on the outskirts of the capital. ADVERTISIMENT Preliminary, there were no casualties or damage. This was reported by the head of the Kyiv City Military Administration Serhiy Popko. According to him, at night the enemy launched kamikaze drones at Ukraine from the area of the training ground at Cape Chauda in the temporarily occupied Crimea. The"Shaheds" approached Kyiv from the western direction, and the air alert for the attack in the capital lasted almost two hours. " All enemy Shahed UAVs heading for Kyiv were hit by air defense forces and means on the outskirts of the city! According to preliminary data from the operational report, there were no casualties or damage in the capital," said the head of the KMIA. He thanked the air defense soldiers for their work and for their reliable protection. Ruslan Kravchenko, head of the Kyiv regional military administration, said that a fire broke out on the territory of one of the enterprises in the region as a result of the fall of the wreckage of the downed drones. Warehouses, a service station, a hangar, an administrative building, a car and a forklift were damaged. The fire was extinguished, and there were no casualties. ADVERTISIMENT According to the Air Force, last night the defenders of the sky destroyed 40 out of 45 Shahed-type kamikaze drones, 26 of them in the south. As reported by OBOZ.UA, a warhead of a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile containing about 250 kg of explosives was found in the yard of a house in Kyiv region. Explosives experts took it to a detonation site and destroyed it. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The King is being treated for cancer, the sovereigns ill health has raised questions about whether there could be the need for a regency in the future. If Charles was incapacitated, the Prince of Wales could be appointed Prince Regent through the Regency Act 1937, taking over the Kings duties. However, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said the Kings cancer has been caught early, suggesting any prospect of a regency is unlikely at this stage. If needed, it would be the first time in more than 200 years that the British monarchy has required a regency, with the last Prince Regent being the future George IV. King Charles has been diagnoses with cancer (Getty Images For Clarence House) Here is an explanation of what a regency means, and how and why it would take place: What is a regency? A period of regency allows the King to transfer his powers as monarch to the Prince of Wales without having to abdicate. Does this mean William would be king? No. The King would still be the monarch and head of state. But William would be able to perform royal functions in the name of and on behalf of Charles. What would prompt a regency? The Regency Act 1937 states that the monarchs duties will be performed by a regent if the monarch is declared to be by reason of infirmity of mind or body incapable of performing royal functions, or if there is evidence that the Sovereign is for some definite cause not available for the performance of those functions. This must be declared in writing by three or more out of the following: the sovereigns wife the Queen, the Lord Chancellor, the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Lady Chief Justice and the Master of the Rolls. Charles has no say and does not need to agree with their decision. Why wouldnt the King abdicate instead? The abdication of the late Queens uncle Edward VIII in 1936 sparked a major constitutional crisis and the royal family has never forgotten its devastating impact. The King made a promise of lifelong service in his first address to the nation when he became the monarch. King Charles and Kate Middleton were in the same London hospital (Getty) Why couldnt the King just step aside? The British monarchy is also a sacerdotal monarchy as part of his coronation, the King went through a consecration ritual which is similar to the consecration ritual a priest goes through. You can retire from being an active priest but you are still a priest until you die. Edward VIII abdicated before he was crowned. Why couldnt William just act as a Counsellor of State? A regency is a longer term solution than temporary Counsellors of State. But Counsellors of State cannot perform certain core constitutional functions, such as Commonwealth matters, the dissolving of parliament, except on the Kings instruction, creating peers and appointing a prime minister. Charles and William jointly performed the state opening of parliament in place of the late Queen as Counsellors of State in 2022. William and his father Charles (John Stillwell/PA) (PA Archive) Is a regency a permanent arrangement? No. It is reversible. If a monarchs health recovers or they become available to carry out their royal functions, the sovereign can resume their duties. Who was the last Prince Regent? The last regent was the future George IV who became Prince Regent through an ad hoc Regency Act in 1811 when his father George III was declared mentally unfit to be king. The vain Prince Regent, famously characterised by Hugh Laurie in the sitcom Blackadder III, was known for his heady extravagance, which was a constant source of gossip. He was an important artistic patron, acquiring an impressive collection of art and patronising architects and designers, and later commissioned the Royal Pavilion in Brighton to be built as his seaside pleasure palace. He was regent for nine years before becoming king when his father died in 1820. Are there laws already in place for a modern regency? Yes. Permanent provisions were put in place through the Regency Act passed in 1937 in case a monarch became incapacitated or a sovereign was under the age of 18. Princess Elizabeth was heir to the throne and only 11 years old in 1937. Further Regency Acts were also passed in 1943, and later in 1953 to allow the Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, to be regent if one was required and the Queens children were under the age of 18. But future amendments to the legislation may be required because second in line to the throne Prince George is under the age of 18. Options could include adding the Princess of Wales to the Regency Act as a potential regent in case anything happened to Charles and William before George became an adult. How is a regency put in place? A declaration has to be made to the Privy Council and communicated to the Government. William would have to take an oath before the Privy Council in which he pledged to be faithful and bear true allegiance to the King, faithfully execute the office of Regent and govern according to law, and preserve the Church of Scotland. Are there any limits to what William could do as a Prince Regent? Yes. He would not be allowed to give assent to any Bill which changes the order of the succession to the throne. He would also not be allowed to repeal or alter an Act made in Scotland entitled An Act for Securing the Protestant Religion and Presbyterian Church Government. The 1707 Act ensured in pre-Union Parliament of Scotland that the status of the Church of Scotland is not be affected by the Union with England. Would the prince be Prince Regent of the 14 other nations where the King is head of state? No. Constitutional expert Professor Vernon Bognador has said previously it would be up to these countries to make their own arrangements. Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} In a shock announcement, King Charles shared he had been diagnosed with cancer following treatment for a benign enlarged prostate. The Royal Family has not yet specified the form of cancer but he will start regular treatment and will postpone public duties. However, he will continue to work on State business and official paperwork. The monarch was diagnosed with the disease whilst undergoing separate treatment for an enlarged prostate in January at the London Clinic. Expressing his gratitude to the medical team for their quick intervention, the King is feeling positive about his treatment and hopes to return to his royal duties, says the Royal Family. In a statement issued yesterday, the family said: His Majesty has chosen to share his diagnosis to prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer. The discovery comes after he was hospitalised at the same time as Kate Middleton was recovering in the London Clinic after abdomen surgery. Here is a look back at the history of health issues in the Royal Family. Kate Middleton In January, the Princess of Wales entered the London Clinic to have abdominal surgery for an unspecified condition. The exact details of the princesss condition have not been revealed but the Palace said previously it was not cancer-related, and that Kate wished her personal medical information to remain private. Kate Middleton has been both praised and criticised for reportedly working from her hospital bed following abdominal surgery (Getty Images) Sarah Ferguson Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, was diagnosed with skin cancer in January 2024, just months after she received treatment for breast cancer. In July 2023, the 64-year-old had an eight-hour mastectomy but unfortunately last month, during the follow-up surgery, dermatologists, when removing several moles, found one to be malignant melanoma. The Duchess is now undergoing further tests to see if the cancer has spread to other parts of her body but is said to be in good spirits. Sarah Ferguson was diagnosed with skin cancer after treatment for breast cancer (Scott Garfitt/Invision/AP) Queen Elizabeth II The much-loved Queen Elizabeth II died on 8 September 2022 after a record-long reign of over 70 years, aged 96. The Queen was hospitalised in October 2021 shortly after the death of her husband Prince Philip. The monarch then did not attend several public appearances due to dwindling health, as she reportedly suffered from low energy and weakness. In February 2022, she tested positive for Covid after suffering from mild cold-like symptoms, the Palace reported at the time. She was pronounced dead at 3.10pm on 8 September 2022 by Dr Douglas James Allan Glass. Her cause of death was deemed to be old age. Concerns were raised for Queen Elizabeth II when she was seen with a walking stick in a rare appearance before her death (PA) Prince Philip The Queens beloved husband died at the age of 99 in April 2021, his cause of death was officially recorded as old age. Leading up to his passing, the King had been discharged from the hospital following treatment for a pre-existing heart condition. In 2012, he missed the Queens Diamond Jubilee celebrations due to a bladder infection and in 2011 he was helicoptered from Sandringham to hospital due to chest pains - he was then treated for a blocked coronary artery. The royal was involved in a car crash two years earlier when a vehicle hit his car, however he was not injured but sought medical advice out of precaution. Queen Mother Queen Elizabeth I, the Queen Mother, died aged 101 in 2002 after suffering from ulcers on her left leg and persistent hip problems which led to mobility issues in her old age. In 1995, she had a right hip replacement and three years later, her left hip was replaced. Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother), Princess Elizabeth (the present Queen Elizabeth II), Princess Margaret and King George VI after his coronation, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, London (PA) King George VI On February 6 1952, King George VI died in the middle of the night. He had survived a major operation to remove his left lung in September 1951, but succumbed to a blood clot just a few months later. It caused a coronary thrombosis, the blockage of the coronary arteries that carry blood to the heart, leading to a sudden collapse and fatal heart failure. His death came as a shock to the public and the royal family, as even the King was not informed of the full extent of his illness. It later came to light he had been suffering from lung cancer after smoking heavily all his life. The Queen with her father, King George VI, and Prince Philip watching a young King Charles sitting on a statue at Balmoral in 1951 (PA) (PA Media) Edward VIII King George VIs brother was the reigning monarch until he abdicated the throne in January 1936. Like his brother, he was a frequent smoker and died in 1972 after battling throat cancer. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Two Afghan prisoners who were held in U.S. custody for at least 14 years at the Guantanamo Bay detention center after 2002 were released from house arrest in Oman, a Taliban spokesman said Sunday. Abdul Zahir Saber and Abdul Karim were released as a result of the efforts made by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Taliban interior ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani said. Senior Taliban officials posted photographs of Saber and Karim on social media with messages of congratulations. An official welcome ceremony is being organized in the capital, Kabul, for their return on Monday, Qani said. The two men were held in Guantanamo until 2017, when they were transferred to the Gulf kingdom of Oman, where they spent the next seven years under house arrest, forbidden to travel. The United States opened the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, in Cuba, under President George W. Bush in January 2002 after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the invasion of Afghanistan to capture al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden. It was intended at the time to hold and interrogate those suspected of having links to al-Qaida or the Taliban, who had sheltered bin Laden. However, scores of suspects from multiple countries were later sent there and the detention center became notorious after reports emerged of detainees being humiliated and tortured. Saber, who was originally from the province of Logar, was arrested by American forces on May 10, 2002, Qani said. In October that year, after four months in Bagram prison just outside Kabul, Saber was transferred to Guantanamo. As a result of the efforts of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, after many years in prison and imposed restrictions will be removed, he will return to his homeland, said Qani. Karim, a resident of Tani district of Khost province, in the east, was arrested in Pakistan on Aug. 14, 2002. After a few months in prison there, he was handed over to American forces. He was moved to Guantanamo in early 2003 and then to Oman in 2017. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} South Koreas military said Sunday that North Korea fired several cruise missiles from waters off an eastern military port, in the countrys latest weapons demonstration in the face of deepening tensions with the United States, South Korea and Japan. The Souths Joint Chiefs of Staff didnt immediately say how many missiles were fired or how far they flew. It wasnt immediately clear how the launches were conducted, although the North has previously tested cruise missiles from sea assets. The launches were the North Koreas third-known launch event of 2024, following a previous round of cruise missile tests on Jan. 24 and a Jan. 14 test-firing of the countrys first solid-fuel intermediate range ballistic missile. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have increased in recent months as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un continues to accelerate his weapons development and issue provocative threats of nuclear conflict with the U.S. and its Asian allies. The U.S., South Korea and Japan in response have been expanding their combined military exercises, which Kim portrays as invasion rehearsals, and sharpening their deterrence strategies built around nuclear-capable U.S. assets. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} When Alice Cross met her abuser at the age of 16, her life changed overnight. The teenager from Norwich was groomed online by 34-year-old Trevor Webb, who had made her feel special after approaching her online in January 2018 but within weeks allegedly controlled what she ate and the clothes she wore. Over the months that followed, Webb trafficked Alice through a website for sex workers and forced her to perform sex acts in hotels for other men for his own financial gain. Webb also allegedly asked her to carry out his kidnap fantasies, instructing Alice to act afraid as he drove her to remote fields to fantasise about how he would hide her body. His hold over her would eventually come to an end in September 2018, when the abuse was reported to the police and Webb was arrested. Webb pleaded guilty to two counts of arranging to facilitate the sexual exploitation of a child and making an indecent image of a child at Norwich Crown Court in August 2021. Trevor Webbs defence lawyer used the Covid-19 backlog during his mitigation (Norfolk Constabulary) Further accusations of rape, grievous bodily harm and extreme pornography were investigated by police but not pursued, with Alice told by officers that they wouldnt be able to prove it was non-consensual if it went to trial. After a three-year wait to see her abuser face justice, Webb was handed a prison sentence of 22 months after his lawyer argued the Covid-19 court backlog had impacted his mental health. As it took over three years for the case to come to court due to the lengthy investigation and reports required, Webbs lawyer argued that he had been signed off for work as a result of the stress of not knowing his fate. I was sitting on my sofa with my mum listening to the sentencing through an audio link and I genuinely just burst into tears, Alice told The Independent about the day he was jailed in December 2021. I was crying and sobbing for a really long time. It was not something anyone had prepared me for, we were prepared for it to be years. It was very shocking to say the least. Within 11 months, Webb was released from prison, Norfolk Police confirmed. As he served less than a year behind bars, he was not eligible for any rehabilitation requirement programmes and has been re-released into the community with little intervention. Yet the trauma he subjected Alice to has been life-changing. Now aged 23, Alice has been diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder and a neurological condition and says she has struggled to maintain a job. Alice, who received help from the charity Imara and now works there to help other victims of sexual abuse, said she was appalled when his lawyer successfully argued that Webb suffered as a result of not knowing his fate due to pandemic backlogs. I think there should be a mandatory minimum sentence for crimes like that and obviously Covid is gone now but it should never have been a mitigating factor, Alice said. Covid has nothing to do with the victim and nothing to do with the offenders crimes. There is no excuse on this earth that would explain why he only got 11 months in prison after what he did to me, which altered my entire life and left me with lifelong injuries both mentally and physically. For cases of this nature and especially those involving victims of Alices age, defendants can be imprisoned for up to seven years according to sentencing guidelines. During the pandemic in June 2020, guidance from the chairman of the Sentencing Council, Lord Justice Holroyde, said that courts must bear in mind the practical realities of the effects of the current health emergency. He added that courts should consider mitigating factors and consider that the impact of immediate imprisonment would be particularly heavy for certain groups of offenders. Alices story comes as victims of rape and sexual offences (RASSO) face record waiting times due to underfunding and backlogs in the criminal justice system. Prior to the pandemic, the number of cases of this nature awaiting trial had reached 3,606. Ministry of Justice figures from July to September 2023 show that figure has increased to 9,792 cases, and has increased by 23 per cent in just the last year. The criminal justice system is grappling with an overall backlog of almost 67,000 outstanding cases, as well as a prison population at breaking point. In November, victims commissioner Claire Waxman told the London Assembly that some rape cases were waiting for more than six years to reach trial, causing a number of victims to withdraw from proceedings. One defence lawyer told The Independent that he had recently received a trial date for the latter end of 2026, despite the alleged rapist being charged in 2022. Victims of rape and sexual offences face record waiting times to face their abusers in court (PA) John Riley, who both prosecutes and defends RASSO cases, said: In terms of referring to Covid or any reason as to why a case has been delayed, and relying on that as a basis of mitigation well, delay works in both directions. It can be a source of trauma for the defendant. Obviously the ideal is that cases are dealt with as quickly as they possibly can be, but there is a great input of work and review to make sure everything is in place before you take a case to trial. Because of the difficulties with regards to funding and resourcing, youll inevitably find you get problems up to the trial date. Sarah Berry-Valentine, a spokesperson for the charity Refuge said: This is just another example of how the court system is used against victims and survivors, another example of the victim-blaming narrative that we know all too well at Refuge. I wish I could say this is an anomaly and we dont hear of this happening, but the Covid backlogs have been a huge issue, not just with defence lawyers using that particular mitigation, which is horrific, but most importantly underplaying and undermining the impact on survivors in a more general sense. We really cant underestimate the impact and the toll the justice system currently has on the emotional and physical wellbeing of survivors. Weve seen cases dropped due to wait times, survivors feeling forced out from being able to access the justice that they deserve to rebuild their lives. Its familiar to see cases held up for years due to these backlogs, and in 2024 we really need to ask why the pandemic backlogs havent been completely and fully addressed and why this excuse is still being used. There are wider issues ongoing in the legal system and its a huge issue for survivors who are seeking justice. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Brianna Gheys mother has given a tearful tribute to her daughter at a vigil marking the first anniversary since the teenager was brutally murdered. The 16-year-olds family and friends were among the huge crowds that gathered at the event in Golden Square, Warrington on Sunday afternoon, one year after Brianna was stabbed to death by Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe in a park in Cheshire on 11 February last year. Briannas mother Esther Ghey wore a pink coat, the teenagers favourite colour, as she paid tribute to her amazing, unique and joyful daughter in a speech in the familys hometown, with many well-wishers seen wiping away tears. Esther Ghey, the mother of murdered 16-year-old Brianna Ghey, speaking at a vigil in Golden Square, Warrington, to mark the first anniversary of her daughter's death (Danny Lawson/PA Wire) Ms Ghey cried as she said: I will be forever thankful that I was lucky enough to spend 16 years with [Brianna]. She taught me so much and gave me so much happiness and love. If theres one piece of advice that I can give to any parent, it would be to hug your children tight and never stop telling them that you love them. I want to thank you all for coming here today to pay respect to Brianna. I hope that wherever she is now that she can feel the love that we have created by joining together today. Briannas family held a vigil in her memory on Sunday afternoon (PA) Pink flowers, paintings, candles and balloons piled up in the square, as messages for Brianna were also left, including one saying the teenager is in our hearts forever. It read: Everyone is still grieving a year later. Your family, friends and the public will forever remember you, love you, and cherish all of the lovely memories you created with them. You are so special, beautiful girl. Youre now in the sky, our beautiful star, where you are safe. People were later seen holding their phone torches aloft during a two-minute silence at the vigil, which was similar to an event held in the week after the tragedy. Briannas headteacher Emma Mills told those gathered on Sunday to honour the teenagers memory by being true to yourself. People, many wearing pink, attending a vigil in Golden Square, Warrington, to mark the first anniversary of the murder (Danny Lawson/PA Wire) Addressing the mourners, she said: Brianna knew who she was, and she was determined to be true to that. This determination spirit is something that I always admired about Brianna, and its a deserving legacy for us to remember her by. The vigil comes just over a week after Jenkinson and Ratcliffe, both aged 16 but 15 at the time, were jailed for life at Manchester Crown Court, after being convicted of Briannas murder. During their sentencing, the judge said the exceptionally brutal murder had elements of both sadism on the part of Jenkinson, who was handed a minimum term of 22 years, and transphobic hate on the part of Ratcliffe, who must serve a minimum of 20 years. Tributes left during a vigil in Golden Square (Danny Lawson/PA Wire) Briannas family was set to spend part of Sunday in quiet reflection in the teenagers bedroom, where her ashes are held in a casket surrounded by freshly decorated pink walls and a new pink fluffy rug. I spoke to one of Briannas very close friends, who said, Brianna wouldnt want to be in the dirt, Ms Ghey told the Mail. I know she wouldnt want to be on her own. She wouldnt want to be buried. She would want to be at home with her family. Socially anxious and vulnerable, her mother had been pleased when Brianna caught a bus to Linear Park to meet with two other teenagers, one of whom was her supposed friend Scarlett Jenkinson. Young killers Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe were both obsessed with murder, torture and serial killers (PA Media) Yet horror soon descended when police officers arrived at the familys home in Culceth, near Warrington on the evening of 11 February, and informed Ms Ghey that a body had been discovered Culcheth Linear Park. I had all these horrific thoughts going through my mind, but the most horrific was the one that was true, Ms Ghey said. My child was dead. And then the worst possible outcome that somebody she trusted had done that. During the harrowing four-week trial, it emerged that, after weeks of planning, Jenkinson and Ratcliffe had lured Brianna to a park and ambushed her, soon after a failed attempt at killing her with an overdose of ibuprofen. People holding their phones aloft during a two minutes silence at the vigil (Danny Lawson/PA Wire) The twisted duo had an obsession with torture and murder, and had jointly drawn together a kill list of five other potential child victims, settling on Brianna as their first target. Jenkinson, who described herself as a Satanist, later told the jury she began to fantasise about killing people from as young as age 14, and had an obsession with serial killers, Sweeney Todd and torture videos, which she watched on the dark web. In a handwritten note found in her bedroom, Jenkinson had written out a murder plan titled Saturday, 11th February, 2023. Victim: Brianna Ghey, with the word plan written underneath with a smiley face and a heart shape. Speaking of her compassion for Jenkinsons mother in the aftermath of the young killers jailing, Ms Ghey said: She will be grieving as well and I want her to know that I dont blame her. I know how difficult it is to keep track of your children. Parenting doesnt come with a handbook and no one wants to raise a child to do what they did. Briannas mother recently met with Sir Keir Starmer and has begun campaigning for better regulation of online content (Supplied) Ms Ghey has now turned her attention to campaigning for better regulation on social media and is calling for new legislation to help parents control what their children can access online. She has since met with Sir Keir Starmer, and has joined forces with her local MP Charlotte Nichols to campaign for mindfulness lessons to be taught in schools. As a result, she was present in the House of Commons when Rishi Sunak made a trans jibe towards the Labour leaders stance on how to define a woman. The comment drew immediate backlash, with Briannas father Peter Spooner branding the comments degrading and absolutely dehumanising. In response, Ms Ghey wrote on Peace & Mind UK, the Facebook page she set up for a campaign in her daughters memory, that she did not wish to comment on reports of wording or comments recently made. My focus is on creating a positive change and a lasting legacy for Brianna. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The British Army is reportedly looking overseas to boost diversity and inclusion as it seeks to relax security clearance vetting. The UKs armed forces want to boost ethnic minority representation as bosses have consistently failed to hit recruitment targets, according to The Sunday Telegraph. A new document titled The British Armys Race Action Plan describes security checks as the primary barrier to non-UK personnel gaining a commission in the Army. The guidance reportedly vows to challenge [security clearance] requirements to increase representation in the intelligence and officer corps, roles which have access to secret assets. Twelve former senior servicemen have written to Grant Shapps to complain about the plan. The defence secretary said he was ordering a review of diversity and inclusion policy at the Ministry of Defence in response to the newspapers report, adding there would be no lowering of security clearance requirements under my watch. Twelve former senior servicemen penned an open letter to call the policy dangerous madness (PA) Mr Shapps said: We want people from all backgrounds to serve in our military but some policies appear to be more about a political agenda than practically improving the lives of our dedicated soldiers and military personnel. There will certainly not be any lowering of security clearance requirements on my watch. Meanwhile, fellow Cabinet minister Michael Gove said political correctness should not impair our ability to defend our borders. The Housing Secretary told Skys Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips: [Shapps] has been looking at the specific policies we have in the Ministry of Defence in order to ensure that we strike the right balance, that we provide protection for individuals in our armed forces, that we make sure that we draw all the talent available in this country to ensure that we have a strong and diverse military. But also to make sure that these policies operate in such a way as to ensure that political correctness, or some of the more whats the word? out there approaches that people take towards diversity, equity and inclusion dont impair our ability to defend our borders and to make sure that this country is secure. As the army struggles to recruit, chief of the general staff Patrick Saunders said last month that a citizen army would be needed to fight a future war with a country like Russia. Saunders, who has long argued for more military spending and is due to leave his job this year, said that within the next three years, it must be credible to talk of a British army of 120,000. An MoD spokesman said: Our priority is protecting the national security of the United Kingdom and ensuring the operational effectiveness of our armed forces. We take security extremely seriously and ensure that all personnel have the appropriate security clearance, which is reviewed on a case-by-case basis. On May 7, the Swedish city of Malmo will host Europe's most important song contest. Eurovision 2024 will bring together fans from all over the world. ADVERTISIMENT Malmo is Sweden's third largest city after Stockholm and Gothenburg, connecting the country and Scandinavia with the rest of Europe. In addition to the famous show, there are other attractions worth seeing. The tallest building in Scandinavia The most talked about building in southern Sweden is not far from Malmo Central Station. The Turning Torso skyscraper is undoubtedly the most striking sight of all that can be seen in the city. The 190-meter-high building was designed by architect Santiago Calatrava. Disgusting food museum ADVERTISIMENT If you don't like contemporary art, a visit to the Museum of Disgusting Food might be a perfect alternative. Here you can see no less than 80 strange dishes from around the world. Most of the delicacies are freshly prepared, and you can even try some of the dishes. The idea of the Disgusting Food Museum is actually quite noble. The owners want tourists to think about the right perception of food. Malmo canals Malmo is a city filled with small canals. Thus, why not explore it from a unique perspective and hop on a boat for a short sightseeing tour? For only 600 UAH per person, you can learn more about the history and see both old and modern sights of Malmo. ADVERTISIMENT Malmohus Castle Anyone planning a trip to Malmo should see Malmohus Castle with their own eyes. This historic fortress was built in the sixteenth century, making it the oldest still existing Scandinavian fortress of the Swedish Renaissance. Historically, it was one of the most important defense fortifications in Denmark when Malmo was still part of it. Today, it has become one of Malmo's most unique cultural attractions due to the fact that several museums are located within its historic walls. Malmo old cemetery ADVERTISIMENT The old cemetery was consecrated in 1822. Now it is a peaceful place to walk and learn about Malmo's history. Visitors often stop to read the tombstones. There are various memorials and dedications on the graves, ranging from simple stones to more elaborate statues and inscriptions. Interestingly, the locals also use the cemetery as a park: people have picnics, ride bicycles, and read books here. St. Peter's Church St. Peter's Church in Malmo is the oldest building in the city, dating back to the fourteenth century. It is built of red stone in the Gothic style and is 105 meters high. Although the medieval frescoes were destroyed during the sixteenth-century religious wars, the church still has an impressive wooden altar section. ADVERTISIMENT resund Bridge The resund Bridge is the most significant structure of the last century. The structure is complex and consists of several parts that connect the island of Zealand, which belongs to Denmark, the Scandinavian peninsula, and connect Sweden with Europe. Travel through the bridge-tunnel is paid and quite expensive: 55 euros (more than 2 thousand hryvnias). Only verified information is available on OBOZ.UA Telegram and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Following his diagnosis of an undisclosed form of cancer, King Charles has been forced to step away from some of his public-facing royal duties. The King, 75, was diagnosed with a form of the disease discovered during an unrelated operation for an enlarged prostate at the end of January, Buckingham palace said when they revealed the news last Monday. Follow live updates here Charles was last seen on Tuesday afternoon when he arrived back in London with the Queen for his second round of treatment. It is the third time he has been spotted since his diagnosis, the first being leaving Clarence House one week before and the second being when he was pictured smiling and waving as he attended a church service in Sandringham on Sunday. While officials and members of the royal family say that the King remains wholly positive about his treatment, he will still have to step back from public duties, with senior royals expected to stand in for him. So will Charles abdicate, and how will the cancer diagnosis affect his royal duties? The Independent has answered your questions below. King Charles has been diagnosed with cancer and will be stepping back from his royal duties (PA) What has Charles been diagnosed with? King Charles has been diagnosed with cancer. It is unclear what form of the disease he has, but it was discovered during unrelated treatment for an enlarged prostate. A statement from Buckingham Palace read: During the Kings recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, a separate issue of concern was noted. Subsequent diagnostic tests have identified a form of cancer. Will the King abdicate? The statement released by Buckingham Palace has given no indication that the King intends to step down. In fact, it suggests that he hopes to return to his duties in full in the future. The last British monarch to leave the throne was Edward VIII, but that was for personal reasons when he decided to marry American actor and divorcee Wallis Simpson in 1936. Charles mother, Queen Elizabeth II, did not abdicate despite health struggles towards the end of her life. How will the diagnosis affect his royal duties? Charles will be stepping back from public duties during treatment for the disease on the advice of his doctors, according to Buckingham Palace. However, he will continue to oversee state business and official paperwork. He still carried out his weekly audience with the prime minister last Wednesday, albeit over the phone. The King returned to London on Tuesday to receive his second round of treatment after he spent a week at his estate in Sandringham. But the palace has made clear the King intends to return to his duties as soon as his health allows. In the statement, the Palace said: He remains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible. Prince William and Kate are next in line to the throne if King Charles were to abdicate (REUTERS) Senior royals are expected to stand in for him, but a shortage of working royals could pose a potential problem in the coming months. The Prince of Wales returned to public duties last week, however the Princess of Wales is not expected to carry out any engagements until after Easter due to her own health issues. Both Prince Harry and Prince Andrew are no longer working royals, leaving only the Princess Royal and Prince Edward and his wife Sophie to hold the fort. The Princess Royal was the first to step up to take on official engagements after the diagnosis when she took on three separate events in one day last Tuesday. Prince William also returned to royal duties last week after taking a break to care for his family and wife following her abdominal surgery. How would an abdication work? If the King were to step down, his eldest son Prince William would automatically become the monarch, with his 10-year-old son Prince George becoming next in line to the throne. This would be followed by eight-year-old Princess Charlotte and five-year-old Prince Louis. In British history, only four monarchs have ever abdicated, the most recent being King Edward VIII who stepped down in 1936 to marry the twice-divorced socialite Wallis Simpson. Denmarks Queen Margrethe stepped aside for her son Crown Prince Frederik on New Years Eve (via REUTERS) This paved the way for the late Queen Elizabeth IIs father to become king. While such occurrences are rare, several European monarchs have abdicated their thrones in recent years in favour of their younger heirs. On New Years Eve, Margrethe II announced her abdication as Queen of Denmark, citing recent back surgery as her reason, with her son succeeding her as King Frederik X on 14 January. In 2014, Juan Carlos I of Spain left the throne in disgrace amid allegations of affairs, indiscretions and alleged financial wrongdoings. This followed the 2013 abdication of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands as well as King Albert II of Belgium, while Emperor Akihito left his thrown in Japan in 2019 due to his age and ill health. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The King has become one of hundreds of thousands of Britons diagnosed with cancer every year. A statement released on Monday afternoon read: During The Kings recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, a separate issue of concern was noted. Subsequent diagnostic tests have identified a form of cancer. His Majesty has today commenced a schedule of regular treatments, during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties. Here are some questions answered about what is known so far about Charles condition. What type of cancer has the King been diagnosed with? The King has been diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer. Buckingham Palace said that during Charles recent procedure for a benign prostate enlargement a separate issue of concern was noted. Further diagnostic tests have identified a form of cancer, the Palace said. A Palace spokesperson confirmed that it is not prostate cancer. King Charles (POOL/AFP via Getty Images) What kind of diagnostic tests were performed? Details of the type of test have not been divulged but diagnostic tests for cancer can involve blood tests, scans and biopsies. A biopsy is a medical procedure that involves taking a small sample so it can be examined under a microscope to identify whether there are abnormal cells present. What is being done? The Palace has confirmed that Charles started a schedule of regular treatments. This could involve chemotherapy a medicine is used to kill cancer cells; radiotherapy a treatment where radiation is used to kill cancer cells; or targeted cancer drugs that find and attack cancer cells. He will be treated as an outpatient which means that he will not have to stay in hospital while having treatment. The King started his treatment on Monday and remains at home in London this evening, a spokesperson confirmed. How is the King feeling? The Palace announced that under medical advisement, Charles will be stepping back from public-facing duties. But he is still able to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual, officials said. They added that the King remains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible. Will his diagnosis raise awareness? When the King shared his diagnosis of an enlarged prostate there was a significant increase in searches for the condition on the NHS website. On the day after the announcement there were 16,410 visits to the NHS websites prostate enlargement page compared with 1,414 visits the previous day. Buckingham Palace said that the King chose to share his cancer diagnosis to prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer. How many people are diagnosed with cancer every year in the UK? According to Macmillan Cancer Support around 393,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with cancer. When the King was Prince of Wales he was patron of a number of cancer-related charities. He often spoke in support of cancer patients, their loved ones and health professionals. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The King has made his first public outing since the announcement of his cancer diagnosis as he attended church with the Queen on Sunday. Walking alongside Camilla and holding an umbrella, Charles arrived at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, Norfolk, on Sunday morning. It comes almost a week after Buckingham Palace said the King, who acceded to the throne 17 months ago, has a form of cancer. He was diagnosed after a separate issue of concern was noted and was investigated while he was being treated for a benign enlarged prostate. Charles and Camilla attend a Sunday church service in Sandringham (PA) The last time the 75-year-old King was seen was on Tuesday, as he left Clarence House the day after starting his treatment, following a brief reunion with the Duke of Sussex. On Saturday, the King spoke about his diagnosis for the first time as he thanked people for their many messages of support and good wishes. He added in his statement that it was equally heartening to hear how sharing his diagnosis has helped to promote public understanding of cancer. The king thanked well-wishers for their support (AFP via Getty) Charles has postponed all public-facing duties, but is continuing with behind-the-scenes work on his red boxes of state papers. Since his diagnosis, the family has rallied around Charles. Other members of the royal family are stepping up to take on additional duties and public engagements while the monarch undergoes treatment. The Princess Royal was the first to return to royal duties on Tuesday when she carried out an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle before heading to Nottingham on an official visit and then to London to make a speech in the evening. The Queen has rarely left the Kings side during his recent health scare, but she has also resumed her duties this week, where she gave a brief update on her husbands health. Prince William also returned to royal duties this week after he took a break to focus on his family and wife, the Princess of Wales, who is recovering from her abdominal surgery. The future King did not, however, see his brother, the Duke of Sussex, on his brief visit to the UK. Prince Harry put his rift with his father aside and cleared his schedule to fly from California to see the King on Tuesday. After flying over 5,000 miles, Harry spent around 30 minutes with his father at Clarence House in London before staying in a hotel and returning back to Los Angeles just 26 hours after he had arrived. Meanwhile, the King has been staying at Sandringham since he underwent his first round of cancer treatment. One of the most famous stately homes in Britain, Sandringham sits on an 8,000-hectare estate in Norfolk on the eastern coast of England. The Palace has called for the Kings privacy to be respected, especially during his treatment, but said he wanted to make his diagnosis public because of his long-running support for cancer charities. A host of medical professionals from different groups have commended the Kings candour over his health. Chiara De Biase, director of support and influencing at Prostate Cancer UK, highlighted a 500 per cent increase in people coming to the charitys website for information and support in the week following the Kings announcement of his enlarged prostate condition in January. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} US-funded anti-abortion activists have begun a crusade of harassment against high-profile Labour campaigner Stella Creasy, targeting her in a persistent and sustained pattern, accusing her of killing babies. Speaking to The Independent in an exclusive interview, Stella Creasy said she is facing a bonfire of abuse from anti-abortion ideologues on social media in punishment for campaigning on abortion rights. The Labour MP for Walthamstow said protesters have harassed nearby residents and leafletted her constituency with graphic imagery. Stella Creasy says she is being targetted as punishment for her views on abortion rights (PA) It comes after anti-abortion activists staged a protest against pregnancy terminations in the town square in Walthamstow in east London at the end of January where they brandished graphic images of foetuses. Ms Creasy said: Some of the commentary is all about me being held to account by a god, and having my day in hell. The protesters are connected to American protest groups. And we have seen what American protest groups do and the violence and intimidation they use there. Ms Creasy said the anti-abortion activists targeting her area appear to have a lot of money as she warned they are ignoring electoral law. Who do I hold to account for the fact that they have gone around Walthamstow telling local residents that I want to kill babies at birth? Ms Creasy asked. We have a government that is cracking down on protest in all sorts of other areas, but feels it is fine for women to be subjected to persistent and sustained harassment as part of a political debate. Its not consistent MP Stella Creasy It comes after an advertising company was forced to remove a disgusting anti-abortion billboard campaign levelled at Ms Creasy back in 2019 when she was pregnant. Ms Creasy previously said the billboards, which were emblazoned with the words Stop Stella and featured an image of a foetus, had left her physically sick and constituted a form of harassment. The UK arm of an American-based anti-abortion organisation called the Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform was behind the advertising campaign, which saw six posters spring up around Walthamstow directly targeting her. Ms Creasy said the current protests are being organised by a coalition of different anti-abortion groups which include the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform, Abortion Resistance, and Christian Concern. Discussing the current wave of protests, she said: I feel like they've got more money than they had in 2019. And thats the thing that makes me wonder what else they might be capable of doing. The stuff they did at the last election and the stuff they are doing now should not be part of a thriving democracy, because it is not a way of having a debate. If they want to participate in the democratic process, they need to be accountable, so they need to tell us who is funding them. She said protesters are currently falsely linking her to killing babies as she revealed that residents reported that the activists sought to give an anti-abortion leaflet to a four-year-old. Ms Creasy added: The irony to me is where we have a government that is cracking down on protest in all sorts of other areas but feels it is fine for women to be subjected to persistent and sustained harassment as part of a political debate. It's not consistent. Ms Creasy said the anti-abortion protests will not deter her from tabling amendments and proposing legislation about access to abortion. Fundamentally I think it is a human right to choose, she added. Current UK laws only allow abortions in restricted circumstances with pregnancy terminations still deemed a criminal act in England, Scotland and Wales under the 1967 Abortion Act. Legislation passed in 1861 means any woman who ends a pregnancy without getting legal permission from two doctors, who must agree that continuing with it would be risky for the womans physical or mental health, can face up to life imprisonment. Any medical professional who delivers an abortion out of the terms of the act can face criminal punishment. Abortion providers, charities, medical bodies and MPs have spent years demanding abortion be decriminalised in the UK. Penelope Wiles, a local Walthamstow resident, told The Independent she thinks she overheard a protester spreading lies and disinformation about Ms Creasy during the recent protests. I stopped to listen to what this woman was saying; she said she thinks it is alright to just rip it out like its nothing, like its a piece of rubbish and chuck it in the bin, Ms Wiles added. She was saying this to a group of two or three women. I cannot say I heard her say Stella Creasy said that but I can assume that. A Walthamstow council spokesperson said: The council was made aware by the police of a planned protest in Walthamstow town square on the morning of Wednesday 24 January, the same day that the event took place. The MPs office also made contact to alert us that morning and we shared the information we had with them before the protest started at 1pm. We can only act within the law. The police, who are responsible for managing and monitoring protests, attended the event to ensure public safety. In a free society people have the right to lawfully express opinions that we may not agree with. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Labours candidate for the upcoming Rochdale by-election has sparked anger after reportedly saying Israel had been warned about the 7 October attack and allowed it to happen. The Labour Party has since issued a statement on behalf of Mr Azhar Ali after the Mail on Sunday published his comments, which were taken from a recording before the Lancashire Labour party. Mr Ali apologised for the claims, stating: I apologise unreservedly to the Jewish community for my comments which were deeply offensive, ignorant, and false. He added: The Labour Party has changed unrecognisably under Keir Starmers leadership, he has my full support in delivering the change Britain needs. Labour figures have insisted that Mr Ali will remain Labours candidate in Rochdale - but due to Electoral Commission rules it is too late for Labour to replace their candidate anyway. Labour candidate for Rochdale Azhar Ali has apologised for his comments regarding Israels knowledge of the attack on October 7th (PA Wire) What is the process for replacing electoral candidates? A nominated candidate can withdraw their candidacy if they do so before the deadline. The withdrawal notice must be signed by the candidate, attested by a witness and delivered by 4pm on the 19th working day before the poll. In this instance, since the by-election is on the 29 Feburary, the notice would have to have been delivered by 2 February. What happens if you withdraw after the deadline? The short answer is you cant. After the withdrawal deadline it is not possible to withdraw from the election, and the name will appear on the ballot paper. If the election is uncontested, that name could be declared elected. Voters across the UK will be taking to the polling booths in the next few weeks for three by-elections (PA Archive) What else can a party to do remove a candidate? The party would not be able to prevent that candidate appearing on the ballot after the deadline. A party could choose to suspend its campaign or advise voters not to support their candidate, or they could even endorse another candidate from a different party. A party could also suspend or withdraw the whip entirely from the candidate. This happened to Neale Hanvey in the last general election. Mr Hanvey stood as an independent for Kirkcaldy after he was suspended from the SNP. He was eventually readmitted to the party in 2020, only to defect to Alba in 2021. What will Labour do in this instance? Labour has mantained it intends to keep Mr Ali on as the candidate. Pat McFadden, Labours national campaign coordinator defended the Labour councillors candidacy on the morning news round, and told Sky News: Hes issued a complete apology and retraction and I hope he learns a good lesson from it because he should never have said something like that in the first place. Mr Ali was out campaigning in Rochdale on Sunday. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The housing secretary Michael Gove has insisted that the government will follow through with its plan to ban no-fault evictions before the next election, despite repeated delays to the legislation. The Conservative partys 2019 manifesto pledged to outlaw Section 21 a provision that allows landlords to evict tenants without having to give a reason outside of a tenancy agreement. But the legislation has been continuously delayed, leading housing campaigners to question the governments commitment. The renters reform bill, which contains provisions to outlaw the practice, has been going through parliament, but is now not expected to be debated again until next month. The Renters Reform Bill has been continually delayed (PA) A further 30,230 landlords started no-fault eviction court proceedings in 2023 a 28 per cent rise in one year. On BBCs Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Mr Gove guaranteed that no-fault evictions will be banned by the time of the general election later this year. Asked whether the practice will have ended by the time Britain goes to the polls, despite his previous concerns that the courts may not be able to cope, Mr Gove said: We will have outlawed it, and we will put the money into the courts in order to ensure that they can enforce it. Mr Goves legislation has faced significant opposition from within his own party, as nearly one in five Conservative MPs are also landlords. Late last year, a series of Conservative MPs voiced their opposition to the Renters Reform Bill, saying it would add to the burden of landlords. In the Commons, Conservative former minister Sir Edward Leigh told MPs: Banning no-fault evictions will make the rental market even more stagnant and will lead to a further drying up of it. He added: And apart from adding to the burden of landlords, we dont want a situation that happened in Ireland, where the regulatory burdens on landlords is such that the rental sector has shrunk massively and governments have paid the price in terms of popularity. Conservative MP Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown also said the bill would have a disastrous effect on areas including his constituency in reducing the number of rental properties, and therefore increasing the price of rent, and for youngsters this is really serious. The housing secretary also said he is doing everything he can short of laying siege to the Chancellors home to persuade him to put more money into housing in the spring Budget. Geoffrey Clifton-Brown said the bill would reduce the number of rental properties in The Cotswolds (PA) Mr Gove said: Im doing everything I can, I mean short of laying siege to his own home. Every day I send him a note or a message emphasising the importance of doing more to unlock housing supply. He added: And he gets it. So Jeremy Hunt is someone who absolutely appreciates the importance of supporting the next generation. Responding to Michael Goves comments this morning, Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper MP said: It is shocking that this Conservative government has repeatedly chosen to delay their promised ban on no-fault evictions. Michael Goves words will ring hollow for those who have waited for so long for this urgently needed reform. She added: This government has turned a blind eye to the housing crisis in this country, 16 housing ministers later, people are still facing the same problems. Renters shouldnt have to face losing their homes through no fault of their own any longer. Rishi Sunak and Michael Gove must stick to their promise before more and more families get caught up in these devastating consequences. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The Labour candidate for Rochdale, Azhar Ali, has apologised after he reportedly said Israel had been warned about the 7 October attack and allowed it to happen. The Labour Party has issued a statement on behalf of the candidate after the Mail on Sunday published comments from a recording of him telling the Lancashire Labour Party that Israel had been warned of the attack before it happened, but they deliberately took the security off. Mr Ali is alleged to have said: The Egyptians are saying that they warned Israel 10 days earlier... Americans warned them a day before [that] theres something happening... They deliberately took the security off, they allowed... that massacre that gives them the green light to do whatever they bloody want. The Labour councillor is also alleged to have said that Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has lost the confidence of the parliamentary party. He said: A lot of the MPs Ive spoken to, non-Muslim MPs, feel that on this issue, hes lost the confidence of the parliamentary party. In the statement issued on Sunday morning, Mr Ali said: I apologise unreservedly to the Jewish community for my comments which were deeply offensive, ignorant, and false. Hamas horrific terror attack was the responsibility of Hamas alone, and they are still holding hostages who must be released. October 7th was the greatest loss of Jewish life in a single day since the Holocaust, and Jews in the UK and across the world are living in fear of rising antisemitism. I will urgently apologise to Jewish leaders for my inexcusable comments. He added: The Labour Party has changed unrecognisably under Keir Starmers leadership, he has my full support in delivering the change Britain needs. With the by-election just over two weeks away, it is too late for Labour to replace Mr Ali as a candidate. Labour MP Pat McFadden also told Sky News that Azhar Ali will remain as Labours candidate in Rochdale. The comments are likely to ignite a major row in the Labour party as Sir Keir has come under intense pressure over his handling of the Gaza crisis. In November, 56 Labour MPs rebelled and backed calls for a ceasefire. A recent Survation poll conducted for the Labour Muslim Network found that British Muslims are losing trust in Labour over its handling of the Israel-Gaza war. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is now calling for a sustainable ceasefire following pressure in his own party to respond to the conflict in Palestine (PA Wire) On Sky News this morning, Labours national campaign coordinator, Pat McFadden, said Mr Alis comments were completely wrong. The shadow frontbencher said: Hes issued a complete apology and retraction and I hope he learns a good lesson from it because he should never have said something like that in the first place. The Board of Deputies of British Jews have called Mr Alis comments disgraceful and unforgivable. In a statement released on X, formerly Twitter, they said: Were it not too late to do so, we would have called on Labour to replace Mr Ali as a candidate. It is clear to us that Mr Ali is not apologising out of a genuine sense of remorse. Despite what he says in his apology, we do not see how we could possibly engage with him at this time and we believe other leading Jewish communal groups will feel similarly. The Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester and Region have also released a public statement condemning the comments. In a post on X, they called Mr Alis comments deeply troubling and said the conspiratorial narrative is highly offensive, completely fictitious and at a time of record antisemitism, has the potential to exacerbate the conflict playing out across Greater Manchester and beyond. Labour currently have a majority of more than 9,000 votes in Rochdale and 51.6 per cent of the vote. Mr Ali was selected as the candidate to represent Labour in the upcoming by-election following the death of Labour MP Sir Tony Lloyd last month. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A man in Palm Beach County, Florida who is accused of beating his father to death last week was called a delusional conspiracy theorist by a family friend. Based on an arrest affidavit, officials responded to a 911 call on 4 February from the family friend of Brian McGann Jr, who he had called during a domestic violence incident involving his father, Brian McGann Sr. The son reportedly arrived at his fathers home around 11pm. The complainant said she overheard Mr McGann Sr say Stop youre killing me as they were on the phone with McGann Jr. The caller said she thought the father was being attacked by his son. Mr McGann Jr appeared to be intoxicated and paranoid over the phone, the complainant said. The family friend said she could hear the son screaming at his father and violently attacking him. She also told police that the son was a delusional conspiracy theorist and and was infuriated with his father because hed recently been vaccinated. The son had started using cocaine, too, the friend said. When officers arrived at the fathers residence, Mr McGann Sr was found lying unresponsive on the living room floor. The fathers clothes were completely covered in blood and he had sustained significant injuries to his face, which appeared to be swollen, battered and bruised, the affidavit said. Mr McGann Sr was pronounced deceased by officials the following day. Officers observed blood on the living room floor, the wall and furniture in the area where Mr McGann Srs body was. His son reportedly attempted to run from police, who saw him jumping a back gate. When officers made contact with the man, he had blood on his hands, feet, face and clothing, the affidavit said. The Palm Beach Medical Examiners Office ruled the fathers death a homicide. Officials with the Palm Beach Sheriffs Office subsequently charged him with first-degree murder, a felony. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The Israeli Defence Force has reportedly detained two Americans they encountered during a raid at a home in Gaza. Relatives of Hashem Alagha, 20, and Borak Alagha, 18, said the brothers were with a group of approximately 20 others who were rounded up by the IDF after a raid. Yasmeen Elagha, the men's cousin, said both of them are American citizens who were born in the Chicago suburbs, according to CNN. She said her cousins stayed in Chicago into their early childhood, after which they moved. The men's father is also reportedly a Canadian citizen, according to Ms Elagha. Hashem and Borak's mother was reportedly present during the raid. She told Ms Elagha that IDF forces broke through a door while the group of men were sleeping, tied up the women and children, and took the men into custody. She does not know where the men were allegedly taken. Ms Elagha said that the home the IDF raided belongs to her uncle and that her family has no ties to Hamas. The US State Department is aware that the IDF has detained a pair of American citizens. We are aware of these reports and we are currently seeking additional information, but I dont have any additional information to share and would not be able to at this point, given privacy considerations, Vedant Patel, the State Department Deputy Spokesperson, said during a press briefing. Ms Elagha's accusations come just on the heels of another set of damning allegations made the by Palestinian Red Crescent Society that claim Israel intentionally killed a little girl, her family, and the paramedics sent to rescue them. Hind Rajab, who was killed in Gaza (Family Handout/AFP/Getty ) And those allegations followed a scathing report released by Amnesty International on Monday, which found Israel displayed a chilling disregard for Palestinian lives and went so far as to suggest a war crimes investigation was warranted. US officials have been trying to negotiate a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas to facilitate hostage exchanges and to allow for a "humanitarian pause" to the fighting. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not been receptive to calls for a ceasefire thus far. Gaza (AP) Surrender to the ludicrous demands of Hamas which weve just heard wont lead to the liberation of the hostages, and it will only invite another massacre, Ms Netanyahu said during a press conference following a ceasefire discussion. Mr Blinken said the US cannot force Israel to agree to a ceasefire, according to the New York Times. It will be up to Israelis to decide what they want to do, when they want to do it, how they want to do it, Mr Blinken said. No ones going to make those decisions for them. All that we can do is to show what the possibilities are, what the options are, what the future could be, and compare it to the alternative. And the alternative right now looks like an endless cycle of violence and destruction and despair. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Joe Biden has called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold off invading Rafah until a plan is in place that would prevent massive civilian casualties. Gazans fleeing Israel's bombardment and military advances have sought shelter in Rafah, a city in the south of the Gaza Strip. An estimated 1.4m Palestinians are currently in the region after being displaced by Israel's campaign against Hamas. The White House released a synopsis of a call between Mr Biden and Mr Netanyahu on Sunday. Mr Biden reportedly "raffirmed his view that a military operation in Rafah should not proceed without a credible and executable plan for ensuring the safety and support for the more than one million people sheltering there," according to the White House report. The request is one of the few instances in which Mr Biden has specifically requested that Israel hold back on its military action in Gaza. Palestinians check destruction after an Israeli strike in Rafah, Gaza Strip, Saturday, Feb.10, 2024. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair) The Biden administration made a similar request in November when it asked Israel to avoid "significant further displacement" of Palestinian civilians if it continued its ground campaign in southern Gaza. At the time, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that the Israelis were receptive to US requests. However, the request did not curb Israeli advancement into the region or prevent further displacement. Mr Biden has used marginally stronger language in recent weeks when discussing Israel's military action in Gaza; when reporters asked him about hostage negotiations at a recent presser, he called the ongoing campaign "over the top." Im of the view, as you know, that the conduct of the response in Gaza, in the Gaza Strip, has been over the top. I think that, as you know, the president of Mexico, Sissi referencing Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi did not want to open up the gate to allow humanitarian material to get in. I talked to him. I convinced him to open the gate. I talked to Bibi [Mr Netanyahu] to open the gate on the Israeli side. He went on to say he was "pushing really hard, really hard, to get humanitarian assistance into Gaza". "There are a lot of innocent people who are starving, a lot of innocent people who are in trouble and dying, and its gotta stop. Number one, Mr Biden said. More tha 28,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since last October, according to its health ministry. Despite Mr Biden's insistence, Mr Netanyahu has indicated he plans to proceed with his planned invasion of Rafah, and said that an evacuation plan for the Palestinian civilians there is being prepared. That puts the US in a vice between Israel and Saudi Arabia, which has warned of "very serious repercussions" for Israel if they attack Rafah. As Mr Netanyahu plans to enter Rafah, US officials are visiting the region attempting to negotiate a ceasefire to allow for hostage exchanges and humanitarian assistance to displaced Palestinian civilians. Mr Netanyahu has not been receptive to the plan for a ceasefire. February 11 is the International Day of Women in Science. According to UNESCO statistics, the share of women in the scientific world is quite low, making only 30%. Data collected in the Ukrainian scientific community is more progressive. Ukraine ranks 12th out of 41 European countries with one of the highest rates of women among all scientists, 45%. ADVERTISIMENT Many Ukrainian researchers have made a significant impact on world science. Ukraine Now tells us the stories of Ukrainian women who have left their mark on the history of science despite the repression of the Soviets. Valentyna Radzymovska (October 13, 1886 - December 22, 1953) Valentyna Radzymovska was a famous biologist and founder of the Ukrainian school of physiologists and biochemists. She graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at Kyiv University and later became a professor at the Kyiv Medical Institute (now the Bohomolets National Medical University). Radzymovska was not spared from Soviet repression. She was an active pro-Ukrainian activist, and was a member of the Lubny Gymnasium Club of the Revolutionary Ukrainian Party and the Taras Shevchenko Society in Kyiv. In September 1929, Radzymovska was arrested on trumped-up charges of "participating in a Ukrainian underground counterrevolutionary organization, the Union for the Liberation of Ukraine." Repression and arrests did not prevent her from publishing about 70 papers on biochemistry, pathophysiology, neuropsychiatry, and pediatrics. She also studied tuberculosis and its treatment in children. After World War II, the scientist moved to the United States. ADVERTISIMENT Nina Morozhenko (March 13, 1928 - July 10, 2009) As an astronomer, heliophysicist, and doctor of physical and mathematical sciences, Nina devoted her entire life to studying the structure of the Sun and cosmic processes that affect most areas of human activity. Her research on solar prominences was among the first in the world. They paved the way for many other researchers in different countries. Morozhenko spent 30 years of her life, from 1958 to 1988, working at the Main Astrophysical Observatory of the Ukrainian SSR. ADVERTISIMENT Kateryna Yushchenko (December 8, 1919 - August 15, 2001) Kateryna began her scientific career in 1946 at the Lviv branch of the Kyiv Institute of Mathematics of the U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences, where she obtained important results in the field of probability theory. She managed to prove a theorem on the laws of multivariate stable dynamic distributions. The results of her PhD thesis became classical in quantum mechanics. Kateryna Yushchenko was a scientist in computer and information research. She developed the addressable programming language, the basis for most of the programs we use today. Yushchenko was part of a group of scientists who operated the first computer in continental Europe, developed in the 1950s. ADVERTISIMENT Nina Virchenko (born May 5, 1930) Nina Virchenko is a recognized expert in mathematics, a member of mathematical societies in different countries. In 1948, at the age of 18, she was sentenced to 10 years in camps for "Ukrainian nationalism." She was rehabilitated in 1954, defended her PhD thesis and doctoral dissertation. After returning from exile on trumped-up charges, Nina worked and continued her studies despite constant searches and interrogations by the state security, which lasted until 1990. Nina has written more than 500 scientific papers translated into many languages. Her broad research interests include the theory of mixed boundary value problems, generalized analytic functions, integral transforms, singular partial differential equations, special functions, historical and mathematical methods, etc. ADVERTISIMENT Maryna Viazovska (born December 2, 1984) A well-known Ukrainian scientist currently working at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, she was previously engaged in research at the Berlin School of Mathematics and Humboldt University of Berlin. In 2016, she received a prestigious award, the Salem Prize, which is presented annually to young researchers for outstanding contributions to science. Maryna received this award for her breakthrough work on creating the densest ball packs in sizes 8 and 24 using modular molds. Maryna solved a problem that other scientists had been working on for 400 years. Maryna Viazovska is the second woman in history to receive the Fields Medal (2022) for "an elegant solution to a part of Hilbert's 18th problem, the problem of packing balls in 8-dimensional space." ADVERTISIMENT Olha Brovarets (October 10, 1986 - July 14, 2022) The life of a talented Ukrainian scientist ended very early. Olha became famous for her work in the field of biophysics. Her discoveries shed light on the mechanisms of cancer and other diseases caused by mutations. For example, in 2017, she found a way for pairs of chromosomes with mutations to "trick" DNA and integrate into a cancer-causing helix. Subscribe to OBOZ.UA on Telegram and Viber to keep up with the latest events. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Former president Donald Trumps latest remarks claiming that he would oversee the disintegration of the Nato alliance Saturday evening in South Carolina divided Republicans on Sunday. Mr Trump made the remarks at a rally in Conway, South Carolina. If we dont pay and were attacked by Russia, will you protect us? Trump claimed to remember a Nato member-states leader asking him when he was president. He then claimed to have responded: No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. But Republicans who are already experiencing a major split led by Mr Trump about the role of the United States as a global leader disagreed about whether his words should warrant alarm when quizzed by The Independent. Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas dismissed critiques of Mr Trumps rhetoric. What I know is hell secure the border, hes going to make this country safer, hes going to hold Nato accountable, he told The Independent. And I think that people need to realize that like, you should take everything that he says seriously, but not literally. Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri, a staunch supporter of Mr Trump who led the charge to object to the 2020 presidential election results, said Mr Trump was correct in saying that Nato countries did not pay their fair share, but added that the United States would live up to its commitments. Seriously, they need to do more, but obviously we dont want Russia to invade, he told The Independent. If they invaded a Nato country, wed have to defend them, so we dont want that. Unsurpisingly, Senator Mitt Romney of Utah, an ardent critic of Russia and supporter of Ukraine, blasted Mr Trumps remarks. He says outrageous things to get people riled up, he told The Independent. It works at the rallies. Unfortunately, it also has an impact around the world where our friends wonder whether they can rely on America. Mr Trumps remarks were not the first to throw into question the future of one of the worlds most significant and consequential military alliances, one that saw countries come to the USs aid after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. But they were his most plain-spoken threat so far: A stunning vow to encourage and support Russian military action against Nato members who did not meet the alliances benchmarks for defence spending. The remarks specifically referred to Article 5 of the Nato charter, which promises that all Nato members will respond to an attack on any individual member. The reaction from Nato leadership was swift. Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the US, and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk, said Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. Similarly, some more traditional Republicans sought to distance themselves from Mr Trumps words. Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa, a combat veteran, also criticised Mr Trumps words, telling The Independent: Thats horrible. Iowas senior Senator Chuck Grassley criticised the sentiment of Mr Trumps words without specifically mentioning the former president. No American should do anything to appease Russia, he told The Independent. Mr Grassley and Ms Ernst have not endorsed Mr Trump despite the fact he overwhelmingly won the Iowa caucuses last month, shattering records. But Mr Trumps words drew cheers from the crowd at his Conway, South Carolina rally, where the former president seeks to deliver a deathblow to the campaign of Nikki Haley in the former UN ambassadors home state. Ms Haley, a traditional conservative on the issue of national defence, is a strong supporter of Nato, and attacked Mr Trump in a statement after he disparaged her husbands military service at the same event. Ms Haley addressed her rivals threat to the Nato defence pact on Sunday, appearing on Face the Nation: [W]hat bothers me about this is, don't take the side of a thug who kills his opponents. Don't take the side of someone who has gone in and invaded a country and half a million people have died or been wounded because of Putin. In Washington, however, many Republican leaders defended or dismissed Mr Trumps words about Nato. Marco Rubio, the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, brushed off the former presidents remarks as bluster during his interview with CNN. Donald Trump was president, and he didnt pull us out of Nato, Mr Rubio noted, adding: I have zero concern. But other Republicans chastised Mr Trump. The strongest criticism came from a surprising source: Rand Paul, the Kentucky senator known for his own isolationist leanings and skepticism of Americas military footprint. Stupid thing to say, he told The Independent. I agree with with Trump that they don't pay enough they should pay more, but saying that they should be invaded by Russia, is not wise, Mr Paul continued. The split epitomises a larger divide within the Republican Party. Mr McConnell, a longtime supporter of Ukraine, hoped to pass aid to Ukraine earlier, which led to prolonged negotiations between Senator James Lankford representing Republicans and independent Senator Kyrsten of Arizona and Chris Murphy of Connecticut representing Democrats to negotiate border security measures in exchange for aid to Ukraine and Israel. The trio came to an agreement last weekend but Mr Trumps opposition to the package effectively killed it. Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina said Mr Trump was trying to recall a story. And I'm sure that he was recounting a story, he told reporters. He tends to use a little flourish and his comments, but his point about them paying their fair share is well taken by me. Larry Hogan, the popular two-term former governor of Maryland who surprised some in DC this past week by announcing a late-in-the-game bid for a Senate seat held by the retiring Democratic senior senator from his state, Ben Cardin. That race remains a likely hold for Democrats in the fall, but Mr Hogans prominence could make the election competitive. Mr Hogan has long been one of Mr Trumps loudest critics in the GOP. On Sunday, he pledged to support Nato in the Senate were he to be elected in the fall; Maryland, which is home to the National Security Agency at Fort Meade, is home to many military families and civil service employees and is just about the last place Nato skepticism will win Mr Trump any supporters. The reactions of Mr Hogan and Senator Rubio hint at a line of thinking among Republicans that was prevalent among many of Mr Trumps private detractors througout the Trump presidency. Many who disagreed with some or most of Mr Trumps policies especially related to foreign policy and the military relied on the ex-presidents advisers like James Mattis, his former secretary of defence, and Mark Milley, who served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to rein him in and impede his more impulsive rhetoric and orders, such as a demand for the complete withdrawal of all US troops from Afghanistan by December of his final year as president. Democrats for their part vocally criticised Mr Trumps words on Nato. Senator John Fetterman, one of President Joe Bidens loudest defenders, attacked the media for focusing attention on issues of Mr Bidens memory and argued that comments such as this from Mr Trump deserved more attention. Let's talk about some bulls*** political hit in that ridiculous kind of report, the Pennsylvania Democrat told reporters on Sunday. [L]et's just talk about the outrage and how astonishing it is that somebody that could be president would say that kind of a thing. You know, is the bar that low where we can just roll our eyes and ... ignore that? Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, went after Mr Trump and Republicans over the vow to violate Article 5. I don't think any of my colleagues would stand up and say let Russia attack on our allies because they haven't paid the rent, Mr Reed told The Independent. I mean, it's ridiculous, this is just preposterous that he says these things. The back-and-forth came as the Senate voted to proceed on a security package that would provide aid to Israel and Ukraine amid Russian President Vladimir Putins assault on Ukraine and the ongoing Israeli military assault on the Gaza Strip. They say you should never meet your heroes. How about chasing ghosts? I arrived in the city of Corrientes, in northern Argentina, with the sole purpose of thinking about writer Graham Greene. I wasnt looking for the hotels and restaurants he visited 50 years ago, and I assumed the brothels he frequented were long since shuttered. I was more interested in a mood, a feeling, an explanation of his motives and clues as to how he turned brief sojourns into deep, intricate stories. Despite living in Argentina all through the 1990s until 2001, and visiting every year since, Id never been to Corrientes. Its one of those cities tourism shuns: not small enough to be quaint, nor big enough to be bold; steamy, workaday and throbbing with traffic. Greene, who first espied it from a passing boat in 1968, told the French journalist Marie-Francoise Allain: There was nothing to see, just a little harbour and a few houses, and yet a sort of surreptitious charm was already at work. He went back in 1970 and spent eight days there. Sleepy it wasnt. Greene met a Colombian priest who had become a rebel leader. He learned of the kidnap of a Paraguayan consul by the Argentinian Liberation Front. Greene and his guide stumbled on the scene of a murder. A local man drove himself and his family into the river. At the time, guerrillas were plotting against the authoritarian regime of General Juan Carlos Ongania. There was plenty of material for a novel. Brianna Gheys mother Esther made a heartbreaking request at her daughters vigil, a year on since her murder. The 16-year-old was stabbed 28 times with a hunting knife in a horrific attack on 11 February last year after her killers lured her to Linear Park near Warrington. Speaking at a special vigil for her daughter on Sunday (11 February), Ms Ghey said: If theres one piece of advice that I can give to any parent, it would be to hug your children tight and never stop telling them that you love them. Michael Gove has refused to follow Rishi Sunaks example and enter into a 1,000 bet over the success of the Governments Rwanda asylum scheme. The Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Secretary told Sky News Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips: I dont have that sort of money, Trevor. But he added we absolutely will get flights off the ground before the general election. Asked whether he would make the bet with 100, Mr Gove said: I would happily give you 100 quid, take you out for a very nice meal and spend that money on making sure that you are a happier man. Phillips replied: This is a political programme, not a dating agency. More cash for less cover: So is health insurance worth the cost anymore? As premiums rise at the fastest pace in a decade options can include downgrading cover or finding other ways to get care Health insurance inflation has outstripped wage inflation by huge amount. Image: Getty Gabrielle Monaghan Sun 11 Feb 2024 at 03:30 According to the old adage, your health is your wealth. But the reverse is true in Ireland, where the proliferation of private health insurance means access to timely diagnostics and hospital treatments depends on your ability to pay for them. IPCA increasingly dismayed by the lack of action being taken by Government A group representing construction subcontractors has threatened that it will seek a judicial review of the States construction pay agreement, due to what it claims is a widespread lack of compliance. The Irish Plant Contractors Association (IPCA), which represents many of the subcontracting firms that carry out groundworks on big construction sites, warned that it was preparing to go to the High Court on the matter if there was not immediate action by the Government. The lobby group has claimed that a chronic lack of enforcement of agreed pay rates and conditions was leading to unfair competition for State and other building contracts and allowed non-compliant firms to win contracts by paying lower wages, often in cash. If no meaningful action is taken by you, we intend to move to abolish the SEO [sectoral employment order] altogether on the grounds of non-implementation/enforcement by way of application to the Commercial High Court for a judicial review, wrote IPCA chief executive Brian Coogan in recent days to the Department of Enterprise, which oversees the SEO agreement that dictates pay and working conditions across the sector. Our members do things properly in terms of paying correct rates to our employees but many other firms do not, giving them an unfair advantage whilst competing for work on the open market, claimed Coogan, who also sent the letter to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) and the Revenue Commissioners. Many companies operating in the Irish market are not paying current SEO rates to employees, nor are they paying pensions, death-in-service or sick-pay contributions, he wrote. The organisation was increasingly dismayed by the lack of action being taken by the Government. Companies continue to flout our laws with impunity in the knowledge that there is little chance of government departments doing much about it, he wrote. In his letter, Coogan asked how many firms had been investigated or prosecuted last year for non-compliance with SEO and pensions legislation. It is our intention to focus on this problem and we will not stop until it is addressed and resolved satisfactorily. Coogan told the Sunday Independent that he had met with several government officials over the past number of years and voiced his concerns but the IPCA was now preparing to go the legal route. The IPCA has for the past few years highlighted the abuses of the SEO in the construction sector. "The abuses have led to an unlevel playing field for construction subcontractors. I have suggested various options that would bring an end to malpractice within the industry. Other sources in the construction industry have also said that cash payments are rampant across the sector, and this made it difficult for firms who were compliant with the SEO rules. The IPCA has previously claimed that subcontractors from across the Border were winning a substantial amount of local authority contracts, despite not adhering to the agreed rates. It also said that lower pay rates have led to many young construction workers emigrating to countries such as Australia, where construction pay was substantially higher than in Ireland. Its Valentines Day this week and dont worry, even if your partner doesnt remember, or youre on your own, Netflixs algorithm would never forget you. In lieu of a bunch of roses it offers you One Day, a serialised drama remake of the novel by David Nicholls, which has already been adapted, in 2011, for a film of the same name, starring Anne Hathaway with a rubbish British accent. The sprawling plot of the novel which deals with a couple who meet for the first time at university but take yonks to get together was always much better suited to a series and in this new iteration the episodes feel very like chapters. It takes a while to get going and starts a bit like Normal People, but without the sex. In 1988 an Asian Yorkshire girl, Emma (a brilliantly cast Ambika Mod) meets floppy-haired toff Dexter (Leo Woodall) at a Gothic and gorgeous university in Edinburgh. She is socially awkward, literary and blunt; he is cheekily confident, negging her about her thesis while shrugging off his reputation as the college lothario. He hasnt a clue where shes from but guesses northern. They have an almost-one-night-stand he gets his shirt off and they do end up in bed but nothing sexual happens (a really annoying conversation can kill any mood) and, over a wholesome day spent walking in the hills, they skirt around the riddle of each other. We cut forward to the following year. Hes off living it up in a villa in Rome with his old lush of a mother while shes touring schools as part of a hideously earnest drama troupe. They write to each and wonder where life will take them and their powerfully sublimated feelings for one another. By 1990 both have moved to London. Hes developed alarming bangs a kind of choppy bob and is regularly on TV perkily voicing segments as a VJ. She has yet another debasing gig: this time as a waitress in a Mexican fast food place that makes her do a staff line dance on the restaurant floor four times a day. She chafes at being treated too much like a friend steady on bringing the new girlfriend to see the line dance but not enough to bring matters to a head. The soundtrack through these first few episodes is fabulous and nostalgic with pop of the era, like SExpress, sitting alongside classic indie bands such as Cocteau Twins whose music is blasted over a scene in a park where the sun sets into a purple haze (the whole series is very, very beautiful and more cinematic than the film). Woodall is just the right pitch of posh: insouciant but never arch or overdone. The class and culture tensions are wittily played with: she pooh-poohs his arrogance in assuming that she didnt want to have sex for religious reasons. God wasnt involved, she assures him. Through the 1990s they continue this game of thrust and parry, and each has relationships with different people, but Im sure I wont be spoiling anything by telling you that they do finally, of course, get together. The series is about the way we move toward the ones we love and then retreat, wary of protecting ourselves, fearful of overwhelming intimacy. The inspiration for the novel was apparently a line from Hardys Tess of the dUrbervilles where the heroine realises that as well as birthdays and anniversaries there was yet another date, of greater importance to her than those; that of her own death... a day which lay sly and unseen and among all the other days of the year, giving no sign or sound. But there are also notes of ABBAs The Day Before You Came and the quiet significance of the moment just before they meet when life was well within its usual frame. The series is long 12 episodes and in no hurry but it is sweet and those who persevere with it will be rewarded with something unexpectedly nourishing. The odd throuple: Reality, comedy and show tunes Hot Mess Summer Netflix A group of sun-kissed young hotties think theyre going on a Love Island-style show, but surprise! Rylan Clark is actually sending them to work behind the bar which will hopefully build their character more than any amount of posing and preening ever could. Curb Your Enthusiasm Sky Comedy While other classic sitcoms have outstayed their welcome, Curb Your Enthusiasm has retained its misanthropic magic through the years with increasingly free-form scripts. Here Larry David and the ensemble return for the 12th and final season. An American in Paris Sky Arts Of course the streaming services will be clogged with new romantic fare this week but theres no topping this Gershwin-scored 1951 classic starring Gene Kelly who performed a mesmerising dance sequence to really get us in the Valentines mood. 10 arrests nationwide over attacksSome fires were well-planned Gardai investigating arson attacks on accommodation earmarked for asylum-seekers are trying to establish possible links between people believed to be responsible for some of the 18 deliberate fires in the past 12 months. While security sources say there is no evidence at the moment that a single group of arsonists is behind a significant number of the racially-motivated fires, government sources remain convinced an organised campaign is behind at least some of the attacks. Mary McDonnell, 75, took part in the tandem jump with her son Michael. A Tipperary grandmother has raised 27,000 for charities aiding the people of Gaza by jumping out of an aeroplane at 13,000ft with her son this weekend. Mary McDonnell, a retired nurse from Nenagh, Co Tipperary and her son Michael participated in the tandem skydive at Skydive Irelands airstrip at Clonbullogue, Co Offaly. Mary took on the feat to raise funds for Palestinian charities trying to feed and shelter the millions of displaced civilians within the enclave since war between Israel and Hamas erupted on October 7 last year. Mary conquered her fears to go through with the skydive, stating: I didnt like it, not one second of it. I didnt expect to like it. Id go as far as to say terrifying, but I did it. And I did it for the men, women and children, losing their lives in the horror that goes on every minute in Gaza. They are what got me on the aircraft, out of the aircraft and its a small price to pay for the incredible response that we have received for this incredible cause. So, while I cant say I enjoyed a single second of it, it was so worth it. Before the dive, Mary told a YouTube channel established for the fundraiser that she was very anxious and very scared ahead of the dive. But the grandmother added that she had to get over any fear she felt about the skydive, because thats what keeps me going, whats going on out in Gaza. Its my reason for doing this and Michaels reason for doing this. At my age, I need to bear in mind, as Clint Eastwood said, Dont let the old man in. I could say Dont let the old woman in, so thats what Im going to try to focus on. Ive been encouraged by so many people and its helped me to overcome my anxiety. The retired nurse, whose husband Mike senior died five years ago, has become somewhat of a local celebrity in Tipperary, with the people of Tipperary getting behind the fundraiser. Marys son, Michael, said the duo cant get over what weve raised. Michael said: It was all about the cause and the support we got was amazing. We set out to try and get to 2,000 but were at over 27,000 now and I have to concede the ground and the skies to Mam on this one. Its all about her and shes been incredibly brave. Its fair to say she didnt enjoy the build-up and certainly not the jump, as you just heard. But shes full of courage. I was the lucky one in that I actually enjoyed it. The weather was as good as you could hope for this time of year and youre out of the plane before you know it. It was freezing on the face, especially in the freefall piece, but the view up there down to here was just unbelievable. Ms McDonnells family, including her son Colm and daughters Maeve and Sarah, and extended family were on the ground cheering for her as she landed. Staff went to assist the grandmother after she landed to help her overcome momentary nausea from spinning during the descent. Her daughter Maeve said: Shes amazing. Shes so brave and a bit of a daredevil. She went through a lot to do this but thats Mam. You wonder whats next but whatever it is, there will be a cause behind it and theres no cause greater than this one today. Even now, after all this, she will tell you, it was worth every single one of those 13,000ft. Dad would have been so proud. Hed have been laughing and cheering her on at the same time. Ms McDonnell also thanked the public for their donations. The funds will now go to two charities working on the ground in Gaza, Medical Aid for Palestinians and Palestinian Childrens Relief. Mrs McDonnell said shed never skydived previously in her life and she had no intention of doing so again. On humanitarian grounds, I find it very difficult to ignore the utter devastation that is taking place in Gaza, she said. The death toll is rising daily, with women and children being the greater number killed. No place is safe as hospitals, ambulances and medical staff have been targeted. So far, more than 28,000 Palestinians have been killed since last October in the war. Hamas killed 1,200 Israelis in the initial attack. People in Ireland have been just amazing, showing their solidarity by protesting and calling for a ceasefire. All over the country, people have organised various events to raise money to go to different charities on the ground in Gaza and we just wanted to do something as a family as our contribution and the skydive is it. Mary McDonnells Go Fund Me page remains open until next weekend. Busker Jesse Geaney was reunited with his lost guitar thanks to the power of social media (Jesse Geaney/PA) A busker who left his guitar at a bus stop was reunited with the instrument less than 24 hours later thanks to the "power of social media". Jesse Geaney said losing his guitar would have "thrown (him) a curveball" and affected his livelihood after he had started to produce studio recordings of his music, saying he "didn't expect to see it again". Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper became the third Ukrainian woman to travel in space, after Judith Resnick and Roberta Lynn Bondar, and the eighth woman to go into outer space. In total, she spent 22 (!) hours outside the ISS. ADVERTISIMENT During her first flight, when Heidemarie was looking at the Earth's surface in her spare time, she managed to find Kyiv and take a picture of it. She was so delighted that she began to examine the "map" more closely - she really wanted to find Lviv, but - despite the fact that in orbit you can fly from one city to another in 5 minutes - she had too few landmarks to do so. Instead of Lviv, she saw the Black Sea, Crimea, and the Dnipro River. The playlist that Heidemarie listened to in space contained many Ukrainian songs, and she used a song with lyrics by Taras Shevchenko, written by a Ukrainian-British band, as an alarm clock. In the astronaut's notebook that went with her in space, along with photos of her family, there was a Ukrainian flag and emblems of her school and Plast, where she was once a member. ADVERTISIMENT After the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Stefanyshyn-Piper published an appeal in support of our country. Ukrainian childhood in America Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper was born on February 7, 1963, in St. Paul, the capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota. Heidemarie's father, Mykhailo, is originally from the Ukrainian village of Yakymiv, 40 kilometers from Lviv. During World War II, he was sent to forced labor in Germany, where he met a German woman named Adelaide: the young people got married and moved to the United States. Father Heidemarie was very homesick for his native Ukraine, so he raised his daughter to love her country: he taught her to speak her native language, she attended a Ukrainian church, and she knows the history, culture, customs, and traditions of her historical homeland. But most importantly, despite the fact that Heidemarie was born and lives in the United States, she has always considered herself Ukrainian. ADVERTISIMENT To the sky - across the sea As a teenager, she became a member of the Ukrainian scouting organization Plast, and the knowledge and skills she acquired there, such as the ability to read maps and navigate, later came in handy on her way to space, and Heidemarie has dreamed of becoming an astronaut since she was four years old. Her first ever airplane flight during a trip with her parents made an indelible impression on her - from then on, she thought only of the sky. Health problems stood in the way of her dream: Heidemarie was diagnosed with vision problems. She decided to take a different path: she won a U.S. Navy scholarship, which, after graduating from a female high school, allowed her to study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She graduated in 1985 with a master's degree in mechanical engineering. ADVERTISIMENT In the late 1980s, Heidemarie married engineer Glenn Piper, whose surname, contrary to the rules, she put in her documents second to her own so that it would always remind her and others of her Ukrainian heritage. At the same time, Haydemari completed her training at the Naval Divers and Rescue Training Center, became a rescue diver, and joined the U.S. Navy. During her service, she participated in the development of a plan to raise the SS-48 submarine and rescue the stranded tanker EXXON HOUSTON.. Atlantis and Endeavour Despite the successful career she has built, Heidemarie has not forgotten her dream of going into space. When the opportunity arose in 1996 to be selected for the NASA astronaut team once again, she did not waste her chance. True, she had to pass many difficult tests and interviews, and then a month of training, but she overcame all the obstacles. This time, everything went well, and Stefanyshyn-Piper joined the mission as a specialist. The flight was scheduled for 2003, but was postponed due to the Columbia shuttle disaster. ADVERTISIMENT Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper went into space for the first time on the Atlantis shuttle three years later, in 2006, on a flight called STS-115, which lasted 11 days. The purpose of the operation was to install new solar panels on the ISS, and in the process, Heidemarie went into space twice, becoming the eighth woman in the history of astronautics to leave the space station. Two years later, in 2008, Heidemarie went into Earth orbit as part of the STS-126 mission, this time on the shuttle Endeavour, which lasted 15 days. During this time, Stefanyshyn-Piper made three more spacewalks, during which she performed maintenance on the ISS. During one of them, a funny story happened: Heidemarie dropped a bag of instruments in orbit, which became an artificial Earth satellite and burned up in the dense layers of the atmosphere a year later. According to Heidemarie, the most beautiful thing about being in orbit was seeing the Earth from above, and the most important and difficult thing was not to make mistakes when the whole world was watching you, without exaggeration. ADVERTISIMENT The sea again In between her two spaceflights, Heidemarie didn't sit idle: as a commander, she participated in the NEEMO 12 underwater expedition and spent about two weeks aboard NASA's Aquarius underwater laboratory. The purpose of this mission was to simulate a spacewalk and practice the basics of astronaut interaction underwater. In 2009, Stefanyshyn-Piper announced her decision to leave NASA. After resigning, she returned to the Navy, and in 2011 was appointed commander of the Carderock Division of the Naval Surface Warfare Center. She held this position until her retirement on July 1, 2015. During her years of service, Ms. Heidemarie received a number of awards, including the U.S. Navy Commendation Medal, two IMF Commendation Medals, and two Navy Achievement Medals. For her space flight and outstanding achievements in the space industry, Stefanyshyn-Piper received two NASA medals. ADVERTISIMENT Ukrainian family Heidemarie has been to her historic homeland, Ukraine, several times, the first time during her time at NASA in 2007. Another visit took place in 2019, and each time the astronaut visited Yakymiv, where her father was born, and talked to relatives who live there - 16 of her cousins live in Yakymiv. A man in his 20s was hospitalised after an assault in Dublin city centre in the early hours of Sunday morning. The man was assaulted at a commercial premises on Liffey Street Lower, Dublin 1 at approximately 12:40am on Sunday. The man in his 20s was brought to the Mater University Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Another man in his 20s was arrested at the scene and is currently detained at a Garda station in Dublin North Central under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. He has since been charged and is due to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice on Monday at approximately 10.30am. Investigations are ongoing, gardai said. A man in his 30s has been arrested after Gardai seized cash worth 62,800, a car, drugs worth 3,500 and 180 rounds of ammo in raids in Co Cork. The searches, which came as part of ongoing investigations into the sale and distribution of controlled drugs and associated criminal activities in County Cork took place in Cobh on Saturday afternoon. Gardai from the Midleton District Drug Unit, assisted by local Garda Units from Cobh, Midleton and Fermoy, conducted the operation. During the operation, Gardai searched a residential property in Cobh and seized a substantial sum of cash, amounting to 62,800, along with a high-powered car. A male in his late thirties was arrested at the scene and is currently detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996, at a Garda Station in County Cork. He can be held for up to 7 days. In a subsequent operation, a second residence in the Cobh area was also searched, where investigating Gardai seized 3,500 worth of suspected cocaine, a significant quantity of ammunition (180 rounds), an ammunition press, incapacitant OC spray, and drug-related paraphernalia. All seized items are subject to forensic analysis and examination. Investigations are ongoing, gardai said. Businessman and mariner Enda OCoineen is seeking international support for a 14m project to build a replica of Ernest Shackletons ship, Endurance. Details of an Endurance II construction are to be outlined in Dublin and London this week to mark the 150th anniversary of the Kildare-born Antarctic explorers birth. One of the early supporters was British tycoon and adventurer Hamish Harding, but he died last June on the Titan submersible, which imploded in deep water while on its way to the wreck of the Titanic off the Newfoundland coast. Backing the plan is Mensun Bound, the British marine archaeologist who was director of exploration on the Discovery team that located the wreck of Shackletons Endurance off Antarctica in March 2022. Patrons include the Prince Albert II of Monaco, Shackletons grand-daughter, Alexandra Shackleton, and Richard Garriott, president of the Explorers Club. An initial $600,000 (556,350), representing 5pc of the capital cost, is being sought from 12 founders who will contribute US$50,000 each. It is estimated that construction would require 14m, with a 1.5m annual operational budget, but OCoineen could not confirm a cost and he said it was still at concept stage. Galway-born OCoineen is the chairman of private investment firm Kilcullen Kapital Partners and he bought the Business Post newspaper in 2018. The businessman and sailor, who is chair of the Atlantic Youth Trust charity which acquired a tall ship for youth development in Sweden, said it was envisioned it would be a global project with youth development as one element. It is understood a commercial arrangement known as a special purpose vehicle would be established to own the ship, with sponsors given shares. The original Endurance sank after being crushed in pack ice in 1915 in what Shackleton had described as the worst portion of the worst sea in the world. However, images taken by the Discovery expedition have shown it to be stable, upright and in remarkably good condition more than 3,000 metres below the surface. An assessment published last year by the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust recommended it be left where it is, and said the risk of people travelling to the site to steal from it was relatively minor. OCoineen is expected to provide more details at an event in Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin, on Wednesday, and a lunch hosted by the Atlantic Youth Trust in London on Thursday both organised to mark the 150th anniversary of Shackletons birthday on Thursday. He has called for Shackletons Polar Medal, awarded for three polar expeditions, to be acquired for the Shackleton museum in Athy, Co Kildare. The British government has put a temporary export bar on the silver badge, valued at 2m. The Atlantic Youth Trust is also attending the unveiling of a plaque to Shackleton on Thursday in Westminster Abbey. The plaque carved by Will Davies from carrara and Connemara marble with Kilkenny limestone is funded by the James Caird Society. That organisation is named after the James Caird lifeboat which Shackleton and five others, including Irish men Tom Crean and Tim McCarthy, sailed on an epic 800-nautical-mile sea journey from Elephant island to South Georgia to get help for the rest of the Endurance crew. The plaque has been installed in an area of Westminster Abbey nicknamed explorers corner as it also has memorials to Francis Drake, Francis Chichester and Captain James Cook. Locals fear being priced out of area as university pays well above market rate in latest issue over governance The University of Limerick has been accused of throwing money around like confetti over a 12.58m bill for 20 houses which do not have planning permission to be used as student accommodation. At an average cost of more than 629,000 each, the price per house is more than double that typically paid for similar properties in the same area, according to recent Property Price Register data. Local residents say they are at risk of being priced out of the area and the chairman of the Dails Public Accounts Committee raising questions about the price paid. The Property Price Register data shows last October the university paid 11.44m for the 20 new homes in the Drominbeg estate, Rhebogue, about 3km from its campus. A stamp duty bill would bring the total outlay to 12,583,208. The University of Limerick (UL) said it is engaging with Revenue about the charge. Legislation introduced in 2021 to limit the number of new homes being purchased by institutional investors means any entity buying more than 10 homes in a year is liable for 10pc stamp duty unless they are a local authority or an approved housing body. The deal raises more questions about ULs governance, the use of state funds and its due diligence procedures around property purchases. Last month the university conceded it overpaid for a controversial city centre site bought five years ago. A Sunday Independent investigation later revealed how that 8m deal was rushed through after normal approval processes were bypassed, with the value of the site later written down by 3m in ULs accounts. Now, ULs purchase of the 20 homes has angered locals who say the deal is a further drain on the undersupply of housing in the area. A local residents committee complained to Limerick City and County Council about the matter. Postgraduate students and researchers moved into the homes last October. The council later told UL and the developers of the scheme new planning permission is needed for students to live there. A subsidiary managing ULs student accommodation is expected to argue the occupation of homes by a particular type of tenant does not raise new planning considerations if the homes are used as designed and permitted under an original planning permission. The council said it cannot comment on live planning matters. However, the university will again be called before the PAC to explain the purchase. PAC chairman Brian Stanley, a Sinn Fein TD, said he does not believe the homes represent value for money. They overpaid for the Dunnes Stores site by a massive amount. That was questioned by the PAC and others. Here it looks to me like no lessons have been learned, he added. They face a significant stamp duty bill, have planning issues to deal with and are looking at a total cost of 12.5m. All third-level colleges are short of money. We want them to be well resourced. A lot of tutors in the sector are on part-time contracts, lecturers complain they are on 11 to 15 hours a week and want better conditions, but here we are with a university throwing money around like confetti. The new homes were built by Silvergrove Developments and were initially earmarked for social housing. Locals raised dozens of objections against the housing plans when they were first put forward amid concern over a lack of amenities in the area. Silvergrove was granted residential planning permission in 2018 with 14 conditions attached. It planned to house 80 students there. The initial plans were to develop a mixture of two, three and four-bed homes. Some of these related to the look and feel of the development. They required the developer to carry out landscaping works and to agree to use certain materials and finishes. The plans appeared to have stalled during the pandemic until UL announced in August 2022 it was going to buy the homes with full planning permission attached. Some locals said the new development is preferable to having a vacant site in the area but complained the finished homes, with modern grey plasterwork and slate surfaces, jar visually with nearby yellow and redbrick homes. They have other issues too. Sarah Beasley, chair of the Rhebogue Residents Association, Limerick. Photo: Don Moloney Rhebogue Residents Association chair Sarah Beasley said locals are worried about a potential increase in anti-social behaviour, pointing to housing estates closer to ULs campus which have been the subject of similar complaints. This is a residential area of estates and we have about 1,000 people living here. A lot of people moved here with young children who have since grown up but there are kids still around, and we dont have facilities for them, Ms Beasley added. Anywhere where students move in, families move out because it just becomes a worry. If UL can landgrab in this way, when the next new build happens somewhere, who is to say it wont be an approved housing body buying them but UL? That means ordinary folk cannot buy a house where they want to, or near their parents or a childs school. We are being priced out of it. Ms Beasley would like to see the homes returned to their intended use. Limerick, like other parts of the country, has a shortage of housing. This also affects the university amid significant demand for college places and student accommodation. The availability of the homes in Rhebogue was a significant factor in ULs purchase, because it almost immediately added to the universitys housing stock. A process to design, procure and develop other accommodation options would likely have taken five to six years before relieving demand. Mr Stanley said he would have preferred to see UL use the money to develop on-campus accommodation or look at other opportunities. What they have done is the least preferable option because of the possibility of distorting the market. There is no first-time buyer who can come up with 630,000 for a standard three or four bedroom house, he added. We want more student accommodation but other options should have been looked at. With blended working and increased working from home, other options are becoming available now through commercial buildings which could be repurposed for student accommodation. A spokeswoman for UL said it would not be appropriate to comment on the universitys engagements with Revenue about the stamp duty bill. The capital costs of the development will be fully recouped over a medium time period given that rental income is being generated by Plassey Campus Centre, which own and manage ULs on-campus accommodation, she added. UL continues to strongly engage with all stakeholders, including Government, to find solutions to the current accommodation crisis. ULs senior leadership has engaged extensively with residents in the Rhebogue area and there has been no negative impact reported to date. The latest deal comes after UL paid 8m for a site in Limerick city, with the value later written down by 3m. It was the subject of significant criticism from the Dails PAC. In an email sent to students and staff two weeks ago, university president Professor Kerstin Mey said the former Dunnes Stores site has a current market value of about 5.4m plus Vat. The email said a valuation report carried out last year showed UL overpaid for it by about 1.5m in 2019. O'Connell Street is one of the places mentioned in the report. Photo: Getty A Failte Ireland presentation on concerns over anti-social behaviour in Dublin said perceptions of safety in the capital were in line with the norm for other large cities, but nearly a quarter of businesses were worried about their impact. The briefing, which was prepared for the board of Failte Ireland last summer, said 63pc of visitors to Dublin were more or less neutral on safety in the city, with 8pc saying they considered it poor. It said reported incidents of crime against tourists and the public had not increased in recent months. The briefing said 23pc of businesses in Dublin had concerns about anti-social behaviour, which compared unfavourably with just 5pc of businesses for the rest of Ireland. It cited a Global Peace Index rating countries according to safety and the likelihood of danger in which Ireland ranked in third place. Among those who said Dublin was unsafe, 59pc said it was a fear of crime, 38pc a lack of police or security presence and 32pc complained of the general appearance of the city. The presentation also detailed how they had scraped social media to get a sense of how people were talking about safety in the capital. Common themes were anti-social behaviour, open drug use and dealing and violent attacks, with OConnell Street, Dame Street and Temple Bar the most frequently mentioned locations. It explained how a separate night-time safety audit was to take place in conjunction with Dublin City Council. A copy of a briefing on that audit said Dublin needed to be safe and reassuring but also edgy while working to maintain its authenticity. It looked at several areas, including Henry Street and Liffey Street, both of which were said to suffer from negative after-dark safety perceptions, particularly among women. Meeting House Square in Temple Bar was also identified as a place that was often empty and foreboding. A spokesman for Failte Ireland said it was important to note some of the research presented to the board last July dated from 2022. Failte Ireland will continue its regular engagement with An Garda Siochana and Dublins local authorities to ensure that all visitors continue to feel safe and welcome, he said. It is difficult to escape the conclusion that Joe Biden should stand aside as the Democrats presumptive candidate in the US presidential election this year following publication of a worrying report on his handling of classified documents that also raised legitimate issues about his age and mental fitness. With time quickly running out, the Democratic Party should move to convince Biden to stand down in favour of Gavin Newsom, the charismatic and energetic governor of California who has been running a shadow campaign but was not expected to seek the nomination until 2028. Biden (81) would be 86 were he to see out a second term. A remarkable politician, his single greatest achievement has been his defeat of former president Donald Trump in his bid for a second successive term. While Biden is only three years older than Trump, he has shown considerable decline of late. There was even a glimpse of that in his visit to Ireland last year when he referred to the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team as the Black and Tans. Such misstatements can easily happen, but there has been a pattern that raises too many questions. Biden will not be charged for keeping classified documents, but a report into the episode has cast him as a well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory. It was a political but damning verdict. US vice-president Kamala Harris, an unpopular figure with the US electorate, according to polling data, has criticised the description as gratuitous, inaccurate and inappropriate and said the prosecutor was clearly politically motivated. While it is true that prosecutor Robert Hur was a Donald Trump-appointee, his report nonetheless rang true for many people, including in his ancestral homeland. The US presidents memory also appeared to have significant limitations, according to the report by Hur, who said that during an interview Biden did not remember when he was vice-president, forgetting on the first day of the interview when his term ended and forgetting on the second day of the interview when his term began. He did not remember, even within several years, when his son Beau died. And his memory appeared hazy when describing the Afghanistan debate that was once so important to him, Hur also wrote of Biden. Last week, a conversation with French president Emmanuel Macron became a conversation with Francois Mitterrand of Germany who died in 1996; a conversation with Angela Merkel at the G7 in 2021 became a conversation with Helmut Kohl, who died in 2017; and on Thursday night, while defending himself against the report, he confused Egypt with Mexico. Elsewhere, the war in Ukraine was mislabelled as the war in Iraq. Recently, Biden sought out Indiana representative Jackie Walorski at a White House conference, shouting: Representative Jackie are you here? Wheres Jackie? I think she was going to be here. In fact, she had died in a car crash eight weeks earlier, and Biden had released a lengthy statement mourning her. Many are of the view that Biden, a thoroughly decent man, is only running because he believes he is the only candidate who can stop Trump. As each week passes, the prospect of that appears increasingly unlikely. Even Bidens most ardent supporters cannot deny the US public has significant concerns about his age and mental fitness. Further to this, opinion polls show Trump has significant leads in crucial swing states. Newsom, a progressive-leaning politician with considerable executive and legislative experience and a willingness to counter head-on Republican policies and personalities, appears the best candidate available to take on Trump. New Ross Regeneration roadshow in New Ross is a missed opportunity Disappointment has been expressed at the decision to only hold an afternoon session for a roadshow about the development and regeneration of New Ross. Interest already in modern three-storey retail premises with huge potential Town & Country Mercantile is located on The Quay New Ross. Town & Country Mercantile is located on The Quay New Ross. The entrance counter at Town & Country Mercantile, The Quay, New Ross. The large downstairs retail space at Town & Country Mercantile, The Quay, New Ross. The stairs and lift at Town & Country Mercantile, The Quay, New Ross. A bathroom on one of three floors at Town & Country Mercantile, The Quay, New Ross. The ground floor retail space located one of three floors at Town & Country Mercantile, The Quay, New Ross. An elegant space located on one of three floors at Town & Country Mercantile, The Quay, New Ross. Display and shelving on one of three floors at Town & Country Mercantile, The Quay, New Ross. A beauty salon located on one of three floors at Town & Country Mercantile, The Quay, New Ross. One of three floors at Town & Country Mercantile, The Quay, New Ross. The beauty salon located on one of three floors at Town & Country Mercantile, The Quay, New Ross. The Beauty Parlour located on one of three floors at Town & Country Mercantile, The Quay, New Ross. A treatment room located on one of three floors at Town & Country Mercantile, The Quay, New Ross. The first floor of Town & Country Mercantile, The Quay, New Ross. Having closed its doors on Wednesday, January 31, after 14 years in business, Town & Country Mercantile on the Quay in New Ross, is on the market for offers of over 450,000. Sherry FitzGerald John Rohan in Waterford have the sale, with interest already expressed in the large, three storey premises from locals and people living further afield. Viewings are taking place this week with propsective buyers. Mr Rohan said: This is an excellent investment opportunity. Its a significant retail unit with ample display window frontage and a prominent positioning on a corner site on New Ross Quay. HE said the premises is in superb condition throughout and has a C2 BER rating. The property is ideally located on one of the most prominent sites on the R723. The R723 is the main access route through New Ross town, which connects well the N30 national road providing a link running east-northeast through County Wexford, between New Ross and Enniscorthy, as well as the N25 national route servicing Rosslare, Waterford and Cork and the M11 motorway to Dublin. The shop holds excellent positioning on New Ross Quay, less than 100m from the Dunbrody Famine Ship. Other nearby occupiers include Molloys SuperValu. With ample car parking available in the vicinity, (a car park is located immediately adjacent and another directly across the road), there is strong footfall in the vicinity of the property. The property occupies a substantially sized corner plot overlooking the River Barrow. Accommodation comprises of three floors with lift access to all floors, each of which has duel aspect windows facing onto streets with significant footfall and passing traffic. There is an emergency exit on each floor. Those on the upper floors lead to external staircases, which, in turn, leads to a small private yard with access to the adjacent car park. The unit recently operated as an up-market clothing store and beauty salon. The property comprises: ground floor: main shop floor with central point of sale, two fitting rooms and shop front access from the Quay, the back area consisting of hallway with emergency exit, small store, accessible customer bathroom, staff canteen, staff WC, large store room with emergency exit and an office. First floor: Large shop floor with central point of sale and two fitting rooms, beauty area with two make-up stations and pedicure chair and one treatment room complete with electric shower and wash- hand-basin. Second floor: Main beauty salon with reception/waiting area, two make-up stations, two manicure stations and two treatment rooms. The property further benefits from: lift servicing all three floors, teak double-glazed windows throughout, shop fitout which was completed by Kells Joinery Meath, electric storage heating, air-conditioning unit alarm system and monitored CCTV surveillance. The property was occupied by Town & Country Mercantile until very recently, but is to be sold with vacant possession. It is of Freehold Interest and is to be sold by Private Treaty. Contact John Rohan, Sherry FitzGerald John Rohan, Manor House, Cork Road, Waterford, on 051 843880 or by email on info@johnrohan.ie for viewings. Liam Ryan from Fethard with some Bog Oak he found on Grange Beach. New Ross Historical Society will hold its next lecture on Thursday, February 15, at 8 p.m. in the Pastoral Centre, Michael Street, New Ross Y34N799, called The Land War in the Barony of Shelburne 1882 - 1888. Based on the revised and updated second edition of his recent book, Liam Ryan will discuss how the confrontational events in the county of Wexford were an inspiration and example to the land tenants in the rest of Ireland to follow. The presence of powerful leaders such as Canon Thomas Doyle PP Ramsgrange at evictions, prevented the loss of life and restrained the police and military from attacking and shooting defenceless tenants. The evictions at Foleys Fort in Ballykerogue and Somers Fort in Coolroe and the mass Fethard on Sea evictions are notable local events and attracted huge turnout of local tenants and farm workers on the day. This and other information will be covered with new exclusive maps and photos discovered in recent years. Gusserane and New Ross recently said a sad farewell to a wonderful, kind and gentle man, James Cullen of Kilbraney, Gusserane, who died on December 26 last. James was born on February 13, 1942 the eldest son of Alice and Thomas Cullen of Kilbraney, Gusserane. He attended Gusserane National School in the late 40s. James left school at age of 12 to work at home on family farm as his father Thomas was in poor health. He worked very hard ploughing the land with horses. At that time he pulled beet by the hand in heavy frost. At the age of 17 he got his first job at Arthur Corbitts farm in Abbeybraney. At the age of 19 he went to work in England as bus driver. He met his lovely wife Maureen McGuigan, a nurse from Co Down and they got married in the early 60s. They had two children born in England, their daughter Jacqueline and their son James. Then they moved back to Co Down where James worked as a postman in Newry, and they had another son Ciaran. They lived there for a few years and then moved back home to the family farm in Kilbraney, where they had there another son Thomas, and then their family was complete. James got a job in New Ross at Albatros fertiliser factory where he worked for over 45 years. He started to work on family farm also and started to get sheep and cattle. A man who loved working with the animals and being on land and around farmyards with his youngest son Thomas, he especially loved when sheep were lambing, right up until his death. He loved nature and wildlife and had a great love for honey bees, proving to be a great beekeeper making, many said, the best honey around. His son Ciaran would help him with the bees as he was also a very hard working man. James loved sowing vegetables and potatoes and loved do painting and sowing plants. He was chairman of the Gusserane parish committee in 1980s and used to give a hand whenever needed, be it to painting the church or helping out at field days. Great joy came to James when he had four beautiful grandchildren Lauren, Jake, Jenny and Josh and two great-grandchildren, Ollie and Lucy. He loved his family at all times and always looked forward to catching up with everyone. James loved when his son James and Tracey and Jake came out to see them and was very proud of his grandson Jake as he started to play rugby. He would visit his daughter Jackie and her husband Andy and their children Jenny and Josh in the USA, travelling there to see them with Maureen, son James and grandchild Lauren. He also loved going to Waterford some weekends with Maureen to see Lauren and Billy for dinner. James also looked forward to seeing Ciarans partner Helen who brought out the tarts and Thomass partner Elaine who would bring out potatoes. James loved getting take-aways on Saturday nights. He would send Thomas up to Newbawn to pick his favoured burger and chips for himself and Maureen. This was always a treat after Saturday evening mass. The Cullen household was always full of fun and laughter with a warm welcome for everyone James enjoyed visits from his sisters and brothers and good friends Patsy O Farrell and Eamon Colfer, and also the late Michael Reville and Peter Walsh. He enjoyed visits from Mick Kinsella and Billy Myers in later years where he would have lots good craic and fun and laughter. James and Maureen would travel three times a week to dances and James would often record a video of himself and Maureen dancing in the kitchen together on his phone, sending it to family in the USA and Northern Ireland. If anyone needed something fixed or was in need, James Cullen was the man. Sadly, his health took a downturn four years ago to lung and liver cancer, which he battled very well. He was given treatment from USA which prolonged his life for a few years. James took to to the bed in early December with ill health and his wife and children knew his life was soon coming to an end. James was taken into hospital on December 22. He passed away on St Stephens Day surrounded by his wife children and grandchildren. Hundreds gathered around St John the Baptist Church Gusserane on December 28 for his funeral mass. People travelled all over from the West of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Dublin to attend, showing how he was well loved by everyone. Fianna Fail members and Gusserane members done guard of honour, as did neighbours when he was leaving the house. James was survived by his wife Maureen, daughter Jacqueline and sons James, Ciaran and Thomas, his grandchildren Lauren and Jake, Josh and Jenny and great-grandchildren Ollie and Lucy; his sons and daughters in laws. He was also brother to Martin and John Joe and Tony and Bridie Fitzmorris, and Anne Connelly, May Kennedy and Tessie Dunphy. And the late Maggie Keating, Una Freeman and Alicia Lennon and late Anna Maire who died at birth. James will be missed very badly around and indeed around the house and kitchen table. May your gentle soul rest in peace. The Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council said that Russian propaganda has launched a large-scale campaign to discredit the newly appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi. The propagandists are trying to create an image of a "Soviet and Russian person" and are promoting the topic of his relatives in Russia. ADVERTISIMENT The ultimate goal of the enemy, said Andriy Kovalenko, head of the National Security and Defense Council's Center for Countering Disinformation, is to reduce the trust of Ukrainian society in the Armed Forces. Details are provided by the Center's Telegram channel. According to Kovalenko, the aggressor state is trying to create the image of a "Soviet and Russian person" for Syrsky, in particular, by looking for his relatives and "family friends" in Russia. Propagandists take comments from them, which they then disseminate with the context they need. "The main goal of this campaign is to discredit the commander-in-chief and reduce confidence in the Armed Forces," Kovalenko said. ADVERTISIMENT The head of the Center added that Ukrainians who are currently being targeted by the Russian propaganda machine should remember that Syrskyi was a member of the team of his predecessor as the chief of the Armed Forces, Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, for a long time. "He commanded successful operations, including the liberation of Kyiv and Kharkiv regions. They would not have been possible without high-quality personnel, but a lot depends on the command. So Syrsky has shown that he knows how to achieve results in the war against Russia," Kovalenko added. He also noted that "Syrsky's team consists of young commanders who have been promoted." "This is a prerequisite for systemic improvements in the Armed Forces," Kovalenko said. He also warned Ukrainians against spreading narratives replicated by Russian propaganda. ADVERTISIMENT "Supporting the campaign that the Chief of Staff is a "Russian man" is playing along with enemy disinformation. Trust in the Armed Forces must remain at the highest level," summarized the head of the NSDC's Central Intelligence Center. On February 8 this year, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Zaluzhnyi from the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and appointed Commander of the Land Forces Syrskyy to replace him. In his evening address to Ukrainians, in which the head of state announced the decisions, he also announced large-scale changes in the defense sector. The promised changes were not long in coming. Already on February 9, Zelensky appointed a new head of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: Lieutenant General Serhiy Shaptala was succeeded by Major General Anatoliy Bargylevych, who commanded the Territorial Defense Forces. ADVERTISIMENT And on February 10, the president named new deputies to Chief Commander Syrsky: each of them - all of whom are combat officers - was assigned specific tasks and responsibilities. On February 11, it became known that former First Deputy Defense Minister Oleksandr Pavliuk would lead the Land Forces and that Yuriy Sodol, Commander of the Ukrainian Navy, would replace Serhiy Nayev as Commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Nayev himself, according to his statement in which he thanked Ukrainians and everyone with whom he had worked for a long time, learned of his dismissal from the media. Israel should not go ahead with a military operation in the densely populated Gaza border town of Rafah without a credible plan to protect civilians, President Joe Biden told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, the White House said. They spoke after two Egyptian officials and a Western diplomat said Egypt threatened to suspend its peace treaty with Israel if Israeli troops are sent into Rafah, where Egypt fears fighting could force the closure of the besieged territorys main aid supply route. Own an XL bully dog in England and Wales without an exemption certificate is now a criminal offence (Alamy/PA) A man and a woman have been arrested after an eight-year-old boy was seriously injured when he was bitten on the head by a dog believed to be an XL bully. He said at least 10 drones were launched at Kharkiv, eight of which were shot down. Civilian infrastructure in the Nemyshlyan district of the city was hit, causing a massive fire that burned down 15 private houses. Palestinian girl (6) who pleaded for help killed in Israeli attack along with paramedics; Hamas says more hostages killed Egypt and Hamas warn Israel as it prepares for assault on densely populated town of Rafah Palestinian girl Hind Rajab Graig Graziosi UK Independent Sun 11 Feb 2024 at 14:30 Israeli strikes on the Gaza strip over the past 96 hours have killed two Israeli hostages and seriously injured eight others, Hamas' armed-wing Al Qassam Brigades said on Sunday over the group's Telegram channel. Photo Courtesy: Unsplash A male leopard was found dead under mysterious circumstances at Cherambadi Forest Range in Gudalur forest division in the hilly Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu on Sunday. Forst department officials suspected that the carnivore would have been poisoned. Department officials said the leopard's visceral organs were sent for lab tests. The real cause of the death could be ascertained only after the reports are received. They said the carcass of the leopard had few injuries which might have caused during a fight with another carnivore. However, it seemed unlikely that the death could have been caused due to the injuries. The forest department officials are investigating the cause of the death of the leopard. (With UNI inputs) The British Deputy High Commission Kolkata organised the Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Cup reception at the Royal Calcutta Turf Club (RCTC) in the city on Friday. Speaking at the event, British Deputy High Commissioner to East & Northeast India Andrew Fleming said during his tenure he would try to help British nationals understand the opportunities present in the eastern and northeastern parts of the country. Never have I ever enjoyed the Indian National Anthem played by a bagpipe band. Sincere thanks to @KolkataPolice band cc. @CPKolkata https://t.co/tD9HTH5l16 pic.twitter.com/jEGeBZlauf Dr Andrew Fleming (@Andrew007Uk) February 10, 2024 "My task here over the next three or four years is to try to help British people better understand and know the opportunities in East and North-East India. At the same time, I will also equally help those who are interested in taking their business to the UK," Andrew Fleming said. The official, who took up his role in the city late last year, said: "I have already begun to fall in love with your city." "This is truly a remarkable race now fitted to our former Monarch who so very much loved horses," he said about the Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Cup horse race that took place at RCTC on February 10. Up until 2020 the reception was an annual fixture hosted by British Deputy High Commission Kolkata ahead of the formally named Queen Elizabeth II horse race. The new name for the race was adopted following the Queens death in September 2022. The pre-reception was the first since the pandemic. Andrew Fleming, Deputy High Commissioner to East and Northeast India hosted the reception in the presence of Sudipto Sarkar, Chairman, RCTC. Harjinder Kang, His Majestys Trade Commissioner for South Asia & the British Deputy High Commissioner to Western India accompanied him. RCTC and its connection with the Queen Elizabeth II Cup RCTC has been hosting the Queen Elizabeth II Cup race since 1953. The Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Cup race was the longest race of the day at 2800 metres. Fleming handed over the QE II Memorial Cup 2024 to the winner Aashay Doctor who represented the trainer Arti Doctor. Jockey Yash Narredu rode the Winning Horse No. 1 Third Avenue. File image of 2020 farmers' protest in Delhi/ courtesy: UNI Chandigarh/IBNS: Mobile internet connectivity has been suspended in seven districts as the BJP-led Haryana government prepares to block the farmers' march to Delhi on Tuesday. The Manohar Lal Khattar government has issued a notification, saying dongle services provided on mobile phones will remain suspended and only voice calls will be permitted. The farmers demand a law to guarantee Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their produce, pension, and insurance schemes. More than 200 organisations are part of the protest. Mobile internet services have been suspended in Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa districts till Tuesday night. Police, meanwhile, have planned to seal Haryana-Punjab borders to ensure protesting farmers from the neighbouring state cannot enter Haryana before proceeding to Delhi. This move will inconvenience those travelling between Chandigarh and Delhi. Police have announced alternative routes for this purpose. Haryana Police have advised commuters to avoid arterial roads on Tuesday. It has also warned of traffic disruptions due to the protest. On the borders between Haryana and Delhi, cement barriers, barbed wires and sandbags have been placed to stop the farmers from crossing into the national capital. Water cannons and drones have also been brought in. Meanwhile, the Centre has invited the protesting farmers for talks tomorrow. However, it is unlikely that the meeting will culminate in the farmers calling off protests as the demands require detailed discussion and parliamentary moves. The protest is being organised by Samyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political) and several farmers' organisations have distanced themselves from it. The Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal), which was part of the farmers' protest in 2020-21 that led to the Centre withdrawing three laws, said they won't join Tuesday's protest. Instead, they will participate in a protest on Friday. The BKU, however, warned that if farmers part of Tuesday's protest are "manhandled," all unions will hit the streets. Photo Courtesy: wikipedia.org/IBNS file/Screengrab New Delhi/Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress on Sunday announced the nominations of journalist Sagarika Ghose, former MP Sushmita Dev and two others for the Rajya Sabha election from West Bengal, sidelining three incumbent MPs. The only sitting MP among the four retiring Trinamool MPs to receive renomination is Mohd Nadimul Haque. The fourth candidate from the Trinamool is former Lok Sabha MP Mamata Bala Thakur, who belongs to the politically influential Matua community, while sitting MPs Abir Ranjan Biswas, Subhasish Chakraborty, and Dr. Santanu Sen were not granted another term. "We extend our heartfelt wishes to them and may they work towards upholding Trinamools enduring legacy of indomitable spirit and advocacy for the rights of every Indian," the party said in the post. We are pleased to announce the candidature of @sagarikaghose, @SushmitaDevAITC, @MdNadimulHaque6 and Mamata Thakur for the forthcoming Rajya Sabha elections. We extend our heartfelt wishes to them and may they work towards upholding Trinamools enduring legacy of indomitable All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) February 11, 2024 Sagarika Ghose, 59, has worked with prominent media outlets such as Times of India, Outlook, The Indian Express, BBC, and CNN-IBN. She is also an author, having written several books, and currently contributes articles and columns. Her father, Bhaskar Ghose, served as a former IAS officer, and she is married to journalist Rajdeep Sardesai. Interestingly, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee had walked out of a programme 'Question Time Didi', an audience based interaction, hosted by Sagarika Ghose in 2012 in Kolkata. A visibly livid Mamata removed her microphone, passed it to Ghose, and left the stage, alleging that everyone in the audience were Maoists when a student asked her about the escalating attacks on women in the State and the alleged infringement of democratic rights by the authorities. Mamata's abrupt exit made headlines, drawing criticism towards Banerjee for storming out of a prime-time show instead of addressing questions in a manner befitting a mature leader. The programme aired on CNN IBN went on to win the NT Award for Best Public Debate Show in 2013. Congress MP and senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi is the fifth MP retiring from the West Bengal quota. While Trinamool is likely to secure victories for all four of its candidates in the elections, the BJP can bag the fifth spot, with Congress unable to secure a candidate win as it lacks MLAs in Bengal. Elections for as many as 56 of the Rajya Sabha seats in 15 states will be held on February 27. Photo courtesy: twitter.com/BJP4India Jhabua (MP): Launching a blistering attack on the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the party is trapped in the quicksand of its sins, and the more it struggles to emerge, the more it will sink. Addressing a Janjatiya Sammelan in this tribal-dominated district headquarters, Modi said, The Congress, which is concerned not about your villages but its own palaces, is busy in destructive and divisive activities, but the country would never allow such designs to succeed. Expressing confidence that the National Democratic Alliance would win more than 400 seats in the general elections, he said that his party BJP would emerge victorious in excess of 370 constituencies. "I urge you to actively work at the polling booth level and disseminate information of the NDA governments achievements. The Opposition leaders have learned about the ground reality in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls. Indeed, such is the public mood in every corner of the country, Modi said. Reminiscing his tour of the southern states ahead of the consecration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Modi said, Mothers, sisters, the elderly, children, and youths had come in thousands to shower blessings on me. It was simply beyond my imagination. 10 , https://t.co/G1YQkPjXnb Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 11, 2024 Modi asserted that in Madhya Pradesh a double-engine government is working at double speed. He said that the credit for this development mega campaign goes to the people of the state. Modi said that some people are saying that Modi will blow the Lok Sabha campaign bugle from Jhabua, but, he added, I say that Modi has not come to drum up support. He has come as a servant to seek the gratitude of the godlike public. I guarantee that we shall toil day and night for you. In the past, Madhya Pradesh experienced the dark age of the Congress, he alleged, adding that the state was counted among the BiMaRU ones. "The biggest reason for that state of affairs was the Congress's attitude of brim-full hatred towards villages, the indigent, and tribal areas. That party never contemplates about the development and honour of the Adivasi community, which it treats as a mere vote bank, Modi emphasised. "The Congress opened only 100 Eklavya Model Residential Schools in so many years when it had several opportunities to bring about betterment. It prevented livelihood from forest produce and did nothing against the scourge of sickle-cell anaemia. It stood akin to a wall when a tribal lady was being elevated to the nations highest constitutional office. The Congress heaps abuse on me, he said. The Prime Minister announced that the Krantisurya Tantya Bhil University will be established and extended his best wishes for the Bhagoria festival. Modi dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stones for multiple development projects worth about Rs 7,300 crore. Image credit: PIB The Prime Minister disbursed the monthly installment of Aahar Anudan under the Aahar Anudan Yojana to approximately two lakh women beneficiaries. Under this scheme, Rs 1,500 per month is provided for nutritious food to women of various specially backward tribes in Madhya Pradesh. He distributed 1.75 lakh Adhikar Abhilekh (record of rights) to beneficiaries of the SVAMITVA Scheme aimed at providing documentary evidence for people's right to their land. Modi transferred Rs 55.9 crore to 559 villages under the Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana. This amount will be used for construction activities including Anganwadi bhavans, fair-priced shops, health centers, additional rooms in schools, and internal roads, among others. He laid the foundation stone for a CM Rise School that will integrate technology to provide modern facilities like smart classes, an e-library, etc. The projects for which foundation stones were laid included the Talavada Project, which is a potable water supply scheme for more than a thousand villages in Dhar and Ratlam, and 14 urban water supply schemes under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation 2.0, benefiting more than 50,000 urban households across multiple districts. The Prime Minister also dedicated the Nal Jal Yojana for 50-gram panchayats in Jhabua that will provide tap water to about 11,000 households. The foundation stone for the redevelopment of Ratlam and Meghnagar railway stations was laid. These stations will be redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. The rail projects included doubling of the Indore-Dewas-Ujjain C cabin line; an Itarsi-North-South grade separator with yard remodeling; and a third line connecting Barkhera-Budni-Itarsi. Modi dedicated road development projects worth more than Rs 3,275 crore, including the four-laning of Harda-Betul (Package-I) from km 0.00 to km 30.00 (Harda-Temagaon) of NH-47; the Ujjain-Dewas section of NH-752D; the four-laning (16 km) of the Indore-Gujarat MP Border section of NH-47; and the four-laning of Chicholi-Betul (Package-III) Harda-Betul of NH-47 and the Ujjain-Jhalawar section of NH-552G. Further, the Prime Minister dedicated and laid the foundation stones for other development initiatives such as waste dumpsite remediation and electric substations, among others. (With UNI inputs) In Volyn, border guards shot down a drone used by criminals to transport tens of kilograms of drugs. Two packages containing 22.5 kg of hashish were found on the drone. ADVERTISIMENT Law enforcement officers identified the persons involved in the illegal activity. This was reported by the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. A drug drone was destroyed on the outskirts of one of the border settlements in Volyn region. The copter with two packages of hashish was shot down by border guards and SBU officers. Later, authorized searches were conducted at the homes of three people involved in the illegal activity. Law enforcement officers found drones and other material evidence. In addition, a drone and a narcotic drug were seized, as well as three cars used by the smugglers to carry out the illegal transaction. All persons involved in the crime were served a notice of suspicion. In turn, the court chose a custody as a measure of restraint for them. ADVERTISIMENT As a reminder, law enforcement officers shut down 5 drug labs in Kyiv region and detained the organizer and seven accomplices. During the searches, they seized "goods" worth UAH 30 million. ADVERTISIMENT Earlier it was reported that law enforcement officers exposed a criminal organization organized by a resident of Dnipropetrovs'k region, which was engaged in the illegal production and sale of psychotropic substances and narcotic drugs. The group had been operating for a long time, and the organizer and his accomplice involved 15 other people in its work. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Photo Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons London/IBNS/UNI: UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron Saturday said that he is concerned over Israel's planned ground operation in the southern Gazan city of Rafah. Israel has been pounding Rafah for several days in preparation for a ground offensive that aims to root out Hamas. The city is the last refuge for over a million Palestinians who were told to relocate south during the past four months of the Israeli military operation in the enclave. "Deeply concerned about the prospect of a military offensive in Rafah over half of Gazas population are sheltering in the area," Cameron said on X. Deeply concerned about the prospect of a military offensive in Rafah over half of Gazas population are sheltering in the area. The priority must be an immediate pause in the fighting to get aid in and hostages out, then progress towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire. David Cameron (@David_Cameron) February 10, 2024 He said that "the priority must be an immediate pause in the fighting to get aid in and hostages out," followed by progress towards a sustainable and permanent ceasefire. The United States, Canada, Germany and other Western allies of Israel have criticized the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for ordering a ground operation in the packed city, warning of an imminent humanitarian disaster. In image incumbent Finish President Sauli Niinisto/ courtesy: Wikimedia Commons Helsinki/IBNS/UNI: The second round of the Finnish Presidential election will take place on Sunday, with the incumbent president, Sauli Niinisto , wrapping up his second and final six-year term. Former Prime Minister Alexander Stubb from the ruling center-right National Coalition Party will face former Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto from the Green League party. They received 27.2% and 25.8% of votes, respectively, during the first round that took place on January 28. Both candidates support sealing borders with Russia, imposing sanctions against Moscow and providing military aid to Kiev. It will be Finland's first presidential election as a NATO member, with the next president likely to continue Niinisto's political course in European and transatlantic affairs. Photo Courtesy: Unsplash Pakistani forces have allegedly abducted an individual after he was arrested from Pakistan's Quetta city, media reports said on Sunday. According to sources, Naseer Dinarzai, son of Muhammad Alam, a resident of Kili Bangulzai on Quettas Sabzal Road, was allegedly abducted by Pakistani law-enforcement forces from his home on the evening of February 7, reported The Balochistan Post. Family members of the victim demanded his immediate release. It should be noted that in the last 10 days, reports of forced disappearances of eight individuals from various regions of Balochistan had been documented, the news portal reported. The incident happened at a time when Pakistan voted to elect a new government in the financially struggling nation. Photo Courtesy: Unsplash Two National Democratic Movement workers were killed and 15 others, including party chairman Mohsin Dawar, injured after police opened fire on them while they were protesting in Miramshah Cantonment area of Pakistan on Saturday. They were protesting outside the ROs office over delayed election results. NDMs provincial chairperson Bushra Gohar condemned the cowardly attack on Dawar and held the ECP responsible for the incident, Dawn.com reported. Officials told the newspaper the incident occurred when NDM supporters reportedly opened fire on police personnel stationed at the gate of a stadium in the area. Police returned fire after the incident. The condition of Dawar is said to be stable. Bushra Gohar posted on X: "Prayers for @MohsinDawar & NDM workers badly injured in direct firing by security forces. Demand an inquiry and arrests of the culprits. @KP_Police1 @OfficialDGISPR who ordered the firing on Mohsin Dawar and Party workers?" Kartik Aaryan, who is preparing for his next movie Chandu Champion, was pleased to see a fan who had cycled 1000 km to see him. The actor was captured on camera coming out of his Mumbai home to welcome the fan who had ridden from Jhansi to Mumbai to only meet him. Just after the fan touches his feet and gives him a kiss on the hand in the video, Kartik Aaryan is seen posing with him for pictures. Kartik Aaryan Meets His Die-Hard Fan Check out the video here: The movie "Chandu Champion" has been creating a lot of buzz among viewers. Kartik Aaryan will play the lead in the movie, which will be his debut working with filmmaker Kabir Khan. Chandu Champion Release Date Taking to Instagram, Sajid Nadiadwala wrote, Brace yourself for one of the biggest film of the year, #ChanduChampion presented by #SajidNadiadwala & @kabirkhankk starring @kartikaaryan completes its shoot! Releasing on 14th June 2024! (sic). Kartik Aaryan Wraps Chandu Champion Shoot It is commonly known that Kartik Aaryan underwent a remarkable transformation to take on the form of his character in "Chandu Champion." He abstained from sugar for a full year. On January 31, the actor completed shooting the movie, and to celebrate, he had some rasmalai. He shared a video on Instagram and wrote, This RasMalai Tasted Like Victory! Finally eating sugar after a year !! After more than a year of intense preparation and 8 months of day-n-night shoots across the globe, today we complete the shooting journey of #ChanduChampion. And it couldnt have been sweeter than my fav, Rasmalai - from the Man himself who carved this challenging path for mea you have been a profound inspiration, Sir! @kabirkhankk (sic). Chandu Champion True Story Chandu Champion is reportedly based on the life of Murlikant Petkar, the first Indian to win a gold medal in the Paralympic Games. Kartik Aaryan is going to play Murlikant Petkar in the film. Murlikant Petkar reportedly won an individual gold medal in Heidelberg, Germany during the 1972 Summer Paralympics. In the 50-meter freestyle swimming event, he also established a world record with a time of 37.33 seconds. He competed in the javelin, precision javelin throw, and slalom in the same games and finished as a finalist in each of the three sports. For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. Following the Oscars 2024 nominations, a number of significant, enduring candidates are vying to be named the winner of the Best Director category. From Martin Scorsese for Killers of the Flower Moon to Christopher Nolan for Oppenheimer. 5 directors are competing for the trophy this year! A Look At Best Director Oscar Nominees 2024 Jonathan Glazer, The Zone of Interest Jonathan Glazer is the writer and director of the 2023 historical drama film The Zone of Interest, which is partially based on Martin Amis' 2014 novel. It was a joint production of Poland and the United Kingdom. In the film, Christian Friedel plays Rudolf Hoss, the German Nazi commander, who moves close to the German Auschwitz concentration camp with his wife Hedwig (Sandra Huller) in an attempt to create the life of their dreams. Imdb Where To Watch: Not Available Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things Yorgos Lanthimos and Tony McNamara are the directors and writers of the 2023 movie Poor Things. Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Christopher Abbott, Ramy Youssef, and Jerrod Carmichael are among the actors who star in it. The story, which is based on Alasdair Gray's 1992 novel, centers on Bella Baxter, a young lady in Victorian London who commits suicide and is later brought back to life by a scientist, setting off on a journey of self-discovery. Hollywood reporter Where To Watch: Not Available Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer Christopher Nolan is the writer, director, and co-producer of the epic biographical drama film Oppenheimer, which comes out in 2023. As J. Robert Oppenheimer, the American theoretical physicist who is recognized as the "father of the atomic bomb" for his work on the Manhattan Project, the World War II initiative that produced the first nuclear weapons, Cillian Murphy plays Oppenheimer. Additionally starring in the movie are Emily Blunt as Oppenheimer's wife "Kitty," Robert Downey Jr. as Lewis Strauss, the chief of the Manhattan Project, Florence Pugh as Oppenheimer's communist girlfriend Jean Tatlock, and Matt Damon as Leslie Groves. Kenneth Branagh, Rami Malek, Josh Hartnett, and Casey Affleck make up the ensemble supporting cast. Variety Where To Watch: Prime Video Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon Martin Scorsese co-wrote, produced, and directed the 2023 American epic western murder drama film Killers of the Flower Moon. Screenwriters Eric Roth and Martin Scorsese adapted the narrative from David Grann's 2017 nonfiction book. After oil was found on tribe grounds, a string of murders of Osage members and their relatives occurred in the Osage Nation during the 1920s in Oklahoma. On their reservation, the tribal people had maintained their mining rights; however, a dishonest local political boss was trying to embezzle the tribe's riches. X Where To Watch: AppleTv Justine Triet, Anatomy of a Fall The 2023 French legal drama thriller film Anatomy of a Fall (French: Anatomie d'une chute) is directed by Justine Triet and is based on a script that she co-wrote with Arthur Harari. Sandra Huller plays a writer who is attempting to clear her name of any involvement in her husband's passing. On May 21, 2023, Anatomy of a Fall made its world premiere at the 76th Cannes Film Festival, where it competed for the Queer Palm and took home the Palme d'Or and Palm Dog Awards. On August 23, 2023, Le Pacte opened it theatrically in France. It was met with critical praise, sold over a million tickets, and received 11 nominations for the 49th Cesar Awards. Imdb Where To Watch: Not Available For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. Bollywood superstar Mithun Chakraborty was admitted to a private hospital here on Saturday after he complained of severe chest pain. According to reports the veteran actor has been diagnosed with Ischemic Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA). While everyone is praying for the quick recovery of their favourite 'disco dancer', let's try to understand his health condition. Mithun Chakraborty What is Ischemic Cerebrovascular Accident? Ischemic Cerebrovascular Accident commonly known as an ischemic stroke, is a medical condition that occurs when there is a sudden disruption of blood flow to a part of the brain. This interruption in blood supply is typically caused by a blockage or clot in a blood vessel supplying the brain. The blockage can occur in two main ways Thrombotic Stroke: This type of stroke is caused by a blood clot (thrombus) that forms within one of the arteries supplying blood to the brain. The clot usually develops in a narrowed or damaged blood vessel. Embolic Stroke: An embolic stroke is the result of an embolus, a blood clot that forms elsewhere in the body and travels to the brain. The clot then lodges in a smaller blood vessel within the brain, obstructing blood flow. The lack of blood flow to the affected part of the brain leads to a deprivation of oxygen and nutrients, causing damage to brain cells. This can result in a range of symptoms, including sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the body, difficulty speaking or understanding speech, confusion, and problems with vision. How common is it? Ischemic strokes are the most common type of strokes, accounting for approximately 87% of all stroke cases. Various factors contribute to the risk of ischemic strokes, including: Hypertension (High Blood Pressure): Elevated blood pressure is a major risk factor for strokes, including ischemic strokes. Diabetes: Individuals with diabetes are at an increased risk of developing vascular conditions that can lead to strokes. Smoking: Tobacco use, particularly smoking, is a significant risk factor for stroke. High Cholesterol: Elevated levels of cholesterol in the blood can contribute to the formation of plaques in blood vessels, increasing the risk of stroke. Age: The risk of stroke generally increases with age. Family History: A family history of strokes or certain medical conditions can contribute to an individual's stroke risk. Is it Curable? The term "cure" is not typically used in the context of stroke, as the effects of a stroke depend on various factors, including the severity of the stroke, the specific area of the brain affected, and the timeliness of medical intervention. However, there are treatments and interventions aimed at minimizing the impact of an ischemic stroke and improving outcomes. These interventions include: Clot-Busting Medications (Thrombolytics): In some cases, thrombolytic medications can be administered to dissolve blood clots and restore blood flow to the affected part of the brain. However, these medications need to be given within a specific time frame after the onset of symptoms. Mechanical Thrombectomy: This procedure involves physically removing a blood clot from a blocked blood vessel, often using a catheter-based approach. Like thrombolytics, this intervention is time-sensitive. Antiplatelet and Anticoagulant Medications: These medications are prescribed to prevent the formation of blood clots and reduce the risk of recurrent strokes. Rehabilitation: Stroke survivors often undergo rehabilitation programs, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy, to regain lost functions and improve overall quality of life. The effectiveness of these interventions varies, and outcomes can range from complete recovery to long-term disability. Additionally, prevention plays a crucial role in addressing the risk factors associated with strokes. Managing conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol, adopting a healthy lifestyle, and seeking medical attention promptly can significantly reduce the risk of ischemic strokes. With Agencies and AI inputs Parts of north and east Delhi were engulfed in panic on Saturday evening as locals reported experiencing eye irritation and suffocation, prompting calls to the fire department regarding a suspected gas leak. However, officials could not confirm any gas leak after investigating the area, as per news agency PTI. PTI Gas leak scare Police, on the other hand, revealed that an anti-riot drill was underway at Yamuna Khadar near the Geeta Colony flyover, where tear gas was fired. They suspect that this exercise could be the cause of the burning sensation encountered by residents in their eyes. Numerous residents complained of eye irritation following the drill. "I feel a burning sensation in my eye and nose. It seems my eyes and nose have got blocked," remarked a local resident to news agency ANI. According to PTI, these drills were conducted in preparation for the farmers' protest scheduled for February 13. Over 200 farmers' unions have declared a 'Delhi Chalo' march to demand that the central government address their grievances, including the implementation of a law guaranteeing a minimum support price for crops. Twitter/ File Cops' preparations in full swing In anticipation of the protest, the capital's police have taken measures to block the city's borders with Haryana using massive containers. Cranes have been deployed to move these barriers in case farmers attempt to enter Delhi. Moreover, Haryana has installed cement barriers to prevent protesting farmers from entering Delhi. Reports indicate that police in Haryana and Punjab are using tractors to simulate the protest and rehearse their response. A total of 40 such rehearsals using tractors10 in Haryana and 30 in Punjabhave been conducted thus far. Intelligence inputs suggest that up to 20,000 farmers, accompanied by 2,000 tractors, may attempt to enter Delhi in the coming days. These farmers hail from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, and Karnataka. Police are concerned that antisocial elements may infiltrate the agitation and disrupt law and order. For more on news and current affairs from around the world please visit Indiatimes News. A man was found guilty this week on two federal charges after he manually diverted the Platte River through Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan. US Attorney Mark Totten expressed concern over the "disturbing" allegations of tampering and vandalism related to the man-made diversion of water at Platte River. "The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and the Great Lakes are national gems, and my office takes preserving our natural treasures very seriously," Totten stated. AP How man diverted a river on his own Andrew Howard, a 63-year-old resident of Frankfort, Michigan, took a shovel to the park on Aug. 15, 2022. According to the US Attorneys Office, he excavated sediment and rocks from the river basin and erected large rocks to construct a makeshift dam. This action diverted the rivers natural flow through the newly excavated channel out to Lake Michigan. After 17 months, the spit the man dug through began to reform. Images taken prior to the illicit diversion depict the winding river flowing through the sandy spit alongside the shoreline. Local media reported that accessing the lake was exceedingly challenging for boaters. "Within days, the natural force of the water and the dam caused the new channel to widen to approximately 200 feet," officials stated in a press release. "The diversion created unauthorized access for large boats to enter Platte Bay." A trial brief noted an "increase in the number of fishermen at the Platte River boat launch taking advantage of the favorable access conditions created by the new channel," according to Michigan Live. Aerial pictures show channel leading directly out to the lake An aerial photograph taken after the diversion reveals a significantly deeper river with a channel leading directly out to the lake. The river's continuation appears to be obstructed by a dam. The Park Service conducted a months-long investigation and issued appeals to the public for information before charging Howard. According to court testimony from a park ranger, "Howard constructed the dam after being unable to navigate his boat into the bay that morning and later caught a coho salmon once the mouth was deepened," Michigan Live reported. A ranger provided receipts for the shovel purchased from the hardware store near Howards residence. Another ranger testified to witnessing Howard using the shovel and stacking the rocks, a testimony corroborated by other witnesses. The fisherman now awaits sentencing for tampering and vandalism of a national park, both federal misdemeanors. He could face a maximum of six months in prison, a $5,000 fine, 5 years of probation, and mandatory restitution for diverting the Platte River. For more on news and current affairs from around the world please visit Indiatimes News. In a shocking incident, thirty individuals have been charged with the theft of 133 tons of chicken, which they subsequently sold in Cuba amidst the nation's economic crisis and food shortages. The theft occurred at a state facility in the capital city of Havana, where the thieves absconded with the meat packed in 1,660 white boxes. Getty Theft to purchase TVs, fridges, laptops According to a Cuban state TV broadcast on Friday, the proceeds from the sale were used to purchase refrigerators, laptops, televisions, and air conditioners. The stolen chicken was originally intended for distribution to citizens through Cuba's ration book system, a cornerstone of daily life established over six decades ago following Fidel Castro's revolution. This system offers subsidised food and remains crucial for the population's sustenance. Rigoberto Mustelier, the director of government food distributor COPMAR, revealed that the stolen quantity equated to a month's ration of chicken for a medium-sized province at current distribution rates. The incident underscores the significant decline in accessible chicken through the ration book system due to the ongoing economic crisis, resulting in widespread shortages of food, fuel, and medicines. Subsidised products often reach the population belatedly, exacerbating the struggle for individuals earning meager wages averaging 4,209 pesos a month (approximately $14 at the informal exchange rate). Authorities refrained from pinpointing the exact timing of the theft but noted temperature fluctuations in the cold storage facility between midnight and 2 a.m. Surveillance footage revealed trucks transporting the stolen chicken away from the site during this timeframe. File Convicts could face up to 20 years in prison The thirty individuals charged include shift bosses, IT workers, security guards, and outsiders not directly associated with the facility, as reported by the TV broadcast. If found guilty, the suspects could face up to 20 years in prison, according to Reuters. While crime has increased alongside economic hardships exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic's aftermath, large-scale thefts like this one remain relatively rare occurrences on the Caribbean island. The incident underscores the severity of Cuba's economic turmoil and the lengths to which some individuals are willing to go to meet their basic needs amid widespread scarcity. For more on news and current affairs from around the world please visit Indiatimes News. While much of China was buzzing with the excitement of Spring Festival celebrations on Saturday, I was invited to a Tibetan friend's home in rural Lhasa to take part in the joyous festivities of the Tibetan New Year, the most important festival for Tibetans. During my visit, I not only had the chance to savor delectable traditional dishes but also experience the vibrant local festival customs. It was truly a unique and remarkable experience. Before my visit to my friend Losel's house, I had a Tibetan costume made for me. Rather than opting for readymade costumes, locals prefer to have their traditional attire tailored. Perhaps that's why in the days leading up to the Tibetan New Year, tailoring stores lining Barkhor Street in the heart of Lhasa were packed with customers. The street was also brimming with festive vibes, with people swarming into traditional markets and stores offering a huge variety of goods to make special purchases for the festival. As the Tibetan New Year coincides with the Spring Festival this year, tourists from other parts of China, who are enjoying an eight-day holiday, have also headed to the plateau city, immersing themselves in the festivity. With gifts in hand, I set off for Losel's place early in the morning. It was a drive of over two hours from downtown Lhasa. The sparse crowds and quietness along the way stirred a momentary sense of solitude, contrasting with the anticipated hustle and bustle. However, upon arriving at Losel's home, the reason became clear. Losel's entire family, dressed up in traditional attire, filled the living room, joined by his brother's family and their parents. "We're not going out today. We're just staying with family," Losel told me. Upon arrival, I was greeted with a customary welcome ritual. Presented with a chema box, a two-tier rectangular wooden container filled with roasted barley and fried wheat grain, I followed Losel's lead and tossed some of the grains into the air twice before savoring the rest in my hand. Losel then draped a Khata, a ceremonial white scarf symbolizing goodwill and blessings, around my neck. As I extended my greetings in the limited Tibetan language I had learned only recently, saying "Losar Tashi Delek" (Happy New Year), my lame pronunciation amused them, adding to the convivial atmosphere. The tea table in the living room was filled with an array of unfamiliar snacks made from barley and yak butter, alongside familiar items like Budweiser beer. When I reached for a can of Coke on the table, I was surprised to see Japanese language labeling on it. Noticing my astonishment, Losel explained, "I purchased the cola from a store of imported goods in Lhasa, as part of my new year purchase." Seeing my curiosity about the Tibetan New Year customs, they told me that on the 29th day of the twelfth month of the Tibetan calendar, they gather to enjoy Guthuk, a kind of soup made from flour with nine different ingredients including wool and chili. Another festival custom is fetching water in the early morning, which is believed to bring good luck for the new year. I was later told that Losel's wife used to walk several kilometers to the river for the water. Now however, all she needs to do is turn on the kitchen tap and there freely flows the water. Locals in Xizang also have an eight-day holiday this year for the Tibetan New Year. During this time, they would visit relatives and participate in festive activities, such as the grand horse racing event in Lhasa, which I'm also planning to watch. The new year has just begun, and I am filled with excitement, ready to explore what it has in store for me. Ukrainians can prepare for possible power outages on their own. In particular, citizens are advised to have a number of things, including power banks and burners. ADVERTISIMENT Such advice was voiced by Yasno. Power engineers have warned that it is advisable to have a power bank (charged); a charging station in the apartment will not hurt; in a private house - a generator + fuel; a burner and several gas cylinders (be sure to check the device's serviceability and comply with the operating standards); several battery-powered LED lamps; a powerful flashlight (suitable for leaving the house when street lighting is not working); reflective stickers for yourself and an LED collar for your dog (to protect you when crossing the road in the dark when the lights are out); thermal underwear and a warm blanket; freeze-dried food and canned goods; a supply of technical and drinking water. What else is advised to Ukrainians? Always have emergency supplies. Check and update stocks regularly. ADVERTISIMENT Always have a plan of action in case of a power outage. Do not use candles without supervision. Keep all the necessary things in a visible place and easily accessible. As OBOZ.UA previously reported, 2 units at Ukrainian thermal power plants were taken out of service for emergency and routine repairs. However, despite this, the power industry does not plan to carry out scheduled blackouts, as no shortages are expected in the system. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! NASA used Instagram to showcase a spectacular creation to commemorate the Lunar New Year. What did NASA release to mark Lunar New Year? NASA released a three-dimensional and rotating image of a nebula | Image: Instagram They released a three-dimensional and rotating image of a nebula that "appears to be in the shape of a dragon". The space agency constructed it using data from the SOFIA mission. NASA wrote in the caption, Happy Lunar New Year. Welcome to the Year of the Dragon. This three-dimensional view of the Orion Nebula Earths closest star-formation nursery was created using data from the SOFIA mission." It reveals the detailed structure of the nebula, including a bubble that has been blown clear of gas and dust by a powerful stellar wind. In this way, massive stars can regulate star formation around them, and SOFIA helped astronomers better understand this effect, it further added. Where was the 3d visual created? The nebula has a blue center, with red wispy fragments on the outer detail | Image: Instagram "The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) was a mission of discovery, revealing unseen and sometimes unseeable parts of our universe. While science flights have ended, SOFIAs data from a total of 732 nights observing over the course of the mission are publicly available for scientists to study and conduct further research in the future, NASA added. While sharing the description of the visual NASA explained, "A rotating three-dimensional view of the Orion Nebula in what appears to be in the shape of a dragon. The nebula has a blue center, with red wispy fragments on the outer detail." How did people on the internet react? The post was shared 9 hours ago, since then, it has received over 2.8 lakh likes. The share has also received multiple remarks. "My favorite nebula. OMG!" remarked one Instagram user. "How exactly are nebulae formed?" another inquired. NASA responded, "A nebula is a massive cloud of dust and gas in space.Some nebulae (multiple nebulae) form from the gas and dust ejected by the explosion of a dying star, such as a supernova. Other nebulae are areas where new stars are starting to develop. As a result, some nebulae are dubbed 'star nurseries'." Check the visuals here. What do you think about this? Tell us in the comments. For more trending stories, follow us on Telegram. A construction company in Seoul has devised an innovative solution to address the country's frighteningly low birth rate. Who is offering Rs 62 Lakhs for having kids in South Korea? The Booyoung group is offering Rs 62 lakhs to people for having kids | Image: Unsplash The Booyoung Group is proposing to compensate its employees 100 million Korean won ($75,000 or 62,26,106) for each kid they have. According to CNN, the corporation would pay seven billion Korean won ($5.25 million or 43,58,27,437) in cash to employees who have given birth to 70 infants since 2021. The bonus would be available to both male and female employees, the company announced. What does the company has to say? "I hope we will be recognized as a company that contributes to encouraging births and worries about the country's future," said Lee Joong-keun, Chairman of the Booyoung Group, about the effort. Joong-keun explained that the company's goal was to alleviate the financial strain of childrearing on its employees by direct financial support, and that staff with three children would have a special option to choose whatever benefit they wanted. They can pick between receiving "300 million Korean won ($225,000 or 1,86,78,318) in cash or rental housing if the government offers land for construction". Why having kids is being promoted in South Korea? The company's endeavor comes as South Korea's birth rates are dangerously low | Image: Unsplash The company's endeavor comes as South Korea's birth rates are dangerously low. South Korea has the world's lowest fertility rate of 0.78 in 2022, and that figure is predicted to fall to 0.65 in 2025, according to Statistics Korea. South Korea's birth rate has been declining since 2015. According to a grim estimate made in December 2023, the country's birth rate could fall to as low as 0.59 by 2026, resulting in population levels not seen since the 1970s. While authorities expect the birth rate to gradually rebound to 1.08 by 2072, this figure is still much lower than the 2.1 births per woman threshold needed for population stability in the absence of immigration. South Korea's total population is anticipated to shrink from 51.75 million in 2024 to 36.22 million, a figure last seen in 1977. What do you think about this? Tell us in the comments. For more trending stories, follow us on Telegram. Also read: We check out some of the best-known destinations in Seychelles, famous for Creole hospitality From the vibrant streets of London to the bustling avenues of Beijing, citizens of 79 nations, including the United States, Britain, France, China, Russia, and members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), can now explore Malawi's wonders visa-free. Onerous visa requirements were stifling our potential, shared Tourism Minister Vera Kamtukule, highlighting the numerous complaints received. This move signals that Malawi is open for business, she declared, emphasising the governments strategy to attract investments in agriculture, tourism, and mining. Think elephants trumpeting across lush plains, hippos basking in crystal-clear waters, and crocodiles sunning themselves on sandy beaches. This landlocked nation boasts an abundance of wildlife and breathtaking landscapes, much of it centred around Lake Malawi, Africa's third-largest freshwater lake. Renowned for its diverse marine life and pristine beauty, the lake is rightfully recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Salihu Lukman, former National Vice Chairman, North-West, of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has lamented the growing hardship in the country. He furthered that it is unfortunate that todays existential realities are different from the campaign promises of the Party. In a lengthy Sunday statement issued in Abuja and titled Heartbreaking Reflections, Lukman urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to sit up and reevaluate some of the policy decisions he took in the last 10 months that has brought untold hardship on Nigerians. Lukman noted that rather than giving life to its campaign promises, the APC-led administration has only succeeded in changing all its promises to the consternation of Nigerians. He said it is curiously disappointing that although Nigeria is supposedly in a democratic setup, todays reality is as nervous as it was in the late 1990s. Although, today, we have an elected government with President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as President, it is difficult to predict the direction Nigeria is going. Almost every action of the administration of President Asiwaju Tinubu is reduced to political convenience, often with hardly any clear logic other than exercising the power to make decisions, which cannot be substantiated with references to reasons. As a result, conditions of life are daily crashing. Being a loyal member of the APC and supporter of President Asiwaju Tinubu, it is very difficult to reconcile todays reality with all the campaign promises made. Since 2015, as a party, we raised the expectations of Nigerians. We promised to change Nigerian politics but since winning the 2015 elections, we have only succeeded in changing all our promises to the disappointment of Nigerians, he stated. Many elected and appointed representatives in government, he said, have acted exactly, if not worse, than the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders the APC defeated in 2015. Lukman added that many APC leaders who were in the frontline of the struggles against military rule and against the PDP, are today very comfortable and are behaving like emperors and tyrants. They impose their decisions on citizens and when citizens criticise them, they hurl insults and abuses in the same way old military regimes responded. The only difference is that cases of arrests and detention are no longer the case. READ ALSO: Tension As Scammers Hack Cross River Governors Phone Number The consequence is that notwithstanding the fact that we are in a democracy, we have produced the sad reality whereby the leadership of President Tinubu is becoming more and more insensitive to the plight of citizens. In less than ten months since the assumption of office, prices of practically everything have jerked up. For instance, 50Kg bag of Rice, which used to be about N28,000 in May 2023, is now (February 2024) around N70,000. 50Kg bag of Maize, which used to be N16,000 is now more than N60,000. 10Litre of Groundnut Oil, which used to be N10,200 is now more than N21,000. 10Litre of Palm Oil, which used to be N7,000 is now more than N12,000, he stated. Lukman noted that all these are happening because President Tinubus government took the bold decision to remove subsidy on petroleum products and float the Naira exchange rate. As a result, he said a Litre of Petroleum Motor Spirit PMS has increased to N670 from N189 while a litre of Kerosine increased to N1,300 from N1,000. 12Kg Cooking Gas increased to N12,500 from N3,800. Exchange rate of the Naira is now hovering around N1,500 to the US Dollar from about N700. Given all these, incomes of citizens have crashed to below 25% of its value before May 2023. The value is still going down. The question of providing new opportunities for income earning is at best academic debate. High level government officials continue to engage the issues from the vantage view of their comfort zones. The truth must be told: There is a big existential problem facing citizens. Unfortunately, all we hear is appeal for patience. How long are citizens expected to survive under this kind of very harsh suffocating reality? What is really the plan government is working on? As someone who was in the forefront of the struggle for democracy, this certainly wasnt what we fought for. Also, as a supporter of President Tinubu, we least expected that President Tinubu will be weakly responsive to the challenges facing Nigerians. Why did we negotiate the merger of the legacy parties that formed the All Progressives Congress? Did we really do that to produce a party that could produce leaders who will attend to the problems facing citizens? If so, where then are the leaders? Shouldnt President Asiwaju Tinubu be one of such leaders?, he queried. Lukman said at this rate, APC under President Tinubu may have succeeded in turning Nigerias democracy into an insensitive party. Unfortunately, as it is either the APC is alienated from citizens, or it is unable to orient initiatives of governments it controls to respond to the needs of citizens. With none of the organs of the party functioning, meetings at any levels are hardly taking place, all that the party does now is organising phantom primaries in which so-called aspirants for offices are crowned as candidates of the party. READ ALSO: Tinubu Warns Varsities Against Indiscriminate Award Of Honourary Degrees Yesterdays fighters for democracy who resisted military dictatorship are todays Godfathers. Being todays Godfathers, they dispense patronage at will and shift anointment every election cycle. Is that the variant of progressive politics we are producing? President Tinubu, APC leaders and Nigerian politicians can do better. How can anyone with the faintest of conscience live a normal life with a reality whereby the same citizens who elected them as leaders are impoverished by decisions we took as a ruling party? Is President Asiwaju Tinubu at all aware that majority of our citizens, including relatively high-income earners cannot afford medication when they are sick? I must admit, both as an activist, as a politician, and as a Nigerian, I am heartbroken. I am devastated by the fact that the performance of President Asiwaju Tinubu in the last 10 months betrays all the expectations we had. We never expected that President Tinubu will be unmindful of the consequences of his decisions. The belief of many of us, and indeed most Nigerians is that President Tinubu is a responsive politician who will not recklessly take any decision without weighing its consequences on the lives of citizens. Being human, our expectation is that, if decisions are taken with grave consequences such as withdrawal of subsidy and floating the exchange rate, being the responsive leader he is, it is our expectation he will quickly review and recalibrate such decision with the overall objective of protecting the welfare of citizens. That is what progressive politics is all about. If within a four-year tenure, after 10 months the scorecard is gory tales of existential crises for citizens, then the political value of such a regime is suspect. President Asiwaju Tinubu must wake up and urgently do the needful to demonstrate his true democratic and progressive credentials. APC leaders must also wake up from their current power drunkenness and push the administration of President Asiwaju Tinubu to become more responsive and stop behaving like a military administration. A civilian elected government, which tramples on the structures of its own party and blocks its organs from functioning is as good as a military government. The choice between democracy and a dictatorship is clear. Once structures of the party are blocked from functioning, the capacity of any so-called democracy to respond to challenges facing citizens will be weak. This is exactly our situation in Nigeria today. The question is whether the real President Tinubu who was adjudged to be a democrat and progressive, who was voted by Nigerians, will resurface at this difficult times? I pray and hope that the God of mercy will take charge and fix our leaders and nation, Nigeria. May God Almighty touch the heart of President Tinubu and all APC leaders, and indeed all Nigerian politicians, to understand that millions of Nigerians are confronted with life threatening realities today. Just like we asked for the votes of citizens during an election, citizens are asking leaders, especially President Tinubu, to be responsive to todays reality, Lukman declared. According to him Federal Government is not oblivious to the efforts and sacrifices being made by the Nigerian military towards ensuring that insecurity becomes a thing of the past in the country. While speaking at an event to mark the Diamond Jubilee of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna, he also expressed confidence in the capacity of military to rid the country of banditry, insurgency, and criminality. He charged the armed forces to keep protecting Nigerias territorial integrity against all threats, adding that the war against the enemies of Nigeria is not over. Let me also add that although the war against the enemies of Nigeria is not over, it is fair to state that relative peace has been recorded across the major flash points. READ ALSO: FCT Police Nab Pastor, Two Others For Trafficking 12 Children From Nasarawa To Ogun These successes have come at a price for the government and the populace. We remember our fallen heroes and those out in the trenches for the sake of our fatherland. Let us also celebrate their resilience and sacrifice at this diamond jubilee. I urge you to continue to play your constitutional role of safeguarding the territorial integrity of Nigeria, our fatherland. You must shun any acts that are inimical to the well-being of our nation and acts that can destroy the gains of democracy that we have enjoyed in the last 20 years. The government is fully aware of the service and sacrifices that members of the Nigerian Armed Forces have continued to render across the length and breadth of this country, especially in the face of daunting challenges. Let me reiterate the urgency to upscale the fight against insecurity, which has robbed us of peace and progress. While the relative peace you have been able to secure is worth celebrating, you must remember that the war is not yet over until every parcel of land held by the enemy is flying the flag of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the President said. The nations Police operatives, on Saturday, revealed that notorious kidnappers and their camps have been neutralised and destroyed in Abuja. Force Spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, disclosed that the elimination took place on Friday. In the early hours of February 9, 2024, around 2.40 am, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force Intelligence Bureau Intelligence Response Team (FIB-IRT), acting on intelligence, successfully attacked, neutralized and eliminated many notorious kidnappers including the kidnapping kingpin identified as Musa Wada (Sabo) Magaji, in an operation conducted around Mpape, Abuja. The team also destroyed the camps of the dreaded kidnappers who have been thorns in the flesh of Abuja residents in recent times, a statement from Adejobi read. According to him, the Police operatives engaged the criminals in a 30-minute gun battle, with several of the kidnappers fatally injured, while one of the police operatives sustained bullet wounds. READ ALSO: Delta Police Detain Officers For Shooting Vigilante Leader He said the development comes just on the heels of the neutralization of Abubakar Wada, an associate of Musa Wada, on February 8, 2024, who served as a lead to their hideout. Musa Wada, aka Sabo, was the mastermind behind numerous kidnappings for ransom activities plaguing areas including Mpape and Bwari in the FCT; Kagarko in Kaduna; Masaka, and Nukun Village in Nasarawa State. His modus operandi involved identifying wealthy targets and mobilizing armed gangs to carry out abductions for ransom. Noting that the recent operation was carried out by the FIB-IRT through a surprise assault, he said, items recovered from the hideout include mobile phones, multiple SIM cards, charms, and hard drugs. Efforts are on to recover additional arms and ammunition and other equipment they use for their nefarious operations, the police added, reiterating its commitment to bringing perpetrators of heinous crimes to justice, against all odds. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Saturday, warned Universities in the country against indiscriminate award of honorary Doctorate Degrees. According to him, it is a sabotage which undermines the very core values of academic integrity and must be discontinued. Tinubu, represented by the Acting Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission (NUC), Chris Jibreel-Maiyaki handed the warning at the combined convocation ceremonies for the 6th, 7th, and 8th graduates of the students of Federal University of Lafia (FULafia), in Lafia, the Nasarawa State. He explained that degrees were being awarded for candidates found worthy in character and learning. The honorary degrees, he noted, should be given to only deserving Nigerians who have contributed immensely to the growth of society. READ ALSO: Tinubu Doesnt Have Responsibility To Answer All Nigerians Requests Fashola Academic competence and professional training represents just a fraction of the qualifications needed to build a strong and prosperous nation. He said, Moral training and ethical standards must be coupled with the best form of academic development for universities to fulfill its purpose. Therefore, universities management and the general environments of teaching and learning must model the highest standard of integrity, probity and moral discipline. In this connection, I must draw your attention to the tendency of some institutions to devalue the quality of their degrees by given out honorary Doctorate Degrees indiscriminately against the common universities community practice. President of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Godwin Abumusi, on Saturday, threatened to lead members of the Union to protest naked if their welfare package is not upgraded. In a chat with reporters in Abuja, Abumusi asked the Federal Government to fix N100,000 as the new national minimum pension in the country. Abumusi further warned that anything short of their demand would lead to the naked protests on the streets. In Nigeria, governments dont think about the poor people, they only think about themselves. Otherwise, how can a pensioner in Enugu receive as low as N450? How can this be? Abumusi queried. He added that, We wish to propose the sum of N100,000 as the national minimum pension to the tripartite committee in line with the proposed N200,000 national minimum wage by the NLC. READ ALSO: Federal Workers Lament Delay Of January Salary Anything short of that would incur the wrath of the pensioners who are hard hit by the prevailing economic hardship. I am going to lead Nigerian pensioners naked I mean naked. We are going to protest. We are going to go naked on the streets so that the world will see the Nigerian pensioners demonstrating naked. If they like, they will arrest us and say why do you go naked on the streets. Recall that on Thursday, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) gave the Federal Government a 14-day ultimatum to heed their requests over the rising cost of living in the country. The Organised Labour had also accused the government of neglecting the welfare of Nigerians and the workers. The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board have begun an investigation into the Friday night chopper crash near the California-Nevada border. Recall that the crash which occurred in the Mojave Desert around 10 pm. local time, near Nipton, California, involved a Eurocopter EC 130. Reacting, the FAA, in a Saturday statement noted that six people were on board but did not disclose information regarding casualties. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate. The NTSB will be in charge of the investigation and will provide any updates, the statement read partly. Sources had confirmed that Herbert Wigwe, the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Access Holding, was among the casualties in the helicopter crash. READ ALSO: EFCC Declares Emefieles Wife, Margaret Wanted For Money Laundering However, the US agency did not disclose whether Wigwe was among the number of casualties or not. Rick Breitenfeldt, FAAs Public Affairs Specialist, Office of Communications, said, Contact local authorities for the names and medical conditions of the people on board. Wigwe, according to a source, had traveled for the Super Bowl event in Las Vegas scheduled for Sunday. A whole family was wiped out, the source told The Punch. Kingsley Nwokoma, President of the Association of Foreign Airlines and Representatives in Nigeria, also confirmed that he was aware of the information regarding Wigwes demise. This is a big loss. He didnt die alone, both his wife and son were involved. Its quite unfortunate that he had to die this way, he said. Meanwhile, Shareholders in the Nigeria Capital Market have described the death of Wigwe and former group chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group), Abimbola Ogunbanjo as a great loss to the capital markets and the country at large. Adebayo Adeleke, Group Managing Director, Lancelot Ventures Limited and Former General Secretary, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria, ISAN, who described their death as tragic, said that they have left their footprints in the sand of times. He said: Its rather tragic that it appears to be a season of death around the business community in general and Access Bank in particular. Ogunbanjo, former Chairman of NGX and serving chairman of Beta Glass Plc, just buried his father last month. Access Bank just lost both its Board Chairman and the PA to the GMD recently. Now, Herbert Wigwe, wife and two children have also gone. The entire shareholder community and the capital market are still in shock. We are deeply saddened by this development. READ ALSO: Lagos Govt Warns Against Vehicles Without Visible Number Plates Herbert Wigwe was so much loved by shareholders for raising the bars of Access Bank higher after the exit of his soul-mate, Aig-Imoukhuede. He was my friend. We were born the same time, the same year and in the same town, he added. Moses Igbrude, National Coordinator, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria, ISAN, said: It is a great loss to the banking sector and Nigeria as well as shareholders community. Wigwe was a great guy, a merger specialist and expert who alongside his colleague Aig Aigboje-Imoukhuede brought a small Access Bank to mega a bank; local bank to international bank. It is a great loss, I sincerely wish his soul and others a profound peace. Director-General of the World Trade Center, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala expressed extreme sadness via X saying, My deepest sympathies and condolences to the Wigwe family, the Ogunbanjo family, Access Bank Group employees and Management @myaccessbank and my younger Brother Herberts partner Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede. May the souls of the departed rest in perfect peace. Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, said he is shocked to learn Wigwes wife, son and other friends were involved in this tragedy. His words, The reported tragic loss of my friend, brother and not-far-away neighbour in Lagos, Herbert Wigwe, the co-founder of Access Bank, the CEO of Access Holdings and the founder of Wigwe University, is very devastating. He was in my office earlier this week (where we took the pictures below) and actually left my office to fly out of the country and never came back. I am also shocked to learn his wife, son and other friends were involved in this tragedy. We were on the verge of announcing something big for the aviation sector, the reason he actually came to the office with his entire team, both from Access and Wigwe University. This is surreal and I am lost for words. May Almighty God comfort his aged parents and sibling (who were also my neighbours in Lagos for many years as a very young lawyer in Anthony Village), his immediate family members, his staff, friends across Nigeria and dependents. Teachers in Philadelphia School District and charter schools are leaving the profession at much higher rates than their counterparts in other parts of Pennsylvania. Read more Philadelphia teachers leave the profession at significant rates so high, in fact, that the numbers of educators quitting teaching are larger than the number of graduates of local teacher-preparation programs, according to a new analysis out of Pennsylvania State University. The research comes amid a nationwide teaching shortage, in a state that recently recorded its lowest-ever number of teaching certificates issued. Here are some takeaways from Where Did They Go? Examining Teacher Career Pathways in Philadelphia County, the research out of Penn States Center for Evaluation and Education Policy Analysis, examining teachers employed by any traditional public or charter school in Philadelphia for the school years from 2017-18 to 2021-22. More teachers quit in 2022 Teacher attrition reached its highest level in 2022, with 13% of Philadelphia School District teachers leaving and 23% of charter teachers. Thats up from 2018, when 16% of charter teachers and 7% of district teachers quit. And while attrition generally grew over the study period, charter educators left at rates that were sometimes almost double those of district teachers. Charters can employ uncertified teachers, and most charter workforces are not unionized. Charters generally employ higher numbers of newer teachers: nearly 74% of charter teachers had 10 or fewer years of experience; 40% of district teachers were veterans of 10 years or fewer. Overall, nearly 1 in 3 Philadelphia teachers, district and charter, left the profession in 2021-22 28.6%. That number was extraordinarily high, the researchers said. That was up from a low of 16.7% for the 2020-21 cohort, a year in which most Philadelphia schools conducted only virtual education for most or all of the year. Big numbers of inexperienced teachers leave, especially in charter schools Nationwide, teachers are generally most likely to leave the profession in the first five years of their career. But the rates at which Philadelphia teachers, district and charter, leave in the first five years surprised even Ed Fuller, Penn State education professor and the lead author of the study, along with Xinran Zhang. (The study was commissioned by Elevate 215, a Philadelphia-based education nonprofit.) Advertisement Fuller and Zhang found that 20% of charter teachers left the profession in their first year, compared with 18% of district teachers. By teachers fifth year in the classroom, attrition dropped considerably for district teachers 9% of district teachers with five years of experience left the teaching profession, but 17% of charter teachers quit after five years experience. The researchers also conducted five-year analyses, examining the percentage of teachers who had left the profession within five years for both the 2018 and 2019 Philadelphia cohorts. The attrition rate among teachers with one year of experience in the 2018 cohort was about 50% in the charter sector, and 45% in district schools. For those with five years experience, 36% of charter teachers employed in 2018 were no longer employed by 2022, and 21% of district teachers. The five-year retention trend for charter teachers hired in 2019 was particularly grim, the researchers found. Overall, less than 50% of inexperienced teachers who started in 2019 were left in the education profession. Thats extra high, said Fuller. How do you build a teacher pipeline when youre losing that many people? Its difficult. (Though that cohort includes years impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Fuller said he believes the numbers are still representative of Philadelphia teacher attrition.) Teacher effectiveness improves most in the first five years of teaching experience, research shows. It follows, the researchers wrote, that retaining early careers is an important strategy in improving teacher effectiveness and, hence, student outcomes. Leaving for another school job, or leaving education altogether? Most charter teachers who quit their jobs left education altogether. In 2018, of the 16% of charter teachers who left their jobs, 13% exited teaching. Similarly, most district teachers who left did not remain in the field of the 7% who quit in 2018, 6% left teaching altogether. And though commonly held wisdom suggests Philadelphia teachers often leave the school district for jobs in better-paying suburban schools, where working conditions are often superior, the data do not bear that out. For the 2018 cohort of teachers, just 1% of district teachers moved to a teaching job in another district or charter school. For the 2022 group, 2.2% moved to another district or charter. Charter teachers, however, moved to other charters or to a district school at a rate five times higher than that of district teachers leaving for elsewhere. A disproportionate price to Pennsylvania, and the financial cost Because Philadelphia employs such a large percentage of all Pennsylvania teachers, high Philadelphia attrition affects the states educational bottom line significantly. Philadelphia employs about 20% of all Pennsylvania teachers, but it comprises about 30% of all teacher attrition. Furthermore, the researchers found, the number of teachers leaving the profession in Philadelphia County exceeds the number of newly prepared teachers by local teacher preparation programs. That means to staff classrooms, Philadelphia district and charter schools either cope with a high number of teacher vacancies, hire teachers from outside the state, or, increasingly, hire teachers who lack full teaching credentials. Fuller believes that teachers on emergency certifications likely contribute appreciably to Philadelphias attrition rates. Those teachers without credentials are not fully prepared, Fuller said. Teaching is really hard no matter where you start, but were placing these teachers in really difficult positions, and theyre not prepared, and they have to try to get certified while theyre teaching. $27,000 per teacher who quits? Teachers leaving has a real price to students and even other educators, particularly if their colleagues quit midyear, which sometimes requires other teachers covering classes. There are also financial ramifications. The Learning Policy Institute estimates a cost of $27,000 for each teacher that leaves, resulting from the direct costs schools bear for replacing teachers, and the indirect costs of decreased student outcomes. To fix the problem, Fuller said the state must increase the number of students in teacher preparation programs. Philadelphia district and charter teachers who weighed in on a recent survey said pay would be the biggest incentive to make those who are thinking about leaving stay in the profession. But working conditions are also paramount, those surveyed said. Fuller agrees. Youve really got to work on the working conditions in schools, he said. If you hate the working conditions, it doesnt matter how much money you make. President Volodymyr Zelensky has appointed new commanders of various branches of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In particular, Lieutenant General Serhiy Nayev was replaced by Yuriy Sodol as commander of the Joint Forces, and Oleksandr Pavliuk, the former head of the KOVA and Reznikov's former deputy, became the head of the Land Forces. ADVERTISIMENT The Airborne Assault Forces and the Territorial Defense Forces also have new leaders. The relevant decrees appeared on the President's website on February 11, 2024. Land Forces Zelensky's Decree No. 69/2024 appointed Pavliuk Oleksandr Oleksiyovych as the Commander of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, replacing Colonel General Oleksandr Syrsky, who became the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. Lieutenant General Oleksandr Pavliuk (53) is a fellow countryman of the "iron general", the previous commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valeriy Zaluzhny, as he was also born in the city of Zvyagel, Zhytomyr region. ADVERTISIMENT From 2021 to 2022, he served as the commander of the Joint Forces Operation, which took place in part of Donbas. In 2022, he was awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine. In March 2022 , he was appointed head of the Kyiv Regional Military Administration, entrusted with the organization of the capital's defense, and in May of the same year he was removed from this position. On February 14, 2023, the government decided to appoint him first deputy to the then head of the Ministry of Defense, Oleksiy Reznikov, and almost a year later, on February 10, 2024, the Cabinet of Ministers fired Pavliuk. Joint forces Presidential Decree No. 71/2024 appointed Yuriy Ivanovych Sodol as commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and dismissed Serhiy Nayev from this position by Decree No. 70/2024. ADVERTISIMENT Lieutenant General Yuriy Sodol (53) was born in Chuhuiv, Kharkiv region, into a military family. He graduated from high school in Mariupol (1988), Sumy Higher Artillery Command School (1992) and the Chernyakhovsky National Defense Academy of Ukraine in Kyiv (in 2022 he qualified as an officer of the military command of the operational and tactical level, in 2015 - of the operational and strategic level). In the 1990s, he served in an artillery regiment in the Dnipro region. In 2003, he joined the airmobile troops. In 2007-2015, he was the commander of the 25th separate airborne brigade of the Airborne Forces, with which he visited the hottest spots during the ATO: Rubizhne, the storming of Yampol, the defense of Donetsk airport, and covering the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Debaltseve. ADVERTISIMENT In January 2015, he was appointed First Deputy Commander of the Airborne Forces, and since March 2018, he has been the Commander of the Navy's Marine Corps. Yuriy Sodol is a Hero of Ukraine (2022). He received the medal "For Military Service to Ukraine" (2010), the Order "For Courage" of the III degree (2014), and the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky of the III degree (2015). Airborne assault troops By Decree No. 73/2024, Zelensky appointed Ihor Anatoliyovych Skybyuk as the commander of the Air Assault Troops. Accordingly, Maksym Myrhorodskyi was dismissed from this position. Brigadier General Ihor Skybyuk (48) has served in the 80th separate airborne assault brigade of the Airborne Forces since 1998. He rose from platoon commander to brigade commander (2022). He participated in the ATO and the Joint Forces Operation in eastern Ukraine. He was the commander of Ukrainian units in the international military exercises Maple Arch 2016. ADVERTISIMENT With the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops on February 24, 2022, he continued to defend the territorial integrity of Ukraine and distinguished himself in early September when he commanded units of the 80th Air Assault Brigade during search and strike operations to destroy the enemy in the direction of the cities of Balakliia, Izium district, Kupiansk and Izium, Kharkiv region. Thanks to his determination, clear and timely combat orders, the brigade's units liberated several settlements, including Izyum, from the occupiers. From 2023, he was Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander of the Airborne Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In 2022, President Zelensky awarded Colonel Ihor Skybyuk the highest state award, the Order of the Golden Star, and conferred the title of Hero of Ukraine. He was also awarded the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, III and II degrees (twice in 2022). ADVERTISIMENT Territorial Defense Forces According to the Presidential Decree No. 74/2024, Ihor Viktorovych Plakhuta became the Commander of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Colonel Ihor Plakhuta commanded the Separate Presidential Brigade (from 2005 to May 2008), in 2009 he was the commander of the 169th Training Center of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. As reported by OBOZ.UA, the day before, the president replaced the leadership of the General Staff of the Armed Forces. Major General Anatoliy Bargylevych, who headed the Territorial Defense Forces, was appointed to the position of the head. He will take the place of Lieutenant General Serhiy Shaptala. ADVERTISIMENT Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! The new Anna C. Verna Playground at FDR Park on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024. Read more On opening day of the Anna C. Verna Playground in FDR park in October, Meghan Talarowski watched a mom shoot out of the bottom of a tunnel slide. Thats far too dangerous for children! the woman declared. Talarowski was amused. One, an adult bodys mass makes them slide far faster than a kid. More importantly, the scary factor of the slide is kind of the point. Talarowski is founder and executive director of Studio Ludo, a Philadelphia nonprofit that works to build better play through research and advocacy. The firm partnered with design group WRT to design the playground, part of the multiphase FDR Park Plan overseen by the Fairmount Park Conservancy and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation. Advertisement The playground is unconventional. There are log scrambles and a mega oval-shaped swing set, so swingers face each other the first of its kind in North America. It has seven slides ranging from four feet to 30 feet tall. Three of the slides are enclosed in metal structures meant to look like Victorian bird cages, a nod to FDR Parks large bird population, webbed with rope to climb to the top. At first look, the height of towers and the design of the cages might be unnerving. One parent commented on an Instagram story that the cages were terrifying. On a Saturday afternoon in December, dozens of children scaled the towers, shrieks and laughter filling the air. David Benito, 10, of South Philadelphia, played with his siblings, red-faced and smiling. Its scary, he said. This one is so tall! I asked his mom, Ana Benito, if she had to coax her children to try the biggest tower. No, not at all, she said. Parents are often more wary than kids of risky play spaces, says Talarowski. We all have that thing as parents that makes us make that sound, she said, drawing in a sharp breath and wincing, to demonstrate. Thats why the towers at Anna C. Verna are designed to offer what Talarowski calls graduated risk-taking microdosing risk. If its a little bit too scary, its really easy for you to back down, she said. The smallest tower, at 10 feet, has a larger climbing space so caregivers can join. A middle-sized slides tower consists of a series of platforms to reach the slide, making it a bit less comfortable for adults which is intentional. We wanted to provide a tower for just kids if they didnt want their grownups with them, said Talarowski. The tallest tower is the most physically challenging, with access through the tower or a rope ladder. The ladder feels a little destabilizing, and thats on purpose, Talarowski said. If youre going to go up to that 30-foot tower, we want to make sure youre physically capable. The design is backed by data, like the six categories of risky play defined by play expert Ellen Sandseter, which include, Great Heights (check), Rapid Speeds (check), and Disappearing or Getting Lost (likely check). We dont have fire, though, said Talarowski, of the Dangerous Tools and Dangerous Elements categories. Playground design as a whole has been leaning toward introducing beneficial risk in recent years, though Americans have been wary. Proponents of risk say being able to assess physical risk on their own actually prevents injuries and builds emotional resilience in kids. Allison Schapker, chief operations and projects officer for the Fairmount Park Conservancy, said this playground serves as a blueprint for potential future projects. Its a first for the city, Schapker said. We wanted to push and test what a playground would look like in Philadelphia. Since FDR Park, which serves about 4 million Philadelphians per year, is a space for all ages, the playground team wanted it to be a space just about anyone could enjoy. The mega swing especially welcomes kids and grownups alike. I see adults as much as kids on these swings, especially the basket swings, Schapker said. When I visited, Nadia Ouagugu accompanied her son, 8, up one of the towers and down the slide. Yeah, I was scared, she said, laughing. I looked down and said, I dont have a choice, I have to continue. Thats it. No choice. Across the playground, Illyana Roe, 7, of West Philadelphia, explored the tallest log scramble set, resting at the top. I love the big slide, she said. Its so fun. It makes you go extremely fast like Sonic! East Lansdowne Elementary School principal Dr. Nakia Williams speaks during the vigil for the victims of the East Lansdowne shooting/house fire . Read more By the time it ended on a spring-like Saturday evening, the scent of burning candles had overpowered the acrid odor of fire smoke that had lingered in the air from the tragedy that has left the town of East Lansdowne in disbelief. More than 100 people including some out-of-towners gathered in the Delaware County community in front of the remains of the burned-out house about 7 p.m., bearing their candles in red plastic drinking cups, for a vigil to honor those who had died in Wednesdays horrific mass shooting and fire on Lewis Avenue. While the candles didnt extinguish the grief, the vigil, which featured uplifting speeches about the deceased family members, appeared to give those in attendance, some who stayed around until 9:30 p.m., a sense of release. The event started with Mayor Majovie Bland imploring the crowd to yell in unison, I love you. I miss you. I honor you. I will never forget you. Advertisement Officials have identified the victims as Xuong Le, 40, his wife, Britni McLaughlin Le, 37; and their children, Natalya, 17, Nakayla, 13, and Xavier, 10. Also left dead was Cahn V. Le, 43, Xuongs older brother, who police believe shot and killed the five before setting the house on fire. Investigators were still trying to figure out precisely what happened at 58 Lewis Ave. on Wednesday afternoon. And residents were trying to make sense of it. This doesnt happen here, Jose Encalada, who lives next door to the burned-down house and whose home was damaged, said before the vigil. Agreed East Lansdowne Police Sgt. Jim Cadden: The trouble that happens in other places usually doesnt happen here. And Erica Moody, whose family lives a block away, said: We will move forward at some point, but not really, ever, because this is always going to be here. Not all the attendees lived in East Lansdowne, a community of about 2,700. Tanya Enyoasah, of Bellmawr, Camden County, drove 40 minutes with her four grandchildren to pay respects to the victims. Tanya L. Cain, who lives in Upper Darby Township, which surrounds the town, said East Lansdowne was a peaceful place where residents work, go home, leave each other alone. This is a horrible, unspeakable tragedy, Jack Stollsteimer, Delaware Countys district attorney, said Friday. The borough hasnt had a homicide in two years. We are hurting. We are in pain, said Mayor Bland. It is a close-knit classic suburban bedroom community, its 100-year-old, gabled American Foursquare houses and Craftsman bungalows giving its tidy streets a sense of unity. People of color constitute an estimated 80% of the population in the racially diverse borough. Cadden described East Lansdowne as the United Nations of communities. On an overcast, spring-like afternoon before the vigil, the neighborhood was quiet, save for the twittering of birds and the barking of a few dogs. Six white candles and a small basket by a tree filled with miniature stuffed animals, set around the corner, marked the scene to come. During the afternoon, a group had gathered at Yeadon Community Park to release pink and blue balloons to honor the victims. According to property records, the house had been owned by family members since 1990. Several relatives of the victims attended the vigil, including John McLaughlin, father of Britney McLaughlin Le. He recalled that his daughter worked tirelessly for her family and that her husband was so hardworking. He added, Man, the kids. I love the kids, showing their pictures on his smartphone. Investigators are still trying to unravel precisely what set off the rampage. They believe that Cahn Le shot and killed his relatives, and fired shots at the police officers who responded, wounding two of them, and that he then set the house ablaze. Investigators said they had retrieved the melted remains of a rifle, believed to have been used in the shootings, but it was unclear who had purchased it. During the vigil, Nakia Williams principal of the East Lansdowne Elementary School, which Xavier had attended, said: We have to look at his desk every day, we are not moving it. We are going to miss him. Said Britneys brother Justin McLaughlin, A very close friend of the family said to me that we are grateful that none had to survive the other and live such a horrific event. They all died the same way they lived, which was together. At one point, the crowd participated in a moment of silence, interrupted occasionally by cries of sorrow. No words can describe this kind of sadness, Enyoasah said before the vigil. Her granddaughter Juliana Merced had asked her to come. At 13, Juliana felt it was important to let them know that even tho we didnt know them we are still here for them. Police in Rockledge, Montgomery County, are investigating State Rep. Kevin Boyles recorded outburst at a bar there early Thursday morning, including alleged threats to hit female employees. A video circulating on social media shows Boyle yelling at staffers at Gaul & Co. Malt House on Huntingdon Pike, telling them hell end this bar. Listen, you just drank a little bit too much, just go home, a woman says to Boyle in the video. Rockledge Borough Police Chief John Gallagher, in a news release sent Saturday, said a bouncer called 911 at 12:18 a.m. Thursday, alleging that Boyle had threatened to hit female employees, including a female bartender. Gallagher said police were also told Boyle was intoxicated and possibly under the influence of drugs. Advertisement When police arrived at the bar, they found Boyle, 44, standing outside. He presented his drivers license, Gallagher said, but would not provide further details. Responding officers, according to Gallagher, were told Boyle was asked to leave several times and wouldnt. The female staffers Boyle allegedly threatened declined to press charges, Gallagher said. House Democratic representatives could not be immediately reached for comment Saturday. On Friday, State Rep. Matt Bradford, the House majority leader, said: We are aware of a video circulating on social media. It is very troubling. Rep. Boyle has been open about his personal challenges, Bradford said in the statement. We are encouraged that our colleague and dear friend is seeking help. Boyle, a younger brother of U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle, is a Democrat who flipped the Northeast Philadelphia seat from Republican control at age 30. He has represented the Northeast Philadelphia House district since 2011. Boyle has been open about past struggles with mental health. He was arrested and charged with harassment in September 2021 after showing up at his ex-wifes house, violating a protection-from-abuse order shed filed against him. The charges were dropped, according to court records, and his record has since been expunged. Gallagher said that the investigation into the latest episode is continuing and that the Malt House has been fully cooperative, with employees preserving footage from surveillance cameras at the bar and their personal phones. Neither Boyles status as an elected official nor his political party will play a role in the investigation, Gallagher said in the release. The investigation continues, Gallagher said, and appropriate action will be taken at its conclusion. Garrison Kearse, known as Glizzy G, dances in front of the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile parked outside of the Walmart in South Philadelphia on Saturday. Read more In a world where differences and discontent can drive us apart, a symbol of joy and, perhaps, some minor indigestion, parked outside a Walmart to help bridge the divide. Vegetarians on their way to the gym veered off to take selfies, along with people who eschew pork for religious reasons. It was the silliest thing theyd see on this Saturday morning in South Philly, and no one, it seemed, could avoid a smile. Its not a sausage, honey, its a giant hot dog, one woman said to her son as it rolled to a stop. It wasnt just any giant hot dog, it was Odie, one of six official Oscar Mayer Wienermobiles that crisscross the United States. The original Wienermobile first hit the road in 1936 and today its about as American as, well, hot dogs, a simple and absurd advertising gimmick immune to cynicism outside of Walmart. I dont eat meat, but this is a national landmark, South Philly resident Amelija Sorg said before going to Planet Fitness. Advertisement Odies two drivers, called hotdoggers, were trained to drive the 6.0-liter vehicle at a special boot camp in Madison, Wis., but both have local connections. Driver Allison Allie Dog Silibovsky graduated from Temple University in 2022, saw an ad seeking new drivers, and figured why not? Fellow driver Garrison Glizzy G Kearse, who has a small tattoo of the Wienermobile by his armpit, is a York native who went to Lincoln University. He said driving the 27-foot-long hot dog isnt as difficult as it appears. Theres no need for a special drivers license and, because it sits so high, its relatively easy to see all the cars slowing down to take photos. I like to say this thing can haul buns, he said. Kearse and Silibovsky generally motor the meat through the South and were fresh off a trip to Orlando. Odie has no bathroom or beds. Silibovsky even drove the Wienermobile through Puerto Rico, via cargo ship. We just want to bring back that joy and spread smiles across the country, she said. Silibovskys parents paid her a surprise visit, driving down to see her from Long Island. They said they barely get to see her. Were gonna get a cheesesteak and head back home, said Silibovskys dad, Andrew. Together, Garrison and Silibovsky danced with Walmart shoppers and handed out wiener whistles to kids. They serenaded a woman for her 90th birthday and broke out some classic Oscar Mayer jingles few people under 30 would know. Its been a long time since I heard the Oscar Mayer song, said North Philly resident James Brown, 74. Its a happy song. This thing is a real hoot. Multiple shoppers asked Silibovsky and Garrison for actual hot dogs Brown wanted raw onions but alas, the Wienermobile isnt a food truck. They handed out coupons, instead. Were only allowed to serve up smiles, Garrison repeated several times. Inside the bustling Walmart, a 10-pack of Oscar Mayer hot dogs stuffed with cheese was $3.97. A bottle of Pepto Bismol was $4.98. Gunshots were reported near the campus of Temple University in North Philadelphia late Saturday afternoon as law enforcement officers arrived to disperse a large crowd of young people, police said. Officers heard several gunshots some time after they responded to a 911 call around 4:30 p.m. reporting more than 500 juveniles gathered at Broad Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue, police said. Temple freshman Mallika Khurana said in an interview the shots occurred around 5:50 p.m. in the street outside Morgan Hall South, where she lives, and the nearby 1300 Residence Hall, both student residences. No injuries were reported as of 6:25 p.m., police said. Temple had issued an alert advising students and faculty to avoid the area and to use caution. Khurana, 18, a legal studies major, said a large group of youths, many appearing to be no older than 9, had filled both Broad and Cecil B. Moore, extending north on Broad to in front of the Liacouras Center, around 4:30 p.m. Police were present, Khurana said, and intervened when small fights broke out. Khurana said fights moved into the nearby SEPTA station. Advertisement These kids clearly were here to create drama, Khurana said, adding some harassed workers in nearby businesses and jumped an Uber driver and tried to steal his car. Around 5 p.m., dirt bike and ATV riders rode through the area, stopping traffic and adding to the chaos, Khurana said. Less than an hour later she heard two shots and then a third, Khurana said. At that point, there were cops flooding Broad, around eight to 10, and ambulances, said Khurana, who watched from a lounge in Morgan Hall. That caused the crowd to scatter. The group of 500 kids became 100 within a second, Khurana said. At least one person was taken into custody, Khurana said. The Bell Tower at Lenfest Circle on the campus of Temple University in September. Read more Temple University police Sunday issued a campus alert showing a photo of the suspect believed to have fired two gunshots during a large gathering of young people near campus Saturday evening. Just before 6 p.m., police were attempting to disperse a crowd of more than 500 young people near Broad Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue when officers heard a gunshot a block away, near Park Avenue, said Jennifer Griffin, Temples chief for public safety. Minutes later, police heard a second gunshot nearby. No one was injured, Griffin said, and police were able to clear the area within an hour. Through examination of our camera footage and citizen videos, we believe one person fired a handgun into the air during both incidents, Griffin said in a statement, asking for the publics help in identifying the unnamed suspect. Temple freshman Mallika Khurana said in an interview Saturday that the shots occurred near two student dormitories. Advertisement Khurana, 18, a legal studies major who watched the scene unfold from a student lounge, said a large group of youths, many appearing to be no older than 9, had filled both Broad and Cecil B. Moore, extending north on Broad to in front of the Liacouras Center, around 4:30 p.m. Police were present, Khurana said, and intervened when small fights broke out. Khurana said fights moved into the nearby SEPTA station. These kids clearly were here to create drama, Khurana said, adding she saw accounts on Snapchat of some of them harassing workers in nearby businesses, and her friends witnessed one jumping an Uber driver and trying to steal his car. Around 5 p.m., dirt bike and ATV riders rode through the area, stopping traffic and adding to the chaos, Khurana said. Less than an hour later, shots rang out. Griffin said that both Temple police and the Philadelphia Police Department had deployed officers to Broad and Cecil B. Moore in advance of the large crowds. Temple reached out to Philly police earlier in the week, Griffin said, after becoming aware of a social media post noting a large meet-up planned for Saturday near campus. Cameras monitored the growing crowds, she said. At first, the crowds were orderly, Griffin said. Police began to disperse them once several fights broke out. An initial TUalert notifying students to avoid the area was issued at 5:23 p.m. Khurana said cops flooded Broad Street after the gunshots, scattering the crowds. The group of 500 kids became 100 within a second, Khurana said. Both Temple and Philadelphia police detectives are working to identify the gunman, Griffin said. As of Sunday morning, seven children between the ages of 13 and 16 had been cited for disorderly conduct, she said. In a separate incident early Sunday morning about five blocks from Temples campus, three teenagers were shot outside a party in a home near 19th and Diamond Streets, police said. Around 1:30 a.m., police found the victims an 18-year-old shot in his arm, a 17-year-old with graze wounds to her head and arm, and a 15-year-old with a graze wound to her head. The 17-year-old remains in critical condition, while the other victims are stable, police said. Police did not release any information about the suspect. Joyce Jones hugs Officer Lamar Johnson at the 18th Police District in West Philadelphia. Johnson was one of three officers who helped save Jones when she suffered a severe asthma attack and passed out in her husband's car while they were rushing to the hospital. Read more Joyce Jones was lying in a hospital bed when she did something she usually wouldnt do, even under normal circumstances: She turned her phones camera on herself to record a public plea. Yall know I dont really do no videos, and I definitely dont do none in the hospital, but Im blessed to be here today, Jones, dressed in a hospital gown, said. Philadelphia is a big little city, so I know somebody knows these people and I really need to find [them]. In the short video Jones posted to Instagram on Jan. 18, the 54-year-old explained that a few nights earlier, she had suffered a severe asthma attack and likely would have died on the street if not for a group of strangers who came to her rescue. When I called Jones, she said she and her husband, Ottis, were watching television in their West Philadelphia home when her chest tightened and her breathing became labored. They decided to drive to the hospital but were in the car for just a few minutes when she fell unconscious. This is where Ottis filled in the blanks. In a panic, he remembered that there was a police RV stationed at 52nd and Market Streets, so he rushed there. Advertisement My wifes not breathing, he yelled as he pounded on the side of the vehicle. Please help me. The officer inside took Joyce out of the car, laid her on the pavement, and began performing CPR. Soon, a woman who Ottis believes had just gotten off a nearby bus jumped in to help, identifying herself as a nurse. As Ottis watched the officer and the nurse try to revive his wife of 20 years, everything turned into a blur. He was inconsolable until a group of bystanders took turns propping him up, encouraging him to stay focused. You have to stay strong, the men said. You have to be there for your wife. The officer and the nurse got Joyce breathing, but she needed urgent care. The paramedics would be there in six minutes, but the nurse said Joyce didnt have that much time. Thats when the officer called for reinforcements, and two more police officers showed up. They put her in their cruiser, with one officer driving and another in the back seat with Joyce, continuing CPR as they sped to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Cedar Avenue. Ottis followed behind. Ottis had been too distraught to recall the officers names. But hed never forget how they stayed with him at the hospital until his wife was stabilized. Joyce was exhausted by the ordeal, but after her husband told her what had transpired, she was determined to find the people who saved her life and in the process, restored her faith in humanity. Ive been in the city all my life, and lately all you seem to hear about is a lot of violence and chaos, she told me. So just the fact that these complete strangers all played a part in helping me, I had to try to find them. The day Joyce posted her video, I had been reading about the arrests of three people in a November attack on a school crossing guard, disgusted at the lack of basic human decency so often on display in this world. Coming across Joyces video was a welcome boost and the countless positive comments her post received were a testament that others felt the same. Joyce said she had exchanged some messages with a community relations officer in the hopes of identifying the three officers. In the meantime, I made some calls of my own to help initiate a reunion. The following week, we met at the 18th Police District on Pine Street to put names to the men she only knew as her angels: Officer Lamar Johnson, who initially performed CPR on Joyce, and Officers Tyler White and Yaasim Thompson, who rushed her to the hospital. The trio was pleased to see that Joyce had recovered, but were insistent that their actions were just part of the job. When Ottis called Johnson a hero, the officer quietly demurred. The job is often unpredictable, they said, so being able to come together to help someone in need was a good day. But Joyce wasnt going to let them get off that easily. She hugged each of them tight. I so appreciate you all, she said. There are tensions that cant be ignored between some Philadelphians and the police department, even on the best days. Ive met some not-so-nice cops, Joyce told the officers. But, she added, she hoped that sharing her experience with them could help build better relationships between police and all the communities they serve. Joyce still wants to find the nurse who got off the bus and stepped in to help, and the bystanders who supported Ottis. I hope that they or someone they know sees her video or this column because a grateful couple very much wants to say thank you. I also hope that the Joneses experience serves as a reminder that were all a little bit better as individuals and as a city when we rush off the bus to help someone whos sick or injured, when we hold up a distraught husband. When every day we choose kindness. Palestinians arrive in the southern Gaza town of Rafah after fleeing an Israeli ground and air offensive in the nearby city of Khan Younis on Jan. 29. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seems set on attacking Rafah, writes Trudy Rubin. Read more Israel is poised to inflict the largest humanitarian catastrophe yet on desperate Palestinian civilians in Gaza, as its planes strike and troops push into Rafah, the last urban refuge for families fleeing the fighting. Roughly half of Gazas population is now trapped in the southern city up against the Egyptian border having fled progressively south on Israeli military orders and is now living in tents or rough on the streets. International aid agencies are frantic. Military operations in Rafah will result in the displacement of more than a million people who have nowhere left to go, warns Bob Kitchen, the vice president of emergencies at the International Rescue Committee. If they arent killed in the fighting, he adds, they will be at risk of dying by starvation or disease. There will no longer be a single safe area for Palestinians as their homes, markets, and health services have been annihilated. Yet, even as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken shuttles around the region trying to arrange a humanitarian cease-fire and the release of Israeli hostages, neither Hamas nor Israel appear moved by civilian casualties. Advertisement READ MORE: Israels trial on genocide charges before a U.N. court should be a wake-up call for Jerusalem | Trudy Rubin Hamas has praised civilians as martyrs, whose deaths rally sympathy for the Palestinian cause. Meanwhile, Israel bombs the areas to which it directed Gazans for safety and shrugs off international demands that it protect Gazan civilians. Over and over, Blinken and President Joe Biden have urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to curb civilian casualties in Gaza and stop indiscriminate bombing. The Israeli leader has repeatedly stiffed them. With a Rafah disaster in the offing which could sink the latest U.S. hostage release efforts it is time for Blinken to abandon his cool with both sides. On his fifth trip to the region, and seventh trip to Israel since the horrific Hamas invasion of Oct. 7, Blinken has been rebuffed by both Hamas and Netanyahu in his latest efforts to get hostages home and godfather a regional Israel-Palestine-Arab peace deal. With American, Israeli, and Egyptian backing, Qatar had sent Hamas a rough framework proposal at the end of January, suggesting a six-week pause in fighting and more aid deliveries. In exchange, there would be a staggered release of Israeli hostages, matched by the release of a large number of Palestinian security prisoners. The three-phased Hamas counterproposal, as laid out in Israeli and Lebanese media, was a total nonstarter. By the last phase, it would ultimately require Israel to pull out fully from Gaza, end the war, ensure aid deliveries and rebuilding, and leave Hamas effectively in charge. There is no way Israel can accept future Hamas control of Gaza. The terrorist group is openly committed in its charter to the destruction of Israel and the killing of Jews; its leaders have pledged to repeat Oct. 7 over and over again. But the Netanyahu governments indifference to the deaths of Gazan civilians even apart from simple morality, or the question of war crimes makes Hamas survival more likely. A civilian bloodbath in Rafah will further antagonize Israels moderate Arab partners and further turn global public opinion against Israel. It will reduce any chance that Arab nations or international forces would be willing to take over the civilian administration of Gaza once the war ends so Israel doesnt have to. It will likely ensure that the Israeli military will have to fully reoccupy Gaza and face a continued Hamas insurgency that will sap defense forces. It will probably doom the remaining Israeli hostages. Yet, this appears to be the course Netanyahu has set. Clearly, Blinkens ire is rising. Having supported Israel to the hilt, and having said Hamas has no place in Gazas future, he (and Biden) are now getting the finger from Netanyahu. The Israeli leader appears unwilling to end the war on any basis, lest public wrath at the governments Oct. 7 failures lead to his fall from power. In an astonishing news conference Wednesday, Blinken practically begged Israel not to doom more Gazan women and children to their deaths. Israelis were dehumanized in the most horrific way on Oct. 7, the secretary said. The hostages have been dehumanized every day since. But that cannot be a license to dehumanize others. The overwhelming majority of people in Gaza had nothing to do with the attacks we cannot, we must not, lose sight of that. We cannot, we must not, lose sight of our common humanity. That plea is likely to land on deaf ears in Jerusalem. READ MORE: Back from the dustbin: Two-state solution reemerges as the only way to Israel-Palestine peace | Trudy Rubin Blinken also revealed that, in conversations with Netanyahu, he had raised our profound concerns about actions and rhetoric, including from government officials, that inflame tensions that undercut international support, and place greater strains on Israels security. My translation: Washington is worried that Netanyahus extremist ministers want to drive Palestinians physically out of Gaza and the West Bank. Their efforts will undercut any hostage release or moderate Arab efforts to end the Gaza war without a victory by Hamas. Sadly, there is no sign Netanyahu is listening. Nor does it appear at all likely that Israel can defeat Hamas by military means alone. Until Israelis and Palestinians can produce more farsighted leaders, a Gaza solution appears far off. But when it comes to avoiding a Rafah bloodbath, it is time for Blinken and Biden to be far more forthright with Netanyahu. It is time to make clear that unless and until Israel has a plan for safeguarding civilians, the White House will openly oppose a Rafah invasion, including at the U.N. Security Council. If Netanyahu and his radical ministers insist on leading Israel toward disaster in Gaza, it is time to rethink future U.S. military support for Israels war. At the sight of anything that reminds me of her, I say hello, or want to give it a high five. Sometimes I say a prayer that well talk again. Other times I queue up Joni Mitchells Both Sides Now: As every fairy tale comes real, Ive looked at love that way. Yes, 14 months after a debilitating breakup I realize things need to change. So I recently embarked on a research journey. Heartbreak, I discovered, is a subject of scientific inquiry, with researchers plumbing the effects and mysteries surrounding a loss. Heartache is no longer just the purview of poets. Perhaps by talking to these researchers, I reasoned, I could deal with my own heartbreak. Advertisement Experts have found that breakups, especially a difficult, unexpected one such as my own wed been living together less than a month can burrow deep into our subconscious. Everyone knows they hurt, but science shows they can alter our bodies as well as our minds. People suffer, said Helen Fisher, a biological anthropologist who has done extensive studies on heartbreak. And they suffer for a while. More than 400 days after the breakup, I continue to stew on it, analyze it, grieve it. I also havent had more than three consecutive hours of sleep since the fall of 2022. Thats not completely unexpected, say researchers. Heartbreak, said Guy Winch, who has written multiple books on healing and heartache, is one of the most painful experiences we go through as people. No wonder he called heartbreak a form of disenfranchised grief, and one society does not take seriously. His words brought momentary relief, partly because extended heartbreak brings with it a sense of shame and isolation. But simply moving on a rite of passage that can involve some combination of therapy, ice cream, binge watching, alcohol a nd time is a myth. Weve been able to prove that when you are rejected in love, you are in an addicted state, Fisher said. How addicted? Fisher said heartbreak activates the same region of the brain triggered by, say, heroin. These areas of the brain are active when were happy in love, too, and can remain on high alert long after a separation occurs. Researchers studying heartbreak also found activity in a brain region that registers physical pain. Whew. I am normal, after all. Im also, say experts, in danger. Physical changes in your body are real and they are happening, said Florence Williams, author of Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey, a lauded text on the subject. If we dont recover from heartbreak, we will get sick. Urgency is critical, because healing does not just happen. Looks like Ill need more than ice cream. What studies have shown You got it bad, David A. Sbarra, a professor of psychology at the University of Arizona, wrote to me. That wasnt an official diagnosis, but considering Sbarra has made heartache his primary field of study for more than two decades, it carried weight. Hes published multiple papers that link divorce with health risks, including an elevated chance of early death. I wanted to know if the past 14 months of my life had potentially shaved a few years off it. Theres not a simple answer. Psychological stress, said Sbarra, can wreak havoc on multiple parts of the body. But Sbarra assured me I was within the normative range for adaptation, or the expected time it takes to get back to normal, which can be up to two years for a particularly painful separation. But Sbarra also pointed to a study that found that ruminating incessantly over a breakup can lead to long-term lack of sleep and increase one's resting blood pressure. Separated adults may experience a disruption in how their heart rate is regulated, a stress response Sbarra likened to releasing the brake on your car while going downhill. It could lead to an increased risk of a cardiovascular event among people without cardiovascular disease. A literal broken heart. I spoke with Fisher at one of my lowest points, when I was struggling to not reach out to my former lover every day. As I shamefully recounted sending another embarrassing I miss you email, Fisher interrupted and introduced me to the concept of what she calls the rejected brain. A pivotal 2010 study from Fisher and her peers analyzed brain activity that occurred when a heartbroken person viewed a picture of their former partner, versus a neutral party. Some study subjects were just removed from their romantic partnership; others were separated for about 17 months. I had revealed to Fisher that I have a habit of looking at pictures of my former partner and me, and though this ritual leaves me sad, during it I find myself smiling, sometimes even laughing. Theres science behind this behavior. Though I couldnt see Fisher, I could practically hear her nodding as she told me whats happening inside my head. We found activity in a tiny little factory near the base of the brain known as the ventral tegmental area, or VTA, Fisher said. And that brain region makes dopamine and sends dopamine to many brain regions. Thats what gives you elation, the focus, the motivation and the craving of intense romantic love. We also found activity in the brain region linked with deep attachment. Just because youve been dumped, youre still in love. And theres more. We also found activity in three brain regions linked with craving and addiction, Fisher said. Im like a junkie, returning to a source of diminishing hits. Anyone who knows anything about addiction knows that its all-consuming, and with excessive craving comes a lack of self-control. Cue that late-night email that you shouldnt have sent. (But not all researchers are comfortable with the addiction phrasing. Grief researcher Mary-Frances OConnor is one, and the neuroscientist and psychologist recently released the book The Grieving Brain: The Surprising Science of How We Learn From Love and Loss. Her preferred term is yearning, likening the need for loved ones to hunger and thirst.) And if the person we thought we would spend the rest of our life with is suddenly removed, we are going to crave that person, and think about little else. This is when Fisher gave me some tough love. Throw them out, she said of the photos of us in a hidden folder on my phone. If you want to give up alcohol, you dont keep a bottle of vodka on your desk. And if I couldnt toss the photos, I should stop looking at them. All youre doing is re-traumatizing yourself. Like an addiction Lets run with the addiction metaphor. One of the things that weve historically done with addiction is to try to get people off heroin and onto something else that feeds the addiction but is less toxic, said Steve Cole, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the UCLA School of Medicine. Cole wonders, then, what is the methadone equivalent for a broken heart? For many, its jumping back into the dating pool, the so-called rebound. But this is risky. As Cole puts it, youre still living the heartbreak, and while individual results will vary, I found attempts at dating left me feeling empty, reinforcing the idea that my ex is indeed the love of my life. Cole, however, had some hard truths to deliver. I learned about Cole via Williams and her "Heartbreak" book; his research, he told her, was to "listen for loneliness" via immune-related genes in our body. I was intrigued. I wish I could say Cole scared the heartbreak right out of me. Not quite, but I think of our conversation anytime my depression tendencies are urging me back to bed. First, in simple, metaphorical terms. When your chief human life preserver suddenly walks off, your brain is like, No, no, no, everything is not OK. It starts activating biological defense programs, Cole said. And if you happen to be one of the estimated 15% of people who don't recover in a year or two and fall into a near-permanent state of loneliness? In simplified terms, a potentially overly explosive inflammatory response. Our body goes into hyper-drive in creating certain kinds of white blood cells, specifically those fighting bacteria. Great, as noted, for a bite from that saber-tooth cat, but less so if were just missing an ex (hand raised). You will, Williams warned me, get sick. As Naomi Eisenberger, a professor of psychology at UCLA, put it, a robust immune response is a first line of defense against foreign agents, but chronically high levels of inflammation are implicated in a bunch of chronic diseases. Pick one. Cardiovascular disease. Diabetes. Certain kinds of cancer. Illness can take hold regardless of how much comfort food, trashy television, or, well, other people, we consume. That explains why, in a particularly low period last June, I told my therapist that I wish I could have a new brain. Getting better As it turns out science does have a prescription for recovery. Its called awe. And I wanted it. It may be possible to accelerate the healing of a broken heart. Williams theorizes we can speed up our heartbreak recovery by about 25% or 30%. Thats worth it, especially if its going to keep you from having an autoimmune disease. Williams gave me a three-pronged prescription. The first recommendation? Calm. Get your body out of fight-or-flight, which is where it is when you feel abandoned and afraid of the future. You are hyper-vigilant. Calm down, however you do that, whether its through video games or yoga or taking hot baths. Video games, yes, but also music. I dedicate a portion of most every day to listening to an old or brand new record. The second? Connection. "That can be connecting to nature, which it partly was for me," Williams said, "but also connecting to other people who care about you and who you care about." Because of the breakup, Ive made new friends, reconnected with acquaintances and made a point to be more assertive in making plans. Additionally, a former interview subject and I have formed a sort of heartbreak club; we check in on each other once per month to discuss our progress. I also started volunteering at a local museum. The third? This can be a little more abstract. We must, said Williams, find a sense of purpose, especially if, like me, the relationship became your purpose. What meaning can you make? Williams said. You have a reason to get out of bed every day, and you feel you have a contribution to make. As Cole put it, a sense of purpose reprioritizes your brain. "It tells the stress section of your brain, 'Throttle back on that. We have good work to do. Don't send out fight-or-flight messages to the bone marrow and produce immune cells.'" This is also what has inspired my fascination with awe, in its most scientific sense. Shortly after learning of my breakup, a friend recommended I read the work of Dacher Keltner, a professor of psychology at UC Berkeley, and the faculty director of the universitys Greater Good Science Center. In his book Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life, Keltner describes awe as the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your current understanding of the world. Hes identified eight core spaces in which we can find it: Moral beauty, collective effervescence, nature, music, visual design, spirituality and religion, life and death, and epiphany. I found awe a spiritual sense of wonder, curiosity, speechlessness, and connection in my ex. But over the past year, Keltner helped remind me that awe existed before I fell in love with her. Awe appeals to me because there can be a mysticism to it. You have to rely on philosophy, history, literature and science, Keltner told me. And creativity. This reported journey is itself a search for awe, an opportunity, perhaps, to connect to a broader community. I asked Keltner what he does on a particularly down day. He, after all, wrote the book on the subject, one I return to often. You just have to stop and pause, Keltner said. But for real, pause. Put away your checklist and your phone. Open up and feel things. Standing right now, out in the sun, I feel the sun on my skin. That starts to feel awesome. "I think about moral beauty," he continued. "Whose character moves me, and how can I be like them? Nature is transformative. I'm so glad you're going to museums. I go to a museum once a week, to just step in and feel the creativity. I turn to quotes. I teach them in my classes. Walt Whitman: 'All goes onward and outward.' What I love about awe is that it gives you dozens of things to do daily. I try to get 10 minutes per day." Ten minutes. I can do that. 2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Cork Chambers annual black tie event brought Corks business community together with the politicians and influencers that are shaping Corks future. The 2024 awards, held in association with Vodafone and the Irish Examiner, saw Minister for Finance Michael McGrath give the keynote speech and Cork companies Riley, Barry & Fitzwilliam and West Cork Distillers taking home awards. PepsiCo was the big winner of the evening when they were named overall Cork Company of the Year. In her acceptance speech Mary Lane, Senior Director of Commercialisation commented that the award was a wonderful way to kickstart PepsiCos 50th birthday year. On Saturday, February 10, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed Colonel Vadym Sukharevsky, alias "Badger," as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyy. He has been involved in the Russian-Ukrainian war since 2014. ADVERTISIMENT Sukharevsky, in particular, will be responsible for the development of UAVs and other unmanned systems. This was reported by OBOZ.UA. Vadym Sukharevsky was born on October 6, 1984 in Berehove, Zakarpattia region. He studied at the Mukachevo Lyceum with enhanced military and physical training. Then he graduated from the Lviv Institute of Land Forces of the Lviv Polytechnic National University with a degree in Combat Use and Management of Airborne Units. From February to October 2004, Sukharevsky participated in a peacekeeping mission in Iraq as part of the 6th Separate Mechanized Brigade. In particular, he took part in the Battle of Al-Qut. Sukharevsky is considered to be the Ukrainian soldier who fired the first shot in the Russian-Ukrainian war. It happened on April 13, 2014, when Sukharevsky, who was still a senior lieutenant at the time, gave the order to open fire on Russian militants. Since 2014, the fight has not stopped for him for a moment. ADVERTISIMENT Since 2016, he was the commander of the 1st Linear Battalion of the 36th Marine Brigade, which performed tasks near Mariupol. In 2020, he was promoted to the rank of colonel, and a year later he was appointed Chief of Staff of the 35th Marine Brigade. In February 2022, he was appointed commander of the 59th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade, and on July 18, he was awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine. Since February 9, 2024, Sukharevsky has been the head of the newly created Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. "We will not stop until we restore our borders, liberate our lands and return people from oppressive captivity," the legendary Badger commander said. As reported by OBOZ.UA: - Valeriy Zaluzhny was dismissed from the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces on February 8. He was replaced by Oleksandr Syrsky, who commanded the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. ADVERTISIMENT - On February 9, Oleksandr Syrsky made his first statement as Commander-in-Chief. In particular, he assured that the life and health of Ukrainian soldiers was and is the main value, and outlined the main tasks facing the Ukrainian army today. - On the evening of February 9, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that he had replaced the leadership of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Major General Anatoliy Bargylevych, who headed the Territorial Defense Forces, was appointed to the post of Chief of the General Staff. - At the same time, Zelensky said that the new Chief of Staff, Syrsky, had already decided on the candidates for his deputies. On February 10, they and the deputy chiefs of staff of the Armed Forces were officially appointed. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! EU countries and the European Parliament last week failed to reach an agreement on new rules tightening CO2 limits on heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs), as Germany pulled back from earlier support for the proposal. Already last year, the proposed CO2 standards for cars, which included a de-facto ban on new cars with internal combustion engines by 2035, had been halted due to a last-minute intervention by German officials. That stand-off was only resolved after the European Commission changed the proposal committing to create a new category of vehicles that run with an internal combustion engine but exclusively on climate-neutral fuels, known as e-fuels. In this latest attempt at tightening the existing heavy goods vehicle CO2 emission targets, Germany again is pushing for multiple alternative fuels, including biofuels, as a means to decarbonise heavy-duty transport to be taken into account. Ryan Brady, general manager at Stateline Transport, an Irish-owned haulage and logistics business, running for over 30 years, and operating throughout Ireland, the UK, and Europe, welcomes the change in direction in Brussels, stating that in his company they dont have electric trucks (EVs) and the reason is that it is not sustainable financially yet. He points out that customers enquire about EV movement of their goods, but will not agree to be tied down to a contract which would make the investment viable. Brady states that he can only get five-year financing for new electric trucks and needs customer security for five years, which customers dont want to commit to. Limits to electric haulage vehicles He points to the very high cost of changing to EVs, with an average of 400,000 for the basic unit and allowing for the potential government grant of 200,000 is a significant investment for smaller operators, and brings with it the EV range limitations. So now Brady says Stateline are going fully to Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel with all their fleet which reduces carbon emissions by 90% and does not require fleet renewal costs. Whereas there is a win in vehicle purchase cost, there is the important matter of the availability and the cost of HVO fuel, which comes at a premium of 20% over that of regular diesel and a 50% premium to kerosene fuel. At present, the main means of producing sustainable liquid biofuels is through the use of tallow and used cooking oil, which is the main feedstock for HVO. While HVO and other sustainable biofuels are used in the ongoing decarbonisation of the road transport fleet, they are also in demand across other sectors, for example in the manufacture of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), which is making availability and pricing an ongoing issue. There are a number of Irish suppliers and importers of HVO. Among them GBF Ireland Ltd who last year reached an agreement with the Port of Cork to purchase tank storage and import facilities in Ringaskiddy and currently supplies DPD, Microsoft, Lidl, and Amazon which includes several data centres, enabling them to switch to HVO fuels for their standby generators. Circle K is busy installing dedicated pumps at all its outlets for HVO fuel. Circle K is busy installing dedicated pumps at all its outlets for HVO fuel. However, there are no Irish or UK producers of HVO, the vast majority of which is imported from the Neste facility in Rotterdam. But as Ryan Brady of Stateline comments: I think the supply chain is stepping up, but the crucial point here is that, unlike biodiesel, youre not wedded to HVO. You can switch straight back, so if the world were to end and there was no HVO available, then you can just use diesel. There is also growing demand for HVO as a household heating fuel. It looks like a no-brainer for the Government to accelerate the transition to the more sustainable HVO in homes and factories, as well as transport. It is within their gift to accelerate the utilisation by reducing the excise duty for those who opt for HVO, a completely renewable fuel that can replace diesel in cars, trucks, tractors, combine harvesters, and other diesel engines, delivering a 90% reduction in carbon emissions for all. The Government needs to intervene and bring the price down to the same level as fossil diesel at least so businesses and households could change over and do the right thing without it costing them too much money. The head of the EUs police agency has offered its expertise to Ireland in fighting serious crime and terrorism content online. Catherine De Bolle, executive director of Europol, said there was a shared concern across the EU at the threats posed online by harmful content, disinformation, and hate speech. She noted that Ireland had an important role given that many major social media companies and online service providers have their European HQ in the country. In a statement following a meeting with Justice Minister Helen McEntee, Europol said Ms de Bolle was deeply impressed by An Garda Siochnaas commitment to human rights and the notable level of public trust in the organisation. The two women discussed Europols operational support to EU member states in fighting terrorism and serious and organised crime, and how modern technology can support the work of law enforcement. Europol has a strong collaboration with An Garda Siochana, encompassing all aspects of Europols mandate, with a particular focus on combating serious organised crime, said the statement. [The director] was deeply impressed by An Garda Siochanas unwavering commitment to human rights, consistently integrated into its daily operations at every organisational level. She also observed the notable level of public trust in An Garda Siochana, exemplifying the success of their community policing initiatives. The statement added: In light of the challenges posed by social media in the proliferation of harmful content, misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech, Europols executive director acknowledged An Garda Siochanas proactive engagement in addressing this issue. 'Shared concerns' Recognising this issue as a shared concern across Europe, which demands a collective response, Europol executive director discussed with Irish authorities the support to be provided by the agency within its expertise in fighting serious crime and terrorism content online. This support acknowledges Irelands important role as a host to numerous major online service providers having their European bases situated in Dublin. In a statement, the Department of Justice said: The minister expressed Irelands appreciation for the central role of Europol in supporting Member States law enforcement agencies in preventing and combating serious crime across borders. "Ongoing liaison between An Garda Siochana and other law enforcement agencies, via Europol, has led to a number of successful joint operations in recent years. In addition, the minister and executive director De Bolle discussed data protection and law enforcement, the use of innovative technology and how it can support law enforcement and the fight against terrorism, organised crime, and far-right ideologies. Gardai have yet to formally interview a woman arrested in connection with the death of a six-year-old boy in Co Waterford last week. Matthew Healy died in hospital on Friday after he was found unresponsive in a car on the outskirts of Dunmore East. His body has been removed to Cork, where his father lives, and a funeral mass is expected to take place in Watergrasshill in the coming days. His father, James Healy, expressed deep gratitude to the public for attending vigils over the weekend in memory of Matthew. He also appealed for privacy for the family to mourn. Matthew was a senior infants pupil at Faithlegg National School in Cheekpoint, Co Waterford, where he lived with his mother. He played soccer with the under-seven team at Park Rangers AFC. A woman, aged in her late thirties, was arrested after the remains of the child were discovered at Rathmoylan Cove shortly after midnight on Friday. She was in a distressed state when arrested and required medical attention over the weekend. The results of a preliminary postmortem examination on Matthew were inconclusive. However, gardai suspect he was suffocated. Education Minister Norma Foley has offered her sympathy to the grieving family. I know Matthew was a much loved and treasured member of the school community and he will be greatly missed by his fellow pupils, by the staff, the board of management, and everyone within the school community. A vigil in memory of Matthew was held at the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity in Waterford at the weekend. A celebrated Cork-born trade unionist is to get a statue in her honour in Chicago after a sustained campaign to recognise the most dangerous woman in America. Mother Jones, who was born Mary Harris in Shandon, Cork City, in 1837, was a relentless activist for workers and the poor after her family emigrated to Canada and the US in Famine-era times. While living in Memphis, yellow fever struck the city. One by one, my four little children sickened and died, she recorded. I washed their little bodies and got them ready for burial. My husband caught the fever and died." She was in Chicago then on October 8, 1871, when a great fire swept through the city, making her homeless. She then became engrossed in the labour movement, becoming a fearless and formidable fighter for workers rights and the welfare of the poor in society. HISTORY HUB If you are interested in this article then no doubt you will enjoy exploring the various history collections and content in our history hub. Check it out HERE and happy reading Encouraging workers in a range of industries to form unions, they fought against the wealthier class, earning her the nickname of a modern Joan of Arc. In the Irish-American Heritage Centre in Chicago, a small exhibition to Mother Jones pays tribute to her as an Irish Rebel. It said: When she was mocked as the grandmother of all agitators in the US Senate, Mother Jones replied that she would someday like to be called the great-grandmother of all agitators. The issue of statues to commemorate figures in public places has been a source of controversy in Chicago in recent years. In the wake of public protests in 2020, the city removed three statues to Christopher Columbus, and it prompted a re-examining of the placing of public statues while campaigners were pushing for the Mother Jones statue. After the news came through that a statue had been given the green light, the campaign group that had long been calling for it said: We've been waiting to announce this officially for too long. Our statue of Mother Jones will be placed at Chicago's historic Water Tower. Chicago's Water Tower is the most iconic old Chicago site in the city, and one of the most visited. This sculpture will signal that Chicago is a union town, that immigrants and working class built the city, and that we are part of a tradition of struggle. Mother Jones is still venerated for her impact in Cork, with the 13th Spirit of Mother Jones Festival to be held in Shandon this July. Tanaiste Micheal Martin, on the final day of his trip to the US in Chicago, told reporters it was a serious compliment to a famous Cork woman. She has a great story, he said. It just shows the global reach of Cork. Mother Jones. An Bord Pleanala has refused planning permission for a proposal to build over 100 new houses on the northside of Cork City because the site is zoned an area of high landscape value which does not allow for residential development. The board upheld the decision of Cork City Council to reject plans by developer, Rebel Abu, for the construction of 91 houses and 10 duplex units as well as 352 car park spaces on a 3.8-hectare site at Lotabeg, Tivoli. It rejected an appeal by the developer on the basis that the proposed development was on lands zoned for landscape preservation and part of the citys hinterland. The site is located just north of Lotabeg House which is a protected structure. The board said the Cork City Development Plan seeks to preserve and enhance the special landscape and visual character of the area, as well as protecting and enhancing its biodiversity. It added: To that end, residential development is neither permitted in principle nor open for consideration on the subject site. It pointed out that the houses would have been built on a steeply sloping site with wide visibility on a site zoned for protecting the landscapes value. The council received several objections to the proposed development including one from the Mayfield East Community Association. Lack of infrastructure The objectors raised concerns about the impact of traffic, the lack of suitable infrastructure in the area as well as the environmental impact of the development. Consultants for Rebel Abu, a Macroom-based property investment firm, claimed the site was located next to an existing high-frequency public transport system. In the companys appeal, it pointed out that the dominant established use in the surrounding area was residential housing. It claimed housing on the site could be considered acceptable if it would not have a detrimental impact on the zoning objective. Given the location of the application site, the development does not have any significant impact on the surrounding environment, they argued. Rebel Abu also maintained that situations could arise where the proper planning and sustainable development of an area might be best served by a development that contravened the councils development plan. The company called for its proposal to be assessed on its own merits". At the same time, it claimed its project did not represent a material contravention of the Cork City Development Plan. 'Potential for development' While the developer acknowledged that the site was located in a visually important zone, it claimed there was still potential for development in the area. Rebel Abu said it had taken considerable care to design the development so that it would not be duly obtrusive and would protect the character of the landscape. A third-party submission by local residents noted that the councils development plan identifies where housing should be concentrated in Cork City for sustainability and it does not include the Lotabeg site. They claimed the zoning was sufficient reason on its own to refuse planning permission as it excluded any form of housing on the site. An inspector with An Bord Pleanala said the site was a buffer zone under the development plan to create a clear distinction between housing and agricultural uses. Any housing on the site would represent a material contravention of the development plan, the inspector added. As businesses and households across the north of the country were left in the dark due to Storm Isha, the phone lines at Clarkes of Cavan began to light up. A staff member at the superstore said it sold out of its entire range of generators in just a few days. Its website says it all: The storms are here. Don't be left in the dark with our massive range of generators. This level of demand is nothing new either, and is likely growing in 2022 another large retailer reported that its sale of generators jumped 250%. Its a reminder that the impact of storms could change how we work into the future, and not just during the winter months. As storm season rattles through the alphabet and planes carry out interminable circuits above Dublin Airport, the summer might seem far away. Yet for some office workers, the prospect of working in an office might acquire an added difficulty. Last summer, Labour Party senator Marie Sherlock called for the immediate introduction of legally defined maximum temperature limits for outdoor and indoor work in Ireland in light of the likelihood of increased summer temperatures. Trade union Siptu says it is a growing issue and one where Ireland lags behind many of its European partners. Its another reminder, on top of the spate of storms this winter, that climate change is leading to a growing number of severe weather events. And while it is far from the only significant impact, how it affects workplaces and how we work may become more prominent as the months and years tick by. According to a Siptu spokesperson: The increase in extreme weather events is already manifesting itself in the work of our members employed in local authorities. Our members in the Outdoor Grades are increasingly required to carry out works such as flood protection, flood repairs, and storm damage such as fallen trees/road obstructions. Our members in the Fire, Rescue and Emergency services are increasingly called to assist members of the public who are the victims of increasingly severe weather events such as road accidents, collapsed buildings (roofs etc) and flooding. We dont have any specific data on disputes [relating to severe weather], however, there are increasing concerns expressed by our members that Local Authorities need to do more to prepare for increasing numbers of extreme weather events. For example, in the Retained Fire Services, there are concerns about mobilising firefighters to make their way to their Fire Stations during Red Alert warnings, where their personal car insurance may prohibit them from making such journeys. Some Local Authorities are reluctant at present to make adequate preparations for extreme weather events, such as placing Retained Firefighters on standby in their Stations, most likely because of the financial cost. This has led to localised disputes on a number of occasions and the department has not issued guidance on this growing concern to date. Climate change is leading to a growing number of severe weather events which has consequences for workplaces. Thats one example, and there could be more as weather systems of various types impact the country in the years to come. Last November, as yet another storm system approached the country, the Workplace Relations Commission issued a statement outlining how "extreme and severe weather events can impact on an employees ability to report for work and an employers ability to operate his/her business and to be able to provide work". It noted that "in general, there is no statutory entitlement for an employee to be paid if they cannot attend work because of extreme weather. Any more beneficial arrangement is a matter for agreement between the employer and the employee.# However, it said: "Employers are encouraged to take a long-term view of the working relationship, recognising that demonstrating concern for the welfare of employees and treating employees fairly translates into a better working environment to the benefit of both the staff and the employer. According to industry body IBEC, this has been happening. A spokesperson said: "We are observing a growing trend among businesses in the development of policies aimed at clarifying and identifying situations that may impact the safety of staff commuting to the workplace or travelling for work. These policies are designed to establish guidelines for employees facing challenges in commuting to work or attending work-related events or venues during periods of adverse weather conditions and resulting transport disruptions. Additionally, these policies offer guidance to employees on assessing their personal safety and working safely in specific weather conditions, such as ice or snow. The WRC noted: "Employers may have included policies and procedures in their contracts of employment to cover severe weather events but much of the finer detail is at the discretionary agreement of employer and worker. A car parked on Bantry quays was swamped by the rising tide. Picture: Andy Gibson. One scenario that may well present itself more often in the event of severe weather is the employee being able to work, but the place of work not being able to open. According to the WRC: In these circumstances, the employer may put employees on a period of 'layoff'. An employer may lay off employees when there is no work available for a temporary period with that employer. If employees are laid-off then the employer is not obliged to pay employees. Laid-off employees may be entitled to Jobseekers Benefit or Jobseekers Allowance from the Department of Social Protection for the days they are not working. IBEC said it was concerning" that Irish communities have experienced several extreme weather events, with some resulting in widespread damage and disruptions to the supply of electricity and water for hundreds of thousands of businesses and households nationwide. For ESB Networks, the numbers are revealing. An ESB spokesperson said: "The 2023/24 season has seen considerably more named storms come to fruition compared to the 2022/23 season, in which just two named storms (Antoni and Betty) were recorded, both occurring last August. Disruptive storms during the summer/autumn period are not uncommon and ESB Networks has experienced other disruptive storms in recent years, including Storms Ellen and Hector which occurred in August 2020 and June 2018 respectively. Theres no denying that with the fact that were already up to letter J (with Storm Jocelyn), this winter has seen a significant increase on last winter in terms of ESB Networks storm response. However, similar numbers of storms did occur between 2015 and 2018, and ESB Networks responded as necessary in those power restoration efforts. ESB Networks continues to liaise closely with Met Eireann, who are better placed than us to comment on frequency and intensity of storms. Flooding on Monastery Hill, Rochestown Road, Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins Storm Isha certainly packed a wallop. According to ESB Networks there was a peak number of 235,000 customers without power, necessitating one of the most significant storm responses of recent years. "For comparison, Storm Ophelia in October 2017 had a peak of 395,000 customers without power, the spokesperson said. "Power restoration to all customers post-Ophelia took nine days, while full power restoration last week including the additional impact of storm Jocelyn, took six days. This can have an attritional effect on workplaces, both public and private. It is often the task of local authorities to both limit the impact of severe weather by taking precautions in advance, alongside the job of cleaning up the mess afterwards. A spokesperson for the County and City Management Association (CCMA), which represents county and city chief executives, said when adverse weather events cause emergency situations such as flooding, road blockages, ice or snow come into effect, local authorities implement tailored action plans actions which are "event specific", involving the deployment and redeployment of personnel and resources from specific departments to coordinate, manage and address the emergency presenting. " "During 2022, 198 Severe Weather Emergency Response Team meeting were held by local authorities, with 26 Emergency Response Plans activated. Each local authority has a climate team in place to coordinate climate action programmes across the local authority and its area. Climate action training has been provided to almost 30,000 local authority employees and councillors and a follow-on training programme is currently in development." Economic impact There are more than meteorological storms on the horizon. Last October the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council published a report titled What climate change means for Ireland's public finances. In addition to the broader issues, it also outlined how an increase in major weather events would impact the economy, stating: "There could also be additional costs arising from the State having to provide supports to respond to more frequent and more adverse extreme weather events." Physical risks from climate change can impact revenue in several ways. For instance, days of work may be lost due to extreme weather conditions. Similarly, extreme weather events may negatively affect agricultural output leading to a loss in tax revenue from this sector," it said. The Cloghroe-Healy's Bridge road in Co. Cork closed due to flooding during Storm Babet. Picture: Denis Minihane. "Given the unpredictable nature of extreme weather events, quantifying the risks to revenue from physical risks is extremely uncertain. "In terms of public expenditure related to physical risks from climate changes, the repairing/rebuilding of public property, including critical infrastructure, will see an increase in expenditure as weather events become more extreme. Were some of the costs of repairing/rebuilding private property to be subsidised, this could also see additional public expenditure." More generally, it said: "Ireland has had a 14% probability of one or more extreme weather events occurring (equating to once-in-every-seven years). Costs associated with these events have averaged about 0.1% of GNI [Gross National Income]. "However, major weather events appear to have become more frequent in Ireland in recent decades. For instance, current 1-in-100 year extreme sea level events are projected to occur at least annually in half of all tidal gauge locations by 2100. As such, these events may become more frequent and more costly. Experiences in other European countries show that events closer to once every three years and with costs potentially closer to 0.2% of GNI are not unprecedented." The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council pinpointed possible falls in consumer spending, damage to assets and "stranded assets" "like petrol and diesel motor vehicles might lose value more rapidly than previously was the case" as other areas of concern, alongside the future stability of insurance firms. Mitigation measures such as upgrading flood defences were seen as essential, not least because without that the ultimate cost could be even higher. The resources needed to mitigate against and repair storm damage also need serious thought. In practical terms, it's a matter of logistics, with ESB Networks revealing that multi-day power restoration after the most severe storms tends to involve the redeployment of crews from less impacted areas of the country to counties where storm damage is worst. One example was the redeployment of crews from Cork to Donegal in the aftermath of Storm Isha, as well as calling in a voluntary arrangement involving the electricity Network Operators of the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the Isle of Man to help out. Fallen trees in the aftermath of Storm Antoni. Go up to the next level and the strength of the electricity grid itself must be maintained and enhanced. that is the responsibility of EirGrid, which has already determined where it sees the major risks from climate change. According to an Eirgrid spokesperson: "Having completed a risk assessment on the potential impacts of climate change on the electricity grid in the future, we have identified flooding as the biggest risk to the transmission system, resulting from extreme weather events like storms. "Increased wind speeds have also been identified as a risk to transmission assets, while temperature rise, high-temperature extremes and heat waves may have an impact on asset life and equipment ratings." Eirgrid is part of the move to reach carbon emissions targets and the switch to renewable forms of energy, and anticipates more than 350 projects which need to be completed to reinforce the system and meet 2030 targets, in what it said was "the most ambitious programme of works every undertaken on the transmission system in Ireland". Ultimately, it will all be to maintain what we already take for granted the ability to keep the lights on, even in the worst of weather, and in the knowledge that any loss of power will likely be temporary. Remote working Yet one major change has already taken place, and it is likely to have a broader influence if more severe weather events and climate change alter how and where we work. The pandemic turned all our lives upside down yet while the intense focus on infection rates has all but disappeared from view, working from home is now an in-built part of the labour market. New research published earlier this year argues that "Working from home (WFH) is being seen as a potential solution to many contemporary problems from congestion to global warming and work-life balance. That study, published in Travel Behaviour and Society and carried out by researchers at the Trinity Centre for Transport Research, Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, compared the results of two surveys conducted on the subject of work commutes in 2019 pre-pandemic and in 2020. It found that those in the 2534 and 3544 age groups had a stronger preference for more WFH in the 2020 sample and that this was also true of those in the 5564 age group, as their preferences switched from not wanting to WFH more to being positively disposed to WFH. IBEC acknowledged that "there are instances where the impact of severe weather conditions is not as acutely felt by some businesses because their employees are in a position to work from home". And that is a boon for those who can do it, not least when you see the recent disruption to travel plans caused by Storms Isha and Jocelyn not just the flights unable to land at Dublin Airport, but also issues on the ground. According to the National Transport Authority: "For the recent Storms of Isha and Jocelyn, we experienced a power outage in some bus depots but the generators kicked in so services were continued. We have resilience built in for weather events, in cold conditions we have heaters in place for the trams and the rail network so that they can remain operational. "In respect of bus routes, Bus Inspectors will travel the route and examine that it is safe for buses to run on the route before they leave the depots. Wind speeds are also challenging for public transport operations but again plans are in place to address these when this happens. In terms of costs in respect of storms and weather events, any costs incurred are taken out of the daily running costs for PSO services nationally. In Storm Isha, a roof of a hotel landed in a bus depot car park and a street light came down in Storm Jocelyn and landed on three PSO buses in the car park. The buses had to be repaired but were back in service within two days." According to IBEC, "safeguarding and enhancing our critical infrastructure has never been more crucial. This encompasses not only our digital infrastructure, facilitating remote work, but also the security of our energy supply. For local businesses, enhancing our flood defences emerges as a pressing concern, underscored by the significant damage inflicted on them in recent flooding incidents. Furthermore, it is imperative to safeguard, when safe, the uninterrupted operation of our critical services and public transport during periods of severe weather. While Ibec welcomes much of the work done on the review of the National Planning Framework, the speed and effective implementation will be the key metric of success." Which leaves the employee. According to Siptu, there needs to be national guidance issued by Government in relation to making adequate preparations for extreme weather events, that includes proper consultation with workers to ensure proper safe systems of work are put in place for frontline essential workers, such as Local Authority workers. It seems there may be a draw on generators for some time to come. For nine years, Robert Cunningham has existed in a suspended form as far as his employment is concerned. Cunningham is a prison officer and has not been able to work over that period as a legal employment process wends its way back and forth within the system. Before his problems arose, he was considered a good employee. But since 2015, he has been existing on a stipend of around 9,000, down from the approximate 78,000 he would be earning in his job. He is married with a young daughter. The total cost of the legal actions associated with his employment is estimated to be somewhere north of 500,000. His case highlights how issues of disability are dealt with in some sections of the public sector, but also how public money is spent on legal actions that can persist for years in a system that goes back and forth. Cunningham began his working life in the hospitality industry and joined the Irish Prison Service (IPS) in 2005. It was later stated by the prison service that before suffering injuries on the job, Cunninghams work record had been exemplary. Workplace injury In 2007, while stationed in Cloverhill Prison in Dublin, he was injured relocating a violent prisoner. He damaged a disc in his back in the incident. The injury deteriorated over the following years and surgery was required in 2010. On his return to work, he was put on non-contact duties for between four and five months. Non-contact duties in the prison service refer to jobs that will not involve encountering prisoners. Duties such as manning the prison gate, working in the control room of the prison, the waiting room, or in the censors office all come under this heading. So also does much of the work in the Operational Support Group (OSG), the unit that intercepts the importation of contraband into prisons and monitors gang activity. In 2011, he transferred to the Midlands prison where he reverted to general prison officer duties. Six months later he was injured while moving a prisoner who became violent. This led to a further injury to his back. The Chief Medical Officer recommended that he now be put on non-contact duties. In 2012, the Midlands governor John Malone wrote to IPS headquarters saying he couldnt facilitate another officer on non-contact duties. At present, we have one female officer who is on restricted duties because of pregnancy, and we have a further four officers who are on long-term restricted duties following serious illnesses. "We do not have any more rotational posts which could be classified as restricted duties. The following year, the CMO suggested that the officers deployment in restricted duties should be medium to long term. Cunninghams back required further surgery over the following two years. By 2015, the CMOs office recommended that Mr Cunningham should be excluded from all control and restraint duties/training. I understand that Mr Cunningham has a mutual understanding with his governor limiting his control and restraint duties. "I would also suggest that Mr Cunningham is excluded from night shift duties. He tells me he is rostered for night shifts but swaps out of them with his colleagues and has not worked nights since 2011. He does not intend to work night shifts going forward." His earnings reduced drastically from 77,800 in 2014 to 9,282 pension rate sick pay the following year. He has been on the pension rate since, yet is still only in his early 40s. The IPS did offer him one other option which would have been to transfer to an administrative grade within the service. However, he said this would involve a reduction of salary of around 48,000 annually (the IPS disputed that the drop would be this large). In 2016, Cunningham made a complaint to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) under the Employment Equality Act. His case was accepted in March 2016 and heard on dates between September and December of the same year. The result was given on February 2, 2017. The thrust of his case was that he had been discriminated against on the grounds of his disability. He claimed that there were ten categories of duties which he could do. He claimed that the IPS mistakenly alleges that they are exempt from providing reasonable accommodation to an employee who had sustained a work-related injury". For its part, the IPS said that it was not obliged to make accommodation because Cunninghams injury is long-term and accommodation need only be made in cases where an officer who is expected to return to full duties does not fully recover in the timeframe. The service said he was offered an administrative role on reduced salary or the option of retiring on grounds of ill health. The adjudication officer, Gaye Cunningham (no relation) ruled in Rob Cunninghams favour. She concluded that the IPS failed to consider the provision of reasonable accommodation in relation to his return to work. She said he should be allowed to avail of such accommodation and that he be paid 40,000 compensation for the effects of the discrimination. Appeal The IPS appealed the decision. Appeals from the WRC are heard by the Labour Court. That took place the following year. Arguments between the two legal teams went back and forth. The thrust of the IPS argument, put forward by their barrister Peter Leonard, was that the prison service is governed by a section of the Employment Equality Act which states that an employee must be fully fit for work. The lawyer expressed regret about the work-related injury but stated that it is an unfortunate fact of life and indicative of the difficult nature of the job that it is relatively commonplace for serving prison officers to sustain an injury in the course of their duties. He relied heavily on section 37 (3) of the act which states: It is an occupational requirement for employment in An Garda Siochana, Prison Service, or any emergency service that persons employed therein are fully competent and available to undertake, and fully capable of undertaking, the range of functions that they may be called upon to perform so that the operational capacity of the Garda Siochana or the service concerned may be preserved. In the end, the court accepted the IPS argument. The ruling was issued on July 18, 2018. It ruled that the section of the act provides an exemption to the respondent from a complaint of discrimination in circumstances where the complainant is not capable of carrying out the full range of duties that are required of a prison officer. Cunningham could have accepted the ruling and effectively bade farewell to his career, or he could appeal to the High Court. He chose the latter. At this point, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) got involved. The commission can, in certain circumstances under the act setting it up, give legal assistance to a person who is bringing a matter relating to discrimination. The High Court heard the arguments back and forth on a point of law. The main point was whether the section of the act at issue should or could be read to include exceptions and interpreted on a case-by-case basis. Judge Tony Barr felt that it should. Everything will turn on the facts of a particular case and the size and nature of the emergency service concerned, he ruled. Justice requires that a person suffering from a disability be given the chance to make his/her case that they could perform the functions required of them if reasonable accommodation were made for them. He referred the case back to the Labour Court with that provision to be included in any ruling. The IPS was not happy with that outcome. The service appealed to the Court of Appeal. That court ruled on a preliminary aspect of the case on 29 January 2021. Soon after that, the IPS changed tact and dropped the appeal. This brought the whole wagon back to the Labour Court for a second hearing. For the High Court and Court of Appeal hearings, each side had a solicitor and junior and senior counsel, all being paid out of the public purse in one form or another. Back in the Labour Court, the matter got underway again. The nature of these hearings is that they can be conducted over several months, depending on schedules, with a day or two here and there until the whole thing is done. This was where a further issue arose. The case went to hearing last year. The Irish Examiner understands that at least five days of hearing were completed when an issue arose. One of the three members of the court, Tom Geraghty, who was deputy chair of the Labour Court, had to step down as his five-year term had come to an end. As a result, the hearing may have to begin again. The IPS had no comment to make on the case, a spokesperson pointing out that they do no comment on individual cases. When contacted, Mr Cunningham said that he had no comment to make for now as the case is before the court and it would be inappropriate for me to do so and I dont want to prejudice anything. The IHREC doesnt comment on individual cases either but a spokesperson confirmed that legal assistance can only be granted where the application meets the criteria set out in the act establishing the commission. Quite obviously that must have applied here. In 2022, the commission spent 285,891.29 on private client litigation. At the beginning of that year, it had 167 private clients who had been granted legal assistance and whose cases were at various stages of the WRC or court process. The figures for 2023 are not yet available. The case is unusual but not necessarily atypical of how the legal end of the industrial relations process can go from Billy to Jack and back to Billy in the various forums and courts. It may well be that the IPS sees this as a test case, even though, from the public documents available, there appears to be only a handful of individuals for whom such a scenario arises. The involvement of the IHREC fulfills its role as an advocate for people with a disability. Ultimately, irrespective of the legal outcome, a question arises as to whether this is the most cost-efficient way of resolving an industrial relations issue, both for a State employee and for the State. The MMR vaccine is so safe and so effective that we have almost forgotten what a serious illness measles can be. Following weeks of speculation, an adult with a confirmed case of measles tragically died earlier this month. It was the first confirmed case of measles notified in Ireland this year. Public health teams and the Measles National Incident Management Team are taking all necessary public health actions in relation to the case, the HSE said in a statement. Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Professor Breda Smyth said she is very concerned that Ireland is "at high risk" of a measles outbreak. Unfortunately, the uptake rate for the MMR vaccine in Ireland has fallen below 90% nationally and in some counties, the rate is as low as 80%. As cases in the UK and across Europe continue to rise, Prof Smyth is urging anyone considering travel to ensure that they and their children are protected. "The MMR is a safe and very effective vaccine," Prof Smyth added. A brief look at the history of measles in Ireland, before the vaccine was available, paints the picture of what life with measles was like. Almost 100 years ago, in 1926, the annual report of the registrar general reported 519 deaths from measles. Of those, 409 were children under the age of 5 and more than half (274) were under the age of 2 years. Since measles became a notifiable disease in 1948, the data is increasingly reliable. In Ireland between 1948 and 1984 an average of over 5,000 cases of measles were reported each year. After the introduction of the measles vaccine in 1985, the number of cases dropped like a stone from 10,000 cases in 1985 to 201 cases in 1987. The HPSC annual report 2005 stated the highest number of notifications since 1948 was in 1959 when 15,134 cases were reported. In the 1970s, an average of 2,327 cases of measles were notified each year, with an average of seven deaths every year from measles. By 1991, six years after the introduction of the measles vaccine, the number of measles notifications had dropped to 135 just over 0.01% of what it had been in 1985. According to the World Health Organization, the safe and cost-effective vaccine is reported to have prevented the disease and averted an extraordinary 56m deaths globally between 2001 and 2021. This is a disease that is highly infectious, with a serious risk of complications if infected. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that one in five unvaccinated people who get measles are hospitalised, and one in 20 get pneumonia, the most common cause of death in young children. About one child out of every 1,000 who get measles develops encephalitis that can lead to convulsions and results in deafness or intellectual disability. One to three of every thousand children who become infected with measles will die from respiratory and neurologic complications, the CDC reports. Measles may cause pregnant women who have not had the MMR vaccine to give birth prematurely or have a low birth-weight baby. The last major outbreak of measles occurred in Ireland between December 1999 and July 2000, with the majority of cases in North Dublin. A paper in the Paediatric Infectious Disease Journal reported that 111 children were admitted to Tallaght Childrens University Hospital (TCUH) and the reasons for admission included dehydration (79%), pneumonia (47%) and tracheitis (32%). Thirteen children required treatment in ICU and 7 of these required mechanical ventilation. Tragically, there were 3 deaths. "The outbreak posed a major challenge to the hospital and the community in the first half of 2000. The national MMR immunisation rate was gravely suboptimal at 79% whereas the rate in North Dublin, the catchment area of TCUH was less than 70%. "Three children died as a result of a vaccine-preventable illness," the authors of the paper wrote. Across Europe There were 42,000 measles cases across 41 member states in the World Health Organisation (WHO) European Region in 2023 up from 941 cases reported in all of 2022. This trend has accelerated in recent months. WHO said that this resurgence in measles cases is largely attributed to a backsliding in vaccination coverage, with 1.8 million infants missing their vaccinations between 2020 and 2022. Reasons for missing scheduled vaccinations include the covid pandemic which induced disruption of the childhood vaccination schedule as well as misinformation about the safety of the vaccine. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has declared a national incident over rising measles cases, with NHS figures reporting more than 3.4m children under the age of 16 years unprotected and at risk. In Ireland, figures from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) report uptake of the second dose of MMR vaccine for children for 2021/2022 school year at a low of 87% nowhere near the 95% coverage required to prevent outbreaks occurring up and down the country. Professor Breda Smyth reported recently that no country has achieved 95% uptake and in some parts of the country, such as Louth and Meath, uptake rates are below 80%. Prof Smyth warned: If you are considering travelling, I would strongly urge you to ensure you and your child are protected. Its never too late to vaccinate. With the school mid-term break now here, many families with young children will be looking forward to a much-longed-for downtime with a break from routines, work and studies. But with measles figures surging in the UK and many parts of Europe, it is critical that parents check young children have received their MMR at 12 months and their booster MMR at ages 4-5, before travelling. Measles is so infectious that high levels of travel during the mid-term break put all unvaccinated children at increased risk. This safe and cost-effective vaccine is reported to have prevented the disease and averted an extraordinary 56 million deaths between 2001 and 2021. The really good news is that more than 99% of individuals who receive two MMR doses develop immunity to measles. Two doses of MMR are required to ensure protection, as a small fraction (two to five per cent of children) fail to respond to one dose of MMR. In Ireland, vaccination with the first dose of MMR is recommended at twelve months of age and the second dose at four to five years of age. The mid-term break is a good opportunity to check vaccination records and if the MMR vaccine has been missed, by children, teenagers or young adults, make an appointment with your GP to get a catch-up vaccination as soon as you can. Dr Catherine Conlon is a public health doctor in Cork and former director of human health and nutrition at Safefood A Government minister issuing an open letter to the chief executive of a major company is not a regular thing. But then, Michael OLeary of Ryanair isnt a regular CEO, and his increasingly personalised tirades on Transport Minister Eamon Ryan have gone beyond regular lobbying. In an open letter issued on Friday, Mr OLeary called on Mr Ryan to resign and let someone competent deliver traffic, tourism, and jobs growth for Ireland. This followed a radio interview in which he called Mr Ryan an idiot. In response, Mr Ryan accused the mercurial airline executive of highly personalised, inaccurate and inflammatory statements throughout his tenure and said that he has made offers to Mr OLeary to meet him. Those invitations have never once been taken up. I reiterate this open invitation to you again should you wish to accept. The personal sideshow, while entertaining in a way, has distracted largely from the actual issue that has vexed Mr OLeary and caused a split at Cabinet, an issue that has its roots over a decade and a half ago. Back in 2007, when Terminal 2 was approved at Dublin Airport, 23.2m passengers transited through the Swords campus. That figure was up 9.9% on the year before, but while 2008 would see another 200,000 or so added to that number, there was little thought given to the planning permissions cap of 32m passengers a year, especially when the financial crash saw passenger numbers drop below 20m for three straight years even as the new terminal opened in 2010. But in 2015, numbers began to rise and topped 25m, before 2019 saw the cap breached by around 900,000 passengers before covid took the legs out from under the travel and tourism industry. However, the swift rebound in air travel will likely see Dublin Airports passenger cap breached again. It is this cap that is causing the schism at Cabinet and so riling Irelands best-known chief executive, with proposals to increase the limit to 40m passengers per year. To be precise, the Dublin Airport Authority (Daa) is applying for a 15-year permission to build a suite of 11 distinct infrastructure projects at Dublin Airport and the surrounding area as well as an increase in the passenger capacity at the airport from 32m to 40m passengers per annum. The infrastructure projects include the expansion of the North and South Aprons to accommodate extra aircraft and the expansion of the check-in and passenger services area within Terminal 1 which includes the relocation of the existing security area. There are also three infrastructure projects on the airfield and five relating to airport access and parking. The documentation submitted by Daa runs to over 7,000 pages and almost 700 drawings and is what Fingal County Council calls an application of significant scale and complexity. But why the need to expand and what are the arguments against it? Going back to 2007, the grants of planning permission by Fingal County Council for Terminal 2 and the North Runway applied the 32m passenger cap and the night-time restrictions on the runway system at Dublin Airport respectively. In the case of the passenger cap, it was largely felt that the roads and infrastructure in the surrounding areas would struggle to cope with much more in the way of traffic. Going back to 2007, the grants of planning permission by Fingal County Council for Terminal 2 and the North Runway applied the 32m passenger cap and the night-time restrictions on the runway system at Dublin Airport respectively. File picture The Daa now wants an increase in the number of flights taking off and landing at Dublin Airport between 11pm and 7am. However, residents have objected to this idea because they say that existing issues with flight plans have resulted in unbearable noise. Proposed flight paths from the new runway, which first opened in August 2022, were environmentally assessed on the basis of a straight out pathway, one where no turns were taken by aircraft for five nautical miles following takeoff. However, the runway has never followed those paths and has instead imposed almost immediate turns on departing aircraft leading them over neighbouring communities. In one of many submissions on the new planning application which closed two weeks ago, Green Party junior minister and TD for Dublin Fingal Joe OBrien said: It will significantly increase noise exposure from aircraft to residents of north county Dublin and cause a significant increase in greenhouse gas emissions. During a climate emergency, I believe it is contrary to our national and international commitments to expand airport passenger numbers by 25%. Mr OBrien and his party colleague MEP Ciaran Cuffe have made the point that additional passengers would mean additional flights which would mean additional emissions. For its part, Dublin Airport last week unveiled its plan to cut emissions at the airport. This includes running vehicles on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) and upgrading rainwater harvesting, lighting, and bus facilities. For airlines, the great hope of emission reduction are so-called SAFs sustainable aviation fuels. At European Union level, the adoption of the Refuel Aviation Regulation, a law to increase the uptake of SAFs has been passed. However, as Mr Cuffe points out, the requirement for the use of SAFs is only 5% use by 2030, 20% by 2035 and 32% by 2040, and also, SAFs themselves are not zero-carbon. Both Ryanair and Daa insists that airline and passenger demand is there, but that Ireland would lose out to other uncapped hub airports in the UK and Europe for new jobs and new connectivity and that Dublin Airport can currently cater for up to 35 million passengers without any need for additional infrastructure and the access road network could accommodate this. On the political end, both Fianna Fail and Fine Gael politicians have signalled support for the expansion, but Mr Ryan has insisted there is no political input into the planning process, which means that it is not yet a full-on Cabinet dispute. While we await a decision, however, its unlikely that the arguments will be put away. A man who leaped over a judicial bench and attacked a Nevada judge during a sentencing hearing in Las Vegas last month that was captured in a courtroom video that went viral has now been indicted for attempted murder. A grand jury returned the nine-count indictment against Deobra Redden, 30, in Las Vegas on Thursday. His arraignment is scheduled for February 29. Clark County District Court Judge Mary Kay Holthus was about to deliver Reddens sentence in an attempted battery case on January 3 when he lunged over the bench at her. Courtroom cameras recorded as Holthus clerk and a court marshal fought with Redden to restrain him in the wild video that was widely viewed on the internet and social media posts. A week later, Judge Holthus sentenced him to up to four years in prison for the battery charge he had pleaded guilty to in November. The new indictment for attempted murder alleges that Redden attacked Holthus by grabbing her, pulling her hair, placing his hands around her throat and/or hitting her on the head by manner and means unknown. He is also accused of punching and/or kicking and/or pushing a Las Vegas police officer. A lawyer who represented Redden at the initial hearing did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment on Saturday. Reddens foster mother, Karen Springer, and his older sister, LaDonna Daniels, told reporters outside court last month that Redden has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, though court records show he was found competent to stand trial. Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said at the time that Reddens adult criminal history included convictions for three serious offences and nine misdemeanours, mostly involving violent acts. Volodymyr Tsema-Bursov, a soldier with the 56th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade, returned from captivity only a month ago. After the exchange, it turned out that the 41-year-old had lost 38 kilograms. He is currently undergoing treatment in a clinic in Poltava region. ADVERTISIMENT Before the full-scale invasion of Russia, Volodymyr weighed 95 kg, Svoi.City magazine writes. In April 2022, he was taken prisoner by Russia, where he stayed for 20 months. Now he weighs only 57 kilograms. "I have a "whole bunch" of diseases, including chronic gastritis in the acute stage, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, chronic prostatitis in remission, etc." Volodymyr says. The man is an orchestra artist, he played in bands, orchestras, and the Mariupol Chamber Philharmonic; he worked on cruise ships. In April 2022, while trying to get out of Mariupol, Volodymyr was captured by the Russians. He and other soldiers of the 56th Motorized Infantry Brigade were sent through Sartana to the notorious Olenivska colony. ADVERTISIMENT "We are met by a 'warden', each of us says our surname, name and patronymic and runs to the barracks along the 'living corridor'. There are three on the left and the same number on the right. Each of them is holding an "instrument of labor": some have a truncheon or a rubber stick, others something like a cutting board or a strap with metal inserts. Each of them hits you wherever they can. And at the end you meet the last "warden". He jumps up and kicks you under the breath. He kicked so hard that almost everyone fell off their feet," Volodymyr says. That evening alone, about 900 people were brought to Olenivka, although the colony was not designed for such a large number of people. "They slept tightly together, you couldn't even see the floor. If they more or less organized the food, there was a big problem with water. They brought a little water from somewhere, and we were told that "Ukraine cut off the water supply, so now you are sitting without water," the former prisoner recalls. ADVERTISIMENT Volodymyr tells us about the constant interrogations and abuse in Olenivka. However, he was not there for long, and in April he was transferred to a prison in the Russian Federation. "The speakers were playing wartime songs such as 'Arise, Great Country', 'Victory Day', 'Dark Night' and, of course, the anthem of the Russian Federation. None of us knew then that we would be listening to these songs every day for 20 months. And again, constant beatings," the Ukrainian recalls. "At the time, it seemed to me that this was not happening to me. I just could not fully realize that I was free. Then someone came into the bus and asked us to get off," Volodymyr said about the exchange. ADVERTISIMENT As reported by OBOZ.UA, on February 8, Ukraine returned another 100 defenders from Russian captivity. The lists of those who have finally returned include border guards, the National Guard and the Armed Forces, and the defenders of Mariupol. On January 31, the 50th prisoner exchange took place. 207 Ukrainians returned home, including the defenders of Mariupol and Azovstal, Kherson, and Zmeiny Island. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! The al Qaida-linked militant group al-Shabab claimed an attack that killed four Emirati troops and a Bahraini military officer on a training mission at a military base in the Somali capital, authorities said on Sunday. Saturdays attack targeted the troops at the General Gordon Military Base in Mogadishu. Few details were available about the attack and whether there were other casualties, but Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud offered his condolences to the UAE for the loss of its troops. Early Sunday, the UAEs state-run WAM news agency reported the killing of three of its troops and the Bahraini officer in a terrorist act. A fourth later died en route back to the Emirates, it said. WAM released footage of three flag-draped coffins being taken off an Emirati Boeing C-17A Globemaster III at Al Bateen Executive Airport in Abu Dhabi with a guard of honour present. WAM identified the dead as a colonel, two warrant officers and a corporal. No treacherous act will prevent us from continuing the message of security and safety and combating extremism and terrorism in all its forms Anwar Gargash, a senior Emirati diplomat, offered condolences to those killed and wished the wounded a quick recovery. No treacherous act will prevent us from continuing the message of security and safety and combating extremism and terrorism in all its forms, he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. The military of Bahrain, an island nation in the Persian Gulf off the coast of Saudi Arabia, later acknowledged the death of a major in a statement carried by the state-run Bahrain News Agency. Al-Shabab claimed the attack in a statement online, alleging it killed multiple people involved in the Emirati military effort. It described the UAE, a federation of seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula, as an enemy of Islamic Shariah law for backing the Somali government in its efforts to battle al-Shabab. Al-Shabab, or the youth in Arabic, is a Sunni Islamic extremist group in Somalia born out of that countrys years of anarchy following its 1991 civil war. The affiliate of al Qaida once held Mogadishu. Over time, an African Union-led force, with the backing of the US and other countries, pushed the militants out of Mogadishu but, in the years since, al-Shabab has remained a threat as it seeks to overthrow the Western-backed Somali government. Al-Shabab has carried out attacks in neighbouring Kenya as well, since Nairobi provides troops and materiel to the African Union force in Somalia. The US, under every president since George W Bush, has launched air strikes against militants in Somalia, with the number of strikes now exceeding 300, according to New America, a Washington-based security think tank. The vast majority of those strikes took place under then-president Donald Trump. We extend our deepest condolences to the loved ones of those who lost their lives in yesterdays deplorable terrorist attack against UAE military trainers and Somali soldiers valiantly working to advance the nations stability The US Embassy in Somalia on Sunday condemned what it called a cowardly attack against the training mission. We extend our deepest condolences to the loved ones of those who lost their lives in yesterdays deplorable terrorist attack against UAE military trainers and Somali soldiers valiantly working to advance the nations stability, it said. Somalia has also been an intense interest for Gulf states, particularly during the Qatar diplomatic crisis that gripped the region for several years and saw four nations including the UAE boycott Doha in a political dispute. Somali troops once seized millions of dollars of Emirati cash from a jet at gunpoint, sparking a diplomatic incident between Mogadishu and the UAE that halted its troop training programme there. In recent years, the UAE has increasingly invested in ports in East Africa, including in Somalias breakaway Somaliland region. Securing Somalia fits into the Emirates wider concerns about security in the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea, particularly as Somali piracy has resumed after years amid attacks by Yemens Houthi rebels on shipping in the region over Israels war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. In 2019, al-Shabab claimed an attack that killed a man working for Dubais P&O Ports. Seeking a second presidency as the Republicans presumptive 2024 White House nominee, Donald Trump has said he would encourage Russia to attack any of the USs Nato allies whom he considers to have not met their financial obligations. The White House described the remarks as appalling and unhinged. Trump made the statement during a campaign rally in Conway, South Carolina, ahead of the states Republican presidential preference primary on 24 February. The former president has voiced misgivings about aid to Ukraine as it defends itself from the invasion launched by Russia in February 2022 as well as to the existence of Nato, the 31-nation alliance which the US has committed to defending when necessary. Trump claimed that during an unspecified Nato meeting, he told a fellow head of state that the US under his leadership would not defend any countries who were delinquent. One of the presidents of a big country stood up and said, Well, sir, if we dont pay, and were attacked by Russia, will you protect us? Trump said, adding I said, You didnt pay, youre delinquent? No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You got to pay. You got to pay your bills. White House spokesperson Andrew Bates, asked about Trumps comments, said: Encouraging invasions of our closest allies by murderous regimes is appalling and unhinged and it endangers American national security, global stability, and our economy at home. Nato countries agreed in 2014, after Russia annexed Ukraines Crimean peninsula, to halt the spending cuts they had made after the Cold War and move toward spending 2% of their GDPs on defense by 2024. During his 2016 campaign, Trump alarmed western allies by warning that the United States, under his leadership, might abandon its Nato treaty commitments and only come to the defence of countries that meet the alliances 2% target. As of 2022, Nato reported that seven of what are now 31 Nato member countries were meeting that obligation up from three in 2014. Russias 2022 invasion of Ukraine has spurred additional military spending by some Nato members. Trumps comments come as Ukraine remains mired in its efforts to stave off Russias 2022 invasion and as Republicans in Congress have become increasingly skeptical of providing additional aid to the country as it struggles with stalled counteroffensives and weapons shortfalls. Trumps remarks on Saturday quickly raised alarm among many political pundits in the US. Sounds as if Trump is kind of encouraging Russia to attack our Nato allies, David Corn an MSNBC analyst and the Washington DC bureau chief of Mother Jones said on X. Meanwhile, conservative political commentator Alyssa Farah Griffin said Trumps comments were music to the ears of Russian leader Vladimir Putin On Saturday, the former president also celebrated the recent collapse of congressional legislation aiming to address the migration crisis on the US-Mexico border. The legislation was supported by Democratic incumbent Joe Biden, and Trump vowed that if elected again he would carry out a massive deportation operation on his first day back in the Oval Office. Trump has been performing strongly in public opinion polls against Biden, who defeated the ex-president in the 2020 election. Nonetheless, he is grappling with more than 90 criminal charges. The charges contained in four separate indictments across various jurisdictions allege that he tried to subvert the result of the election he lost, illegally retained government secrets after his presidency, and made illicit hush-money payments to a porn actor who claims to have had a sexual encounter with Trump. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges. :: The Guardian, The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse contributed to this report Brianna Gheys mother has told a vigil for the transgender teenager that she was amazing, unique and joyful. People gathered at Golden Square Shopping Centre in Warrington on Sunday to pay tribute to Brianna. It marked one year since the 16-year-old was murdered by teenagers Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe in a park in Cheshire. If there's one piece of advice that I can give to any parent, it would be to hold your children tight, and never stop telling them that that you love them During their sentencing earlier this month, the judge said the exceptionally brutal murder had elements of both sadism on the part of Jenkinson and transphobic hate on the part of Ratcliffe. Addressing the crowd at the vigil, Briannas mother Esther Ghey said: Brianna was an amazing, unique and joyful teenager. I will be forever thankful that I was lucky enough to spend 16 years with her. She taught me so much and gave me so much happiness and love. People holding up their phones during a two-minute silence at the vigil in Golden Square, Warrington, to mark the first anniversary of the murder of 16-year-old Brianna Ghey (Danny Lawson/PA) If theres one piece of advice that I can give to any parent, it would be to hold your children tight, and never stop telling them that that you love them. I want to thank you all for coming here today to pay respect to Brianna. I hope that wherever she is now that she can feel the love that weve created by joining together today. Briannas headteacher Emma Mills told those gathered to honour her memory by being true to yourself. Brianna knew who she was, she said. And she was determined to be true to that. This determination spirit is something that I always admired about Brianna, and its a deserving legacy for us to remember her by. Tributes left by people at the vigil (Danny Lawson/PA) She said that the pressure to conform is so intense for teenagers. Societal pressure to conform is very real, for all of us, she said. But the level of pressure as a teenager amongst your peers can be so intense. Brianna knew who she was, and she didnt bow to the pressures around her. Please remember that about her. Be true to yourself, be yourself, and not a version of yourself that you think others want you to be. It comes after British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak refused to apologise to Briannas father and said it is sad and wrong to link his transgender joke at Prime Ministers Questions to her case. Briannas father, Peter Spooner, said Mr Sunak should say sorry for the degrading and dehumanising remark made in the Commons. Mr Sunak had accused Keir Starmer of having difficulty in defining a woman during an attack on Labour Party U-turns. Esther Ghey was visiting Parliament when Mr Sunak aimed the jibe at Mr Starmer. His comment prompted fierce criticism from across the political spectrum, with Mr Starmer telling Mr Sunak: Of all the weeks to say that, when Briannas mother is in this chamber. Shame. But on Thursday Mr Sunak claimed it was the worst of politics to link his comments to Briannas case. Sunday, Feb 11th, 2024 (5:25 pm) - Score 9,520 Ding, ding.. round two. News reports claim that Virgin Media (VMO2) has allegedly revived its interest in a takeover of budget broadband ISP TalkTalk. But this time theyre reportedly focusing much more specifically upon the internet providers consumer division. The long-established internet and phone provider home to almost 4 million UK broadband customers (2.4m on FTTC/P) is currently still trying to deal with the pressure from its existing debt pile, which involves selling off parts of their business (here and here). As part of that, the provider is already demerging the group into three separate businesses (TalkTalk Consumer, Business Direct and the Wholesale Platform) and cutting costs where it can. NOTE: Back in 2020 TalkTalk became the subject of a 1.1bn takeover by Toscafund (1.8bn. Back in 2020 TalkTalk became the subject of atakeover by here ), which including debt valued the business at around The Business Direct division has already been sold to the companys own shareholders for 95m (here), although they will probably continue the hunt for a third party to gobble that division (i.e. any proceeds in excess of the agreed 95m would be passed back to the company). Meanwhile, the efforts continue to carve off their consumer and wholesale divisions, with hopes being pinned on raising cash through selling stakes in those businesses or even disposing of them altogether. According to The Telegraph (paywall), Virgin Media (VMO2) has now re-entered early talks with TalkTalk about the possible acquisition of its consumer division. Regular readers may recall that Virgin Media was previously linked with a potential 3bn deal to acquire the whole group in 2022 (here), but the operator allegedly got cold feet over market (i.e. debt markets were not as accessible) and regulatory (competition) concerns. Not to mention that many have questioned whether TalkTalk is even worth 3bn, but a smaller deal for just their consumer division might be more palatable. The newspaper claims that TalkTalk is separately in talks with infrastructure fund DigitalBridge, which also backs full fibre alternative network provider Netomnia (YouFibre), about potentially selling a stake in its wholesale operations. TalkTalk allegedly still plans to then spin the consumer division out of the group following refinancing. At this stage there are still a lot of unknowns about how VMO2 might approach such a deal, particularly given the new nexfibre wholesale division and the fact that TalkTalk tend to be much more of a lower cost brand than Virgin Media. Equally, such talks, assuming they do exist, might end up amounting to nothing again and there will no doubt be other interested parties (e.g. Vodafone and investment groups). Finally, any deal would also represent bad news for Openreach (BT), Freedom Fibre and CityFibre, since TalkTalk is a major player on those three networks (they also work with some other AltNets, albeit to a smaller scale). But Virgin Media would no doubt seek, over time, to migrate TalkTalks customer base on to their new XGS-PON powered full fibre (FTTP) network. Suffice to say, competition concerns may still be a difficult factor to navigate around. The day before, a photo of an F-16 fighter jet with Ukrainian insignia was posted online. According to Yuriy Ihnat, spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force Command, this photo made the Russians nervous. ADVERTISIMENT At the same time, he added that after arriving in Ukraine, F-16 fighters will become a desirable target for the occupiers. Ihnat spoke about this on the air of the national telethon. The Air Force spokesperson emphasized that Ukraine, for its part, must do everything to ensure that the relevant infrastructure at the airfields is adapted to the F-16. He also noted that preparing the infrastructure takes a long time. In addition, the fact that Ukraine is under Russian shelling every day adds to the problems. "The infrastructure is being adapted, and pilots are being trained. You have seen our Phantom's interview, and he took an interesting photo with the signs. People are discussing whether they are real or not. Let's see, and we've already seen what the Russians say, let them get a little nervous," Ihnat said. ADVERTISIMENT Earlier, it was reported that the US National Guard has enough money to complete the training of Ukrainian pilots to operate F-16 fighter jets. Additional funds will be needed if the program is expanded. As a reminder, the Netherlands will send six more F-16 fighters to Ukraine in addition to the 18 aircraft that began to be prepared for delivery in December 2023. Thus, the Ukrainian army will soon receive the first 24 long-awaited aircraft from the Netherlands. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! 02/09/2024 Instructor Chris Haney greets future criminal justice students at Admitted Students Day in January. by Buffy Lockette Jacksonville State's Online Masters in Criminal Justice has jumped up 23 slots to No. 36 in the nation in the annual US News rankings of Best Online Programs. This places the program second in Alabama and among the top ten in the Southeast. According to US News, highly ranked programs like JSUs have strong traditional academic foundations based on student-instructor access, graduation rates and instructor credentials. They also excel at educating distance learners while offering robust career and financial support. The JSU Department of Criminal Justice and Forensic Investigation offers a Master of Science in criminal justice both in-person and 100 percent online. It will soon add a GIS concentration to the degree. The program also supports the concentration in criminal justice within the universitys Master of Public Administration. Department head Dr. Dean Buttram said the addition of two new tenure track faculty positions in the past year have helped the department bring the degree program to the next level. They brought fresh perspectives to our degree, and their addition to our existing faculty has culminated into a revamping of the degree with new courses, innovative perspectives on existing courses and new approaches to handling the thesis option, Buttram said. I am so proud of our faculty and the recognition given to us by the annual US News ranking. Applications to the master's program are due Aprl 1 for Summer 2024 and July 1 for Fall 2024. Review of Vincent Bevins, If We Burn: The Mass Protest Decade and the Missing Revolution (New York: PublicAffairs, 2023). Munich (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) At the end of 2019, there was no shortage of articles looking retrospectively at the events that had shaped the decade of the 2010s. One of them was aptly titled A decade of revolt. From Tunis to New York, Madrid, Hong Kong, Tehran, or Khartoum, the past decade was marked by protests, demonstrations, and uprisings. If the notion that history is an almost continuous march towards the progress of human kind (a popular view among Western intellectuals in the 1990s such as Francis Fukuyama) still had some currency, the last decade should have put this idea to rest. That is because, in hindsight, it is difficult to be optimistic about the results of this decade of revolt. This is a feeling shared by many and examined in the book If We Burn: The Mass Protest Decade and the Missing Revolution. The author, Vincent Bevins, is a US journalist who was highly praised for his previous book, The Jakarta Method, which discusses the US support for human rights abuses during the Cold War in the name of anti-Communism. The question at the core of Bevins second book, If We Burn, is a very straightforward one: How is it possible that so many mass protests led to the opposite of what they asked for?[1] With the temporal focus set on the 2010s, but having a global geographical scope, Bevins conducted around 200 interviews in twelve different countries with activists, politicians, and other people with key insights on this decade of mass protests. If We Burn discusses many different cases of protests during the last decade, but special attention is paid to Egypt, Hong Kong, Chile, and, above all, Brazil. This is no coincidence because, from 2010 to 2016, Bevins worked as a foreign correspondent based in Sao Paulo for the Los Angeles Times. The chapters on Brazil are a pleasure to read, but the strong focus on the country is somewhat disproportionate when considering that the book is presented as a work of global history. An alternative approach would have been to focus on a smaller number of cases, perhaps narrowing it down to a few Global South countries. Bevins appears a bit uncomfortable when moving away from the countries he knows best. For instance, when he refers to the protests in Istanbuls Taksim Square in 2013, Bevins writes that after coming to power in 2003, Turkeys ruling party AKP embraced more conservative Muslims and small business owners (as long as they were ethnic Turks).[2] This is actually not the case, as the AKP has historically outperformed the main opposition party CHP which has a much stronger Turkish nationalist discourse in the Kurdish areas of Turkey. Notwithstanding this inaccuracy, and the fact that the geographical scope of the book often works against the final result, there is much to be praised in If We Burn. A key success of the book is that Bevins strikes the perfect balance between critically examining what protests achieved in terms of tangible results and remaining deeply respectful of the protesters and their sacrifices. Tunisian President Kais Saied might have entrenched himself in power after 2021 and established a dictatorship similar to the one headed by Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, brought down by mass demonstrations in 2011. But this does not take anything away from the personal stories of people like Jawaher Channa, a university student who joined the protests against Ben Ali in December 2010. Jawaher explains to Bevins how she was tortured for her political activity in a Tunisian police station before the regime collapsed. Bevins reporting allows us to see how relatively unknown people shaped and were shaped by this decade of protests. Take the example of Mayara Vivian, who was a teenager when in 2005 she joined the Movimento Passe Livre (MPL) that demanded free transportation in Brazil. In 2013, Fernando Haddad, the mayor of Sao Paulo from the center-left Workers Party, announced a rise in the price of public urban transportation. Mayara and her colleagues at MPL mobilized the streets against Haddads decision, forcing the mayor to cancel the price increase. Mayara and other members of the MPL were even granted a meeting with then-Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, also from the Workers Party, who was trying to understand the growing discontentment with her government. Vincent Bevins, If We Burn: The Mass Protest Decade and the Missing Revolution. Click here. The likes of Mayara would soon be replaced in the streets by right and far-right-wing groups. These protesters, in conjunction with sympathetic judges like Sergio Moro and media conglomerates like Grupo Globo, pushed for Rousseffs impeachment on flimsy charges. Rousseff was ousted in 2016. Two years later, Fernando Haddad, the Workers Party candidate, was defeated in the presidential election by far-right and Brazilian dictatorship apologist Jair Bolsonaro. Mayara, then living in Santiago de Chile, wept while lamenting the election loss of the man she had opposed in the streets, explains Bevins. Mayara soon joined the protests against the conservative Chilean President Sebastian Pinera, who was forced to accept the election of a constitutional assembly to reform the constitution inherited from the Pinochet dictatorship. After two referendums, Chile still does not have a new constitution. What is has, though, is Gabriel Boric as president, someone who became famous in the student protests of the early 2010s. Boric represents like no other the difficult relationship between activism and institutional politics, which is often manifested in the tensions between protesters who want to use their leverage to gain political concessions and those who prefer to keep pushing for maximalist objectives. A congressman since 2014, Boric was seen as a traitor by many protestors when he agreed to a constitutional referendum as a way to resolve the conflict with the Pinera government in 2019. After he was elected president of Chile in 2022, many of those who perceived Boric as too compromising in 2019 saw his decision in a more positive light, observes Bevins. A key topic covered in If We Burn is the importance of traditional and social media in defining the protests of the last decade. Their relevance was accentuated by the fact that these were mostly de-centralized protest movements with no clear spokespersons. The protesters who had the opportunity to present their views to the traditional media were not necessarily those who put their bodies on the line when it mattered or were more representative of the whole movement. Instead, those who were interviewed were usually the more Western-media friendly. Writing about the protests in Egypt that led to the fall of dictator Hosni Mubarak in 2011, Bevins graphically explains that despite how bravely street youth had fought against the police, Western journalists were not likely to grab a teenager who lived on the street, addicted to drugs.[3] Equally relevant was managing the narrative in social media platforms. In the case of the Occupy Wall Street movement, open fights emerged over who controlled the movements social media accounts. If We Burn does not provide any conclusive answer on why so many protest movements failed to achieve their objectives during the 2010s, and this only makes the book better. Anyone claiming to have a perfect explanation for such a complex puzzle should be approached with caution. Still, Bevins presents reflections that help us make sense of what he calls the mass protest decade. One of them is that horizontally structured, leaderless mass protests are fundamentally illegible.[4] As Bevins sees it, movements that cannot speak for themselves will be spoken for, with the ensuing danger that the protesters goals will be misrepresented. [5] Strongly connected to this idea is the fact that successful protests will lead to a momentary political vacuum. Influenced by the experience of Brazil, where reactionary forces took the streets against Rousseff using some of the protest repertoire of the MPL movement advocating for free public transportation, Bevins notes that unclaimed political power exerts an irresistible gravitational pull on anyone who might want it.[6] Therefore, he argues, a protest movement that believes in creating a better society needs to be ready to enter the political vacuum that will emerge if successful. In the absence of a plan, someone else will step in, most likely with a very different agenda but equally relying on the power of street mobilizations. The greatest merit of Bevins latest book is that it leaves a deep imprint on the reader and will serve as a prompt for many fruitful discussions. We cannot know which kind of retrospective articles will be published by the end of 2029. Still, it is reasonable to assume that protests in the 2020s are likely to play at least as important a role as they did in the previous decade. [1] Vincent Bevins, If We Burn: The Mass Protest Decade and the Missing Revolution (New York: PublicAffairs, 2023), p. 3. [2] Ibid., pp. 108-109. [3] Ibid., p. 68. [4] Ibid., p. 276. [5] Ibid. [6] Ibid., p. 263. ( RFE/RL ) Like two heavyweight boxers, the United States and Iran circle the ring flexing their muscles without stepping close enough to actually trade blows. It is clear that neither wants to fight, but they also have no interest in settling their stark differences. That is how experts say Washington and Tehran have dealt with each other for more than four decades, only changing their stance when it is mutually beneficial. Tensions have soared between the two foes, who have no formal diplomatic ties, amid the fallout from Israels devastating war in the Gaza Strip. But despite calls for de-escalation, observers say there is little room for detente. Ive rarely seen a situation in which the tensions have been so high and the exit ramps are nearly nonexistent and there were no real channels of communication between the two sides, said Ali Vaez, director of the Iran project at the International Crisis Group. And that makes the current situation even more dangerous, because theres plenty of space for miscommunication and misunderstanding, Vaez added. Current tensions in the Middle East have had deadly consequences even as each side tries to avoid getting drawn into a direct military confrontation. The United States has hit Iran-backed militants in response to attacks against U.S. forces and interests in the region, including the deaths of three U.S. soldiers in Jordan last month, while underscoring that its aim is de-escalation. Iran, which like the United States has said that it does not want war, has continued to back militant groups that make up its so-called axis of resistance against Israel and the West, while calling for diplomacy to resolve the crisis. Iranian Envoy To Kabul Sees Afghanistan As Part Of Tehrans Axis Of Resistance Tehran and Washington have carefully avoided direct conflict, but are in no position to work out their differences even if they wanted to, experts say. Washington and Tehran have not had formal diplomatic ties since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, leaving them to negotiate through back-channels or third states when needed. But political and ideological pressures at home amplified ahead of a parliamentary vote in Iran in March and a presidential election in the United States in November has meant that neither side is looking to back away any time soon from the stark red lines the two have drawn. Avenues For Diplomacy There are ways that communication can be had between the two countries, and they do so, said Alex Vatanka, director of the Iran Program at the U.S.-based Middle East Institute. But they tend to do it on select files, or moments of crisis. Vatanka said those lines of communication include Irans envoy to the United Nations who resides in New York and the Swiss Embassy in Tehran which handles American interests in the Islamic republic. There are also third-party mediators, including Qatar, Oman, and Iraq, he said. The U.S.-Iran prisoner swap worked out in September, which followed years of secret negotiations involving Gulf states and Switzerland, is the most recent example. Under that deal, four Americans held hostage in Iran were released in exchange for Washington unfreezing $6 billion in Iranian oil revenue held up in South Korea. As part of the agreement, according to Vaez, Iran committed to rein in groups that were targeting U.S. interests in Iraq and Syria and Washington received a commitment that Tehran would not supply ballistic missiles to Russia for use in Moscows war against Ukraine. Shortly after Iran-backed Hamas, which is considered a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union, carried out its deadly assault on Israel on October 7, the unfrozen Iranian funds came under intense scrutiny. Republicans in the United States who are gearing up for the presidential election in November have been particularly vocal in criticizing the deal worked out by the administration of Democratic President Joe Biden. In response, Washington worked out an agreement with Qatar, where the unfrozen Iranian funds were moved and to be released only for humanitarian purposes, to prevent Tehran from accessing them at all. But the deal has remained a hot-button issue. The Gaza war and the ensuing resumption of attacks on U.S. forces and interests by Iran-backed groups have attracted even more political discord. Africa News Video added by IC: Iran will keep supporting Hezbollah FM Amirabdollahian After Israels large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip that has killed more than 27,000 Palestinians, Iran-backed militant groups have carried out attacks in solidarity with Hamas. The Iran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen have targeted maritime shipping and U.S. naval forces in the Red Sea. Meanwhile, Iran-backed militias in Iraq killed three U.S. soldiers in Jordan in a drone attack. That, in turn, has led to U.S. and U.K. attacks on Huthi targets in Yemen, and by the United States against Iran-backed militias and Iranian-linked sites in Syria and Iraq. Iran, for its part, has said that the axis of resistance, which it denies directing, would continue to carry out strikes until a permanent cease-fire is worked out to stop what it calls a genocide in Gaza. And in what was widely seen as a show of its capability to strike back in the event Iran itself is attacked, it has launched ballistic missile strikes against enemy targets in Iraq, Pakistan, and Syria, the latter of which showcased that Israel was within striking distance. The recent spike in violence came after the United States had experienced the longest period of quiet in the Middle East from March until the Hamas assault on October 7, Vaez said. That relative peace came about not because of displays of power, but because Iran and the United States were negotiating, Vaez said. It wasnt because the U.S. had flexed its military muscle and deterred Iran, it was because it was engaged in diplomatic understandings with Iran that came to fruition and culminated in a detainee deal, Vaez said. Tehran and the United States, currently trading threats of ever-stronger responses, are seeking to pressure each other into greater flexibility, said Trita Parsi, co-founder of the Washington-based Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. Both would like to get back to the truce they enjoyed prior to the October 7 attacks by Hamas against Israel, Parsi said in written comments. But whether the political will is available for real de-escalation remains unclear. President Biden has been unmovable in his opposition to a cease-fire in Gaza thus far, Parsi said, referring to mounting calls for a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas. And without such a cease-fire, real de-escalation remains very unlikely. Military Message U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on February 6, halfway through his latest trip to the Middle East to reduce regional tensions, that a proposal for a temporary cease-fire put together with the help of Qatar and Egypt and presented to Hamas and Israel, was possible and, indeed, essential. While details of the proposal have not been made public, Blinken said that the goal is to use any pause in fighting to address humanitarian and reconstruction needs in Gaza and to continue to pave a diplomatic path forward to a just and lasting peace and security for the region. Asked by RFE/RL whether Washington is employing any diplomatic means, either directly or indirectly, to decrease tensions with Iran, a U.S. State Department spokesperson pointed to recent strikes carried out against Iranian-backed groups in Yemen, Syria, and Iraq. Our military response to the killing of three U.S. service members by Iran-aligned militia groups and our continued action to degrade the Huthis ability to threaten international shipping sends the clearest message of all: the United States will defend our personnel and our interests, a U.S. State Department spokesman said in written comments on February 7. When we are attacked, we will respond strongly, and we will respond at a time and place of our choosing, the spokesman said. Prior to the deadly attack on the U.S. base in Jordan, there had been reports of Washington using third states to send a nonmilitary notice to Iran. Shortly after the Hamas assault on Israel in October, the U.S. Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer, said that a congressional delegation to China had asked Beijing to exert its influence with Tehran to prevent the Israel-Hamas conflict from spreading. In early January, the Lebanese news publication Al-Ahed News quoted Irans ambassador to Syria as saying that a delegation from an unidentified Gulf state had carried a message from the United States seeking to reduce the risk of an expanded regional conflict. The U.S. State Department spokesperson said that beyond the recent U.S. strikes, our message to Iran, in public and in private, has been a singular one: cease your support for terrorist groups and militant proxies and partners. Washington welcomes any efforts by other countries to play a constructive role in trying to prevent these Iran-enabled attacks from taking place, the spokesperson added, but referred to White House national-security spokesman John Kirbys February 6 comment that I know of no private messaging to Iran since the death of our soldiers in Jordan over a week ago. Lack Of Vision The limits of diplomacy between the United States and Iran, according to Vatanka, is not a lack of the ability to communicate, the problem is a lack of vision to repair relations. For political reasons and for a long time, Vantanka added, neither side has been interested in mending the bad blood that has existed between the two countries going back to 1979. Right now, the White House cannot afford to talk to Iran at a time when so many of Bidens critics are saying hes too soft on the Iranian regime, Vatanka said. On the other hand, youve got an Iranian supreme leader who is 84 years old. Hes really keen on two things: not to have a war with the Americans, because he doesnt think thats going to go well for Iran or his regime. But at the same time, he doesnt want to see the Americans return to Tehran anytime soon. Certainly not when hes alive. This, Vatanka explained, is because Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameini does not think the Americans want anything other than the fundamental objective of bringing about the end of the Islamic republic. The other major voice in Iranian foreign policy the leaders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps also see anti-Americanism as a worthwhile instrument to further their ideological and political aims at home and abroad, according to Vatanka. They think anti-Americanism is the ticket to mobilize the Islamic world around their flag and around their leadership, Vatanka said. More moderate voices when it comes to Irans foreign policy, Vatanka said, are labeled as traitors and weak and are today essentially marginalized. Via RFE/RL By Anne Irfan, UCL | (The Conversation) The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has rejected a ceasefire plan put forward by Hamas, calling the terms delusional. Claiming that an Israeli victory in Gaza is within reach, Netanyahu has vowed to fight on until Hamas is completely destroyed. But the US, which is involved in negotiation efforts along with Qatar and Egypt, has said that there could still be a path to a deal. Hamass plan came as a counter offer to a proposal put forward a week ago by Israel, the US, Qatar and Egypt. That framework reportedly involved a six-week truce during which Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners would be exchanged. In response, Hamas proposed a sweeping three-stage plan aimed at ending the war completely. Under the terms of the plan, phase one would see a pause in fighting to allow for the release of Palestinian women and children from Israeli jails. They would be exchanged for Israeli women and males under 19 being held in Gaza, as well as the elderly and the sick. At the same time, Israeli forces would withdraw from Gazas built-up areas as the reconstruction of hospitals and refugee camps begins. During the second phase, Israeli forces would leave Gaza completely as the remaining Israeli hostages are exchanged for Palestinian prisoners. In phase three, Israel and Hamas would exchange bodies and remains. Throughout the process, the pause in fighting would allow for essential aid supplies to be delivered to Gaza. Hamas plan also envisages ongoing negotiations to end the war completely, with a view to these concluding by the end of phase three. Netanyahus calculations Both the content of the Hamas proposal and Netanyahus rejection of it are revealing about the current political state of play for both parties. Netanyahu, long a highly divisive figure in Israel and abroad, has seen his approval ratings plummet in Israel since the Hamas attacks of October 7 in which 1,200 Israelis were killed and around 240 taken hostage. A poll last month found that only 15% of Israelis think he should keep his job after the war ends. Such figures suggest an alternative reason why he may be keen to continue the war for as long as possible. Netanyahu and his government have also been under increasing pressure from the hostages families, who recently stormed a meeting of the Knesset to demand more action to release their loved ones. On February 6, five Israeli women who were released from Gaza during the November ceasefire called on Netanyahu to do whatever is necessary to secure the release of the remaining 136. Similarly, Sharone Lifshitz, whose 85-year-old mother, Yocheved, was freed during the November ceasefire and whose 83-year-old father, Oded, is still being held, has criticised Netanyahus rejection of the ceasefire proposal. In a press conference in the UK, Sharone Lifschitz said: We need that deal to happen now I dont think Israel has another option. Yet Netanyahu is also facing pressure from hardliners within his own government. In particular, far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has been threatening to dissolve the coalition if Netanyahu makes any concessions to Hamas. While Ben Gvir is not part of the Israeli war cabinet formed as an emergency response to the October 7 attacks Netanyahu will be conscious of his potential to collapse the government. Hamas aims As for Hamas, there are reports of a deepening rift between the Gaza cadre, led by October 7 mastermind Yahya Sinwar, and the exiled leadership in Doha, headed up by political bureau chair Ismail Haniyeh. Sinwar, who has become increasingly powerful in Gaza in recent years, is said to back a temporary immediate truce while Haniyeh is pushing for a full ceasefire with major Israeli concessions. The Independent Video: Live: Israeli protesters rally in Tel Aviv as Netanyahu orders evacuations from Rafah All the while, the war in Gaza continues. With United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reporting a toll of more than 26,000 Palestinians killed, more than 65,000 injured, and 1.7 million displaced, the UN is now warning that famine is inevitable in the Strip. As negotiations continue to go back and forth, time is running out for the most vulnerable. Anne Irfan, Lecturer in Interdisciplinary Race, Gender and Postcolonial Studies, UCL This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. From EXO's Suho to NCT's Jaehyun, these are the idol-actors gearing for their highly-anticipated acting comeback this 2024! Keep on reading who among your favorite idols are returning to the small screen soon! EXO's Suho EXO's smart and charismatic leader is ready to greet the audience with his first-ever historical-romance series, "Missing Crown Prince." Suho takes on the role of Crown Prince Lee Geon. Despite his prosperous life, his determination aims to defy the twist of fate ahead. He will team up with rising actress Hong Ye Ji. ALSO READ: EXO Suho Displays Regal Bravado In 'Missing Crown Prince' Poster The drama is set in the Joseon era and tells the story of a crown prince who gets abducted by a woman arranged to become his wife. Suho's upcoming series is scheduled to air beginning March 9 on MBN. U-Kiss' Lee Jun Young Lee Jun Young is a desire-driven villain in his soon-to-release drama "The Impossible Heir." The series centers its story on the three characters who have strong desires to make it to the top by trying to take the throne of Korea's largest conglomerate. Along with Lee Jae Wook and Hong Su Zu, Lee Jun Young will meet the viewers with unconventional character transformations. The U-Kiss member is Kang In Ha, a man who hides intense desires behind his carefree personality. This will be the second time that Lee Jun Young will play the role of a villain, but all eyes are still on him, as people are excited about the new things he will bring to the table in playing his antagonist character. The series will hit the screen beginning February 28 on Disney+. ASTRO's Cha Eun Woo After his fantasy series "A Good Day to Be a Dog," Cha Eun Woo will jump to a new genre of mystery-revenge for his next screen work. He will share the same frame with veteran actress Kim Nam Joo in MBC's "Wonderful World." Cha Eun Woo is Kwon Sun Yool, he lives a rough life after dropping out of medical school and soon finds himself entangled with Eun Soo Hyun (Kim Nam Joo). "Wonderful World" is about Eun Soo Hyun, who seeks revenge after the tragic loss of her son. When the mastermind behind the incident manages to escape, she decides to pursue justice on her own. The idol-actor's forthcoming series will start airing on March 1. NCT's Jaehyun NCT's vocalist and visual Jung Jaehyun will grace the big screen with the mystery-thriller film "You Will Die After Six Hours." It is based on a Japanese novel by Takano Kazuaki and features the story of characters who fall into agony about their futures due to a man who can predict death. Jung Jaehyun is making his silver screen debut through this project. He will play the character of Jun Woo, a man who has the ability to see the future. This marks Jaehyun's acting return following his first series, "Dear. M" in 2021. His movie is tentatively for release in the second half of 2024. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: NCT Jaehyun's Debut Film 'You Will Die After Six Hours' to Have International Release Who among these idols are you looking forward to watching? Share your thoughts/replies in the comments! For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news and updates, keep your tabs open here at KDramaStars. KDramaStars owns this article. Shai Collins wrote this. Personnel changes continue in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Oleksandr Syrskyi was replaced by former First Deputy Defense Minister Oleksandr Pavliuk. And instead of Serhiy Nayev, Yuriy Sodol, who was previously the commander of the Ukrainian Navy's marines, will take over as commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces. ADVERTISIMENT OBOZ.UA found out what is known about the new commanders. Oleksandr Pavliuk Oleksandr Pavliuk was born on August 20, 1970 in Zvyagel. He graduated from the Kharkiv Guards Higher Tank Command School (1991) and the National Defense Academy of Ukraine (2004). Pavliuk is a career officer. He began his military career in 1991 as a tank platoon commander. In 1993 he became a tank company commander, and from 1999 to 2003 he commanded a tank battalion. From March 2005 to July 2006, he was the deputy commander of a brigade in Zvyagel, Zhytomyr region. From July 2006 to March 2007, Oleksandr Pavliuk was the commander of Ukrainian peacekeeping troops in Kosovo. ADVERTISIMENT In 2007-2010, he was the deputy commander of the brigade, and later the chief of staff of the brigade in Zvyagel, Zhytomyr region; In 2010-2015, Pavliuk commanded the 24th separate mechanized brigade named after King Danylo, based in Yavoriv, Lviv region. He participated in the war against the Russian occupiers since 2014. Under his command, the 24th Brigade took part in the battles for the liberation of Sloviansk, Krasnyi Lyman, Kramatorsk, Lysychansk and other cities in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. In June 2014, separate units of the 24th Brigade, together with the 95th, 79th and 72nd Brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, took part in the capture and holding of a 240-kilometer section of the Ukrainian border (Amvrosiyivka-Izvaryne). On July 11, 2014, the brigade suffered heavy losses as a result of a missile attack by Russian troops near Zelenopillya. On August 6-7, units of the brigade that held the entrusted lines near Dolzhanske and other areas of the southern operational zone took part in the so-called Izvaryne breakthrough, which was the withdrawal of Ukrainian units from a partial semi-circumvention along the Ukrainian-Russian border. Thanks to the skillful and decisive actions of the personnel, the withdrawal took place on time, with minimal losses. After recuperation and re-enforcement, the brigade under the command of Oleksandr Pavliuk returned to performing its assigned tasks in eastern Ukraine. ADVERTISIMENT On August 23, 2015, Oleksandr Pavliuk was promoted to the rank of Major General. From 2017 to 2020, he was the commander of the troops of the Operational Command "West". On August 23, 2018, by Presidential Decree No. 242/2018, Pavliuk was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General. Since the summer of 2020, he has been the Commander of the Training Command of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. On July 28, 2021, he was appointed Commander of the Joint Forces Operation. On the eve of a full-scale invasion in January 2022, Lieutenant General Oleksandr Pavliuk in an interview with the British newspaper The Times called Ukraine's abandonment of nuclear weapons in 1994 a huge mistake. As an experienced combat commander, he accurately predicted the approximate date of a full-scale attack by Russian troops on sovereign Ukraine and managed to prepare his subordinate units for effective resistance. ADVERTISIMENT Since the beginning of the full-scale war on February 24, 2022, Pavliuk has been in charge of defense in eastern Ukraine. From March 15 to May 21, 2022, he headed the Kyiv Regional Military Administration. Pavliuk ensured the organization of defense and repulsion of Russian aggression in Kyiv and Kyiv region. He was in charge of stabilization measures in the liberated territories of the Kyiv region. From May 2022 to February 21, 2023, he was the Chief of Staff - Deputy Commander of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. At the same time, Pavliuk served as the commander of the Kyiv Defense Forces Group. From February 21, 2023, Oleksandr Pavliuk served as First Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine. For his contribution to strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities, personal courage and heroism, and significant contribution to the protection of Ukraine's state sovereignty and territorial integrity, Pavliuk received the title of Hero of Ukraine with the Order of the Golden Star (March 4, 2022); the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, III and II degrees; the Medal for Military Service to Ukraine, and other awards. ADVERTISIMENT Yuriy Sodol Yuriy Sodol was born on December 26, 1970, in Chuhuiv, Kharkiv region. He graduated from high school in Mariupol in 1988, Sumy Higher Artillery Command School in 1992 and the Chernyakhovsky National Defense Academy of Ukraine in Kyiv in 2022 (qualified as an officer of the military department of operational and tactical, and in 2015 - operational and strategic levels). Lieutenant General Yuriy Sodoldo was the Commander of the Marine Corps of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and was awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine. He has served in the airborne troops since 2003. During this time, he made 96 parachute jumps. ADVERTISIMENT In 2007, he was appointed commander of the 25th Airborne Brigade. Yuriy Sodol has been at war since 2014. With his brigade, he visited the hottest spots of the frontline. Among other things, he took part in the battles for Rubizhne, the storming of Yampil, the defense of Donetsk airport, and led the cover for the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Debaltseve. In January 2015, Sodol was appointed First Deputy Commander of the Airborne Assault Forces. And since March 2018, he has served as the Commander of the Marines of the Ukrainian Navy. Since the first days of Russia's large-scale invasion, he has been in charge of defense in one of the most difficult areas of the front. Yuriy Sodol is a Hero of Ukraine (2022). He has the medal "For Military Service to Ukraine" (2010). Orders "For Courage", 3rd class (2014) and Bohdan Khmelnytsky, 3rd class (2015). ADVERTISIMENT As reported by OBOZ.UA, on February 11, President Volodymyr Zelensky appointed new commanders of various branches of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In particular, Lieutenant General Serhiy Nayev was replaced by Yuriy Sodol as commander of the Joint Forces, and Oleksandr Pavliuk, the former head of Kyiv Regional Military Administration and Reznikov's former deputy, became the head of the Land Forces. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Saturday, February 10, 2024 The Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings, Herbert Wigwe, and his wife, Chizoba, have died after a Chopper they were commuting in crashed in California on Friday night, February 9. According to reports, the chopper was headed to Las Vegas when it crashed near boulder city, which is between Nevada and California on Friday night. According to the San Bernardino Sherriff's department, the helicopter took off from Palm Springs Airport around 8.45pm and was heading to Las Vegas when it crashed around 10pm. The bank executive, his wife and their son were said to be onboard the ill-fated chopper. The group chairman of the NEG, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, is also said to have been on the Chopper. He was 57 years old. May his soul rest in peace. Amen Saturday, February 10, 2024 Hollywood stars, Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello have settled their divorce six months after ending their marriage. There was a prenup in place for their marriage, making it easy for Joe and Sofia to keep the assets they accumulated individually in over seven years of being together. Sofia and Joe don't have any spousal support in place as both of them waived any right to alimony. The exes didn't have any kids together which was kind of a sticking point; Joe wanted kids. The divorce was settled amicably, and Joe and Sofia seem happy to move on with their lives. Sunday, February 11, 2024 - Despite Joseph "Jowie" Irungu's conviction for murdering businesswoman Monica Kimani in 2018, the motive behind her brutal slaying remains shrouded in mystery. In her verdict, High Court Justice Grace Nzioka acknowledged the lack of a definitive motive, stating that proving malice aforethought (intent to harm) is sufficient for a murder conviction. This aligns with Kenyan legal precedent, where motive is not always essential for a murder conviction. While Irungu attempted to paint Monica as unfaithful, the judge dismissed his narrative as irrelevant. He also tried to implicate her Sudanese boyfriend through Monica's suggestive message to a friend about needing help sleeping but this too was disregarded, with Justice Nzioka deeming the evidence inconclusive. Irungu's defense revolved around the presence of other men's DNA on straps found at the scene, but Justice Nzioka countered that such evidence could be easily explained by everyday interactions and did not implicate others in the murder itself. However, the charge sheet itself mentions "others not before the court," sparking speculation about potential accomplices. Whether these individuals will ever face justice remains unanswered. Unanswered questions linger: 1. Why did Irungu possess a gun not used in the crime? 2. Why did he steal an ID card before the murder? 3. Who are the "others not before the court and will they be brought to justice? By Cyprian Nyakundi. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Saturday, February 10, 2024 Hungarian President, Katalin Novak on Saturday, February 10, announced her resignation following a controversy that trailed her decision to pardon a man convicted of covering up a child abuse case in a children's home. The pardon decision was made last year but only caught the publics attention over the past days after a report by the local news site 444.hu, which was met with outrage, leading Hungarys opposition to call for Katalin Novak to step down. Protests calling for her to step down had been growing in Hungary. Ms Novak apologised and said she made "a mistake" in granting the pardon. I made a mistake, Novak said in a televised address aired on Saturday, when she announced her resignation and issued an apology to any victims who felt she had not stood with them. Novak who became president in 2022, also branded herself as a family-focused Christian conservative politician. Judit Varga, the former minister of justice who approved the pardon, has also resigned from her new role leading the European elections campaign for Prime Minister Viktor Orban's ruling Fidesz party. Novak is a popular figure in Fidesz and a rare female politician in a male-dominated country. She is a key ally of Mr Orban and previously worked as his family minister. In 2022, she became the first woman to hold the largely ceremonial role of Hungarian president. Sunday, February 11, 2024 - Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has taken credit for Embu Governor Cecil Mbarires life. Speaking during a funds drive in Muranga, Gachagua revealed that Mbarires life was in danger after she took on cartels in the coffee industry, but he rescued her. He divulged that the governor was trailed by unknown vehicles days after naming powerful companies that were taking advantage of farmers during a coffee reforms meeting in 2023. According to Gachagua, he was forced to beef up security for Mbarire to guarantee her safety. "This governor once took them on and they began to look for her. "I had to beef up her security. They were trailing her with cars because she named them. "We must have very courageous leaders," he stated. According to the DP, the cartels are powerful individuals who control the entire coffee chain. He added that the group is very influential and that was why President William Ruto entrusted him to handle the reforms in the sector, owing to his vast security detail and experience. "Those fellows have been unfair to our farmers. Nobody would have done these reforms apart from the Presidency. That is why the President directed me to do it. These people are very influential and powerful. "They corrupt everybody in the whole chain except the Presidency. We also have enough security," he added. Nonetheless, he maintained that the government would continue to push on with the reforms until farmers get the value of their work. The Kenyan DAILY POST Sunday, February 11, 2024 - Former nominated senator, Millicent Omanga, has endorsed Nakuru County Governor Susan Kihikas presidential bid in 2032. In a social media post on Saturday, Omanga, who is now a rent seeker after she was rejected at the ballot during the 2022 General Election, said that the country was ready for a female president in 2032. She stated that women have made tremendous contributions to the country's progress and displayed exceptional leadership prowess in various fields. "Women have made tremendous contributions to the progress of this country & have displayed exceptional leadership prowess in various fields. We believe that the country is ready for a woman president in 2032 & the best candidate for the office is H.E. Gov Susan Kihika. It's doable!" Omanga stated. Omanga's remarks come even as former Muranga county woman representative, Sabina Chege, said she will become the first female president in Kenya. The Kenyan DAILY POST Sunday, February 11, 2024 - Kiharu Member of Parliament, Ndindi Nyoro, has said he is fully behind Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who is the de facto Mt Kenya political kingpin. Speaking in Murang'a County during a fundraiser at Bishop Gatimu Kinyona Girls hosted by nominated Member of Parliament Sabina Chege and attended by Rigathi Gachagua, Nyoro said he is in full support of Deputy President and President William Ruto. He noted that the leaders within the UDA party will unconditionally support them. "Deputy President, we will support you and the President unconditionally," he said. He noted that the government is doing a lot to promote the education system across the country. His remarks come weeks after a section of Murang'a leaders claimed that he (Ndindi) is the suitable candidate to deputise Ruto in 2027. The leaders, led by Gatanga MP Edward Muriu, have since recanted the statement and declared support for Gachagua as the senior-most politician in Mt Kenya. The Murang'a event was the first for Gachagua and Ndindi to share a public podium since the endorsement, sparked talks of power struggles between the two. The Kenyan DAILY POST After Russian dictator Vladimir Putin's absurd interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson, Chinese citizens made territorial claims against the terrorist country of Russia. In particular, the Chinese demanded the return of Vladivostok. ADVERTISIMENT The Chinese also decided to remind the Kremlin killer that it is the twenty-first century, and he continues to live in the thirteenth century. Chinese citizens shared their opinions on the war criminal's interview on social media. In particular, Ziken Wang, a researcher at The Center for China and Globalization, a Beijing-based think tank, said that Putin's statements about "historical facts" are unconstructive. He noted that the Kremlin leader is guided by the history of the Middle Ages. Wang also suggested that Putin should refer to 220 BC for greater historical "justice". "We live in a day and age with laws, not in the 13th century," Wang summarized his opinion of the interview. At the same time, Robert Wu, director of The BigOne Lab Advantage think tank, said that Russia should return Vladivostok to China, which was stolen more than 100 years ago. Moreover, in a comment to this statement, social media users wrote that someone should remind Xi Jinping of this. ADVERTISIMENT Other social media users emphasized that Putin's statement was a fiction for Westerners. In this way, the chief war criminal of the Russian Federation is trying to "sell history" to the civilized world in order to allegedly justify military aggression. As a reminder, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canadians will not be influenced by the propaganda that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin tried to convey to the West through an interview with odious journalist Tucker Carlson. According to him, the Kremlin leader will continue to try to justify the aggression against Ukraine by all means. Earlier it was reported that dictator Vladimir Putin accused the Poles themselves of the 1939 Nazi attack on Poland. According to the war criminal, Poland "forced" Adolf Hitler to attack it because it "played around" and was "too intransigent." ADVERTISIMENT As OBOZ.UA reported, the interview was published on February 8. The Russian dictator repeated many well-known propaganda theses, for example, that "Ukraine as a state has never existed." This time, Putin said that Ukraine was allegedly invented by Joseph Dzhugashvili (Stalin) and the Poles. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Sunday, February 11, 2024 - Barely a day after the United States Pentagon revealed that Kenya was an active member of the Ukraine Defence Group, Russia stated that it would maintain a cordial relationship with Kenya. This was communicated by the Russian Ambassador to Kenya Dmitry Maksimychev on the occasion of marking Diplomats Day. In a statement, Maksimychev stated that Africa was a high-priority region for Russia in terms of foreign policy. The Ambassador emphasised that as far as Kenya was concerned, Russia was making every effort to develop cooperation between the two countries. Our trade grows steadily as I understand according to the Kenyan statistics, the trade volume between Russia and Kenya has reached $500 million (Ksh81 billion), Maksimychev stated. He added that Vladimir Putins government was doing everything possible to increase trade volumes between Kenya and Russia. Russia is ready to cooperate with Kenya in every field that is of interest to the Kenyans themselves, Maksimychev promised. The ambassador noted that areas of cooperation in trade centred on agricultural products, chemicals, fertilisers, and construction materials among others. On Africa in general, Maksimychev pointed out the Africa-Russia summits held in 2017 and 2023 as an indicator that Moscow highly prioritised Africa in its Russian foreign policy. Both events played an extremely important role in the expansion of our partnership with Africa, he remarked. The Kenyan DAILY POST Sunday, February 11, 2024 - It is now emerging that the illicit brew that has so far claimed 17 lives in Kirinyaga County had been stored at a local police station as an exhibit before it was stolen by rogue police officers and sold to a trader. According to a police officer who sought anonymity, 4 police officers at Kiamaciri police station stole the killer brew from the store and sold it to a trader at Ksh 20,000. Each police officer pocketed Ksh 5,000. Our four police officers on Sunday night sold exhibits to the owner of the California bar at Ksh. 20,000 where each officer pocketed Ksh. 5000 each. Please don't quote me as nobody can confirm as all senior police officers have been transferred, the police officer told the press. The illicit brew was consumed at California bar in Kangai village. 6 people died on the spot while the rest succumbed while undergoing treatment. Those who consumed the liquor suddenly developed complications such as loss of sight. Peter Waweru, a local resident, is among those who lost their loved ones I am mourning death of my only son Francis Muiruri, who died after consuming the deadly brew. "He was a diploma holder in a local university, he said. Kirinyaga Senator James Murango has called for the transfer and prosecution of the four officers who stole the illicit liquor from the store and sold it to a local trader. I have been informed that some Kiamaciri police officers are bar owners, how can they help our people when they are trading with the suspect?, posed Murango. Murango said he will not relent until all police officers from Kiamaciri and Kangai police stations are transferred. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Sunday, February 11, 2024 - Kisii County Governor, Simba Arati, traded barbs with Education Cabinet Secretary, Ezekiel Machogu, during the funeral of slain Kisii National Polytechnic principal Daniel Nyaribo on Saturday. The two leaders clashed sharply, each accusing the other of funding violence in the county. Arati initially attacked Kisii County Commissioner Joseph Kibet, accusing him of favoring Kenya Kwanza leaders in the region, which prompted Machogu to respond. The education CS accused Arati of misusing the youth in the county to heckle leaders at funerals. This was after Machogu was heckled while reading a speech by President William Ruto. "Hii mambo 500/400 inazungushwa ni upumbavu. Tutasimamisha hii ushenzi," he said before leaving the podium without inviting Arati. In his address, the county boss told off the CS saying; "Ukiona hii kelele yote, ni wezi ambao tumekanyanga pipe walikua wananyonya. Huyu County commissioner haezi tisha sisi." The Kenyan DAILY POST Sunday, February 11, 2024 - Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has sent a message to Kenyans after United States Secretary of Defence Lyold Austin said Kenya is among 50 countries that have been giving military aid to Ukraine. Austin spoke this week during a meeting with Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale at the Pentagon, US Department of Defence Headquarters. Speaking on Saturday, following the remarks, Russia's ambassador to Kenya Dmitry Maksimychev stated his country will continue having a cordial relationship with Kenya despite the US claims. Our trade grows steadily as I understand according to the Kenyan statistics, the trade volume between Russia and Kenya has reached $500 million (Ksh81 billion), Maksimychev stated. He added that Vladimir Putins government was doing everything possible to increase trade volumes between Kenya and Russia. Russia is ready to cooperate with Kenya in every field that is of interest to the Kenyans themselves, Maksimychev promised. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Sunday, February 11, 2024 Governors may soon be forced to follow in President William Rutos footsteps. This is after Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot announced plans to spearhead a Bill compelling all counties to deploy Rutos cashless system. According to the Kericho senator, the bill will enable the county governments to achieve their set revenue targets. We as Senate will ensure we pass a Bill that will confine all counties revenue collection systems to cashless so that counties can meet their own source revenue targets, says Cheruiyot. Meanwhile, Cheruiyot blamed the current cash system used by the county governments, claiming that it is prone to bottlenecks and pilferage. He urged Kenyans to resist the cash models, stating that a lot of revenue is being lost from suspicious receipts. We want a system that is verifiable, traceable transparent, and justifiable, remarked Cheruiyot He has further challenged Members of the County Assemblies (MCAs) to stand firm and ensure county executives pull their weight and meet their obligations. On February 8, President William Ruto declared that all school fees would be paid through the digital platform, e-Citizen, and the move was unstoppable. Ruto urged everyone to use the government paybill number 222222, arguing that it was a transparent way of ensuring principals do not introduce extra illegal charges. Ruto further blamed the cash system for being slippery and an avenue for corruption that could be eliminated by technology. The Kenyan DAILY POST 2 Shares Share The American Heart Association (AHA) recently published a statement on the importance of shared decision-making (SDM) between physicians and patients. This concept, though at least 50 years old, has become popular in the last decade or so, with expectations of improving patient care, satisfaction, safety, care efficiency, and cost reduction. Though some preliminary research appears to support these promises, other researchers have found that it can increase costs and decrease both patient satisfaction and care efficiency. Additionally, with increasingly fragmented care, decreasing provider reimbursement, and the emphasis on increasing the number of daily patient visits, the likelihood of expansive growth is questionable. In the 1960s to 70s, patient engagement relied on the assumption that patients wanted to participate in their care if only information was simplified and understandable. Today, we know that SDM is more complicated than this, making it surprising that the AHA harkened back to simplification as the base for their care model. Poor literacy remains a major problem, and the current recommendation is that information be provided at the fifth-grade level. Realistically, though, not all concepts can be simplified to a point with an average word length of 4 to 5 letters and an average sentence of 10 words. Given the influx of individuals for whom English is a second language, further literacy complications are introduced. The AHA fails to consider other crucial factors, like patient interest in engagement. Polls on patient disinterest in SDM have varied widely, depending on multiple factors, with 14 to 80 percent of respondents indicating a lack of interest in participation. How does this fit the AHA model? Are physicians (or others) expected to compel patients to participate? Given the ethical concept of patient choice, does a patient not have the right to choose non-participation? If not, then the concept of choice is meaningless! Humanists have contended that the paternalistic model of patient care is unacceptable as it denies a basic human right, individual choice, and had to be replaced by shared decision-making, as this somewhat equalized the power between doctor and patient. However, if, as the AHA recommends, it is the doctors responsibility to provide the information necessary for patient choice, then paternalism remains, and the balance of power is unredressed as the physician decides what material to provide. In his book, The Good Doctor, Dr. Lerner discusses his fathers approach to patient care, beneficent paternalism (my term). He did not approve of it, though he saw its necessity in certain circumstances, as he admitted that: In some instances, the ramifications of some choices are so genuinely complicated that it makes little sense to expect laypeople to know what should be done. While I can conditionally agree with the practicality of this approach, Dr. Lerner noted that it requires a close, even intimate, relationship between physician and patient, which he indicated is likely impossible given todays style of medical practice. I would also be concerned that, given these same demands, it would be too easy for a doctor to slip back into traditional paternalism. If one wants the right to make decisions, then they have the responsibility of gathering information for themselves rather than being dependent on another for it. Knowledge about virtually every medical condition and procedure is readily available online, regardless of education or English proficiency. Given the ubiquity of smartphones, with 312 million estimated users in 2023, the multiplicity of locations with free internet, and the numerous organizations that provide simple-to-understand, reliable information in multiple languages that people could review and subsequently discuss with their physicians; effectively, no one can claim an inability to find applicable material if they were motivated to do so. Researchers unsurprisingly have indicated that the likelihood of shared decision making tends to reside in the better-educated, as those who are less so and/or have limited fluency tend to see themselves as of lesser power and remain silent. Rather than information, they require encouragement and empowerment to conduct their research. An office associate could demonstrate how easily material can be accessed, encourage them to do so, and even provide a list of trustworthy websites. Researchers have additionally indicated that encouragement and empowerment are more effective when promoted on an organizational level so that they come not only from a doctors office but from all aspects of the health care system. Patient engagement does not have to be an all or none option. Many individuals may wish to be involved in and satisfied with some aspects of their care, though not all. Discussion of this topic can be initiated through either a simple question during an examination or on an intake form. It can be part of a conversation regarding whether one has a health care proxy or a DNR on file, etc. Even asking these questions initiates patient engagement. Or one may simply encourage a patient to ask questions or say something like, At this point, I would like to know . what about you? M. Bennet Broner is a medical ethicist. , - , Viral Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson criticized Tucker Carlson for his "ludicrous interview" with Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin. He said that Carlson "betrayed his viewers" around the world. ADVERTISIMENT Johnson said this in his column for the Daily Mail. "When Tucker Carlson came to the Kremlin, he had a well-known function. He was to become a stooge of the tyrant, the dictaphone to the dictator and a traitor to journalism [...] He betrayed his viewers and listeners around the world," he said. According to Johnson, during the two-hour interview, Putin dominated the conversation, barely allowing Carlson to speak and throwing questionable historical claims at him to justify the war in Ukraine. Carlson did not challenge Putin on the invasion of a neighboring state and did not raise questions about allegations of war crimes and attacks on civilians, Johnson noted in his article. ADVERTISIMENT "He didn't ask the tough questions. He did not ask Putin why he is still using the most brutal means of modern warfare to maim and kill innocent Ukrainian citizens," the former British prime minister wrote. Using British slang, Johnson called Carlson a "stooge of the tyrant." He also said that Carlson behaved like a Putin supporter and "boneheadedly" accepted his "mixture of semi-masticated Wikipedia and outright falsehood." At one point in the interview, Putin accused then-Prime Minister Johnson of derailing peace talks with Ukraine in 2022, saying he had convinced Ukraine that it was "better to fight Russia." He described Johnson as a man with a "pure heart" but "not a great mind." In his article, Johnson wrote that Putin's interview with Carlson was straight out of Hitler's playbook. He drew a comparison with an interview that Adolf Hitler gave to a sympathetic German-American journalist shortly after the invasion of France in 1940. ADVERTISIMENT Johnson added that Putin's remarks about history and the alleged injustice against Russian-speaking people echo Hitler's stories about German-speaking people. In addition, he compared Carlson's strategy to that of George Galloway, who praised Saddam Hussein in Baghdad. He urged Americans to ignore this interview and reminded Congress of the need to support Ukraine. "For God's sake, remember who you are," he urged the congressmen who are preventing the vote to help Ukraine. Only verified information is available on our Telegram OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. The annual Agricultural Colleges Challenges Day is set to be held on February 14 in Kildalton Agricultural College in south Kilkenny. The challenges will be based around leadership and teamwork and will bring students together from six agricultural colleges: Kildalton Agricultural College, Mountbellew Agricultural College in Co. Galway, Ballyhaise Agricultural College in Co. Cavan, Gurteen Agricultural College in Co. Tipperary, Clonakilty Agricultural College in Co. Cork and Salesian Agricultural College Pallaskenry in Co. Limerick. Twelve students from each college will participate in various competitions such as Tug of War, Simulator challenge, Stockjudging, Fencing and Tractor Driving, to name a few. The Farm Business and Technology Award sponsored by National Broadband Ireland, will return for a third year in a row. This year the students have been tasked with demonstrating how fibre broadband is benefiting their business, whether that is from an economical, safety or environmental point of view, said Niall Beirne, Head of Strategic Partnerships at NBI. The FRS Memorial Scholarship will return this year. One student from each college will have the opportunity to present on Leadership in Sustainability. The winner will receive a scholarship of three months placement in an FRS office. Memorial Scholarship It is a privilege for FRS to be part of the challenge day and award a student with the FRS Memorial Scholarship which plays tribute to our past colleagues and friends of FRS, said Colette McInerney, Head of Operations, FRS Farm Relief. Outgoing FRS Memorial Scholarship winner, Wayne Smyth thanked everyone who helped him though his scholarship. I have gained so much knowledge throughout my time with the FRS. I have seen so much on farms and off farms. My skills have really got so much better with all the knowledge I have received. FRS is a great company, and it has loads of options - you can see all the insides to farmers getting help and support. I would recommend working at the FRS as they are a great team of people, and everyone supports each other to get the best out of each other. Anne-Marie Butler, Head of Education, Teagasc, said Challenge Day is a highlight of the academic year for students and colleges. Teagasc is delighted to work with all our partners and welcome their valued input. Its great to see college teams working together, applying their knowledge and skills across a number of challenges and most importantly having fun. Macra are delighted to be associated with the annual Challenges Day. Elaine Houlihan, Macra President, said: Macra are looking forward to an exceptional day in Kildalton Ag College and we would like to wish all the students the very best of luck. Coillte, the semi-state forestry company, has launched its first ever scholarship programme which will give two students the unique opportunity to pursue a full-time, third level programme within the area of forestry at either University College Dublin (UCD) or South East Technological University (SETU). The scholarship will award two students up to 20,000 for the duration of the degree programme (5,000 per year) to support with fees and living expenses. The Coillte Scholarship programme aims to highlight forestry as a fulfilling career for both men and women and attract the foresters of the future into the sector. Identified as a key enabler in the delivery of Irelands climate action goals, the forestry industry will need more than 1,770 forestry and wood processing professionals to realise the ambitions of Irelands Forest Strategy. Securing future talent is crucial to ensuring Coillte can realise many of these employment opportunities, focusing on delivering the companys own strategy, to enable the creation of new forests, increase the area of forests managed for biodiversity, continue to produce sustainably grown wood, and double the number of outdoor forest recreation spaces across the country. The forestry industry is projected to experience an acute labour shortage in the near future, which is a significant concern for Coillte and the wider forest sector and something we are working hard to address, said Mark Carlin, Managing Director of Coillte Forest. Our strategic vision, which supports Irelands Forest Strategy, highlights the importance of forestry in tackling climate change but we need skilled workers to enable us to achieve Irelands ambitions and those of Coillte. By launching the Coillte Scholarship Programme we are not only seeking to support young people opting for forestry as a career, we are also hoping to drive awareness of the multiple benefits of forestry as a whole and its suitability to many. A recent RED C Research survey commissioned by Coillte revealed that 54% of young people aged between 18 and 29 are open to considering a career in the sector. While 61% of men surveyed believe their suitability to the forestry industry, a large proportion of women surveyed (45%) also consider themselves suitable, which is encouraging as Coillte aims to attract a more gender diverse talent pool. Almost six in 10 of those surveyed recognise the strong correlation between forestry and sustainability and the role the sector plays in tackling climate change. Each scholarship recipient will also be offered the opportunity of paid summer employment in Coillte for the duration of the scholarship and on completion of the degree, they will have the opportunity to join Coillte. The closing date for applications to the Coillte Scholarship Programme is April 28. The Irish Hairdressing Federation (IHF) has today (Sunday, 11th February) released the findings of a survey of its members following recently introduced government policy measures. The key findings of this survey, which took place in the past three weeks, highlights a myriad of grave concerns that its members fear. Principle amongst them are the rise in labour costs, the extension of debt warehousing scheme and increased VAT rate of 13.5%. The IHF President Lisa Eccles said: 'The surveys findings make a harrowing reading as the Governments newly introduced legislation has had a seismic effect on many peoples businesses bottom lines.' She went onto say: 'Many members are gravely concerned as to the impact this 1stJanuary legislation has had on cash flow for purchases and wages. Many members are fearful of their future and face having to let staff go or close up completely.' The biggest burden highlighted in the survey is the newly introduced legislation, is the increasing entitlement to paid sick leave for their employees. In the past two years, five additional paid sick days have been added to the cost burden for employers. The lingering VAT rate of 13.5% continues to upset its members and appeals to government to return it to 9% in order for the businesses to continue to trade. Many members are fearful of the continuing soaring energy costs, various rising costs of products that narrow profit margins. The survey also highlighted members commitment to avoid increasing prices on its customer base that are overburdened with of the cost of living. One member stated in the survey that she has ten staff in her salon, which is an extra 50 paid sick leave days annually that she will have to find additional staff to cover for apart from paying for the sick leave. Other members found grave difficulty in managing their cash flow and breaking even. Another member found it difficult to maintain 'the high standard of work all the time due to revolving staff numbers.' Many members of the IHF had also stated in the survey how the stress of these policy changes had gravely affected their mental health. Speaking on the issue, Lisa Eccles voiced her concern that the 'Government needs to urgently take into account the untold stress and trauma they are putting small business owners under. As independent salon owners these increased burdened measures are deeply affecting their mental health.' The IHF President Lisa Eccles said that 'we would like to urgently meet An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar TD, Government Ministers Michael McGrath TD, Simon Coveney TD, and Neale Richmond TD to highlight the impact of this and future legislation is having amongst businesses in her sector.' The Irish Hairdressing Federation is the representative body for Irish salon owners representing over 500 salon owners nationwide. French President Emmanuel Macron will not come to Ukraine on February 13 and 14, as planned, he has postponed his visit indefinitely. The Elysee Palace justifies this postponement, in particular, by security issues. ADVERTISIMENT This was reported by Challenges. The publication notes that the cancellation of Macron's visit has raised many questions among French civil servants and leaders, as well as Ukrainian diplomats. "Macron's first bilateral visit, scheduled for February 13-14, has been postponed," the newspaper said. It is noted that representatives of the Union of French Entrepreneurs (Medef), who were simultaneously organizing an "exceptional mission" to Kyiv, also canceled their planned trip. The newspaper writes that Macron was also supposed to visit Odesa and announce the creation of a 200 million euro fund. The funds were to be paid in the form of donations for civilian projects carried out by French small and medium-sized enterprises. According to the publication, which cites the Elysee Palace, Macron's visit was postponed to ensure his safety. ADVERTISIMENT In addition, the French president wants to intensify support for Kyiv through a new aid package from Paris and European partners before his trip to Ukraine. No new date has been set for Macron's visit to Ukraine. As reported by OBOZ.UA, on February 10, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had a telephone conversation with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron. The French leader confirmed that within the framework of the Artillery Coalition, Paris would produce and transfer dozens of Caesar artillery systems and their shells to Ukraine. As a reminder, the new French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said that Paris was going to increase funding for military assistance to Ukraine. At the same time, France will expand the list of weapons it provides to our military to deter Russian aggression. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski urged not to lose vigilance over Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Russian dictator can level Ukraine to the ground with the hands of his military, so he must not be allowed to win this war. ADVERTISIMENT Sikorsky said this in an interview with Der Spiegel. To prevent this from happening, our partners must now help Ukraine repel the aggressor country. "Putin wants to go down in history as the new Peter the Great. If he wins, he will raze Ukraine to the ground and conscript its people into his army, using them as a base for new wars. And then it will be much more expensive to restrain him or fight back than to help Ukraine now," the diplomat emphasized. Sikorsky noted that Putin is now actually competing with half of the free world. In his opinion, even though Russia spends almost a third of its budget on weapons, it cannot win. "Putin believes that our ideas about democracy and dialogue are a demonstration and that relations between states are regulated only by force. Therefore, he understands only the language of force. With this thought, he is taking the path of the Soviet Union. The latter failed because it participated in an arms race with the West, which led to its collapse," the minister reminded. ADVERTISIMENT As for the threat of a possible Russian attack on Poland or the Baltic states, Sikorski believes that now is not a new 1914, when a new world war is possible, but rather 1938. In his opinion, the current situation is more like the period before World War II. The world will have to fight back against the imperialist dictator that is Putin, because he cannot be allowed to win. The Polish Foreign Minister also tried to predict the consequences of losing the war for Russia. "Experience shows that such defeats force reforms. Remember the First World War: there was the February Revolution, the overthrow of the tsar and, for a short moment, the government of Alexander Kerensky, the only liberal government in Russia. After the loss of the Cold War, there were changes," he said. As reported by OBOZ.UA, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that Russian President Vladimir Putin should not be given platforms to spread his propaganda. The leader of the aggressor country must be defeated, not helped, the diplomat said, comparing the leader of the aggressor country to Adolf Hitler. ADVERTISIMENT Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Mettler-Toledo International (NYSE:MTD Get Free Report) updated its first quarter 2024 earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided EPS guidance of 7.350-7.750 for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of 8.020. The company issued revenue guidance of $873.0 million-$891.6 million, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $864.9 million. Mettler-Toledo International also updated its FY 2024 guidance to 39.600-40.300 EPS. Mettler-Toledo International Trading Down 4.1 % Shares of NYSE:MTD traded down $50.46 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $1,174.51. The company had a trading volume of 291,051 shares, compared to its average volume of 151,279. The firm has a market cap of $25.47 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.73, a PEG ratio of 5.19 and a beta of 1.15. The companys 50-day moving average price is $1,183.41 and its 200-day moving average price is $1,143.38. Mettler-Toledo International has a one year low of $928.49 and a one year high of $1,615.97. Get Mettler-Toledo International alerts: Mettler-Toledo International (NYSE:MTD Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 8th. The medical instruments supplier reported $9.40 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $10.32 by ($0.92). Mettler-Toledo International had a negative return on equity of 1,140.73% and a net margin of 20.82%. The company had revenue of $934.90 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $959.45 million. During the same period last year, the firm posted $12.10 EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 11.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts anticipate that Mettler-Toledo International will post 39.59 EPS for the current fiscal year. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research firms have issued reports on MTD. The Goldman Sachs Group dropped their target price on Mettler-Toledo International from $1,185.00 to $1,030.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, November 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on Mettler-Toledo International from $1,300.00 to $1,100.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, October 17th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their target price on Mettler-Toledo International from $1,520.00 to $1,300.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, November 13th. Citigroup restated a sell rating and set a $975.00 target price (down previously from $1,050.00) on shares of Mettler-Toledo International in a research report on Monday, December 11th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded Mettler-Toledo International from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Friday. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $1,223.71. View Our Latest Report on MTD Insider Buying and Selling In other Mettler-Toledo International news, Director Roland D. Diggelmann acquired 315 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 13th. The shares were bought at an average price of $1,026.54 per share, for a total transaction of $323,360.10. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 405 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $415,748.70. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. 2.40% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Creative Planning increased its stake in Mettler-Toledo International by 33.0% in the third quarter. Creative Planning now owns 1,450 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock valued at $1,607,000 after acquiring an additional 360 shares during the last quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV increased its stake in Mettler-Toledo International by 9.8% in the third quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV now owns 470 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock valued at $521,000 after acquiring an additional 42 shares during the last quarter. Gladius Capital Management LP bought a new position in Mettler-Toledo International in the third quarter valued at $27,000. Orion Portfolio Solutions LLC increased its stake in Mettler-Toledo International by 498.7% in the second quarter. Orion Portfolio Solutions LLC now owns 952 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock valued at $1,248,000 after acquiring an additional 793 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Alliancebernstein L.P. increased its stake in Mettler-Toledo International by 5.6% in the second quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 488,953 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock valued at $641,330,000 after acquiring an additional 25,877 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 93.11% of the companys stock. About Mettler-Toledo International (Get Free Report) Mettler-Toledo International Inc manufactures and supplies precision instruments and services in the United States and internationally. It operates through five segments: U.S. Operations, Swiss Operations, Western European Operations, Chinese Operations, and Other. The company's laboratory instruments include laboratory balances, liquid pipetting solutions, automated laboratory reactors, titrators, pH meters, process analytics sensors and analyzer technologies, physical value analyzers, density and refractometry, thermal analysis systems, and other analytical instruments; and LabX, a laboratory software platform to manage and analyze data generated from its instruments. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Mettler-Toledo International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Mettler-Toledo International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. TELUS International (Cda) (NYSE:TIXT Get Free Report) updated its FY24 earnings guidance on Friday. The company provided EPS guidance of $0.93-0.98 for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of $1.05. The company issued revenue guidance of $2.79-2.85 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $2.82 billion. TELUS International (Cda) also updated its FY 2024 guidance to 0.930-0.980 EPS. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research analysts have recently issued reports on TIXT shares. Citigroup increased their target price on TELUS International (Cda) from $7.00 to $9.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 17th. CIBC increased their target price on TELUS International (Cda) from $19.00 to $21.50 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, January 11th. National Bankshares cut their target price on TELUS International (Cda) from $16.00 to $10.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, October 26th. BMO Capital Markets decreased their price target on TELUS International (Cda) from $11.00 to $8.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Monday, November 6th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on TELUS International (Cda) from $12.00 to $8.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Monday, November 6th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, TELUS International (Cda) currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $13.54. Get TELUS International (Cda) alerts: View Our Latest Analysis on TIXT TELUS International (Cda) Price Performance Shares of TIXT stock traded up $0.23 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $9.40. The stock had a trading volume of 697,698 shares, compared to its average volume of 205,042. TELUS International has a one year low of $6.03 and a one year high of $22.52. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.84, a current ratio of 1.14 and a quick ratio of 1.14. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $8.49 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $8.03. The stock has a market capitalization of $686.95 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 62.67, a PEG ratio of 8.66 and a beta of 0.85. TELUS International (Cda) (NYSE:TIXT Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Friday, February 9th. The company reported $0.26 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.26. TELUS International (Cda) had a return on equity of 13.01% and a net margin of 1.89%. The firm had revenue of $692.00 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $691.00 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.34 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was up 9.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts forecast that TELUS International will post 1.01 EPS for the current year. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. grew its position in TELUS International (Cda) by 156.0% in the first quarter. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. now owns 9,241 shares of the companys stock worth $228,000 after acquiring an additional 5,631 shares in the last quarter. Jane Street Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of TELUS International (Cda) during the third quarter valued at approximately $219,000. Barclays PLC boosted its position in shares of TELUS International (Cda) by 11.9% during the second quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 14,100 shares of the companys stock valued at $214,000 after buying an additional 1,500 shares during the period. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its position in shares of TELUS International (Cda) by 43.4% during the first quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 7,367 shares of the companys stock valued at $182,000 after buying an additional 2,228 shares during the period. Finally, Citigroup Inc. boosted its position in shares of TELUS International (Cda) by 106.3% during the second quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 9,864 shares of the companys stock valued at $150,000 after buying an additional 5,083 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 59.55% of the companys stock. About TELUS International (Cda) (Get Free Report) TELUS International (Cda) Inc design, builds, and delivers digital solutions for customer experience (CX) in Europe, North America, the Asia-Pacific, and the Central America. The company provides digital experience solutions, such as AI and bots, omnichannel CX, enterprise mobility solutions, cloud contact center, big data analytics, platform transformation, and UX/UI design; and customer experience solutions, including work anywhere/work from home, contact center outsourcing, technical support, sales growth and customer retention, healthcare/patient experience, and debt collection. See Also Receive News & Ratings for TELUS International (Cda) Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for TELUS International (Cda) and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Trilogy Metals (NYSEAMERICAN:TMQ Get Free Report) released its quarterly earnings data on Friday. The mining company reported ($0.01) EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of ($0.01), Zacks reports. Trilogy Metals Stock Performance Trilogy Metals stock traded down $0.01 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $0.47. 208,839 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 273,672. The company has a market cap of $73.61 million, a PE ratio of -4.72 and a beta of 1.30. Trilogy Metals has a 1 year low of $0.39 and a 1 year high of $0.69. Get Trilogy Metals alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at Trilogy Metals In other news, CFO Elaine Sanders sold 100,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $0.42, for a total value of $42,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 2,664,233 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,118,977.86. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 8.40% of the companys stock. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Trilogy Metals Trilogy Metals Company Profile Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of TMQ. Bank of Montreal Can acquired a new position in Trilogy Metals in the 1st quarter worth about $36,000. Acadian Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in Trilogy Metals in the 1st quarter worth about $35,000. Virtu Financial LLC acquired a new position in Trilogy Metals in the 1st quarter worth about $29,000. Millennium Management LLC raised its holdings in Trilogy Metals by 56.1% in the 4th quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 466,675 shares of the mining companys stock worth $257,000 after purchasing an additional 167,693 shares during the period. Finally, B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in Trilogy Metals in the 4th quarter worth about $55,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 51.07% of the companys stock. (Get Free Report) Trilogy Metals Inc, a base metals exploration company, explores for and develops mineral properties in the United States. It principally holds interests in the Upper Kobuk mineral projects that include the Arctic, which contains polymetallic volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits; and Bornite that contains carbonate-hosted copper cobalt deposits covering an area of approximately 448,217 acres located in the Ambler mining district in Northwest Alaska. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Trilogy Metals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Trilogy Metals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. February has now started, and various K-pop idols have made buzz already with their activities, music releases, and social media presence. To measure their popularity, the Korean Business Research Institute officially released its brand reputation ranking list, which now involves all K-pop male groups in the Korean music industry. The data was also gathered from January 10 to February 10, and the results were analyzed based on numerous factors related to exposure and trends. Here are the 10 most popular K-pop boy groups in February 2024! 1. SEVENTEEN SEVENTEEN dominated the list after receiving a brand reputation index of 5,896,081. Moreover, the No. 1 spot was defended by SEVENTEEN after the boy group had dethroned BTS's record of five and a half years on the top. With their tour announcements, content, and social media updates, CARATs have had an exciting month with the group's activeness in the industry. 2. RIIZE RIIZE garnered a brand reputation index of 4,255,165, which placed them on No. 2. The boy group is busy establishing themselves as one of fifth-gen's notable K-pop acts, and this is apparent in their content, songs, and schedules. 3. THE BOYZ THE BOYZ made it on third place after receiving a brand reputation index of 3,263,313 for the month of February. 4. BTS With a brand reputation index of 2,835,330, K-pop's biggest boy group BTS made it on fourth place. 5. NCT NCT managed to collect a brand reputation index of 2,737,828, leading them to round up the top five. 6. EXO In sixth place, EXO claimed the spot after gathering a brand reputation index of 2,383,264. 7. Super Junior Super Junior placed No. 7 with a brand reputation index of 2,380,124. Moreover, the group made buzz for debuting its newest and sixth sub-unit Super Junior L.S.S, which consists of members Leeteuk, Shindong, and Siwon. 8. Stray Kids Stray Kids successfully secured eighth place after receiving a brand reputation index of 2,187,670. 9. ZEROBASEONE In No. 9, fifth-gen project boy group ZEROBASEONE received a brand reputation index of 1,744,027. 10. BTOB Finally, we have BTOB, who rounded the Top 10 after receiving a brand reputation index of 1,680,667. See the full list below for February 2024: 1. SEVENTEEN 2. RIIZE 3. THE BOYZ 4. BTS 5. NCT 6. EXO 7. Super Junior 8. Stray Kids 9. ZEROBASEONE 10. BTOB 11. SHINee 12. B1A4 13. ENHYPEN 14. INFINITE 15. TVXQ 16. ASTRO 17. MONSTA X 18. TREASURE 19. ATEEZ 20. PENTAGON 21. WINNER 22. TXT 23. Wanna One 24. VIXX 25. 2PM 26. SF9 27. BOYNEXTDOOR 28. CRAVITY 29. GOT7 30. Highlight Which K-pop groups on the list are your favorite artists? Let us know in the comments below! Read KpopStarz for more K-pop news. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: IN THE LOOP: Red Velvet Irene's Contract Renewal, ZB1 Jiwoong's 'Swearing' Issue, TWICE's 'I GOT YOU,' More of K-pop's Hottest! KpopStarz owns this article Written by Riely Miller Landmarks throughout China are aglow with the auspicious color red. Lanterns adorn the streets and alleys in both cities and towns alike. The lively melodies of upbeat music resonate through supermarkets and shopping malls, creating a joyful atmosphere. As the festive mood reached its peak, China on Saturday ringed in the Chinese Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival. Regarded as the most celebrated holiday among Chinese, it signifies a time of joyful family reunions and a slew of cultural events. As China bid farewell to the Year of the Rabbit, it happily welcomed the Year of the Dragon, or the Year of the Loong as some people have preferred, with wishes for fortune and success. Loong, or Chinese dragon, the fifth sign in the traditional Chinese zodiac animal cycle, represents a totem of the Chinese nation, and Chinese people at home and abroad proudly call themselves "the descendants of loong." TIME-HONORED CELEBRATION Weeks ago, tradition-themed activities kicked off across the country as Chinese people immersed themselves in lively bazaars and gigantic lanterns shows. On Feb. 2, the Kitchen God Festival, also known as the Little New Year on the Chinese lunar calendar, enjoyed a massive celebration. In the city of Xi'an, which has a history of over 3,100 years, a temple fair was held in the Yongxingfang cultural block in the northwest region of the city. A group of artists performed "Huayin Laoqiang," a traditional Chinese opera dubbed as "rock'n roll on the yellow earth," and enjoyed a passionate round of applause from the audience. Meanwhile, craftsmen could be seen making Nianhua, or Lunar New Year pictures, a kind of centuries-old woodcut painting in China. Mahsa Habibi, an Iranian student celebrating the Spring Festival in China for the first time, was amazed by the charm of China's lunar new year customs. "I learned about Chinese traditions in the Little New Year like house cleaning and eating malt candy, and shared the festival atmosphere with the locals. It was a fresh experience for me," said Mahsa. Lighting and appreciating lanterns during the Spring Festival is a time-honored tradition in China. At the heart of Xi'an, the country's largest and best-preserved ancient city wall has been illuminated by a spectacular lantern festival. A total of 37 dragon-shaped gigantic lanterns twist and turn along the tops of the city wall, flecked with Chinese knots, peonies and other festive ornaments. Among them, an 18-meter high lantern at Yongning Gate (South Gate) Square, inspired by a C-shaped jade dragon from the early Hongshan culture over 5,000 years ago, has been particularly eye-catching and attracted visitors to take pictures. "The city wall lantern festival has been held for almost four decades. The version of the Year of the Dragon features green and low carbon materials. For example, energy-saving lamps and reusable outer skins are widely used," said Qiu Yue, artist director of the activity. Chinese people have always had a tradition of hiking up a mountain, praying for good luck and wishing for a good fortune in the new year. Around 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, Fuyuan City in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, located in the easternmost part of China, witnessed the first ray of sunshine of the Chinese Lunar New Year. Many citizens and tourists climbed to the top of the Nanshan Mountain to welcome the sunrise. "Seeing the sunrise in the easternmost part of our motherland on the first day of the Year of the Dragon, I feel that the whole year will be vibrant and smooth," said Li Shibo, a tourist from east China's Jiangsu Province. UP-TO-DATE CELEBRATION While traditional festival activities have seen a revival, Chinese people are also pursuing new and unique ways of bidding farewell to the past year and welcoming the new one. In northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, runners are running a dragon-shaped route. "Running the dragon-shaped route is more rewarding and ceremonial," said 50-year-old runner Xu Yan in Yinchuan City. "Many people like this idea and my cousin was encouraged to join me for a run after she saw the WeChat moment I posted," Xu said, who ran over an hour to complete the more than 10 km-long dragon-shaped route. The eight-day Spring Festival holiday also highlights a nationwide tourism boom. From the ice-covered landscapes in the northernmost Heilongjiang Province to the tropical coastal city of Sanya in the southernmost Hainan Province, tourists across China are enjoying a multitude of breathtaking sceneries. Yang Rui, a tourist from northeast China's Liaoning Province, came to the snow expo at the Sun Island scenic spot in Harbin in Heilongjiang Province. "I was deeply attracted the moment I saw the dragon-shaped snow sculpture. Every part of it is full of strength, as if it were going to take off. It conveys wishes for peace, agility and prosperity in the Year of the Dragon," Yang said. "I can feel the auspicious and festive atmosphere. I hope all good wishes will come true in the new year," Yang said. The museum craze among Chinese youth has continued throughout the holiday and ticket booking has been no easy task. In response, museums have adopted measures to better meet the surging demand. For example, the Sanxingdui Museum in southwest China's Sichuan Province has delayed its closing time until 8 p.m. during the holiday. Museums are also greeting visitors with exhibitions featuring lunar new year elements inspired by the Chinese dragon. The Shaanxi History Museum in Xi'an rolled out a special display dedicated to the Chinese dragon culture. Exhibits include an S-shaped golden-gilted iron-cored bronze dragon from the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the centerpiece of the show. With a growing appetite for artistic performances, the younger generation is also choosing to spend their holiday at the theater. "I've just watched an excellent music performance, which was a refreshing experience that took my troubles away. I'm going to take my family to the theater again during the festival," said Xu Rui, a local university student. "From Chinese dance dramas to operas and concerts, we're going to stage performances with different themes almost every day this week. For instance, on the fifth day of the lunar new year, which coincides with Valentine's Day, music pieces from famous romantic films will be performed on a concert," said Gao Yuyuan with the Shaanxi Opera House. In Europe, the threat of a Russian attack on the European Union member states has been raised more and more frequently in recent years. In particular, officials, politicians and military leaders from France and Germany have spoken out on this issue. They call on EU states to be prepared for possible aggression against them by Russia. ADVERTISIMENT French Foreign and European Minister Stephane Sejourne said this in an interview with several Western publications, the newspaper Ouest-France reports. He noted that European countries should invest in their defense more. France has already begun to increase military investments. "If this topic is existential for the European Union, it means that our collective security depends on it. In the current geopolitical context, it is in our interest to ask ourselves the right questions. To have military budgets that allow us to withstand the threat. To organize our European defense in a more coherent way," the diplomat said. Sejourne added that all 27 EU countries should agree to further combine military equipment, establish cooperation between armies and gradually ensure greater military integration, in particular in industrial and operational matters. ADVERTISIMENT "Yes, this is an existential topic, and we, as Europeans, have to find security guarantees. This is undoubtedly part of our European sovereignty agenda," the minister emphasized. He also noted that the war in Ukraine "makes possible many things that seemed impossible." This includes joint purchases of ammunition, missiles, and soon European military equipment. Meanwhile, Bundeswehr Inspector General Carsten Breuer said in an interview with Welt am Sonntag that Germany and other NATO member states should be prepared for a possible war with Russia in five years. In his opinion, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin will not limit himself to Ukraine. Breuer emphasized that European countries need not only to strengthen their armies but also to change their mentality. "We need a change of mindset in society and, above all, in the Bundeswehr. The military commander called deterrence important, which means the ability to defend oneself and thus make the risk of attack so high that the enemy decides to abandon it," the article says. ADVERTISIMENT The head of the Munich Security Conference, Christoph Heusgen, also said that the possibility of a Russian attack on a NATO member state cannot be ruled out. In his opinion, Moldova or the Baltic states could become Russia's next targets. "After all, Putin has repeatedly said that the collapse of the Soviet Union was the greatest catastrophe of the 20th century because it left many Russians outside of Russia. Putin sought to restore a Greater Russia within the borders of the defunct Soviet Union, a global empire in which he would rule as a tsar," Heusgen said. Only verified information on our Telegram OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! New Delhi [India], February 11 (ANI): The last session of the 17th Lok Sabha, which commenced on January 31, saw a total of 9 sittings over 11 days, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi informed on Saturday. The Budget Session was extended by a day to enable essential government business, the Union minister said, adding that a total of 10 Bills (7 in Lok Sabha and 3 in Rajya Sabha) were tabled during the parliamenrtary sittings over 11 days. Also Read | Congress Expels Acharya Pramod Krishnam for Indiscipline, Making Statements Against Party. As many 12 Bills were passed by both the Houses during the Budget Session, Joshi told media persons on Saturday, adding that 12 more draft legislations were returned by the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The minister informed further the productivity over 11 days of sittings was logged at approximately 148 per cent in the Lok Sabha and 137 per cent approximately in the Rajya Sabha. Also Read | Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Ramdas Athawale Meets BJP Chief JP Nadda in Parliament, Expresses Desire To Contest General Polls From Shirdi Seat (See Pics). Also, since this was first Parliament session this year, President Droupadi Murmu addressed a joint sitting of both Houses under Article 87(1) of the Constitution, on January 31. The interim Union Budget for fiscal 2024-25 was presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1. A general discussion on the interim Union Budget and interim budget for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for the current fiscal was also held in both the Houses during the just-concluded 11-day session. The Finance Bill, 2024 was passed by Lok Sabha on the same day as the interim Budget, the Union Minister said, adding that this scheduled business engaged the Lok Sabha for 10 hours and 18 minutes, with 88 members taking part in the proceedings. In the Upper House, the general discussion on the interim Union Budget and that for Jammu and Kashmir was held on February 7. The Finance Bill, 2024 was also returned by the Rajya Sabha on the same day, the Union Minister said, adding that this business engaged the Upper House for 6 hours and 40 minutes, with 31 members enlisting their participation in the proceedings. On February 9, in the Lok Sabha, a discussion was held under Rule 342 on a motion by Sitharaman on a 'White Paper' on the state of the Indian economy during the tensure of the Congress-led UPA at the Centre and its impact on the lives of the people. The discussion engaged the Lok Sabha for 7 hours and 25 minutes. In Rajya Sabha, the discussion on the subject was held under Rule 176, engaging the House for 3 hours and 50 minutes. Elaborating on the work done during the tenure of the 17th Lok Sabha, the minister said the Lower House saw 274 sittings in which 202 Bills were introduced and 222 were passed. The Rajya Sabha, on the other hand, held 271 sittings during which 31 Bills were introduced and 220 were passed. In total, 221 Bills were tabled and passed by both the Houses and subsequently became laws after securing Presidential assent, the minister informed. The inaugural session of the 17th Lok Sabha was historic in many ways as legislations relating to almost all socio and economic activities were passed. A total of 30 Bills were passed by both the Houses in that session, which was a record in a single first/effective session after constitution of the new Lok Sabha. Also, in the 17th Lok Sabha, one of the most important business transacted was the abrogation of certain provisions from Article 370 and Presidential Orders for ensuring equal opportunities to all sections of society in Jammu & Kashmir, with the restoration of applicability of the provisions of the Constitution and all socio-economic legislations there by ensuring rule of law and equity. Further, for ensuring better administration and for curbing terrorism, Jammu & Kashmir was reorganised with the formation of two Union Territories--Jammu &Kashmir and Ladakh. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Gangtok, Feb 11 (PTI) Three persons were killed and 16 injured when a speeding milk tanker ploughed into a crowd at Ranipool in Gangtok district, police said on Sunday. A crowd had gathered at the mela ground Ranipool, about 11 km from here, to play tombola when the speeding milk tanker ploughed into them around 7.30 pm on Saturday, the police said. Also Read | Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Uttar Pradesh Rescheduled, Shortened Due to Ongoing UP Board Exams. The driver of the tanker has been arrested, they said. All the injured persons were rushed to Central Referral Hospital where doctors declared two persons were brought dead and one succumbed to injuries at the hospital, they said. Also Read | Section 144 Imposed in Panchkula Ahead of Farmers' Protest: Live Breaking News Headlines & Updates, February 11, 2024. Doctors at the hospital said the condition of the five of the injured was "serious". Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Sing Tamang said he was deeply saddened by the tragic accident that occurred in Ranipool. He announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of those who died in the tragic accident. "We are committed to providing every possible support during this difficult time. My thoughts are with the injured and their families, and I sincerely pray for their swift recovery. I also extend my deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this tragedy, and I pray for the departed souls to rest in eternal peace", the CM said in a post on Facebook. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], February 11 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Telangana unit on Sunday announced 'Vijaya Sankalpa Yatra 'that will cover five regions in the state ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The yatra will commence on February 20 and culminate on March 1, the BJP said. Also Read | BJP Chief JP Nadda Slams INDIA Bloc Constituents As 'Corrupt', Says 'Birds of a Feather Flock Together'. Telangana BJP chief and Union Minister G Kishan Reddy said that through the Yatra, the party will reach one crore people. "Vijay Sankalp Yatra will pass through all 17 parliament constituencies in the state. 33 districts and more than one crore people will be outreached," Kishan Reddy told ANI. Also Read | Bihar Floor Test: 'Everybody is Intact in NDA', Says HAM Leader Jitan Ram Manjhi Ahead of Trust Vote Tomorrow. He said that the BJP will bag seats in double digits in the state in the upcoming Lok Sabha election. "We'll seek their support for our Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. In Telangana, the BJP is contesting to win the election, including the Hyderabad seat of Asaduddin Owaisi. Our seats tally in Telangana will be in double digits," Reddy said. The BJP leaders said that the yatra is part of the state BJP's efforts to galvanise electoral support to make Narendra Modi the Prime Minister of the country for the third time. The yatras in the five regions are designed in such a manner that the routes of all five segments end up in Hyderabad, the capital of the state. Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar commenced his 'Prajahita Yatra' from Medipalli in the Jagtial district on Saturday. Before commencing his yatra, the BJP leader visited the Kondagattu Anjaneya Swamy Temple to offer prayers this morning. The Yatra is set to pass through as many villages, mandals, and municipalities as possible in the Karimnagar Parliament constituency. The first leg of the Yatra will be conducted in Vemulawada and Sircilla assembly constituencies. The closing meeting of the first phase will be held in Rajanna Sircilla district. The first phase will cover a total of 119 km. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bijapur (Chhattisgarh) [India], February 11 (ANI): A Chhattisgarh Armed Forces (CAF) jawan was injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast planted by Naxals in the Bijapur area, police said on Sunday. According to the police, the team had set out from Dumaripalnar camp for area domination and demining. The blast took place between Dumripalnar and Teemenar area today. Also Read | Rozgar Mela 2024: PM Narendra Modi To Distribute Over 1 Lakh Appointment Letters to Recruits in Government Departments. "The soldier got injured in his leg. Three pieces of pressure IED of 5 kg each were recovered by the soldiers from the spot. After treatment at Primary Health Center Nelsanar, the injured soldier was airlifted and sent to Raipur for better treatment," IG Bastar P Sundarraj said. Meanwhile, the body of a Naxal carrying a bounty of Rs 8 lakh on his head was found during a search operation in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada following an exchange of fire with the security forces on Wednesday, officials said. Also Read | Government Examining FDI Flow From China in Paytm Payments Services. The encounter broke out between Naxalites and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), District Reserve Guard (DRG), and Bastar fighters in the hilly forest between Gondpalli, Parlagatta, and Badepalli at 4:30 pm after intelligence was received about the presence of Naxalites in the border areas of Dantewada and Sukma districts. Additional Superintendent of Police RK Burman said that the Naxal who was killed in the encounter has been identified as Chandranna alias Satyam. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], February 11 (ANI): A 58-year-old man was stabbed to death in Dayalpur by his cousin over a financial dispute, the police said, adding that the incident took place on Saturday afternoon. The deceased was identified as Zahooruddin, according to the police. Also Read | Congress Expels Acharya Pramod Krishnam for Indiscipline, Making Statements Against Party. The sleuths stated further that the accused, identified as Shahid, stabbed Zahooruddin over a monetary dispute of Rs 10,000. "As stated by family members, Zahooruddin had loaned the money to Shahid some time ago and latter had shown reluctance in returning the same," an officer said. Also Read | Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Ramdas Athawale Meets BJP Chief JP Nadda in Parliament, Expresses Desire To Contest General Polls From Shirdi Seat (See Pics). The police informed further that the victim was taken to GTB Hospital where he died while receiving treatment, within an hour. The accused, meanwhile, was reported absconding and a manhunt was underway to track him down at the earliest, the police added. A case was registered under section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code at Dayalpur police station. Further investigation is underway. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Panaji (Goa) [India], February 11 (ANI): The four-day Goa Carnival began on Saturday, with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant flagging off the Carnival Parade in Panjim. The Goa Carnival, also known as Carnival, is a vibrant and colourful festival that takes place annually in the state popular with tourists. Also Read | Congress Expels Acharya Pramod Krishnam for Indiscipline, Making Statements Against Party. Speaking to ANI, Chief Minister Sawant said, "We are celebrating the carnival here at the Panjim street. This time, Indian Navy has also enlisted participation in this carnival. The Carnival Float Parade is unique, with each float carrying a social message. Different messages such as focus on good health or promotion of tourism go out to the people through this event. I welcome all the guests who have come here from across the world to celebrate this carnival." At the Carnival festival, the procession is led by King Momo, a mythical figure who is said to be the king of Carnival. Also Read | Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Ramdas Athawale Meets BJP Chief JP Nadda in Parliament, Expresses Desire To Contest General Polls From Shirdi Seat (See Pics). King Momo is a central figure in the Goa Carnival celebrations. He is a mythical character who is said to be the king of Carnaval and is a symbol of joy, merrymaking, and excess. Also, during the Carnival, King Momo flags off and leads the float parade. He is typically portrayed by a local man, who is chosen for the role based on his physical appearance and ability to embody the spirit of the Carnival. The event will be held in four cities from February 10-13. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], February 11 (ANI): Union Minister for Tribal Affairs, Arjun Munda, on Sunday said that the government is committed to the development of tribal communities while preserving their socio-cultural heritage. Notably, three bills were passed by Parliament to fulfil the long-pending demands of tribal communities in Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha, an official release from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs said. Also Read | Delhi Fire: Blaze Erupts at Shoe Factory in Alipur, Fire Tenders at Spot (Watch Video). The Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024, was passed by the Parliament to include 'Pahari Ethnic Group, Paddari Tribe, Koli, and Gadda Brahmin' communities in the list of STs of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir. The Rajya Sabha passed the bill on February 9 to amend the Constitution (Jammu & Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order, 1989 with respect to the UT of J&K. Earlier, the Bill had been passed by the Lok Sabha on February 6. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Legislators Offer Prayers at Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Akhilesh Yadav's Party Absent (Watch Video). Earlier, the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in respect of Andhra Pradesh and the Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Orders (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in respect of Odisha were passed by the Lok Sabha on February 8 in order to effect inclusions in their respective lists of Scheduled Tribes. Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Bharati Pravin Pawar moved the Amendment Bill in Lok Sabha. The bill was earlier passed by the Rajya Sabha on February 6. The minister said that the government is committed to the welfare of tribal communities in the country. She said that with this bill, the particularly vulnerable tribal groups will get justice, the release said. After the bills become an act, members of the communities newly listed in the revised list of Scheduled Tribes of J&K, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha will also be able to derive benefits meant for STs under the existing schemes of the government, it said. Some of the major schemes run by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs include pre- and post-matriculation scholarship, National Overseas Scholarship, National Fellowship and Scholarship Schemes, along with concessional loans from National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation, Hostels for ST boys and girls, etc. In addition to the above, they will also be entitled to the benefits of reservation in services and admission to educational institutions as per Government policy. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Haldwani (U'khand), Feb 11 (PTI) The Uttarakhand government has sought more central forces for deployment in Haldwani where violence erupted on February 8 after the demolition of an "illegal" madrassa, officials said. They said four companies -- containing about 100 personnel each -- of the Central Paramilitary Forces have been sought from the Home Ministry to maintain law and order in Banbhoolpura area, the epicentre of the mob violence. Also Read | Deendayal Upadhyaya Death Anniversary 2024: PM Narendra Modi, BJP Leaders Pay Tributes to Key Party Ideologue on His Punyatithi. The requisition was sent to the Centre by Chief Secretary Radha Raturi. Curfew remains in force in Banbhoopura area but has been lifted from the outer areas of the town. Nearly 1,100 security personnel are already deployed in the town. Also Read | Delhi Weather Update: Cold Weather Continues To Grip National Capital, Minimum Temperature at 7 Degrees Celsius; Several Flights Delayed Due to Fog. Shops are still shut in Banbhoolpura and the roads deserted. Internet services also continue to be suspended in the area to prevent rumour-mongering through social media platforms. Six rioters were killed while 60 people were injured in Thursday's violence, officials said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kolkata, Feb 11 (PTI) The Left Front on Sunday protested the police detention of former Sandeshkhali MLA Nirapada Sardar of CPI(M) and threatened to launch an agitation across West Bengal demanding the arrest of some local Trinamool Congress leaders for allegedly perpetrating atrocities on villagers. Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district gained attention after a mob attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials on January 5. The officials were there to search the premises of Shajahan Sheikh in connection with an alleged ration distribution scam. Also Read | India to Implement GPS-Based Toll Collection System for Smoother Highway Journeys, Know What is It and How It Will Work. "We strongly protest the detention of agricultural workers' leader Nirapada Sardar and demand the arrest of those accused of perpetrating atrocities on villagers," Left Front chairman Biman Bose said in a statement. He highlighted the ongoing protests by a large section of women against alleged atrocities by local Trinamool Congress leaders. Bose demanded that prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC be promulgated in Sandeshkhali and internet ban in the area be lifted. Also Read | Ram Mandir in Ayodhya: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, His Punjab Counterpart Bhagwant Mann To Visit Ram Temple on February 12. CPI(M) West Bengal state secretary Mohammed Salim alleged that the local administration and police were being misused in Sandeshkhali by the ruling TMC. He claimed that instead of arresting the real culprits accused of perpetrating atrocities on the villagers, innocent people were being arrested. Speaking to reporters at the party headquarters here, Salim alleged that Sardar, who was the CPI(M)'s Sandeshkhali MLA from 2011 to 2016, was implicated on the basis of a trumped up complaint by a local leader of the ruling party. CPI(M) and its youth and student activists held protests outside Bansdroni police station against the detention. The former MLA was picked up from his home near Tollygunje here and taken to Bansdroni police station from where he was shifted to Basirhat PS in the evening, officials said. "We want unconditional release of Nirapada Sardar and others arrested in connection with the protests," Salim said. Salim said the party's women leaders were stopped from going to Sandeshkhali on Sunday to prevent them from meeting the affected persons there, claiming that democratic rights of people were being throttled. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Ramanathapuram (Tamil Nadu) [India], February 11 (ANI): DMK Leader RS Bharathi on Sunday slammed the Union government for allegedly not doing enough for the release of Tamil Nadu fishermen detained by the Sri Lankan Navy. The Sri Lankan Navy on Thursday apprehended 19 fishermen along with two boats from Tamil Nadu's Rameswaram Also Read | 'Got Your Love': PM Narendra Modi Tells Child Waving at Him in Madhya Pradesh's Jhabua Rally (Watch Video). He claimed, "Since 2014, 3,076 fishermen have been arrested in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's regime. Even on the 8th of February, 19 fishermen were arrested and are languishing in Sri Lankan jail. He also alleged that the ruling BJP is not allowing a discussion in Parliament on the fishermen's issue. Also Read | Himachal Pradesh: 26-Year-Old Woman Tourist Falls to Death in Paragliding Crash in Kullu; Inquiry Initiated. "If the DMK raises its voice to discuss this in Parliament, they say that it cannot be discussed. The Tamil Nadu government has written 35 times to the Minister of External Affairs regarding the fishermen issue. Similarly, letters have been written to the Prime Minister 13 times, but the central government has not taken any action on all of them," he told reporters here. On Thursday, the fishermen were apprehended while they were fishing near Delft Island in the Palk Bay Sea, the fishermen's association said. The arrested fishermen have been identified as Jolson (42), Mcdon (40), Bismar (26), Muniyasamy (36), Muniyasamy (48), Shekhar (49), Sesu Raja (41), Flower Sun (28), Prashant (32), Arogya Prabhakaran (47), Selva Thomas (50), Selvaraj (46), Anton Sasikumar (43), Muniasamy, Health (50), Oswald (36) and Orissa (36). "480 fishermen from Rameswaram went to the sea yesterday to catch fish. They were fishing near Neduntivu in the Bagjalasanthi Sea area. The Sri Lankan Navy arrived there. 19 fishermen were arrested and taken to Kangesanthurai Naval Camp for investigation," CR Senthilvel, state secretary of the AITUC Fishermen Association, said. "Fishing boats INT.TN 10 MM 324 is owned by K Alex of Thangachimadham and INT.TN 10 MM 925 owned by S Anton Sasikumar were taken," he added. Earlier on February 6, twelve fishermen from Tamil Nadu, who were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy on January 13, were released and reached Chennai airport. According to officials, a total of 23 Indian fishermen and two boats were held by the Sri Lankan Navy from Rameswaram while they were fishing near Delft Island in the Palkbay Sea area. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Sivaganga (Tamil Nadu) [India], February 11 (ANI): The Swarna Moortheeswarar Temple, a 350-year-old temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in Kandadevi village, witnessed the long-awaited revival of its chariot after 17 years on Sunday. The grand procession commenced at 6:10 AM and the day began with a special yagya at 3:30 AM, followed by intricate pujas, setting the spiritual tone for the event. Also Read | BJP Only Scared of AAP, Wants To Defame and Crush Us, Says Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. Over 2,000 policemen were deployed to ensure the security of the proceedings. The public is not allowed to pull the chariot by rope. Workers from the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE), which manages and controls the temple administration in the state, pulled the chariot by the rope. Also Read | Lok Sabha Elections 2024: BJP Will Win 370 Seats in General Polls, Says PM Narendra Modi (Watch Video). Previously marred by controversies surrounding the denial of rights to Scheduled Caste (SC) individuals in pulling the chariot, the Madras High Court addressed the matter on November 3. The court deliberated whether Central forces should be deployed to ensure the festival's smooth conduct. District Collector Asha Ajith presided over the meeting. District SP Arvind and revenue officials, and Rani Mathuranthangi of Sivaganga Samasthanam and other stakeholders were present and in response, a decision was reached that representatives from the Sivaganga Samasthanam and Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department employees would jointly pull the chariot during the trial run. Official sources said that the trial run gained unanimous support from representatives of the Nattars group and Scheduled Castes, highlighting a collaborative effort to restore the festival's glory. Situated in the Sivagangai district, the Shree Swarnamurtheeswarar temple was a prominent religious centre during the reign of kings, serving around 170 villages. The temple procession, held in the Tamil month of Ani, attracts a multitude of devotees. The temple's architecture is Chettinadu style, with modern and elegant features that are influenced by Nagarathar. The temple is associated with events from the Indian epic Ramayana and has historical and religious significance. The chariot festival, discontinued in 1998 due to factional disputes, resumed from 2002 to 2006 under heightened security. A hiatus followed for four years due to the temple's consecration ceremony, and subsequent attempts to resume the chariot procession faced hindrances. Legal proceedings led to the order for a chariot trial run, marking a significant step towards the revival of this cherished tradition. In the past five years, various reasons have hindered the chariot festival, despite efforts to organize it. The culmination of repairs to the chariot, costing several lakhs, paved the way for its return, breathing new life into the cultural and religious heritage of the region. With the successful trial run, hopes are high for the resumption of the Chariot festival. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Agartala, Feb 11 (PTI) Three Bangladeshi women and three locals were arrested from Agartala railway station here on Sunday for attempting to board a Kolkata-bound train without valid papers, police said. Upon questioning, the Bangladeshi women failed to produce their passports, said Obaidur Rahman, the officiating in-charge of Agartala GRP police station. Also Read | Rozgar Mela 2024: PM Narendra Modi To Distribute Over 1 Lakh Appointment Letters to Recruits in Government Departments. Rahman said the Bangladeshi women were arrested under the India Passport Act, while the remaining three individuals, comprising two men and one woman from Tripura's Sepahijala district, were arrested on charges of human trafficking. "Preliminary interrogation revealed that the three Bangladeshi nationals from Dhaka had intentions of traveling to Kolkata. An investigation has started to ascertain the motive of the three women," police added. Also Read | Government Examining FDI Flow From China in Paytm Payments Services. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mumbai, Feb 11 (PTI) Maharashtra's Vidarbha region has received unseasonal rainfall along with hailstorms, affecting various crops including cotton, an official said on Sunday. Nagpur, Yavatmal, Wardha and Amaravati districts in the Vidarbha region reported heavy spells of showers followed by gusty winds and hailstorms on Saturday. Also Read | Jammu and Kashmir: Gulmarg Witnesses Tourist Surge After Much Awaited Snowfall. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a forecast of unseasonal rains in the area on Saturday. "Crops such as cotton, wheat, gram, tur (pigeon peas) were flattened due to the downpour and wind. The state revenue officials will conduct an assessment of the damage soon as the farms are currently wet," a revenue official from Wardha district said. Also Read | Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Death Anniversary 2024 Date, Significance and History: Know All About the Co-Founder of BJPs Predecessor Bharatiya Jana Sangh. The MeT department has issued a 'yellow alert' for most parts of Vidarbha on Sunday also, saying thunderstorms and rainfall are very likely at isolated places in the region. There are "51 to 75 per cent chances" of rainfall in the Vidarbha region, as per the MeT department's forecast. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], February 11 (ANI): Members of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly and Legislative Council left for a momentous visit to the newly inaugurated Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya on buses, today. Buses carrying MLAs left for Ayodhya's Ram Temple from the Uttar Pradesh Assembly in Lucknow on Sunday morning. Also Read | Sikkim Road Accident: Three Dead, 20 Injured After Milk Truck Plows Into Crowded Fair in Gangtok District. Visuals showed MLAs chanting 'Jai Shree Ram' as they gathered outside the UP Assembly before leaving for their journey. The legislators have been invited by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and UP Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana to offer prayers before Ram Lalla. Also Read | Pilibhit Shocker: Man Dies After Consuming Poison Outside Cop's House Over Harassment by Wife. Speaking to media, Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly Speaker, Satish Mandan, expressed his joy at being part of the 'Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mukti Andolan.' Reflecting on the occasion, he stated "This is a special moment for me because I was part of the 'Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mukti Andolan. This is an emotional moment for me. I am very happy. God has bestowed upon me the opportunity to be with all legislators in this form, and it is a matter of great fortune for me." On being asked about the Opposition's participation, the speaker said, "Those who are meant to come will come. These discussions of faith and religion cannot be imposed on anyone, but at the time when I asked to raise the hand in the legislative assembly, only 14 legislators objected, saying they wouldn't go. Others are ready to attend." Expressing gratitude, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Ritesh Gupta shared, "I am fortunate to get the opportunity to have the darshan of Lord Ram Lalla. After the Pran Pratishtha ceremony, everyone wanted to visit Ayodhya and have a darshan. Today, because of CM Yogi Adityanath, all the MLAs will be travelling to Ayodhya together." Similarly, MLA Sarita Bhadauria expressed her feelings, saying, "I consider myself very lucky that I got the opportunity to go to Ayodhya. I am fortunate enough to get the Ram Lala Darshan. Our whole generation is lucky. I belong to the village which is in between the Madhya Pradesh & Uttar Pradesh border. People were getting beaten up & still chose to say Ram's name." Meanwhile, RLD leader Rajpal Balyan acknowledged the decision as good, leading them together for the visit. "We are heading to Ayodhya today under the guidance of our CM for the darshan of Ram Lala. The decision is very apt, leading us all together for this visit," Rajpal Balyan said. When asked about the Samajwadi Party's refusal to visit Ram Lala in Ayodhya, he responded, "They had refused even when there was a conference in Varanasi involving leaders from across India. If they are still not going today, it's their decision. We, being Hindus and followers of our faith, are going today." (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) Float glassmaker Gold Plus Glass Industry Ltd has filed preliminary papers with capital markets regulator Sebi to raise funds through an initial public offering (IPO). The IPO comprises a fresh issue of equity shares aggregating up to Rs 500 crore and an offer-for-sale (OFS) of up to 1.56 crore shares by promoters and investor shareholders, according to the draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) filed on Saturday. Also Read | Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Death Anniversary 2024 Date, Significance and History: Know All About the Co-Founder of BJPs Predecessor Bharatiya Jana Sangh. Those selling shares in the OFS are -- Suresh Tyagi, Jimmy Tyagi, PI Opportunities Fund-I and Kotak Special Situations Fund. The Delhi-based company may consider raising Rs 100 crore through a pre-IPO placement. If such placement is undertaken, then the issue size will be reduced. Also Read | UP Police Admit Card 2024: UPPRPB to Release Hall Ticket on February 13, Know How to Download at uppbpb.gov.in. Of Rs 500 crore proceeds, funds to the tune of Rs 400 crore will be utilised to pay debt and a portion will also be used for general corporate purposes. Gold Plus Glass Industry is one of the leading float glassmakers in India, with 22 per cent share of manufacturing capacity as of September 2023. The company's products cater to a range of end-use industries including automotive, construction and industrial sectors, with a variety of applications. Its product portfolio comprises clear glass, 28 kinds of value-added glass products and 11 kinds of processed glass products, with a further capability to manufacture special thickness clear glass from the current operational production line at Belgaum, Karnataka facility. In April 2022, the company had filed draft papers with Sebi to raise funds through an IPO. The firm received the regulator's nod to float the issue too but didn't launch it. IIFL Securities, Axis Capital, Kotak Mahindra Capital Company and SBI Capital Markets are the book running lead managers to the issue. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) Indian Biogas Association has recommended an investment of Rs 30,000 crore for machinery and equipment required for biomass supply to compressed biogas plants to ensure 12 MMTA of LNG import reduction. "Utilising agricultural residues like paddy straw for bioenergy production and soil enrichment instead of burning those offers a dual benefit as it provides renewable energy sources while enhancing soil health," said Indian Biogas Association Chairman Gaurav Kedia. Also Read | Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Death Anniversary 2024 Date, Significance and History: Know All About the Co-Founder of BJPs Predecessor Bharatiya Jana Sangh. However, he pointed out that there are obstacles to procurement, such as unappealing economics, which makes farmers prefer to burn rather than sell off the field straw promptly. Due to the low density of straw, which increases the expenses associated with its collection, storage, and transportation, he stated, "Improving logistics is not a feasible solution. Government intervention is essential to encourage the adoption of necessary equipment, such as subsidising combine harvesters capable of efficiently gathering straw". Also Read | UP Police Admit Card 2024: UPPRPB to Release Hall Ticket on February 13, Know How to Download at uppbpb.gov.in. Additional support for balers and storage units will make efficient transportation and storage possible, Kedia noted. He suggested that the government should also release the operational guidelines for crop residue management to provide financial assistance for the procurement of crop residue management machinery, establish custom hiring centres, create a supply chain for crop residue/ paddy straw and promote awareness on crop residue management. As per the ASCI (Administrative Staff College of India) study on the assessment of biomass potential in India, India has a total crop production area of 198 MHa with a total crop production of 775 million tonnes, generating 754 million tonnes of total biomass and 230 million tonnes of surplus agricultural residue. Most of this surplus biomass is burnt because farmers lack proper collection equipment and motivation. In the first phase, the government should prefer the states with the largest share in biomass generation -- Punjab (10.6 per cent), Uttar Pradesh (9.8 per cent), Gujarat (9.3 per cent), Maharashtra (9.2 per cent), Madhya Pradesh (8.8 per cent) and Andhra Pradesh (7 per cent). The estimated machinery and equipment worth more than Rs 30,000 crore will be required to address the issue in these states. With this investment, the government will be able to ensure a smooth substrate supply for CBG plants, which would attract an investment of Rs 170 thousand crore. It will also be significant for the economy and help the government achieve green energy goals by saving almost 12 MMTA of LNG import, he stated. While the Union Budget 2024 made significant progress toward renewable energy, some significant obstacles still remain, he opined. He added that even with the additional funding, the Budget must provide long-term financing options to close the investment gap for major renewable energy projects. Even with PLI programmes, further incentives are required to increase domestic production of essential components and lessen reliance on imports, Kedia noted. A programme similar to Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) for biofertiliser is still missing, but the Market Development Assistance scheme is supporting the Fermented Organic Manure coming out of biogas plants. Under the MDA scheme, the government is providing support of Rs 1.5 per kg of Fermented Organic Manure (FOM). It is also necessary to value the green component of CBG in the form of tradable CBG certificates at this pivotal moment, he pointed out. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while presenting the interim Budget announced financial assistance for supporting the upstream side -- the biomass supply chain for Compressed BioGas (CBG) as well as the downstream side by phased mandatory blending of CBG with natural gas to be used as fuel for vehicles and domestic supplies. The objective of the announcement will be to support the transition towards energy security and environmental sustainability, effectively meeting the goals of the Panchamrit initiative (increasing non-fossil fuel capacity to 500 GW, 50 per cent energy requirement to come from renewable energy, reduction of total projected carbon emissions by 1 billion tonnes until 2030, reducing the carbon footprint of the economy by 45 per cent from 2005 level and to achieve net zero by 2070). (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Dubai, Feb 11 (AP) The al-Qaida-linked militant group al-Shabab claimed an attack that killed four Emirati troops and a Bahraini military officer on a training mission at a military base in the Somali capital, authorities said on Sunday. The attack on Saturday targeted the troops at the General Gordon Military Base in Mogadishu. Details about the attack and whether it killed others remained scarce Sunday, though Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud offered his condolences to the UAE for the loss of its troops. Also Read | Pakistan Election Results 2024: Asif Ali Zardari Demands Prime Minister's Slot for Bilawal Bhutto in Coalition Talks. Early Sunday, the UAE's state-run WAM news agency reported the killing of three of its troops and the Bahraini officer in a terrorist act". A fourth later died en route back to the Emirates, WAM reported. WAM released footage of three flag-draped caskets coming off of an Emirati Boeing C-17A Globemaster III at Al Bateen Executive Airport in Abu Dhabi with an honour guard present. Also Read | Iran: Nine Pakistanis Killed After Gunmen Open Fire in Southeastern Iran. WAM identified the dead as a colonel, two warrant officers and a corporal. Anwar Gargash, a senior Emirati diplomat, offered condolences to those killed and a quick recovery for the wounded. No treacherous act will prevent us from continuing the message of security and safety and combating extremism and terrorism in all its forms, Gargash wrote on X, formerly Twitter. The military of Bahrain, an island nation in the Persian Gulf off the coast of Saudi Arabia, later acknowledged the death of a major in a statement carried by the state-run Bahrain News Agency. Al-Shabab claimed the attack in a statement online, alleging it killed multiple people involved in the Emirati military effort. It described the UAE, a federation of seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula, as an enemy of Islamic Shariah law for backing the Somali government in its efforts to battle al-Shabab. Al-Shabab, or the youth in Arabic, is a Sunni Islamic extremist group in Somalia born out of that country's years of anarchy following its 1991 civil war. The affiliate of al-Qaida once held Mogadishu. Over time, an African Union-led force, with the backing of the US and other countries, pushed the militants out of Mogadishu. In the years since, al-Shabab has remained a threat as it seeks to overthrow the Western-backed Somali government. Al-Shabab has carried out attacks in neighbouring Kenya as well, since Nairobi provides troops and materiel to the African Union force in Somalia. The US under every president since George W. Bush has launched airstrikes against militants in Somalia, with the number of strikes now exceeding 300, according to New America, a Washington-based security think tank. The vast majority of those strikes took place under then-President Donald Trump. The US Embassy in Somalia on Sunday condemned what it called a cowardly attack against the training mission. We extend our deepest condolences to the loved ones of those who lost their lives in yesterday's deplorable terrorist attack against UAE military trainers and Somali soldiers valiantly working to advance the nation's stability, the embassy said. Somalia has also been an intense interest for Gulf states, particularly during the Qatar diplomatic crisis that gripped the region for several years and saw four nations including the UAE boycott Doha in a political dispute. Somali troops once seized millions of dollars of Emirati cash from a jet at gunpoint, sparking a diplomatic incident between Mogadishu and the UAE that halted its troop training programme there. The UAE in recent years has increasingly invested in ports in East Africa, including in Somalia's breakaway Somaliland region. Securing Somalia fits into the Emirates' wider concerns about security in the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea, particularly as Somali piracy has resumed after years amid attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels on shipping in the region over Israel's war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. In 2019, al-Shabab claimed an attack that killed a man working for Dubai's P and O Ports. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Taipei [Taiwan], February 11 (ANI): The Chinese embassy in Sweden warned the Gothenburg City Council as it considered concluding sister city agreements with Taiwan to reduce its reliance on China, Taiwan News reported. Members of two parties at the council in Sweden's second-largest city submitted a motion to expand its foreign relations. Also Read | Helicopter Crash in Mojave Desert: Six Missing After Chopper Crashes in Southern California, Investigation Team Dispatched to Crash Site. However, the move caught the attention of the Chinese embassy in Stockholm, according to the report. The mission sent an e-mail to the Gothenburg City Council, warning it should adhere to the One China principle, Beijing's claim that Taiwan is part of China, the Goteborg Posten reported. The politicians should handle the "Taiwan issue" correctly, as it was at the very core of China's interests, the embassy said. Also Read | Pakistan Election Results 2024: Imran Khan To Decide Next PM of Country, Says PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar. While Gothenburg and Shanghai were sister cities, there were rising suspicions about national security threats from China's investments. Several Swedish cities have ended sister relations with Chinese cities, but Gothenburg has economic factors to consider. China's Geely owns Gothenburg-based carmaker Volvo Car Corporation, leaving more than 10,000 jobs at risk if relations between the two countries deteriorate. As a result, opinions at the city council were divided about whether to deal with the issue or leave it up to the central government, Taiwan News reported. Taiwan's envoy to Sweden, Klement Gu, called on the mayor of Gothenburg to visit Taiwan and witness the country's economy, culture, and education. Bilateral relations should not be subject to interference by China, he said. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Islamabad [Pakistan], February 11 (ANI): Baloch activist Mahrang Baloch has alleged that families of missing persons who participated in the march are being forcibly disappeared by the state and termed it a "cruel act of targeting families of victims to sabotage their struggle." She mentioned that the whereabouts of Gulkhan Shikari, his son Miran Shikari, and Zahid son of Aktar Muhammad, remain unknown since their abduction on February 7, 2024. She urged human rights organisations to speak out against state barbarism. Also Read | Pakistan Election Results 2024: Asif Ali Zardari Demands Prime Minister's Slot for Bilawal Bhutto in Coalition Talks. In a post on X, Mahrang Baloch stated, "The families of Baloch missing persons who participated in the march are being forcibly disappeared by the state, a cruel act of targeting victim families to sabotage their struggle." "The whereabouts of Gulkhan Shikari, his son Miran Shikari, and Zahid son of Aktar Muhammad remain unknown since their abduction on February 7, 2024. They joined march for the release of Nawab Imran and Najeeb Baloch. Their lives are in grave danger. We urge human rights organisations to speak out against state barbarism," she added. Also Read | Iran: Nine Pakistanis Killed After Gunmen Open Fire in Southeastern Iran. https://twitter.com/MahrangBaloch_/status/1756590229895475551 Earlier on February 5, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee held a press conference at Civil Hospital Quetta, condemning the alleged fake encounters of missing persons. Present at the conference were family members of the victims, joining the call for justice. Speaking to reporters, Mahrang Baloch spoke about the disturbing trend of extrajudicial killings. She emphasised that despite peaceful demands voiced during the Long March, the Pakistani authorities refused to address the concerns of the families of missing persons. Expressing her disappointment Baloch stated, "The state persists in its cruel and oppressive policies towards Balochistan." In the press conference, Mahrang challenged the narrative propagated by Pakistani forces and agencies during extrajudicial killings in Balochistan.Often citing terrorism as justification, she noted that the state lacked evidence to support these allegations. "The state is committing inhumane acts by justifying the actions of armed men. The false narrative of missing persons being in the mountains is a cover for the ongoing Baloch genocide," Mahrang asserted, expressing her anger against the Pakistani establishment. In the aftermath of the recent Mach incident, Mahrang stated, "The bodies of five people have been brought in, with four identified by relatives who were previously forcibly disappeared by state agencies. Concerns remain regarding the fifth body, raising fears of another victim of enforced disappearance." Baloch activists have been urging international authorities to intervene in the ongoing genocide of their community members. Activists have been calling for a fact-finding mission led by the United Nations Working Group to investigate the matter thoroughly. Earlier in December, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) had organised a massive long march to raise their voice against the issue of enforced disappearances. This long march had witnessed massive participation from every corner of Balochistan. The march had started in Turbat, reached Quetta, and eventually ended in Islamabad. On January 23, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) announced ending their sit-in outside the National Press Club (NPC) in Islamabad against enforced disappearances, Pakistan-based The News International reported. At that time, Mahrang Baloch said they will head back to Balochistan with pain, suffering and anti-Baloch attitudes of Islamabad. The decision of Baloch Yakjehti Committee came a day after NPC Islamabad registered a complaint with the Kohsar Police Station on Monday requesting to remove the Baloch protesters from the open park in front of the NPC. At that time, Mahrang Baloch in a post on X stated, "Tomorrow we are going back to Balochistan from Islamabad with pain, suffering and anti-Baloch attitudes of Islamabad. We will reach our land and convey the stories of Islamabad from the Singlakh mountains of Balochistan to the blue sea." "Now our morale and courage have increased, and we will now take this movement to the homes of Balochistan with our powerful morale. It is our promise to our people and the land that we will defeat this imperialist system from our land with the power of the people," she added. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) had shown support for the Baloch sit-in that had been carried out in Islamabad since December 20, 2023. In a post shared on X, HRCP stated, "HRCP stands in solidarity with the ongoing Baloch camp led by women against enforced disappearances that has faced persistent harassment from local law enforcement, as well as dismissal from government authorities." "We are also deeply concerned by efforts to uproot the camp--this violates not only the Islamabad High Court's order that the camp remain undisturbed, but also the protestors' right to peacefully assemble. The validity of the Baloch protestors' demands cannot continue to be ignored, and must be heeded with the legitimacy it deserves, not with undue force or defamation," it added. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Athens (Greece), Feb 11 (AP) Greek authorities found 84 migrants arriving by sea and arrested four individuals, accusing them of being the traffickers that transported them, the coast guard said on Sunday. Both incidents occurred early on Saturday, it said. Also Read | Pakistan Election Results 2024: PTI-Backed Independent Candidates Lead With 95 Seats in National Assembly. In the first incident, the coast guard was alerted to a boat drifting, due to mechanical failure, at sea, 46 nautical miles (85 kilometers) south of the island of Crete. A Greek Navy frigate found the boat and rescued a total of 72 individuals, 58 of them men and 14 minors, transporting them to Crete. Also Read | Pakistan Election Results 2024: Asif Ali Zardari Demands Prime Minister's Slot for Bilawal Bhutto in Coalition Talks. After questioning the new arrivals, the coast guard arrested two of them, aged 30 and 18, for being the traffickers that piloted the boat. In 2023, 41,561 people arrived in Greece by sea, up from 12,758 in 2022, according to UNHCR, the UN refugee agency. Arrivals peaked at 10,839 in September. The boat had sailed from the Libyan port of Tobruk. The rescued migrants told Greek authorities that they had each paid between $2,000 and $4,000 for their passage to Greece. The two arrested individuals face charges of forming a gang, facilitating the unlawful entry of individuals into the country and exposing them to danger. In the second case, also early Saturday, the coast guard was informed that people had landed on a beach on the island of Rhodes. The coast guard sent a patrol boat to the waters near the landing site, while the Greek police also dispatched a foot patrol. The patrol boat intercepted a speedboat with two men who were headed to the Turkish coast. The two foreigners, who were not carrying travel documents, declared they were aged 34 and 24 years old, respectively. A little later, the police patrol found 14 migrants, including five men, four women and five minors, authorities said. The place they were found is called Anthony Quinn beach, after the Mexican-American actor who bought a property in the area after filming The Guns of Navarone on location, with co-stars Gregory Peck and David Niven, in 1960. Authorities said they impounded the speedboat. They believe the two arrested men were traffickers who were returning to their base in Turkiye. The ethnicities of the rescued migrants and the traffickers have not been released yet. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Gaza City [Israel], February 11 (ANI): In a startling revelation, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) uncovered a top-secret Hamas data center strategically concealed beneath the Gaza Strip headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), The Times of Israel reported. The subterranean facility, equipped with living quarters for Hamas operatives, an electrical room, and industrial battery power banks, was ingeniously positioned to avoid detection and airstrikes. Also Read | Pakistan Election Results 2024: PTI-Backed Independent Candidates Lead With 95 Seats in National Assembly. The discovery comes amid heightened scrutiny of UNRWA's alleged collusion with Hamas, with Israel accusing 12 UNRWA staff members of involvement in a massacre orchestrated by Hamas-led terrorists. The accusations have prompted several top donor countries to announce funding freezes, raising concerns about the agency's ability to continue its operations in Gaza and the broader Middle East, as reported by The Times of Israel. The IDF's findings shed light on the intricate nature of the Hamas data centre, concealed beneath UNRWA's Gaza headquarters in the upscale Rimal neighbourhood. The initial ground offensive in Gaza City did not unveil the data centre, but new intelligence, including information obtained from Shin Bet interrogations of captured terrorists, guided the IDF to the precise location. Also Read | Pakistan Election Results 2024: Asif Ali Zardari Demands Prime Minister's Slot for Bilawal Bhutto in Coalition Talks. Col Benny Aharon, commander of the 401st Armored Brigade, emphasized the importance of intelligence gathered from previous operations: "We had a basis of information, but not enough to be able to dig down 20 meters and find it; we needed a bit more. There's information we get from prisoners we capture, from computers we find, from documents, maps." The IDF's recent return to the northern Gaza Strip for smaller operations, post the destruction of Hamas's fighting capabilities, underscores their commitment to dismantling strategic Hamas assets. Col Nissim Hazan, a senior officer in the 401st Brigade, explained that these operations require meticulous research, time, and patience. Despite the success of the mission, it came at a cost, with two soldiers losing their lives during the operation to reach the Hamas data center. The risks associated with such raids remain, even as the IDF continues its efforts to neutralize strategic Hamas tunnels. Journalists were given a firsthand look at the 700-meter-long tunnel leading to the data center, guided by troops from the elite Yahalom combat engineering unit and the Shaldag unit. The tunnel, with its branching paths, was equipped with neon glowsticks to ensure the group stayed on course. The journey included a section with Hamas's concrete arches, leading to a large hallway featuring living quarters, a kitchenette, and meeting rooms adorned with posters bearing the logo of Hamas's military wing. Hazan detailed the challenging conditions inside the tunnel: "Keep your head down and don't touch the ceiling," he cautioned, as the group navigated through flooded sections and slippery inclines to reach the heart of the facility. The electrical room, housing power inverters and industrial batteries, was covered in mud, a testament to the arduous journey undertaken by the combat engineers. The heart of the facility revealed rows of server cabinets comprising Hamas's data center. Hazan explained that the server farm was likely used for intelligence gathering, data processing, and communications. The IDF seized hard drives and computers for investigation before demolishing the tunnel system in a controlled explosion. Hazan expressed confidence in the IDF's ability to locate and dismantle additional "strategic" Hamas tunnels in Gaza in the coming months. He noted, "We have time, months ahead of us in the war, and one by one we will dismantle them and take away what the enemy is trying to hide, and it hides it in a very sophisticated and cynical way." UNRWA's Gaza headquarters, situated directly above the hidden Hamas data center, became a focal point of scrutiny. Aharon revealed that weapons caches belonging to Hamas were discovered when IDF forces raided and battled Hamas gunmen for the complex, although after UN staff had evacuated. The caches included grenades, rockets, launchers, explosives, and a substantial amount of weaponry, according to The Times of Israel. Furthermore, allegations of UNRWA's collusion with Hamas surfaced, with claims that some offices within the UNRWA complex were used by Hamas terrorists. Aharon accused UNRWA of providing cover for Hamas and asserted, "UNRWA knows exactly what is happening underground, and UNRWA uses its budget to fund some of Hamas's military capabilities, this is for certain." The IDF emphasized that the electrical cables leading from the UN building to the tunnel were providing power to the Hamas infrastructure below ground. Despite the proximity, UNRWA's server room appeared mostly empty, with cables disconnected and computers removed. In response to the allegations, Philippe Lazzarini, the head of UNRWA, denied any knowledge of the Hamas data centre in a tweet following the publication. The IDF's revelations have intensified concerns about UNRWA's role and the potential misuse of its facilities. As Israel grapples with the aftermath of this discovery, questions surrounding UNRWA's collaboration with Hamas and the perpetuation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict persist. The intricate web of tunnels, data centres, and alleged collusion has added another layer of complexity to the already contentious situation in the region, The Times of Israel reported. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Peshawar, Feb 11 (PTI) A militant ringleader, associated with the banned outfit Daesh, was killed by Pakistani security forces during an intelligence-based operation in the restive Khyber district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the military said on Sunday. The security forces conducted an operation after getting information on the reported presence of a high-profile terrorist in the area, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan Army. Also Read | Pakistan Election Results 2024: PTI-Backed Independent Candidates Lead With 95 Seats in National Assembly. After an intense exchange of fire, the high-value terrorist ringleader Surat Gul, alias Saifullah, of Daesh (Islamic State) was eliminated, the military said in a statement. Weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from the terrorist commander, who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities, including targeted killing of innocent civilians as well as extortion, and was wanted by the law enforcement agencies, the ISPR said. Also Read | Pakistan Election Results 2024: Asif Ali Zardari Demands Prime Minister's Slot for Bilawal Bhutto in Coalition Talks. Sanitisation operation is being conducted to eliminate any other terrorist found in the area. The locals appreciated the operation and expressed their full support to eliminate the menace of terrorism, it said. Ahead of the general elections in Pakistan, which were held on February 8, there was a surge in attacks targeting contesting candidates and offices of the election commission in Sindh and Balochistan provinces. At least 12 people were killed and several others injured in a powerful bomb blast outside the election office of an independent candidate in Pakistan's Balochistan province, a day before the general elections. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], February 11 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President of Sri Lanka, Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister of Mauritius, Pravind Jugnauth will witness the launch of Unified Payment Interface (UPI) services in Sri Lanka and Mauritius, as well as, RuPay card services in Mauritius, on Monday 1 pm via video conferencing, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. India has emerged as a leader in fintech innovation and digital public infrastructure. PM Modi has placed a strong emphasis on sharing our development experiences and innovation with partner countries. Also Read | Pakistan Election Results 2024: Asif Ali Zardari Demands Prime Minister's Slot for Bilawal Bhutto in Coalition Talks. Given India's robust cultural and people-to-people linkages with Sri Lanka and Mauritius, the launch will benefit a wide cross-section of people through a faster and seamless digital transaction experience and enhance digital connectivity between the countries, the MEA release also said. The launch will enable the availability of UPI settlement services for Indian nationals travelling to Sri Lanka and Mauritius, as well as, for Mauritian nationals travelling to India. Also Read | Iran: Nine Pakistanis Killed After Gunmen Open Fire in Southeastern Iran. The extension of RuPay card services in Mauritius will enable Mauritian banks to issue cards based on the RuPay mechanism in Mauritius and facilitate the usage of RuPay cards for settlements both in India and Mauritius, it added. Notably, during Wickremesinghe's New Delhi visit in July 2023, India and Sri Lanka inked an agreement of UPI's acceptance in the island country. Earlier that year, in February, PhonePe, Indian digital payments and financial technology company, launched support for cross-border UPI payments, under UPI International, allowing the apps' users to use their Indian bank accounts to pay at merchant outlets in the UAE, Singapore, Mauritius, Nepal and Bhutan, The Bhutan Live reported. With this, PhonePe became the first in its category to integrate UPI International. UPI International, introduced by the cross-border arm of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI International Payments Limited), facilitates UPI transactions for the Indian diaspora abroad. Rahul Chari, CTO and co-founder of PhonePe, as quoted by The Bhutan Live, said, "UPI International is the first major step in letting the rest of the world experience UPI too. I am sure this launch will prove to be a game-changer and will completely transform the way Indians travelling overseas pay at merchant outlets abroad." PhonePe is India's largest UPI app by market size. The app raised USD 350 million in funding as part of its USD 1 billion fundraising ahead of an initial public offering (IPO). The UPI payment system has become hugely popular for retail digital payments in India, and its adoption is increasing at a rapid pace. It is India's mobile-based fast payment system, which facilitates customers to make round-the-clock payments instantly using a virtual payment address (VPA) created by the customer. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Tel Aviv [Israel], February 11 (ANI): A six-year-old Palestinian girl, Hind Rajab, and two rescuers who went looking for her nearly two weeks ago were found dead on Saturday, The New York Times reported, citing the Palestine Red Crescent. According to the report, two rescuers with the Red Crescent were dispatched in an ambulance on the evening of January 29 to find the girl, who was believed to be trapped in a vehicle in Gaza city with six dead family members. Also Read | Helicopter Crash in Mojave Desert: Six Missing After Chopper Crashes in Southern California, Investigation Team Dispatched to Crash Site. The aid group claimed they were killed by Israeli fire. The Red Crescent, in a statement on Saturday, accused Israeli forces of bombing the ambulance as it arrived "just meters away from the vehicle containing the trapped child Hind", killing the two rescuers inside. It said this happened "despite prior coordination" between the Red Crescent and the Israeli military. Also Read | Pakistan Election Results 2024: Imran Khan To Decide Next PM of Country, Says PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar. https://x.com/PalestineRCS/status/1756352099430834337?s=20 The Red Crescent shared an image of the charred and nearly unrecognisable ambulance on social media. The Israeli military did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the Red Crescent's allegations. The military said last week that it was not aware of the incident. A spokeswoman for the Red Crescent said the girl's family had discovered the bodies of their relatives and the ambulance crew. It was not immediately clear how Hind died, The New York Times reported. The Red Cross had issued a series of desperate posts since the rescuers went missing, trying to draw attention to the harrowing situation. The search was hampered by the ongoing presence of Israeli forces in the area, making it too dangerous to send more rescuers to the scene, according to the Red Crescent. Israel's aerial bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza has left more than 27,000 people in Gaza dead in the past four months, according to health authorities in the territory. More than 12,000 of the dead are children, according to Gazan authorities. The UN agency for children, Unicef, said on Friday that more than 600,000 children and their families have been displaced to the southern Gaza city of Rafah. Israel's war in Gaza began after Hamas staged a cross-border attack on Israel which Israeli authorities said killed about 1,200 people. The two ambulance team members, Yousef Zeino and Ahmed al-Madhoun, were sent after a Red Crescent dispatcher spent three hours on the phone trying to console Hind as she was trapped in the car. The Red Crescent said it had coordinated the movements of the ambulance with the Israeli military. Similar coordination is done by other aid organizations operating in Gaza, including UN agencies. Some aid groups have reported convoys coming under fire. The New York Times reported that the two rescuers confirmed arriving at the scene of the vehicle in Gaza City, in the Tal al-Hawa neighbourhood, at about 6 p.m. on January 29. Then the Red Crescent lost contact with them and had not heard from them since. The Israeli military's tanks and forces remained in the vicinity, preventing the Red Crescent from sending other rescuers to the scene, the aid group said. After the tanks withdrew, Hind's family went to the area and saw that she was dead in the vehicle and the Red Crescent ambulance had been hit, with the two rescuers dead inside, said Nebal Farsakh, a spokeswoman for the Red Crescent. She added that the family notified the Crescent and sent them photos. "What can we say to the mother of 6-year-old Hind? What can we say to the families of our missing colleagues Youssef Zeino and Ahmed al-Madhoon?" the Red Crescent's final post on the case read on Friday, before the group received confirmation that they were all dead. "Every day for the past 11 days, they have endured heart-wrenching uncertainty about the location of their loved ones. Their suffering makes us more determined to find out what happened. We must learn the truth," it added. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Abu Dhabi [UAE], February 11 (ANI/WAM): The UAE has expressed deep concern regarding preparations by the Israeli military to launch an operation in the Rafah area, in the south of the Gaza Strip populated by displaced Palestinians, and the serious humanitarian repercussions that may result from the operation. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned against military action that threatens to cause the loss of more innocent life and exacerbate the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip. Also Read | Helicopter Crash in Mojave Desert: Six Missing After Chopper Crashes in Southern California, Investigation Team Dispatched to Crash Site. The Ministry reaffirmed its strong condemnation of any forced displacement of the brotherly Palestinian people, and all practices that violate the resolutions of international legitimacy and international and humanitarian law. The Ministry called on the international community to undertake immediate efforts to reach a ceasefire to avoid further loss of life, and prevent fueling the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Furthermore, the Ministry called for efforts to achieve a comprehensive and just peace, while preventing regional spill-over that risks further violence, tension, and instability. Also Read | Pakistan Election Results 2024: Imran Khan To Decide Next PM of Country, Says PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar. The Ministry reaffirmed the UAE's position, calling for a return to negotiations to achieve the two-state solution with an independent Palestinian state. (ANI/WAM) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Hyderabad, February 11: Police in Hyderabad have apprehended a Bangladeshi woman who had entered India illegally and was indulging in prostitution. Police have also arrested a couple which had given the woman shelter and used her for flesh trade. The 22-year-old Bangladeshi had illegally entered India two months ago and reached Hyderabad via Kolkata and was staying at a house in Chandrayangutta area in the city. The foreign nationals illegal stay came to light when she went to a customer without informing the couple, resulting in a fight between them. The police investigations revealed that Sheikh Sania (27), whose mother is a Bangladeshi and father in India, had many contacts in Kolkata. She had a love marriage with one Mohammed Salman (24), a worker at a garments shop, and the couple was staying in Chandrayangutta. 2 Bangladeshi Nationals Arrested for Illegal Stay in Navi Mumbai Sania told police that she came in contact with a Bangladeshi woman Akhter (22) on a chatting app used by Bangladesh and Myanmar nationals. They became friends and the Bangladeshi woman enquired with her if she could earn some money in Hyderabad. When Sania told her that she can earn Rs10,000 a month by working as a maid and Rs 20,000 through prostitution, the Bangladeshi woman replied she is ready for any work to make money. After illegally crossing the border to enter India, she reached Kolkata and from there boarded a train to Secunderabad. Sania and her husband picked her up from the railway station and brought to their house. They then started using her for prostitution. Sania used to accompany her to customers and bring her back. On February 9 when Sania had gone to her neighbours house, the Bangladeshi woman received a call on the formers mobile phone. A customer wanted her to come to Attapur. She took an auto-rickshaw and reached the location. Tripura: 23 Bangladeshi Smugglers Arrested by BSF; 6,000 Kg of Sugar Seized Meanwhile, Sania started looking for Akhter and on not finding her checked her mobile phone. She called the number from which the last call was received. The person told her that Akhter had come to Attapur. The couple reached there and had an argument with Akhter. The Bangladeshi woman snatched the mobile phone from Sanias hand and dialled 100 to inform the police. Subsequent investigations revealed that Akhter has a husband and two children in Bangladesh. Police registered a case against the trio and took up investigation. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 11, 2024 12:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Hyderabad, February 11: Telangana BJP President and Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy on Sunday predicted that there will be a direct fight between his party and the Congress in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in the state. Kishan Reddy, who released posters in connection with the BJP Vijay Sankalp Yatra scheduled to begin on February 20, claimed that there is pro-BJP atmosphere in all Lok Sabha constituencies across the country and people have already decided to vote for Lotus in the coming elections. He stated that Telangana youth want Narendra Modi to become the Prime Minister once again. He announced five yatras will be conducted in five Parliament clusters to seek Telangana peoples support and blessings. These yatras will be held from February 20 to March 1. Lok Sabha Elections 2024: BJP Will Win 370 Seats in General Polls, Says PM Narendra Modi (Watch Video). Yatras have been given cluster wise names. For Bhuvanagiri, Malkajgiri, Secunderabad, and Hyderabad parliamentary constituencies, the yatra will be called Bhagyanagar. The yatra to cover Karimnagar, Medak, Zahirabad, and Chevella constituencies is named Satavahana. Similarly, the yatra in Adilabad, Peddapalli, and Nizamabad constituencies will be known as Kumaram Bheem yatra. Kishan Reddy said the Central Election Committee of BJP will choose the candidates for Lok Sabha elections. He said the party has not yet announced a candidate anywhere in the country. He said BJPs State Election Committee and Election Management Committee will meet on Monday to review poll preparedness. Lok Sabha Elections 2024: PM Narendra Modi in Madhya Pradeshs Jhabua To Kick-Start BJP Campaign for LS Polls. Replying to a query about Kaleshwaram project, he said the BJP leaders visited Medigadda barrage in the past and there is no need for them to visit it once again. He said that the dispute over sharing of Krishna river water can be resolved through talks between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Attacking the state's Congress government, he alleged that the government schools lack basic facilities. He claimed that Thane, February 11: The Navi Mumbai police have registered a case against a man for allegedly throwing acid on his wife following an argument, an official said Sunday. The police on Saturday registered a case under section 326(a) (causing grievous hurt by use of acid) of the Indian Penal Code, the official said. Navi Mumbai: Man Booked for Murder, Disposing Body in Empty Water Tank in Uran The accused, Ramzan Siddiqu Gazi, allegedly threw acid on his wife Amina Khatun (28) after a heated argument at their home in Panvel on January 20, he said. Mumbai Shocker: Bizman Beaten, Confined at Home in Kalbadevi and Robbed of Rs 55 Lakh The victim, who suffered injuries to her face, is undergoing treatment at her hometown in West Bengal, he said. She lodged a complaint with the Baniapukur police in West Bengal, and the case was transferred to Panvel taluka police, the official said, adding that no arrest has been made in the case so far. A gang-rape case has been lodged against Mahendra Mevada, the chairperson of the Sirohi Municipal Council in Rajasthan, and the former municipal council Commissioner, Mahendra Choudhary. They are accused of sexually assaulting nearly 20 women under the pretense of offering employment in Anganwadi. South Korean Ji Chang-wook's agency, Spring Company, has issued an apology following a recent controversy sparked by a video clip of the actor smoking indoors during the filming of his drama Welcome to Samdal-ri. The behind-the-scenes footage, released on January 26, showed Chang-wook using an electronic cigarette on set. In their statement, Spring Company expressed regret for any discomfort caused by the scene, acknowledging that Chang-wook's behaviour was improper. They emphasised that Chang-wook himself recognised his mistake and felt sorry for disappointing fans and others involved in the production. Ji Chang-wook Birthday: Did You Know The Healer Actor Kissed Kang Ha Neul More Than Any Of His Leading Ladies?. Ji Chang Wook's Smoking Incident: Beirut, February 11: Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has said that his country did not want to see an expansion of the war in the region, the media reported. "Iran and Lebanon confirm that the war is not the solution, and we never want to expand the scope of the war," he said on Saturday during a joint press conference with his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bou Habib in Beirut. The top Iranian diplomat also called on the US to pressure Israel to stop the attacks on Gaza and the West Bank, Xinhua news agency reported. Amir-Abdollahian said the US was taking two different approaches: One is to continue supplying Israel with weapons and participate in the Gaza war, and the second is talking about a political solution to be reached soon. Israel-Hamas War: Gaza Mediators, Others Warn Benjamin Netanyahu of Disaster if It Launches Ground Invasion on Crowded Rafah For his part, Bou Habib said Lebanon had never wanted a war but sought stability, calm, and a comprehensive and just peace in the region. "We stressed the need for the international community to assume its responsibility by stopping Israel's war against Lebanon and Gaza," Bou Habib added. During his meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati earlier on Saturday, Amir-Abdollahian emphasised the necessity to exert more efforts to stop the Israeli aggression on Gaza and reach just solutions for all countries in the region, according to a statement released by Lebanon's Council of Ministers. The Iranian Minister added the US-led attacks in Yemen had worsened the crisis in the region, according to a statement released by Al-Intishar, a local news website. Israel-Hamas War: 28 Palestinians Killed in Israeli Strikes in Rafah After Benjamin Netanyahu Says Invasion There Is Inevitable Amir-Abdollahian also met with Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah to discuss the latest developments on Saturday. Nasrallah said the resistance groups constituted a vital element in the region, and the victory of the Palestinians and the Islamic resistance is inevitable, according to Al-Intishar. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 11, 2024 09:32 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). New Hampshire, February 11: Adam Montgomery, a New Hampshire man, stands accused of the brutal murder of his five-year-old daughter, Harmony Montgomery, whose body has never been recovered. Prosecutors allege that Montgomery brutally beat his five-year-old daughter, Harmony Montgomery, to death before dismembering her body and transporting the remains to various locations, including the restaurant where he worked as a cook and dishwasher. According to multiple reports, Montgomery stuffed Harmony's dismembered body into a tote bag and brought it with him to work, storing it in a freezer alongside food items. Shockingly, colleagues were unaware of the gruesome contents of the bag as Montgomery went about his shifts. The prosecution revealed that Montgomery also concealed Harmony's body in other locations, including a friend's car trunk, his mother-in-law's apartment building cooler, a ceiling vent at the homeless shelter where he resided, and an apartment freezer. US Horror: Nurse Allegedly Replaces Fentanyl IV Bags With Tap Water in Oregon, 10 Dead. As per reports, despite extensive efforts by law enforcement, Harmony's body has never been recovered. Harmony's fate was sealed on December 7, 2019, when prosecutors believe she met her demise. Reports indicate that she had soiled herself in her sleep, prompting a violent reaction from her father. Montgomery allegedly struck Harmony over the head a few times, causing fatal injuries. He then continued to indulge in his meal while abusing drugs. Montgomery later callously remarked to his estranged wife, Kayla Montgomery, "I think I really hurt her this time." US Animal Cruelty Horror: Man Tortures, Brutally Murders Six Cats in Chicago; Some Kittens Killed in Microwave. Kayla Montgomery, in her testimony, described the harrowing moments leading to Harmony's death. She recounted how Adam repeatedly hit Harmony after she had bathroom accidents in the family car, revealing the dire circumstances the family faced living in their vehicle after being evicted from their home. Prosecutors allege that Montgomery continued to transport Harmony's body for weeks, ultimately disposing of it outside of Boston after slicing up the remains. Despite his attempts to evade justice, Montgomery is facing multiple charges, including second-degree murder, abusing a corpse, and falsifying evidence. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 11, 2024 12:59 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Grenada stands as a testament to resilience, with a diverse population that celebrates its unique blend of African, French, and British influences. Grenada, known for its beaches and vibrant culture, also boasts a rich history with numerous historical sites. Visitors can explore forts, museums, ancient ruins, and monuments, gaining insights into the island's captivating past and cultural heritage beyond its renowned natural beauty and culinary delights. The island's rich history is reflected in its cultural heritage, making Grenada a fascinating destination for those interested in the Caribbean's complex and dynamic past. Exploring these historical tourist destinations in Grenada offers a captivating journey through the island's past, from its colonial period to more recent events, providing a deeper understanding of its cultural and historical evolution. Here are some notable Grenada historical sites to explore: Fort George Fort George, initially Fort Royal and later renamed in 1763 in honor of King George III, bears historical significance in Grenada, according to Grenada Explorer. Constructed between 1706 and 1710 on French foundations from the 1600s, this bastion tracer fort served strategic military purposes, adapting over time. Currently used by the Royal Grenada Police, the fort remains open to the public, offering a historical journey and panoramic views of Grenada's evolution. READ NEXT: Grenada's Unique Tourist Spots Fort Matthew Fort Matthew, Grenada's largest fort, traces its history from a battleground to a mental asylum. Dating to the 18th century, the fort features original elements like kitchens, bathrooms, tunnels, and cells for the violently insane. Preserving captivating features, it offers breathtaking views of St. George, the new cruise port, St. George's University, and the Caribbean Sea. Guided tours and venue rentals make it accessible for historical exploration or private functions, highlighting Grenada's diverse past. National Museum of Grenada The Grenada National Museum, located in a 1704 French barracks, is a captivating exploration of the island's colonial history, Petite Anse noted. A vital historical landmark, it delves into pre-Columbian, colonial, and independence eras through artifacts and exhibits. Themes like fishing, whaling, plantations, and transportation provide a comprehensive understanding of Grenada's cultural and historical evolution. Belmont Estate The Belmont Estate in Grenada has transformed into a distinctive chocolate-making venture, integrating sustainable practices in agriculture. Offering tours, it showcases the journey from raw cacao to the final chocolate product. With its focus on history, agriculture, and culinary delights, the estate provides an enriching and eco-friendly experience for visitors. River Antoine Estate Rum Distillery A visit to the River Antoine Estate Rum Distillery offers a journey into Grenada's history, which has been the oldest operational water-powered distillery in the Caribbean since 1785, per Travel Tips. Preserving original methods, the distillery showcases the historical process of crafting its renowned Rivers Rum through guided tours, providing a living museum experience for visitors. Fort Frederick Fort Frederick, perched on Richmond Hill, symbolizes Grenada's history with panoramic views. Built by the French in 1779, its unique design, oriented inland for strategic reasons, reflects military lessons. Despite wartime origins, its cannons were never fired in battle. The fort offers serene walks, preserved buildings, and breathtaking vistas. READ MORE: Cuba Historic Landmarks This is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Bert Hoover WATCH: 10 Best Things To Do in Grenada | Travel Video | Travel Guide - From SKY Travel While plenty of people were rushing to grocery stores across the Lehigh Valley to prep for their Super Bowl parties on Sunday afternoon, the real foodies of the region were huddled up together at Eastons Bank Street Annex, judiciously chomping on chili. Pearly Bakers Alehouse held its 27th annual Chili Cook-Off on Sunday, welcoming 16 restaurants into the annex to compete in its annual event. A panel of judges presided over the contest and awarded Muellers General Store and Kitchen the Judges Choice honor. But chili is by the people, for the people, and those in attendance got a chance to vote as well, selecting the Riegelsville Inn as the Peoples Choice winner. The judges second place choice was the Riegelsville Inn. The third place winner, according to the judges, was Kabinett Wine Bar. The votes are in! Congratulations to the winners of the 27th Annual Chili Cook-Off! Judges Choice: 1st... Posted by Pearly Baker's Alehouse on Sunday, February 11, 2024 There were some new twists to this years cook-off, including the location the contest is traditionally held at Pearly Bakers, but was moved to the Bank Street Annex this year to accommodate more competitors and more chili fans. The annexs second floor housed another new facet of this years event: the Fire Department Chili Cook-Off. Palmer Municipal and Forks Township fire departments faced off in their own cook-off, with Forks taking home Best Fire Department Chili and bragging rights over its fellow first-responders for one year. Each year, Pearly Bakers chooses a benefactor for the cook-off. This year, proceeds from the cook-offs entry fee and its raffle tickets went towards Pennsylvania Water Rescue. Take a look at the gallery for photos of this years Chili Cook-Off. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Every single resident of Pennsylvania whether they ride a bus, subway, railway or trolley every day or not benefits from the public transit systems that serve our commonwealth. Transit connects workers to jobs and students to classes. Transit assists seniors in accessing medical services and opportunities for socialization, both of which are vital for their health. And practically speaking, transit lessens congestion on our crowded roadways and spurs economic growth. Public transit systems helped keep essential services running at the height of the pandemic, connecting medical staff to hospitals and food service workers to supermarkets. Meanwhile, federal pandemic relief funds, which helped preserve transit service, are running out while costs continue to rise. Public transit systems across Pennsylvania are responding to the long-term changes in commuting patterns and the rise of telework by restructuring bus systems and finding other operational efficiencies. However, left unaddressed on the larger scale, gaps and shortages are imminent. They will result in the need for service cuts and fare increases that render these services unaffordable to those who rely on them most. It is critical that our elected leaders in Harrisburg join Gov. Josh Shapiro and act quickly to head off a fiscal cliff that threatens public transportation and the continued mobility of hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians, along with our commonwealths economy. All too soon, it will be impossible to maintain the current level of transit service Pennsylvania families and local economies presently receive without additional investment from Harrisburg. While much attention is paid to SEPTA and Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT), the transit systems in the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh regions, failure to act would inflict widespread, severe damage on transit services across Pennsylvania. Here in the Lehigh Valley, this so-called death spiral would mean dismantling many of the service enhancements made by LANTA to regional transit service over the past few years. This would lead to cuts resulting in an up to two-hour commute from Allentown, Bethlehem, or Easton to the job opportunities available along the growing industrial corridors of Route 100 or Route 33 in Lehigh and Northampton counties. This would also stall the implementation of LANTAs high frequency bus corridor project, Enhanced Bus Service (EBS), which is a key component of our regional comprehensive plan, FutureLV. Shapiro included a proposal to increase state funding for public transit in his budget address this week. This additional investment in transit would help avert the damaging impacts to transit many communities will otherwise face in the coming year. It is encouraging that Shapiro recognizes the importance of public transportation for communities across the commonwealth. As he and state lawmakers begin negotiations on the next state budget, a long-term funding solution for public transportation must remain a top priority. More than 400 million passenger trips are taken throughout the commonwealth annually on community transit. Here in the Lehigh Valley, LANTA carries over 15,000 riders each day on its bus and paratransit services. On any given day, over half of those riders are commuting back and forth to work. Another 2,500 are students going to and from school, including middle and high school students in Allentown, or residents from across the Valley accessing classes at our community colleges and other institutions of higher learning. This not only helps to produce a highly skilled workforce, but also allows area employers to attract the employees they need to keep the Lehigh Valley economy growing. While announcing his new statewide economic strategy in an address here in the Valley last week, Shapiro stated What I see in the Lehigh Valley, that makes you all unique, you have figured out how to do (economic development) effectively,. Our regional transit system is a key part of that success. Moreover, according to the PA Public Transportation Association (PPTA), Pennsylvanias transit systems purchased $2.7 billion in goods and services between 2015 and 2020 with Pennsylvania businesses in our communities, for an average investment of $450 million annually. We have a historic opportunity not just to head off a crisis, but to also provide the sustained funding PA transit systems need to build a 21st century transportation network that allows our Commonwealth to successfully compete for jobs and maintain quality of life for everyone, from essential workers, to students, to working families, to seniors. A vibrant network of transit systems is critical to Pennsylvanias economy. Lets avoid this impending crisis and invest in Pennsylvanias future. Ralph Eberhardt is chairperson of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerces Transportation Committee. A young Laois man from Rosenalis has been awarded one of Ireland's most prestigious farm scholarships. Alex Redmond was one of the four recipients of the 2023 John Feely Foundation Scholarships hosted at the Limerick head office of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) from the Associations President, Denis Drennan. Mr Drennan said the standard of the applicants overall was very encouraging and that of the four individuals concerned was outstanding. The standard were seeing in the young dairy farmers coming through bodes well for the sector: theyre technically very strong and environmentally aware, theyre also committed to building on the standards already achieved. "ICMSA is delighted to be associated with the John Feely Scholarship programme and well be getting out the details for the 2024 awards programme in due course and wed welcome applications from the dairy families of Laois, he said. The ICMSA says it represents all farmers, particularly dairy and livestock farmers. The Association says the objective of the Feely Foundation is to provide financial support to individuals who intend to choose farming as a career or who wish to further their education as a farmer. The annual scholarships are awarded to four students in their first year of an agricultural course at one of the following agricultural colleges: Clonakilty; Kildalton; Pallaskenry; Gurteen; Mountbellew; Ballyhaise; or studying an agriculture-related course in another third-level institution. Portlaoise College, proudly sponsored by Martleys of Portlaoise, will be hosting their TY musical Back to the 80s when it takes to the stage in the Dunamaise Arts Centre on March 12 and 13. Building on the music department's success of last years production of We Will Rock You. Back to the 80s showcases hit songs such as Video Killed the Radio Star, Total Eclipse of the Heart, Footloose and The Time of My Life. Back to the 80s is a pop culture trip down memory lane, telling the story of Corey Palmer and his senior year of high school: his best friends, the class bully, and the girl he loves. In the present day, Corey takes us back to William Ocean High School, watching himself and his friends Kirk and Alf start their bid to be senior class president and vice presidents, only to have the opportunity stolen by bully Michael Feldman. To make Coreys life worse, Michael has also stolen away Tiffany Houston, Coreys longtime crush. Back to the 80s is a non-stop collection of music, movie and TV Easter Eggs for all ages. The Transition Year students have been working tirelessly since September to get the show off the ground. It has allowed so many students to perform with all Transition Year students being involved in the production of the show, explained Musical Director James Harvey. The students have really enjoyed putting the show together while having their say in how they might best portray their characters, delivering the best show they can, he said. A huge credit must go to all the students and staff that have made this show possible. There is great excitement and buzz around the school in anticipation of the show. The Show will take place on Tuesday, March 12 and Wednesday, March 13 at 7.30 pm with a matinee performance for primary schools on Wednesday, March 13 at 10.30 am. Tickets can be purchased from www.dunamaise.ie/whats-on/shows-and-events/back-to-the-80s A Newbridge man discussed his upcoming book with a Naas District Court judge when he appeared before him on Thursday, February 8. Paul O'Halloran, of Dara Park in Newbridge, appeared in court for the execution of a bench warrant related to a Carlow District Court matter, for an alleged simple possession offence dating back to 2021 in County Carlow. The 46-year-old, who appeared alongside his solicitor Brian Larkin, explained to Judge Desmond Zaidan that he has an upcoming book of poetry coming out soon. He also said that all the proceeds of his book will go towards the Burns Unit in St James Hospital in Dublin, as they had treated a relative of his in the past. "It's a cause very close to my heart," Mr O'Halloran told the judge. "You should give a copy of your book to Mr Larkin when it comes out," the judge said, to which Mr O'Halloran replied: "I will, yes, and I'll have a signed copy for you, your honour!" Mr O'Halloran's Carlow matter will be heard on a date later this month. A Sinn Fein TD has said the party needs to examine why there has been a slide in support for it in recent polls. Kathleen Funchion said it is important for the party to ensure it is communicating its message correctly on core issues. A survey for the Irish Times shows that Sinn Feins support has fallen by six points, to 28% since last September. The partys support has fallen in the last five opinion polls, and from a high of 36% in 2022. Recent polls also show an increase in public concern over immigration issues, with one poll showing that the majority of people want tighter immigration rules in Ireland. Sinn Fein appears to be losing out over its immigration policy, particularly with younger voters who are moving towards parties such as Labour and Social Democrats. Speaking on RTEs The Week In Politics programme, Ms Funchion, a TD for Carlow and Kilkenny, said: I think the polls for us recently, obviously we do have to look at that. I think we need to be honest about that and we need to examine exactly why there has been a slippage. Obviously, we are still in a strong enough position in terms of, lets say, the 2020 general election. We are slightly ahead of that, however, I do think its really important for us to ensure that we are communicating our message correctly, particularly when it comes to housing, healthcare. She added: I really do firmly believe we definitely want to be leading the next government and I think that thats actually what this country needs in terms of the change thats needed. Its really important for us to work really hard to ensure that we are getting our message across because certainly in all of those sectors, whether its health, whether its housing, whether its children and people with additional needs, theyre all currently being failed and its really important that we are in a position to lead the next government because our country badly, badly needs change. Speaking on the same show, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee defended the governments handling of immigration issues, particularly its decision to tighten its policies. Last month, Ms McEntee announced new measures to add Algeria and Botswana to its list of safe countries, and to cut benefits for new arrivals from Ukraine. The reason that Ive introduced the accelerated process is because we have seen that the vast majority of people coming from those countries have been refused but they have been refused because theyre coming for economic reasons, Ms McEntee said. We know that we have people using the international protection system, that is genuinely there for people who are fleeing war, fleeing persecution, for economic means. So everything that Im doing, introducing the accelerated process for safe countries, more than doubling the staff that we have in the IPO (International Protection Office), making sure that we move to electronic means so we can speed up the process, its to make sure that the people who shouldnt be using the system are gotten out of it quickly, but that the people who genuinely need it can actually access support. She claimed that while the Irish public does not want the government to stop helping people, they want a better immigration system. Labour TD Duncan Smith said immigration is an issue that is being raised by the public. Its something that needs to be tackled head on at the doors and we have to let people know where you actually stand as a public representative on this issue, he said. He also said that public representatives have to myth-bust rumours that are being propagated by the far-right online. Met Eireann is forecasting more changeable weather for Ireland as models show the possibility of much colder conditions before the end of the month. Met Eireann says Sunday will bring "a mix of sunny spells and scattered showers." They add that "the showers will be heaviest and most frequent over the western half of the country, with a chance of hail. Highest temperatures of 7 to 9 degrees with a moderate to fresh and gusty westerly wind." Their outlook says our weather will remain "changeable with rain or showers at times." Meanwhile Alan O'Reilly from Carlow Weather is monitoring a much colder spell of weather coming our way before the end of February. "In the longer range trends, the GFS model showing a chance of a colder end to the month. One to watch," he added. If the models materialise, temperatures in Ireland would drop well below zero with the chance of wintey precipitation. Between now and then, our unsettled weather continues. "Showers will gradually clear northeastwards during Sunday night leaving mostly dry and clear conditions. Some of the showers may be wintry. Lowest temperatures of 1 to 4 degrees in a moderate to fresh westerly wind," Met Eireann's latest forecast says. "Monday morning will be mostly dry and bright. There will be a few showers near western coasts and they will extend to most parts of the country during the afternoon and evening. Highest temperatures of 5 to 9 degrees in a moderate to fresh west to southwest wind. "Most areas will become dry with clear spells on Monday night, as the showers become mainly confined to the northwest. Cloud will thicken in the south however, bringing some patches of rain or drizzle. Lowest temperatures of 0 to 3 degrees with a light to moderate south to southwest wind." Tuesday will bring "sunny spells across the northern half of the country, with scattered showers continuing in the northwest. Cloudier in the south with patchy rain or drizzle. Highest temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees with a light to moderate south to southwest wind. "Cloudy and wet with rain extending nationwide from the west on Tuesday night. Lowest temperatures of 2 to 8 degrees, coldest in Ulster early in the night, in a moderate south to southwest wind. "Rain will clear northeastwards on Wednesday morning and will be followed by scattered showers and some sunny spells. Milder than recent days with highs of 11 to 14 degrees, in a moderate to fresh southwesterly breeze." Republican presidential candidate and former US President Donald Trump speaks as he holds a campaign rally at Coastal Carolina University ahead of the South Carolina Republican presidential primary in Conway, South Carolina, February 10, 2024. SAM WOLFE / REUTERS White House hopeful Donald Trump said on Saturday, February 10, he would "encourage" Russia to attack members of NATO who had not met their financial obligations, his most extreme broadside against the military alliance he has long expressed skepticism about. Speaking at a campaign rally in South Carolina Saturday, Trump described a conversation with a fellow head of state at an unspecified NATO meeting: "One of the presidents of a big country stood up and said, 'Well, sir, if we don't pay, and we're attacked by Russia, will you protect us?' I said, 'You didn't pay, you're delinquent?' No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You got to pay. You got to pay your bills." With US lawmakers debating new aid for Ukraine ahead of the second anniversary of Russia's invasion, the former president has repeatedly said it was unfair to commit the United States to defending NATO's 30 other member nations. Trump's remark comes after Senate Republicans on Wednesday rejected a bipartisan bill that would have included sorely needed new funding for Ukraine, plus aid for ally Israel, along with reforms to address the US-Mexico border crisis. Read more Subscribers only Supreme Court leans toward Trump's inclusion in Republican primaries The White House hit back at Trump's assertions, touting President Joe Biden's efforts to bolster alliances around the globe. "Encouraging invasions of our closest allies by murderous regimes is appalling and unhinged," White House spokesman Andrew Bates said in a statement Saturday night. "Rather than calling for wars and promoting deranged chaos, President Biden will continue to bolster American leadership," Bates added. 'Deportation operation' The Senate bill's death highlighted Trump's iron grip on the Republican Party, as its lawmakers acceded to the former president's calls to torpedo any deal in order to deny Biden a win on immigration ahead of November's election. At the rally Saturday, Trump celebrated the collapse of the legislation, vowing that, if reelected, he would carry out a massive "deportation operation" on his first day in office. "Let's not forget that this week we also had another massive victory that every conservative should celebrate. We crushed crooked Joe Biden's disastrous open borders bill," Trump declared at a rally in South Carolina. "The whole group did a great job in Congress." Column Subscribers only 'Putin and Netanyahu are betting on the Trump horse' Trump whose first presidential campaign featured a central plank of building a "big, beautiful wall" on the US-Mexico border on Saturday declared that deporting migrants would be one of his first tasks. "On day one I will terminate every open border policy of the Biden administration and we will begin the largest domestic deportation operation in American history. We have no choice." The Senate is now considering a foreign aid package that decouples the aid from the border issue entirely. The $95 billion package set to be debated next week includes funding for Israel's fight against Hamas militants and for key strategic ally Taiwan. The lion's share, however, would help Ukraine restock depleted ammunition supplies, weapons and other crucial needs as it enters a third year of war. Haley's husband At the South Carolina rally, Trump needled Nikki Haley, his former UN ambassador who is also seeking the Republican Party's nomination, though her bid is almost certainly doomed as she badly trails her ex-boss in the race. Addressing voters in Haley's home state, Trump questioned the whereabouts of her husband Michael, who has not been seen on the campaign trail as he is on a year-long military deployment to the Horn of Africa country of Djibouti. "Where's her husband? Oh, he's away. He's away. What happened to her husband? What happened to her husband," he said, raising his voice for dramatic effect. Editorial Donald Trump must face justice Haley clapped back on social media platform X. "Michael is deployed serving our country, something you know nothing about. Someone who continually disrespects the sacrifices of military families has no business being commander in chief," she said. And Michael Haley had his own message for Trump, tagging the candidate in a post on X that was accompanied by a close-up photo of a wolf overlaid with the text: "The difference between humans and animals? Animals would never let the dumbest ones lead the pack." LIMERICK IFA chairman Sean Lavery issued a rallying call to local farmers on Thursday morning to support a tractor protest that night and almost 200 answered that call at short notice. Mr Lavery said they wanted to send a quick, sharp message to the Government and to show solidarity with European farmers who have been protesting in recent weeks. Their problems are our problems. They are slightly different in every case but we all have problems with the way Governments are treating farmers. It is no coincidence that the German, Dutch, Belgian and French farmers are all protesting for their own particular local reasons. They are coming from a sense of dissatisfaction with EU regulations and the way they are being implemented and applied, said Mr Lavery, who hit out at the amount of red tape. It is death by a thousand cuts. It is just making things more difficult, slower, awkward and adding costs, said Mr Lavery. READ MORE: More farmers killed by cows than by bulls over 10 year period A total of 180 men and women driving tractors assembled at Attyflin near Patrickswell. They travelled in convoy to Adare, going around the roundabout in the village before returning and dispersing around the county. Mr Lavery said it was important that Limerick played its part in the protest which took place in every county and it certainly did. Louise Crowley, Limerick IFA secretary, said in a post on social media the message from Limerick farmers is enough is enough! We have shown huge support for our fellow European farmers and sent a message to our Government that we arent happy. "We are frustrated and we can rally support even during the calving and lambing season, said Ms Crowley. A LIMERICK businesswoman has won big at the annual Showcase Awards at Irelands International Creative Expo. Linda Wilson, who runs Linda Wilson Knitwear, won the Best Product award in the fashion category at the awards for her Retro Daisy Cardi. The expo was held at the RDS from January 21 to 23 and welcomed over 400 exhibitors and more than 4,000 buyers from Ireland and overseas. Linda operates her business from a premises in Limerick city which she opened in 2000. Linda studied her BA in Fashion Design at the Limerick School of Art & Design. She continued her studies with the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland, completing a Business and Design Skills course. Before setting up her label Linda worked for several years as a designer, both in-house and freelance within the Irish knitwear industry. She also worked as a design and knitwear tutor. Exhibitors selected for the Showcase Best Product Awards 2024 were chosen by a panel of industry experts from exhibitors spanning home & gift, fashion, jewellery, and wellness. The judges nominated the best product in each of their categories and the overall Best Product Award at Showcase 2024 was chosen by the Showcase judging panel. READ MORE: Limerick mayor will stay home for St Patricks Day Showcase was founded in 1976 by Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI) and is delivered with support from Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices. Rosemary Steen, CEO of Design & Crafts Council Ireland commented: Showcase is Irelands largest international trade show, known worldwide for the high standard of Irish design and craft exhibited. We are delighted to return to our 2020 numbers of almost 400 exhibitors at the RDS participating over the three day period. This shows the strong sector performance of our community as we welcomed over 4,000 buyers to Dublin for the expo. DCCI is so proud of all its makers involved and I want to thank all the team at Design & Crafts Council Ireland for all the hard work in bringing Showcase 2024 to life. We thank our partners, Enterprise Ireland, Local Enterprise Office, and of course the RDS, for supporting us in running such an important event in the Irish creative sectors calendar. CLICK NEXT FOR MORE PHOTOS WELL-LOVED Redemptorist priest Fr Seamus Enright has been honoured for his many years of service to Limerick. Mayor Gerald Mitchell afforded a special reception to recognise the hundreds of thousands of euro raised by the Redemptorists for people less well off locally. In 2022, upon the arrival of refugees to Limerick following the outbreak of war in Ukraine, the Redemptorists appeal raised 700,000 in just two months. The same year at the orders annual Christmas hamper appeal, 390,000 was raised. And Christmas just gone, the Limerick public helped raise 340,000. People are extraordinarily generous, especially during a cost-of-living crisis, Fr Enright said. He added that when asking for donations from people for good causes, its vital to keep them informed as to what is happening to that money. If you tell people you need the money, you tell them how youve spent it. It is because it is their money. People like to be asked, they like to be thanked, and they like to be told what happened to their money, he added. Fr Enright said he was left feeling humbled and admitted a reception in his honour was a bit embarrassing. I read an article during the week about people in the United Kingdom who were organising living funerals, and inviting people to come and say at a party what they might say if they were dead! I felt a bit like that. But its such a pleasant experience to hear people saying such nice and positive things about me, he told the Limerick Leader. Fr Enright brought the curtain down on a 21-year stint in Limerick after last summers Novena, and is now based in Dundalk, Co Louth. My body may have moved, but my heart is still in Limerick, he said, pointing out he was born and reared on Shannonside. Despite turning 74, he has no plans to slow down - and will soon head to India. I get energy simply from being with people, the priest said, Ive been asked if I will do some work with the Redemptorists in different parts of the world. I wasnt sure about it. But as I was getting up to come to Limerick today, I had an email from Edward Joseph, who is the provincial of the Redemptorists in India pleading with me to come. So on the spur of the moment, I emailed back and said I will! As well as raising thousands during his time in Limerick, one of the highlights of Fr Enrights time is the major restoration work which took place on its church in South Circular Road. A MAN APPEARED before Nenagh District Court this Saturday evening accused of assault and knife offences in Limerick on Friday. Chinonso Igboanusi, aged 28, with no fixed address, did not reply when gardai charged him with two counts of possession of a knife, and one count of assaulting a female, on February 9. Objecting to bail, gardai said it was their belief that if Mr Igboanusi was released on bail he would commit similar serious offences. Gardai claimed the accused acted extremely erratically and that his behaviour was extremely dangerous during the alleged incidents last Friday. Gardai said Mr Igboanusi was allegedly seen with a Swiss Army knife at Colbert Station around 11am last Friday. He is further alleged to have assaulted a female later that morning at 11.30am by kicking her in the back from behind as she walked on Athlunkard Street. He is further alleged to have been in possession of a Swiss Army knife when arrested at Lidl shopping centre, Westbury shortly after midday. Gardai told the court they had received a call around midday that a man was observed by a member of the public wearing a balaclava and armed with what looked like a Stanley knife in the Shannon Banks area. Gardai claimed a man fitting the accused's description ran from them as they arrived in the Westbury area and they arrested the accused a short time later in possession of a ski-mask and Swiss Army knife. The court heard the accused is an Irish citizen with addresses in Dublin and Cork which the court asked gardai to verify. Mr Igboanusi gave evidence that he had been accused of something I didnt do. Judge Elizabeth MacGrath said her main concern was the gardas fear that the accused had openly displayed a knife in public and they believed he would commit serious offences if released from custody. The accuseds barrister, Liam Carroll, said the allegations against his client had been the subject of some commentary on social media. Mr Carroll asked the judge that she make an order that safety precautions be undertaken by the governor of Limerick Prison regarding his clients safety. Judge MacGrath said this was not in her jurisdiction and asked gardai to follow it up with the prison authorities. The judge said she had neither granted nor refused bail. She remanded Mr Igboanusi to Limerick Prison for a further bail hearing next Tuesday. GARDAI in Henry Street have arrested a second man as part of an investigation into an incident of violent disorder in Limerick city. It occurred at approximately 9.40pm on Friday, February 9 on O'Connell Street. A garda spokesperson said two men received non-life threatening injuries during the course of this incident and later attended at University Hospital Limerick. "A man in his 30s was arrested on the evening of Friday, February 9 while a man in his 20s was arrested on the morning of Sunday, February 11. "The man in his 30s has since been charged and is expected to appear before a special sitting of Limerick District Court sitting at Nenagh, County Tipperary, at 5pm on Sunday, February 11," said the garda spokesperson. The man in his 20s, who was arrested this Sunday morning, is being questioned at a garda station in Limerick city. He is being detained under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984. Gardai are appealing for any witnesses to this incident and to any persons with video footage to contact Henry Street garda station on 061 212400, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any garda Station. Scotlands First Minister Humza Yousaf has said a threatened Israeli ground invasion of the Gazan city of Rafah would cause devastation beyond comprehension. Mr Yousaf said such action by Israel would be indefensible, and urged the international community to demand an immediate ceasefire. Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked the military to plan for the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people in Rafah ahead of an expected ground invasion. Ireland is right. Israel displaced millions of innocent men, women & children to south Gaza. They have nowhere to go. Israel's threatened action in Rafah is indefensible & will cause devastation beyond comprehension. International community must demand an immediate ceasefire. https://t.co/KZGotu338N Humza Yousaf (@HumzaYousaf) February 10, 2024 The city, on the southern border with Egypt, is providing refuge to more than half of Gazas population of 2.3 million people. Mr Yousaf commented on a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, by Irish deputy premier Micheal Martin who said expanded military operations in Rafah would pose a grave threat to the estimated 1.5 million Palestinians sheltering there and must be condemned. He said all countries must demand an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Mr Yousaf posted on X: Ireland is right. Israel displaced millions of innocent men, women & children to south Gaza. Deeply concerned about the prospect of a military offensive in Rafah over half of Gazas population are sheltering in the area. The priority must be an immediate pause in the fighting to get aid in and hostages out, then progress towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire. David Cameron (@David_Cameron) February 10, 2024 They have nowhere to go. Israels threatened action in Rafah is indefensible & will cause devastation beyond comprehension. International community must demand an immediate ceasefire. According to Israel, Rafah is the last remaining stronghold for Hamas fighters in Gaza, after more than four months of conflict sparked by the deadly October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. It is not clear where civilians in Rafah could move to as Israeli evacuation orders now cover two-thirds of Gaza. UK Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron has said he is deeply concerned about the situation. He posted on X: Deeply concerned about the prospect of a military offensive in Rafah over half of Gazas population are sheltering in the area. The priority must be an immediate pause in the fighting to get aid in and hostages out, then progress towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire. The latest figures from the Hamas-run health ministry put the overall Palestinian death toll at more than 28,000. Mr Yousafs parents-in-law were trapped in Gaza at the outbreak of hostilities last year following a trip to visit their relatives there. Elizabeth and Maged El-Nakla, from Dundee, were eventually able to leave Gaza through the Rafah crossing. Irish star Andrew Scott has suggested that there should be weekly sales of West End theatre tickets as young people struggle to afford 150 tickets. The 47-year-old actor, known as the hot priest in the comedy series Fleabag and as James Jim Moriarty in the detective show Sherlock, has won Olivier Awards for his theatre work. His latest production, Vanya, an adaption of Russian playwright Anton Chekhovs family drama Uncle Vanya will be shown in cinemas from February 22. When the critically acclaimed play was on at the Duke of Yorks Theatre in September, there was a ballot for 10 tickets for under 30s, amid reported sales of seats for up to 180. Scott told Isobel Gough on BBC Radio 4s Broadcasting House programme that he thinks the current situation is a problem. He said: No matter how zeitgeisty or how modern you think your play is, if you are having to spend 150, no person between the age of 16-25 or beyond is going to be able to afford that, that is frustrating to me. Hopefully there is some night or two nights a week when you can get something like a sale rack, you have to be prepared to rummage a little bit. It is important that it doesnt remain an elitist art form. The Crown and The Wire star Dominic West is also among actors who have hit out at West End theatre prices, saying that they are crazy at the moment. He told The Times in November that he wanted to be in Arthur Millers A View from the Bridge at the Ustinov Studio in Bath which plays from February 16 to March 16 due to regional audiences having hunger for a good play and for a good night at the theatre. West also said: You get a lot of tourists in London and people are not necessarily there because they want to be there it is because it is part of the tourist trail. Several websites offer cheap theatre tickets for London shows for around 10 or 20 but some productions, such as Plaza Suite starring husband and wife actors Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker as a couple, have prices between 125 and 200. In October 2020, Scott won the best actor Olivier Award for his role in Present Laughter, a modern reflection on fame, desire and loneliness. He also won the 2005 gong for outstanding achievement in an affiliate theatre for A Girl In A Car With A Man, which focuses on a narcissistic male character. Scott recently starred in All Of Us Strangers about an adult dealing with the grief of losing both his parents along with Paul Mescal. The fantasy drama has been nominated for a total of six Baftas, which also includes best director for Looking series writer Andrew Haigh and outstanding British film. Infosys Ltd is back on campuses this year, reversing its previous plan to skip colleges and bringing some solace to institutes seeing a drought of recruiters. Indias second-largest information technology (IT) services company is recruiting a select fewspecializing in cybersecurity and data miningplacement executives said. The compensation is higher than what fresh graduates are offered when hired in large numbers. Colleges are relieved even by the small number of job offers. On the other hand, analysts say, even when hiring for niche profiles, IT firms will prefer to recruit talent from campuses rather than the market as the latter will be costlier. Infosys is coming for a bigger segment. They are not coming for general hiring. Infosys is hiring for a software engineers position next month. There is no clarity on the number of freshers that they will take, but they will pay 9 lakh per annum and above," said Savitha Rani M., training and placement officer at Ramaiah Institute of Technology in Bengaluru. Infosys had hired 51,300 fresh graduates in FY23. However, last year, the Bengaluru twins Infosys and Wipro Ltd, which together hired 208,000 engineering graduates in the last three years, had said they did not plan to go to campuses this year. Although the IT firms had built up a strong bench while recruiting en masse in 2021 and 2022, the decision to not head to campuses for the batch of 2024 left many students in the lurch. In IT sector parlance, a bench is made up of employees who are yet to get deployed on a project. An Infosys spokesperson did not respond to queries. Infosys will come for the campus placements this year, but for niche roles. They are looking at IT specialists and will not recruit for the services roles," said A. Sridhar, dean of placements for Bengalurus PES University. A placement member at R.V. College of Engineering also confirmed that Infosys will visit their campus with a salary of 8-9 lakh for select roles. Although the company, during its third-quarter results, said it is not seeing any immediate campus requirement", analysts say it is the margin pressure that is driving IT firms to head back to campuses rather than recruit from the market. If Infosys has to hire experienced personnel in greater numbers to deploy in projects, it will have to shell out more money. Rather than deploying one person, the companies are looking to deploy two entry-level personnel at lower costs and get the delivery done. This is being done to reduce the pressure on the margin side because employee cost will reduce," said Omkar Tanksale, a research analyst at Axis Securities. Infosys operating margin declined by 0.70 percentage point sequentially to 20.5% for the three months ended December. Meanwhile, rivals Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS), Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. and HCL Technologies Ltd are recruiting as usual, though the numbers are expected to be lower than before, given the large bench the IT firms have already created during the pandemic years. In fact, to reduce the time taken in deploying graduates onto client projects, TCS and Cognizant will prefer to recruit only those certified in Amazon Web Services and Oracle Java, among others, placement executives at engineering colleges said. The IT services firms are going to the engineering campus at a time when 50-60% of the batches have been placed in global capability centres (GCCs). While GCCs are offering 7 lakh to 10 lakh, IT firms are recruiting in bulk for 3-5 lakh packages. In fact, competition for students with special skills will heat up as the compensation offered by GCCs and the niche profiles of IT firms for the graduates are in similar ranges. Paytm Payments Services applied for a licence with the Reserve Bank in November 2020 to operate as a payment aggregator under the guidelines on Regulation of Payment Aggregators and Payment Gateways. However, the apex bank rejected PPSL's application in November 2022. The RBI asked the company to resubmit it to comply with Press Note 3 under FDI rules. One97 Communications Ltd (OCL), the parent company of Paytm Payments Services Ltd has investment from Chinese firm Ant Group Co. Consequently, on December 14, 2022 the OCL applied to the Indian Government for past downward investment from OCL into the PPSL to comply with Press Note 3 prescribed under FDI guidelines. The report said an inter-ministerial committee is examining investments from China in PPSL and a decision would be taken on the FDI issue after due consideration and comprehensive examination, citing sources. It is important to note that under Press Note 3 the government mandates prior approval for foreign investments from countries that share land borders with India to curb opportunistic takeovers of domestic firms following the COVID-19 pandemic. Countries sharing land borders with India include China, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar and Afghanistan. When contacted, a Paytm spokesperson said PPSL applied for an online Payment Aggregator (PA) application for online merchants and the regulator subsequently asked PPSL to seek necessary approvals for past downward investment and resubmit the application. "This is part of the regular process where everybody applying for a payment aggregator licence has to get FDI approval," the spokesperson said. The spokesperson said PPSL followed the relevant guidelines and submitted all relevant documents to the regulator within the stipulated time. During the pending process, PPSL was allowed to continue with its online payment aggregation business for existing partners without onboarding any new merchants. "Since then the ownership structure has changed. The Paytm founder remains the largest stakeholder in the company. Ant Financial reduced its stake in OCL to less than 10 per cent in July 2023. Subsequently, it does not qualify for beneficial company ownership. OCL founding promoter now holds a 24.3 per cent stake. Therefore, your understanding of FDI from China in PPSL is incorrect and misleading," the spokesperson said. The Reserve Bank last month barred Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL), an associate company of OCL, from accepting deposits or top-ups in any customer account, prepaid instruments, wallets, and FASTags, among others after February 29, 2024. The agency reported that a query sent to OCL for comments remained unanswered at the time of reporting. Separately, the Reserve Bank last month prohibited Paytm Payments Bank, an associate company of Paytm parent OCL, from accepting deposits or top-ups in any customer account, prepaid instruments, wallets, and FASTags, among others after February 29, 2024. Also Read | Farmers protest LIVE: Delhi Police imposes Section 144 at UP border The Reserve Bank's action came against PPBL came after a comprehensive system audit report by external auditors revealed persistent non-compliance and continued material supervisory concerns in PPBL, warranting further supervisory action. Earlier in March 2022, the apex bank had barred PPBL from onboarding new customers with immediate effect. ONE 97 COMMUNICATIONS More Information Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! MUMBAI : Small investors have been hit hard by the plunge in shares of One97 Communications ( Paytm ) since the Reserve Bank of India issued curbs on associate Paytm Payments Bank over repeated non-compliance with regulations. Retail investors sharply hiked their stake in Paytm to 12.85% during the December quarter from 8.28% in the preceding three months. Market experts believe that in the absence of clarity on the fate of the payment banks operations, the near-term outlook for the company remains bleak. Many new retail investors hopped on to the counter in the hope of reaping high returns. This is borne out by the number of retail investors holding up to 2 lakh each of the firms equity capital jumping to 1.1 million in Q3 from 990,819 in the preceding quarter. A year ago, in December 2022, small investors holding was lower at 9.24%. The recent fall in share price would thus have come as a rude shock to the new and existing investors . The Paytm share plummeted 45% to 419.85 apiece on Friday from 761.20 on 31 January, over just seven trading sessions, after RBI stopped most operations of the payments bank. The stock hit the lower circuit for three consecutive sessions post the regulatory action. After two sessions of hitting the 20% lower circuit, exchanges halved the circuit limit, which was tested on the third session. Corporate governance advisory professional and brokers said that though financial services firm Morgan Stanley purchased five million shares of One97 on 2 February for 243.6 crore in a bulk deal on behalf of offshore entities who arent registered in India, retail investors shouldnt raise their stake or enter the counter at lower levels pending the uncertainty over the firms business. Investors have to assess the extent to which their investment thesis has changed and the impact to the core business of Paytm," said Shriram Subramanian, founder and managing director, InGovern Research. Also, there will be some near-term uncertainty, though the management is showing confidence in the business." Asked whether existing investors could benefit from a potential takeover of the payments banking operations, he added, It is better to wait and watch till there is clarity on the overall impact. Takeover is unlikely as there seem to be some RBI restrictions on takeover." The advice comes in the wake of heavy delivery volumes witnessed in three sessions after the RBI action, with almost 100% of traded stocks on NSE changing hands and a slew of brokerage downgrades. For instance, Axis Capital and JM Financial have downgraded Paytm to sell from buy and Jefferies to underperform from buy. Though the delivery volumes have moderated to 7-9 million shares daily more recently, they still remain above the six month average volume of 2.7 million shares a day. As a top global investment destination, many more opportunities are available to investors; so, they should cut their losses and re-deploy their funds in other stocks, given the cloud of uncertainty that hangs over the firm," said Jay Prakash Gupta, founder of Dhan, a tech platform for traders and investors. The company sharply narrowed its net loss to 221.7 crore in Q3 from 392.1 crore in the corresponding year-earlier period. When there are issues such as these, markets take a while to settle down," said U.R. Bhat, co-founder of Alphaniti Fintech. Investors are generally better off looking at other opportunities that the stock markets offer." Anyone seeking to trade in the counter has to put up 50% margin, with the stock being recently put under short-term additional surveillance measures to contain volatility. Apart from direct buying by small investors, mutual funds, too, raised their cumulative holding in One97 Communications in the third quarter, to 4.99% from 2.79% in the preceding three months. Among 23 mutual funds, two major ones were Nippon MF, which held 1.05%, and Mirae MF, which raised its stake to 2.51% from 1.47% in the second quarter. A boardroom brawl at Walt Disney is expected to be the most expensive shareholder fight ever, and a chance for everyday investors to have a big impact. Two activist hedge fundsNelson Peltzs Trian Fund Management and the smaller Blackwells Capitalare separately going toe-to-toe with Disney to gain spots on its board and challenge the strategy of Chief Executive Bob Iger. All in, the three parties could spend north of $70 million ahead of an April 3 shareholder vote. They are already shelling out for slick marketing materials, social-media blitzes and the services of proxy solicitorsakin to campaign strategistswho wrangle shareholder support for their clients board candidates. One reason for the high price: the millions of individual investors who own an outsize portion of Disneys roughly 1.8 billion shares. They control over a third of Disneys stockmore than is typical for a public company. Institutional investors such as BlackRock and Vanguard hold the rest, and their votes carry heft, too. Getting the word out to such a widespread shareholder base is costly. The costs could be much lower if the activists dont take their fights to a vote, either by settling with Disney or backing away. Trian called off its first proxy attempt at Disney last year. Competing visions At the crux of the proxy fight is a disagreement over Disneys strategy and how to best nudge the companys stock price, which has been almost cut in half from its 2021 high. The company now has a market value of around $200 billion. Trian and a former Marvel executive it is working with have a combined stake valued at around $3.5 billion. The hedge fund has been urging shareholders to restore the magic" at Disney, with a matching internet domain name making its case. It says the company needs to find a clear successor to Iger, make its streaming margins Netflix-like" and pull its studios out of a rut. It is running two candidates, including the 81-year-old Peltz, who holds board seats at other companies, including Unilever. Blackwells, which has a tiny stake valued at around $15 million, has suggested its three nominees could help explore a breakup of the company. Disney has sought to appease shareholders with a series of announcements including an investment in Fortnite" maker Epic Games; plans to stream Taylor Swifts Eras Tour concert movie on Disney+, and a partnership with Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery to launch a sports-focused streaming service. Disney enlisted the help of cartoon character Professor Ludwig Von Drake, Donald Ducks paternal uncle, in an animated video with a step-by-step voting guide. Peltz could top his own record All in, the cost is expected to top that of Trians 2017 clash with Procter & Gamble, currently the priciest proxy fight on record, with a price tag of $60 million. (Peltz was ultimately given a seat on the board of the Crest toothpaste owner after the vote ended in a near-tie.) Disney expects its total expenses to be about $40 million, while Trian estimated it could spend at least $25 million, regulatory filings this month show. Blackwells expects to spend around $6 million. Trian appears determined to press ahead with its current quest. After Disneys shares surged more than 12% Thursday following a better-than-expected earnings report and the unveiling of new initiatives, Trian doubled down. Its deja vu all over again," it said. We saw this movie last year and we didnt like the ending." Another twist In addition to being one of the highest-profile proxy fights in years, the fight is captivating Wall Street advisers because it will be one of the first votes to put the newly implemented universal proxy card to the test. Shareholders historically either had to vote for a companys entire slate of directors or an activists. Universal cards list both sets of candidates in the same place, allowing shareholders to mix and match. They make it more likely an activist could claim a partial victory by winning at least one board seat. Working in Disneys favor is the fact that the small number of individual investors who bother to vote in proxy fights tend to support companies. Most individual investors just arent paying attention, according to John Ferguson, a senior partner at Saratoga Proxy Consulting, which isnt involved in the Disney fight. To do it right," Ferguson said, this will definitely be the most expensive fight weve seen." Coveted worldwide for their style, design and durability, but shut out of the Indian market over quality rules: Thats the paradox facing French luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Dior and Christian Louboutin trying to sell their exquisite footwear in India. Footwear imports by these brands and others have faced hurdles after the governments quality rules mandating the application of BIS standards for imported footwear, including embossing ISI marks on all footwear sold in India took effect in July 2023, three people aware of the matter said. Under the quality control order (QCO) on footwear, no company can manufacture, import, distribute, sell, hire, lease, store or exhibit any product in the country without the ISI mark. The rules, which were issued in June 2022, took effect in July last year. In order to import footwear, these global brands may have to meet Indian standards in their European factories. According to one of the three people cited above, who holds the Indian franchise for six international luxury brands, this is a cumbersome affair. Each time, the sample must be sent, and for every new material used in the shoe, whether it has the same design or not, will have to go for retesting before being exported to India. I dont know how this will be achieved, especially in the womens shoes category," the person said on condition of anonymity. Developed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the embossed ISI logo is seen domestically as a marker of quality, something the government wants to extend to imported goods as well. However, embossing luxury brands with ISI stamps can significantly lower their value, the persons cited above said. Smaller firms will also struggle to meet the increased compliance burden. Most of these shoes are handmade luxury products and they cant just be delivered in one go. We dont have anyone to consult with or talk to. Facilities and labs are also not always available. We will be allowed to sell what is already imported, but the new seasons stock is in question. A lot of us just tried to import most of our products during December 2023," the person cited above added. In January 2023, Union minister for commerce and consumer affairs Piyush Goyal had asked the local footwear industry to focus on quality and reduce import dependence to gain a larger share in the international market. Goyal said BIS standards need to be followed for better quality and larger production, which eventually leads to good quality products for the consumers. "This might be an attempt to prevent counterfeiting. However, the government should consider a threshold price for products being imported and ideally luxury goods imported from or made in European countries should be left out of this. If at all it needs to do this, it should go in for a batch certification. Ideally luxury companies should not at all be required to do this because post the implementation of GST there has been a certain relief to sellers and no under billing now happens," said Abhay Gupta, founder & CEO of Luxury Connect LLP, a consultancy based out of the capital. The French luxury brands has asked the government for relief on the ground that their factories already meet tighter global quality standards, the second person added. However, the consumer affairs ministry rejected these requests, an official said. The government has also asked them to set up their manufacturing units in India as per Indian standards and export to other parts of the globe, besides selling them in Indian markets," the official said on condition of anonymity. The quality order does not apply to goods or articles meant for export. We have given enough time to all footwear manufactures. They (French shoemakers) claim to make shoes of global standards. If they are so sure about the quality of goods, they should not shy away from adopting Indian standards," the official added. Queries emailed to the French companies, consumer affairs ministry and the director-general of BIS, remained unanswered. Indias luxury goods market is among the fastest-growing in the world, with sales expected to reach $8.5 billion in 2023 according to Euromonitor International. This growth is being driven by a number of factors, including rising incomes, increasing urbanization, and a growing awareness of luxury brands. While Christian Dior and Louis Vuitton are two of the most popular luxury brands in India, others are also entering the Indian market. In December 2023, Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd announced a joint venture with Christian Louboutin. Several other brands, including Dolce & Gabbana, Golden Goose, Balenciaga, and Jacquemus are also planning to enter the Indian market in 2024. The Indian Institute of Technologys (IIT) third offshore campus is likely to be set up in Sri Lanka, said a report by PTI . Citing sources, the report said the Sri Lankan government is in touch with IIT Madras for the ambitious project. A high-level delegation had recently visited the Chennai campus to discuss the future roadmap. The talks are on and the campus is likely to come up in Kandy," the report quoted a source. The delegation also visited the Research Park at the campus and interacted with officials about possible areas of engagement." The proposal for an IIT in Sri Lanka was announced last November in the 2024 Budget unveiled by Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe. If the plan for the Sri Lanka campus comes through, it will be IIT Madras second international campus. Last year, IIT Madras had announced the setting up of an offshore campus in Tanzanias Zanzibar with Preeti Aghalyam being appointed the director-in-charge who also became the first woman IIT director. The institute started functioning in November 2023 from a temporary campus and is offering two full-time academic programmes a four-year Bachelor of Science in data science and artificial intelligence and a two-year Master of Technology in data science and artificial intelligence. IIT Delhi had also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the UAE government to set up a campus in Abu Dhabi. Several IITs have received requests from the Middle East and South Asian countries to set up their campuses. The United Kingdom is also keen on welcoming an IIT to set up an offshore campus in the country and some UK universities are already in talks with IITs to explore the possibility. The central government had formed a 17-member panel to facilitate the process of setting up IIT campuses in foreign locations. (With inputs from agencies) Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Ernakulam: In the bustling corridors of a hospital in Kerala, the pulse of patient care never seems to slow down. Amid the controlled chaos, Jilsna Jose, a nurse in the gynaecology ward, goes through her daily routine with a blend of precision and compassion. Yet, behind her composed demeanour lies a tale of unhappiness, which will end, she said, only when she quits this noble, wonderful, and shitty" job. The biggest of her problems is the lack of money. She slogs more than 12 hours a day, six days a week, yet only earns about 20,000 a month, more than half of which goes into repaying the loan she took to study nursing in a private college. Joses day starts with checking the inventory and the handover of patient data from nurses in the previous shift. Then she proceeds to accompany the doctors on their rounds. Every day, the hospital handles about 10 deliveries and discharges, for which she must prepare the documentation. By then, itll be lunchtime, but sometimes she skips lunch to indent medicines for patients so she can leave soon after her shift. But often, there are emergencies. Like a mother seeing blood in her breast milk, or a baby in the neonatal ICU developing a fever, or a child running around the corridor getting burned by hot water. And despite all that the nurses do to keep the hospital running smoothly, she said she has never received a word of thanks from the hospital staff or patients. Worse, shes dismayed by the indignity meted out at times. She was threatened with physical assault just recently, by the father of a patient. When she finally makes it to her hot and uncomfortable hostel room, she cant afford to rest. Night hours are the only time she gets to study for the Occupational English Test, which healthcare professionals need to clear to land a job abroadwhich she believes is the only way to escape her reality. She is inspired by her seniors in college who have moved abroad, who earn, she claims, about 30 lakh per annum. I come from a poor family, my father is an auto-rickshaw driver. I took up nursing because everybody said itll be easier to get a job after graduation. But I dont want to live like this," she said. An unlikely powerhouse Jose is one of tens of thousands of nurses moving abroad, which renders the already moth-eaten Indian medical system even worse. According to Indias ministry of health and family welfare, India has about 3.6 million registered nurses. According to the Indian Nursing Council (INC), an autonomous body under the ministry, established to enforce a uniform standard of training for nurses, India has 1.96 nurses for every 1,000 Indians, much below the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended 3 nurses per 1,000. Numbers from other estimates can vary slightly, but they all point to the shortage crippling Indian healthcare services. At nine physicians and 24 nursing personnel per 10,000 people, India trails the global median of 17 physicians and 39 nursing personnel. On this parameter, India lags behind Brazil (23 physicians, 74 nurses) and Malaysia (15 physicians, 35 nurses)," the 2021 draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) filed by Global Health Ltd (Medanta), a multi-specialty tertiary care provider, stated. Historically, Kerala has produced the highest number of nurses in the country. According to the ministry, in 2022, Kerala had the second highest workforce of registered nurses and midwives (329,492), marginally behind Tamil Nadu (348,538). But the numbers dont reflect the states the nurses actually belong to. Most states and Union territories which have a relatively high nurse-patient ratiolike Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradeshhave a significant number of nurses from Kerala. In fact, according to the management of various colleges, a chunk of students in nursing colleges in states such as Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are from Kerala, who find it increasingly difficult to get admission closer home because of the rigorous entrance exam. In the global healthcare landscape, Kerala has emerged as an unlikely powerhouse. The roots of this phenomenon trace back to the mid-20th century, when the Indian government, in collaboration with the WHO, launched an ambitious campaign to address the acute shortage of healthcare professionals, particularly nurses, in the aftermath of World War II. With its strong tradition of education and high literacy rates, Kerala became fertile ground for nurturing a skilled nursing workforce. The states progressive social policies, including investments in education and healthcare, laid the groundwork for a robust healthcare infrastructure. Additionally, the regions deep-rooted tradition of migration, spurred by economic opportunities both within India and abroad, played a pivotal role in shaping Keralas nursing diaspora. Mass Exodus As the demand for nurses surged globally in an ageing and post-pandemic world, Kerala seized the opportunity to export its most valuable human capital. The migration of nurses from Kerala as well as the rest of India has reached unprecedented levels, said Shoby Joseph, president of the Kerala-based United Nurses Association (UNA), considered the biggest association of nursing professionals in India. This has created a public health crisis in hospitals across the country. According to UNA data, about 20,000 nurses graduate every year in Kerala, but more than 36,000 nurses leave the country. This is because even nurses from other states are choosing to exit through Kerala as the state has a robust ecosystem in place to assist them, said Joseph. We have to realize that this is a big health crisis," said Joseph. A crisis created not because we dont have enough nurses, but because we are doing a bad job retaining them," he said. The US and several European countries have an acute shortage of nurses, and they have reduced their eligibility requirements from three years of work experience to just one year. This has been a boon for many," explained Joseph. Its no surprise that today India is the biggest supplier of nurses to the UKin 20222023, the number of Indian nurses overtook the number of Filipino professionals. India-trained nurses and midwives rose from 17,032 in March 2016 to 55,429 as of September 2023, according to the UK-based Nursing and Midwifery Council, a regulatory body. Filipino nurses numbered 47,569 as of September 2023. Indian nurses have also become a favourite of the US, where about 100,000 American nurses have quit due to burnout during the pandemic, the UNA said. Indian nurses are also placed in the UAE and other middle eastern nations. Crisis at home View Full Image Dr M.I. Sahadulla, founder chairman and managing director of KIMS Health. With approximately 900 nurses and an attrition rate of 40 to 50%, Sahadulla said he has started offering sweeteners to retain experienced nurses, like giving jobs to their partners. The relentless workload, financial burden, and limited career prospects that Jose spoke of was echoed by other nurses grappling with the harsh realities of their profession. While this sheds light on one aspect of the nursing crisis, the other story is the toll it is taking on quality medical treatment, underscoring the urgent need for systemic reforms to ensure the sustainability and resilience of healthcare systems. A recent analysis by The Economic Times of IPO documents filed by hospital chains in the past two years reveals about 50% attrition among nursing staff, on average. The analysis showed far higher attrition rates for nurses compared with doctors and other professionals in several hospitals. In its DRHP, Mumbai-based Jupiter Hospital had reported 32% attrition among nurses in fiscal 2022; Global Health (Medanta) reported an attrition rate of 51% for the same year, while Yatharth Hospital reported 74% attrition in fiscal 2023. Narayana Hrudayalaya, in its annual report for fiscal 2021-22, has said that Indian hospitals struggle with nurse attrition rates of 50 to 75%, and called it the greatest stumbling block for delivering healthcare. No service industry with this level of attrition can function without compromising on quality and patient safety, the report added. How are hospitals dealing with such a dire situation? As experienced nurses leave, the burden falls on inexperienced trainees, leading to quality problems in patient care, and safety issues. A top official at one of Indias biggest private hospitals admitted that medication errors do happen because of the shortage of nurses. Hospitals are struggling to retain experienced nurses. Since most of them leave, and the rest are not well-trained, theres no way to say with absolute surety how carefully they are doing the job. Errors can happen in a variety of ways. They can happen in the operation theatre when a wrong instrument is given to the doctor, they can delay procedures such as surgeries. The shortage affects every aspect of quality," the person said, requesting anonymity. Within public hospitals which largely cater to the poor, the situation is worse, said a nurse who has 30 years of experience and is only a few months away from retirement. Take the case of Malappuram in Kerala. There are 72 institutions which can offer in-patient care. But since there is a shortage of nurses, only 24 are actually providing in-patient care. Mind you, Kerala is one of the better states (when it comes to healthcare). So you can imagine whats happening with the rest of the country," the nurse added, requesting anonymity. M. I. Sahadulla, the founder of Kerala-based KIMS Hospital, also shared the grim realities of the nursing shortage. Private equity firm Blackstone recently invested in KIMS through Care Hospitals, another south India-based hospital group, creating one of Indias biggest hospital chains, worth over a billion dollars. With approximately 900 nurses and an attrition rate of 40 to 50%, Sahadulla said he has started offering sweeteners to retain experienced nurses, like giving jobs to their partners. The group has also reopened a nursing school that was shut down some 15 years ago owing to a lack of students. Sahadulla said the problem extends beyond financial remuneration, and includes burnout, lack of upward mobility, and the strain on healthcare systems worldwide. It calls for urgent reforms in nursing education, employment practices, and healthcare funding, he added. Regulations dont allow more than 100 seats per nursing institute, which is inadequate, and theres not enough oversight over subpar training and recruitment, he said. Doctors were also going away like this in the past, but today, they are staying back since they are getting paid a lot. Nurses salaries are not competitive, not only in government jobs, but also in the private sector. Besides, the government is not hiring much at all. The private sector is the one which is expanding. The government has introduced a minimum wage, which major corporate hospitals follow, but many private hospitals do not," said Sahadulla. But even with minimum pay, why are the starting salaries of nurses languishing between 15,000 and 25,000 per month, and not on a par with global standards? Why cant corporate hospitals pay nurses better? Hospitals are manpower-heavy. So, when the manpower cost increases substantially, the viability of the business becomes almost nil. Naturally, healthcare costs need to rise, which will become a socio-political problem," Sahadulla explained. In the US, for example, they are much better paid, he asserted. But their quality is also good, because theyre well trained. And then they stay put. The patient-nurse ratio is also less," he said. Plus, consumer bills are largely covered by insurance in developed economies, whereas people mostly pay from their pocket in India, he added. We are still in the evolutionary phase of insurance. People are paying very little for healthcare in the private sector. At the same time, theyre asking us to pay high salaries to the nurses. It doesnt work, he emphasized. The central government appears keen to set things right. The 2023-24 budget had announced the establishment of 157 nursing colleges under a centrally sponsored scheme. But it may take a few years to align Indias demand for nurses with the supply. Chinas massive rollout of renewable energy is accelerating, its investments in the sector growing so large that international climate watchdogs now expect the countrys greenhouse-gas emissions to peak years earlier than anticipatedpossibly as soon as this year. China installed 217 gigawatts worth of solar power last year alone, a 55% increase, according to new government data. That is more than 500 million solar panels and well above the total installed solar capacity of the U.S. They appeared everywhere from the deserts of Inner Mongolia to the mountains of southwest China to rooftops across the country, including on the Great Hall of the People on the edge of Tiananmen Square. Wind-energy installation additions were 76 gigawatts last year, more than the rest of the world combined. That amounted to more than 20,000 new turbines across the country, including the worlds largest, planted on towers in the sea off Chinas east coast. The low-carbon capacity additions, which also included hydropower and nuclear, were for the first time large enough that their power output could cover the entire annual increase in Chinese electricity demand, analysts say. The dynamic suggests that coal-fired generationwhich accounts for 70% of overall emissions for the worlds biggest polluteris set to decline in the years to come, according to the Paris-based International Energy Agency and Lauri Myllyvirta, the Helsinki-based lead analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. Chinas expanding renewables footprint is shaping the global response to climate change. Its companies are the leading manufacturers of clean-energy technology, from solar panels and wind turbines to electric vehicles. That is stoking concerns in the rest of the industrialized world about depending on China for their energy supplies in the future. At the same time, Chinas deployment of renewables at home is breathing new life into international climate diplomacy. Its rapid emissions growth long provided fodder for critics who said Beijing wasnt committed to fighting climate change or supporting the Paris accord, the landmark climate agreement that calls for governments to attempt to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius over preindustrial temperatures. Now, analysts and officials say Beijings efforts are lending momentum to the Paris process, which requires governments to draft new emissions plans every five years. An early peak would have a lot of symbolic value and send a signal to the world that weve turned a corner," said Jan Ivar Korsbakken, a senior researcher at the Oslo-based Center for International Climate and Environmental Research. In 2020, Chinese leader Xi Jinping pledged that the countrys emissions would begin falling before 2030 and hit net zero before 2060, part of its plan prepared under the Paris accord. He also said China would have 1,200 gigawatts of total solar- and wind-power capacity by the end of this decade. The country is six years ahead of schedule: China reached 1,050 gigawatts of wind and solar capacity at the end of 2023, and the China Electricity Council forecast last month that capacity would top 1,300 gigawatts by the end of this year. Chinas acceleration was extraordinary," said Fatih Birol, the executive director of the Paris-based International Energy Agency. Chinese authorities publish regular data on energy consumption and generation but not overall greenhouse-gas emissions. Transition Zero, a U.K.-based nonprofit that uses satellite images to monitor industrial activity and emissions in China, says the official data are broadly aligned and consistent" with theirs. Once the peak arrives, some analysts expect an emissions plateau to follow rather than a rapid fall in the following years. That is a problem, scientists say, because the worlds major emitters must sharply cut global emissions this decadeby 43% compared with 2019to fulfill the Paris accord. Climate Action Tracker, a scientific consortium that evaluates governments emissions plans, rates Chinas current policies as highly insufficient" to meet the 1.5 degrees Celsius goal. Its latest analysis, published in November, says Chinas emissions should peak by 2025. If wind and solar installations can average 300 gigawatts a yearas they did last yearChinas emissions should fall significantly by the end of the decade, the consortium says. The actions and policies of the U.S., where emissions have been falling, were graded as insufficient." Still, moving Chinas timeline for an overall emissions peak forward could shave off around 0.3 to 0.4 degrees Celsius of projected global warming if emissions started to decline next decade, analysts say. Emissions plans submitted to date under the Paris accord would put the world on track to warm by 2.5 degrees Celsius this century, a United Nations Environment Program report said in November. China is still building coal-fired power plants, fueling criticism from Western officials that it is locking in carbon-dioxide emissions years into the future. Beijing has been telling Western officials that the new plants wont be as polluting as they fear. They are replacing older, higher-emitting plants, and will run far below full capacity, used largely to maintain electric-grid stability as China generates more of its power from intermittent wind and solar. In November, China unveiled a system of capacity payments for coal-fired plants that will allow them to earn money even when they are running as backup power sources. Xi said in 2021 that China would begin to phase down its coal consumption starting in 2026. The exact timing of Chinas peak depends on factors such as economic growth and weather in the next few years, analysts say. Growth is expected to slow following Chinas real-estate sector slumpunless Beijing undertakes a major new program of economic stimulus that would boost industrial emissions. Another spell of drought this summer would push the countrys coal plants to run harder to replace lost hydropower generation. The most certain variable in the equation is the breakneck pace of Chinas renewable-energy rollout, which analysts expect will continue to add 200 to 300 gigawatts of new wind and solar capacity a year. The investments in renewable energy have become a major driver of the Chinese economy. The countrys clean-energy spending totaled $890 billion last year, up 40%. Without that growth, investment in China would have been flat as the country reels from the slump in its real-estate sector, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. The investments include clean-energy installations and the construction of enormous factories to produce solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and electric vehiclesturning the country into the leading manufacturer of clean tech. Its factories in those sectors now have plenty of unused capacity. The adoption of electric vehicles is happening so rapidly that analysts say peak gasoline demand in China was already reached last year. At the United Nations COP28 climate conference in Dubai in November, Xie Zhenhua, then Chinas climate envoy, said the government would calculate the year and absolute volume of the countrys emissions peak. He also said Beijing is drawing up its next emissions plan under the Paris accord. Our country will do as its said and strive to do even better," he said. I have faith." Write to Sha Hua at sha.hua@wsj.com and Matthew Dalton at Matthew.Dalton@wsj.com NEW DELHI : The Ayodhya Ram temple consecration ceremony on 22 January brought substantial advertising and viewership gains for news channels, particularly those focused on the Hindi heartland. The spike was comparable to a general election counting day, media industry experts said. While viewership, split with digital platforms (mainly YouTube), is estimated to have witnessed a spike of 10-15% on linear TV alone, advertising rates were three to four times higher, especially for mass-market brands, most of which found space on L-bands operating during the coverage of the ceremony, with news channels taking fewer ad breaks. L-band TV advertising refers to L-shaped ads played on TV screens along with the content or programme for a duration of 10 seconds. Interestingly, news channels reduced their ad volumes in order to increase stickiness, but the increase in ad rates more than made up for the loss. According to data from AdEx India, a division of TAM Media Research, advertising volumes on news channels fell 14% on the temple inauguration day from 21 January, meaning fewer ad breaks were taken. In comparison, during state election results in December, a decline of only 9% in ad volumes was observed versus the previous day. Needless to say, national election results attract far greater eyeballs and advertising revenue. At 15%, food and beverages led advertising volumes, followed by services (14%) and building, industrial and land materials or equipment (13%). Television monitoring agency Broadcast Audience Research Council did not respond to queries on viewership. The consecration of the Ram mandir in Ayodhya saw unprecedented levels of interest from across the country. For news channels, therefore, the entire pran pratishtha ceremony assumed great importance and remained the focal point of most coverage for several days, which peaked in the week leading up to the ceremony," said Aditya Tandon, vice-president, marketing and product, Hindi news cluster, News18 Network. Advertiser interest in the inauguration cut across multiple sectorsauto, FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods), building materials, BFSI (banking, financial services and insurance), healthcare and jewellery, he added. An India Today Group spokesperson agreed the Ram mandir consecration ceremony saw an increase in viewership, particularly on Aaj Tak, which reached an all-time high of 1.8 million peak concurrent users on YouTube on 22 January. The number of average concurrent users also exceeded one million that day, demonstrating intense public interest in the event. The channel had a presence of over 90 advertising clients on that day, selling more than 1,500 L-bands, while the connected TV (CTV) revenue team also sold more than 3,000 L-bands on the CTV feeds of Aaj Tak and India Today TV. TV sets that can be connected to the internet to stream digital content are called connected TV. It is clear that news channels made a really good killing on the event. Viewership spike would be a no-brainer, although it is likely that viewers were flirting across channels and between TV and digital platforms," advertising and media veteran Anita Nayyar said, adding that it is likely that viewers also tuned in from diasporic countries in the US, the UK and Australia. Yet, given that the ceremony was just a one-day event, the impact of ad revenue increase would be nominal for the quarter or the month, experts said. Since the ceremony only lasted a few hours, the overall impact on advertising revenue may be less than 1%. However, key impact on ad momentum for news channels is likely to kick in in the run-up to the general elections, by February or March," Karan Taurani, senior vice-president at Elara Capital Ltd, said, adding that 55% of election-related ad spends will take place before the polls. New Delhi: The government plans to establish testing facilities for sub-parts of drones, as the use of these unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) has been soaring across a range of commercial purposes including infrastructure, agriculture, entertainment, transportation, and geospatial mapping, two persons said. The National Test House (NTH), an industrial testing laboratory that reports to the ministry of consumer affairs, has been assigned the task of establishing testing facilities for the sub-parts of drones. These sub-parts include the battery, camera, landing gear, propellers, motors, flight controller, and receiver, among others. Currently, only a few private agencies are engaged in testing these sub-parts. The first testing facility of this kind will be established in Ghaziabad. The process of equipment procurement is underway, and the testing lab is expected to be completely ready in the next 3-4 months, said D.V. Rajagopala Rao, a scientist who heads the science and technology cell at NTH. Rao, who is one of the two persons cited above, said there will be 7-8 types of tests for the drone sub-parts, including electrical, mechanical, and software tests, to study the sturdiness, flying capacity, battery leakage, flight control, and damage upon crash-landing. Queries sent to the consumer affairs ministry remained unanswered till press time. This facility is in addition to the type certification of drones, and NTH is creating a facility for testing drone parts to check compliance with applicable national/international standards. The certification of drones by NTH will be quite cost-effective compared to private testing agencies, which charge a hefty fee for certification, the first person said. As per the proposal, the NTH may charge up to 2 lakh for every certification to encourage drone manufacturing in India. NTH Ghaziabad has received interest from 12 drone manufacturers for type certification of their models, the first person said, wishing not to be identified. Following the NTH certification, the directorate general of civil aviation will issue licences to drone makers, allowing them to manufacture an unlimited number of drones. The National Test House provides quality services such as testing, calibration, and quality evaluation of engineering materials and finished products in various fields, including chemical, civil, mechanical, electrical, non-destructive testing, metallurgy, rubber, plastics, papers, and textile materials. Since its inception in 1919, NTH has dedicated its scientific and quality assessment services to various nation-building projects, such as bridges, highways, airports, steel plants, refineries, power plants, and railway projects. The industry has supported of the governments plan to test parts of drones. Anoop Kumar Upadhyay, co-founder of IoTechWorld, a domestic agri-drone maker, said, We appreciate the governments initiative. It will help in the growth of the drone manufacturing sector. Better quality will allow Indian drone makers to compete in the global market." Drones are a new technology, and rules for component testing are being prepared. My request is to keep the industry in the loop prior to finalizing any new set of rules for better conformity," Upadhyay said. The government has relaxed the norms for obtaining a remote pilot certificate, which is compulsory for operating a drone. As per the revised norms, anyone having a government-issued proof of identity and a government-issued proof of address, such as a voter ID, ration card, or driving license, can apply for a remote pilot certificate. Earlier, a passport was a mandatory criterion that was becoming a hurdle for aspiring drone pilots, especially in the agricultural sector across rural India. The relaxation in the norm is to promote and facilitate drone operations across the country and make India a global drone hub by 2030. Israels chipmaker Tower Semiconductor has submitted a proposal to the government to set up an $8 billion chipmaking plant in India, Indian Express reported on Sunday. Tower is looking to manufacture 65 nanometre and 40 nanometre chips in India which may be used in a number of sectors, including automotive and wearable electronics," said the report. In October 2023, minister of state for electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar had met with Tower Semiconductors chief executive officer (CEO) Russel C Ellwanger to discuss its partnership with India in the chip manufacturing space. If the Israeli chipmakers proposal is accepted by the government, it would be a big boost to Indias chip manufacturing ambitions. Under the $10 billion chip manufacturing scheme, India offers a 50 per cent capital expenditure subsidy to successful applicants. Earlier, the Israeli chipmaker had applied to set up a $3 billion chipmaking plant in Karnataka in partnership with international consortium ISMC. However, the plan was suspended due to the companys then impending merger with Intel. On Friday, CG Power and Industrial Solutions said it has partnered with a unit of Japanese chipmaker Renesas Electronics and Thailand's Stars Microelectronics to set up a semiconductor facility in India for $222 million. The Indian company will form a joint venture (JV) with Renesas Electronics America and the Thai electronic parts maker to set up an outsourced semiconductor assembly and testing (OSAT) facility. An OSAT plant assembles, tests foundry-made silicon wafers, turns them into finished semiconductor chips, and packages. In the joint venture, CG Power will own the majority 92.34 per cent stake, while Renesas and Stars will hold 6.76 per cent and 0.9 per cent stakes, respectively. While India does not yet have any chip manufacturing plants, Taiwan's Foxconn and Indias Vedanta are in the fray to make chips i the country. (With inputs from agencies) Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Bihar Police have decided to send e-challans to traffic violators via registered post, said Additional Director General (ADG) Traffic Sudhanshu Kumar, adding that the new system has already been introduced in Patna . Speaking to PTI, ADG Traffic said, Sending e-challans to motorists for violating traffic norms through SMSes is not working properly. That is mainly because of frequent changes in the mobile phone numbers of offenders." This is the only reason that we have decided to deliver e-challans to traffic violators via registered post. We introduced this system in Patna a few days ago. Now we want to introduce it in all districts. A letter in this regard has already been sent to all district traffic police," he said. Kumar said the cost of sending e-challans via registered post could be recovered from the offenders. However, at present, the traffic police are bearing the cost. We have sought permission from the competent authority for the recovery of the cost of sending challans by registered post from the offenders," Kumar told PTI. Official data revealed that around 3,000 e-challans/notices are issued daily for traffic violations in Bihar, mostly for over-speeding, signal jumping, not wearing helmets, triple-riding on two-wheelers, talking on the phone while driving, etc. Not even half of the total traffic e-challans issued in the state per day are paid by motorists, the senior officer said. The latest figures (of Bihar Traffic Police) of February 8, 2024, reveal that a total of 2,989 e-challans (of 46.5 lakh) were issued in all 38 districts in the state for different traffic violations. Out of a total of 46.5 lakh fine, motorists cleared challans of 6.44 lakh only. "Around Rs. 39.63 lakh amount (fine) of February 8 is pending. Therefore, one can imagine the pendency of payments/fines. This is the reason that we have decided to send penalty notices/e-challans to traffic violators via registered post", the ADG Traffic said as quoted by PTI. The state capital tops the list of cities where maximum traffic violations take place. Traffic Police issue around 630 to 650 e-challans for different violations in Patna almost every day, the official figure stated. Other cities where maximum traffic violations take place include Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Rohtas, Gaya, Begusarai and Saran. (With PTI inputs) Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! In a bid to avoid a re-run of the 2020 Farmers' Protest, the Haryana and Delhi police have left no stone unturned in preparation for the farmers' Chalo Delhi protest scheduled to be held on 13 February. Delhi Police is on high alert ahead of the farmers' march to the national capital. According to NDTV, the Delhi Police is making every attempt to avoid the unfortunate 26 January 2021 incident wherein protesting farmers clashed with Delhi Police and one particular wing of the tractor rally, led by Deep Sidhu, moved to Red Fort causing chaos in the national capital. The farmers who are planning a protest march to Delhi on 13 February, have several demands, including a law to guarantee Minimum Support Price and pension benefits. The protesting farmers hail from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka. Information has been received that some farmer organisations have given a call to their supporters to gather/march to Delhi on 13th February for their demands of the law on MSP and others. They are likely to sit at the border of Delhi till their demands are met. In order to avoid any untoward incident and to maintain Law & Order, a precautionary Order of section 144 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, is required to be issued to save the lives and property in the area", Delhi Police said. Delhi Police prepares for Farmers' Protest -The Delhi Police is blocking the border of the national capital with Haryana -Cranes have been deployed to move these barriers if farmers try to cross into Delhi. -Notably, Haryana too has brought in cement barriers to ensure that the protesting farmers cannot enter Delhi. -In Delhi, cops are holding drills to practise firing teargas shells if farmers refuse to stop, NDTV reports. -It is estimated that at least 20,000 farmers with 2,000 tractors are set to enter Delhi day after tomorrow. -Delhi Police have anticipated that some farmers may use other public transport available, in order to hoodwink, the Delhi Police. -According to Delhi Police intelligence estimate, some farmers may also come beforehand and gather outside the homes of VIPs such as the Prime Minister, ministers and BJP leaders, reports NDTV -Delhi Police is also keeping a close watch on social media in the run-up to the protest -According to NDTV report, the cops of Haryana and Punjab are using tractors to simulate the protest and practise how they will respond. A total of 40 such rehearsal using tractors -- 10 in Haryana, 30 in Punjab -- have been held so far. -As many as 50 paramilitary companies have been called in to block the farmers. Delhi Police imposes restrictions -Prohibit gathering of general public at all borders between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh and nearby areas in the jurisdictional area of North East District. -Prohibit entering of Tractors, Trolleys, Buses, Trucks, commercial vehicles, personal vehicles, on horses, carrying protestors in Delhi from Uttar Pradesh. -Order that the North East District Police shall make all efforts to prevent protestors from entering Delhi. -Order that no person / protestor shall be allowed to bear arms, including firearms, swords, trishul, spears, lathi, rods etc. North East District Police shall make all efforts to detain these persons at the spot. -Order that any person found to be acting in contravention to this order shall be liable to be punished under section 188 of the India Penal Code, 1860 The Delhi Police noted that the restrictions stay will be imposed from 11 February, Sunday, and will remain in place till 11 March, 2024. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! The Delhi Traffic Police has issued an advisory ahead of a proposed farmer's protest on February 13. Prohibitory orders were imposed in several areas over the weekend and thousands of police personnel have been deployed along Delhi's borders with neighbouring states. Authorities have also fortified the perimeters with concrete blocks, road spike barriers and barbed wires ahead of the Delhi Chalo agitation. According to an official communique traffic restrictions or diversions will be imposed at the Singhu border with Haryana from Monday onwards. Commuters going from Delhi to UP via the Gazipur border have also been asked to take alternative routes. The traffic police advisory highlighted several alternative routes that can be used by different vehicle categories over the next few days. Barricades have already been put up in some areas and police checking has intensified along the Ghazipur border. Elaborate security arrangements have been undertaken after several farmer unions called for a Delhi Chalo march on February 13. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and several farmer associations have called the protest to press the Centre to accept their demands. This includes the enactment of a law to guarantee a minimum support price for crops. Prohibitory orders under section 144 were imposed in the northeast district of the national capital on Sunday and the police have prohibited public gatherings at all borders between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. Several teams have also been formed to keep a strict vigil on bus stands, metro stations, railway stations and roads to ensure that protesters do not enter the city using any other mode of conveyance. The Delhi Police issued in advisory on Sunday to bar the entry of tractors, trolleys, buses, trucks, and commercial vehicles into the city from Uttar Pradesh. The order will remain in force up until March 11. (With inputs from agencies) Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! The Uttarakhand government on Saturday demanded four extra units of central paramilitary forces to help control the law and order situation in Banbhulpura, Nainital, following recent violence that erupted during an anti-encroachment operation led by the district administration. Here are the top ten updates: 1. As reported by ANI, in a letter written to the Union Home Secretary on Saturday, Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Radha Raturi said, In view of the encroachment drive on 08.02.2024 in Malik ka Bagicha under the Banbhulpura police station area of Haldwani city of Nainital district, continuous attempts are being made by anarchist elements to impact law and order, hence there is a need for 04 companies of additional paramilitary forces." 2. Five individuals lost their lives in the violence that ensued after the anti-encroachment operation on Thursday, prompting the imposition of a curfew in the affected area. Also Read: Haldwani violence: Uttarakhand Police registers case against over 5,000 people, Curfew lifted from outer areas 3. Nainital's Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), PN Meena, confirmed that three cases have been filed, with 19 individuals identified as suspects. Additionally, around 5,000 unidentified individuals have also been included in the cases, as per official reports. 4. A magisterial inquiry was initiated on Saturday into the riots that occurred on February 8 following the demolition of an "illegal" madrassa in Haldwani. Although the curfew was lifted from the outer areas of the town, it continued to be enforced in Banbhoolpura, which served as the focal point of the mob violence. Also Read: Haldwani violence: Decided to continue the demolition drive because Nainital DM Vandana Singh 5. Authorities have initiated a search for Abdul Malik, the individual responsible for constructing the structure. The police have begun a search for an accused named Abdul Malik who had built the now razed illegal structure and opposed its demolition most strongly," the SSP said. 6. In efforts to prevent the spread of rumours via social media platforms, internet services have been suspended in the town. Police are actively patrolling the affected areas, where streets are empty, and businesses and schools remain closed. 7. Six individuals involved in the rioting lost their lives, and 60 others sustained injuries during Thursday's violence, according to officials. Regarding the fatalities, the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) stated that no deaths occurred due to police firing, and the circumstances surrounding their deaths would be clarified through post-mortem examinations. Also Read: Haldwani News: 4 killed, over 100 injured; entire Uttarakhand on high alert. 10 key points 8. The SSP further explained that the police had discharged firearms by magisterial directives to disperse the unruly crowd. "No one died in the firing as we had searched the entire area after the firing and found no bodies. The bodies were found the next day in hospitals. Post-mortem and forensic examination reports will clarify the circumstances that led to their death," he said. 9. Three FIRs have been registered and five persons arrested so far in connection with the violence, Nainital Senior Superintendent of Police Prahlad Meena said at a press conference here. Also Read: Uttarakhand: Clashes erupt in Haldwani after 'illegal' madrasa razed, police car set ablaze; curfew clamped 10. Patrolling is continuously being done in the affected areas and the situation is under control," Additional Director General (ADG) of Police, Law and Order, A P Anshuman, who is camping in Haldwani, told PTI Videos. The Additional Director General (ADG) stated that sixteen individuals have been identified as suspects in the three First Information Reports (FIRs). Out of these, five have already been apprehended, and efforts are underway to detain the remaining suspects promptly. (With inputs from agencies) Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! In response to the 'Dilli Chalo' call by Punjab farmers on February 13, Chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar-led Haryana government has imposed Section 144 in Panchkula when farmers are scheduled to march to Delhi to press for a host of demands. Here are the top ten updates: 1. As reported by ANI citing Panchkula DCP Sumer Singh Pratap, Section 144 has been imposed in Haryana's Panchkula. A ban was imposed on taking out processions, demonstrations, march pasts on foot or with tractor trolleys and other vehicles, and carrying any sticks, rods or weapons." Also Read: Farmers protest LIVE updates 2. Furthermore, Haryana has also suspended mobile internet, bulk SMS and all dongle services in several districts till February 13. According to a notification issued by the Haryana administration, bulk SMS and all dongle services provided on mobile networks, except voice calls, will remain suspended. Additionally, mobile internet services will remain suspended in seven districtsAmbala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad, and Sirsafrom 6 am on February 11 until 11:59 pm on February 13. Also Read: Farmers' Delhi Chalo protest: Iron nails, cement barricades await demonstration in Haryana | Top 10 updates 3. Haryana Police blocked one side of the Patiala-Delhi national highway at the Data Singhwala-Khanauri border and deployed heavy police forces, including women personnel. 4. Senior officials, including Hisar Range Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Matta Ravi Kiran, visited the border and instructed local police officials to ensure that Punjab farmers were prevented from entering the national capital on February 13. 5.Meanwhile, the leaders of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Lakhowal in Ludhiana announced on Saturday that they will not join the 'Delhi Chalo' protest on February 13 but will oppose if the farmers face manhandling during the march. 6. As reported by PTI, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said on Saturday that the Centre has invited them for a meeting to discuss their demands on February 12. Three Union ministersPiyush Goyal, Arjun Munda, and Nityanand Raiwill arrive in Chandigarh on February 12 to hold talks with a deputation of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha. 7. As reported by NDTV, in Sonipat, Haryana, the district administration has issued directives to fuel pump proprietors, instructing them not to dispense fuel into bottles or other containers. Additionally, a restriction of 10 litres has been imposed specifically for tractors. The administration has cautioned that supplying fuel to individuals affiliated with the farmers' protest will result in punitive measures, the report noted. 8. Similarly, passengers travelling from Delhi to Chandigarh have been advised to use alternative routes via Karnal, Indri/Pipli, Yamunanagar, Panchkula, or Kurukshetra, Shahbad, Saha, Barwala, and Ramgarh, according to the police. At the Shambhu border, the road on the Ghaggar flyover has been closed to traffic, with police deploying cemented barricades to block the road. 9. Police have also stockpiled concrete blocks, barbed wire, sandbags, barricades, and other items at the Shambhu border in Ambala to prevent protesters from marching toward the national capital. 10. Furthermore, farmer unions have asserted that significant action will be taken in Haryana if the police resort to the use of force or any form of oppression against their counterparts. Farmers affiliated with various farmer unions in Haryana convened a clandestine meeting in Jind, during which they devised a strategy to support the protest. They formed a team comprising 10 members from the Jind and Kaithal districts, tasked with coordinating with all unions in case of an emergency. (With inputs from agencies) Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Madhya Pradesh on Sunday to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for multiple development projects worth 7,300 crores. In an official statement, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said, PM Modi will dedicate and lay the foundation stone of multiple initiatives that will benefit the significant tribal population of the region." He will disburse monthly installments of Aahar Anudan under Aahar Anudan Yojna to about two lakh women beneficiaries. Under this scheme, 1,500 per month is provided for nutritious food to women of various especially backward tribes of Madhya Pradesh," the statement read. PM Modi will also distribute 1.75 lakh adhikar abhilekh (record of rights) to beneficiaries of the SVAMITVA Scheme which will provide documentary evidence to people for the right to their land, ANI reported. He will also transfer 55.90 crores for 559 villages under the Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana and lay the foundation stone of 'CM Rise School' in Jhabua. The Prime Minister said that the school will integrate technology to provide modern facilities like smart classes, e-library, etc., to students. PM Modi will also lay the foundation stone of multiple projects that will strengthen the water supply and provisioning of drinking water in Madhya Pradesh. These projects include the 'Talavada Project' which is a drinking water supply scheme for more than one thousand villages of Dhar and Ratlam, and 14 urban water supply schemes under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0, benefitting more than 50 thousand urban households across multiple districts of Madhya Pradesh. The list of projects also includes 'Nal Jal Yojna' to 50 Gram Panchayats of Jhabua, helping provide tap water to about 11,000 households. In addition, the Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of multiple rail projects during the program which include the redevelopment of Ratlam railway station and Meghnagar railway station. These stations will be redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat station scheme. The rail projects dedicated to the nation include projects for doubling of Indore- Dewas- Ujjain C cabin railway line; Itarsi- North - South grade separator with yard remodeling; and the third line connecting Barkhera- Budni-Itarsi," the statement added. He will dedicate to the nation multiple road development projects worth more than 3,275 crore in Madhya Pradesh including four-laning of Harda-Betul (Package-I) from km 0.00 to km 30.00 (Harda-Temagaon) of NH-47; Ujjain Dewas section of NH-752D; four-laning (16 km) of Indore-Gujarat MP Border section of NH-47 and four-laning of Chicholi-Betul (Package-III) Harda-Betul of NH-47; and Ujjain Jhalawar section of NH-552G. (With ANI inputs) Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! KYIV, UkraineRussian forces are using SpaceXs satellite internet system near the front line in occupied parts of Ukraine, Kyivs military intelligence agency said, potentially undercutting a major battlefield advantage for Kyivs army. Access to the system, known as Starlink, has allowed front-line Ukrainian forces to communicate via secure internet chat apps, allowing them to stay in contact without relying on cell or radio signals, which are easier to intercept. In a statement posted to Xwhich, like SpaceX, is owned by Elon MuskStarlink said the service didnt work in Russia, but didnt address whether it could be used in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine. SpaceX does not do business of any kind with the Russian Government or its military," the statement said. Starlink is not active in Russia, meaning service will not work in that country." Although Starlink systems cant be purchased in Russia, Ukrainian media reported that Russian forces have been purchasing the devices in third countries, and then bringing them to the front. Andriy Yusov, a spokesman for Ukraines military intelligence agency, said Kyiv had intercepted radio communications from Russias 83rd Separate Air-Assault Brigade in the occupied Donetsk region that indicated they were using Starlink terminals. This is starting to become systemic," Yusov said of the Russian use of Starlink in occupied territory. Access to Starlink has been a politically charged issue since early in the war, when Musk decided to make the service available in Ukraine. Starlink is considered so vital to Ukrainian operations that, last year, when SpaceX said it could no longer fund access for Kyiv, the Pentagon agreed to pay to keep the service running. Private donors, governments and other organizations also pay for terminals. Tension over Starlink access has continued. Last fall, a biography of Musk revealed that Ukraine, in 2022, asked for Starlink access for a surprise attack on Russian naval vessels in occupied Crimea. Musk refused, to the dismay of Ukraines government. If Russia does indeed have systemic access to Starlink along the front, it would curtail one of Ukraines chief battlefield advantages at a difficult moment for Kyiv. Ukraines counteroffensive last year failed to make significant gains, leaving Russia in control of roughly 20% of Ukraines territory. Moscow is now on the attack again, while Ukraine is suffering from a shortage of manpower and artillery ammunition. Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky replaced his top general as part of an effort to reboot the countrys war effort. (Bloomberg) -- A helicopter carrying six people, including the co-founder of Nigerias biggest bank by assets, crashed in a Southern California desert near the Mojave National Preserve, authorities said. Herbert Wigwe, 57, co-founder of Access Bank, was among the victims, family members from his home village of Isiokpo said. Abimbola Ogunbanjo, 61, who was president of the National Council of the Nigeria Stock Exchange from 2017 to 2021, and served as the group chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc from 2021 to 2022, was confirmed dead by a family member in Lagos. The Federal Aviation Administration said a Eurocopter EC helicopter crashed at about 10 p.m. on Friday with six people on board. The crash site was near the border with Nevada. The craft was headed to Boulder City, Nevada, south of Las Vegas, local ABC affiliate KABC reported without saying where it got the information. The scene of the crash was determined to be east of the 15-Freeway, near Halloran Springs Road," the San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department said in an emailed statement on Saturday. No survivors have been located." Wigwe started his professional career with Coopers & Lybrand Associates, an international firm of chartered accountants, before spending a decade at Guaranty Trust Bank. In 2004 he co-engineered the acquisition of local lender Access Bank where he assumed the post of deputy managing director and eventually became chief executive officer in January 2014. He was building a new $500 million university outside the southern city of Port Harcourt to help students hone skills needed for the finance and technology industries in Africas most-populous nation, he told Bloomberg in an interview in November. Wigwe planned to teach and mentor students and also engage some of the countrys biggest entrepreneurs including billionaire Aliko Dangote, Africas richest man, to teach at the university. To get the next set of leaders in banking, you need to create the right education for them," Wigwe told Bloomberg from his office in the 14-story Access Bank headquarters overlooking a part of the Lagos lagoon. Ogunbanjo started his professional career as a banker with Chase Manhattan Bank Nigeria in 1985 before he re-qualified as a legal practitioner and joined the law firm of Chris Ogunbanjo & Co in 1990, where he held the position of managing partner until his death, according to a biography from his firm. He joined the Nigerian Stock Exchange in 2011 and served in various capacities, including vice-president, according to his LinkedIn biography. Ogunbanjo was the former vice chairman of the Commercial Law and Taxation Committee of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and acted as special Nigerian counsel to the London and Paris clubs in connection with the refinancing and rescheduling agreements made between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and International Creditors Banks. (Adds biographical details starting in the seventh paragraph.) More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Spires of buzzing mosquitoes were spotted along the Pune skyline this month akin to numerous narrow funnel tornadoes. Videos of the incident have since gone viral with one clip identifying the location Keshavnagar and Kharadi. Horrified netizens have since called for flamethrowers, compared the horrifying phenomenon to dementors (a la the Harry Potter novels) and cracked many a joke about the buzzing nightlife in Pune. While such mosquito tornadoes are not a new sight in Maharashtra, it is rare to see them swirling over the Mutha river in an urban setting such as Pune. Recent weather conditions have reportedly created a favourable breeding ground for the insects. Bless all the people with 'river view' homes. Time to weld the windows shut," wrote one Instagram user. Please launch mosquito view projects now instead of river front views," joked another. Some on the social media platform dubbed it Aurora Mosquitolis" while others offered conspiracy theories to underscore the seriousness of the matter. These may be genetically modified mosquitoes dropped, just like the ones dropped by Bill gates in Florida. It's not a good news" read one comment. Many also envisioned themselves as superheroes wielding an electric racket or holding Laal hit in both hands wearing ironman suit" as the Avengers background score rang out. The itch to swing the electric racket here is too much," laughed one user. Bhai mosquito racket leke upar se khud jaate hai Diwali ban jayegi" visualised another. Concerns have also been raised about the health implications of the massive mosquito congregation. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! The Unified Payment Interface (UPI) services are set to be launched in Sri Lanka and Mauritius at 1 pm on Monday. Besides this, RuPay card services will be launched in Mauritius, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a press release on Sunday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Jugnauth will witness the historic launch" on Monday via video conferencing, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said in a post on X. One can watch the launch India's digital payment services on the RBI's YouTube channel. BENEFITS The launch will enable availability of UPI settlement services for Indian nationals travelling to Sri Lanka and Mauritius as well as for Mauritian nationals travelling to India," the ministry said. ALSO READ: 10 reasons why you should link your Rupay credit card with UPI It added, The extension of RuPay card services in Mauritius will enable Mauritian banks to issue cards based on RuPay mechanism in Mauritius and facilitate usage of RuPay Card for settlements both in India and Mauritius." The ministry further noted that India has emerged as a leader in Fintech innovation and Digital Public Infrastructure. "The Prime Minister has placed a strong emphasis on sharing our development experiences and innovation with partner countries," it said. "Given Indias robust cultural and people-to-people linkages with Sri Lanka and Mauritius, the launch will benefit a wide cross-section of people through a faster and seamless digital transaction experience and enhance digital connectivity between the countries," the press release added. On Februray 7, the Indian Embassy in Bahrain set up a digital fee collection kiosk at its premises in collaboration with ICICI Bank and SADAD Electronic Payment System BSC. The self-service touch-screen kiosk enables approx. 340,000 Indians residing in Bahrain and other service seekers conveniently pay through debit and credit cards for various services including passport renewal, attestation, marriage registration and birth registration. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Myanmars junta has declared mandatory military service for all young men and women, state media said on Saturday, as it struggles to contain armed rebel forces fighting for greater autonomy in various parts of the country. All men aged 18-35 and women aged 18-27 must serve for up to two years, while specialists like doctors aged up to 45 must serve for three years. The service can be extended to a total of five years in the ongoing state of emergency, state media said. ALSO READ: What comes under India's Free Movement Regime with Myanmar and why was it scrapped? Top points Myanmar has been gripped by chaos since the military seized power from an elected government in a 2021 coup. Since October, the Tatmadaw, as the military is known, has suffered personnel losses while battling a coordinated offensive by an alliance of three ethnic minority insurgent groups, as well as allied pro-democracy fighters who have taken up arms against the junta. ALSO READ: Why India supports Myanmar's contested military regime It is the biggest challenge the military has faced since first taking power in the former British colony in 1962. Analysts have said the Tatmadaw is struggling to recruit soldiers and has begun forcing non-combat personnel to the frontline. ALSO READ: Over 5000 Myanmar nationals flee to India amid clashes "The duty to safeguard and defend the nation extends beyond just the soldiers but to all citizens. So I want to tell everyone to proudly follow this people's military service law," junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun told state media. A law mandating conscription was introduced in 2010 but has not been enforced until now. Those who fail to comply with the draft face imprisonment for up to five years, the legislation says. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has called for a nationwide protest on Sunday to protect the sanctity of the vote as independent candidates are in the lead with 100 seats, ARY News reported. This came after the party's core committee meeting was held and it was announced to hold 'peaceful protests' across the country at 2:00 pm today. Here are top 10 updates on Pakistan election results, 1) Amid the upheaval in Pakistan over delayed election results, with some reports putting Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz candidates in the lead or winning, many moved courts alleging that their defeat was a result of rigging. 2) Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-affiliated Independent candidates, too, moved to the Lahore High Court (LHC), challenging the results of the PP-164 and NA-118, where father-son duo Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz secured victory. 3) Speaking to Geo News, Bilawal accepted that his party would not be able to form a government by itself. "When asked if he or his father, Asif Zardari had any meetings with PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif, Bilawal said, "I am in no position to confirm any such meeting. When all the results are in front of us, we will be in a position to engage with others." 4) The former Foreign Minister also clarified that no independent candidate from the PTI bloc had contacted him or any PPP leader so far. "We are in touch with some independents but no independent from the PTI bloc has contacted us so far," he said. Also Read: Live updates on Pakistan general election results 5) Former PM Shehbaz Sharif met with PPP leaders Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, at the residence of Punjab caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi in the late hours of Friday, Dawn reported citing sources. 6) PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, in his Friday remarks, said that he had tasked his brother, former PM Shehbaz Sharif, to reach out to major parties such as the PPP, MQM-P, and others to ally. 7) According to the results announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), PML-N leader Tariq Fazal Chaudhry was declared victorious after scoring 102,502 votes while PTI-backed independent candidate Shoaib Shaheen got 86,396 votes and Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, an independent candidate, secured 17,916 votes. 8) Khurram Shahzad Nawaz, a joint candidate of the PML-N and Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP), won NA-48 (Islamabad-III) with 69,699 votes while Syed Mohammad Ali Bukhari stood second with 59,851 votes and Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar third with 18,572 votes. The PML-N made a clean sweep after 16 years by grabbing all three seats of the National Assembly in the federal capital. 9) The nation of 241 million people voted on Thursday in a general election, as the country struggles to recover from an economic crisis and battles militant violence in a deeply polarised political environment. 10) PML-N and the PPP were the two major parties in the ruling coalition government in Pakistan after Imran Khan's ouster in April 2022. But, the two parties were at loggerheads during the intense electoral campaign. However, as the counting is nearing an end, no party has reached a majority and would need to forge a coalition. (With inputs from agencies) Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Uncertainty over the new Pakistan government looms large as no political party won a clear majority in Parliament in the February 8 polls. While the Election Commission of Pakistan is yet to declare official results, Pakistani media show Independent candidates, backed by former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's party, leading the race. Follow Pakistan Election Results 2024 LIVE Updates here What's happening in Pakistan's political arena right now? Top 10 updates 1. Former prime ministers and bitter rivals Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan both declared victory. Nawaz Sharif, a leader of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) claimed that his party emerged as the single largest party in the Pakistan Elections 2024. 2. Meanwhile, Imran Khan also delivered a victory speech. He told his followers to rejoice over their victory despite what he referred to as a "crackdown" on his party. Most of the independent candidates leading the polls are supporters of Imran Khan's party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). ALSO READ: Pakistan Election Results: What happens if no party is able to form govt? A look at possible scenarios 3. PTI-backed candidates have so far won 93 seats, the PML-N has won 74 seats and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has won 54 seats in the Pakistan National Assembly, according to Pakistani media Dawn. A party needs to win 133 seats of the 265 seats that went to polls on February 8. Overall, a party needs 169 seats of the total 336 seats in the National Assembly. ALSO READ: Pakistan Elections: A look at challenges awaiting new govt amid poll result uncertainty 4. Pakistan's prime ministerial candidate has to show a simple majority of 169 seats in the National Assembly when the house is called in the coming days. The Assembly consists of 336 seats, of which 266 are decided through direct voting on polling day. There are also 70 reserved seats - 60 for women and 10 for non-Muslims - allotted according to the strength of each party in the house to determine the final position of parties in the Assembly. 5. Political parties have rushed to forge alliances to form the new government. The MQM-P and PML-N held an hour-long meeting earlier in the day. They reached a principle agreement" to work together in the upcoming government, according to a statement released by the Nawaz Sharif-led party and reported by Dawn. The Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) is also ready to join the government with the PML-N. Earlier, Nawaz Sharif's PML-N and Zardari's PPP had agreed to form the national government. But on one condition.... 6. The condition on which the PPP agreed to make a coalition government with the PML-N was that Bilawal will be made the PM. PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif told his party leaders that former president Asif Zardari demanded a prime minister's slot for the PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and major ministerial portfolios, Geo TV reported which citing The News sources. Amid the coalition talks, former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto asserted that the federal, Punjab and Balochistan governments cannot be formed without the PPP. 6. Meanwhile, Imran Khan's PTI had said on Saturday it will form governments in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the federal government in the Centre. In a bid to execute its plan, the PTI reportedly asked its lawyer Umair Khan Niazi to get in touch with party-backed candidates for a government at the federal level. Some leaders were also directed to approach lawmakers-elect in KP and Punjab, Dawn reported. ALSO READ: Pakistan Election Results: Who's winning, what's next for Imran Khan's party-backed Independents? 7. The PTI hopes that President Arif Alvi will invite the party to form the new government in Pakistan since it emerged as the largest single party" following the elections. 8. The PTI rejected the shameful" attempts at creating PDM 2" in the country. The economic and administrative disaster that Pakistan is suffering today is the responsibility of PDM, an incompetent, worthless and rejected group of criminals," the party said in a statement. It was referring to Nawaz Sharif's PDM (Pakistan Democratic Movement) style alliance of parties including PPP, JUI-F, MQM, PML-Q and IPP. 9. PTI leader Hammad Azhar said all protests on Sunday were postponed and that only peaceful protests will be held outside the offices of the Returning Officers (ROs) where the results were changed. "Such suspicious reports have been received from all over Punjab," he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. The politician warned party workers and supporters to stay "wary of elements that attempt vandalism or arson". ALSO READ: Rigged elections in Pakistan: What's next for the near-failed state? 10. Pakistan's army chief said on Sunday, Political leadership and their workers should rise above self-interests and synergise efforts in governing and serving the people, which is perhaps the only way to make democracy functional and purposeful." The statement was issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), which seems to endorse political efforts towards forming a coalition among various political actors, Dawn reported. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) official website is blocked in Pakistan, according to media reports. On their official X handle, PTI accused the government of compromising the website, while numerous users reported being unable to access it. In a post on X, PTI tagged Federal Minister of IT & Telecom, Umar Saif and asked why PTI's website is blocked in Pakistan Dear @umarsaif , why is PTIs website blocked in Pakistan!" Pakistan Election Results 2024 LIVE In a post on X, Jibran Ilyas said, "PTIs Official Website is blocked in Pakistan illegally so we are posting our Form 45 compilations on Google Drive. Dear @umarsaif & @PTAofficialpk, hope you wont dare to block Google now!" The final tally shows independents mostly backed by Pakistan ex-PM Imran Khan won 101 of 264 seats, whereas ex-PM Nawaz Sharif won 75 out of 264 seats, Reuters reported citing website data. Earlier in the day, His statements came after Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Asim Munir stated that the nation needs stable hands and a healing touch to move on from the politics of anarchy and polarization." Furthermore, petitions have flooded the courts in Pakistan, predominantly from candidates supported by imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan's PTI party, who are contesting the outcomes of Thursday's general elections on allegations of rigging. Also Read: Pakistan election turmoil deepens as Imran Khan's party calls for protests The Lahore High Court (LHC) received the majority of these petitions, while two PTI-backed candidates approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to challenge the results. Furthermore, at least three petitions were lodged in the Sindh High Court (SHC). The Election Commission has yet to release the complete election results. Independent candidates endorsed by Khan's PTI secured the largest portion, winning 102 seats in the National Assembly (NA) during the election. Following them was the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led by former Prime Minister Sharif with 74 seats, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) with 54 seats, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) with 17 seats, and 12 seats distributed among smaller parties. This tally is based on the announcement of results for 259 seats out of the total 265 by the election commission. Also Read: Pakistan Election 2024: Imran Khan's PTI calls for nationwide protest amid delay in poll results | Top 10 updates In Lahore, the wins of former three-time Prime Minister Sharif, his daughter Maryam, and former Defence Minister Khawaja Asif have been contested. Petitioners argue that they emerged victorious against their opponents based on Form 45, the primary source of election results at the grassroots level, which was provided to them. However, in their absence, their triumphs were purportedly transformed into defeats in Form 47, which is a compilation of Form 45 from each polling station. Candidates have been accused of collusion in the manipulation of election outcomes and are demanding that the results in Form 47 be aligned with those in Form 45. Also Read: Pakistan Election Result: From Pakistan Army, Nawaz Sharif, Imran Khan to rigging claims | 20 riveting things to know Coincidentally, on Saturday, the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN), an independent organization overseeing Pakistan's elections, also underscored several discrepancies in the recent polls. It pointed out that presiding officers at 29% of the polling stations failed to provide Form 45 to observers, highlighting a significant lapse in the process. (With inputs from PTI) Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has published his tax document summary, showing that he paid more than 508,308 as his total income rose to 2.23 million last year, 13% up from the previous year. The British prime minister also realized 1.8 million profit from his investment in a US fund. Sunaks effective tax rate was 23%, lower than the top rate of 45%, due to some income being taxed at source in the US and the capital gains tax rate being 20%. He also earned 139,477 from his MP and prime ministerial salaries, a sum that made up just 7% of his total income. Additionally, he received a 276,218 dividend and 17,189 in interest on savings and investment fund in the US. According to the summary provided by Sunaks accountants, those investments were held under a blind management arrangement", which meant he did not receive the gains as income but had to pay tax on them nevertheless. Reacting to the release the Trades Union Congress (TUC) posted on X (formerly known as Twitter): It really is a mystery why Rishi Sunak raised income tax but not capital gains tax." (Bloomberg) -- Donald Trump said that war between Ukraine and Russia must end, reiterating his disapproval for sending more aid overseas as the Senate seeks to move forward with a package to provide emergency funding for Ukraine and Israel. We got to get that war settled and Ill get it settled," Trump, the Republican front-runner for the 2024 presidential nomination, said at a campaign rally Saturday in Conway, South Carolina. He called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy the greatest salesman in history" and sought to suggest that the US could be out hundreds of billions of dollars" if Ukraine made a deal with Russia which invaded the country two years ago and all of a sudden they dont want to deal with us anymore." Trumps possible return to the White House is increasingly a factor in Ukraines war to reclaim Russian-occupied territory after a counteroffensive faltered, he fell out with his top military commander and US military aid got stuck in Congress. Zelenskiy said this month I want to believe and hope" that political changes in the US wouldnt mean an end to aid for Ukraine. Trump raised Ukraine only briefly as he pursued his campaign to deliver a knockout blow to Nikki Haley, his last major Republican challenger, on her home turf. It was his first visit to South Carolina since his victory in New Hampshires primary in January. Polls show Trump in a commanding position in South Carolina, two weeks before the Republican primary on Feb. 24. He leads Haley by 31 percentage points in the RealClearPolitics average of state GOP polls. Trump in recent weeks has consolidated his hold on the GOP, successfully pressuring lawmakers to abandon a bipartisan border deal, pushing out the head of the Republican National Committee in favor of a hand-picked successor and warning donors to unite behind him. As he closes in on the nomination following wins in Iowa, New Hampshire and this week in the Nevada caucus, Trump and his allies have pressured Haley to exit the race. Haleys aides have said she intends to stay in the contest through South Carolina and Super Tuesday next month, when more than a dozen states vote. Haley is staking her campaign on a strong showing in the state where she was born and served two terms as governor. The former US ambassador to the United Nations has the support of prominent Wall Street executives but has been unable to translate that into a win in the GOP contest. Shes spent recent weeks on a fundraising blitz that has taken her to California, Florida and New York seeking to court wealthy donors for the funding necessary to stay in the GOP race. Read more: Trump Tightens Grasp on Republican Party as He Nears Nomination Haley and Trump have stepped up attacks on each other, with the former president questioning why his onetime ambassador is still running. Trump on Thursday told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida that Haleys decision to stay in the race hurts the party and, in a way, hurts the country." Haley has questioned Trumps mental competency following recent gaffes, including comments where he confused her with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and highlighting his myriad legal challenges as a mounting distraction. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Amid growing concerns about Russian aggression and regional security, the Republican Party, led by Former US President Donald Trump, is increasingly adopting a stance of disengagement. Trump has expressed doubts regarding aid to Ukraine and has been critical of NATO, often arguing that it is unfair for the United States to be obligated to defend other members of the 31-nation alliance. On Saturday, he took his stance further, stating that he would encourage" Russia to attack any member nation that had not fulfilled its financial obligations. Recalling an unspecified NATO meeting, Trump recounted a conversation with another head of state. However, he did not mention any name. Also Read: Trump Says Ukraine War Must End as Senate Advances Aid Package "One of the presidents of a big country stood up and said, 'Well, sir, if we don't pay, and we're attacked by Russia, will you protect us?' I said, 'You didn't pay, you're delinquent?'" No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You got to pay. You got to pay your bills." Trump's remarks coincide with comments made by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg amid increasing requests for shells, ammunition, and other military assistance from Ukraine as it continues to combat Russian forces into its third year. Additionally, Western leaders have intensified calls for more substantial support. Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Joe Biden urged US lawmakers on Friday to endorse a long-awaited military aid package for Ukraine, cautioning that Kyiv would struggle to fend off Russia's invasion without it, AFP reported. Also Read: Russia planning to attack NATO? President Vladimir Putin says 'no reason to...' Stoltenberg said, "NATO does not seek war with Russia, but we need to brace ourselves for potentially decades of confrontation," adding, "We monitor closely what Russia does and we have increased our presence in the eastern part of the alliance." If Putin wins in Ukraine, there is no guarantee that Russian aggression will not spread further. So supporting Ukraine now and investing in NATO's own capabilities is our best defence," Stoltenberg further noted. Washington, having provided Ukraine with over $110 billion in aid since Russia's invasion in February 2022, has indicated its reluctance to engage in discussions on Putin's terms. Also Read: India capable of countering Chinese aggression, refuses to join NATO, says S Jaishankar NATO defence ministers are scheduled to convene in Brussels on February 15, just one week before the second anniversary of Russia's offensive in Ukraine. A significant aspect of the discussions will be a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. Earlier, in an interview with an American journalist since the period before Russia invaded Ukraine nearly two years ago, Putin remarked that Western leaders had recognized the impossibility of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia and were now pondering their next steps. However, Putin showed no inclination towards attacking Poland. When queried about the possibility of sending Russian troops to Poland, a NATO member, Putin responded, Only in one scenario: if Poland attacks Russia." Earlier in January during the inauguration of a World War II memorial, Putin had said that in a number of European countries, Russophobia is promoted as state policy." (With inputs from agencies) Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Democrats have been reassuring themselves that President Bidens cognitive decline is no obstacle to his re-election, but perhaps this week will be a tipping point. Special counsel Robert Hurs report about the Presidents failure to recall basic facts of his life and Mr. Bidens multiplying public lapses are ample reason for urging him to withdraw from the 2024 race. *** Mr. Hurs account of his five-hour interview with Mr. Biden opened a rare window on the President in private. His account exposed what many Americans have suspected based on Mr. Bidens many public misstatements and faltering physical presence. He couldnt recall which years he was Vice President or even when his son Beau died. He said an ally in the Obama Administrations debate over Afghanistan was on the opposite side. Democrats are raging against Mr. Hur, but they should be grateful. Mr. Bidens mental frailty is one reason Mr. Hur offered for not presenting the Presidents document-mishandling as a criminal offense before a jury. His report is also forcing Democrats to confront the political reality that Mr. Bidens decline could re-elect Donald Trump. Mr. Biden compounded the damage with his performance in a rare 13-minute press appearance at the White House on Thursday night. He was angry and snappish. Worse, he confused Egypts President with Mexicos in relation to Gaza, of all places. He also created a problem for Egypts President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi by saying he had to be persuaded to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza. This followed Mr. Bidens confusion in recent days over the names of German Chancellors and French Presidents he had spoken to. These episodes are more frequent, and they are typical of someone with a failing short-term memory. Episodes and names from the past fill the void of recent events he cant recall. Such decline is part of the human condition, and its not Mr. Bidens fault. But what is his fault is telling the American people that he can capably serve another four years as President. The fault also lies with those in the White House covering for him. He rarely gives one-on-one media interviews. He declined the typically softball affair of the traditional pre-Super Bowl interview. The White House staff doesnt trust him to make a sustained public case on critical issues such as aid to Ukraine or Israel. Mr. Bidens public appearances are typically scripted. And when they arent, Mr. Biden tends to confuse a Mitterrand with a Macron, or a Kohl with a Merkel. The voters can see this, which is why even most Democrats tell pollsters they doubt Mr. Biden is up to another term. A majority of Americans in the latest Harvard CAPS-Harris poll say a vote for Mr. Biden this year is really a vote for President Kamala Harris because Mr. Biden wont make it through another four years. This is dangerous politically for Democrats, but its also a grave risk for the country. The world is as dangerous as its been since the 1930s, with U.S. adversaries on the march. This would be challenging for a young, vigorous leader. Its perilous for a President who will be 82 years old before a second inauguration and who is already showing visible signs of failing memory and lapsed concentration. *** The ritual Democratic response to date has been that there is no alternative: Mr. Biden wants to run again, his wife, Jill, also wants him to run, and no one can stop him. But thats only true if no one tries. So far only Rep. Dean Phillips has dared to speak the truth, but the politics would change if others began to say in public what they say in private. A Biden renomination isnt assured until a formal vote at the Democratic convention in Chicago in August. Theres not enough time for other candidates to get on enough primary ballots. But if Mr. Biden were to announce his retirement after a single term and free his delegates to vote their conscience, there would be a wide open race for the nomination. Ms. Harris would run, but she wouldnt have a free path. Expect others such as California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to get in. They would compete not in a national primary campaign but for the votes of 3,934 convention delegates. The left would try to nominate one of its own, but most Democratic delegates understand power well enough to want to win. Its possible they could rally behind a rising Democratic star like Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro. The attention of the world would be on the Democratic race, with genuine political excitement. Republicans would have a far more difficult challenge than beating an old man with a 40% approval rating. *** Easing out an incumbent President carries risks, but hardly more than pretending that voters will ignore what they can plainly see. The main question is whether Democrats who can make a difference will continue to ignore reality, fingers-crossed, and pray that Mr. Biden doesnt have an even larger pratfall in the next nine months. Forts are back in fashion. Ukraines counter-offensive last year was stymied by the so-called Surovikin line: a sprawling array of Russian minefields, trenches, anti-tank obstacles and old-fashioned barbed wire, among other impediments. As Ukrainian forces slowed down to clear mines, bridge ditches and bulldoze obstacles, they were observed by drones and hit with a hail of anti-tank missiles and suicide drones. So uncharted was this territory that Valery Zaluzhny, then Ukraines top general, asked his staff to dig out Breaching Fortified Defence Lines", a book by a Soviet major-general. It was published in 1941. View Full Image ... NATO armies have been taking notes. In January the defence ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania announced that they would build a string of anti-mobility defensive installations" along their border with Russia and Belarus, collectively known as the Baltic Defence Line. Fortification measures have played a significant role in wars in our region in history," says Susan Lillevali, an Estonian defence official, pointing to the example of the Soviet-Finnish war. We have also studied the Russian war in Ukraine," adds Lieutenant-Colonel Kaido Tiitus, a commander in the Estonian Defence League, a volunteer organisation. Our main lesson is that we need to find a way to stop the advance of Russian armoured units." The Baltic states will not have been assured by the promise, made by Vladimir Putin in an interview on February 8th with the former Fox News journalist Tucker Carlson, that he had no plans to invade the Baltics, Poland or anywhere else beyond Ukraine. Estonian officials estimate their stretch of the border will need around 600 concrete bunkers, each 35 square metres, each capable of holding around ten soldiers and taking a hit from a large shell. Prototype bunkers are being developed and construction is expected to start next year, at a cost of around 60m ($65m). The aim is not to create an impregnable fortress but to slow invaders, wear them down and buy time to bring up reinforcements. If Latvia and Lithuania were to build bunkers at a similar density, they would need 1,116 bunkers and 2,758 respectively, calculates Lukas Milevski, an expert at Leiden University in the Netherlands. The catch is not military engineering but democratic consent. The most important part is agreement with landowners," says Ms Lillevali, noting that most of the borderlands are privately owned. She says there has been little sign of pushback from Russian-speaking minorities in the area. Locals may be reassured by the fact that the armed forces do not plan to store explosives near the strongholds in peacetime, nor install anti-personnel landmines, which are illegal under the Ottawa Treaty. An effort in Estonias parliament last year to withdraw from that treaty made little progress. The appeal of fortifications is easy to see. European officials worry that Russias breakneck rearmament is outpacing Europes own effort to ramp up arms production. Baltic leaders have emphasised that even small Russian advances could be existentially threatening to their states. It cannot be ruled out that within a three to five year period, Russia will test Article 5 and NATOs solidarity," warned Troels Lund Poulsen, Denmarks defence minister, on February 9th. That was not Natos assessment in 2023. This is new information that is coming to the fore now." In light of this febrile mood, the Baltic Defence Line is both a military statement and a political one. But Russias successful defence has also prompted a wider rethink. Russian fortifications in southern and eastern Ukraine were the most extensive defensive works in Europe since the second world war, according to analysis by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, an American think-tank. They are probably rivalled only by the minefields and obstacles on the inter-Korean border. In November Volodymr Zelensky, Ukraines president, urged his commanders to accelerate the construction of defences in the east. Poland, too, is building up fortifications and shelters along its border with Russia and Belarus, an ally of the Kremlin. This throws up a dilemma. NATO armies have long preferred a more elastic defence in depth, in which forces retreat as needed and destroy the enemy on more favourable terrain. That is incompatible with defending every inch of NATO soil. But with an operationally static defence", observes Mr Milevski, its much more of an imperative to ensure that the blow, when it comes, is as weak as possible". That puts a much greater emphasis on using heavy firepower to strike deep behind Russian lines to wear down the attacking force and break up its command and logistics. In short: heavy bombardment of Russian soil. Western political leaders," he warns, may be squeamish about such attacks." 2023, The Economist Newspaper Limited. All rights reserved. From The Economist, published under licence. The original content can be found on www.economist.com Russian President Vladimir Putins lengthy European history lesson, presented during a two-hour interview with Tucker Carlson a few days ago, may have seemed arcane to many viewers. But as Putin recounted events of centuries past and trotted out 17th-century documents, he was expounding on deeply held views about the past, many widely disputed by historians, that have driven him to launch the continents bloodiest conflict since World War II. Putins obsession with the history of Ukraine and the Slavic peoples is far from new. In 2008, as Putin sat down with then-U.S. Ambassador William Burns, now the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, he was blunt in expressing his vision. Dont you know that Ukraine is not even a real country?" the Russian president asked, according to Burns. Putins moves sincefrom his initial invasion of Ukraine in 2014 and the annexation of Crimea to the full-scale war Moscow launched in 2022all stem from this conviction. The country Putin keeps dismissing as artificial" has been fiercely resisting Moscows attempts to end its independence for nearly two years, regaining half of the initially occupied territory. Putins historical views arent unique to him. They have deep roots in the Russian Empires historical narrative that predates the 1917 Russian Revolution. The very name Ukraine and the printing of books and newspapers in Ukrainian were illegal in Russia at the time, with Ukrainians officially called little Russians." The Russian president, according to Western intelligence officials, spent an inordinate amount of time during the Covid pandemic poring over historical texts. The result was a treatise, On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians," that was published in July 2021 and read out to every member of the Russian armed forces ahead of the invasion. Putins long-winded and often factually erroneous explanations in the first half-hour of the Carlson interview essentially repeated the main talking points of that documentthough often with some even more extreme modifications and additional historical revisionism, such as saying that Hitler had no choice but to invade Poland in 1939 and trigger World War II. While this fixation on events of centuries past might seem bizarre, the issue of Ukrainian identity is core to Russias own foundational mythand therefore, its current politics. Both Putin and the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, are named after the Grand Prince of Kyiv who, in 988, converted to Christianity and baptized his state, Kyiv Rus, which encompassed large parts of todays Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. (Moscow was founded more than a century after his death.) Shortly after annexing Ukraines Crimean Peninsula (where the Grand Princes conversion occurred) in 2014, Putin ordered the construction of a giant statue of Prince VladimirVolodymyr to Ukrainiansjust outside the Kremlin. The inconvenient fact that Kyiv today is the capital of a foreign country undermines Russias vision of itself as the true heir of Kyiv Russ glories, with a historic right to all lands once ruled by Kyivs princes. In Putins telling, Ukrainian identity is an early 20th-century invention of Russias foe, the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The idea that people residing in that territory were allegedly not really Russians, but rather belonged to a special ethnic group, Ukrainians, started being propagated by the Austrian General Staff," he told Carlson. Parts of Ukraine under Austrian rule at the time, such as the city of Lviv, indeed became centers of Ukrainian intellectual lifebut only because writers, historians and poets from Kyiv had to seek refuge there as Russia outlawed the use of Ukrainian. In 1847, Ukraines national poet, Taras Shevchenko, was detained for writing patriotic poems and sent as a forcibly conscripted soldier to Central Asia. He was allowed to return to Ukraine more than a decade later, only to be rearrested. Putin, who once spoke about reading Shevchenko in Ukrainian as a student, no longer mentions him in his version of history, as doing so would acknowledge that Ukrainian literature predates the supposed intrigues of the Austro-Hungarian General Staff. In the meeting with Carlson, Putin also handed over copies of letters from Bohdan Khmelnytsky, whom he described as the man who controlled the power in this part of Russian lands that is now called Ukraine." Khmelnytskys title was hetman, or duke, of Ukraineas attested in many portraits from his time. Recognizing that the name Ukraine has been used for centuries, however, is taboo in Putins Russia. In May last year, the chairman of Russias constitutional court, Valery Zorkin, obsequiously handed over to Putin a 17th-century map that had been found in the courts archives. Why did I bring it?" Zorkin said. Because it doesnt show any Ukraine." Putin was pleased as he examined the map, explaining once again how Ukraine only came into being as a result of the Russian Revolution in 1917. Soviet authorities created a Soviet Ukraine. Everyone knows it well. Before that, there wasnt any Ukraine in the history of mankind," he beamed. The map shown by Zorkin in May is well-known and exists in many copies. Right below Kyiv, the map bears an inscription: Ukraine: The Country of Cossacks." Write to Yaroslav Trofimov at yaroslav.trofimov@wsj.com If you want to understand how desperately Israelis and Palestinians need peace, consider what would become of them in a state of perpetual war. Against a vastly superior Israeli army, the Palestinians most powerful weapon would remain the death and suffering of their own people. Israels fate would be woeful, too, if it wants to be a flourishing, modern democracy. If Israel permanently relies on its army to subjugate the Palestinians, it would become an apartheid-enforcing pariah. Israelis carrying out daily acts of oppression punctuated by rounds of killing would themselves be corrupted. For two peoples locked in a violent embrace, peace is the only deliverance. But how to get there? Israelis are still reeling from the rape and murder of October 7th; Palestinians are watching the mangled bodies of women and children pile up in Gaza. Amid the carnage, outsiders urging of peace seems naive. Besides, jaded Palestinians and Israelis see endless talks as a mechanism for delaying peace, not forging it. Negotiators in the past have thrashed out almost every imaginable permutation of land swaps and security arrangements. All failed. And yet something changed after October 7th. Israels strategy of marginalising the Palestinians and their dreams is broken. Both sides have a chance to find new leaders with a new vision. And after years of neglect, outsiders may be ready to help, crucially including a group of Arab countries. They must not fall into the trap of thinking that peace requires sweating the detail yet again. Success depends on the two sides wanting peace andmuch harderbelieving in it. If the fighting is to make any sense it must lead to peace, which means two nations living side by side. Israels bombardment has killed over 16,000 Palestinians, including Hamas fighters. Although some Palestinians have been radicalised by that and the daily humiliations of occupation, many detest Hamas and its unwinnable wars and would live with Israel if they could prosper. So long as the men with guns do not get in their way, those people will seek peace. Israel, too, needs a new strategy. The old one failed to fulfil the states basic promise to create a land safe for Jews; 1,400 people were killed or kidnapped by Hamas, hundreds of thousands more have been evacuated. Peace also requires new leaders, because the present ones are discredited. In Israel Binyamin Netanyahu is an obstacle to a genuine reconciliation, the sooner he goes the better. America could usefully signal that it expects Israel to hold elections soon. Polls suggest that he will be replaced by Benny Gantz, a former general who understands the toll of war. Mr Gantz has not endorsed a Palestinian state, but neither has he ruled one out. New Palestinian leadership is needed, too. Hamas is an avowed enemy of peace: for as long as it runs Gaza, Palestinian pledges to embrace peace will not be believable. On the West Bank, Mahmoud Abbas, who runs the Palestinian Authority (PA), is corrupt, ossified and lacks any democratic legitimacy. Amid the rubble of war, Gaza will need time to rebuild and re-establish some kind of stable administration. Moderate Arab countries should sponsor a transitional Palestinian leadership for the West Bank and Gaza that can begin building trust among its own people and, vitally, with the Israelis, before holding elections. By running both Gaza and the West Bank, it would become a more credible partner for peace. That leads to the process. The Oslo accords, marked in 1993 with a wary handshake on the White House lawn, left the hardest details until last. Every inch of progress had to be wrung out of the two sides. This sapped belief that success was possible. A new process must make early progress. Both sides will have to take on their own extremists, who would sabotage coexistence. The PA must shut down armed groups, foil terrorists and tackle corruption. Boosting the economy demands numerous agreements with Israel over trade, utilities and work permits. Palestinians need to know they are gaining freedoms and rights. Land swaps can wait, but Israel should deal with the settlements too deep in the West Bank ever to be part of Israel. It must start policing them and stop them from expanding further. It needs to be clear that the 100,000 or so settlers who live in them will eventually have to move or come under Palestinian rule. This is too hard for the Israelis and Palestinians to do on their own, so the outside world must be involved. Under Oslo, America was the sponsor, but it struggled to exert pressure on Israel, which can muster formidable support in Congress. This time, the Arab world should play a decisive role. Under the Abraham accords, negotiated during the Trump administration, several countries recognised Israel. That was part of a vision for the Middle East based around trade and prosperity rather than ideology. Their money will be required to rebuild Gaza. Their soldiers can help provide security when Israel leaves the strip, which should happen as early as possible. If they work together, they can starve Hamas of money and shelter, diverting funds to reconstruction instead. Their heft can give a transitional Palestinian leader diplomatic cover while he establishes himself and his administration. The key is early pressure exerted by America and Saudi Arabia on Israel and the Palestinians. The PA argues that peace could be kick-started if America and the European Union sent Israel a signal by recognising a Palestinian state upfrontan idea endorsed by Spain, which holds the EU presidency. America should fulfil its promise to open a diplomatic mission for the Palestinians in Jerusalem. But full recognition of Palestine by the West and of Israel by Saudi Arabia should be held out as rewards for the future, as an incentive for progress. Time for that is short. Israels anti-Palestinian right will remain strong. Once this government falls, the next may have only a single term to rekindle Israelis faith that peace is possible. In the PA a new leader will face enemies who got fat under todays rotten system. Whatever remains of Hamas will seek to wreck peace, as will Iran and its proxies, who thrive on chaos and strife. The Biden administration may be willing to press Israel; a Trump administration might not. If permanent war is not to ruin two nations, Israelis, Palestinians and all who cherish them must seize the moment. Rajya Sabha's last day of Budget Session witnessed a war of words between Vice President of India and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar and leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge. The debate arose when Congress MPs questioned the Vice-President for giving the floor to RLD's Jayant Singh to speak on the government decision to confer the Bharat Ratna on his grandfather and former prime minister Chaudhary Charan Singh. Late former Prime Ministers Chaudhary Charan Singh and Narasimha Rao, BJP stalwart and former deputy PM LK Advani, the harbinger of India's Green Revolution, MS Swaminathan, and late two-time Bihar Chief Minister and a champion of social justice, Dr Karpoori Thakur, will be conferred with the country's highest civilian honour later this year. Jagdeep Dhankhar said he was deeply "hurt" by the behaviour of Mallikarjun Kharge and hinted that the entire episode pained him more than the death of his young son, while also hitting out at Congress MP Jairam Ramesh claiming that he is not fit to be a member of the Upper House because of this misconduct. Trouble started when Jagdeep Dhankhar called Jayant Singh to speak soon after the House met for the day. The Congress MPs claimed that neither did the chairman indicate when he was giving the floor to Jayant Singh nor did the business papers of the House list any statement by anyone on the government's decision to confer the Bharat Ratna on former prime ministers PV Narasimha Rao and Chaudhary Charan Singh and agricultural scientist MS Swaminathan. During this time, Jairam Ramesh made certain remarks and asked Jayant Singh where he wanted to go, in an indirect reference to his Rashtriya Lok Dal's align with the Bharatiya Janata Party for the Lok Sabha elections. This angered Jagdeep Dhankhar. He termed Jairam Ramesh unfit to be in the House. Later, after the discussion on the government's white paper on the economy, Jagdeep Dhankhar slammed Jairam Ramesh and condemned his behaviour. "I heard what Jairam Ramesh said to Jayant...you (Ramesh) are a person who can feast at the cremation ground," he said after the initial ruckus. "It is a matter of fact that you (Ramesh) do not deserve to be part of this House for this misconduct," the Rajya Sabha chairman said. Amid protest by Congress MPs, Jagdeep Dhankhar allowed Mallikarjun Kharge to speak. Mallikarjun Kharge said there was no debate on the Centre's decision to honour leaders with India's highest civilian award. "I salute everyone. But if a member wants to raise an issue, you (chairman) ask 'under which rule'. (I want to know) under which rule he (Jayant Singh) has been allowed to speak Give permission to us also. On one side you talk about rules...you have discretion...that discretion should be used judiciously and not as and when you want," the leader of Opposition said. To this, Jagdeep Dhankhar reacted and accused Congress leaders of insulting Chaudhary Charan Singh and his legacy. Jagdeep Dhankhar then read out a notice he had received from Jayant Singh to speak for a couple of minutes and allowed the RLD MP to complete his submission. "It was a painful day for me today. I seek your protection. It becomes hard sometimes to follow a dignified path With pain, I bring to your notice one subject for pondering... I want to share and discuss one important matter with you," he later said. The chairman added that the behaviour was "unexpected", "shameful" and "painful". "Chaudhary Charan Singh does not belong to one family but since his grandson is a member of the House, it is a matter of pride for us. The conduct that I saw and you saw too was unprecedented, offensive and painful. The conduct of some members was so petty that I was ashamed. Many thoughts crossed my mind; one was of resignation too," Jagdeep Dhankhar said in the House. "I am deeply pained. Don't forget, in the process, the kind of language used against me by the Leader of Opposition. I come from the farmers' community; that doesn't mean that I am weak. I have tolerated a lot, " Dhankahar added. Vice-president Jagdeep Dhankhar said, I lost my grownup son. But today's pain (was more) when Jayant Chaudhary was speaking, what was Jairam Ramesh saying?" Saturday was the last day of the Budget Session, which was also the last session of the 17th Lok Sabha, before the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Acharya Pramod Krishnam criticized Congress leadership for declining the invitation to the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Shri Ram Lalla in Ayodhya. After being ousted from the Congress due to his anti-party remarks," Acharya Pramod Krishnam stated on Sunday that there can be no compromise on Ram and the nation. In a Hindi post on the X platform, Krishnam tagged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, affirming, There can be no compromise on Ram and the nation." According to an official statement issued on Saturday, Acharya Pramod Krishnam was expelled from the party for six years due to indiscipline and making anti-party remarks. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge decided on Saturday following a proposal from the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee to dismiss him from the party. Expelled Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam said, I do not want to say anything, at 1:00 pm at Kalki Dham I will hold a press conference and say whatever I want to there." Acharya Pramod Krishnam's expulsion comes on the heels of being scrutinised by his party due to his public statements criticizing the decision of Congress leaders - national president Kharge, former presidents Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi - to decline the invitation to the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of Shri Ram Lalla in Ayodhya on January 22. Also Read: Congress expels Acharya Pramod Krishnam, who said party is preparing for 2029 Lok Sabha polls. Who is he? He has also openly criticized his party's high command for what he perceives as inadequacies in its preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and the disorder and increasing differences within the Opposition bloc in INDIA. He added, Lord Rama was also sent to 'Vanvaas' (exile) for 14 years since I am Ram devotee, I want the Congress party should expel me for 14 years instead of 6 years." Meanwhile, he has praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bringing the decades-old Ram Temple movement to a decisive conclusion. Also Read: Preparing for 2029 Lok Sabha polls: Acharya Pramod Krishnam as Rahul Gandhi's Nyay Yatra enters Bihar In an earlier interview with ANI, Acharya Krishnam expressed, Ram sabke hain (Lord Ram belongs to everyone). All that I would say is that turning down the invitation to the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony was unfortunate." Earlier, on January 29, Acharya Krishnam also mocked Rahul Gandhi's ongoing Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, suggesting that while all other political parties are preparing for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress appeared to be preparing for the "2029 elections". Following the exit of Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar from the Congress-led INDIA bloc, rejoining the BJP-led NDA, the recently expelled Congress leader declared that the Opposition alliance is now defunct. Also Read: Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam says party hates Ram; Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma replies my sympathies "I believe there is no such thing as INDIA any more. The alliance contracted multiple serious ailments and afflictions at birth. Then it slipped into the ICU and ventilator. Eventually, it was Nitish Kumar (one of the key architects of the Bloc) who performed its last rights in Patna. I don't think it exists any longer," Acharya Krishnam said. (With inputs from ANI) Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to formulate Bharatiya Janata Party's strategy for the Lok Sabha polls 2024 during his meetings with the party leaders in Karnataka on Sunday, president of state unit of BJP, B Y Vijayendra said. Vijayendra also said the meeting is likely to discuss facing the polls together with alliance partner Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)), with proper coordination between workers and leaders of both parties at the ground level. Seat sharing with the regional party may also deliberated on. Amit Shah arrived in the "palace city" early today and is scheduled to take part in meetings with Karnataka BJP core committee members and leaders of BJP's Mysuru cluster later in the day. The Union Minister is also expected to visit Sutturu near here to attend Sutturu Jathra (fair) and visit Chamundeshwari temple on Chamundi hills. Karnataka BJP president said that the meeting will see participation of 120 leaders from Mysuru, Mandya, Hassan and Chamarajanagar Lok Sabha constituencies. Also there is a meeting with state BJP core committee, where discussions will be held on the strategy for upcoming Lok Sabha polls." Addressing reporters, Vijayendra said, as BJP and JD(S) will be facing the election in coalition, it has to be ensured that there are no issues between the workers of both parties at the ground level, and the meeting will focus on this too. The BJP will strategise with an aim to win each constituency and seek the guidance of Amit Shah, who is known as election Chanakya, said Vijayendra. The BJP and JD(S) have forged an alliance and decided to fight the upcoming general elections together in Karnataka. Seat sharing parleys are on between the two parties. BJP had won 26 of the total 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, including Sumalatha Ambareesh, an independent supported by the party from Mandya, in the 2019 polls. The Congress and the JD(S) had secured one seat each. To a question regarding the first such meeting of the BJP ahead of Lok Sabha polls being held in Mysuru, which is the home district of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the state BJP chief said there is nothing special about it, and the BJP and JD(S) are strategising to win all the constituencies in the state. He said that other than being Chief Minister's home district, Mysuru is the stronghold of BJP, as people have been supporting the party in the Lok Sabha polls. "In Chamarajanagara constituency, we will have to find a new candidate with senior leader Srinivas Prasad (sitting MP) announcing political retirement and strategise to win the seat." "In Mandya, under changed circumstances, we have heard discussions in the media about JD(S) asking for the seat, but no official discussions have taken place, all this will be discussed in today's meetings." Vijayendra, when asked about Sumalatha Ambareesh pitching for Mandya seat and what would be the party decision on the matter, said the Delhi leadership of the party will take a call on it. Discussions are on in Delhi, we don't have information about it and what's on the mind of the party's national president (J P Nadda)." Sumalatha Ambareesh had recently called on Nadda, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior BJP leaders in Delhi. Hitting out at Congress for organising the "My Tax, My Right" campaign in Karnataka alleging injustice by the central government in tax devolution and grants to the state, during Shah's visit, the BJP state president alleged that it was being done to 'cover up' the state Congress government's failures." (With PTI inputs) Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said on Sunday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is awarding Bharat Ratna "to whoever comes to his mind". He alleged that PM Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) "needs vote in Bihar and that's why Bharat Ratna has been awarded to Karpoori Thakur (former chief minister of Bihar)". The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief, however, clarified that he doesn't mean "whoever has been conferred with the Bharat Ratna is wrong". ...now the BJP wants votes in the Lok Sabha polls from Bihar so announced the Bharat Ratna for him posthumously. I am happy his (Thakur's) work is being acknowledged after so many years," Thackeray was quoted by PTI as saying. "Earlier there were rules on how many Bharat Ratna could be awarded and to whom and when they could be awarded. PM Narendra Modi is awarding it to whoever comes to his mind, "Thackeray was quoted by ANI as saying Thackeray added that the BJP announced Dr S Swaminathan's name for the Bharat Ratna but has failed to implement the recommendation made by a commission headed by him on increasing farm income. "People can see through this hollowness," Thackeray claimed. This year, the Centre announced Bharat Ratna - the country's highest civilian award - for former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh, PV Narasimha Rao, agricultural scientist MS Swaminathan and Karpoori Thakur posthumously, as well as veteran BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani. At five, this is the maximum number of Bharat Ratna announced for a year. Four Bharat Ratna awards were announced in 1999. Several political leaders cutting across party lines welcomed the announcement of Bharat Ratna for PV Narasimha Rao, Chaudhary Charan Singh and MS Swaminathan on Friday and said they deserved the honour. Janata Dal (United) MP Rajeev Ranjan Singh described the recipients of the country's highest civilian honour as "gems" of India. "They are gems of India who have been given Bharat Ratna. Not just the three names announced today, Karpuri Thakur and L K Advani, whose names were announced some days ago, all of them are gems," Ranjan was quoted by PTI as saying. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! The floor test of the new Bihar government is set to take place in the assembly on Monday, February 12. The new state government is led by the coalition of Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) (HAMS). Earlier, Nitish Kumar was part of the Mahagathbandhan. However, he left that alliance to take oath for the record ninth time as the Bihar chief minister on January 28 this time with the BJP's support. ALSO READ: Nitish Kumar's first reaction after resigning as Bihar CM: 'I left INDIA alliance...' Kumar's new cabinet will now have to go through a trust vote to prove that it has the support of the majority of the MLAs in the Bihar Assembly. But, what are the chances of Nitish Kumar winning this trust vote? Let's take a look at what numbers in the state assembly currently show: Party How many MLAs it has in Bihar Assembly JDU 45 BJP 78 Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) 79 HAM(S) 4 Congress 19 CPI(ML)(L) 12 CPI(M) 2 CPI 2 AIMIM 1 Independent 1 (Data source: vidhansabha.bih.nic.in) Now, Nitish Kumar, who joined the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) last month, needs the support of at least 122 MLAs in the 243-member Bihar Assembly to remain the CM. So, as per the calculation, there are a total of 128 MLAs are part of the JDU-NDA alliance as of now. These include MLAs from the JD(U), the BJP and the HAM(S). One among them is an Independent MLA. With 128 MLAs in support, Nitish Kumar's government comfortably crosses the majority mark. So, if all these MLAs continue to support the Nitish Kumar's government, then the CM will comfortably win the trust vote. ALSO READ: Why Nitish Kumar left INDIA bloc to rejoin BJP-led NDA Meanwhile, the Opposition Mahagathbandhan has a total of 114 MLAs in its favour eight short of the majority mark of 122. The Mahagathbandhan includes MLAs from the RJD, Congress, CPI(ML), CPI(M) and CPI. Political parties rush to 'keep the flock together' To thwart any poaching attempt by the NDA, RJD MLAs have been camping at former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav's residence since Saturday night. The Congress has announced its intention to contest all Lok Sabha seats in Punjab after talks with the Aam Aadmi Party fell through. The assertion came mere hours after the Arvind Kejriwal -led party said it would be fighting the polls solo in the nothern state and neighbouring Chandigarh. Leaders from both parties however reiterated their commitment towards the INDIA bloc in spite of recent developments. Mallikarjun Kharge has also said today and our party has also said to make preparations on all 13 seats. Our state unit president and LoP have been saying from the beginning that we will contest all on (Lok Sabha seats of Punjab)..." said Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla on Sunday evening. I have been saying this since a year ago that we are the main opposition... and we are capable of fighting elections on our own and today this has been proven..." added Punjab Leader of Opposition and Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa. Meanwhile the AAP insisted in a recent statement that local units of both parties were in favour of fighting the elections separately in Punjab. The announcement dealt a fresh blow to the increasingly shaky Opposition alliance the latest in a string of political separations. AAP has been unilaterally announcing its Lok Sabha candidates for different states despite being a constituent of the INDIA bloc. Earlier this week, the party declared Lok Sabha candidates for three seats in Assam while expressing dissatisfaction over lingering seat-sharing talks with the Congress. Prior to that Kejriwal had named Chaitar Vasava as the AAP candidate in the Bharuch Lok Sabha seat during his visit to Gujarat in January. Party leaders however said talks were underway in other states. The Kejriwal-led grouping had earlier called for an alliance with the Congress in Delhi, Gujarat, Goa and Haryana. (With inputs from agencies) Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! With the Lok Sabha elections just weeks away, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is clearly in a pole position with the possibility of a record third term. Nearly every second urban Indian (47%) identifies with the ruling party, according to the 11th round of the biannual YouGov-Mint-CPR Millennial Survey held in December 2023. This is the highest support level the BJP has ever recorded in this survey since 2019, jumping from 39% in the previous round in mid-2023. The Oppositions challenge seems to have fizzled out even before the race started. The Congress remains a distant second, with its support base hovering around 11%. The Aam Aadmi Partys national footprint, which had become visible in the survey after its victory in the Punjab elections in early 2022, is fading out. The BJPs gains, in that sense, are largely a result of a shrinking support base for other parties. The prevalence of those who do not identify with any party at all is also declining. The online survey had 12,544 respondents across over 200 cities and towns. Around 44% of the respondents were born after 1996, and 40% were born between 1981 and 1996. Mint conducts the survey in association with survey partner YouGov India and Delhi-based think-tank Centre for Policy Research (CPR), aiming to examine the aspirations, anxieties and attitudes of Indias digital natives. Widening base The support for the BJP showed an upward trend across groups, most notably in the lower socio-economic strata, such as those from historically subjugated castes, low-income families, and non-metro cities. This indicates a broadening of the party's social base. The BJP gained around 10 percentage points among some of these groups: the support level increased from 30% to 40% among those from the scheduled castes, from 26% to 36% among those from scheduled tribes, and from 44% to 54% among those living in Tier-II cities. Among men, the support crossed the halfway mark to reach 52% from 42% earlier, while among women, it increased from 36% to 42%. Among post-millennials, the support level increased from 35% to 44%. When asked for their prime ministerial choices, 53% of the respondents picked the incumbent, Narendra Modia sharp increase from 40% in mid-2023. The fact that Modis popularity was more than that of his party suggests appeal across party lines. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was again a distant second with 15% support, while other prominent leaders such as Yogi Adityanath, Arvind Kejriwal, Mamata Banerjee, Nitish Kumar and Amit Shah lost support further and were in single digits. High ratings These trends are also clear from how Indians assess the Modi governments performance. Around 35% viewed both of its terms as equally good", whereas 22% rated the second term higher: that means a majority, including many for whom the BJP is not the top-preferred party, found something to cheer about in the last five years. Just 12% said both terms were equally bad", and 22% picked the first term as the better one. The survey also asked respondents how satisfied they were with the governments work on specific issues. Roughly 70% expressed satisfaction with the governments hosting of the G20 summit in September 2023; nearly as many were satisfied with the government for keeping terrorist strikes at bay. Two-thirds gave a thumbs-up to the work on the Ram temple in Ayodhya, 63% were satisfied with the passage of the long-pending bill to reserve seats for women in legislatures, and 60% expressed satisfaction with the handling of border issues with China. In each case, the issue-specific support for the government exceeded the support the BJP had for itself. Beleaguered Opposition Meanwhile, the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), a large coalition of Opposition parties aiming to defeat the BJP, was seen in dismal terms. Around 32% of the respondents expressed doubt over its ability to pose an effective challenge to the BJP in the elections, and 18% said the coalition might even disintegrate before that. (The survey took place before the Janata Dal (United) exited the alliance.) That means half of the respondents expressed scepticism about the alliances prospects. Just 29% were optimistic, while the rest (21%) had not even heard about it. Even among the respondents who identified with the parties in the INDIA coalition, 45% were doubtful about its success (and 37% were optimistic). Among supporters of the BJP and its allies, 60% were doubtful. The survey suggests a growing divide not only between the fortunes of the ruling party and the Opposition, but also between the Opposition and the general public. This underscores the soaring popularity of the prime minister, and places the ruling party in a formidable position leading into the upcoming polls. (The authors are associated with CPR, New Delhi.) This is the first part of a series about the findings of the 11th round of the survey. The next part, later this week, will dissect political views on specific issues that have dominated the discourse in recent years. Note that these surveys are skewed towards urban well-to-do netizens, with 89% respondents falling under the NCCS-A socio-economic category of consumers. Full methodology note here. Part 2: The political hot potatoes on which urban India disagrees with the BJP Part 3: The news sources that Indians will trust and distrust this poll season Part 4: Revdi or genuine welfare? India gives its verdict Part 5: Indian politics is becoming increasingly partisan. We have the data to prove it. Part 6: Shades of pessimism ahead of a heated election season Also read: Marking five years of the millennial survey For years, Ive written about the tools that tech companies offer up when parents and lawmakers complain that their apps arent safe for children. In the past five years or so, the major players have rolled out software to give parents more say over when kids can use devices and services and what shows up on their screens. But these tools are optional and often buried, and sometimes broken. Most parents dont use them, according to a poll conducted last year by the market research firm Ipsos. Do parents just need more awareness about the tools? Or should tech companies take on more responsibility to protect young people? Facing political pressure, the social-media platforms are building in protections for underage users, and they should continue doing more. Parents need to look to conversations, not controls, to ensure their kids arent meeting harm online. Its time to reframe the discussionand why I wont be recommending parental controls going forward. What went wrong? Think about this: Tech companies expect parents to have the time and skills to dig into their kids apps. Every app the child uses has different controls and defaults, so it can be confusing and cumbersome. Apple promised a one-stop-shop solution with its Screen Time settings, but that has proven unreliable. When setting time limits and restricting apps and adult content, there have been problems syncing changes across devices. Apple has said its working to fix these. Young people have been harmed by social media in a variety of ways. In addition to the self-harm and eating-disorder content that has gotten a lot of attention in recent Senate hearings and in The Wall Street Journal, there are new dangers cropping up all the time: Criminals posing as young girls online are now extorting money from teenage boys. Mark Zuckerbergwho, as co-founder of Facebook and the man atop Meta Platforms, rules over a swath of the social landscapeapologized in person to parents of social-media abuse victims at a January hearing. He told senators that Meta has introduced more than 30 different tools and features to help parents and teens. On Instagram, for instance, comments and messages that contain triggering words and phrases can be hidden. As a Meta spokeswoman confirmed, the company also has added default protections to provide age-appropriate experiences. Its true, platforms without parental controls can present even more dangers to young users. But when kids get older, its more important to educate them about the realities out there. When they become teens, parental controls become ineffective," says Stephen Balkam, founder of the nonprofit Family Online Safety Institute. What tech companies should do Social-media feeds dont have age-based ratings like movies or videogames. And theres no equivalent of the built-in parental consent that comes with buying a movie ticket or a game download. Some social-media companies have brought default protections to teen accountsteen" denoted by the stated birth date of the account holder. Meta last month said it plans to automatically restrict teen Instagram and Facebook accounts from seeing harmful content, including videos and posts about suicide, graphic violence and eating disorders. Also last month, Instagram turned off teens ability to receive direct messages from people they dont know or have no connection to on the app. Since 2021, it has blocked direct messages from people ages 20 and older whom teens dont follow, so this adds protection from other strangerseither fellow teens or people who created accounts to pose as teens. TikTok, which doesnt allow direct messaging for users under 16, last year added a tool to help parents filter out videos containing words or hashtags they dont want their kids to see. Even though no one under 13 is permitted to have a social-media account, its an honor code, and it isnt policed. Several states have proposed or passed laws requiring social-media companies to verify users ages and obtain parental permission to create accounts. But there isnt currently a system that can do so without raising privacy concerns. What parents should do Parents cant expect teens to set their own safety settings: Many teens dont know where to begin. In a late-2021 survey of teens and young adults by FOSI, only 56% of respondents said they knew about the settings social-media apps had to offer; the rest werent aware of any safety tools. Balkam recommends shifting from helicopter parenting to what he calls co-pilot parenting." Sitting with your teens and going over the safety settings on their apps help them anticipate the dangers they might face. Balkam adds that when parents and teens work together to devise a set of tech rulesand the consequences for breaking themteens are more likely to abide by them. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a similar approach. It says parental restrictions and monitoring stifle teens ability to solve problems. A number of studies have shown that using parental controls can undermine teen autonomy and harm the parent-child relationship. The AAP suggests parents and teens work together to define family guidelines for tech use and to develop strategies for what to do when they encounter disturbing content. The organization offers a customizable family media plan to help you get started. In my house, we have one major rule: No devices in bedrooms at night. Teaching good tech habits requires repetitionand allowing kids to learn the natural consequences of their actions. If I go to bed earlier than my 13-year-old son, I remind him to get off the screens and go to bed at a decent hour (translation: no later than 10 p.m.). On the few weeknights he stayed up too late, he woke up groggy and had to struggle through the school day. For Family & Tech columns, advice and answers to your most pressing family-related technology questions, sign up for my newsletter. Write to Julie Jargon at Julie.Jargon@wsj.com Thailand SET Poised for Growth Amid Deepening Ties with China Strengthening Relations: Thailands deepening economic and diplomatic ties with China signal positive growth prospects for the Thailand Stock Exchange (SET), driven by robust trade agreements and investment initiatives between the two nations. Key Player in BRI: Thailands strategic location and participation in Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) present lucrative opportunities for infrastructure investments, including ports, railways, and energy facilities, poised to stimulate economic growth and sectoral demand. Economic Integration: Bilateral trade and investment between Thailand and China are on the rise, with China emerging as one of Thailands largest trading partners and foreign investors. The implementation of the RCEP further strengthens economic integration, enhancing market access and trade opportunities. Tourism Boost: Cultural and diplomatic exchanges between Thailand and China promote tourism, with Chinese visitors contributing significantly to Thailands tourism sector. This influx of tourists is expected to benefit businesses in the tourism industry and drive growth in the Thai stock market. Investor-Friendly Policies: Thailands efforts to attract foreign investment and implement business-friendly policies bolster investor confidence in the SET. Government initiatives aimed at enhancing competitiveness and supporting innovation create a conducive environment for both domestic and foreign investors. Resilience Amid Challenges: Thailands resilience in navigating global challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, underscores its attractiveness as an investment destination. Swift government responses and effective containment measures have paved the way for a robust recovery, instilling confidence in the Thailand SET. Bright Outlook: With supportive government policies, growing infrastructure investments, and increasing trade and investment flows, the outlook for the Thailand SET remains bright. Capitalizing on its strategic partnership with China, Thailand is poised to drive sustainable economic growth in the foreseeable future. Investors looking to tap into the potential of the Thailand market may find ample opportunities for growth and profitability as Thailand deepens its relations with China and leverages bilateral cooperation to fuel economic expansion. If you are interested in gaining exposure to the Thailand SET and capitalizing on the growth opportunities arising from the deepening relations between Thailand and China, consider reaching out to Knightsbridge Law. With expertise in navigating international markets and a focus on delivering tailored investment solutions, Knightsbridge Law can assist investors in accessing the Thailand market and maximizing their investment potential. Contact Knightsbridge Law today to explore your options and embark on your investment journey in Thailand. As Thailand continues to strengthen its economic and diplomatic relations with China, the outlook for the Thailand Stock Exchange (SET) appears increasingly positive. The burgeoning partnership between the two nations, characterized by robust trade agreements, infrastructure projects, and investment initiatives, is expected to bolster Thailands economy and consequently drive growth in its stock market. Thailands strategic location, coupled with its well-established infrastructure and diverse economy, positions it as a key player in Chinas ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Through this initiative, China aims to enhance connectivity and foster economic cooperation across Asia and beyond. Thailands participation in the BRI opens up opportunities for significant investments in infrastructure projects such as ports, railways, and energy facilities, which are poised to stimulate economic growth and drive demand across various sectors. Moreover, the deepening economic ties between Thailand and China extend beyond infrastructure development. Both countries have been actively engaged in enhancing bilateral trade and investment, with China emerging as one of Thailands largest trading partners and foreign investors. The implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the worlds largest trade pact, further solidifies the economic integration between Thailand and China, paving the way for increased market access and trade opportunities. In addition to economic cooperation, Thailand and China have been fostering cultural and diplomatic exchanges, strengthening people-to-people ties and promoting tourism between the two nations. As Chinese tourists continue to flock to Thailand, contributing significantly to the countrys tourism sector, businesses catering to the tourism industry are expected to benefit, further driving growth in the Thai stock market. The positive outlook for the Thailand SET amid deepening relations with China is also supported by Thailands ongoing efforts to attract foreign investment and promote business-friendly policies. The governments initiatives to enhance competitiveness, streamline regulations, and support innovation are conducive to fostering a conducive environment for both domestic and foreign investors, instilling confidence in the countrys economic prospects. Furthermore, Thailands resilience and adaptability in navigating global challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, underscore its attractiveness as an investment destination. The governments swift response and effective containment measures have helped mitigate the impact of the pandemic on the economy, paving the way for a robust recovery and fostering investor confidence in the Thailand SET. In conclusion, as Thailand deepens its relations with China and capitalizes on the opportunities arising from bilateral cooperation, the outlook for the Thailand SET remains bright. With supportive government policies, growing infrastructure investments, and increasing trade and investment flows, Thailand is well-positioned to capitalize on its strategic partnership with China and drive sustainable economic growth in the years to come. Investors keen on tapping into the potential of the Thailand market may find ample opportunities for growth and profitability in the evolving landscape of Thailand-China relations. The infrastructure and transport links between China and Thailand play a pivotal role in facilitating economic cooperation and connectivity between the two nations. Here are some key points highlighting their significance: Railway Projects: One of the most notable infrastructure projects linking China and Thailand is the construction of the China-Thailand Railway. This high-speed rail network aims to connect Kunming in Chinas Yunnan Province with Bangkok, Thailands capital, through Laos. Once completed, the railway will enhance trade and passenger transportation efficiency between the two countries and promote regional economic integration. Ports and Maritime Connectivity: China and Thailand have also been investing in port development and maritime connectivity initiatives. Thailands strategic location along key maritime routes makes it an important partner for Chinas Maritime Silk Road initiative under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Port projects, such as the expansion of Laem Chabang Port in Thailand, aim to bolster maritime trade and facilitate smoother cargo flows between the two countries and beyond. Road Infrastructure: Improvements in road infrastructure, including highways and border crossings, have been prioritized to facilitate cross-border trade and transportation. The construction and upgrading of highways linking Chinas southwestern provinces to Thailands northern regions aim to enhance connectivity for both trade and tourism. Air Connectivity: Enhanced air connectivity through direct flights between major cities in China and Thailand has contributed to the growth of tourism and business travel. Both countries have seen an increase in flight routes and passenger volumes, facilitating closer ties and economic exchanges. Energy Infrastructure: Collaboration in energy infrastructure, including the development of pipelines and power transmission projects, contributes to energy security and supports economic development initiatives. Projects such as the construction of natural gas pipelines aim to diversify energy sources and meet growing demand in both countries. Overall, the infrastructure and transport links between China and Thailand serve as vital arteries for economic cooperation, trade facilitation, and regional integration. Continued investments and collaborations in these areas are expected to further strengthen bilateral ties and unlock new opportunities for mutual growth and prosperity. Thailand and China maintain a multifaceted political relationship characterized by diplomatic cooperation, economic partnership, and strategic engagement. Here are some key aspects of their political relations: Diplomatic Ties: Thailand and China established diplomatic relations in 1975, marking the beginning of formal diplomatic engagement between the two nations. Over the years, they have maintained regular high-level exchanges, including visits by heads of state and government officials, to strengthen bilateral ties and address shared challenges. Strategic Partnership: Both countries have designated their relationship as a comprehensive strategic partnership, signifying the depth and breadth of their cooperation across various domains. This partnership encompasses political dialogue, defense cooperation, economic collaboration, and cultural exchanges aimed at fostering mutual understanding and friendship. Regional Cooperation: Thailand and China are active participants in regional organizations and frameworks such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) mechanism. Through these platforms, they engage in dialogue and cooperation on regional issues, including economic development, security, and environmental protection. Economic Collaboration: Economic ties between Thailand and China have expanded significantly in recent years, with China emerging as one of Thailands largest trading partners and investors. Bilateral trade volumes have grown steadily, driven by robust demand for Thai exports, investment flows, and infrastructure projects supported by Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Infrastructure Development: Chinas involvement in infrastructure projects in Thailand, such as railway construction, port development, and energy infrastructure, has contributed to closer economic integration and connectivity between the two countries. These projects serve as tangible symbols of their political and economic cooperation. Cultural Exchanges: Cultural diplomacy plays a vital role in Thailand-China relations, with both countries actively promoting cultural exchanges, educational cooperation, and people-to-people ties. Programs such as student exchanges, cultural festivals, and language learning initiatives foster mutual understanding and strengthen social bonds between their peoples. Challenges and Disputes: While Thailand and China enjoy strong political relations, they also face occasional challenges and disputes, particularly regarding issues such as territorial claims in the South China Sea and concerns over environmental impact and sovereignty related to infrastructure projects. However, both sides have demonstrated a commitment to resolving differences through dialogue and peaceful means. Overall, the political relations between Thailand and China are characterized by a mix of cooperation, strategic alignment, and occasional challenges. Their enduring partnership continues to evolve and adapt to changing regional and global dynamics, reflecting the importance of their bilateral relationship in the Asia-Pacific region. Shayne Heffernan You are here: Business China's outbound investment rose steadily last year, according to the Ministry of Commerce. A worker assembles a component at Sany's lighthouse factory in Bekasi, Indonesia, in August, 2023. [Photo/China Daily] China's non-financial outbound direct investment (ODI) increased 16.7 percent year-on-year to 916.99 billion yuan in 2023. In US dollar terms, ODI totaled $130.13 billion in this period, up 11.4 percent from a year earlier. Non-financial ODI in countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative came in at 224.09 billion yuan last year, an increase of 28.4 percent year-on-year. The turnover of contracted projects overseas grew 8.8 percent year-on-year to 1.13 trillion yuan in 2023, the ministry said. If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom. The Essex County District Attorneys Office has identified the woman killed in a two-car rollover crash on I-95 in Georgetown Saturday morning as 45-year-old Nichole Rodgers. The crash happened around 11:15 a.m. near the Route 113 ramp when an SUV and a sedan collided, authorities said previously. The crash caused the SUV to rollover, and Rodgers and a 52-year-old Peabody man were thrown from the vehicle. Rodgers, a Georgetown resident, was taken to a hospital in an ambulance and later died of her injuries, authorities said previously. The Peabody man was flown to a Boston hospital with life-threatening injuries. It is unclear what condition he is in as of Sunday evening. The third and final person in the SUV was a 5-year-old girl, authorities said previously. She was taken to a New Hampshire hospital with minor injuries, along with the driver of the sedan. It is unclear what condition they are in as of Sunday evening. The driver was the only person in the sedan at the time of the crash, but first responders found the cars airbags fully deployed, authorities said previously. As of Sunday afternoon, no charges had been filed, but Massachusetts State Police said they were still investigating the cause of the crash. A jury has found a Lexington psychiatrist guilty of charges related to selling patients non-FDA-approved drugs used to treat addiction disorders over the course of a decade, according to the Massachusetts U.S. Attorneys Office. On Friday, 66-year-old Rahim Shafa was convicted of international money laundering, illegally importing merchandise contrary to law and receiving and delivering misbranded drugs, the U.S. Attorneys office said in a press release. The guilty verdict was the result of a two-week trial that followed two grand jury indictments of Shafa, one in August 2020 and second superseding one in June 2021. Shafa owned and operated a psychiatry practice called Novel Psychopharmacology, according to the U.S. Attorneys office. From approximately January 2008 to January 2018, he was part of an international money laundering scheme that allowed him to buy naltrexone pellet implants, disulfiram pellet implants and disulfiram injections from Hong Kong. The FDA has approved the use of certain forms of naltrexone and disulfiram as treatment for alcohol and opioid addition disorders, the U.S. Attorneys office said. However, the implantable pellet form of these drugs is not among the FDA-approved treatments. Shafa falsified shipping documents to hide the fact that he was having these drugs shipped to him from Hong Kong, the U.S. Attorneys office said. For example, packages containing naltrexone pellet implants were falsely declared as plastic beads in plastic tubes. Shafa sold these drugs to his patients and implanted them into their bodies without informing the patients of the full risks of the drugs, the U.S. Attorneys office said. Patients testified at trial that the implants resulted in infections and other health complications. For roughly a decade, this defendant manipulated and exploited our healthcare system. He circumvented the FDA approval process for drugs from overseas systems established to protect and support public health and safety, Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy said in the release. This conduct jeopardized patient safety and undermined the very foundation of our regulatory system. Shafa is set to be sentenced in federal court on May 15, the U.S. Attorneys office said. The charges provide for a total possible sentence of up to 41 years in prison, up to six years of supervised release and a fine of up to $501,000. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection dog sniffed out something unusual in luggage from a traveler returning from Africa mummified monkeys. The unidentified passenger returning from a visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo reported that the luggage contained dried fish, but an inspection at Boston Logan Airport revealed dead and dehydrated bodies of four monkeys, agents said. Raw or minimally processed meat from wild animals, sometimes referred to as bushmeat, is banned in the U.S. because of the threat of disease. The potential dangers posed by bringing bushmeat into the United States are real. Bushmeat can carry germs that can cause illness, including the Ebola virus, said Julio Caravia, local port director for Customs and Border Protection. The incident happened last month but was made public on Friday. Ryan Bissette, a CPB spokesperson, said Sunday that no charges were filed but all of the luggage was seized and the nearly 9 pounds of bushmeat were marked for destruction by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. MassLive recently asked readers to identify people who are leaders from the LGBTQ+ community throughout the state, working to make a difference in their own area of interest, be it politics, education, business or the arts. Profiles of these leaders will be published through the rest of February. These are people our readers have identified as inspirational, who may be doing good acts for their communities. They are being recognized for their accomplishments, leadership and commitment to inspire change. Chastity Bowick (Dom Sanchez photo)Courtesy of Chastity Bowick Chastity Bowick Age: 38 Community: Lives in Dorchester; works statewide Her Story: Chastity Bowick currently provides education, training and awareness through her own company, Chastity`s Consulting & Talent Group, she told MassLive. This work is important as it gives a voice to the voiceless who are trapped in a cycle of oppression placed upon them by society, Bowick said. She also brings extensive advocacy experience to the table, with 13 years spent as a health advocate for transgender individuals, and more time as a housing advocate and activist fighting for basic human rights for underserved communities, she told MassLive. Bowick spent seven years leading the Transgender Emergency Fund of Massachusetts, a Boston-based organization that provides assistance for low-income and homeless transgender people across the state. There, she played a a crucial role in the opening of the first transgender-only transitional house in New England, she said. Bowicks experience as a survivor of homelessness, sexual abuse, and sex work gave me a greater understanding of how I want to be of service to others. Since I was lucky enough to make it out of the cycle of oppression I was in, I felt obligated to pay it forward to those who are still stuck in that cycle of oppression. In her words: Do this work for the greater good of others who may not be able to advocate for themselves. This work is empowerful, impactful, and draining so remember to take care of yourself. You cant save everyone, all you can do is what you can with the resources your provided. If you dont have enough resources, fight for more or create your own! Were always open to hearing about more inspiring people. If youd like to suggest someone else who should be recognized, please fill out this form. A noreaster thats expected to hit Massachusetts Monday night could dump up to a foot of snow in most of the state throughout the night and during the day on Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. The weather service has issued a winter storm watch for the entire state from 1 a.m. Tuesday to 1 a.m. Wednesday, minus Berkshire County, whose watch is only in effect until 7 p.m. Tuesday. The storm will make both the morning and evening commutes treacherous on Tuesday, though the morning commute will be more impacted, National Weather Service forecaster Alan Dunham told MassLive Sunday morning. The noreaster is expected to reach southwestern Massachusetts first as early as 11 p.m. Monday, and travel north, hitting Greater Boston between 2 and 3 a.m. Tuesday morning, he said. It will likely begin to lessen around 3 p.m. Tuesday, but isnt expected to wrap up entirely until around 8 p.m. This noreaster is expected to gain strength as it passes southeast of Massachusetts, which is why the snow total predictions are higher for this storm than for other recent ones, Dunham said. Even though its a relatively fast-moving storm, the fact that its gaining strength means well have full-on periods of northeast winds that will bring in moisture off the ocean, he said. Mass. snow total predictions Most areas of the state are predicted to get 8 inches to a foot of snow during the snowstorm, with the exception of southeastern Massachusetts, according to the weather service. Communities around Route 44 in Bristol and Plymouth counties are expected to receive 6 to 8 inches of snow, while the South Coast could see 4 to 6 inches. Additionally, parts of the Cape may get only 3 to 4 inches of snow, Marthas Vineyard could see only 2 to 3 inches and Nantucket is only expected to receive 1, according to the weather service. On the other end of the spectrum, the highest elevations in the southern Berkshires are predicted to get a foot to 18 inches of snow. Most of Massachusetts could get up to a foot of snow overnight Monday and during the day Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.National Weather Service Strong wind gusts But snow isnt the only hazard Bay Staters should watch out for during this storm. While southeastern Massachusetts wont be battling as much snow, high winds could wreak havoc. The weather service has issued a high wind watch for the Cape and Islands from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday. Winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 60 mph could blow down trees and power lines, causing power outages and making travel difficult for tall vehicles. Nantucket is expected to experience the strongest winds, with gusts up to 65 mph, while the Cape and Marthas Vineyard could see gusts between 50 and 60 mph, according to the weather service. Additionally, the South Coast and lower half of the South Shore may experience gusts between 45 and 50 mph. Southeastern Massachusetts could see wind gusts up to 60 mph during a nor'easter that's expected to hit the state Monday night, according to the National Weather Service.National Weather Service Coastal flooding This noreaster is also expected to lead to coastal flooding. The weather service has issued a coastal flood watch for the entire east coast of Massachusetts and the whole of the Cape from 12 to 5 p.m. Tuesday. The snowstorm is expected to cause 1-2 feet of inundation above ground level in low-lying areas near shorelines and tidal waterways, according to the weather service. Some vulnerable coastal roads become impassable around high tide, and splash-over and debris may wash onto them when large waves occur. The weather service warns drivers not to navigate around barricades or through water of unknown depth as the flooding occurs. Additionally, home and business owners are advised to take action to protect flood-prone property. Coastal flooding is expected to be an issue during a nor'easter that is predicted to reach Massachusetts overnight Monday, according to the National Weather Service.National Weather Service Temperatures this week Prior to the storm, Massachusetts is expected to see a warm and partly cloudy Sunday with highs in the mid- to high-40s in most of the state, according to the weather service. Lows overnight are predicted to be in the high-20s and low-30s before leading into a day of similar warmth and clearer skies on Monday. As the storm hits Monday night, lows are expected to reach the upper-20s and low-30s, while Tuesdays predicted highs are in the lower-30s, according to the weather service. The lows Tuesday and Wednesday night are expected to be in the upper teens, and Wednesday and Thursday are predicted to be clear with highs in the low-30s. Read more: Springfield road clearing is a numbers game and city is losing that with lack of plow drivers After the noreaster, the next time Massachusetts may see some snow is on Friday, beginning in the early morning amid overnight lows in the upper teens and low-20s, according to the weather service. Most areas of the state have a 30 to 40% chance of snow Friday during the day as temperatures reach the mid-30s, but Dunham said this precipitation will be nothing compared to the storm earlier in the week. A woman died as a result of a two-car rollover crash on I-95 in Georgetown Saturday morning, according to Massachusetts State Police. The victim was a 45-year-old Georgetown resident who died after she was brought to Anna Jaques Hospital in Newburyport following the crash, state police spokesperson Dave Procopio said in an email to MassLive. A 52-year-old man from Peabody was also flown to Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston with life-threatening injuries. A 5-year-old girl was a passenger in one of the vehicles, but her injuries were minor, Procopio said. She was taken to Portsmouth Regional Medical Center in New Hampshire. Authorities were called to the crash near the Route 133 ramp shortly after 11:15 a.m. on Saturday, Procopio said. First responders soon found that an SUV had rolled onto its roof after crashing with a sedan, and that two people had been thrown from the SUV, the Georgetown Fire Department said in a press release. One person who was ejected from the vehicle was flown to a local hospital, while the other was taken to a hospital in an ambulance and later died, the fire department said. Those two people have now been identified as the Peabody man and the Georgetown woman, respectively. The driver of the sedan and the third and final person who was in the SUV who has now been identified as the 5-year-old girl were taken by ambulance to a local hospital, the fire department said. No one else was in the sedan, but its airbags deployed fully as a result of the crash. Read more: Toddler brought to hospital after Framingham carbon monoxide incident State police are still investigating the crash, Procopio said. As of Sunday afternoon, no charges had been filed and no further information about the crash including the victims name had been released. A carbon monoxide incident at a Framingham apartment complex Saturday morning resulted in a toddler being taken to a hospital, according to the citys fire department. Firefighters were called to 5 and 7 Georgetown Drive around 9 a.m. by the activation of multiple carbon monoxide alarms at the complex, the Framingham Fire Department said in a press release. There, they found that a malfunctioning exhaust pipe had caused very high levels of the dangerous gas to seep into the building. A toddler was taken to a hospital, but it is unclear if the child was injured or what their current condition is. The buildings residents evacuated their homes, but were able to return around 1 p.m. when firefighters finished ventilating the building, the department said. The buildings boiler has been shut down and will remain so until its repaired, the department said. The building wont have hot water or heat under the boiler is fixed. Taylor Swift has arrived in Las Vegas. The 14-time Grammy award winner wrapped up the first leg of her 2024 Eras Tour after four shows in Tokyo on Saturday before flying back to the United States in time for Super Bowl LVIII so she can cheer on the Kansas City Chiefs and her boyfriend, Travis Kelce. Many wondered whether Swift would be able to make it back from Japan in time for Sundays game. But the time difference made is possible with plenty of time to spare. The 34-year-old landed in Los Angeles on Saturday, and took a quick flight to Las Vegas on Sunday. BetMGM BET $5, GET $158! BONUS BETS CLAIM OFFER Promo code: MASS158 STATES: MA, KY, AZ, CO, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MD, MI, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA. Visit BetMGM.com for Terms and Conditions. 21 years of age or older to wager. MA Only. New Customer Offer. All promotions are subject to qualification and eligibility requirements. Rewards issued as non-withdrawable bonus bets. Bonus bets expire 7 days from issuance. In Partnership with MGM Springfield. Play it smart from the start with GameSense. GameSenseMA.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org. Swift arrived with rapper Ice Spice and actress Blake Lively. Cameras caught Swift introducing Ice Spice to Jason Kelce in their suite. Swift, who announced a new album will drop in April, has been dating Kelce since mid-2023. Shes made several appearances at Chiefs games since their relationship went public, and opened up about supporting Kelce as well as the criticism shes received for being shown during games in an interview with TIME Magazine. Im just there to support Travis, TIMEs 2023 Person of the Year said. I have no awareness of if Im being shown too much and pissing off a few dads, Brads, and Chads. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters during the week that the Taylor Swift effect is good for the league because it, it creates a buzz, another group of young fans. Springfield Bishop William Byrne, Thursdays keynote speaker at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C., sounded a warning. Catholics are duty-bound by baptism to participate in the liturgical life of the church, Byrne said, making a reference to recent remarks by Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Again, I would like to respond to a recent submission (Whats Case Against Trump? Case Against Biden Is Clear, Jan. 29, The Westfield News) that criticized President Biden in relation to Afghanistan, Israel and Hamas, Iran and its proxies, and Russia and Ukraine. First, the author criticized the hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan. It was a debacle, but the decision to withdraw was the correct one. The U.S. was there for 20 years, and nothing changed. The Afghan government was corrupt. The Afghan Army was an army in name only. Most Afghans viewed us as foreign invaders. Our original mission was to destroy Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda. In this endeavor, we were successful. However, the mission morphed into nation-building, which was doomed to failure. Moreover, it was the Trump administration, in the Doha agreement, that negotiated a May 1, 2021, withdrawal date with the Taliban. Energy company Chariots CEO Adonis Pouroulis will speak at the upcoming Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2024 forum (https://apo-opa.co/3OCXgI6) in Paris on May 14-15, 2024. Pouroulis is expected to discuss Chariots role in driving transitional gas, power and green hydrogen projects across Africa in support of the energy transition, and further opportunities for global investors in these strategic areas. Chariot along with joint venture partner Total Eren is driving the development of Mauritanias 10 GW Project Nour, set to be one of the largest green hydrogen and green ammonia projects of its kind by 2030. Meanwhile, the companys flagship Anchois gas project in Morocco featuring total recoverable resources over one trillion cubic feet represents a high-value gas appraisal and development project with profound implications for Moroccos energy self-sufficiency and exporter ambitions. Organized by Energy Capital & Power, IAE 2024 is an exclusive forum designed to foster collaboration between European investors and African energy markets. Taking place on May 14-15, 2024, in Paris, the event offers delegates two days of intensive engagement with industry experts, project developers, investors and policymakers. For more information, please visit www.Invest-Africa-Energy.com. Actively contributing to Africas decarbonized future, Chariot is also advancing a 15 MW solar PV project to supply renewable power to a gold mine in Burkina Faso, along with a 40 MW solar project with a platinum mine in South Africa and 430 MW solar and wind project in Zambia. Chariots pioneering developments will be unpacked further at IAE 2024, connecting European and global investors with Africas leading energy projects. Chariots efforts to drive Africas green hydrogen industry, as well as position natural gas as a transition fuel, aligns closely with Africas commitment to bring low-emission and low-cost energy to its populations. The companys transformation into a dynamic player in Africas sustainable energy landscape affirms its commitment to our continents energy future, says Sandra Jeque, Event and Project Director at Energy Capital & Power, organizers of the IAE 2024 forum. Motorola Solutions and Google Cloud announced a strategic, multi-year agreement that will focus on innovating cloud solutions across Motorola Solutions safety and security technologies. With Google Clouds infrastructure, Motorola Solutions will prioritize the advancement of assistive intelligence, including highly accurate and reliable video content delivery, mapping and AI capabilities, to help address real-world safety challenges. From communities to businesses, our customers rely on us to help create a safer future, said Mahesh Saptharishi, executive vice president and chief technology officer of Motorola Solutions. This collaboration will leverage the power of sensors, data and AI to help make safety and security more accessible and actionable. Motorola Solutions expects to deploy the newly developed capabilities across its rapidly growing cloud security solutions, including Avigilon Alta, an entirely cloud-native video suite that enables enterprise security for organizations of all sizes. Whether its enabling better protection for schools, identifying unusual activity at businesses or more effectively securing large-scale events, real-time visibility and awareness are foundational for both public safety and enterprise security outcomes, Saptharishi said. Motorola Solutions has long demonstrated leadership in innovating the technologies that safeguard communities and enterprises, said Will Grannis, vice president and chief technology officer of Google Cloud. Together we will channel our latest cloud advancements to support Motorola Solutions sharpened focus on safety and security innovations via the cloud. The African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) has launched the Remote, Appraisal, Supervision, Monitoring, and Evaluation (RASME) initiative in Tunis to strengthen the supervision of development projects using cutting-edge processes. RASME, a collaborative effort between the Bank Group, the World Banks Geo-Enabling for Monitoring and Supervision initiative, and KoBoToolbox , provides real-time digital data-gathering tools that enable the Bank, its clients and development partners to prepare projects effectively, report on their progress and evaluate impact transparently. Mohamed El Azizi, African Development Bank Director General for North Africa, and Tarek Bouhlel, Director General of Cooperation in the Tunisian Ministry of Economy and Planning, led the launch event, attended by representatives of the public and private sectors. Todays launch celebrates the success of a cooperation that enhances development efficiency for the benefit of the populations we serve, thanks to cutting-edge technology. We are proud of this partnership in such a strategic area for the country, said El Azizi. Bouhlel highlighted the initiatives significance. This solution holds strategic importance for Tunisia. We are all aware of the importance of having reliable and accessible data to ensure effective and efficient project management. Decision-making will be easier to accelerate the realization of our development priorities. RASMEs rollout in Tunisia includes a training, communication, and change management program. Over four days, more than 70 project managers representing the Bank and public institutions will be trained to collect and process operational data in various digital formats, including photos, videos, audio, and maps, using mobile devices and computers. Over the last roughly 50 years, the partnership between the African Development Bank and Tunisia has covered projects in energy, water, transportation, agriculture, social development, and information and communication technology. A CASTLEBAR councillor is calling for a total county-wide ban on election posters erected on poles saying they have had their day and it is time to scrap them. Fine Gael councillor Ger Deere has placed a motion to be discussed at Monday's February meeting of Mayo County Council where he is calling for a 'ban the erection of pole posters for upcoming referendums and elections throughout the County'. Cllr Deere said that not only are the posters unsightly but they are also a health and safety hazard and in the age of social media he believes there is no advantage in having them to get elected. I think something needs to be done to ban posters altogether. It is not just the environmental reasons but also health and safety particularly during storms when they are blown down on top of cars and on people. They had their day. I know they created an atmosphere around elections but with modern social media you don't need them. You don't need posters to get yourself elected. You need to be on the ground working hard with people and I think it is time we took a stance on it, he told The Mayo News. Castlebar councillor Ger Deere is calling for a ban on election posters around Mayo Erecting posters of election candidates on poles and lampposts has been a mainstay of electioneering in Ireland for decades but in recent years there has been calls for them to be scrapped. Election posters have not been seen in Westport town for a number of years after local candidates agreed to end the practice. Last month, Westport councillor Christy Hyland said that the local ban on posters should be extended to the rest of the electoral area. Election posters are considered to be exempted from development and can be erected without permission but they have to be taken down within seven days of the poll. When he was a member of Castlebar Town Council, Cllr Deere put down a similar motion to ban election posters in the town but he did not receive the support. He explained he was unsure if he will receive sufficient support at Monday's meeting but feels that time is right to start a conversation on banning them. I have a feeling that we will be told [by council management] that because of legislation we cannot do this as a group. If that is the case I think we need to get onto other councils around the country to get the conversation moving. If a lot of councils did it and we get onto our national legislators I think there could be a consensus for it. But I have a feeling it will be watered down this time but we need to keep it going and if I am elected the next time I will keep this going until something is done nationally on it, he explained. by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, February 11, 2024 Siding against the California Chamber of Commerce, an appellate court ruled Friday that state Attorney General Rob Bonta can immediately enforce new privacy regulations. The decision reversed a ruling by Sacramento County Superior Court Judge James Arguelles, who granted the business group's request to delay enforcement until March 29, 2024. Those regulations -- which were initially proposed in 2022 and finalized on March 29, 2023 -- specify how businesses must comply with California's 2018 Privacy Protection Act and the 2020 Consumer Privacy Rights Act (also known as Proposition 24). The two measures, taken together, give consumers the right to tell companies not to share or sell their information for a host of purposes, including online behavioral advertising. The regulations were initially slated for enforcement on July 1, 2023, but the state Chamber of Commerce sought a postponement, arguing that companies were entitled to a 12-month period to come into compliance. advertisement advertisement The group pointed to language in the Consumer Privacy Rights Act specifying that regulations would be effective one year after they were finalized. Arguelles agreed with the business group and barred immediate enforcement. The California Privacy Protection Agency appealed to the 3rd District Court of Appeal, arguing that although Proposition 24 sets out deadlines, it does not explicitly require a one-year grace period. A three-judge appellate panel sided with the privacy agency, with Justice Elena Duarte writing that the text of Proposition 24 shows voters intended to strengthen and protect consumers privacy rights regarding the collection and use (including sale) of their personal information and that voters intended for the agency to vigorously enforce the law. The statute does not unambiguously require a one-year gap between approval and enforcement regardless of when the approval occurs, and nothing in the relevant material presented for our review signals that the voters intended such a gap, Duarte wrote in an opinion joined by Justices Ronald Robie and Boulware Eurie. Trusted Source Faster Monkeypox (mpox) Testing Through CRISPR Go to source Trusted Source CRISPR offers a faster testing method for detecting monkeypox, soon adaptable to any clinic setting. #mpox #monkeypox #CRISPR Understanding Mpox: Importance of Testing for Timely Detection Faster Monkeypox (mpox) Testing Through CRISPR - (https://www.biophysics.org/news-room?ArtMID=802&ArticleID=14925&preview=true) Mpox, formerly monkeypox , is a rare viral disease transmitted through physical contact. New research proposes a quicker diagnostic test using CRISPR technology, enabling rapid testing in clinics ().The study utilized a genetic sequence combined with a reporter, and programmable CRISPR RNA targeted the mpox virus. The CRISPR/Cas12a cleaved the reporter, generating fragments analyzed with nanopore sensing technology, offering a swift and precise test for detecting mpox presence.Md. Ahasan Ahamed, a graduate student mentored by Weihua Guan at Pennsylvania State University will present this research at the 68th Biophysical Society Annual Meeting, to be held February 10 - 14, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.ThoughBecause the disease is contagious, testing is important so that people with the disease can isolate until symptoms resolve or get appropriate medical care.The team confirmed that the test they created is specific to mpoxwhen they tested samples of cowpox virus, a close relative of mpox, the test did not show a positive result.The whole process is quick, in total it takes 32 to 55 minutes to detect the target, depending on viral load, Ahamed said, which is much faster than it currently takes to test for mpox in a lab using PCR method.The researchers plan to apply this nanopore technology to create tests for other pathogens, allowing one sample to be tested for multiple targets using portable device. And while the technology is not currently commercially available, Ahamed is hopeful that they will soon create a device that could make this kind of pathogen testing widely available.Source-Eurekalert WASHINGTON (AP) As a growing number of Republicans oppose U.S. aid to Ukraine, the Senate's leaders are arguing in strong terms that the money is crucial to pushing back against Russian President Vladimir Putin and maintaining America's global standing. In the Capitol for a rare weekend session, the Senate voted again to move forward with the assistance as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky issued stark warnings about the consequences of abandoning longtime U.S. allies in Europe. Today its no exaggeration to say that the eyes of the world are on the United States Senate, McConnell said. Our allies and partners are hoping that the indispensable nation, the leader of the free world, has the resolve to continue. The 67-27 test vote Sunday on the $95.3 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and other countries comes as former President Donald Trump, the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, is trying to kill the assistance and has escalated his attacks on the NATO military alliance. Trump said Saturday at a campaign rally in South Carolina that Russia should be able to do whatever the hell they want to NATO members who do not meet their defense spending targets. He recounted a story he has told before about an unidentified NATO member who confronted him over his threat not to help them. While McConnell has made Ukraine a top issue, an increasing number of members in his GOP conference have followed Trumps lead and are opposing the aid, which Senate leaders have been trying to pass for months. Without mentioning Trump by name, McConnell said in his opening remarks Sunday that American leadership matters, and it is in question. Schumer said that if America doesnt assist Ukraine, Putin is all too likely to succeed. The only right answer to this threat is for the Senate to face it down unflinchingly by passing this bill as soon as we can," Schumer said before the vote. The Senate is pushing through several procedural votes on the slimmed-down package after an attempt to pair it with legislation to stem migration at the U.S. border collapsed. Objections from Republicans adamantly opposed to the aid have delayed quick action, forcing the weekend votes as negotiations continue over potential amendments to the legislation. Schumer has said he is open to amendments - most of which would be likely to fail - but he forced senators to stay in session through the weekend to try and speed up the process. I can't remember the last time the Senate was in session on Super Bowl Sunday, Schumer said as he opened the session. But as I've said all week long, we're going to keep working on this bill until the job is done. In a key vote last week, 17 Republican senators agreed to start debate on the bill and 31 voted against it, giving McConnell and other Republican supporters of the aid new hope that it could pass. But even if the Senate does pass the package, its future is deeply uncertain in the House, where a large majority of GOP lawmakers are firmly allied with Trump. Amid shortages on the battlefield, the package would provide $60 billion for Ukraine, mostly to purchase U.S.-made defense equipment, including munitions and air defense systems that authorities say it desperately needs as Russia batters the country. It includes $8 billion for the government in Kyiv and other assistance. It would also provide $14 billion for Israels war with Hamas, $8 billion for Taiwan and partners in the Indo-Pacific to counter China, and $9.2 billion in humanitarian assistance for Gaza. ANN ARBOR, MI While weekend bonding for some may involve card games or sports, one Ann Arbor family of five recently spent their Sunday afternoon chasing a credit card thief across a mall food court. Julie Kobylarz, 34, tracked the pickpocket, making large purchases in her name, to a shoe store and ran after him while Bryan Heckenkamp and their three young children hustled behind her. In retrospective, I probably should not have it probably wouldnt have been safe, Kobylarz said. But in the moment, with the adrenaline. You feel violated. Somebody stole from you, and you want to get it back. Kobylarz, 34, had stopped at an Ann Arbor grocery store around 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 4, to pick up groceries and memorial flowers for her daughters recently deceased gerbil. When she got to the checkout counter, though, she realized her purse had been opened while she shopped. I just kind of had a sinking feeling, and when I looked inside, sure enough my wallet was not there, Kobylarz said. She and Heckenkamp, 40, started the process of making a police report and talking with grocery store employees. Then her phone started going off. A fraud alert from her bank roughly $2,000 spent at an Apple store. The only Apple store Im familiar with is over at Briarwood Mall, Heckenkamp told MLive/The Ann Arbor News. They figured the thief would already be gone, but it was worth a shot. With their three children ages 2, 6 and 7 in tow, the pair rushed over to the mall at 100 Briarwood Circle. Kobylarz was talking with Apple employees when her phone went off again. An attempted purchase at the shoe store across the hallway had been denied. Just like immediately, she just runs out of the store, Heckenkamp said. As Heckenkamp, carrying one child and trailed by the other two, made his way over to the store, his wife was confronting the man inside. Sure enough, there was a guy at the checkout counter with my green Cash App card in hand, Kobylarz said. She grabbed the bag of iPhones and her card, following the man as he rushed out of the store. Heckenkamp saw Kobylarz leave the store side-by-side with someone, but he didnt realize that was the actual suspect, he said. The pair started walking faster, then she started to yell at the man, he said. They broke into a run. Then I realized what was actually taking place, he said. Kobylarz began yelling for help as the man gained speed, she said. She followed as the man ran through the food court and past a childrens play area. It was like a movie, she said. Bystanders attempted to stop the man. One woman tried to trip him, while another dived at him, she said. People kept missing him. As Heckenkamp caught up, he handed their youngest to Kobylarz, who was losing steam. I was pretty exhausted too, because I was carrying a 40-pound child and running as fast as I could, he said. He and two other bystanders ultimately cornered the man outside the mall, where they waited for police. To this guys credit, he didnt fight, said Kobylarz. At no point was he ever violent with me or the other guys. Police arrested the 26-year-old man, who has since been arraigned on three felony counts of stealing/retaining a financial transaction device without consent. We strongly urge community members not to confront potential suspects when it comes to stolen property, said Chris Page, spokesperson for the Ann Arbor police. Fortunately, in this case no one was hurt, but the best course of action is to call 911 and wait for officers. The man was arraigned on Monday, Feb. 6, before 14-A1 District Court Magistrate Elisha Fink. He was given a $5,000 bond and is next set to appear in court on Thursday, Feb. 15. Kobylarz was able to recover her cards, return the phones and catch the thief. But the rest of her wallet is still missing, she said. The wallet, colored tan and gray, was home to a sentimental silver coin, a key to a post office box, a gift card to Webers Boutique Hotel in Ann Arbor and her drivers license. She is offering a $100 reward to anyone who can recover it, she said. It was about the biggest scene you could possibly make in a mall, Heckenkamp said. Sprinting through the mall with our whole family, chasing after a guy its a really amazing situation, really. Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page, the Ypsilanti-area news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Ann Arbor daily newsletter. GRAND RAPIDS, MI City attorneys defended Grand Rapids police officers who handcuffed an 11-year-old girl at gunpoint in 2017 while searching for a stabbing suspect. Honestie Hodges, who later died from COVID-19 complications, was handcuffed and briefly placed in a patrol car. JACKSON, MI Cosplayers came out to enjoy the 7th annual Blood Bash, an International Horror Film Festival and Convention at the Commonwealth Commerce Center in Jackson on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024. Blood Bash consisted of vendors, a showing of short horror films, a cosplay contest, game shows, the Scream Queen contest and carnival games. The festival is open to any horror film all over the world, with submissions from 17 countries including the US, Spain, Nigeria and Russia. There were 1,576 films entered, narrowed down to the top 50 for the film festival split between Friday night and Saturdays convention. Films are limited to 4-20 minutes long. There were over 50 vendors, each selling horror-themed items, ranging from art, dolls, collectibles and jewelry. Attendees came from Jackson, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Detroit and some from Milwaukee and Ohio. Around 50 people competed in the cosplay contest, showing their creative horror-themed costumes. Some dressed as characters from popular horror movies, such as The Addams Family and Carrie, while some posed as zombies and killer clowns. Almost 30 people competed in the Scream Queen contest, where each person got a chance to scream as loud as they could onstage, with the final three contestants getting a second scream. Last years returning champion, Bethany Mahan of Jackson regained her title as the Scream Queen. Mahan, dressed as Five Nights at Freddies Marie Antoinette, competed with her niece. It was crazy, we were the last two people. I sat down, [and] didnt expect to hear my name again, said Mahan. As soon as I came back up the entire front row plugged their ears. Mahan plans to return next year to defend her title, but isnt sure about her costume. Its a lot bigger than when we started, said Bloodbash founder James Seagraves. I got some vendors who this is literally the only show they do. Thats the ultimate compliment to me. MUSKEGON, MI Explosive concentrations of methane gas have been detected throughout a contaminated Muskegon Lake-front site proposed to be redeveloped with more than 2,000 homes, according to state officials. The presence of the gas in the soil subsurface, which is the result of decomposing organic material, is one of the most acute concerns at the former Sappi Paper Mill site, said Jason Jay Poll with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). Dynatrace (NYSE:DT Get Free Report) issued an update on its FY 2024 earnings guidance on Thursday morning. The company provided EPS guidance of 1.160-1.180 for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of 1.110. The company issued revenue guidance of $1.4 billion-$1.4 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $1.4 billion. Dynatrace also updated its Q4 guidance to $0.26-$0.28 EPS. Dynatrace Stock Performance Shares of DT traded down $2.27 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $53.80. The stock had a trading volume of 5,311,924 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,679,078. The firm has a market cap of $15.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 81.52, a P/E/G ratio of 7.41 and a beta of 1.13. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $55.88 and its 200 day simple moving average is $50.93. Dynatrace has a 12-month low of $37.21 and a 12-month high of $61.41. Get Dynatrace alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research firms have commented on DT. Needham & Company LLC reissued a buy rating and issued a $70.00 price objective on shares of Dynatrace in a research report on Thursday. Truist Financial raised their price objective on Dynatrace from $60.00 to $70.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 16th. Royal Bank of Canada reissued an outperform rating and issued a $66.00 price objective on shares of Dynatrace in a research report on Friday. Jefferies Financial Group raised Dynatrace from a hold rating to a buy rating and raised their price objective for the company from $50.00 to $70.00 in a research report on Friday, January 5th. Finally, Guggenheim started coverage on Dynatrace in a research report on Monday, October 23rd. They issued a buy rating and a $58.00 price objective on the stock. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eighteen have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $60.50. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, SVP Bernd Greifeneder sold 4,715 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $54.63, for a total transaction of $257,580.45. Following the sale, the senior vice president now owns 996,916 shares of the companys stock, valued at $54,461,521.08. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other Dynatrace news, SVP Dan Zugelder sold 6,497 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, December 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $54.59, for a total value of $354,671.23. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 102,616 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,601,807.44. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, SVP Bernd Greifeneder sold 4,715 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $54.63, for a total value of $257,580.45. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 996,916 shares in the company, valued at approximately $54,461,521.08. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 94,896 shares of company stock valued at $5,207,653 over the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 0.54% of the companys stock. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Dynatrace Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Advisory Services Network LLC grew its position in Dynatrace by 50.9% during the 1st quarter. Advisory Services Network LLC now owns 661 shares of the companys stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 223 shares in the last quarter. Kestra Advisory Services LLC grew its holdings in shares of Dynatrace by 5.1% during the 2nd quarter. Kestra Advisory Services LLC now owns 5,450 shares of the companys stock valued at $281,000 after acquiring an additional 265 shares in the last quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV grew its holdings in shares of Dynatrace by 5.7% during the 2nd quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV now owns 5,024 shares of the companys stock valued at $259,000 after acquiring an additional 272 shares in the last quarter. M&T Bank Corp grew its holdings in shares of Dynatrace by 3.5% during the 3rd quarter. M&T Bank Corp now owns 10,620 shares of the companys stock valued at $370,000 after acquiring an additional 355 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Franklin Resources Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Dynatrace by 6.1% during the 1st quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,055 shares of the companys stock valued at $298,000 after acquiring an additional 404 shares in the last quarter. 94.28% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Dynatrace Company Profile (Get Free Report) Dynatrace, Inc provides a security platform for multicloud environments. It operates Dynatrace, a security platform, which provides application and microservices monitoring, runtime application security, infrastructure monitoring, log management and analytics, digital experience monitoring, digital business analytics, and cloud automation. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Dynatrace Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Dynatrace and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Tenet Healthcare (NYSE:THC Get Free Report) issued an update on its FY 2024 earnings guidance on Thursday morning. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 5.760-6.900 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of 5.840. The company issued revenue guidance of $19.9 billion-$20.3 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $21.3 billion. Tenet Healthcare also updated its FY24 guidance to $5.76-6.90 EPS. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the stock. TheStreet upgraded shares of Tenet Healthcare from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a research note on Tuesday. Truist Financial raised their price target on shares of Tenet Healthcare from $92.00 to $105.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday. StockNews.com raised shares of Tenet Healthcare from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Saturday, December 16th. UBS Group reduced their target price on shares of Tenet Healthcare from $104.00 to $94.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Thursday, November 2nd. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald raised their target price on shares of Tenet Healthcare from $94.00 to $104.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Friday. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Buy and an average target price of $92.47. Get Tenet Healthcare alerts: Read Our Latest Analysis on Tenet Healthcare Tenet Healthcare Price Performance NYSE THC traded down $0.93 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $88.09. 1,316,066 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,087,089. The firms 50-day moving average is $78.75 and its 200-day moving average is $70.66. Tenet Healthcare has a 52-week low of $49.76 and a 52-week high of $91.85. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.77, a current ratio of 1.51 and a quick ratio of 1.34. The company has a market capitalization of $8.95 billion, a PE ratio of 15.43, a PEG ratio of 4.66 and a beta of 2.10. Tenet Healthcare (NYSE:THC Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 8th. The company reported $2.68 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.58 by $1.10. Tenet Healthcare had a net margin of 2.97% and a return on equity of 26.34%. The firm had revenue of $5.38 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.28 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.96 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 7.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts forecast that Tenet Healthcare will post 6.28 EPS for the current fiscal year. Insider Transactions at Tenet Healthcare In other Tenet Healthcare news, Director Richard W. Fisher sold 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $66.33, for a total transaction of $331,650.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 23,227 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,540,646.91. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. Company insiders own 1.30% of the companys stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust grew its position in shares of Tenet Healthcare by 1,063.9% in the 1st quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 419 shares of the companys stock valued at $36,000 after buying an additional 383 shares during the last quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Tenet Healthcare in the 1st quarter worth $36,000. Belpointe Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Tenet Healthcare by 94.1% in the 1st quarter. Belpointe Asset Management LLC now owns 588 shares of the companys stock worth $35,000 after acquiring an additional 285 shares during the period. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. lifted its stake in shares of Tenet Healthcare by 46.3% in the 4th quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 629 shares of the companys stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 199 shares during the period. Finally, Point72 Hong Kong Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of Tenet Healthcare in the 1st quarter worth $78,000. 93.56% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Tenet Healthcare Company Profile (Get Free Report) Tenet Healthcare Corporation operates as a diversified healthcare services company. The company operates through three segments: Hospital Operations, Ambulatory Care, and Conifer. Its general hospitals offer acute care services, operating and recovery rooms, radiology and respiratory therapy services, clinical laboratories, and pharmacies. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Tenet Healthcare Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Tenet Healthcare and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Tenet Healthcare (NYSE:THC Get Free Report) updated its first quarter 2024 earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 1.240-1.620 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 1.350. The company issued revenue guidance of $5.0 billion-$5.2 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $5.3 billion. Tenet Healthcare also updated its FY 2024 guidance to 5.760-6.900 EPS. Tenet Healthcare Stock Performance Shares of THC traded down $0.93 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $88.09. 1,316,066 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,087,089. Tenet Healthcare has a 1-year low of $49.76 and a 1-year high of $91.85. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.95 billion, a PE ratio of 15.43, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.66 and a beta of 2.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.77, a quick ratio of 1.34 and a current ratio of 1.51. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $78.75 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $70.66. Get Tenet Healthcare alerts: Tenet Healthcare (NYSE:THC Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 8th. The company reported $2.68 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.58 by $1.10. Tenet Healthcare had a net margin of 2.97% and a return on equity of 26.34%. The company had revenue of $5.38 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.28 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.96 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 7.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts predict that Tenet Healthcare will post 6.28 EPS for the current fiscal year. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities research analysts have commented on THC shares. Raymond James dropped their price target on shares of Tenet Healthcare from $95.00 to $90.00 and set a strong-buy rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, November 1st. Cantor Fitzgerald boosted their price target on shares of Tenet Healthcare from $94.00 to $104.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price target on shares of Tenet Healthcare from $97.00 to $109.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Tenet Healthcare from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Saturday, December 16th. Finally, Mizuho boosted their price objective on Tenet Healthcare from $90.00 to $100.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Buy and a consensus price target of $92.47. View Our Latest Analysis on Tenet Healthcare Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, Director Richard W. Fisher sold 5,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $66.33, for a total transaction of $331,650.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 23,227 shares in the company, valued at $1,540,646.91. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Company insiders own 1.30% of the companys stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. BlackRock Inc. raised its stake in shares of Tenet Healthcare by 14.7% in the first quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 11,639,373 shares of the companys stock valued at $691,612,000 after purchasing an additional 1,491,799 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of Tenet Healthcare by 0.7% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 10,932,708 shares of the companys stock valued at $939,775,000 after purchasing an additional 77,543 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp raised its stake in shares of Tenet Healthcare by 2.4% in the first quarter. State Street Corp now owns 3,377,944 shares of the companys stock valued at $290,368,000 after purchasing an additional 78,687 shares in the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. grew its position in Tenet Healthcare by 23.6% in the first quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 2,180,627 shares of the companys stock valued at $187,446,000 after acquiring an additional 415,945 shares during the period. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC grew its position in Tenet Healthcare by 1.5% in the first quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,509,624 shares of the companys stock valued at $89,702,000 after acquiring an additional 21,960 shares during the period. 93.56% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Tenet Healthcare Company Profile (Get Free Report) Tenet Healthcare Corporation operates as a diversified healthcare services company. The company operates through three segments: Hospital Operations, Ambulatory Care, and Conifer. Its general hospitals offer acute care services, operating and recovery rooms, radiology and respiratory therapy services, clinical laboratories, and pharmacies. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Tenet Healthcare Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Tenet Healthcare and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Cloudflare (NYSE:NET Get Free Report) updated its FY24 earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided EPS guidance of $0.58-$0.59 for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of $0.54. The company issued revenue guidance of $1.648-$1.652 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $1.65 billion. Cloudflare also updated its FY 2024 guidance to 0.580-0.590 EPS. Analyst Ratings Changes Several research analysts have recently commented on NET shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on Cloudflare from $53.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Friday. Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on Cloudflare from $55.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 7th. Needham & Company LLC raised their price objective on Cloudflare from $110.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday. KeyCorp raised their price objective on Cloudflare from $94.00 to $132.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Friday. Finally, Mizuho raised their price objective on Cloudflare from $73.00 to $105.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Friday. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $85.13. Get Cloudflare alerts: Read Our Latest Analysis on Cloudflare Cloudflare Price Performance Insiders Place Their Bets NYSE:NET traded up $17.61 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $107.92. The stock had a trading volume of 33,191,907 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,594,788. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.83, a quick ratio of 3.89 and a current ratio of 3.89. Cloudflare has a 52 week low of $39.90 and a 52 week high of $116.00. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $81.90 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $70.25. The stock has a market capitalization of $36.24 billion, a PE ratio of -196.21 and a beta of 1.10. In other Cloudflare news, Director Scott D. Sandell sold 211,534 shares of Cloudflare stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $73.17, for a total value of $15,477,942.78. Following the sale, the director now owns 6,325 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $462,800.25. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other Cloudflare news, Director Carl Ledbetter sold 7,962 shares of Cloudflare stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $81.42, for a total transaction of $648,266.04. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 1,446,957 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $117,811,238.94. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Scott D. Sandell sold 211,534 shares of Cloudflare stock in a transaction on Monday, November 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $73.17, for a total value of $15,477,942.78. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 6,325 shares of the companys stock, valued at $462,800.25. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 941,404 shares of company stock valued at $71,962,946 in the last quarter. 14.80% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Cloudflare A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of NET. Sunbelt Securities Inc. bought a new stake in Cloudflare during the 1st quarter valued at $29,000. Providence Capital Advisors LLC raised its position in Cloudflare by 6,065.0% during the 1st quarter. Providence Capital Advisors LLC now owns 2,466 shares of the companys stock valued at $40,000 after purchasing an additional 2,426 shares in the last quarter. Harbour Investments Inc. raised its position in Cloudflare by 33.1% during the 3rd quarter. Harbour Investments Inc. now owns 1,045 shares of the companys stock valued at $66,000 after purchasing an additional 260 shares in the last quarter. Money Concepts Capital Corp raised its position in Cloudflare by 9,758.8% during the 4th quarter. Money Concepts Capital Corp now owns 1,676 shares of the companys stock valued at $76,000 after purchasing an additional 1,659 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Alpha Paradigm Partners LLC bought a new stake in Cloudflare during the 3rd quarter valued at $79,000. 73.14% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Cloudflare Company Profile (Get Free Report) CloudFlare, Inc operates as a cloud services provider that delivers a range of services to businesses worldwide. The company provides an integrated cloud-based security solution to secure a range of combination of platforms, including public cloud, private cloud, on-premise, software-as-a-service applications, and IoT devices; and website and application security products comprising web application firewall, bot management, distributed denial of service, API gateways, SSL/TLS encryption, secure origin connection, and rate limiting products. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Cloudflare Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cloudflare and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Cloudflare (NYSE:NET Get Free Report) issued an update on its first quarter earnings guidance on Thursday morning. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of $0.13 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of $0.12. The company issued revenue guidance of $372.5-$373.5 million, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $372.31 million. Cloudflare also updated its FY 2024 guidance to 0.580-0.590 EPS. Cloudflare Price Performance NYSE NET traded up $17.61 on Friday, reaching $107.92. 33,191,907 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,594,788. Cloudflare has a 12 month low of $39.90 and a 12 month high of $116.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.83, a current ratio of 3.89 and a quick ratio of 3.89. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $81.90 and a 200 day simple moving average of $70.25. The stock has a market cap of $36.24 billion, a PE ratio of -196.21 and a beta of 1.10. Get Cloudflare alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets NET has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Morgan Stanley increased their price target on shares of Cloudflare from $55.00 to $60.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 7th. Piper Sandler cut their target price on shares of Cloudflare from $64.00 to $60.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Friday, November 3rd. Sanford C. Bernstein assumed coverage on shares of Cloudflare in a report on Thursday, January 18th. They issued a market perform rating and a $85.00 target price on the stock. Susquehanna raised their target price on shares of Cloudflare from $75.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Friday. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on shares of Cloudflare from $95.00 to $125.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Friday. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have issued a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $85.13. Insider Transactions at Cloudflare In related news, Director Carl Ledbetter sold 7,962 shares of Cloudflare stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $81.42, for a total value of $648,266.04. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 1,446,957 shares in the company, valued at approximately $117,811,238.94. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In other Cloudflare news, General Counsel Douglas James Kramer sold 3,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $77.77, for a total transaction of $233,310.00. Following the completion of the sale, the general counsel now directly owns 154,629 shares in the company, valued at approximately $12,025,497.33. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Carl Ledbetter sold 7,962 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $81.42, for a total value of $648,266.04. Following the sale, the director now owns 1,446,957 shares of the companys stock, valued at $117,811,238.94. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 941,404 shares of company stock valued at $71,962,946 in the last quarter. 14.80% of the stock is owned by insiders. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Cloudflare A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Cloudflare by 131,133.8% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 6,073,501 shares of the companys stock valued at $274,583,000 after buying an additional 6,068,873 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new position in shares of Cloudflare during the 4th quarter valued at about $124,592,000. 1832 Asset Management L.P. lifted its position in shares of Cloudflare by 315.1% during the 1st quarter. 1832 Asset Management L.P. now owns 1,888,400 shares of the companys stock valued at $116,439,000 after buying an additional 1,433,500 shares in the last quarter. Two Sigma Investments LP lifted its position in shares of Cloudflare by 215.1% during the 1st quarter. Two Sigma Investments LP now owns 1,344,914 shares of the companys stock valued at $82,927,000 after buying an additional 918,096 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Cloudflare by 2.4% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 23,358,000 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,795,953,000 after buying an additional 548,149 shares in the last quarter. 73.14% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. About Cloudflare (Get Free Report) CloudFlare, Inc operates as a cloud services provider that delivers a range of services to businesses worldwide. The company provides an integrated cloud-based security solution to secure a range of combination of platforms, including public cloud, private cloud, on-premise, software-as-a-service applications, and IoT devices; and website and application security products comprising web application firewall, bot management, distributed denial of service, API gateways, SSL/TLS encryption, secure origin connection, and rate limiting products. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Cloudflare Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cloudflare and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Honda Motor (NYSE:HMC Get Free Report) updated its FY 2024 earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 1.380-1.380 for the period. The company issued revenue guidance of $142.3 billion-$142.3 billion. Honda Motor Price Performance Shares of HMC traded down $0.80 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $34.36. The company had a trading volume of 1,169,978 shares, compared to its average volume of 886,570. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $31.74 and a 200-day simple moving average of $32.15. The company has a current ratio of 1.45, a quick ratio of 1.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. The company has a market capitalization of $58.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.18, a PEG ratio of 0.40 and a beta of 0.69. Honda Motor has a 12-month low of $24.41 and a 12-month high of $36.82. Get Honda Motor alerts: Honda Motor (NYSE:HMC Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, February 9th. The company reported $1.06 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.85 by $0.21. The business had revenue of $36.50 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $37.68 billion. Honda Motor had a net margin of 5.26% and a return on equity of 8.13%. Research analysts expect that Honda Motor will post 4.18 earnings per share for the current year. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Honda Motor About Honda Motor Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Advisory Services Network LLC purchased a new position in Honda Motor during the 4th quarter valued at about $98,000. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Honda Motor by 8.3% during the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 44,092 shares of the companys stock worth $1,363,000 after purchasing an additional 3,381 shares during the last quarter. Creative Planning boosted its stake in shares of Honda Motor by 23.7% during the 3rd quarter. Creative Planning now owns 76,014 shares of the companys stock worth $2,557,000 after purchasing an additional 14,557 shares during the last quarter. Morgan Stanley boosted its stake in shares of Honda Motor by 4.8% during the 3rd quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 3,076,951 shares of the companys stock worth $103,509,000 after purchasing an additional 141,727 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ameriprise Financial Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Honda Motor by 0.9% during the 3rd quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 93,860 shares of the companys stock worth $3,157,000 after purchasing an additional 870 shares during the last quarter. 5.32% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. (Get Free Report) Honda Motor Co, Ltd. develops, manufactures, and distributes motorcycles, automobiles, power, and other products in Japan, North America, Europe, Asia, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Motorcycle Business, Automobile Business, Financial Services Business, and Power Product and Other Businesses. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Honda Motor Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Honda Motor and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. ITT (NYSE:ITT Get Free Report) issued an update on its FY 2024 earnings guidance on Thursday morning. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 5.450-5.900 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 5.900. The company issued revenue guidance of $3.6 billion-$3.7 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $3.5 billion. ITT also updated its FY24 guidance to $5.45-5.90 EPS. ITT Stock Up 2.1 % Shares of NYSE:ITT traded up $2.56 during trading on Friday, hitting $122.40. 598,089 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 360,207. The businesss 50 day moving average is $118.11 and its 200-day moving average is $106.15. The company has a market capitalization of $10.05 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.59 and a beta of 1.44. ITT has a 1-year low of $75.82 and a 1-year high of $127.13. Get ITT alerts: ITT (NYSE:ITT Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 8th. The conglomerate reported $1.34 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $1.34. The business had revenue of $829.10 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $814.38 million. ITT had a return on equity of 17.91% and a net margin of 12.50%. ITTs quarterly revenue was up 7.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.29 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that ITT will post 5.75 earnings per share for the current year. ITT Increases Dividend Analyst Ratings Changes The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 1st. Investors of record on Friday, March 8th will be issued a $0.319 dividend. This represents a $1.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.04%. This is an increase from ITTs previous quarterly dividend of $0.29. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 7th. ITTs dividend payout ratio is presently 23.39%. ITT has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Citigroup increased their price objective on ITT from $122.00 to $134.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Monday, December 11th. Bank of America raised shares of ITT from a neutral rating to a buy rating and upped their price target for the company from $105.00 to $125.00 in a research report on Thursday, November 16th. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price target on shares of ITT from $122.00 to $131.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 19th. Finally, StockNews.com cut shares of ITT from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to data from MarketBeat, ITT currently has an average rating of Buy and an average price target of $117.43. Check Out Our Latest Report on ITT Insider Transactions at ITT In other news, SVP Ryan F. Flynn sold 2,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $113.44, for a total transaction of $283,600.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 14,047 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,593,491.68. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.60% of the companys stock. Hedge Funds Weigh In On ITT Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ITT. Select Equity Group L.P. bought a new position in ITT in the 4th quarter valued at about $106,328,000. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in ITT in the 4th quarter valued at about $64,598,000. Renaissance Technologies LLC purchased a new stake in ITT in the 1st quarter valued at about $35,055,000. Point72 Asset Management L.P. purchased a new stake in ITT in the 4th quarter valued at about $29,172,000. Finally, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. increased its stake in ITT by 58.4% in the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 913,985 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $68,741,000 after buying an additional 336,860 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 90.73% of the companys stock. ITT Company Profile (Get Free Report) ITT Inc manufactures and sells engineered critical components and customized technology solutions for the transportation, industrial, and energy markets worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Motion Technologies, Industrial Process, and Connect & Control Technologies. The Motion Technologies segment manufactures brake pads, shims, shock absorbers, and energy absorption components; and sealing technologies primarily for the transportation industry, including passenger cars, trucks, light- and heavy-duty commercial and military vehicles, buses, and trains. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for ITT Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ITT and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Mettler-Toledo International (NYSE:MTD Get Free Report) issued an update on its FY24 earnings guidance on Thursday morning. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of $39.10-39.80 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of $39.69. Mettler-Toledo International also updated its FY 2024 guidance to 39.600-40.300 EPS. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities analysts have weighed in on the company. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price objective on Mettler-Toledo International from $1,425.00 to $1,270.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Monday, November 13th. StockNews.com raised Mettler-Toledo International from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Friday. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on Mettler-Toledo International from $1,520.00 to $1,300.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Monday, November 13th. Citigroup reaffirmed a sell rating and issued a $975.00 price objective (down from $1,050.00) on shares of Mettler-Toledo International in a report on Monday, December 11th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their price target on Mettler-Toledo International from $1,185.00 to $1,030.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Monday, November 13th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $1,223.71. Get Mettler-Toledo International alerts: Read Our Latest Report on MTD Mettler-Toledo International Price Performance Shares of MTD stock traded down $50.46 on Friday, hitting $1,174.51. 291,051 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 151,279. Mettler-Toledo International has a 12 month low of $928.49 and a 12 month high of $1,615.97. The stock has a market cap of $25.46 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.73, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.98 and a beta of 1.15. The company has a 50 day moving average of $1,183.41 and a 200 day moving average of $1,143.38. Mettler-Toledo International (NYSE:MTD Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Friday, February 9th. The medical instruments supplier reported $9.40 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $10.32 by ($0.92). The firm had revenue of $934.90 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $959.45 million. Mettler-Toledo International had a net margin of 20.82% and a negative return on equity of 1,140.73%. Mettler-Toledo Internationals revenue for the quarter was down 11.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $12.10 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts predict that Mettler-Toledo International will post 39.78 EPS for the current fiscal year. Insider Buying and Selling at Mettler-Toledo International In other news, Director Roland D. Diggelmann bought 315 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, November 13th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $1,026.54 per share, for a total transaction of $323,360.10. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 405 shares of the companys stock, valued at $415,748.70. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 2.40% of the companys stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Mettler-Toledo International Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in MTD. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. increased its stake in shares of Mettler-Toledo International by 8.0% in the first quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 176 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock valued at $242,000 after buying an additional 13 shares during the period. Raymond James Trust N.A. grew its stake in Mettler-Toledo International by 19.7% during the first quarter. Raymond James Trust N.A. now owns 176 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $242,000 after purchasing an additional 29 shares during the period. Vontobel Holding Ltd. grew its stake in Mettler-Toledo International by 48.9% during the first quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. now owns 834 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $1,172,000 after purchasing an additional 274 shares during the period. Sei Investments Co. boosted its holdings in Mettler-Toledo International by 4.2% in the first quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 16,305 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $21,817,000 after acquiring an additional 662 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Prudential PLC bought a new position in Mettler-Toledo International in the first quarter worth approximately $626,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 93.11% of the companys stock. Mettler-Toledo International Company Profile (Get Free Report) Mettler-Toledo International Inc manufactures and supplies precision instruments and services in the United States and internationally. It operates through five segments: U.S. Operations, Swiss Operations, Western European Operations, Chinese Operations, and Other. The company's laboratory instruments include laboratory balances, liquid pipetting solutions, automated laboratory reactors, titrators, pH meters, process analytics sensors and analyzer technologies, physical value analyzers, density and refractometry, thermal analysis systems, and other analytical instruments; and LabX, a laboratory software platform to manage and analyze data generated from its instruments. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Mettler-Toledo International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Mettler-Toledo International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Mohawk Industries (NYSE:MHK Get Free Report) updated its first quarter earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of $1.60-$1.70 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.87. Mohawk Industries also updated its Q1 2024 guidance to 1.600-1.700 EPS. Mohawk Industries Price Performance NYSE MHK traded up $0.40 on Friday, hitting $110.01. The stock had a trading volume of 2,002,807 shares, compared to its average volume of 748,227. Mohawk Industries has a 52-week low of $76.02 and a 52-week high of $123.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23, a quick ratio of 0.94 and a current ratio of 1.73. The company has a market capitalization of $7.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -15.90 and a beta of 1.31. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $101.95 and a 200-day moving average of $94.49. Get Mohawk Industries alerts: Mohawk Industries (NYSE:MHK Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, February 8th. The company reported $1.96 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.86 by $0.10. The business had revenue of $2.61 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.56 billion. Mohawk Industries had a negative net margin of 3.95% and a positive return on equity of 7.47%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 1.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.32 EPS. Equities analysts expect that Mohawk Industries will post 9.74 EPS for the current year. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. TheStreet cut shares of Mohawk Industries from a c- rating to a d+ rating in a research report on Thursday, October 26th. StockNews.com lowered shares of Mohawk Industries from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday. Truist Financial reduced their target price on shares of Mohawk Industries from $130.00 to $105.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, October 17th. Barclays raised shares of Mohawk Industries from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating and increased their target price for the company from $80.00 to $100.00 in a report on Wednesday, December 13th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group increased their target price on shares of Mohawk Industries from $105.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, January 11th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Mohawk Industries presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $106.67. View Our Latest Analysis on Mohawk Industries Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, CEO Jeffrey S. Lorberbaum sold 25,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $86.34, for a total value of $2,158,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 14,200 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,226,028. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, CEO Jeffrey S. Lorberbaum sold 25,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $86.34, for a total value of $2,158,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 14,200 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,226,028. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, insider Suzanne L. Helen sold 5,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $94.09, for a total transaction of $517,495.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 8,953 shares of the companys stock, valued at $842,387.77. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 30,779 shares of company stock valued at $2,699,406 in the last quarter. Insiders own 17.20% of the companys stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of MHK. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. raised its holdings in Mohawk Industries by 4.7% in the first quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 4,953 shares of the companys stock worth $615,000 after buying an additional 224 shares during the last quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund purchased a new position in Mohawk Industries in the first quarter worth about $1,043,000. MetLife Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in Mohawk Industries by 23.2% in the first quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 14,929 shares of the companys stock worth $1,854,000 after buying an additional 2,809 shares during the last quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in Mohawk Industries by 98.7% in the first quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. now owns 10,628 shares of the companys stock worth $1,320,000 after buying an additional 5,280 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS raised its holdings in Mohawk Industries by 6.6% in the first quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 7,341 shares of the companys stock worth $912,000 after buying an additional 455 shares during the last quarter. 77.04% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. About Mohawk Industries (Get Free Report) Mohawk Industries, Inc designs, manufactures, sources, distributes, and markets flooring products for residential and commercial remodeling, and new construction channels in the United States, Europe, Russia, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Global Ceramic, Flooring North America (Flooring NA), and Flooring Rest of the World (Flooring ROW). See Also Receive News & Ratings for Mohawk Industries Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Mohawk Industries and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Motorola Solutions (NYSE:MSI Get Free Report) updated its first quarter earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided earnings per share guidance of $2.50-2.55 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of $2.38. The company issued revenue guidance of approx $2.34 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $2.30 billion. Motorola Solutions also updated its FY 2024 guidance to 12.620-12.720 EPS. Motorola Solutions Stock Performance MSI stock traded up $2.54 during trading on Friday, hitting $330.89. 1,203,365 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 607,167. The company has a quick ratio of 0.77, a current ratio of 0.95 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 12.51. Motorola Solutions has a 52 week low of $255.85 and a 52 week high of $333.00. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $319.31 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $299.64. The stock has a market capitalization of $54.93 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.32, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.73 and a beta of 0.92. Get Motorola Solutions alerts: Motorola Solutions (NYSE:MSI Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 8th. The communications equipment provider reported $3.90 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.63 by $0.27. Motorola Solutions had a net margin of 17.12% and a return on equity of 582.04%. The firm had revenue of $2.85 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.82 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $3.38 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 5.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Motorola Solutions will post 11.63 EPS for the current fiscal year. Motorola Solutions Increases Dividend Wall Street Analyst Weigh In The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 12th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 15th were paid a dividend of $0.98 per share. This is a positive change from Motorola Solutionss previous quarterly dividend of $0.88. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, December 14th. This represents a $3.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.18%. Motorola Solutionss payout ratio is presently 39.48%. Several equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. StockNews.com lowered shares of Motorola Solutions from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Saturday, November 11th. William Blair restated an outperform rating on shares of Motorola Solutions in a research report on Friday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on shares of Motorola Solutions in a research report on Friday, January 19th. They set a buy rating and a $350.00 price target for the company. Finally, Barclays upped their price target on shares of Motorola Solutions from $333.00 to $352.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 2nd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $328.29. View Our Latest Stock Report on Motorola Solutions Institutional Investors Weigh In On Motorola Solutions Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC acquired a new stake in Motorola Solutions in the second quarter worth about $33,000. Eagle Bay Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Motorola Solutions in the second quarter worth about $35,000. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL acquired a new stake in Motorola Solutions in the first quarter worth about $35,000. Almanack Investment Partners LLC. acquired a new stake in Motorola Solutions in the third quarter worth about $38,000. Finally, PCA Investment Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new stake in Motorola Solutions in the 2nd quarter valued at about $39,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.37% of the companys stock. Motorola Solutions Company Profile (Get Free Report) Motorola Solutions, Inc provides public safety and enterprise security solutions in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Products and Systems Integration, and Software and Services. The Products and Systems Integration segment offers a portfolio of infrastructure, devices, accessories, and video security devices and infrastructure, as well as the implementation and integration of systems, devices, software, and applications for government, public safety, and commercial customers who operate private communications networks and video security solutions, as well as manage a mobile workforce. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Motorola Solutions Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Motorola Solutions and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. NNN REIT (NYSE:NNN Get Free Report) updated its FY24 earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided earnings per share guidance of $3.29-3.35 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of $3.31. NNN REIT also updated its FY 2024 guidance to 3.290-3.350 EPS. NNN REIT Stock Performance Shares of NNN traded down $0.17 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $39.70. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,324,164 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,342,798. NNN REIT has a one year low of $34.38 and a one year high of $47.37. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 2.13 and a current ratio of 1.26. The firm has a market capitalization of $7.24 billion, a PE ratio of 18.37, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.07 and a beta of 1.00. The stocks 50-day moving average is $41.96 and its two-hundred day moving average is $39.53. Get NNN REIT alerts: NNN REIT Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 15th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, January 31st will be given a dividend of $0.565 per share. This represents a $2.26 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.69%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, January 30th. NNN REITs dividend payout ratio is currently 104.63%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Separately, Royal Bank of Canada cut their price objective on shares of NNN REIT from $45.00 to $42.00 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, November 2nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $45.25. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on NNN Insider Buying and Selling In related news, EVP Christopher Paul Tessitore sold 38,056 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $41.68, for a total transaction of $1,586,174.08. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 140,539 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,857,665.52. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other NNN REIT news, EVP Jonathan Adamo sold 4,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $39.85, for a total transaction of $159,400.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 56,450 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,249,532.50. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Christopher Paul Tessitore sold 38,056 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $41.68, for a total transaction of $1,586,174.08. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 140,539 shares in the company, valued at $5,857,665.52. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.82% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Institutional Trading of NNN REIT Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky grew its position in shares of NNN REIT by 10.3% during the 2nd quarter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky now owns 31,324 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $1,340,000 after buying an additional 2,919 shares during the period. Raymond James Trust N.A. increased its position in shares of NNN REIT by 4.4% in the second quarter. Raymond James Trust N.A. now owns 11,437 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $489,000 after acquiring an additional 479 shares during the last quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV grew its stake in shares of NNN REIT by 5.7% in the second quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV now owns 4,843 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $207,000 after buying an additional 261 shares in the last quarter. Putnam Investments LLC bought a new position in shares of NNN REIT in the first quarter valued at $2,807,000. Finally, Advisory Services Network LLC grew its stake in shares of NNN REIT by 33.3% in the first quarter. Advisory Services Network LLC now owns 24,935 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,101,000 after buying an additional 6,229 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 88.39% of the companys stock. About NNN REIT (Get Free Report) NNN REIT invests primarily in high-quality retail properties subject generally to long-term, net leases. As of June 30, 2023, the company owned 3,479 properties in 49 states with a gross leasable area of approximately 35.5 million square feet and with a weighted average remaining lease term of 10.2 years. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for NNN REIT Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for NNN REIT and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. PROS (NYSE:PRO Get Free Report) updated its first quarter 2024 earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided EPS guidance of 0.000-0.020 for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of 0.020. The company issued revenue guidance of $79.0 million-$80.0 million, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $80.1 million. PROS also updated its FY 2024 guidance to EPS. PROS Trading Up 2.1 % NYSE:PRO traded up $0.74 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $36.75. The company had a trading volume of 1,401,476 shares, compared to its average volume of 258,548. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.70 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -30.12 and a beta of 1.22. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $36.79 and its 200-day simple moving average is $35.60. PROS has a 12-month low of $23.96 and a 12-month high of $40.99. Get PROS alerts: PROS (NYSE:PRO Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 8th. The software maker reported $0.02 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.06 by ($0.04). The company had revenue of $77.48 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $76.70 million. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted ($0.20) EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that PROS will post -0.54 EPS for the current year. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades PRO has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. KeyCorp raised PROS from a sector weight rating to an overweight rating and set a $43.00 price target for the company in a report on Friday, January 12th. Robert W. Baird lifted their price target on PROS from $40.00 to $47.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Monday, December 4th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a buy rating and set a $40.00 price target on shares of PROS in a report on Friday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $39.67. Read Our Latest Research Report on PRO Insider Transactions at PROS In other news, CEO Andres Reiner sold 50,000 shares of PROS stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $36.42, for a total transaction of $1,821,000.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 984,055 shares in the company, valued at $35,839,283.10. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In related news, CFO Stefan B. Schulz sold 24,547 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $33.84, for a total value of $830,670.48. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 258,063 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,732,851.92. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Andres Reiner sold 50,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $36.42, for a total value of $1,821,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 984,055 shares in the company, valued at approximately $35,839,283.10. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 3.90% of the companys stock. Hedge Funds Weigh In On PROS Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in PRO. Raymond James & Associates increased its position in PROS by 28.7% during the 1st quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 26,740 shares of the software makers stock worth $891,000 after purchasing an additional 5,962 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its position in PROS by 1.0% during the 1st quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 150,248 shares of the software makers stock worth $5,005,000 after purchasing an additional 1,551 shares during the period. US Bancorp DE increased its position in PROS by 11.7% during the 1st quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 18,237 shares of the software makers stock worth $608,000 after purchasing an additional 1,912 shares during the period. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. increased its position in PROS by 20.4% during the 1st quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 3,397 shares of the software makers stock worth $112,000 after purchasing an additional 576 shares during the period. Finally, MetLife Investment Management LLC increased its position in PROS by 39.4% during the 1st quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 21,261 shares of the software makers stock worth $708,000 after purchasing an additional 6,014 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.27% of the companys stock. About PROS (Get Free Report) PROS Holdings, Inc provides solutions that optimize the processes of selling and shopping in the digital economy worldwide. The company offers PROS Smart Configure Price Quote that improves sales productivity and accelerate deal velocity by automating common sales tasks; and PROS Smart Price Optimization and Management that enables businesses to optimize, personalize, and harmonize pricing across the complexity of their go-to-market channels in the context of dynamic market and competitive conditions. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for PROS Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for PROS and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. SolarWinds (NYSE:SWI Get Free Report) updated its first quarter 2024 earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 0.200-0.220 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 0.220. The company issued revenue guidance of $187.0 million-$192.0 million, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $191.8 million. SolarWinds also updated its FY 2024 guidance to 0.950-1.000 EPS. SolarWinds Stock Performance Shares of SolarWinds stock traded down $0.18 on Friday, reaching $13.09. The stock had a trading volume of 586,246 shares, compared to its average volume of 362,379. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $11.98 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $10.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.85, a quick ratio of 0.83 and a current ratio of 0.83. SolarWinds has a fifty-two week low of $8.06 and a fifty-two week high of $13.43. The stock has a market cap of $2.17 billion, a P/E ratio of -261.60 and a beta of 0.98. Get SolarWinds alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes SWI has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective on shares of SolarWinds from $13.00 to $15.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research note on Friday. Truist Financial boosted their price objective on shares of SolarWinds from $11.00 to $13.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research note on Friday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. started coverage on shares of SolarWinds in a research note on Thursday, February 1st. They issued a neutral rating and a $14.00 price objective for the company. Finally, TheStreet raised shares of SolarWinds from a d+ rating to a c- rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 13th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $13.50. Hedge Funds Weigh In On SolarWinds Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC increased its position in SolarWinds by 96.6% during the second quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 2,517 shares of the software makers stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 1,237 shares during the period. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank bought a new position in SolarWinds during the second quarter worth $32,000. Ensign Peak Advisors Inc bought a new position in SolarWinds during the third quarter worth $40,000. US Bancorp DE increased its position in SolarWinds by 3,591.5% during the first quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 4,762 shares of the software makers stock worth $64,000 after acquiring an additional 4,633 shares during the period. Finally, Penserra Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in SolarWinds by 50.0% in the 1st quarter. Penserra Capital Management LLC now owns 5,754 shares of the software makers stock valued at $76,000 after buying an additional 1,918 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 95.18% of the companys stock. SolarWinds Company Profile (Get Free Report) SolarWinds Corporation provides information technology (IT) management software products in the United States and internationally. The company offers a portfolio of solutions to technology professionals for monitoring, managing, and optimizing networks, systems, desktops, applications, storage, databases, website infrastructures, and IT service desks. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for SolarWinds Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for SolarWinds and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. TELUS (NYSE:TU Get Free Report) (TSE:T) posted its earnings results on Friday. The Wireless communications provider reported $0.18 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.17 by $0.01, MarketWatch Earnings reports. TELUS had a return on equity of 7.65% and a net margin of 4.01%. The business had revenue of $5.20 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.24 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.17 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 2.8% compared to the same quarter last year. TELUS Price Performance Shares of NYSE TU opened at $17.56 on Friday. TELUS has a fifty-two week low of $15.47 and a fifty-two week high of $21.34. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $18.01 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $17.41. The company has a quick ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 0.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.34. The firm has a market cap of $25.69 billion, a PE ratio of 40.84, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.34 and a beta of 0.75. Get TELUS alerts: Institutional Investors Weigh In On TELUS A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of TU. Mackenzie Financial Corp lifted its holdings in TELUS by 8.3% during the 4th quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 59,637,886 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock worth $1,149,047,000 after buying an additional 4,574,843 shares during the last quarter. 1832 Asset Management L.P. lifted its holdings in TELUS by 8.0% during the 4th quarter. 1832 Asset Management L.P. now owns 27,323,495 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock worth $527,617,000 after buying an additional 2,021,793 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in TELUS by 4.7% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 19,682,698 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock worth $390,898,000 after buying an additional 888,266 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. lifted its holdings in TELUS by 2.5% during the 1st quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 7,841,240 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock worth $204,970,000 after buying an additional 192,511 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted its holdings in TELUS by 11.1% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 6,185,632 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock worth $119,445,000 after buying an additional 616,700 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 49.48% of the companys stock. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on TU shares. StockNews.com lowered TELUS from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Saturday, January 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered TELUS from an overweight rating to a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, January 4th. View Our Latest Stock Analysis on TELUS TELUS Company Profile (Get Free Report) TELUS Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides a range of telecommunications and information technology products and services in Canada. It operates through Technology Solutions and Digitally-Led Customer Experiences segments. The Technology Solutions segment offers a range of telecommunications products and services; network services; mobile technologies equipment; data services, such as internet protocol; television; hosting, managed information technology, and cloud-based services; software, data management, and data analytics-driven smart food-chain and consumer goods technologies; home and business security; healthcare software and technology solutions; and voice and other telecommunications services. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for TELUS Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for TELUS and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Terex (NYSE:TEX Get Free Report) issued an update on its FY24 earnings guidance on Thursday morning. The company provided earnings per share guidance of $6.85-7.25 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of $7.10. The company issued revenue guidance of $5.1-5.3 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $5.17 billion. Terex also updated its FY 2024 guidance to 6.850-7.250 EPS. Terex Trading Down 8.5 % Shares of NYSE:TEX traded down $5.50 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $58.85. 2,086,331 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 642,881. Terex has a 1 year low of $41.89 and a 1 year high of $65.64. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $57.71 and a 200-day moving average price of $55.80. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.96 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.75, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.87 and a beta of 1.67. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47, a current ratio of 2.11 and a quick ratio of 1.06. Get Terex alerts: Terex (NYSE:TEX Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, February 9th. The industrial products company reported $1.41 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $1.41. The firm had revenue of $1.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.23 billion. Terex had a return on equity of 34.44% and a net margin of 10.06%. Terexs quarterly revenue was up .4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.34 earnings per share. Equities analysts expect that Terex will post 7.11 earnings per share for the current year. Terex Announces Dividend Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 19th. Investors of record on Friday, March 8th will be issued a $0.17 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 7th. This represents a $0.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.16%. Terexs payout ratio is 8.96%. A number of brokerages recently issued reports on TEX. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on Terex from $72.00 to $63.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Monday, October 16th. StockNews.com lowered Terex from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, October 30th. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their target price on Terex from $60.00 to $52.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Monday, October 30th. Bank of America restated an underperform rating and set a $57.00 target price on shares of Terex in a report on Friday, January 19th. Finally, Barclays lowered their target price on Terex from $66.00 to $60.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, October 18th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $61.93. Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on TEX Insider Activity at Terex In other Terex news, CEO John L. Garrison, Jr. sold 45,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $59.00, for a total value of $2,655,000.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 492,121 shares of the companys stock, valued at $29,035,139. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, Director David A. Sachs purchased 25,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 11th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $51.16 per share, with a total value of $1,279,000.00. Following the purchase, the director now owns 62,500 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,197,500. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CEO John L. Garrison, Jr. sold 45,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $59.00, for a total transaction of $2,655,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 492,121 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $29,035,139. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 2.40% of the stock is owned by insiders. Institutional Trading of Terex A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of TEX. Dark Forest Capital Management LP acquired a new stake in Terex in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Money Concepts Capital Corp acquired a new stake in Terex during the 4th quarter worth $47,000. Quantbot Technologies LP acquired a new position in Terex in the first quarter valued at $60,000. Fortis Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Terex during the first quarter worth about $79,000. Finally, Meeder Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in Terex by 42,750.0% during the first quarter. Meeder Asset Management Inc. now owns 1,714 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $83,000 after purchasing an additional 1,710 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 93.39% of the companys stock. About Terex (Get Free Report) Terex Corporation manufactures and sells aerial work platforms and materials processing machinery worldwide. It operates in two segments, Aerial Work Platforms (AWP) and Materials Processing (MP). The AWP segment designs, manufactures, services, and markets aerial work platform equipment, utility equipment, and telehandlers under the Terex and Genie brands. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Terex Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Terex and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. WEX (NYSE:WEX Get Free Report) issued an update on its FY 2024 earnings guidance on Thursday morning. The company provided EPS guidance of 15.900-16.400 for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of 16.260. The company issued revenue guidance of $2.7 billion-$2.7 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $2.7 billion. WEX also updated its FY24 guidance to $15.90 to $16.40 EPS. WEX Trading Up 2.5 % NYSE WEX traded up $5.11 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $212.14. The company had a trading volume of 505,217 shares, compared to its average volume of 350,382. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $196.04 and a 200 day moving average of $189.85. WEX has a 1-year low of $161.95 and a 1-year high of $213.61. The company has a current ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 1.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.55. The stock has a market capitalization of $9.07 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.44, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.35 and a beta of 1.60. Get WEX alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several analysts have recently issued reports on WEX shares. Truist Financial increased their price target on shares of WEX from $185.00 to $220.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Friday. Morgan Stanley cut their target price on shares of WEX from $205.00 to $200.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of WEX from $205.00 to $239.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Friday. Barclays cut their target price on shares of WEX from $245.00 to $225.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, October 30th. Finally, TheStreet upgraded shares of WEX from a c rating to a b rating in a research note on Thursday. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, WEX currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $224.23. Insider Buying and Selling In other WEX news, Director Jack Vanwoerkom sold 2,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $174.38, for a total value of $348,760.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 8,319 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,450,667.22. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In other WEX news, Director Jack Vanwoerkom sold 2,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $174.38, for a total value of $348,760.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 8,319 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,450,667.22. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Melissa D. Smith sold 41,107 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, January 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $205.00, for a total value of $8,426,935.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 81,998 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $16,809,590. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 1.10% of the companys stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Bridgefront Capital LLC purchased a new stake in WEX during the 4th quarter worth about $209,000. Headinvest LLC purchased a new stake in WEX during the 1st quarter worth about $209,000. Edgestream Partners L.P. purchased a new stake in WEX during the 1st quarter worth about $206,000. Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp increased its position in WEX by 111.1% during the 1st quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp now owns 950 shares of the business services providers stock worth $170,000 after purchasing an additional 500 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Lazard Asset Management LLC increased its position in WEX by 83.3% during the 4th quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC now owns 966 shares of the business services providers stock worth $158,000 after purchasing an additional 439 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 97.47% of the companys stock. WEX Company Profile (Get Free Report) WEX Inc operates a commerce platform in the United States and internationally. The Fleet Solutions segment offers fleet vehicle payment solutions, transaction processing, and information management services. It also provides account and account retention services; authorization and billing inquiries, and account maintenance services; account management; credit and collections services; merchant services; analytics solutions; and ancillary services and tools to fleets to manage expenses and capital requirements. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for WEX Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for WEX and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. On February 11, commencing at 4:05 p.m. local time (13:05 p.m. February 11 JST) for approximately 25 minutes, Ms. KAMIKAWA Yoko, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, who was visiting Suva, the Republic of Fiji, to attend the PALM 5th Ministerial Interim Meeting, held a meeting with Hon. Kalani R. KANEKO, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The overview of the meeting is as follows. At the outset, Minister Kamikawa congratulated Minister Kaneko for his appointment as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and expressed her willingness to enhance relationship with Marshall Islands, a longstanding friend connected by the Pacific Ocean and with whom Japan shares the fundamental values and principles. She also expressed her sympathy for damages caused by the drought and high waves in Marshall Islands. In response, Minister Kaneko, expressed his intention to further deepen the friendly relationship with Japan bound with special ties in addition to his gratitude for sending Mr. TANAKA Kazunori, Special Envoy of the Prime Minister to attend the inauguration ceremony for H.E. Dr. Hilda C. Heine, President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Minister Kamikawa explained that as the world faces a historic turning point, it is critical to maintain and strengthen a free and open international order based on the rule of law and ensure the world where the human dignity is protected. Minister Kamikawa also stated that taking into account the situational changes in the Pacific region, it is important to strengthen the relations with Pacific Islands countries by meeting the needs of each country. In response, Minister Kaneko expressed his gratitude for the Government and people of Japan for Japans support to the Marshall Islands for many years. Regarding the discharge of the ALPS treated water into the sea, Minister Kamikawa, referring to her visit to Fukushima last December where she confirmed the safety of discharge by herself, explained that the safety is clearly identified through a series of monitoring which were undertaken with the continuous involvement of IAEA. The two ministers concurred to work even more closely toward the PALM 10 to be held this year. Minister Kamikawa expressed her gratitude for President Heine and Minister Kanekos sympathy for the Noto Peninsula Earthquake, and presented a box foiled with Kanazawa gold leaf in the hope of the recovery of the affected areas. You are already a Moneycontrol Pro user. OK *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept February 11, 2024 / 10:15 PM IST A federal judge ordered Elon Musk to testify again in US Securities and Exchange Commission's probe of his Twitter takeover, giving the regulator and the billionaire a week to agree on a date and location for the interview. US Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler's order issued on Saturday night formalized a tentative ruling she made in December siding with the regulator. The SEC sued Musk in October to compel the Tesla and SpaceX CEO to testify as part of an investigation into his 2022 purchase of social media giant Twitter, which he renamed X. Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day Manik Sharma is an independent entertainment journalist. Views expressed are personal. Danish Khan is a London-based independent journalist and author of 'Escaped: True Stories of Indian fugitives in London'. He is researching Indian capitalism at University of Oxford. Manisha Lakhe is a poet, film critic, traveller, founder of Caferati an online writers forum, hosts Mumbais oldest open mic, and teaches advertising, films and communication. Sandipan Deb is former managing editor of Outlook, former editor of The Financial Express, and founding editor of Outlook Money, Open, and Swarajya magazines. He has authored books such as 'The IITians: The Story of an Extraordinary Indian Institution and How its Alumni Are Reshaping the World', 'Fallen Angel: The Making and Unmaking of Rajat Gupta', and 'The Last War'. The views expressed in his column are personal, and do not reflect those of Moneycontrol. You can follow Sandipan on Twitter @sandipanthedeb The Pacific Islands Development Program is looking for written submissions for its inaugural Visions & Voices publication. Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, on Sunday replied to a Chinese New Year greeting card from teachers and students of U.S. Lincoln High School, extending their best wishes of the Year of the Dragon. In a greeting card sent to the teachers and students, Xi and Peng invited them to visit China more often, including participating in exchange and study programs which invite 50,000 young Americans to China, so as to contribute to the friendship between the two peoples, especially among the young people. Earlier, teachers and students of the school in the U.S. Washington State sent a New Year greeting card to Xi, Peng and the Chinese people, extending their best wishes for happiness and health in the new year. More than 100 teachers and students signed the card. Facing setbacks against resistance forces, Myanmars military government activates conscription law View Photo BANGKOK (AP) Myanmars military government on Saturday activated for the first time a decade-old conscription law that makes young men and women subject to at least two years of military service if called up, effective immediately. The announcement of the measure on state television amounts to a major, though tacit, admission that the army is struggling to contain the nationwide armed resistance against its rule. Under the 2010 Peoples Military Service Law, passed under a previous military government, men aged 18 to 45 and women 18 to 35 can be drafted into the armed forces for two years, extendable to five years during national emergencies. The upper age of people in the population at large subject to conscription is 35 for men and 27 for women, and the higher age ranges apply to men and women in certain professional categories, such as medical doctors and engineers, and their service term is three years. The current ruling military council, called the State Administration Council, came to power in 2021 after ousting the elected civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi. The law has been activated in the wake of the armys biggest setbacks since the countrywide conflict erupted after the takeover. A surprise offensive launched last October by an alliance of armed ethnic organization in less than three months captured a large swathe of territory in northeastern Myanmar along the Chinese border. The rout inspired resistance forces in other parts of the country to launch their own attacks. In recent weeks, fighting in the western state of Rakhine caused hundreds of state security personnel to flee into neighboring Bangladesh. The army faces two enemies, the pro-democracy forces formed after the army takeover, and better-trained and equipped ethnic minority armed groups that have been battling for greater autonomy for decades. There are alliances between the resistance groups. Evading conscription is punishable by three to five years in prison and a fine. Members of religious orders are exempt, while civil servants and students can be granted temporary deferments. Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, the spokesperson of the military government, said in the statement phoned to MRTV state television that the law has been applied due to Myanmars current situation. He said activating the law could help preventing war through a show of strength to enemies. So what we want to say is that the responsibility of national defense is not only the responsibility of the soldier. It is the responsibility of all people in all parts of the country. National security is everyones responsibility. That is why I would like to tell everyone to serve with pride under the enacted law of peoples military service, Zaw Min Tun said. The military governments forces were stretched thin by the recent upsurge in resistance activity. They were already believed depleted by casualties, desertions and defections, though there are no reliable numbers of their scale. In September last year, the defense ministry of the National Unity Government, the leading political organization of the resistance that acts as a shadow government, said that more than 14,000 troops have defected from the military since the 2021 seizure of power. There have recently been reports in independent and pro-resistance Myanmar media of forcible recruitment of young men in urban areas. Although the extent of recruitment is unclear, reports have spread on social media of men being detained and forced to join the army even in Yangon, Myanmars commercial capital, prompting warnings to avoid going out at night in the city, the online magazine Frontier Myanmar reported last month. The 2021 military takeover was met by widespread nonviolent protests and civil disobedience. But the confrontations escalated into violence after security forces used deadly force against the protesters, giving birth to organized armed resistance that has spiraled into civil war. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) A pair of California lawmakers introduced a bipartisan bill on Tuesday to allow people 21 and older to consume psychedelic mushrooms under professional supervision as part of an agenda to tackle the states mental health and substance use crises. It comes after Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom last year vetoed legislation that would have decriminalized the possession and personal use of several plant-based hallucinogens, including psychedelic mushrooms. It was the first time the proposal by Democratic Sen. Scott Wiener made it through the legislature after years of stalling. In his veto message, Newsom, who championed legalizing cannabis in 2016, asked lawmakers to work on therapeutic guidelines and regulations. Now Wiener has teamed up with Republican Assemblymember Marie Waldron on a proposal to allow participations to consume psilocybin the hallucinogenic component in whats known as psychedelic mushrooms under the supervision of a licensed therapist. The bill also would include dimethyltryptamine (DMT), MDMA and mescaline. Colorado and Oregon have already decriminalized psychedelic mushrooms and established regulated systems for therapeutic use of the substances. In California, San Francisco, Oakland and Santa Cruz have effectively decriminalized possession of psychedelic mushrooms, meaning a person cannot be arrested or prosecuted for possessing limited amounts of plant-based hallucinogens. We know that Californians are struggling with mental health and addiction challenges, and we know that psychedelics, particularly when combined with therapeutic support, can be a powerful tool to help people get their health back, Wiener said at a Monday news briefing. We know that California veterans and first responders have particularly benefited from these substances, and we know that many more people can as well. Waldron, who introduced a different bill to study the use of psychedelic therapy, said the bipartisan bill aligns with Newsoms vision by providing safeguards around psychedelic therapy. A person would have to go through a comprehensive screening to determine if theyre fit to consume hallucinogens for therapy and engage in follow-up assessments. The bill also would shift the states response to mental health crisis away from criminalization and punishment, Waldron said. California already has a massive network of underground therapists who provide psychedelic therapy, Wiener said. He added the bill would bring them above ground through a new state licensing board that regulates the services. The legislation does not allow for personal possession and use. That means clients cant buy the substance to go. The drugs would still be illegal under federal law. Wiener said he doesnt want to wait on actions from the federal government and that state lawmakers could authorize such regulated psychedelic use, similar to previous efforts to legalize therapeutic use of cannabis to treat cancers or HIV. Touted as a mind-bending drug in the 1960s, psychedelic mushrooms have been used in religious or spiritual practices in some cultures for centuries and possibly thousands of years. Some researchers believe psilocybin and other drugs show promise in treating depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. The Food and Drug Administration in 2018 designated psilocybin a breakthrough therapy and published draft guidance last year for researchers designing clinical trials for psychedelic drugs. The bill is sponsored by Heroic Hearts Project, a nonprofit working with veterans to overcome trauma. Juliana Mercer, a Marine Corps veteran and a Heroic Hearts Project board member, said shes used psychedelics to manage her PTSD through programs outside of the U.S. Her organization recently sent a group of veterans to Oregon for regulated psilocybin use. Through education and through regulation, well be able to take people from doing this underground, where it may not be safe, into a place where they can do it safely, Mercer said. She added that will allow them to access the healing that they deserve without fear of negative repercussions. The California Coalition for Psychedelic Safety and Education, which opposed the measure to decriminalize psychedelics last year, also joined to support the bipartisan bill this year. Susan Sagy, executive director of the group, called it an approach that balances the potential benefits of therapeutic treatment with the potential risks to public health. Proponents of the bill anticipate it would take 18 to 24 months to implement the program if the bill becomes law. The bill would also create an education program focused on harm reduction and the potential adverse effects of psychedelics. __ This story has been corrected to say the education program would focus on harm reduction and adverse effects of psychedelics, not reducing stigma around their use. By TRAN NGUYEN Associated Press Writer Kathryn Scanlan. Melanie Schiff Four hours of conversation in one sitting followed by a few more chats a while later, all during the middle of the pandemic, all over the phone thats how Kathryn Scanlan (Iowa, 43) found the pieces that she assembled to create Kick the Latch (New Directions), a succinct and moving novel about Sonia, an indomitable and hardened woman who lives a life surrounded by horses, amid the shady world of racetracks and races. I was born on October 1, 1962. I was born in Dixon City, Iowa. I was born with a dislocated hip. The doctor said Id never walk. My mother said, Oh no, theres got to be something, begins the book, which is based on a true story. Humor and tragedy follow cruelty and tenderness, without exaggeration or dramatic frills. I thought I needed to tell her story in that style, but the form of the book is my own, something I came to after a long time not writing in such a compressed way, the author explained in a video call from Los Angeles. Scanlan is one of the most standout voices in the U.S. literary scene, and her minimalism echoes veterans like Lydia Davis or Diane Williams, who are themselves fans of her work. Im interested in how each word in each sentence has the possibility to contain and offer something, she says. Horse race (untitled), circa 1970. Gerry Cranham (Cortesia de Michael Hoppen Gallery) Both Scanlan and the narrator of her new book, the indomitable Sonia, were born in Iowa. Their childhood landscape was the same, but the real-life encounter that inspired the book was not the result of mere chance; it was the handiwork of Scanlans mother. My parents are antique flea marketers like her, and thats how they met. My mother insisted I should meet Sonia and listen to the stories she told, Scanton says. I went to see her without any expectations, but I immediately understood there was a book there. The challenge was giving it shape. Oral history, a discipline that saw its first publishing success in the 20th-century United States thanks to Studs Terkel, and that has maintained its popularity ever since, permeates Kick the Latch. Scanlan keeps that conversational tone alive through her minimalism and total commitment to an absolute lack of drama, embodied in the naturalness with which Sonia speaks of violence and love, of accidents and races, of men and women and physically mangled animals, and of the camaraderie and brutality that surround them all. I also grew up with horses and owned one myself: the way Sonia talks about it, about that bond, theres nothing contrived about it, she says. Scanlan is interested in tough stories, like Sonias, with an intensity that steers clear of sentimentality. If you give it space and isolate it, it takes on a whole new meaning, she explains. This story would be totally different if the protagonist were a man. The female experience is fundamental. Lost objects For years, Scanlan has worked with found material, transforming it into literature. In a previous book, Aug 9 Fog, she used the personal diary of an 86-year-old Illinois woman, which she found at an estate sale, as a starting point. It was funny and poignant, she talked about the weather, her family and friends, food. It was huge, and I spent a lot of time trying to distill how it made me feel. It helped me learn how to edit. Im interested in saying as much as possible with as little as possible. Critics say that her work focuses too much on ordinary people. Maybe what they mean, Scanlan says, is that the people Ive focused on are working-class people, something thats perhaps not such a common focus anymore, she says with a wry smile, then expresses a fondness for the stories of Raymond Carver, the master of American literature who taught at the same Iowa university where Scanlan earned her degree. But Scanlan was not trained as a writer at that institutions famous Iowa Writers Workshop in fact, she earned her postgraduate degree in Fine Arts at the Art Institute of Chicago. Today, its almost impossible to make a living exclusively from writing, and I think this influences the kind of books that are written, she says. And theres also the issue of university programs for writers, which exert enormous pressure. Scanlan maintains that Kick the Latch is fiction, even though everything in it is taken from her real-life interview with the person who would become the novels protagonist. Does the book have something approaching poetry to it? Yes, I like that idea. Its made of loose blocks of her words vignettes that I combine by moving around the information, Sonias words. When I finished all the blocks of text, I printed them out and placed them on the floor to find affinities and order them. The process is akin to collage-making, in which cutting out and repositioning an image creates something new. There is a lot of juxtaposition in my work, Scanlan says. And yet, there is no disorder to Sonias story, which is as contained and moving as it is raw. Shes someone who cares deeply about animals, and accepting the violence they suffer in competitions, without being able to stop it, causes her enormous conflict. Everyone in that business is complicit in the harm done to animals and to people, she says. Sonia eventually leaves the racing circuit and the horses. She goes on to work in prisons, and then in the world of antiques. In Scanlans sardonic tone, detached and raw, the story reads almost like a country song. But theres no doubt that Sonias heart is still with the horses: People say you never get racing out of your blood, she says toward the end of the book. I still dream about it most nights. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition By Lambert Strether of Corrente. My previous round-up on Covid and the economy focused mainly on macro economic effects like GDP, or the total cost of Long Covid (17% of pre-COVID US GDP). In this post, I want to dig deeper into Covid and the labor market. First, in what may look like a diversion, Ill look briefly at the January jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). (Its not really a diversion, because I learn by writing, so to master these sources I must write about them. And read your commentary, of course. But please, readers, dont fix on the jobs report! Move on down to the Covid material.) Finally, since Im dependent now on the horridly crapified Google, I invite readers with sources Ive missed to add them in comments. The labor market is a big, big topic, and Im sure I havent got my arms around it yet.[1] Again: This will in no sense be an exhaustive or even an expert post, but I hope it will serve you to at least create a coherent narrative about where we are, and even, perhaps, what to expect. So first, Ill look at that jobs report, then at two new large studies on Long Covid and labor market participation. Next, I will consider Long Covid as a mass disabling event. Finally, Ill look at how changes in the labor market affect other aspects of the economy, like commercial real estate (CRE), and conclude. About That Jobs Report The BLS report on the Employment Situation (jobs report) is one of the most highly anticipated document drops in the world. From trading firm Pepperstone: The Employment Situation report, to use its official name, is by far the most important US, and global, economic indicator released every month. While its impact has waned over time, there is no other indicator to which FX, equities, and bonds typically display such a significant and violent reaction. And: The headline measure of the labour market report is the Change in Nonfarm Employment, often shortened simply to NFP. This gauge measures the absolute month-on-month change in employment, thereby representing the number of jobs added to, or lost from, the economy over the past month. Importantly, NFP excludes agricultural workers, employees of non-profit organisations, and serving military personnel, meaning that the data typically accounts for around 80% of the entire US workforce at a given time. To collate the data, the BLS use the aforementioned establishment survey, surveying around 130k businesses on a monthly basis. Furthermore, the NFP metric is a seasonally adjusted data point. Of this months jobs report, the Wall Street Journal wrote: The labor market is in robust healthand thats scrambling rate-cut expectations. This mornings jobs report showed an acceleration in hiring, with employers adding a far larger-than-expected 353,000 jobs, a big upward revision to Decembers payrolls and unemployment holding at an unexpectedly low 3.7%. That sent investors scurrying to adjust bets on when, and how fast, the Federal Reserve might cut rates. Bond yields soared. This being an election year, the jobs report is also political. NBC News: The White House leaned into the numbers, as President Joe Biden seeks re-election this year. Officials view the data as vindication of Bidens policies. Or as the Council of Economic Advisors wrote: So, while we wouldnt hang our hat on any one monthly number, this mornings data clearly reveal the continued strength of the US job market, which is at the heart of both the current recovery and Bidenomics! (About as politicized as you can get. Why not just have Karine Jean-Pierre write something up?) As we saw this morning, however, Brad DeLong, with Paul Krugman and others cited, hang their hats on the entire report[2]. But not everyone does. One sore spot is those pesky adjustments that Pepperstone wrote of. CNN, Whats with all the revisions? Fridays whopper of a jobs number was double expectations, and Decembers data was one of several months to get heavily revised. Why are economists forecasts frequently so wrong? Its nearly impossible to say with certainty how much prices rose or how many people were hired at a given point in time across an entire countrys economy. Finding out how many new hires there were in a given month would involve asking every employer how many people were on their payrolls. Thats why the government and other economic data providers often rely on surveys[3] to make sophisticated estimates. The BLS, Census Bureau and other government agencies that conduct surveys that inform economic reports do rigorous work to make the best possible estimates with the information they gather. And more often than not they do a tremendous job at it. But surveys, by nature, are imperfect. In the same way that election polls dont always predict the candidate who ends up winning, surveys dont capture the exact true picture. Not only was mere data revised this month, but methodology and data structures were revised. From The Hill: [The BLS] applied its estimation of new business start-ups compared to business failures, the so-called birth-death model that has long been targeted by critics as subject to manipulation and leaps of faith. In addition, BLS updated the North American Industry Classification System, which shifted about one-tenth of workers into different industries, resulting in major revisions to sectors like retail trade and information and less important changes in industries including manufacturing and financial services. [The BLS also] adjusted the sample-based payroll jobs numbers based on a census of employment. As they state in a footnote, the census adjustment resulted in a loss of 266,000 jobs from last years March report. Finally, when you cross-check other BLS data with the jobs report data not to mention the real world discrepancies emerge. From alert reader Chris: We by which I do not mean the CEA and others of that ilk sometimes forget that the labor market is not an abstraction, a statistical artifact. The labor market is actual working class people seeking actual jobs doing actual work at actual locations at particular dates and times for a more-or-less set amount of money, all to reproduce their labor power (feed their families). Im a lot more comfortable imaginatively entering into the labor market than I am with BLS statistics, whether pure-in-heart, adjusted, or gamed. And if you want to talk about the labor market and Covid, thats the approach to use, because most Covid data simply is not tracked, and what little there is not integrated by the BLS to the slightest degree. Which is highly unfortunate, since Long Covid is a mass-disabling event that will affect the labor market for years to come. And with that, let us move away on from this statistical amuse bouche and enter the world of Covid. Long Covid and Labor Market Participation In the previous round-up, I cited two studies. One estimated the total impact of the Covid pandemic at $14 trillion; the other estimated the impact of Long Covid at $3.7 trillion[4]. Today we have two additional studies on Long Covid, the first on disablity in the United States, the second on the labor participation rate in the EU. 1) Long COVID Disability Burden in US Adults: YLDs and NIH Funding Relative to Other Conditions (preprint) [medRxiv]. Data from the US Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey (HPS) and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) /Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Long COVID Study Group: Long COVID represents a mass disabling event of significant public health concern. Long COVID is associated with a 21% loss of health comparable to traumatic brain injury or complete hearing loss. Among US adults, 5.3% reported having Long COVID in October 2023 and 1-in-4 with Long COVID consistently report significant activity limitations from its symptoms. Across the 12-month sample of n=757,580 US adults, 1.5% (n= 10,401) met our case definition of disabling Long COVID. Their estimated frequency of the population equates to 3,801,986 adults with long term symptoms after COVID that significantly limits daily activity. (I would tend to equate disabled with being out of the labor market entirely.) 3,801,986 is a lot, especially considering that well keep adding to the total, if current trends continue. 2) Long COVID: A Tentative Assessment of Its Impact on Labour Market Participation & Potential Economic Effects in the EU (PDF) [The European Commission]. To the best of our knowledge, so far, no study has explicitly addressed the impact of long COVID on the EU labour market. The present paper provides a tentative assessment using available estimates from surveys, clinical follow-up studies and model simulations of the prevalence of long COVID. This tentative approach yields an estimated prevalence of long COVID cases of around 1.7% of the EU population in 2021 and 2.9% in 2022, resulting in a negative impact on labour supply of 0.2-0.3% in 2021 and 0.3-0.5% in 2022. In person-equivalents, this means long COVID is assumed to have reduced labour supply by 364,000 663,000 in 2021 and by 621,000 1,112,000 in 2022 combining the effect of lower productivity, higher sick leaves, lower hours, and increased unemployment or inactivity. Available labour market data suggest a mixed picture when it comes to the impact of long COVID. Other indicators suggest that in 2022, health-related issues (COVID-19-related or of other origin) contributed more than in previous years to a reduction in labour supply at the external (i.e. transition into inactivity) and the internal margin (i.e. a reduction in hours). Notably, there has been a sizeable increase in sick leave reported by several EU Member States in 2022, with acute COVID, long COVID and seasonal respiratory illnesses all likely to have been significant contributors. There has also been an increase in people reporting disability or longterm illness, people inactive due to illness or disability and in part-time work due to illness or disability. The timing and distribution of these observations (with women being more severely affected) could mean that long COVID is a contributing factor. Overall, the health impact of long COVID warrants careful monitoring. 2.9% * ~450 million (the EU population in 2022) = 13,050,000 people. Thats a lot, comparable to the 16 million (CDC) with Long Covid in the United States. Now lets turn to the market itself, looking at issues beyond disability. Quantity v. Quality in the Labor Market Covid as a mass disabling event was coined by WaPo editor Francis Steadman in 2022 (and super-wierdly framed as an issue of identity politics for the newly disabled). The central issue is that reinfection increases Long Covid risk, and so the size of the disabled mass will keep increasing over time (given the Biden Administrations maleficent policy of mass infection without mitigation). From the Sloan-Kettering Institute: A May 26, 2023 op-ed in the Boston Globe by Wes Ely, MD, MPH an ICU physician and the Chair of the Department of Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center discussed the risks humanity is taking with being repeatedly infected with COVID-19, describing what he sees as playing disability roulette and that the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted from an emergent infection with significant morbidity and mortality to an ongoing mass disability event. While society yawns, impatient to move on from the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans still play disability roulette. About 1 in 10 of the 110,000 people who catch COVID this week in the United States, many for a second or third time, will be left lastingly ill. Even some vaccinated people; even some young, previously healthy people, after only mild cases. No longer a mass death event, COVID-19 is an ongoing mass disability event. Every seven days, 25,000 more people join the 10 million in our country suffering memory loss, heart problems, dizziness, extreme fatigue, and more owing to the virus. Globally an estimated 65 million people have this new chronic health condition. From the University of Nebraska Medical Center: Since its been estimated that over 80% of Americans have been infected with COVID-19 at least once, concern about reinfection is valid. Indeed, a person can get COVID-19 once, twice, three times or more. A new study analyzed medical records from the Department of Veterans Affairs of nearly 41,000 people who suffered COVID-19 reinfection. For those who had COVID-19 two times or more, the data appeared to show two times increased risk of long COVID and chronic fatigue. This handy chart from Sloan Kettering gives a visual represenation of the odds of getting Long Covid with repeated infections: Covid as a mass-disabling event will affect both the quantity and the quality of the labor force. First, quantity. In Germany: In 2023, sick leave in Germany once again exceeded the record level of 2022, pushing the German economy into recession. This is reported by the Rheinische Post with reference to a study by the Association of Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (VFA): Significant work absences led to considerable production losses without the above-average sick days, the German economy would have grown by almost 0.5 percent, according to the study, which has not yet been published. As it was, however, the economy shrank by 0.3 percent. If sick leave had not been so high again, an additional 26 billion euros would have been generated in 2023. Instead of a mild recession, there would have been an increase of just under half a percent in 2023, write authors Claus Michelsen and Simon Junker, according to the report. Yes, we must infer the increased sick leave was caused by the Covid pandemic; the causes of sick leave werent in scope for the study. Not so in the UK: As per Long Covid Supports briefing ahead of tomorrows meeting, Covid-19 continues to have a profound effect on chronic disability in the UK which could be addressed with prevention, treatment, and workplace flexibility: Almost 2M people in the UK had long covid (ONS, 2023). Over half of patients with Long Covid reduced their paid work hours, including 17% no longer in paid work. NHS trusts in England lost more than 1.8M working days to Long Covid absences March 2020-Sept 2021. Covid as a mass disabling event also affects the quality of the work force. In our previous post, we gave several examples of cognitive dysfunction, especially executive function. Studies like those come out so often theyre almost a genre. Here are a few new ones: 1) Attentional impairment and altered brain activity in healthcare workers after mild COVID-19 [Brain Imaging and Behavior]: As a core component of cognitive and behavioral processes, attentional function plays a key role in basic and higher functions and has a large impact on daily life and work. As a high-risk group, healthcare workers (HCWs) are continuously exposed to SARS-COV-2 infection and its consequences during clinical work. Faced with the complex social environment and high workload of pandemic prevention, we believe that even in HCWs with mild SARS-COV-2 infection, impairment of attentional function persists and affects later clinical work. Therefore, we recruited HCWs with mild SARS-COV-2 infection to explore in-depth, attentional network impairments, using ANT, to understand the changes in patients levels of attentional function impairments comprehensively. Our study found varying degrees of reduced efficiency in both the attentional orienting and executive control networks in the patient group. The corresponding neuropsychological background test results also indicated the presence of impairments in general attention and executive function. Hence, an HCW whos had mild Covid is more likely to mix up your pills or misread your chart. Or, extrapolating, forget to bolt on the door to an aircraft. And for the patients 2) Factors associated with cognitive impairment in patients with persisting sequelae of Covid-19 [The American Journal of Medicine]: Patients with PASC [Long Covid] are almost 4 times more likely to evidence cognitive dysfunction compared to normal controls. Forty-four percent of patients with PASC demonstrated cognitive deficits about 7 months from infection. Hence, truck drivers running red lights, carpenters no long being able to sketch plans, aircraft controllers losing track of their airplanes, and so on. Hence is doing a lot of work in both places. Perhaps we could wait a decade or so for NIH to blow another billion dollars on a useless study. Or we could make reasonable inferences. Remember: Covid is a mass-disabling event. So those two studies affect the entire population, of which those who enter the labor market are a part. Effect of Changes in the Labor Market Heres one[5] knock-on effect of changes that Covid brought about in worker behavior. 1) Commercial Real Estate (CRE). Workers, in the aggregate, changed their preferred location to work. From the Boston Fed, Lease Expirations and CRE Property Performance: The pandemic-induced shift to remote work appears to have led to a large and persistent decline in the demand for office space, especially in central business districts (CBDs). On the other hand, the deterioration in commercial real estate (CRE) loan performance has been relatively modest to date, as long-term leases have shielded commercial-property owners from the effects of diminished demand for space to a fair degree. To shed light on how these properties will perform in the longer term as more leases expire, this paper analyzes how lease expirations have affected property performance historically and investigates how these patterns have changed so far for leases that have expired since the COVID-19 outbreak. Conclusion Speaking of the imagination, theres historical precedent for pandemic-driven labor market upheavals: A pandemic kills off a chunk of the population, especially the more vulnerable working class. The labor force depletes. The labor of the remaining people who are willing to work is suddenly worth higher wages. People in power pre-pandemic want to deny that labor is suddenly worth more than it was before. Its the story of the American labor market in 2021 and the onset of the Black Death, or bubonic plague, in 14th-century Europe. With over 38 million people leaving their jobs in 2021, the coronavirus pandemic has spawned what some are calling the Great Resignation. Research shows that people want to pursue more fulfilling careers, even without other jobs lined up. Workers seem tired of low-paying, dangerous professions, and want to avoid increased exposure to the pandemic. And they definitely want more pay. More bleakly, swaths of the workforce are simply also dying off: line cooks, warehouse employees, and agricultural workers were especially at high risk of death in 2020, according to a study from the University of California, San Francisco. A new book by English historian Dan Jones makes clear that labor shortages have long followed pandemics, with social unrest not far behind. His Powers and Thrones, which looks at roughly 1,000 years of medieval history, includes a discussion of the Wat Tyler rebellion, which he argues was really the working class leveraging its power as a result of the labor shortage that followed the Black Death, or bubonic plague. It wasnt just an English phenomenon, either. Thousands of people died in the rebellions that took place throughout Europe during that age, but something else happened the economy changed forever. When a pandemic arrived on this scene, the continent eventually lost roughly one in every two people. This was a human tragedy, but it also put labor at a premium. Wages soared as landowners struggled to make sure their crops didnt die from a lack of harvesters. The sudden decline in the population also meant a decline in land rental prices. Land became dirt cheap, and landlords were desperate for tenants. More than 800,000 people have died from COVID in the US over 2020 and 2021, and a similar thing is happening on a much smaller scale. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that 3 million people are currently missing from the American workforce, while wages have increased significantly for the first time in decades, and set to go even higher in 2022. According to Jones, the same kind of shift in worker power 600 years ago caused wealthy landowners to panic. They petitioned their rulers to help save them from financial ruin. In England, King Edward III enacted legislation that made it illegal for workers to claim wages above pre-pandemic rates: the Ordinance and Statute of Labourers. Workers were prescribed wage ceilings depending on their industry, such as masonry or mowing. The ordinance also made it a legal requirement for every able-bodied person under 60 years old to work. Under the next king, Richard II, these ordinances, along with a slew of new, higher taxes finally triggered what is known as the Peasants Revolt, the first great popular rebellion in English history. Of course, there wasnt any such thing as Long Black Death back in the day; people were either dead, or not. I find it hard to imagine organizing a popular rebellion with a mass of disabled people. Nevertheless. NOTES [1] I have toyed with the slogan that The only market is the labor market, because, surely, all markets depend on the jobs that human beings do? [2] From this mornings Links, container import volumes are up too. So somethings going on out there. [3] Also from CNN: The rate at which people are getting recruited for surveys that are used in many of BLS monthly reports including employment, Consumer Price Index and Job Openings and Labor Turnover are down sharply from before the pandemic. Curiously parallel to the problems that election pollsters are having. [4] In the previous round-up, I did not cite to this article from Nature, though I should have: The oncoming burden of long COVID faced by patients, health-care providers, governments and economies is so large as to be unfathomable , which is possibly why minimal high-level planning is currently allocated to it. If 10% of acute infections lead to persistent symptoms, it could be predicted that ~400 million individuals globally are in need of support for long COVID. [5] I wanted to look at productivity and consumption, too, but dang. My sources werent good enough. It shouldnt be hard to show, however, that cognitive dysfunction will have effects on productivity, quality of work, customer satisfaction, and so forth. As for consumption, surely at some point some significant fraction of the population will latch on to the idea that closed, crowded, close-contact spaces are dangerous? Maybe next time. On 11 February, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, meet two researchers whose curiosity and love for the natural world inspired outstanding careers in bioengineering and biophotonics. February 11 marks the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Mandated by the United Nations, this day draws attention to the fact that despite some progress women are still underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) all over the world. Outstanding researchers from NATO members and partner countries receive support from the NATO Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme to investigate and find solutions to emerging security challenges. In celebration of this year's International Day of Women and Girls in Science, two award-winning scientists who find their inspiration in nature share their stories. Dr Gozde Durmus Dr Gozde Durmus, Assistant Professor, Stanford University Driven by a curiosity about the natural world and a desire to solve complex problems, Dr Gozde Durmus is dedicating her career to scientific research. With a background in bioengineering, she has been recognised as one of the "Top Innovators Under 35" by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Technology Review. What she likes the most about science is the freedom to explore and answer questions that I am curious about, and discover new knowledge, pushing the boundaries of our understanding and technology. Gozdes expertise lies at the intersection of magnetics, nanotechnology and biomedicine. Her work focuses on developing advanced biomedical tools by creating innovative platforms that merge Dr Gozde Durmus holding a magnetic levitation device in her lab at Stanford University engineering, biology, and microfluidics. In simpler terms, her work helps to find and understand rare cells or molecules by using magnets and tiny particles a task as complicated as finding a needle in a haystack. I find immense satisfaction in the collaborative and interdisciplinary nature of scientific research, as well as its potential to make meaningful impacts on society and serve patients, says Gozde. With support from NATOs SPS Programme, Gozde is leading a new research project aimed at developing a smart device that combines advanced nanotechnology and artificial intelligence to detect harmful microorganisms in water and air. Such a tool could be used to tackle bacterial contamination and improve the detection of pathogens in water and air on an everyday basis. It could also play a crucial security role in rapidly responding to attacks using biological agents, and help save many lives. Her project brings together her team at Stanford University in the United States along with research groups at Ozyegin University in Turkiye, and at the University of Aberdeen campus in Qatar. Dr Danica Pavlovic Dr Danica Pavlovic in her biophotonics laboratory at the Institute of Physics in Belgrade. Love for nature also motivates Dr Danica Pavlovic, one of the recipients of the 2020 LOreal-UNESCO national award For Women in Science. For Danica, being a scientist is a dream job that allows her to express her creativity and innovation. The charm of science is that it is dynamic, you are constantly faced with new challenges, and always learn something new. Danicas research in the field of biophotonics (the study of how light interacts with biological systems) enables her to use various biology and physics methods to analyse and characterise different biological processes, structures, cells and tissues. Her work also explores biomaterials and their potential application in technology. Dr Danica Pavlovic stands beside a screen showing her research, which uses butterfly wing scales as camera pixels. Recently, with support from NATOs SPS Programme, she completed a research project that used elements from nature to enhance existing technologies. Specifically, she worked on the development of a low-cost, multispectral surveillance camera using butterfly wing scales as camera pixels. In November 2023, Danica presented a prototype of this device whose performance has the potential to surpass most commercially available thermal cameras directly to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during his visit to Belgrade. This project was the result of collaboration between her team at the Institute of Physics in Belgrade (Serbia) and researchers at the Institute of Physics in Zagreb (Croatia). How does the Science for Peace and Security Programme help? The SPS Programme brings together academics, experts and officials from NATO and partner countries who jointly lead research and knowledge exchange activities. Proposals for new activities are assessed based on technical and scientific merit, paying attention to avoid any gender bias and welcoming women-led research and insights. Opportunities for cooperation are announced as calls for proposals on the SPS website. It is also possible to stay up-to-date with the latest opportunities offered by the SPS Programme by subscribing to the SPS newsletter. I SEE DEAD PEOPLE: Biden claims to have spoken to late German leader about false-flag J6 attack President Joe Biden claims he had spoken with the late former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl about the events of the Jan. 6, 2021 false-flag attack at the U.S. Capitol. The 81-year-old chief executive reportedly made the blunder during a Feb. 7 event, where he told the story to a group of Democratic donors in New York City. He also repeated the same story in another fundraiser held on the same day in the Big Apple. Biden was reportedly talking about his first international trip as president to the Group of Seven (G7) Summit in the U.K. when he made the gaffe. "I showed up and I sat down and said, 'America's back.' [French President Emmanuel] Macron looked at me and said, 'For how long?' How long? Not a joke," Biden recounted. "Helmut Kohl said, 'Joe, what would you think if you picked up the phone and picked up the paper tomorrow and learned in the London Times, on the front page, that 1,000 people stormed the Parliament? Broke down the doors of the House of Commons and killed two [police officers] in the process [of] trying to stop the election of a prime minister?" While Biden's story replaced the American political setting with a British one, it is worth noting that no police officers were killed. In contrast, four protesters died during the riot as a result of the violence. Brian Sicknick, the lone U.S. Capitol Police officer who reportedly died on Jan. 6, actually suffered from a stroke that led to his death the following day. Kohl (1930-2017) served as the chancellor of West Germany from 1982 to 1990. After the Berlin Wall was torn down, he once again served as the chancellor of a united Germany from 1990 to 1998. Former Chancellor Angela Merkel, who served from 2005 until 2021, was the leader of Germany when Biden attended the G7 Summit. This was not the first instance Biden allegedly spoke to leaders who have long passed away. On Feb. 4, he reportedly recounted the exact same tale but this time replacing Kohl with former French President Francois Mitterand (1916-1996). Mitterand was the longest-serving French president, with his tenure lasting from 1981 to 1995, one year before his demise. Biden sees dead people a sign of dementia? According to the New York Post, "Biden's latest gaffe is one of many verbal blunders he's committed since taking office" in 2021. These blunders, it added, "have sparked concerns over his mental acuity as he seeks a second term in office." In October 2022, Biden sought out the late Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN) during a White House event even though she had died in a car crash eight weeks prior. The president had been thanking several politicians from both the Republican and Democratic parties when he made the gaffe. "Representative Jackie, are you here? Where's Jackie? I think she was going to be here," Biden remarked at the time while on the podium. The gaffe reportedly followed a lengthy statement from the chief executive mourning the demise of the Indiana congresswoman. When asked about the gaffe involving Walorski, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reportedly said the late congresswoman was "top of mind" for Biden as he had been preparing to host her family. The press secretary did not address questions about the president's mental health and why he believed Walorski was alive. The chief executive's mental gaffes also extend to events that supposedly happened to him, but were debunked in reality. In September 2021, Biden allegedly claimed "spending time at" and "going to" the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh where 11 people were killed in 2018 a claim the synagogue denied. In May 2022, Biden claimed he was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy by the late former Sen J. Caleb Boggs (R-DE) in 1965. However, a search of the erstwhile lawmaker's archives failed to yield any proof. (Related: Watch: Joe Biden says he was a lifeguard at Lake Oswego in NY but it doesn't exist.) Visit JoeBiden.news for more stories about the chief executive's verbal blunders. Watch White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre refuse to answer questions about why Biden speaks to dead presidents. This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Biden given 'cheat sheet' that instructs him how to say "hello" and sit down. Just a gaffe or more dementia? Biden tells 82nd Airborne members theyre heading into Ukraine. White House releases "bizarre" video of Biden speech, sparking concerns about his ability to function. Sources include: ThePostMillennial.com Britannica.com 1 Britannica.com 2 NYPost.com 1 NYPost.com 2 Brighteon.com China making dramatic advances in development of HYPERSONIC WEAPONS China is making "dramatic advances" in its hypersonic missile program, turning these next-generation weapons into missiles that fly so fast that no American defenses can stop them Officials affiliated with the AUKUS defense alliance and military technology partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, are gravely concerned about the DF-17 and its successor the DF-27. These are medium- and long-range ballistic missiles designed to be mounted onto the DF-ZF hypersonic glide vehicle. A missile mounted onto the DF-ZF is allegedly able to fly at speeds of between Mach 5 and Mach 10, or 3,800 to 7,600 miles per hour. With a range of up to 5,000 miles, British officials within AUKUS are concerned because they may have been specifically designed to destroy aircraft carriers, including the U.K.'s flagship vessels, the HMS Queen Elizabeth and the HMS Prince of Wales; and the U.S.'s massive fleet of 11 aircraft carriers. "The buzz phrase here is that 'speed is the new stealth,'" said one concerned official affiliated with AUKUS. "China has prioritized this capability and has generated the world's leading arsenal of [hypersonic glide vehicles]. It has made dramatic advances in this area in the 2020s. Countering this threat is a priority for AUKUS," the official added. "Countering the delivery mechanism, which fires the missile, is more effective than countering the missile itself. We would have to hit the bases, hit the launch systems." American defenses against hypersonic weapons lacking The U.S. Department of Defense has warned in its latest report to Congress that China may already have "the world's leading hypersonic arsenal." While the U.S. is making progress in developing its fleet of hypersonic weapons, efforts to create systems that can defend against Chinese hypersonic capabilities are not keeping pace with Beijing's advances. (Related: Despite Biden claiming otherwise, majority of Americans still view China as the "GREATEST THREAT" to the U.S.) Many nations already have hypersonic weapons that can travel at speeds above Mach 5, or greater than one mile per second. However, Chinese hypersonic missiles present an additional challenge due to their greater speed, as high as Mach 10 in some cases. In addition to their high speeds, the People's Liberation Army's developments in hypersonic glide vehicles, which can maneuver through the upper atmosphere after an initial ballistic launch phase, make China's hypersonic weapons near-impossible to track, let alone intercept. To make matters worse, Beijing is in the process of developing hypersonic cruise missiles that use air-breathing engines such as scramjets, which can reach even higher speeds and can be maneuvered. This combination of impossibly high speeds and maneuverability presents a daunting challenge for existing U.S. ballistic and cruise missile defense systems, which consist of radars and interceptors. The Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency is investing in developing interceptors that can destroy adversarial hypersonic weapons. The goal of the program is to develop interceptors that can destroy hypersonic weapons while they are being transported by hypersonic glide vehicles and before they can begin their complex maneuvering into their terminal phases. Unfortunately, the administration of President Joe Biden has only asked for $209 million for the country's hypersonic defense program in the 2024 fiscal year less than half of the $515 million that the Pentagon spent in the 2022 and 2023 fiscal years combined. Watch this episode of the "Hagmann Report" as host Doug Hagmann interviews Steve Quayle about how the next world war could be decided by nuclear warheads launched from hypersonic missiles. This video is from the Hagmann Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: 80% of new leading research in advanced technological fields COMES FROM CHINA. Chinese scientists build hypersonic generator capable of powering a range of high-tech weapons (while the U.S. depletes its armory by sending its weapons to Ukraine). Leaked Pentagon documents indicate latest Chinese test of hypersonic missiles can evade all existing U.S. defenses. Air Force admits latest hypersonic missile test failed, as Russian, Chinese missiles continue to threaten U.S. homeland. China may have already deployed unstoppable hypersonic missiles capable of targeting American bases in the Pacific. Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk DefenseNews.com MissileDefenseAdvocacy.org Brighteon.com This is the way: Fired Mandalorian star sues Disney, Lucasfilm after Elon Musk offer In February of 2021,in political statements. (Article by Tyler Durden republished from ZeroHedge.com) Lucasfilm, owned by Disney, fired one of them. And now she's suing. In the first instance, Mandalorian star Pedro Pascal made a now-deleted Instagram post likening Trump supporters losing the 2020 election to the Confederacy and Nazi Germany losing in 1865 and 1945. In 2018, Pascal compared Jews in a Nazi concentration camp to 'children in cages' (using a 2010 photo of Palestinian children waiting to be fed at a soup kitchen). In the second instance, actress Gina Carano, who played former Rebel Alliance soldier Cara Dune - was fired from the show and dropped by her agency after she shared a TikTok post comparing the current divided political climate to the treatment of Jewish people in pre-WWII Germany, saying that "the government first made their own neighbors hate them simply for being Jews." The hypocrisy did not go unnoticed: The hypocrisy is the point. pic.twitter.com/JzZqXtVrVG Omri Ceren (@omriceren) February 11, 2021 According to the Hollywood Reporter, Lucasfilm had planned on giving Carano her own show before she expressed her opinions. Carano also drew criticism fro the left for mocking pronouns, putting "boop/bop/beep" in her Twitter bio. Gina Carano putting boop/bop/beep in her name after the Twitter mob was angry she wouldn't put her pronouns in her bio will always be legendary pic.twitter.com/fRFUGmYLUY Greg Price (@greg_price11) February 11, 2021 Carano's other 'crime' was mocking masks during the pandemic. Now, Carano is suing... In a Tuesday post on X, Carano laid out what happened, and why she's suing. After my 20 years of building a career from scratch, and during the regime of former Disney CEO Bob Chapek, Lucasfilm made this statement on Twitter, terminating me from The Mandalorian: Gina Carano is not currently employed by Lucasfilm & there are no plans for her to be in the future. Nevertheless, her social media posts denigrating people based on their cultural & religious identities are abhorrent & unacceptable. Nothing could be further from the truth. The truth is I was being hunted down from everything I posted to every post I liked because I was not in line with the acceptable narrative of the time. My words were consistently twisted to demonize & dehumanize me as an alt right wing extremist. It was a bullying smear campaign aimed at silencing, destroying & making an example out of me. ... Look at why I was called a transphobe--for making droid noises from Star Wars? Beep, bop, boop was obviously directed to the online bullies and did not in any way denigrate transgender people. Were my questions about masks, lockdowns & forced vaccines ok to ask & push the subject into the light? Should we have been allowed to publicly discuss those topics at that time without being harassed or censored? Absolutely. Carano goes on to explain that "A couple months ago @ElonMusk tweeted that if you had been fired from using the platform (X) for exercising your right to free speech, he would like to offer these people legal representation." Some time later, Carino received an email from a lawyer hired by X to explore her case. Carano then thanked Musk and X, and says she would love to keep acting. Cant wait to see the discovery on this one. It will be the motherlode! Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 6, 2024 Read more at: ZeroHedge.com Pandemic origins: NIH held meetings with Wuhan Institute of Virology researchers about COVID experiments in 2017 Documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act have intensified the ongoing debate about the origins of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) and the role of the United States government in the pandemic. The documents suggest that Shi Zhengli, a senior scientist at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) also called "Batwoman," held a clandestine meeting with officials at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to gather support for her research on emerging bat viruses. The meeting took place in June 2017, shortly before the NIH lifted its moratorium on gain-of-function research in December 2017. According to the document obtained by U.S. Right to Know, a nonprofit public health research group, the meeting was arranged by Peter Daszak, the president of EcoHealth Alliance, an American-based nonprofit partnered with the WIV and subcontracting funding from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to the lab. The report revealed that Daszak arranged the meetings at NIH with the program officer overseeing his research there, Erik Stemmy. The latter also managed COVID-19 research at NIAID's Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. At that meeting, Zhengli and Daszak performed "a double act" for a presentation called "SARS, MERS and the risk of novel viral emergence from bats." (Related: Over 200 service members demand accountability for how COVID-19 vaccine mandates violated their rights.) After the presentation, Daszak thanked Stemmy via email, writing that it was great to finally have a chance to introduce their collaborators to the latter personally. The co-presenters seemed to have made a compelling case. According to a report, the viral research at the WIV on bat coronaviruses "was supported, and often funded, by America." The report also revealed that scientists at EcoHealth seeking funding for work to engineer "spike proteins," which make it easier for the bat viruses to infect human cells, have deliberately misinformed the authorities "about the risks of the experiments in order to maximize the chance of receiving grants." Further adding to the controversy, the documents also showed that there was a critical order from Chinese intelligence on January 3, 2020. The order instructed WIV staff to share or destroy all their samples "on the spot." U.S. and Chinese military and intelligence circles likely knew about the research The documents also implied that it is very likely that both the U.S. and Chinese military and intelligence circles contributed to the viral research in Wuhan. According to U.S. Right to Know, the highly redacted State Department cables that they obtained last year revealed that America possesses "cyber evidence" of military "shadow labs" at the WIV. A 2021 State Department fact sheet has also shown that even though the WIV is presenting itself as a civilian institution, the research institute has conducted classified research on behalf of the Chinese military as early as 2017. According to a declassified assessment released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in 2023, the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) scientists have conducted virological research at the Wuhan lab, and the labs civilian scientists have collaborated with scientists associated with the PLA. Meanwhile, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the now-retired director of the NIAID, has taken part in a two-day written testimony to Congress on his knowledge of the COVID-19 pandemic origins, his involvement in the alleged cover-up of the lab leak theory and the government pandemic response. In the past, Fauci has repeatedly downplayed the importance of NIH funding to WIV, including in a 2022 deposition and Senate testimony in 2021. He has also staunchly defended outsourcing the "necessary" but potentially dangerous research to China. Earlier reports suggest that before securing the NIH funding, the EcoHealth Alliance approached the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the technological branch of the Department of Defense (DOE), to finance Zhenglis research on bat virus experiments and vaccine development. The research also involved the synthesis of spike proteins with furin cleavage sites that were designed to boost the ability of the viruses to bind to human receptors. DARPA declined the proposal due to explicit concerns about its gain-of-function aspects and the potential for dual-use applications. The U.S. intelligence community remains split on the origin of SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19. In February 2023, the DOE and the Federal Bureau of Investigation claimed that COVID-19 "likely" originated from a lab leak. But by June 26, 2023, the Director of National Intelligence declassified a 10-page report on COVID-19 origins, which claimed that "almost all IC [intelligence community] agencies assess that SARS-CoV-2 was not genetically engineered and was not developed as a biological weapon." The most prominent of them, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), was accused of bribing its scientists to reject the lab leak theory. As early as March 2023, the World Health Organization announced that it would abandon its investigation into the COVID-19 pandemic origin because of challenges over attempts to supervise vital studies in China. Go to Pandemic.news for more stories about the COVID-19 pandemic. Watch the video below to learn how Fauci is linked to COVID-19 experiments in the U.S. one year before the pandemic. This video is from the GalacticStorm channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Swiss health insurance report: People receiving cancer treatment since 2020 skyrocketed by 73% after rollout of COVID vaccines. Steve Kirsch: Over 10M people worldwide HAVE DIED from COVID-19 vaccines. Long COVID a direct consequence of vaccination, study finds. Sources include: TheNewAmerican.com DailyMail.co.uk WSJ.com Brighteon.com Michael Yon: Migrant invasion could pave the way for DOMESTIC SABOTAGE The Health Ranger Mike Adams and combat correspondent Michael Yon discussed how the migrant invasion could pave the way for domestic sabotage operations by adversaries on the "Health Ranger Report." Adams asked Yon about the demographics and countries of origin of the migrants currently at the San Vicente migrant camp at Panama's Darien Gap. In response, the combat correspondent said people from about 150 countries are present there but most hail from Venezuela. According to Yon, the South American nation has very close relationships with China, Russia and Iran. Iranians can even fly into Venezuela, and get both a new passport and visa on arrival. Yon also mentioned that many members of Hezbollah are in Venezuela. According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Lebanese militant group "has operated in South America for over two decades, mainly partaking in drug trafficking, money laundering, and illegal financing to raise money around the region for its terrorist activities." "If you look at all the terrorist groups in the world, probably the most dangerous for the U.S. at this point is Hezbollah partly because they're so enabled, they're very smart [and] they've got a lot of money," Yon remarked. "They are all over the place. There's a high chance there's somebody in Hezbollah within one mile of me right now," he continued, adding that Hezbollah members in the South American nation can speak Spanish fluently. At least 100,000 terrorists are ready to wreak havoc in America The conversation then veered toward a potential terrorist attack on U.S. soil, with Adams asking about the number of actual terrorists who will resort to violence when given the go signal. (Related: Beware the 80,000 terrorists Biden let in simultaneously conducting military ops in America The coming New World Order will be Islamic.) Yon said the number of tier-one terrorists entering the U.S. on an actual mission is probably one to three percent. These operatives will fight when the chaos is ongoing, alongside a support group who will get involved if the situation calls for it. Moreover, there is also the so-called auxiliary group who will help out the two earlier teams when needed. When these groups are added up, Yon said they could number 100,000 or even more because of the millions coming to America. Adams gave a higher estimate of 500,000 individuals coming from one of the two tiers. This group 500,000, he added, will take orders from foreign entities to activate and carry out sabotage and extermination in the United States. The combat correspondent ultimately remarked that Americans don't know how many are actively coming for an actual mission, but surmised that a large number have already come from China and Syria, as well as other places. "It can be some very high number," Yon said. "Keep in mind, though; when you get into an actual unconventional warfare scenario, there will be a tiny sliver of the pie that is sort of like your A-Team. Those are the guys that are actively fighting all the time, and then there will be the support group that will fight when they are called upon." Follow Terrorism.news for more stories about the impending terror attacks in America. Watch the full conversation between Michael Yon and the Health Ranger Mike Adams below. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: NEW DOMESTIC TERRORISTS: Chinese shock troops posing as tourists entering U.S. through Mexican border could ignite WWIII from within our homeland. New poll reveals 75% of Americans fear Israel-Palestine conflict could lead to TERROR ATTACKS in the U.S. EXCLUSIVE: DHS intelligence officer blows the whistle on massive Islamic terror invasion. 160 Individuals on terror list have attempted to cross into U.S. this year ILLEGALLY, of course. Steve Quayle warns of ORCHESTRATED nuclear events that will destabilize America. Sources include: Brighteon.com CSIS.org Why do we no longer value food? Why are we so unwilling to pay more for products that will clearly be healthier for our body? How does our relationship with food, and the prices we pay for it, directly affect the living conditions of millions of people who live in rural areas? According to reports from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), 80% of the women, children and men living in extreme poverty in developing countries live in rural areas. What has led us as a society to keep this population, on which 30% of the global food production depends, marginalized? Donal Brown, associate vice president of the IFADs Programme Management Department, issues a strong warning: we need to consider other food systems that are not only sustainable over time and respectful of the planet, but, above all, that make us appreciate all the processes and the work that it takes to bring fresh, healthy food to the table. Question. What do we have to change as a society to solve the paradox that keeps the millions of people who grow our fresh food in poverty? Why havent we been able to give them the dignity they deserve? Answer. We are in a global situation in which consumers expect food to be very cheap, and that is not sustainable. It is not sustainable for the planet to keep producing food as we are right now. The environmental degradation of the food production system that we currently have destroys the soil and its fertility. In the short term you can use more fertilizers and inorganic products, but that was never sustainable, and it will not be sustainable in the next 15 years. That is why we have to start talking about food systems, not just about food. We have to find a new system. Furthermore, we are facing a profound lack of knowledge and a devaluation of what it means to produce these foods. We have to return to the times when we valued food and were willing to pay for it, and thats where we connect with producers. If we pay a fair price for what they grow, then they will not live in poverty. Q. You strongly emphasize that rural areas must be made attractive. Why do you think this can bring about a change for the rural areas of our countries? A. We are not going to keep people in the countryside unless we make rural areas more attractive. If they dont have good internet access and they cant get information regarding whats a good price to sell their products in the city, then they have to depend on an intermediary, who is the one who keeps all the profits that should go to the growers. So rural areas need infrastructure, social and economic infrastructure. Another important element to consider is that the food system starts with the production, but then there is everything that has to be done in order to get that food to the consumers plate. Most of the profits in the food system come from processing and marketing. If the farmers are excluded from these links in the chain, they will never have proper compensation. If you can organize some growers into a cooperative, they can have their own processing plant and reap the benefits. Young people might not want to plow the land, but they may want to work in a processing plant, so they become part of the entire process, not just the production. That is why at IFAD we focus a lot of work on the value chain, on adding value to food. Donal Brown during a visit to the community of San Juan Cuauhtemoc in the state of Puebla, Mexico. Cortesia Q. After decades of experience working with rural areas around the world, what would you say are the projects that really have an impact and are really worth funding? A. First, before focusing on the projects, you have to focus on the governments policies, because if the policies are not right, the projects will face big problems. A project will be successful if it influences the governments policies. Second, when you design a project you need to know what the exit strategies are, because in order for anything to be sustainable over time, you have to understand what you are doing, and what you need to do so that, once the project is gone, its effects on the territory endure. Another front that is very important in rural areas is making sure that you are building the best and most appropriate infrastructure. Even though the project is focused on agriculture, you may realize that the real problem is that farmers dont have access to financing; you may be focusing on technical issues, which may be easy to solve, but if a farmer cannot acquire credit to invest or doesnt have a road to haul their food, what you do on other fronts wont matter. An additional and very important factor is involving the beneficiaries in the project, because if they dont feel ownership of that project, they will not value it. On the other hand, if its their project, they will continue it, even after its over. You need to have that level of ownership, and that is achieved by understanding what their priorities are, whether it is better for them to build a road or a local market. Finally, you need projects that are inclusive. People have an idea that agriculture is for men, but that is quite wrong. Many women are producers, and they are invisible in Latin America, Asia and Africa, so we need women to not only be part of the projects, but also of the decisions about those projects. Q. You talk about how decisive it is to work with government policies. From your perspective, what is the state of those policies today? How willing are governments to address these issues? A. For many years we tried to get governments to take the sustainability of the food system seriously, and it was a losing fight. However, with Covid-19 and the global supply chain crisis, governments became serious about food, as it was not an issue that affected only Africa; it was everyone, Mexico, the United Kingdom, we all had problems getting food. So we are in a very interesting moment. We are witnessing a good period of governments focused on this. The big elephant in the room is climate change, but, again, theres a growing acceptance that you cant have a food chain without acknowledging whats happening with the climate. Small producers in rural areas produce 30% of global food; they are the most vulnerable, because they basically depend on water for their production. The big chains will adapt, but if you cant count on the production of that 30% because they are not able to adapt, then we will be in serious trouble. Q. How do we make consumers more aware of the role they play in recognizing and paying the right price for the food they consume? A. We have to work on educational campaigns that show what bad food does to peoples health. Those foods may be cheap, but they are not healthy. If a tomato looks very good, its because it is full of pesticides. The tomatoes that dont look so pretty might be the best, and they may have the best prices, because no one wants them. People have to know that. Since the Covid-19 crisis, we started to see a great movement towards local markets and towards investing more in quality food. We have to strengthen that. If people have no idea where their food comes from, you cant ask them to pay for certain processes they dont know about. Tourism has also been a great ally, because the more the reality of these areas and local productions is seen, the more willing the consumer is to support them. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Being Arundhathi Subramaniam: One part goddess, one part wild women New Delhi, Feb 9 She says it has been exciting to smell the danger in their voice. That it has been an infuriating journey too -- for whenever she thought she had a hold on the content, someone would parachute in. There would then be chaos, albeit a grateful one. But then immediately after that, there is a pause -- as if she is mourning a loss. "It was something that never got over. And this is something I have been wanting to do for really long. I also did a book in between, and I wrote one on Bhakti too. 'Eating God' was an important book in that aspect it touched people. But I already believe the seeds of 'Wild Women' were sown. Of course, it is lovely to read about Kabir but where are the women? Have the women's voices been muted? Maybe we have tamed and domesticated them... it did not seem they were women on journeys. I wanted to go back and rediscover the rawest realms and smells. It has been such an endless process but so satisfying to listen to their feral sensuality, and their searing questions about custodians of gender and faith. It was time to tune into their brazenness, their heartbreaking longing. Not just for their sake but for ours too," she tells IANS. In the book, the poet brings together haunting voices of, by and for women across the Indian subcontinent poetry of ancient Buddhist nuns, Bhakti and Sufi mystics, tantrikas and Vedantins. There are women here, and men singing as women, and both raising their voices in praise of the sacred feminine. Even as we start talking about gender in spirituality, she feels that given the goddesses part of it, they represent the many different aspects of creation and it is in this space that people are comfortable. with the duality. But as soon as it is time to arrive at a definite truth, the goddesses vanish," smiles this Sahitya Akademi Award and International Piero Bigongiari Prize (Italy) winning poet. She insists it is the magically messy plurality of the subcontinent that never fails to fascinate her and she wanted to express this sense of wonder and how many living spiritual parts exist in the country -- and there are so many women on such different paths -- casting off clothes, house makers, mystics, Sufis and devotees. "And to my mind what makes them my sisterhood is the fact that they are women who ask inconvenient questions and do not settle for easy answers. Frankly, it is about reclaiming what has always existed and reminding us of a messy and unruly existence." Subramaniam, who was Head of Dance and 'Chauraha' at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Mumbai, and has been Editor of the India domain of the Poetry International Web was drawn to the Bhakti poets when her own spiritual journey took on a certain urgency. "They took my breath away with their irreverence, their hoarse longing, their full-throated vulnerability. I loved the gumption with which they addressed their gods complaining to them, quarrelling with them, making love to them, threatening to devour and even demolish them!" In her formative years, living in Mumbai had an impact -- she had living poets around her who became a living legacy. "I was definitely aware. I had living poets around me. They became a living legacy and you could aspire to be that but at the same time it was not easy, you could not easily become a part of this club, and it was not inviting. But yes, there were conversations around craft and not just people asking questions about how to get published. there was something heady about the license to spend hours discussing line lengths, commas and the nature of the cliche with others who shared this passion for verbal precision," says the author of 13 books of poetry and prose who was shortlisted for the T.S. Eliot Prize in 2015. But even when she is ready to give up the badge of 'Bombay poet', the badge does not leave her. "That suggests a deeper sense of kinship than I am probably aware of," she smiles. The poet, who was recently at the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) 2024 for the session. 'Invoking the Muse: Poetry Hour' stresses that such festivals do help in making the poet visible and also boost book sales. "Also, let me add, poetry does sell." And her process? Well, she does admit to having 'twitchy fingers' but says that sometimes too much importance is given to sitting down and writing. Stressing that it is important to be in touch with one's silences, she recalls: "The upcoming book would lurch and halt -- and both are important. Just because one writes every day does not mean you are creating something profound or significant, it just means you're exercising every day." While she is still "recovering" from Wild Women, there are poems that she wants to go back to, "But as I said, it is important to stay still too." (IANS - Posted on 10 February 2024) Being Arundhathi Subramaniam: One part goddess, one part wild women Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! Christopher Nolan shares his love for 'Fast & Furious' franchise, says, I watch those movies all time Washington DC, February 9 Filmmaker Christopher Nolan talked about his liking for the 'Fast & Furious' franchise at 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert', according to People. "I have no guilt about being a fan of the 'Fast & Furious' franchise," Nolan said in response to Colbert confessing that he never saw any entry of the series, which started in 2001. Since then, nine more stories have been released following street racing, heists, spies, and family. Vin Diesel, the late Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Jason Statham, Ludacris, John Cena and Cardi B are just some of the stars who have appeared in the films throughout their long-running history. Nolan referred to the films as "a tremendous action franchise." "You've never seen any of them?" he asked Colbert. "I watch those movies all the time. I love them. I'm amazed you've never seen one of them. It's only in the last few that a specific arc and mythology develop. I would start with Tokyo Drift and watch it as its own thing." This wasn't the first time Nolan has praised the 'Fast & Furious' films. According to People, in an episode of the 'Happy Sad Confused' podcast, The 'Dark Knight' director said he has "a very soft spot" for the 2006 entry, The 'Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift'. He also spoke highly of director Justin Lin's involvement in the franchise, noting, "As they got crazier and bigger and crazier and bigger and became something else, but something else kinda fun." During his appearance on 'The Late Show', Nolan also highlighted the planned cinematic re-release of Tenet, his action-packed spy drama set for 2020. In 'Tenet', John David Washington and Robert Pattinson's characters travel from the present day to World War III, but Colbert wondered if some viewers struggled to grasp the plot. "If you are experiencing my film, then you are getting it," Nolan said. "I feel very strongly about that. I feel like people who have experienced frustrations with my narratives in the past sometimes I think they are slightly missing the point. It's not a puzzle to be unpacked but an experience to be had, preferably in a movie theatre and at home." "You're not meant to understand everything in Tenet," he added. "It's not all comprehensible." 'Tenet' will have a limited re-release beginning on February 23 in IMAX and 70mm format screens for one week only, reported People. (ANI - Posted on 10 February 2024) Christopher Nolan shares his love for 'Fast & Furious' franchise, says, I watch those movies all time Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! US FDA approves sleep apnea feature on Samsung Galaxy Watch San Francisco, Feb 9 Samsung Electronics on Friday announced that the sleep apnea feature on its Health Monitor app for smartwatch has received the approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). South Koreas Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) had approval the feature last October in South Korea. The sleep apnea feature will enable users over the age of 22 who have not been diagnosed with sleep apnea to detect signs of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) over a two-night monitoring period. To utilise the feature, users will be able to simply track their sleep twice for more than four hours within a 10-day period. Untreated sleep apnea can compound the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias and stroke. The feature will be available on the Galaxy Watch series in the US via Samsung Health Monitor app in the third quarter, said the company. Users should not use this feature to replace traditional methods of diagnosis and treatment by a qualified clinician. The data provided by this device is also not intended to assist clinicians in diagnosing sleep disorders, informed the company. (IANS - Posted on 10 February 2024) US FDA approves sleep apnea feature on Samsung Galaxy Watch Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! At the end of August, some 70 youth were detained in Nigerias southern Delta state, accused of organizing a same-sex wedding. Another 76 people were detained in October for organizing a similar event in the northeastern Gombe state. These mass detentions seem to send a clear message: LGBT people are less welcome than ever in Nigeria, the most populous state in Africa, at nearly 240 million inhabitants. That is certainly how it seems to Francis Ndimele. Only a month after the mass arrest in August, which made headlines, he forced to emigrate from his home in Lagos to the United States. My parents disowned me in 2020 after discovering I was gay. I had the support of an LGBTQI+ group that gave me shelter in Lagos. Despite this, my family kept sending police officers to chase me. They believe my sexual identity is an embarrassment to the family, especially since they are clergymen from an apostolic church. And the Nigerian police use the arrest of LGBT+ people for extortion, knowing that the law does not protect us, the 24-year-old says, bitterly. In 2014, the then-president of Nigeria, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, enacted legislation banning same-sex relationships, as well as any public display of same-sex affection or membership of LGBTQ+ groups. The law imposes a penalty of up to 14 years in jail for anyone who enters into a same-sex marriage contract or civil union, and sentences up to 10 years in jail anyone who registers, operates, or participates in gay clubs, societies, and organizations or who even supports said groups. Nigerian lawyers and human rights activists argue that the draconian law is a violation of basic universal freedoms, and that the police regularly use it to make arbitrary arrests, and even to torture arrestees. Lagos-based lawyer Chizelu Emejulu defends LGBT people in different Nigerian states. He says, It seems that [the anti-LGBT law] was only passed in order to harass and extort. It is an instrument of the government to suppress democracy, he says. Emejulu points out that no one has been convicted in the African country since the homophobic law came into effect a decade ago, and says that all the individuals who were arrested during the most recent raid were released on bail, although the court has ordered them to appear every month since. No charges have yet been brought against them. Nigerian police applied the law for the first time in 2019, when they processed 47 men for public show of same-sex amorous relationship, according to human rights organizations like Human Rights Watch, although that case was dismissed because the prosecution did not present any witnesses in court. In January, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights joined critics of the law with its Universal Periodic Review, a periodic review that analyzes the state of human rights around the world every four and a half years. The U.N. recommended that the Nigerian government withdraw the anti-homosexuality law, the liberation of anyone who had been arrested based on their sexual orientation and the end of persecution of the LGBT community, according to Human Rights Watch, which warns that this kind of recommendation has little to no impact on these kinds of issues. Parades of humiliation Human rights activists have also raised the alarm over Nigerias latest group arrests being paired with a humiliating police tactic: pre-trial media parades of detainees. The Nigerian Supreme Court declared in 2022 that this practice violates the Constitution, but during last Augusts arrest, the police operation was streamed live on social media, as has been the case with most homophobic arrests. Lawyer Stephen Okiroro stresses that these practices go against Section 36 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees the presumption of innocence. Public parading of suspects by Nigerian security agents was common during the military era, when the repressive military government suspended several human rights laws. Now we have a democratic government, and one of its values is fundamental human rights, he says. Only 22 of the 54 African countries allow same-sex relationships. Although in Nigeria, the law establishes prison sentences, in 12 of the countrys 36 states where Sharia (Islamic law) is in force, the death penalty can be applied to members of the LGBT community or to those who go against traditional norms of behavior. In November, local media reported the arrest of eight young men for immoral dress. The accusation: dressing in garments considered to be womens clothing. The punishment: three months in prison and 10 lashes. Transvestism is being targeted by the federal government, warn organizations such as Human Rights Watch. In April, a legislator introduced an amendment to the law against same-sex marriage that imposes penalties of six months imprisonment or fines of 500,000 naira ($513). The privilege to flee Those who can, escape this suffocating environment. I had already planned to travel and had my visa, but I got help from human rights advocates to pay for my flight reservation to the United States, where I now consider myself safe, says Ndimele, the young man persecuted by his relatives. My parents are happy that I am no longer around and that their church members can no longer make fun of them. Daniel Orji, who lived in the southwestern Nigerian state of Ogun, also left the country after being fired from his job. A colleague saw me in a gay venue when I was on vacation, took pictures of me on the sly and sent them to the office. They fired me and asked me never to come back, under threat of reporting me. I got a job in the U.K. and moved about six months ago, he says. [In Nigeria] we face all kinds of discrimination from people at work and in all other social encounters. I feel very sorry for those who cant travel like me. Its really hellish. Ndimele and Orgi were lucky to be able to flee the country, but leaving isnt an option for everyone. One of the people who dont have that privilege is Kunle Adeagbo, who says he has been detained and extorted on various occasions. I live in fear. The law doesnt just allow the police to treat LGBT people in an inhumane way, it also subjects us to mob violence. I was once injured in the street on the way to a party. But it was hard for me to go and report it at the police station because of the stigmatization and discrimination committed by those who are supposed to protect the lives and property of citizens. Adeagbo eventually worked up the courage to report his assailants, but the accusation backfired. The police detained me, tortured me, kept me in custody and forced me to confess that Im gay. They only released me after I paid them, he says. We are not asking for very much, we just want the violence to stop so that human rights defenders and organizations that provide services to LGBT people can freely support us. The spokesperson for the Nigerian police force, Muyiwa Adejobi, did not respond to calls or text messages sent by this publication. The Nigerian Minister of Justice did not respond to questions, either. A law that violates the Constitution Benjamin Abiboye, human rights lawyer, says that Article 40 of the Nigerian Constitution states that every citizen has the right to freely assemble and associate with others, and in particular, form or belong to political parties, unions or any other association to protect their interests. So, why should the anti-LGBT law punish people for gathering peacefully? Why should the government look the other way when there is mob violence against them? he asks. The law Nigeria passed in 2014 is the most repressive law passed since the return of democracy to the country in 1999, he says. Okiroro agrees: Freedom of association is a fundamental human right in a functioning democracy, and it is essential that the government provide space for people to express different views and defend their common interests. In addition to violating the Nigerian Constitution, the homophobic law also violates international human rights agreements, like the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, which guarantees the right to freedom of expression, freedom of association, freedom of assembly and the equality of all people. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Nigeria assented to with reservations in 1993, assures the equality of all people before the law and their right to not suffer from discrimination. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Backward bending income curve to adjust work-life balance New Delhi, Feb 10 When Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy advised Indian youth to work for 70-hours a week to boost the country's economy, there was a huge hue-and-cry and the working class reacted sharply, countering his advice. His advice got mixed reactions with some saying -- it's too much to ask -- while others threw their weight behind him. Just to mention, former President of India, the late Dr APJ Kalam, worked almost 18 hours a day -- that makes 90 hours in a five-day week -- and also took out time for his Veena practice. You have to dream before your dreams can come true. Time management is the key to success, he always said. But then, one has to dream to become Narayana Murthy or Dr Kalam and its not everyones cup-of-dream. Or is it that dreams have choices too? Imagine, if over 100,000 startups and about 125 Unicorns had decided to work for nine hours a day, enjoying in between, two hours of lunch time, and four cups of tea -- a mandatory break of 30 minutes each; India might not be heading for an economy of $5 trillion. No wonder, this disruptive thinking by startups and Unicorns has accumulated collective valuation of about $300 billion, creating millions of jobs as well. All said and done, the post-Covid era has changed life, lifestyles and value of work-life balance. Value addition' in the corporate sector has changed to 'value of life and well-being'. Being alive and working has become more important than working and being alive. This disruptive thinking has severely dented the income-curve. The fact of the matter is that more than 65 per cent of the countrys working population is looking for me-time apart from time for the family and busting stress and anxiety. Out of this, about 25 per cent are ready to negotiate on their salaries and perks. Enjoying challenge in a job is a good statement while applying for a post but not after being appointed. My suggestion would be to have another column in KRAs and KPIS of how much time spent with the family, and it should be rated equally. At one point, an employee was happy devoting more than 8-9 hours a day to get an exceptional escalation in appraisal and CTC. Today that same employee is happy taking a job that gives him space to consider his health, family outings, time with children, and social get-togethers, etc. You would find that many employees switch off their mobile phones once they leave office, or do not attend office calls. It was never easy for the income curve to move backward, but eventually it decided to move backwards. This gave space for the work-life balance curve to move upwards. One can argue that the promoters of corporates - conglomerates and organisations have spent sleepless nights to build empires providing jobs to millions of people, and would continue to do so, but then, employees are not promoters. The thinking is different and so is the vision. The essence of the backward moving income curve can be contested and argued, as who doesnt need abundance of money to live a good life; but the fact is, if you think so, be ready to devote your time and energy. Nothing comes free in life. (Pavan Kaushik is a renowned storyteller and author) (IANS - Posted on 11 February 2024) Backward bending income curve to adjust work-life balance Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! Vidisha Srivastava plans unforgettable date for her hubby this V-Day Mumbai, Feb 10 Actress Vidisha Srivastava has chalked out a wonderfully romantic plan for her husband for Valentine's Day this year, which includes a cosy candlelit dinner. "They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, and nothing surpasses a candlelit dinner at a rooftop restaurant with serene music and a cosy ambience. Despite a busy day of shooting and caring for our child Aadya, I intend to surprise Sayak with an unforgettable date," she shared. The 'Meri Gudiya' fame actress added: "Other than this, since the day is about celebrating love in every form, let's pause to acknowledge those who bring warmth into our lives and share love with those around us." The upcoming track of the show will revolve around Vibhuti (Aasif Sheikh), who finds himself lost in a daydream where he is celebrating Valentine's Day with Angoori (Shubhangi Atre). In his fantasy, Angoori confesses her love for him. However, upon encountering Angoori in reality, Vibhuti inquires about her plans for Valentine's Day. She intends to ask Ladoo Ke Bhaiya (Rohitashv Gour) to take her to Kullu Manali. Determined to thwart her plans and spend the day with Angoori himself, Vibhuti devises a scheme. Meanwhile, Tiwari visits Anita (Vidisha Srivastava) to inquire about her plans for Valentine's Day. Anita assumes Vibhuti has something planned for her, but Tiwari mocks the idea, suggesting Vibhuti likely doesn't even remember the occasion. Offended by Tiwari's comments, Anita challenges him to a bet. When Tiwari encounters Vibhuti, he fabricates a story, claiming Anita expects a diamond necklace for Valentine's Day, causing Vibhuti great distress. To alleviate the pressure, Tiwari advises Vibhuti to feign ignorance about the upcoming Valentine's Day. When Angoori requests Tiwari to take her to Kullu Manali, he fabricates a story about facing financial losses in his business, preventing him from fulfilling her request. Seeking guidance, Angoori confides in David Chacha (Annup Upadhyay), who suggests she visit a saint who appears on vintage TV. Excited by the prospect, Angoori eagerly agrees. Disguised as the saint, Vibhuti advises Angoori to ask her neighbour to be her Valentine, assuring her it will resolve her husband's business woes. Following the advice, Angoori approaches Vibhuti and asks him for a date. Meanwhile, Tiwari anonymously sends letters and gifts to Anita. The show airs on &TV. (IANS - Posted on 11 February 2024) Vidisha Srivastava plans unforgettable date for her hubby this V-Day Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! Champaign, IL (61820) Today Some flurries this morning. Then cloudy skies through the afternoon. High 39F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Mainly clear. Low 26F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. The control tower of Camp VI detention facility is seen on April 17, 2019, in Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba. Two Afghan prisoners who were held in U.S. custody for at least 14 years at the Guantanamo Bay detention center after 2002 were released from house arrest in Oman, a Taliban spokesman said Sunday. Abdul Zahir Saber and Abdul Karim were released as a result of the efforts made by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Taliban interior ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani said. Senior Taliban officials posted photographs of Saber and Karim on social media with messages of congratulations. An official welcome ceremony is being organized in the capital, Kabul, for their return on Monday, Qani said. The two men were held in Guantanamo until 2017, when they were transferred to the Gulf kingdom of Oman, where they spent the next seven years under house arrest, forbidden to travel. The United States opened the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, in Cuba, under President George W. Bush in January 2002 after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the invasion of Afghanistan to capture al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden. It was intended at the time to hold and interrogate those suspected of having links to al-Qaida or the Taliban, who had sheltered bin Laden. However, scores of suspects from multiple countries were later sent there and the detention center became notorious after reports emerged of detainees being humiliated and tortured. Saber, who was originally from the province of Logar, was arrested by American forces on May 10, 2002, Qani said. In October that year, after four months in Bagram prison just outside Kabul, Saber was transferred to Guantanamo. As a result of the efforts of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, after many years in prison and imposed restrictions will be removed, he will return to his homeland, said Qani. Karim, a resident of Tani district of Khost province, in the east, was arrested in Pakistan on Aug. 14, 2002. After a few months in prison there, he was handed over to American forces. He was moved to Guantanamo in early 2003 and then to Oman in 2017. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Duty concessions on gold, which accounts for 80 per cent of Indias imports from Peru, is the most challenging issue for New Delhi under the proposed free trade agreement with the South American nation, a report said on Sunday. Economic think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said that gold, a high-value product with low volume, attracts a 10 per cent basic customs duty in India, and even minor tariff concessions could lead to a significant increase in imports. India and the South American nation Peru are negotiating a free trade agreement to promote bilateral trade and investments between the two countries. In such pacts, two trading partners either significantly reduce or eliminate customs duties on the maximum number of goods traded between them, besides easing norms to promote trade in services. The next round of talks is expected to start this week in Lima, Peru. Tariff concessions on gold, accounting for USD 1.8 billion or 80 per cent of Indias imports from Peru in FY23, is the most challenging issue for India, GTRI founder Ajay Srivastava said. He argued that after tariff concessions under the India-UAE free trade agreement, gold imports from the UAE, Indias second-largest gold supplier, doubled in 2023 compared to 2022. Peru, the fifth-largest supplier to India, could see a similar surge in gold imports if concessions are made, the report said. In 2023, Indias global imports of unwrought gold are estimated at USD 43 billion, with Switzerland accounting for 40 per cent of these imports, it said, adding that given Perus gold mines, its gold would easily meet any Rules of Origin criteria. FTAs offer concessions on effective duties rather than on the bound duty. Excluding gold from an FTA would violate the World Trade Organizations Article XXIV, which requires duty cuts on substantial trade for FTAs, Srivastava said. He also said that Indias bound duty on gold is set at 40 per cent, but the current applied tariff is 10 per cent. FTAs allow concessions in effective duties and not on bound duty. If the FTA does not include gold, it may not meet the WTO Article XXIV condition for FTAs to have duty cuts on substantial trade, Srivastava said. Peru has a bilateral trade pact with major economies like the US, EU, China, Australia, and Singapore. It also has multi-country agreements with the Pacific Alliance (Chile, Colombia, and Mexico) and the Andean Community (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador). These FTAs allow tariff-free imports of most products imported into Peru. A notable aspect of Perus trade regime is its low tariff barriers, with a significant portion of items being duty-free. 70.4 per cent of items in Perus tariff schedule are duty-free. The simple average tariff is 2.2 per cent. This means tariff elimination will not result in substantial market access for Indian products, the report said. Negotiations for the agreement started in 2017, and the fifth round concluded in August 2019. The talks were paused due to the coronavirus pandemic. During 2022-23, the bilateral trade between India and Peru stood at USD 3.12 billion (exports USD 866 million and imports USD 1.4 billion). India exported goods worth USD 865.91 million to Peru, and imported goods valued at USD 2.25 billion. Key Indian exports to Peru include motor vehicles/cars (USD 282 million), cotton yarn (USD 101 million), electrical and electronics (USD 51.3 million), machinery (USD 50.2 million), tyres (USD 17 million), and pharmaceuticals (USD 87.3 million), while imports items include gold (USD 1.77 billion), copper ores and concentrates (USD 391 million), silver (USD 14.5 million). Peruvian businesses are also looking to export agricultural products like avocados, fresh grapes and blueberries, and natural resources like calcium phosphates to India. India and Peru (34.2 million population) are over 17,000 Km apart. The long-distance and smaller size of Perus economy, with the primacy of ores and minerals, are the major reasons for the low bilateral trade. India, with a gross domestic product (GDP) of USD 3,750 billion, far surpasses Perus GDP of USD 268 billion, indicating a much larger economy. In global trade, Indias exports for 2023 amounted to USD 760 billion, significantly higher than Perus exports, which stood at USD 66 billion. Similarly, Indias imports were also higher, totalling USD 840 billion, compared to Perus imports of USD 56 billion. Investors flocked to large-cap oriented mutual funds with influx of Rs 1,287 crore in January, making it the highest fund infusion in 19 months, as a significant run-up in small and mid caps prompted them to book profit. This is a huge turnaround following a net outflow of Rs 281 crore in December. Also, the quantum was 80 per cent higher than inflows of Rs 716 crore in January last year. The latest inflow helped push the asset base of large-cap equity category by 26 per cent to Rs 3 lakh crore at January-end from Rs 2.38 lakh crore a year ago. According to latest data by Association of Mutual Funds in India (Amfi), equity mutual funds focused on large-cap received inflow to the tune of Rs 1,287 crore in January. This was the highest level since July 2022, when the category saw an inflow of Rs 2,052 crore. Given the significant run-up in small and mid caps, investors are booking some profits and rebalancing into large-caps, Kaustubh Belapurkar, Director Manager Research at Morningstar Investment Research India, said. Akhil Chaturvedi, Chief Business Officer, Motilal Oswal AMC, said,Large- caps demonstrated positive contributions in January, reversing the net outflows experienced in December 2023. This shift in trend is in line with valuation differentials among large v/s mid and small caps, suggesting that large caps or flexi caps oriented schemes may attract higher flows in the future. Before the outflow in December 2023, the category attracted Rs 307 crore in November and Rs 724 crore in October. Overall, equity schemes saw an inflow of 21,780 crore in January this year making it the highest monthly infusion in nearly two years. The latest flow was about 28 per cent higher than inflows of Rs 16,997 crore in December. Besides, mid-cap oriented funds and small-cap focused funds continued to attract investors with inflows of Rs 2,061 crore and Rs 3,257 crore, respectively. Feroze Azeez, Deputy CEO, Anand Rathi Wealth Ltd, said that in FY2024, until December, the total outflow hovered around Rs 4,949 crore from large- cap. During the same period, small-caps received inflows of Rs 34,103 crore. For FY2024, large-caps have delivered an absolute return of 28 per cent, whereas small-caps delivered over 60 per cent. Given that this would have created portfolio allocations biased towards mid and small as well as huge run- up in small relative to large, allocations moving towards large-cap is justified, he added. With mid-caps at 15 per cent and small-caps at 20+ per cent premiums, investors are realising the considerable valuation gap with the large-cap segment, and accordingly making adjustments to their investments, Gopal Kavalireddi, Vice President of Research at FYERS, said. The growing interest in large-cap funds could be seen in the rising number of investor folios, both on a month-on-month and yearly basis. Year-on-year, folio numbers surged by over four lakh to 1.33 crore in January, while on a month-on-month basis, there was an increase of 1.45 lakh folios. The government is examining foreign direct investment from China in Paytm Payments Services Ltd (PPSL), the payment aggregator subsidiary of One97 Communications Ltd, sources said. In November 2020, PPSL had applied for licence with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as a payment aggregator under the guidelines on Regulation of Payment Aggregators and Payment Gateways. However, in November 2022, RBI rejected PPSLs application and asked the company to resubmit it, so as to comply with Press Note 3 under FDI rules. One97 Communications Ltd (OCL) has investment from Chinese firm Ant Group Co. Subsequently, the company filed the required application on December 14, 2022 with Government of India for past downward investment from OCL into the company in order to comply with Press Note 3 prescribed under FDI guidelines. An inter-ministerial committee is examining investments from China in PPSL and decision would be taken on the FDI issue after due consideration and comprehensive examination, sources said. Under Press Note 3, the government had made its prior approval mandatory for foreign investments in any sector from countries that share land border with India to curb opportunistic takeovers of domestic firms following the COVID-19 pandemic. Countries which share land borders with India are China, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar and Afghanistan. A query sent to OCL for comments remained unanswered till the filing of the story. The Reserve Bank last month barred Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL), an associate company of OCL, from accepting deposits or top-ups in any customer account, prepaid instruments, wallets, and FASTags, among others after February 29, 2024. The Reserve Banks action against PPBL follows a comprehensive system audit report and subsequent compliance validation report of external auditors. RBI had said that these reports revealed persistent non-compliances and continued material supervisory concerns in PPBL, warranting further supervisory action. On March 11, 2022, RBI had barred PPBL from onboarding new customers with immediate effect. The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras is all set to conduct the Joint Admission Test for Masters (JAM 2024) exam today, February 11, 2024. Aspiring candidates appearing for the exam are advised to download the admit cards for the IIT JAM 2024 exam from the official website of the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, at jam.iitm.ac.in. In addition to that, the results for the same will be announced on March 22. IIT JAM 2024 will take place in over 100 exam centres throughout India by the IIT. Applicants should cross-check all of the information mentioned on the admit card and preserve a printed copy of the admit card for the examination day. All candidates should bring their admit card and a valid photo identification to the examination hall; if they fail to do so, they will be denied entry. A printout of the downloaded admit card must be brought to the test centre along with the original and valid photo ID. The candidate has to provide the details of this ID proof while filling out the online application. No candidate will be permitted to appear in the JAM 2024 examination without a valid admit card and a valid and original photo ID. The admit card should be presented for verification. reads the official notification. Talking about the exam pattern, the computer-based Joint Admission Test for Masters (JAM 2024) will be conducted in two sessions. The first session will start at 9:30 am and end at 12:30 pm for subjects including Chemistry (CY), Geology (GG), Mathematics (MA), whereas the second session will be held from 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm for Biotechnology (BT), Economics (EN), Mathematical Statistics (MS), and Physics (PH) subjects. The exam will be conducted over a stringent 180-minute timeframe. The paper will consist of three sections: Section A will have 30 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ), Section B will have 10 Multiple Select Questions (MSQ), and Section C will have 20 Numerical Answer Type (NAT) questions. Students willing to pursue an MSc, MTech, or PhD at prestigious Indian universities, including IITs, NITs, and ISCs, are required to pass the IIT JAM exam. To be eligible for the above-mentioned test, candidates should have completed their UG degree programme or be in the last year of the undergraduate programme. It is important to note that foreign nationals holding degrees from Indian universities were also accepted. Government jobs in India are among the most sought-after careers as they offer job stability, post-retirement benefits, and the opportunity to serve the public. If you are looking for a government job that matches your qualifications, then here are a list of vacancies from various organisations for you to consider this week. PNB SO RECRUITMENT FOR SPECIALIST OFFICER POSTS The Punjab National Bank (PNB) has initiated a recruitment drive for 1,025 PNB Specialist Officers (SO) 2024. Interested candidates who fulfil the eligibility criteria can visit the official website of Punjab National Bank at pnbindia.in and submit their applications until February 25. It is important to note that applicants between the ages of 21 and 28 are eligible to apply. Candidates will be selected based on an online written examination followed by a personal interviewread more BPSC TEACHER RECRUITMENT EXAM (TRE) PHASE 3 The recruitment notice for the Bihar Teacher Recruitment Exam (TRE) Phase 3 has been issued by the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) on February 7. The online application process for BPSC TRE Phase 3 started on February 10 and will conclude on February 23. Aspirants can apply for the BPSC TRE Phase 3 exam through the commissions official website at bpsc.bih.nic.in. It is to be noted that candidates applying for the position of primary teacher (Classes 15) must be at least 18 years old, while candidates applying for the positions of middle school teacher (Classes 68), TGT (Classes 910), and PGT (Classes 1112) must be at least 21 years oldread more INDIAN ARMY AGNIVEER RECRUITMENT 2024 The Indian Army is recruiting 25,000 aspirants between the ages of 17.5 and 23 in various posts of Agniveer. Candidates willing to be a part of the Agniveer recruitment program can visit the official website at joinindianarmy.nic.in and register themselves. Candidates will go through a two-tiered selection process that includes a written test, scheduled for April. Following the qualification in written tests, the selected candidates will be called for the next round of selection, which is the physical testread more AP TET 2024 REGISTRATIONS The Department of School Education in Andhra Pradesh has invited applications for the Andhra Pradesh Teacher Eligibility Test 2024. Candidates who meet the eligibility criteria can apply through aptet.apcfss.in until February 18, 2024. The AP TET exams for the same will be held between February 27 and March 9, while the results are likely to be released on March 14. To complete the registration process, applicants are required to pay Rs 750 for each paperread more OPSC RECRUITMENT FOR ASSISTANT CHEMIST VACANCIES The Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) is seeking online applications for the post of assistant chemist. Candidates aspiring to get a job in the aforementioned position can apply online through the OPSCs official website at opsc.gov.in. This recruitment drive is conducted to fill up a total of 22 posts. Talking about the eligibility criteria, a candidate must have at least a second-class PG degree in Chemistry or an equivalent qualification such as a PG degree in Applied Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, or Industrial Chemistry from any recognised university or institutionread more The people of Delhi have decided that the AAP will win all seven Lok Sabha seats in the nation capital, said party convener Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday. They are stopping us here in Punjab and, in Delhi, they obstruct any work that I try to do. But, friends, the people of Delhi have decided Delhi has seven Lok Sabha seats the people of Delhi have decided that they will make the AAP win on all seven seats, he said while inaugurating a power plant in Punjab. Kejriwals statement comes amid seat-sharing talks between the AAP and Congress, both part of the INDIA bloc. With this announcement, the question remains if there is still room for negotiations for Delhi. But, it may be a pressure tactic to nudge the grand old party into finalising seats as it is too early to write off an AAP-Congress alliance there. News18 had earlier reported that if there is an inordinate delay on part of the Congress in finalising talks, the AAP might go ahead and declare candidates for constituencies that it considered winnable. On Saturday (February 10), the Delhi chief minister said the AAP will contest all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab and the one Lok Sabha seat in Chandigarh. Two years ago, you had blessed us by giving 92 out of 117 seats. You had scripted history. Today, with folded hands, I seek your blessings again. In another two months, Lok Sabha elections will be held. Punjab has 13 Lok Sabha seats, and one seat in Chandigarh. In all, there are 14 seats. In the coming 10 to 15 days, the AAP will declare candidates for all 14 seats. I request you to bless us the same way that you had done two years ago; make AAP win in all 14 seats. You have to vote for jhaadu. We have to sweep all 14 seats by a huge majority, Kejriwal said at a rally in Khanna in Ludhiana district. On February 13, the highest decision-making body of the AAP the political affairs committee will meet to finalise candidates for Goa, Gujarat and Haryana. Despite being a critical constituent of the INDIA bloc, the AAP has already unilaterally declared one candidate Chaitar Vasava from the Bharuch Lok Sabha constituency in Gujarat. It has also declared three candidates Manoj Dhanowar, Bhaben Chowdhury and Rishi Raj from Dibrugarh, Guwahati and Sonitpur in Assam. Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak, a key negotiator in talks within the INDIA bloc, said the party was tired of talks that led to no consequence and expected other parties in the opposition front to accept the AAP candidates. I would urge and request the INDIA alliance, all partners to sort all pending and outstanding issues. All the seat-sharing talks should be sorted and brought to conclusion, Pathak said. We have mutually decided that the AAP and Congress will fight separately in Punjab for the Lok Sabha elections, he added. Not every actor gets an opportunity to make their debut with the big stars of Bollywood. However, Devangshi Sen was a brilliant exception in this case since she headlined Raveena Tandon starrer web series Karmma Calling. Playing Raveena Tandons on-screen daughter might be intimidating and jarring for a new actor but Devangshis brilliant performance was a testament to her skills as well as what she has to offer with her ability to assimilate with the script. Speaking more about the revenge drama, Devangshi Sen shared exclusively with News18 Showsha the entire journey of landing the role in Karmma Calling, meeting Raveena Tandon, cracking complex scenes in the series and her aspirations as an actor. Here are the excerpts: Karmma Calling marks your acting debut and since this is with Raveena Tandon, it must be extra special. How did you land this role and what intrigued you the most about this project? I moved to Mumbai in March 2022. I had 0 connections to the film industry and was genuinely very lost on how to approach working as an actor here. So, I went to Panchami Ghavri who owns PGC (a casting company) and I asked her if I could intern with her for 3 months. I wanted to learn as much as possible about the auditioning process, what makes a good audition, and learn more about the behind the scenes of how/why actors get selected. She graciously offered me the internship and during my time I helped 100s of actors give auditions. I was maybe doing 6/7 scenes a day for 3 months. It was amazing I learnt and grew so much. After I left the company, I came back to the same office 1 week later to audition for Mira. I was just excited to give an audition. I was not at all even thinking about bagging the role. So when I got the role I was beyond ecstatic and shocked. What intrigued me most about the project was definitely the story. I binge watched 22 episodes of the first season of Revenge and I absolutely loved it. Its so interesting that I couldnt look away. What can you recall about your first meeting with Raveena Tandon and what sort of off screen prep you both did to get the dynamics of mother and daughter right for the camera? I think the first time I met Raveena we needed to take some family photos to make sure the vision for The Kotharis was working. Im usually a very outgoing and talkative person but when I met Raveena I was so shy and quiet. She literally radiates the aura of a star so I was both in awe and nervous. Then I realised that in most of my scenes with her I have to fight back and challenge her, so I needed to get rid of those nerves.. Thankfully we did a lot of readings together and that really broke the ice. And during these readings she was also just making conversation and talking like a normal human being and so the nervous energy just went away very quickly. It was also nice that most of my scenes with Raveena were shot within a week, so I could easily stay in that zone with her the whole time. Moreover, I think Raveena just really understood Indrani and I understood Mira, so creating this dynamic was actually fairly simple because we just stayed honest to our characters. I think it was a challenge for me to shoot this scene at the charity gala in episode 4, because thats the only time Mira is speaking nicely to her mom. The rest of the time Mira wants nothing to do with her mother so, for me to figure out how Mira would be nice to her while maintaining that underlying layer of resentment towards her was a challenge. Considering Raveena Tandon is an established actor and has been part of this industry since a long time, what all qualities did you imbibe from her and what were some tips did she impart that you feel will help you in this showbiz career? I think her work ethic was something that I picked up on. She is so focused and hardworking. There were some days where she had multiple scenes and I had only one or two so I had a lot of free time. Raveena would shoot one scene, go change and get ready for her second and so on. And never once did I see her lose energy or focus. Being on set can get really tiring for everyone, and for this show she mostly needed to look fresh and glam for the majority of the time. Its not easy hiding fatigue in ones face or body after so many hours but, Raveena always seemed so fresh and full of energy. I also learnt from Raveena the power of the eyes of an actor. Her eyes tell such a powerful story and when watching the show the amount of depth she has hit me even more. This is something I definitely want to focus on going forward. One beautiful thing about this show is the amount of female power. There are two female leads and the show is helmed by a female director. This is also something that made me proud, as a young girl, to be a part of a show with such strong women. Since its an adaptation of a foreign series, it comes with its own set of challenges. And more often than not, the remakes are heavily criticised and compared with their original counterparts. Hence, were you nervous about this aspect and how do you think the makers adapted Revenge in the context of India? I dont think this was something I was ever very nervous about. I do agree that remakes of foreign shows are often heavily criticised but comparison is natural. I think the makers not only had the task of adapting Revenge for India, but also had the task of bringing the show 10 years forward, since Revenge was made 10 years ago. So much has happened in the last 10 years, specifically due to the advancement of technology and social media. For example, in Karmma Calling Mira is an influencer as well as a rich girl. And access to information is far more available which can affect the way Karmma takes her revenge. So the characters also had to modernise in order to fit in todays time. I think the way they adapted the show to India is beautiful. And the biggest difference between Revenge and Karmma Calling is the aesthetic which is a lot more sparkly once adapted to India. The fusion of our culture with this thrilling story line I think adds to the binge worthy quality of the show. The makers shone light into this world of the uber rich in India, which is something that has not been as predominant on OTT. Your character of Mira had several layers to her. It wasnt as one dimensional as one would think. When a character is well-written, how much space does it give to an actor like yourself to improvise? What aspects did you bring to Mira that was not the part of the original script? I think the amount of space we as actors have to improvise is more so dependent on the director. Having a character that is well written is a blessing, but despite that every actor will naturally perform the same character in a completely different way. Ruchi, in fact, gave me so much freedom when it came to Mira. I think thats because she trusted me with her, which made me feel so grateful for her. Can you recall the most complex scene from Karmma Calling that you felt challenging cracking it? And how did you ace it eventually? I wouldnt consider this the most complex scene but it was the most difficult for me. This is the scene in episode 1 in which Dash and Mira meet for the first time in Bombil cafe. The day before this scene I got some really bad news and I was really emotionally affected by it. So, for this scene my character is actually really happy since shes meeting Dash and all in all she is in a positive zone. After the first few takes Ruchi asked me if I was stressed and I said no, and I actually didnt think that I was. She then called me to the monitor to see and thats when I realised how stressed out my face actually looks. This is when I learnt how much compartmentalisation actors need to do sometimes. That even if they are dealing with a lotas individuals that need to be compartmentalised in order to give justice to the character they are playing. It definitely took a few takes that day but I just tried to focus on my breathing and the directions from Ruchi. Honestly, she was so patient with me that day, I felt so safe in that environment. And Piyush, my co actor kept making me laugh and smile which also loosened the tension and just went for it. This was the scene I was actually the most nervous to watch and I am so happy with the way it turned out. What was the most challenging aspect about Mira that you found difficult to grasp? And how did you go about tackling that challenge? I think the most challenging aspect about Mira for me to grasp was her confidence and her boldness. For example, Mira is incredibly confident in her body and the way she speaks. She is always wearing short and revealing clothes which honestly really intimidated me and made me feel conscious at times. And being self conscious will show in the body language and definitely would show on camera. This was something I really needed to tackle in order to do justice to Mira. I spent a lot of time in front of the mirror studying how I carry myself when wearing revealing clothes and then played with how Mira would carry herself. I needed to find this confidence in myself and eventually I did and didnt think twice about it afterwards. Whats the best compliment you got for your role in Karmma Calling and from whom? The best compliment I got was from Salonie Patel, shes an amazing actress and also married to Viraf (who plays Zain Khan in the show). After the screening she came to me and said Mira was her favourite character. She told me that she thought I played her naturally and that she would get excited everytime I would come on screen because it was like a breath of fresh air from all the intense drama that was going on. That honestly meant the world to me and just honestly gave me so much motivation. You have said in your previous interviews how you were always fascinated and attracted to the world of acting, showbiz and theatre. Considering the kind of competition out there, how did you overcome the initial nervousness or inhibitions before stepping into this industry? Honestly, I still havent gotten over the nervousness or inhibitions about stepping into the industry. To prevent myself from overthinking and worrying too much I just take it one day at a time. Thankfully the experiences Ive had and the people Ive met have all been so positive and lovely. I think navigating the industry and making the right choices is something Im struggling with, especially since Im new and figuring it all out by myself. But at the end of the day I trust myself and hopefully thats enough. After Karmma Calling, what sort of roles would you want to take up? And whether you would prefer meatier roles for OTT over supporting roles in a Bollywood film featuring A-listers? What will be your priority? In my opinion, work is work and I have no preference between meatier OTT roles or supporting roles in films with A-listers. My loyalty lies with the character and if I believe that a character interests or challenges me, I will love to play them regardless of the medium. At least for the next few years I really want to grow as an actor and learn as much as I possibly can. If any project is offering me that then I will gladly take it up. After Raveena Tandon, which actor will you manifest a movie with? And since Ranbir Kapoor is your crush, would you rather do a Rom-Com with him or a serious drama? Hahaha to be specific I have a crush on Bunny, Ranbirs character from Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. Its one of my favourite films of all time. I would love to do any kind of movie with Ranveer Singh, I think hes such a talented actor and has such a fun personality that Id both learn alot and have such a fun on set experience. Also, Alia Bhatt. Shes definitely my favourite actor today. Her acting journey and film repertoire is one of the most exceptional Ive seen. I really look up to her as an actress. Ive literally performed so many of her monologues as practice, Im definitely inspired by her a lot. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had last month restricted Paytm Payments Bank Limited (PPBL) operations, citing persistent non-compliances and continued material supervisory concerns in the bank in the audit report. The RBI also asked the PPBL to stop accepting new customers, and deposits, credit transactions, or top ups in customer accounts, wallets, FASTags. Paytm stocks have plunged more than 40% in three trading sessions since the RBIs announcement. During the press conference on Thursday, the RBI reiterated its stance on Paytm, and stressed that they had been given sufficient time to address the issue, but failed. Paytm founder, Vijay Shekhar Sharma, has requested the extension of February 29 deadline, along with a transition plan, in the ongoing efforts to meet the requirements set by the RBI. How Does Paytm Make Money? The customers make payments on the app through Unified Payments Interface (UPI), net banking, credit cards and digital wallet. It makes 38% of its revenue from processing payments for merchants in Q3 of FY24 and 21% from processing payments for consumers, according to Moneycontrol.com. Paytm also uses its customer base to sell other services such as broking, movie and travel tickets, and cloud services. For merchants, the app offers small-time business loans or Paytm commerce services to increase sales with tickets, gift vouchers. Analysts believe that Paytms more profitable business include cloud and commerce services. How RBI restrictions will impact Paytm RBI guidelines for licensing of payments banks say entities cannot directly undertake lending activities. The other issue is about PPBLs governance structure. Paytm owns 49% of PPBL, and the remainder is held by Vijay Shekhar Sharma. One97 Communication (OCL) initially argued that PPBL is run independently by its management and board. News publication NDTV Profit recently learnt that over 1,000 accounts were found to be linked with the same PAN to their accounts. Thus, creating concerns about money laundering. PPBL has 33 crore Paytm wallet accounts, that is, the wallet money is kept in the PPBL escrow account. This can no longer remain in PPB, according to Macquaire, as quoted by MoneyControl.com. If Paytm cannot find another bank to host it, then the customers will have to withdraw money in their wallets, and wont be able to add more money. This can collapse the wallet business, as mentioned in Moneycontrol.com Road to Transition It can continue to be the UPI third-party application just like Google Pay and Amazon Pay, but this will depend on the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), and Paytm finding a bank willing to host its nodal account. If PPBL loses its licence, it will need another sponsor bank, which will be held responsible for Paytms actions, as per Moneycontrol.com It further said it intends to expand third-party bank partnerships for merchant acquiring services (providing essential infrastructure for acquiring merchants for helping them access payments) with other banks. According to The Hindu, President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) Bhavesh Gupta, said the transition will take place in three stages. The first would be finding an interested partner bank to integrate with the necessary Paytm ecosystem. Second, assessing the ensuing commercial viability and finally, facilitating the account-to-account migration. The polices Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested two Bangladeshi nationals from Maharashtras Navi Mumbai township for allegedly staying in India illegally, an official said on Sunday. The two persons, both aged 24, were apprehended on Friday from Khidukpada village at Nadve in Panvel, the official from cyber police station said. An ATS team, during an inspection of the Khidukpada locality, found the two persons residing in a chawl (row tenement). During questioning, they failed to furnish any valid documents for their entry into the country, he said. The two persons, however, possessed Aadhaar cards, voter ID cards and driving licenses in their names, the police said. A case was registered against them on Saturday under the Passport (Entry into India) Rules-1950 and the Foreigners Act. The local police have initiated a probe into the matter to ascertain their activities and any potential links to illegal immigration networks, the official said. The Puducherry government on Thursday banned the sale of cotton candy after the usage of toxic chemicals in its making was found by officials. The announcement was made by Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan after she shared a video on her official Instagram handle, requesting people to not purchase cotton candy for children as the toxic substances present in it might take a toll on their physical health. According to India Today, sellers who have a quality certificate from the food safety department can continue to sell cotton candy. In the clip, the governor said, It has been found that a toxic substance named Rhodamine B is being used in the cotton candies that are consumed by children and others in Puducherry. Government officials have been instructed to inspect the shops selling cotton candies and on finding the presence of the toxic substance in them, the have been asked to be seized. People should be aware that food items having colour additives must not be given to children, the governor said while requesting the public to make an informed decision. While sharing the video, Soundararajan said in the caption, Dont buy chemical cotton candy for children which affects the health of children, and ended with hashtags, cotton candy, panchu mittai and Puducherry. Rhodamine B, often abbreviated as RhB is a chemical compound that functions as a dye, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH.gov). The website further mentions that RhB can enter the body when mixed with food and cause oxidative stress on cells and tissues. Infact, the usage of Rhodamine B in food for a long time can also lead to severe health conditions like liver dysfunction or cancer. When the human body is exposed to large amounts of Rhodamine B over a short period, it can even lead to acute poisoning. The Diplomatic Room a charming room on the ground floor of the White House, decorated in pastel tones is typically used for the formal photographs that the president takes with his guests at Christmas parties and various other celebrations. Due to its smaller dimensions than the large rooms on the main floor, it was chosen on Thursday, February 8, for Joe Biden to appear before the press after the devastating report released by Special Counsel Robert Hur. The document exonerated Biden of having appropriated classified material, but it questioned his memory and mental sharpness. The idea was that in a more secluded setting, where the president usually performs better than in front of crowds he would demonstrate excellent mental abilities in front of the cameras. The result was the opposite: the various gaffes he made during the session fueled the controversy over whether hes fit to run for a second term. The White House and Democratic insiders have come out en masse to defend the president, who during his heated interaction with the press confused Egypt with Mexico and stopped short while describing the rosary of his deceased son, Beau. No one who works here [agrees with Hurs report]. We all see a person who works very, very hard, who perfectly understands how Americans feel and how to respond to the issues that matter to them, said Bidens press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, at her daily press conference on Friday. The prosecutors report describes Biden as an elderly man with a poor memory. His defenders fearful of this image argue that this is a caricature thats distant from what they perceive on a daily basis. Bidens age is his biggest impediment to re-election and this description could be very damaging, Dan Pfeiffer acknowledges on his blog. He served as an advisor during the Obama administration (2009-2017), when Biden was serving as vice-president. Hurs report has added fuel to a debate thats been quietly discussed for some time, regarding the presidents suitability to run for re-election. Photos, videos and memes abound on social media, portraying his rigid walk, collapses and blunders. The polls show that hes the least popular American president since George W. Bush, while placing him behind his foreseeable Republican rival former President Donald Trump ahead of the November elections. A poll for The New York Times in November 2023 indicated that 70% of voters in swing states agreed that Biden is too old to be an effective president. Only half thought the same about the Republican candidate, who is four years younger than Biden. Trump has also confused names and events in public. Still, the Democratic Party hierarchy remains steadfast in its support of Biden, a man who has always struggled with public speaking (he stuttered as a child) and who has been prone to gaffes throughout his political career. His supporters point to his economic management with unemployment at its lowest level in half-a-century and his normalization of relations with allies after the upheavals of the Trump administration. They also remember that, in 2019 and 2020, a similar debate was already raised about Bidens age and popularity. His early results in the 2020 Democratic primaries were disappointing, although he ultimately prevailed and went on to win the general elections. In 2024, Biden has been obtaining resounding victories in his primaries, although turnout has been quite low. Biden has shown no sign of reconsidering his candidacy. Hes convinced that hes the best-placed person to defeat Trump again in November. This past Thursday, when a journalist asked him about voters concerns about his age, the president angrily insisted that this was merely the reporters opinion. In modern times, neither of the two major parties in the United States has attempted to replace their candidate. In 2016, the then-Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton fainted while she was attending a ceremony commemorating the attacks of September 11, 2001. This incident briefly made Donna Brazile then-acting chair of the Democratic National Committee consider the possibility. But Brazile quickly abandoned the idea (as she writes in her memoir). Something similar happened in the Republican camp that year, when a conversation was leaked in which Trump noted that he could grab women by the pussy with no consequences. However, Reince Priebus who was chairman of the Republican National Committee at the time declared that there was no mechanism to remove the nominee. If he changes his mind, Biden could suggest a replacement at the Democratic National Convention, the partys big meeting in August, which will formalize the nomination of the 2024 presidential candidate. The organizations rules stipulate that the delegates who vote in that forum are entrusted but not committed to a candidate. They must represent in good faith the opinions of those who appointed them. There are few precedents for a direct appointment at a convention. The last occurrence dates back to 1968, when incumbent Democratic President Lyndon Johnson decided to not seek re-election. After the assassination of Senator Robert Kennedy the favorite of Democratic voters Vice President Hubert Humphrey was named at the party convention in Chicago (the same city that will host this years convention) over the course of a chaotic few days. Humphrey ultimately suffered a resounding defeat against Republican Richard Nixon. If such a situation were to arise, one of the problems that the party would face would be regarding who would replace Biden, who is practically unopposed in the Democratic primaries. Vice President Kamala Harris has even lower approval ratings than him. Other possibilities such as California Governor Gavin Newsom, or Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer are extremely loyal to the president. They appear to be biding their time for 2028. For now, Bidens supporters plan to continue their firm defense of the president. A recent New York Times editorial suggests that the occupant of the White House should appear more often in public: [Biden must] reassure and build confidence with the public by doing things that he has so far been unwilling to do convincingly [He must do] more town hall meetings in communities and on national television. He should hold regular news conferences to demonstrate his command of and direction for leading the country. Meanwhile, his Republican rival Donald Trump has chosen to remain silent on the age debate, instead focusing on the key issue in Hurs report: how Biden was legally exonerated of his improper handling of the classified documents in his possession after leaving the vice presidency. The former president who faces 41 charges for improperly retaining much more material has limited himself to noting that, if prosecutors have exonerated the current tenant of the White House, they shouldnt file charges against me, either. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Ahead of another agitation by farmers, authorities are fortifying the national capital by barricading the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh and Delhi-Haryana borders and deploying more than 5,000 security personnel. Several farmer associations, mostly from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab, have called for a protest on February 13. Information has been received that some farmer organisations have given a call to their supporters to gather/march to Delhi on February 13 for their demands of the law on MSP and others. They are likely to sit at the border of Delhi till their demands are met. In order to avoid any untoward incident and to maintain Law & Order, a precautionary Order of section 144 Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, is required to be issued to save the lives and property in the area, Delhi Police said in a statement. Information has been received that some farmer organisations have given a call to their supporters to gather/march to Delhi on 13th February for their demands of the law on MSP and others. They are likely to sit at the border of Delhi till their demands are met. In order to avoid pic.twitter.com/1KXTYDiGDl ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2024 Ahead of their planned protest on Monday, the farmers have left Bathinda for Delhi to participate in the Delhi-Chalo march. #WATCH | Punjab: Farmers leave from Bathinda for Delhi to participate in the 'Delhi-Chalo' protest on February 13. pic.twitter.com/lYIpyIwDQj ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2024 Meanwhile, the Delhi Police on Sunday imposed section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code at the Uttar Pradesh borders to avoid any untoward incident and maintain law and order. Prohibit entering of Tractors, Trolleys, Buses, Trucks, commercial vehicles, personal vehicles, on horses etc, carrying protestors in Delhi from Uttar Pradesh. Order that the North East District Police shall make all efforts to prevent protestors from entering Delhi, the order stated. Farmers are demanding a law guaranteeing a minimum support price (MSP), one of the conditions they had set when they agreed to withdraw their agitation against the now-repealed farm laws in 2021. Apart from that, they are also seeking implementation of the Swaminathan Commissions recommendations, pensions for farmers and farm labourers, farm debt waiver, withdrawal of police cases and justice for victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence. Security Up At Delhi-UP Borders Delhi Police have barricaded the Ghazipur, as per a report by news agency ANI. Barricades have also been set up at the Chilla border with the Noida Police on one side and the Delhi Police on the other to prevent protesters from entering the national capital. On Thursday, thousands of farmers from around 100 villages of Noida and Greater Noida took to the streets, bringing traffic to a standstill in several parts of Delhi-NCR as they made an unsuccessful bid to march towards the Parliament. Haryana Fortified The Haryana government has ordered the suspension of mobile internet services and bulk SMS in seven districts ahead of farmers proposed Delhi Chalo march. According to an official order, mobile internet services will remain suspended in Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa districts from 6 am on February 11 to 11:59 pm on February 13. The decision to suspend mobile internet services, bulk SMS and all dongle services was taken as there was an apprehension of disturbance of peace because of the proposed march. As per the order issued by Haryana additional chief secretary (home department) TVSN Prasad, the move was taken to stop the spread of misinformation and rumours through various social media platforms on mobile phones and SMS for facilitation and mobilisation of mobs of agitators and demonstrators who can cause serious loss of life and damage to public and private properties by indulging in arson or vandalism and other types of violent activities. Local authorities in Ambala, Jind, Fatehabad and Sirsa districts have also sealed almost all the entry points at the Punjab borders by raising huge concrete walls. Director General of Police Shatrujeet Kapur said: We wont allow breach of peace in any way in the state. Action will be taken if someone tries to break law and order. Meanwhile, authorities in Panchkula have also invoked Section 144, prohibiting processions, demonstrations, and the carrying of weapons, according to Panchkula DCP Sumer Singh Pratap. Urging commuters to limit travel on main roads on February 13 due to anticipated disruptions, the Haryana Police has also issued a traffic advisory suggesting an alternative for people travelling between Chandigarh and Delhi to mitigate potential traffic congestion. Authorities have erected concrete barricades and road closures at the Shambhu border, while the Ghaggar river bed has been dug up to impede movement. Security has also been tightened near the Tikri Border. #WATCH | Ambala, Haryana: Shambhu border sealed on Punjab-Haryana border ahead of farmers protest. BSF and RAF personnel have also been deployed on the border. pic.twitter.com/P4IOoQc8P9 ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2024 DCP Arshdeep Singh said, Due to the farmers movement, we have sealed the Shambhu borderWhen they (farmers) come here, we will request them not to go beyond this because they do not have permission for it. We want them to end the movement peacefully The partial sealing of Punjab-Haryana and Delhi-Haryana borders by putting up barricades, boulders, tippers filled with sand and barbed wires, has impacted the movement of vehicular traffic, affecting commuters. Even paramilitary forces have been deployed to prevent untoward incidents and restrict the movement of vehicles. 3 Union Ministers to Hold Another Meeting with Farmers Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Saturday said the Centre has invited them for a meeting to discuss their demands on February 12. He said three Union ministers Piyush Goyal, Arjun Munda and Nityanand Rai will arrive in Chandigarh on February 12 to hold talks with a deputation of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha. The meeting will be held at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration in Sector 26 here, a day before the farmers proposed Delhi Chalo march. Pandher also shared the letter inviting them to hold the talks in Chandigarh. The first meeting with the three Union ministers was held on February 8 in which a detailed discussion was held with the leaders of farmer organisations which planned the Delhi Chalo march to press for their demands, including a law to guarantee a minimum support price for crops, was held. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who coordinated with the farmer leaders for arranging the meeting, had also participated in it. After the meeting, the farmer leaders had said the central ministers had assured them that they would hold a second round of the meeting soon. The farmer leaders had said their proposed Delhi Chalo march on February 13 still stood. Mann though had said that the ministers and farmer leaders agreed on many things, including the withdrawal of cases registered against farmers during the previous agitation against the now-repealed farm laws and strict punishment for fake seeds and chemicals. Farmers Protest The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have announced the Delhi Chalo march by more than 200 farmers unions on February 13. This has been the second biggest protest by the farmers since they agreed to withdraw the agitation against the now-repealed farm laws in 2021. Quota activist Manoj Jarange on Sunday reaffirmed his decision to continue his indefinite fast demanding that a special session of the Maharashtra legislature be convened to convert the draft notification on blood relatives of Kunbi Marathas into a law. The activist on Saturday launched his agitation at his native Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district. This is the fourth time in less than a year that he has been observing a hunger strike demanding the inclusion of the Maratha community under the OBC (other backward caste) grouping. Jarange (40) had earlier led a massive march to Mumbai, which culminated on its borders on January 26. He went back after Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde showed him a draft notification, which stated that sage soyre or blood relatives of a Maratha person with records to show he belongs to the Kunbi community would also be recognised as Kunbi, an agrarian community that enjoys OBC quota. The government should convene a special session of the state legislature in two days and bring legislation concerning sage soyare (blood relatives). The government must issue (OBC) caste certificates to 57 lakh people who possess Kunbi records, he had said on Saturday. The activist remained steadfast on Sunday with his decision to go ahead with the fast. He has also demanded that cases registered against protesters from the Maratha community across the state be withdrawn immediately. KERALA LOTTERY AKSHAYA AK-638 RESULT ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, LIVE UPDATES: The Kerala State Lottery Department will soon announce the results of the Akshaya AK-638 lucky draw for Sunday, February 11. Check the full list of winning numbers below. ALSO READ: Kerala Lottery Result Today LIVE: Nirmal NR-367 WINNERS for February 16, 2024; First Prize Rs 70 Lakh! FULL LIST OF WINNING NUMBERS FOR AKSHAYA AK-638 LOTTERY Winning numbers for Consolation prize worth Rs 8,000 are AO 297608 AP 297608 AR 297608 AS 297608 AT 297608 AU 297608 AV 297608 AW 297608 AX 297608 AY 297608 AZ 297608 Winning number for 1st prize worth Rs 70 lakh is AN 297608 (KATTAPPANA) Agent Name: BALAMURUGAN S Agency No.: Y 3492 Winning number for 2nd prize worth Rs 5 lakh is AN 833669 (THIRUVANANTHAPURAM) Agent Name: C N MITHRAN Agency No.: T 3796 Winning numbers for 3rd prize worth Rs 1 lakh are AN 480874 (THIRUR) AO 656349 (PATTAMBI) AP 333352 (KANHANGAD) AR 553217 (VAIKKOM) AS 598729 (THIRUVANANTHAPURAM) AT 571607 (KOTTAYAM) AU 657192 (PATTAMBI) AV 425303 (KOZHIKKODE) AW 105005 (KOLLAM) AX 867872 (THIRUR) AY 762666 (ERNAKULAM) AZ 865920 (THIRUR) Winning numbers for 4th prize worth Rs 5,000 are 0019 0263 0631 0654 1241 2425 3567 4164 4465 6379 6839 6929 6957 7050 7571 8000 8416 8656 Winning numbers for 5th prize worth Rs 2,000 are 0900 2770 2971 5707 6782 7482 9436 Winning numbers for 6th prize worth Rs 1,000 are 0218 0556 0713 0746 1005 1062 1839 1920 2256 2301 2701 3192 3751 4077 4719 4771 4915 5291 6098 6299 7089 7490 7699 7872 8338 8548 Winning numbers for 7th prize worth Rs 500 are 0139 0231 0286 0573 0577 0705 1158 1172 1225 1306 1463 1534 1578 1581 1880 2023 2250 2261 2667 2732 2886 3294 3369 3423 3526 3562 3585 3609 4180 4290 4315 4775 4846 4868 4884 4926 5085 5390 5454 5725 5827 6142 6188 6285 6326 6459 6467 6510 6578 6712 6722 7014 7087 7196 7395 7495 7496 7904 7951 8009 8135 8215 8282 8520 8760 9050 9416 9489 9529 9601 9793 9941 Winning numbers for 8th prize worth Rs 100 are 5416 8547 9069 6543 5024 4641 2887 3735 0215 9611 5603 9568 4072 8376 3076 8567 9120 1413 8945 2234 6242 4485 3506 9409 3226 9787 8080 3072 9331 9400 0192 9520 9096 6461 1357 1110 2910 8980 4324 0949 5455 2752 2348 9042 2160 1289 5099 7116 3061 8237 8984 5485 4426 8943 2572 9361 3884 7240 3683 7675 3383 9193 7531 5370 3207 2465 3841 8027 8820 4179 2388 8270 9147 0061 2609 4267 3171 4165 4123 5363 7452 9873 6618 2357 9259 6355 5987 4536 9408 8648 9980 7197 5183 3289 3113 0259 7187 3626 6882 5169 6572 6223 1540 6006 7022 1315 3690 3281 5653 6811 6233 9517 2892 1231 6248 4294 5948 2068 1930 2225 9491 KERALA LOTTERY RESULT TODAY: AKSHAYA AK-638 PRIZE STRUCTURE 1st Prize: Rs 70 Lakh 2nd Prize: Rs 5 Lakh 3rd Prize: Rs 1 Lakh 4th Prize: Rs 5000 5th Prize: Rs 2000 6th Prize: Rs 1000 7th Prize: Rs 500 8th Prize: Rs 100 Consolation Prize: Rs 8,000 How To Check Akshaya AK-638 Lottery Results? To view the official Akshaya AK-638 lottery results and winning numbers, go to www.keralalottery.info. The results can also be acquired via the Kerala Government Gazette Office. HOW TO CLAIM PRIZE MONEY? To check if you won a prize in the Kerala State Lottery, compare the numbers on your ticket to those published in the Kerala Government Gazette. If your ticket number matches any of the winning numbers, you are eligible for the reward. To claim your prize money, visit the Kerala Lottery offices in Thiruvananthapuram within 30 days after the draw date. You must carry the winning ticket and proper identity card for verification. A Prime Minister meets the President, secretly, minus the cavalcade, a day prior to a move that may change the face of a key region of the country a scene which may seem straight out of a movie, was actually the reality of the efforts PM Narendra Modi had to take to ensure scrapping of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, according to a report in the Times of India. Even better, the scene is now part of the soon-to-be released film Article 370, said the report. ALSO READ | PM Modi Calls SC Verdict on Article 370 Historic, Says Its a Beacon of Hope The details of the operation to fulfil one of the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) foundational pledges have now been corroborated by official sources, the TOI report added. THE SECRET MEETING First came the meeting. Modi went to Rashtrapati Bhavan to meet then President Ram Nath Kovind, late on the evening of August 4, 2019, alone, in an unmarked car without the mandatory cavalcade, said the report. There, he briefed the President on the plan to scrap the Article. Meanwhile, prominent Kashmiri leaders were placed under house arrest, including former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti. Section 144, which prohibits gatherings of more than four persons in public, was imposed, restricting internet and cellphone services. BILL IN RS The next step was introducing the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019, in the Rajya Sabha, where the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) did not have majority support, and not in the Lok Sabha, where the saffron party enjoyed a majority. Reason? Bringing in the legislation in the Lok Sabha first would have alerted the Opposition and helped them use their higher numbers in the Rajya Sabha to block it. The bill had to come as a surprise to the Opposition, who were against any change in J&K, said the report. Thus, on August 5, Home Minister Amit Shah sought a presidential order repealing Articles 370 and 35A. J&K was be divided into two Union Territories Ladakh (to be administered centrally) and J&K (to be administered locally with its legislative assembly). While addressing my fellow Indians today, I spoke at length about the new era of development in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. The entire country is with the people of these regions as they embark on the path to progress. Everything will be done to fulfil peoples aspirations. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 8, 2019 ABOUT ARTICLE 370 Article 370 was a temporary provision which granted special, autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir. All the provisions of the Constitution which applied to other states did not apply to J&K. According to this Article, except for defence, foreign affairs, finance and communications, the Parliament needed the J&K governments concurrence to apply all other Indian laws. The Supreme Court in December 2023 upheld the governments decision to abrogate Article 370 and directed the Election Commission to hold Assembly elections in the Union Territory by September 30, 2024. LIFE AFTER ARTICLE 370 On the last day of the Budget Session on Saturday, PM Modi, while highlighting the reforms and transforms that took place in the country in the past five years, mentioned the abrogation of Article 370. During this Lok Sabhas term, several decisions for which many generations waited for long were taken. Article 370 was also abrogated during this Lok Sabhas term I feel that those who drafted the Constitution would bless us for this," he said. ALSO READ | What is Abrogation of Article 370, How Kashmir Changed After 2019 & All About Petitions Before SC | Explained Shah, in the House in December 2023, said that scrapping Article 370 cleared the way for end of terrorism in the valley, reduced stone pelting incidents, led to a flag hoisting ceremony and also a working group meeting of G20 nations in the region. He highlighted how two crore tourists visited Kashmir post the move, over 100 film shoots have taken place, three theatres have opened and another 18 are in the offing. Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday addressed the tribal communities in Madhya Pradeshs Jhabua district and laid foundation stones of development projects worth Rs 7,550 crore for the state. There have been a lot of discussions about this visit of mine to the state and various things are being said. Some say that Modi is starting the fight for Lok Sabha elections from Jhabua. But I am not here for election campaigning, I am here to serve to the people, PM Modi said. PM Modi in MPs Jhabua | Top Quotes Addressing the people of Jhabua, PM Modi said, For us tribal community is not a vote bank, they are the pride of our country. Asserting confidence in the victory of saffron camps win in the coming Lok Sabha polls, the Prime Minister said, BJP alone will cross 370 seats. Congress ruled for so many years and they got a chance to work but only 100 Ekalavya schools were openedBJP government opened four times more Ekalavya schools in the past ten years. It is not acceptable to Modi if even a single tribal child is left behind due to lack of education, PM Modi said. Talking about forest rights, the Prime Minister said, During the time of Congress, legal safeguards were put on the rights of the tribals. By making changes in the Forest Property Law, our government returned the rights related to forest land to the tribal society. PM Modi Inaugurates Development Projects Notably, this is PM Modis first visit to the state this year. the Prime Ministers visit comes at an important time as the country is set to go to polls for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections due in a few months. Among the states, Madhya Pradesh has the highest six Lok Sabha seats reserved for tribals. During his visit, the Prime Minister disbursed monthly installments to nearly two lakh women beneficiaries under the Aahar Anudan Yojana of the state, an official release said.Under the scheme, Rs 1,500 per month are provided for nutritious food to women from especially the backward tribes. The PM also distributed 1.75 lakh adhikar abhilekh (record of land rights) under the SVAMITVA scheme, which will provide documentary evidence to people for the right to their land. He laid the foundation stone of the Tantya Mama Bhil University which will cater to the youth from tribal-dominated districts of the state. PM Modi also transferred funds of Rs 55.9 crore for 559 villages under the Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana, which will be utilised for various kinds of construction activities, including Anganwadi Bhawans, fair price shops, health centres, additional rooms in schools, internal roads, among others. The prime minister will lay the foundation stone of CM Rise School in Jhabua. The Prime Minister dedicated the nation Nal Jal Yojana for 50 gram panchayats of Jhabua, which will provide tap water to about 11,000 households. He also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of multiple rail projects during the programme. These include laying of the foundation stone for the redevelopment of Ratlam railway station and Meghnagar railway station. PM Modi also inaugurated multiple road development projects costing more than Rs 3,275 crore in Madhya Pradesh, including four-laning of Harda-Betul (Package-I) from km 0.00 to km 30.00 (Harda-Temagaon) of NH-47, Ujjain-Dewas section of NH-752D, four-laning (16 km) of Indore-Gujarat MP Border section of NH-47 and four-laning of Chicholi-Betul (Package-III) Harda-Betul of NH-47, and Ujjain Jhalawar section of NH-552G. The projects are set to improve the road connectivity and also help in economic development in the region. (With inputs from PTI) Quality sleep enhances cognitive senses as adequate rest directly impacts mental acuity, including focus, memory, and problem-solving skills. Sleep deficiencies are associated with various health issues, such as heart disease, hypertension, and stroke. Ensuring 7-9 hours of quality sleep supports cardiovascular health by regulating blood pressure and stress hormones. By offering tailored support, relieving pressure points, and fostering better sleep quality, a spring mattress sets the stage for improved cognitive function and heightened productivity throughout the day. K Madhavan, Managing Director, Peps Industries Pvt. Ltd shares how spring mattress for improved cognitive function and boost productivity: Posture is key Cognitive senses entail caring for both mental and physical well-being. Optimal sleep posture, facilitated by a Spring Mattress, isnt merely about comfort; its also about providing the body the rest it needs. The right sleep posture ensures uninterrupted rest, allowing the body to recuperate physically and the mind to recharge. A spring mattress, with its bonnel spring design and robust high carbon Tata steel core, addresses this by providing optimal support, and promoting correct sleep posture. The rejuvenating foam maintains spine alignment, stimulating improved cardiovascular circulation, and reducing the likelihood of a crumpled body posture. Choosing a Spring Mattress offers the opportunity for both mental and physical rejuvenation during sleep, ensuring you wake up feeling refreshed and prepared for a productive day ahead. Bid a farewell to body aches When a mattress doesnt properly support the body at key pressure points, it can result in discomfort and body aches, increased pressure on certain areas of the body, causing discomfort, stiffness, and disrupted sleep patterns. Discomfort from unsupported pressure points often leads to morning body aches, disrupting brain function. Here, a spring mattress steps in to alleviate these issues and provide relief. A spring mattress offers comprehensive body support and nerve relaxation through its thoughtful design. The foam layer ensures that each part of the body is well-cradled, alleviating pressure points and promoting proper alignment. By effectively cushioning these key joints, such as the shoulders, hips, and spine, the mattress helps reduce strain and tension, subsequently soothing nerves and enhancing overall sleep quality. This improved rest plays a crucial role in cognitive function enhancement, as uninterrupted and comfortable sleep contributes to better mental clarity and focus. Know your Mattress Transitioning to a spring mattress is a strategic step towards enhancing cognitive function and productivity. The brain operates optimally with sufficient rest. Otherwise, it may cause irritability and mood swings, impacting ones public image. Quality sleep significantly impacts cognitive function, including mental sharpness, memory retention, and problem-solving abilities. A Spring Mattress, designed for optimal support and posture, ensures physical rejuvenation and mental recharge. Bid adieu to body aches as this mattress targets key pressure points, soothing nerves, and promoting uninterrupted, comfortable sleep. Kareena Kapoor Khan is ageing like a fine bottle of wine. While her recent films like Jaane Jaan and the upcoming, The Crew boast versatility, we can say the same for her fashion sense. The Bollywood actress never fails to amaze us with her impeccable sartorial choices. Be it spelling elegance in six-yard staples to riding high on chic numbers, her style statements bear the mark of royalty and class. The actress recently made an appearance at the 20th edition of the Doha Jewelry & Watches Exhibition in Qatar. Needless to mention she was the epitome of grace in a voguish skirt suit. Giving the Corpcore trend a feminine twist, Kareena Kapoor Khan chose a powder blue couture maxi dress and matching jacket for the event. Picked out from the shelves of the fashion label Lucifercase, the actress dripped gorgeousness from every angle. Her strapless ensemble featured a ruched floor-grazing dress that came with a cinched waist, hugging her at all the right places. Sprinkling some boss-babe vibe to the princessy number was her dramatic lapel-collared blazer, adorned with an enormous rosette accent on the shoulder. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan (@kareenakapoorkhan) Kareena Kapoor Khan chose the right kind of accessories to elevate her ethereal charm. A delicate diamond necklace, coupled with a bracelet enhanced her beauty. She gave earrings a miss and let her minimal jewellery game create some magic. For makeup, the actress opted for a nude-glam glow. She dusted her skin with a blush-highlighter-contour combo, opted for nude lips, and went with a classic eyeliner. Mascara-coated lashes, a red tint shimmery eyeshadow, and perfectly arched eyebrows elevated her allure. Kareena rounded off her regal avatar by keeping her tresses open as her luscious hair cascaded down her shoulders. Earlier at the Sharjah Book Fair, Kareena Kapoor Khan hopped onto the Brabiecore fever choosing a fuchsia pink Valentino outfit. The ensemble boasted a long-collared button-down shirt that she teamed up with a floor-length skirt. Rosy-contoured cheeks, nude lips, and muted smokey eyes framed her face beautifully. Minimal accessories, involving a pair of dangling earrings were just the perfect decision. Kareena sealed her feisty OOTD with an open wavy hairdo. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan (@kareenakapoorkhan) Kareena Kapoor Khans style outings are worth bookmarking. With over 1 million followers on his official Instagram handle, travel influencer Anunay Sood is an epitome for people that have a penchant for travelling and exploring uber-cool places. Anunay Soods experience stems from his previous sojourns in 30+countries. And thus, it was only befitting for someone like him to become an Everywhere Agent for Skyscanner. As an Everywhere Agent, Anunay Sood will be guiding all those who want to discover less-travelled places. From divulging tips about planning a budget-friendly trip to sharing important insights from his own expertise, Anunay will dispel any paranoia or doubts regarding embracing the true spirit of travelling. In an exclusive chat with News18, Anunay Sood talked about his career as a travel influencer, shared invaluable insights and suggestions on making the most of exploring and travelling, addressed some common doubts and inhibitions and more. Here are the excerpts: What made you decide to collaborate with Skyscanner for its Everywhere Agency campaign? I used to be in a full-time corporate job to finance my travel adventures. My fascination with travel photography and exploration ignited my desire to become a dedicated globetrotter. Thats when I turned to Skyscanner, a game-changer in travel planning. In fact, it was also the first app I used for exploring international travel! I would use Skyscanner to track price changes and catch onto great deals, which helped me decide the best time to book my travels. The Everywhere search was my ultimate travel hack, allowing me to discover destinations ranked by price from thousands of travel sitesall in one place. When the opportunity to become an Everywhere Agent for India came to me, it felt like a fullcircle moment! The Everywhere Agency campaign isnt just any run-of-the-mill collaboration; its about connecting travellers with world record-holding globetrotters who have set foot in every corner of the world. As someone passionate about adventures, through my extensive travels, Ive tailored tons of handy travel tipswhether its picking the right destination, navigating budget complexities, or planning the perfect itinerary. Having been there myself, I also understand the specific needs of younger professionals working corporate jobs and dreaming of exciting getaways. To me, the idea of coming together with Skyscanner to make the travel experience smoother, more enjoyable, and accessible was very interesting thats what truly sealed the deal for me. What does it entail to be a Skyscanner agent? And why is this campaign important? As a Skyscanner Everywhere Agent for India, my role is to help ease traditional traveller anxiety about unknown destinations and help them discover the less-travelled places, without overspending or compromising on value. Travellers can explore tips offered by me and other Everywhere Agents through the Everywhere Guide, or via 1:1 virtual appointments, where they can ask questions directly. Travellers can also easily access the Everywhere Guide, an online widget on Skyscanner, that shares responses to frequently asked travel questions, based on each Everywhere Agents personal experience. Questions include Wheres the most memorable night out?, Where should everyone try a once-in-a-lifetime activity?, and more. The Everywhere Guide also displays a Trip Snapshot for every suggested destination, showing the lowest flight and hotel prices, and the cheapest day to travel, for any selected month of 2024. These link out to corresponding search parameters on Skyscanner, allowing travellers to conveniently complete trip bookings for their newly discovered destination. We think this campaign will help Indian travellers as they have shown unprecedented enthusiasm for global exploration, as Skyscanner recently witnessed surge in overseas travel searches up by 39% compared to the same period last year. According to a recent survey by Skyscanner, the key drivers behind Indian travellers preferences include an overwhelming desire to explore new destinations, as indicated by a remarkable 98% of travellers keen on trying somewhere different this year, while 42% share that one of their biggest struggles when booking travel is deciding where to go. The survey also revealed that despite social media, TV, and film perpetuating conventional tourist spots, 95% feel fatigued by those repeated choices. Moreover, 79% of Indian travellers admit that the prospect of booking travel in 2024 is overwhelming, with 40% citing cost concerns and an equal percentage grappling with destination decisions. To address these challenges head-on, the Everywhere Agency campaign connects travellers with seasoned globetrotters, like me, to alleviate travel concerns and offer real experiences and insights, guiding them to discover less-explored places without compromising on value. How did your passion for travel evolve into a career as a travel influencer? Ever since I can remember, Ive had this thirst for exploration. The mountains, in particular, have always called out to me, and I find solace and inspiration in their majestic beauty. As I embarked on more journeys, I realised the impact these experiences have on me. It was during this time that my love for travel collided with my desire to capture moments. Photography became my chosen medium to freeze these fleeting moments in time. The digital landscape was rapidly evolving, and I saw an opportunity to share my passion with a broader audience. Social media platforms became my canvas, and I started curating content that not only documented my travels but also aimed to inspire others to do the same. Whats the most challenging aspect of being a travel influencer? And what determines the destinations for your content? The most challenging aspect of being a travel influencer lies in maintaining authenticity and uniqueness amidst a saturated market. With countless influencers showcasing picturesque destinations, finding ways to stand out and offer genuine insights becomes a constant challenge. Building and retaining a loyal audience that values your perspective can be demanding, requiring a delicate balance between personal experiences and catering to audience expectations. Moreover, the process of selecting destinations for content creation is a blend of personal preferences, current market trends, and active audience engagement. For example, Skyscanners Travel Trends 2024 report found that 59% of Indian travellers have booked a trip to a destination based on specific restaurants they would like to visit, with 38% wanting to try a local cuisine as a top priority when traveling abroad. I keep in mind trends like that in my content creation so that I know my content can relate directly to what my followers are after. When I was in Spiti, what I recommended was indeed local food like Chhang beer and Arak, and how travellers can find great food at hidden restaurants. So, staying abreast of travel trends and understanding my audiences preferences is absolutely crucial. This approach ensures that my travel plans reflect authentic experiences while also offering something valuable to my followers. How do you balance showcasing popular destinations with promoting lesser-known gems in your content? During my early days of travelling, I focused on popular destinations, but as my years of exploration have accumulated, Ive realised that the lesser-known places are the real treasures. Ive unearthed unforgettable cuisines, rich cultures, and unique customs through these off-the-beaten-path locations. Now, when planning my travels, I make a conscious effort to create an itinerary that blends well-known spots with those off the radar. This approach ensures a more comprehensive and enriching trip, allowing me to discover everything a place has to offer. Often while travelling, people get into a conundrum whether to just sit back and relax at a comfortable spot or explore that place as much as they can. What are some of the ways that one could strike a balance between the two? Travelling is a captivating journey that lets us break from routine and discover the wonders of the world. Yet, striking the right balance between relaxation and exploration is important to ensure a satisfying experience. Here are some ways I try to achieve that balance: -Prioritise Must-See Attractions: Begin by identifying the key attractions or experiences that are a must-see at your destination. Plan your itinerary around these highlights, ensuring theres room for spontaneous discoveries and unplanned moments. -Schedule Downtime: Intentionally allocate some time for downtime in your travel itinerary. Whether its savouring a leisurely meal, reading a book in a park, or simply people-watching at a local cafe, adding planned moments of relaxation can help you enjoy your travel more. -Set Realistic Expectations: Recognize the time constraints on your trip and manage your expectations realistically. Instead of trying to cover everything, prioritise a more relaxed approach. This mindset helps alleviate the pressure to constantly be on the go, allowing for a more enjoyable journey. -Explore at Your Own Pace: Resist the temptation to pack every moment with activities. Grant yourself the freedom to explore at a comfortable pace, allowing for breaks and moments of rest. Can you share a travel tip that has become a game-changer for you and your followers?Something that you have discovered over time during your career as a travel influencer? Planning a budget-friendly trip is all about having some savvy tips and tricks up your sleeve. As I mentioned earlier, Skyscanner has been my go-to app for my adventures, and this has been a game-changer. I remember during my trip to Iceland, we took a flight with multiple layovers, as those tickets were much cheaper compared to direct flights, and we also got to explore additional countries without shelling out much (or very little) extra cash! When it comes to smart travel planning, meta-search platforms such as Skyscanner prove to be incredibly convenient. One of my personal favourites is the Everywhere search tool. This tool allows you to input your location as Everywhere in the destination box. Skyscanner will then display the cheapest destinations based on price. Additionally, if youre looking for more hacks to cut travel cost, a trusted tool I look to is the Whole Month feature. This will help you identify the most cost-effective month to visit a destination when utilizing the flexible dates search. Another tip that can help you save is travelling during the off-season, as flights and hotel prices can be much cheaper compared to the peak season. Renting a vehicle was another lifesaver. During our Iceland trip, we made early bookings because, trust me, renting on the spot can be quite costly. Planning and reserving the tickets early helped us stick to our budget even when wetravelled to Canada as Skyscanner consistently offered the most affordable flights, pulling in options from various websites. If you are unable to plan early, one hack I usually use is to mix and match different airlines for my trip. Travel platforms like Skyscanner lets you do that easily, and you will find that saves you a great deal of money usually. Lastly, during my trip to Iceland preparing our own meals helped us save money during our trip. We used to go to the local market and stock up on basics as the food was expensive, and for someone with a tight budget, it was just not feasible. So, we shopped for groceries and prepared our sandwiches. It not only saved us money but also allowed us to have quick meals on the go. Share a travel mishap and how you turned it into a positive experience? In my early days of exploring Spiti as a new traveller, I had a little adventure that taught me a big lesson. While wandering in the beautiful mountains, I made a mistake and got lost. I took the wrong path and ended up facing a tricky situation I had to cross a really cold river. Crossing the icy river was tough, both physically and mentally. Instead of getting upset, I saw it as a chance to learn something new. The cold river crossing taught me how important it is to remember the way when coming down the mountains. This experience turned out to be a good thing. It made me more aware and respectful of the challenges of hiking in the mountains. After that day, I always made sure to remember the way I went up, making my journey down safer and more enjoyable. Every mistake can teach us something, and this adventure in Spiti helped me become a better and wiser traveller. Share your thoughts on the evolving landscape of travel influencers and the challenges and opportunities it presents The landscape of travel influencers has evolved a lot in recent times. The growing competition has undoubtedly pushed us to constantly innovate for our community. Authenticity is key as the audience appreciates genuine experiences. The challenges are apparent, but they also present growth opportunities. Finding your niche and sustaining the community requires a deeper connection with the audience, which can be achieved by engaging them in a way that we tell stories, share our perspectives, and have a genuine passion for travel. Adapting trends is also essential, considering the dynamic industry and evolving audiences. As influencers, we need to stay aware of these changes and incorporate constructive feedback from our audiences in our content to ensure we are giving them what they want while balancing it with our unique style. What message or experience do you hope your audience takes away from your travel content? My goal is to inspire my community through my content, igniting a sense of wanderlust in them. By sharing my travel experiences and practical tips, I aim to empower them to explore the world just as I do. Whether uncovering popular destinations or hidden gems, my objective is to cultivate a passion for travel, fostering a community that appreciates diverse experiences and embraces the beauty of the unknown. Of all the places you have visited in your life, which places will always remain close to your heart and why? Iceland holds a special place in my heart as it was not only a dream destination but also a significant achievement. The trip became a reality through commitment and careful budgeting, turning it into a personally fulfilling and unforgettable experience. For those who love to travel but are unable to take out time to follow this passion, how can they still make use of the time they get? For travel lovers juggling a busy schedule, there are fun ways to sneak in a bit of adventure. You can explore nearby spots, plan short getaways, or take day trips. Its great to take small adventures from time to time and discover hidden gems in your backyard. By making the most of weekends and holidays, you can satisfy your wanderlust in not-too-time-consuming and manageable doses. Now, thanks to Skyscanner, travel planning is easier. By using its features, you can score great deals and discover new routes to your dream destinationsyou can check the cheapest month feature to know the best time to book in advance, get notified about deals on flights with the price alert feature to check options that fit your budget, etc. So, whether its a spontaneous trip or not, you can count on Skyscanner to make your travel planning smooth and stress-free. Actress Ankita Lokhande, who came in third place on Bigg Boss 17, talked about her tough time on the show with her husband Vicky Jain. In a recent interview, she said watching the show again is hard for her. She also mentioned dealing with anxiety after leaving Bigg Boss and trying to feel better. In an interview with Siddharth Kannan, Ankita shared her feelings about people talking about her relationship with Vicky. It still hurts. I am not recovering from it, and its not because of anybody else, its because of us. I saw some of my scenes and I was just telling Vicky yesterday that you know we have fun and we say things like, I will hit you in jest. But on the TV, it looked so exaggerated. Now when I see it, it impacts me so much that I do not like it because we talk to each other as friends, so it feels okay. But its come with such force on TV that its traumatic, its not healthy to watch, its not nice to watch. Whatever we did, we did it ourselves, no one else was there, we were fighting there, but somewhere theres a lot of love in that fight too, Ankita said. In an exclusive interview with News18 Showsha, Ankita also addressed the backlash and slammed those who judged her relationship with Vicky. Once I came out, there was media, questions. There was a pressure. Nobody is putting that pressure on you but you feel pressured. People are judging your relationship. We know what kind of relationship we share. We know our bond very well. There (Bigg Boss 17 house) I said certain things, he (Vicky Jain) said certain things. I dont want people to judge us on that because I am not judging any relationship, Ankita said. The couple faced a lot of backlash on social media after they had several ugly fights on the show. Kangana Ranaut is often asked about her plans to join politics. In a recent interview too, the actress was asked if she wanted to become Indias Prime Minister anytime soon. Kangana laughed at the question and shared that after watching her upcoming movie Emergency, she was not sure if people would want her as Prime Minister. I just did a film called Emergency. After watching that movie, nobody will want me as the Prime Minister, Kangana said at an event organised to launch the trailer of the upcoming movie Razakar: Silent Genocide Of Hyderabad. Kangana Ranauts Emergency is a political drama. She is playing the lead role of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Kangana is also directing the movie. The film also stars Shreyas Talpade, Anupam Kher, Mahima Chaudhry and Pupul Jayakar among others in key roles. Kangana had earlier clarified that even though Emergency is a political drama, it is not Indira Gandhis biopic. Interestingly, Kanganas comment comes months after she mentioned that I want to be a politician is a vulgar thought for her. She argued that one should not talk about this on his own but should rather let people decide it. If you say, I want to be a politician, its a vulgar thought. You shouldnt be the one to say it yourself, the public should say this. Those who are in a position of power, those who control these things, they should say this. What I feel about this is irrelevant. It is up to the public to decide and those who hold the power to give me the opportunity. I will leave this decision to them, Kangana told ABP in May 2023. Art is a pure profession. Artists are blessed by Goddess Saraswati. And we all know how unforgiving the world of politics has always been. It is not my natural inclination to be a part of that world, I am a soft artist at heart. I would always like to be associated with the arts. But if given the opportunity to serve my country and be selfless, I will definitely take it up. If my country needs me, Im there, the actress added. KYODO NEWS - Feb 11, 2024 - 10:30 | All, Japan More than 80 percent of major firms saw male employees take child-care leave of less than three months over the past year while female employees got longer leave times, a recent Kyodo News survey showed, underscoring the dominant role women continue to play in child-rearing in Japan. In the survey that covered 113 companies between November and December, around half of them reported in their securities filings that at least 80 percent of their male employees took paternity leave, regardless of the length. But on the duration of such leave taken, the largest group of 47 percent said the average length per child was "one month to less than three months," followed by 25 percent who said "two weeks to less than one month." About 13 percent said the leave averaged "five days to less than two weeks," 4 percent answered "three months to less than six months," while 2 percent said "less than five days." In contrast, female workers took much longer leave times, with 51 percent of the surveyed companies seeing them take an average leave of "12 months to less than 18 months," and 27 percent standing at "six months to less than 12 months." Eight percent said the leave lasted "18 months or more," while 4 percent said it was "less than six months." Asked about the challenges female employees face after taking longer child-care leave than males, with multiple answers allowed, 59 percent of the firms cited lagging career advancement, 30 percent said restrictions in work hours and 19 percent delays in pay rise. In Japan, a worker can, in principle, take child-care leave until the child reaches 1 year of age, and it can be extended until the child turns 2 years old depending on the situation. Separately, a father can take up to four weeks of leave within eight weeks after the child's birth. Since April last year, companies with more than 1,000 employees have been obliged to disclose once a year the percentage of male employees who took child-care leave. Experts say paternity leave is important in equalizing the burden of household chores and child-rearing between couples as well as in helping women to continue working and motivating them to have more children in Japan, which is struggling with a rapidly declining birthrate and shrinking population. "Women's careers are affected if they are absent from work for a long time," said Toshiyuki Tanaka, an associate professor at Otsuma Women's University with expertise on gender issues. "It is desirable that parents take their leaves in a way that it won't only be women who take the longer one," he said. Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., a property insurance subsidiary of Tokio Marine Holdings Inc., said the percentage of male workers who took child-care leave was 100 percent in fiscal 2022, but the average length was less than five days. "We will strive to ensure that all our employees can take their leave for as long as they need," the company said, adding that more workers are taking leave of five days or longer in the current fiscal year. Rohit Shettys directorial Singham Again has been grabbing news for all reasons. The multi-starrer that boasts of popular faces like Ajay Devgn, Deepika Padukone, Kareena Kapoor also welcomed Tiger Shroff into the cop universe. Now, as per reports, the actor has finished shooting in Jordan for Bade Miyan Chote Miyan and is all set to complete his scenes in Singham 3. With the major chunk of the film completed, Rohit Shetty wants to wrap up his ambitious film before the end of this month. The source close to Mid-Day shared with the portal, Matching dates is always a struggle in multi-starrers. Right now, major portions of Tiger are being canned. Because after this week, Ajay will get busy with promotions for his film Shaitaan; theres a race to meet the deadline. The makers are hoping to shoot most of Tigers scenes by the end of this month. Last year, the makers and the cast had welcomed Tiger Shroff into the cop universe. Taking to the Instagram handle, Ajay had written, The squad just got stronger, welcome to the team ACP Satya!. Earlier Akshay Kumar unveiled Tiger Shroffs poster and wrote, Welcoming my brother from another mother, @tigerjackieshroff as ACP Satya to the squad! In the photos, we can see Tiger flaunting his toned physique. He is even holding guns. Pinkvilla has exclusively reported, Its a cameo appearance for Tiger Shroff in Singham Again and Rohit plans to introduce him as a new cop to the universe. Much like his Singham, Simmba, and Sooryavanshi, Tiger Shroff too will have his own distinct identity in the cop universe with traits unique to his own personality. The source further added that Tiger was also offered another cop franchise film, but he decided to go ahead with the Rohit Shetty universe. The source further said, Its a schedule of combination dates with Singham, Simmba and Sooryavanshi. The trio will be shooting by September end/Early October and Tiger Shroff too will be joining them for a short 6 to 7-day period. Apart from the schedule of combination dates, Tiger will also be shooting for his personality entry sequence in Singham. He has some solo portions too in Singham Again, which eventually leads to the core conflict. He has allotted 12 days for the shoot and is ready for more as well as and when Rohit Shetty demands. Rohit Shetty has established a cop universe in Bollywood with three of his big movies Singham, Simmba, and Sooryavanshi which starred Ajay Devgn, Ranveer Singh and Akshay Kumar respectively. Reportedly, the shooting for Singham Again will start later this year and the movie will hit theatres during the Independence Day 2024 weekend. However, no official release date has been announced as of now. The stage is set for the much-awaited floor test in the Bihar Assembly on February 12, where Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will have to prove his majority following exiting the Mahagathbandhan alliance and reuniting with BJP-led NDA. According to a Hindustan Times report, ahead of the floor test, Congress shifted its MLAs to Hyderabad. RJD MLAs, on the other hand, have been camping at former deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadavs residence since Saturday night. BJP also shifted its MLAs to Maha Bodhi resort in Bodh Gaya some days ago after Nitish Kumar met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. The BJP, however, said the MLAs were sent to Bodh Gaya resort for training purposes and there was no fear of defection. Bihar Assembly Floor Test: How Numbers Stack Up The are a total of 243 seats in the Bihar Assembly and the majority mark is 122. The BJP has 78 seats giving the NDA a comfortable majority of 128. CM Nitish Kumars party JD(U) has 45, Hindustani Awam Morcha, 4 and one independent MLA Sumit Singh. The opposition, on the other hand, has a total of 114 seats with RJD having the highest at 79. Congress has 19 seats, CPI(ML) 12, and 2 each with CPI(M) and CPI. Bihar Assembly Floor Test: Latest Updates As Bihar is setting the stage for the much-awaited floor test on February 12 after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar dumped the Mahagathbandhan alliance, the Janata Dal (United) supremo has called for a meeting of all his party MLAs on Sunday evening. According to sources, the meeting is scheduled to take place at around 5 pm. Meanwhile, all eyes are placed on the five JD(U) MLAs, who kept off a unity lunch event hosted by Bihar minister Shrawan Kumar on Saturday, ahead of Mondays floor test. RJD, Congress in Huddle Simultaneously, former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav will also be hosting a dinner party at his residence on Sunday evening to plan for the big Khela in the Bihar Assembly on Monday. The Congress MLAs, who were camping in Hyderabad from February 4, are also set to return to Patna as Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is set to face the floor test on February 12. It has been learnt that all the RJD MLAs along with the Congress and independent MLAs will be attending the dinner event hosted by Tejashwi at his residence to plan for the Oppositions next move following Nitish Kumars betrayal. Notably, the MLAs of RJD and the Communist Party of India (MarxistLeninist) Liberation were seen gathering at the former Deputy Chief Ministers house on Saturday night for a meeting. According to the visuals shared by news agency ANI, the legislators have been camping at Tejashwis residence after the meeting as well as their support staff was seen bringing essential items such as clothes and blankets. #WATCH | Bihar | Luggage of RJD MLAs being brought to the official residence of party leader and former Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav in Patna. A meeting of RJD MLAs and MLAs of mahagathbandhan was held here this evening ahead of the Floor Test. The leaders are reportedly staying back pic.twitter.com/nrp212bYaJ ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2024 Following the meeting at Tejashwi Yadavs residence, RJD MP Manoj Jha informed that legislators of the Mahagathbandhan have decided to stay together for the next 48 hours and were enjoying their time together. Andar antakshari chal rahi hai (they are singing songs inside), Jha was quoted as saying. #WATCH | Bihar: RJD MLAs and MLAs of Mahagathbandhan at the residence of former Deputy CM and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav in Patna ahead of the Floor Test scheduled to take place tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/5FXnvGH8Gp ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2024 Nitish Kumar Dumps Mahagathbandhan, Seeks Trust Vote With NDA Tomorrow In a dramatic shift, Nitish Kumar ditched the Mahagathbandhan alliance last month and formed a new government with the BJP in Bihar for the record ninth time, which he had dumped less than 18 months ago. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his newly formed alliance with the NDA is set to seek a trust vote in the state assembly on Monday, February 12. Ahead of the trust vote of the Nitish Kumar-led government in Bihar, his party Janata Dal-United (JDU) has issued a three-line whip to all of its MLAs to be present during the floor test. Speaking on a Lok Sabha resolution on the Ram Temple inauguration, AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday said that he has the highest respect for Lord Ram but Hate for Nathuram Godse, who killed a man whose last words were Hey Ram. Bristling at the Bharatiya Janata Party during the discussion Owaisi said, I have the highest respect for Lord Ram but hate Nathuram Godse because he killed the person whose last words were Hey Ram. The AIMIM MP also demanded that the government, which is ruled by the BJP, should come out and clarify if it has a religion of its own. Addressing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who recently participated in the pran pratishta of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya temple, as Baba Modi, Owaisi reiterated that Muslims in the country are feeling alienated. Is the current government a government for a particular community? The practitioner of one religion or the entire country? Is it a government only for Hindutva? Owaisi asked. The Hyderabad leader stated that the light of Indian democracy is at its dimmest today, adding Babri Masjid remains and will remain where it was. Am I a spokesperson of Babar, Jinnah or Aurangzeb? I respect Maryada Purushottam Ram, but I will continue to hate Nathuram Godse. Today the country does not need Baba Modi. I want to ask when the government replies to this debate will it focus on 140 crore Indians or only the Hindutva population? he said. Owaisi also said that he believes through the resolution on Ayodhya Ram Temple, the government is trying to send out a message that it marked the triumph of one religion over the other. What larger message are they sending out to the 17 crore Muslims in the country? the AIMIM chief asked. Meanwhile, about the inauguration of the grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Prime Minister Modi in his farewell speech said that the Lok Sabhas resolution on the Ram Temple will give future generations the strength to feel proud of their culture and countrys values. The government brought a motion on Ram Temple in Upper House and Lower House on Saturday which is the last day of the interim budget session of Parliament. Arvind Kejriwal will be the first party boss among INDIA bloc members to offer prayers at the newly inaugurated Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir at Ayodhya, when he travels to the temple town with Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday. The families of both the leaders will accompany them, as the Delhi CM had earlier decided to visit the temple only after the consecration ceremony on January 22. Ahead of the pran pratishtha of Ram Lallas idol, Kejriwal had said he was awaiting the final invite that never came his way. During his Republic Day address this year, he had unambiguously endorsed the grand ceremony saying: Friends, just a few days ago in Ayodhya, the pran pratishtha of Shri Ram Lalla was held. This is a matter of great pride, joy and cheer (badhai) for the entire country and the world. People celebrated the event with gusto. On the one hand, while we must express our devotion to Shri Ram, on the other we must take inspiration from his life and imbibe his message in our lives, he had said. In the weeks leading up to the ceremony, the AAP had organised the recitation of Sunderkand Path in all assembly constituencies of Delhi. Kejriwal had also taken part in the one in Rohini, and was out on the streets distributing food at a number of bhandaras set up by AAP MLAs and supporters. The Delhi government had also held the Ramleela for three days. This will not be the AAP conveners first visit to Ayodhya. In October 2021, he had offered prayers at Hanumangarhi and the Ram temple. Ayodhya also figures prominently in the Delhi governments popular Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana. Kejriwal has also announced that the government will make special budgetary allocation for more trains to the temple town, in keeping with the demand. Ahead of the 2020 Delhi assembly elections, when there was a threat of polarisation, Kejriwal had recited the Hanuman Chalisa to show that he is a believer and a bhakt of Hindu deity Hanuman. Later, in the Delhi assembly, he had vowed to bring in Ramrajya in the national capital and gone on to define the 10 principles like free and good quality health, education and security for women among others, which would define it. His clear support for the pran pratishtha is in stark contrast to the views of his allies in the INDIA bloc, who have been more nuanced and critical in their responses. Amid the speculations of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) joining the BJP-led NDA, party president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday said he is currently doing Punjab Bachao Yatra'. Upon being asked about whether an alliance with BJP is on the cards, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal avoided a straight answer and slammed the ruling Aam Aadmi Party in the state saying it ruined Punjab. I am currently doing Punjab Bachao Yatra, our alliance is with BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party)They (Congress and AAP) are thieves and have ruined Punjab Badal said. #WATCH | Punjab: On speculations about SAD joining NDA, Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal says, I am currently doing Punjab Bachao Yatra, our alliance is with BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party)They (Congress and AAP) are thieves and have ruined Punjab pic.twitter.com/7eIXIgukj0 ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2024 Talks about a possible SAD-BJP alliance surfaced after Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said, We always welcome new allies. Shah, while speaking at the ET NOW Global Business Summit 2024, was asked about the possibility of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), headed by Jayant Singh, SAD and other regional parties joining the NDA, to which he said, We believe in family planning (in general) but not in politics. We always want our alliance to grow and we always welcome new allies. Our ideology has remained the same since the days of Jan Sangh. Those who like to join us can come. On the other hand, Congress leader Pratap Singh Bajwa reacted to the reports of an alliance between SAD and BJP and said, BJP can form an alliance with anyone. Its nothing new. But first, (Shiromani Akali Dal president) Sukhbir Singh Badal should answer whether this alliance is for the benefit of Punjab, the Akali Dal, or the Badal family. Most members of the Uttar Pradesh State Legislature on Sunday (January 11) visited Ayodhya to their obeisance to Ram Lalla at the newly inaugurated Ram temple there, even as Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav once again declined the invitation. Today all the legislators had the opportunity to seek blessings from Lord Ram in AyodhyaMay he shower his blessings & by 2047 we become Viksit Bharat, Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya said after the visit. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Uttar Pradesh Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana have invited members of both Houses of the legislature on Saturday to offer prayers before Ram Lalla in Ayodhya. Akhilesh Yadav Declines Invitation During a discussion on the budget in the House on Saturday, the speaker said to Yadav, You come with us to Ayodhya tomorrow. To this, the Leader of the Opposition in the assembly, said: We will go only when Lord Shri Ram calls us. Earlier, the SP chief had also skipped the Pran Pratishtha ceremony at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya with other Opposition leaders also opting to abstain from the event. However, this time, except for Yadav, most legislators have given their consent to go to Ayodhya. It is a matter of faith, you cannot force anyone to go there, said Mahana on the Samajwadi Party chief skipping the visit. Most UP Lawmakers in Ayodhya Today Despite Yadavs refusal, leaders from various parties, including the BJP, Apna Dal Sonelal, Nishad Party, Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party, Rashtriya Lok Dal, Indian National Congress, Jansatta Dal Loktantrik, and Bahujan Samaj Party, have accepted the invitation and will be part of the visit. Currently, there are 400 MLAs in the state assembly while there are 100 members in the Legislative Council. It was unclear exactly how many members are going to Ayodhya. BJP has 252 MLAs in the assembly, its ally Apna Dal (Sonelal) has 13, Nishad party has six and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) has six. Nishad and SBSP are constituents of the ruling National Democratic Alliance. The states main opposition party Samajwadi Party has 108 MLAs, Rashtriya Lok Dal has nine, Indian National Congress has two, Jansatta Dal Loktantrik has two and Bahujan Samaj Party has one MLA. Rajpal Singh Balyan, leader of the RLD legislative party in the assembly, told PTI on Friday: Most of the RLD MLAs will go to Ayodhya on February 11 for darshan of Lord Ram in the newly constructed temple. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) legislature party leader Umashankar Singh also said the party has accepted the invitation. We will go to Ayodhya! This is the invitation of the Assembly Speaker and he does not belong to any party but everyone has unanimously elected him, he told news agency PTI. Virendra Chaudhary, Congress MLA from Farenda in Maharajganj district said, Lord Ram is our idol but due to a pre-decided programme in our area on Sunday, I will not be able to go but our legislature party leader Aradhana Mishra Mona will go to Ayodhya. Jansatta Dal Loktantrik leader Raghuraj Pratap Singh also welcomed the invitation to visit Ayodhya. Legislators To Visit Ayodhya in Luxury Buses All legislators went to Ayodhya on Sunday morning on buses. Ten luxury buses carrying cabinet ministers and members of the legislature reached Ayodhya at 11:30 am. Arrangements were made for the visit by the Minister of State for Transport (Independent Charge) Dayashankar Singh. CM Adityanath reached Ayodhya airport directly at noon on Sunday. After this, he and other lawmakers visited Hanumangarhi and Ram temple for darshan. iPhones are popular across the globe but did you know that all the top five models sold in the market last year were iPhones? A new market report has come out this month which talks about Apples dominance in the premium segment. The report also tells us that the iPhone 14 Pro Max was the most-selling model in 2023 which is not surprising going by the numbers Apple has reported over the past few quarters. The Pro Max model sold 34 million units during the period which is an impressive number for a device costing well over a lakh. It is interesting that Apple managed to sell the premium iPhone without major design changes and offering it with a lightning connector. The second iPhone on the list is the latest 15 Pro Max which only launched in September last year but has already clocked 33 million units which is massive for the new model and Apple raking in the moolah. The next three top models were the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro that recorded 29 million units each, which is again quite big for the company considering these are also the new models. And if you thought Apple was probably facing a hard time selling the older iPhones, the company scored 23 million in sales of the iPhone 13 which is probably helped by the demand for iPhones in markets like India and other emerging countries. But what about the Android flagships from Google and Samsung? Where is the Galaxy S23 series on the charts? Surprisingly, the first non-Apple device on the list is the Samsung Galaxy A14 4G model in sixth place with 21 million units sold in the last 12 months. Samsung will be worried about its performance last year, even though the Galaxy S23 Ultra got a decent response. Having said, the AI-powered Galaxy S24 lineup might stand a better chance this year, which will become clearer later this year. At least 14 Indian nationals were arrested in three separate cases of drug smuggling in Nepal on Sunday and a total of 149 kg of the contraband was recovered from their possession, police said. All of them were arrested in Dharan City. While four Indians were arrested and 50 kg of hashish were recovered from their possession, in a separate incident, five Indian nationals were arrested with 99 kg of drugs. In another incident, a 23-year-old Indian national along with his four accomplices were arrested for their involvement in drug peddling, police said. Two Afghan prisoners who were held in US custody for at least 14 years at the Guantanamo Bay detention centre after 2002 were released from house arrest in Oman, a Taliban spokesman said Sunday. Abdul Zahir Saber and Abdul Karim were released as a result of the efforts made by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Taliban interior ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani said. Senior Taliban officials posted photographs of Saber and Karim on social media with messages of congratulations. An official welcome ceremony is being organized in the capital, Kabul, for their return on Monday, Qani said. The two men were held in Guantanamo until 2017, when they were transferred to the Gulf kingdom of Oman, where they spent the next seven years under house arrest, forbidden to travel. The United States opened the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, in Cuba, under President George W. Bush in January 2002 after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the invasion of Afghanistan to capture al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden. It was intended at the time to hold and interrogate those suspected of having links to al-Qaida or the Taliban, who had sheltered bin Laden. However, scores of suspects from multiple countries were later sent there and the detention center became notorious after reports emerged of detainees being humiliated and tortured. Saber, who was originally from the province of Logar, was arrested by American forces on May 10, 2002, Qani said. In October that year, after four months in Bagram prison just outside Kabul, Saber was transferred to Guantanamo. As a result of the efforts of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, after many years in prison and imposed restrictions will be removed, he will return to his homeland, said Qani. Karim, a resident of Tani district of Khost province, in the east, was arrested in Pakistan on Aug. 14, 2002. After a few months in prison there, he was handed over to American forces. He was moved to Guantanamo in early 2003 and then to Oman in 2017. KYODO NEWS - Feb 11, 2024 - 20:37 | All, World, Japan Japan will pledge 15.8 billion yen ($106 million) in aid to support the reconstruction of Ukraine from war damage in seven fields such as infrastructure rebuilding and demining, sources familiar with the matter said Sunday. The governments of the two countries are expected to agree on Japan's involvement in the European nation's post-war reconstruction and sign more than 10 memorandums of cooperation at the Japan-Ukraine Conference for Promotion of Economic Reconstruction slated for Feb. 19 in Tokyo. The conference in Tokyo to be held ahead of the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 will come at a time concerns are growing about dwindling military support for Ukraine from Western countries. In January, Tokyo announced a $37 million contribution to a NATO fund to provide additional support for Ukraine, including an unmanned aircraft detection system, but Japan cannot give military assistance under its pacifist Constitution. The 15.8-billion-yen aid will be used to provide demining equipment and temporary bridges among other resources urgently needed to promote the war-torn country's reconstruction efforts, according to the sources. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and Masakazu Tokura, chairman of the Japan Business Federation known as Keidanren, will attend the reconstruction conference along with some 300 other government and corporate officials. The seven areas of cooperation also include agricultural expansion, improvement of the humanitarian situation, biotechnology and industrial sophistication, information technology, and governance enhancement and anticorruption measures, the sources said. In an interview with Kyodo News earlier this month, Shmyhal said energy, infrastructure, agriculture, engineering, IT and security were areas where Japanese firms can play a "huge role in assisting the recovery," which the World Bank has estimated will cost $411 billion over the next decade. Japan aims to show its commitment to supporting Ukraine through the public-private cooperation and will support Japanese firms launching businesses in the country. The memorandums of cooperation to be signed at the meeting include those related to medical care, cybersecurity and wind farm projects, according to the sources. Both governments are planning to begin negotiations toward an investment accord aimed at promoting the participation of Japanese companies in reconstruction projects, the sources said. Japan and Ukraine are also expected to sign a treaty to eliminate double taxation for companies conducting business in Ukraine, they said. Related coverage: Ukraine PM says Japanese companies can play big role in war recovery Zelenskyy sacks top general Zaluzhnyi as war with Russia drags on Ukraine-born Miss Japan relinquishes crown after reported affair The politics in Pakistan is heating up as the jailed Imran Khans PTI claims its right to form the government in the country amid escalating tensions with the powerful army, facing allegations of rigging the mandate in the February 8 polls. The PTIs bid comes amid a crackdown on its website and mounting fears of a potential street revolt. Top sources told CNN-News18 that their efforts have been hindered as their Google drive and website are reportedly blocked. This comes following a call by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to form a coalition government in his so-called victory speech in Lahore. PTI-linked candidates are demanding that President Arif Alvi, appointed by Imran Khan, invite them for government formation while simultaneously protesting against the caretaker government and the army. The independents who lost in the elections are being instructed to file First Information Reports (FIRs) against the Returning Officers (ROs) who allegedly provided them with incorrect forms. At the same time, negotiations between the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) are also underway. PPPs Asif Ali Zardari is reportedly willing to form a government without Nawaz, advocating for younger brother Shehbaz as the leader, but with a condition of Presidency for himself. Sources close to PML-N revealed that Nawaz Sharif is reluctant to become Prime Minister again under the current circumstances. The establishment favours a government led by Shehbaz Sharif, supported by Zardari, to handle economic programs and alleviate borrowing in the country. The Pakistan army believes that Shehbaz would be an effective chief executive to fulfill the governments expectations. Nawaz has delegated Shehbaz for talks with other political parties, including PPP to explore the possibilities of forming a government. The three-time former prime minister has expressed willingness to work with all parties for government formation, including Jamiat Ulema-i-Islams Fazlur Rehman. He stressed the importance of stability and urged all parties to come together for the betterment of the debt-ridden country. His message is also reflected in the army chiefs statement which told feuding politicians to show maturity and unity after an election failed to produce a clear winner. The Pakistan military, accused of backing Nawaz, looms large over the countrys political landscape, with generals having run the country for nearly half its history. Elections are not a zero-sum competition of winning and losing but an exercise to determine the mandate of the people, Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir said in a statement released on Saturday. Hamas warned Israel on Sunday that a ground offensive into Gazas far-southern city of Rafah, crowded with displaced Palestinians, would imperil the release of hostages held by militants in the besieged territory. Foreign governments, including Israels key ally the United States, and aid groups have voiced deep concern over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus vow to extend operations. Rafah, on the border with Egypt, has remained the last refuge for Palestinians fleeing Israels relentless bombardment elsewhere in the Gaza Strip in its four-month war against Hamas, triggered by the groups October 7 attack. Any attack by the occupation army on the city of Rafah would torpedo the exchange negotiations, a Hamas leader told AFP on condition of anonymity. The Israeli premier has told troops to prepare to go into the city which now hosts more than half of Gazas total population, spurring concern about the impact on displaced civilians. Netanyahu told US broadcaster ABC News that those who urged Israel not to go into Rafah were effectively giving Hamas licence to remain. In an interview aired Sunday, Netanyahu insisted the Rafah operation would go ahead while providing safe passage for the civilian population so they can leave. Some 1.4 million people have crowded into Rafah, with many living in tents amid increasingly scarce supplies of food, water and medicine. Mediators have held new talks in Cairo for a pause in the fighting and the release of at least some of the 132 hostages Israel says are still in Gaza, including 29 thought to be dead. Hamas seized some 250 hostages on October 7, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures, and dozens were released during a one-week truce in November. Hamass military wing on Sunday said two hostages had been killed and eight others seriously wounded in Israeli bombardment in recent days, a claim AFP is unable to independently verify. Israeli strikes have long hit targets in Rafah, and combat on Sunday seemed intense several kilometres (miles) to the north in Khan Yunis city, where AFP correspondents heard regular explosions and saw plumes of black smoke. Israels military said troops were conducting targeted raids in the west of Khan Yunis, an area where Hamass armed wing reported violent clashes. The Hamas-run territorys health ministry on Sunday reported 112 deaths over the previous 24 hours, and Hamas authorities added there had been dozens of air strikes, including on Rafah. Massacre Hamass unprecedented October 7 attack on southern Israel resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Vowing to eliminate Hamas, Israel has responded with a relentless offensive in Gaza that the territorys health ministry says has killed at least 28,176 people, mostly women and children. On ABC, Netanyahu claimed Israeli forces have killed and wounded about 12,000 fighters of Hamas. The United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) were some of the latest to raise the alarm over the plan for Rafah, Gazas last major population centre that Israeli troops have yet to enter. The OIC strongly warned that the continuation and expansion of the Israeli military aggression is part of rejected attempts to forcibly expel the Palestinian people from their land, the 57-nation Jeddah-based bloc said on social media. It stressed that such acts fall under genocide and would lead to a humanitarian catastrophe and collective massacre. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have also rejected forced displacement of people from Rafah, evoking the trauma of Palestinians mass exodus and forced displacement around the time of Israels creation in 1948. Denouncing a genocide in Gaza, thousands rallied Sunday in Moroccos capital Rabat and called on their government to undo a 2020 normalisation pact with Israel. A French foreign ministry spokesman said a large-scale Israeli offensive in Rafah would create a catastrophic humanitarian situation and could lead to disaster. Earlier in the Gaza war Israels military called on residents to evacuate areas for their safety. No place to escape But Gazans, driven further and further south, have repeatedly said they can find no safe refuge from the fighting and bombing. Farah Muhammad, 39, a mother of five displaced from northern Gaza, was at a loss to know what to do if troops move in to Rafah. There is no place to escape, she said. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on social media platform X that the people in Gaza cannot disappear into thin air. Saudi Arabia called for an urgent UN Security Council meeting, while Britains Foreign Secretary David Cameron said the priority must be an immediate pause in the fighting to get aid in and hostages out. Netanyahu, whose coalition government includes far-right politicians, faces calls for early elections and mounting protests over his failure to bring home the hostages. Its clear Netanyahu is dragging out the war. He has no idea what to do on the day after, one protester, Gil Gordon, said in Tel Aviv. Efrat Machikwa, a niece of captive Gadi Mozes, said Israelis are with us, but we dont feel the government is. The political landscape in Pakistan took a shocking turn on Sunday after jailed ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan-backed independent candidates secured the most seats in parliament. According to the Election Commission of Pakistan, independent candidates won 102 seats while Nawaz Sharifs Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz Party (PMLN) came in second with 73 seats, and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) won 54 seats. However, according to the latest development, PMLN is in contact with the leadership of PPP for government formation. : : : pic.twitter.com/bFTAo6JOPW PPP (@MediaCellPPP) February 11, 2024 The election results were announced more than three days after the polls were closed in Thursdays highly contentious election which was marred by violence and subject to allegations of poll rigging. Several countries, including the United States, the UK and the European Union, condemned the electoral process and called for authorities to investigate reported irregularities in Pakistans general elections. As Pakistan Elections Concludes amid World Intervention, Heres What Happened so far: A county coroner reported suspicions about bodies being poorly treated by a Colorado funeral home more than three years before nearly 200 decomposing bodies were discovered inside a decrepit building in October, according to newly unsealed court documents that raise questions about how the mistreatment of corpses was able to continue for so long. The concerns raised by the Fremont County coroner also included worries about the improper refrigeration of bodies and were reported to a state agency in 2020, according to the arrest affidavits for Return to Nature Funeral Home owners Jon and Carie Hallford. But the coroner received no response from the state agency, which has long struggled to effectively oversee the funeral home industry, according to the documents. Colorado has some of the weakest rules for funeral homes in the nation with no routine inspections or qualification requirements for funeral home operators. The Hallfords allegedly stored bodies as far back as 2019, and the count grew over the next four years, as prosecutors claim they used the money they were taking from grieving families for lavish expenses. The fact that he made a complaint and nothing was done about it just completely blows my mind, said Tanya Wilson, who hired the funeral home to cremate her mother before learning that her mothers remains werent in the ashes she had spread in Hawaii but languishing inside a building back in Colorado. Families couldve been saved from this if they had done something about this, she said. Colorados Department of Regulatory Agencies on Friday confirmed that it did get an email from Fremont County coroner Randy Keller in May 2020 saying that he had gotten calls regarding refrigeration issues at a funeral home in his county but he did not say which one. Keller said he did not know if the concerns were justified and offered to do an inspection if the state wasnt able to, said department spokesperson Katie ODonnell in a statement. ODonnell said the agency didnt have the power to inspect funeral homes at the time, with lawmakers giving the agency inspection authority two years later. Its unclear if the agency followed up after Kellers initial email, or if Keller did an inspection himself. ODonnell declined to elaborate on Kellers 2020 email and the agencys response. Keller did not respond to a phone call requesting comment. The funeral home, which was based in Colorado Springs and used a building in nearby Penrose where the bodies were found as a mortuary, was first licensed in 2017. State regulators did not conduct any inspection of the funeral home while it was operating, according to the affidavits. Colorado lawmakers have dragged their feet in passing funeral home regulations on par with most other states even after a separate Colorado funeral homes operators were accused of selling bodies years before the discovery at Return to Nature. The bodies were finally discovered last year after neighbors complained of the smell coming from the building. Authorities who responded found a stain coming out the front door that they say was the result of the decomposition of bodies, according to the affidavits. That echoed descriptions of the floors inside being covered with the fluid from decomposition provided during court hearings for the Hallfords. The affidavits describe how the bodies were strewn throughout the rooms and how Jon Hallford was seen on surveillance video treating a body more like a sandbag than a former human being. They say that buckets had been placed under some bodies to collect the fluid. About 40 bodies had been stacked on top of each other and some were stored in storage totes, according to the affidavits, which note the unimaginable conditions authorities worked in to remove the bodies while wearing protective equipment. I picture my mom in every single one of those situations, said Wilson. I imagine my mom folded up and put in a storage tote. I imagine my mom just being left on the floor within inches of decomposition fluids. And it haunts me, she said. Investigators believe Jon Hallford moved some bodies from the main funeral home in Colorado Springs to the Penrose building in September after a complaint about odor at the main site. According to the affidavit, surveillance footage showed him flipping a body off a gurney and onto the floor at the Penrose building so he could use it to bring more bodies inside from a van on Sept. 9, 2023, a day after the complaint. The affidavits also provided more details about previous allegations that the Hallfords used money families and insurance companies paid to cover cremations and burials to pay for lavish personal expenses, including trips to California, Florida and Las Vegas, $31,000 in cryptocurrency, laser body sculpting and shopping at luxury retailers like Gucci and Tiffany. From 2020 to 2023, Jon Hallford also bought over 600 pounds of concrete mix at Home Depot and investigators suspect the couple put it in urns instead of ashes, the affidavit says. Prosecutors have said some relatives of the deceased received fake ashes rather than the cremated remains of their loved ones. The arrest affidavits have been sealed since November when the couple was arrested in Oklahoma after they allegedly fled, but were made public following an evidentiary hearing held Thursday for Jon Hallford. Carie Hallfords hearing was held last month. Jon Hallford is represented by Adam Steigerwald, an attorney from the public defenders office, which does not comment on its cases. Carie Hallfords lawyer, Michael Stuzynski, declined to comment. They are each charged with 190 counts of abuse of a corpse, five counts of theft, four counts of money laundering and over 50 counts of forgery. They have not been asked to enter a plea yet. Relatives discovered the body of a 6-year-old Palestinian girl on Saturday, along with five family members and two ambulance workers. They had all been trapped in Gaza, despite the girls plea for help. The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) accused Israel of deliberately targeting the ambulance it sent to rescue Hind Rajab after she had spent hours on the phone to dispatchers begging for help. The occupation deliberately targeted the Red Crescent crew despite prior coordination to allow the ambulance to arrive at the site to rescue Hind, the Red Crescent said in a statement. After the Israeli occupation forces raided the PRCS Al-Amal Hospital in Khan Yunis, they stole all the keys of the ambulance vehicles and administrative vehicles, and they locked the steering wheels to prevent the staff from operating the vehicles, amidst the ongoing siege and pic.twitter.com/DdP48MW4L6 PRCS (@PalestineRCS) February 10, 2024 Riddled with bullet holes Family members found Hinds body along with those of her uncle and aunt and their three children still in a car near a roundabout in the Tel al-Hawa suburb of Gaza City, the official Palestinian Wafa news agency reported. The PCRS released a photo of the ambulance, seen almost completely burned out. Al Jazeera footage of the scene appeared to show the ambulance only steps away from the car they said the family was in, a damaged black Kia Picanto riddled with bullet holes, Reuters reported. The plight of Hind was earlier revealed in audio clips of her terrified conversation with rescue workers 12 days ago. The audio clips released by the Red Crescent earlier this month recorded a call to dispatchers that was first made by Hinds teenage cousin Layan Hamadeh, saying an Israeli tank was approaching before shots rang out and she screamed. Believed to be the only survivor, Hind stayed on the line for three hours with dispatchers, who tried to soothe her as they prepared to send an ambulance. Come and get me Come and get me, Hind was heard crying desperately in another audio recording. Im so scared, please come. The PCRS said that after coordinating with the Israeli military through mediators and receiving a green light, it determined it was safe enough to send an ambulance with two crew, Youssef Zeino and Ahmed Al-Madhoon. In our last communication with the team, they said the occupation forces aimed a laser beam at them. We heard gunshots and then an explosion, said Red Crescent spokesperson in Ramallah, Nebal Farsakh. Contact was then lost with both the ambulance team and Hind, leaving their families, colleagues and many around the world concerned about their fate. While we continue to look into exactly what happened, we want to reiterate that civilians must be protected no child should ever be terrified for their life, surrounded by the bodies of their family members, a spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) told Reuters. That these were potentially Hinds last moments is devastating and unbearable, the spokesperson added. (With agency inputs) The Israeli military has claimed to have discovered a tunnel network hundreds of meters long, partially running under UNRWAs Gaza headquarters. They describe it as new evidence of exploitation of the relief agency for Palestinians. Israeli Army engineers took reporters from foreign news outlets through the passages at a time of crisis for UNRWA, which has seen a string of donor countries freeze funding over allegations last month by Israel that some of its staff doubled as Hamas operatives. In UNRWAs defence, the Palestinians have accused Israel of attempting to tarnish the UN agency, which employs 13,000 people in the Gaza Strip and has been a lifeline for the aid-dependent population for years. These findings were found within @UNRWA facilities:Acting on ISA intelligence, the forces discovered a tunnel shaft near an UNRWA school, leading to an underground terrorist tunnel beneath UNRWAs main headquarters. The forces found electrical infrastructure inside the tunnel pic.twitter.com/n5EWJpyI4o Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) February 10, 2024 UNRWA Headquarters At UNRWA Headquarters in Gaza City, reporters on the closely escorted trip entered a shaft next to a school on the periphery of the UN compound, descending to the concrete-lined tunnel. A few minutes of walking through the stifling hot, narrow and occasionally winding passage brought them underneath UNRWA Headquarters, an army lieutenant-colonel leading the tour said. The tunnel, which the military said was 700 metres long and 18 metres deep, bifurcated at times, revealing side-rooms. There was an office space, with steel safes that had been opened and emptied. There was a tiled toilet. One large chamber was packed with computer servers, another with industrial battery stacks. Everything is conducted from here. All the energy for the tunnels, which you walked through them are powered from here, said the lieutenant-colonel, who gave only his first name, Ido. This is one of the central commands of the intelligence. This place is one of the Hamas intelligence units, where they commanded most of the combat. But the Israeli military said Hamas appeared to have evacuated in the face of the Israeli advance, preemptively cutting off communications cables that, in an above-ground part of the tour, he showed running through the floor of the UNRWA Headquarters basement. It appeared that heavy Israeli barrages and sustained winter rains may also have played a part in the departure: Several stretches of the tunnel were clogged with dislodged sand and knee-high water. UNRWA did not know what is under its headquarters in Gaza. UNRWA is made aware of reports through the media regarding a tunnel under the UNRWA Headquarters in Gaza. UNRWA staff left its headquarters in Gaza City on 12 October following the Israeli evacuation orders and as Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) February 10, 2024 What the UN agency said In a statement, UNRWA said it had vacated the headquarters on Oct. 12, five days after the war began, and was therefore unable to confirm or otherwise comment on the Israeli finding. UNRWA does not have the military and security expertise nor the capacity to undertake military inspections of what is or might be under its premises, the statement said. In the past, whenever (a) suspicious cavity was found close to or under UNRWA premises, protest letters were promptly filed to parties to the conflict, including both the de facto authorities in Gaza (Hamas) and the Israeli authorities. UNRWAs supporters say it is the only agency with the means of aiding Palestinians in deepening humanitarian distress. Israel says the agency is perforated by Hamas and must be replaced. Hamas has denied operating in civilian facilities. We know that they (Hamas) have people working in UNRWA. We want every international organization to work in Gaza. That is not a problem. Our problem is the Hamas, Ido told reporters. (With agency inputs) The Pakistani courts were inundated with legal challenges on Saturday as candidates contested the provisional results in their constituencies, following an election marred by violence and allegations of rigging. The majority of those filing such challenges were PTI-backed independents, who claim that their victories were allegedly turned into defeats, the Dawn newspaper reported. These court cases come as candidates backed by the jailed PTI leader Imran Khan plan to form a government. A petition has been submitted to the Supreme Court, urging elected independent candidates to join a political party within three days of the official notification of their victory. Meanwhile, a bid to form a unity government is also underway on the PML-N front, after the three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif appealed to other political parties to join hands to pull cash-strapped Pakistan out of its current difficulties. Analysts argue that a coalition government is in the offing, as no single party has enough seats to form a government. Read More: Takeaways From Pakistan Election: Violence, Result Delays, Family Affairs, Rigging and More Credibility of elections? The nation of 241 million people voted on Thursday in a general election, as the country struggles to recover from an economic crisis and battles militant violence in a deeply polarised political environment. Springing a surprise, independents backed by Khans Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party reportedly won the lions share of 102 seats in the National Assembly in the election. The Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen) has underlined the delay in the preparation and announcement of preliminary election results, raising questions about the credibility of the election outcome. In its preliminary report, Fafen highlighted that the governments suspension of cellular and internet services on election day, regardless of security reasons, undermined years of parliamentary efforts to reform the election results management process. PTI to form govt Gohar Khan, the chairman of Khans PTI party who also acts as the former prime ministers lawyer, called on all institutions in Pakistan to respect his partys mandate. At a press conference, he said if complete results of the polls were not released by Saturday night, the party would hold peaceful protests on Sunday outside government offices returning election results around the country. President Alvi would invite the PTI to form the government as they had got a majority in the National Assembly, Gohar said. He claimed that the PTI had won elections on 170 seats in the National Assembly. However, according to the official results, the party has got 100 seats. 2 pic.twitter.com/omlPBmLmu8 Barrister Gohar Khan (@BarristerGohar) February 10, 2024 Read More: Healing Touch: In Pak Army Chiefs Post-Poll Message, an Uncanny Similarity with Nawaz Sharifs Speech On Saturday, Pakistans army chief told feuding politicians to show maturity and unity after an election failed to produce a clear winner. The Pakistan military, reportedly backing Nawaz, looms large over the countrys political landscape, with generals having run the country for nearly half its history since partition from India in 1947. Elections are not a zero-sum competition of winning and losing but an exercise to determine the mandate of the people, Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir said in a statement released by the military. As the people of Pakistan have reposed their combined trust in the Constitution of Pakistan, it is now incumbent upon all political parties to reciprocate the same with political maturity and unity. The nation needs stable hands and a healing touch to move on from the politics of anarchy and polarisation which does not suit a progressive country of 250 million people. (With agency inputs) Pakistan held a parliamentary election this week, with 44 parties fighting for a share of 266 seats in the National Assembly, or lower house of parliament. A further 70 seats have been reserved for minorities and women. If no party wins a majority of 169 seats, the one with the biggest share can form a coalition government. The vote was overshadowed by violence, an unprecedented national shutdown of all mobile phone services and allegations of vote rigging. Here are the five main takeaways from the election. RESULT DELAYS The national mobile shutdown was aimed at maintaining law and order following several attacks, but it was also responsible for a delay in the communication of results, according to authorities. The Election Commission of Pakistan hadnt published any results more than 15 hours after polls closed. By Saturday midday, there were still a dozen results pending, with no reason given for the tardiness in announcing these. Confirmed: Live metrics show that Twitter, Facebook and YouTube are now restricted across #Pakistan amid the arrest of former PM Imran Khan; the incident is likely to limit freedom of assembly and the publics ability to seek informationReport: https://t.co/BCs5hPpTsU pic.twitter.com/CLIjGLQFLO NetBlocks (@netblocks) May 9, 2023 The list of new parliamentarians can only be published once all the results are out, prolonging uncertainty and instability. Pakistans national human rights body said there was no excuse for the hold-up and expressed concern about the lack of transparency. The international community, including the U.S. and European Union, was also worried about how long it was taking to publish all of the results. VOTE-RIGGING CLAIMS Candidates observing the count at polling stations said they saw significant leads suddenly disappear or results that were announced in their favor only to be reversed to declare an opponent the winner. They said they were marched off polling station grounds or barred from entering once voting ended and that polling agents were stopped from collecting results. The majority of irregularities and impediments were reported by independent candidates backed by imprisoned ex-premier Imran Khans party. One of them, Salman Akram Raja, has filed a case at Lahore High Court challenging the results in his constituency. Im sorry you are assuming too much. Already PTI aggrieved candidates have protested outside EC, lodged complained with EC. Getting their petitions ready, collecting & securing their forms 45. This has happened in last 24 hours after all elections and post elections fatigue. Its https://t.co/8EaRP1yMCr Muzzammil Aslam (@MuzzammilAslam3) February 10, 2024 POLL TURNOUTS AND KINGMAKERS The Election Commission hasnt released information about voter turnout, saying it will do so once all the results are out. But early analysis from the Free and Fair Election Network said up to 60 million people went to the polls last Thursday, out of a total electorate of 127 million. Thats a 47% turnout, lower than the one for the 2018 parliamentary polls. The organisation also said that more votes went to political parties or independent candidates backed by Khans PTI party and that major parties have found support bases outside their traditional strongholds. No party won a majority of National Assembly seats. But two of them claimed victory anyway. A coalition is inevitable and the horse-trading has started. By Friday midnight in the eastern city of Lahore, the younger brother of three-time premier Nawaz Sharif had met kingmaker and former president, Asif Ali Zardari, and his son, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari. The Bhutto-Zardaris run the Pakistan Peoples Party, which has 54 seats so far. Nawaz Sharifs Pakistan Muslim League, or PML-N, party has 71. They could muster the remaining votes from other lawmakers to get the required number. The independents, meanwhile, have to tell the National Assembly within 72 hours if they have joined a party or want to maintain their independent status. They have 100 seats, making them a valuable prize for the Sharifs and Bhutto-Zardaris. Family Affairs For decades, Pakistani politics have been a family affair. Maryam Nawaz Sharif is the daughter of ex-premier Nawaz Sharif. Bilawal Bhutto-Zardaris mother is the assassinated premier Benazir Bhutto. Benazirs father was Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, also a prime minister. Maryam Nawaz and Bilawal have increased their public visibility in recent years, him with his stint as foreign minister, and her taking on a greater role in party politics, especially during her fathers four years of self-exile abroad in the UK to avoid prison sentences. While Bilawal has been PPPs chairman since 2007 and is likely to be prime minister at some point because of his lineage, Maryam is being groomed for the top job and has been cast as heir of the PML-N, over her uncle Shehbaz and his son Hamza. She accompanied her father at rallies, giving fiery and uncompromising speeches, and escorted him on polling day when he went to cast his vote. If she doesnt get a role in the cabinet, her father could slot her into the job of chief minister of Punjab province, seen as a stepping stone to the premiership. Violence Earlier this week, the UN human rights office denounced violence, against political parties and candidates after at least nine people were killed across the country during polls. It voiced concern over the pattern of harassment, arrests and prolonged detentions of leaders and supporters of Khans party. On Saturday, prominent Pashtun leader Mohsin Dawar received multiple bullet injuries in a gun attack and was taken to a district hospital on Saturday in North Waziristan. The incident comes more than a month after he survived a gun attack on his convoy during an election rally in Khyber Pakhtunkhwas tribal districts. (With agency inputs) At least 15 kilometers of coastline have been affected in Trinidad and Tobago as emergency workers scramble to clean up a massive oil spill after a mystery vessel ran aground near the Caribbean island. Authorities were poised to declare a national emergency, Farley Augustine, chief secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly, told reporters on Saturday. Government officials said the spill has damaged a reef and Atlantic beaches, boding ill for the islands resorts and hotels, the lifeline of the local economy during Carnival season. Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Farley Augustine says he may declare the oil spill on the island a tier three disaster by today.Read more:https://t.co/g6D5q1c17q pic.twitter.com/JFraCbubr1 T&T Guardian (@GuardianTT) February 10, 2024 Level 3 disaster Chief secretary Augustine said the government may elevate the accident to a Level 3 disaster, adding, Everything indicates that we are going in that direction. The mystery vessel, identified as The Gulfstream, capsized on Wednesday off the coast of the Cove Eco-Industrial Park in southern Tobago, and currents have dragged the boat shoreward, news agency AFP reported. On Wednesday, the ship was sailing under an unidentified flag and made no emergency calls. The islands Emergency Management Agency said there were no signs of life on the vessel, whose cargo was initially believed to consist of sand and wood. The agency released photos of an estimated 1,000 volunteers in protective white jumpsuits working to remove oil from beaches. Divers were preparing to plug a leak in the ship, Augustine added. All the Coast Guards efforts are aimed at containing the oil spill, one government source told a French agency. The source said it would be some time before investigators could determine the ships origins, ownership and intended destination. Augustine said the island was ready to accept help from other countries and had received offers of assistance. Energy Minister Stuart Young from Trinidad traveled to Tobago and said the main island was ready to offer any assistance that can be provided. The disaster comes on the eve of Carnival, and Dave Tancoo, an opposition member of Parliament, said tour operators were likely to face considerable losses at a time when they usually see peak profits. This opportunity was cruelly taken away from them, he said. (With agency inputs) An Indian man charged with the murder of his 19-year-old wife at a home in south London last year has pleaded guilty to the crime, police said in a statement. Sahil Sharma, 24, was arrested at the scene at Ash Tree Way in Croydon, the couples residential address, on suspicion of the murder of Mehak Sharma on October 29 evening. When he appeared in custody at Kingston Crown Court on Thursday, he pleaded guilty to the murder of Mehak. Both are Indian nationals. He is due to be sentenced at the same court on April 26. Sahil Sharmas actions have devastated a family. In killing his wife he has robbed her family of a loving daughter for reasons known only to himself, said Detective Inspector Laura Semple, of the Met Polices Specialist Crime Command. Mehak was killed in her own home, the place where she should have been safest, by the person who should have loved and protected her. My thoughts today are with her family and loved ones, she said. While I am pleased that Mehak Sharmas loved ones will now be spared the experience of going through a trial, nothing can bring her back to them, she added. The court heard that shortly after 16:15hrs on 29 October 2023, Sahil Sharma dialled 999 and told the police operator that he had killed his wife at their home on Ash Tree Way. At the address, officers found Mehak Sharma unresponsive. She had suffered catastrophic knife injuries to her neck, and despite the efforts of medics at the scene she was sadly pronounced dead around 20 minutes later, the Met Police said. Mehaks family were informed and they continue to be supported by specialist officers. A special post-mortem examination conducted on October 31, 2023, found the cause of Mehaks death to have been a stab wound to the neck. Sahil Sharma was arrested at the scene and taken to hospital as he was suffering a minor head injury. The Met Police said at the time of the murder that the victim was an Indian national who is thought to have arrived in the UK relatively recently. (With agency inputs) KYODO NEWS - Feb 11, 2024 - 11:56 | All, Japan, Travel/Tourism The operator of coal-fired steam locomotives in the tourist spot of Nikko in eastern Japan is trialing a biofuel as a way to cut its carbon dioxide emissions, the first such initiative in the country. Tobu Railway Co. said it started the trial, set to last around one year, on Jan. 31, partially replacing the coal used by its SL Taiju locomotives with biocoke, made from buckwheat chaff, wood chips, coffee grounds and other materials. Biocoke will be substituted for around 40 percent of the 160 tons of coal burned each year to keep boiler pressure constant on the company's three Taiju engines, it said. The company said it expects to reduce about 150 tons of emissions per year, the same amount emitted by around 50 households. The SL Taiju has been operating since 2017 in the Kinugawa hot spa resort area of Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, attracting around 490,000 passengers, according to the operator. As part of the trial, the company is also using a biodiesel fuel made from used cooking oil to operate its diesel-powered DL Taiju train on the same route, hoping to reduce about 2.5 tons of annual emissions, it said. "We want to aim for sustainable growth by continuing to think of ways to cut the use of coal," said Hisashi Tezuka, an official at a Tobu Railway office. The Russian envoy to India has asserted that Western nations actively seek to disrupt the longstanding relationship between New Delhi and Moscow. In an interview with the RT news agency on Saturday, Denis Alipov said that US officials who come to India do not hesitate to directly state that they are pursuing the goal of tearing New Delhi away from Moscow. They are even making threats with secondary sanctions. Some Indian partners are forced to exercise caution, sometimes, frankly speaking, excessively, but there are also a significant number of those for whom such an approach is unacceptable, he said. India and Russia have sustained robust strategic ties for decades, with substantial defence collaboration at the center of their partnership. Following the start of the Ukraine conflict in Feb 2022, India has notably become one of the principal importers of Russian oil in the last 18 months. This stance by New Delhi has often come under scrutiny and criticism from Western media outlets. When asked how recent conflicts have impacted the India-Russia ties, Alipov said In India, Russia enjoys a solid reputation as a reliable, sincere, well-intentioned, time-tested friend. Such an image was initially shaped due to the major contribution of the USSR to Indian socio-economic development, and it largely persists to this day. Our ties continue to steadily expand in a wide range of areas according to our converging national interests. But unlike our Western partners, we have never conditioned cooperation on politics, have not interfered in domestic affairs, and have always maintained mutually respectful and trusted relationships, he told the Russian agency. On the issue of bilateral trade, he said, Our trade and economic cooperation has reached an unprecedented level. Russia is one of Indias four main trading partners. We maintain a leading position in the supply of hydrocarbons providing more than a third of Indian imports. Supplies of mineral fertilizers and products of the agricultural and diamond sectors are growing. All this creates a favorable atmosphere for our mutually beneficial cooperation to achieve new heights and strengthens the feeling of mutual trust in the business environment. On defence cooperation in the wake of Indias bid for self-reliance, Alipov told RT, Our defence cooperation remains not only successful but also unmatched according to a number of indicators. Indeed, India is diversifying its purchases, and the share of other foreign partners in the Indian market is steadily increasing. However, the Russian segment remains dominant, at least at 50%. Moreover, we have long adopted technology transfers and the practice of creating joint ventures, which applies, in particular, to Su-30MKI fighters, T-90 tanks, and AK-203 assault rifles. The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile is a matter of pride, whose characteristics are constantly improved. We are also considering joint expansion into third countries, including taking into account the capabilities of the private sector. Most importantly, our collaboration is highly aligned with New Delhis Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat localization initiatives. He stressed that the essential point is that India-Russia cooperation is long-term, based on trust and strong mutual interests. As the world's ice sheets melt, Greenland is getting taller in a process known as glacial isostatic rebound. Live Science describes this gradual rise of the country's landmass as something like a "decompressing mattress." While the weight of the ice sheet lessens over time (much like it did at the end of the last ice age 11,700 years ago), the land's bedrock begins to expand upward. A new study published in Geophysical Research Letters says that up to one third of land's uplift in some areas is due to glaciers receding. "The maximum land uplift is where you have the most mass loss, and that's closest to the biggest glaciers in Greenland," says lead author Danjal Longfors Berg. He and his cohorts used data from the 58 GPS monitors embedded into Greenland's bedrock in 2007 that measure the land's "vertical motion." Some of its rise was due to natural rebound, but in two separate drainage basins in the north and east, 32% and 27.9% of the rebound was caused by ice loss. Bedrock was rising fastest.3 inches per yearin southeast Greenland at the Kangerlussuaq Glacier, which has receded 6.2 miles since 1900. "When we estimate how much mass it's losing, then we can give a better estimate of how much the sea level is rising," says Berg. The New York Times, meanwhile, reports that Greenland's glaciers are melting faster than we knew. A new study published in Nature suggests 20% more ice has melted along the edges of the country's glaciers than was previously estimated. "Almost every glacier in Greenland is retreating. And that story is true no matter where you look," glaciologist Chad Greene tells the Times. "This retreat is happening everywhere and all at once." (More Greenland stories.) Wisconsin Rep. Mike Gallagher, who broke with the Republican Party on an impeachment vote Tuesdaybringing him the threat of a primary challengeannounced Saturday that he's leaving Congress. Gallagher told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel he will enter the private sector instead of running for reelection in November and will work on national security goals and defense policy issues. His party had considered him a rising star and recruited him unsuccessfully to seek a Senate seat this election. The 39-year-old Marine veteran, who served in the Iraq War, said he'd always considered Congress "a deployment, not a career." Gallagher chairs the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, per Politico, and has been a prominent voice on cybersecurity matters. He's regularly outperformed Donald Trump in Wisconsin's 8th Congressional District, per the Wall Street Journal. And his main campaign committee ended 2023 with more than $4 million in cash, tops among House Republicans. He was one of three GOP members to vote against impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas this week. Gallagher also faced GOP wrath for declining to object to the 2020 presidential election results in Arizona and Pennsylvania. "I don't like angering people," he said of that time, "but I was able to get through it." "Mike Gallagher calling it quits is about as stark an indictment of Republicans' inability to govern as you can get," a spokesman for Wisconsin's Democratic Party told NBC News. Former Rep. Peter Meijer of Michigan said the departure will hurt efforts to counter China and deal with AI and other cyber issues. He called Gallagher the "most thoughtful and intelligent member" he served with. Gallagher cast his decision as personal, saying the job isn't ideal if you're raising a family. "Trust me, Congress is no place to grow old," he posted. (More House Republicans stories.) As the charm of the Spring Festival and Chinese culture is increasing internationally, Britons are keen to celebrate the Year of the Dragon, which begins on Saturday this year. Produced by Xinhua Global Service Donald Trump and Nikki Haley both campaigned in the latter's home turf of South Carolina on Saturday, and the race swerved toward the personal. The former president questioned the absence of Haley's husband on the campaign trailMaj. Michael Haley is serving overseas with the National Guardand both Haley and her husband fired back. Trump: "Where's her husband? Oh, he's away. He's away," Trump said at a rally in Conway. "What happened to her husband? Where is he? He's gone." After a pause, he added, "He knew. He knew," per the New York Times. "Where's her husband? Oh, he's away. He's away," Trump said at a rally in Conway. "What happened to her husband? Where is he? He's gone." After a pause, he added, "He knew. He knew," per the New York Times. Haley: At her own rally in Gilbert, Haley referenced the slam. "I need to start with the fact that Donald Trump had a rally today, and in that rally, he mocked my husband's military service," she said, per Politico. "I have long talked about the fact that we need to have mental competency tests for anyone over the age of 75. Donald Trump claims that he would pass thatmaybe he would, maybe he wouldn't. But if you mock the service of a combat veteran, you don't deserve a driver's license, let alone being President of the United States." At her own rally in Gilbert, Haley referenced the slam. "I need to start with the fact that Donald Trump had a rally today, and in that rally, he mocked my husband's military service," she said, per Politico. "I have long talked about the fact that we need to have mental competency tests for anyone over the age of 75. Donald Trump claims that he would pass thatmaybe he would, maybe he wouldn't. But if you mock the service of a combat veteran, you don't deserve a driver's license, let alone being President of the United States." Haley, II: She also wrote on X that "Michael is deployed serving our country, something you know nothing about." And at her rally, she added: "Donald, if you have something to say, don't say it behind my back. Get on a debate stage and say it to my face," per the AP. President Biden's passing on a Super Bowl interview fits with his team's campaign strategy, such as it is, Maureen Dowd writes. "The Biden crew clearly has no plan for how to deal with the president's age except to shield him and hide him and browbeat reporters who point out that his mental state" is an issue, she writes in her column in the New York Times. That won't cut it, Dowd says, pointing out that polls showed voters were concerned about the president's age81, in case anyone's missed thatbefore a special counsel included it in his reasoning last week. Russian forces launched 45 drones over Ukraine on Sunday in a 5-hour barrage, officials said, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky continued the reshuffle of his war cabinet at the beginning of war's third year. The Ukrainian air force said it had shot down 40 of the Iranian-made Shahed drones over nine regions, including on the outskirts of the capital, Kyiv, the AP reports. The attack targeted agricultural facilities and coastal infrastructure, officials for Ukraine's southern defense forces wrote on Telegram. They said a strike in the Mykolaiv region had injured one person, sparking a fire and damaging nearby residential buildings. Another person was injured in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region when a blaze broke out due to falling debris from a destroyed drone, said the region's military administration. Border police in Moldova said fragments of a "Shahed-type drone" were found near the southern town of Etulia close to the border with Ukraine. "There is a suspicion that the detected drone debris is one of the drones shot down by the Ukrainian anti-aircraft system," border police said, referencing overnight attacks launched on Friday by Russian forces on Ukraine's Izmail region. Moldovan President Maia Sandu posted on X that "Russia's war on Ukraine hits close to home in Moldovaagain." She added: "Russia's aggression endangers the entire continent. Support for Ukraine must continue." Zelensky continued his shakeup Sunday of commanders. Kyiv announced that former deputy defense minister Lt. Gen. Alexander Pavlyuk will be commander of ground forces. The post was previously held by Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, who was named Thursday as the replacement for Ukraine's outgoing military chief, Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi. Presidential decrees also named Yurii Sodol, former head of Ukraine's marine corps, as the new commander of Ukraine's combined forces; Brig. Gen. Ihor Skibiuk as commander of air assault forces; and Maj. Gen. Ihor Plahuta as commander of territorial defense forces. Syrskyi has signaled that his immediate goals include improving troop rotation at the front lines. (More Russia-Ukraine war stories.) The Senate voted to move ahead with emergency aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan on Sunday, capping a weekend of negotiations. "I can't remember the last time the Senate was in session on Super Bowl Sunday, but as I've said all week long, we're going to keep working on this bill until the job is done," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor. The procedural vote drew the support of 67 senators18 of them Republicanssuggesting the package is headed for final approval in the chamber, possibly on Tuesday, CNBC reports. It would then go to the House. The $95 billion package, per the New York Times, includes funding for: Ukraine : $60.1 billion would go to help fight off the Russian invasion. : $60.1 billion would go to help fight off the Russian invasion. Israel : $14.1 billion in assistance would be sent to aid that nation's war against Hamas. : $14.1 billion in assistance would be sent to aid that nation's war against Hamas. The Indo-Pacific: Nearly $10 billion would be allocated for humanitarian assistance to civilians in conflict zones and to address threats to the region. The Republican Senate leader also asked his members to vote yes. "It's no exaggeration to say the eyes of the world are on the United States Senate," Sen. Mitch McConnell said Sunday on the Senate floor. US allies, he said, "don't have the luxury of pretending that the world's most dangerous aggressors are someone else's problem and neither do we." After the vote, Schumer praised Republicans for "working in good faith to get this done." If voting hadn't been completed before the Super Bowl began, Schumer had arranged for televisions and pizza to be brought into the Capitol, aides said. (More US Senate stories.) Principal Judith Taylor said it was an assault - not a fight - and was witnessed by other students. Footage of the attack was shared with other young people, and eventually on local social media. The school and police were investigating. "Police have received a report of an assault at a school in Upper Hutt and are assessing lines of inquiry," a spokesperson said. Taylor said the student who was assaulted had bruising but did not require hospital care. "She is okay, but very shaken and will understandably take a little while to process what has happened." The assault was "serious" and the victim was fortunate to not receive greater injuries, Taylor said. Such an incident was "very rare" at the school. "What we worry about is the reluctance of students to speak out when they see or hear something of concern, especially someone being bullied or harmed, especially on social media, which can be the precursor to something physical. "The culture of 'snitches get stitches' is insidious in all schools. We want students to feel safe in sharing their concerns and worries, whether it is about bullying of themselves or others, or something they've seen on social media. Although we have a great team of guidance and pastoral support for students to turn to, we have been working on introducing a way for students to anonymously notify the school of any form of harm - to themselves or others." Having the assault shared on social media made it worse for the victim, Taylor said. "Young people often don't know better and share it. The adults do know better, but still share it with others, [and] need to take some responsibility for their actions." Taylor said the two junior students were not currently at school, but the college was working with their families and an appropriate response will be decided once all the facts were considered. "We are required to follow ministry processes, but the school's response will recognise the serious nature of the assault and if the students are suspended, they will face a board disciplinary hearing later this week." Taylor said she would be meeting with them on Monday morning. RNZ The pictures also show new infrastructure and several armored vehicles present on site. While the base's airstrip appeared unchanged, a helicopter could be seen on it, and access roads were improved. North of the base, on the Cuyuni River crossing that provides land access to the base, a heavy river ferry is visible, and large swaths of rainforest have been cleared. Large stockpiles of what appear to be construction supplies are visible on the side of the road, as are three armored vehicles. In January, Venezuela bragged about expanding its military presence in the region in propaganda videos released on its army's social media accounts, showing bulldozers clearing land, as well as light tanks and infantry fighting vehicles on the move and an Mi-17 military transport helicopter. "[The expansion of the base] promoted by the 11th Armoured Brigade together with the 6th Venezuelan Army Corps Engineers, is improving the response system of the FANB in this important border area with the state of Guayana Esequiba and repelling any eventuality that attempts against the Republic," the Venezuelan Army said in a post on X. The expansion of Venezuelan operations along the disputed border was first reported by the Washington-based think tank, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Tension over the land, which amounts to about two-thirds of Guyanese national territory, mounted last year after a Venezuelan referendum in which voters assented to creating a Venezuelan state within the disputed region. Guyana had called the move a step towards annexation and an "existential" threat as the spectre of armed conflict loomed over the region. Venezuela later reached an agreement with Guyana on December 15 to avoid escalation and try to settle the dispute between the two countries without force. In a joint declaration, both sides agreed to "not threaten or use force against one another in any circumstances" and "refrain, whether by words or deeds, from escalating any conflict or disagreement arising from any controversy between them." CNN has reached out to the Venezuelan foreign ministry for comment. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. You are here: World Flash Japan's iconic landmark Tokyo Tower was illuminated in red on Friday to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, an annual event that has been running since 2019 to promote cultural exchanges. Tokyo Tower is lit up in red to celebrate the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, in Tokyo, Japan, Feb. 9, 2024. (Xinhua/Yang Guang) The special light-up event for the Year of Dragon featured the installation of a massive digital screen at the exhibition area, showcasing Chinese characters for festival greetings and the character Dragon written in various fonts to allow the Japanese people to experience rich Chinese culture. According to the Chinese zodiac and tradition, the Year of Dragon symbolizes courage, auspiciousness and good luck. URUMQI, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The city of Kashgar in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region was one of the venues of the popular CCTV Spring Festival Gala on Friday evening, and the ancient city and its unique customs and traditions have become hot topics of conversation across the country. Kashgar has been a cultural hub along the Silk Road since ancient times. Its gala venue integrated the rich cultural heritage of the ancient city with modern elements, showcasing the new face of Kashgar for the new era, said Zeng Jian, general director of the Kashgar CCTV Spring Festival Gala venue. Zeng noted that more than 2,500 outstanding performers from across the region participated in the gala, making it one of the largest cultural events Xinjiang has ever held. Part of the performance stages were constructed on the rooftops of 12 ordinary homes in the ancient city of Kashgar. The spectacular performances were not only well-received among local residents, but also captivated audiences across the country. Mrabik Sawaq, a Kashgar resident who watched the gala with his family on Lunar New Year's Eve, said, "This year's Spring Festival Gala had a clear theme and was full of advanced technological elements. I was deeply impressed. The performances at the Kashgar venue -- particularly the unique ethnic dances and musical performances -- filled me with immense pride." "The stage design and program of this year's Spring Festival Gala exuded a festive atmosphere," said He Kui, another Kashgar resident, adding that the gala showcased the beauty of Kashgar's people, dances and scenery to the whole country. "I hope more people from all over the country will visit Xinjiang and Kashgar." Kashgar has been in the spotlight since the announcement of its participation in the gala. People from all over the country have flocked to the ancient city, driving rapid growth in its tourism industry. Statistics show that in January, the Kashgar prefecture received 1.62 million tourists, an 11.6 percent year-on-year increase, and generated a tourism revenue of 1.32 billion yuan (about 185.82 million U.S. dollars), a 12.59 percent year-on-year increase. SK Hynix and Taiwans TSMC have established an AI Semiconductor Alliance. SK Hynix has emerged as a strong player in the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) market due to the generative artificial intelligence (AI) craze. TSMC is the worlds largest semiconductor foundry (consignment production) company. The strategy is to consolidate the victory of the two companies in the AI semiconductor market by gathering technology in next-generation AI semiconductor packaging. Samsung is currently the lead in computer memory chips. SK hynix Inc. is a South Korean supplier of dynamic random-access memory chips and flash memory chips. TSMC is the dominant leader in advanced chip fabrication. SK Hynix has established a one-team strategy including cooperation with TSMC on development related to HBM4, the sixth-generation HBM (High Bandwidth Memory). SK Hynix will stack HBM4 directly on processors. This will change the way logic and memory devices are typically interconnected but will also change the way they are made. This may transform the foundry industry. Currenty, HBM stacks integrate 8, 12, or 16 memory devices as well as a logic layer that acts like a hub. HBM stacks are placed on the interposer next to CPUs or GPUs and are connected to their processors using a 1,024-bit interface. SK Hynix aims to put HBM4 stacks directly on processors, eliminating interposers altogether. This approach resembles AMDs 3D V-Cache, which is placed directly on CPU dies. But HBM will feature considerably higher capacities and will be cheaper but slower than V-Cache albeit slower The HBM4 memory will use a 2,048-bit interface to connect to host processors. This would make interposers for HBM4 extremely complex and expensive. This makes the direct connection of memory and logic economically feasible. Placing HBM4 stacks directly on logic chips will somewhat simplify chip designs and cut costs but would require a solution for thermal problems. A package with both the AI chip and the memory would need liquid cooling or immersion. Samsungs HBM3 (24GB) completed verification with NVIDIA in December, 2023. The progress of HBM3e shows that Micron provided its 8hi (24GB) samples to NVIDIA by the end of July, SK hynix in mid-August, and Samsung in early October. In 2024, NVIDIA will add the H200, using 6 HBM3e chips, and the B100, using 8 HBM3e chips. In 2024, NVIDIA will integrate its own Arm-based CPUs and GPUs to launch the GH200 and GB200, enhancing its lineup with more specialized and powerful AI solutions. In 2025, NVIDIA will add the X100 chip. AMDs 2024 focus is on the MI300 series with HBM3, transitioning to HBM3e for the next-gen MI350. The company is expected to start HBM verification for MI350 in 2H24, with a significant product ramp-up projected for 1Q25. HBM4 in 2026 HBM4 is expected to launch in 2026, with enhanced specifications and performance tailored to future products from NVIDIA and other CSPs. Driven by a push toward higher speeds, HBM4 will mark the first use of a 12nm process wafer for its bottommost logic die (base die), to be supplied by foundries. This advancement signifies a collaborative effort between foundries and memory suppliers for each HBM product, reflecting the evolving landscape of high-speed memory technology. With the push for higher computational performance, HBM4 is set to expand from the current 12-layer (12hi) to 16-layer (16hi) stacks, spurring demand for new hybrid bonding techniques. HBM4 12hi products are set for a 2026 launch, with 16hi models following in 2027. TrendForce notes a significant shift toward customization demand in the HBM4 market. Buyers are initiating custom specifications, moving beyond traditional layouts adjacent to the SoC, and exploring options like stacking HBM directly on top of the SoC. While these possibilities are still being evaluated, TrendForce anticipated a more tailored approach for the future of the HBM industry. SAO PAULO, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Brazilian coastal city of Sao Vicente has canceled this year's Carnival festivities due to violent clashes between police and organized crime groups, which resulted in 14 deaths in the past week, local media reported. The decision, announced by the mayor's office and published in the Official Gazette on Friday night, suspends street parties, parades, and outdoor performances. The move comes after intense operations by security forces in response to the killing of a police officer by criminal factions. Paulo Bonavides, secretary of tourism and president of the city's Carnival 2024 Commission, cited concerns for public safety as the primary reason for the cancellation. The decision impacts the traditional annual festivities set to begin on Tuesday. Arsenal legend, Nwankwo Kanu has sent a message to wish Nigerias Super Eagles victory against Ivory Coast in Sundays 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, final. Both teams made it to the AFCON final after beating South Africa and DR Congo, respectively in the AFCON semi-final encounter a few days ago. The Super Eagles had defeated Ivory Coast 1-0 during the Group A clash last month. However, in a tweet on his official X account ahead of the AFCON final, Kanu also urged Jose Peseiros men to beat the Elephants. KAN U believe it? Incredible atmosphere here at the AFCON a few hours to the finals, Kanu wrote. Wishing Nigeria victory against the host country Ivory Coast. A former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, has revealed his last moments with the late Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings, Herbert Wigwe. Chidoka said he requested to be part of this particular trip to the USA with Wigwe, who jokingly turned down his request. Wigwe, the Co-founder of Access Bank and the founder, Wigwe University, alongside his wife, Chizoba, son and lawyer, Abimbola Ogunbanjo died in a helicopter crash on Friday. Reports say that the chopper was headed to Las Vegas when it crashed near a border city between Nevada and California on Friday night. According to the US government, all on board are dead. And a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chidoka has shared his last conversation with the business mogul. We had an appointment for last Thursday. Osita, I will fly into Abuja with the VC on Thursday; after our meeting, I will leave for the US, I said. Herbert, wetin they pursue you, you travel a lot these days, biko take me along. He laughed and said, Osita, you cant keep up with my pace. Just enjoy your peace,' He wrote on X. We laughed and said goodbyes. It was the last goodbye. He couldnt make it on Thursday. Since I left public office, he has been a strong supporter and friend. His wife Chizoba was at my wedding 22 years ago. His son looked up to me as his parents literally handed him over to me for mentorship. I am alone in the dark, wondering, is that it? Should we remain fearless? Somebody should tell me something. With Facebook, now known as Meta, already severely curtailing the potency of political content, the company announced on Friday that it will stop proactively recommending political content on its sister platform Instagram and its new text-based app Threads. The news set shockwaves through the political desks of media companies and content creators who focus on politics. But the new policy, which many critics called vague, left a slew of questions about the definition of political content. For instance, is content about the LGBTQ community considered political in this divisive environment? What about Black history? Womens rights? Green M&Ms? Bud Light beer? Would content about Taylor Swift, now seen as an adversary by Fox News and right-wing voices, suddenly be considered political because others have defined her as such? If I post about LGBTQ rights, or about being a gay man, is that political? asked Ashton Pittman, news editor at the Mississippi Free Press, an online nonprofit based in Jackson, Miss. If I post about Taylor Swift, is that political because bad actors are making everything political? Everything is political if were honest with ourselves, its just about whos defining whats political and who gets to define that and what does it mean? Others criticized the move because while it limits political misinformation, it also curtails normal political discussion based in fact. Keith Edwards, a Democratic political strategist and content creator, told the Washington Post that the changes are likely to have political consequences. [Meta] is trying to turn the world apolitical, which only helps authoritarian movements, at a time when authoritarian movements are on the rise in Western democracies, he said. Swift and her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, who is playing in Sundays Super Bowl against the San Francisco 49ers, have been painted as liberals by the right wing. Swift has encouraged people to vote, and Kelce has made commercials advocating for Covid vaccines and boosters. More and more, Meta has increasingly backed away from highlighting news and politics to users as the social media company has faced criticism for how it failure to police misinformation and extremism. Shortly after Meta launched Threads, Instagram head Adam Mosseri said the company would not encourage politics and hard news. He said the increases in readership from that content was not worth the scrutiny [and] negativity ... Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription. A Bergen County man who Hoboken police say stabbed another man during a dispute Friday night was quickly arrested when he returned to the scene of the crime, authorities said. Kasaun Patterson 42, of Lodi, was charged with attempted murder, possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes, unlawful possession of a weapon and resisting arrest in the incident at the McDonalds fast-food restaurant on Washington Street, Hoboken public safety spokeswoman Marci Ruben said. Sgts. Jason Falco, Edward Sellick and Dennis Figueroa Jr., along with Detectives Fabian Quinones, Connor Milne and Ryan Houghton, and Police Officers Paul Quinn, Mark Mooreman, Nicholas Losurdo, Christopher Soto and Ramon Estrella responded to 234 Washington St. at 6:30 p.m. Friday on reports of a fight involving up to 10 people. While some officers attended to the victim, others conducted an on-scene investigation that revealed Patterson stabbed another man outside the business and then fled. While the investigation was underway, Patterson was seen near the scene and he was arrested, Ruben said. Police found a folding knife on Patterson, who attempted to resist arrest by stiffening his body, Ruben said. The victim was taken to an area hospital for treatment of injuries to his wrist and sternum that are not considered life-threatening. Id like to express my appreciation for the members of our department who responded quickly to this incident, said Hoboken Police Chief Steven Aguiar. Their hard work, swift actions, courage and dedication resulted in an immediate arrest, and serves as evidence of their commitment to keeping the community safe. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) A judge has thrown out a lawsuit that sought to block the University of California from renaming the former Hastings College of the Law because its namesake was linked to the slaughter of Native Americans. Descendants of Serranus Hastings filed the $1.7 billion breach of contract lawsuit over the decision to change the name to the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco, which took effect last year. Superior Court Judge Richard Ulmer ruled Tuesday that an 1878 law that said the school shall forever be known by Hastings name wasnt a binding contract and could be amended or repealed, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Ulmer also rejected a claim that the change violated the state Constitutions requirement that the University of California remain free of all political or sectarian influence, the Chronicle said. A lawyer for the plaintiffs, Gregory Michael, said the ruling will be appealed. We remain undeterred in our pursuit of justice for the family of Serranus Hastings, he told the Chronicle on Wednesday. Hastings was a wealthy rancher and former chief justice of the California Supreme Court. He founded and funded the law school, whose graduates include Vice President Kamala Harris and former California Assemblyman and San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown. But historians say Hastings helped orchestrate and finance campaigns by white settlers in Mendocino County to kill and enslave members of the Yuki tribe at a time when California had legalized lynch mob attacks on Natives, along with kidnapping and forced servitude, in what some state leaders openly called a war of extermination. The expeditions arranged by Hastings resulted in the deaths of 300 Yuki, and the government reimbursed him for expenses including ammunition. The attacks were part of a three-year series of slaughters and kidnappings by settlers known as the Round Valley Settler Massacres that by some estimates claimed at least 1,000 Native lives. The school began to investigate Hastings legacy in 2017 and later requested the state pass a law permitting the name change, which took effect last year. The descendants lawsuit, filed in October 2022, contended that there was no known evidence that S.C. Hastings desired, requested, or knowingly encouraged any atrocities against Native Americans. In 2020 the law school at UC Berkeley stripped itself of a 19th-century namesake who espoused racist views that led to the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act. John Boalts name was removed from a school building after a three-year process. __ Unlike letter writer Andy Babij (Dont accept another fail on immigration reform), I was really happy that the compromise immigration bill that resurrected some of former President Donald Trumps disgraceful policies failed. It included money to further extend the border wall, money to increase detention of undocumented migrants, and authorization to close the border to immigrants on any day that the numbers were too high, effectively restoring a remain in Mexico policy. This bill was not an attempt to fix the immigration system; it was an effort to discourage and deny entry to the country. A basic staple people give up for Lent is chocolate. But that may change this year since Ash Wednesday is the same as Valentines Day and many people give chocolate on Valentines. The Rev. Abigail Bren King, priest-in-charge of Trinity Episcopal Church in Bergen Point, Bayonne, has a unique suggestion. ISLAMABAD, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani security forces have killed a high-value terrorist during an intelligence-based operation in the country's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the military said on Sunday. The operation was conducted in the Khyber district of the province on the reported presence of terrorists in the area, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani army's media wing, said in a statement. During the conduct of the operation, an intense fire exchange took place, as a result of which the terrorist was killed, the ISPR statement said. The killed terrorist remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities, including target killing of innocent civilians as well as extortion, and was highly wanted by law enforcement agencies, the ISPR said, adding that weapons, ammunition, and explosives were also recovered during the operation. A clearance operation is being conducted to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area, the military said. A Fox News contributor posted a video on Twitter, now known as X, showing pro wrestling icon and movie star Dwayne The Rock Johnson being booed and insisted that it was because Johnson and Oprah Winfrey had failed in their fundraising drive for Lahaina, the Hawaiian town wiped out by a massive wind-blown wild fires six months ago. Johnson says the two celebrities effort which has come under criticism has raised more than $50 million for the residents, and he pounced on social media to call B.S. on the post by Nick Sortor, a podcast host whose bio says he has appeared on Tucker Carlson Tonight, Fox News and Newsmax. He has 310,000 followers on X. Two hours after he posted, Sortor was body-slammed by Johnson, who then offered to help him up off the canvas. Johnson has 17.1 million followers on X. I typically refrain from responding to toxic, false clickbait garbage like this because I hate dignifying bullshit with a response, but when you use Hawaiis tragic events to draw attention to yourself I wont stay quiet, Johnson tweeted. This moment youre referring to is from our WWE press conference this past Thursday where I turned heel - wrestling parlance for bad guy. Im playing it up with our crowd as they boo. Its what we do in our WWE universe, and we all love every second of it. For the record: Our Peoples Fund of Maui has already DELIVERED over $50 MILLION DOLLARS to over 8,000 survivors who were affected by the fires, and Im grateful to the bone that weve been the primary funders. Hawaii is where I grew up, where I raise my children throughout the year and where my ancestors are buried. These are my Polynesian people and these are OUR American people. You cant imagine how much they are still struggling daily to put their lives back together and take care of each other. Our Poly American people are as resilient as people come, and they will raise and get back on their feet. Nick, instead of posting bullshit like this that you know is false I encourage you to post something positive for Hawaii, for our Polynesian American people. Or actually take positive action and come to Hawaii to help out in an uplifting way. Im in Hawaii now, and I guarantee you, youll get great content that can actually make a difference in peoples lives. Genuinely. Lets put our energy and our online platforms into lifting people up. Acknowledging the good things that people do. Raising awareness for the suffering in ways that can effectively help. It takes so much effort to be negative, and create and spread bullshit - but when you spread positivity, kindness, and lead by example you can really impact lives. Im sorry to all our Poly/Hawaiian ohana of Maui, for shining light on this toxicity as you struggle through tough times - I always try to be Naau Pono. Love U. Aloha, DJ Johnson and Winfrey funded the drive with $10 million each last fall, but critics questioned why the two wealthy celebrities didnt simply fund the project on their own. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription. Remember when the Yankees and Red Sox hated each other, brawled nearly every series, and the nicest things they had to say to each other were punctuated with haymakers? Well, those days gone. As if watching former Yankees stars Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez acting like buddy-buddy frat boys with ex-Red Sox slugger David Ortiz as Fox Sports MLB analysts wasnt enough, now theres this: Former Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia will be on the Hall of Fame ballot next season and ex-Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano is campaigning for him even if Pedroias career, sabotaged by injuries, seems to fall well short of Cooperstown. BUY YANKEES TICKETS: STUBHUB, VIVID SEATS, TICKETSMARTER He deserves it, Cano told the Boston Globe. Hes a guy who got out of bed every day and played hard. All the things that he did for Boston, even if they had Manny [Ramirez] and all those guys, you had to think about Pedroia in the lineup. For me, I think he deserves it. Pedroia batted .299 in 14 seasons with the Red Sox. Cano who torpedoed his own Hall of Fame candidacy with a pair of PED suspensions hasnt played in the majors since 2022, but he remains active in the Dominican winter league, where he led Estrellas to the Caribbean World Series. In 2013, Pedroia set the record for the highest contract for a second baseman before Cano broke it when he left the Yankees and signed with Seattle a few months later. When Cano was traded to the Mets in 2018 along with closer Edwin Diaz, the Mets took on the bulk of Cano's salary. He was released after 12 games, but still earned $20 million. Cano then signed with the San Diego Padres, appeared in another 12 games, and was released after he rejected an optional assignment. Atlanta acquired him from the Padres and he played in nine games with Braves, hitting .154. The Braves then became the third team to dump him that year. The Yankees signed Cano out of the Dominican Republic in 2001 for a bonus worth more than $100,000. He made his MLB debut in 2005 and finished second in voting for American League Rookie of the Year. Cano helped the Yankees win the 2009 World Series and left the Bronx after the 2013 season, signing a 10-year, $240 million contract with the Mariners. Cano is an eight-time All-Star with five Silver Slugger Awards and two Gold Glove Awards. He has six top-10 finishes in American League MVP voting. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription. Watertown, NY (13601) Today Snow this morning will give way to lingering snow showers this afternoon. Temps nearly steady in the mid to upper 30s. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 90%. Snowfall around one inch.. Tonight Mainly cloudy with snow showers around this evening. Low 27F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 50%. In his career as a journalist, Peter Finney Jr. has written for United Press International, the New York Post and New York Daily News. In 1993, he returned to his hometown and became editor of the Clarion Herald. Pelican Publishing just released his book Dragos: An American Journey, about Drago and Klara Cvitanovich, their immigration stories and settling in New Orleans and founding their family seafood restaurant. Both were from Croatia, which was part of Yugoslavia. They had family in South Louisiana, and eventually settled here. Their son Tommy Cvitanovich invented the now classic charbroiled oysters and built the business to its current size with seven locations in Louisiana and Mississippi. Gambit: Whats the story of Drago and Klara Cvitanovich? Peter Finney Jr.: I interviewed Klara extensively. She has incredible stories about growing up in Croatia and how she met Drago. It is a love story between two people who did not know each other in Croatia and somehow ended up in New Orleans in 1958 for Mardi Gras, and 40 days later they married. Her wedding ring comes from Schwegmanns on Gentilly Road. That original wedding ring is still on her finger. Its a story of love and hard work to put their kids through school. If there was a safety net, it was the Croatian community in South Louisiana, which is tightknit, but really they were on their own. (In communist Yugoslavia) Drago lived through some tough times where he was snooped on and imprisoned and always thought about getting out and getting to freedom. Klara was a straight-A student in high school. Her father had been imprisoned and wanted her to get out. She was 19 when they got married. He was older. There was a story in their culture that men were expected to be a little older. You plant olive trees, and if your olive trees are growing, that means youve worked hard to produce them. Youre a solid man. Now youre ready to be married. They got married and went back to Canada and the Scottish lumber camp where they lived in a trailer. They had two kids in this small thing. Drago had tried to get an American visa. He had given up hope, and all of a sudden it arrives, and it says you have eight days to get to the United States. They sold their car and everything and they went by rail with their kids and suitcases. They knew some people here, which helped them get started. Klara became a travel agent which provided a steady income in case the restaurant business didnt pan out. Dragos first job was at his sister Glorias restaurant, which was the original Dragos. His long-term dream was to take over that restaurant and run it himself. It just never happened. It was one of the biggest disappointments and for Klara, motivating factors in their lives. That initial rejection fueled a passion for them to do it on their own. Gambit: How did their restaurant thrive? Finney: Drago had tremendous patience. He thought his hard work was paying off. The idea of freedom can sound so hokey these days, but he had lived under oppression (in Yugoslavia). He felt he was living the American dream. He was a hard worker, and he had a gift of talking to people and finding out who they were. Klara and Drago were there every night, so people could see them. Tommy told me that when plates would come back into the kitchen, Drago would look at what was not being eaten. That would give him an idea were not doing something exactly right. He was always thinking, What more can I do? They raised two sons in the restaurant. Tommy was there every day. He was there standing on a milk crate peeling shrimp in the early days. Gerry was working at the restaurant as a teenager and in college, but he branched out and went to medical school. They all learned how to get along with people, and how do you make it good for the customer. They were always thinking, How can we do it better? They were not afraid to take risks. In the 1980s, when things were going better, the raw oyster scare hit. They had to make changes. It was the impetus that led to the creation of the charbroiled oyster. It became a star. Once they got established, Klara and Drago were the financial resources that sustained the restaurant. Tommy became the idea guy. He was always saying what if and what can we do to grow the restaurant? Especially when he comes to them with the idea of lets take this beautiful oyster on the half-shell and put it on the grill. But then they ate it and said this is fantastic. He gained their respect, especially because he was there every day. Hes been the driving force in recent times. Tommy modernized all the procedures. Theyre in a great food town. To last in New Orleans as a restaurant, youve got to be on your game. Porgys Seafood Market and restaurant in Mid-City is designed to support local fishermen When it comes to local Louisiana seafood sold in grocery stores and touted on restaurant menus, redfish is not in that number. Gambit: Besides the charbroiled oyster, what is the Cvitanovich family and restaurant's legacy? Finney: One of the biggest themes in the book is what they did for other people, especially after Hurricane Katrina. They served 77,000 free meals, both in Metairie and in New Orleans. In New Orleans in early October, it was in front of St. Dominic Church, where they went. It was near the original Dragos. It was like a full circle story. The thing about New Orleans is that people have such long memories and they will never forget. The Cvitanoviches didnt take a penny for any meal. They did it with a network of other restaurateurs. Tommy said, We werent the entire train, but we were driving the train. People wont ever forget that. The Katrina aftermath crystallizes who they are as a family. They did it because people were hungry. People respond to that. People respond to people who are generous. by Martina Fuchs GENEVA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- With the escalation of the conflict in Yemen, a spokesperson of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has called on the international community to step up humanitarian aid for the impoverished Arabian Peninsula country. "People are concerned that if airstrikes intensify, it might lead to more civilian casualties, but also civilian facilities may get hit," Fatima Sator, ICRC spokesperson, told Xinhua in an interview. "It's important to remember that Yemen is now in its ninth year of conflict and that people cannot afford more stress, more uncertainty, more anxiety," said Sator. According to ICRC data, more than 2,500 schools have been damaged or destroyed and 2 million children are out of school. About 70 percent of the population does not have access to drinking water, while more than 50 percent of the population does not have access to health care. An estimated 20.1 million people lack access to basic healthcare, while 51 percent of health facilities are functioning and less than 50 percent of births are attended by skilled health personnel. The Geneva-based organization also warned that over 5 million people in Yemen are on the brink of famine as the conflict and economic decline have left families struggling to find enough food to get through the day. "The population is exhausted," said Sator. "The economy is on the brink of collapse. Water and electricity are almost not available. Half of the healthcare facilities have been either destroyed, or don't have supplies, or the staff needed to function." The recent situation in the Red Sea has worsened due to ongoing humanitarian crises. The Houthis have intensified their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October, while the United States and Britain keep launching new airstrikes on Houthi targets in the country, posing challenges for civilians. Sator appealed to the international community to step up its humanitarian aid and financial contributions to support its operations. "We have been among the only organizations to support authorities to address the needs related to unexploded ordinances, as there are many explosive remnants of war in Yemen still killing or injuring civilians. We also provide humanitarian demining equipment and protective equipment to the demining authorities," she said. Yemen has one of the highest rates of contamination with landmines and other deadly explosives in the world. Experts estimate that roughly one million mines have been planted during Yemen's years of turmoil, causing a daily hazard along with unexploded shells and other military detritus. "An important part of the International Committee of the Red Cross mandate is also to remind parties to the conflict of the respect for international humanitarian law," Sator said. "In our role as a neutral intermediary last year, we were able to conduct a large operation to release 900 former detainees and reunite them with their families. In 2022, 4 million Yemenis have benefited from ICRC interventions across Yemen." "We urge donors to continue to fund Yemen, which still faces increasing uncertainty and to simply not forget Yemen. We cannot afford for Yemen to become just a forgotten crisis," said the spokesperson. YAOUNDE, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Many school children are feared dead in an explosion on Sunday in Cameroon's restive Anglophone region of Northwest, according to witnesses and local police. The blast occurred in Nkambe, a town in the region, as children were taking part in activities to mark National Youth Day, which has been celebrated in the country on Feb. 11 since 1966. Witnesses told Xinhua the children had sustained "very serious" injuries. Authorities were yet to make an official statement. Separatists had imposed a three-day lockdown to disrupt the activities in the regions where they have been clashing with government forces since 2017 in a bid to create an independent nation they call "Ambazonia". CROWN POINT Among those ready for NWI Comic-Con was Paxton Mabes, 16, of Valparaiso. The Wheeler High School junior was dressed as Titan Fall, a video game soldier. I get to show off and see what everyone else has, said Mabes. Down the line, Jordan DeChene, 30, of Alsip, Ill., combined the costumes and makeup of Joker and Red Hood, the second of Batmans companions. Ive been doing this a long time, said Dechene, who boasts more than 40 costumes. Its just interesting with everyone here in costume. Those two were among the 4,000 men, women, and children expected to attend NWI Comic-Con, marking its 10th anniversary. Brian Grabinski of Merrillville, founder of and show runner at the event, explained its popularity. Pop culture has exploded with Marvel and DC Comics movies, he said. People love those movies. Those people include females. Lisa Wells of Heartland, Wisc., came as Nier 2B, a fictional android from a video game, to her first Comic-Con. I used to be a handler for people who came to these, and I decided to do it myself, Wells explained. I dont have to be myself. The 100-plus exhibitors included comic books, collectibles, an artist alley, artisans, original art, and board and video games. Local artists included Cory Hamscher of Valparaiso and Greg Manwaring of Crown Point. After starting in religious texts, Hamscher worked 14 years for Marvel and now works for himself. While at Marvel, he worked with Spiderman, Fantastic Four, The Hulk, X-Men, and Star Wars. The appeal to those shows is definitely the movies and video games, Hamscher said. This is like the Super Bowl for geeks. Manwaring, an artist whose resume includes the film Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, today operates Tinseltown Animation School. Attending his first Comic-Con, Manwaring observed, This satisfies childrens fantasies. Its an escape for artists working on stories. Some people came dressed as movie characters, including Chris Postma of Cedar, who wore the uniform and power pack of a Ghostbuster. He was also a first-timer at Comic-Con. I love the atmosphere, the people, the costumes, Postma said. Just a great time. Some people created their own characters. Morgan Sellers, 13, of Hebron donned a long white dress and what looked like a lampshade and came as a Mushroom Fairy. Attending her second Comic-Con, Sellers said, I enjoy being here and seeing all the couples. One such couple was Kathy Fishman of Homewood, Ill., who brought daughter Mera, 2, as Dex-Starr of the Red Lantern Corps, part of the Green Lantern comic books. I enjoy everything about Comic-Con, the mother said. Cosplay is my favorite part. Mera was entered in the childrens cosplay parade. Her mother, while not in costume Saturday, has appeared as Peggy Carter of Captain America fame. Not in any parade but ready to defend Viking honor was Joe Kiourtsis of Highland, dressed as a Norseman, complete with cloak, steel helmet, and battleaxe. Everything is real, Kiourtsis stressed of his costume that cost $1,000 to prepare. Kiourtsis takes his inspiration from the Berserker of Stamford Bridge, a giant Norse axeman who in 1066 single-handedly defended a bridge against 300 Englishman before falling. Among the Northwest Indiana companies represented was Guerrilla Publishing. Among its artists is Lisa Jones of East Chicago, whose works cover digital, illustrations, and painting. A veteran of Comic-Cons for 10 years, Jones believes their appeal is people get a chance to celebrate pop culture and see some new things and some familiar things. Cam Ng, 14, of Crown Point came as a Draculaura Monster High doll, complete with pinkish locks. After winning a contest last year, this Taft Middle School eighth-grader commented, I love seeing all the people, the vendors, and the costumes. Close David Contreras, Tanner Amsden and Dave Harned file through comic books at Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. Gaby Hasier is "Jester Lavorre" at Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. Ethan Turner, 11, poses with members of the MMC at Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. James Herron is "Obi Wan Kenobi" from The Clone Wars at Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. Jordan Dechene of Alsip is a mashup of "Red Hood" and "The Joker" at Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. Chris Clark looks for a Lego figure for his son Benjamin at Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. Ellie Choate, 11, poses with Jackson Latiak dressed as "Caine" from The Amazing Digitac Circus at Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. Rylie Weber came dressed as one of her favorites, Konig from Call of Duty while attending Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. PHOTOS: Fantasies come alive at NWI Comic-Con David Contreras, Tanner Amsden and Dave Harned file through comic books at Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. Gaby Hasier is "Jester Lavorre" at Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. Ethan Turner, 11, poses with members of the MMC at Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. James Herron is "Obi Wan Kenobi" from The Clone Wars at Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. Jordan Dechene of Alsip is a mashup of "Red Hood" and "The Joker" at Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. Chris Clark looks for a Lego figure for his son Benjamin at Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. Ellie Choate, 11, poses with Jackson Latiak dressed as "Caine" from The Amazing Digitac Circus at Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. Rylie Weber came dressed as one of her favorites, Konig from Call of Duty while attending Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. One patient thought all she had was heartburn. Another patient was just for a checkup. They both had heart problems. Rivich spoke Wednesday during the Stories from the Heart program at Northwest Health-Porter, while Bob Szot addressed the annual Hearts of Hope campaign Thursday at St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart. Northwest Health CEO Dr. James Leonard said heart attacks are the leading cause of death in the U.S. He quoted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that one American dies every 30 seconds from heart disease. However, Leonard noted, with new medical procedures, technology, and lifestyle changes, people can change those figures. People can also help raise awareness of this disease, the emergency room physician said. Rivichs story began last Mothers Day. Complaining of heartburn, she took some over-the-counter meds, but they did not work. She asked her husband Mike for help, but when he found his wife unconscious on the floor. he called 911 and started CPR. At the hospital, doctors found that Rivichs heart had stopped. Despite defibrillation efforts, the Portage woman could not sustain a heartbeat. At the catherization lab, interventional cardiologist Dr. Fahd Syed and his team found that Rivich had 100% blockage in the largest artery in her heart. Syed placed two heart pumps, one on each end of her heart, to assist her hearts pumping function. He then placed a stent to open up the blockage and return blood flow to the heart. After being moved to intensive care, Rivich was put on a ventilator and underwent an induced coma and therapeutic hypothermia, a medical cooling of the body, to improve her chances of recovery. Five days after Rivichs heart attack, the hypothermia and ventilator were removed. As her heart grew stronger, the pumps were removed. She was released after 12 days of hospitalization. Today at 60, Rivich, a runner and cyclist, continues to remain physically active. She learned her problem was genetic, but my healthy lifestyle was a huge factor in my recovery and survival, she said. It was nothing like a typical heart attack. All along I thought I had heartburn. Syed added, That shows the resilience of the human body. She made it through all that, despite the odds. Early detection is the key thing, said lead interventional cardiologist Dr. Sandeep Sehgal. Szot shared his story during the 19th annual Hearts of Hope campaign at the Hobart hospital. Funds raised go toward cardiovascular care. Szots story begins in early 2021, when he went to SMMC for a checkup. His physician, Dr. Kais Yehyawi informed him he had atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation, or A-fib, is a quivering or irregular heartbeat that disrupts the flow of blood between the upper and lower chambers of the heart. If left untreated, the condition can result, especially in older patients, in several complications, including blood clots, heart failure, and stroke. I never had a heart problem before, said Szot, 82, a retired middle school history teacher of 32 years and retired firefighter after 52 years. After undergoing an atrial oblation, the Crown Point resident was chosen to be part of a clinical study for a Watchman Device. About the size of a quarter, the device goes into the heart and acts like a filter. Three years later, Szot, whose weight has never exceeded 170 pounds, is off blood thinners and he feels fine. Its probably the best decision Ive ever made in my life, Szot said of the Watchman. He continues to take baby aspirin regularly. SMMC and Community Hospital in Munster have been part of a national clinical study on the Watchman. The study is expected to be completed in three years. Yehyawi, who also heads up the SMMC cardiac catherization lab, has worked in cardiac care for 34 years. He noted that while the heart is a strong pump, it is also susceptible to a number of diseases. Fortunately, he added, science is learning more about the heart, thanks in part to clinical trials. Im inspired by the gains were making, Yehyawi said. Together we are transforming patients lives in Northwest Indiana. As for Szot, hes learned you gotta be careful. Get those checkups and listen to your doctor. The retiree added, Id glad Dr. Yehyawi did this for me. I did not want to be on blood thinners for the rest of my life. According to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounted for 931.578 deaths in the U.S. in 2021. Heart disease and stroke claimed more lives in 2021 in this country than all forms of cancer and chronic lower respiratory disease combined. The AHA further reports that between 2017 and 2020, 127.9 million U.S. adults, or 48.6% of the population, had some form of CVD. Between 2019 and 2020, direct and indirect, including lost productivity, losses from CVD were $422.3 billion. Close David Contreras, Tanner Amsden and Dave Harned file through comic books at Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. Gaby Hasier is "Jester Lavorre" at Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. Ethan Turner, 11, poses with members of the MMC at Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. James Herron is "Obi Wan Kenobi" from The Clone Wars at Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. Jordan Dechene of Alsip is a mashup of "Red Hood" and "The Joker" at Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. Chris Clark looks for a Lego figure for his son Benjamin at Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. Ellie Choate, 11, poses with Jackson Latiak dressed as "Caine" from The Amazing Digitac Circus at Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. Rylie Weber came dressed as one of her favorites, Konig from Call of Duty while attending Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. PHOTOS: Fantasies come alive at NWI Comic-Con David Contreras, Tanner Amsden and Dave Harned file through comic books at Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. Gaby Hasier is "Jester Lavorre" at Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. Ethan Turner, 11, poses with members of the MMC at Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. James Herron is "Obi Wan Kenobi" from The Clone Wars at Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. Jordan Dechene of Alsip is a mashup of "Red Hood" and "The Joker" at Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. Chris Clark looks for a Lego figure for his son Benjamin at Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. Ellie Choate, 11, poses with Jackson Latiak dressed as "Caine" from The Amazing Digitac Circus at Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. Rylie Weber came dressed as one of her favorites, Konig from Call of Duty while attending Saturday's NWI Comic-Con event at the Lake County Fairgrounds. RAFAH, Gaza Strip The Israeli military said it rescued two hostages from captivity in the Gaza Strip early Monday, marking a small but symbolically significant success in its quest to bring home over 100 captives believed to be held by the Hamas militant group. The two men were rescued from a residential building in the southern border town of Rafah in a raid that also killed at least seven people, according to Palestinian officials. Witnesses reported at least 17 airstrikes, flares and Apache helicopter fire. The army identified the two rescued hostages as Fernando Simon Marman, 60, and Louis Har, 70, and said both were in good medical condition. It said both men were kidnapped by Hamas militants from Kibbutz Nir Yizhak in the Oct. 7 cross-border attack that started the Israel-Hamas war, now in its fifth month. They are just the second and third hostages to be rescued safely. Lt. Col. Richard Hecht said the operation was based on precise intelligence, and that the site, located on the second floor of a building, had been watched for some time. He said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joined Israel's military chief and other top officials as the raid unfolded. The rescue came after a series of Israeli strikes early Monday hit Rafah, the city on the southern edge of the Gaza Strip where 1.4 million Palestinians have fled to escape fighting elsewhere in the four-month Israel-Hamas war. Israel has been signaling its ground offensive in Gaza may soon target the densely populated city on the Egyptian border. On Sunday, President Joe Biden told Netanyahu that Israel should not conduct a military operation against the Hamas militant group in the densely populated Gaza border town of Rafah without a credible and executable plan to protect civilians, the White House said. The strikes hit around Kuwait Hospital early Monday morning, an Associated Press journalist in Rafah said. Some of those wounded in the strikes had been brought to the hospital. The Israeli military said it struck terror targets in the area of Shaboura which is a district in Rafah. The military statement said the series of strikes had concluded, without elaborating on the targets or assessing the potential damage or casualties. Palestinian health officials did not immediately offer any casualty information. Biden's remarks were his most forceful language yet on the possible operation. Biden, who last week called Israels military response in Gaza over the top, also sought urgent and specific steps to strengthen humanitarian aid. Israels Channel 13 television said the conversation lasted 45 minutes. Discussion of the potential for a cease-fire agreement took up much of the call, a senior U.S. administration official said, and after weeks of diplomacy, a framework" is now pretty much in place for a deal that could see the release of remaining hostages held by Hamas in exchange for a halt to fighting. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss negotiations, acknowledged that gaps remain, but declined to give details. The official said military pressure on Hamas in the southern city of Khan Younis in recent weeks helped bring the group closer to accepting a deal. Netanyahu's office declined to comment on the call. Hamas Al-Aqsa television station earlier quoted an unnamed Hamas official as saying any invasion of Rafah would blow up the talks mediated by the United States, Egypt and Qatar. Biden and Netanyahu spoke after two Egyptian officials and a Western diplomat said Egypt threatened to suspend its peace treaty with Israel if troops are sent into Rafah, where Egypt fears fighting could push Palestinians into the Sinai Peninsula and force the closure of Gaza's main aid supply route. The threat to suspend the Camp David Accords, a cornerstone of regional stability for nearly a half-century, came after Netanyahu said sending troops into Rafah was necessary to win the four-month war against Hamas. He asserted that Hamas has four battalions there. Meanwhile, an Israeli drone struck a car near Lebanons southern port city of Sidon on Saturday, killing at least two people and wounding two others, security officials said Sunday. The drone strike near the coastal town of Jadra took place about 37 miles from the Israeli border, making it one of the farthest inside Lebanon since violence erupted along the Lebanon-Israel border on Oct. 8, a day after Hamas' attack in southern Israel. Over half of Gaza's population of 2.3 million have fled to Rafah to escape fighting in other areas, and they are packed into tent camps and U.N.-run shelters. Egypt fears a mass influx of Palestinian refugees who may never be allowed to return. Netanyahu told Fox News Sunday that theres plenty of room north of Rafah for them to go to after Israels offensive elsewhere in Gaza, and said Israel would direct evacuees with flyers, with cellphones and with safe corridors and other things. But the offensive has caused widespread destruction, with little capacity to take in people. The standoff between Israel and Egypt, two close U.S. allies, took shape as aid groups warned that an offensive in Rafah would worsen the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza. Around 80% of residents have fled their homes, and the U.N. says a quarter of the population faces starvation. A ground operation in Rafah could cut off one of the only avenues for delivering food and medical supplies. Forty-four trucks of aid entered Gaza on Sunday, said Wael Abu Omar, a spokesman for the Palestinian Crossings Authority. About 500 entered daily before the war. Qatar, Saudi Arabia and other countries have also warned of severe repercussions if Israel goes into Rafah. An Israeli offensive on Rafah would lead to an unspeakable humanitarian catastrophe and grave tensions with Egypt, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell wrote on X. Human Rights Watch said forced displacement is a war crime. The White House, which has rushed arms to Israel and shielded it from international calls for a cease-fire, has warned that a Rafah ground operation would be a disaster for civilians. Israel-Hamas war at 100 days For the last three weeks, videos of Michael Cera have circulated online, claiming that the actor is the founder of the skin care brand CeraVe. Michael Cera. CeraVe. Get it? In late January, paparazzi photos of Mr. Cera lugging giant bags of CeraVe around New York City appeared in Page Six and People magazine. The same week, Mr. Cera was spotted handing out moisturizer to pedestrians and signing bottles of CeraVe at Euro Chemist, a pharmacy in Brooklyn. Influencers such as Kirbie Johnson and Haley Kalil were paid as part of the marketing campaign to post content speculating on a potential partnership between the brand and actor. In a promotional YouTube video with Bobbi Althoff, host of The Really Good Podcast, Mr. Cera performatively walked out of the interview when questioned about his relationship with CeraVe. Its all part of an ultra-meta, multipronged marketing campaign that CeraVe has been unveiling layer by layer over weeks, and which will culminate in its first Super Bowl commercial. It is an unexpected turn, perhaps, for a brand that has been an unassuming drugstore favorite for years and for its star, Mr. Cera, who rarely does brand collaborations. Hes also a rather unlikely, and memorable, choice for a beauty ambassador in a field crowded with celebrity skin care lines. When Andres and Karen Castanos relationship turned serious in June 2018, there was only one issue that worried Mr. Castano. He wanted children badly. But he wasnt sure if Ms. Castano did, or even could. Ms. Castano was 44 at the time 16 years and 4 months older than him. She was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a double mastectomy in 2017, and was taking the drug tamoxifen, which simulated menopause. What he didnt know was that before they met, she had frozen 10 eggs, just waiting for some tall, dark sperm as she put it to fertilize them. At 28, Mr. Castano was very much up to the task. They married on July 13, 2019, some 15 months after they first met at a work event in Augusta, Ga. They legally took his mothers maiden name and after a three-week honeymoon in Greece, they started trying for a baby. But like many things in Ms. Castanos life including the cancer and a flesh-eating bacteria that almost caused her to lose a leg it wasnt easy. Ms. Castano was intimately familiar with hardship. On Oct. 28, 2000, her 22-year-old sister, Wendy Soltero, was fatally shot while picking up two friends at a nightclub in Los Angeles. Representative Mike Gallagher, Republican of Wisconsin, announced on Saturday that he would not run for re-election, just days after breaking with his party to cast a decisive vote against impeachment charges for Alejandro N. Mayorkas, the homeland security secretary. Mr. Gallagher, who is in his fourth congressional term, is joining dozens of other lawmakers who have decided to call it quits. But the timing of his decision was striking nonetheless, coming on the heels of his impeachment vote which had already earned him a primary challenger and his relative youth, compared with others who are planning to retire from Congress. Electoral politics was never supposed to be a career and, trust me, Congress is no place to grow old, Mr. Gallagher, 39, said in a statement, adding that he had made the decision not to run with a heavy heart. Mr. Gallagher, a Marine Corps veteran and a former congressional staffer, was an influential voice in the House when it came to matters of national security and the military. He was particularly outspoken about the wars in Afghanistan and Ukraine, as well as cybersecurity, having co-chaired an intergovernmental commission on the issue early in his congressional career. Former President Donald J. Trump said on Saturday that, while president, he told the leaders of NATO countries that he would encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want to countries that had not paid the money they owed to the military alliance. In repeating a claim he has made previously to highlight his negotiation skills, Mr. Trump did not make clear that while there has been a spending-related dispute, it was not about an unpaid debt to NATO, but over European countries meeting their spending commitments to their own militaries. Some NATO members are spending below an unofficial commitment to spend 2 percent of their economic output on defense. Mr. Trumps suggestion that he would encourage Russian aggression against allies of the United States for any reason comes as Republicans in Congress have pushed back against more aid for Ukraine in its war against Russia, and is likely to cause concern among NATO member states, which are already very nervous about the prospect of a Trump return. Russias president, Vladimir Putin, dismissed those warnings as threat mongering" in an interview with Tucker Carlson, the former Fox News host, that aired on Thursday. We have no interest in Poland, Latvia or anywhere else, Mr. Putin said. Petrified Gazans in the cramped southern border city of Rafah scrambled to evade bombardment on Saturday as they prepared to flee an expected Israeli ground offensive, dreading the prospect of again searching for safety in a place with few, if any, options to escape the war. Israeli officials have declared that the next phase in their effort to destroy Hamas will be in Rafah, and on Friday, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that any forceful action in Rafah would require the evacuation of the civilian population from combat zones. The Israeli government has not specified where the civilians would be expected to go. Rafah sits along the border with Egypt, which has so far refused to take in Palestinian refugees, fearful over its own security and worried that the displacement could become permanent and undermine Palestinian aspirations for statehood. On Saturday, Germany, Britain, Jordan and Saudi Arabia joined an international chorus condemning Israels stated intention of expanding its ground invasion into the city. Aid groups, the secretary general of the United Nations and officials from the Biden administration have warned that an Israeli attack on Rafah would be disastrous. * China's outbound tourism is riding a vigorous upward tide, with domestic tourism surpassing expectations and returning to the pre-pandemic level. * A recent Oxford Economics report forecasts the number of international outbound trips taken by Chinese travelers in 2024 will roughly double relative to 2023, bouncing back to nearly 80 percent of 2019 volumes. * China, too, is enhancing its allure to foreign tourists by broadening its visa-free policies. BEIJING, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- "My family and I decided to visit Tanzania to relax and to see animals. It is our first time here, and we are enjoying it," said Wang Shupeng, a 40-year-old father of twin daughters from Beijing, who chose the East African country for his family Lunar New Year trip. The two 12-year-olds were fascinated by local culture, community life, and wildlife scenes and particularly excited about the safari in Serval Wildlife, a wildlife sanctuary located in the Siha district of the Kilimanjaro region at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain. Li Miaomiao, a mother to a 9-year-old son and a resident of Lanzhou, the capital city of northwest China's Gansu Province, embarked on a much-anticipated journey to Thailand at the end of January. It was the first international flight that China Eastern Airlines had resumed in Gansu in three years, and the first passenger route linking Thailand was restored this winter at the airport in Lanzhou. Families such as the Wangs and Lis are symbolic of the Chinese's renewed interest in overseas journeys to celebrate the cherished Chinese Lunar New Year holiday. China's outbound tourism is riding a vigorous upward tide, with domestic tourism surpassing expectations and returning to the pre-pandemic level. In December last year, China's international air passenger traffic reached a high point of over 60 percent of the corresponding level in 2019. In 2023, for example, Chinese tourists in Slovenia almost tripled the 2022 figure, according to the country's statistical office. Between 200,000 and 250,000 Chinese tourists are expected to visit Thailand during this year's Spring Festival holiday, more than three times 2023 levels, said Chanapan Kaewklachaiyawuth, vice president of the Thai Chinese Tourism Alliance Association. A recent Oxford Economics report forecasts the number of international outbound trips taken by Chinese travelers in 2024 will roughly double relative to 2023, bouncing back to nearly 80 percent of 2019 volumes. The optimism is echoed in the World Tourism Barometer, published by the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) last month. "Outbound and inbound tourism from China is expected to proliferate in 2024 due to visa facilitation and increased airline capacity," it said. A Chinese tourist poses for photos in a street in Bangkok, Thailand, Feb. 4, 2024. (Xinhua/Rachen Sageamsak) SYMBOLISM AND DECOR From boutique shops to culinary hotspots and iconic landmarks worldwide, businesses are embracing the allure of Loong culture in the Year of the Dragon, appealing to returning Chinese travelers. Luisaviaroma, a Florence-based boutique store since 1929, plans to celebrate the Year of the Dragon with an immersive in-store installation in collaboration with Chinese designers. The core element of the dedicated installation at the boutique store will be bamboo, an extremely symbolic material for Chinese culture, representing toughness, grace and harmony. "As we understood from the Chinese culture, the year of the dragon is particularly important, and we respect Chinese culture a lot," said Stefanie Yi, the enterprise's senior marketing and PR manager for Asia region. In the Dutch village of Giethoorn, praised as "the Venice of the North," Gabriella Esselbrugge, a tourism entrepreneur, plans to develop boat and biking tours in the village and the national park, popular activities among Chinese tourists. In central London, the Michelin-starred restaurant Hakkasan unveiled a Year of Loong menu featuring such elements as dragon and Chinese lanterns, and cocktails inspired by Chinese paper cutting. "It is fantastic that borders are open and restrictions are lifted, and we can really welcome back all of loyal customers, but also some new ones, too," said Lauren Dodds, the gastronomic gem's marketing manager. The Jungfrau Railways, operating in the Jungfrau region of the Swiss Alps, a World Heritage Site, decorated its platforms and trains with elements related to the Year of Loong from Feb. 8 to 20, said Urs Kessler, CEO of Jungfrau Railways. The Railways also set up a special Chinese Noodle bar with many Asian delicacies in the Grindelwald Terminal and offers Chinese menus on Jungfraujoch, the Top of Europe, to attract Chinese tourists. In the face of the burgeoning demand among Chinese tourists, airlines are scaling up their international operations. China Southern Airlines launched a new flight between Nairobi and the Chinese city of Guangzhou on Dec. 21, 2023. "We scheduled two weekly flights between the two cities before, and now we have three. The move is expected to increase the volume of trade and cultural interactions between the two countries, so we are keeping a close eye on Africa's tourism market," said Liu Wenbin, the general manager of China Southern Airlines Nairobi Office. Hainan Airlines' HU489 flight from Beijing to Berlin has resumed to pre-pandemic levels, with three flights per week during the winter-spring season, and is scheduled to increase frequency to five flights per week from April 2024, the airlines' Berlin office told Xinhua in an interview. Chinese tourists visit the Giza Pyramids scenic spot in Giza, Egypt, on Feb. 8, 2024. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) BARRIER-FREE TRAVEL Policymakers from global tourist destinations are keen to attract Chinese holidaymakers, not least with visa-free policies. In a video message last week, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin warmly welcomed Chinese tourists after the two countries sealed a mutual visa exemption agreement, which will come into effect from March 1. The Southeast Asian country aims to attract 8 million tourists from China, more than double the figure from 2023 and constituting 75 percent of the pre-pandemic peak recorded in 2019. Singapore, which also signed a visa-free agreement with China last month, experienced a recovery in its tourism sector last year, with the Chinese mainland topping its tourist spending chart. Malaysia's visa-free deal for Chinese started in December last year. The country hopes to attract 5-7 million Chinese visitors this year, almost double pre-pandemic levels. "We are here in Nauru. If you look us up, we are a very small place on the map, but we have a very big heart," Charmaine Scotty, Nauru's minister for health and internal affairs, told Xinhua in an interview. "And we certainly welcome you to come to our island." "We are creating a comprehensive tourism product that will move all Chinese visitors," said Dimitris Fragakis, secretary general of the Greek National Tourism Organization. He said more direct flights connecting Athens to Beijing and Shanghai are also scheduled to bolster travel. The Indonesian government aims to attract 1 to 1.5 million tourists from China in 2024 by prioritizing programs to appeal to young Chinese travelers who crave authentic experiences. "In Yogyakarta, for example, we have chocolate making and buffalo bathing. We want to invite them to experience these tourism activities," said Wisnu Sindhutrisno, director of regional tourism marketing from Indonesia's Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy. "We are very much looking forward to 2024, the first normal year after 2019," said Daniela Chiani, director for Greater China at Switzerland Tourism. "We expect right now around 1 million to 1.2 million overnight stays from Greater China in 2024, or around 65 percent of the 2019 levels." Jungfrau region expects the number of Chinese visitors to bounce back to 60 percent of pre-epidemic levels in 2024 and return to pre-epidemic levels in 2025, said Kessler. Ivana Jelinic, president and CEO of the Italian National Tourist Board, projects that Chinese tourists visiting Italy will return to pre-pandemic levels, and their arrivals may even reach "new peaks" this year, starting from the Spring Festival holiday in China. She believes that Chinese tourism is crucial for various tourism destinations in Italy, adding that the benefits can extend to all economic sectors impacted by an increase in incoming flows, including not only hospitality and direct services to tourists but also the entire sector of Made in Italy, retail, luxury, food and wine. China, too, is enhancing its allure to foreign tourists by broadening its visa-free policies. China's recent extension of the visa-free policy to Switzerland and Ireland, in addition to five EU countries and Malaysia, was hailed by the UN tourism body as a significant advancement in the global tourism industry's recovery. The resurgence of Chinese outbound tourism presents an opportunity to invigorate the global tourism and service industries while encouraging meaningful cross-border interactions and fostering greater mutual understanding. A Chinese tourist poses for photos while visiting the archaeological site of Jerash in Jordan, on Feb. 10, 2024. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua) A recent Reuters report noted Chinese travelers' appetite shift from shop-til-you-drop group tours to niche, flexible, and experience-based trips, for example, focusing on meditation, cooking, or photography. As quality of life heads up, the younger generation in the world's second-largest economy is leveling up their holiday as well. "Promoting the building of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation through a Chinese path to modernization is not only a bright road for the Chinese people to pursue a better and happier life but also a just one to promote world peace and development," said Chinese President Xi Jinping at a Spring Festival reception. "The whole world has been waiting for China to open up more, and now Chinese tourists are coming back," UN World Tourism Organization secretary-general Zurab Pololikashvili told Xinhua ahead of the International Tourism Fair. "At the same time, everyone wants to visit China, and its fantastic cultural heritage is well worth visiting." (Video reporters: Liu Yuxuan, Kang Yi, Sun Xinjing, Liu Fang, Peng Zhuo, Wang Xiangjiang, Wang Lili, Meng Dingbo, Yu Tao, Liu Xinyu, He Canling, Wang Zhou, He Yiping, Xie Zhao, Zhao Yan; Video editors: Yu Jiaming, Li Qin) If you start at the middle C of a piano and strike every key on your way up to the next C on the keyboard, you will play each of the 12 notes that make up an octave. Those 12 semitones are the foundation of most Western music. But what if they were not? What if that same octave were equally divided into 14 tones, or 16? What if Beethoven had written the Eroica Symphony with a scale of 19 notes, or Schoenberg had written tone rows with 23? What would their music sound like? Those were the questions that the composer Easley Blackwood Jr., a pillar of the Chicago new music community who died last year, asked in his Twelve Microtonal Etudes for Electronic Music Media (1979-80). Composed for a project funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, each of Blackwoods Etudes shows off the qualities of different, often alien microtonal octaves. It was an endeavor that took Blackwood, a composer of predominantly atonal music, in an odd new direction, said James Ginsburg, the founder and president of Cedille Records, which has released recordings of many of Blackwoods works, including the Etudes. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? Log in. Want all of The Times? Subscribe. Lilly Calman is not in the mood this Valentines Day for the flowers, chocolates or a romantic dinner for two, especially after a recent breakup. Im very angry, said Ms. Calman, 26, adding that it had been painful to see all the holiday paraphernalia in store aisles. She found a more fitting outlet for her mood this year: a fund-raiser for the San Antonio zoo that will symbolically name a roach or rodent after an ex and feed it to one of the zoos animals. The visual image of him getting eaten by a Komodo dragon is pretty satisfying, said Ms. Calman, who donated $25 for the rat option. She is hoping the zoo sends her a video so she can host a screening with a friend. I love reptiles. I think its cool. In 2018, The Pink Stuff was little more than a home cleaning product with a cute name. The miracle cleaning paste, as it said on every container, was sold by just two retail chains in Britain. At a factory near Birmingham, The Pink Stuff line operated for about two hours every month. That was plenty. It was a brand with a lot of uses, said Henrik Pade, a managing director at Star Brands, the company behind the product. But nobody used it. Adrienne Hurst and Rowan Niemisto and Listen and follow The Daily Apple Podcasts | Spotify The first death happened before the academic year began. In July 2021, an undergraduate student at Worcester Polytechnic Institute was reported dead. The administration sent a notice out over email, with the familiar, thoroughly vetted phrasing and appended resources. Katherine Foo, an assistant professor in the department of integrative and global studies, felt especially crushed by the news. She taught this student. He was Chinese, and she felt connected to the particular set of pressures he faced. She read through old, anonymous course evaluations, looking for any sign she might have missed. But she was unsure where to put her personal feelings about a loss suffered in this professional context. The week before the academic year began, a second student died. A rising senior in the computer-science department who loved horticulture took his own life. This brought an intimation of disaster. One student suicide is a tragedy; two might be the beginning of a cluster. Some faculty members began to feel a tinge of dread when they stepped onto campus. Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts is a tidy New England college campus with the high-saturation landscaping typical of well-funded institutions. The hedges are beautifully trimmed, the pathways are swept clean. Red-brick buildings from the 19th century fraternize with high glass facades and renovated interiors. But over a six-month period, the school was turned upside down by a spate of suicides. White House officials and Democrats fanned out to defend President Bidens mental fitness on Sunday, reflecting the rising anxiety in the presidents administration over a special counsel report that fueled concern about his age. This is a report that went off the rails, Bob Bauer, Mr. Bidens personal lawyer, said on CBSs Face the Nation. A shabby work product. The report, released on Thursday, cleared Mr. Biden of criminal wrongdoing in his handling of classified documents after leaving the vice presidency. But the special counsel in the case, Robert K. Hur, characterized Mr. Biden, 81, as a well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory who had diminished faculties in advancing age. Democrats have gone on the offensive to discredit what they say is a partisan hit that potentially violated Justice Department policy, specifically taking issue with the descriptions questioning Mr. Bidens memory. President Biden warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel on Sunday that a ground offensive in southern Gaza should not proceed without a plan to protect the more than 1.4 million Palestinians clustered there, the latest sign of frustration by the White House over rising civilian deaths from Israels military assault. During the call on Sunday, according to a description from the White House, the two leaders also discussed ongoing negotiations with Hamas to release Israeli hostages in Gaza in exchange for a cease-fire and the release of Palestinians being held in Israeli jails. Last week, Mr. Netanyahu bluntly rejected as ludicrous a response from Hamas in the negotiations that called for Israels withdrawal from Gaza and the freeing of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the release of more than 100 Israeli hostages in Gaza. But both American and Israeli officials have said subsequently that there is still room for compromise in the negotiations. A senior administration official who spoke about Mr. Biden and Mr. Netanyahus call on the condition of anonymity expressed optimism about the state of the talks, adding that they would continue over the next week to address significant gaps between the two sides. Senator Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida, on Sunday brushed aside former President Donald J. Trumps comments suggesting that he might not defend NATO allies and that he would encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want. Mr. Trump made the comments at a rally on Saturday in South Carolina but did not make clear that, though there was a dispute over some European countries meeting their spending commitments to their own militaries, there was no debt owed to the alliance. Mr. Rubio, the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, suggested in an interview on CNNs State of the Union that Mr. Trump was simply describing how he had used leverage to get people to step up to the plate, and echoed a line that Republicans have used for years to dismiss Mr. Trumps statements of his intentions: He doesnt talk like a traditional politician. Mr. Rubio also shrugged off Mr. Trumps mocking comments about Nikki Haleys husband, who is deployed in Djibouti, and suggested that nothing Mr. Trump said could shake his support for the former president. One of the things Im not going to do any longer is respond to every comment Donald Trump makes and say, Do you still support him? he said. I do. And I support him because Joe Bidens a disaster. In the interview, Mr. Rubio also denounced bipartisan border-security legislation that contains provisions that Republicans have long pushed for but that Mr. Trump has come out against, saying not only that it didnt go far enough but that it didnt even improve on the status quo. Its not better than nothing, Mr. Rubio said after the host, Jake Tapper, played a clip of the president of the border agents union which has supported Mr. Trump and pilloried President Bidens border policies saying the bill was a step in the right direction. Mr. Rubio zeroed in on a provision that would enable asylum officers to grant immediate asylum to people who showed a dire need, though the bill would raise the bar for asylum claims overall and close the border if the number of migrants whom border officials encountered averaged more than 5,000 a week. They want to turn a bunch of illegal immigrants into citizens, into voters, in the hopes that those people will then turn around and vote for them in future elections, grateful because theyll know who let them in, he said. Khans party shocks in Pakistan Candidates aligned with the party of the imprisoned former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan won the most seats in Pakistans parliamentary elections, despite the militarys efforts to suppress support. The stunning performance humiliated the countrys powerful generals, upended most political forecasts and created a political crisis. Now, uncertainty looms large. Khans supporters are electrified. But they are also enraged by what they call blatant rigging, and are challenging dozens of results. Protests have erupted and many more are planned as pressure grows on the countrys Election Commission to acknowledge widely reported irregularities in the vote counting. Khans supporters are also bracing for the possibility that other parties may ultimately lead the government. Preliminary results suggested that his supporters did not score a full majority, and that they would need to form a coalition to rule. The militarys preferred party the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, led by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is exploring ways to take control through alliances. When Pakistans government censored the media, former Prime Minister Imran Khans party posted campaign videos on TikTok. When the police barred his supporters from holding rallies, they hosted virtual gatherings online. And when Mr. Khan ended up behind bars, his supporters produced speeches using artificial intelligence to simulate his voice. Mr. Khans message resonated with millions across the country who were frustrated by the countrys economic crisis and old political dynasties: Pakistan has been on a steep decline for decades, he explained, and only he could restore its former greatness. The success of candidates aligned with Mr. Khans party in last weeks election snagging more seats than any other in Parliament was a stunning upset in Pakistani politics. Since Mr. Khan fell out with the countrys generals and was ousted by Parliament in 2022, his supporters had faced a military-led crackdown that experts said was designed to sideline the former prime minister. Tourists have fun at a historic and cultural street in Anshun City of southwest China's Guizhou Province, Feb. 10, 2024. As the festive mood reached its peak, China on Saturday ringed in the Chinese Lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival. Regarded as the most celebrated holiday among Chinese, it signifies a time of joyful family reunions and a slew of cultural events. (Photo by Chen Xi/Xinhua) A dragon-shaped lantern installation is seen at the Central Street in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province on Feb. 10, 2024. From China's northernmost city, Mohe, to Fuyuan City in the easternmost part of the country, from the "Snow Town" scenic spot to the "ice city" of Harbin, the top winter destinations in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province have attracted numerous tourists from all over the country to spend the Spring Festival holiday. (Xinhua/Wang Jianwei) People have a dinner at a relocation site on the eve of Chinese Lunar New Year in Tuanjie Village of Liuji Township, Jishishan County, northwest China's Gansu Province, Feb. 9, 2024. After a 6.2-magnitude earthquake that jolted northwest China's Gansu Province in December 2023, more than 16,000 prefabricated houses were built for the quake-affected residents. Atmosphere of Chinese Lunar New Year was witnessed at relocation sites on the eve of the festival. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing) People mourn victims after an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on Feb. 10, 2024. The Israeli army has been launching intensive airstrikes on Rafah city in the south of Gaza since Friday night, killing at least 28 people, reported the state-run Palestine TV. (Photo by Khaled Omar/Xinhua) Artists perform a dragon dance to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year at the Senado Square in south China's Macao on Feb. 10, 2024. On the first day of the Year of the Dragon, touring performances organized by the Macao Government Tourism Office were staged at the Ruins of St. Paul's and the Senado Square to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year. A 238-meter-long "dancing golden dragon" also toured multiple major scenic spots of Macao. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) This photo taken on Feb. 9, 2024 shows a night view in Kashgar, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Kashgar has been meticulously decorated to celebrate the Spring Festival. The ancient city of Kashgar is a branch venue of this year's China Central Television (CCTV) Spring Festival Gala. (Photo by Cai Zengle/Xinhua) An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 10, 2024 shows the Fullsing Internet Industrial Park in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. The key parks of Hainan Free Trade Port have achieved a revenue of around 2.24 trillion yuan (about 311.7 billion U.S. dollars) in 2023, an 18.3 percent increase year on year, according to data released by the Hainan Provincial Bureau of Statistics. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu) Sichod Wangmo (R) eats chema, roasted barley and fried wheat grain in a two-tier rectangular wooden box, at Jiagen Village in Damxung County, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Feb. 10, 2024. (Xinhua/Tenzin Nyida) Players of Qatar celebrate with the trophy during the awarding ceremony after the final between Jordan and Qatar at AFC Asian Cup Qatar at Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar, Feb. 10, 2024. (Xinhua/Jia Haocheng) Finns elected the center-right politician Alexander Stubb as their new president on Sunday, in the first national election since the country joined NATO, filling a post that will be critical to shaping Finlands role in the alliance at a time of increasingly fraught relations with Russia. The election might typically have gained little notice beyond the borders of the northern European country of 5.6 million people. But Finland, the newest member of NATO, shares the longest border with Russia some 830 miles and its politics have taken on special interest to its European and American allies as the geopolitical order shifts. U.S. power is being challenged by Moscow and Beijing, and Europe is grappling with its largest land war since World War II. At the same time, the American commitment to aiding Ukraine looks increasingly in doubt, and an unpredictable American presidential election looms. Finland has a parliamentary system of government, but its presidency is not a ceremonial role. The president is responsible for foreign policy, and the winner will play a pivotal role in steering the country through a changing world. Long before Donald J. Trump threatened over the weekend that he was willing to let Russia do whatever the hell they want against NATO allies that do not contribute sufficiently to collective defense, European leaders were quietly discussing how they might prepare for a world in which America removes itself as the centerpiece of the 75-year-old alliance. Even allowing for the usual bombast of one of his campaign rallies, where he made his declaration on Saturday, Mr. Trump may now force Europes debate into a far more public phase. So far the discussion in the European media has focused on whether the former president, if returned to office, would pull the United States out of NATO. But the larger implication of his statement is that he might invite President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia to pick off a NATO nation, as a warning and a lesson to the 30 or so others about heeding Mr. Trumps demands. The silver crown is set with diamonds. Rubies, sapphires, emeralds and seed pearls are peppered through the design. And the red velvet cap inside would be fit to cushion the head of a monarch. Except that the whole thing is only an inch tall. The jeweled miniature, a copy of Britains Imperial State Crown, is part of Queen Marys Dolls House, on display at Windsor Castle outside London, where the everyday objects, luxuries and curiosities of royal life in the early 20th century are reproduced at one-twelfth scale. Scrutiny of Britains royal family was supercharged this past week by the announcement of King Charles IIIs cancer diagnosis, which followed the hospitalization of Catherine, Princess of Wales, in January. But while the modern monarchy finds itself under a sometimes unwelcome microscope, the dolls house has for a century allowed visitors to peer inside the rooms of a palace albeit at a tiny scale. Soldiers fight in freezing, muddy trenches bombarded by artillery, or in warrens of burned and blown-up houses in urban combat. Casualty rates are high, and dangerous missions, like storming enemy-held tree lines, abound. As they planned for a renewal of Ukraines military under extreme conditions, both the countrys former top commander and his replacement have emphasized the same looming problem: a need to relieve exhausted, battered troops whose combat tours have stretched nearly two years. In a tumultuous week for Ukraines war effort, President Volodymyr Zelensky removed his commanding general, Gen. Valery Zaluzhny, on Thursday, while aid from the countrys largest source of weapons and ammunition, the United States, hung in doubt in Congress. While Ukraine relies on allies for weaponry, replenishing the ranks is a domestic challenge. Small protests have broken out in opposition to a Parliament proposal to expand the draft to include younger men, but so far, lawmakers have slow-walked the measure. When Ayelet Khon moved back to the Kfar Azza kibbutz with her husband two months after the brutal Hamas-led attack of Oct. 7, the first thing she did was hang a string of rainbow-colored lights up on the front patio. At night, when darkness drenches this community, the twinkling colors are the only lights visible. We are going to keep these lights on and never turn them off even if were out for the evening they are lights of hope, Ms. Khon said she told her husband, Shar Shnurman. Eight hundred people used to live here, including families with children who scampered about in the evenings. Everyone who survived the attack was evacuated on Oct. 8. Since then, their homes have been dark. Even the streetlamps are gone, mowed down when tanks plowed through the narrow lanes as the Israeli Army arrived to defend against the attackers. Ms. Khon, 56, and Mr. Shnurman, 62, are the only residents who have returned so far. At night, the silence is eerie, punctured episodically by the thunderous sound of bombs exploding in Gaza. People gathering around a burned police vehicle that was reportedly destroyed in an Israeli bombardment in Rafah on Saturday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said in an interview televised on Sunday that his government was working on a plan to evacuate people from the city of Rafah in southern Gaza, as his countrys allies continued to voice concern about Israels expected ground assault there. Mr. Netanyahu, speaking on the ABC News show This Week, said that he agreed with U.S. officials that safe passage must be provided to civilians in Rafah. More than 1.4 million people more than half of Gazas population are now crammed into the area after civilians were repeatedly displaced by Israeli military operations further north in the strip, according to U.N. data. Mr. Netanyahu said, without giving specifics, that Israel was working out a detailed plan to move them to areas north of Rafah. Many of those in Rafah are exhausted, hungry and running out of options after months of a war that killed more than 28,000 Palestinians, according to Gazas health ministry. While that number does not distinguish between the deaths of civilians and those of combatants, the ministry has said that most are women and children. Asked about the death toll, Mr. Netanyahu asserted that Israel had brought down the ratio of civilian to combatant deaths to less than 1 to 1, though he did not say when that had occurred. The claim could not be independently verified. Victory is within reach, Mr. Netanyahu said, a phrase he has used several times in the past week. We are going to get the remaining Hamas terrorist battalions in Rafah, which is the last bastion, he said. While early in the war he referred to eliminating Hamas, he has focused more recently on removing the groups ability to threaten Israel. You dont have to kill every last terrorist, he said in the interview, drawing a parallel to the American-led fight to vanquish the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. You dont have to kill every last ISIS terrorist, but you made sure that ISIS was finished as a military force. Mr. Netanyahu and his government have faced increasing criticism from allies, including the United States, about an anticipated ground invasion of Rafah. Aid groups, the secretary general of the United Nations and officials from the Biden administration have all warned that an Israeli attack on Rafah would be disastrous, and that the people there have nowhere to go. Those who say that under no circumstances should we enter Rafah are basically saying, lose the war, keep Hamas there, Mr. Netanyahu said. Mr. Netanyahu acknowledged that he and Mr. Biden sometimes had disagreements but told ABC News that he and the U.S. president agreed on the war aims which include crushing Hamas. Israel has been discussing plans to send troops to Rafah for weeks, despite a growing demand from world leaders that it declare a cease-fire and demands from the families of hostages to prioritize negotiations for their release. Mr. Netanyahu last week publicly rejected Hamass latest offer for a pause in fighting that would allow more than 130 hostages being held by the militants to be released, but Israeli officials have signaled that their government was still open to negotiation. The Biden administration has said that negotiations will continue in the days ahead. Asked during the ABC News interview how many of the remaining hostages were still alive, Mr. Netanyahu said, Enough to warrant the kind of efforts that were doing. Securing their release requires pressure, Mr. Netanyahu said. Pressure has worked and it will work again. Basem Naim, a Hamas official, said on Sunday that Mr. Netanyahu was deluding himself if he thought that threatening to invade Rafah would increase the pressure on Palestinian negotiators. Rafah sits along the border with Egypt, which has so far refused to take in Palestinian refugees, fearful over its own security and worried that the displacement could become permanent and undermine Palestinian aspirations for statehood. Egypt has reinforced its frontier with Gaza and also warned Israel that any move that would send Gazans spilling into its territory could jeopardize the Israel-Egypt peace treaty, an anchor of Middle East stability since 1979. Aaron Boxerman , Aishvarya Kavi and Anushka Patil contributed reporting. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, brushing aside a chorus of international condemnation, said Sunday that a ground invasion of the southern Gazan city of Rafah would move forward as soon as Israel completed plans for the more than a million people sheltering there to be allowed to move to safety. Those who say that under no circumstances should we enter Rafah are basically saying: Lose the war, Mr. Netanyahu said on This Week With George Stephanopoulos. But given the complexity of an operation in Rafah, a ground invasion does not appear likely to happen any time soon, analysts said, though the city has already been hit repeatedly by airstrikes. More than half of Gazas 2.2 million residents fled there to avoid fighting farther north, packing the city with refugees with nowhere else to go. One Hamas official, Basem Naim, said Mr. Netanyahu was deluding himself if he thought that threatening to invade Rafah would increase the pressure on Palestinian negotiators to agree to Israels terms for a cease-fire. More than 28,000 people in Gaza, many of them women and children, have already been killed since the war began in October, Gazan health officials say. Less than two weeks after bombs began raining down on the Gaza Strip, Ghada al-Kurd arrived in the southern city of Khan Younis. She had already been displaced three times, and hoped it would be her final journey to safety. But three months later, Israeli forces advanced south. Ms. al-Kurd, 37, speaking by telephone, said she, her sister, brother-in-law, and four nieces and nephews abandoned the tent they had been sharing without taking anything with us, and headed to Rafah, Gazas southernmost city. Many of the roughly 1.7 million Gazans that U.N. agencies say have been displaced by Israels relentless bombardment and ground invasion have fled repeatedly over the course of a war that had now entered its fifth month. And Ms. al-Kurds family members number among more than a million people who have crowded into Rafah, only to hear that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the Israeli military on Friday to draw up plans to evacuate combat zones in the city in advance of an expected ground offensive. The order, which set off international alarm, is forcing the displaced people sheltering there, along with more than 200,000 of Rafahs citizens, to weigh their next move. I regret leaving Gaza City, said Ms. al-Kurd, whose two daughters stayed behind in the north with their father. If I stayed home it would have been better than all the suffering and humiliation of displacement, because every time you flee to a new place you have to start all over again. If Israel allows it and the roads open, she said, she will immediately go back to Gaza City, and that will be my final time fleeing. This undated combo photo provided by the Gansu Provincial Museum shows two creative cultural products sold at the souvenir shop of the Museum in Lanzhou, capital of northwest China's Gansu Province. (Gansu Provincial Museum/Handout via Xinhua) LANZHOU, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- A plush toy named "Happy Loong" has recently captured the hearts of visitors to the Gansu Provincial Museum in northwest China. Modeled after a Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) gold ornament in the shape of a loong, or Chinese dragon, over 1,000 of these chubby and grinning loong toys were sold in the first week after it made its debut earlier this year. Wu Xiaoyu, a designer of the toy, said the museum's creative cultural product design team had aimed to create a more adorable and joyous version of the traditional loong to cater to the tastes of young people. Established in 2015, the team consists of 12 young designers, with the youngest of them aged 24. This innovative approach to museum souvenirs reflects a broader trend of making cultural products more appealing to young Chinese museum-goers, driving up revenue across various museums. The Palace Museum's online store, for instance, offers playful and humorous souvenirs featuring emperors in Chinese history. These souvenirs range from lipsticks and fans to adhesive tape and wallets, and have received rave reviews from customers. Similarly, the Liaoning Provincial Museum has developed nearly 300 types of cultural products, generating revenue of 14 million yuan (about 2 million U.S. dollars) in 2023. According to Cui Youxin, head of the creative cultural product center at the Gansu Provincial Museum, the success of these innovative souvenirs lies in their ability to meet the demands of young people seeking relaxation and individuality. However, Cui emphasized that creating truly ingenious cultural products requires an intimate knowledge of cultural relics and their historical background. "Only those deeply rooted in the soil of Chinese history and culture can stand the test of time," she said. In addition to "Happy Loong," the Gansu Provincial Museum offers stuffed toys inspired by the flying apsaras of the Mogao Grottoes and the bronze galloping horse from the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220), all of which combine rich history with Gen-Z appeal. Gao Yafang, head of the tourism college at Lanzhou University of Arts and Science, said that such souvenirs have the potential to stimulate young people's interest in cultural heritage and encourage them to preserve traditional culture. Looking ahead, the museum souvenir market in China is expected to continue growing. China's central economic work conference in December 2023 proposed that the country should actively develop new consumption growth points such as China-chic goods in 2024. This presents abundant opportunities for designers like Wu. "We will continue to do our best to develop innovative and satisfying products," she said. "We do this out of love and enthusiasm." TEHRAN, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Two members of Iran's Basij paramilitary force were killed on Sunday morning by gunmen in the southeastern Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchestan, the official news agency IRNA reported. The victims, identified as Mohammad-Anvar Gomshadzehi and Abdol-Hossein Baloch, were killed in a "cowardly shooting attack by armed thugs" on a guard post along the railway from the provincial capital Zahedan to Bam County in the southeastern province of Kerman, the report quoted a statement by the Ground Force of Iran's elite Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps as saying, without elaborating on the cause of the attack. Bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan, Sistan and Baluchestan province has witnessed several terrorist attacks on both civilians and security forces in recent years. On Dec. 15, 2023, 11 policemen were killed and seven others injured in an attack on a police headquarters in Rask County in the province, for which the Jaish al-Zulm "terrorist" group claimed responsibility. BOBBY RAMAKANT - CNS Would you not be surprised to learn that an industry whose products kill over 8 million people every year (even when used as the manufacturer intended), and cause an array of health and environment disasters of epidemic proportion, has not been held to account fully? Yes, we are referring to the Big Tobacco. Well, perhaps a very long wait could be over as governments of over 180 countries are meeting in Panama for advancing progress on global tobacco treaty - and it is likely that such a decision to make Big Tobacco Pay - may come forth, finally. Earlier this week, delegates to the intergovernmental meeting of global tobacco treaty were greeted with calls to make Big Tobacco pay for its abuses. Civil society, led by the Network for Accountability of Tobacco Transnationals (NATT), and government champions urged governments to the global tobacco treaty to accept a draft decision strengthening nations' ability to hold the industry liable and accountable. The proposal is being championed by Oman, Pakistan, and the Islamic Republic of Iran and co-sponsored by Brazil, Djibouti, Ghana, Iraq, Kuwait, Panama, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syrian Arab Republic, and Yemen. The global tobacco treaty is formally called the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). "When an individual violates someone's health or safety, we as a society are supposed to hold them accountable. The same is true of tobacco corporations, which have inflicted enormous harm around the world. We must hold them responsible for their actions - not only to redress past harms, but also to prevent them from continuing their abusive behavior unchecked," said Daniel Dorado, Tobacco Campaign Director of Corporate Accountability, a NATT member. Annual tobacco-related global healthcare costs are estimated at $US 422 billion and economic costs more broadly at $US 1.85 trillion. There are also extraordinary environmental costs that have not been factored into prior accounting, such as the $US 2.6 billion tab to clean-up tobacco product waste in China alone. Holding the industry liable could help governments recoup billions in such costs. "Big Tobacco can only be profitable because we as a society bear the true costs of their business," said Irene Reyes, a NATT member and public health attorney from the Philippines. "While the tobacco industry rakes in nearly one trillion dollars a year, regular people are forced to pay the price of their deadly products with our lives, our land, and our taxes. And the people who bear the most are those whom the industry targets: youth, people of color, and residents of low income countries. Now, it's time our governments hold the industry liable, and make Big Tobacco pay its many debts to society." NATT and its allies presented COP10 delegates with a petition to make Big Tobacco pay for its harms, which was endorsed by more than 85 legal experts and garnered more than 30,000 signatures - representing people in 95 countries and territories and all 6 WHO regions. Five countries are proposing a measure that would further strengthen Article 19 of the global tobacco treaty (FCTC), a groundbreaking but underutilised provision that enables the governments to pursue liability. Several nations, including Brazil, Ireland, and Canada, have already filed health-related lawsuits against the industry, while the U.S. city of Baltimore launched a first-of-its-kind lawsuit to make tobacco corporations pay for cigarette butt pollution. "I strongly and respectfully encourage all governments present at this COP [Conference of the Parties to the WHO FCTC] to support the draft decision on Article 19 of the WHO FCTC. [...] Panama' is with you. Together, we can hold Big Tobacco accountable for their abuses," said H.E. Dr. Ivette Berrio Aqu-, Vice Minister of Health of Panama. Delegates will decide on the proposal in the coming days of the talks, which end on 10th of February 2024. The decision could serve as a model to hold other abusive industries liable, setting a strong precedent for the UN climate treaty, the nascent plastic treaty, and other international bodies. "Abusive corporations from Big Tobacco to Big Oil are selling a deadly product and saddling society with all the costs that come with it. It's not right and it's past time for us to put an end to this corporate stranglehold on society," said Akinbode Oluwafemi, Executive Director of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa. The Network for Accountability of Tobacco Transnationals (NATT) is a global coalition to hold Big Tobacco accountable made up of environmental, public health, human rights, and corporate accountability organizations around the world. Additional petition sponsors include African Tobacco Control Alliance, Action on Smoking & Health, Coalicion Ame'rica Saludable, Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance, and European Network for Smoking and Tobacco Prevention. "In 2019, the Office of the Attorney-General of Brazil filed a lawsuit against the largest tobacco corporations in the country and their parent companies abroad to recover healthcare costs for the treatment of patients suffering from 26 tobacco-related diseases, treatment for future patients, and collective moral damages caused by the tobacco public health burden. So far the decisions have been favourable to the federal government, but there is still a long way to go, in part because the tobacco industry has delayed the case by submitting more than 25,000 pages of documents over the past 4 years," said Thiago Lindolpho Chaves and Vin-scus de Azevado Fonseca of the Office of the Attorney-General of Brazil. "Tobacco executives and shareholders should be held to the same standards as the rest of us. Our leaders need to show these corporations that they can't get away with murder, theft, or environmental degradation anymore," said Kelsey Romeo-Stuppy, Managing Attorney at Action on Smoking & Health. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). UkraineTie1 (Image by public domain) Details DMCA UkraineTie2 (Image by public domain) Details DMCA The first thing that seemed to leap off the screen at me was the tie. Biden made a big deal of his "Ukraine Tie" and pin. Now Carlson wears one to The Interview. Mixed messages no doubt intended to produce a cloud of offerings from the disentanglers back home. Mr. Putin did not seem offended, if he noticed. The big question, about Ukraine, got a very thorough airing, so much so as to put the whole thing to rest. Yeah, right; maybe if Walter Cronkite or Edward R. Murrow had been asking the questions. But maybe in those days things wouldn't have gone so far off the rails. At 1:17:26 the conversation moved to other concerns, but at that point I stopped taking notes. My curiosity had been satisfied, about Putin, and although not really a curiosity to me, about Carlson. I have never watched him on TV or read anything he is supposed to have written. In both cases, the men I see in this interview are not at all like the impressions built up in my mind over the years. I have to give Carlson credit for being better informed than I had expected, but he delivered his questions with a certain haughtiness that contrasted with Putin's obvious patience. The conversation was also being translated simultaneously, probably in Putin's earpiece (I don't know if Carlson is fluent in Russian or not). Putin showed intelligence and even wisdom of a kind rarely on display in any western leader. What follows is a partial transcript with occasional snide remarks by me. Two reasons: one, Putin makes a coherent case that contrasts with the official Washington line, and in my opinion wins the argument; and two, this interview has inspired so much nonsense in the American media that it's almost impossible to ignore the total bankruptcy of the utter, bipartisan, trans-administration failure of the vision foisted on the world by PNAC, the "Project for a New American Century," and this without a mumbling word about the Gaza Genocide. Carlson's father, as Walter Kirn pointed out, Richard Warner Carlson, was director of Voice of America from 1986 to 1991. Kirn also noted the irony of the son broadcasting to "an audience of captives" from East to West. The choice of neckwear, then, would seem pointed, and in a way that Putin would certainly have understood completely. In The Interview, Putin established control immediately, and held it effortlessly. Of course Carlson fired off the Big Question of Ukraine. Putin then demonstrated what Carlson called "encyclopedic knowledge" of the history of the region, and methodically delivered a synopsis. Carlson evinced boredom and impatience. Putin did not seem pressed for time. Despite Carlson's tendency, not exactly catlike, to pounce on the occasional yarn, Putin knitted him a sweater. For instance, he interrupted a couple of times about why Putin had not made his case for Russia's historical rights to Ukraine "24 years ago." Putin pretty much ignored such flak as being beside the point. It was beside by quite a margin. Putin quoted a German politician: "If NATO expands, everything would be just the same as during the cold war, only closer to Russia's border," and explained that after the collapse of the Soviet Union, "in 1991, the Russian leadership expected that it could be welcomed into the brotherly family of civilized nations, [but] nothing like this happened. They tricked us...the promise was that NATO would not expand eastward; but it happened, five times." He went on to explain the initial cordiality between the US and Russia, and the "rifts" that opened, around the situation in Yugoslavia. When he became president in 2000, he believed that was over. He recalled asking Clinton about Russia joining NATO (and suggested Tucker "look it up"); Clinton at first had seemed in favor, but after dinner said it would not be possible. Carlson demanded to know if Putin would have joined. Putin explained patiently that "the process of rapprochement could have continued," if conditions were right, but sighed, "Well, no means no." "I know you're bitter about it, I understand..." came the rejoinder, with knitted brows. Putin shrugged off such paternalistic smarminess with dignified forbearance, it seemed to me. "We're not bride and groom... why we should receive such a negative response, you should ask your own leaders." Putin recounted three "moments" that showed that the US was not interested in a reasonable relationship, one being the CIA's direct notification that it was working "with the opposition" in the Caucasus. Carlson sought clarification: "The CIA was trying to overthrow your government?" to which Putin made the distinction clear, that this referred to their working with separatists in the Caucasus. The third "moment" was when the US missile defense system was brought to Ukraine. He had suggested to Bush I that the system be created jointly with Russia, the US and Europe, since the US claimed it was for defense against Iran. Gates and Rice had "sat right here, on this table," and said "We agree." But "in the end they just told us to get lost... I said we would be forced to use counter-measures," and Russia built hyper-sonic strike systems. And regarding the promise against NATO growing, he recalled, they said "It's not on paper, so we will expand." "A coup d'e'tat was committed... The US told us: 'calm Yanukovych down, and we will calm the opposition.... we said, 'Alright. Agreed...' As the Americans requested, Yanukovych did use neither the armed forces, nor the police; yet the opposition committed a coup in Kiev. What is that supposed to mean, who do you think you are? I wanted to ask the then US leadership." "With the backing of Whom?" Tucker interjected, expectantly. Capital "Whom." "With the backing of CIA of course. The organization you wanted to join back in the day, as I understand. We should thank God they didn't let you in, although it is a serious organization. I understand. My former vis-a-vis, in the sense that I served in the first Main Directorate, the Soviet Union's intelligence service." (I knew your daddy, boy...) "They have always been our opponents. A job is a job. Technically they did everything right: they achieved their goal of changing the government. However, from political standpoint, it was a colossal mistake. Surely it was political leadership's miscalculation; they should have seen what it would devolve into." After more detailed and quite relevant history of the military assaults by the Ukrainian government on the Donbas, Carlson pounced: "That was eight years before the current conflict started, so what was the trigger, for you, what was the moment where you decided you had to do this?" Putin, seeing that what he had just explained had gone over his questioner's head, said it was the coup that provoked the conflict; and added that Germany, Poland and France had signed as guarantors of the agreement between Yanukovych and the opposition; but the opposition committed a coup, and now they all pretended they didn't remember. "They just threw it in the stove right away, and nobody recalls that." "President Yanukovych had agreed to all conditions. He was ready to hold an early election in which he had no chance of winning. Everybody knew that. Then, why the coup?... Why threatening Crimea? Why launching an operation in Donbas? That is exactly what the miscalculation is. CIA did its job to complete the coup. I think one of the deputy secretaries of state said it cost a large sum of money... but the political mistake was colossal. Why did they have to do that? All this could have been done legally, without victims, without military action; without losing Crimea. We would never have considered to even lift a finger, if it hadn't been for the bloody developments in Maidan. Because we agreed with the fact that after the collapse of the Soviet Union, our borders should be along the borders of former Union's republic. We agreed to that. But we never agreed to NATO's expansion, and moreover, we never agreed that Ukraine would be in NATO. We did not agree to NATO bases there without any discussion with us." Putin explained that the Ukrainian leadership declared it would not implement the signed Minsk Agreements, and then, "the former leaders of Germany and France said openly to the whole world that they had indeed signed the Minsk Agreements, but had never intended to implement them." And something about "led us by the nose." "I honestly believe that if we manage to convince the residents of Donbas, and we had to work hard to convince them, to return to the Ukrainian statehood, then, gradually the wounds would start to heal. When this part of territory reintegrated into common social environment... all the pieces would gradually fall into place. No: nobody wanted that. Everybody wanted to resolve the issue by military force only." The war, Putin asserted, started in 2014, and Russia's actions were all an attempt to stop it. Carlson: "Do you think you've stopped it now? I mean, have you achieved your aims?" "No...because one of them is de-Nazification." This had been discussed in Istanbul early this year, said Putin, and it was the Europeans who said it was "necessary to create conditions for the final signing of the documents. My counterparts in France and Germany said, 'How can you imagine them signing a treaty with a gun to their heads?'" and that the troops should be pulled back from Kiev. This was done, and then "all Ukrainian negotiators threw our agreements reached in Istanbul, into the bin, and got prepared for a longstanding armed confrontation, with the help of the United States and its satellites in Europe. That is how the situation developed, and that is how it looks now." "But what is 'de-nazification?' What would that mean?" Putin explained that after independence, Ukraine had built its identity on "false heroes," wartime collaborators with invading Nazis, who had done "the dirtiest work of exterminating the Polish and Jewish... as well as the Russian population" under the German SS, naming Bandera and others (readers may recall Putin recounting this to Oliver Stone). "I say that Ukrainians are part of the one Russian people. The Ukrainians say no, they are a separate people. Ok. Fine. If they consider themselves a separate people, they have the right to do so; but not on the basis of Nazism, the Nazi ideology." "Would you be satisfied with the territory that you have now?" "I will finish answering the question. You just asked the question about neo-Nazism and de-Nazification," Putin answered, and recalled the President of Ukraine's visit to the Canadian Parliament, and their extraordinary presentation of a man who "fought against the Russians during the World War II. Well, who fought against the Russians during the World War II? Hitler and his accomplices. It turned out that this man served in the SS troops, and personally killed Russians, Poles and Jews." "Really my question is what do you do about it. I mean, Hitler's been dead for eighty years, Nazi Germany no longer exists, and so, true, and I think what you're saying is you want to extinguish or at least control Ukrainian nationalism, but how, how do you do that?" Perhaps we should note here that most Americans have never acknowledged, don't even know about, the devastating losses suffered by Russians, before we (the US) even entered the Second World War, a war that we continue to claim we won. In the unexpurgated version of history, without that terrible Russian sacrifice we might all be yelling "Heil" in rallies choreographed by Leni Riefenstahl. The Russians will never forget. The US reminds them daily. I also note here that what Putin said next included the phrase (translated, presumably by his own staff), "get rid of"; and that might be an unfortunate turn of phrase from a person of Putin's stature. In context, however, he's discussing the Nazi collaborators who were personally culpable in the part of the Holocaust that took place in Ukraine, who are still active in the region. It appears from his questions that Carlson, in light of his personal background (and his neckwear on this occasion), is being willfully insensitive. But to be fair, he is doing an interview for the general, marginally informed public. It still seems a bit obtuse. "Listen to me. Your question is very subtle. And I can tell you what I think. Do not take offense." This an offering, almost a question, as to whether Carlson really understands his own question.. "Of course!" grins our intrepid interrogator. "This question appears to be subtle; it is, quite pesky. You say Hitler has been dead for so many years... but his example lives on. People who exterminated Poles, Russians and Jews are alive. And the president, the current president of Ukraine, applauds him in the Canadian Parliament, gives a standing ovation. Can we say that we have completely uprooted this ideology, if what we see is happening today? That is what de-Nazification is, in our understanding: we have to get rid of those people who maintain this concept, and support this practice and try to preserve it; That is what de-Nazification is. That is what we mean." In an otherwise almost pedantic conversation, such as might occur over drinks in a quiet social setting, Putin delivered this with an intensity that normally would invoke a moment of respectful silence. Normally. But Tucker piped up immediately and dismissively. "---Uh, right, but my question's a li'l more specific, it was of course not a defense of Nazis, neo- or otherwise, it was a practical question: you don't control the entire country, you don't control Kiev, you don't seem like you want to, so how, how do you eliminate a culture, or an ideology, or feelings, or a view of history, in a country that you don't control, what do you do about that?" "You know, as strange as it may seem to you, during the negotiaions in Istanbul we did agree that, we have it all in writing, that neo-Nazism would not be cultivated in Ukraine. Including that it would be prohibited at the legislative level. Mr. Carlson, we agreed on that. This, it turns out, can be done during the negotiation process. And there is nothing humiliating for Ukraine, as a modern civilized state. Is any state allowed to promote Nazism? It is not, is it." Tucker: "Uh--!" (Was that Carlson? He was not on camera, Putin was still speaking.) Putin: "That is it." "Um, will there be talks, and why haven't there been talks, about resolving the conflict, in Ukraine, peace talks." "There have been. They reached a very high stage of coordination of positions in a complex process, but still they were almost finalized. But after we withdrew our troops from Kiev, as I have already said, the other side threw away all these agreements and obeyed the instructions of western countries, European countries, and the United States, to fight Russia to the bitter end. Moreover, the president of Ukraine has legislated a ban on negotiating with Russia. He signed a decree forbidding everyone to negotiate with Russia." (Carlson: "Right.") "But how are we going to negotiate, if he forbade everyone and himself and everyone to do this? We know that he is putting forward some ideas, about a settlement, but in order to agree on something, we need to have a dialog, is that not right?" "Welll, but you wouldn't be speaking to the Ukrainian president, you'd be speaking to the American president. When was the last time you spoke with Joe Biden?" Oh dear. Tucker, did you not remember that this war is a Ukrainian problem, that the president and Blinken and the whole team keep telling everyone that it's all up to them, and we stand behind them forever, um, to the end, um, as long as it takes, um, until... well anyway. "I do not remember. We can look it up." Carlson (laughing incredulously): "Heh heh, you don't remember!? Hahaha..." Putin (unmoved): "No. Why? Do I have to remember everything? I have my own things to do. We have domestic political affairs." Carlson: "Well he's funding the war that you're fighting, so I would think that would be memorable." "Well yes, he funds, but I talked to him before the Special Military Operation of course. And I said to him then... I believe that you are making a huge mistake of historic proportions by supporting everything that is happening there, in Ukraine, by pushing Russia away. I told him, told him repeatedly by the way. I think that would be correct, if I stop here. "What did he say?" "Ask him, please. It is easier for you, you are a citizen of the United States. Go and ask him. It is not appropriate for me to comment on our conversation." "B-But-but, you haven't spoken to him since before February of 2022." "No, we haven't spoken. Certain contacts are being maintained though. Speaking of which, do you remember what I told you about my proposal to work together on a missile defense system?" "Yes." "You can ask all of them. All of them are safe and sound, thank God. The former president, Condolleezza is safe and sound, and I think Mr. Gates, and the current director of the intelligence agency, Mr. Burns (the then-Ambassador to Russia, in my opinion a very successful Ambassador); they were all witnesses to these conversations. Ask them. Same here, if you are interested in what Mr. President Biden responded to me, ask him. At any rate, I talked to him about it." Carlson: "I'm, I'm, definitely interested, but from the outside, it seems like this could devolve or evolve into something that brings the entire world into conflict, and could, um, initiate some, a nuclear launch, and so why don't you just call Biden, and say, 'let's work this out'..." "What's there to work out? It's very simple. I repeat, we have contacts with various agencies. I will tell you what we are saying on this matter, and what we are conveying to the US leadership: if you really want to stop fighting, you need to stop supplying weapons. It will be over within a few weeks. That's it. And then, we can agree on some terms. Before you do that, stop. What's easier? Why would I call him? What should I talk to him about? Or beg him, for what?" Carlson (interrupting): "And, and, what messages did you get back?" Ignoring this outburst, Putin goes on: "'You are going to deliver such-and-such weapons to Ukraine? Oh, I'm afraid, I'm afraid, please don't?' What is there to talk about?" Carlson: "Do you think NATO is worried about this becoming a global war or a nuclear conflict?" "At least that is what they are talking about, and they are trying to intimidate their own population with imaginary Russian threats. This is an obvious fact. And thinking people, not Philistines, but thinking people, analysts, those who are engaged in real politics, just smart people, understand perfectly well that this is a fake. They are trying to fuel the Russian Threat." (Western ears might hear "realpolitik" but the translator used the two words, "real politics.") Tucker leaps in: "The threat I think you're referring to is a Russian invasion of, Poland, Latvia, expansionist behavior, is... can you imagine a scenario where you send Russian troops to Poland?" "Only in one case: if Poland attacks Russia. Why? Because we have no interest in Poland, Latvia or anywhere else. Why would we do that? We simply do not have any interest. It's just threat-mongering." Carlson: "The argument, I know you know this, is, 'well, he invaded Ukraine, he has territorial aims across the continent,' and your saying, unequivocally you don't." "It is absolutely out of the question. You just don't have to be any kind of analyst; it goes against common sense to get involved in some kind of a global war. And a global war will bring all of humanity to the brink of destruction. It's obvious. There are certainly means of deterrence; they have been scaring everyone with us, all along: 'tomorrow Russia will use tactical nuclear weapons; tomorrow Russia will use that; no, the day after tomorrow.' So what? In order to extort additional money from US taxpayers and European taxpayers, in the confrontation with Russia in the Ukrainian theater of war. The goal is to weaken Russia as much as possible." Carlson: "Wha, owp... one of, ah, our senior US Senators, from the State of New York, Chuck Schumer said yesterday, I believe, that we have to continue to fund the Ukrainian, effort, or, US soldiers, citizens could wind up fighting there. How do you assess that?" "This is a provocation, and a cheap provocation at that. I do not understand why American soldiers should fight in Ukraine. There are mercenaries from the United States there. The bigger number of mercenaries comes from Poland, with mercenaries from the United States in second place, and mercenaries from Georgia in third place. Well, if somebody has the disire to send regular troops, that would certainly bring humanity to the brink of very serious global conflict. This is obvious. Do the United States need this? What for? Thousands of miles away from your national territory. Don't you have anything better to do? You have issues on the border, issues with migration, issue with the national debt, more than thirty three trillion dollars; you have nothing better to do, so you should fight in Ukraine? Wouldn't it be better to negotiate with Russia, make an agreement, already understanding the situation that is developing today, realizing that Russia will fight for its interests to the end? And realizing this, actually return to common sense, start respecting our country and its interests, and look for certain solutions. It seems to me that this is much smarter and more rational." Tucker pounces: "Who blew up Nordstream?" "You, for sure." Tucker: "I was busy that day. Heh heh. I did not blow up Nordstream. I think you know..." "You personally may have an alibi, but the CIA has no such alibi." "Did you have evidence that NATO or the CIA did it?" "You know, I won't get into details, but people always say... look for someone who is interested. But... also for someone who has capabilities. Because there may be many people interested, but not all of them are capable of sinking to the bottom of the Baltic Sea, and carrying out this explosion. These two components should be connected..." "But I'm confused, I mean that's the biggest act of industrial terrorism, ever, and it's the largest emission of CO2 in history. Ok-so, if you had evidence, and presumably given your security services, your intel services, you would, that NATO, the US, CIA, the West, did this, why wouldn't you present it, and win a propaganda victory?" (Wow. You said a mouthful, boy...) Putin (Laughing): "In the war of propaganda it is very difficult to defeat the United States, because the United States controls all the world's media, and many European media. The ultimate beneficiary of the biggest European media are American financial institutions. Don't you know that? So it is possible to get involved in this work, but it is cost-prohibitive, so to speak. We can simply shine the spotlight on our sources of information, and we will not achieve results. It is clear to the whole world what happened, and even American analysts talk about it directly, it's true." "Yes, I. But here's a question you may be able to answer, you worked in Germany, famously; the Germans clearly know that their NATO partner did this, but they, and it damaged their economy greatly, it may never recover; why are they being silent about it, that's very confusing, to me; why wouldn't the Germans, say something, about it?" "This also confuses me. But today's German leadership is guided by the collective west, rather than its national interests; otherwise it is difficult to explain the logic of their action or inaction. After all, it is not only about Nordstream 1, which was blown up, and the Nordstream 2 was damaged; but one pipe is safe and sound, and gas can be supplied to Europe through it. But Germany does not open it. We are ready. Please. There is another route through Poland... that also allows for a large flow... Poland has closed it. Germany feeds Poland to a certain extent; and they closed their route to Germany. Why?" He posed the question of why Germany, which supplies weapons for Ukraine, doesn't ask Ukraine to open their pipleline from Russia to Germany, when the money for Ukraine comes from the gas-starved European economy. "Ask them. That is what it is like in their heads. Those are highly incompetent people." "Maybe the world is breaking into two hemispheres, one with cheap energy and one without, and I want to ask you that, if, if we're now a multipolar world, obviously we are, can you describe the blocs of alliances, wh- who is in each side? Do you think?" "Listen, you have said that the world is breaking into two hemispheres. A human brain is divided into two hemispheres; one is responsible for one type of activities; the other is more about creativity and so on. But it is still one and the same head. The world should be a single whole. Security should be shared, rather than meant for the Golden Billion. That is the only scenario where the world could be stable, sustainable and predictable. Until then, while the head is split in two parts, it is an illness, a serious adverse condition. It is a period of severe disease that the world is going through now. But I think that, thanks to honest journalism, this work is akin to the work of the doctors, this could somehow be remedied." It wasn't apparent that Carlson got that last little joke. The conversation did have some additional highlights, probably of more interests to spectators than scholars, like Carlson's attempt to get an American charged with espionage released to take home on his return flight. Putin did not shy from this or any other subject, but it would have been much more than the situation, or the interviewer, deserved. It's refreshing to see a head of state who speaks from a broad historical context. If he lies, the lies are deep and complex, rather than superficial and utterly dependent on the "news cycle" for the wind under their wings. It's an accomplishment to construct a lie, if indeed Putin even tried, out of well-understood historical forces that hangs together well enough to be debated by historians with strings of abbreviated titles. It's even more refreshing when the speaker does this on the fly, off the top of his head. It's unheard of for a head of state to give understandable answers to over-simplified questions about incredibly complex issues, and seem to enjoy the conversation. The worldview that emerges is coherent, and comports with widely known fact much more consistently than the Washington narratives that have wafted over us like spaghetti heading for the wall, without sticking, over and over again. Carlson, who given his very well-informed background, at least seemed to follow the historical dissertations, but came off like a teenager who just wants the car keys, yeah, yeah, whatever, Dad. My take on the whole thing was that for credibility, Putin hands-down owned it, and the "west" as represented by Carlson, is the goat. There is certainly a lot more to this, but most of it is likely to be based on denial of an essential truth: that the Empire is emerging into public view like the naked emperor, whose magical raiment, we may remember, was invisible only to fools. Whether this is because it is collapsing like Rome, or because power is now so concentrated in the hands of less than a dozen men that it no longer needs to bother with what people think, we shall certainly learn sooner or later. Annie Wong, who now lives in Portland, remembers the Lunar New Year fireworks at Victoria Harbour growing up in Hong Kong. Its a massive display of pyrotechnics that will take your breath away, she said. But now she has to find new ways to engage with the holiday in Oregon. Wong and her son joined more than 30 families Saturday at a Portland Cantonese Play and Learn potluck to ring in the new year. The only phrase generating more heat than Measure 110 in Salem these days is urban growth boundary. Wonky as it may be, a proposal to allow cities to modestly expand their boundaries for new residential development is drawing the kind of fervent opposition characterizing efforts to roll back Measure 110s drug decriminalization. Environmental groups, anti-development skeptics, Marion County Democrats and the adult children of two of Oregons land-use visionaries are among those heaping disdain on the boundary expansion provision included in Senate Bill 1537. In a legislative hearing last week, they decried the bills allowance of even small increases of developable land as fomenting urban sprawl and the paving over of Oregon farms. Similar pressure helped kill a more aggressive boundary expansion bill last year. But just as lawmakers cannot be timid in addressing Oregons drug crisis, they should similarly recognize the need to go bold in addressing our severe housing deficit. Oregon is 140,000 units short of the housing we need, and the state has been underbuilding for decades. Inadequate housing has not only driven up rent, home prices and homelessness, but it has implications for the states ability to retain employers, grow its population, fill labor shortages and sustain our schools, communities and state. We cannot get out of this crisis with middling measures that dont urgently meet the needs of today. SB 1537 is Gov. Tina Koteks top priority for the session for all the legitimate reasons cited above. As The Oregonian/OregonLives Carlos Fuentes reported, the bill would create a new state housing production accountability office that would work with cities to ensure they meet housing goals. It would earmark $200 million for infrastructure investments such as laying plumbing and building roads. And it would create a $200 million revolving loan fund to help finance workforce housing developments aimed at middle-income families a proposal championed by Reps. Pam Marsh, D-Southern Jackson County and Sen. Dick Anderson, R-Lincoln City. Much of the bill is broadly popular, reflecting the several months of collaboration and work led by Koteks housing adviser Matthew Tschabold. But even this years slimmed-down proposal that allows cities a one-time expansion of their urban growth boundary has hit a wall of opposition. The provision allows cities to add no more than 75 acres or 150 acres depending on population size provided they meet strict eligibility conditions and reserve at least 30% of units for affordable housing serving low-income and middle-income Oregonians. (Portland-area cities, however, would need to petition Metro regional government). The idea, as Tschabold explained, is to allow modest increases that can support complete communities with a range of housing choices, population density, amenities and other infrastructure. This does not upend our cherished 50-year-old land-use system. It is a carefully crafted, temporary revision that acknowledges the system has not kept up with our needs and that the urgency of our crisis demands action now. In fact, a refusal to revise the system is a threat to its long-term viability, as Marsh who has proven her environmental credentials time and again noted in her testimony to the committee. If our land use system cannot accept modest change, it will calcify and it will fracture over time, she said. Nor will this bill bring the kind of devastation that critics are claiming. Under the bill, high-value farm and forest land will remain off-limits; development in the expanded area must meet density minimums canceling the fear that an expansion will only lead to large single-family homes; and cities must demonstrate their need, both for additional land and for relief of cost-burdened residents. In fact, legislators should worry whether SB 1537 is too restrictive. Representatives from cities including Hillsboro, pointed out shortcomings in the current bill that may hamper the ability to meet our true housing need. While consideration of multiple viewpoints should shape public policy, the policy must still be tightly focused on the objective it wants to achieve housing production at a rate nearly twice the current level. In last weeks hearing, Sam Diaz, executive director of 1000 Friends of Oregon, noted that his organization is proud and protective of this place we call home. Oregonians as a whole share that pride in how the state has carefully sought to limit sprawl and protect the farms, forests and natural spaces that make Oregon as beautiful and singular as it is. But we also must recognize that thousands of Oregonians no longer call this state home, having moved out as costs have soared. Thousands more have no home except for the streets and parks where they are camping. And tens of thousands more are struggling to pay rent or mortgages in a state that simply provides too few places for people to live. The status quo isnt and hasnt been working. Legislators must recognize that we can make small revisions to our land-use system and still be proud and protective of this place that we and thousands more should be able to call home. -The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board Correction: This editorial was updated to remove a line stating that cities that have expanded their urban growth boundary in the previous 20 years may not seek an expansion. The bill requires those cities to meet additional criteria in order to petition for expansion. Sign up for our free Oregon Opinion newsletter. Email: DUESSELDORF, Germany, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese New Year celebrations in the German city of Duesseldorf kicked off here with a traditional Chinese concert on Saturday. The "Grand Chinese New Year Concert" was performed by the China National Traditional Orchestra, one of the most famous orchestras in China. The program of the concert featured a wide range of Chinese musical pieces, including traditional music, Chinese opera works and contemporary music performed with traditional Chinese musical instruments. "Absolutely delightful, harmonious, and extraordinary," said Markus Teuber, commissioner for China affairs of the Mayor's Office of Duisburg, capturing the sentiments of the concert attendees. Jan Balczun, another attendee, said that this was his first encounter with Chinese folk music. "It is of course very impressive to see such a large Chinese orchestra here in Germany," he said. The concert held on Feb. 10, the Chinese Lunar New Year, is one stop of the Chinese orchestra's tour in Europe. My focus as a state lawmaker is not usually health care policy. But I started paying closer attention after meeting Dave Nichols, an Oregon State University graduate who suffered severe brain trauma from a rock-climbing accident near Leavenworth, Wash. in 2017. When his parents tried to bring him home to Oregon, they encountered a problem: The state did not have enough inpatient rehabilitation beds. His parents looked around and found a bed open in Colorado more than 1,000 miles away. Patients seeking psychiatric, rehabilitation and chemical dependency treatment face similar bed shortages. Oregon struggles to meet demand. Yet at the same time, the state is turning away investors who want to spend their own money to address the problem. Photo: (Photo : Leigh Vogel /Getty Images) The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) recent declaration of robust air quality standards, Moms Clean Air Force, spearheaded a summit that resounded with urgency, amplifying the call to safeguard the health of children amidst the escalating climate crisis. Amidst the shifting tides of environmental awareness, the Clean Air Revolution gains formidable momentum, with Moms Clean Air Force taking the lead. Their recent summit, strategically timed in the aftermath of the EPA's resolute stance on enhancing air quality standards, signifies a collective determination to address the immediate threats posed to children's health by surging air pollution and the overarching challenges posed by the climate crisis. EPA's Air Quality Standards: A Guardian for Kids' Well-being The EPA's recent decision to fortify air quality standards, specifically honing in on particulate matter or soot, marks a watershed moment in the collective effort to secure the health of our children. The Clean Air Revolution, echoing the EPA's unwavering commitment, endeavors to usher in a comprehensive shift towards a cleaner atmosphere, recognizing the direct impact on the well-being of the younger generation. During the summit, Administrator Michael Regan emphasized the ripple effects of these new standards. Regan added that air pollution is a palpable threat. Soot pollution, in particular, stands as one of the most perilous, and tightening this standard is not merely about safeguarding our children but also about contributing to a robust economy. The EPA's dedication to establishing a comprehensive national environmental justice and civil rights program seamlessly aligns with President Biden's vision, ensuring protection for the most vulnerable communities, including Black, Brown, and tribal populations. Moms Clean Air Force: Pioneers for a Healthier Tomorrow At the forefront of this Clean Air Revolution stands Moms Clean Air Force, a nonpartisan advocacy group boasting an impressive membership of 1.5 million individuals. Their significant role in the summit facilitated crucial dialogue among parents, government officials, and environmental advocates. What distinguishes Moms Clean Air Force is their unwavering dedication to children's health, a commitment that transcends the often divisive realm of politics, underscoring the universal impact of air pollution on communities. Liz Hurtado, the national field manager for Moms Clean Air Force, attended the summit with her child, Lena, a poignant spokesperson for the organization. Hurtado emphasized the significance of seeking tangible solutions and robust protections against the pervasive issue of air pollution. She also echoed sentiments of collective responsibility, as it impacts everyone, irrespective of affiliations or differences. Read Also: Adaptive Digital SAT 2024: College Board Revolutionizes Standardized Testing with Bluebook App, Khan Academy Chelsea Clinton's Wisdom: Nurturing Little Lungs in a Shifting Climate The summit featured influential speakers, including Chelsea Clinton, Vice Chair of the Clinton Foundation, whose insights underscored the vulnerability of children to air pollution. Clinton highlighted the pivotal role parents play in ensuring their children's safety. Her focus on ventilation and the reduction of future pollution resonated strongly, advocating for a holistic approach to combat the profound impact of climate change on the respiratory health of our youngest generation. The Clean Air Revolution, embodied by Mom's Clean Air Force, stands as a resounding echo of the EPA's bold standards, particularly concerning children's health. This collaborative effort signifies a crucial juncture in addressing the intricate dynamics of climate change, air pollution, and public health, emphasizing the pressing need for a collective response to secure a healthier and more sustainable future for the next generation. Related Article: Minnesota Twin Sisters Face Felonies in Amish Buggy Crash Deception, Meth Influence It is the normal practice of scientists to ignore evidence which appears incompatible or irrelevant. But there is, unfortunately, no rule by which to avoid the risk of occasionally disregarding thereby true evidence which conflicts (or seems to conflict) with the current teachings of science. During the eighteenth century the French Academy of Science stubbornly denied the evidence for the fall of meteorites, which seemed massively obvious to everybody else. . . . Such was the awe in which Parisian scientists were held by their foreign associates that curators of public museums in Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, Italy, and Austria, anxious not to be considered as backward compared with their famous colleagues in Paris threw away whatever they possessed of these precious meteorites. The museum curators were quick to defend their actions; any lurking notion that meteorites might descend from the sky smacked dangerously of popular superstition about heavenly intervention. That was precisely the kind of superstition that progressive science was working hard to defy. The scientists and museum curators asserted that getting rid of meteorites was actually in the service of science. (103) The mainstream news site Religion News Service had a piece last week on the new Asatru temple in Iceland, titled After 1,000 years, a new temple to the Norse gods rises in Iceland. Heres a brief excerpt: Followers of Asatru, or Norse Paganism, still honor their gods, and in Iceland, where Asatru is the second-most-practiced religion after Christianity, a new temple to the Norse deities is rising now on Oskjuhli, a hill overlooking the center of the capital city of Reykjavik. Dedicated to the whole pantheon of Norse gods and nature spirits, it is the first Pagan temple to be built in more than 1,000 years. The temple is not entirely complete, but its far enough along that its being used for regular worship and meetings. Given the misappropriation of Norse religion by racists especially here in the United States its important to note that the Allsherjargoi of the Asatru Fellowship said: We are open to all, just like it was in the old days When the original religion was practiced, they didnt have the modern concept of race. Also, ancient people used to allow marriage between clans and cultures, to build alliances and make peace. The comments on the RNS site are not particularly positive (its a comments section what do you expect?). Several of them challenge the authenticity of the temple, of Asatru, and of modern Paganism in general since we dont have direct continuity with the ancients, they say were making it all up. I left a brief comment on the RNS site, but I want to address this question in more depth. The first Pagan temple in Iceland in 1000 years is something to celebrate. That we have no direct continuity with the ancients is a challenge, but it doesnt mean were making it all up. A legacy of Christian destruction Its ironic that many of the claims that modern Pagans are making it all up come from the descendants of the people who destroyed ancient temples, demolished their statues, and burned their writings. Some of the conversion of Europe and the Near East to Christianity (and later, to Islam) was voluntary, but much of it was not. Catherine Nixeys 2017 book The Darkening Age: The Christian Destruction of the Classical World describes some of the worst destruction and desecration. Some Christians did preserve some Pagan material. Much of what we know about ancient Norse religion comes from Christians who wrote it down, and for that we are thankful. But by and large, Christianity was and some of its forms, still is a conquering religion that demands total victory. Those who argue Pagan religions arent authentic because they have no continuity with the ancients usually skip the other part: you have no continuity because we destroyed it. And also, theyre wrong. We know some things about ancient Pagan religions Im a Druid. Of all the modern Pagan religions inspired by ancient beliefs and practices, Druidry has the least to go on. In Blood and Mistletoe: the History of the Druids in Britain (2009), Ronald Hutton said that the primary sources we have on ancient Druidry (if its even fair to call Celtic religion Druidry) can be encompassed within a dozen pages of relatively large print. But a dozen pages are more than nothing. Beyond the historical sources, we have the stories that survived into the Christian era, where they were written down. We have archaeological finds, things like the Gundestrup Cauldron. And we know more about the religious practices of other groups in the Indo-European tradition including Hinduism, which has direct and unbroken continuity going back 5000 years or so. All of these give us a place to start in our efforts to reconstruct and reimagine ancient religions for our time. Unbroken lineage is helpful (most of the time) but not essential Ill be honest: Im envious of the Catholic Church and their tradition of apostolic succession. Im envious that they have 2000 years of theology, philosophy, and liturgy to inform and inspire their practices. I wish Pagans had something similar. But that lineage didnt stop the medieval Church from becoming so corrupt that Protestants broke from it to create a whole new tradition. And its not stopping people in our time from leaving the Protestant denominations and becoming none of the above. However useful unbroken lineage may be, its no guarantee that a religion will remain meaningful and helpful. A good religion is a living religion Lineage and tradition can be a good thing, but they can also freeze us in the past. We see this in the conservative religions that mistake the cultural norms of ancient times for eternal truth. Perhaps at one point the precarious numbers of the human species were a valid reason to insist that women focus only on childbearing and to de-legitimize same sex attraction and relationships. But even if that was true then (and Im not saying it was, just that I see the argument) its clearly not true now. Yet conservative Christians, Muslims, and some others insist that we must follow the cultural norms of a long-gone era. Christianity is in decline because its no longer speaking to the needs and the experiences of people here and now. While modern Paganism is still very small, its growing because it addresses our need to connect to Nature, to our ancestors, and our Gods and Goddesses. It doesnt insist it has all the answers, because its obvious that no one religion has all the answers. Living religions grow and thrive. Religions stuck in the past require the force of law or social coercion to stay alive while they can. Tradition is a protocol connection is the core The commenters complaining you dont have any of their rituals miss the point. Rituals ancient or modern are only a means to an end. The end the goal of the rituals is forming and maintaining a connection with our Gods, our ancestors, the land and the spirits of the land. That connection is the core of the religion. We start with ancient rituals (or with our best approximation of them) because we know that if they worked for our ancestors, theyll likely work for us. But our Gods are bigger than any ritual, any temple, any geography. They can meet us any place They choose, and They usually choose to meet us where ever we are. After that, the relationship can strengthen and grow. Sometimes that takes us in the direction of how our ancestors understood and related to Them. Other times, that takes us in a new direction thats more meaningful and more effective here and now. Liturgy, rituals, holy days, prayers these are all sacred elements of a religion. But they are not the core. The core is the relationships we create and maintain. Temples are good but not necessary This is a different topic from the question of lineage and authenticity, but I need to discuss it here. I love temples, whether theyre ancient or modern or even if theyre part of a religion I no longer follow. Im very happy that the Asatru of Iceland have a new temple where they can gather and worship. I hope more temples are built in other places in the near future. But they arent required. One person can run a coven that meets in someones living room. Three people can run a group of 30 that holds public rituals in rented space. Temples require a long-term commitment from a large number of people. For the most part, we dont have that now. And thats OK. Were still a new religion. Or rather, were a collection of religions, often too fragmented to gather under the label of Pagan. Our first priority needs to be developing robust individual practices. Our second priority needs to be developing strong small groups. Hopefully, by the time were big enough to need temple-sized facilities, well have the resources to build them like the Asatru of Iceland. For now, I join in celebrating their new temple. In the twelfth century a Chinese Zen master, Kuoan Shiyuan wrote a series of poems describing the arc of the spiritual life. He did these poems as comments on a popular series of images describing that path as a child noticing the footprints of an ox in the dirt and begins a journey. With Kuoans poems the whole way of Zen is described. Alone in the wilderness, lost in the jungle, the boy is searching, searching! The swelling waters, the far-away mountains, and the unending path; Exhausted and in despair, he knows not where to go, He only hears the evening cicadas singing in the maple-woods. Here we get the great beginning of all spiritual journeys. It starts with noticing something is wrong. Here we can go back to the Buddhas great noticing in the first of the Four Noble Truths. Human anxiety. Dread. Disquiet. But we also see in this verse the unique perspective of China and the Zen way. The boy hears those cicadas singing in the evening. The great lists and profound analysis of India, comes to China and becomes cicadas calling to us. Analysis becomes poetry. Deep intimations become songs. The next four verses capture aspects of that journey. The verses address when one looks at the various disciplines of Zen, the spiritual technologies of Zen. All this, when taken together, we come to the sixth Ox Herding picture. Riding on the animal, he leisurely wends his way home: Enveloped in the evening mist, how tunefully the flute vanishes away! Singing a ditty, beating time, his heart is filled with a joy indescribable! That he is now one of those who know, need it be told? The following three poems describe the dynamic qualities of Zens awakening. In the Ox Herding Pictures theyre a continuation of awakening, ever into further depths. I suggest we can take each of them as complete in themselves. And when we take them all together, we find how our human awakening is now this, now that. But in the order of the poems, the first of the deep insights accessible to each of us described on the great way sings of an empty circle. All is empty the whip, the rope, the man, and the ox: Who can ever survey the vastness of heaven? Over the furnace burning ablaze, not a flake of snow can fall: When this state of things obtains, manifest is the spirit of the ancient master. Buddhism speaks of emptiness, and sometimes extinction. Here all categories collapse. It is empty. But in Zen that emptiness becomes boundless. The things of the world, whip, rope, human, and ox, are empty. But empty in the very act of presenting. Snow vanishes, but in the face of a burning furnace. And, this is not the end of the matter. A next image takes us to a scene of nature. We find the emptiness of things and discover it is boundless. And out of that universes explode, oceans form, mountains rise, and rivers course through valleys. To return to the Origin, to be back at the Source already a false step this! Far better it is to stay at home, blind and deaf, and without much ado; Sitting in the hut, he takes no cognizance of things outside, Behold the streams flowing whither nobody knows; and the flowers vividly red for whom are they? And even this is not the end. Not in the Zen way. Where the mysteries that can be described as form and emptiness, take on blood and bone. Out of the boundless rising out of the Great Rift, we emerge. And in our own time, in our own dreaming, we look up to the early morning sky and we see. The morning star kissing the moon. And our lives become miracles. Our ordinary actions become the stuff of myth. We get up. We follow the needs of our bodies. We sip coffee or tea and we go to work. Bare-chested and bare-footed, he comes out into the market-place; Daubed with mud and ashes, how broadly he smiles! There is no need for the miraculous power of the gods, For he touches, and lo! The dead trees are in full bloom. He. She. They. Our ordinariness, our brokenness, the stuff of our disquiet becomes songs of joy and tunes to which we can dance. The way and its power. (The verses are from D. T. Suzuki, Manual of Zen Buddhism, Grove Press, New York, 1960, pp. 150-171.) The Jospong Group of Companies has supported the Bank Hospital with a cheque of GHc120,000. The gesture that forms part of the Group's corporate social responsibility is to assist with the medical bills of renal patients at the hospital. Presenting the cheque, the Director of Communication and Corporate Affairs at Zoomlion Ghana Ltd. Ms. Emma Adwoa Appiaa Osei-Duah noted that every year the company embarks on charity endeavours by identifying needy institutions and individuals and supports them in which ever means they can. Last year, the company decided to support the dialysis program, hence settling on three dialysis units in Accra for the support. "Every year after our end-of-year Thanksgiving service, we engage in charity, and in 2023, we decided to support the dialysis units of three hospitals," she explained. The total figure for the three beneficiary hospitals; the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, the University of Ghana Medical Center (UGMC), and the Bank Hospital, is GHc500,000. Receiving the cheque, the Chief Finance Officer, Madam Grace Awotwi, commended the Jospong Group for the support and promised that the money would be of great support to the patients. On his part, a dialysis specialist at the hospital, Franklin Asare, noted that it has been very challenging for some patients to pay their bills. He therefore called on the government to consider absorbing the cost of dialysis on the national insurance scheme. "I believe the government can help with the cost of at least a session of dialysis a week, which could be covered under the national insurance scheme to help reduce the burden," he pleaded. A patient, Ms. Stacy Adam Behinni, a 24-year-old, former student of the Tema Secondary School, commending the Jospong Group for the benevolence, said she has been on dialysis for four years, which has hindered the advancement of her education. This is because the sickness has taken a toll on her parents. "This sickness has brought a lot of pain to my family because every week they have to find money to pay my bills, and this has not been easy at all," she cried. It is estimated that between 13% and 17% of Ghanas population have some form of renal function impairment. This equates to between 4 million and 5.2 million citizens. Researchers suggest that, from this segment of the population, between 15,000 and 19,500 should be on dialysis. The data available suggests that approximately 2,000 people are currently on dialysis. This means between 13,000 and 17,500 people are without treatment. These people will often seek alternative forms of treatment and access renal care only when the situation is acute. This has an impact on their quality of life and life expectancy. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Vice President and New Patriotic Party(NPP) Flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has never sought to distance himself from the challenges or perceived economic woes that the country is faced with. To Dr. Gideon Boako, Spokesperson to the NPP Flagbearer, his boss is and "still remains an integral part of the current administration," but simply has "a mind on his own" and intends to execute that agenda once given the mandate to serve as President. Dr Bawumia, during his address to Ghanaians on his vision for the country when elected as president, on February 7, 2024, at the University of Professional Studies (UPSA), Auditorium, said: "As Vice President, I am like a drivers mate, but if by the Grace of God you make me a President, I will be in the drivers seat and with constitutionally mandated authority to pursue my vision and priorities." He further added that the Economic Management Team (EMT) of which he (Bawumia) heads, does not have decision-making powers, but serves as a advisory body to cabinet. "I was appointed as chair of the EMT, as a sub-committee to Cabinet we do not have decision-making powers but I am very proud of the quality of advice we have been providing over the years to Cabinet. As vice president, I was asked by the president to assist in solving the problems that were inhibiting the economy. My approach was to help formalize the economy through digitalization as stated in our 2016 manifesto, he posited. His remarks have not gone down well with a section of the public who believe Dr Bawumia is attempting to insulate himself from the blame heaped on the EMT for the economic challenges that Ghana is facing. But speaking on Friday's edition of Mpu ne Mpu on United Television (UTV), Dr Gideon Boako, who is also the Parliamentary Candidate for Tano North, pointed out that the Vice-President's statement simply buttresses the fact that he is his own man. Adding that "the Bawumia led government will continue some of the projects of his boss, Nana Akufo Addo while he champions his agenda which is mainly digitally driven." ''The NDC do not want to speak to the economic data and performance Bawumia spoke about. Bawumia took one solid hour to build a case that despite all the questions and the talks, the government led by Nana Akufo Addo has constructed over 11,000 km of roads than any government since 1992. Bawumia said it but the NDC couldn't challenge it. ''No government since 1992 has created 1.2 million jobs as President Akufo Addo has done which Bawumia spoke about, yet the NDC has not challenged the records," he stated. Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Dr. Bernard Tutu Boahen, a Political Marketing Analyst, has revealed that there is absolutely nothing wrong with the Vce Presdient propelling his won vision and campaign message. He said, Dr Bawumia needed to adopt his own strategy for the upcoming elections and defend it accordingly as much as he can. Speaking to the vision lecture of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer, Dr. Tutu Boahen called on Ghanaians not to be too hard on the flagbearer as he outlines his own vision for the next government he is the leader of. The NPP Flagbearer mired himself in controversy when he asserted that the Economic Management Team (EMT) of which he heads, does not have decision-making powers but only advises cabinet. Thankfully, I was appointed as chair of the EMT, as a sub-committee to Cabinet we do not have decision-making powers but I am very proud of the quality of advice we have been providing over the years to Cabinet. As vice president, I was asked by the president to assist in solving the problems that were inhibiting the economy. my approach was to help formalize the economy through digitalization as stated in our 2016 manifesto, he said. Critics say having contributed to the country's current economic situation, the Vice-President is now seeking to distance himself from the mess. However, speaking on the Midday News on TV3 on Friday Febraury 9, Dr Tutu Boahene said At this stage that Dr Bawumia finds himself in he must also defend his campaign and put his campaign within the context that people expect him to be running his campaign. It is what people expect of him that will actually tell his campaign engine moving forward. And so for me, he has done the needful; people may call it a betrayal but I may not see it as a betrayal. For me, it is what works and it is going to work for him. Source: 3news.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 ruling New Patriotic Party, has appealed for the restoration of road tolls. The Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Attah, directed for the collection of the road tolls to cease following the introduction of the Electronic Levy (E-Levy) by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, last two years in March. However, many Ghanaians have since been calling on the government to restore the toll, as abolishing it is hugely costing the nation, but the government hasn't heeded the citizens' plea. Contributing to Friday's edition of Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" morning show, Henry Nana Boakye, popularly called "Nana B", called on his government to bring back the tolls arguing that millions of money are being washed away due to the removal of the tolls. The NPP National Organizer made a solemn appeal to the officials in charge saying, "I plead with our leaders that one thing they should rethink and restore is the road tolls. I haven't seen anything canceled in Ghana that the citizens are calling for it to come back like the road toll". "This year, it is estimated that the road toll can help us generate revenues of about 120 million. This emission tax we are talking about would only bring us 48m, so I implore the government to immediately bring back the road tolls," he accentuated. Watch video below Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Minority Leader, Dr. Ato Forson, says Ghana has travelled a long way and is making some considerable democratic progress. And in Africa, Ghanas democracy is one of the best. My plea is that even as Members of Parliament, we should be sensitive to the needs of the public in making laws and doing things the way that will benefit the people, he asserted. Speaking at a media engagement with the leadership of Parliament, the Minority Leader said democracy has helped the country move forward. Our job here is to guard against the derailment of our democracy because this democracy has helped the country to go forward, and we have to protect it, he stressed. He added, In as much as we are here to do our work, we have a responsibility to assist Ghana to maintain this democracy, and I think that all of us must take it seriously. Dr. Ato Forson intimated that the current democracy is most enduring and the one that has prospered in this country. In fact, it has its own weakness and we are working to perfect it as time goes on, he noted. He continued, You will agree with me that yesterday [referring to Tuesday], we introduced new Standing Orders and there are some major reforms that Parliament, through the Speaker and experienced people like my good friend, Suame Messi, have introduced. I am sure over the years the work of Parliament, you can agree with me, is evolving and changing and correcting itself. We are aiming for the best; we are not perfect. If we get something wrong, we call on the public to correct us, but we are here to help this democracy to mature, he said. Majority The Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, on his part, was worried about the high attrition rate in Parliament and blamed the political parties for this development. For the NDC, five MPs elected not to contest. When they went into the primaries, 17 of them were not successful to have retained their slots and represent their constituencies, bringing their number to 22. For the NPP, 18 elected not to contest and 28 lost. And that means that 46 out of the 137 will not be contesting, which is about a third of those who will not be contesting, he said. According to him, the longer MPs serve in Parliament, the better they do their jobs, adding, I keep saying that it doesnt take one year or one term to build the capacity of an MP. It is much more than that. He argued that if one wants to discover a persons true relevance, let him serve in Parliament for two terms and see how the person blossoms. If after two terms into the third term the person is not maturing, then perhaps you can draw your conclusion. But first time the person comes, so much resources are spent to blow the capacity of that person and just after the first term the person is peeled off at the expense of the state. I dare say the political parties are causing huge financial loss to the country, and I think that we really need to come together to interrogate our constitutions of the political parties to do what is needful, he stated. The Majority Leader stated that he was unaware of this practice in any of the established democracies, where the sluice gates are open to all comers at the end of the legislative session. Whoever thinks he is qualified to contest comes forth to contest. It does not exist anywhere. What pertains in the established democracy is the leadership of the political parties assess the performance of the members and pass on the report to the party, he said. According to him, if there is a problem with a persons function, they can call and advise him. He pointed out that if he stiffened his neck and refused to bend or reform after two, three, or four assessments, the parliamentary group might inform the party that he is not a gooder and is not helping the course, and we do not see him in parliament. 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 Flash To welcome the Year of the Dragon, a wave of festive celebrations sweeps across the globe, with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds joining in to experience the rich tapestry of Chinese Lunar New Year traditions. Numerous iconic landmarks, from the Empire State Building in New York to the London Eye, Tokyo Tower and the Sydney Opera House, have been illuminated in vibrant red hues and decorated with Chinese elements, creating a cheerful festival ambiance to welcome the Year of the Dragon. This photo taken on Feb. 8, 2024 shows the Empire State Building lit up in red for the Chinese Lunar New Year in New York, the United States. (Photo by Winston Zhou/Xinhua) The Empire State Building has shined red for the 24th consecutive year. "It's an annual tradition at the Empire State Building to celebrate the Lunar New Year in the heart of New York City. Our iconic Fifth Avenue lobby windows will feature a festive art installation to honor this year's animal, the dragon," said Christina Chiu, executive vice president, chief operating officer and chief financial officer for the Empire State Realty Trust. Various entertaining and cultural events were organized in France, Slovakia, Nigeria, Rwanda, the Central African Republic and elsewhere. On Feb. 4, the Chinese community in France took center stage on the iconic Avenue des Champs-Elysees in Paris, hosting a series of vibrant performances to herald the arrival of the Year of the Dragon. The traditional dragon and lion dances, fish lanterns and Hanfu performances attracted over 50,000 people. "Magnificent event. It's the first time I've seen an event like this. It feels good to see colorful events like this from another culture," attendee Jean-Baptiste told Xinhua, adding that the Chinese New Year can "touch everyone." In celebration of the traditional Chinese New Year, a concert was held on the same day in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. Musicians from the Chinese Chamber Orchestra of Zhejiang Conservatory of Music presented a performance featuring traditional Chinese music. Addressing the event, Marek Estok, the country's state secretary of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, said that the concert "takes us through Chinese melodies into Chinese history and unique culture which has positively influenced and enriched mankind for thousands of years with its precious philosophy, literature and architecture." The Chinese community in Nigeria held a carnival celebration featuring all kinds of Chinese folk art in the country's capital of Abuja on Feb. 3. Hailing the festive atmosphere as "electrifying," Adeshina Adegboye, a Nigerian mechanical engineer who attended the event for the first time, said, "As you can see, this celebration clearly shows the shared joy of the Chinese and their Nigerian friends." Confucius Institutes in Rwanda and the Central African Republic held colorful activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Students learning the Chinese language at the Confucius Institute of the University of Rwanda engaged in various activities, including a lecture introducing the Spring Festival, paper cutting, and writing Chinese characters symbolizing luck and happiness. With the dragon symbolizing wisdom and strength, Daguia Clotaire, Central African Director of Confucius Institute of the University of Bangui, said, "That's exactly what the Chinese people are doing, working hard to develop their country." BEIJING, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Business activities of wholesales markets, a bellwether of economic trends, have returned the bustling levels across China, heralding the country's broader economic recovery. Well-known as the world's manufacturing hub, China is home to a wide range of wholesale markets. Among them, two cities, with their own distinctive features and strengths, stand out from the fierce competition and occupy unique positions in the world's wholesale trade landscape. Yiwu, even though just a county level city in east China's Zhejiang Province, and which was initially built on a barter system, has now positioned itself as a "world's supermarket" after decades of expansion. Currently, this city offers nearly 2.1 million varieties of goods that are shipped to nearly every corner of the globe, while hosting over 15,000 merchants from more than 100 countries and regions. About 800 km away, Linyi, a less conspicuous inland city located in east China's Shandong Province, now features as a notable up-and-comer in the wholesales industry. Hosting almost all categories of the means of production, this city has built the country's largest professional wholesale market cluster. Last year, a freight train route linking Yiwu and Linyi was put into operation, and it is set to foster a closer bond between these cities and help more made-in-China goods to reach the rest of the world. CONSOLIDATING LEADING POSITION In the face of ailing world demand, traders in China's wholesales markets took the initiative to seek changes and managed to retain their leading position in global business. Even in the chill of winter, Yiwu International Trade Market remained busy, thronged with merchants from home and abroad exploring a treasure trove of business opportunities there. "Sometimes I need to receive 10 groups of clients a day," said an umbrella vendor named Zhang Jiying, describing herself to be "as busy as a beaver." Zhang said her company's sales recorded 30-percent year-on-year growth in 2023, while orders for this year are also proving significant. The hustle and bustle in Zhang's company epitomizes the strong comeback made by Yiwu. During the past year, more than 200,000 people visited the trade market per day on average, returning to the 2019 level. In the first 11 months of last year, the trading volume of the market exceeded 200 billion yuan (about 28.15 billion U.S. dollars), up 13 percent year on year. Similarly, sales in the Linyi wholesales market also saw hefty growth last year, as merchants actively embraced the era of e-commerce and live-streaming. "Live-streaming e-commerce significantly expanded the sales radius of the Linyi trade market, thereby prompting upgrades in production, sales, logistics and other links of the supply chains," said Jia Hangzhou, manager of an e-commerce base in Linyi. So far, 106 e-commerce supply chain enterprises have settled in the e-commerce base, with daily average transactions topping 5 million yuan, Jia noted. Total trading volume of Linyi Trade City exceeded 610 billion yuan in 2023, and online retail sales skyrocketed 35 percent year on year to reach approximately 61 billion yuan. BOOSTING BACKWARD LINKAGES Burgeoning trade in small commodities not only boosted the manufacturing of these goods, but also drove local industries toward improved technology and greater value-added levels. Zhejiang Jieerke Solar Technology Co., Ltd. is a prime example in this regard. The Yiwu-based manufacturer of solar modules offers over 100 types of new energy products such as photovoltaic panels, solar refrigerators, and lithium batteries. Lin Jianxiong, a member of the company, said Yiwu provides an obvious advantage in terms of price-quality ratio, as the company can both manufacture and sell new energy products there. Lin added that last year the company's sales had increased by about 20 percent year on year, while the company footprint had expanded from Africa to the Middle East, Central Asia and South America. As the result of efforts to cultivate emerging industries, Yiwu has managed to develop two thriving manufacturing clusters of the information optoelectronics and automobile manufacturing industries, respectively, with the output of each reaching 100 billion yuan. For Linyi, the boom in small commodity trade has also been significant, transforming the somewhat isolated inland mountainous city into an international logistics hub over the course of a few decades. The efficiency of Linyi's trade logistics is such that while it takes about 15 days and 320 yuan to transport a ping-pong table directly from an eastern coastal city to Urumqi in the remote northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, it requires only 10 days and 120 yuan if a ping-pong table first makes a detour to Linyi before being transported to Urumqi. "The developed commercial logistics network and a sufficient source of freight in Linyi combine to ensure the non-stop and punctual operation of freight vehicles, reducing waiting time," explained Xue Yong, an official with the commerce bureau in the city of Linyi. "This means the shipping cost from Linyi is 20 percent to 30 percent lower than the national average," Xue added. Linyi is now served well by more than 3,000 logistics highways reaching all cities above the county level and all ports across the country, and is a key node of a multimodal transport network of railways and airlines that connect it to the rest of the world. EXPANDING GLOBAL PRESENCE Eyeing myriad opportunities in overseas markets, China's wholesale industry, marked by traditional sales and distribution models, is accelerating its pace in pursuit of going global. From initiating TIR transport services to accelerating overseas warehouse construction, Linyi, once considered a domestic-oriented market, has been working hard to develop into an overseas market, vigorously implementing the strategy of "buying and selling goods all over the world." Linyi puts equal emphasis on both "bringing in" and "going global." Thanks to its advanced overseas procurement channels, consumers in the Linyi trade market can buy products from more than 80 countries, including the likes of Russia, Germany, France and Australia. Yiwu, already a significant global export hub, has not been idle either. In the face of fragile global demand, many Yiwu merchants headed for overseas destinations to catch up with old friends and meet new customers, boosting trade and investment in overseas markets. Thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative, Yiwu has entered a new phase of globalization. A symbolic event in this regard is the initiation of Yixin'ou, also known as Yiwu-Xinjiang-Europe, a 13,052 km long route linking Yiwu with the European commodity center of Madrid via Xinjiang. As of December 2023, the number of import and export containers delivered through Yixin'ou had surpassed 188,000 twenty-foot-equivalent units (TEUs). By then, Yixin'ou had initiated 25 routes, spanning 160 cities in over 50 countries and regions, since it first started operating in November 2014. A group calling itself "Young Northerners Forum" has impressed upon the General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Fiifi Kwetey, to render an apology to the Vice President and presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. The group is asking Fiifi Kwetey to retract some words they described as "disrespectful and derogatory" made by the latter against the character of Dr. Bawumia. "We, the Young Northerners Forum, strongly condemn the disrespectful and derogatory comments made by Fiifi Kwetey towards Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, referring to him as a disgrace to the Northern Region. We find such remarks highly offensive, inappropriate, and completely uncalled for to be brazenly uttered to northerners against a northerners on a northern soil", a statement by the group copied to Peacefmonline read. The statement further said; "As members of the Young Northerner Forum, we believe in the values of unity, respect, and coexistence in the political ecosystem. We firmly stand against any form of tribalism, discrimination, or belittlement towards individuals based on their regional background. It is disappointing to witness such divisive language coming from someone in a position of influence and authority." "We, therefore, call upon His Excellency President John Mahama to impress upon Hon. Fiifi Kwetey to yield to our demand of rendering unconditional apology for his derogatory comments. Otherwise, it will be a tacit endorsement of the unguarded statement of Mr Fiifi Kwetey. In an election year, it is even more important for us to emphasize the principles of unity and collaboration, and a clean campaign devoid of character assassination", they established. Read full statement below: STATEMENT BY YOUNG NORTHERNERS FORUM CALLING FOR A DECORUM CAMPAIGN, CONDEMNING FIIFI KWETEY TRIBAL COMMENTS AND CALLING FOR A RETRACTION AND APOLOGY. We, the Young Northerners Forum, strongly condemn the disrespectful and derogatory comments made by Fiifi Kwetey towards Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, referring to him as a disgrace to the Northern Region. We find such remarks highly offensive, inappropriate, and completely uncalled for to be brazenly uttered to northerners against a northerners on a northern soil. As members of the Young Northerner Forum, we believe in the values of unity, respect, and coexistence in the political ecosystem. We firmly stand against any form of tribalism, discrimination, or belittlement towards individuals based on their regional background. It is disappointing to witness such divisive language coming from someone in a position of influence and authority. At the seat of Dagbon Namship, Gbewa Palace in Yendi, Ndan Ya-Na Abukari Mahama II in the presence of Mr Fiifi Kwetey and NDC politburo described Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as a brother of H.E John Mahama and called on them to avoid the exchange of ascerbic comments but focus on issues. Seemingly, no sooner did Mr Kwetey leave the Palace than the piece of advice fell off his brain. We resist any unguarded attempt by Mr Fiifi Kwetey to pitch the two candidates at each other. Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, as Vice President of Ghana and his elder brother, Former President John Mahama - both representatives of the Northern Region have shown great dedication and commitment to public service. Their efforts in the areas of economic development, financial stability, and social empowerment have significantly contributed to the progress of our nation over the years. They are our heroes of millennial politics and it will therefore be a dereliction of duty if we turn a blind eye while any of them is being unfortunately described as a disgrace. Our heroes remain our heroes NOT a disgrace. We, therefore, call upon His Excellency President John Mahama to impress upon Hon. Fiifi Kwetey to yield to our demand of rendering unconditional apology for his derogatory comments. Otherwise, it will be a tacit endorsement of the unguarded statement of Mr Fiifi Kwetey. In an election year, it is even more important for us to emphasize the principles of unity and collaboration, and a clean campaign devoid of character assassination. As political leaders, they have a duty to rise above partisan differences and work towards the betterment of our beloved Ghana. Our diversity is our strength, and it is through embracing our differences that we can build a brighter future for all. Let us commit ourselves to promoting peaceful and inclusive dialogue during this crucial year. Let us refrain from hate speech and violence, and instead engage in constructive discussions that foster understanding and unity. They must remember that their words and actions have the power to make or unmake the future of our nation. Signed... John Nasara President, Young Northerners Forum 0546741313 Ibrahim Mahama Secretary, Young Northerners Forum. 0248842286 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 By Jill Lawless, The Associated Press LONDON As chances rise of a Joe Biden-Donald Trump rematch in the U.S. presidential election race, Americas allies are bracing for a bumpy ride. Many worry that a second term for Trump would be an earthquake, but tremors already abound and concerns are rising that the U.S. could grow less dependable regardless of who wins. With a divided electorate and gridlock in Congress, the next American president could easily become consumed by manifold challenges at home before even beginning to address flashpoints around the world from Ukraine to the Middle East. French President Emmanuel Macrons recent verdict was blunt: Americas first priority is itself. The first Trump administration stress-tested the bonds between the U.S. and its allies, particularly in Europe. Trump derided the leaders of some friendly nations, including Germanys Angela Merkel and Britains Theresa May, while praising authoritarians such as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian leader Vladimir Putin. He has called Chinas Xi Jinping brilliant and Hungarys Viktor Orban a great leader. In campaign speeches, Trump remains skeptical of organizations such as NATO, often lamenting the billions the U.S. spends on the military alliance whose support has been critical to Ukraines fight against Russias invasion. He said at a rally on Saturday that, as president, hed warned NATO allies he would encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want to countries that didnt pay their way in the alliance. Trump also wrote on his social media network that in the future the U.S. should end all foreign aid donations and replace them with loans. Biden, meanwhile, has made support for Ukraine a key priority and moral imperative. But Bidens assertion after his election in 2020 that America is back on the global stage has not been entirely borne out. Congressional Republicans have stalled more military aid for Ukraine, while Americas influence has been unable to contain conflict in the Middle East Thomas Gift, director of the Centre on U.S. Politics at University College London, said that whoever wins the presidential race, the direction of travel will be the same toward a multipolar planet in which the United States is no longer the indisputable world superpower. Most allied leaders refrain from commenting directly on the U.S. election, sticking to the line that its for Americans to pick their leader. They are conscious that they will have to work with the eventual winner, whoever it is and behind the scenes, governments will be doing the backroom work of quietly establishing links with the contenders political teams, said Richard Dalton, a former senior British diplomat. But many of Americas European NATO allies are worried that with or without Trump, the U.S. is becoming less reliable. Some have started to talk openly about the need for members to ramp up military spending, and to plan for an alliance without the United States. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he was currently on the phone a lot with my colleagues and asking them to do more to support Ukraine. Germany is the second-largest donor of military aid to Kyiv, behind the U.S., but Scholz recently told Die Zeit that the country couldnt fill any gap on its own if the U.S.A. ceased to be a supporter. Russia, meanwhile, is busy bolstering ties with China, Iran and North Korea and trying to chip away at Ukraines international support. FILE Then-U.S. President Donald Trump, right, meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany, Friday, July 7, 2017. While in power, Trump derided the leaders of some friendly nations while praising authoritarians such as Putin. As chances rise of a Joe Biden-Trump rematch in the U.S. presidential election race, Americas allies are bracing for a bumpy ride. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)AP Macron also suggested American attention was focused far from Europe. If Washingtons top priority is the U.S., he said its second is China. This is also why I want a stronger Europe, that knows how to protect itself and isnt dependent on others, Macron said at a January news conference. Trump does have supporters in Europe, notably pro-Russia populists such as Hungarys Orban. But former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson raised some eyebrows when he argued recently that a Trump presidency could be just what the world needs. Johnson is a strong supporter of Ukraine in its struggle against Russian invasion, whereas Trump has frequently praised Putin and said hed end the war within 24 hours. However, Johnson said in a Daily Mail column that he didnt believe Trump would ditch the Ukrainians, but instead would help Ukraine win the war, leaving the West stronger and the world more stable. Bronwen Maddox, director of the international affairs think tank Chatham House, said arguments like that underestimate how destabilizing Trump has been, and likely would continue to be if reelected. For those who say his first term did not do much damage to international order, one answer is that he took the U.S. out of the JCPOA, the deal to curb Irans nuclear program. Irans acceleration of its work since then has left it a threshold nuclear weapon state, she said during a recent speech on the year ahead. Biden was a critic of Trumps Iran policy but hasnt managed to rebuild bridges with Tehran, which continues to flex its muscles across the region. Dalton, a former U.K. ambassador to Iran, said prospects for the Middle East would be slightly worse under Trump than Biden. But he said divergence on the regions main tensions the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Irans ambitions would be limited. No U.S. administration is going to make a serious effort to resolve differences with Iran through diplomacy, Dalton told The Associated Press. That ship sailed quite some time ago. Palestinians and their supporters, meanwhile, implore Biden to temper U.S. support for Israel as the civilian death toll from the war in Gaza climbs. But hard-liners in Israel argue the U.S. is already restraining the offensive against Hamas too much. Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israels far-right national security minister, recently said Biden was not giving Israel his full backing and that if Trump was in power, the U.S. conduct would be completely different. Much like its allies, Americas rivals are not openly expressing a preference for the election outcome. Trump developed a strong rapport with Turkeys Erdogan, calling them very good friends during a 2019 meeting at the White House. Yet Turkey-U.S. relations were fraught during his tenure. The Trump administration removed Turkey from its F-35 fighter jet project over Ankaras decision to purchase Russian-made missile defense systems, while Trump himself threatened to ruin Turkeys economy. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told CBS in January that he doesnt believe there will be any difference between a Trump and a Biden presidency. He argued that Russia-U.S. relations have been going downhill since George W. Bushs administration. China, where leaders initial warmth toward Trump soured into tit-for-tat tariffs and rising tensions, little changed under Biden, who continued his predecessors tough stance toward the United States strategic rival. FILE - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas shake hands during a meeting in the West Bank town of Ramallah, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. As chances rise of a Joe Biden-Donald Trump rematch in the U.S. presidential election race, Americas allies are bracing for a bumpy ride. Palestinians and their supporters implore Biden to temper U.S. support for Israel as the civilian death toll from the war in Gaza climbs. But hard-liners in Israel argue the U.S. is already restraining the offensive too much. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool, File)AP Zhao Minghao, a professor of international relations at Fudan University in Shanghai, said that for China, the two candidates were like two bowls of poison. Gift, from University College London, said the move to a more fractured world is going to happen regardless of whether Donald Trump or Joe Biden is elected. Its just sort of a reality, he said. Associated Press writers Jiwon Song in Seoul, South Korea, Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin, Dasha Litvinova in Tallinn, Estonia, Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, Nomaan Merchant in Washington, and Jill Colvin and Michelle Price in New York contributed to this story. KYIV, Ukraine Russian forces launched 45 drones over Ukraine on Sunday in a five-and-a-half-hour barrage, officials said, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy continued the reshuffle of his war cabinet as the war enters its third year. In a statement, the Ukrainian air force said it had shot down 40 of the Iranian-made Shahed drones over nine different regions, including on the outskirts of the countrys capital, Kyiv. The five-and-a-half-hour attack targeted agricultural facilities and coastal infrastructure, officials for Ukraines southern defense forces wrote on Telegram. They said that a strike in the Mykolaiv region had injured one person, sparking a fire and damaging nearby residential buildings. Another person was injured in Ukraines Dnipropetrovsk region when a blaze broke out due to falling debris from a destroyed drone, said the head of the regions military administration, Serhiy Lysak. The strikes come as Zelenskyy continues his shakeup of military commanders in a bid to maintain momentum against attacking Russian forces. Kyiv announced Sunday that former deputy defense minister Lt. Gen. Alexander Pavlyuk would become the new commander of Ukraines ground forces. The post was previously held by Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, who was named Thursday as the replacement for Ukraines outgoing military chief, Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi. New presidential decrees also named Yurii Sodol, the former head of Ukraines marine corps, as the new commander of Ukraines combined forces; Brig. Gen. Ihor Skibiuk as commander of Ukraines air assault forces; and Maj. Gen. Ihor Plahuta as commander of Ukraines territorial defense forces. Incoming commander-in-chief Syrskyi has signaled that his immediate goals include improving troop rotation at the front lines and harnessing the power of new technology at a time when Kyivs forces are largely on the defensive. STARLINK CONCERNS Ukraines military intelligence service said Sunday that attacking Russian forces had been found using Starlink terminals to aid their attack. It released what it said was a recording of an intercepted conversation between two Russian soldiers as proof. Starlink terminals, which use a series of satellites run by Elon Musks company Space X to provide high-speed communications, have been vital in giving Ukraines military an edge over invading Russian troops. However, multiple reports of Russian troops using Starlink on the front line in occupied Ukraine had begun to surface in the Ukrainian media in recent weeks. Burnt out cars after a Russian attack on a residential neighborhood in Kharkiv, Ukraine Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Yevhen Titov)AP They prompted Space X to release a statement on social media on Feb. 8, saying that it did not do business of any kind with the Russian government or its military. However, Western tech components have regularly been found among Russias arsenal as Moscow has become more skilled at evading sanctions, often importing goods via third countries. In a statement on Telegram Saturday, Zelenskyy said that he hoped to reboot the upper levels of Ukraines armed forces with experienced combat commanders. Now, people who are well-known in the army and who themselves know well what the army needs are taking on new responsibilities, he said. By William Lambers Its urgent Congress pass the Ukraine/Israel aid package because it has life-saving humanitarian assistance. We are in the biggest global hunger crisis since the end of World War II because of conflicts and drought. We cant have humanitarian aid funding tied up in Congress for months because of politics. A big English Premier League weekend rolls to a prolific close on Sunday with a slate of matches that includes a battle between Arsenal and West Ham United. That contest is slated for a 9 a.m. ET kickoff from London Stadium. The Arsenal vs. West Ham United Premier League showdown will be carried live on USA Network. Live streams for the match are also available with offers from FuboTV (free trial), along with DirecTV Stream (free trial) and Sling TV (. Arsenal is a sound favorite in this one as the club looks to keep pace at the top of the Premier League standings, entering Sunday with a 15-4-4 record and 49 points. Those marks trail Liverpool (54) and Manchester City (52), who both got a head start with convincing wins over Burnley and Everton, respectively. Now its Arsenals time to hold suit, handle West Ham and seek revenge for back-to-back losses put on them by WHU, first by a 3-1 margin at the Carabao Cup on Nov. 1, later by a 2-0 win on Arsenals home turf on Dec. 28. ARSENAL VS. WEST HAM UNITED MATCH INFO When: 9 a.m. ET Where: London Stadium, London. TV channel: USA Network Live stream options: FuboTV (free trial) | DirecTV Stream (free trial) | Sling TV (low intro rate) Moneyline: Arsenal -210, West Ham +550, draw +350. West Ham hasnt exactly lit up the pitch since that 2-0 win over Arsenal with three consecutive disappointing draws in the Premier League and a total of six straight matches without a win. Playing at home with a confidence that comes from beating a Premier League power twice is a nice situation on that front, but not without playing a more sound match than last time out in a 3-0 loss to Manchester United. The Arsenal vs. West Ham match will air on USA Today with a 9 a.m. ET start. Live streams for the match are also available with introductory offers from FuboTV (free trial), along with DirecTV Stream (free trial) and Sling TV (low intro rate). See also: More coverage of the English Premier League This photo taken on Jan. 31, 2024 shows a "Zhemian," a traditional decoration used during the Spring Festival, made by Liu Shengyu and Liu Bin, in Tongwei County of northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Ren Yanxin) LANZHOU, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Liu Shengyu, 74, meticulously chiseled intricate patterns of hollowed-out flowers, coins, and auspicious words onto a stack of rice paper, accompanied by the gentle brush strokes of his son, who layered vibrant colors onto different shapes of rice paper. The father and son have combined to complete hundreds of orders for their handmade "Chunye" and "Zhemian" in time for the Spring Festival. "Chunye" and "Zhemian" are decorations used during the Spring Festival in Tongwei County of northwest China's Gansu Province. "Chunye" traditionally features a trio of interconnected ancient coins in colors of red, yellow, and green, while "Zhemian," which is larger in size, boasts an array of intricate floral patterns such as peonies, lotus flowers, and chrysanthemums. "On wooden eaves, beams and window frames, these colorful paper handicrafts bloom like flowers, adorning the bleak winter in northwest regions," said Liu, who added that most local families purchase dozens of them to decorate their houses, wishing for prosperity, good health, and bountiful harvests in the coming year. Back in the 1950s, Liu's father saw making "Chunye" and "Zhemian" not merely as an art form but also as a way to earn a living. "With not much tillable land in our village, my father had to master a craft to sustain our large family," Liu recalled. Individual copies of "Chunye" and "Zhemian" cost just a few cents back then. However, Liu's father managed to improve the life of the family thanks to his skills. Each year before the Spring Festival, the family had lots of visitors coming to purchase decorations. Inspired by his father, Liu Shengyu gradually developed an interest in the craft, and diligently honed his skills to extend his father's legacy. According to him, making "Chunye" and "Zhemian" is a complicated but exciting process, involving dozens of laborious steps like folding paper, chiseling patterns and dyeing. The complexity of this craft is underlined by the fact that there are over 60 different files to be used for chiseling various patterns. Decades of manual work have left their marks on Liu's weathered and calloused hands, while the dyeing process, the final and most crucial step, requires great patience. Each color must be applied meticulously, with excess dye carefully pressed out. To avoid cross-coloring, each layer has to be saturated with one color and become completely dry before artisans can proceed with the next color. Therefore, although the decorations are only sold at the beginning of the year, Liu and his son have to commence their work as early as May, investing months of painstaking effort into each piece. "Farmers work hard all year round. Sitting by the fire, eating a bowl of hot noodles while admiring colorful paper cuttings adorning their homes is all that they expect at the end of a year. So we have to honor their expectations with fine works," said Liu. While inheriting the traditional skills, Liu and his son Liu Bin also strive to innovate, developing new patterns and offering customized designs to meet the diverse needs of their clientele. "In the process of urbanization, many people have moved into buildings and their livelihoods are improved. The demand for 'Chunye' and 'Zhemian' has waned," said Liu Bin. "But the tradition lasts, serving as the symbol of our shared cultural heritage and emotional ties to the Spring Festival." Liu Bin arranges "Zhemian," a traditional decoration used during the Spring Festival, at home in Tongwei County of northwest China's Gansu Province, Jan. 31, 2024. (Xinhua/Ren Yanxin) Liu Bin displays a "Zhemian," a traditional decoration used during the Spring Festival, with a Chinese character "Fu (fortune)," in Tongwei County of northwest China's Gansu Province, Jan. 31, 2024. (Xinhua/Ren Yanxin) Liu Shengyu makes "Chunye," a traditional decoration used during the Spring Festival, in Tongwei County of northwest China's Gansu Province, Jan. 31, 2024. (Xinhua/Ren Yanxin) The White House blasted Trumps NATO threat as endangering Americas national security, global security, and the US economy. Trump said at his rally in South Carolina, One of the presidents of a big country stood up and said, Well sir, uh, if we dont pay, and were attacked by Russia, will you protect us? I said, you didnt pay? Youre delinquent? He said, yes. Lets say that happened. No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. Video of Trump: Trump says he would encourage Russia to attack NATO allies: I said I would not protect our NATO allies. In fact, I would encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want pic.twitter.com/ak1a3Mtwzq To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily. Biden-Harris HQ (@BidenHQ) February 10, 2024 White House spokesperson Andrew Bates responded to Trumps threat, President Biden has restored our alliances and made us stronger in the world because he knows every commander in chiefs first responsibility is to keep the American people safe and hold true to the values that unite us. Thanks to President Bidens experienced leadership, NATO is now the largest and most vital it has ever been. Encouraging invasions of our closest allies by murderous regimes is appalling and unhinged and it endangers American national security, global stability, and our economy at home. Rather than calling for wars and promoting deranged chaos, President Biden will continue to bolster American leadership and stand up *for* our national security interests not against them. The media tends to ignore Trump as a threat to global security, but what Trump said in South Carolina matches up with his view of NATO. Trump has gotten more extreme since leaving office in that he is now threatening to let Russia invade a NATO ally and he will do nothing. Trumps comments have to be music to Putins ears, because if the former president returns to the White House that means there will be no one attempting to keep the NATO alliance strong in the United States. Putin and other authoritarians could run wild and Trump would allow it to happen. Instead of obsessing about Bidens age, the media should be discussing Trumps threat to destroy NATO. A Special Message From PoliticusUSA If you are in a position to donate purely to help us keep the doors open on PoliticusUSA during what is a critical election year, please do so here. We have been honored to be able to put your interests first for 14 years as we only answer to our readers and we will not compromise on that fundamental, core PoliticusUSA value. House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY) admitted on Sunday morning that he has no evidence that President Biden engaged in influence peddling. Comer said on Fox News Sunday when asked about the Hur Report: What Im concerned about is the fact that hidden within that document is evidence that the some of the classified documents he mishandled were from Ukraine and China. And as you know, Maria, and as Special Counsel Hur should know, weve been leading a major influence peddling investigation of the President where weve proven that at the very least his son and brother had been influence peddling with those two countries. To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily. We want to know exactly what those documents were, and we want to know if Hur actually interviewed Jim Biden and Hunter Biden because, look, this family as you know very well has been involved in influence peddling for decades. This is shady, this is counter to everything we stand for in America, and its a threat to our national security. So we have a lot of questions about Hurs report. Video: James Comer admits that he has no evidence of President Biden influence peddling, Weve proven that at the very least his son and brother had been influence peddling with those two countries. The Presidents son and brother are private citizens and cant be impeached. pic.twitter.com/Sz7uzGd603 Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) February 11, 2024 Comer did not want to talk about Hurs claim about Bidens mental faculties because if Biden is mentally diminished as Hur claimed, it would undercut Comers entire investigation, which is based on the idea that President Biden is a criminal mastermind. Republicans cant have both ways. Biden cant be both a criminal mastermind who deserves impeachment and a mentally incapable president. Chair Comers impeachment investigation has virtually collapsed. House Republicans are dozens of votes short of being able to impeach President Biden. Even James Comer is admitting that he has nothing. The Biden impeachment investigation has been one of the biggest investigative failures by a House majority in congressional history, and it needs to end. A Special Message From PoliticusUSA If you are in a position to donate purely to help us keep the doors open on PoliticusUSA during what is a critical election year, please do so here. We have been honored to be able to put your interests first for 14 years as we only answer to our readers and we will not compromise on that fundamental, core PoliticusUSA value. Sen. Marco Rubio twisted himself all around while defending Trump saying that he would allow Russia to invade NATO allies. Rubio said on CNNs State Of The Union: Thats not what happened. Thats not how I view the statement. He was talking about a story that he talked about happened in the past. By the way, Donald Trump was president and he didnt pull us out of NATO. In fact, American troops were stationed throughout NATO and hes telling a story. Frankly, look, Donald Trump is not a member of the Council of Foreign Relations. He doesnt talk like a traditional politician. Weve already been through this. You think people would have figured it out. If you see the comments, he said NATO was broke or busted until he took over because people werent paying their dues and then he told the story about how he used leverage to get people to step up to the plate and become more active in NATO. Hes not the first American president, in fact, virtually every American at some point in some way has complained about other countries and NATO not doing enough. Trumps just the first one to express it in these terms. Im zero concerned. Hes been president before. I know exactly what hes done and will do with the NATO alliance. It has to be an alliance. Not Americas defense with small junior partners. These are small countries. The Germans are doing a lot right now. To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily. Video: Marco Rubio defends Trump, saying that he would let Russia invade NATO countries, "Donald Trump is not a member of the Council of Foreign Relations. He doesn't talk like a traditional politician. We've already been through this. You think people would have figured it out." pic.twitter.com/8UTqdeN1xs Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) February 11, 2024 It was embarrassing to watch Rubio spin and play dumb. Trump doesnt understand Russia, NATO, or international relations. NATO isnt Mar-a-Lago. It isnt a club where people pay dues to get in. NATO is a strategic defense alliance. It is not conditional. Rubio knows all of this, and he also knows that Trump tried to destroy NATO and divide the members during his presidency. It is a disgrace to the NATO that Marco Rubio would Trump endanger global and national security, but that is what the Senator from Florida did by justifying and defending Trumps comments. A Special Message From PoliticusUSA If you are in a position to donate purely to help us keep the doors open on PoliticusUSA during what is a critical election year, please do so here. We have been honored to be able to put your interests first for 14 years as we only answer to our readers and we will not compromise on that fundamental, core PoliticusUSA value. Aiken Standard Reporter Erin Weeks is a reporter with the Aiken Standard. She covers education in Aiken County. Erin is a graduate of the University of South Carolina Aiken. Her first poetry book, "Origins of My Love," was published by Bottlecap Press in 2022. To support local journalism, sign up for a subscription. See our current offers Scottie Scheffler has become the first player in the 50 years of The Players Championship to win back-to-back. This was the hardest. Not only was he dealing with neck pain all week, he started the final round five shots behind. Scheffler closed with a 64. That matches the lowest final round by a winner. He also tied a Players Championship record with a five-shot comeback. U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark, British Open champion Brian Harman and Xander Schauffele all finished one shot behind. All of them had their chances over the final three holes to force a playoff. Read moreScheffler goes back-to-back in Players Championship in Sunday thriller at Sawgrass A last-minute wrinkle thats been holding back a $510 million hush-hush economic development deal west of Summerville has been ironed out. Dorchester County Council resolved the issue last week by approving a change to its land-use map and by rezoning 231 acres next to its Pine Hill Business Campus on Highway 17A. The votes were unanimous. Discussion was limited. Autumn Timber LLC, which is believed to be affiliated with a major technology infrastructure investor, possibly Google, plans to develop a data center on the property. No public information is available about the Delaware-registered company's ownership or its business operations, and scant details about the Pine Hill project have been disclosed so far. Autumn Timber first emerged publicly nearly 18 months ago. Its name came back into focus last fall, when the county approved a package of tax breaks, a water-service agreement and a real estate transaction to seal the deal. The local economic development office said after an Oct. 2 vote that the mystery company still needed to work through some final "regulatory issues" before stepping out of the shadows. The lingering hurdles likely included a glitch with part of a 268-acre county-owned parcel Autumn Timber is expected to buy for $5.84 million, or about half of the most recent list price. The hang-up was most of the property wasn't technically part of the Pine Hill industrial park. Rather, it fell inside the 39,000-acre East Edisto tract, where the development rights are dictated by a 2012 master plan drawn up by MeadWestvaco Corp., the previous landowner, and local conservation groups. "It was included in an area that was considered a business overlay, so it was intended for development for business-type uses," Kiera Reinertsen, the county's planning and zoning director, told elected officials Feb. 5. "It could have been a retail center, or it could be industrial." But as her office "dove deeper into" the details, she said, "it just really wasn't working to facilitate the type of development that we've been seeing within our industrial parks for economic development projects." Pet owners have one more reason to shop carefully when looking to lease an apartment, because "dog rent" and "cat rent" have become increasingly common. And the extra monthly charge often comes on top of onetime, nonrefundable pet fees or security deposits that total hundreds of dollars. When it's all added up, renting with one cat or dog in the household could cost between $500 and $1,000 the first year, and a few hundred dollars every year after that. Of course, it all depends on the landlord or apartment complex. An informal survey of my pet-owning co-workers found them paying an extra $10 to $30 for pet rent every month, plus a hefty onetime fee that ranged from $300 to $500. Fees, unlike deposits, are typically nonrefundable. Large, newer apartment buildings are more likely to use rent-maximizing software programs, which I wrote about in last week's column. They've also become notorious for piling on fees for dogs and cats, garbage collection, cable connections, amenities, rent applications, for "administration" and even for renewing a lease. It reminds me of how airlines and rental-car companies added a whole list of extra fees so that their sticker prices would be competitive online but the actual cost would usually be higher. South Carolina's landlord-friendly Residential Landlord and Tenant Act does not limit or regulate pet deposits and nonrefundable fees. However, service animals, including emotional support animals, are exempt from extra fees under the federal Fair Housing Act. Tenants can expect to be asked for some type of proof regarding such animals and, possibly, an extra security deposit. Several years ago, I found myself pricing Valentine roses at a beachside flower shop. When the clerk asked me which day I needed the flowers, I answered cautiously as if this were a trick question. The day of the week that Valentines Day falls on. Thats when he offered an economics lesson. Apparently Valentines Day roses are cheaper if you dont buy them on the actual day. The florist had a sign advertising $10 roses, but roses delivered on Valentines Day jump to a steep $70. Hmmm, I mused as I walked backward toward the door like a sheriff cornered by some bad guys. "Man!" I thought, "How much is love supposed to cost?" Scripture defines loves highest price: Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13). That price makes $70 roses seem like a bargain. However, Ive met people whove shown that kind of love, either deliberately or accidentally. Several years ago, I sought to comfort the family of a 17-year-old boy who had been pronounced dead after our emergency room staff had done everything they could to save him. Employed at Houstons Splashtown water park, he and his co-workers were playing after-hours volleyball when one of the employees decided to see how far he could shimmy up a light pole. As the light pole began to sway, the climber jumped clear. But when our patient saw the pole continuing to descend toward the players, he shoved his friend out of danger. It was at that moment the young man caught the pole in his outstretched hands. Tragically, the pole had lost its electrical ground and our patient fielded 220 volts. From that moment on, neither his grieving lifeguard friends nor the valiant paramedics were able to encourage another breath from this hero. As the doctors explained the events of the boys heroic sacrifice to his grieving parents, I struggled for the words that would begin some kind of closure. I noted how remarkable it was that their son had given his life for his friend, and I naively quoted John 15:13. The prospective national anthem singers worked in a dental office, sold mattresses, sang in their church or served in the military. But, they all shared a love for singing one song in particular. Read moreOh say can you sing? Look who's auditioning for national anthem at RiverDogs A month into the job, Mayor William Cogswell leans on a range of longtime relationships and newly formed alliances after assembling his inner circle at Charleston City Hall. Top advisors and staff executives include a sitting Democratic state lawmaker, a local activist and other allies who helped him become the first Republican leader of South Carolina's largest city in modern history. The new mayor weighs whether one of his key hires state Rep. Wendell Gilliard, D-Charleston has the capacity to work full-time for the city and spend three days a week in Columbia during session as an elected legislator, a job Cogswell had for six years. Gilliard collects two taxpayer-funded salaries: $10,400 base pay as a lawmaker and now $100,000 as a special advisor to Cogswell, The Post and Courier has learned. Already, it is a challenge, Cogswell said of Gilliard's split roles. I dont want it to be set up for failure. I want to make sure that he can dedicate the time. The mayor announced Gilliard's appointment and several other key positions three weeks ahead of his Jan. 8 inauguration. For more than a month, the administration delayed releasing information showing how much these top jobs would cost taxpayers. For starters, no one makes more than his chief of staff the mayor included. The Post and Courier reviewed the appointees brought on board by Cogswell so far and obtained salary information. The new mayor, in some cases, is paying more for key positions than his predecessor, though administration officials say they're under budget. As he continues to assemble his team, Cogswell said he is exploring ways to restructure the city's bureaucracy and cut costs to increase salaries for existing employees, whom he said are underpaid. GAZA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The death toll of Palestinians from Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip has risen to 28,176 since Oct. 7, 2023, with 67,784 others being injured, the Gaza-based Health Ministry said in a statement on Sunday. It added that at least 112 Palestinians were killed and 173 others injured by Israeli attacks in the past 24 hours. The official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that at least 25 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli bombing of a house in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah. Israel launched violent airstrikes and artillery bombings in the past few hours on Khan Younis, Deir al-Balah, Rafah, and Gaza City, killing and wounding dozens of Palestinians, said a Palestinian source who requires anonymity. Herzi Halevi, the chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), said on Saturday the Israeli army was "far from finishing" the fighting in Khan Younis, the Jerusalem Post reported. During a ground assessment in the Gaza Strip with Ronen Bar, head of Israel's internal security agency Shin Bet, the two officials revealed that Israeli forces killed more than 1,200 "terrorists" in ground operations and another 1,200-1,300 "terrorists" in airstrikes in Khan Younis, according to the Jerusalem Post. Israel has been launching a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate a Hamas surprise attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people in Israel were killed and more than 200 were taken hostage. When I was in third grade, my teacher had a vegetable tasting day for us. We each brought in a vegetable from home and shared it with our classmates. I remember coming home, excited, and announcing to my mother that I had fallen in love with rutabaga. After a startled moment or two, she sm Read moreStevens: For the love of rutabaga and our children Happy Sunshine Week indeed. As we hope youve noticed, our newsroom is spending the week recounting successes its had using South Carolinas Freedom of Information Act to illumine your understanding of what your government is doing on your behalf, in your name and with your tax dollars. Read moreEditorial: SC judges support sunshine whenever they get a chance. They need more chances. CONWAY With two weeks to go before South Carolinas Republican primary, the GOP presidential race here took an ugly and personal turn when Donald Trump insinuated that Nikki Haleys husband had volunteered for a military deployment as a way of escaping his wife. What happened to her husband? Trump asked the rowdy crowd at his Feb. 10 rally at Coastal Carolina University. Where is he? Hes gone. He knew. He knew. A furious Haley fired back at the unfounded allegation on a day where she also sought to step up her attacks on Trump, the frontrunner in the GOP race. Haleys husband is serving a voluntary, yearlong deployment in Africa that began last June. Michael is deployed serving our country, something you know nothing about, Haley blasted out in an online message. Someone who continually disrespects the sacrifices of military families has no business being commander in chief. Later, at a rally in Gilbert, Lexington County, Haley went further. Donald, if you have something to say, dont say it behind my back. Get on a debate stage and say it to my face, Haley said, adding, If you mock the service of a combat veteran, you dont deserve a drivers license, let alone being president of the United States. The verbal crossfire, which came as Haley and Trump held dueling campaign events in the Palmetto State this weekend, illustrates how intense the GOP primary is becoming even as polling suggests the former president enjoys a massive double-digit lead over Haley in her home state. At the Conway rally that saw Trump impersonate President Joe Biden and taunt a pair of protesters by telling them to go home to mama, the former president treated Haley as more of an inconvenience than a serious threat as he basked in the cheers of thousands of supporters. Trump, who for months has called Haley birdbrain without offering an explanation, called her brain dead while criticizing her position in national polls, saying she had zero chance at the presidency. PR-Inside.com: 2024-02-11 17:08:09 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 478 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Providing Family Law & Divorce Lawyer Services in Fort WorthFORT WORTH, TEXAS / ACCESSWIRE / February 11, 2024 / Johnson McNulty, PLLC, a leading family law firm, is delighted to announce the opening of a new office location strategically situated to cater to clients across Fort Worth, Arlington, Burleson, Keller, Southlake, Hurst Euless Bedford, and North Richland Hills. Located at 212 S. Main St., Ste 120., Fort Worth, TX 76104, it offers enhanced accessibility for individuals seeking expert legal assistance in family law matters.Fort Worth, TX, Family Law Attorneys Family Law Partners, Zena D. McNulty, and Jeffrey S. JohnsonThe new office is centrally located and easily accessible from Interstate 30 and Interstate 35W, ensuring convenience for clients seeking representation in all aspects of family law issues. Johnson McNulty, PLLC's attorneys focus on family law matters, including divorce, child custody, visitation schedules, community property division, adoption, prenuptial, and postnuptial law matters."We are now better positioned to serve the diverse legal needs of families across the Fort Worth metro area," said Jeffrey S. Johnson, Partner at Johnson McNulty, PLLC. "We understand the complexities and sensitivities involved in family law cases and are committed to providing compassionate yet effective legal solutions tailored to each client's unique situation." The experienced family lawyers at Johnson McNulty, PLLC are well-versed in handling complex, contested, and straightforward, uncontested divorces. They have a proven track record of successfully navigating the complexities of Texas family law, fighting for optimal outcomes for their clients.In addition to divorce matters, Johnson McNulty, PLLC offers comprehensive assistance in child custody disputes, including crafting visitation schedules that prioritize the child's best interests. The firm's attorneys are experienced in negotiating various parental visitation arrangements to ensure meaningful relationships between parents and children. If you find yourself in a custody battle, call our office and schedule a free consultation with a top child custody attorney today at (817) 576-6537.Johnson McNulty, PLLC, excels in addressing complex property division issues, including the distribution of community property, small business ownership, stock options, retirement benefits, and other assets. Their expertise extends to drafting prenuptial and postnuptial agreements to safeguard clients' interests and assets.For individuals needing expert legal representation in family law matters, Johnson McNulty, PLLC's new office location offers a convenient and accessible resource. To schedule a consultation with a well-proven family law attorney, visit https://johnsonmcnulty.com/ About Johnson McNulty, PLLC:Johnson McNulty, PLLC is a highly respected family law firm serving clients across Fort Worth and surrounding areas committed to providing personalized legal solutions in family law. The firm's experienced divorce attorneys are proven in divorce, child custody, visitation schedules, property division, adoption, prenuptial, and postnuptial law matters.Contact: Jeffrey S. JohnsonPartnerJohnson McNulty, PLLC212 S. Main St., Ste 120.Fort Worth, TX 76104(817) 657-6537 https://johnsonmcnulty.com Contact Information Jim LondonMarketing Directorjames@ londonlawyermarketing.com 8178456613SOURCE: Johnson McNulty, PLLC Family Law OfficeView the original press release on newswire.com Many Nigerians on Saturday expressed condolences to the family of Herbert Wigwe, Access Holdings Chief Executive Officer, who was involved in a helicopter crash in the United States late Friday. Mr Wigwe, his wife, and his son are believed to be among the six passengers in a helicopter that crashed in the US early Saturday Nigerian time (late Friday local time). Abimbola Ogunbanjo, former group chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group), is also believed to be part of the passengers. The Eurocopter EC130 helicopter crashed around 10 p.m. local time near Nipton, Calif, an unincorporated community approximately 60 miles south of Las Vegas in eastern San Bernardino County, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Officials from the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department were notified of the downed aircraft at 10:12 p.m. local time, according to Mara Rodriguez, a public information officer with the department. She added that the crash site was located east of Interstate 15, near Halloran Springs Road. PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the ill-fated Flight N130CZ, operated by Orbic Air LLC, took off from Palm Springs, California, at 8:45 p.m. but was last seen near Fort Irwin/Barstow, California, at 9:49 p.m., Friday. The cause of the crash of the Airbus Helicopter EC-130 remains unclear as of press time Sunday morning. The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said in a message posted Saturday on her X handle that she feels deeply saddened by Mr Wigwes passing. Terribly saddened by the news of the terrible loss of Herbert Wigwe, Group CEO Access Bank, his wife and son as well as Bimbo Ogunbanjo in a helicopter crash. My deepest sympathies and condolences to the Wigwe family, the Ogunbanjo family, Access Bank Group employees and Management @myaccessbank and my younger Brother Herberts partner Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede. May the souls of the departed rest in perfect peace, she wrote. The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last election and former vice president of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, described the death of Mr Wigwe as an unfortunate incident. He also expressed condolences and sympathy to the families and loved ones of the deceased. In the words of one of Nigerias finest CEOs, Herbert Wigwe, Today and always, let us remember that life is a precious gift a chance to breathe, feel, love, experience and connect. Lets honour this gift by living with purpose, kindness, and gratitude, making every moment count. Let us number our days. Im deeply saddened to hear about the unfortunate incident that led to the loss of Herbert Wigwe, Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, and his family. Indeed, Herbert Wigwe, consummate banker, education promoter, and philanthropist, numbered his days. On behalf of my family, my heart goes out to their loved ones and everyone affected by this unfortunate incident. May their souls rest in peace. Nigerias Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, also paid his tribute while describing Mr Wigwes passing as a tragic loss of a friend. The reported tragic loss of my friend, brother and not-far-away neighbour in Lagos, Herbert Wigwe, the co-founder of Access Bank, the CEO of Access Holdings and the founder of Wigwe University, is very devastating. He was in my office earlier this week (where we took the pictures below) and actually left my office to fly out of the country and never came back. I am also shocked to learn his wife, son and other friends were involved in this tragedy. We were on the verge of announcing something big for the aviation sector, the reason he actually came to the office with his entire team, both from Access and Wigwe University. This is surreal and I am lost for words. May Almighty God comfort his aged parents and siblings (who were also my neighbours in Lagos for many years as a very young lawyer in Anthony Village), his immediate family members, his staff, friends across Nigeria and dependents, he said. A former Nigeria senator, Shehu Sani, in a statement posted on his X handle on Saturday, described the death of Mr Wigwe as tragic and heartbreaking. The news of the death of Access Bank CEO Herbert Wigwe and five others in a helicopter crash is tragic, sad and heartbreaking. A great loss. May their souls rest in peace, he said. Adamu Garba, an IT entrepreneur and Nigerian politician, in his remarks, said Mr Wigwes energy, dedication to duty, and commitment to excellence are unceasing. The death of Herbert Wigwe, the CEO of AccessBank Plc, really really touched me. I recall in 2011 when Herbert was the COO of Access Bank, the IT department was under him. I was a professional IT consultant for an integration project at the bank. We migrated their mailboxes and merged them with those of Intercontinental Bank, after the acquisition. I proceeded to deploy what is called Right Management Services RMS to protect their information flow. That was a requirement for their processes of compliance with ISO 27001 certification. It was critical at that moment. During testing, Herbert will be the first to reply whenever we send a test mail, no matter how late. He will be the first to confirm if things work or dont. I was not surprised in the least when he became the CEO afterwards. His energy, dedication to duty, and commitment to excellence are unceasing. May God in his infinite mercy bless his soul, and that of his wife and son with eternal resting place. Others Ndubuisi Ekekwe, a professor and a United States-based innovator and tech entrepreneur, described Mr Wigwe as one of Nigerias finest entrepreneurs and businessmen. Herbert Wigwe, one of Nigerias finest bankers and 2018 Tekedia Businessperson Of The Year has died. Bloomberg reports that he died in a helicopter crash in Southern California, along with other people, including some of his family members. READ ALSO: As I wrote when I chose him as the businessperson of the year For that bravado and vision, knowing that in a digital banking future, marginal cost is everything, and scale improves competitiveness, I have chosen Herbert Wigwe as my Businessperson of the Year Herbert had an uncommon capability to think big. Nigeria and indeed Africa mourn one of its finest entrepreneurs and businessmen. Our condolences to everyone affected by this tragedy, and pray for strength to overcome. The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, (NITDA), Kashifu Abdullahi, described Mr Wigwe as a visionary leader whose passion extended beyond finance. I am deeply saddened by the loss of Herbert Wigwe, CEO of Access Holdings Plc, who passed away tragically in a helicopter accident. A visionary leader, Herberts passion extended beyond finance; he was profoundly committed to supporting Nigerian youth. Through The HOW Foundation, he dedicated himself to empowering the next generation, and his efforts to establish Wigwe University showcase his unwavering belief in the transformative power of education. Herberts legacy of nurturing young minds and fostering educational opportunities will continue to inspire us. Our thoughts are with his loved ones during this time. Rest in peace, Herbert. Your impact will not be forgotten, he said. Asue Ighodalo, a Nigerian lawyer and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant for the forthcoming Edo gubernatorial election, also expressed grief over the demise of Mr Wigwe. Mr Ighodalo in a statement posted via his X handle on Saturday night described Mr Wigwes death as disturbing while expressing condolences and sympathy to the families and loved ones of the deceased. I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of my dear brother Herbert Wigwe, his wife and son as well as my dear brother Abimbola Ogunbanjo and two others in this most unfortunate helicopter crash near Califonia. Words fail to express the grief my family and I feel in the face of this most disturbing news. As we face the very difficult days to follow this extremely distressing development, I most humbly call for prayers for the Wigwe and Ogunbanjo families as well as all of us who are distraught by this harrowing event. My deepest condolences, Mr Ighodalo wrote. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Two days ago, after witnessing a breathtaking sunset in Tarifa, Spain, Pelumi Nubi, a UK-based Nigerian who embarked on a solo drive from London to Lagos, arrived on the African continent. On 29 January, PREMIUM TIMES reported that Ms Nubi, a travel content creator, embarked on her journey to replicate the achievement of professional motorcyclist Kunle Adeyanju nearly two years prior. In a video posted on her Instagram page, Ms Nubi announced her arrival in Morocco, expressing that words cannot fully convey the whirlwind of emotions she experienced. Ms Nubi, aiming to set a record as the first black woman to drive from London to Lagos, expressed her overwhelming joy at finally setting foot on the African continent on Saturday. She maintained that setting foot in Morocco brought her closer to home. We did it, guys! Your unwavering support echoes in my ears, and my relentless spirit showcases that the grandest adventures are just a decision away! And because I want to keep this spirit of adventure alive, Im thrilled to announce another giveaway. Im giving away another @ospreyeurope backpack. To enter, share this post with your story winner, reported in the next 48 hours. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Baby, we made it to Morocco country number 3. This is just the beginning, and Im over the moon to have you all with me on this ride. The journey Ms Nubi embarked on her adventure from London on 31 January and headed towards France. The 29-year-old embarking on a two-month solo trip with a car mentioned she had spoken with fellow adventurers and discovered that no black woman had undertaken such a journey before. While she aims to become the first black woman to drive from London to Lagos, her primary goal is not about setting records. Ms Nubi is solo driving from London to Lagos to challenge the notion that the impossible exists, mainly when fueled by determination. She sees this adventure as an opportunity to explore the worlds beautiful continents, pushing her limits and inspiring others, particularly from the black community, to pursue their dreams. Furthermore, as a solo black female traveller, she intends to demonstrate that such adventures are feasible. After successfully journeying from England to France, Spain, and Morocco, Ms Nubi should be heading to the West Sahara Desert, Mauritania, as part of the 17 countries she will traverse and explore every city. Equipped with a car featuring sleeping, cooking, dining, and washing facilities, she will sleep inside her vehicle throughout the journey, which allows for spontaneity, cost-cutting, and added excitement. Previous record On 19 April 2022, Kunle Adeyanju embarked on a 41-day trip from London to Nigeria to raise funds for polio eradication. After traversing over 13,000 kilometres through 13 countries, Mr Adeyanju arrived in Lagos, Nigeria, on a motorcycle. The 44-year-olds objective was to support Rotary Internationals efforts in combating polio, a persistent threat in Africa, despite its global eradication in 2020. Mr Adeyanju dedicated his journey to the memory of a friend affected by polio. Financing the trip himself with savings totalling 19,000 euros ($20,400), the former Shell employee aimed to raise 20 million nairas ($48 million) for Rotary International. Link to the video on Instagram Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print SINGAPORE, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam has called on the business circle to avoid black-and-white views to seek opportunities in a more uncertain and unpredictable climate. Tharman made the remarks while addressing the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Lunar New Year Celebration Saturday. Noting that international growth is a source of Singapore's prosperity, the president described avoiding black-and-white terms as the basic orientation to live with unprecedented uncertainties. Stressing that Asia is full of opportunities but also unpredictable and risky, the president told the businesses to take the opportunities while avoiding large concentrations of bets. "We have to recognize that the challenges and strengths can both be true at the same time. We have to avoid black-and-white views to seek opportunities in a more uncertain and unpredictable climate," Tharman told Singaporean business leaders. The Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal has described the death of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Access Holdings PLC, Herbert Wigwe, as a big loss to the Nigerian banking industry. Mr Wigwe died along with his wife and son in a helicopter crash in California near the Nevada border, United States of America (USA). In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, in Gusau on Sunday, Governor Lawal expressed grief over the death of Mr Wigwe and his two family members. According to him, Wigwes death is a major loss not only to his family and friends but also to the business community in the country and the entire continent of Africa. In late Wigwe, I lost a friend who had made immense contributions to the banking industry in Nigeria. Late Herbert Wigwe had left an indelible mark on the banking industry in Nigeria through his tireless work and dedication. His contributions were significant and far-reaching, impacting his immediate professional circle and the wider business community. I have had a personal relationship with the late Wigwe since my days in the banking sector. May the family, friends, and associates of Wigwe be granted the fortitude to bear this significant loss. He will always be remembered. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Some Nollywood actresses and other Lagos residents on Saturday besieged the new Lagos Fresh Food Agro-Hub in Idi-Oro, Mushin on Saturday, to shop for fresh farm produce at farm gate prices. The actresses included Fatia Williams, Sola Kosoko and her sister, Bidemi. They spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the Saturday Food Fair organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture. The fair was to create awareness about the market before the market became fully operational in six months. They lauded the clean environment and calm ambience of the hub, describing the experience as awesome. Williams said she was impressed by what she saw in the hub and urged the government to construct more of such hubs across the state. Im happy to be here today. This is a very fantastic idea by the government and I urge them to do more. The hub is well organised with a good location and less rowdiness. When shopping here, you can move around freely and carry out your business without any fear. I will walk around to get one or two items for myself, she said. On her part, Kosoko said her shopping experience was seamless, stress-free and pocket-friendly; adding that government got the project right. READ ALSO: My sister, Bidemi and I were passing by and we saw the beautiful structure and our manager said thats a new market in Mushin. So, we decided to take a look. For me, this is an awesome experience, I have been shopping around here in a very conducive environment. You dont need to shop under the sun. You can be here and carry out all your shopping. Theres nothing you want as food produce that you will not get here. Starting from pepper, meat, vegetables, eggs, yam, garri, snail, palm oil, plantain, ofada rice, Eko rice and fruits and other stables. I want to encourage other state governors to emulate this; this is a very fantastic and laudable feat, she said. The Kosokos also advised market men and women to embrace a good maintenance culture to keep the place clean, neat and hygienic always. Bunmi Obakoya, a renowned businesswoman, also commended the state government for providing such a beneficial hub to ease the shopping experience. Ms Obakoya urged the government to continue to improve the services to attract more customers to the hub. Lagos state is doing a great job. I have my list here and Im going to shop and shop until I get tired. I am proud of what I have seen here today. I think they need more trolleys because I had to wait for more than five minutes to get a trolley. The management of the hub should get more trolleys so that people dont get discouraged and buy few things and go to the open market, she said. Another resident, Eunice Omoniyi, a senior citizen, said her experience was worthwhile especially as the food hub also had security. I like what I have seen so far; as a senior citizen, shopping here is a great deal and I like it. The prices vary; some items are cheaper than what you can get outside while others are cheaper outside in the market, but overall it is okay. I think government should do more by bringing in more farm produce for people to buy at cheap price because theres no money, everybody is struggling, she said. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The founder of the Afe Babalola University Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), Afe Babalola SAN, has urged President Bola Tinubu to probe how the country borrowed several trillions of Naira and what the money was used for. He also advised President Tinubu to seek counsel from former President Olusegun Obasanjo on how his administration went about seeking debt relief for the country, as well as how it managed to get huge debt cancellation. The legal icon stated this at the weekend during the 6th Induction ceremony of the institutions Medical Doctors 2023 Graduating set, made up of 161 medical doctors, held at ABUAD campus. No fewer than 161 medical doctors graduated with a 100 per cent pass rate, just as 12 got distinctions, while the overall best-graduating student made five distinctions. We are one of the heaviest debtors in the world. Let us investigate how we incurred several trillion of Naira as debts. What did we use the money for? I can assure you that the money is in the pockets of some people. Let us call on Obasanjo again to advise President Bola Tinubu on how he went about seeking debt forgiveness. He went round to tell the creditors to reduce the indebtedness and they did, Mr Babalola said. Speaking on the continuous migration of young people abroad, Mr Babalola said the youths should be encouraged to stay back and build the country, adding that certain things must be done to discourage the youths from leaving in droves. The Japa syndrome is a new development in the country. This syndrome has to stop and the only way to stop it is to increase the salaries and wages of workers, which in my own case I did by increasing the salary of my workers by 35 percent. Nigeria should be advised to produce. Something urgent has to be done with the kidnappings and the killing of innocent people. Farmers have left the farms because of kidnappings. Something must also be done to the indebtedness of the country. There are lots of issues, the value of the Naira is getting worse. No employment. The prices of goods and services are getting very high by the day. These are issues that must be addressed before we can stop Japa. So that young men and women could stay back in the country and help to develop it, he added Meanwhile, the ABUAD founder has disclosed that the institution would set up a Museum that would contain a Hall of Fame where the names of students who distinguished themselves in their callings and those who contributed to their Alma mata would be emblazoned. I am looking forward to seeing the names of many of you in that hall of fame in the near future. From the quality of education, leadership and entrepreneurial training we have inculcated in you here, there are no earthly reasons why some of you, sooner than later, will not be on the list of National Honours and National Merit Award Winners. Indeed, I see some of you picking the baton of the Nobel Peace Prize. Incidentally, Medicine is an area where this is easily attainable, Mr Babalola said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The patrol team of the Nigerian Navy Ship BEECROFT led by its Commander, Kolawole Oguntuga, has arrested a vessel, Motor Tanker SAISNIL II, for suspected crude oil theft in Lagos. The vessel, flagged St. Vincent & Grenadines, had 11 crew onboard at the time of arrest. A statement by the Base Information Officer, Nigerian Navy Ship BEECROFT, Hussein Ibrahim, quoted the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Mustapha Hassan, to have said that the vessel was observed to have turned off its Automatic Identification System, which is an infraction within the nations maritime domain. Mr Hassan, a rear admiral, noted that when the identification system is turned off, it makes it difficult to determine the activities of the vessel. He added that it is during such occasions that illegalities are perpetrated. He revealed that the discovery necessitated the deployment of Nigeria Navy Ship SOKOTO, which sailed 199 nautical miles to intercept the vessel and moved to Lagos Anchorage. According to the flag officer, SAISNIL II sailed from Lagos to Port Harcourt to evacuate about 720,000 Litres of crude oil sludge, but the manipulation of its AIS around the ABO field for 48 hours gave rise to a reasonable suspicion of illegalities. He stated that samples of the product onboard have been taken for analysis and the outcome of the analysis will determine the next line of action. Mr Hassan said the vessel was open to any agency that wants to get samples onboard for analysis to confirm the product onboard. He stressed that this became necessary because the Nigerian Navy remained resolute in ensuring transparency in its holistic maritime security approach. READ ALSO: Nigerian Navy embarks on exercise to curb illegal fishing He stressed that the successful detection, leveraging technology, and arrest of MT SAISNIL II despite the distance, restates the Navys commitment to eradicating crude oil theft within the maritime environment for the economic prosperity of the nation Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Ondo State Police Command has ordered the deployment of special squads to the Akunu Akoko area of the state to rescue some kidnap victims and arrest their abductors. The victims were reportedly abducted on Friday evening by kidnappers in an area between Akunu Akoko and Iyere. The travellers, who were in an 18-seater bus, were taken away into the forest. But the driver was shot dead. It was gathered that a little girl was left behind by the kidnappers, apparently in a bid to avoid slowing down their escape. Though a combined team of police, soldiers and hunters arrived at the scene and promptly began combing the bushes, no trace of the kidnappers has been found. A statement by the state Police Commands Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, on Sunday, said personnel drawn from various tactical units, led by the Special Anti-kidnapping Squad, have also been briefed and deployed to the area for the rescue of victims and possible arrest of suspects. The command has however enjoined the people of the state and the general motoring public not to panic, insisting that the incident was an isolated case, which does not determine the security status of the state, she said. Early in January, a couple travelling along the Akure/Ikere highway was abducted by bandits. Another traveller also managed to escape a kidnap attempt along the same route within the same period. In the same month, a suspected kidnapper allegedly abducted a minor, stuffing her inside a big bag while pretending to be a scavenger in Akure town before he was uncovered and arrested. The development has given rise to tension among residents over a likely resurgence of kidnapping in the state. Amotekun Corps in the state had paraded some suspects involved in the act in recent times, with a promise to stem its tide and other violent crimes. The corps had, under the late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, demanded the use of automatic rifles to enable it to tackle the bandits who were well-armed with lethal weapons. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Ahead of its primary election slated for 17 February the All Progressives Congress (APC) has cleared all the 12 aspirants jostling for its ticket to contest the 22 September Edo State governorship election. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 12 aspirants had purchased and returned their duly completed forms sold at N50 million each. The aspirants included Clem Agba, Monday Okpebholo, Lucky Imasuen, Anamero Dekeri, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, a two-time governorship candidate in the state; Gideon Ikhine and David Imuse, a retired colonel. Others are Charles Ehigie Airhiavbere, a retired general; Oserheimen Osunbor, a former governor of the state that was removed from office by court, Blessing Agbomhere, Dennis Idahosa and Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe. The schedule of activities for the governorship election, as released by the APC, showed that campaigns would start on 24 April. Abdullahi Ganduje, the partys National Chairman, who confirmed the partys nod to the aspirants ambitions, assured them of a free, fair and credible governorship primaries. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print President Bola Tinubu has expressed disappointment with university lecturers over their criticisms of the students loan scheme instead of offering advice on how it could be better managed in their respective institutions. He, however, vowed that the government would not be deterred by their criticism, saying that there was no going back because the government was not ready to compromise on a good standard of education. Mr Tinubu said this at the weekend during the 8th convocation ceremony of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), held at the university campus. The President, who was represented by the Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, described his administration as a listening one. He said this was what made it to consider the submissions of relevant stakeholders in the education sector, leading to the cancellation of the policy of automatic deduction of 40% universities Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). According to him, the government decided to yield to pressure to cancel the policy of automatic deduction of 40% of universities IGR, to allow the universities to breathe. In June 2023, we approved the Student Loan Scheme to make the accessibility of quality education incontestable. Following this announcement, there was a baffling response from several quarters on the credibility and workability of the scheme, to the governments amazement. One thing that should be known is that education is not cheap anywhere in the world. This government is not ready to endorse education that will not advance the nation. Student loan schemes are not rocket science initiatives, they are designed to grant access to all who are willing and who know the value of education in a way to take the burden off numerous individuals and communities who may have been intervening painfully in sending their wards to school, he said. Mr Tinubu stressed that he expected scholars to advise the government on how best the scheme could be managed in their respective institutions rather than cast aspersions on the idea. He assured all stakeholders in the education sector to expect more interventions, noting that some will be painful while some will be immediately reassuring. He urged other universities to take a cue from FUOYE on subscription figures and carrying capacity, which he said beats all others in its generation as well as that of a good number of older-generation Universities. In his remarks at the occasion, the Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, called on universities in the country to prioritise research efforts aimed at tackling critical challenges confronting the nation. He also tasked them with producing graduates who are solution providers. The governor emphasised the urgent need for homegrown solutions to Nigerias diverse challenges, stressing the importance of equipping students with practical skills and real-world experience through hands-on learning and industry partnership. Similarly, the Chancellor of FUOYE and Attah of Igala, Matthew Opaluwa Oguche, in his address, lent his voice to the call for more funding for universities to be able to fulfil their statutory roles more efficiently. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print President Bola Ahmed Tinubu says his administration is revolutionizing agriculture to make Nigeria self-sufficient in food production and a net exporter of agricultural products. Speaking when he received a delegation from the Global Tijaniyya Movement, led by Khalifa Muhammad Niass, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, on Sunday, the president said his administration will support plans and efforts to give ease and succour to Hajj pilgrims. He emphasized the importance of spiritual endeavours in nation-building, underscoring his administrations commitment to supporting religious activities. He highlighted the need for collaboration between political and spiritual leaders to advance the nations interests and promote unity among the people. On agriculture, the president outlined plans to bolster agricultural productivity through various initiatives, including the expansion of farmlands, the provision of low-interest loans to farmers, and significant investments in irrigation infrastructure. We are dedicated to equipping hospitals with modern equipment, providing healthcare professionals with training, and ensuring social welfare for every citizen, including comprehensive health insurance coverage. Nigeria will become a net-exporter of food. We are bringing thousands of tractors. Food production will be greatly expanded through aggressive mechanization. We must be productive as a people. That is the Sunnah and the principles I grew up understanding, he said. President Tinubu thanked the Global Tijaniyya Movement for their support and prayers, emphasizing the importance of collective efforts in building a better Nigeria. The Khalifa of Tijaniyya, Sheikh Mahe Niass, speaking on behalf of the delegation, commended President Tinubu for his unwavering commitment to Nigerias peace, progress, and stability. He expressed confidence in the presidents leadership and conveyed the fervent support and prayers of members of the Global Tijaniyya Movement to the Nigerian leader. During their visit, the delegation offered prayers for the nations progress, unity and prosperity, and for Almighty Allah to grant President Tinubu wisdom, strength, and success. Ajuri Ngelale Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity) February 11, 2024 Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print From a professor putting pressure on a female student to trade her virginity for admission to a man beheading his girlfriend, and a top PDP leader predicting the death of the party in Edo State, the second week of February was filled with interesting events in Nigerias south-south region. Here are the highlights of the top stories that made headlines in the region last week: PDP defeated in its stronghold The week began on Sunday with the release of the results of rerun elections conducted in some states in the region. The exercise was peaceful in Delta State and Cross River where a high turnout of voters was reported. But in Akwa Ibom State, the rerun elections were marred by violence and carting away of voting materials, INEC had said. Amidst the irregularities and violence in Akwa Ibom, the PDP, for the second time in less than a year, after the 2023 general election, suffered an embarrassing defeat in some parts of the state Akwa Ibom is considered a traditional stronghold of the PDP. The PDP was defeated by the Young Progressives Party (YPP) which is relatively new in the state. Although INEC cancelled elections in some polling units due to violence, the valid results collated were enough to give the PDP a second defeat in the National Assembly and State Constituency elections. The candidate of the YPP, Emmanuel Ukpong-Udo, who is returning to the National Assembly for a second term, polled 24, 050 votes to defeat Glory Edet, the PDP candidate who scored 17, 282 votes in the Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency rerun election. In the rerun election in the Ibiono Ibom State Constituency, the YPP candidate, Moses Essien, defeated the PDP candidate, Godwin Ekpo. The two PDP candidates, Mrs Edet and Mr Ekpo had challenged the victory of the YPP candidates, Mr Ukpong-Udo and Mr Essien at the Court of Appeal, which ordered a rerun. Man beheads girlfriend There was apprehension in Bayelsa State communities on Tuesday over the fear of reprisal attack after a man from Kabeama, a coastal settlement in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state allegedly beheaded his girlfriend. The suspect, identified simply as Tony, had been living with the slain woman, Ebibraaladei Maxwell, and had a child together. The police spokesperson in Bayelsa, Musa Mohammed, said the suspect had been arrested. Police arrest 22 suspects over killing of inspector The police in Akwa Ibom State, on Tuesday, announced the arrest of 22 suspects over the killing of an inspector, Usang Egbe, in a machete attack in Uyo. Odiko Macdon, the police spokesperson in the state, had also announced the arrest of a serial murderer Emem Friday who is accused of masterminding a deadly cult war in Oruk Anam Local Government Area of the state. Still, on security matters, we also reported that two out of three persons abducted by gunmen at ME Lounge, a bar at Osongama Housing Estate in Uyo, on 27 January, were still in captivity, after two weeks. The kidnap was confirmed by the State Commissioner for Internal Security, Koko Essien, a retired army general, who said that the gunmen had freed one of the victims. The gunmen had stormed the bar in the evening of the said day when customers were watching the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations and ordered everybody to lie down, before abducting the three men. Police killing of vigilante leaders, two others Extra-judicial killings by police officers in the country continued within the week as the police in Delta State confirmed the alleged killing of leaders of a vigilante group in the state by police operatives. Bright Edafe, the police spokesperson in the state, said the operatives also killed two others in the incident but did not say what led to the killing. He said the operatives have been identified and detained, and that internal disciplinary actions have been initiated. Student accuses law professor of wanting her to trade her virginity for admission It was an emotional moment for TJK (not her real name) at a Federal High Court, Abuja, as she recounted her ordeal in the hands of Cyril Ndifon, the suspended dean of Law Faculty at the University of Calabar, whom she said wanted her to trade her virginity for admission in the faculty. Mr Ndifon, a law professor, is being prosecuted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission over allegations of sexual abuse against female students in the university. PDP BOT predicts death of party in Edo It appears all is not well in the PDP in Edo State, ahead of the September governorship election in the state. A member of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the party, Charles Idahosa, said the party in the state would be as good as dead and buried if issues raised by the nine governorship aspirants of the party who recently protested the ad-hoc delegates election in the state were not resolved. Mr Idahosa at a meeting in Abuja with Dan Orbih, the national vice-chairperson of the PDP, accused some national officers of the party from the APC-controlled northern states of fueling the crisis in the PDP in Edo. He alleged that some PDP leaders were acting like mercenaries, bent on selling the party to the highest bidder. Governor Godwin Obasekis ambition to foist a governorship candidate on the PDP is causing a crisis in the party. NNPP governorship candidates complaint against APC The week ended on Saturday with the 2023 governorship candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Akwa Ibom State, John Akpanudoedehe complaining that his former party, the APC has been unfair to him despite his almost two decades of sacrifice for the APC. Mr Akpanudoedehe dismissed rumours that he had returned to the APC, saying some conditions must be met by the APC before he considers returning to the party. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print In a way, Aketi defined his era. A man may not know his worth until he takes his last breath. Positions of power attract favour-seekers like bees and nectar. The truth about a mans worth is told after he expires. Is the funeral train purchased like party supporters paid to attend rallies? Or did they rise early in the morning to join the queue to do honour to their beloved leader? It is clear that Aketi bought himself a place in the hearts of his people. The currency he paid was love, diligence, honesty of purpose and brutal frankness. Baba-Wole! Whether you like it or not, it is my duty to carry your bag into the plane today, insisted Aketi, as we threw banters on the queue at the Ibadan Airport en route Abuja. I yanked my bag from his hands but he promptly reclaimed it. Our mutual friend, Bisi Ogunbadejo, who was also travelling, flashed a knowing wink, having gotten used to witnessing countless Great Ife theatrics between many of our alumni. It was two weeks to Aketis electoral victory. I joked with him that, on second thoughts, it was probably fitting that he should carry my bag into the aircraft because it was likely to be the last time I would be seeing him as an ordinary citizen. He replied, matter-of-factly, that he would remain the same old Aketi we all knew and that power could never change him. It turned out to be prophetic: I didnt have any physical interaction with Aketi again till he answered the final home call seven years later. Leadership Incubation Rotimi Akeredolu, a.k.a. Aketi was one of a kind. Way back at the University of Ife, he had been the vice-president of the Students Union during the presidency of another patriot, John Olakunle Mabayoje, alias Awe. It was that position that honed him for future challenges because it brought out the latent goodness in him, especially his extraordinary ability to be empathetic. Aketi never went into any battle half-hearted. He always threw everything he had into the fray. As far as he was concerned, any battle worth waging was worth waging well. That was the background that moulded his performance later in life as the President of the Nigerian Bar Association and later as Governor of Ondo State. Mabayoje traced Aketis trajectory from Ife to government house in a tribute he wrote when he learnt of the demise of his trenchmate: Emperor Aketi as he was known at the University of Ife, started his political career at the University of Ife where, from being an activist, he successfully ran for the office of Vice President of the Students Union at a time when our dear country was at a crossroad following the removal of General Yakubu Gowon from office to end agitations which we all participated in between 1974 and1975 under my predecessor in office, Ayo Olukotun. 1975-1976 proved to be indeed a watershed year in the Nigerian academic community and the country as a whole. Rotimi was an integral member of the body of student leaders of that time. Courageous and savvy he was blessed with courage and wisdom beyond his years There are many landmark projects that were executed during the stewardship of Aketi as governor of Ondo State. What captured the imagination of the world, however, was the way he handled the tragic loss of scores of worshippers in his native Owo town when a band of armed terrorists attacked St Francis Catholic Church in the town during Sunday Mass on 5th June, 2022. Aketis demise brought to the fore the importance of vision and tenacity as necessary qualities for success in any worthwhile endeavour. There are leaders and there are dealers. Some people stumble into positions of power unprepared. True leaders, on the other hand, are armed with both vision and an action plan. More importantly, they demonstrate that rare quality of empathy, being one with the people in season and out of season; in good times and in bad times. Litmus Test There are many landmark projects that were executed during the stewardship of Aketi as governor of Ondo State. What captured the imagination of the world, however, was the way he handled the tragic loss of scores of worshippers in his native Owo town when a band of armed terrorists attacked St Francis Catholic Church in the town during Sunday Mass on 5th June, 2022. The entire Owo community and sympathisers all over the country were unconsolable. As governor, Aketi didnt play Tarzan. He showed that human blood flowed in him. When he made his way to the pulpit amid wailing indigenes, he, too, broke down in tears. That picture is etched in the minds of many people as they fondly recall how their governor rose to the occasion in those dark days. He swore that never again would Owo be a sitting duck for any group of killers to take pot shots at. He said he would ensure that the dead had not died in vain by preventing the possibility of such a massacre in future. It was not surprising therefore that he was the arrowhead of the founding of the Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN), code named Operation Amotekun. Those who chose to misunderstand the governors intention and who wanted to characterise the security outfit as a tribal army were shamed as Amotekun made one giant stride after the other. To calm the frayed nerves of those tagging the Amotekun corps as a regional army, Governor Akeredolu took time to explain: The Western Nigeria Security Network, Amotekun Corps, as a response, is now not just the first line of defence, but the ultimate bulwark in the protection of a way of life and of a civilisation. The efforts of our determined and valiant Amotekun personnel since inception must be underscored, encouraged and highly commended. We must all rise at this time to acknowledge their efforts. Other states outside the South-West have started copying the idea. That is one everlasting lesson that people have learnt from Aketis stewardship. Power is not just about fancy clothes and sirens and assemblage of dark-goggled security guards. It is about caring, about holding the hands of the bereaved, about showing through words and deed that their governor has their back. When the story of this era is told, Aketis stewardship will be chronicled as one of the brighter moments in people-centred governance in Nigeria. His tenure certainly lived up to the words of the Great Ife anthem: Conscious, vigilant, progressive, a luta against all oppression In a way, Aketi defined his era. A man may not know his worth until he takes his last breath. Positions of power attract favour-seekers like bees and nectar. The truth about a mans worth is told after he expires. Is the funeral train purchased like party supporters paid to attend rallies? Or did they rise early in the morning to join the queue to do honour to their beloved leader? It is clear that Aketi bought himself a place in the hearts of his people. The currency he paid was love, diligence, honesty of purpose and brutal frankness. Teach us to number our days, Lord, so that the preacher at our funeral would not have to lie about some phantom goodness which none but the liar saw in the deceased. The outpouring of grief since Aketis death testifies to the fact that he has positively touched many lives and the human community is poorer without him. When the story of this era is told, Aketis stewardship will be chronicled as one of the brighter moments in people-centred governance in Nigeria. His tenure certainly lived up to the words of the Great Ife anthem: Conscious, vigilant, progressive, a luta against all oppression Adieu, Aketi. May the celestial rewards reserved for those who positively impacted the lives of their fellow men and women never pass you by. The Last Dance (For Jimi Solanke, 1942-2024) His artistic gift was of elephantine proportions, So, to each encounter-er, Jimi Solanke was at once the compelling thunderclap amidst the loudest of silences the coarse hair of Ajanakus tail mounting sentry behind an otherwise hairless mass Those piercing eyes conveying visions from unshared secrets Lamp posts of an aerobicised body Ernest and persistent, commanding and pleading If six blind beggars are telling different tales About the same mass It is because they feel the elephant from different sides. Is it the ivory of the tusk that tickles your fancy? Or the rough tarpaulin of the body? Or the four pillars with which it pounds the earth? Or the trunk natures straw Enabling the slaking of thirst? The elephant lies down like a hill On its deathday Carvers bearing cleavers gather The last question on the elephants mind Is, Who will mourn my demise when I expire? The heavens and the earth know That Father Times unseen eyes do bear witness To Lakatabus connection of the dots Between the cradle and the grave And they lead the cortege Yes, they do to attest that this funeral blurs the line Between a requiem And an alleluia As Baba Agba does his trademark bata dance Into ancestor-hood. Wole Olaoye is a Public Relations consultant and veteran journalist. He can be reached on wole.olaoye@gmail.com, Twitter: @wole_olaoye; Instagram: woleola2021. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print XI'AN, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- When people think of mining, they might picture a tough, dirty and risky job. But for Du Huailong, who holds a master's degree in mining, his 11-year career as a coal miner is breaking conventional stereotypes. "Coal mining today is different from the past. There has been a significant reduction in manual work required in the mining process, with intelligent technologies taking on greater importance," said Du, 35, as he jumped onto a trackless rubber-tire vehicle, descending into a mine in Shaanxi Province, a major coal hub in China. The vehicle glided through the spacious, well-lit tunnels to reach the working face where 5G base stations, automated conveyor belts and coal-cutting machines were in operation. With just 13 workers per shift, the extraction yields 13,000 tonnes of coal. Du works at Daliuta Coal Mine, owned by one of China's largest coal producers, Shendong Coal Group. Inside the control room, large intelligent screens display real-time updates on underground coal extraction progress and operations. Workers use a mouse to remotely carry out the coal-cutting process. In recent years, China has been pushing forward the development of intelligent mining amid efforts to improve production safety and high-quality development of the coal industry. According to statistics from the National Mine Safety Administration, a total of 730 coal mines in China had been equipped with intelligent working faces as of last September. The younger generation with higher education is spearheading China's smart coal mining initiatives. Shendong Coal Group, which owns 13 mines, has established over 90 intelligent coal mining teams, boasting an average age of 31. As a key energy enterprise in Shaanxi Province, Shaanxi Coal and Chemical Industry Group Co., Ltd. recruited 642 postgraduate talents in 2023 alone to promote high-quality development. The shift to smart mining has not only created a safer and more efficient working atmosphere for modern miners but also fostered an enjoyable living environment. Facilities like smart canteens, health examination centers, and recreational rooms have enriched the leisure lives of mine workers at the Caojiatan mining company in Yulin City, Shaanxi. After a day's work, a hot shower, a nutritious meal, and a workout session at the gym have become the daily routine of Zhao Xiaowei, a 39-year-old miner. "The canteen displays nutritional information, such as protein, fat and calorie content for each dish, and the gym is equipped with fitness equipment and physical health testing instruments," Zhao said. Among the workforce at Daliuta Coal Mine, 49 employees, including Du Huailong, hold master's degrees. Du said his dream of intelligent mining, envisioned over a decade ago, has now become a reality. As the leader of a mining team, he has a tight schedule during the Chinese New Year. "We have to ensure a stable and secure coal supply so that others can relish a warm and cozy Spring Festival," he said. The Governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani has expressed shock and sadness over the sudden demise of the Chairman of Access Holdings PLC, Herbert Wigwe in a helicopter crash in the United States. The governors tribute to the late banking guru reads: I received with shock and deep sense of loss the news of the passing on of the Chairman/CEO of Access Corporation (one of Kaduna States development partners), Mr Herbert Wigwe, CFR. Nigeria has lost one of its most innovative and creative entrepreneurs. He not only led Access Bank to become a global brand, he developed Access Corporation into a veritable vehicle for addressing developmental challenges. He established Wigwe University to equip Nigerian youths with the skills of competing in a complex and fast changing world. Herbert Wigwes worthy legacies will surely endure. On behalf of the government and people of Kaduna State, I wish to extend my sincere condolences to the Wigwe Family, his relations, friends, business associates, members of Corporate Nigeria, and all Nigerians on the demise of this globally acclaimed banker and entrepreneur. May Herbert Wigwes soul rest in perfect peace, Mr Sani mourned. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State on Saturday reiterated his administrations commitment to improve security and development in the state. Mr Yusuf stated this while receiving the chairpersons of three local government areas and APC heavyweight from different parts of the state who defected to the NNPP. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that among those who crossed to the ruling party were the Chairman of Dawakin Tofa LGA, Ado Kwa, along with the Vice Chairman, Yahaya Labour. Others are the Chairman of Nasarawa LGA, Auwal Aramposa and the Chairman of Garin Malam LGA, Mudaisir Aliyu and others who included some councillors and advisers. They were led by the Chairman of Dawakin Tofa, Ado Kwa, who said they came to align with the governor and his deputy, Aminu Gwarzo, to move Kano State forward. Mr Yusuf said: We are committed, with the support of our party, to deliver on this progress; we are going to continue with infrastructure expansion in all parts of the state. He said the purpose of the government was to unite and develop the state. We have undertaken development projects across the state without discrimination. We are also going to encourage the LGAs to do similar interventions in their headquarters and other major settlements. We have to put all hands on deck, it doesnt matter where you are coming from and who you worship, we all believe in one God and ethnicity, what matters is what you can contribute to our state. READ ALSO: He said the people of Kano State deserved the best and assured that the government would spend the next three and half years to give it to them through qualitative leadership. We are going to spend the years with your support and prayers, to improve security, unity of purpose and development of the state. We want to create a new set of future leaders for Kano State. We cannot achieve that until we unite and stop listening to ethnic and religious bigots who see everything through the lens of religion. Political differences and ethnicity dont build roads, do not provide education or health care, it is people working together with the unity of purpose. Mr Yusuf assured the defectors that his government was for all and not for followers of a particular political party or ethnic group. It is government for all to serve the interest of all. Whether the people supported us or not, once the elections are over, we are the government of the entire state. We operate with the highest level of transparency and accountability, giving equal opportunities. What matters to us is credibility and competence and what you can contribute to the people of Kano State, Governor Yusuf added. He thanked the former APC members for joining the NNPP to contribute their efforts in uniting and moving the state forward. The Deputy Governor, Mr Gwarzo, commended the defectors for their decision to join forces with the government to bring about positive changes in the state. It is gratifying to see people like you coming to seek collaboration. We are going to make Kano the envy of the people of Nigeria, he said. He assured them of the governments willingness to partner with all to make the state great again. The State Chairman of NNPP, Hashimu Gumburawa, said politics was a game and those who played well would achieve its dividends. Nothing can be so beautiful as what has happened today. I am glad, more people from different parts of the state are now getting it right, Mr Gumburawa said. Earlier, Mr Kwa, who is also the leader of the defectors, reiterated their commitment to work with the present administration to achieve greatness. We have come to reaffirm our commitment to join hands for the sake of development of our state. We were APC leaders from various capacities. We have moved to the NNPP to support the government because the Yusuf government is doing what its supposed to do for the people, he said. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, will flag off a N750 million financial intervention scheme tagged Lagos Market Trader Money for 15,000 beneficiaries on 14 February. Abisola Olusanya, the Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, said this during a sensitisation programme on hygiene for 500 market men and women from Ikeja and Oshodi Local Government Areas on Saturday at Lagos Fresh Food Hub, Idi-Oro, Mushin. Ms Olusanya said the flag-off exercise was an opportunity for the governor to demonstrate his love for the market men and women on Valentines Day. By Wednesday, Valentines Day, Mr governor is going to be showing love to market traders, men and women in Lagos. READ ALSO: He promised them N50,000 per beneficiary for 15,000 people for the Lagos Market Trader Money; he is going to be launching it on that day. It is part of his show of love to say we hear you, we hear your cry, we are all in this together and we will come out of this better and stronger, she said. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governor had on 18 December announced a N750 million financial intervention scheme for Lagos traders tagged Lagos Trader Money. Under the scheme, 15,000 traders across all the local government areas of the state 200 from each LGA received N50,000 each to boost their businesses. The governor announced the scheme during the unveiling of the Mid-level Agro-Produce Hub at Idi-Oro in the Mushin area of the state. He said the Commissioner for Agriculture and the local government chairmen in the state would meet to map out the modalities for the disbursement of the fund. He said, The government has come up with an intervention for all market men and women. The Market/Trader Money is for 15,000 beneficiaries as support. Each beneficiary will get N50,000 from the government. Each local government will submit 200 names. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print ( Read 3723 Times) In his address during the concluding session of the 17th Lok Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed gratitude and appreciation for Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's innovations and efforts. He acknowledged the historic decisions made during this parliamentary term, emphasizing the fulfillment of long-awaited actions. The Prime Minister commended the contributions of all members, especially expressing gratitude towards Speaker Om Birla for his balanced and impartial leadership. PM Modi highlighted the significance of the 17th Lok Sabha, attributing it to the successful implementation of various initiatives focusing on improvement, performance, and transformation. He recognized the pivotal role played by Speaker Birla in introducing paperless proceedings and promoting the use of digital technology in the Parliament. The Prime Minister extended appreciation for the removal of subsidized canteen facilities for MPs, addressing public concerns. He also acknowledged the efforts made in the construction of the new Parliament building, facilitating unanimous decisions among members. PM Modi praised the Lok Sabha Speaker for organizing nationwide debates and essay competitions, connecting students with parliamentary traditions, and opening the parliamentary library to the general public. Reflecting on the achievements of the government over the past five years, PM Modi emphasized the removal of obsolete laws and the simplification of more than 60 laws to ease the lives of citizens. He highlighted the Jan Vishwas Yojana and Mediation Act, which contributed to resolving issues related to unnecessary litigation. The Prime Minister expressed joy over the passage of the Women's Empowerment Salutation Act during the 17th Lok Sabha session, foreseeing increased representation of female members in the future. He also addressed issues like the triple talaq and lauded the efforts to bring in strong laws against paper leaks, emphasizing the importance of the National Research Foundation Act in making India a global research and innovation hub. PM Modi touched upon various subjects, including the Transgender Community Rights Act, acknowledging the positive impact on the lives of transgender individuals. He underscored the commitment to social justice and commended the transgender community for becoming entrepreneurs and contributors to society. Discussing the global acceptance of India's lifestyle, the Prime Minister emphasized the significance of the P20 Parliamentary Summit in strengthening India's position on the world stage. He concluded by invoking the spirit of 'Minimum Government, Maximum Governance,' urging for reduced government intervention to maximize the capabilities of citizens. Looking ahead, PM Modi spoke about the collective commitment of every Indian to develop the nation by 2047, emphasizing the timeless journey of India's democracy. He called upon parliamentarians to uphold the democratic traditions and work towards leaving a better legacy for future generations. As the 17th Lok Sabha concluded, the day was filled with emotions, with MPs transcending political differences to bid farewell and express hope for a reunion in the 18th Lok Sabha. Several parliamentarians suggested that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should be honored with the Bharat Ratna for his outstanding efforts, especially for Bhagirathi initiatives and advocating for the celebration of International Yoga Day worldwide. Source : MILWAUKIE, Ore., Feb. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Bob Moore, founder of Bob's Red Mill and one of the most recognized figures in the natural foods industry, peacefully passed away at home on Saturday, February 10, 2024, at the age of 94. Moore will be remembered for his larger-than-life personality, his leadership and passion for whole grains, his strong work ethic (he remained a Board Member of his beloved Bob's Red Mill until his death) and his generosity in establishing the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) on his 81st birthday. Bob and Charlee in front of old Bob's Red Mill sign Bob Moore in front of the Mill A perennial entrepreneur, Moore's passion for healthy foods and milling whole grains coincided with parenthood, and later led to the formation of Bob's Red Mill in 1978. The company initially served only Portland, Ore.-area locals, but quickly grew to be a natural foods powerhouse. It is now a leading global food brand offering 200+ products in more than 70 countries. Thanks to the ESOP that Moore established in 2010, the company's legacy was secured by transferring ownership to the people who helped Bob and Charlee build and grow it. More than 700 employee owners now own the company. "Bob's legacy will live on forever in all of us who had the opportunity to work with him and is infused into the Bob's Red Mill brand," said Bob's Red Mill CEO Trey Winthrop. "He did everything in his power to leave us on a strong path forward. All of us feel responsible and motivated to preserve his old-world approach to unprocessed foods; his commitment to pure, high-quality ingredients; and his generosity to employee owners and educational organizations focused on nutritional health." Over the past decade, Moore and his wife Charlee, who passed away in 2018, looked to inspire future generations through substantial financial contributions to Oregon universities. The Moores were named honorary Beavers for their significant donations to Oregon State University, where they helped fund the Moore Family Center for Whole Grain Foods, Nutrition, and Preventive Health in the College of Health and Human Sciences. Magnanimous contributions also helped establish the Bob and Charlee Moore Institute for Nutrition & Wellness at Oregon Health & Science University, as well as many additional research programs throughout the state. He is survived by his three sons, Ken, Bob, Jr., and David; daughters-in-law Dora, Barbara, Ashleigh and Terry; nine grandchildren and six great grandchildren. Moore will be greatly missed and remembered by his family, the Bob's Red Mill family and those he met and inspired during his long life. A celebration of life service is being planned; details to be announced. In the meantime, local friends and fans are encouraged to visit the Bob's Red Mill Whole Grain Store in Milwaukie, Oregon to share a memory in honor of Bob. About Bob's Red Mill Bob's Red Mill started with good ingredients in 1978, and they've brought people together with wholesome, homemade food ever since. Inspired by the passion and artisanal expertise of founder Bob Moore, the company is now 100% employee owned, with more than 700 employee owners dedicated to making the best whole grain oats, baking flours and on-the-go snacks. Bob's Red Mill is located in Milwaukie, Oregon, just outside of Portland. Visit www.bobsredmill.com for more information. SOURCE Bobs Red Mill NEW YORK, Feb. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of common stock of Inspire Medical Systems, Inc. (NYSE: INSP) between May 3, 2023 and November 7, 2023, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important February 20, 2024 lead plaintiff deadline. SO WHAT: If you purchased Inspire Medical 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 Inspire Medical class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=21452 mailto:or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] 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 February 20, 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. 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 firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) despite the Acceleration Program, a pilot program through which the customer would schedule doctor appointments online, customers were encountering challenges with the prior authorization submission process, including with the scheduling of appointments; (2) a slowdown in prior authorization submissions arising from these challenges led to a shortfall of hundreds of procedures to implant Inspire Medical's obstructive sleep apnea device; and (3) as a result, defendants' positive statements about Inspire Medical's financial guidance, 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 Inspire Medical class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=21452 mailto:or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] 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 investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.rosenlegal.com SOURCE THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P. A. "I hope that this will be very fruitful for cooperation between Holland and China in many different ways." Dutch attendees to a reception celebrating the Spring Festival in the Hague expressed optimism for enhanced cooperation and strengthened ties between the Netherlands and China. Produced by Xinhua Global Service If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here Lucknow : Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath speaks during the Winter Session of the state assembly. Image Source: IANS News Lucknow, Feb 11 : Members of the Uttar Pradesh State Legislature will visit the Ram temple in Ayodhya on Sunday even as Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav has declined the invitation. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Uttar Pradesh Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana have invited members of both Houses of the legislature to offer prayers before Ram Lalla in the newly inaugurated temple in Ayodhya. The legislators will travel to Ayodhya on Sunday morning on buses arranged by the state government. During a discussion on the budget in the House on Saturday, the Speaker reiterated his invitation to Akhilesh Yadav to join the visit to Ayodhya. However, Yadav declined the invitation, stating that he and his party members will only visit when Shri Ram calls them. Despite Yadav's refusal, leaders from various parties, including the BJP, Apna Dal Sonelal, Nishad Party, Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party, Rashtriya Lok Dal, Indian National Congress, Jansatta Dal Loktantrik, and Bahujan Samaj Party, have accepted the invitation and will be part of the visit. Ten luxury buses carrying Cabinet Ministers and members of the Legislature will leave for Ayodhya from 8 a.m. in the morning. Arrangements for the visit have been made by the Minister of State for Transport (Independent Charge) Dayashankar Singh. Ram Dhun will be played in the buses during the journey. The visit of the legislators to the Ram temple in Ayodhya holds religious and political significance, reflecting the deep reverence for Shri Ram among the people of Uttar Pradesh. DAMASCUS, Aug. 29, 2019 (Xinhua) -- Syrian refugees arrive at the Zamarani border crossing, north of Damascus, Syria, on Aug. 29, 2019. Around 960 Syrian refugees on Thursday returned from Lebanon to Syria, the National News Agency reported. (Xinhua/. Image Source: IANS News Beirut, Feb 11 : Lebanon will soon resume returning Syrian refugees to their homeland, Lebanese Minister of the Displaced, Issam Charafeddine, said. "The Lebanese government assigned me to resume return trips of Syrian refugees to Syria by convoys," Charafeddine said on Saturday, according to a statement released by the Cabinet after a meeting, Xinhua news agency reported. "We held positive meetings with the concerned parties, especially the new Minister of Local Administration in Syria, and they are committed to this issue," the Minister added. In 2022, Charafeddine announced a government plan to repatriate 15,000 Syrian refugees to Syria each month, insisting that "the war is over and the country has become safe". However, the plan was never fully implemented amid opposition from the UN refugee agency and European Parliament which maintain that conditions in Syria do not allow for the large-scale return of refugees. Lebanon remains the country hosting the largest number of refugees per capita, with the government estimating around two million Syrian refugees. Lebanese authorities have on many occasions called for the return of Syrian refugees to Syria as Lebanon suffers from an unprecedented financial crisis and can no longer bear their presence. Istanbul, Feb 11 : A woman was injured in an armed attack on Saturday during the mayoral election campaign of Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party in Istanbul, said Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya. Yerlikaya said on social media platform X that shots were fired with long-barreled weapons and pistols in the Kucukcekmece district at around 4:30 p.m. local time, Xinhua news agency reported. The attack took place during the election campaign of the Kucukcekmece party's mayoral candidate, Aziz Yeniay, in the Kanarya neighbourhood. One citizen was injured in the attack, and a large-scale investigation has been initiated into the incident, the Minister added. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the attack on his X account, saying, "We will never allow attempts to poison the electoral process by those who cannot tolerate the healthy course of the election process." The mayoral elections in Turkey will take place on March 31. Sanaa, Feb 11 : The US and Britain launched new airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen's Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, the media reported. The airstrikes hit the Al-Salif port of the Al-Salif district, northwest of the city, the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV said on Saturday, without providing more details. Eyewitnesses said the strikes on Saturday afternoon targetted the Houthi-controlled maritime military base, Xinhua news agency reported. The strikes, which followed US attacks on two Houthi mobile unmanned surface vessels, four mobile anti-ship cruise missiles, and one mobile land attack cruise missile on Friday, were the latest in a series of similar attacks conducted by the US-British coalition in the Red Sea against Houthi targets since November last year. The Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen, including the strategic port city of Hodeidah along the Red Sea, have been launching deadly missile attacks on commercial vessels since mid-November last year, saying they target Israeli, US, and British vessels, in support of the Palestinians in Gaza. Tehran, Feb 11 : Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has exchanged views with the leaders of the Palestinian resistance groups on the latest developments of the conflict in Gaza. During a meeting in the Lebanese capital Beirut, Amir-Abdollahian was briefed on the latest situation in the Gaza Strip and West Bank by leaders of Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, according to a statement published on the Iranian Foreign Ministry's website on Saturday. Amir-Abdollahian said the cessation of the Israeli "crimes" against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank was a priority, Xinhua news agency reported. He stressed that the Palestinian resistance groups should adopt an "integrated and united" stance in their effort towards ending the conflict in Gaza, ensuring the delivery of aid, and exchanging captives between Hamas and Israel. Amir-Abdollahian called on other regional and international players to refrain from imposing their plans on Palestinians and let them decide about their own future. The Palestinian resistance groups praised the Iranian government and people as well as other resistance groups in the region for their roles and support for the Palestinians, saying Iran's diplomatic efforts at the international level were effective in supporting the resistance groups and Palestinian people during the past four months. Amir-Abdollahian arrived in Beirut on Friday for talks on bilateral, regional and international issues, including the Gaza crisis. Israel has been fighting with Hamas in the Gaza Strip since October 7 last year, after the movement launched a surprise attack on southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people. Israel has so far killed over 28,000 Palestinians, according to figures released by the Gaza-based Health Ministry. New Delhi: BJP National President JP Nadda with President of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Vinay Sahasrabuddhe and Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis during the inauguration of 'Sushasan Mahotsav 2024'. Image Source: IANS News Chennai, Feb 11 : BJP chief J.P. Nadda will hold a series of meetings here on Sunday with the leaders of the party's state unit and also with the alliance partners as 2024 Lok Sabha elections near. While at present, BJP is minus its key ally of 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Nadda will meet deposed AIADMK leader and former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. O. Panneerselvam (OPS). During his brief visit, the BJP chief will also hold talks with the leaders of PMK and DMDK in Chennai on Sunday. Nadda will oversee the partyas preparations for the ensuing visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi which is scheduled to take place on February 25. The BJP's Tamil Nadu unit is buoyed by the huge public participation in the padayatra undertaken by the state BJP chief K. Annamalai who has already covered 200 Assembly constituencies of the state. It may be noted that there are 234 Assembly constituencies in the state and 39 Lok Sabha constituencies. The gruelling padayatra of Annamalai, aEn Mann, En Makkal a that commenced on August 17, has touched a chord with the general public. A recent survey conducted by a reputed psephology group has indicated that the BJP vote share in Tamil Nadu will increase to above 15 percent. This is a huge leap as the party could garner only 3.56 per cent of the total votes polled in the 2019 general elections. Lucknow, Feb 11 : The Uttar Pradesh leg of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra has been rescheduled and shortened due to the ongoing UP Board exams. UPCC chief Ajay Rai said that the yatra would now enter UP on February 16 instead of February 14, and exit on February 22/23 instead of the earlier plan of February 27/28. The yatra will skip western UP and instead head to Bundelkhand. While a revised plan will be released shortly, it will continue with its primary itinerary from Chandauli to Lucknow. After entering Chandauli, the yatra will head to Varanasi and traverse through Bhadohi, Prayagraj and Pratapgarh before entering Amethi. Rae Bareli and Lucknow are the next stops. As per the plan, the yatra will cover Amethi and Rae Bareli on February 19. However, instead of heading to Sitapur from Lucknow, it will now proceed to Kanpur and then to Jhansi from where it would enter Madhya Pradesh. There may be inclusions between Kanpur and Jhansi. "The alterations have been made in the wake of logistical issues. The places where cadres and organisers were supposed to stay are usually private schools or colleges which will now be reserved for the board exams," Rai said. Sultanpur, Feb 11 : A 30-year-old man was arrested in Uttar Pradesh's Sultanpur for killing an elderly person and fake his own death to avoid repaying a loan of Rs 10 lakh. He was arrested on Saturday. The accused, Vikrant Verma, killed a man and set the body ablaze to pass it off as his own. "Verma reportedly lured a 60-year-old contractual driver of a CHC, Dwarika Nath Shukla, known for his alcoholism and impoverished circumstances, with an offer of alcohol on January 16. He, along with two of his aides, then murdered Shukla and burned his body, to eliminate any identifiable remains. He then spread the news of his suicide and fled to his girlfriend in Panipat (Haryana)," said Sultanpur SP Somen Barma. However, when Shukla's father, Ramesh lodged a complaint of murder, police began a probe. "It surfaced that Vikrant used to talk to somebody at odd hours and this number used to remain switched off for the remaining part of the day," said SHO, Kotwali Dehat, Shyam Sunder. The number was traced and it was found that it belonged to a woman who was in a relationship with Vikrant, the SHO said. Police also learned that Vikrant had accrued debts of Rs 10 lakh and failed to repay them due to the losses in his poultry business. A police team kept a close watch on the woman's house in Panipat for several days and then arrested Vikrant as he arrived there. He said Verma was living with her and changed identity as Vikki Kumar. "When confronted, Verma broke down and confessed. He stated that after failing in the poultry business, he went to Delhi to start an embroidery machine business. There, he met Shaktimaan Kumar and Anuj Sahu, who gave him the idea to set up this plot and escape his debts," said the SHO. This photo taken on Feb. 2, 2024 shows the image of a dragon projected on cliffs in Davos, Switzerland. This was the projection work by Swiss light artist Gerry Hofstetter. In the crisp stillness of a freezing night at the Swiss Alpine town of Davos, a lone figure stood on the snow-capped peaks, wielding not traditional brushes or pigments but beams of light that sliced through the darkness like blades. (Photo by Mike Kessler/Xinhua) by Xinhua writer Zeng Yan ZURICH, Switzerland, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- In the crisp stillness of a freezing night at the Swiss Alpine town of Davos, a lone figure stood on the snow-capped peaks, wielding not traditional brushes or pigments but beams of light that sliced through the darkness like blades. This visionary was Gerry Hofstetter, a light artist, weaving magic with beams against the vast canvas of the mountains and clouds earlier this month. That's how the Swiss artist celebrated the Chinese New Year of the Dragon. With meticulous precision, the artist projected a majestic dragon onto the towering cliffs and thick clouds, its sinuous form undulating against the stark backdrop of the alpine landscape. "That's the powerful picture I wanted to show people. The dragon is coming," Hofstetter said with excitement, recalling the moment when his light installation took shape. The frigid air seemed to shimmer with the energy of the light spectacle, transforming the mountains into an otherworldly realm where the mythical creature came to life. Hofstetter stressed that the work needed meteorological and astronomical conditions to align at a precise moment, considering wind, clouds and the moon's position. "That was among the toughest projections in my three-decade career," he said, noting a strong snowstorm on the Alps that night. Speaking of how he conceived the idea, the 62-year-old attributed his inspiration to Chinese culture. The Swiss artist said he wanted to create a dragon-themed projection to welcome the Year of the Dragon based on his previous work, "Tiger on Eiger," which celebrated the Year of the Tiger in 2022 and symbolized the enduring friendship between Switzerland and China. He added that the dragon was even more dedicated to honoring the long-lasting friendship between the two, as next year will mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations. In 1950, Switzerland was one of the first Western countries to recognize the People's Republic of China. Since 2010, China has been Switzerland's biggest trading partner in Asia and third largest globally after the EU and the United States. Hofstetter believes the dragon is the most powerful Chinese zodiac, symbolizing strength, prosperity and fortune. "I was happy to see the combination of this symbolism and Switzerland-China friendship through my light art," he said. The light artist hoped his visual work could further enhance people-to-people ties between Switzerland and China and encourage the two peoples to understand each other better. "Light is hope. Without light, there is darkness. Without mutual understanding, there is no dialogue," Hofstetter said. "That's the message I always want to convey." This photo taken on Feb. 2, 2024 shows the image of a dragon projected on clouds in Davos, Switzerland. This was the projection work by Swiss light artist Gerry Hofstetter. In the crisp stillness of a freezing night at the Swiss Alpine town of Davos, a lone figure stood on the snow-capped peaks, wielding not traditional brushes or pigments but beams of light that sliced through the darkness like blades. (Photo by Mike Kessler/Xinhua) This photo taken on Feb. 2, 2024 shows the image of a dragon projected on clouds in Davos, Switzerland. This was the projection work by Swiss light artist Gerry Hofstetter. In the crisp stillness of a freezing night at the Swiss Alpine town of Davos, a lone figure stood on the snow-capped peaks, wielding not traditional brushes or pigments but beams of light that sliced through the darkness like blades. (Photo by Mike Kessler/Xinhua) Swiss light artist Gerry Hofstetter speaks during an interview with Xinhua at his studio in Zurich, Switzerland, Feb. 7, 2024. In the crisp stillness of a freezing night at the Swiss Alpine town of Davos, a lone figure stood on the snow-capped peaks, wielding not traditional brushes or pigments but beams of light that sliced through the darkness like blades. (Xinhua/Chen Binjie) Swiss light artist Gerry Hofstetter works at his studio in Zurich, Switzerland, Feb. 7, 2024. In the crisp stillness of a freezing night at the Swiss Alpine town of Davos, a lone figure stood on the snow-capped peaks, wielding not traditional brushes or pigments but beams of light that sliced through the darkness like blades. (Xinhua/Chen Binjie) PTI to protest against 'rigging' in polls, JUI(F) to stage sit-in. Image Source: IANS News Islamabad, Feb 11 : Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will be holding a peaceful protest on Sunday to protest alleged rigging in the February 8 general elections. The PTI posted on X on Saturday: "Tomorrow at 2 pm, there will be a peaceful protest in the entire South Punjab if the public mandate is violated," Dawn reported. The PTI waill also be protesting at Ghanta Ghar in Faisalabad and outside the Election Commission office in Rawalpandi. To protest 'rigging', JUI(F) has also announced to launch a protest campaign. JUI(F) has asked the workers to stage a sit-in on the main highways across Sindh and block the key road links of the province. Alleging rigging, PTI-affiliated independent candidates have also moved the Lahore High Court (LHC) challenging the results of PP-164 and NA-118, where the father-son duo, Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz, have secured win, ARY News reported. Lucknow, Feb 11 : The Uttar Pradesh leg of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra has been rescheduled and shortened due to the ongoing UP Board exams. UPCC chief Ajay Rai said that the yatra would now enter UP on February 16 instead of February 14, and exit on February 22/23 instead of the earlier plan of February 27/28. The yatra will skip western UP and instead head to Bundelkhand. While a revised plan will be released shortly, it will continue with its primary itinerary from Chandauli to Lucknow. After entering Chandauli, the yatra will head to Varanasi and traverse through Bhadohi, Prayagraj and Pratapgarh before entering Amethi. Rae Bareli and Lucknow are the next stops. As per the plan, the yatra will cover Amethi and Rae Bareli on February 19. However, instead of heading to Sitapur from Lucknow, it will now proceed to Kanpur and then to Jhansi from where it would enter Madhya Pradesh. There may be inclusions between Kanpur and Jhansi. "The alterations have been made in the wake of logistical issues. The places where cadres and organisers were supposed to stay are usually private schools or colleges which will now be reserved for the board exams," Rai said. The deletion of western UP from Rahul's itinerary is significant since it comes soon after RLD snapped ties with INDIA bloc. The Congress now has very limited presence in western UP and the party also does not have any leader of substance in the region. "We do not want to send a message that Rahul's presence in a particular area did not help us win seats," said a senior leader Manila, Feb 11 : Three people were killed and 14 others injured in a road accident on a highway in Manila's Pangasinan province. The van was traveling north to a Roman Catholic Church in Manaoag town when the accident happened around 9 a.m. local time (0100 GMT) Saturday in Rosales, a town in Pangasinan, Xinhua news agency reported. The passengers, all family members, told police that the car was running smoothly for a couple of hours when one of the tires burst, causing the vehicle to crash into a roadside barrier. Initial police investigation showed that the van, which can accommodate only 15 people, was overloaded, carrying 17 people. New Delhi, Feb 11 : In a world obsessed with the latest beauty trends and fads, it's easy to lose sight of the fundamental principles that truly contribute to ageless beauty. While innovative products and procedures may grab headlines, the importance of early skin care remains key. As witnessed through many accounts, there is a pressing need to understand the crucial role that collagen, glutathione, and a holistic lifestyle have to play in preserving youthful radiance. Through the factors provided below, there is growing optimism that we can cultivate good skin care habits contributing to natural beauty that defies the passage of time. Collagen Helps Rewind the Clock On Your Skin Collagen can truly do wonders for your skin, with the special ingredient acting as the scaffolding that gives your skin its structure and bounce. This essential protein, which depletes naturally as we age, is integral when we think about the hallmarks of youthfulness a" plumpness, elasticity, and a luminous glow. When you choose to incorporate collagen through powder or any other form, into your routine, it helps replenish these vital reserves, diminishing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots that tend to emerge in our 20s and 30s. Moreover, the benefits of collagen end up going beyond superficial improvements. Studies have shown that it can also improve hydration, enhance skin elasticity, and even boost hair and nail health. Glutathione Builder Enhances Your Skin's Ultimate Defense As collagen production slows down after the age of 20, your skin becomes more susceptible to damage from free radicals and environmental stressors. Thankfully, there is a master antioxidant known as glutathione, which has a huge part to play. It acts like a shield, protecting our cells from oxidative stress and promoting overall skin health. Fortunately, advancements in skincare have made it easier than ever to boost glutathione levels naturally. Products like Glutathione Builder harness the power of plant-based ingredients to elevate glutathione production within the body, leading to a reduction in pigmentation, improved elasticity, and a radiant, youthful complexion. Investing in Long-Term Health When you think about the long-term health of your skin, it is important to understand why early skin care cannot be taken lightly. It is truly an investment in long-term skin health and vitality. By starting early and establishing a proactive regimen that incorporates collagen and glutathione supplements, you can lay the groundwork for a future where your skin glows with confidence, regardless of your age. However, you must know that skincare alone is not enough. Cultivating healthy lifestyle habits is equally important for optimal skin health. Adequate hydration, balanced nutrition, regular exercise, and stress management all play a vital role in supporting our skin's natural repair and regeneration processes. These practices work synergistically with supplements like collagen and glutathione to amplify their efficacy and unveil a complexion that radiates health and youthfulness. Cultivating Radiant Skin Through Everyday Choices While collagen and glutathione supplements, along with innovative products like Collagen Builder, offer support, lasting skin health hinges more on daily lifestyle choices than on bottled solutions. Prioritizing hydration, balanced nutrition, regular exercise, and stress management lay the foundation for vibrant skin. These habits synergize with external care, unveiling a complexion that defies trends and mirrors inner well-being. Ditching quick fixes for a holistic lifestyle investment is crucial. In an era dominated by synthetic ingredients and invasive procedures, Collagen Builder stands out as a natural alternative. Harnessing SesZenBioTM and CollabZenTM, it revitalizes skin, fights UV damage, and boosts collagen production. Packed with vitamins and antioxidants from lemons, acerola cherries, oranges, strawberries, and pomegranates, Collagen Builder nourishes skin internally, promoting a radiant complexion that blends science with nature. (Mihir Gadani is the Co-Founder of OZiva) IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in --IANS Mihir Gadani/lh/tb Lucknow, Feb 11 : Seat-sharing arrangement has been one of the major contentions for the INDIA bloc and with only three months remaining for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the INDIA bloc is yet to come up with a seat-sharing formula between its alliance partners. In Uttar Pradesh, the INDIA bloc partners -- Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP) -- have been on loggerheads over the seat-sharing arrangements as both the parties have now started to short-list their own candidates on various seats while the alliance partners are in agreement only on few seats across the UP. Sources said that former MP Begum Noor Bano is likely to be the Congress candidate from Rampur. Despite the legendary hostility between the Begum's family and SP leader Mohd Azam Khan, the seat has been given to the Congress. They said that Azam Khan is prepared to support Begum Noor Bano as his family remains in jail, Khan has no other option. UP Congress Chief Ajay Rai is likely to contest from Ballia. Rai -- who contested Lok Sabha elections against Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi in 2014 and 2019 -- is known for his assertive leadership and strong connection with party cadres. Sources said that SP has offered Ballia, Fatehpur Sikri, Rampur, Maharajganj, Barabanki, Sultanpur, Kanpur, Saharanpur, Bhadohi and Bahraich seats to Congress. Despite there being no alliance between the two parties on Rae Bareli and Amethi seats, SP has not fielded any candidates as of now. Before giving seats to Congress, SP had also asked who the candidates are for Congress to contest on the seats it is demanding. On this basis, Congress has shared the names of some seat-wise candidates with the INDIA bloc. Sources said that Congress was keen to field Raj Babbar from Fatehpur Sikri but the actor-turned -politician is not keen to contest from Fatehpur Sikri seat. They said that the second choice for Fatehpur Sikri seat can likely be Ramnath Sikarwar. Congress Spokesperson Supriya Shrinetra is said to be a candidate from the Maharajganj seat. In the last election, Congress had given a ticket to Supriya, but she lost. Tanuj Punia, son of former Congress Rajya Sabha MP PL Punia, has been shortlisted from Barabanki, while former MLC Deepak Singh can be the candidate from Sultanpur. Former MP Imran Masood is likely to contest from Saharanpur while the former MP Rajesh Mishra is likely to contest from Bhadohi. Sources also said that Congress is asking the Bansgaon seat for Kamal Kishore Commando however the SP has not committed anything to the grand-old party as of now for Bansgaon seat. There was also a tussle between the alliance partners over Farrukhabad Lok Sabha seat. Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid used to contest from Farrukhabad, which has been his ancestral seat. However, in the last two Lok Sabha elections, Khurshid could not even save his deposit in Farrukhabad. The SP now has given ticket to cancer surgeon Naval Kishore Shakya from Farrukhabad. Samajwadi Party has also upset the Congress apple cart in Lakhimpur Kheri where it has declared Utkarsh Verma as its candidate. The Congress was all set to announce the name of Purvi Verma from this constituency. Purvi, along with her father Ravi Verma, had joined Congress in November 2023. Ravi Verma is a former SP leader. "SP is giving us those Lok Sabha seats which we did not even ask for. SP declared candidates on those Lok Sabha seats on which Congress was preparing to contest without informing its alliance partner," a senior Congress leader said. Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav had said that his party has kept 11 seats for the Congress but later SP announced its candidates for 16 Lok Sabha seats while the Congress leaders believe that SP's announcement regarding Lok Sabha seats was one-sided. Given the tensions between the Congress and SP over seat-sharing arrangement, it remains to be seen whether the alliance -- in the biggest state of the country, seats wise -- will survive the test or go their own separate ways in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Bhopal, Feb 11 : With less than a week left for nomination filing for the Rajya Sabha election scheduled for February 27, veteran Congress leader and former Chief Minister Kamal Nath, who is currently an MLA, has invited party legislators for a dinner at his residence here. The dinner invite is for February 13, just two days before the last date of nomination on February 15. Kamal Nath recently met Congress high command and former AICC president Sonia Gandhi in Delhi seeking her approval for the same. Sources in the Congress said Kamal Nath was yet to receive any clearance from Sonia Gandhi. Sources also told IANS that Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has been upset with Kamal Nath following the party's defeat in the state Assembly election held in November last year. A Delhi-based senior Congress leader and ex-Rajya Sabha MP, who has been close to the Gandhi family has said that Rahul Gandhi has even stopped communicating with Kamal Nath. "He (Rahul Gandhi) is upset because the Congress lost the election in Madhya Pradesh despite Kamal Nath being given full authority for taking decisions pertaining to the Assembly election," the ex-Rajya Sabha MP said on condition of anonymity. The term of five Rajya Sabha members from Madhya Pradesh ends in April -- four are with BJP, including the seats of Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and L. Murugan, and one with Congress' Rajmani Patel. Kamal Nath, who is currently an MLA from his bastion Chhindwara, is willing to return to the national politics after having spent six years in the state. He had taken charge as president of the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) around six months before the Assembly election in 2018. Since then, he has reshaped the state unit, and was successful in bringing back the Congress into power after a gap of 15 years in 2018. However, factionalism led to a crisis within the unit which resulted in the end of his government within 15 months. In 2022, the Congress managed to win five out of 16 Mayoral seats in Madhya Pradesh, including Gwalior -- the bastion of Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. That victory boosted confidence of the party cadre, however, it witnessed stunning loss in the Assembly election in November 2023. Following the party's defeat, the Congress high command has replaced Kamal Nath with new state president Jitu Patwari. Therefore, Kamal Nath - a nine-time Lok Sabha MP from Chhindwara, who has headed several ministries during UPA 1 and 2, is willing to return to national politics through the Rajya Sabha. Though the Congress was yet to announce the name of its candidate for the Upper House, sources said the party's high command was likely to nominate an OBC or a Dalit candidate. If sources are to be believed Arun Yadav, who is from the opposite faction of Kamal Nath, is also in the race for Rajya Sabha. As Kamal Nath has invited Congress MLAs for dinner, it is being judged as an exercise for a show of strength. As the veteran leader had an upper hand in the ticket distribution during the Assembly polls, many MLAs were with him. The Congress has a total 66 MLAs in Madhya Pradesh, and therefore, it would be interesting to see how many of them join Kamal Nath's dinner party cum meeting on February 13. Also, will Kamal Nath get support from his old party colleague and two-time former CM Digvijaya Singh, who is already in the Upper House, is to be seen. New Delhi, February 13 : A new book by seasoned journalist Amar Devulapalli has detailed how Sonia Gandhi messed up in Andhra Pradesh and pushed Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy -- the state's incumbent Chief Minister -- to sever ties with the Congress and form his own party, thereby denying the 'grand old party' the citadel that gave it the maximum number of Lok Sabha seats than any othe state in 2004 and 2009. In 'Decan Powerplay' (Rupa Publication), Devulapalli writes that soon after the tragic death of Jagan's father, Congress strongman and the state's former chief minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR), in a helicopter crash, at least 737 men and women committed suicide in shock over the death. "Jagan wanted to take out an Odarpu Yatra across the state to honour the memory of his father and share the grief of families who had admired the late leader. But Sonia did not accord the permission to the yatra despite several requests," Devulapalli notes. He writes that this led to Jagan leaving the Congress once and for all and floating his own political party, the YSRCP. The state Congress leadership was uneasy with the idea of Jagan touring the state and consolidating his grip over the legacy of YSR. "Despite these misgivings, Jagan remained with the party and appealed to the leadership for the yatraas permission and for six months -- October 2009 to April 2010 -- he tried to convince the party high command that he had the best interests of the party in his heart," Devulapalli writes. Finally, unwilling to hold back any longer, Jagan did start the Odarpu Yatra on April 9, 2010, with the purpose of consoling the families of the 737 men and women who had taken their own lives grieving for their leader. The names of these 737 individuals are inscribed on a plaque at Idupulapaaya, a village in Kadapa district, the home ground of the Reddys. The author writes that the Congress High Command chose to see this as an act of defiance. Yet, Jagan was undeterred, maintaining that the Odarpu Yatra was his way of honouring the people of his state. To reassure the Congress leadership that this was not an act of rebellion by Jagan, his mother Y.S. Vijayamma and sister Sharmila, who's now his political rival in the Congress, requested an appointment with Sonia Gandhi to explain the purpose behind the Odarpu Yatra. aFinally, Jagan was given an appointment with Sonia Gandhi in June-end of 2010. He met her along with his mother Vijayamma and his sister. It was a 40-minute meeting at Sonia Gandhias 10 Janpath residence in New Delhi. Jagan tried his best to assure Sonia about the non-political nature of his meetings with the kin of the people who died of shock following his fatheras tragic death," Devulapalli writes. An adamant Sonia would have none of it. She asked him to gather all the families of the deceased at one place and console the gathering in one go, rather than individually. Following the meeting, Jagan announced he would resume the yatra on July 8, 2010 -- his father's birth anniversary -- from Ichchapuram in Srikakulam district, the place where YSR concluded his epic padyatra that brought the Congress to power in 2004. Paris, Feb 11 : Paris Saint-Germain secured a 3-1 victory over LOSC Lille in a clash between two top Ligue 1 teams and move 11 points clear at the top of the table. With Saturday night's win PSG extended their run to 16 matches unbeaten across all competitions. Both teams swiftly found the net as the goals were scored early in the match. Lille took the lead in the sixth minute, exploiting PSG's defence to go 1-0 up thanks to Yusuf YazAcA, but their lead was short-lived. The Parisians levelled the scoring minutes later after Ousmane Dembele found Goncalo Ramos for their opening goal. Following the tying goal, PSG took a 2-1 lead when the ball hit off Alexsandro Ribeiro for an own goal. In the second half, PSG attempted to find the insurance goal as they had ten total shots in the final 45 minutes, and the third goal eventually came for Luis Enrique and his team. Bradley Barcola, who came on as a substitute in the second half, connected with Randal Kolo Muani to make the score 3-1 and clinch the win for PSG. Lille had eight total shots as Les Dogues couldn't find the equalizer necessary to leave the French capital with a favourable result. PSG must put this win behind them and concentrate on their upcoming UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first-leg match against Real Sociedad on Wednesday night at the Parc des Princes. As for Lille, they'll await what transpires in the UEFA Conference League knockout round play-off to see who they face after finishing first in Group A. 1748 gram panchayats in UP claim to be TB-free. Image Source: IANS News Lucknow, Feb 11 : At least 1748 gram panchayats -- out of 57,647 gram panchayats in Uttar Pradesh -- have claimed to have achieved Tuberculosis-free status. A government spokesman said that the Health Department will verify the claims and if found to be correct the villages will be honored with a certificate. Across various districts in the state, including Ambedkar Nagar, Barabanki, Kushinagar, Unnao, Mathura, and Lucknow, numerous panchayats have stepped forward to claim TB-free status. State Tuberculosis Control Programme Joint Director Shailendra Bhatnagar said that only after a stringent verification process based on diverse parameters, the deserving panchayats would be given the TB-free certification by February 20. He said various activities aimed at promoting TB awareness and prevention had been incorporated into the panchayat development plans. "Communities had been thoroughly briefed on TB symptoms, prevention measures, debunking misconceptions, treatment adherence, available screening facilities, and the government's support system for TB patients," he said. The spokesman said that the block development officers were actively facilitating the verification process by submitting the requisite documentation for eligible gram panchayats at the block level to the district tuberculosis officer. UP legislators offer prayers at Ram temple in Ayodhya, SP MLAs stay away. Image Source: IANS News Ayodhya, Feb 11 : Legislators from Uttar Pradesh reached Ayodhya around noon on Sunday and offered prayers at the Ram temple. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath flew in from Pune to join the legislators on their temple visit. The ten buses bringing the legislators moved inside the temple complex through a designated entry point and the MLAs and MLCs were welcomed by the temple trust members, including Champat Rai. Interestingly, Congress and BSP legislators were also a part of the trip from which the Samajwadi Party had stayed away. The legislators remained in the temple complex for over an hour. "Special care has been taken to ensure that pilgrims do not face any inconvenience due to the VIP visit," said a senior district official. The VIP visitors were given a tour of the entire temple complex. The legislators, however, could not offer prayers at the Hanuman Garhi due to heavy rush at the temple. Later, the legislators had the specially prepared 'bhog prasad' for lunch. Earlier, the legislators were given a rousing reception on their way to Ayodhya and were greeted with chants of 'Jai Shri Ram'. At several places, the legislators were showered with petals by the people. YAOUNDE, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Cameroonian President Paul Biya has expressed concerns about the obsession of young people in the country to emigrate. "The growing desire of a fringe of our youths to emigrate to other climes is increasingly a cause for concern, especially when it becomes an obsession and even affects people who are well integrated into their local communities," Biya said in a televised message geared toward the younger generation on Saturday evening. He said Cameroon, "like many others around the world" is facing difficulties but migrating "at all costs" was not the solution. "You should know that while you yearn to leave, many foreigners are trying to settle in Cameroon, thereby confirming that ours is a hospitable country and a land of opportunities," he said, adding that emigration was full of "illusions and perils". Last month, airport security officials in the country's commercial hub of Douala said Cameroonian civil servants especially nurses, teachers and security forces were emigrating at an "alarming" rate. Biya's speech came on the occasion of National Youth Day, celebrated annually on Feb. 11 in the Central African country. Basti, Feb 11 : The MP/ MLA court in Uttar Pradesh's Basti has granted 20 days' time to the police for confiscation of ex-minister Amar Mani Tripathi's properties. Basti, Feb 11 (IANS) The MP/ MLA court in Uttar Pradesh's Basti has granted 20 days' time to the police for confiscation of ex-minister Amar Mani Tripathi's properties. SP Basti Gopal Krishna confirmed that on police request, the court had granted time after going through progress reports for attachment of properties. Officials said the court had directed Basti SP to complete the process of naming a receiver and to request respective district authorities to provide a judicial magistrate for confiscation of properties and to give detailed report regarding properties of Amar Mani Tripathi across the country. Chief Judicial Magistrate Pramod Giri has fixed February 29 as the next date, in the 23-year-old case of kidnapping of a school boy Rahul Gupta in Basti on December 6, 2001. The court had already issued a non-bailable warrant against Tripathi and later ordered for confiscation of immovable properties of the former minister under Section 82 of CrPC. Basti police had informed the court that Tripathi had a house (No. 81 B) in Nautanwa town of Maharajganj apart from a residential plot (no A-3/297) of 450 square metres in Gomti Nagar, Lucknow. Kolkata, Feb 11 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to pay a two-day visit to West Bengal by the month-end to take a stock of the BJP's preparedness for the Lok Sabha elections in the state. "The Union home minister was originally scheduled for a two- day visit to West Bengal by the end of January. However, the proposed visit had to be cancelled because of his engagements because of the changed political situation in Bihar. And now if everything goes as per schedule the Union home minister is likely to come to the state with a two-day schedule on February 29," said a state committee member of BJP. Although the exact schedule of Shah during his two-day visit is yet to be finalised, party insiders said that in all probability besides holding meetings with the party's top functionaries in West Bengal, there is a possibility of the Union home minister addressing a couple of rallies in the districts. Party insiders said the reason of fixing February 29 as the tentative date of his arrival to the state is because by that date both the secondary examination conducted by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Examination (WBBSE) and the higher secondary examination conducted by the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) will be over. Political observers feel that the scheduled visit of the Union home minister is crucial as it is expected that he would detail the final blueprint of the party's campaign and strategy for the Lok Sabha polls in the state. Last time, when the Union home minister visited West Bengal, he had set a target for 35 out of 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal. Since then several national leaders have been regularly visiting West Bengal and conducting political programmes here. Bhopal, Feb 11 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday received a warm welcome from the BJP leaders in Madhya Pradesh as he arrived at tribal-dominated Jhabua to kick-start the party's campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabaha election. Bhopal, Feb 11 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday received a warm welcome from the BJP leaders in Madhya Pradesh as he arrived at tribal-dominated Jhabua to kick-start the partyas campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabaha election. After reaching Jhabua through a special charter plane from Indore Airport, he entered the venue in a chariot decorated with flowers, waving hands in his own style to receive a warm welcome from a large gathering of people present there, including women and schoolchildren. He was accompanied by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and State BJP President V.D. Sharma along with Union Minister and tribal leader Arjun Munda. This is PM Modias first visit to Madhya Pradesh after the BJP won the Assembly election with absolute majority by winning 163 of 230 seats under his leadership. During the assembly election, the BJP had launched a slogan -- aMP Ke Mann Me Modi, Modi Ke Mann Me MPa. Now that the general elections are scheduled to be held in the next few months, the BJP has already launched its slogan a" aEk Bar Fir Modi Sarkara. PM Modi kick-started the BJP's campaign for the Parliamentary poll while addressing a mega rally of the tribals in Jhabua, which is one of the six Lok Sabha seats reserved for the Scheduled Tribe (ST) in Madhya Pradesh. Meanwhile, he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for Rs 7,550 crore development projects for the state. Importantly, Madhya Pradesh has the highest a" six Lok Sabha seats reserved for tribals. Through the Prime Minister's rally in Jhabua, the BJP is aimimg to focus on Scheduled Tribe seats in the Lok Sabha in three states (MP, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan). Madhya Pradesh has 29 Lok Sabha seats, out of which, six - Betul, Dhar, Khargone, Mandla, Ratlam-Jhabua, and Shahdol are reserved for the Scheduled Tribes. In the past two general elections, the BJP has almost made a clean sweep by winning 27 and 28 of 29 Lok Sabha seats in 2014 and 2019 respectively in Madhya Pradesh, while the Congress could win only two and one Lok Sabha seat in these two elections. At present, veteran leader Kamal Nathas son Nakul Nath is the only Lok Sabha MP from the Congress in Madhya Pradesh. Patna, Feb 11 : Three persons, including a CPI(ML) leader were shot at by some men in Bihar's Siwan district on Sunday. Patna, Feb 11 (IANS) Three persons, including a CPI(ML) leader were shot at by some men in Biharas Siwan district on Sunday. The incident occurred in the Ramgadhai village under Daraunda police station in the district and the SHO confirmed the incident. The injured persons were initially admitted to the primary health centre in Daraunda and later shifted to the Sadar hospital in Siwan and one of them was further referred to PMCH in Patna after his condition became critical. The police said that some men from the Ramgadhai village set paddy on fire on Saturday night. The paddy belonged to a person named Ramesh Kumar. Hearing the incident, CPI(ML) leader Jayshankar Kumar went there to examine the situation and support him. As soon as he reached there and was interacting with Ramesh and his family, a group of men attacked them. They first brutally assaulted them and then fired shots at them. Jayshankar Kumar, Sita Devi and her son Monu Kumar sustained gunshot injuries. After committing the crime, the accused persons fled from the spot. Sita Devi is a resident of Uttar Pradesh's Etawah district. She along with her son Monu Kumar had come to the village to meet the relatives on February 7. Police said that the investigation is underway and the accused will be arrested soon. Los Angeles, Feb 11 : Actress Jessica Capshaw, who spent 10 seasons playing Dr Arizona Robbins on 'Grey's Anatomy', is returning to reprise her role in the upcoming 20th season of the show. She will be joined by Alex Landi, who returns as Dr Nico Kim, and franchise newcomers Natalie Morales and Freddy Miyares as guest stars in the milestone season of the Shonda Rhimes-produced medical drama, reports The Hollywood Reporter. Additional guest stars are expected to be announced as the show inches closer toward its strikes-delayed return on March 14 at 9 p.m. As per The Hollywood Reporter, Capshaw exited Grey's in 2018, at the end of its 14th season when Arizona moved from Seattle to New York so her daughter, Sofia, could be in the same city with her other mother, Callie (former series regular Sara Ramirez), as the fan-favourite former couple "Calzona" appeared poised for a reunion. Capshaw was written out alongside Sarah Drew (April). Both actresses have since returned to Grey's as the series has made it a point to provide closures for some of its most beloved characters. At the time of their exits, producers said their departures were creative decisions, though sources maintained both Capshaw and Drew attempted to negotiate a higher payday together. Mysuru : , Feb 11 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Sunday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has resurrected the culture and heritage of the country, and has put them on the world map. Addressing a gathering at the Suttur Mutt after inaugurating a guest house there, Shah said, "PM Modi has put our cultural heritage on the world map and brought honor. Including the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Kashi Vishwanath corridor in Kashi, Mahakal Corridor in Ujjain, and the rejuvenation of Kedarnath and Badrinath pilgrimage centers, PM Modi has revitalized numerous cultural centers." The Home Minister said that PM Modi was ensuring the security of the nation while also focusing on making it prosperous. Attention was also given to Yoga, Ayurveda, and the preservation of languages by Modiji, Amit Shah stated. "I want to convey to Swamiji, myself, and every party worker of BJP that we will view the social work done by the mutt with respect and devotion. In the coming days, BJP will support all endeavors of the mutt towards social service and present them before the people," Amit Shah stated. He also congratulated the pontiff for deciding to open a branch of the Suttur Mutt in Ayodhya. State President B.Y. Vijayendra said the arrival of Amit Shah at the Suttur Mutt has created a movement not only in south Karnataka but also in the entire state. "Karnataka is the land of mutts, and they have contributed to the state in all sectors. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also expressed his devotion towards the Suttur Mutt. Under the leadership of Amit Shah, solutions are found for the issues the country is facing," he said. Suttur Mutt pontiff Shivarathri Deshikendra Swamiji, Union Minister for Mine, Coal, and Law Pralhad Joshi, Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka, former CM Basavaraj Bommai, BJP's ex-national general secretary C.T. Ravi, and senior party leader Prabhakar Kore were present. Bhopal, Feb 11 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said he had not come to Jhabua to sound the bugle for the upcoming Lok Sabha election. Citing the BJP's resounding victory in the Assembly election held in November last year, he said the people of Madhya Pradesh have already given their mandate to the BJP. The way people of Madhya Pradesh have given their mandate to the BJP in the Assembly election, it already suggests the mindset of the people. The BJP registered a resounding victory in Madhya Pradesh Assembly election by winning 163 out of 230 assembly seats, while the Congress was reduced to 66 seats against 114, it had won in 2018. "People of Madhya Pradesh have shown their mindset in the state assembly election. I would once again thank you for your enormous support, and I assure that I will return to you with development works," he added. Meanwhile, he said the BJP has set a target for 370 Lok Sabha seats in the coming general election. He gave a mantra for BJP workers on how to make it. He asked BJP workers to visit every booth and make an effort to aid 370 more voters, which will ensure to achieve the target. Taking a jibe at Congress, Modi said the BJP will make a clean sweep by winning all 29 Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh. "Madhya Pradesh has been a 'BIMARU' state, but the double-engine government of the BJP has uplifted it from that tag with developments in the past 10 years. The process of uplifting tribals was started when the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee led the BJP government. Tribals are not vote banks for the BJP," he added. During his visit to Jhabua, a tribal-dominated region in Madhya Pradesh, PM Modi transferred an amount of around Rs 90 crore into the accounts of beneficiaries under the various government schemes such as Aahar Anudan and Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana. Under the Aahar Anudan scheme, Rs 1000 was provided monthly to the women beneficiaries of particularly vulnerable tribal groups Baiga, Bharia and Sahariya of the state. Under the public services delivery, Modi also expanded the cyber-tehsil scheme in all 55 districts of the state. The scheme is an initiative of the state government in which the transfer of land and mappings are made paperless, faceless and online. Kolkata, Feb 11 : The police on Sunday arrested the former CPI(M) legislator from Sandeshkhali Assembly constituency in West Benagl's North 24 Parganas district, Nirapada Sardar, on charges of instigating the common people to take law in the their own hands. Sardar was arrested based on a complaint filed by local Trinamool Congress leader Shibu Hazra, whose poultry farm and farmhouse were gutted on Thursday by the agitated local people mainly led by women on Friday. Hazra is known as a close confidante of absconding Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan, who is the accused mastermind of the attack on ED and CPAF sleuths at Sandeshkhali on January 5. The main accusation against Sardar, as made by Hazra first and subsequently by the police, is that he took a lead role in assembling the local women in hitting the streets with bamboo sticks and sickles first and subsequently masterminding the attack on Hazra's poultry farm and farmhouse on Friday. However, Sardar has vehemently denied the charges and said that while the Hazra's poultry farm and farmhouse took place on Friday, he was at a different place engaged in a party meeting. "I was not even in the locality on Thursday and Friday, when the agitation by the local people started," Sardar told media persons after the arrest. As the news of Sardar's arrests spread, the local CPI(M) supporters with party flags assembled in front of the police stations and started protesting. Already Section 144 has been imposed over a large area in Sandeshkhali. Ban on the use of the Internet has also been imposed there for an indefinite period. Governor C.V. Ananda Bose and the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) have sought a report from the West Bengal government on the situation in Sandeshkhali. The leader of the opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari has already threatened to lead a team of BJP legislators to Sandeshkhali. Bengaluru, Feb 11 : Karnataka Minister for Cooperation K.N. Rajanna on Sunday said that he is a loyalist of the Congress but not a slave of the party's high command. "My high command is my people. I am a loyalist to the Congress but not a slave of high command," said Rajanna, who is considered to be close to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. He said that his conduct should be appreciated by the people. "I don't fear high command. I am the high command myself. There are no high commands for me," Rajanna said. He said that there are state and national presidents of Congress and he will always respect their positions. "I will never challenge their decisions," he said. Rajanna had earlier also batted for creation of more posts of Deputy Chief Ministers in the state much to the disdain of State President and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. Bhopal, Feb 11 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the BJP -- without its alliance partners -- will win 370 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. "The NDA will return to power for the third consecutive term with 400 seats," Modi said while addressing a rally in Madhya Pradesh's Jhabua. He said that even the opposition leader say that BJP will win 400 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha election. "I have not come to Jhabua to campaign. The kind of support BJP has received in Madhya Pradesh shows that the people have trust in BJP's double-engine government," he said. He also took jibe at Congress saying the grand-old party and its allies have already accepted their defeat and they have started using their last tactic -- 'loot and divide'. "Knowing the results, the Congress and its allies are now using their last weapon to divide the people in the name of religion, caste and creed. But, the people of this country will not let them succeed," Modi said. He said that after losing the state assembly election recently, the Congress has witnessed a major crisis and many of them are willing to run away from the party. He said that people of Madhya Pradesh have given a befitting reply to the Congress during the assembly election however their (Congress) sins will be cleansed after the Lok Sabha elections. "Congress has always considered the tribals as their vote bank. We do not consider them a vote bank. They are the pride of our country. Our main motto is to uplift the community by providing them their rights. They have been deprived of their rights for several decades," Modi said. He said that by making changes in the Forest Property Law, the BJP government has returned the rights related to forest land to the tribal society. During his first visit to Madhya Pradesh ahead of the Lok Sabha election Modi who is seeking a third term -- also announced several projects and also laid the foundation stones of some of the projects. "Congress comes to you (tribals) to seek your support during the elections only. The BJP has set an example by appointing a tribal, Droupadi Murmu, as the President. Congress -- which claims to be sympathisers of the tribals -- had put in all efforts not to let it happen," Modi said in Jhabua -- a tribal dominated area of the state. YANGON, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- A fire has destroyed seven houses and several vehicles in southern Myanmar, an official from a rescue organization told Xinhua on Sunday. An early morning fire engulfed Myeik Town's free funeral service society building, causing the damages, an official said. The fire broke out around 2:00 a.m. on Sunday and it was extinguished at around 3 a.m. The official said the cause of the fire is faulty wiring. According to him, no fatalities or injuries were reported. UP team visits Gujarat Institute of Disaster Management to acquire expertise. Image Source: IANS News Lucknow, Feb 11 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has sent a specialised team from the Relief Department for a two-day training program in Gujarat to enhance their disaster management skills. Under the guidance of experts from the Gujarat Institute of Disaster Management, the team will undergo rigorous sessions on February 12 and 13, focusing on proactive disaster preparedness and effective crisis management strategies. Sudhir Garg, Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue, highlighted the Chief Minister's unwavering emphasis on minimising casualties during disasters. "The Chief Minister has instructed the department officials to conduct various learning and training initiatives. Recently, a training camp was convened at IIM Lucknow, where 25 Additional District Magistrates received comprehensive training on climate change, sensitivity, and disaster management from experts representing institutions like IIM Lucknow," he said. He said that a four-member team from the Relief Department has also been dispatched to the Gujarat Institute of Disaster Management for specialised training on February 11. He said that the team aims to significantly contribute to minimising loss of life during calamitous events, including floods and other emergencies in Uttar Pradesh. The Chief Minister has also established three new State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) units in the state. The state government has also officially recognised 11 types of disasters as state-level calamities like: boat accidents, snakebites, sewer cleaning mishaps, gas leaks, and human-wildlife conflicts. --IANS amita/dan Los Angeles, Feb 11 : Auteur Christopher Nolan took home the top prize at the Directors Guild of America Awards, earning his first DGA Award for the historical epic 'Oppenheimer'. DGA president Lesli Linka Glatter opened the 2024 DGA Awards ceremony on Saturday with an acknowledgment of last year's historic double strike, reports The Hollywood Reporter. He said: "I struggle to find words to address the pain everyone faced in our industry in our collective fight to get what we all deserve," said Glatter, who noted how great it was to be back on set. He added: "We are thankful that we are back doing the work that we love with exceptional new creative and economic protections for DGA members and so many others. Our sister guilds, the WGA and SAG-AFTRA, had difficult fights and achieved strong deals on behalf of their members." As per The Hollywood Reporter, actor Cillian Murphy honoured his frequent collaborator Christopher Nolan, whose 'Oppenheimer' marked their sixth film together. The actor said: "It's the same each time: The scripts are always truly extraordinary, the worlds are always challenging and distinctive, they are intelligent and consequential and, always, they are events." Nolan called the DGA recognition particularly special because "nobody gets up here on their own." Nolan thanked his cast, crew and wife Emma Thomas, whom he described as the "lead producer on all these films and lead parent of four kids." Los Angeles, Feb 11 : Veteran director David Nutter was feted with the lifetime achievement award for television direction at the Directors Guild of America Awards. Over his long career, Nutter has directed 24 pilots, 21 of which made it to series orders, and some 1,500 hours of TV, from 'Game of Thrones' to 'ER' to the 'The X-Files', reports Variety. In recent years he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Nutter gave an emotional speech that demonstrated his resilience as he deals with the symptoms of the progressive disease that attacks the central nervous system. "I'm a better director for it," Nutter said of working with Parkinson's. "I'm more attached to the emotional heartbeat of an actor." Auteur Christopher Nolan took home the top prize at the Directors Guild of America Awards, earning his first DGA Award for the historical epic 'Oppenheimer'. Lucknow, Feb 11 : Data from the Indian Council of Medical Research's (ICMR) national cancer registry suggests that the lone cause of cancer in every second male patient in Uttar Pradesh, is tobacco. Data shows that more than 53 per cent of all cancers caused in men were linked to tobacco. The corresponding figure for women is about 15 per cent, while the average for the state is 37.5 per cent. The ICMR report indicated that most of these cancers belong to oral cavity, lung and other upper aero digestive section categories. A good majority of patients reach medical centres in advanced stages where options for curative therapies get limited. Experts at the department of Radiotherapy and Medical Oncology, SGPGIMS emphasised on the need for aself-restraint to keep disease awaya. "Embracing self-restraint and keeping oneself away from tobacco is the easiest and most effective preventive strategy one can adopt," said Punita Lal, senior faculty. In UP, an estimated 2.1 lakh cases of cancer appear every year, which is the highest among Indian states. In general, the commonest cancer among men was in the mouth (20.4 per cent) while breast cancer (23.9 per cent) was the commonest site among women. The mortality rate of cancer patients (across all categories) in UP is about 55 per cent. Shaleen Kumar, another cancer expert, said that the theme for 2024 was aclose the care gapa, while director Prof RK Dhiman explained that gap in the care for cancer patients is a global concern that needs urgent redressal. "Each cancer patient has the right to good holistic care irrespective of their social strata. To ensure this goal for every patient, doctors, nurses, and health care providers will have to recognise, acknowledge, and address the unique needs of each patient," Kumar said. New Delhi, Feb 11 : Author Sam Miller on Sunday said that people generally lack empathy towards the migrants across the globe and the attitude of the countries they want to settle in also remains hostile. "The migration phenomenon has shown many shades of who we actually are. There is a lack of empathy towards migrants. We are also unable to understand the feelings of those who are forced to leave their land. The lack of compassion is not just shocking but sad too," author Sam Miller told IANS, on the second day of Appejay Kolkata Literary Festival. Miller's latest book titled 'Migrants: The Story of Us All' is a thought provoking book which asserts that we are all descended from migrants. The author who debuted with 'Delhi: Adventures in a Megacity' (Penguin) said that his new book is a different book than his last 'A Strange Kind of Paradise: India Through Foreign Eyes'. "In the last book (A Strange Kind of Paradise: India Through Foreign Eyes), I explore how the thinking of foreigners has changed about India. In my new research, I am looking at how human ideas of migration have changed. There is a running theme and a historical and chronological structure in both the books. In terms of content, structure and the kind of research, it is different," Miller said. He said that even the television screens showed the immense humiliation of migrants in Europe while many countries closed their borders. "The way we learn history has changed as it revolves around maps. There is not enough emphasis on early migrations and the nomadic nature of our ancestors. Our education system emphasises that they (migrants) cannot be treated like 'others'," Miller said. He said that media houses have not highlighted the migration problem as it should have and are also partly to be blamed for the problem. Actually, it is the politicians who are the root cause of the migration problem. They must be held responsible for the problem. "People often blame the media. But let us not forget that politicians use the migrant issue for political gains across the globe. Narratives also show our very deep-rooted biases towards migrants," Miller said. He said that we should not forget the photograph of the dead little boy lying on the beach which flashed across the globe. "There was a huge outcry. But tell me would he have been highlighted had he been dark skinned?" Miller asked. In 1989, Miller had come for a documentary project to India but soon got settled in India. "My son lives in India. Delhi may be more polluted and less tolerant but we have been here for a quite long time now. Whenever someone plans a trip to India, I tell him -- you are coming to visit a continent, not a country. I may get bored anywhere in the world but never in India," Miller said. London, Feb 11 : Using popular weight loss drugs like Wegovey can make patients lose their muscle mass, AstraZeneca chief Pascal Soriot has warned. Obesity drugs including Wegovy, which mimics a hormone that tricks the body into satiety, are currently being used by hundreds of thousands of people. However, Soriot warned patients and called out companies to make the drugs to target "more fat and less muscles", the Telegraph reported. "Today you lose weight but you lose fat and you lose muscle. The problem with many of (the treatments) is when you stop, you regain weight, because obesity is a chronic disease. "Most people as soon as they stop taking the medicines, they regain fat, but not so much the muscle that they have lost unless, of course, they go to the gym," Soriot was quoted as saying. He also asked pharma companies to "improve the quality" of weight loss drugs to make them last longer and target them more towards fat loss. This comes as a slew of studies have pointed out several risks associated with these popular drugs like Ozempic, Rybelsus and Saxenda. A study, published in JAMA, showed that the medications known as GLP-1 agonists, originally developed for managing Type-2 diabetes are associated with an increased risk of serious medical conditions including stomach paralysis, pancreatitis and bowel obstruction. Some users claimed it raise suicidal thoughts, leading the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to launch an investigation of its potential dangers. After examining about 2 million patients with type 2 diabetes or obesity, researchers at the Case Western Reserve University found no evidence to support the EMA's concern that semaglutide may cause suicidal ideations. Obesity treatments are witnessing a boom in demand, with experts expecting the industry to be worth $90bn (74bn pounds) within the coming years. Soriot noted that this huge level of demand may increase plastic packaging, and raise environmental concerns. "If you think about a billion people using one plastic pen every week, that's a lot of plastic. All these plastic pens will become an issue at some point." Meanwhile, AstraZeneca is developing its own weight-loss treatments, with the aim of leapfrogging rivals with a new, potentially cheaper, obesity drug. The company known for its Covid vaccine, struck a deal worth up to 1.6bn pounds for an experimental pill being developed by Chinese biotech company Eccogene in November. Soriot said the plan is to create drugs which could be used in poorer countries rather than only Western nations, claiming AstraZeneca is developing "the next generation and the next wave" of obesity and diabetes treatments, the report said. He added that AstraZeneca will be combining its medicines to help with other issues related to people's weight, such as hypertension or heart disease, the report said. New Delhi, Feb 11 : Microsoft founder and billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates has revealed that in 1997, when he read about children dying in various parts of the world due to diseases which were curable in the US, he realised what he wanted to do something beyond the company he founded. During a conversation with comedian Trevor Noah on his podcast, titled 'What Now? With Trevor Noah,' Gates shared the 1997 incident. "I had a long period from about age 18 to 40 where I was very monomaniacal. Microsoft was everything. I was lucky enough that as other people took over Microsoft, I got to go and read and learn about all the health challenges, why children die," said the Microsoft founder. He went on to start his charitable organisation called Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. "Our foundation has spent $53.8 billion since 2000, and we think that's helped our partners make a difference. The number of children who die each year before their fifth birthday. It's fallen by half since the year 2000. Millions more kids are surviving. That makes us optimistic," Gates wrote on their website. Last December, he said that if we make smart investments now, artificial intelligence (AI) can make the world a more equitable place, reducing or even eliminating the lag time between when the rich world gets an innovation and when the poor world does. In a blog post titled 'The road ahead reaches a turning point in 2024,' the Microsoft Co-founder said that we can learn a lot from global health about how to make AI more equitable. "The main lesson is that the product must be tailored to the people who will use it," he wrote. One of the biggest impacts so far is on creating new medicines. Drug discovery requires combing through massive amounts of data, and "AI tools can speed up that process significantly". "Some companies are already working on cancer drugs developed this way. But a key priority of the Gates Foundation in AI is ensuring these tools also address health issues that disproportionately affect the world's poorest, like AIDS, TB, and malaria," he stressed. Tarn Taran : , Feb 11 (IANS) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday solicited support and cooperation of people to strengthen arms of AAP for bringing agenda of welfare and development at national centre-stage. Addressing the gathering here, the Chief Minister said the credit of bringing common people at the centre-stage of Indian polity goes to Arvind Kejriwal. He said Kejriwal had brought paradigm shift in politics by introducing value-based politics by rejecting the divisive politics. Mann said it is a matter of pride and satisfaction that huge scores of people are witness to this historic occasion. The Chief Minister said that huge response of people in the rally reflects trust of people in pro-people and development-oriented policies of the state government. He said that contrary to trend of selling government properties, the Punjab government has taken a historic decision to purchase a private plant. Mann said that the day is not far when state government will further purchase the remaining private power plants in state. The Chief Minister said that those who are now on path of 'parivar bachao yatra' had looted the state during their long tenure. He said these people had mercilessly ruined the state due to which they were ousted from power. Mann that people donat trust even a single word of these leaders due to which they are envious of him. The Chief Minister bemoaned that the Haryana government is putting barbed wire to stop the farmers of the state. He said this tendency of creating rift between Punjab and India must be avoided as it is not in the interest of country. Mann said that the issues with farmers should be resolved through dialogue. Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal said for the first time in last 75 years a private power plant has been purchased by the state government. He said this plant has been purchased at a cheap price by the state government. The state government has purchased this plant worth Rs 5,500 crore at a meagre price of Rs 1,100 crore. The Delhi Chief Minister said 90 per cent households are already getting free power in state and with this plant now other sectors will also get subsidised power. He said the state government has started Ghar Ghar Muft Ration scheme on Saturday, which will be a stepping stone to eliminate ration mafia in the country. The Delhi Chief Minister slammed the Union government for stalling Rs 8,000 crore meant for various pro-people schemes in the state. He said this is grace injustice with the state which cannot be tolerated. Kejriwal said that the Union government is afraid of spreading base of the AAP due to which it is stopping too low to stall its working. He said the Union government led by the BJP is working overtime to defame AAP because it is afraid of it. He said that the Union government is using the central agencies to arm twist the opposition especially the AAP. Kejriwal said but when the people are with the party and the blessings of god are there so they are not afraid. --IANS vg/pgh Patna, Feb 4 : A day ahead of the crucial floor test of Nitish Kumar government, a meeting of JD-U MLAs was held at the residence of Finance Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary on Sunday but 4 lawmakers were not present. However, another Minister said that they were in touch with all four and they would be reaching here in time for the vote. The meeting started at 5 p.m. and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was also present. Sources have said that of the missing four MLAs, three - Bima Bharti, Sudarshan Kumar, and Dilip Rai - had their phones switched off or out of network coverage area, while Dr Sanjiv Kumar, who represents Parbatta in Khagaria district, was in Goa but is expected to reach Patna by Monday. On Saturday, a lunch party was held at the residence of Rural Development Minister Shrawan Kumar here where these MLAs as well as Shalini Mishra were not present. However, Mishra, who went to Delhi a few days ago, had returned to Patna and was present in the Sunday meeting. "We are with Nitish Kumar and we will win the vote of trust," she said. Cabinet minister Sumit Singh, who is an Independent, said that the "missing" lawmakers will reach Patna for the floor test on Monday. "We have contacted them and they are on the way to Patna. There will be no 'Khela' (gamke) in Bihar. We are the players (Khiladi) and we will do the Khela," he said. Asked about the phones of three MLAs being switched off, Singh said that the party leaders have contacted them on their alternate numbers and they had promised to come to Patna. During the 2020 Assembly election as well as during the formation of Mahagathbandhan government, Bima Bharti had openly objected to Lesi Singh being made minister. On the other hand, Sudarshan Kumar was not pleased with senior party leader Ashok Chaudhary, considered close to Nitish Kumar, and had blamed him for interfering in his constituency. Rai was in the RJD before the 2020 Assembly election and joined the JD-U in the run-up to it. Lucknow/Ayodhya, Feb 11 : Almost three weeks after the Pran Pratistha ceremony of Ram Lalla, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, his cabinet ministers along with BJP and several non-BJP legislators visited Ayodhya's grand Ram Temple on Sunday and paid obeisance. MLAs from other Opposition parties including BSP joined the 'Team Yogi' in visiting the holy town and seeking blessings of Ram Lalla. However, Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party (SP) gave it a miss again as it declined an invitation by Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana to be part of the group. Jansatta Dal (Loktantrik) President Raja Bhaiya also accompanied the cabinet ministers and BJP MLAs in offering prayers to Ram Lalla. As the cavalcade of ministers and MLAs, in 10 luxury buses, reached the temple town, they were given a warm welcome by the devotees. They were showered with flower petals by hordes of BJP workers, amid the chanting of 'Jai Shri Ram' slogans. While the ministers and MLAs were en route to Ayodhya, they sang bhajans for the Lord Ram, while remaining immersed in devotional spirit. As Yogi Adityanath, flanked by hundreds of legislators, reached the temple premises, the devotees were excited to see the Chief Minister in their midst. The area echoed with the slogan of 'Jai Shri Ram'. After the 'darshan' of Lord Ram and also the recently built Ram Mandir, all the ministers and MLAs were given 'prasad'. Sharing his first experience, Speaker Mahana said, "I am very emotional because I visited here when bullets were fired in 1990. I came at a time when the construction of the platform was taking place, and today, I have had the privilege of witnessing the divine presence directly." Earlier, in the day, the convoy reached Ayodhya at around 11.30 a.m. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath joined them later via chopper. Some local residents were seen riding on bulldozers welcoming the legislators by showering flowers on them and chanting slogans of 'Jai Shri Ram'. Local artists also performed various forms of folk dance to welcome and congratulate the public representatives. HONG KONG, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Since normal travel resumed in 2023, the flow of people between Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland have been increased, enhancing personnel exchanges between the two places. With a mobile phone and a stand, self-media bloggers used simple equipment to shoot three to five minutes of short videos, sharing their experience and observations in Hong Kong and the mainland, promoting a two-way cultural dialogue between the two places. "A fat boy born and raised in Hong Hong who loves to eat." This is self-media blogger Saidorsi's self-introduction on his self-media homepage. Saidorsi released videos, most of which are about eight to 10 minutes long, from the perspective of Hong Kong people and in the language closest to them, introducing tips of eating and having fun in the mainland, as well as electronic payment and bank account opening. "My goal is that after watching my videos, the audience will be able to visit the mainland themselves," Saidorsi, who is in his thirties, worked in the design area before becoming a self-media blogger, said. In 2017, Saidorsi decided to become a full-time self-media blogger after witnessing the development of the self-media market. In August of the same year, he posted a video recommending a hot pot restaurant in Shenzhen, a neighbor city dubbed the commercial hub in South China. The video achieved 100,000 views in five days and made a splash. Since then, he has started his self-media journey of introducing Shenzhen to Hong Kong people. "My previous job required frequent business trips to mainland cities, which gave me a certain understanding of the lifestyle in the mainland and I was greatly inspired," Saidorsi said. Over the past seven years, the video blogger has created more than 1,000 videos and the content has expanded from Shenzhen to other mainland cities. By filming the changes in Shenzhen, Saidorsi hoped to open a window for Hong Kong people to understand the development in the mainland. "Many people told me that after watching my videos, they realized that there were so many interesting places in the mainland, which gave me a great sense of accomplishment," Saidorsi said. According to the Hong Kong Tourism Board, the number of visitors to Hong Kong in 2023 was about 34 million. It is widely believed in the Hong Kong tourism industry that in recent years, visitors to Hong Kong have begun to focus on the urban space outside scenic spots, and Hong Kong's rich artistic activities are attracting tourists from different places. Chen Ziyu, who lived in Guangzhou, capital city of Guangdong province, since childhood, has been operating self-media accounts on different platforms since 2016. Because of her love for Hong Kong's cultural works, she chose to introduce Hong Kong's art information as the main content. In 2017, Chen came to Hong Kong to study art education and visited almost all art institutions in the international financial hub, and she shared her knowledge and visiting experience on social platforms. "The route I designed brings together the small-scale and scattered galleries in Hong Kong, so that visitors can experience the artistic environment of Hong Kong in a short time," Chen said. In addition, Chen also shared her experience as a volunteer in art institutions such as the Hong Kong Palace Museum. "Seeing the world in Hong Kong and being seen by the world," Chen said, in recent years, a series of major events have been held in Hong Kong that combined tradition and modernity, art, culture and technology, giving countless art lovers a feast for their eyes. At the same time, the infinite potential of Hong Kong's cultural and artistic development has also been seen by the world, making her feel proud. This is the first Lunar New Year after the Hong Kong society has returned to normalcy and the festive atmosphere throughout the territory was exceptionally good. Chen used her mobile phone to record the Hong Kong-style Lunar New Year. In the new year, Chen hoped that artists from the mainland and Hong Kong will have more exchanges, bringing their hearts closer with their works of art. Ludhiana, Feb 11 : Extending solidarity with the protesting farmers over their demands with the Central government, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday said the party would secure victory across all 13 constituencies in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Punjab. Addressing the inaugural Punjab Congress Worker's Convention convened at Samrala near Ludhiana, Kharge said: "Today's gathering signifies a monumental moment for the Congress. The resolute presence of our workers and office-bearers underscores the unwavering determination of the Punjab Congress to secure victory across all 13 constituencies in the forthcoming elections." The AICC chief emphasised the historical and cultural significance of Punjab, saying: "Punjab, the land of Guru Nanak Dev-ji, epitomizes principles of equality and unity. It is incumbent upon us to uphold and propagate these values nationwide. Punjab stands as a beacon of pride for our nation, exemplified by its dual role in providing a substantial number of soldiers and sustaining the agricultural backbone of the country." Regarding agricultural reforms, Kharge expressed solidarity with the farmers, asserting: "Despite the hollow promises of the BJP government, the Congress stands steadfastly with the farmers. The revoking of three contentious farm laws is all a ploy as the laws have not yet been cancelled." Commending the resilience of Punjab's farmers, Kharge lauded their protests at the borders of Delhi, affirming Congress' unwavering support. He critiqued the divisive tactics employed by certain factions, and questioned if they can be called patriots. Reflecting on the economic landscape under the BJP rule, he said: "All growth witnessed in India has been seen during the Congress rule, but none has been seen during this dark BJP rule being witnessed in the nation currently. There are currently 30 lakh jobs available in government sectors but still majority of our youth is unemployed. All we have seen under this BJP rule, the rich are getting richer while the poor continue to struggle." Kharge reiterated the indispensable role of party workers in disseminating Congress' vision for a progressive India. He affirmed: "The workers are essential to go door to door in order to make the people realise how our nation has deteriorated under this BJP rule. The workers will help disseminate our ideas and message to the people, following which, the people of India will surely vote for the Congress in order to secure democracy in our nation." --IANS vg/pgh New Delhi, Feb 11 : Health experts on Sunday stressed the need to avoid using cooking oils with carcinogenic contaminants like glycidyl esters (GE) and 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol esters (3-MCPD). The global challenge of reducing levels of GE and 3-MCPD in vegetable oils is a critical issue impacting the food industry and oil refiners worldwide. During the industrial refining process, GE and 3-MCPD may form in edible oils when exposed to high temperatures to eliminate undesirable tastes, colours, or odours. Although the highest concentrations are typically found in refined palm oil and palm olein oil, these contaminants are also present in other refined vegetable oils (e.g., safflower, coconut, sunflower, rice bran oil, soybean oil, etc.) and refined marine oils (e.g., fish oils). When these oils are used in various cooking methods such as deep frying, baking, grilling, and roasting, some of these undesirable chemical compounds will naturally migrate into the food and increase health risks, the health experts said. Even as cancer cases are soaring in India, the experts called on health officials to set limits like Europe. Many animal studies have demonstrated that regular consumption of GE and 3-MCPD above tolerable limits leads to adverse effects on kidneys and male reproductive organs. "With increasing incidences of cancer in the country, there is an urgent need to address carcinogenic contaminants like GE and 3-MCPD in cooking oils. As these contaminants present in oil can cause cancer in the long term,: Dr Rahul Bhargava, Principal Director of Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram, told IANS. "With the increasing incidence of cancer in India and the widespread use of cooking oils, government bodies concerned and FSSAI should also take steps to bring these regulations in our country. Display compliance with GE and 3-MCPD limits on labels is crucial for empowering consumers to make healthier and safer choices for cooking oils," he added. In 2016, the European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA) expert panel on contaminants evaluated the potential risks of GE and 3-MCPD. The EFSA concluded that GE poses a concern for public health due to their genotoxic and carcinogenic properties, causing DNA damage and cancers. Consequently, accepted levels of processing contaminants in vegetable oils for human consumption were established. "It's vital to highlight the alarming health risks posed by GE and 3-MCPD contaminants in cooking oils. Exposure to GE and 3-MCPD is linked to severe health issues, including kidney damage and various cancers. Government authorities in India should also make regulations to control and minimise these contaminants in cooking oil. For good health, choosing cooking oils which are compliant with EU safety regulations of 3 MCPD & GE is important," Dr. Sushila Kataria, Director, Internal Medicine, Medanta, Gurugram told IANS. While India has made strides in controlling trans fats, there has been limited action in formulating guidelines for GE and 3-MCPD. India must align with the EFSA guidelines on these contaminants, the experts said. Washington, Feb 11 : Qatar has condemned the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's order for the evacuation of 1.3 million Palestinians from Rafah, the south Gazan city on Egyptian border wherefrom hostages have crossed so far, ahead of an expanded offensive against Hamas. Reacting to Israel's plan to launch a military offensive in Rafah, the Hamas leadership has said it would "destroy" ongoing hostage negotiations while the US warned that it would lead to "disaster". UN and other aid organisations have also expressed serious concern saying the civilians in the strip have nowhere else to go. Qatar on Sunday condemned "in the strongest terms" the Israel's plans for a ground offensive in Rafah, urging the UN Security Council to "prevent" Israel from committing what it described as "genocide", US media reports said. Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on its website warned of "a humanitarian catastrophe in the city that has become the last refuge for hundreds of thousands of displaced people inside the besieged Strip". The Gulf nation called on the Security Council "to take urgent action to prevent the Israeli occupation forces from invading Rafah and committing genocide, and to provide full protection to civilians under international law and international humanitarian law", the statement read. The ministry said that it "affirms Qatar's categorical rejection of attempts to forcibly displace the Palestinian people from Gaza Strip". Any Israeli ground offensive in the city of Rafah would mean the end of hostage negotiations, Hamas-run television channel Al-Aqsa reported Sunday. Hamas leadership sources said that an assault on Rafah would mean the "destruction" of negotiations that have been on-going for weeks. "Netanyahu is trying to evade the obligations of the exchange deal by committing genocide and a new humanitarian catastrophe in Rafah," Al-Aqsa quoted the Hamas source as saying. In a statement on Friday, Netanyahu's office said it had directed the military to plan for the "evacuation of the population" from Rafah in anticipation of a ground assault on the southern Gaza city. Patna, Feb 11 : Ahead of the crucial test vote on Monday, Bihar's ruling JD-U has shifted its MLAs to a hotel near the state Assembly. JD-U MLAs such as Lesi Singh, Madan Sahani, and Raj Kumar were seen on Sunday evening in the Chanakya Hotel which is just 500 meters away from the Bihar Vidhan Sabha. The JD-U legislators will directly go to the Assembly from the hotel on Monday morning for the floor test of the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government. Four MLAs were absent from a party meeting on Sunday and reportedly not reachable but a Minister said that all were contacted and would reach Patna in time for the vote. Meanwhile, BJP MLAs who were in Bodh Gaya for a party workshop since Saturday returned to Patna on Sunday evening. They went to the residence of Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha. Sixteen Congress MLAs, who were in Hyderabad, also returned to Patna on Sunday evening. They are camping at Tejashwi Yadav's residence. As per the Assembly schedule, the session on Monday will start with the Governor's address. After the Governor's address, Speaker Awadh Bihari Choudhary will begin the house proceedings. As a notice has already been served, the NDA MLAs in the House will move a no-confidence motion against the Speaker. After the motion is moved, Deputy Speaker Maheshwar Hazari will take the Chair and Choudhary will sit with the RJD MLAs in the House. The Deputy Speaker will start the proceedings of voting for the no-confidence motion, which will decide the fate of the incumbent Speaker. Bengaluru, Feb 11 : Karnataka unit BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra on Sunday said that the visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to the state was a successful one. "We have given him assurance to work unitedly to ensure the victory of the BJP and JD-S candidates," he said. He said this while speaking to reporters after attending a series of meetings chaired by Amit Shah in Mysuru. "We discussed in detail the strategy for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, and all our leaders have assured the Home Minister that they would work for the victory of the candidates put forth by the BJP-JD-S parties. "The Mysuru tour of Union Home Minister Amit Shah was successful. The core committee meeting and meetings with leaders of Mysuru, Mandya, Hassan, and Chamarajanagar Lok Sabha seats of Mysuru cluster were also successfully held," he stated. "Shah said that there was a conducive atmosphere in all 28 Parliamentary seats in Karnataka for the BJP and JD-S. He has advised on what our strategy should be to capitalise on the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and to increase 10 per cent votes in every booth," he said. Amit Shah also visited the Chamundi Hills and offered special prayers to Goddess Chamundeshwari with Union Minister for Coal, Mine, Law Pralhad Joshi. Hyderabad, Feb 12 : A day before presenting the white paper on irrigation projects in the Telangana Assembly, the ruling Congress on Sunday arranged a special presentation for its legislators. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy provided guidance to MLAs and MLCs on the debate over white paper after Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy made the powerpoint presentation. The programme, held at Praja Bhavan, was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, all ministers, MLAs and MLCs. The ruling party legislators were given instructions on the issues to be raised during the debate. They were told to be ready to take the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) to task over acts of "omissions and commissions by the previous government in the matter of irrigation projects". The decisions to table white paper and have a debate on it during the ongoing Budget session come amid the row over handing over management of projects on Krishna river to Krishna River Management Board (KRMB). Last week, Revanth Reddy had dared former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) and other BRS leaders to participate in the debate on irrigation projects. He lashed out at BRS for making an allegation that Congress government handed over control of Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar to KRMB to the detriment of state's interests. The Chief Minister alleged that it was the previous government which signed an agreement to hand over the projects to the Centre. The BRS has called for aChalo Nalgondaa on February 13 to oppose handing over of projects to KRMB. The BRS leaders from districts that come under Krishna basin including Mahabubnagar, Rangareddy, Khammam and Nalgonda have been told to make the protest a success. KCR is likely to address the public meeting, the first since the BRS lost power to Congress two months ago. Property details: .BUY LAND NOW1 Mile to Lake START INVESTING NOW!This land is perfect for Land Banking! Buy and hold for future investment. Many companies and investors purchase land at a substantial discount for their investment portfolios. Then later, use this as collateral for their business. Low Low Prices!Great Investment for new investor. Start your own land business now!DescriptionResidential lot near lakes in Brandon , Mississippi. This area is low on taxes with less restrictions then other places. Also ... Price: $ 118 Seller State of Residence: California Type: Homesite, Lot Property Address: Faye Dr Brandon MS Zip/Postal Code: 39042 Zoning: Residential City: Brandon State/Province: Mississippi Location: 390**, Brandon, Mississippi You will be redirected to eBay Nearby Mississippi JOHANNESBURG, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Seven people were killed when a Renault sedan collided head-on with a Toyota light delivery van on Sunday morning in Waterberg, Limpopo province, the northernmost province of South Africa, said Limpopo province department of transport and community safety. The department issued a statement on Sunday saying the accident happened at the R101 next to Tobias in Waterberg district. Limpopo province member of the executive council for transport and community safety, Florence Radzilani, sent condolence messages to the bereaved families and wished those injured a speedy recovery. "The driver of the South African Police Service vehicle was rushed to hospital and is currently receiving medical attention. The cause of this horrific accident is still unknown and is currently being investigated," said the department. Radzilani has also appealed to road-users to take extra precautions during their trips in order to reduce road fatalities on the provincial roads. Property details: House being sold on 106 Acre Parcel of land in Ordway, Colorado. Was setup as a cannabis cultivation facility. Has large metal frame garage approximately 1,500 sq. feet. 6 foot tall fence around 2.5 acre parcel and three partially constructed hoop houses of 2,000 sq. feet with concrete bases. Good condition. New Septic system. Cleaned up and fresh paint. Ready to move in. House being sold "AS IS".All pictures on Zillow. 19469 County Road H, Ordway CO 81063... Price: $ 179,000 Seller State of Residence: Colorado For Sale by: Owner Property Address: 19469 County Road H Number of Bedrooms: 3 Property Type: House Sale Type: Existing Homes Number of Bathrooms: 2.5 Setting: Rural, Country Zip/Postal Code: 81063 City: Ordway State/Province: Colorado Location: 801**, Littleton, Colorado You will be redirected to eBay Nearby Colorado While biking or scootering is environmentally friendly and can alleviate the stress of finding an open parking spot, this method of transportation can be especially dangerous in such a densely packed campus. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party received nearly Rs 1300 crore through electoral bonds in the 2022-23, which was seven times more than what the Congress got in the same period through the same route. IMAGE: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav outlines the Lotus, a symbol of Bharatiya Janata Party on a wall during the 'wall writing programme' ahead of Lok Sabha elections, in Bhopal. Photograph: ANI Photo The BJP's total contributions stood at Rs 2120 crore in the 2022-23 fiscal, of which 61 per cent came from electoral bonds, according to the party's annual audited report submitted to the Election Commission. In FY 2021-22, the party's total contributions were to the tune of Rs 1775 crore. The party's total income in 2022-23 stood at Rs 2360.8 crore, up from Rs 1917 crore in FY 2021-22. The Congress, on the other hand, earned Rs 171 crore from electoral bonds which was down from Rs 236 crore in FY 2021-22. The BJP and the Congress are recognised national parties. The Samajwadi Party, a recognised state party, had earned Rs 3.2 crore through electoral bonds in 2021-22. In 2022-23, it received no contributions from these bonds. Another state recognised party, the TDP, earned Rs 34 crore through electoral bonds in 2022-23 which was up 10 times from the previous fiscal. The BJP also earned Rs 237 crore from interests in the last fiscal, up from Rs 135 crore in 2021-22. Out of its total expenditure on 'election and general propaganda', the BJP paid Rs 78.2 crore for use of aircraft and helicopters, which is down from Rs 117.4 crore in 2021-22. The party also paid Rs 76.5 crore as financial assistance to candidates, down from Rs 146.4 crore in 2021-22. The party has shown this assistance under the head 'total payments'. Struggling to gain political traction on issues of corruption, the West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party is shifting its focus to emotive topics such as the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in a bid to achieve its target of securing 35 out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats from the state. IMAGE: Leader of Opposition in West Bengal and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari along with party leaders stage a protest march against the state government, in Kolkata. Photograph: ANI Photo The BJP's strategy is buoyed by the decision of the Trinamool Congress to contest alone in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal, breaking away from the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) in the state. This move has raised hopes within the saffron camp of consolidating anti-TMC votes, a trend evident in the party's surge from a 17% vote share in 2014 to 40% in 2019, resulting in 18 Lok Sabha seats. Despite facing internal strife and electoral setbacks since its defeat in the 2021 assembly polls, the BJP's attempts to capitalise on corruption allegations against the Mamata Banerjee government have fallen short. With a target of winning 35 out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats, the BJP is now banking on emotive issues like the Ram Temple and CAA. "Both inauguration of Ram Temple and implementation of CAA are core issues of the party," Agnimitra Paul, BJP state general secretary told PTI. She emphasised the party's resonance with voters in Bengal by saying, "Both the issues are emotive, and people can connect with it." An idol of the new Ram Lalla was consecrated at the Ayodhya temple on January 22, the event coming just months ahead of the Lok Sabha elections and 34 years after BJP veteran LK Advani's iconic 'Mandir Wahin Banayenge' speech during his Rath yatra that shaped Ram Mandir politics. Echoing this sentiment, BJP MP and former state president Dilip Ghosh underscored the emotive appeal of these issues, asserting their historical significance in uniting Hindu voters and addressing refugee concerns, particularly among the Matua community. "The promise of implementing the CAA has played a significant role in BJP's electoral successes," said Ghosh. "The Ram temple issue has benefitted the BJP in the past, and this time too, it will help us to unite the Hindus across the country, including Bengal," the BJP leader said during whose tenure as state president from 2015 to 2021 the party had witnessed a meteoric rise in the state. The Matuas, a significant portion of the state's Scheduled Caste population, have been migrating to West Bengal since the 1950s, fleeing religious persecution in East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. Their cohesive voting behaviour makes them a valuable voting bloc, particularly in alignment with the BJP's stance on the CAA. Riding on the promises of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), the Matua community in 2019 voted en masse for the saffron camp in the state. The CAA, enacted by the BJP-led central government in 2019, seeks to grant Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants, including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians, from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who entered India before December 31, 2014. Union Minister and Matua leader Shantanu Thakur had recently said the CAA will be implemented soon, amidst reports that rules of the legislation would be framed before the Lok Sabha polls. While the BJP aims for over 35 seats, insiders indicate a more pragmatic goal of 24. Speaking on the issue of BJP resorting back to Ram Mandir and CAA to win the election in the state, party leaders said it reflects an 'acknowledgement of organisational challenges and a desire to counter the Trinamool's narrative of Bengali sub-nationalism'. "Organisationally, we are not in a very good situation where we can claim that we will win 35 seats in the state. Second, as this is the Lok Sabha election, the TMC's pitch of Bengali sub-nationalism won't blunt our narrative, unlike the assembly polls," a senior state BJP leader said. The TMC has fanned the 'Bengali pride' and had created a poll narrative of sub-nationalism to counter BJP's identity politics in the 2021 assembly polls. The party also pointed out that the break-up of the INDIA bloc in Bengal with TMC deciding to fight alone will further help in consolidation of the anti-TMC votes in BJP's account. "After the Left and Congress alliance fell apart in West Bengal in 2019, it had led to a four-cornered contest with BJP bagging the entire chunk of the anti-TMC votes in the state. This time too, we are hopeful that despite the Left-Congress alliance, we will gain the most," a BJP leader said. Responding to the BJP's strategy, the Trinamool Congress remains confident in its appeal to voters, dismissing BJP's communal politics as ineffective. TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said 'voters will support Mamata Banerjee to thwart BJP's divisive tactics in Bengal'. Political analyst Maidul Islam suggested that the BJP's reliance on emotive issues stems from its organisational weaknesses. "Issues like the Ram Temple, Uniform Civil Code (UCC), and CAA will dominate the narrative in upcoming Lok Sabha polls in Bengal, with polarisation and counter-polarisation at play," he said. People watch a molten iron fireworks show in Zunhua, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2024. Lighting and appreciating lanterns during the Spring Festival is a time-honored tradition in China. (Photo by Liu Mancang/Xinhua) This photo taken on Feb. 10, 2024 shows light installations in Luoyang, central China's Henan Province. Lighting and appreciating lanterns during the Spring Festival is a time-honored tradition in China. (Photo by Huang Zhengwei/Xinhua) This photo taken on Feb. 10, 2024 shows lighting at Longquan ancient town in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province. Lighting and appreciating lanterns during the Spring Festival is a time-honored tradition in China. (Photo by Chen Qibao/Xinhua) An aerial drone photo shows people visiting an old block decorated with lighting in Tangshan, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2024. Lighting and appreciating lanterns during the Spring Festival is a time-honored tradition in China. (Xinhua/Yang Shiyao) People visit an old block decorated with lighting in Tangshan, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2024. Lighting and appreciating lanterns during the Spring Festival is a time-honored tradition in China. (Xinhua/Yang Shiyao) An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 10, 2024 shows light installations in Tangshan, north China's Hebei Province. Lighting and appreciating lanterns during the Spring Festival is a time-honored tradition in China. (Xinhua/Yang Shiyao) An aerial drone photo shows folk artists putting on a molten iron fireworks show in Tangshan, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2024. Lighting and appreciating lanterns during the Spring Festival is a time-honored tradition in China. (Xinhua/Yang Shiyao) An aerial drone photo shows people visiting an old block decorated with lighting in Tangshan, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2024. Lighting and appreciating lanterns during the Spring Festival is a time-honored tradition in China. (Xinhua/Yang Shiyao) An aerial drone photo shows folk artists putting on a molten iron fireworks show in Tangshan, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2024. Lighting and appreciating lanterns during the Spring Festival is a time-honored tradition in China. (Xinhua/Yang Shiyao) This photo taken on Feb. 10, 2024 shows light installations in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. Lighting and appreciating lanterns during the Spring Festival is a time-honored tradition in China. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu) This photo taken on Feb. 10, 2024 shows light installations in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. Lighting and appreciating lanterns during the Spring Festival is a time-honored tradition in China. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu) This photo taken on Feb. 10, 2024 shows light installations in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. Lighting and appreciating lanterns during the Spring Festival is a time-honored tradition in China. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu) This photo taken on Feb. 10, 2024 shows fireworks and lighting in Luoyang, central China's Henan Province. Lighting and appreciating lanterns during the Spring Festival is a time-honored tradition in China. (Photo by Li Weichao/Xinhua) Over 300 Uttar Pradesh legislators packed in 10 buses and some cars travelled Sunday from Lucknow to the new Ayodhya Ram Mandir, a state government-organised event skipped only by the opposition Samajwadi Party. Members from the Jayant Chaudhary's Rashtriya Lok Dal too were part of the group, their participation seen as another indication that the party is all set to switch sides from the SP to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Flower petals were showered on the blue state roadways luxury buses in Ayodhya as they brought the legislators. Some people even stood atop a bulldozer and showered flowers on the cars. Legislators from both the state assembly (current strength 399) and the legislative council (100) took part in the day trip to the temple town, about two and a half hours away. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who was in Pune earlier, flew down to Ayodhya separately to join the MLAs. The temple was opened to public on January 23, a day after the consecration of the Ram Lalla idol there on a nationally televised event led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The planned Ayodhya trip comes a day after a resolution lauding the consecration was read out in Parliament. Ayodhya District Magistrate Nitish Kumar said the darshan took place 'in sequence' so that ordinary devotees could continue with their own darshan. Photograph: ANI Photo The process took about an hour and a half. This was followed by lunch. Adityanath shared a 14-minute video clip of his visit. Some MLAs, including Speaker Satish Mahana were seen chanting 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram'. Some sat on the stairs of the temple, posing for group photos. Assembly sources said about 325 legislators offered prayers. Some of them were accompanied by their spouses, and altogether there were over 400 people in the group. Jansatta Dal-Loktantrik leader Raghuraj Pratap Singh, Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party's O P Rajbhar, Bahujan Samaj Party's Umashankar Singh and RLD's Rajpal Singh Baliyan were among those who travelled to Ayodhya. Aradhana Mishra, one of two Congress MLAs in the state assembly, was there. The top leadership of the opposition party had skipped the January 22 event. UP Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak had the Lok Sabha polls and the 2027 assembly polls too in his thoughts. "Got the much-awaited and divine 'darshan' of Lord Ram Lalla," he said. "May the devotees of Lord Ram receive his blessings, and in 2024 a Modi government is formed and 400-plus seats are obtained. May the figure of 300-plus seats be achieved in UP in 2027." The MLAs skipped a visit to Ayodhya's Hanumangarhi temple due to lack of time and the crowd there, Principal Secretary (Home) Sanjay Prasad said. Deputy CMs Pathak and Keshav Prasad Maurya linked the SP's decision not to come to Ayodhya to the opposition party's 'minority appeasement policy'. The charge was also made by Aditynath in the House after Akhilesh Yadav declined the government invitation extended to all MLAs through the Speaker. The BJP leaders also recalled the police firing on 'kar sevaks' in Ayodhya during Mulayam Singh Yadav's term as CM. Photograph: ANI Photo Congress MLA Aradhana Mishra, however, defended the SP's stand, saying one can go to Ayodhya whenever convenient to them. Her party colleague in the House had earlier excused himself from the trip, saying he had of another commitment. "Members of both Houses of the Uttar Pradesh Legislature have left for Ayodhya. If anybody is not going, it is the 'samaaptwadi party'," Maurya told PTI, in an apparent reference to the SP. 'Samaapt' means 'end' in Hindi. "All of us are going as 'Ram bhakts'," he had said before leaving for the temple town. Assembly Speaker Mahana and Legislative Council chairman Kunwar Manvendra Singh were part of the trip. Before leaving for Ayodhya, Mahana said, "This is a matter of faith. Nobody can be forced to visit the 'darbar' of any God." During a discussion on the Budget in the House on Saturday, the Speaker had urged Akhilesh Yadav too to come along. "We will go only when Lord Shri Ram calls us," the Leader of Opposition had replied. Yadav had similarly turned down an invitation to attend the consecration ceremony, initially saying he had not received any. He then said he would visit the Ram Mandir with his family after the consecration ceremony. BSP MLA Umashankar Singh told PTI that SP leaders themselves had asked the Speaker to facilitate a trip once the consecration ceremony is over. He claimed this was at a meeting of party leaders with the Speaker, and SP MLA Rakesh Singh had given a written request. "There should not be any kind of politics in this," the BSP leader said. "Ours is a secular party, we respect all religions. Today, we are going on the directive of the Speaker. Tomorrow, if the best mosque of the world comes up there, we will go then as well," he added. BJP's Manju Siwach said, "Every day, we have a darshan of the pictures of Lord Ram. But today we will have 'sakshaat' (face-to-face) darshan." RLD MLA Pradeep Kumar Singh, "It is a matter of faith and we all have faith in Lord Ram. Therefore, all of us are going today to have a darshan of Ram Lalla." In the currently 403-member UP Assembly, the BJP has 252 MLAs, its allies Apna Dal (Sonelal) 13 and Nishad party has six. Opposition SP has 108 MLAs, RLD nine and SBSP six. The Congress and the Jansatta Dal-Loktantrik have two MLAs each and the BSP one. Four seats are vacant. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday asked whether the Modi government is only for "Hindutva" and said the Babri Masjid will remain at the place where it was built. Participating in a discussion in the Lok Sabha on the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya and the consecration ceremony on January 22, Owaisi said today 17 crore Muslims of India are feeling alienated and the country does not need "Baba Modi". "Is the current government a government for a particular community? Is it a government only for Hindutva?" Owaisi said. The light of Indian democracy is at its dimmest today, he said, adding "Babri Masjid remains and will remain where it was." WATCH: Is the government only for Hindutva, asks Asaduddin Owaisi The AIMIM MP from Hyderabad further said, "Am I a spokesperson of Babar, Jinnah or Aurangzeb? I respect Maryada Purushottam Ram, but I will continue to hate Nathuram Godse." "Today the country does not need Baba Modi. I want to ask when the government replies to this debate will it focus on 140 crore Indians or only the Hindutva population?" he said. He said the government through its actions is sending a message to the Muslims as to whether it wants to save its own life or want to pursue justice. "I will continue to do my work staying within the framework of Constitution," Owaisi said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday pleaded with a child at a tribal rally to stop waving at him so that his arm doesn't ache. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets people with Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda during the 'Jan Jatiya Mahasabha', in Jhabua on Sunday. Photograph: ANI Photo "I got your love, son. Please lower your arm, otherwise it will start to pain," Modi appealed to the child, who was held up by a man, apparently his father, as the crowd cheered. While acknowledging the child's gesture Modi, repeatedly told him that his arm will start aching if he continues to wave at him. Modi was addressing the Jan Jatiya Mahasabha in Jhabua district after inaugurating and laying the foundation stones of Rs 7,550 crore development projects in Madhya Pradesh. Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook. Jeff Allen is the CEO of National Convenience Distributors, the countrys fourth-largest full-line convenience store distributor, serving customers in 15 states including Vermont. The opinions expressed by columnists do not necessarily reflect the views of Vermont News & Media. Around 1.7 million Indonesians living overseas are registered to vote in this months presidential and legislative elections, a mammoth task for the General Elections Commission, which has had to prepare 828 voting booths at Indonesian representative offices worldwide, as well as 1,579 mobile voting boxes and 652 drop boxes for absentee voting. How many overseas Indonesians will actually turn out to vote is another matter, and will there be any further controversy after reports that ballots were given to overseas nationals too early? According to a review by the Philippines Commission on Elections published last month, of the estimated 10 million overseas Filipinos, only 1.6 million are registered to vote and only 600,000 (around 40 per cent) did so at the 2022 elections. Expat Filipinos react as presidential candidate and former president Joseph Estrada speaks during a campaign event in Hong Kong, April 4, 2010. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Most Southeast Asian governments, at least the more democratic ones, are looking at ways of reforming how overseas nationals vote. The Philippines electoral commission says it intends to have an online voting system in place by 2025 for overseas nationals, although there is still talk that this might be cost-prohibitive and could require digital voting to be rolled out at home too, which is simply too difficult for the election commissions of most Southeast Asian countries for now. In Malaysia, where overseas balloting has been in something of a mess for the past decade, parliamentarians last month hit on fixed-term parliaments as one way to fix the problem. However, it might be worth pondering why overseas voters are still asked to vote for representatives in parliament who live hundreds of miles away from them, whose priority is to represent constituents back at home, and who may know nothing about the concerns of overseas nationals. Constituencies mismatched In Indonesia, for instance, votes from overseas Indonesians go to deciding the seven seats in the House of Representatives sent by Jakarta II district. (Jakarta II, which is Central and South Jakarta, was chosen because thats where the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is located.) This may actually be superior to how other Southeast Asian states count overseas ballots indeed, at least the seven congresspeople from Jakarta II district know theyre supposed to represent overseas constituents. Compare that to Thailand, where overseas voters select the candidates in the constituency where they are from or were registered, so a Thai living in London but who hails from, say, Chiang Mai province votes for the MPs from Chiang Mai province. But how can the MP from Chiang Mai province be expected to adequately represent overseas electors when perhaps only 0.1% of the ballots cast for them came from overseas? An Indonesian voter receives a ballot-slip at the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore to vote in presidential election, July 8, 2009 (Wong Maye-E/AP) Why not, instead, make overseas voters a separate district and allocate six or seven seats solely for them? They could have one seat for an MP representing Indonesians in North America, another for Indonesians in Europe, another for those in Northeast Asia, another for Southeast Asia, and so forth. And these seats would be occupied by candidates who live overseas. Imagine the Indonesian congressperson who resides in Berlin, New York, Seoul, or Melbourne. They obviously would be able to understand better the concerns and problems facing other Indonesians living abroad. Aloof from local politics Theres a democratic element to this, too. An overseas MP wouldnt have to mix daily with their peers in Manila, Kuala Lumpur or Jakarta. They would, on the one hand, remain aloof from the politicking and palm-greasing back home and, on the other hand, be able to bring new ideas learned from abroad back to their capitals. They could attend parliamentary sessions every month or two, funded by the state, and spend most of their time abroad, where they could also work more closely with their countrys embassies in the regions they represent. Officials check documentation of Indonesians living in Malaysia as they stand to cast overseas ballots ahead of the Indonesias general election, in Kuala Lumpur, April 14, 2019. (Mohd Rasfan/AFP) Currently, almost 10 million overseas Filipinos are represented by several government bodies, such as the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, an agency under the Office of the President. However, having overseas MPs in parliament would provide another layer of representation for nationals living abroad, allowing their voices to be heard by the government bodies and by overseas-based elected representatives. Indeed, protecting the large population of overseas Filipinos is one of the three pillars of Manilas foreign policy initially laid out in the 1990s, yet those emigrants have little legislative representation. It isnt a revolutionary idea to have overseas-based MPs represent overseas voters. Frances National Assembly has eleven lawmakers representing overseas constituencies. Italys parliament has had eight. Global examples Nor is it specifically a European idea. The Algerian parliament has eight MPs who represent overseas nationals. Angola, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Peru and Tunisia, to name but a few, also have some parliamentary seats set aside for overseas constituencies. To quickly rebut one argument against it, it would not require a massive change to the composition of parliaments, nor would it require too many administrative changes. At the most, were talking about less than ten seats, so a fraction of parliament in a country like Thailand, whose National Assembly has 500 seats! Philippine Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile looks at a tally board during the counting of overseas votes for presidential and vice-presidential candidates at the House of Representatives in Manila, May 28, 2010. (Romeo Ranoco/Reuters) But if electoral commissions are now pondering ideas to better include their overseas nationals in the democratic process, it might be worth considering the more affordable and, perhaps, more democratic option of giving a handful of seats in parliament to overseas representatives. Nor, indeed, would it be a terrible idea if campaigners in Southeast Asias autocracies suggested this as a rational way of protecting their overseas compatriots all the while knowing that theyre smuggling something democratic into the conversation, however implicitly. After all, even one-party states claim to listen to their parliaments and to protect their emigrants. Some 1 million Cambodians live abroad, most in Thailand but also Northeast Asia, Europe, Australia and North America. Why not add a 26th consistency during the next general election and allow overseas Cambodians to elect six seats in the National Assembly directly, the same number of seats sent to parliament by the inhabitants of Siem Reap province, home to around 1 million people, too? If the Communist Party of Vietnam can stretch its tentacles abroad, why not allow a handful of delegates in the National Assembly to represent the 5 million Vietnamese living abroad? David Hutt is a research fellow at the Central European Institute of Asian Studies (CEIAS) and the Southeast Asia Columnist at the Diplomat. As a journalist, he has covered Southeast Asian politics since 2014. The views expressed here are his own and do not reflect the position of RFA. The art contest helps keep Uyghur culture alive in the diaspora, especially among youth, the organizer says. First-place winner Bir Tuwgan, or Relative, by Kubra Sevinc, 17, from Turkey, depicts a Uyghur mother wearing a traditional ikat robe while holding her child against a backdrop of mountains and yurts. Home means different things to young Uyghurs some of whom may have not even visited their ancestral homeland in Chinas far western Xinjiang region. That was the theme of the latest annual art competition for Uyghur artists and others held by the Uyghur Collective, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based youth group that has organized the annual event since 2019. Uyghur artist Gulnaz Tursun from Kazakhstan expressed admiration for the young artists sense of pride in being Uyghur, evident in their creations. This art contest has a great theme, with each painting expressing sentiments of homeland, home and family, she said. It warms my heart to see that even while living abroad, our youth still harbor a deep longing for their homeland, evident in their works that reflect a profound love for their roots a sentiment that truly touched me, Tursun said. Munawwar Abdulla, the Uyghur Collectives founder who also works as a researcher at Harvard University, said she and others came up with the competition five years ago because there were not enough platforms for Uyghurs abroad, especially those in the fine arts, to display works that embody Uyghurism. The competition is a way for Uyghurs living in the diaspora to preserve their culture, language and religion amid measures by the Chinese government to wipe them out in Xinjiang which the mostly Muslim Uyghurs prefer to call East Turkistan and replace them with Chinas dominant Han culture. It is also a way for young Uyghurs who were born abroad to stay connected to their homeland, where the Chinese government has repressed Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities, and committed severe human rights violations that have amounted to genocide and crimes against humanity, according to the United Nations, the United States and other Western countries. I felt compelled Thirty pieces by Uyghur artists around the world were submitted during the latest contest, with submissions due by Dec. 25, 2023. The entries were showcased on the Uyghur Collectives social media accounts, and viewers voted online between Jan. 13-15. The Uyghur Collective announced three winners on Jan. 17. In second place, Freedom and Liberty by Adina Sabir, 16, from the United States, shows a tea set and a wheel of Uyghur flatbread on a table with New York City in the background. (Adina Sabir) First place went to Kubra Sevinc, 17, from Turkey for her entry titled Bir Tuwgan, or Relative, depicting a Uyghur mother wearing traditional ikat robe while holding her child against a backdrop of mountains and two yurts on grassland. She won US$300. Competition judge Malik Orda Turdush said the watercolor painting was elegantly drawn, skillfully portraying flowers, clothing and the bond between mother and child. Sevinc, who incorporated symbols from the Turkish world in the picture, said she became familiar with Uyghur people and Xinjiang after her father attended a protest in 2019 and brought home the blue flag of East Turkistan, which has been hanging in their house ever since. Upon seeing that blue flag, I felt compelled to do something for our brothers and sisters in those distant places, Sevinc said. I was following Instagram pages about the Turkish world, and a drawing contest on this page caught my attention. Given its connection to Uyghurs and East Turkistan, it felt profoundly meaningful to me. Yearning for the homeland Uyghur artist Merwayit Hapiz from Germany said Uyghur parents in the diaspora play a crucial role in nurturing children to develop with a deep love for their motherland. In those paintings, you can discern their profound respect for Uyghur ethnicity, Uyghur life and culture, she said. Their yearning for the homeland is palpable. The artworks mirror the Uyghur education and pride instilled by parents in the diaspora. A nation's existence is revealed through its art and culture. In recent years, authorities in Xinjiang have detained an estimated 1.8 million Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in re-education camps, destroyed thousands of mosques and banned the Uyghur language in schools and government offices. China has said the camps have been closed and has denied any policies to erase Uyghur culture. The oppression faced by the Uyghurs felt as if it was targeted to me as well, said Sevinc. As a Turk, the ancestors of the Uyghurs were also my ancestors. All my paintings have significance, and I was delighted to create art on a subject that means a lot to me, focusing on the Uyghurs. Freedom and Liberty by Adina Sabir, a 16-year-old living in the United States, claimed second place and a $200 prize. The work shows a teapot, teacups and a wheel of Uyghur flatbread on a table. A doppa skullcap hangs on a nearby wall alongside an open window through which the Statue of Liberty and Manhattan skyscrapers can be seen. In Freedom and Liberty, the juxtaposition of two locations, notably the Statue of Liberty outside the window and the robust Uyghur atmosphere indoors, makes us think, Turdush said. Sabir said she wanted to express her love for her country, the United States, and for her Uyghur homeland in her painting. In this painting, the country outside the window and the culture within the house both are a home to us, she said. In this free country, we are able to live with our traditions. The Statue of Liberty is a symbol of freedom. Kashgar spring Joy Bostwick, an artist originally from Flagstaff, Arizona, won third place for her watercolor painting Spring in Kashgar, a depiction of a lane in the city, a stop along the Silk Road in southern Xinjiang, whose Old City was torn down by Chinese authorities. In third place, Spring in Kashgar by Joy Bostwick, an artist originally from Arizona, depicts a lane in Kashgar. (Joy Bostwick) In the watercolor, a Uyghur woman sells flatbread on a table shaded by a red umbrella at the base of a tradition building with a carved wooden balcony that is typical of architecture in southern Xinjiang, while another person holding the hand of a toddler walks along the lane in the distance. The warm hues in Spring in Kashgar create a nostalgic journey, evoking feelings of home, country and the place of our upbringing, aligning perfectly with the theme of the competition, Turdush said. Bostwick, who has lived in Xinjiang and various parts of Asia, says on her website that she is passionate about documenting and helping to preserve the traditional cultures of the world through my paintings, especially those that are in peril of disappearing because of outside pressures or governmental policies. I want to showcase the dignity and beauty of people and places that might otherwise be overlooked. In addition to the winning entries, four paintings by Medine Chira, 22, from Canada, featuring Uyghur girls and boys were popular with viewers during the competition, portraying the rich and vibrant culture of the Uyghurs. One painting captures a young man playing the dutar, a two-stringed lute with a long neck and pear-shaped body, while a young woman rests her head on his shoulder. Another one shows the same young man, now wearing a white shirt with an embroidered collar placing a doppa on the womans head. Chiras third painting shows a girl wearing a doppa and silk ikat dress placing sangza, deep-fried noodles in a twisted pyramid shape, on a table, while her final work is of a Uyghur girl seated at a table, relishing fruit. While these paintings share similarities, they encapsulate the essence of home for me, Chira said. These scenes are a common occurrence in Uyghur households, especially during [the holidays] Nowruz or Eid, where we proudly wear our traditional attire and set up beautiful table spreads. Sharing fruit and sangza with our families is a cherished Uyghur tradition. Translated by RFA Uyghur. Edited by Roseanne Gerin and Malcolm Foster. Male students who enrolled in Taliban-run religious schools say that sexual and physical abuse has led some to end their pursuit of an education in Afghanistan. The students, all of whom were aged 10 to 17 and spoke to RFE/RL's Radio Azadi on condition of anonymity out of fears of repercussion, described numerous instances in which they and fellow classmates were pressured to engage in sexual acts with teachers and subjected to corporal punishments. The reported cases took place in western and southwestern Afghanistan at Taliban-run madrasahs, part of the network of religious schools that the extremist group has expanded significantly as part of its drive to foster religious education more in keeping with its hard-line Islamist views. One 16-year-old student, a resident of Farah Province, described being propositioned by a teacher at the madrasah he attends. "One day at school a Taliban member who teaches there made an inappropriate offer, but I did not accept it," the boy told Radio Azadi, using inexplicit language to describe sexual abuse, a culturally taboo topic in Afghanistan. "When the lessons were over, he bothered me again." The boy said he reported the incidents to a "qari," a person who has memorized the Koran and serves as a religious authority at the school, to no avail. "I told the qari that the teacher was doing bad things to me, and the qari told him not to do these things, that he was a teacher," the boy said. "The teacher admitted doing it, but it had no effect. He has continued to do bad things and made sexual requests to numerous students at the school." Another student in southwestern Afghanistan, a 17-year-old in the 10th grade, gave a similar account of his experience during his six months studying at a Taliban-run madrasah. "A Taliban member who teaches at the school proposed having a relationship with me and said some other things that I did not accept," the boy said. After being refused, the teacher swore and issued threats, the boy said, adding that his fellow students have faced similar treatment. "He also harassed several of my classmates, and one of them left the school," the boy said. "He told me I should not go to school anymore because the same teacher is harassing me." The boy said the experience has left him "damaged" and unsure of whom he can confide in. "I can't tell my family," he said. The Taliban has come under widespread criticism for the severe restrictions it has placed on the daily lives of the Afghans since seizing power in August 2021. In its pursuit to impose its extreme interpretation of Islam, the Taliban has restored many of the draconian rules it was infamous for during its first stint in power from 1996 to 2001. The ban on the education of girls past the sixth grade, and the erasure of women's role in society stand out among the measures the Taliban has taken. But other steps -- including prohibitions on music and idolatry through art, and pressure against students and teachers -- have affected all walks of life regardless of sex. Since the Taliban returned to power, many educators have left the country, while female teachers have been left at home without work due to restrictions on women's freedom of movement and their ability to teach males. Meanwhile, the Taliban has steadily worked to replace secular state schools and informal madrasahs with a system of religious schooling. The system does allow for girl students, including those of university age, but critics say it falls far short of the standards of modern education for girls and boys alike and often promotes extremism. According to a report on Afghanistan issued by the United Nations in February, the Taliban has established 6,836 madrasahs for males and 380 for females and was expected to finalize a standardized religious curriculum in time for the new school year beginning this month. The recruitment of madrasah teachers is also in full swing, according to the report, following a decree by the Talibans spiritual leader Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada to have 100,000 new madrasah teachers in place. In December, Human Rights Watch gave a stinging assessment of the state of education in general, saying that in addition to the obstacles to the education of girls and women, the Taliban had "also inflicted deep harm on boys' education" in Afghanistan. "Many boys were previously taught by women teachers; the Taliban has prohibited women from teaching boys, depriving women teachers of their jobs and often leaving boys with unqualified replacement male teachers or sometimes no teachers at all," HRW said. "Parents and students said that corporal punishment, which has long been a problem at Afghan schools, has become increasingly common. The curriculum in many schools appears to be under revision to remove important school subjects and promote discrimination." The rights watchdog said the circumstances had "led many boys to leave school altogether" and "left boys struggling with mental health problems such as anxiety and depression." Shortly after the Taliban regained power, the United Nations highlighted the dire situation for children in Afghanistan, including exposure to sexual violence and increased risk of students dropping out of school. Difficulties in ensuring the protection of children are exacerbated, according to the UN, by the Taliban's refusal to consider people below the age of 18 to be children, as is the international standard, instead using the onset of puberty as the basis for adulthood. Younger madrasah students in western and southwestern Afghanistan below or at the age of puberty said they were not spared physical abuse and sexual harassment from teachers. One young man who spoke to Radio Azadi said he recently learned that his young brother was being subjected to sexual abuse at a madrasah in western Afghanistan. The young man said his brother was being assigned extracurricular "homework by a teacher, or to put it bluntly, he was being asked for sex, [the teacher] fondled his hands and feet and kissed him." As a result, the young man said he told his brother not to go to school anymore. Fear of sexual harassment and sexual and physical abuse were cited as a common factor leading boys in western and southwestern Afghanistan to give up their studies. "Some teachers harass our students and make immoral requests," said one 14-year-old boy who also described common methods of corporal punishment at his madrasah. "They strike our faces or beat our hands and feet under the pretext of disciplining us for not learning our lessons properly." The boy said many students were studying hard in fear of being taken to a special room for punishment, and that "some even drop out of school." Another student, aged 10, said his teacher separated him and other students from their class to beat the soles of their feet. Afterward, he told Radio Azadi, he stopped going to class because he was afraid. And upon hearing about the incidents, his and his classmates' parents "did not allow us to go to school." The Taliban authorities did not respond to requests for comment on the allegations of abuse at madrasahs it has established. And efforts to speak to individuals aware of the situations at madrasahs in other areas of Afghanistan were met by refusals to comment due to fear of reprisals. A women's rights activist who asked that her name not be published told Radio Azadi that families have no avenue to lodge complaints about the abuse their children encounter at Taliban-run madrasahs because they, too, would face threats. The activist said that not only had she been made aware of sexual harassment against both girls and boys at Taliban-run madrasahs, but the curriculum also serves to "increase the level of extremism in the country." Reducing the risks of both threats, she said, would require greater oversight by the Taliban authorities and ideally, she said, a reduction in the number of madrasahs. Najib Amini, a civil society activist in western Afghanistan, said that for now, the onus falls on families to be aware. "Children are subjected to sexual abuse in madrasahs established under the Taliban regime," Amini said. "Families have an important and essential role in this regard. If they do not want their children to be abused in schools, if they want their children to get a basic education...then they should not send their children to madrasahs under the control of the Taliban." Written by Michael Scollon based on reporting by RFE/RLs Radio Azadi In the winter of 1924, inhabitants of a small village near Tehran looked up as a metal-bodied airplane swooped in to land, bumped along a field, then collapsed in a cloud of dust after its landing gear broke. The pilot of the plane was Swiss aviator Walter Mittelholzer, who had received an invitation from the Persian government to deliver a new Junkers aircraft to the country, which would be renamed Iran in 1935. Kaspar Surber, a Swiss journalist who wrote a book on Mittelholzer, told RFE/RL the aviator was chosen for the flight to Persia in part to "popularize flying" through aerial images he would take there. Mittelholzer was famous at the time for becoming the first person to extensively photograph Switzerland's mountains from an airplane. In the 1920s, Surber says there was something of a "race" between German and British aviation companies to begin air services in Persia, making Mittelholzer's photography skills a key promotional advantage. A Swiss newspaper wrote of the aviator, "The Swiss people know what to expect from their Mr. Mittelholzer, who can not only pilot a plane across unknown countries but also photograph and film in flight." After their ignominious landing 40 kilometers outside of Tehran, Mittelholzer and mechanic Ernst Bissegger had a tense confrontation with villagers before help eventually arrived from the Persian capital and their aircraft was repaired. Mittelholzer and Bissegger's flight of more than 3,000 kilometers from Switzerland to Persia included a standoff with Turkish authorities who confiscated their plane, troubles with poor-quality gasoline purchased in Baghdad, and erroneous maps that forced them into the ill-fated landing during which their plane's landing gear collapsed. Mittelholzers initial impressions of the territory of Persia from above were of "areas that lie desolate and empty and wander past the observing eye for hours. Huge alluvial fans, piles of rubble, and deltas of saline rivers [that] characterize the country." Isolated settlements occasionally came into view as the pair flew over Persian territory. "Here and there a green patch shines," Mittelholzer wrote, "a space in the center of which features residents' mud huts rising on narrow and winding streets. Silver bands mark the irrigation channels at the edges of the gardens." Mittelholzer seized the opportunity to photograph Persia extensively from above in photographs that are now held by the ETH Zurich library. The Swiss aviator and photographer also made use of his camera on the ground to capture a country on the cusp of dramatic change under Reza Shah Pahlavi, a ruler who would become known as Persia's "modernizing strongman." At the time of Mittelholzer's visit to Persia, the country was without major rail or road networks, and camel caravans were still in use as a means of foreign trade, making air transport an enticing possibility for the country's rulers. With the aviation industry still in its infancy in Persia, Mittelholzer and Bissegger had the sky virtually to themselves as they swept low over urban centers to snap images that would soon stun European audiences. Mittelholzer predicted that aerial photography would play a significant role in documentary imagery of the future. "Another hitherto unseen world opens up before us. It is as if the Earth has thereby gained a new face, and man a new, unflawed eye," he wrote in 1928. After spending several weeks inside Iran, the two Swiss aviators eventually made the long trek back to Central Europe by car. Mittelholzer would later co-found a company that became Swissair, Switzerland's national carrier until 2002. He died in a mountaineering accident in 1937 aged 43. In a newspaper obituary, a friend noted that Mittelholzer's death in the mountains that he loved, and that had sparked his extraordinary career, had a certain tragic poetry: "They have embraced him 0n his last wanderings and claimed him, and perhaps he would not have wished for a better end, but alas it came all too soon, there was so much more for him to do." Last October, a feminist group called Korzina in Izhevsk, the capital of Russias central Udmurtia region, organized Matka Fest, a series of events on the theme of menstruation. The festival featured lectures by gynecologists, psychologists, journalists, and others, as well as concerts and stand-up comedy. We got a ton of positive feedback, said Korzina co-founders Yara Germanova and Zhanna Nerinovskaya in a written interview with RFE/RL. But the festival was also denounced for extremism. One local cultural figure wrote to the city administration. He also wrote threats under a social media post by a group that was sympathetic to us. In the end, they took the post down and now that group is afraid to cooperate with us. We even heard that they were investigated for publishing extremist materials. But overall, the festival went smoothly. Feminists and womens rights advocates have never had it easy in Russia, where the government and the dominant Russian Orthodox Church are in many ways patriarchal and socially conservative. But now, with the countrys grinding full-scale war against Ukraine approaching its second anniversary as President Vladimir Putins administration implements the harsh repression of dissent and pushes an ideological cocktail of patriotism, militarism, unity, and what it claims are traditional values, feminist activists in Russias regions fear worse is on the horizon. We need a law against domestic violence so that womens partners and husbands will stop killing them.... This is the work the government should be doing. In November 2022, Putin signed a decree reaffirming a 2021 document on Russias traditional spiritual-moral values, including service to the fatherland, strong families, and the priority of the spiritual over the material. Recent steps to restrict access to abortions on the local and national level and the governments decision to declare the nonexistent international LGBT+ movement as an extremist organization have sounded alarm bells among Russian womens rights activists. And with many of the countrys most prominent liberals and feminists having been imprisoned or forced out of Russia, remaining activists in the regions are combatting feelings of isolation by reaching out to one another. Women these days need mutual support and empathy in this dangerous environment, said Tatarstan feminist activist Aida Gusmanova with the informal group FemKyzlyar. And we want to do our part to give them this. In whatever form is still possible. 'The Function Of A Woman' In March, the lower house of Russias parliament, the State Duma, is scheduled to consider a bill that would forbid private clinics from carrying out abortions. Although the Dumas Health Committee has come out against the bill, which is currently being reviewed by various legislative committees, the government, and the presidential administration, such initiatives have the backing of Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill and other prominent figures. Over the last year, private clinics in the Kursk, Chelyabinsk, and Lipetsk regions, as well as in Tatarstan, have largely stopped performing abortions. In Mordovia and the Tver and Kaliningrad regions, laws have been adopted imposing fines for inducement to abortion. The government of Udmurtia has also begun working on possible proposals aimed at reducing the number of abortions. In the eyes of the state, the function of a woman is to have babies to fill the ranks of soldiers that this regime needs, activist Alyona Popova told RFE/RLs Russian Service in a July 2023 interview. This is how the government has been thinking publicly for 10 years. Our system will try to destroy womens freedom of thought and leave them only one function, which the head of state is constantly talking about. Gusmanova said her group is concerned about the attack on the reproductive rights of Russian women and the ban on so-called propaganda of abortion in many regions, including a ban on information about living child-free. However, she noted that public has generally opposed such restrictions. Many ordinary people and media outlets have spoken out against limiting access to abortions, Gusmanova said. Our colleagues in other cities feminist initiatives continue their work, hold events that still attract good audiences. And there has been a good response to our work, maybe even more than last year. Gusmanovas colleague, Dina Nurm, added that it is important to bear in mind that there is no law now banning abortions. We distribute information about reproductive health and rights and have produced several videos about the morning-after pill, Nurm said. A lot of people are panicking over the reports of one ban or another, and it is important to dispel myths both from the medical perspective and the legal. Under Russias laws against extremism, those convicted of participating in or supporting a designated extremist organization could get five years or more in prison. Nurm added that under pressure from the [regional] Culture Ministry, the Tatarstan National Library, which began hosting FemKyzlar events in 2021, has stopped doing so. Many topics are now banned, she noted. We had to delete some of our content, but we think it is important to keep working. 'A Big Game Of Roulette' The December 2023 Russian Supreme Court decision affirming the designation of the so-called international LGBT+ movement as an extremist organization has also sent shock waves through feminist circles across Russia. Last month, the outlet Mediazona published what it said were excerpts from the courts decision that described this purported movement as a loose network of unregistered organizations, communities, and individuals whose ultimate goal is to gain state recognition and dismantle traditional views on sexuality. It is, according to the court, a destructive ideological mechanismthat threatens the demographic situation in the country, contributes to the creation of conditions or the self-destruction of society, weakening of family ties, causes harm to the moral health of people, and imposes ideas that imply the denial of human dignity and the value of human life. Among the more specific claims the court made was the notion that supposed movement participants use specific language that includes feminine gender-specific words such as grammatically feminine forms of the Russian words for leader, director, or author. Such words, known as feminitives, are used by many feminists in Russia and elsewhere to make women visible in the public space, acknowledge their expertise and work on a par with mens. Under Russias laws against extremism, those convicted of participating in or supporting a designated extremist organization could get five years or more in prison. The point about the feminitives expands the circle of people who might suffer from this designation, said Aisyn Gaisina, a feminist activist in the Bashkortostan capital, Ufa. Russias repressive laws are targeted, but its a big game of roulette. You never know if the ball will fall on your number. Repressive laws have been adopted to scare us, make us limit ourselves. That is why everything now depends on how prepared each feminist is to fight against her fear. Self-censorship is increasing, she added. People have to think about what they can write and what they cant. Such self-censorship amounts to choosing safety or liberty. If there are fines or other unwanted attention from the security forces, well have to find new ways to resist, Gaisina said. Such as using absurd forms that make clear our disagreement with the ban on feminitives. She added that she already sees indications that the assault on feminitives could be having the effect of convincing previously skeptical people to reconsider the issue. As often happens, whatever they try to ban suddenly becomes interesting, she said. The Ufa group devotes much of its time and energy to supporting female political prisoners, including Lilia Chanysheva, who is serving a 7 1/2-year term for creating an extremist community for her work as the Bashkortostan coordinator for imprisoned opposition politician Aleksei Navalny; Ramila Saitova, who faces up to five years in prison for online posts against the invasion of Ukraine; and Ufa activist Olga Komleva, who has been fined millions of rubles for her anti-war statements and protests. As feminist activists, we have to push the notion that we must be concerned about women whose circumstances are currently objectively worse than ours, Gaisina argued. She lamented that the government was focusing on such issues when it should be taking steps to help women. We need a law against domestic violence so that womens partners and husbands will stop killing them, Gaisina said. We need them to be given proper punishments instead of fines or just a couple of years in prison. We need the ability to get restraining orders so that such men cant get near women who have been subjected to violence. We need the opportunity to provide such women with safe houses. This is the work the government should be doing. Instead, she said, the government is doing everything it can so that women would see clearly that they live in a male state. RFE/RLs Robert Coalson contributed to this report CAIRO, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Israel is facing mounting regional and international pressure over its planned ground offensive against Rafah, a southernmost city in the war-torn Gaza Strip. Over the past few days, regional countries have warned Israel against a humanitarian meltdown in Rafah if Israeli forces insist on carrying out the ground assault on Rafah, where more than 1.4 million Palestinians living, including 1.3 million people fled from the northern regions. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday he has directed the military to prepare to evacuate civilians from overcrowded Rafah ahead of an expanded offensive against Hamas. The remarks sparked great alarm among regional countries that the plan would further worsen the humanitarian situation already deteriorated since the Israel-Hamas conflict started on Oct. 7 last year in the besieged enclave. Qatar, which was engaging in diplomatic efforts along with the United States and Egypt to push for a ceasefire in Gaza between Hamas and Israel, "condemns in the strongest terms the Israeli threats to storm the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip." It "warns of a humanitarian catastrophe in the city that has become a last refuge for hundreds of thousands of displaced people," said its Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement on Saturday. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain, both signed peace treaties with Israel in 2020, also expressed deep concern. Saudi Arabia warned of "very serious repercussions" of storming and targeting the city of Rafah, "the last resort" for hundreds of thousands of civilians who had fled from intensive Israeli strikes on northern Gaza. Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry affirmed the country's rejection of forced displacement of Palestinians, warning against what he called Israel's "systematic policy" to force Palestinians out of their land. Jordan voiced its categorical rejection of the displacement of Palestinians inside or outside their land, stressing the need to end the war and protect civilians. Meanwhile, Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul-Gheit warned that Israel's intentions to impose the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are "serious threats to regional stability." On Sunday, in an apparent move to ease external concerns, Netanyahu said in a televised interview with ABC News that a "detailed plan" was being worked out on "providing safe passage for the civilian population, so they can leave" the Rafah city. But Hamas warned against any Israeli ground operation in the southernmost Gazan city of Rafah, saying that it would "blow up" the hostage exchange negotiations, the Hamas-run al-Aqsa TV quoted an unnamed senior Hamas leader as saying. On the same day, Netanyahu and U.S. President Joe Biden discussed over the phone the ongoing efforts to free hostages held in Gaza and to facilitate more aid into the Palestinian enclave. An Israeli government official told Xinhua that the conversation focused on the hostages, approximately 100 of them are still in Gaza after being kidnapped during Hamas's attack on Oct. 7, 2023. According to a readout released by the White House, Biden told Netanyahu that Israel should not proceed with a military campaign in Rafah without a plan that ensures the safety of the about one million people sheltering there. Biden reaffirmed the "shared goal to see Hamas defeated," according to the statement. He also called for urgent steps to increase the humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza. The death toll of Palestinians from Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip has risen to 28,176 since Oct. 7, 2023, with 67,784 others being injured, the Gaza-based Health Ministry said in a statement on Sunday. Vladimir Putin has claimed a fifth presidential term with a landslide victory in a tightly controlled election that has been condemned by the West as neither free nor fair as the Russian leader seeks to prove overwhelming popular support for his full-scale invasion of Ukraine and increasingly repressive policies. With 99.75 percent of ballots counted, Putin won another six-year term with a post-Soviet record of 87.29 percent of the vote, the Central Elections Committee (TsIK) said on March 18, adding that turnout was also at a "record" level, with 77.44 percent of eligible voters casting ballots. The 71-year old Putin -- who has ruled as either president or prime minister since 2000 -- is now set to surpass Soviet dictator Josef Stalins nearly 30-year reign to become the longest-serving Russian leader in more than two centuries. "This election has been based on repression and intimidation," the European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told journalists in Brussels on March 18 as the bloc's foreign ministers gathered to discuss the election, among other issues. The March 15-17 vote is the first for Putin since he launched his invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 that has killed tens of thousands of Russians and led to a clear break in relations with the West. In holding what has widely been viewed as faux elections, Putin wants to show that he has the nations full support, experts said. The vote was also held in Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, where hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers are located. Moscow illegally annexed the regions since launching the invasion, though it remains unclear how much of the territory it controls. The Kremlin's goal "is to get as many people as possible to sign off on Russia's war against Ukraine. The idea is to get millions of Russian citizens to retroactively approve the decision Putin single-handedly made two years ago," Maksim Trudolyubov, a senior fellow at the Kennan Institute, wrote in a note ahead of the vote. In remarks shortly after he was declared the winner, Putin said the election showed that the nation was "one team." But Western leaders condemned the vote, with the White House National Security Council spokesperson saying they "are obviously not free nor fair given how Mr. Putin has imprisoned political opponents and prevented others from running against him." British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said "this is not what free and fair elections look like," adding in his message on X, formerly Twitter, that illegal elections have also been held on occupied Ukrainian territory. The French Foreign Ministry said Putin's reelection came amid a wave of repression against civil society. It also praised in a statement the courage of "the many Russian citizens who peacefully protested against this attack on their fundamental political rights." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Putin has become "sick with power" and he is just "simulating" elections. "This imitation of 'elections' has no legitimacy and cannot have any. This person must end up in the dock in The Hague [at the International UN Tribunal for War Crimes]," Zelenskiy said on X. Putin's allies were quick to heap praise on the Russian leader for his election success. China, one of Russia's most importants allies, congratulated Putin, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian saying President Xi Jinping and the Russian leader "will continue to maintain close exchanges, lead the two countries to continue to uphold long-standing good-neighborly friendship, deepen comprehensive strategic coordination." Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi called Putin's victory "decisive," the state news agency IRNA reported. WATCH: Leading psychiatrists discuss how excessive power can impact brain functioning and what the impulse for total control reveals about the mind and personality traits of authority figures. Putin was opposed by three relatively unknown, Kremlin-friendly politicians whose campaign was barely noticeable. The main intrigue was whether Russians would heed opposition calls to gather at polling stations at noon on March 17 to silently protest against Putins rule. Russian media had reported in the months leading up to the election that the Kremlin was determined to engineer a victory for Putin that would surpass the 2018 results, when he won 77.5 percent of the vote with a turnout of 67.5 percent. The Kremlin banned anti-war politician Boris Nadezhdin from the ballot after tens of thousands of voters lined up in the cold to support his candidacy. Nadezhdin threatened to undermine the narrative of overwhelming support for Putin and his war, experts said. Independent election observers were barred from working at this years presidential election for the first time in post-Soviet history, experts said. Russian elections have been notorious for ballot stuffing and other irregularities. The vote was also held in Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, where hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers are located. The United States called the elections neither fair nor free. 'Noon Against Putin' With options to express resistance severely limited by the lack of competition and repressive laws, opposition leaders called on voters opposed to Putin to gather near polls at noon to show the Kremlin and the country that they were still a force. Russia's opposition movement suffered a serious blow last month when Aleksei Navalny, Putins fiercest and most popular critic, died in unclear circumstances in a maximum-security prison in the Arctic where he was serving a 19-year sentence on charges of extremism widely seen as politically motivated. Long lines formed at polling stations across Russia's 11 time zones at the designated time for the "Noon Against Putin" protest, including in Novosibirsk, Chita, Yekaterinburg, Perm, and Moscow among other Russian cities. "We're not really expecting anything, but I'd somehow like to make a record of this election for myself, tick the box for myself, so, when talking about it later, I could say that I didn't just sit at home, but came and tried to do something," said one Russian who came to vote at noon. "The action has achieved its goals," Ivan Zhdanov, the head the Anti-Corruption Foundation formerly headed by Navalny, said in a YouTube video. "The action has shown that there is another Russia, there are people who stand against Putin." The Moscow prosecutor's office had earlier warned of criminal prosecution against those who interfered with the vote, a step it said was necessary due to social-media posts "containing calls for an unlimited number of people to simultaneously arrive to participate in uncoordinated mass public events at polling stations in Moscow [at noon on March 17] in order to violate electoral legislation." Lawyer Valeria Vetoshkina, who has left the country, told Current Time that if people do not bring posters and do not announce why they came to the polling station at that hour, it would be hard for the authorities to legitimately declare it a "violation." But she warned that there were "some basic safety rules that you can follow if you're worried. The first is not to discuss why you came, just to vote. And secondly, it is better to come without any visual means of agitation: without posters, flags, and so on." Ella Pamfilova, head of Russia's Central Election Commission (TsIK), on March 16 said there had been 20 cases of people attempting to destroy voting sheets by pouring liquids into ballot boxes and eight incidents of people trying to destroy ballots by setting them on fire or by using smoke bombs. Russians living abroad also took part in the "Noon Against Putin" campaign, with hundreds of people lining up at 12 p.m. outside the Russian embassies in Sidney, Tokyo, Phuket, Dubai, Istanbul, Berlin, Paris, and Yerevan among other capitals. "It's not an election. It's just a fake. And so we're here to show that not Russians elect the current leader of Russia, that we [are] against him very severely, and that lots of people had to flee their country to be free," said Anna, a Russian citizen living in Berlin and who gathered outside the embassy in the German capital. Putin was challenged by Liberal Democratic Party leader Leonid Slutsky, State Duma deputy speaker Vladislav Davankov of the New People party, and State Duma lawmaker Nikolai Kharitonov of the Communist Party, none of whom opposed the war. The Russian leader had the full resources of the state behind him, including the media, police, state-owned companies, and election officials. TURKMENBASHI, Turkmenistan -- Female high school students in Turkmenistans coastal province of Balkan are being subjected to mandatory virginity tests, which officials say are needed to evaluate the teenagers morality. Authorities have not sought the teenagers or their parents consent for the controversial tests carried out by gynecologists, several parents and students told RFE/RL. Students who fail the test are being reported to police and security services, according to an educational worker familiar with the campaign. In the cities of Balkanabat and Turkmenbashi, all female students from 9th to 11th grades are being forced to undergo the gynecological examination. A list of the girls who are identified during the tests as having had sexual intercourse are being shared with the local police department and the National Security Ministry, the man, who requested anonymity, told RFE/RL. Police often check the mobile phones of the girls on the list to seek information about their suspected sexual partners, other education workers claimed. Law enforcement officers explained that this is being done to identify and bring to justice people who have had intimate relationships with minors, said a worker in the provincial capital, Balkanabat. Large-scale inspections are under way in the province currently, he added. The education workers spoke on condition of anonymity, citing security reasons in the tightly controlled Central Asian state. RFE/RL contacted government officials in Balkan Province for comment but received no response. No public explanation was offered by the government on why the gynecological tests are being carried out, but the Balkanabat-based worker suspects the tests are linked to a reported rise in teenage pregnancies in the province in recent months. Six such cases were recorded just in Balkanabat, he said. This information reached the Education Ministry, which issued a severe reprimand to the head of the Balkan regional education department as a result. Right after that, [provincial authorities] started checks for moral purity in big cities, he said. They Have No Say So-called virginity tests are not unprecedented in Turkmenistan, where the authoritarian government exercises extensive control over peoples lives. In 2018, police and security officers accompanied by gynecologists conducted unannounced raids at schools in the northern Dashoguz region. The officers checked male students mobile phones for pornographic videos, while female students were rounded up to undergo virginity tests in the school nurses office, eyewitnesses said. Some of the girls were discovered to not be virgins during the tests, and their parents were summoned and shamed in front of everyone at the school, a source close to the matter told RFE/RL at the time. According to a source at the Dashoguz police department, the 2018 tests were allegedly part of the regional governments efforts to tackle prostitution among teenagers. RFE/RL cannot independently verify the claims. In 2019, school administrations in the southeastern Mary Province ordered all female students from the 8th to 11th grades to undergo a gynecological examination regardless of whether their parents give consent or not. Many womens rights activists worldwide condemn the so-called virginity test as an absurd and demeaning practice that should be abandoned. Many medical experts argue that such tests cannot determine a persons virginity because the hymen can be damaged in different ways, not only by having sexual intercourse. Some women are even born without them. Written by Farangis Najibullah in Prague based on reporting by RFE/RLs Turkmen Service In Panchkula, a part of Haryana, they've set up some rules the farmers are planning to march to Delhi Farmers Protest in Delhi, Section 144 in Panchkula, Mobile Internet Cut in 7 Haryana Districts: In a major development, Section 144 has been imposed in Panchkula while mobile internet services have been cut in 7 Haryana districts before the farmers' Delhi rally. The Sanyukt Kisan Morcha and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have declared a 'Delhi Chalo' march to urge the government to meet various demands. In Panchkula, Section 144 has been imposed to stop big groups from gathering, and also, mobile internet services have been suspended in seven districts of Haryana. Advertisement Why? Because the farmers are planning to march to Delhi, asking the government to listen to what they want. The government is trying to make sure everything stays calm and safe during this march. They're putting these rules to avoid any problems and keep everyone safe. Farmers want to tell the government what they need, and the government is taking steps to make sure everything goes smoothly. It's like they're being careful to prevent any trouble and to keep things peaceful. We'll have to see how things go and if the government and the farmers can find a way to agree on mutual grounds, then the situation can improve. Advertisement (For more news apart from farmer protest in Delhi, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman) Modi Govt. meeting with farmer protest modi sarkar big announcement Prime Minister Narinder Modi-led central government: Is going to have an important meeting with the leaders of the farmer protest on February 12. This is a significant step as both sides try to find a solution to the issues raised by the farmers, like the withdrawal of certain agricultural laws. The meeting is a chance for everyone to talk, share their views, and hopefully, come to an agreement. Farmers have been protesting for a while, asking for changes in the laws that affect them. This meeting is an opportunity for the government and the farmers to discuss and maybe find a solution that works for everyone. Advertisement People all over the country are paying attention to this meeting, hoping that it leads to positive results. The goal is to have a productive conversation that helps ease tensions and find a way forward for agricultural reforms that everyone can agree on. This meeting is a crucial moment in the ongoing talks, giving a chance for open communication and the possibility of finding common ground. ( For more news apart from Modi government meeting with leaders of the farmer, stay tuned to Rozana news) ISLAMABAD, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Election Commission of Pakistan on Sunday announced the preliminary results of the National Assembly election. The independent candidates won 101 seats, and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif won 75 seats, with the last two seats still pending, the commission said. The Punjab-Haryana border at Shambhu in Ambala Shambhu Border has been closed due to the farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' march. Punjab-Haryana border sealed ahead of farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' march: The Punjab-Haryana border at Shambhu in Ambala has been sealed due to the 'Delhi Chalo' march by farmers. The Haryana government is trying to stop farmers from going to Delhi by closing the Punjab-Haryana border at Shambhu near Ambala. The Centre has asked the farmers to discuss their demands on February 12. As farmers plan to march to Delhi on February 13, strict measures are in place at the borders of Jind and Fatehabad. To avoid potential trouble, Haryana has blocked mobile internet and bulk SMS in seven districts from February 12. Advertisement The farmers, represented by over 200 unions, want assurances like a minimum support price law. Security is increased at the Shambhu border with closed roads and obstacles. Similar restrictions exist in Jind, and police are urging local leaders not to join the march. Jagjit Singh Dallewal from SKM criticized Haryana's actions, emphasizing their willingness to talk with the Centre. He reminded of the government's earlier promise about a legal guarantee for minimum support prices during the protests against the now-repealed farm laws. The situation remains tense with ongoing talks and state government actions. ( For more news apart from 'Delhi Chalo' march by farmers, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman) In this article, we will look into the 20 richest countries during the great depression. If you want to skip our detailed analysis, you can go directly to the 5 Richest Countries During the Great Depression. The Great Depression (1929-1939) The 1920s, believed as the era of economic and cultural upsurge, underwent an abrupt change in 1929. This economic downturn, known as the Great Depression, initiated by the US stock market crash in October 1929, was a multifaceted interplay of various factors affecting aggregate demand and spending globally. In the late 1920s, the monetary policies set by the state to impede speculation around the stock market backfired, leading to reduced investments. This crash resulted in inflated prices, reduced business spending, and plunging stock values. The US stock market witnessed a dramatic boost in the early 1920s, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average resulting in a 6-fold increase from 1921 to 1929, reaching a peak of 381. However, the high that was supposedly believed as a permanent victory, was abrupted by the decline of October 1929, as reported by the Federal Reserve History. The relentless slide that started with two consecutive declines of 13% and 12% in October, later wiped out the index value to nearly half by mid-November. The Dow Jones Industrial Average continued to decline and reached its lowest level of 41.22 in 1932, witnessing an 89% descent from its peak. It took over 20 years for the index to surpass its high before the crash and reach 381 again in 1954. PUBLICIDAD The economic downturn was further incited by the widespread banking panics, which began in the third quarter of 1930. The beginning of the great depression culminated in fear among people, resulting in mass withdrawals and liquidation of assets. Marking the start of the biggest crisis, the bank failures contributed significantly to the depth and duration of the depression. The economy of the United States shrank 29% from 1929 to 1933, as reported by the Federal Bank Reserves of St. Louis. Unemployment in the country peaked at 25% in 1933, whereas consumer prices declined to 25%. Over 30% of the banking system, around 7,000 banks, failed between 1930 and 1933. Continuar leyendo la historia The Global Impact of the Great Depression The impact of the Great Depression was not uniform. According to the Hall of Mirrors, by Barry Eichengreen, the global gross domestic product declined 15% from 1929 to 1932. A research study, "The Global Impact of the Great Depression" by the London School of Economics, provides an analysis of the impact of the great depression on 30 countries, by taking into account their monthly variations of severity. The study highlights that although Central Eastern European countries, except Yugoslavia and Bulgaria, witnessed the longest economic recessions, narratives about certain countries needed revision. For instance, Spain was believed to have avoided the depression due to its non-gold-standard monetary policy, which links a country's currency directly to its gold reserves. Many historians believe that the Gold Standard highly contributed to the length and severity of the great depression. However, Spain still experienced a long-lasting recession, with 45% of the months between January 1929 and July 1935 in recession. On the contrary, Japan witnessed a strong recovery after 1932. However, the study found that the impact of the great depression was higher on Japan than the evidence of annual industrial production suggests. The depression in America and Canada was the longest, while Scandinavian countries escaped the depression relatively early. The study suggests that geography played a significant role in the depression's severity. Central and Eastern European countries and North American economies endured the longest and strongest recessions. Economies including Canada, Poland, Austria, and Germany faced the highest cumulative damages. The research also highlighted a pattern emerging in concentric circles depicting decreased severity moving outwards from the central point. Countries such as France, Belgium, and several Eastern European nations were closest to the epicenter and hence endured the deepest losses. This was followed by Scandinavia, Britain, and Switzerland, and the outermost circle experienced milder downturns, including nations such as Spain, Italy, and Japan. The only exceptions were New Zealand and Denmark, which endured a long-lasting and severe recession. The Current Economic Landscape After nearly a century, the global economy remains resilient, while still facing a multitude of challenges fueled by the aftermath of the pandemic's outbreak in 2020 and the current geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and Europe. According to the IMF, global growth is projected to remain steady at 3.1% in 2024, an uptick of 0.2% from October 2023. It is forecasted to reach 3.2% in 2025. The US and China are expected to experience slower growth in 2024, due to tight monetary policies in the US and weaker consumption and investment in China. The Eurozone is expected to witness a rebound from the 2023 growth level. However, the region still faces high energy prices and monetary challenges. On the contrary, Southeastern Economies, India, and Brazil are expected to grow with headline inflation declining to 4.9% globally. The advanced economies are anticipated to remain resilient, with headline and core inflation expected to drop to 2.6% in 2024. Overall. the global economy presents varied paths of recovery for different nations. Business in the Richest Countries in 2024 While the global outlook presented varied aspects of growth, a glimpse into the richest economies in the world can provide insights into the relative stability and business opportunities in these nations. Luxembourg, Singapore, Switzerland, and the United States are among the top 10 richest countries in the world by GDP per capita in 2024. Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE:SPOT), Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG), and Chubb Limited (NYSE:CB) are some of the leading companies in the richest economies in the world. Headquartered in Luxembourg, Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE:SPOT) is an audio streaming and media services company. On January 31, Steven Cahall, an analyst at Wells Fargo, raised his price target on Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE:SPOT) to $280 from $250 and maintained an overweight rating. Over the past 3 months, 14 out of 20 analysts have given a buy rating on Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE:SPOT). The stock has an average price forecast of $240.06 and a high price target of $330.00. As of February 7, the stock has surged more than 63% over the past 6 months. On January 30, Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) reported its earnings for the fiscal fourth quarter of 2023. The company reported an EPS of $1.64 and surpassed estimates by $0.04. The company reported a revenue of $86.31 billion for the quarter and outperformed estimates by $1.03 billion. Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:GOOG) revenue for the quarter grew by 13.49% on a year-over-year basis. Chubb Limited (NYSE:CB) is a top financial services company in Switzerland. On January 31, Elyse Greenspan, an analyst at Wells Fargo, maintained an equal-weight rating and raised her price target on Chubb Limited (NYSE:CB) to $255 from $234. Over the past 3 months, 6 analysts have given a buy rating on Chubb Limited (NYSE:CB). The stock has an average price forecast of $255.47 and a high price target of $280.00. Now, let's look at the 20 richest countries during the great depression. 20 Richest Countries During the Great Depression Richest Cities in Every State in the US Methodology To compile our list of the 20 richest countries during the great depression, we utilized the Maddison Project Database 2020. The database is a useful tool that provides historical economic data of countries. It reports the GDP per capita (PPP 2011) and population data for countries. At the time of the great depression, there were approximately 75 countries based on the strict definition of fully independent states. The database provides the historical GDP per capita data for the years 1929 and 1937 for nearly 67 countries. We have utilized the GDP per capita and population data from the database to calculate the GDPs of the countries for the years, 1929 and 1937. Please note that we have selected 1937 as our end year due to the unavailability of data for certain countries for the year 1939. We then calculated the percentage change in GDP from 1929 to 1937 to provide an in-depth insight into the recovery rate and economic resilience of the countries. Finally, we ranked the 20 richest countries during the great depression, based on their calculated GDP in 1937. We have also mentioned the current GDP (PPP) of the countries, as of 2024, to provide insight into their economic growth since the great depression. The 2024 GDP (PPP) of countries is sourced from the IMF Database. By the way, Insider Monkey is an investing website that tracks the movements of corporate insiders and hedge funds. By using a consensus approach, we identify the best stock picks of more than 900 hedge funds investing in US stocks. The top 10 consensus stock picks of hedge funds outperformed the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here). Whether you are a beginner investor or a professional one looking for the best stocks to buy, you can benefit from the wisdom of hedge funds and corporate insiders. 20 Richest Countries During the Great Depression 20. Mexico GDP (1929): $40.90 billion GDP (1937): $48.07 billion Percentage Change in GDP (1929-1937): 17.53% GDP (2024): $3.42 trillion Mexico is ranked among the richest countries during the great depression. In 1929, the country had an estimated GDP of $40.90 billion. Mexico experienced a 17.53% increase in its GDP from 1929 to 1937 and reached $48.07 billion in 1937. As of 2024, Mexico has a GDP of $3.42 trillion. 19. Brazil GDP (1929): $48.18 billion GDP (1937): $62.28 billion Percentage Change in GDP (1929-1937): 29.25% GDP (2024): $4.62 trillion Brazil ranks 19th on our list. The country reported a GDP of $48.18 billion in 1929 and $62.28 billion in 1937. Its GDP grew by 29.25% from 1929 to 1937. As of 2024, it has a GDP of $4.62 trillion. 18. Australia GDP (1929): $53.65 billion GDP (1937): $62.65 billion Percentage Change in GDP (1929-1937): 16.77% GDP (2024): $1.78 trillion Ranked 18th on our list, Australia reported a GDP of $53.65 billion in 1929 and $62.65 billion in 1937. Its GDP increased by 16.77% from 1929 to 1937. As of 2024, the GDP of the country is $1.78 trillion. 17. Belgium GDP (1929): $64.70 billion GDP (1937): $66.00 billion Percentage Change in GDP (1929-1937): 2.00% GDP (2024): $793.83 billion Belgium ranks among the richest countries during the great depression. In 1929, the country had an estimated GDP of $64.70 billion. Belgium witnessed a 2% increase in its GDP from 1929 to 1937 and reached $66 billion in 1937. As of 2024, the country has a GDP of $793.83 billion. 16. Czechoslovakia GDP (1929): $67.32 billion GDP (1937): $66.28 billion Percentage Change in GDP (1929-1937): -1.54% GDP of Czechia (2024): $564.19 billion GDP of Slovakia (2024): $240.65 billion Ranked 16th on our list, Czechoslovakia reported a GDP of $67.32 billion in 1929. Its GDP shrank by 1.54% from 1929 to 1937. In 1993, Czechoslovakia split into two independent countries, Czechia and Slovakia. As of 2024, Czechia has a GDP of $564.19 billion and Slovakia has a GDP of $240.65 billion. 15. Spain GDP (1929): $96.85 billion GDP (1937): $66.46 billion Percentage Change in GDP (1929-1937): -31.37% GDP (2024): $2.51 trillion Spain is ranked 15th on our list. In 1929, the country reported a GDP of $96.85 billion. Its GDP shrank by 31.37% from 1929 to 1937 and reached $66.46 billion in 1937. As of 2024, the country has a GDP of $2.51 trillion. 14. Netherlands GDP (1929): $70.56 billion GDP (1937): $74.46 billion Percentage Change in GDP (1929-1937): 5.53% GDP (2024): $1.34 trillion The Netherlands ranks 14th on our list. The country reported a GDP of $70.56 billion in 1929 and $74.46 billion in 1937. Its GDP grew by 5.53% from 1929 to 1937. As of 2024, it has a GDP of $1.34 trillion. 13. Canada GDP (1929): $83.20 billion GDP (1937): $80.86 Percentage Change in GDP (1929-1937): -2.21% GDP (2024): $2.47 trillion Canada is ranked among the richest countries during the great depression. In 1929, the country had an estimated GDP of $83.20 billion. Canada's GDP declined 2.21% from 1929 to 1937 and reached $80.86 billion in 1937. As of 2024, Canada has a GDP of $2.47 trillion. 12. Argentina GDP (1929): $80.69 billion GDP (1937): $88.69 billion Percentage Change in GDP (1929-1937): 9.92% GDP (2024): $1.30 trillion Argentina ranks 12th on our list. The country reported a GDP of $80.69 billion in 1929 and $88.69 billion in 1937. Its GDP grew by 9.92% from 1929 to 1937. As of 2024, it has a GDP of $1.30 trillion. 11. Poland GDP (1929): $93.98 billion GDP (1937): $93.97 billion Percentage Change in GDP (1929-1937): -0.01% GDP (2024): $1.79 trillion Ranked 11th on our list, Poland reported a GDP of $93.98 billion in 1929 and $93.97 billion in 1937. Its GDP declined by 0.01% from 1929 to 1937. As of 2024, it reports a GDP of $1.79 trillion. 10. Indonesia GDP (1929): $103.85 billion GDP (1937): $118.78 billion Percentage Change in GDP (1929-1937): 14.76% GDP (2024): $4.72 trillion Indonesia ranks 10th on our list. The country reported a GDP of $103.85 billion in 1929 and $118.78 billion in 1937. Its GDP grew by 14.76% from 1929 to 1937. As of 2024, it has a GDP of $4.72 trillion. 9. Italy GDP (1929): $197.85 billion GDP (1937): $210.13 billion Percentage Change in GDP (1929-1937): 6.20% GDP (2024): $3.29 trillion Italy is ranked among the richest countries during the great depression. In 1929, the country had an estimated GDP of $197.85 billion. Italy experienced a 6.20% increase in its GDP from 1929 to 1937 and reached $210.13 billion in 1937. As of 2024, Italy has a GDP of $3.29 trillion. 8. Japan GDP (1929): $231.79 billion GDP (1937): $290.45 billion Percentage Change in GDP (1929-1937): 25.31% GDP (2024): $6.71 trillion Japan ranks 8th on our list. The country reported a GDP of $231.79 billion in 1929 and $290.45 billion in 1937. Its GDP grew by 5.53% from 1929 to 1937. As of 2024, it has a GDP of $1.34 trillion. 7. France GDP (1929): $309.55 billion GDP (1937): $299.88 billion Percentage Change in GDP (1929-1937): -3.12% GDP (2024): $4.01 trillion France is ranked 7th on our list. In 1929 the country reported a GDP of $309.55 billion. Its GDP shrank by 3.12% from 1929 to 1937. As of 2024, the country has a GDP of $4.01 trillion. 6. India GDP (1929): $386.39 billion GDP (1937): $399.83 billion Percentage Change in GDP (1929-1937): 3.46% GDP (2024): $14.26 trillion India is ranked 6th on our list of the richest countries during the great depression. In 1929, the country had an estimated GDP of $386.39 billion. India's GDP grew 3.46% from 1929 to 1937 and reached $399.83 billion in 1937. As of 2024, India has a GDP of $14.26 trillion. Click to continue reading and see the 5 Richest Countries During the Great Depression. Suggested articles: Disclosure: None. 20 Richest Countries During the Great Depression is originally published on Insider Monkey. Description Great Neck Library is having an author event "Gold Coast Arts Center author Joseph Berger: Elie Wiesel: Confronting the Silence". Join us for a special conversation with author Joseph Berger moderated by Regina Gil, Founder and Executive Director of the Gold Coast Arts Center. This event is free but you must RSVP through the Gold Coast Arts' website at https://godlcoastarts.org/event/author-talk-joseph-berger/. For more information, please contact Great Neck Library at (516) 466-8055 email adultprogramming@greatnecklibrary.org. Advent International's Shonnel Malani, who has overseen the dismemberment of Cobham since its purchase in 2019 for 4bn, is preparing the sale of the last bits of the company over the next year or two. Any sale would come amid heightened geopolitical tensions, resulting in a premium for defence assets. Malani also told the Mail on Sunday that Advent may soon have more targets in the UK. - Financial Mail on Sunday Data due out this week are expected to show that the UK's gross domestic product shrank by 0.1% over the three months to December. That would mean that the country entered a recession at the end of 2023, as the economy had fallen by that same amount during the preceding quarter. It would also constitute an embarrassment for the government and a disaster for the Prime Minister. The latter had pledged that the economy would be growing by the end of last year. - Guardian Raspberry Pi is studying a possible retail offer as part of its plans to float in London. The hobbyist computer company's chief executive officer said there was a number of ways by which it could be done. The company's international base of fans made a retail offer more difficult but an offer in the UK and EU might be achievable. He also indicated that he now saw little downside to a UK listing as opposed to one in the U.S..- Sunday Telegraph Games Workshop, the owner of Warhammer, has come under criticism for licensing its intellectual property to Owlcat Games, which is backed by Russian investors. The latter used the Warhammer logo prominently in its branding and just last December released a game for use on platforms that included the PlayStation and Xbox. Games Workshop stopped selling its fantasy figurines in Russia shortly after the country invaded Ukraine, while Owlcat's development teams left Russia in 2022. - The Financial Mail on Sunday STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Hundreds of gift cards on Staten Island were altered with the purpose of cheating purchasers and their intended recipients out of money, authorities say. Xiaoxia Chen, 46, a woman, and Yongdeng You, 44, a man, both of Monterey Park, Calif., were arrested on Jan. 31 in connection with the scam, which was perpetrated at multiple CVS locations mostly on the South Shore, according to the criminal complaint. Authorities recovered 395 gift cards valued at over $50,000 from the defendants at about noon in the vicinity of the 122nd Precinct stationhouse at 2320 Hylan Blvd. in New Dorp, the complaint alleges. Authorities also allege they confiscated two skimmer devices, three cell phones, a laptop, gloves, tip swabs, glue, hair straighteners, rubbing alcohol, baby wipes and finger protectors from the defendants. Earlier in January, the defendants placed altered gift cards on the racks with the intent to defraud the customer at CVS stores at 2690 Hylan Blvd. in New Dorp, 4055 Hylan Blvd. in Great Kills, 4065 Amboy Road in Great Kills, 2465 Richmond Ave. in New Springville and 1654 Richmond Ave. in Bulls Head, the complaint alleges. Chen and You left those stores without buying anything, police said. I get paid 50 cents per card, the criminal complaint quotes You as saying to police. I place them on gift card rack. I get 50 cents for every gift card I take from the gift card rack. A law-enforcement source said it is unclear whether the defendants currently live in California or had moved to our area and not yet changed their addresses. Chen and You face a host of charges that include over 1,000 counts of forgery and possession of a forged instrument in addition to attempted grand larceny, scheme to defraud and unlawful possession of a skimmer device. The defendants pleaded not guilty to all charges and have been released with non-monetary considerations. They are due back in Criminal Court on March 14, according to public records. Attorneys for the defendants have not yet responded to requests for comments. SOURCES DETAILS GIFT-CARD SCHEME A law-enforcement source said that gift-card scams typically involve stealing a large amount of gift cards and then taking them to a private location where the cards are carefully opened. In this case, participants in the scheme scratched the cards to reveal the pin numbers, and made a record of the pin and the bar-code numbers, the source said. They put a sticker over what they scratched off and then they resealed the card so that it looked secure, the source said. After the card was purchased and activated, the perpetrators or other suspects they sold the card information to could use the pins to steal the funds. The supplies that Chen and You were caught with typically are used by people who perpetrate these scams, the law-enforcement source said. In another kind of gift card scheme taking place on Staten Island, the authorities recently warned about scams that involve a perpetrator printing stickers with a fake barcode that is placed over the real barcode. When the cashier uses the scan gun, the money is sent to the perpetrators account that is linked to the fake barcode. DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto In recent years, $1 million has been often quoted as the baseline amount for a comfortable retirement. Many Americans, however, may be unable to set aside a million dollars for retirement and may question where they should live for a financially secure future. Read: Retired but Want To Make Passive Income? Here Are 6 Ideas for Retirees To Boost Financial Security Learn: 6 Genius Things All Wealthy People Do With Their Money Fortunately, there are many cities across America where a retirees savings goes the distance during their retirement years. In a recent study, GOBankingRates looked at the cost of living in Americas major cities and calculated how long a nest egg of $650,000, $750,000 and $850,000 would last. This study also considers the cities livability scores and the percentage of the population age 65 and older. With these factors combined, we found the 10 best places to retire in the U.S. for those who havent saved $1 million. Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto 10. Huntsville, Alabama How long $850K will last: 21.03 years How long $750K will last: 18.55 years How long $650K will last: 16.08 years Livability score: 81 Percent of seniors 65 and older: 16.2% With an average annual expenditure of $23,134 for seniors, $650,000 in retirement savings will last just about 16 years in The Rocket City. See: 6 Frugal Living Tips Retirees Should Avoid in 2024 Discover: What Happens to Your Social Security Check When Your Spouse Dies? Sponsored: Owe the IRS $10K or more? Schedule a FREE consultation to see if you qualify for tax relief. benedek / Getty Images/iStockphoto 9. Spokane, Washington How long $850K will last: 21.33 years How long $750K will last: 18.82 years How long $650K will last: 16.31 years Livability score: 80 Percent of seniors 65 and older: 16.2% Brimming with historic influence and natural beauty, retirees will never run out of ways to explore Spokane. Seniors can expect to spend $21,678 on annual expenditures in Lilac City. More: Retirement Planning: How Much the Average Person 65 and Older Spends Monthly DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images 8. Mesa, Arizona How long $850K will last: 20.27 years How long $750K will last: 17.89 years How long $650K will last: 15.50 years Livability score: 82 Percent of seniors 65 and older: 16.9% Story continues Those retiring to Mesa can expect to spend $22,152 on living expenses each year. Seniors with a savings of $650,000 can afford at least 15 years in this Southwestern city. NeonJellyfish / Getty Images/iStockphoto 7. Saint Petersburg, Florida How long $850K will last: 17.67 years How long $750K will last: 15.59 years How long $650K will last: 13.51 years Livability score: 86 Percent of seniors 65 and older: 19.9% Seniors can expect to spend an average $23,522 for every year they live in Saint Petersburg. Having $750,000 in retirement savings should have retirees set for 15 years. View: 7 Best Cars for Retirees on a Budget DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com 6. Sioux Falls, South Dakota How long $850K will last: 23.62 years How long $750K will last: 20.84 years How long $650K will last: 18.06 years Livability score: 84 Percent of seniors 65 and older: 13.5% Seniors living in the Queen City of the West will have an average annual expenditure of $22,115. Having $650,000 in retirement savings can last about 18 years in Sioux Falls. Kirkikis / Getty Images 5. Lexington, Kentucky How long $850K will last: 22.32 years How long $750K will last: 19.69 years How long $650K will last: 17.07 years Livability score: 86 Percent of seniors 65 and older: 14.2% Nicknamed the Horse Capital of the World, the average annual expenditure for seniors is $21,461 in Lexington. Related: Retirees Spend Nearly $5,000 a Month Heres Where Their Income Goes and How To Plan Accordingly DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto 4. Scottsdale, Arizona How long $850K will last: 17.66 years How long $750K will last: 15.58 years How long $650K will last: 13.50 years Livability score: 77 Percent of seniors 65 and older: 25.1% In The Wests Most Western Town, seniors should expect to spend $22,567 a year to cover living costs. This means an $850,000 retirement nest egg would last just about 17 years in Scottsdale. Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto 3. Akron, Ohio How long $850K will last: 25.13 years How long $750K will last: 22.17 years How long $650K will last: 19.21 years Livability score: 80 Percent of seniors 65 and older: 15.5% The average annual expenditure for seniors living in Akron is $21,025. That means having $750,000 saved in a retirement fund can last for 22 years. Explore: 7 Things Frugal Retirees Never Pay Full Price For DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto 2. Fort Wayne, Indiana How long $850K will last: 24.81 years How long $750K will last: 21.89 years How long $650K will last: 18.97 years Livability score: 83 Percent of seniors 65 and older: 14.7% With an average annual expenditure for seniors of $20,976, a retirement nest egg of $850,000 will stretch for 24 years in Fort Wayne. 1. Boise, Idaho How long $850K will last: 22.37 years How long $750K will last: 19.74 years How long $650K will last: 17.11 years Livability score: 83 Percent of seniors 65 and older: 15.2% Seniors planning to retire in Boise should expect to spend $17,173 in average annual expenditures. Having $850,000 in retirement savings should have retirees set for 22 years. Gabrielle Olya contributed to the reporting for this article. Methodology: In this study, GOBankingRates assess places to retire for under $1 million by starting with the [1] top 150 most populated cities in the United States as sourced from the US Census American Community Survey and along with the total population, the [2] population aged 65 years and older was also included sourced from the same source. For each city on the list the cost of living indexes were sourced including; [3] Grocery cost of living index, [4] Healthcare cost of living index, [5] Utilities cost of living index, [6] Transportation cost of living index, [7] Miscellaneous cost of living index, all sourced from Sperlings BestPlaces. The cost of living indexes were multipled by the [8] Average expenditure costs within each expenditure category for someone aged 65 or older sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey to find the average expenditure costs within each city. The [9] average rent cost was also sourced for each city as sourced from the Zillow Observed Rental Index and added to the average expenditure cost to find the total cost of living in each city. Using this total cost of living the years of retirement drawdown can be calculated. The livability index was sourced for each location and all locations with a livability below 75 were removed as they represent places below average quality of life. The average expenditure cost was scored, the average rent cost was scored, the livability index was scored, and the percentage population 65 and over was scored with all four scores being combined and sorted to show to best places to retire if you cant save $1 million. All data was collected and is up-to-date as-of Feb. 6, 2024. More From GOBankingRates This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 10 Best Places To Retire If You Cant Save $1 Million STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. A former Staten Island man who was accused of a robbery and an attempted robbery and then spent a year in jail before he was acquitted at trial has filed a civil rights lawsuit against the city and three NYPD members stemming from the arrests. Victor Abraham, 26, a former resident of Cliftons Park Hill section, alleges in court filings that the misconduct of the NYPD ultimately deprived him of his liberty and resulted in his improper incarceration. Abrahams lawsuit was initially filed in March of 2022 in Brooklyn federal court, and according to online court records, appears to be in settlement negotiations. THE INITIAL ACCUSATION Abraham, a U.S. citizen originally born in Ghana, was 19 on Oct. 9, 2016, when an individual was robbed on Heberton Avenue in Port Richmond. The 33-year-old victim identified the suspects as two Black males in hooded sweatshirts, court filings state. During the incident, one of the robbers displayed a handgun, threatening the victim. Then, a few days later on Oct. 13, 2016, that same victim was riding on the S44 bus and saw a fellow passenger who looked like the assailant who displayed the firearm. The victim snapped a photograph of the individual and sent the image to the detective assigned to the case, identified in Abrahams lawsuit as Det. Steven Lutz. Lutz is a defendant in Abrahams lawsuit. Abraham was not on the bus that day, his filing states. Lutz received the photo, yet withheld it from the case file, failing to mention the existence of such a photo to the Richmond County District Attorneys Office until the eve of Abrahams trial, the lawsuit alleges. Around Oct. 16, Lutz displayed a photo array to the victim of the initial robbery, the lawsuit says. The lineup consisted of Abraham and five other individuals, with the victim identifying Abraham as the robber. However, the lawsuit alleges that the array was suggestive in that Abraham was the only individual wearing white whereas the others were depicted in black or gray attire. A day later, Abraham was arrested and sent to Rikers Island, where he remained until Oct. 27, 2016, when his family was able to post bail, as reported in court documents. ANOTHER ACCUSATION On Oct. 27, the same day Abraham was released from Rikers Island, a 16-year-old boy was assaulted by three individuals on Port Richmond Avenue in Port Richmond. The assailants all donned hooded sweatshirts when they attacked the young victim on that rainy night, according to court documents. The brief ambush reportedly lasted less than 10 seconds, with the victim only getting a glance at one of the attackers, the lawsuit says. Among the officers that responded to the scene was Sgt. Steven Zielinski, according to the lawsuit. He also is named as a defendant in the litigation. The adolescent victim described the observed attacker as tall, skinny and Black. To this, Zielinski allegedly displayed a singular image of Abraham. At the time, the victim was uncertain if the image presented was in fact the individual responsible for the attack, the lawsuit says. Police Officer Jennifer Hamilton, the final named defendant, was also assigned to the attempted robbery case, according to the filing. On Oct. 29, 2016, the 16-year-old victim visited an NYPD stationhouse to assess photographs. Hamilton conducted the viewing alongside the victim utilizing the NYPDs Photo Manager System, Abraham alleges. According to the lawsuit, the array of images presented Abraham twice as photograph #10 and #11, with Abraham being the only individual to appear more than once in the set. From there, the victim identified Abraham as the assailant and the plaintiff was rearrested around Oct. 31, 2016, as detailed by court documents. THE GRAND JURY During grand jury proceedings around Nov. 1, 2016, the individual defendants named in Abrahams lawsuit testified, his court filings claim. While the grand jury heard testimony, they were not informed of the S44 photograph, nor were they informed of the flawed lineup procedure, the single photograph shown on Oct. 27, 2016, or the flawed Photo Manager identification, according to Abrahams complaint. The grand jury indicted Abraham for the Oct. 9, 2016, robbery, and the Oct. 27, 2016, attempted robbery. THE HEARING More than a year passed by, and on Nov. 20, 2017, a hearing was held in state Supreme Court, St. George, to ultimately determine the admissibility of the photo identifications. On Dec. 15, 2017, the court issued a written decision finding that the Oct. 16, 2016, photo array by Lutz was unduly suggestive, according to the lawsuit. Additionally the court found that an Oct. 18, 2016, identification of Abraham by the victim was tainted by the photo array. Despite testifying at the hearing, Lutz did not reveal the existence of the S44 photograph to the court, defense or prosecution, Abrahams lawsuit alleges. The court also suppressed Zielinskis use of a singular photograph as unduly suggestive; the very same was found for the Photo Manager identification conducted by Hamilton, according to Abrahams lawsuit. Another May 4, 2017, lineup identification by the 16-year-old victim from the attempted robbery was also suppressed as unduly suggestive as Abraham was only one of two individuals wearing a white shirt, the lawsuit states. ACQUITTED OF CHARGES It wasnt until Abrahams jury trial in November of 2018 that the existence of the s44 photograph was learned, he alleges. According to Abrahams lawsuit, on the first day of the trial, the 33-year-old victim of the Oct. 9, 2016, robbery informed the assistant district attorney of the photograph, who in turn, told Abrahams counsel of the image. It was during this trial that the victim testified that the individual in the S44 bus photograph was not Abraham, according to the lawsuit. Lutz also testified, admitting that he was sent the image and did not turn the photograph over to the district attorneys office, and did not save a copy to the case records, the lawsuit alleges. On Nov. 7, 2018, Abraham was acquitted of both the Oct. 9, 2016, robbery, and the Oct. 27, 2016, attempted robbery. He cried. I cried, defense attorney Robert (Bob) Walters said at the time in a phone conversation, describing the reactions of his former client and himself when the verdict was announced. This was a textbook case of mistaken identification, said Walters. In the November 2018 phone interview, the attorney said there were problems with the accuracy, reliability and fairness of the photo identifications in the case. I could see how there was some honest mistakes that snowballed, he said. The jury saw through it. The jury got it immediately. THE LAWSUIT As a result of the defendants actions, Abraham was incarcerated for about a year until September of 2017, when he was able to make bond. Additionally, the damages listed in the complaint indicate that Abraham had to attend more than a dozen court appearances, suffered and will continue to suffer mental and emotional suffering, lost the companionship of his family and friends, incurred legal fees, suffered an educational setback, and lost his Section 8 housing while incarcerated. In an interview with the Advance/SILive.com, Abraham shared his thoughts on the situation and his hopes for the lawsuit. Im a citizen, so I have all my rights, Abraham said. Its not like I snuck into this country, you understand? For me to be being treated like less than a human being and endured all of that, and Im telling these people I cant realize my full potential because of what your officers did to me. Abraham, who lived in Park Hill at the time, says he now struggles to make ends meet and support his children. The public needs to know, today its happening to me, it could be happening to somebody else right now, because these cops are still on the force, Abraham said. Abraham, who is represented by Joel Wertheimer of Wertheimer LLC, is seeking compensation of $30,000 for each day he spent in Rikers and that each of the individual defendants are terminated from their positions with law enforcement. Prior to these accusations, Abraham had hopes of becoming a pilot. Im so fed up, because I aint do nothing to anybody in this country but come here and try to serve this country and fight for this country, because I believe in equal justice, I believe in freedom, I believe in everything this country promised me, Abraham said. Wertheimer declined to comment on the case before the time of publication. The NYPD also declined to comment. The state Department of Health ordered CarePoint Health System to submit disaster plans for its three hospitals this week, citing the possibility of the facilities experiencing a disruption in services or be forced to close abruptly because of the networks financial crisis. Gene Rosenblum, the director of the Office of Program Compliance, attributed the risk of closure to CarePoints significant financial distress in letters to Bayonne Medical Center, Christ Hospital and Hoboken University Medical Center this month. The notices gave the non-profit organization 24 hours to comply. Sources close to the hospital system said that while this indicates CarePoints precarious financial position, they do not believe the hospitals are at imminent risk of closing. The hospital chain recently entered into an agreement with Hudson Regional Hospital in Secaucus to join a new entity, Hudson Health System, which still needs state approval. Plus, the state Legislature is working on getting the health network short-term, stop-gap financing, said state Sen. Raj Mukherji. All three CarePoint hospitals are critical safety net hospitals that serve the most vulnerable among us, Mukherji said. Its our duty to make sure that they have the support they need to survive, and we are working on short-term stop-gap financing while they contemplate transactions that could help them survive long term. The disaster plans must include procedures in the event the hospitals would need to be evacuated or if services were to be interrupted, including the facility where patients would be relocated. All hospitals in the state are required to have them, a Department of Health spokesperson said. It did not send similar penalty letters regarding deficient disaster plans to any other hospitals in the state in the past year, according to its website documenting such letters. While its clear that CarePoints hospitals are in great financial need, it is absolutely, categorically false to claim that any of them are at imminent risk of closing, said CarePoint spokesman Phil Swibinski. CarePoints leadership team will continue to remain resolute in their efforts to advocate for the people of Hudson County by demanding that the state provide the financial resources necessary to operate these essential safety net hospitals. CarePoint and HRH must complete negotiations in order to file the application for the certificate of need to become a joint healthcare system, a source close to the hospitals said. Hudson Regional Hospital, in response to the financial uncertainty at CarePoint, has prepared to assume operational control of all three hospitals on a moments notice, hospital spokesman Ron Simoncini said. There are multiple options to help CarePoint, including stabilization funding from the state or bankruptcy, said another source familiar with the situation. I think youre more likely to see a bankruptcy before a closure, they said. The extent of CarePoints fiscal woes has become increasingly clear in recent months. In December, it asked the state for $130 million, calling the level of its need urgent. The letter also noted the hospitals have consistently maintained low days of cash on hand (and) maintained negative operating margins. Employee hours have been cut and in January, the state Department of Health assigned a financial monitor the hospital network. The letter about the disaster plan was sent approximately a month after the state selected fiscal monitor Robert Iannaccone to oversee the hospitals. It noted he has spent 19 days at the hospital and reported to the DOH that CarePoint, its three hospital subsidiaries and its affiliated entities are financially unstable. The Jersey Journal reported in December that CarePoint Health was facing a number of lawsuits from vendors for approximately $4.7 million in unpaid bills. The amount allegedly owed by CarePoint has grown to approximately $7 million with the addition of a handful of lawsuits filed since then. When asked if Jersey City Medical Center is part of CarePoints emergency plan, a representative said, With respect to any potential surge in patients, Jersey City Medical Center is fully prepared to handle and manage those requiring treatment and would work with the Department of Health and others to ensure continuity of care for all. At the same time, the CarePoint Foundation, which housed and monitored grant funding for the three hospitals since the organization was formed in 2012, has decided to close, effective March 31. The work of the foundation, which has been in operation since the 1990s under previous hospital management, became expendable when CarePoint Health System, created its own charitable group Just Health. We are very proud of the work that the CarePoint Foundation and its board has done through the years to keep mental health programs flourishing at the hospitals, said Paula Nevoso, the foundations president. We are proud that we never had to refund a single nickel (of grant money). Among the grants managed by the foundation are the Rape Crisis Center at Christ Hospital and the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Part A grants. Given the precarious situation, we have every hope that they are able to continue these services, Nevoso said. We wish them well. President Joe Biden dodged one calamity when it came to his willfully improper handling of classified documents. But he still ended up getting kneecapped over the episode anyway. Special counsel Robert Hur found that Biden willfully retained and disclosed classified materials and kept sensitive documents throughout his tenure as a U.S. senator and vice president. But Hur in his report declined to recommend criminal charges against Biden because any jury would likely find our president to be merely an elderly man with a poor memory. The report said that in interviews with investigators, Biden did not remember when his term as vice president began and ended, and also did not recall when his beloved son, Beau, died. Talk about bad timing. The statements, in the midst of a re-election campaign, go right to heart of why voters and some top Democrats worry whether Biden, 81, is mentally fit enough to serve as president. The report came after Biden was publicly confused over who the current leaders of France and Germany are. Those gaffes were just the latest in the long line of missteps and mistakes that weve seen throughout the Biden presidency. Biden at a press conference on Thursday pushed back at Hurs report, saying I know what the hell Im doing. Then he proceeded to call the Egyptian president the president of Mexico. Its ugly all around. But lets not forget how damning the report was when it came to Bidens improper handling of classified documents. The report found that Biden not only retained classified documents after leaving office, but shared classified information with author Mark Zwonitzer, who was ghostwriting a book for him. Biden told Zwonitzer of the documents, I didnt want to turn them in. You mean kind of like former President Donald Trump said when it was discovered that hed taken classified documents home to Mar-a-Lago? And like Trump, Biden was found to have stored the documents in a slipshod manner in his private home. Biden later said that he didnt know how the files got to his home and blamed his staff. Trump is still facing criminal charges over his handling of the classified documents. But Biden is in the clear. By the way, Zwonitzer also deleted audio files of Biden after Hurs investigation began. Strange that an author would audio files that were used to write a book, especially if the interviewee was the vice president of the United States. Thats history after all. And why did he wait until there was an investigation underway to do it? Did Zwonitzer run out of storage room on his computer? Ive still got audio cassettes of interviews I did in the 1980s and 1990s floating around the house somewhere. No matter. Zwonitzer got a pass from Hur as well. None of which is surprising. You didnt really expect the Justice Department to haul Biden into court, did you? That kind of treatment is reserved for Trump. But the former president did get a boost last week as it appears that the Supreme Court will knock down Colorados attempt to keep Trump off the primary ballot there because of the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. During oral arguments, Chief Justice John Roberts worried that upholding Colorados action would allow GOP states to disqualify Dem candidates and vice versa. Even liberal Justice Elena Kagan questioned whether one state should decide who can be president of the United States. Let the voters decide about Trump. The U.S. Constitution lays out the qualifications for running for president. Trump satisfies them all. States cant supersede that just because they dont like Trump. Jan. 6 was a riot, not an insurrection. So the 14th Amendments section on barring insurrectionists from office doesnt hold water when it comes to Trump. Not that a positive Supreme Court outcome will solve all of Trumps legal problems. And Bidens got problems too. It looks to be one heck of a matchup come November. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- You may not need to search those couch cushions for loose change anymore. New York State has more than $18.4 billion that it owes to its residents, including $123,275,672 to Staten Islanders. (For a region-by-region breakdown, you can click here.) Money can go unclaimed for various reasons. Banks often lose track of people who move, so their accounts go dormant, or people themselves forget that they have a bank account or brokerage account. The number of accounts unclaimed for Staten Island are 207,712. According to state Comptroller Thomas DiNapolis office, $41,846,811 in unclaimed funds have been returned to New Yorkers. So how do you know if youre owed any money? Just visit the state comptrollers website and type in your first name, last name or organization to check. If the results come up empty, try an advanced search to double-check. It also is worth searching for the names of relatives, particularly those who are deceased. Officials say you could be entitled to those funds as well with records going back to the 1940s. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Gov. Kathy Hochul is urging New Yorkers in parts of the state to prepare for a storm system that could bring heavy snow, gusty winds and coastal flooding. State agencies are prepared for the snowstorm, expected near the Mid-Hudson, Capital and Southern Tier regions, to start impacting the area late Monday night into the Tuesday morning commute, the governor said. National Weather Service Predictions.NWS THE TIMELINE FOR THE STATE Areas in New York will start to get impacted Monday night into early Tuesday, National Weather Service meteorologist Frank Pereria said. Its going to be a pretty quick system, when we get into Tuesday evening it would have already moved offshore on its way into Canada. Its in the latter half of Monday evening, which in some areas will see snow start to accumulate, winds ramp up and costal flooding start to occur, as reported by the National Weather Service. Snow amounts could be close to these levels if storm track is further south/colder or with heavier snow banding over inland areas.NWS According to the weather wiz, there will be a few hours of heavy snowfall of up to an inch in Pennsylvania and upstate New York. There is still uncertainty about what angle the storm will track, said Pereria. Snowfall amounts vary across the state with the greatest accumulation likely to accumulate at higher elevations. The governors office predicts parts of the Mid-Hudson region could see up to 6-8 inches of snow, with parts of the lower Mid-Hudson expected to receive up to 12 inches of snow, and areas in the Capital and Southern Tier regions potentially receiving 4-6 inches of snow. New York City is going to be on the southern edge of this, so it will see a little bit of snow, said Pereria. The heaviest accumulation of this will be in the Catskills and the Hudson Valley. A more northern track with the low pressure would reduce snowfall totals in the watch area. A more southern track with the low pressure would lower snowfall totals inland but potentially increase snowfall totals down to the coast. NWS WHAT TO EXPECT The New York City and Long Island regions could see up to 1 to 3 inches of snow and wind gusts up to 40 mph, as well as localized coastal flooding conditions during high tides, according to Hochul. The governor urged New Yorkers to pay attention to the weather forecast for their area and be aware of changing conditions and impacts as the forecast is updated over the weekend, including potentially hazardous travel and potential power outages. Localized power outages are possible, the governor warned. Slippery, hazardous travel is likely for the Tuesday morning commute in impacted areas. Support the Peninsulas only locally-owned newspaper. Subscribe! Subscribing annually brings you big savings. We also offer monthly and weekly subscriptions. Premium Subscription As low as $8.25 per month Premium Includes: Access to the Daily Journals e-Edition: a digital replica of our daily newspaper including crossword puzzles, games, comics, classifieds and ads. The ability to download a digital replica of the Daily Journal for offline reading. The ability to clip & download articles or images to share with others. Access to the last 90 days of e-Editions with search, downloading and clipping options. Unlimited access to our award-winning online content Commenting access on all stories as a valued member of the DJ community It was her first book and it didnt come easily. Journalist Lisa Taddeo spent eight years researching and writing Three Women. She crossed America six times on road trips, talking to people about their sex lives. Searching for suitable subjects, she posted signs on university noticeboards and in public bathrooms; she contacted lawyers and doctors inquiring about clients or patients who might be willing to talk to her; and she approached strangers in bars and started conversations. Her initially unfocused efforts led to a remarkable work of non-fiction exploring a trio of very different lives. Empathetic, rich in detail and probing in its evocation of the womens emotional and sexual desires, it reads like intimate and intense fiction. Taddeos understanding of and knowledge about the women is so deep and extensive its as though they grew out of her imagination. Lisa Taddeos non-fiction book about the anxieties and sex lives of three different women became an international bestseller and, now, a dramatised TV series. Credit: Molly Matalon The 2019 publication that she imagined would be a quiet little book became an international bestseller and the object of a bidding war for TV rights. Showtime won, and the result is an appropriately frank and absorbing 10-part series, created, partly written and executive produced by Taddeo, with her screenwriter husband Jackson Waite as a co-executive producer, and producer, screenwriter and playwright Laura Eason (The Loudest Voice, House of Cards) as the showrunner. The women of the title appear to have little in common. Living in Indiana and the mother of two boys, Lina (Betty Gilpin) is trapped in an unhappy marriage to Ed (Sean Meehan) whos cold and controlling. Rhode Island restaurant owner Sloane (DeWanda Wise) is wealthy and glamorous. The envy of other women, shes married to chef Richard (Blair Underwood) in a union that allows her to have sex with other men as he watches. Maggie (Gabrielle Creevy) is a North Dakota waitress struggling in the aftermath of a relationship that she was involved in as an adolescent. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Farmers naturally like the extra revenue derived from lease/rent payments for renewable technology being established in rural area (Climate wars 2.0, February 11). Now the so-called champions of the bush, Barnaby Joyce and David Littleproud, want these renewables taken away from rural areas and set up in the cities, using existing infrastructure. This would apparently see city folk, as opposed to country folk, reaping the benefits. This seems a bizarre proposition for Joyce and Littleproud to be championing. Unless of course, this crusade also has something to do with the fact that it is financially advantageous (cheaper) for big investors to use existing city infrastructure. Why would aiding big investors at the sake of farmers interest Joyce and Littleproud, our bush champions? Warren Marks, Hill Top The Joyce is yours. Credit: Matt Golding Like many, I have cringed watching the Nationals-led revolt against renewables and wondered what is driving this behaviour. Joyce et al are obviously seeking relevance and trying to keep mining alive. It is the exploitation of peoples fear that is both disappointing and expected. The wellbeing of the whole nation is secondary to personal gain, selfishness, NIMBYism and an ideology of I dont care what it is Im against it. The divisions in our lucky country are getting bigger and more entrenched. I dont see anyone who can bridge these gaps and pull us out of this ideological quagmire. William Perry, Mount Keira The National Party doesnt seem to mind the proliferation of mining in rural areas, so what exactly is their point about wind farms (Letters, February 10)? Wind and solar farms have the potential to provide farmers with much-needed supplementary incomes and it seems that only a minority of rural people dont want them in or next door to their often very considerable backyards. Look around, thousands of city dwellers are already sharing the energy load by installing rooftop solar panels. Peter Campbell, Potts Point I want to see fossil fuels replaced by renewables as soon as possible. But I am not totally unsympathetic to those who fear their world is being turned into a giant solar/wind farm. The one thing we never discuss in this debate is consumption. When I was growing up people had few electrical gadgets or devices and many people couldnt afford a car. Now we cant live without every conceivable thing that uses energy. We must talk about energy consumption and either reduce it or make it much more efficient. Garry Feeney, Kingsgrove While discredited politicians make distracting noises, the forces of nature are a deafening chorus; such as research reported by CNN showing the North Atlantic Ocean circulation grinding to a halt with disastrous consequences. Joyce and others play attention-seeking games with no apparent understanding of global warming, damaging our belated shift of mindset on climate response at the federal level. We need the Labor government to come out fighting for truth and responsibility, before the conservative press amplifies this noise from the sideshows of Australian politics. Barry Laing, Castle Cove Joyce has inadvertently discovered a source of renewable energy: plant a National Party politician flat on his back on the footpath and it will create a lot of hot air (Joyce filmed lying on Canberra street, February 10). Alicia Dawson, Balmain Advertisement Powerhouse opacity invites only scepticism Had the government simply done the planning properly and communicated it clearly, there would be no fuss and no fight (Lets get behind the Powerhouse Museum vision, February 10). We should not back the Powerhouse restoration museum when there is so little detail published about what is planned, when it is the same people in charge who let the museum run down, and wanted to see it all demolished and when all we know of the plans for the inside are that they will reinstate the interior volumes of the heritage power station and flexible exhibition space. These sound like weasel words for rip out everything built inside to make it a museum and leave it empty. Sensitive repairs and renovations could be done without emptying out the collection. Moving it will cause damage and decreases the chance much loved displays will ever return. The new museum in Parramatta can hardly be called such, more of an events and commercial venue than a real museum. We fear the Powerhouse is slated for the same fate. Thomas Walder, Cherrybrook Your editorial urges us to get behind the Powerhouse Museums vision. What vision? The last plans the public saw involved the demolition of the award-winning Wran extension with a building erected on one of the few areas of public open space in Ultimo. We have had promises galore, but so far no assurances that the remaining fragile exhibits will be kept in place and protected while renovations take place; that, once renovated, it will be operated by professional museum curators as a Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences. No-one says the neglected structures need renovating, but those experts who ran the Powerhouse successfully over many years say it can be kept open and renovated in stages, as was the Australian Museum. If the number of people farewelling this beloved institution over the past couple of weekends is anything to go by, displays of Australias early innovation and industry continue to be popular, as well as the latest in technology. Lets see the plans before closing the museum. Elizabeth Elenius, Pyrmont Yes, the Powerhouse desperately needs some TLC but the images of the new refurbishment do not do justice to the iconic Sulman award-winning 1988 structures in their setting. The reduction in audience numbers has a lot to do with a singular focus on contemporary art installations and abandoning family and generalist audiences. The original government architect has offered a more economical approach to refurbishment to international best practice for museum environmental standards. Unfortunately, he continues to be ignored by a board that has no museological experts. Judith Coombes, Lilyfield Nationalise to beat the price-gougers It is so right to blame powerful oligopolies for price gouging (Greedy businesses deserve part of blame for cost of living crisis, February 10). Once upon a time, the government had countervailing institutions in place, the Commonwealth Bank, Qantas, TAA and Medibank, competing with private profit-making firms and keeping them honest. It is time for a return to a modest bit of socialism. Andrew Macintosh, Cromer Ross Gittins nails the seven reasons that businesses deserve part of the blame for the cost of living crisis. With due respect to the guru, I would like to add an eighth. Its what I think of as manufactured monopoly. That is, retail businesses make themselves effective monopolies by ensuring that the same product is not available elsewhere. I first became aware of the practice some years ago when shopping for a mattress. Although there are only a few major mattress manufacturers, the names of the models change between the major retailers meaning that price comparisons are impossible. A major hardware retailer claims to have the lowest prices and it manages this by ensuring it has exclusive rights to many products or at least models. It can then confidently advertise that it will beat a competitors price by 10 per cent. This retailing trick effectively turns the retailer into a monopoly and allows it to have a free hand with prices. Colin Grundy, Warrawee Advertisement Trumps turmoil Your op-ed says Donald Trumps support is rising among well-educated Republicans driven by self-interest (Why rational voters can redeliver Trump to power, February 10). So Trumps cheaper petrol trumps his many transgressions? Like his 91 felony charges, his proven attempt to overturn a democratic election, his corruption, his use of government office for personal financial benefit, his conflicts of interest, cronyism and patronage, his stacking of the Supreme Court to overturn Roe vs Wade, removing the rights of women? His sexism, racism and xenophobia? One would think that a rational person, however conservative, might consider all aspects and conclude that another Trump presidency is a dangerous prospect. Alison Stewart, Riverview Illustration: John Shakespeare Credit: I dont know that Joe Bidens opponents will gain much traction from deriding his memory and age. At the time he was giving the interviews to the investigation who elicited the damning comment, he was probably the same age that Trump is now. Then you have the number of times during his ongoing legal trials that Trump has suffered numerous lapses of memory as to where he was or what he said at certain times. Brian Collins, Cronulla Joe Biden says his memory is fine: he cannot remember the last time his memory failed him. Ed Gaykema, Kiama How can this possibly be? The US is a country of 350 million people, yet it has such a paucity of choice in the current presidential race. Just two candidates: one a fabulist without peer and the other a decent man sadly exhibiting frailty. The US a leader of the free world? I think not. Maureen Moss, Beecroft Biden, although not perfect, would be much more preferable in the White House than Trump. If the Democrats who are concerned about the ageist flak hes getting are looking for an electable substitute candidate, they could do a lot worse than Australias current US ambassador, Caroline Kennedy. Previously the US ambassador to Japan, she has a laudable range of qualifications and past occupations. Most of her professional life has been in law, politics, education reform, and charitable work. She has also acted as a spokesperson for her familys legacy, especially that of her father, and co-authored two books with Ellen Alderman on civil liberties. Anne Ring, Coogee Advertisement Housing solution Australias education sector, ranked as the countrys third-largest export earner, generates about $25 billion annually through the attendance of foreign students in our universities and colleges (International students turned away in thousands, February 10). While the substantial reduction in student immigration may have repercussions on this revenue stream, there is clear potential for a positive outcome in terms of improved housing affordability. Loading Although student accommodation may not be the primary focus for most owner-occupiers in the property market, a decline in demand in this sector is expected to have a cascading effect, leading to a reduction in rents. In light of this, in addition to curtailing student visas, it is crucial that the government prioritise the entry of skilled workers capable of addressing the shortage in our building trades. This strategic shift is preferable over admitting wealthy immigrants, whose presence may further contribute to escalating property prices. John Kempler, Rose Bay Our Sri Lankan friend paid $659 for a Subclass 500 Student Visa application mid last year and was declined in two days without cause. She had already spent a fortune on medical examination and health insurance. Did the Department of Home Affairs refund the Student Visa Application Charge of $659.10? No. Surely we should do this for refused applicants? Julius Grafton, Birchgrove Weigh to go, Finnair Finnair is reported to have invited passengers to weigh themselves before boarding, in order to have a better idea of the weights carried in the aircraft (European airline asks passengers to weigh themselves before boarding, February 10). This is a common practice used for small planes. When I visited Elcho island recently, the pilot stood beside the plane, with a set of scales and a clipboard, and recorded each passengers weight before we could board. We had to have our hand luggage, and water bottle, on the scales with us so he knew exactly what weight he would have on board. On one flight we all had to empty our water bottles, or choose to leave them behind, as we were collectively quite close to the weight limit. Such is life. Mia David, Wollongong Advertisement A company linked to numerous discoveries of asbestos-contaminated mulch across Sydney says it is not responsible for the presence of the potentially fatal material, despite the states environmental protection watchdog labelling it the one common factor across the projects. Asbestos was discovered in recycled mulch at Liverpool West Public School on Sunday and Campbelltown Hospital on Monday as part of an investigation by the NSW Environment Protection Authority. Students were told to learn from home on Monday and Tuesday while the mulch was safely removed from the site. Credit: Kate Geraghty The testing is part of an investigation triggered by the discovery of the potentially fatal substance in parklands built above the Rozelle interchange last month. That mulch was supplied by Greenlife Resource Recovery Facility, which also supplied mulch at three sites along the Bankstown rail line that were subsequently found to be contaminated with asbestos. The company denied it supplied hazardous mulch, saying on Monday its product underwent regular testing as it was prepared to ensure it was free of asbestos. People in Brisbane love asking each other which school they went to, but there may be a better question if youre secretly trying to find out if your new acquaintance went to a private or public school. What subjects did you study in Year 12? Did you study French in Year 12? Oui? Maybe you went to a private school. If you attended a public school, was it Mansfield State High? Credit: iStock Exclusive Brisbane Times analysis can reveal that students who learn French or economics in Year 12 are more likely to attend a private school. On the flip side, most students enrolled in tourism and early childhood studies and other subjects with a more vocational flavour attend public schools. In this article, we are going to discuss the 15 best rums under $40. You can skip our detailed analysis of the global rum market, the premiumization in the rum category, and the recent acquisitions in the rum industry, and go directly to 5 Best Rums Under $40. The Caribbean islands are famous for producing many of the best rums in the world. Sugarcane was introduced to that part of the globe in the late 1400s by Europeans, and it quickly took root. Colonialists started sugar plantations that used forced labor by enslaved people from Africa, and from these plantations came rum. The spirits popularity quickly spread to Colonial North America. It is estimated that prior to the American Revolutionary War, the men and women of the American colonies were drinking an average of three imperial gallons of rum each year. Global Rum Market: As we mentioned in our article 20 Highest Quality Rums in the World the global rum market was estimated at $17.4 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach $24.5 billion by 2033, with a CAGR of 3.5% during the forecast period. Rum is building momentum and getting more popular in U.S.A. Today, the category is one of the most steadily growing and continues to benefit from several intersecting popularity shifts. In recent years, distillers have experimented with flavored rums, making the category much more versatile in offerings, and so today, flavored and spiced offerings account for over 57% of all rums sold. This highly mixable spirit also provides a key function in cocktail culture. While rum is a staple of on-premise tiki bars, it is also one of the only spirits for which its common to blend multiple varieties in the same cocktail. According to Bacardis 2022 Cocktail Trends Report, four of the top-10 best-selling cocktails are rum drinks, making the spirit a must-have for all on-premise programs. Premiumization in the Rum Category: Rum has long been considered a spirit dedicated to tropical drinks, but in the last few years, consumer perception of the liquor has evolved dramatically. While the category is still dominated by major producers, consumer preferences are shifting away from value options and towards an appreciation for craft and aged rums. Due to the growing influence of aged and high-quality expressions, many consumers now see the spirit as a premium offering that can be sipped and appreciated in much the same way as rare whiskies and tequilas. Story continues As with other spirits categories, premiumization in rum means finer quality ingredients and more creative barrel finishes, giving consumers a wider range of innovative flavors to explore through. While the global rum market is experiencing a period of slow growth, the premium rum category is growing at a CAGR of more than 24%. Recent Acquisitions in the Rum Industry: The growth of premium rum has also been reflected in the merger and acquisition space in the past year. It was announced last year that the Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE:BF-B) has completed the acquisition of the Diplomatico Rum brand and related assets from Destillers United Group S.L. (Spain), for an estimated $725 million. The spirits giant announced its agreement to purchase the brand in October 2022, giving it an entry into the growing super-premium rum category. As part of the acquisition, Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE:BF-B) added a Panama-based aging, bottling, and shipping production facility to the company. Destillers United Group S.L. will continue to produce and age the unique, carefully-crafted, and complex Diplomatico Rum in their original distillery at the foot of the Andes mountains. Distributed in over 100 countries, Diplomatico Rum is a super-premium rum brand from Venezuela. The Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE:BF-B) ranks among the 12 Best Alcohol Stocks to Own According to Hedge Funds. Another industry giant that has recently been busy making deals in the rum industry is Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO). It was announced in 2023 that the spirits behemoth has completed the acquisition of Don Papa Rum. The upfront consideration was $276 million, with a further potential consideration of up to $188.6 million through to 2028 subject to performance, reflecting the brands current growth potential. Available in over 30 countries worldwide, Don Papa Rum is a super-premium dark rum from the Philippines. Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) is counted among the Largest Alcohol Companies in the World in 2023. With that said, here are some of the Best Affordable Rums in 2024. 15 Best Rums Under $40 Methodology: To collect data for this article, we referred to a number of sources, such as Liquor, VinePair, Mens Journal, related Reddit threads etc., looking for the Highest Quality Rums Under $40. To give you only the best of the best, we picked rums that appeared multiple times in the aforementioned sources, assigned them a score based on their number of appearances, and ranked them accordingly. When two or more rums had the same score, we ranked them by the price (excluding tax) of their 750 ml bottles. Note: Prices have been sourced primarily from Wine-Searcher. As liquor prices can vary greatly across the United States, we cannot guarantee their accuracy. By the way, Insider Monkey is an investing website that tracks the movements of corporate insiders and hedge funds. By using a similar consensus approach, we identify the best stock picks of more than 900 hedge funds investing in US stocks. The top 10 consensus stock picks of hedge funds outperformed the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here). Whether you are a beginner investor or professional one looking for the best stocks to buy, you can benefit from the wisdom of hedge funds and corporate insiders. 15. Banks 5 Island Rum Insider Monkey Score: 3 Price: $34 Named after the famed explorer Sir Joseph Banks, this expression is a blend of 21 rums from five rum producing countries Guyana, Trinidad, Barbados, Java, and Jamaica. Originally formulated by master blender Arnaud de Trabuc, working with the American bartender Jim Meeham, Banks 5 Island was launched in August 2010. The brand was acquired by Bacardi in 2015. The Banks 5 Island is counted among the Best Rums Under $50 According to Reddit. 14. Bacardi Reserva Ocho Rum Insider Monkey Score: 3 Price: $30 Made from a blend of rums aged between 8 and 16 years, Bacardi Reserva Ocho is a complex golden offering with a deep, layered, and mellow flavor of dried fruits, spices, and oaky vanilla. Founded in Cuba, Bacardi Limited is one of the largest family-owned spirits companies in the world. All in all, about 26% of spirit drinkers in the United States drink Bacardi. 13. Chairmans Reserve Original Rum Insider Monkey Score: 3 Price: $28 Hailing from the Roseau Valley of Saint Lucia. Chairmans Reserve is one of the best blended rums in the world, known by rum enthusiasts as a single blended rum as it is a blend of column and pot still rum from the same distillery. Last year, Chairmans Reserve received a new look to reflect its Caribbean heritage, with the brand also expanding into markets such as Greece, Italy, Poland, and Australia. The Chairmans Reserve St. Lucia Rum ranks among the Best Cheap Sipping Rums Under $40. 12. Ron Barcelo Imperial Onyx Rum Insider Monkey Score: 4 Price: $38 Here we have one of the nicest bottles of rum under $40. Produced in the Dominican Republic, the RB Imperial Onyx is the result of the finest selection of rums aged up to ten years in American oak barriques with a high toast degree, and subsequently filtered from real Onyx stones to obtain a rum with intense, deep notes, and a unique character. Mostly owned by the Spanish spirits company Grupo Varma, Ron Barcelo is a carbon neutral brand, certified in 2019 by the SGS Group for both the life cycle of their products and the organization. 11. Cruzan Single Barrel Rum Insider Monkey Score: 4 Price: $32 Coming in individually numbered bottles, here we have a unique handcrafted blend of vintage rums aged 5 to 12 years, mingled and matured in a single cask for about one additional year. Although Cruzan is now owned by the Japanese Beam Suntory, Inc., the founding Nelthropp family still operates the distillery and handles rum production. It was reported in 2022 that Beam Suntory, Inc. is in talks with banks and potential suitors to possibly offload some brands, a move that could also include Cruzan Rum. With over 791,000 9-liter cases sold in 2021, Cruzan is ranked among the Most Popular Rum Brands in the U.S. 10. Angostura 7 Year Old Rum Insider Monkey Score: 4 Price: $29 This powerful, robust, and flavorsome Trinidadian offering is a blend of molasses-based rums aged in once used charred American oak ex-Bourbon barrels for a minimum of seven years. The House of Angostura is the world's market leader for aromatic bitters and is marketed globally with a geographic reach into 160 markets. Over the last 200 years, the company has expanded from bitters and rum into other spirits, as well as low- and non-alcoholic beverages. Due to its great mixing ability, the Angostura 7 is included among the Best Cheap Rums for a Rum and Coke. 9. Doorlys 12 Year Old Gold Rum Insider Monkey Score: 5 Price: $39.99 Produced at the iconic Foursquare distillery in Barbados, Doorly's 12 is a blend of rums, 90% aged for 12 years in Kentucky Bourbon and 10% aged for 12 years in Madeira cask. R. L. Seale acquired Doorly's in 1993 and, in keeping its history, decided that it would become an export brand. With its initial hint of sweetness and the dry oaked flavor, Doorlys 12 Year Old is one of the Best Rums for First Timers. 8. Doorlys XO Rum Insider Monkey Score: 5 Price: $34 Produced in Barbados by master distiller Richard Seale, this is a beautifully dark colored blended rum aged a minimum of 6 years and finished in Oloroso sherry casks before bottling. Originally registered in 1908, Doorly's is synonymous with Barbadian rum history. Often considered the birthplace of rum, Barbados is placed among the Countries that Produce the Best Rum in the World. 7. Plantation O.F.T.D. Insider Monkey Score: 5 Price: $29 Plantation Old Fashioned Traditional Dark is a high-strength blend of rums from Barbados, Guyana, and Jamaica, bottled at 69% ABV. Rich and warming with notes of spice, coffee, orange, and clove, this is an excellent rum for cocktails. It was announced earlier this month that the famed brand is finally undergoing the name change that it first promised way back in June of 2020. The new name Planteray Rum pays homage to sugarcane, the PLANT that gives birth to the rum, and the suns RAYs that are essential for sugarcane growth and ripening. Available in over 68 countries around the world, the Plantation Rum brand is owned by Maison Ferrand. 6. Flor de Cana Centenario 12 Year Old Rum Insider Monkey Score: 6 Price: $38 This ultra-premium Nicaraguan rum is sugar-free, naturally aged without artificial ingredients, distilled 100% with renewable energy, and KOSHER certified. A full-bodied rum with a long and smooth finish that lingers in the palate. A family business for five generations, Flor de Cana is one of Nicaraguas most prestigious rums, and has won a huge number of awards, medals, and commendations in the last few years. The Flor de Cana Centenario 12 Year Old is a Great Premium Rum Under $40. Click to continue reading and see the 5 Best Rums Under $40. Suggested Articles: Disclosure: None. 15 Best Rums Under $40 is originally published on Insider Monkey. The official search for missing mother Samantha Murphy has been mainly rolled back one week after her disappearance, although volunteers combed through the thick undergrowth of Ballarats bushland over the weekend. Victoria Police confirmed on Sunday afternoon there was no update on the investigation into Murphys disappearance. SES volunteers near Macs Road, Buninyong on Friday. The official search for Samantha Murphy has since been scaled back. Credit: Penny Stephens Little new information has emerged since the 51-year-old went missing on February 4. Murphy had told friends she was planning a 14-kilometre run through the nearby Woowookarung Regional Park before she would meet her family for Sunday brunch. A CCTV camera captured her outside her home at 7am on February 4, her blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail, and wearing a purple running singlet and black leggings. When she did not make it to brunch, alarm bells rang for her family and they contacted police. The failure by senior federal public servants to check the background of companies contracted to run Australias asylum seeker offshore program opened the door to firms suspected of arms and drug smuggling, bribery and corruption. The Pacific Solution shambles has been revealed by former ASIO director-general and Defence chief Dennis Richardson, who found bureaucrats had not sought the help of intelligence agencies. The Department of Home Affairs and agencies had not shared vital information about contractors involvement in alleged serious crime. Former ASIO director general and Defence chief Dennis Richardson. Credit: 60 Minutes Home affairs continued to vary or extend the contracts without undertaking due diligence appropriate to the situation, which would have given it pause for thought at each decision point, Richardson found in his report. The ramifications go far beyond our borders. The exposure of suspect payments and allegations of bribery in the offshore detention program imperils Australias position as a trusted influence among island nations in the face of Chinas expansion into the Pacific. A former Dutch prime minister and his wife have died hand-in-hand in a rare double euthanasia. Dries van Agt and his wife, Eugenie, were both 93 and were buried together last week. Dries van Agt and wife Eugenie. Credit: Radboud Universiteit via Nine He died hand-in-hand with his beloved wife Eugenie van Agt-Krekelberg, the support and anchor with whom he was together for more than 70 years and whom he always continued to refer to as my girl, The Rights Forum, a human rights charity he founded, said. The couple met as students at Nijmegen. Kyiv: Ukrainian military intelligence said Russian forces increasingly use Starlink terminals on the front line, a new twist in Kyivs uneasy relationship with Elon Musks internet service. Intercepted conversations between Russian troops in the occupied Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine indicate they had Starlink devices installed for internet access, the Ukrainian Defence Ministry intelligence directorate said on its website on Sunday. Firefighters extinguish a fire after a Russian attack on a residential neighborhood in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Credit: AP This is starting to become systemic, the RBC-Ukraine news site quoted military intelligence spokesman Andriy Yusov as saying on Saturday about Russian forces use of Starlink. Talk about Russian troops using the satellite service bubbled up on Ukrainian social networks and media last week. Starlink isnt active in Russia, meaning the service will not work in that country, the company said on Thursday on Musks X social media platform, formerly Twitter. The fuse on President Joe Bidens age and whether he can command a second term has been alight for months. Seventy-six per cent of American voters are concerned about whether Biden is fit mentally or physically for a second term. Eighty-one per cent of independents and over half of Democrats share these concerns. Bidens approval rating is at 41 per cent the lowest for a president in decades and lower at this point of the election year than Jimmy Carter in 1980, who was trounced by Ronald Reagan; George HW Bush, ousted by Bill Clinton in 1992; and Donald Trump, who Biden defeated in 2020. Biden cannot win the election from such a low rating. Could Joe Biden be hounded out of the presidential race? Yes, but he still has options to salvage his position. Credit: AP Special counsel Robert Hurs report on Bidens handling classified documents was a legal vindication for the president. Biden will not be charged. The bottom line is: The matter is now closed, Biden said. But the special counsel did not stop at a simple decision on whether Biden should be indicted. We have also considered that, at trial, Mr Biden would likely present himself to a jury, as he did during our interview of him, as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory. Hamas says Israeli push into Rafah would threaten hostage talks Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2024 Hamas on Sunday warned that any Israeli offensive in Gaza's far-southern city of Rafah would scupper talks about the release of hostages seized in the October 7 attacks. "Any attack by the occupation army on the city of Rafah would torpedo the exchange negotiations," a leader in the Palestinian militant group told AFP as Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to extend operations. The Israeli prime minister earlier this week said he had told troops to prepare to go into the city, as part of its aim to destroy Hamas for mounting the deadly attacks on southern Israel. But he has faced mounting calls not to attack the city on the border with Egypt, which has become the last refuge for Gazans fleeing Israel's relentless bombardment elsewhere in the coastal territory. Foreign governments, including Israel's main allies the United States, and humanitarian organisations in particular have voiced deep concern about the effect of a push on Rafah on displaced civilians. Some 1.4 million people -- about half of Gaza's total population -- have crowded into Rafah, with many living outside or in tents and where food, water and medical supplies are increasingly scarce. In an interview aired on Sunday, Netanyahu told US broadcaster ABC News that those who urged Israel not to go in to Rafah were effectively giving Hamas licence to remain. Israel was "within reach" of eliminating Hamas's fighting battalions "and we shouldn't stop", he added. Hamas seized some 250 hostages on October 7, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. Israel says 132 are still in Gaza but 29 are thought to be dead. Renewed talks for a pause in the fighting have been held in Cairo, with Hamas open to a ceasefire, including a possible exchange of hostages for women and children held in Israeli prisons. In this article, we will look at the 15 careers that bilinguals and multilinguals will excel in. We have also talked about the benefits of learning multiple languages. If you want to skip our detailed analysis, head straight to the 5 Careers That Bilinguals and Multilinguals Will Excel in. How Does Being Bilingual Help Your Career? Being bilingual enhances career prospects by opening doors to a wider range of job opportunities. It enables effective communication with different colleagues, clients, and stakeholders, facilitating collaboration and understanding in multicultural environments. Bilingualism demonstrates valuable cognitive skills, such as problem-solving and adaptability, which are highly sought after in various industries. Additionally, it can lead to increased marketability and higher earning potential, as bilingual professionals often have a competitive edge in global markets. Is It Easier to Get a Job If You Speak Multiple Languages? Job opportunities for bilingual and multilingual speakers are often more plentiful. Employers value language skills for different reasons like facilitating communication with international clients, expanding market reach, and enhancing cultural understanding. In today's global job market, the demand for multilingual speakers is skyrocketing, with a projected 42% increase in demand for interpreters as estimated by the US Department of Labor. Surprisingly, speaking a second language can boost your career prospects and salary by up to 35%, as highlighted by recent research. Moreover, 9 out of 10 employers rely on bilingual employees, particularly for business development and expansion into new markets, with 56% expecting a increase in demand for multilingual speakers over the next five years. Notably, fluency isn't a prerequisite; even basic proficiency can open doors to international experiences and competitive advantages. Diversifying beyond popular languages like Spanish or French can further enhance your marketability, especially in niche contexts. By mastering language skills relevant to specific job contexts, individuals can significantly increase their employability and confidence, ultimately paving the way for career advancement and financial success in today's globalized economy. Story continues How Can You Learn a New Language Today? Learning a new language can be achieved through different methods, with technology playing a key role. Utilizing apps like Duolingo Inc (NASDAQ:DUOL), an American educational technology company, offers a convenient and interactive way to learn languages. With courses spanning over 40 languages, including less commonly studied ones like Welsh and Swahili, Duolingo Inc (NASDAQ:DUOL) caters to all kinds of learners. Its freemium model allows access to basic features, while premium services offer ad-free experiences and additional features. With a monthly user base of 83 million and a daily engagement of 24.2 million learners, the popularity of Duolingo Inc (NASDAQ:DUOL) has surpassed all other traditional educational platforms. Utilizing gamification techniques akin to mobile games, each lesson is meticulously crafted for maximum effectiveness, maintaining user interest with rewards and challenges. It is worth highlighting that Duolingo Inc (NASDAQ:DUOL)s English proficiency certification exam is now accepted by thousands of universities worldwide and has therefore, democratized access to education by reducing costs and eliminating geographical barriers. On the other hand, Pearson Plc (NYSE:PSO) also has a major presence in language teaching materials and services, including English language learning resources. The company has recently opened bookings for its new English proficiency test, PTE Core, designed specifically for Canadian economic migration visa purposes. Approved by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), PTE Core assesses speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills in a two-hour, computer-based format. It is worth noting that Pearson Plc (NYSE:PSO) and Duolingo Inc (NASDAQ:DUOL) have teamed up to improve foreign language education for college and university students. DuoLingo's gamified platform offers interactive language lessons, and through this partnership, students can access personalized learning tools aligned with Pearson Plc (NYSE:PSO)s content. These courses are available on iOS, Android, and web platforms and aim to improve students' language skills outside the classroom. 15 Careers That Bilinguals and Multilinguals Will Excel in Our Methodology To list the careers that bilinguals and multilinguals will excel in, we identified jobs with three main features. Firstly, we identified jobs that involved cross-cultural interaction. Secondly, we looked at jobs that have a language proficiency requirement. Thirdly, we analyzed jobs with a global focus. We identified 15 such jobs and scored each job out of 30 based on the presence of these features. A higher score means a higher probability that a multilingual or bilingual person will excel in that field. We utilized Reddit as our primary source to gauge the consensus. By the way, Insider Monkey is an investing website that tracks the movements of corporate insiders and hedge funds. By using a similar consensus approach, we identify the best stock picks of more than 900 hedge funds investing in US stocks. The top 10 consensus stock picks of hedge funds outperformed the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here). Whether you are a beginner investor or a professional one looking for the best stocks to buy, you can benefit from the wisdom of hedge funds and corporate insiders. The list is presented below in ascending order. 15. Digital Marketer IM Score: 10 Multilingual professionals can tailor content for specific markets, ensuring messages are culturally relevant and accurately conveyed. Moreover, they possess a unique advantage in global campaigns, facilitating seamless communication and understanding among international audiences. The average salary of a digital marketer is $63,827. 14. Customer Service Representative IM Score: 11 Customer service representatives are crucial for businesses because they serve as the primary point of contact between a company and its customers. While it is one of the highest-paying remote customer service jobs, it is also among the highest paying jobs for 18 year olds. It is one of the bilingual jobs without a degree. To read more about customer service representative jobs, see highest paying customer service jobs. 13. Social Worker IM Score: 13 The language proficiency of social workers enables them to bridge communication gaps, build trust, and provide culturally competent services to clients from various linguistic backgrounds. It is one of the happiest jobs for multilingual speakers. 12. Healthcare Professional IM Score: 14 In settings where language barriers can hinder patient care, healthcare professionals with multilingual proficiency can bridge the gap to ensure accurate diagnosis and treatment. For instance, a Spanish-speaking nurse can provide crucial information to a monolingual patient about their medication regimen and thus, enhance adherence and safety. Additionally, multilingual physicians can conduct thorough medical histories with non-English speaking patients, leading to better-informed diagnoses and treatment plans. Healthcare professions offer some of the high paying jobs for multilingual people. 11. Language Teacher IM Score: 16 Language teaching is a career where bilinguals and multilinguals excel owing to their innate understanding of language structures and cultural nuances. Their firsthand experience navigating multiple languages equips them with unique insights into language acquisition processes, enabling more effective instruction. You can read more about language teaching at the Highest Paying Countries for ESL Teachers. 10. Journalist IM Score: 17 Multilingual journalists can conduct interviews in multiple languages, accessing sources inaccessible to monolingual reporters, thereby providing a more comprehensive and nuanced perspective on a story. Additionally, they can produce content for international audiences, offering insights into global events and fostering cross-cultural understanding. It is one of the careers with languages and travel. Journalists are also known to have one of the most underpaid jobs in America. 9. Language Technologist IM Score: 18 Language technologists apply computational linguistics, natural language processing (NLP), and machine learning techniques to analyze, understand, and generate human language. The average salary for a Language Specialist is $61,682 per year in US. It is one of the best jobs for multilingual speakers. 8. Flight Attendant IM Score: 19 Being fluent in multiple languages allows flight attendants to provide clear instructions during emergencies and assist non-native speakers more efficiently. For instance, a bilingual flight attendant can seamlessly switch between languages to convey safety protocols or address passengers' concerns, enhancing overall communication and passenger satisfaction. The average salary of a flight attendant in the US is $38,912. It is one of the best jobs for people who want to travel. 7. Recruiter IM Score: 21 Bilingual recruiters facilitate smoother communication between candidates and hiring managers in multinational companies, fostering understanding and cohesion. For instance, a recruiter fluent in Spanish and English can bridge communication gaps between a Spanish-speaking candidate and an English-speaking hiring team, streamlining the hiring process and ensuring accurate information exchange, ultimately leading to successful placements. It is one of the highest-paying foreign language jobs. 6. Tour Guide IM Score: 22 A tour guide with proficiency in multiple languages opens doors to a diverse range of clients and destinations and hence, can ultimately enhance the overall experience for travelers. It broadens the scope of employment opportunities, from leading international tours to catering to specific language-based tour groups. Multilingualism also adds value by facilitating cultural exchanges and providing personalized insights, enriching the journey for visitors. It is one of the best jobs with proficiency in multiple languages. Click here to see the 5 Careers That Bilinguals and Multilinguals Will Excel in. Suggested Articles: Disclosure: None. 15 Careers That Bilinguals and Multilinguals Will Excel in is originally published on Insider Monkey. NATO chief, EU council president denounce Trump's threat Brussels, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2024 NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Sunday warned against talk that "undermines security" after former US president Donald Trump threatened to encourage Russia to attack NATO members who were not fully paid up. "Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the US," Stoltenberg said in a statement. Trump threatened Saturday, in the event he is re-elected in the United States, that he would not defend NATO members who had not met their financial obligations, and going further would "encourage" Russia to attack them. The former US president has regularly criticised allies of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization for underfunding the group. European Council President Charles Michel earlier on Sunday also denounced his comments as "reckless". "The Transatlantic Alliance has underpinned the security and the prosperity of Americans, Canadians and Europeans for 75 years," said Michel on X, formerly Twitter. "Reckless statements on #NATO's security and (Article) 5 solidarity serve only Putin's interest" and "they do not bring more security or peace to the world", he added. "On the contrary, they re-emphasise the need for the #EU to urgently further develop its strategic autonomy and invest in its defence," he continued. Article 5 stipulates that if a NATO country is victim of an armed attack, each member of the Alliance must consider the act as an attack against the whole group and take measures to provide aid to the country under threat. Trump, likely the candidate to face Democrat President Joe Biden in November's election, made his statement about NATO after having put pressure on Republicans in Congress to block a bill to provide new aid to Ukraine. The White House reacted sharply to Trump's remarks. "Encouraging invasions of our closest allies by murderous regimes is appalling and unhinged," White House spokesman Andrew Bates said Saturday night. Stoltenberg on Sunday noted it also "puts American and European soldiers at increased risk". "I expect that regardless of who wins the presidential election the US will remain a strong and committed NATO Ally," he added. cvo/giv/pvh X Worries over US commitment to NATO renewed after Trump speech Washington, Feb 11 (AFP) Feb 11, 2024 Donald Trump prompted stark warnings on Sunday that his remarks against NATO threatened the military alliance, after a campaign speech renewed doubts over the US commitment to the mutual defense treaty if the former president wins in November. Speaking at a campaign rally in South Carolina on Saturday, Trump described what he said was a conversation with a fellow head of state at an unspecified NATO meeting. "One of the presidents of a big country stood up and said, 'Well, sir, if we don't pay, and we're attacked by Russia, will you protect us?' I said, 'You didn't pay, you're delinquent?'" "No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want." Trump has regularly criticized allies of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization for not meeting a goal of spending at least two percent of GDP on defense. "You got to pay. You got to pay your bills," Trump, who is almost certain to be the Republican nominee for the November presidential election, said Saturday. Trump's remark comes after Senate Republicans on Wednesday rejected a bipartisan bill that would have included sorely needed funding for Ukraine, plus aid for ally Israel, along with reforms to address the US-Mexico border crisis. The US Senate is now considering a foreign aid package that decouples the aid from the border issue entirely. It could see a key procedural vote on Sunday. The $95 billion package includes funding for Israel and Taiwan, but the majority would go toward helping Ukraine rearm as it enters a third year of war since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion. The White House hit back at Trump's assertions, touting President Joe Biden's efforts to bolster alliances around the globe. "Encouraging invasions of our closest allies by murderous regimes is appalling and unhinged," White House spokesman Andrew Bates said in a statement Saturday night. - 'Undermines' security - NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg warned Sunday that "any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the US." European Council President Charles Michel also denounced the comments as "reckless," saying they can "serve only Putin's interest." Republican Senator Marco Rubio, who has endorsed Trump for his party's nomination, defended the ex-president on Sunday as "telling a story" about something that happened in the past. "He doesn't talk like a traditional politician," the Florida senator told CNN's "State of the Union." "By the way, Donald Trump was president and he didn't pull us out of NATO. In fact, American troops were stationed throughout NATO" during his term, Rubio said. Stoltenberg, for his part, said he expects that "regardless of who wins the presidential election the US will remain a strong and committed NATO ally." At the South Carolina rally, Trump also needled Nikki Haley, his former UN ambassador, who is challenging him for the Republican nomination but badly trailing in the race. Haley, when asked Sunday about Trump's NATO remarks, alleged her former boss was taking Putin's side. "What bothers me about this is, don't take the side of a thug who kills his opponents. Don't take the side of someone who has gone in and invaded a country and half a million people have died or been wounded," Haley told CBS News' "Face the Nation." She also defended her husband Michael Haley, who is on a military deployment in Africa, after Trump mocked his absence from the campaign trail. "This isn't personal about me and Michael. This is what it says to every member who sacrifices for us," said the former South Carolina governor. "We can't have someone that sits and mocks our men and women trying to protect America. It's a pattern of chaos," she said. bur-des/bbk Stocks across a range of sectors have been feeling the market volatility over the last few years. Even as stocks have rebounded considerably in recent months -- the S&P 500 is trading up by around 20% since this time last year -- some stocks are benefiting from this bump more than others. There are plenty of stocks that have been beaten down by negative investor sentiment but could present a compelling buying opportunity for long-term investors. Here are two such names to consider as you add more stocks to your portfolio this month. 1. Pfizer Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) was one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies long before the pandemic arrived. The healthcare giant may not be reporting the same mouth-watering levels of growth it was a few years ago, and investor pessimism has driven share prices down 40% over the last year alone. But it might be a significant oversight to assess that the company's best days are behind it. Pfizer's growth has certainly slowed from a few years ago, but it has put to very good use the unprecedented billions in revenue it raked in from its COVID-19 products and deals. That cash has been used to fuel a series of acquisitions, business deals, and product development. The company expects that the new product launches it is undertaking as a result of these efforts -- seven of which happened in 2023 alone -- will be a key factor in its goal to bring in non-COVID revenue of anywhere from $70 billion to $84 billion annually by 2030. Pfizer has plenty of irons in the fire to achieve that 2030 goal. The company is also expecting to bring in an additional $25 billion in revenue from business deals by 2030, while current cost-cutting efforts are expected to decrease outlay by around $4 billion annually by the end of this year. Pfizer's acquisition of Seagen, which closed last year, not only significantly boosted its oncology portfolio, but is also expected to add $10 billion in total revenue thanks to eight potential blockbuster products by the beginning of the next decade. Story continues As for 2023, Pfizer reported revenue of $59 billion and net income of $2 billion. Those figures were both down notably year over year, but cutting out COVID-19 products, revenue actually grew 7% operationally from 2022. And if you compare that revenue figure to four years ago in 2019, this represents an increase of 13% on a four-year growth basis. Pfizer is also a faithful dividend payer with a current yield of more than 6%. There's still a lot for investors to like about this stock, and those with a long-term buy-and-hold perspective may be compelled to take a second look at this mainstay healthcare business. 2. Chewy Chewy (NYSE: CHWY) is one of the largest pet brands in the country, with an e-commerce-based business that sells everything from food to toys to bedding for pets, as well as products for larger animals like livestock. Chewy also offers a range of on-demand services including an online pet pharmacy, an online pet telehealth service, a collection of pet health insurance plans, and its own line of pet wellness products. While waning investor appetite toward this stock has seen shares plunge by about 65% over the last year, there's more beneath the surface. In having such a diverse lineup of products and services, Chewy targets the vast majority of essential and non-essential needs that animal owners face. Chewy sells around 110,000 different products on its platform from thousands of brands. The company also launched in its first international market, Canada, last year. And it most recently announced it would be opening its first veterinary practices, called Chewy Vet Care. These locations will offer routine checkups as well as more specialized services like surgical solutions. The pet industry is a vast and growing total addressable market, with the U.S. representing the largest segment of this space. A report released by Bloomberg Intelligence lat year found that the global pet industry is on track to reach a valuation of $500 billion by the year 2030 compared to its valuation of around $320 billion in 2023. Importantly, sales in the U.S. pet market alone are expected to hit $200 billion before the 2030s. The report noted that a variety of factors are driving the expansion of this addressable market. These factors include more spending on pet healthcare -- which creates a circular effect of pets who live longer and therefore generate more spending for a longer period of time -- as well as rising pet ownership. Chewy generates more than three-quarters of its revenue from recurring sales driven by its Autoship program, and 85% of revenue comes from non-discretionary spending by pet owners. Over the trailing-12-month period, Chewy has generated revenue of $11 billion and profits of $11.4 million. And its 12-month operating cash flow stands at $488 million at the time of this writing. While pet spending may continue shift in a difficult macro environment, and this can impact Chewy's financials in the short term, the company's robust foothold on a lucrative, expanding addressable market bodes well for future growth. Should you invest $1,000 in Pfizer right now? Before you buy stock in Pfizer, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now and Pfizer wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Stock Advisor provides investors with an easy-to-follow blueprint for success, including guidance on building a portfolio, regular updates from analysts, and two new stock picks each month. The Stock Advisor service has more than tripled the return of S&P 500 since 2002*. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of February 5, 2024 Rachel Warren has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Chewy and Pfizer. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 2 Bargain Basement Stocks to Buy Now and Hold Forever was originally published by The Motley Fool He said: No matter how zeitgeisty or how modern you think your play is, if you are having to spend 150, no person between the age of 16-25 or beyond is going to be able to afford that, that is frustrating to me. Cabinet minister Michael Gove told the BBCs Laura Kuenssberg On Sunday programme: What we want to see, as the Foreign Secretary, the Prime Minister have made clear, is a sustainable ceasefire and that means an opportunity both to ensure that theres an end to Hamas terrorism, but also that the aid and support that the Palestinian people need and deserve can be delivered. He said: The issue identified is with the ships shaft couplings. The ships propeller shafts are too big to be made from a single piece of metal, so each shaft is made from three sections, which are connected using shaft couplings, which bind the shaft sections together. Peter Yick Kuen Lam, president of the London Chinatown Chinese Association (LCCA) which organised the festival that welcomed the Year of the Dragon, said: It is very important for us. Chinese New Year is just like Christmas. In this article, we will look at the 24 best countries to live and work in 2024. We have also discussed the current state of human development. If you want to skip our detailed analysis, head straight to the 10 Best Countries to Live and Work in 2024. The Human Development Report (HDR) reveals a concerning trend of global decline in human development over the past two years, with a major departure from the progress witnessed in previous decades. Shockingly, over 90% of countries experienced a decline in their human development scores either in 2020 or 2021, with living standards notably plummeting in regions like South Asia. Life expectancy, a key metric, dropped globally from 72.8 years in 2019 to 71.4 years in 2021, primarily due to the adverse impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. To read more about Asia, see the most respected countries in Asia. This regression in human development is attributed to various factors, including the Covid-19 pandemic, geopolitical conflicts such as the war in Ukraine, and environmental crises like extreme weather events. These global shocks have not only stalled progress but have also exacerbated existing inequalities and vulnerabilities. Moreover, the HDR highlights three emerging sources of uncertainty: the Anthropocene's inequalities, profound social and technological changes, and political and social polarization. These factors intertwine to create a "new uncertainty complex," contributing to rising mental health issues, physical illnesses, and general climate anxiety worldwide. It is also worth highlighting that the global economy is forecasted to experience a gradual slowdown in growth, with projections indicating a decrease from 3.5% in 2022 to 2.9% in 2024. Despite efforts to combat inflation and navigate disruptions caused by geopolitical events like Russia's invasion of Ukraine, economic activity remains sluggish and uneven across regions. Notably, inflation, while decreasing, continues to linger above target levels, posing challenges to policymakers worldwide. Story continues Several key factors contribute to the subdued economic outlook, including the completion of the recovery in services, tighter credit conditions impacting housing markets and investment, and the lingering effects of last year's commodity price shock. Moreover, risks persist, including China's real estate crisis, volatile commodity prices amid climate and geopolitical shocks, and eroded fiscal buffers in many countries. With a commitment to socio-economic development, Procter & Gamble Co (NYSE:PG) and the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) have recently partnered to drive Dubai's economic growth in key sectors. This collaboration confirms Procter & Gamble Co (NYSE:PG)s commitment to supporting SME development in the FMCG sector, providing technical expertise and mentorship to numerous Dubai-based small and medium-sized enterprises. Moreover, Procter & Gamble Co (NYSE:PG) aims to enhance Emiratis' skills through vocational learning programs and talent training initiatives, particularly in manufacturing operations and supply chain management, thereby cultivating a more competitive workforce. Through this strategic alliance, Procter & Gamble Co (NYSE:PG) is capitalizing on its global innovation resources to contribute to Dubai's economic agenda while prioritizing sustainability goals. Moreover, Procter & Gamble Co (NYSE:PG) India is taking huge steps under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts through its flagship program, P&G Shiksha. As part of this initiative, Procter & Gamble Co (NYSE:PG) is equipping nearly 80 government schools in tribal communities across Maharashtra and Telangana with 'Mindspark', an AI-enabled remedial learning tool. This innovative tool assesses students' learning levels and tailors a customized learning path for each child. The aim is to bridge learning gaps among underprivileged children and empower them with quality education. Through partnerships with Educational Initiatives and state governments, Procter & Gamble Co (NYSE:PG) Shiksha is establishing 'P&G Shiksha Mindspark Labs' to facilitate this endeavor. Through Procter & Gamble Co (NYSE:PG) Shiksha, over 3.5 million underprivileged children have benefited from access to education since 2005. In addition, the success of the 'Digital Remedial Learning Program', piloted in 2017, is evident with over 75,000 children, including those from tribal communities, benefiting from Mindspark across hundreds of schools nationwide. With a similar commitment to development, Shell PLC (NYSE:SHEL) has recently initiated production at its Timi gas field platform in Malaysia, aiming to yield up to 50,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. The platform is equipped with a pioneering solar and wind hybrid power system, confirming Shell PLC (NYSE:SHEL)s commitment to emission reduction and innovation. Compared to conventional platforms, the Timi platform is approximately 60% lighter, leading to enhanced cost efficiency. Additionally, Shell PLC (NYSE:SHEL) Rosmari-Marjoram development, slated to commence production in 2026, anticipates delivering 800 million cubic feet of gas daily. On the other hand, Shell PLC (NYSE:SHEL) has a Global Graduate Program which offers young leaders the opportunity to join Shell PLC (NYSE:SHEL) in powering progress with inclusive, collaborative, and caring culture. Graduates with less than three years of professional experience can apply. The program provides competitive salaries, capital-forming benefits, diverse career opportunities, flexible working hours, and access to training and development programs. Eligible countries include South Africa, Nigeria, India, Germany, Thailand, Canada, United States, and others. 24 Best Countries to Live and Work in 2024 17 Best European Countries to Move to from the USA Our Methodology To list the best countries to live and work in 2024, we relied on our datasets from our articles on 30 Countries with the Happiest Workers in the World and 25 Countries with Best Quality of Life for Expats. We averaged the rankings from these two articles and then adjusted our rankings based on these averaged rankings. The list is presented in ascending order. By the way, Insider Monkey is an investing website that tracks the movements of corporate insiders and hedge funds. By using a similar consensus approach, we identify the best stock picks of more than 900 hedge funds investing in US stocks. The top 10 consensus stock picks of hedge funds outperformed the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here). Whether you are a beginner investor or a professional one looking for the best stocks to buy, you can benefit from the wisdom of hedge funds and corporate insiders. Here is a list of the 24 best countries to live and work in 2024: 24. South Korea Quality of Life for Expats: 21 Happiness of Employees: 34 Average Rank: 27.5 Despite a lower average household net-adjusted disposable income per capita at USD 24,590 compared to the OECD's USD 30,490, Korea's strong educational foundation equips its citizens with the skills necessary to secure employment and potentially bridge this income gap. It is one of the most respected countries in Asia. 23. Japan Quality of Life for Expats: 18 Happiness of Employees: 33 Average Rank: 25.5 Japan is a country with strong employment opportunities, with a 77% employment rate among individuals aged 15 to 64, surpassing the OECD average of 66%. Although men exhibit higher rates at 84%, compared to 71% for women, the overall employment landscape remains robust. In terms of community engagement, Japan reflects moderate levels of civic participation, with 89% feeling they have someone to rely on in times of need, slightly below the OECD average of 91%. It is one of the best countries to live in the future. 22. Singapore Quality of Life for Expats: 12 Happiness of Employees: 32 Average Rank: 22 Singapore's reputation as a tax haven for the affluent stems from its minimal personal income taxes and exemptions on foreign-derived income and capital gains. Notable individuals like Australian millionaire retailer Brett Blundy and Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin have chosen to reside in Singapore, attracted by its favorable tax environment. It is one of the best countries for job opportunities. 21. Italy Quality of Life for Expats: 24 Happiness of Employees: 18 Average Rank: 21 Italy has a major advanced capitalist mixed economy, ranking third in the eurozone and eighth globally by nominal GDP. With the ninth-largest national wealth and significant central bank gold reserves, Italy is a pivotal member of the G7, eurozone, and OECD. 20. Taiwan Quality of Life for Expats: 11 Happiness of Employees: 31 Average Rank: 21 Taiwan has a stable economy with exports reaching $479.52 billion in 2022, attracting workers with dynamic opportunities. Top trading partners like China, the US, and Japan contribute to its appeal for living and working. Taiwan is one of the countries with most job opportunities for foreigners. 19. Ireland Quality of Life for Expats: 26 Happiness of Employees: 15 Average Rank: 20.5 As the 3rd most economically free country, it leads in high-value foreign direct investment (FDI), ranking 2nd of 192 in IMF's GDP per capita and 4th of 187 in the World Bank's rankings. It is the countries with most job opportunities for foreigners in 2024. 18. Czech Republic Quality of Life for Expats: 17 Happiness of Employees: 20 Average Rank: 18.5 As of 2023, the Czech Republic has a GDP per capita of $51,329 at PPP and $29,856 nominally. It experienced a 4.5% GDP growth in 2017 with a low unemployment rate of 2.4% in 2016, ranking 27th in Economic Freedom and 31st in Global Innovation. 17. Belgium Quality of Life for Expats: 23 Happiness of Employees: 14 Average Rank: 18.5 Belgium is renowned for its high quality of life, efficient healthcare, excellent education system, and strong social welfare programs. Its central location in Europe provides easy access to other European countries, while its stable economy and business-friendly environment make it an attractive destination for professionals. 16. United Arab Emirates Quality of Life for Expats: 8 Happiness of Employees: 27 Average Rank: 17.5 In the UAE, 72% of residents prioritize a safe environment for children, with 75% emphasizing work-life balance, and 60% receiving employer support. Maternity benefits exceed global standards, offering 9 weeks' full pay in Dubai. The country has one of the highest levels of job satisfaction globally. It is one of the best countries to get job easily. 15. United Kingdom Quality of Life for Expats: 25 Happiness of Employees: 10 Average Rank: 17.5 Foreign interest in UK jobs has doubled since the post-Brexit points-based immigration system began, especially from non-EU countries like India and Nigeria, according to Indeed. The share of foreign job searches rose to 5.5% in June 2023, compared to 2.2% in April 2021. The top job categories are social care and software development. UK is the also one of the best countries for education. It is one of the best countries to live and work in 2024 for foreigners. 14. Portugal Quality of Life for Expats: 9 Happiness of Employees: 22 Average Rank: 15.5 Portugal has become a new favorite for foreigners due to its new digital nomad visa program launched in 2022. Under this scheme, 200 digital nomad visas have already been approved, with applicants mainly hailing from countries like Brazil, the UK, and the USA. To qualify, individuals must earn a minimum of 2,800 ($2960) per month, four times the countrys minimum wage, allowing them to live and work in Portugal for up to 12 months. In fact, portugal is one of the countries with the easiest work visas for foreigners. 13. Germany Quality of Life for Expats: 13 Happiness of Employees: 12 Average Rank: 12.5 Germany is experiencing a high demand for skilled workers due to a large number of job vacancies. In 2022, Germany had nearly 2 million job openings. To address labor shortages and boost economic growth, the German government has introduced a new migration policy. This policy aims to attract foreign talent by inviting 60,000 professionals annually from non-EU countries. It offers three pathways for foreign workers: those with recognized degrees, those with vocational training and experience, and those eligible to find work based on a point system. It is one of the best countries to live in 2024. 12. Canada Quality of Life for Expats: 20 Happiness of Employees: 5 Average Rank: 12.5 In 2024, Canada plans to welcome 485,000 permanent residents, with the number increasing to 500,000 in 2025 and remaining steady in 2026. The Immigration Levels Plan is geared towards tackling labor shortages, fostering economic growth, and facilitating family reunification. There will be a focus on increasing French-speaking immigration to 8% by 2026. Priority will be given to critical sectors such as health, STEM, trades, and agriculture. The Express Entry program aims to admit 117,500 individuals annually, while the Provincial Nominee Program targets 120,000 admissions by 2025. In comparison, the number of permanent migrants accepted in Canada in 2021 stood at 401,100. It is the best country for for immigration in 2024. 11. New Zealand Quality of Life for Expats: 22 Happiness of Employees: 1 Average Rank: 11.5 New Zealand leads globally in work-life balance with an ample annual leave of 32 days, a universally accessible healthcare system, and a stable economy. It stands out as the country with the most satisfied workforce worldwide. Click here to see the 10 Best Countries to Live and Work in 2024. Suggested Articles: Disclosure: None. 24 Best Countries to Live and Work in 2024 is originally published on Insider Monkey. Blog Archive Apr 2010 (22) May 2010 (25) Jun 2010 (8) Jul 2010 (12) Aug 2010 (18) Sept 2010 (19) Oct 2010 (29) Nov 2010 (30) Dec 2010 (18) Jan 2011 (13) Feb 2011 (21) Mar 2011 (23) Apr 2011 (19) May 2011 (31) Jun 2011 (36) Jul 2011 (46) Aug 2011 (26) Sept 2011 (12) Oct 2011 (15) Nov 2011 (17) Dec 2011 (7) Jan 2012 (18) Feb 2012 (4) Mar 2012 (12) Apr 2012 (17) May 2012 (10) Jun 2012 (21) Jul 2012 (8) Aug 2012 (15) Sept 2012 (7) Oct 2012 (17) Nov 2012 (20) Dec 2012 (10) Jan 2013 (58) Feb 2013 (59) Mar 2013 (60) Apr 2013 (98) May 2013 (134) Jun 2013 (203) Jul 2013 (292) Aug 2013 (350) Sept 2013 (363) Oct 2013 (347) Nov 2013 (374) Dec 2013 (437) Jan 2014 (543) Feb 2014 (473) Mar 2014 (525) Apr 2014 (526) May 2014 (470) Jun 2014 (408) Jul 2014 (472) Aug 2014 (522) Sept 2014 (440) Oct 2014 (471) Nov 2014 (496) Dec 2014 (535) Jan 2015 (535) Feb 2015 (520) Mar 2015 (578) Apr 2015 (657) May 2015 (679) Jun 2015 (672) Jul 2015 (727) Aug 2015 (803) Sept 2015 (922) Oct 2015 (919) Nov 2015 (798) Dec 2015 (789) Jan 2016 (781) Feb 2016 (834) Mar 2016 (929) Apr 2016 (864) May 2016 (945) Jun 2016 (1045) Jul 2016 (880) Aug 2016 (1034) Sept 2016 (966) Oct 2016 (918) Nov 2016 (854) Dec 2016 (884) Jan 2017 (879) Feb 2017 (777) Mar 2017 (896) Apr 2017 (872) May 2017 (850) Jun 2017 (851) Jul 2017 (971) Aug 2017 (1040) Sept 2017 (999) Oct 2017 (1144) Nov 2017 (1045) Dec 2017 (838) Jan 2018 (873) Feb 2018 (769) Mar 2018 (885) Apr 2018 (808) May 2018 (827) Jun 2018 (820) Jul 2018 (840) Aug 2018 (854) Sept 2018 (844) Oct 2018 (851) Nov 2018 (870) Dec 2018 (912) Jan 2019 (919) Feb 2019 (827) Mar 2019 (957) Apr 2019 (913) May 2019 (1007) Jun 2019 (934) Jul 2019 (949) Aug 2019 (936) Sept 2019 (910) Oct 2019 (920) Nov 2019 (874) Dec 2019 (908) Jan 2020 (941) Feb 2020 (848) Mar 2020 (898) Apr 2020 (848) May 2020 (822) Jun 2020 (787) Jul 2020 (819) Aug 2020 (858) Sept 2020 (841) Oct 2020 (873) Nov 2020 (811) Dec 2020 (781) Jan 2021 (765) Feb 2021 (716) Mar 2021 (819) Apr 2021 (805) May 2021 (815) Jun 2021 (824) Jul 2021 (830) Aug 2021 (832) Sept 2021 (791) Oct 2021 (754) Nov 2021 (683) Dec 2021 (693) Jan 2022 (694) Feb 2022 (654) Mar 2022 (740) Apr 2022 (745) May 2022 (748) Jun 2022 (701) Jul 2022 (704) Aug 2022 (702) Sept 2022 (699) Oct 2022 (737) Nov 2022 (718) Dec 2022 (692) Jan 2023 (662) Feb 2023 (611) Mar 2023 (692) Apr 2023 (652) May 2023 (696) Jun 2023 (702) Jul 2023 (742) Aug 2023 (737) Sept 2023 (732) Oct 2023 (749) Nov 2023 (751) Dec 2023 (732) Jan 2024 (747) Feb 2024 (687) Mar 2024 (421) Tony Messenger Metro columnist Follow Tony Messenger Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today CLAYTON Jason Handley and Matthew McCulloch dont have much in common, but they share this: both were charged last year for making a terroristic threat at a school. McCulloch, 39, is a former St. Louis County police officer. Hes the son of the former county prosecutor, Bob McCulloch. His uncle is the prosecutor in St. Charles County. Hes white and hes been released on bond, despite facing the terroristic threat charge. He also faces six counts of endangering the welfare of a child; seven counts of armed criminal action; and one count of unlawful use of a weapon. That weapon was the gun McCulloch allegedly fired into the air last October during a trunk-or-treat Halloween event at Tillman Elementary School in Kirkwood. McCulloch was tackled to the ground by parents at the event. No one was injured. Lots of people were traumatized. Handley, 22, is a Black man who suffers from learning and mental disabilities. Last January, he allegedly posted some photos and a video on Instagram showing him with a gun. One post said, I am a school shooter. Another criticized Parkway North High School. St. Louis County police visited Handley and his father. The father explained that he had long ago surrendered to police the gun in the social media post. The school principal sent an email to parents saying, It has been determined that there is no credible threat to our students and staff and our school is safe. A month later, Handley was charged with a single count of making a terrorist threat. Hes still in jail, being held without bond, and he probably will be there for a long time. Thats why his attorneys, Rick Sindel and Jordan Wellinghoff, made the comparison to McCulloch in a recent legal filing, trying to get a reasonable bond for Handley. The difference in severity between Handleys case and McCullochs case is clear, the attorneys wrote. The disparate treatment between these two defendants is also clear. Circuit Court Judge Nancy Watkins McLaughlin didnt appreciate the implication. I dont think there is any objective argument that my decisions in this case have anything to do with race or anything to do with Mr. McCulloch, McLaughlin said in court Feb. 2, pointing out that McCullochs case is being handled by a different judge. Still, McLaughlin didnt budge on bond. And that created a different issue, even when she agreed with the defense attorneys and the prosecutor that two psychiatric exams found Handley was incompetent to stand trial. The decision suspends the criminal case against Handley, but it creates new problems as he awaits transfer to the state Department of Mental Health. Missouri, like many states, doesnt have enough mental health beds to treat people in local jails whom a judge has ruled need treatment. Those people currently 297 in Missouri, according to the Department of Mental Health are in criminal justice limbo. Their cases cant go forward or be dismissed. So they remain in jails that are ill-equipped to treat them. The current wait in Missouri for a state mental health bed is about 10 months. Because Handley still has no bond, hes effectively got a 10-month jail sentence, or longer, even though he hasnt been convicted of a crime. Since the beginning of this case, there was no reason to hold this kid without a reasonable bond, Sindel told me in an interview. Were getting nowhere. Last year, the St. Louis County Justice Center agreed to partner with the Department of Mental Health on a pilot program to offer competency exams on site. The goal is to reduce the amount of time people are kept behind bars. But the program hasnt kicked off because the state hasnt hired enough mental health workers. The problem is not unique to Missouri. According to a recent study from the Treatment Advocacy Center, there is a nationwide shortage of mental health beds in state hospitals, with more than half the beds claimed by people ordered to be there in a criminal case. In Illinois, a group of sheriffs tried to force the issue by suing the state. Handley, even with treatment, wont ever be found competent to stand trial, according to his attorneys and the medical evaluations. His intellectual disabilities are what they are. He cant be taught to be smarter than he is, Sindel told the judge, urging her to let Handley seek treatment outside of custody, similar to what happened in McCullochs case. She declined. I love you, mouthed Handleys grandmother to the young man as he sat in the jury box, wearing the brown smock of a county detainee, with his hands cuffed in front of him. Off to jail he went, stuck in limbo in a state that wont sufficiently fund mental health services and a criminal justice system that doesnt seem to care. In this article, we will look at the 32 highest paying jobs with an associates degree. We have also discussed the current employability level of these degrees. If you want to skip our detailed analysis, head straight to the 10 Highest Paying Jobs with an Associates Degree. Current Job Market and Associate Degrees in 2024 In January 2024, the US economy added over 350,000 jobs, surpassing expectations, with an unemployment rate holding at 3.7% for two years, marking a historic streak. Under President Biden, 14.8 million jobs have been created, 3.1 million in 2023. Real GDP rose by 3.3% in Q4 2023. Average hourly wages increased by 0.6% monthly and 4.5% yearly, outpacing forecasts. Consumer spending exceeded expectations in November and December. As far as associate degrees and their employability are concerned, employers often view associate degrees favorably, particularly in fields like nursing, engineering, and computer programming, where specialized skills are valued. Despite a median annual earning of $44,100 in 2020, $15,500 less than bachelor's degree holders, 28% of associate degree holders earn more than half of bachelor's degree holders. Additionally, industries like construction, manufacturing, and healthcare appreciate the practical training and quick entry into the workforce that associate degree holders offer. Speaking of associate degrees, Butler University recently announced a groundbreaking initiative: a two-year, debt-free associate degree program aimed at assisting underserved students. With tuition costs for the 2023-2024 academic year reaching $44,990, this initiative offers students the opportunity to obtain a bachelor's degree from Butler University for $10,000 after completing their associate degree. Set to begin enrolling students for the Fall 2025 semester, the program targets individuals from marginalized backgrounds, including students of color, first-generation college students, and those from low-income households. Story continues What Are the Most Common Associate Degrees? Two most common associate's degrees are the Associate of Arts (AA) and the Associate of Science (AS). The AA degree focuses on liberal arts and humanities subjects like English, history, and psychology, while the AS degree focuses on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields such as biology, chemistry, and computer science. With an Associate of Arts degree, one can pursue various entry-level roles such as administrative assistant, customer service representative, sales associate, office clerk, or social media assistant. However, many Associate of Arts degrees are considered useless. To read more about such degrees, see the most useless associate degrees if you want a high-paying job. Changing Nature of Hiring - Focus on Skill Building It is worth mentioning that large companies such as Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) and Amazon.com, Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN) are increasingly turning to community colleges to meet their workforce needs, recognizing the value of associate degree programs in providing skilled workers. Amazon.com, Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN) is deeply invested in empowering its Puget Sound employees through upskilling programs. One notable initiative, Career Choice, has facilitated nearly 2,000 employees in earning degrees or refining skills. With a network of 16 local education partners and a national consortium, 64% of participants have utilized pre-paid tuition for college courses. The program's success is evident in its popularity, particularly in the technology pathway, which offers industry certifications in IT and cybersecurity. Additionally, Amazon.com, Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN) offers paid apprenticeships, with nearly 600 participants since 2017 and a commendable job-placement rate of almost 75%. Leadership development is also prioritized, exemplified by Catalyst, a program grooming recent graduates into area managers, and Leadership Liftoff for new managers. One example of an employee joining Amazon.com, Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN) is Fidel Contreras joined the company without a college degree. Motivated by his family's immigrant background and the burden of student debt, Contreras enrolled in a technical learning program with AWS, kickstarting his career in tech at 18. Through hard work and curiosity, Contreras rose to lead a team at AWS. With a growing focus on skills, Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) has rolled out updated professional training and certifications tailored to meet the increasing demand for skilled IT support and management personnel. With the workforce's growing reliance on Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) products like Mac, iPhone, and iPad, the need for proficient IT professionals is at an all-time high. The revamped online courses, including Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) Device Support and Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) Deployment and Management, offer a self-paced learning environment, empowering individuals to pursue high-paying IT careers. These courses are priced at $149 per exam and culminate in Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) certifications that enhance candidates' marketability in job searches. Notably, Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) has partnered with educational institutions and organizations like the Mac Admins Foundation to ensure accessibility and affordability, offering scholarships, prep courses, and vouchers. 32 Highest Paying Jobs with an Associates Degree An experienced technician inspecting a diesel particulate air filter in a clean technology factory. Our Methodology To list the highest paying jobs with an associate degree, we identified high-paying jobs that do not require a formal bachelors degree and usually require an associate degree while also paying around or more than the national average salary of $59,428 annually. We identified 50 such jobs, and then the 32 highest-paying ones were selected based on annual average salaries. We obtain the average salaries from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Please note that not all these jobs might require an Associate's degree in all cases. By the way, Insider Monkey is an investing website that tracks the movements of corporate insiders and hedge funds. By using a similar consensus approach, we identify the best stock picks of more than 900 hedge funds investing in US stocks. The top 10 consensus stock picks of hedge funds outperformed the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here). Whether you are a beginner investor or a professional one looking for the best stocks to buy, you can benefit from the wisdom of hedge funds and corporate insiders. Here is a list of the 32 highest paying jobs with an Associates degree: 32. Environmental Engineering Technicians Average Salary: $58,020 Environmental engineering technologists and technicians had a median annual pay of $50,980 in 2022. They typically enter the field with an associate's degree and require no prior work experience or on-the-job training. 31. Robotics Technician Average Salary: $60,277 Robotics technicians maintain, repair, and troubleshoot robotic systems, including industrial robots used in manufacturing, medical robots, and automated machinery. 30. Medical Equipment Repairer Average Salary: $60,950 Medical equipment repairers were paid a median salary of $57,860 in 2022. They must hold an Associate's degree and usually need no prior related work experience. This profession is projected to grow by 13% from 2022 to 2032, much faster than average, resulting in 8,800 new jobs by 2032. 29. Geological and Hydrologic Technicians Average Salary: $61,130 Entry into this field generally requires no prior work experience, but moderate-term on-the-job training is common. With a projected job outlook of 2% from 2022 to 2032, as fast as the average, opportunities are expected to grow modestly for the estimated 12,500 jobs available. Over the same period, employment is anticipated to increase by 300 new job positions. 28. Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians Average Salary: $61,480 Civil engineering technologists and technician usually have an Associate's degree and earn a median annual salary of $59,630. Entry into this field usually requires no prior work experience or on-the-job training. With a projected job outlook of 1% from 2022 to 2032, little to no change is anticipated in the employment landscape for the estimated 64,800 jobs available. 27. Architectural and Civil Drafters Average Salary: $61,660 Architectural and Civil Drafters find the highest employment levels in Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services, with 74,040 jobs, and notably in Residential Building Construction and Building Equipment Contractors. It is also considered one of the fun associate degree jobs. 26. Radio, Cellular and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers Average Salary: $62,570 Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers find ample employment opportunites in Telecommunications industries where they earn a mean hourly wage of $33.30. 25. Industrial Engineering Technicians Average Salary: $63,470 Industrial engineering technologists and technicians had a median salary of $29.43 per hour in 2022. With 69,100 jobs in 2022 and a projected 3% job outlook from 2022 to 2032, adding 2,200 employment opportunities, this field offers stable growth prospects. 24. Physical Therapist Assistants Average Salary: $64,510 In 2022, there were 145,100 positions, projected to grow by 19% from 2022 to 2032, creating 27,600 additional jobs. This growth rate largely outpaces the average, indicating stable and growing demand. It is one of the most in demand jobs for the future. 23. Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians Average Salary: $64,530 Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians, with a median pay of $61,990 annually or $29.80 per hour, typically hold an associate's degree for entry-level positions. It is one of the best jobs with associates degree in 2024. 22. Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians Average Salary: $65,490 Florida, California, and Texas employ the highest numbers of cardiovascular technologists and technicians, with mean hourly wages ranging from $25.24 to $40.64. 21. Real Estate Agent Average Salary: $65,850 Real estate brokers and sales agents earned a median pay of $52,030 per year or $25.02 per hour in 2022. It is also one of the best associate degrees jobs for remote work. 20. Electro-Mechanical Technicians Average Salary: $65,920 As of 2022, there were 15,200 positions in this sector, but the job outlook for the decade from 2022 to 2032 anticipates a 3% decline. Employment is forecasted to decrease by 400 positions during this period, indicating a shrinking demand for professionals, likely influenced by technological advancements and shifts in industry needs. To read more about such jobs, see dying professions to avoid like a plague. 19. Occupational Therapy Assistants Average Salary: $66,280 With an expected job outlook of 23% from 2022 to 2032, much faster than average, an estimated 11,000 new jobs will be added, bringing the total to 49,000. On-the-job training equips professionals with the necessary skills to support patients effectively, making this field accessible and promising for aspiring healthcare professionals. It is one of the 2-year degree jobs in demand in the US. 18. Calibration Technologists and Technicians Average Salary: $67,200 The field boasted 11,300 jobs in 2022, with a projected growth rate of 4% from 2022 to 2032, amounting to 500 additional employment opportunities. It is one of the best jobs with associates degree. 17. Electrical and Electronics Drafters Average Salary: $68,640 In May 2022, Texas had the highest employment level for Electrical and Electronics Drafters, with an annual mean wage of $63,840. Colorado had the highest location quotient at 2.16, offering an annual mean wage of $76,540. Delaware was the top-paying state with an annual mean wage of $85,120. 16. Radiologic Technologists and Technicians Average Salary: $70,240 Radiologic and MRI technologists operate specialized imaging equipment to create diagnostic images of patients internal structures. They typically hold an associates degrees. In 2022, there were 264,100 jobs in this field, and its projected to grow 6% from 2022 to 2032. The highest-paying states for Radiologic Technologists and Technicians are Hawaii, California, and Massachusetts. 15. Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians Average Salary: $70,810 In 2022, there were 102,500 such positions in the workforce, with an expected marginal growth of only 1% from 2022 to 2032, amounting to approximately 800 additional jobs. 14. Respiratory Therapists Average Salary: $74,310 Respiratory therapists specialize in treating patients with breathing disorders like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and respiratory distress. They evaluate patients and perform diagnostic tests. Their job also requires them to administer treatments like oxygen therapy and bronchodilators and provide education on managing respiratory conditions. 13. Avionics Technicians Average Salary: $74,730 Among the highest paying states for Avionics Technicians in May 2022, Connecticut led with an hourly mean wage of $54.14 and an annual mean wage of $112,600. 12. Computer Network Support Specialists Average Salary: $76,060 Computer Support Specialists play a crucial role in ensuring the smooth operation of computer systems for organizations and individuals. With a projected job outlook of 5% from 2022 to 2032, faster than average, and an estimated employment change of 49,200, opportunities in this field are expected to remain stable. 11. Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians Average Salary: $77,060 They assist engineers in designing, building, and maintaining aerospace systems, conducting tests, analyzing data, and troubleshooting issues. Their responsibilities may also include assembling components, performing inspections, and ensuring compliance with safety and quality standards. Click here to see the 10 Highest Paying Jobs with an Associate's Degree. Suggested Articles: Disclosure: None. 32 Highest Paying Jobs with an Associates Degree is originally published on Insider Monkey. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Most Americans understand that compromise makes our country stronger, and intransigence makes us weaker. Poll after poll show that two-thirds of Americans want Congress to engage in bipartisan negotiations on issues that advance initiatives that are good for the country. Problems arise when the other one-third doesnt. A couple weeks ago, I received a polling call. (Yes, I answered the call.) The questions were about Missouris Freedom Caucus, the small group of right-wing state senators who have been holding up legislative business this year. One question asked whether I support bipartisan compromise in politics. The final question asked about my political leanings and included the choices, traditional Republican, social conservative or Trump Republican. Fast forward two weeks, when I came to the realization of why those questions were out in the field in Missouri. Supporters of former President Donald Trump and the rest of the electorate have very different views on bipartisan compromise. Because of this division, the Emergency National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2024 is dead in Congress. House Republicans, led by Speaker Mike Johnson, told President Joe Biden months ago that aid to Ukraine was dependent upon enactment of transformative change to our nations border security laws. He cited security failures at the nations southern border as an existential crisis. A bipartisan group of Senate negotiators got to work and four months later presented a substantial bill that included military aid to Ukraine, security aid to Israel, humanitarian aid for Palestinians as well as other countries in crisis, and deterrence of the Chinese government. But the bulk of the bill addresses securing the southern border. The bill would fund operational costs to manage and enhance security there, money to hire additional Customs and Border Protection officers and Border Patrol agents and support Border Patrol overtime, and funding to combat the entry of fentanyl and other illicit narcotics from entering the U.S. Other provisions would trigger border closures if the volume of migrants climbs past a certain number and make it more difficult for migrants to qualify for asylum. The measure also offered more work visas. Biden urged Congress to pass the bill as soon as it was released and promised to sign it into law as soon as Congress sent it to him. It was everything Republicans said that they wanted. That is, until Trump told them to kill it, because he wants to run for president this year on border chaos and wants no money in support of Ukraine. Many Republicans in Congress said they were against it before they even read the bill, then claimed it was too long to read. It took me a total of 81 minutes and 42 seconds to read the entire 370-page bill. But we all know it was never about the length of the bill. I was struck by the bills comprehensiveness and concluded it would make the country more secure and provide assistance to our allies. So what does this have to do with compromise, you might ask? Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., answered that question when he spoke with Fox Newss Laura Ingraham recently. Ingraham asked, Senator, is this deal dead, effectively? I hope so, Hawley answered. It should be. If its not dead yet, it should be dead. There is absolutely no reason to agree to policies that would further enable Joe Biden. Hawley said the quiet part out loud, effectively admitting he would not back any bill, no matter its worthiness, if it helped Biden politically. Most other Republicans, like Hawley, refuse to make any of the required concessions. In the case of this security package, those concessions would have yielded increased security for every American. According to Pew Research Center study released in November among Republican primary voters, about 63% of Trumps supporters want their candidate to focus on pushing for GOP policy in office rather than working with Democrats, which is a higher percentage with that view than among supporters of any other Republican primary candidate. Supporters of former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley supported compromise the most, with 72 percent of respondents saying they want the GOP candidate to work across the aisle. Moving out to the general electorate, three-quarters of Americans say they want members of Congress to compromise with the other side, the highest in at least a decade, but most have no confidence they will, a NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll finds. The 58% who said they have no confidence Congress will do so is more than double the level found in 2008, when just 23% said so. Reports from Capitol Hill confirm that the bill is dead in both the Senate and the House. On Tuesday, the House also failed to pass a stand-alone bill for aid to Israel. It remains unclear if we will abandon Ukraine. So the country is stuck in this quagmire and in the meantime, the border is not secure, fentanyl continues to poison our citizens, and our allies are left hanging out to dry. All because it is an election year and because of one partys fealty to one man. Most Americans and both political parties want to slow or stop the torrent of undocumented immigrants. Although various political interests have stood in the way for decades, a bipartisan group of legislators recently reached an agreement that would help accomplish that goal. But one word from former President Donald Trump killed the deal within hours. Should anyone want one person to have unchecked power over his party? Our democracy is built on a system of checks and balances, where every power is checked and limited by a different power within the system. Whether or not one agrees with Trumps policies, it is too dangerous for our democracy for one person to wield unchecked power over his entire party. Absolute power corrupts absolutely and produces tyranny. Bob Keefe St. Louis February 11, 2024: Since Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022, the Ukrainians, who lack any warships at all, have destroyed twenty Russian Navy ships. These include warships as well as support vessels like landing ships. Ukraine has used long-range missiles and USVs (Unmanned Surface Vessels) to attack Russian ships, forcing the survivors to distant ports in the far northeastern portions of the Black Sea. Even though these ports are a thousand kilometers from Crimea, the Ukrainians can still reach them with USVs, despite the risks of some USVs being lost from equipment failure on the long journey, or attacks by Russian weapons when they reach the distant Russian port. Ukraine wants to control who has warships in the Black Sea so they can protect the vital grain exports from Ukrainian ports. The primary port for this is Odessa, the largest port in Ukraine. The only problem Odessa has is Russian naval mines that are still floating around the Western Black Sea. These mines were deployed in early 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine. The Russians expected the Ukrainian resistance to be brief and ineffective. The Ukrainians put up a more effective defense than Russia expected, and now Russian forces are being forced out of Ukraine and unable to do anything about the mines they put into the Black Sea. Not only are the mines still out there but many, if not most, of them are not tethered to a weight on the sea bottom and are floating free and are a danger to all ships. Russia has also declared that they will continue to put naval mines into the Black Sea. They can do this by bringing the mines into the Crimean Peninsula by truck to the small ports along the Crimean coast and use small boats to get these mines out to sea where they are planted using tethers. Eventually some of those mines either broke loose or were cut loose and drifted into shipping lanes used by Ukrainian and NATO ships. By early 2023 over 40 of these mines had been found and destroyed. It is unknown how many mines are still out there but the NATO countries that border the Black Sea continue to look for them. Some of these mines were bottom mines which, unlike floating mines, are kept in place by a chain attached to a weight on the seabed and sometimes the chain breaks. There are also bottom mines that are placed on the seabed and dont drift around. Russia does not appear to have used bottom mines in the Black Sea. In mid-2023 there was a sudden increase in the number of free floating mines between Crimea and the narrow straits Turkey controls that lead to the Mediterranean and the worlds oceans. Turkey and other NATO nations control most of the Black Sea coastline, especially the southern and western Black Sea coasts. At that time the Russian navy still controlled most of the eastern Black Sea and was believed responsible for more than 400 free floating naval mines showing up west of Crimea since mid-2023. Few of these mines appear to be tethered mines that broke loose from their chains. That is an old problem with Russian made floating mines. Tethered mines are designed to have their weighted base sink to the bottom of shallow, less than 20 meters of water. Most of the mines currently in the Black Sea were apparently released into the water without any tether. The use of naval mines is diminished because they are not much of a threat to warships, which are constantly on the lookout for them, and most commercial ships are too big to sink after encountering one of these mines. There is some hull damage and flooding, but not enough to sink a ship. The damage is sufficient to require repairs because any damage to the hull can become worse if rough weather and strong seas are encountered. The mines are an immediate danger to smaller commercial ships, especially fishing trawlers, not to mention some large private vessels like yachts. Some NATO counties with Black Sea coastlines have organized a mine clearing operation. Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria contributed mine clearing vessels and equipment. NATO members that do not border the Black Sea, but do have a lot of commercial shipping operating in the Black Sea, tried to contribute some mine clearing ships and equipment but the Turks, who control the only entrance to the Black Sea, refused to let these mine clearing ships in. The situation worsened because of a massive storm that ravaged the Black Sea coastline on November 26th and 27th 2023. Such a storm has not occurred in the Black Sea for over a century and the damage was extensive. Military facilities and fortifications on the coast were damaged or destroyed. Ships at sea, especially smaller ones, were damaged or sunk. Some ships at sea ran ashore. The ten meter high waves were particularly damaging to ports and coastal military facilities in Crimea. A less visible form of damage was the number of moored, by a chain to a weight on the sea bottom, naval mines. The powerful storm broke the chains and set these mines free. This added another hazard for commercial shipping in the Black Sea. While Ukraine has destroyed all the Russian warships in the Black Sea, there are still Russian naval mines in the water and Russia is quietly putting more mines into the Black Sea to threaten Ukraines vital grain exports. The Russian attitude is, if we cant have any ships in the Black Sea, we will do what we can to ensure that no one else does either. This is primarily aimed at Ukrainian grain exports. There is a problem in that the Russian mines are threatening shipping moving to ports of NATO members Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey. These three nations agreed in 2014 to establish a joint mine clearing force. Only mine clearing ships belonging to these three countries would be involved and Turkey would not allow any additional mine clearing ships to enter the Black Sea. Currently, mine clearing vessels concentrate on keeping a mine free corridor on the west shore of the Black Sea to allow ships to safely travel to and from Odessa as ports in Romania and Bulgaria. This corridor extends from Odessa in Ukraine south along the 245-kilometer Romanian coastline, then the 278-kilometer Bulgarian to the Turkish Straits and the exit to the Mediterranean. February 11, 2024: One generally ignored reason for the poor performance of Russian troops in Ukraine is the endemic corruption in the Russian military. These wasteful practices have been around for a long time and explain the tradition of poor performance by the Russian military. Young men from wealthy families can buy their way out of dangerous situations, like being sent to a combat zone. That costs about $500. If you do end up in a combat zone, paying the right person over $10,000 will get you a certificate of combat injuries and a medical certificate that gets you out of the military. If you stay in uniform, you can obtain various forms of special treatment by paying bribes. It costs nearly a thousand dollars to get extended leave from military service to visit family and friends. While in uniform you can pay bribes to obtain promotions, certificates of physical fitness or a military drivers license for those who really dont know how to drive. Bribes will get you out of trouble for being caught with a cell phone in a combat zone. If you are caught drunk on duty, a few hundred dollars to whoever caught you to make the problem go away. Most Russian soldiers dont have access to the kind of cash required to bribe their way out of trouble or danger. Poor soldiers die while soldiers with wealthy parents not only survive but come home with purchased certificates of honorable combat service. Bribes are also used to avoid unpleasant or embarrassing discussions. For example, a decade ago there was an effort to modernize the military. That included developing methods to reduce corruption. It turned out that there was no practical way to decrease or eliminate corruption because too many people in the military or corrupt and ineffective defense industries grew prosperous from the bribes. The corruption and poor management has created major problems. Many officers are incapable of, or uninterested in following suggestions for, improving combat capability. Many senior officers are still more concerned with getting rich than building modern post-Cold War armed forces. Defense industry officials are apparently incapable of sustained competence and new weapons are either not developed effectively or built in a shoddy fashion. The troops have been complaining about this for years while reform efforts do little about it. The critics of this situation want more realism applied to the problems in the military, especially the corruption and the shabby Russian defense industries. Meanwhile, since the 1990s, a military modernization effort has been underway as the government realized it had to do something about rapidly aging military equipment. In many cases, these purchases are essential because buying new equipment and weapons stopped, with a few exceptions like ballistic missiles, during the 1990s. Because of that, most of the armed forces are still using Cold War era weapons and equipment manufactured in the 1970s and 80s. Fortunately, even older 50s and 60s era equipment was junked because the size of the armed forces shrank 80 percent in the 1990s. Because Russian defense industries, the preferred suppliers, were never world class, the Russian military was usually getting updated Cold War equipment that was not competitive with the new generations of weapons and accessories Western forces were receiving. It was believed that, by the end of 1990s, at least a third of the Cold War era equipment would be replaced. In some categories, especially those requiring new technology, over 80 percent of the older equipment was replaced. The government had been telling the military about these big plans and when they didnt deliver, morale suffered. This happened quickly in the navy because officers and sailors had been told that money would be available to more ships and could spend more time at sea. It turned out that the existing ships couldnt handle heavy use and workload. That meant there had to be more new ships or expensive and extensive refurbishment of existing warships. After the 1990s the air force resumed long range air patrols over areas off the Russian coast, which have not seen Russian navy or air force activity since the 1980s. Since 1991 until quite recently, Russian warships spent most of their time tied up at dock, meaning an entire generation of sailors has little experience at sea. This spells defeat in wartime and sailors, especially the senior commanders, knew it. The big problem so far is that the new equipment that has been received is not impressive. The troops can go on the Internet and get video and tech specs for a lot of the contemporary Western gear and the Russian equivalents rarely look good in comparison. But at least they arent stuck with aging Cold War era equipment that rarely works. The Russian armed forces have already come to grips with the fact that it will never return to the glory days of the Soviet Union, which dissolved in 1991. The army was called the Red Army back then and the mighty Soviet naval force came to be known as the Red Fleet. Back during the Cold War, the armed forces had five times as many troops, over five million of them. Before 1991 the military received 10-20 percent of the national GDP, which was estimated to be about two trillion dollars. No one is sure of the exact amount, as the communists were not big fans of accountants and accurate financial reporting. Currently, Russia is playing by West European rules when it comes to military spending, meaning no more than 3-4 percent of GDP going to the military. With a $2.1 trillion dollar economy that continues to grow, so the generals and admirals can expect a lot more cash to work with. But most of this money went to replace Cold War era weapons, which were considered out-of-date and of limited usefulness in the 1990s. Because of fluctuating oil prices, the main source of government income, progress was erratic, and it wasnt until after 2010 that the process of replacing Cold War era weapons and equipment started to accelerate. Unfortunately, after 2020 the process was still incomplete and the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 led to more economic setbacks because of western economic sanctions imposed for that aggression. Russia underestimated the degree their new economy depended on western technology. Once more the Russian economy is a mess and as long as the war in Ukraine lasts, the situation wont improve. February 10, 2024: Russia currently has half a million soldiers in Ukraine plus another 50,000 in Russian provinces adjacent to Ukraine. Nine months earlier Russia only had 390,000 troops in Ukraine. This indicates that the Russians are planning more offensive operations in 2024. Ukraine has access to Western satellite surveillance photos and data collected by American and other NATO nation intelligence agencies. This was the source of information on new equipment Russian forces are receiving. This includes new radios for their tanks that allow the crew to communicate more easily with Russian infantry accompanying the tank. This communication makes it easier to establish ISTAR or intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance conditions so that the enemy can be engaged on favorable terms for the attacker. What the Russians have to deal with is a Ukrainian force that uses its own ISTAR more effectively and does so with Western weapons that outperform whatever the Russians are using. Another advantage is training. Ukrainian soldiers get more of it than their Russian counterparts, who usually get little or none. This keeps Ukrainian casualties lower and makes them far more effective. Wounded Ukrainians receive better medical care, something Russian soldiers realize only if they are captured and witness these practices. Rumors of the differences in training and treatment of the wounded get back to Russia and, despite threats of prosecution for spreading such information, Russian troops continue to talk to each other. This highlights another problem; Russian conscripts or men mobilized into the military for other reasons hear about what is happening in Ukraine and most want no part of it. Most Russians wonder why they are invading Ukraine when the Ukrainians have never sought to attack Russia. The Russian government has a convoluted explanation for this, based on the idea that NATO is seeking to hurt Russia. This is not convincing. NATO was founded in the 1950s as a defensive alliance against Russian aggression. It still is defensive only and that is why NATO sent Ukraine weapons and other assistance, but NATO nations did not send troops to fight alongside Ukrainians. Negotiations are underway between Ukraine and NATO about when Ukraine can join NATO. Ukraine cannot join while they are still fighting Russian invaders. As soon as the fighting ends, Ukraine can join NATO and then, if Russia attacks again, they will have to take on the entire NATO alliance. Because of this the Russians plan to keep fighting this war, at least until the West tires of supplying the Ukrainians. At that point Russia believes they will have a chance to defeat Ukraine and absorb it back into the Russian empire. To avoid this fate, the Ukrainians are depending on novel weapons and tactics to overwhelm Russian efforts to attack anyone or defend themselves. New types of UAVs, electronic warfare and defensive tactics earlier forced the Russians to take higher losses while little, if any territory. So did Russian leader Putins constant insistence on suicidal frontal attacks by untrained troops against the advice of his military leaders. The heavy use of UAVs has introduced another problem, occasional problem, gridlock. There have been situations where both sides had numerous UAVs over an area searching for and attacking enemy troops. That meant no one on the ground was safe and Ukrainian and Russian troops spent most of their time hiding from each others UAVs. In these situations, its only safe to move at night because few UAVs have night vision sensors. Those sensors are expensive and rarely used on unmanned aircraft. This gridlock also demonstrates another need, UAV air supremacy. Unlike manned warplanes, no UAVs carry IFF (Identify Friend or Foe) equipment. When airspace is crowded with UAVs its difficult to tell who they all belong to and who they are searching for to attack. These UAV IFF and gridlock problems are increasingly important because both Russia and Ukraine are building and using hundreds of thousands of UAVs in 2024. Whoever can figure out how best to use their UAVs will have an edge and that will often be decisive. Ukraine needs this edge more than the Russian invaders. Ukraine is fighting for survival while Russia is less certain about why they invaded. The Ukrainian population is united on the need to defend their territory while Russians sent to fight are increasingly having doubts. The Russian government, controlled by Vladimir Putin, has a difficult time justifying the cost Russians are paying to be in Ukraine and those doubts are evolving into opposition within the Russian military and government. The Russians have gotten themselves into a quagmire and are seeking to avoid being defeated in Ukraine because of it. Joby signs definitive agreement with government of Dubai Agreement grants Joby exclusive right to operate air taxis in Dubai for six years Service set to launch by early 2026 Agreement covers regulatory approach for early operations and includes support for entry and maturing of service Joby also signed agreement with Skyports who will build and operate four vertiports in Dubai SANTA CRUZ, Calif. & DUBAI, United Arab Emirates--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Joby Aviation, Inc. (NYSE: JOBY), a company developing all-electric aircraft for commercial passenger service, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement with Dubais Road and Transport Authority (RTA) to launch air taxi services in the Emirate by early 2026, with Joby targeting initial operations as early as 2025. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240211538091/en/ Jobys electric air taxi on display at the World Governments Summit in Dubai. Joby Aviation photo The agreement, signed at the World Governments Summit in Dubai in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, provides Joby with the exclusive right to operate air taxis in Dubai for six years, and will position Dubai as a world leader in delivering the fast, clean and quiet air travel enabled by Jobys revolutionary technology. The agreement secures a variety of support from the RTA, including financial mechanisms, for entry and maturing of service operations in Dubai. JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO, Joby Aviation, said: It is an honor to partner with the government of Dubai to demonstrate the value of sustainable air travel to the world. Todays landmark agreement delivers on all three ingredients required to successfully launch an air taxi service - a definitive path to operations, well-placed infrastructure supported by dedicated partners, and an aircraft with the capacity and range to deliver meaningful journeys. Were looking forward to delivering an incredible experience for residents and visitors to Dubai as early as 2025 and were excited to be laying the groundwork for the expansion of our service across the wider UAE. His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors for RTA, commented on the agreement, saying, the air taxi service is part of RTAs efforts to embrace future transportation technologies and offers a novel and efficient mobility option for Dubai's residents and visitors, enabling fast, safe, and convenient travel to key city spots. This service will also enhance seamless multimodal transportation, improving citywide connectivity, and ensuring a smooth travel experience for passengers. Joby additionally signed an agreement with Skyports, who will design, build and operate four initial vertiport sites across Dubai. RTA, Skyports and Joby have worked together to identify Dubai International Airport (DXB), Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Marina and Dubai Downtown as the launch locations for Dubais air taxi service. Jobys aircraft, which was displayed in the region for the first time at the World Governments Summit, is designed to carry a pilot and four passengers at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour and will be operated by the Company, with a journey from Dubai International Airport to Palm Jumeirah expected to take just 10 minutes compared with 45 minutes by car. Joby and the RTA have been working closely with the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) of the UAE to ensure there is a regulatory route to support His Highness Sheikh Mohammeds vision of being a world leader in the introduction of air taxis. The GCAA regulatory framework builds upon FAA standards with additional company testing and analysis alongside a high level of regulator oversight and an ongoing operational review process to ensure continued safety for early operations. RTA, Joby and Skyports will now work on a wide range of topics, from customer journey design to stakeholder engagement and the integration of Jobys service into the wider public transport network in Dubai. To support the development of its operations in Dubai, Joby has established a local operating entity and intends to recruit locally for the majority of its operational team. The company will also consider localization of other global business activities in Dubai and across the region. Joby recently announced it will participate in the Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industry (SAVI) cluster established by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), as part of exploring broader operations across the UAE. In November 2023, Jobys aircraft became the first electric air taxi to fly in New York City, building on a number of recent successes including the launch of production at the Companys initial manufacturing facility in California in June 2023 and the first ever delivery of an electric air taxi to the U.S. Department of Defense in September 2023. Joby is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and has raised more than $2 billion of funding to date, including investments from Toyota, Delta Air Lines, SK Telecom, Uber and Baillie Gifford. Media assets, including photos and footage of Jobys aircraft, animations of anticipated Dubai air taxi routes and renders of Dubai skyport designs, are available here. About Joby Joby Aviation, Inc. (NYSE: JOBY) is a California-based transportation company developing an all-electric, vertical take-off and landing air taxi which it intends to operate as part of a fast, quiet, and convenient service in cities around the world. To learn more, visit www.jobyaviation.com. Forward Looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to, statements regarding the development and performance of our aircraft, our regulatory outlook, progress and timing; our planned operations in Dubai, including our expectation to start commercial passenger service in Dubai as early as 2025, the number and potential location of vertiport sites and our path to certification in the UAE; our business plan, objectives, goals and market opportunity; plans for, and potential benefits of, our strategic partnerships, including financial support, exclusivity and other expected benefits from our agreement with Dubais Road and Transport Authority; and our current expectations relating to our business, financial condition, results of operations, prospects, capital needs and growth of our operations. You can identify forward-looking statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. These statements may include words such as anticipate, estimate, expect, project, plan, intend, believe, may, will, should, can have, likely and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of the timing or nature of future operating or financial performance or other events. All forward looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including: our ability to launch our aerial ridesharing service and the growth of the urban air mobility market generally; our ability to produce aircraft that meet our performance expectations in the volumes and on the timelines that we project, and our ability to launch our service; complexities related to obtaining certification and operating in foreign markets; the competitive environment in which we operate; our future capital needs; our ability to adequately protect and enforce our intellectual property rights; our ability to effectively respond to evolving regulations and standards relating to our aircraft; our reliance on third-party suppliers and service partners; uncertainties related to our estimates of the size of the market for our service and future revenue opportunities; and other important factors discussed in the section titled Risk Factors in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) on March 1, 2023, and in future filings and other reports we file with or furnish to the SEC. Any such forward-looking statements represent managements estimates and beliefs as of the date of this release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240211538091/en/ Investors: [email protected] Media: [email protected] Source: Joby Aviation, Inc. The Liberty Corridor will contain a new heavy duty railroad connecting the Nimba district of Guinea to a new Liberian deep water port - The Liberty Corridor will be a leading African example of multi-user, independently operated, open access infrastructure that will support the economic opening of the West African region to World markets - An estimated investment of US$3 to $5 billion will enable sustainable mineral development and downstream value addition to regional economies - Guma Africa Group Ltd is led by global Pan-African entrepreneur Robert Gumede of South Africa - The Letter of Intent provides that HPX and Guma Africa Group will enter into negotiations with the Government of Liberia to agree the framework granting exclusive rights to develop, finance and grant operating rights to the Liberty Corridor - The three parties will form a tripartite Liberty Corridor Project Steering Committee to liaise with all stakeholders and potential international financiers - Monrovia, The Republic of Liberia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 11, 2024) - Bronwyn Barnes, President and CEO of US Company High Power Exploration Inc ("HPX"), announced today the signing of a letter of intent with the Government of Liberia and the Guma Africa Group Ltd to enter into negotiations to own, design, finance, develop and operate The Liberty Corridor - a brand new multi-user infrastructure corridor connecting Guinea and Liberia. The Liberty Corridor will comprise a brand-new world-class rail system connecting Guinea to a brand-new deep-water port at Didia, Liberia, an extension of the existing hydropower network from Cte d'Ivoire into the Nimba districts of Liberia and Guinea, an upgrade of existing road networks in the Nimba district to all-weather roads and the implementation of fibre optic telecommunication cable connecting Liberia to the Nimba district and potentially beyond. The Liberty Corridor would be a joint development between the Government of Liberia, HPX and the Guma Africa Group, with the three parties who today, entered into an exclusive 30 day period (which can be extended) during which the final framework agreement will be negotiated. On completion of the final agreement, the document will be presented to the Liberian legislature for ratification. A Liberia-Guinea multi-user infrastructure corridor has the potential to transform the mineral-rich Nimba region, and for projects along the railway and roads corridor in Liberia. The Liberty Corridor will stimulate economic activity in mining, as well as agriculture, manufacturing, health and education. The Liberty Corridor will dramatically improve the quality of life for the millions of people living in the region and create sustainable regional employment. The President of Liberia His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr ., indicated his delight in having this major Project with the potential for profound positive impact on the Liberian economy and the region. Furthermore, the Project is consistent with the Boakai administration's ARREST (Agriculture, Road, Rule of Law, Education, Sanitation, & Tourism) agenda which will positively impact those sectors including electricity, telecommunication and the movement of goods and services. He noted that the Project comes less than a month into his term which portents good news for the country especially for young people which will provide jobs opportunities. "We are happy with the relationship with our American and South African counterparts, especially seeing this Project coming in less than a month into my new administration. "We have to prove to our partners that we are serious, accountable and honest, and that corruption will not be a hindrance to this administration," stated President Boakai. The President also thanked HPX management for the determination expressed to operate in Liberia, to provide employment opportunities for Liberians and to contribute to the economic viability of the country. He also assured Liberians that there are prospects and good news on the horizon for the country. HPX Chief Executive Officer Bronwyn Barnes commented: "HPX is delighted to have formed this partnership with the Government of Liberia and the Guma Africa Group to develop The Liberty Corridor in Guinea and Liberia." "President Joseph Boakai has started his Presidency on a strong footing, engaging with industry to build Liberia's economy. We are delighted to have signed this Letter of Intent with the Government of Liberia as we seek to build Liberia's mining sector in an open and transparent relationship that also delivers benefits to broader industry and community." "HPX looks forward to being part of the growth of Liberia's mining industry and working collaboratively with the Government of Liberia to expand both the mining sector and multiuser infrastructure opportunities centered around The Liberty Corridor." "The Liberty Corridor will be a world class infrastructure development that will include a brand new rail system constructed within the existing Yekepa - Buchanan infrastructure corridor, a new deep water port to be constructed at Didia, an upgrade to the existing road connecting the Nimba district to Didia, an expansion of existing renewable power systems from Liberia to Guinea, and high speed telecommunications infrastructure." Guma Africa Group's Pan African serial entrepreneur and philanthropist Robert Gumede said : "I am delighted to partner with HPX as we pool our resources to transform both Guinea and Liberia's economies through the development of the Liberty Corridor that can unlock mining, agriculture and industrialization of the two countries and the creation of sustainable jobs. The time for lip service is gone. Our joint partnership with HPX will support Liberia's long term investments policies." HPX Chairman Retired Ambassador J. Peter Pham also commented: "The U.S. Government's consideration of the potential for the Liberia - Guinea Corridor is extremely encouraging. This project has the potential to transform the mineral rich Nimba region, and for projects along the railway in Liberia, stimulating further economic activity not only in mining, but also agriculture, manufacturing, health, education. The Liberty Corridor will enhance the quality of life for the citizens of both countries through improved access to energy, transportation, and telecommunications." "The opportunities that a new, world class infrastructure corridor will offer are in line with the objectives of the United States Government Strategy towards Sub-Saharan Africa, and the commitments given by President Biden and the G7 in a flagship infrastructure initiative - the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment ("PGI")." The United States has announced a series of new PGI initiatives around the world to build out transformative economic corridors and drive infrastructure investments that can boost and connect economic development across multiple countries and sectors, including the "Lobito Atlantic Railway Corridor" launched by President Biden at the G7 Summit in Japan in May 2023. The Lobito Railway Corridor, currently connecting Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Zambia, helps integrate the three countries and enhance their connections with global markets by expanding export possibilities, boosting regional trade, and growing a variety of key market sectors. Ivanhoe Mines, a major African-based mining company founded and co-chaired by Robert Friedland, announced on 7 February 2024 that Ivanhoe Mines would be the first commercial customer to transport up to 240,000 tons of copper concentrate along The Lobito Corridor. The President of Liberia His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr with Mr Robert Friedland and Mr Robert Gumede at the signing ceremony in Monrovia on Friday 9 February 2024. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6263/197568_09d0f79e94d9caa2_005full.jpg His Excellency The President of Liberia His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr (centre) with the Founder, Chairman and CEO of I-Pulse Inc Mr Robert Friedland, Ms Bronwyn Barnes, President and CEO of HPX, Mr Robert Gumede Chairman and Founder Guma Africa Group, Amb.(ret) Peter Pham and Gerald Padmore of Cox Padmore Skolnik & Shakarchy. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6263/197568_09d0f79e94d9caa2_006full.jpg His Excellency The President of Liberia His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr (centre) with the Founder, Chairman and CEO of I-Pulse Inc Mr Robert Friedland (centre left), Ms Bronwyn Barnes, President and CEO of HPX (centre right), Mr Robert Gumede Chairman and Founder Guma Africa Group (left of Mr Friedland), Amb.(ret) Peter Pham (right of Ms Barnes), and Ambassador Sylvester Grigsby Minister of State for Presidential Affairs (right of Amb. Pham). To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6263/197568_09d0f79e94d9caa2_007full.jpg Background GUMA AFRICA GROUP is a Pan African diversified investment and operations group involved in Mining, Infrastructure, Tourism & Hospitality, ICT, Healthcare, Human Capital Development, Renewable Energy, Rail Manufacturing, etc. Guma operates in 28 African countries. HPX is an American exploration and development company focused on advancing its high-grade long-life iron ore mine in the Lola region of the Southeastern region of the Republic of Guinea. HPX's major shareholder and technology provider is I-Pulse Inc, a US Company founded and Chaired by Mr Robert Friedland and has a number of high profile American institutional and private investors as shareholders. I-Pulse Inc. is a private American company with a multibillion-dollar valuation founded by Robert Friedland and Laurent Frescaline and backed by a global network of shareholders. I-Pulse uses its unique expertise in electrical energy to power disruptive industrial solutions. The I-Pulse suite of technologies utilises proprietary capacitors that safely and repeatedly compress and release stored electricity in billionths of a second. The extremely high-powered discharges, which utilise extremely small amounts of energy, generate precise shockwaves directed to shape and assemble metals to previously unachievable degrees of precision; generate electrical fields that reveal chargeable or resistive mineral deposits, or water, at depth; and crush rock containing minerals or gemstones. I-Pulse is commercializing these applications in industries such as advanced manufacturing and mineral exploration. I-Pulse operates its I-Cube research and development facilities in Toulouse, France. Visit www.ipulse-group.com to learn more. Further information or media contact: Bronwyn Barnes, President and CEO HPX [email protected] +44 7810 227 672 Joe MacDonald, Head of Strategy and Business Development [email protected] + 44 7525 341 493 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/197568 RIYADH, Saudi Arabia , Feb. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The inaugural Space Debris Conference commenced in Riyadh , focusing on the pivotal theme of "Towards Securing the Future of the Global Space Economy." Hosted by the Saudi Space Agency and partnered with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the Communications and Space Technology Commission, the event gathered over 400 experts, 70 speakers, and various industry leaders globally. Its goal is to foster dialogue on space debris, highlighting Saudi Arabia's commitment to space protection, collaboration, and knowledge exchange. Engineer Abdullah bin Amer Al-Swaha , Chairman of the Board of the Saudi Space Agency, emphasized the urgency of addressing space debris amid increasing space activities. He underscored the conference's role as a catalyst for global cooperation and innovative solutions. Dr. Mohammed bin Saud Altamimi , CEO of the Saudi Space Agency, highlighted Saudi Arabia's dedication to sustainable development and innovation in space, including its leadership in the G20's Leaders Initiative for Space Economy. The conference's agenda spans two days, featuring sessions on legislation, future trends, risk mitigation, and space governance. Discussions will include initiatives for space debris removal, enhancing orbital safety, and shaping the future of space governance. The event also hosts an exhibition showcasing local and international companies' space technologies, aiming to raise awareness and foster collaboration in tackling the challenges posed by space debris. In summary, the Space Debris Conference serves as a pivotal platform for global cooperation and innovation in addressing the challenges of space debris, underscoring Saudi Arabia's commitment to space protection, sustainable development, and collaboration in the global space economy. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2337980/Space_Debris_Conference.jpg View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-first-edition-of-the-space-debris-conference-debuts-in-riyadh-with-the-participation-of-470-experts-and-speakers-302058670.html SOURCE Saudi Space Agency CAIRO (Reuters) -Israeli strikes on the Gaza strip over the past 96 hours have killed two Israeli hostages and seriously injured eight others, Hamas' armed-wing, the Al Qassam Brigades, said on Sunday over the group's Telegram channel. "Their conditions are becoming more dangerous in light of the inability to provide them with appropriate treatment.(Israel) bears full responsibility for the lives of those injured in light of their continued bombing," the statement said, regarding the remaining hostages. Hamas militants killed 1,200 people in southern Israel and abducted at least 250 in their unprovoked Oct. 7 incursion, according to Israeli tallies. Israel has responded with a military assault on the Gaza Strip that has killed more than 28,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. During a week-long truce in late November, Hamas freed more than 100 Israeli and foreign hostages in exchange for Israel releasing about 240 Palestinian prisoners. Israel's chief military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said on Tuesday that 31 of the remaining hostages held by Hamas in Gaza were dead. "We have informed 31 families that their captured loved ones are no longer among the living and that we have pronounced them dead," he told a regular media briefing. Israel has said 136 hostages are still being held in Gaza. The Palestinian Prisoners Club, which documents and cares for all Palestinian detainees, issued a statement on Sunday saying the number of Palestinians who have been arrested since Oct. 7 had reached 6,950 people. (Reporting by Adam Makary; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle, Bernadette Baum and Sharon Singleton) Indonesia's Defence Minister and presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto salutes to his supporters after delivering a speech at Jakarta Convention Center, during his campaign rally in Jakarta, Indonesia, February 2, 2024. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan/File Phot JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia's leading presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto said he is confident of winning next week's election in a single round to lead the world's third largest democracy, Al Jazeera news channel reported on its website. Prabowo, an ex-special forces commander, is one of three candidates contesting the Feb. 14 election. A candidate needs a simple majority or more than 50% of votes and at least 20% of votes in over half the country's provinces to win. Barring this, a run-off between the top two candidates would be held in June. Prabowo, 72, is projected by some opinion surveys to pip the 50% threshold, though the chance of a second round lingers. His rivals, ex-Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan and ex-Central Java governor Ganjar Pranowo, trail more than 20 points behind him. "All the figures show that we will go in one round," Prabowo, currently defence minister, told Al Jazeera after a rally that attracted hundreds of thousands of supporters in the capital Jakarta on Saturday, the last day of campaigning. He also defended running with outgoing President Joko Widodo's 36-year-old son, something made possible only in October, when a top court led by the president's brother-in-law tweaked eligibility criteria for vice presidential candidates. "In Indonesia it has become some sort of an issue, not because he is under 40 but because he is the son of President Joko Widodo, which makes some circles feel bad. But that's politics. You cannot please everyone all the time," he said. Jokowi, as the president is popularly known, has faced allegations of interfering to try to sway the outcome of the election by making highly publicised appearances with Prabowo. Jokowi has responded that a president has the right to support any candidate, while saying he did not plan to campaign for anyone. (Reporting by Fransiska Nangoy, Writing by Kanupriya Kapoor; editing by Mark Heinrich) Arrow Electronics, Inc. (NYSE:ARW) came out with its full-year results last week, and we wanted to see how the business is performing and what industry forecasters think of the company following this report. Arrow Electronics reported in line with analyst predictions, delivering revenues of US$33b and statutory earnings per share of US$15.84, suggesting the business is executing well and in line with its plan. The analysts typically update their forecasts at each earnings report, and we can judge from their estimates whether their view of the company has changed or if there are any new concerns to be aware of. With this in mind, we've gathered the latest statutory forecasts to see what the analysts are expecting for next year. See our latest analysis for Arrow Electronics Taking into account the latest results, the eight analysts covering Arrow Electronics provided consensus estimates of US$29.9b revenue in 2024, which would reflect a chunky 9.5% decline over the past 12 months. Statutory earnings per share are forecast to plummet 36% to US$10.82 in the same period. Before this earnings report, the analysts had been forecasting revenues of US$30.7b and earnings per share (EPS) of US$13.32 in 2024. The analysts seem less optimistic after the recent results, reducing their revenue forecasts and making a substantial drop in earnings per share numbers. The analysts made no major changes to their price target of US$124, suggesting the downgrades are not expected to have a long-term impact on Arrow Electronics' valuation. There's another way to think about price targets though, and that's to look at the range of price targets put forward by analysts, because a wide range of estimates could suggest a diverse view on possible outcomes for the business. The most optimistic Arrow Electronics analyst has a price target of US$148 per share, while the most pessimistic values it at US$100.00. These price targets show that analysts do have some differing views on the business, but the estimates do not vary enough to suggest to us that some are betting on wild success or utter failure. Story continues One way to get more context on these forecasts is to look at how they compare to both past performance, and how other companies in the same industry are performing. We would highlight that revenue is expected to reverse, with a forecast 9.5% annualised decline to the end of 2024. That is a notable change from historical growth of 5.5% over the last five years. Compare this with our data, which suggests that other companies in the same industry are, in aggregate, expected to see their revenue grow 5.4% per year. It's pretty clear that Arrow Electronics' revenues are expected to perform substantially worse than the wider industry. The Bottom Line The biggest concern is that the analysts reduced their earnings per share estimates, suggesting business headwinds could lay ahead for Arrow Electronics. Unfortunately, they also downgraded their revenue estimates, and our data indicates underperformance compared to the wider industry. Even so, earnings per share are more important to the intrinsic value of the business. There was no real change to the consensus price target, suggesting that the intrinsic value of the business has not undergone any major changes with the latest estimates. Keeping that in mind, we still think that the longer term trajectory of the business is much more important for investors to consider. At Simply Wall St, we have a full range of analyst estimates for Arrow Electronics going out to 2026, and you can see them free on our platform here.. You should always think about risks though. Case in point, we've spotted 2 warning signs for Arrow Electronics you should be aware of. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. FILE PHOTO: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks during a joint press conference with Kenyan President William Ruto at the prime minister's office in Tokyo, Japan, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024. Shuji Kajiyama/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan will pledge 15.8 billion yen ($106 million) in aid to Ukraine at a conference to be held in Tokyo on Feb. 19, Kyodo News reported on Sunday, citing unidentified sources. The funding will be used for reconstruction in seven areas, including agriculture and the disposal of rubble, Kyodo said. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal are set to attend the conference, along with government and industry representatives from both countries, national broadcaster NHK reported on Saturday. Japan's Cabinet Secretariat was not available for comment outside of regular working hours. Japan in December, after it overhauled its arms export guidelines, said it would prepare to ship Patriot air defence missiles to the United States. Japan still cannot ship weapons to countries at war, but such shipments to the U.S. could indirectly benefit Ukraine by boosting Washington's capacity to provide military aid to Kyiv. ($1 = 149.3000 yen) (Reporting by Anton Bridge; Editing by Tom Hogue) JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The main United Nations agency providing aid to Palestinians in Gaza is facing growing administrative hurdles from Israel, with a shipment amounting to a month's supply of food blocked in port, the agency's chief said. Israel has alleged that 12 staff members with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) were involved in the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, with a number of donor countries suspending funding. UNRWA has dismissed staff accused of involvement in the attack and launched an investigation. "We have an environment here which is for the time being quite hostile to the agency but there have been some decisions now which are starting to impact the ability of the agency to properly operate," UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini said on Friday. He said UNRWA had been informed by a contractor that provided handling services in the port of Ashdod that it could no longer continue working with UNRWA, following instructions from the Israeli authorities. As a result, a shipment from Turkey consisting of 1,049 containers of supplies including flour, chickpeas, sugar, cooking oil, enough to cover the needs of 1.1 million people for a month, was blocked in the port, Lazzarini said. He said UNRWA had informed Turkey of the stoppage. There was no immediate comment from Turkish authorities. A spokesperson for the finance ministry said the matter was in the hands of the government's legal advisor but offered no further comment. The incident came as Gaza faces a growing humanitarian emergency, with hundreds of thousands facing acute deprivation and hunger, some four months after Israel launched its invasion of the blockaded coastal enclave. Last week, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced on social media platform X that Israel was cancelling tax breaks previously offered to UNRWA. The decision was not formally communicated to the agency which only learned about it when the statement appeared on the platform, Lazzarini said. UNRWA was set up to help Palestinian refugees who were forced from their homes or fled during the 1948 war that accompanied the foundation of the state of Israel. It still distributes aid and provides education to their descendants in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem as well as Lebanon, Jordan and Syria. Israel has long accused it of contributing to the conflict by fostering Palestinian militant groups and the accusations have racheted up sharply since the Oct. 7 attack. (Reporting by James Mackenzie; additional reporting by Steve Scheer) U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Dependable (WMEC 626) and crew transit toward the pier, Feb. 10, 2024, in Virginia Beach, Va. Dependable returned home following a two-month maritime safety and security patrol in the Florida Straits and Windward Passage. (Kayla Gill/U.S. Coast Guard) Coast Guard cutter Dependable returned to its homeport in Virginia Beach, Va., on Saturday after 59 days at sea. Dependables job included maritime safety and security in the Florida Straits and Windward Passage in support of Homeland Security Task Force-Southeast and Operation Vigilant Sentry, according to a Coast Guard news release. During the deployment, Dependable: Located and deterred four unlawful voyages with approximately 100 migrants on board. Rescued 33 people aboard a 25-foot vessel in distress 6 miles off Haitis coast during heavy seas. Crew members conducted the search and rescue mission in 8-to-12-foot seas and winds gusting to 46 mph, saving all on board. A Coast Guard Cutter Dependable (WMEC 626) small boat crew transfers a Haitian child to the cutter during a search and rescue mission in heavy seas, which resulted in the successful rescue of all 33 aboard a sinking vessel 6 miles off Haitis coast, Jan. 22, 2024. (U.S. Coast Guard) A Coast Guard Cutter Dependable (WMEC 626) small boat crew operates in 8-to-12-foot seas with winds gusting up to 46 mph while rescuing 33 Haitians from a sinking boat, Jan. 22, 2024, 6 miles off the coast of Haiti. (U.S. Coast Guard photo) Over the last two months, the crew of the Dependable have executed all assigned missions with dedication, skill and initiative, said Cmdr. Kristopher Ensley, commanding officer of Dependable. Most notably, there are 33 people still alive today because of our crew and the way they courageously braved 12-foot seas, 40-knot winds, and limited visibility to execute this critical rescue. I could not be more proud of this team; they have truly lived up to our ships motto: Count on Us! Homeland Security Task Force-Southeast was established in 2003. It is a DHS-led interagency task force charged with directing operational and tactical planning and command and control, and it functions as a standing organization to deter, mitigate and respond to maritime mass migration in the Caribbean Sea and Florida Straits. Dependable is a 210-foot, Reliance-class medium endurance cutter with a crew of 76. Since commissioning in 1968, Dependable has executed counterdrug and migrant interdiction operations, enforced federal fishery laws, and conducted search and rescue missions in support of Coast Guard operations throughout the Western Hemisphere. The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford the lead ship in the Ford-class of aircraft carrier, the first new class in more than 40 years arrives at Naval Station Norfolk on Jan. 18, 2024, following an eight-month deployment the carriers first combat deployment. (Jacob Mattingly/U.S. Navy) As the Chinese investment of the South China Sea the Great Wall of Sand reaches force majeure impregnability the U.S. Navy finds itself at sea, literally with up to eight aircraft carriers, a number not seen since the fleet went littoral, traded the high seas for the high deserts of the Forever Wars. This show-of-force constitutes a global stress test the Navy, operating at a red-hot tempo, cannot sustain for long. Crisis management concatenated tous azimut has no quarter for an undermanned, overworked, understrength sea service. The 5th, 6th, and 7th fleets are stretched thin to say the least. Shooting down Houthi drones in the Red Sea and conducting airstrikes on targets in Yemen; deterring Iranian proxies in the Levant; conducting Freedom of Navigation transits through the Taiwan Strait; backstopping Ukrainian independence and keeping North Korea from going off the deep end are daunting enough. Mission Impossible if extreme duress for the duration. The ever-present danger of a Chinese move on Taiwan keeps the 7th Fleet in a near-war footing. The pacing threat of a Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is enough to keep the war gamers pacing the 3 a.m. halls of the Pentagon. Some two dozen war games have shown that when it comes to escalation-dominance the PLAN has no peer. Victory At Sea in this century is no Richard Rodgers score. The worlds largest navy commands the Scenario Sea. How the 25-year-old PLAN (dating from the last humiliation in the Taiwan Strait) would fare in a Cruel Sea is another story. A roll of the dice, though the odds weigh heavily in its favor. Certainly where Taiwan is concerned. The 7th Fleet has a hundred tanker problem, let alone the ability to relieve Taiwan once the missiles from the mainland begin to fly. Breaking a blockade around the island is a task for the fleet at flood tide. The East of Suez Fleet would be lucky to fight another day. Should the balloon go up on the naval gigantomachy in the Western Pacific the 7th Fleet would be hard-put to avoid another Tsushima. The Cruel Sea indeed. But even if the two navies manage to stay out of harms way the Chinese have come to rule the waves. The secretary of the Navys recent call for a maritime statecraft is a day late and a dollar short. The Chinese not only boast the worlds largest navy, they also boast the worlds largest coast guard and the worlds third largest merchant marine and the worlds largest fishing fleet and the worlds biggest shipyards. Their maritime statecraft is second to none. Alongside ships and more ships and the building of ships the Chinese have also managed to become the port infrastructure master builders. All those container cranes at the Port Of Long Beach in California were made in China. Port Operations too is a Chinese tour de force in too many seaports. Piraeus, Greece for one, Panama City for another. Teddy Roosevelt is turning in his grave. Running the Panama Canal is a feat of Chinese mettle. Beneath the radar the Chinese have become supply-chain predominant. Number one in so many key areas of maritime commerce. The nine-dash line is something of a joke. The Chinese breakout occurred in the 1980s and 90s. Maritime statecraft is the ticket to global domination. The Chinese punched that ticket while the eyes-wide-shut of American triumphalism was doing a victory lap. The U.S. Navy continues to contract; the merchant marine is a sad relic; shipbuilding is a non-starter; and the maritime statecraft of five administrations has been out-of-sight, out-of-mind. Decades of neglect and negligence have resulted in a fat chance of reversing course in time to head off a showdown in the Western Pacific. A nuclear showdown. As war game after war game has shown, the naval war goes nuclear in the blink of an eye. Hubris accomplished. Fat Leonard take a bow. The squandering of American maritime supremacy surely ranks as one of the great debacles in recent history. A folie de grandeur, a folly surpassing that of the Forever War. Staving off defeat long enough for help to arrive in the guise of DARPA wonder weapons seems to be the plan of the day. Set Condition Zulu. Absent a maritime statecraft on the scale and urgency of World War II call it Victory At Sea 2.0 the Pax Americana is fated to slip beneath the waves. Commence a century of American humiliation. The Maritime Administration needs to go from a moribund agency to a get-things-done brain trust free of red tape. Sealift rust buckets need to be deep-sixed, replaced with a flotilla of fast supply vessels. The Merchant Marine has to be stood up again, in numbers and fast. The days of flags of convenience are over. Above all the U.S. Navy has to become the lynchpin of a maritime statecraft that takes no prisoners. That reasserts predominance on the high seas. Think Ulithi Lagoon circa 1944. Among other things that means obligatory national service for all males age 18 to 21. The all-volunteer armed forces just got a demographic (and democratic) boost. Well over a trillion dollars is going into modernizing the nuclear triad. That money, I submit, would be better spent on shipyards, and ships, and more ships, and the crews to navigate them through the perilous waters ahead. If the administration is serious about a maritime statecraft then it should be trumpeting it from sea to shining sea. The future of the U.S. Navy hangs in the balance. The scenario I cant keep from envisioning finds tens of thousands of corpses floating in the sanguinary waters of the Cruel Sea. American corpses. Taking the high seas for granted has resulted in major rust. East of Suez is not a place to take lightly. Not at all. Robert Andersen, who served aboard a destroyer, is writing a novel about the blue water Navy in Vietnam. Last year he was a Visiting Fellow at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, R.I. An illustration of the LGM-35A Sentinel, the Air Forces newest weapon system. (U.S. Air Force illustration) Like a bolt from the blue, the Pentagons program for building a new nuclear intercontinental ballistic missile, known as the LGM-35A Sentinel, has blown past its most recent baseline cost projection to the point of triggering an automatic review of the program. Lt. Gen. Rick Moore, the Air Force deputy chief of staff for plans and programs, has since insisted that We will have to find the money. Sentinel is going to be funded. While some members of Congress, along with a chorus of national security professionals, have lined up to back the program despite its ballooning cost to taxpayers, the debate is far from one-sided. Ultimately, its up to the secretary of defense to determine whether to restructure the program or terminate it following the review. The latter choice would be wiser. Whatever strategic value nuclear ICBMs may have held in the past, in our current security environment, they serve as little more than a bottomless pit, deeper than the massive silos theyre housed in, into which the Pentagon throws taxpayers hard-earned money. Initial estimates placed the Pentagons investment in Sentinel at $95 billion, but recent updates have raised the total to over $125 billion. Each missiles Program Acquisition Unit Cost (PAUC) was initially set at $118 million, now projected at $162 million a 37% increase. Under 1980s Nunn-McCurdy Act, significant cost overruns in a major Pentagon acquisition program require the Office of the Secretary of Defense report the breach to Congress. A critical breach, when the PAUC projections exceed the original baseline estimate by at least 50%, or when they exceed the current baseline estimate by at least 25% (as in the case of the Sentinel), requires the secretary of defense to reassess the program and either terminate it or certify that the program is essential to national security, that new cost estimates are reasonable, that the program is higher priority than whatever programs will lose funding to cover the cost of the increase, and that the programs management structure can control future cost growth. The Sentinel is meant to replace the LGM-30G Minutemen III ICBMs, as part of a broader effort to revamp the U.S. nuclear arsenal. This arsenal forms a nuclear triad, including submarines, bombers and land-based ICBMs. Proponents of the Sentinel argue its necessary to maintain strategic deterrence essentially to convince other nuclear-armed nations that a nuclear attack against us would trigger a catastrophic retaliatory nuclear strike. The reality is that our nuclear-armed submarines alone are more than capable of fulfilling this deterrent role. The Navy currently ensures that at least 10 of its 14 Ohio-class nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarines are operational at any given moment. Its also currently in the process of buying 12 new Columbia-class nuclear-armed submarines to replace the Ohio-class fleet. Each Ohio-class submarine is equipped with 20 submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads. The Columbia-class subs will each carry 16 SLMBs. More importantly, these submarines represent the most secure leg of the nuclear triad theyre simply too stealthy for an adversary to reliably detect. Plus, an adversary would need to find and destroy quite a few of them in a short window of time to forestall a nuclear retaliation. Even if emerging technologies or unforeseen events jeopardize the submarine fleet, our nuclear-armed bombers remain as a backup. Another popular argument among ICBM boosters is that these missiles would serve as a sponge in a nuclear war, absorbing some of an adversarys nuclear missiles. This assumes that an adversary would need to target our ICBMs to prevent their use in a retaliatory strike. However, this line of reasoning, reminiscent of Dr. Strangelove, does not prioritize safety. The concept of absorbing a barrage of nuclear missiles overlooks the catastrophic impact this would have on communities in Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota and Wyoming, located near ICBM launch sites, and the potentially widespread radioactive contamination. The primary motive seems to be justifying the expenditure of billions on missiles unnecessary for deterrence. Furthermore, the development of hypersonic missile technology could render U.S. ICBMs vulnerable to non-nuclear attacks by adversaries before the Sentinels service life ends. This would diminish their supposed value as a nuclear sponge and could create complex retaliation and escalation dynamics. The inertia of Cold War military doctrines that no longer make sense, if they ever did, and the outsized influence of the military industry in national security planning, are all that stand in the way of saving taxpayers billions of dollars and reducing the risk of a catastrophic nuclear exchange. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin should take the opportunity of the Sentinels Nunn-McCurdy breach to not only reevaluate the program, but the antiquated logic underpinning it. An honest assessment would determine that maintaining the ICBM force is no longer in the strategic interest of the United States. Failing this, Congress should intervene on the taxpayers behalf to defund the Sentinel and advance plans to decommission the current ICBM force. Gabe Murphy is a policy analyst at Taxpayers for Common Sense, a nonpartisan budget watchdog advocating for transparency and calling out wasteful spending. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a joint press conference with U.S. President Joe Biden after their meeting at the White House in Washington on Dec. 12, 2023. (Yuri Gripas, Abaca Press/TNS) Ukrainian military intelligence said Russian forces increasingly use Starlink terminals on the front line, a new twist in Kyivs uneasy relationship with Elon Musks internet service. Intercepted conversations between Russian troops in the occupied Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine indicate they had Starlink devices installed for internet access, the Ukrainian defense ministry intelligence directorate said Sunday on its website. This is starting to become systemic, the RBC-Ukraine news site quoted military intelligence spokesman Andriy Yusov as saying on Saturday about Russian forces use of Starlink. Talk about Russian troops using the satelite service bubbled up on Ukrainian social networks and media last week. Starlink Inc. isnt active in Russia, meaning the service will not work in that country, the company said Thursday on Musks X social media platform, formerly Twitter. Starlinks statement didnt specify whether the prohibition would also apply to the four large areas of eastern and southern Ukraine that Russia illegally annexed in 2022, where hundreds of thousands of Russian troops are believed to be deployed. In the past it has restricted the use of internet services in Russian-occupied territories. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier Sunday, citing Ukraines military intelligence, that Russian forces are using the satellite internet system in occupied Ukraine. Musk activated the Starlink satellite service in Ukraine during the early months of Russias full-scale invasion, responding to Kyivs plea. Soon, the devices became a vital part of the countrys infrastructure, providing internet services in areas of fighting and beyond. The increasing dependence of Ukraines military on Starlink became ever more apparent, raising the concerns of its creator. Last year, Musk admitted he had prevented Starlink from being used as part of a Ukrainian attack on a Russian naval base on the Crimean Peninsula, which was annexed by the Kremlin in 2014. His comments prompted an outcry in Kyiv and a U.S. Senate query. Musk said on the All-In Podcast that he would have extended Starlink for the Ukrainians in Crimea if U.S. President Joe Biden had directed him to do so, but no such directive came. He said Starlink had been turned off over Crimea originally because of U.S. sanctions on Russia. 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. President Biden and his top aides are closer to a breach with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu than at any time since the Gaza War began, no longer viewing him as a productive partner who can be influenced even in private, according to several people familiar with their internal discussions. The mounting frustration with Netanyahu has prompted some of Bidens aides to urge him to be more publicly critical of the prime minister over his countrys military operation in Gaza, according to six people familiar with the conversations, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. The president, a staunch supporter of Israel who has known Netanyahu for more than 40 years, has been largely reluctant to take his private frustrations public so far, according to the people. But he is slowly warming to the idea, they said, as Netanyahu continues to infuriate Biden officials with public humiliations and prompt rejections of basic U.S. demands. Netanyahu has angered U.S. officials on several occasions in just the past few days. He publicly denounced a hostage deal while Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in the region trying to broker an agreement. He announced the Israeli military would be moving into the southern Gaza city of Rafah, a move U.S. officials have publicly opposed, since Rafah is packed with about 1.4 million Palestinians living in squalid conditions who fled there under Israeli orders. Netanyahu also said Israel would not stop fighting in Gaza until it achieves total victory, even as U.S. officials increasingly believe his stated goal of destroying Hamas is elusive. For now, the White House has rejected calls to withhold military aid to Israel or impose conditions on it, saying that would only embolden Israels enemies. But some of Bidens aides argue that criticizing Netanyahu would allow him to distance himself from an unpopular leader and his scorched-earth policies while reiterating his long-standing support for Israel itself. Bidens private frustration with Netanyahu which has been building for months was on display Thursday when he said Israels military campaign in Gaza has been over the top, his sharpest rebuke yet. President Joe Biden meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in New York on Sept. 20, 2023. (Susan Walsh/AP) The president also spoke in far more detail about Palestinian suffering, as well as the time and energy he has expended trying to get the Israelis and Egyptians to allow more aid into the 25-mile enclave. A lot of innocent people are starving, Biden said. A lot of innocent people are in trouble and theyre dying. And its got to stop. A particular flash point is Israels plan to launch a military campaign in Rafah, the southernmost city in Gaza that borders Egypt and has swollen to more than four times its original size. Theyre already living in tents and not getting enough food and water and youre saying go somewhere else, said one outside adviser to the White House. Where? How are they supposed to get there? This article is based on interviews with 19 senior administration officials and outside advisers, many of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity to speak about private deliberations. White House aides say publicly that there has been no change in Bidens strategy or message. But many of his allies contend that even a sharp rhetorical shift will have little effect unless the United States starts imposing conditions on its support for Israel. So long as you are supporting Netanyahus military operation in Gaza without condition, it makes absolutely no difference how much you turn the dial in your comments, said Ben Rhodes, former president Barack Obamas deputy national security adviser. Fundamentally, you have to make a decision not to give Bibi a blank check of support. (Bibi is a common nickname for Netanyahu.) Israel launched its punishing military campaign in response to a brutal Hamas attack on Oct. 7, when militants rampaged through the Israel-Gaza border fence and murdered 1,200 people, many of them civilians, and took about 253 hostage. Since then, Israeli airstrikes and raids have killed more than 28,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, and displaced more than 80 percent of Gazas 2.3 million residents, as a siege of the enclave has created a humanitarian catastrophe. The White House has taken modest steps in recent days to signal its growing frustration. Biden issued a national security memorandum aimed at ensuring that countries receiving U.S. weaponry abide by certain guidelines, including not obstructing humanitarian assistance. Biden also issued an executive order earlier this month sanctioning four West Bank settlers for violence against Palestinians, a move Netanyahu griped about during a private meeting with Blinken last week, officials said. And on Thursday, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said an Israeli operation in Rafah would be a disaster for those people, and we would not support it the most forceful the White House has been in opposing an Israeli military operation. Some of the presidents aides have argued Biden can still support Israel while denouncing Netanyahu. But Biden, who aides say has a visceral attachment to the Jewish state, has tended to view the prime minister and the state of Israel as one and the same, according to several people familiar with his thinking, and has struggled with the idea of criticizing a sitting prime minister, particularly during a time of war. When he was vice president, Biden believed Obama and Netanyahu had too many public disagreements, according to two former Obama officials. Yet Bidens patience is wearing thin over how Israel has conducted its military campaign and he is also paying a growing political price for his embrace of Israel, even as Netanyahu appears eager to score his own political points by publicly snubbing Biden. As Biden heads into a hard-fought reelection campaign, polls shows that young voters, people of color, Muslims and Arab Americans strongly disapprove of his handling of the war. U.S. officials for months have pressed the Israelis to allow more humanitarian aid including food, water and medicine into Gaza but have faced repeated resistance from Netanyahu and his government. Israeli protesters have also been blocking aid trucks from getting in through the countrys Kerem Shalom border crossing with Gaza. A senior administration official who speaks with the president regularly said Bidens unusually sharp comments Thursday reflected what he has long been saying in private. I dont think anybody can look at what the Israelis have done in Gaza and not say its over the top, the official said. This gets to the frustration with the Israelis. Have they done the work on what comes next in Gaza? No. They havent grappled with the really hard questions. Biden cares deeply about getting more humanitarian aid into Gaza, the official said, adding that it is constantly on his mind and he is frustrated by the obstacles Israel is putting up. Everything is a daily struggle, the official said. Adding to U.S. officials frustration is their deep skepticism about Israels ability to achieve its stated goal of total military victory. In a closed-door briefing last week, U.S. intelligence officials told lawmakers that while Israel had degraded Hamass military capabilities, it is not close to exterminating the group more than 100 days into its campaign, said officials familiar with the briefing, which was first reported by the New York Times. U.S. leaders are skeptical of Netanyahus claim that he has destroyed two-thirds of Hamass fighting regiments, and they warn that the high levels of civilian casualties are ensuring that a radicalized population will live adjacent to Israel for decades to come. In the immediate future, U.S. officials are almost entirely focused on securing a deal that would see the release of many of the remaining 130 Israeli hostages in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and a long-term pause in the fighting. White House officials said a temporary cease-fire would allow them to surge desperately needed humanitarian aid into Gaza. They also hope it would provide space to begin grappling with the most difficult questions ahead, including who will govern Gaza, how to pave the way for a Palestinian state and how to reform the Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the West Bank. White House officials have increasingly concluded that Netanyahu is focused on his own political survival to the exclusion of any other goal, and is eager to position himself as standing up to Bidens push for a two-state solution. During a news conference last month, Netanyahu publicly rebuked Biden over his support for a Palestinian state, saying an Israeli prime minister needs to be capable of saying no to our friends. Netanyahu is playing to his politics at home, and if he thinks it helps him to trash Biden publicly, hell do it, said Frank Lowenstein, a former State Department official who helped lead Israeli-Palestinian negotiations in 2014. One of the biggest reasons Biden has not been quicker to criticize Netanyahu, aides say, is his decades-long relationship with the prime minister. Biden often says he tells Netanyahu, I love you, Bibi, even if I cant stand you. Netanyahu has at times helped reinforce Bidens view of Israel as a heroic bulwark against global antisemitism. During one visit when Biden was vice president, Netanyahu showed him photos of grossly antisemitic depictions that came from Hamas and argued such incitement was the reason he could not make peace with the Palestinians, according to a person familiar with the interaction, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe a private exchange. As Bidens frustration grows, he has spoken less frequently with the Israeli leader. Their last conversation, in mid-January, was largely focused on the potential hostage deal, according to a senior administration official familiar with the conversation. Biden pressed Netanyahu to put down an offer on paper and test Hamas, the official said. The president then spoke to Egyptian President Abdel Fatah El-Sisi and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, urging them to pressure Hamas so the two sides could get closer to an agreement. Against that backdrop, the president and his aides were livid when Netanyahu publicly rejected the latest hostage proposal from Hamas last week just hours after Blinken, who was in Israel for the fifth time since the war began, said it held promise. Surrender to the ludicrous demands of Hamas which weve just heard wont lead to the liberation of the hostages, and it will only invite another massacre, Netanyahu said. Hours later, Blinken offered his most pointed criticism to date of the high civilian death toll in Gaza, Israeli restrictions on aid and inflammatory rhetoric from Netanyahu and his ministers that he said causes profound concerns in the United States. The daily toll that its military operations continue to take on innocent civilians remains too high, Blinken told reporters at a news conference in Tel Aviv on Wednesday. Israelis were dehumanized in the most horrific way on October 7. The hostages have been dehumanized every day since. But that cannot be a license to dehumanize others. U.S. Central Command forces, alongside U.K. Armed Forces, launched strikes against 36 Houthi targets at 13 locations in Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist-controlled areas of Yemen on Feb. 3, 2024. (U.S. Central Command) KARBALA, Iraq U.S. officials say recent airstrikes in Syria and Iraq have dealt a withering blow to a dangerous adversary: Iran. Theyve punished Irans notorious Quds Force and allied militias for lethal attacks on U.S. troops, they say, and sent a potent message of deterrence. But in Iraq, the strikes have provoked a very different reaction and placed its government, a key regional partner to the United States, in a predicament. Many here have seen in them the latest U.S. assault on Iraqs independence, a threat to fragile stability and a willful disdain of a complex reality: While many of the countrys mainly Shiite militias are supported by rival Iran, theyre also deeply intertwined with Iraqs society, politics and government. After a U.S. strike last week in the middle of Baghdad killed a Kataib Hezbollah militia leader, a spokesman for Iraqs prime minister lashed out, saying U.S. forces jeopardize civil peace, violate Iraqi sovereignty, and disregard the safety and lives of our citizens. There was more anger at a funeral Wednesday in the holy city of Karbala for 17 other slain militiamen, attended by local politicians, religious leaders and members of the countrys military, where relatives emphasized the militiamens service to Iraq. Mohammed Qadim Abed Hamza held a portrait of his 60-year-old father, Kadhim Abed al-Hamza, killed in the U.S. strikes. The United States, he said, wants to weaken Iraqi militias formed to defeat the Islamic State extremist group nearly a decade ago. His father joined up at the beginning of that fight, at the urging of Iraqs highest Shiite religious leader. So did Mohammed, now 29, and three of his brothers. Pressure is building on Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to confront the United States and to accelerate negotiations aimed at winding down the U.S. military presence in Iraq. For the Biden administration, Iraqs reaction illustrates the challenges of sustaining a security partnership with Baghdad while containing the rapidly spreading fallout from ally Israels war in Gaza and fending off attacks from groups aligned with the Iraqi government. Attacks on U.S. installations in Iraq and elsewhere began to surge in October, as Iranian-backed groups said they would retaliate for Israels offensive in Gaza. In Iraq, the attacks disturbed a rare period of calm that had held since the fall of 2022, when Sudani took office. On Jan. 28, three U.S. soldiers were killed in an attack on a base in Jordan near the Syrian border. Five days later, on Feb. 2, the Biden administration struck targets in Syria and in the western Iraqi towns of al-Qaim and Akashat. For a time, there was hope that the escalation could be contained. The United States had chosen not to strike Iran directly. And Kataib Hezbollah, one of the Iranian-backed militant groups, pledged on Jan. 30 to suspend its attacks on American troops to avoid embarrassment to the Iraqi government. But then came the U.S. drone strike in Baghdad last week that killed Abu Baqir al-Saedi, a senior Kataib Hezbollah commander. Two days later, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, the umbrella group that includes Kataib Hezbollah, announced it would resume attacks on U.S. targets. The Americans do blame Iran, and they talk about Iran, said Farhad Alaaldin, a foreign affairs adviser to Sudani. Yet they carry out attacks in Iraq. Iraq regards America as a strategic partner and not an enemy, he said. We are afraid that pushing Iraq to the verge is the wrong strategy. While the groups the United States has targeted are backed by Iran, they also belong to the Popular Mobilization Forces, an Iraqi umbrella group for militias that drew thousands of volunteers to fight the Islamic State. The groups were formally incorporated into the government in 2016. PMF members receive salaries, pensions, weapons and other benefits and answer to Iraqs prime minister. Saedi illustrated the overlapping roles. As a leader in Kataib Hezbollah, an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps-linked group formed after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, he headed Syria operations for the militia and was responsible for directly planning and participating in attacks on U.S. troops, according to U.S. Central Command. But in Iraq, Saedi was also basically a government employee, said Hussein Mounes, a member of the parliament here and the head of Huquq, a political party associated with Kataib Hezbollah. He had a badge identifying him as a member of the PMF and even a government car, Mounes said. His wife, his kids, all are Iraqis going to Iraqi schools, he said. The problem with the United States is, they consider whoever is defending the country as an Iranian. U.S. officials do at times struggle with the distinctions. After Saedi was killed, the Pentagons press secretary pushed back against the notion that the U.S. military had targeted a figure with an official Iraqi government role. As we conduct these strikes, we are very focused on Iranian-backed proxy groups and not PMF, Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters. Asked to clarify, he added: as I understand it, the folks that were striking are not part of the PMF. The drone strike on Tower 22 in Jordan caused the first deaths of U.S. service members in Iraq or Syria since 2020. U.S. officials say their response targeted two groups: Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, which they say are responsible for attacks on U.S. facilities since Oct. 7. But the leader of another group targeted in the U.S. strikes, the Tafuf Brigade, which also belongs to the PMF, said men under his command had not participated in attacks against the United States. The leader, Qassim Muslih, told The Washington Post that Washington had made a mistake in striking his group in Akashat. I believe there is inaccurate information by the CIA and the U.S. military intelligence, he said, speaking as the last guests left the funerals in Karbala. The dead, he said, included nurses who worked in a medical unit, a chef, a baker and security guards. Renad Mansour, a senior research fellow at Chatham House who has studied Iraqs militias, said the Tafuf Brigade, while a military force, was not known to be on the front line of attacks against the United States. A senior U.S. defense official, asked about the U.S. strikes on Akashat, said the area was affiliated with Iranian-backed groups that had taken part in attacks against U.S. facilities. Its a legitimate target, the official said. U.S. officials say Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has less control over militias in Iraq than it did under former chief Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. airstrike in early 2020. They now believe the IRGC can set parameters for the militias, but under Soleimanis replacement, Ismail Qaani, they operate more autonomously. Iraq was still living with the consequences of the Trump administrations decision to kill Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a founder of Kataib Hezbollah and deputy leader of the PMF, Mansour said. Their deaths gave rise to a resistance dynamic in Iraq, with militias increasingly deploying violence for domestic political bargaining or to press for the exit of the United States. To the militias, he added, there is a logic to this violence, which fell short of declaring war. But the United States didnt see it that way. If there were unspoken ground rules, he said, the killing of the three Army reservists, all members of a Georgia-based unit, breached them. Mounes, the member of parliament, called the dynamic a deterrence equation but said Iraqs resistance factions felt their demands had not been met and the equation had outlived its usefulness. We are talking about war and weapons, he said. Not a romantic relationship. Sudani, the prime minister, has been left to cope with the fallout, including U.S. strikes in his nations capital and intensifying demands that American troops withdraw. There are some complexities in Iraqi society, which we understand, the senior U.S. defense official said. We understand that Prime Minister Sudani, who we consider a partner, has to navigate those complexities, the official continued. But that doesnt really change that obligation for the Iraqi government to prevent violence against U.S. personnel there. We have been obsessing over a divorce between the Iraqi security structure and these militias for a decade, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), said in an interview last week. My sense is that the Iraqi government has just been willfully reliant on the militias despite our repeated offers to help them become independent. Iraqi analysts and officials said there is little chance Sudani would confront the militias, given his weak position but also his governments emphasis on providing Iraqis with stability and economic development. Some of the most powerful militias are also keen to avoid a clash that would threaten their growing political and economic clout. The Iraqi government just wants this to be over with, Mansour said. Before the latest escalations, he said, Sudani was poised to achieve something quite important: to choreograph this American withdrawal an outcome that also interested the Biden administration, he added. Formal negotiations over the withdrawal of U.S-led coalition troops started in January. The Biden administration has not said what specific outcomes it would like to see from those talks, but Washington is likely to push for a continued military presence of some kind. The challenge since the beginning of the Gaza war is that the administration cannot be seen to be withdrawing and retreating at a moment of weakness. This is all planned out, he said. They want a beautifully choreographed scene, where they shake hands. Bastei Lubbe (ETR:BST) Third Quarter 2024 Results Key Financial Results Revenue: 33.5m (up 15% from 3Q 2023). Net income: 5.64m (up 128% from 3Q 2023). Profit margin: 17% (up from 8.5% in 3Q 2023). The increase in margin was driven by higher revenue. EPS: 0.43 (up from 0.19 in 3Q 2023). All figures shown in the chart above are for the trailing 12 month (TTM) period Bastei Lubbe Earnings Insights Looking ahead, revenue is forecast to grow 2.0% p.a. on average during the next 3 years, compared to a 4.1% growth forecast for the Media industry in Germany. Performance of the German Media industry. The company's share price is broadly unchanged from a week ago. Risk Analysis What about risks? Every company has them, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for Bastei Lubbe (of which 1 is a bit concerning!) you should know about. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) walks back to his office from the Senate floor on Feb. 1, 2024. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post) As Republican senators gathered privately in one of many contentious meetings about their Ukraine-for-border deal last month, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) stood up and pointed his finger at the conferences leader. You just want Ukraine funding, Cruz angrily said, according to a senator in the room. Thats what this is about for you. Thats why you negotiated a bad border deal because you dont really care. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) defended the bipartisan border deal as the toughest reform package Democrats would ever sign off on in the meeting. But just two weeks later, McConnell joined almost every other Republican in voting to block the plan he helped craft bending to the political reality shaped by former president Donald Trumps opposition to the package that could have significantly ameliorated one of President Bidens top political weaknesses. The moment was a political blow for McConnell and revealed his shaky hold on a conference that increasingly takes its cues from Trump whom McConnell has not spoken to since two weeks before the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. It also reflected the massive amounts of political capital the 81-year-old McConnell has spent over the past year pursuing a priority that once would be Republican orthodoxy aiding a European ally fending off a Russian invasion. On Thursday, McConnell and 16 members of his conference voted to move forward on a national security package, which would send $60 billion to Ukraine and $14 billion to Israel, stripped of the controversial border restructuring. The legislation appears on track to pass this week, though its fate in the GOP-controlled House is still uncertain. It was a moment McConnell had been working toward for six months, as he found himself out of step with a conference that continually resisted his efforts to fund Ukraine and constantly shifting the goal posts of what would get them there. First they wanted to do it and then they didnt want to do it and then theyre not sure, McConnell said in an interview with The Washington Post on Friday, referring to many Republican senators ever-shifting positions on the border deal. In the end, they couldnt seem to make a law, he conceded. Sometimes that happens. Many Republican senators are less philosophical about the episode, with a handful of them even calling for McConnell to step aside. Weeks of bruising and vituperative meetings where lawmakers have yelled at each other about the divisive politics of helping Ukraine have taken a toll on morale. And the episode underscored the difficulty McConnell faces leading Republicans while having no relationship with their likely presidential nominee, who swiftly killed the plan they had worked toward. Look, I felt it was important and I spent an enormous [amount of] time talking about this trying to convince supporters to support it, McConnell said. On this one, Im motivated more by whats the right thing for America and Im willing to take the heat. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) leave a news conference on Capitol Hill in December 2023. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post) Battle to fund Ukraine McConnell, who is the longest-serving leader in Senate history, describes himself as a longtime observer and foe of Russia and prides himself on being involved in efforts to expand the NATO alliance to protect former Soviet Union countries from any expansionist aspirations on the part of Vladimir Putin. But he also realizes that many Republican base voters and lawmakers do not see the world the same way he does. An America First view of the world spearheaded by Trump has overtaken the Ronald Reagan Peace through Strength mantra that McConnell believes in. Clearly there is more objection to foreign involvement in the Senate now than there used to be, McConnell said. Usually we just had Rand Paul and Mike Lee and now I think its a bigger group. And in their defense they just see it differently. They dont think America being involved around the world is a good idea. And so I respect their judgment, I just dont agree with it. McConnell blames former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who recently published a lengthy interview with Putin, for stoking the anti-Ukraine movement in the United States. He developed a following who in our party have become pretty vocal, McConnell said of Carlson. So you got two choices when that occurs: You can either give into it or stand up and say why thats a mistake. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) cited Carlsons interview in a tweet blaming DC warmongers instead of Putin for prolonging the war. That determination to fight against GOP skepticism on Ukraine led him to pursue an issue that deeply divided his conference, which is unusual for a man whos often accused of being more focused on winning elections and the Senate majority than on policy. My experience with Mitch McConnell is he picks his battles, said retired senator Patrick J. Toomey, a McConnell ally when he was in the chamber. He feels very strongly hed be doing everything he can to support Ukraine under any political circumstances because he feels that strongly about it. A vacuum had also opened up in the chamber with the 2018 death of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the loudest pro-NATO and hawkish voice among Republicans. McConnell was first at odds with his conference on the matter in September. He tried to rally Republicans around passing a temporary funding bill to keep the government open that would include $6 billion in Ukraine funding, a move that would put the Republican-led House weary of Ukraine aid in a bind. Senators preferred waiting to pass the version of the bill sent over by the House, which did not contain the aid. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), his deputy and an aspirant for his job whenever McConnell steps aside, and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who maintains close ties with Trump, told McConnell that the conference would not back repeated funding allotments for Ukraine. (In short order, the White House, House and Senate were all on the same page: Drop the Ukraine funding to keep the government open.) McConnell walked out of that internal conference meeting where the decision was made, alone, and announced Senate Republicans intentions. Im confident the Senate will pass further urgent assistance to Ukraine later this year, McConnell said in a floor speech then. As the White House prepared its ask for $60 billion in Ukraine aid in October, McConnell was clear with the Biden administration, including in a meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken: It must include border funding. The next day, Biden released a $106 billion supplemental request for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan that also included $14 billion for border security. But the conference had already started to shift underneath McConnell yet again. It wasnt just money for the border, it was changes to border policy Republicans now demanded to accept Ukraine aid. Newly elected House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) an unknown quantity trying to meet the demands of his unruly conference told Senate Republicans that he supported aid to Ukraine but it must be paired with a House-passed aggressive border security bill known as H.R. 2 or something similar. In a meeting with his leadership team the day before Halloween, McConnell was told by his top deputies that he didnt have the votes to pass Ukraine aid, according to several people familiar with the meeting who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss it. A growing number of senators are aligned with the more Trump-aligned House and not McConnell. And the base of the party was so fired up about the border, his leadership team insisted, they wouldnt be able to find enough Republican senators to pass a Ukraine package without also producing something that could address the border crisis. Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) talks to reporters following a vote on the national security package Feb. 7, 2024, in Washington. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post) McConnell, who had already started to discuss the need for the package to do more on the border, had no choice. He didnt have the votes. He acquiesced and decided that Ukraine aid would need to be paired with tough border restructuring. He tapped Graham and Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), a conservative ordained minister who had just won reelection, to lead the border negotiations effort that also included Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.). Hes read the room, one senator said at the time. Theres a crowded graveyard of failed immigration restructuring efforts in the Senate dating back three decades now, and some of McConnells critics have said that agreeing to pursue this plan led them into a political trap, with Democrats claiming the mantle of border security after Republican support for the plan predictably collapsed. And some who knew McConnells political instincts doubted that he didnt realize from the beginning that Republicans would have to reject a border deal in an election year. But because his conference demanded it, McConnell moved forward anyway. Our members insisted on it, McConnell said. And frankly its pretty hard to argue it wasnt an important problem and the administration in the supplemental actually asked for [border] funds. And the only issue was, could we all figure out together because its a Democratic president and a Democratic Senate [how] to get it done? he added. And it in the end proved impossible. Border deal disaster Border deal negotiations appeared on the brink of collapse in December, when Biden invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Washington in an attempt to shame Republicans into mustering the political will to fund the war. At this low point, the White House finally became intimately involved in the talks and negotiations took on a new life. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who was steeped in the challenges at the border as he faced record-breaking crossings, came to the table with a host of novel ideas to retool the asylum process. Lankford, Sinema, Murphy and top staffers for Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, McConnell all doubled down. Grahams staff also joined the talks around then. But as the complicated negotiations on arguably one of the most difficult issues in American politics dragged on and the calendar turned from 2023 to an election year where presidential primaries were underway, a hostile political environment became more difficult to overcome. Lankford, with McConnells staff at the table, kept trying to meet the demands of their party while negotiating with Democrats, who showed a surprising willingness to crack down on the border. Lankford insisted the bill give the president the authority to close the border to migrants because he believed it could help win over speaker Johnson. They delayed the release of the bill text to get buy-in from Graham by further rolling back the presidents ability to let in migrants through a parole program by applying it to the northern border too. But even as they bent over backward to meet the GOP conferences stringent demands, Trump and right-wing media figures pulled the rug out from under them. On Jan. 17, Trump posted on his social media site that senators should not strike a border deal unless it was PERFECT. The next week, Fox News began inaccurately characterizing the plan as allowing more illegal immigration than under current law and Trumps attacks grew more pointed. The fracas led to some senators attacking each other in contentious meeting after contentious meeting over the past few weeks. The vitriol was so bad in one recent meeting that Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) implored her colleagues to stop vilifying each other, according to one person present. McConnell was often a silent presence in the room. Some senators wondered whether he was even able to closely follow the back-and-forth given his poor hearing. McConnell called them robust discussions in the understatement of the year. For some of our members I think President Trump indicating hed rather we not pass something had some influence, he said. But he disagreed with the notion that he could have helped prevent that conflict if he had a relationship with Trump, saying it was clear the former president had strong feelings about the matter. Soon after the group released the text of the bill, Johnson declared it dead and Republican senators began defecting en masse. Lankford, Sinema and Murphy, who had given up months of their lives to produce the bill endorsed by the conservative Border Patrol Council, excoriated those who had defected from the bill simply because Trump opposed it. Murphy said there is nobody in charge of the Republican conference, and Democrats openly asked who would trust McConnell to be on the other side of a deal in the future. It also emboldened a group of about a dozen critics on the right flank of the conference, whose critiques grew louder and more pointed. I think that its definitely very chaotic in the sense that its not totally clear whos calling the shots in the Republican conference right now, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) said. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) accused him of not talking to his members and leading the conference into a disaster. Hes so focused on Zelenskyy, Hawley said. Hes got bigger problems than Zelenskyy. McConnell has brushed off the criticism, saying hes always had a group of about 10 critics who had their chance to get rid of him in 2022 when he defeated Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) for leader. I dont expect to have no critics, he said. Im pretty good at taking a punch. McConnells allies point out that the senators who are the most angry at McConnell are also the ones who most loudly demanded a border component be attached to Ukraine funding in the first place. Mitch McConnell can only lead the people that want to be led, said Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.). And its possible that McConnell who has not said if he would run for leader again and who has battled health problems over the last year is thinking of his legacy and the history books in this particular conflict. Hes pointed out that much of the Ukraine military support funds were actually spent in the United States to replenish military stockpiles after the administration transferred older weaponry and materials to Ukraine an effort to chip away at America First skepticism of the effort. I think his legacy one way or the other is he put his prestige and his time and his effort and his floor speeches to work toward the benefit of Ukraine, said former senator Rob Portman of Ohio, who believes Congress will eventually provide more funding for its ally. I think his legacy would be that he fought hard. McConnell, fresh off the recruiting victory of helping convince popular former GOP governor Larry Hogan to run for Senate in Maryland on Friday, said he does not think the episode will harm Republicans chances of taking back the Senate majority, naming his top targets as West Virginia, Ohio, Montana and Pennsylvania. And though McConnell has dedicated countless floor speeches to arguing his view of the world that Iran, Russia and China must be countered by American strength he says he does not mind that the new crop of Republicans running to be in the Senate will all likely oppose the Ukraine funding bill on the trail. Look, weve got a conference from Lisa Murkowski to Ron Johnson, he said, contrasting the moderate Alaskan with the firebrand who just won reelection in Wisconsin. The most important number is 51. Ive never tried to broker what kind of Republican. What I always am interested in is: Can they win? (Facebook/Liberty Brew Coffee) (Tribune News Service) A free coffee event for veterans event at a downtown Myrtle Beach restaurant was shut down by the city of Myrtle Beach, and the organizers voiced displeasure with the city on social media. Dirty Myrtle Wing Company, a wing eatery that opened in 2023, was set to have a free coffee for veterans event in collaboration with the Conway, S.C.-based Liberty Brew Coffee on Feb. 6, 2024. Liberty Brew Coffee is a veteran-focused coffee company that brews different flavors for different United States armed forces branches. Liberty Brew Coffee Founder David Steadman said about 20-30 people attended the two-hour event before a City of Myrtle Beach Code Enforcement Officer arrived and told them to cease operations because they lacked a business license. The code enforcement officer shut us down (and) said we couldnt even if it was free coffee because we were not licensed or didnt have a permit, Steadman added. Itd be different. I was actually charging for coffee thats a whole different story because we all know that. So for them to shut us down because of giving away free coffee is kind of bizarre in my mind. Steadman said the enforcement officer then directed him to file for a Myrtle Beach business license, and the citys office helped him with the process. (The city employee) was super nice, super helpful, Steadman added. Steadman says he filed for a permit and was charged $349.50, which included a nine-dollar fine for operating without a license in Myrtle Beach. Liberty Brew Coffee and Dirty Myrtle Wing Company took to social media about what happened. Dirty Myrtle Wing Company did not return a request for comment before publication. City of Myrtle Beach Director for Public Information Mark Kruea said that the lack of business and mobile vendor licenses was why code enforcement stopped the event and that all businesses operating within city limits need permits. The issue was not with Dirty Myrtle (Wing Company). The issue was with the vendor, Kruea said in an interview with The Sun News. Everything is copacetic. There is no issue. It was a pleasant conversation, from what I understand. So there is no issue. (Liberty Brew Coffee) understand they need a business license. They understand they need a mobile food truck permit. He added requiring business licenses was also a fairness issue. The city of Myrtle Beach has a very competitive business environment here, and all of the other 10,000 businesses have licenses, he added. If my business is required to have a license, so should your business be required to have a license. Despite the delay, Steadman said Liberty Brew Coffee will hold more free coffee events for veterans. Steadman added the next one is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024 again at Dirty Myrtle Wing Company. Im a Marine Corps veteran. Its a veteran-based business, that again, we have a space that is comfortable for them to come in, relax, enjoy themselves, have coffee, He added. Sometimes thats what vets need; they just need somewhere to gather as one. (c)2024 The Sun News (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) Visit The Sun News Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Elmer and Marcy Morris at the University of Mary Washington in Fredricksburg, Va., in 2016. (University of Mary Washington Alumni/Facebook) Of all the things Elmer and Marcy Morris are grateful for and the list is long, given their many decades on earth and their contributions to the community what they appreciate most is the fact that theyre still here. Together. Hell turn 100 Monday , on Feb. 12, 2024, a World War II veteran who survived an attack at sea by not one, but two, Japanese kamikazes who crashed their planes into the American destroyer, the USS Braine. Shell be 95 in September, a South Carolina beauty who directed backyard musicals and taught young students the piano and retains the amazing ability to recite birthdays, anniversaries and graduation dates for her brood that has grown to five generations. This summer, theyll celebrate 74 years of marriage while so many couples theyve known have died, or only one partner remains. That point was obvious as she looked over their black-and-white wedding photos from 1950, showing 17 fresh-faced young people, ready to leave their mark on the world. Theyre all gone now, she said, except for the bride, groom and best man. Even the ringbearer and junior bridesmaid have died. Thats why Marcy Morris thinks its particularly miraculous that she and her husband whom she nicknamed Juney are still living in the same home in King George County, still greeting the newest generation of Morrises. I think one of our real blessings is to have lived long enough to see this new crop of babies, she said, referring to six new births of great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren between last summer and this spring. To that, her husband nodded his head and simply added: That is very good. Their story is one for the ages but seems especially appropriate the week of Valentines Day. A lot of pain Elmer Rudolph Morris Jr. was born at home, in the Edgehill community of King George, then moved a few miles west to the courthouse area at age 3. Hes spent the rest of his life, about 100 yards from where he grew up, except for his time in the service and college. He was taking classes at the College of William & Mary in December 1941 when Pearl Harbor was bombed. He immediately enlisted, went through Navy boot camp and a years training in a Navy hospital before eventually boarding the destroyer USS Braine. On a Sunday morning in late May 1945, the destroyer was patrolling the coast off Okinawa when it was hit by a kamikaze attack. Pharmacists Mate 2nd Class Morris, the only medical person not killed or seriously hurt, went running with tourniquets and morphine toward the injured. People were burned and blown up so that it was hard to know whether you knew them or not, he said in a 2005 report in The Free LanceStar. There were a lot of people in a lot of pain. A second plane hit the other end of the ship, as fireballs exploded and sailors died at their posts. The attacks killed 67 and wounded 87 members of the ships 300-man crew. Elmer Morris suffered a gash to the arm and received a Purple Heart for the injury. Decades later, his curious granddaughter, Natalie, looked up the ship, and asked her Pop Pop why hed never mentioned earning another prestigious medal for his actions. He said he didnt know he had. Her inquiry triggered a campaign of letter-writing and advocacy to get Morris the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation, with a combat V for valor. The ships commander had nominated those onboard for the award in 1945, but somehow or another, it fell through the cracks, Morris said when he got the long-overdue medal. He and his wife credit Terry Moore and Bill Snyder, then-captains with the Navy base at Dahlgren, with going above and beyond to make sure the World War II veteran was recognized. When he received the award, he said he was more scared that night, standing in front of family and military officials, than hed been during the attack. He said the same thing about his fear factor when he worked up the nerve to introduce himself to a certain college student, Marceline Weatherly, many years earlier. Generous gifts Elmer Morris was ready to get on with his life after the war and use the GI Bill to get a business degree, but no spots were available at William & Mary. The governor encouraged veterans to take classes at the University of Mary Washington, then known as Mary Washington College and a school for women. Morris was among about 35 males who enrolled at the same place his mother had earned a teaching degree in 1918. During his second semester, he noticed Marcy Weatherly, a dancer, drum major and member of the May Court. He nervously walked up behind her one night at the C-Shoppe, where students gathered for music and dancing, according to a 2013 story about them in the University of Mary Washington Magazine. He tapped her on the shoulder and asked if shed go with him to a Valentines dance for veterans. All these years later, he doesnt know how he found the nerve to do it, but is glad he did. He tells me almost every day that was the best tap he ever made, Marcy Morris said, her eyes shining. The Morrises dated through the rest of college and married two months after graduation. Her parents insisted that her maiden name be on the diploma just as decades later, Elmer Morris insisted that a donation to their alma mater be made in the name of her parents, William Rupert and Lavon Gardner Weatherly. That surname will now live on at the University of Mary Washington, with a significant gift from the Morrises to name the Weatherly Wing in the newly renovated Seacobeck Hall, stated the announcement on the UMW website. The Morrises attended the November 2022 dedication of the wings 150-seat multipurpose auditorium, used for lectures, recitals and other special events. UMW President Troy Paino praised them for their support of UMW, which has educated five generations of their family. Paino also heralded other donations from the couple: the Marceline Weatherly Morris Musical Theatre Scholarship and funding for the renovation of the Morris Stage at Heslep Amphitheatre, where she was crowned May Queen in her senior year. Your generous gifts help our students learn, grow and pursue their interests and passions, just as the two of you did while you were here at Mary Washington, he said. Love each other dearly Elmer Morris mother called him Junior, and Marcy Morris just couldnt do the same. She wasnt too fond of the names Elmer or Rudolph either, so she shortened Junior to Juney. After the war and college, Juney Morris prospered in his hometown. He opened Morris Chevrolet, next to the current Opp Shop on State Route 3 in King George, and ran it for 47 years. He also dabbled in real estate and investments, and the couple owned more than 30 rental homes and businesses. They retain a trust company to manage them. Juney Morris served 20 years on the King George School Board and was a founding member of King George Union Bank. Marcy Morris directed church choirs, formed the Backyard Players theater group and helped found the Womans Club of King George. Their life together has been a role model for a loving relationship, said Ann Revercomb whose husband, Hal, is a retired Circuit Court judge. Theyre a very sweet couple, and they always seem to cherish their relationship. The Revercomb and Morris families go way back, but these two couples are from different generations. The Revercombs are closer in age to the children of Juney and Marcy Morris, but theyve enjoyed spending time together, Ann Revercomb said. Shes heard about ways the Morrises supported each other in their different activities. When Marcy was busy directing youth musicals, Juney was the grill master, feeding and serving the actors and their families after the shows. And when the foursome talk about times past, Marcy regularly asks her husband the name of so-and-so. Sometimes it make take him a few seconds, but he comes up with it, Ann Revercomb said. As the years have passed and their age has caught up with them, the Morrises have changed some of their rituals. Hes no longer able to bring her coffee in bed. They both get up slower and head to the dining room for breakfast where he pours the water now, she said. They used to dine by candlelight every night. Marcy Morris doesnt always have the energy to cook, so their daughter and granddaughter, Ellen and Kelly Lewis, who live on either side of them, bring dinner about five nights a week. Likewise, Jan Clarke, the assistant vice president of gift planning at UMW, regularly delivers groceries or other items from Fredericksburg stores when he visits. Clarke has known the couple for years but said our connections grew stronger as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of lingering health issues, the Morrises have avoided shopping, and being around large groups of people, for the better part of four years. She jokes that its a good thing theyre such good friends or they might never have stood the confinement. But whenever Clarkes been there, the Morrises are holding hands, just as they did long ago at the Mary Washington campus or when they returned for special events. They are just sweet people and love each other dearly, he said. (c)2024 The Free Lance-Star (Fredericksburg, Va.) Visit at www.fredericksburg.com/flshome Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A 63-year-old partially deaf woman awoke to find Graham standing at her bedroom entrance A Co Antrim man was ordered to stand trial accused of stealing jewellery from a vulnerable neighbour. Appearing at Ballymena Magistrates Court by videolink from prison, 26-year-old Kurt Graham confirmed that he was aware of the three charges against him and that he did not object to his case being returned to the Crown Court. Graham, with an address at Holland Park in Ballymena but previously at an address at Main Street in Ahoghill, is charged with the aggravated burglary of a neighbouring flat on Main Street where he was armed with a knife and stole jewellery worth at least 1,000. He is also charged with fraud by false representation and possessing a bladed article, namely a knife, on Mill Street in Ballymena. None of the facts of the case were opened, but when Graham was initially charged last July, a Detective Constable outlined how the complainant, a 63-year-old partially deaf woman, reported to police that on July 24 she awoke to find Graham standing at her bedroom entrance and he showed her a black coloured handgun. Ballymena Magistrates Court (Liam McBurney/PA) According to the alleged victim, Graham asked her for a lift to Adairs Jewellers in Ballymena and she did so, but on the way back, she spotted jewellery she owned falling out of a tobacco pouch the defendant had. She challenged him about the jewellery, said the officer, adding that when she went back to the jewellers, she was able to identify some items which belonged to her. Those items were seized by the police. The alleged victim also found a knife lying in her car which was also handed to police, said the Detective Constable, adding that the complainant is 63 and has been left extremely frightened, upset and tearful by this incident. In court, Grahams defence lawyer conceded there was a case for the alleged thief to answer. Graham himself declined to comment on the charges or to call evidence on his own behalf. Remanding Graham back into custody and returning the case to Antrim Crown Court for trial, District Judge Nigel Broderick granted legal aid and scheduled the arraignment to be heard on March 7. Passing sentence, Judge Patricia Ryan said this was a very difficult and sad case. A man who robbed a Dublin coffee shop while holding a broken glass bottle has been sentenced to four years in prison, with a year and a half suspended. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Glen Conroy (35) of North Fredrick Street, Dublin 1, pleaded guilty to one count of robbery at the Triangle Coffee Shop, Donabate, Co Dublin, on June 25 last. He has 67 previous convictions, including five for robbery. Passing sentence, Judge Patricia Ryan said this was a very difficult and sad case. Judge Ryan said an aggravating factor was that a broken glass bottle was held by the defendant during the robbery. She noted the effects the robbery had on the injured parties and that money was demanded and taken. The judge said the mitigating factors included Conroys early guilty plea, his admissions, and his cooperation with gardai. She said the court heard and was familiar with Conroys family background and his childhood. Judge Ryan said the court has to mark the seriousness of this offence while also adopting best practices. She outlined that the maximum sentence available was life. She set a headline sentence of six years. Judge Ryan said this was a mid-range offence and sentenced Conroy to four years in prison, suspending the final eighteen months for three years. She further placed Conroy under the supervision of the probation services for two years. She backdated this sentence from when he went into custody on this matter. She noted that Conroy committed this offence on June 23, 2023, and that his mother died from cancer weeks earlier on June 10. Garda Aishling Moore told Maddie Grant, BL, prosecuting, that she was on duty in a patrol car on the day in question. She said she responded to a call which said a robbery had just taken place. Gardai arrived at the Triangle Coffee Shop in Donabate shortly after 2 pm, where they met two coffee shop workers. The workers, who were aged eighteen and nineteen at the time of the offence, were the only people in the shop when Conroy entered the shop holding a broken glass bottle. Conroy went behind the counter and demanded money and ordered that it be placed in a shopping bag. Gda Moore said one of the workers put money in the bag, and then Conroy grabbed the money and eventually grabbed the till tray. He left the shop shortly afterwards. The workers gave a description of Conroys build and his clothing to gardai. Approximately 300 was taken by Conroy. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. CCTV footage from the coffee shop and a nearby takeaway were obtained, and Conroy was identified. Fingerprints from the till tray were also taken, which were later matched to Conroy. The court heard that Conroy was arrested on July 27, 2023. During his interview, he made full admissions and cooperated fully with gardai. None of the money taken by Conroy was recovered. Neither of the coffee shop workers wanted to make victim impact statements. Gda Moore agreed with Aidan McCarthy BL, defending, that his client stated during interview that he carried out the robbery out of fear and was ordered to do it, but refused to say who had pressurised him. The garda agreed with counsel that Conroy was living in a homeless hostel at the time and was on drugs. Mr McCarthy said his client comes from a large, fractured family. He said his twin brother died in England last year in close time proximity to his mothers death. He also lost two half-siblings to suicide and an overdose. Counsel said his client was taken into care with his brother at the age of two and remained in the care of the state until he entered St Patricks Institute at the age of fourteen. He said Conroy and his twin brother were born addicted to drugs as their mother had been a drug addict. He said his client has a diagnosis of bi-polar and had drug addictions in the past. He asked the court to be as lenient as possible and to take into consideration that Conroy was institutionalised from the age of 2 and incarcerated from the age of 14. Encrochat details show Dublin Port has been inundated with South American cocaine shipments, which the Irish crew referred to as little bulls Officers seize huge amounts of cocaine from a container from the boxship MSC Gayane Morris OShea Salazar went to school in Killorglin, Co Kerry The worlds most dangerous drug cartel has been trafficking huge shipments of cocaine into Dublin Port under the direction of Kerry men, secret police files have revealed. Confidential intelligence files from Spanish police obtained exclusively by the Sunday World show the inner workings of the European branch of the Sinaloa cartel during the pandemic. The documents show how the trafficking network was controlled by an Irish-Mexican citizen, called Morris OShea Salazar. The 33-year-old managed to rise to the top of the Sinaloa Cartel despite being raised in Killorglin. Joaquin Guzman Loera aka El Chapo Guzman The Sunday World investigation can reveal how gardai are aware of the huge scale of the cocaine operation and how drugs were smuggled into Ireland through Dublin port. They also show how: OShea Salazar lived a life of luxury in Barcelona with his glamorous girlfriend as he directed the multi-million euro drugs mob. One of his lieutenants is a criminal (40s) whose father was a well-known political figure in Co Kerry. Police forces believe the Sinaloa-Irish crews operation was as lucrative as the Kinahans. The crew, who answered directly to infamous Mexican narco Joaquin El Chapo Guzmans son, conspired to smuggle up to 6,000kg of the drug into Europe in just one year. Averaging 80 per gram at street level, that amounts to a potential 480million. Officers seize huge amounts of cocaine from a container from the boxship MSC Gayane But despite the international scale of the cocaine ring, the Sinaloa cell had deep ties to a small corner of Ireland and used home-grown criminals to smuggle the drug into Dublin. It is understood the gardai are aware of the scale and reach of the gangs trafficking operation and its reach into Ireland. Intelligence documents from Spain detail how Morris OShea Salazar (33), a joint Irish-Mexican citizen, was in charge of the cocaine trafficking ring for the group. Although he was born in Mexico, OShea Salazar was raised in Killorglin, Co Kerry, where he went to school. OShea Salazar is currently wanted in Chile in connection to the trafficking ring with his mother and uncle both behind bars. Chilean officials have said he is an important member of the Sinaloa cartel. Morris OSheas uncle Ricardo He became a target for European police forces after a tip-off from the US Drug Enforcement agency. Today, the Sunday World can reveal for the first time how the huge scale of OShea Salazars operation was laid bare by Spanish cops and how Ireland was a key destination for his cocaine shipments. The cocaine was bought by the Sinaloa cartel in Bolivia before being brought across the border into Chile by OShea Salazars crew. Spains Anti-Drug Prosecutors Office write The Organised Crime and Anti-Drug Defence Team of the Guardia Civil submitted a report in relation to a criminal group engaged in the trafficking of large quantities of cocaine from South America to Spain, led by Morris OShea Salazar It is clear they intend to introduce into Europe through Spain a large quantity of narcotics, 6,000 kilos of cocaine. It was then smuggled into Europe before being distributed to Holland, the UK and Ireland. OShea Salazars operation in Chile was run by his own mother, Yolanda, and his uncle, Ricardo. The son of a Co Kerry political figure, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is also a key player in the gang and answered directly to OShea Salazar. The man, who is in his 40s, is known to gardai but now poses as a legitimate businessman. Morris OSheas mother Yolanda The secret files includes details of hacked encrypted messages and also show details of three suspected major shipments which landed in Dublin. They detail how a major cocaine shipment arrived in Dublin Port on June 16, 2020. While a separate shipment travelled on large container ship MSC Madhu from Port of Valpraiso, Chile. That shipment left on May 17, 2020 and arrived in Dublin the following month. A third container bound for Dublin left South America on May 9. It travelled through Antwerp on MSC Aino and arrived in Dublin on June 12, 2020. The Spanish police files are partly based on information gleaned from the now-famous Encrochat hack. Encrochat was an encrypted mobile phone service used by criminals which was hacked by European police forces leading to 6,558 arrests across the continent. The encrypted messages show how payments of 590,000 were made by intermediaries to OShea Salazar for single containers at bulk price. The Killorglin man forwarded images of the cash to his uncle, Ricardo in Chile, saying I have the money for Chapito. Ricardo Salazar and his sister, Yolanda OShea Salazar Morriss mother were last year sent to prison for 23 years in Iquique for organizing the drug shipments. Their trial heard how, on October 28 and December 9, 2020, Bolivian suppliers sent a total of 350 kilos of cocaine to Chile to OShea Salazars uncle Ricardo. The criminal court in Chile also heard how, during the first quarter of 2021, Ricardo and Yolanda coordinated the shipment of more than a ton of drugs to Europe. In March 2021, Yolanda and Ricardo were detained at an airport in Chile, while they were trying to board a flight to Mexico. Five phones, an electronic tablet and cash were seized from them. The MSC Chloe, MSC Bianca and MSC Elma, all large container ships, also arrived in various ports in Europe Antwerp, Valencia, Liverpool, Bilbao and Malaga during the summer of 2020 laden down with cocaine. At least three Irish truck drivers are revealed in the secret Encrochat files to have then driven containers into Ireland by land, for payments of 15,000 per trip. The cocaine was hidden in shipments of both wet and dry cargo; fruit and fish. After the cocaine was extracted on arrival, the gang would incinerate the leftover goods. Passenger planes flown by KLM, Iberia and Air France, were unwittingly also used to transport cocaine in smuggled loads of 50kg per trip from South American airports. Both the DEA, Spanish police and Chilean law officials have named former social welfare recipient Morris OShea Salazar as the head of the gang. He is accused of running logistics for the cartel based out of a luxury apartment in Barcelona. Further members of the Irish crew include a Liverpool-born 39-year-old and the Co Kerry political figures son, both allegedly in charge of finance and distribution. OShea Salazars Co Kerry sidekick is also alleged in the files to have been offering grenades and Magnum guns at a price of roughly 2,300 each to various buyers. The pair came under heavy surveillance by Spanish cops while visiting a variety of hotels in the Balearics. The Irish men were allegedly organising logistics and vehicle repairs at truck stops throughout Europe during the summer of 2020. Each member had their own unique Encrochat identity, including the three Irish truck drivers, who went by the names BB Owlbetty and Ironic Sugar. OShea called himself Sin City Gold. The Scouser went by Rough Diamond while his right-hand man from Kerry used Cu Chulainn. Other gang members include Dior 6, Purelove, Notorious cleaner and Milito. These gang members were based in places such as Pier 188 in Antwerp, Liverpool and Valencia, where a new port terminal has been opened. In the intercepted messages, the Irish Sinaloa crew said they owned this new facility at Valencia. Chilean officials have now issued an extradition warrant for OShea Salazar and have named him in court proceedings. The operation carried out by the Chilean prosecutors office is of a level rarely seen in coordination with Spain and the DEA, said journalist Jorge Molina. The Chilean investigative reporter collaborated with the Sunday World during this investigation and said the Sinaloa gang members involved are deluded. He has written a book on the matter called Chile Narcos and says the Killorglin kingpin is currently hiding out in The Land of Mariachi. Ricardo Salazar Tarriba was infiltrated before entering Chile. Chile Narco book His Irish nephew Morris OShea, the operational arm of the Sinaloa cartel in Spain, was located and even photographed with his personal network, including alongside accomplices from other nationalities. If the drug shipping operation had turned out fully as planned, it is likely they would have settled in Bolivia. Chile requested OSheas extradition from Mexico. The issue is whether they are going to find him. Mexico is a very large country with areas where drug traffickers control everything, he said. The secret files name a number of companies used to transport cocaine specifically into Ireland. The cartel used some large businesses in the green channel as their large volume of merchandise would facilitate the introduction of cocaine. Nestle was unknowingly used to introduce cocaine from the Port of Santos to Valencia, as containers of this company have been not been searched 20 years and are never reviewed because it is green channel. Green channel goods are classified as those that are released for export straight away once they are declared to meet the standard criteria. Morris OShea Salazar and his Liverpool-based sidekick discuss transporting drugs into Spain using the port terminal in Valencia, which they expected to have total control over. Prison sources confirmed the computer was taken from Dwyer in the Midlands Prison as he prepared for his murder appeal Murderer Graham Dwyers legal action against the Irish Prison Service and the State centres on the seizure of a prison-issue laptop amid concerns he used it to download pornography, the Sunday World can reveal. Prison sources confirmed the computer was taken from Dwyer in the Midlands Prison as he prepared for his murder appeal. However, no pornography was found. The laptop was handed to detectives in Dublin who had been involved in securing Dwyers conviction for the murder of childcare worker Elaine OHara. His plenary action is being brought against the Irish Prison Service, the minister for justice and the attorney general. The case includes claims for damages for alleged negligence, alleged breach of privacy rights and rights under the Data Protection Act and alleged breach of statutory duty. The High Court proceedings on behalf of Dwyer, who is in the ninth year of his life sentence, were initiated 10 days ago, but have still to come before the court. Dwyer is being represented by Dublin law firm Harringtons LLP, which specialises in personal injury litigation and criminal defence cases. Solicitor and partner David Harrington declined to comment on the specifics of the action. The prison service also declined to comment, saying: The Irish Prison Service does not comment on individual prisoner cases. A limited number of laptops are available to prisoners, mainly for those involved in studies. Some devices have limited access to the internet in order for documents to be downloaded as part of course work and to submit assignments. Prison sources acknowledged there have been instances of prisoners who have tried to access the internet for illicit purposes, such as accessing pornography by using an unauthorised mobile phone in tandem with the computer. Dwyers action comes while judgment is awaited from the Supreme Court on his appeal against his 2015 conviction by a unanimous jury verdict at the Central Criminal Court. A decision on the Cork architects appeal is expected by the end of the week. A source who is familiar with but unconnected to Dwyers case said it has been noted in legal circles that he has changed his legal representation. Criminal defence solicitor Phelim ONeill is the other partner at Harringtons LLP and specialises in murder cases. These include Stephen Silver, who murdered Garda Colm Horkan, and Sameer Sayed, who died by suicide shortly before his trial for killing his wife Seema Banu and their two young children. One source said legal gossip is that Dwyer has strategically changed his lawyers so that, should his Supreme Court appeal succeed, he will be in a position to be represented by Mr ONeill for his retrial. The solicitor declined to comment. Last month, the Supreme Court heard Dwyers latest appeal, which centred on the admission of call data records during his trial. Following his conviction, he set about challenging the legislation under which the data was seized. He secured rulings in his favour in the High Court, Supreme Court and Court of Justice for the European Union. While these bolstered his bid to overturn his conviction, they were not sufficient to convince the Court of Appeal to acquit him or order a retrial. The court said last year that, in its view, no miscarriage of justice had occurred arising from the admission of the very limited call data record evidence. Even if the court had concluded that the evidence should not have been admitted, it would still have dismissed the appeal. The Supreme Court subsequently agreed to hear a further appeal. Ms OHara disappeared in August 2012, and her remains were found in a forest at Killakee in the Dublin Mountains 13 months later. The DPPs case was that she was murdered by Dwyer for his sexual gratification. It relied in part on mobile phone evidence, including the context of text messages between three mobile phones attributed to Dwyer and two to Ms OHara, as well as call data records relating to the phones. One of the phones was Dwyers work mobile. Call data relating to it was relied on to attribute two other unregistered phones to him, thereby linking him to text messages he had exchanged with Ms OHara on the unregistered phones. The texts helped establish the nature of their relationship and the fact he wanted to kill her. The content of text messages also helped identify Dwyer as it reflected events in his life. The Court of Appeal found there was other evidence to link Dwyer to two unregistered phones, independent of the call data records, that was as powerful and perhaps more compelling. I pray for our children and the inner child insideof us all Brownings house in Co Meath has been seized The man described as the Kinahan cartels top man in Ireland is still using social media to project an image of a lifestyle guru. In his latest posts Ross Browning appears to be allowing his losses to the Criminal Assets Bureau wash right over him. Standing in a waterfall surrounded by moss and fern-covered rocks the bare-chested Browning states: I am grateful for the great water who provides me with the possibility of life and provides that for all of us sharing life on our beautiful Mother Earth. Ross Browning shared snaps online A key player in Irelands murderous international drug-trafficking organised crime gang, Browning pays tribute to how water supports life. I hope we can be conscious of how important the great water is to us all and to take more care of the great water, he spouted. Last year properties at Garristown in Co Meath where Browning lived with his family were deemed by the High Court to be the proceeds of crime. During the CAB case it was heard how Browning was the cartels number one man in Ireland and at the heart of an international crime gang involved in 1 billion worth of illegal activities. Brownings house in Co Meath has been seized His associates named in the case included Daniel Kinahan, Liam Byrne and Fat Freddy Thompson, who is serving life for a feud related murder. It also emerged that there was a seat for Ross Browning at Daniel Kinahans 2017 Burj al Arab wedding thanks to his senior rank in the Kinahan cartel. He would have rubbed shoulders with the members of the super-cartel that included Comorra boss Rafaelle Imperiale, the Balkan Escobar Edin Gacanin and Dutch Moroccan crime lord Ridouan Taghi. In another recent post featuring a photo of Browning on a beach looking at a low sun he cryptically states: In Ireland I stand where I will ground, grow and expand with this beautiful land. Ross Browning shared snaps online He pays tribute to his father and what he has suffered to support me in this journey finishing off the post with some verse. I pray for our children and the inner child inside of us all. This is my call to break down the wall between the small and the tall. And to build us a hall where together we mirror all. Another post sees Browning standing out-doors in the snow wearing a beanie hat and t-shirt while shaking his shoulders. The picture is accompanied by more comments including this verse: All along I was working on my inner wall, So that I wont fall, To be small, For anyone at all. Fitness fanatic Browning has long espoused the benefits of exercise and healthy eating and used his criminal cash to set up a fitness centre. When he was touting his lifestyle philosophy, his Living 1 gym at Cross Guns Bridge in Dublin didnt have a bank account and was staffed with relatives. He tried to disguise his drug money in Ireland through his family members who in return enjoyed his generosity when it came to cars, jewellery and foreign travel. Daniel Kinahan But Brownings attempt to hide the origins of the cash didnt stand up to scrutiny in the High Court, where he didnt contest the case against him. The Sunday World previously revealed how Browning has portrayed himself as an ordinary gym owner and kept an address at Hardwicke Street flats where he grew up. He followed a spiritual guru, Dr Robert OYoung, and followed a vegan lifestyle, and even took part in an RTEs Fittest Families show in 2016 which was cancelled. The seizure of Brownings properties is not the only successful CAB case against top-level members of the cartel, having won court orders to take over a mansion at Citywest used by mob boss Daniel Kinahan. Mary Casey was over the legal limit when she ran over her one-year-old great niece A drunk driver has been jailed after she reversed her car over a one-year-old baby in the UK last year. Mary Casey (34) drove up the wrong side of the road last July, overtook four cars waiting at traffic lights on Mill Road in Cambridge, then smashed into two parked cars. Casey had young relatives in the car, including her one-year-old great niece. An older woman was sitting in the front passenger seat with her one-year-old on her lap when the incident unfolded. Casey's own two children and another great niece were in the back of the car, Cambridgeshire Police said. After crashing, the passenger put her daughter on the pavement while trying to save the other kids. Casey then reversed the car over the toddler on the pavement. Casey's car after the rampage (UK Police) She drove off again the wrong way up the street and only stopped because the car was so badly damaged. The injured baby girl was taken to Addenbrookes Hospital having suffered serious injuries, including a bleed on the brain, fractured skull and fractured ribs. She miraculously survived after being given only hours to live. Casey was found to be over the legal limit for driving by cops. She was sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court to 20 months in prison for causing serious injury by dangerous driving. She pleaded guilty. The court heard that Casey's intoxication was an aggravating factor in the crash. She was also disqualified from driving for three years and 10 months, as well as having to take an extended re-test. PC Edd Davidson-Smith said: "This was a shocking incident where Casey has driven recklessly and has seriously injured one of her young relatives. "The outcome was very close to being a fatality and at one point, the little girl was given six hours to live and it is only thanks to extensive medical treatment, she is alive today. "I hope this sentence provides a warning to drivers out there who think it is acceptable to drive recklessly or once they have consumed alcohol. "Casey put so many people at risk during this episode of thoughtless driving, so I am glad she has been jailed." Steele was arrested when he was about to break into Unas house and was found in possession of several items, including duct tape, ropes and a dildo wrapped in a condom strapped to his body. James Steele admitted his crimes and will be out of prison in April A terrified woman says she is going to be a wreck when her crazed stalker is released from prison in a few weeks time. Evil James Steele is set to released in April after serving three years and nine months for stalking Una Ring. Steele was arrested when he was about to break into Unas house and was found in possession of several items, including duct tape, ropes and a dildo wrapped in a condom strapped to his body. Brave Una helped in the campaign to make stalking a criminal offence in this country since last November. Her nightmare began four years ago in her hometown of Youghal, Co Cork. James Steele admitted his crimes and will be out of prison in April She had just been promoted to office manager and Steele was known to her at the time. He called Una and told her there was going to be an open day the following day and hed meet up with her. I just thought Id show up and give him a hand, she says. We went to the conference room and there was nothing there but a table. There was nobody around. He put his arms around me very quickly. He had my arms pinned and he started trying to kiss me. I said stop. He said its only a kiss. I said about three or four times I dont want this and he kept saying you wont know unless you try. I managed to move my hands up and shove him back. I didnt want to anger him. I said youre a very nice man but Im just not interested in a relationship with anybody. I said look James, I really need to go. The next day Steele texted her and apologised. She told him she wanted to forget about it and not to contact her again. But that started off a bombardment of messages. I didnt reply to any of them until he said he was going to come to my house, Una remembers. I replied to that one and said dont come to my house, dont contact me again. Steele painted on Unas window Several days later she got her first physical warning. My daughter came in and said your tyres are pink. I thought of him straight away. It was the first thing that came into my mind, Una says. Less than a week later there was xs and os painted on the window. I win was painted on the window sill. Una then got a menacing note under her windscreen wiper, with two condoms in an envelope. It read: Hello neighbour. I hope you are feeling horny. Its time we meet and have some fun. Ive left two condoms in your wallet. I will bring more as we need them. Can you leave your back door open so I can quietly call upstairs. I am watching you. Steele's sick note for her Una says: After the first letter I decided then I would go to the guards. She was advised by gardai to get cameras on her house and to let them know of further developments. A second letter then arrived with a threat to rape Una and her daughter. It was a major escalation, she says. You feel so out of your depth. Una started wiping down her banister every night so if Steele broke in and killed her he might leave fingerprints. That theyd have a better chance of getting evidence. I was preparing for my murder, she admits. Gardai monitoring her house on the evening of July 27, 2020 arrested Steele on the driveway next door to Unas home. He had a lot of stuff on him. He had latex gloves on him. He had a lockpicking device. He had a crowbar, duct tape, he had a rope. He had a dildo strapped to him with a condom on it. I believe he would have killed me, she says. Steele caught on CCTV In February 2021, Steele pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal damage, harassment, possession of articles with intent to commit a robbery and an intended robbery with the intention to commit rape. Una, who opens up about her ordeal alongside two other victims of stalking, Eve McDowell and Jarlath Rice, in the Virgin Media programme Stalked, says the ordeal has left a lasting effect on her. She is now sadly counting down the days to his release in April. I will be a wreck when he comes out, she says.I know he will be under strict supervision. He will on five years probation once hes released. It will be strict probation. He will be monitored very, very closely. But five years will pass and that probation period will be over. If you enjoy getting your caffeine fix daily, you probably have heated opinions about who makes the best cup of joe. Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) has been the king of coffee shops for decades at this point, but newcomer Dutch Bros (NYSE: BROS) is gaining in popularity as it sweeps across the country. They're both beloved brands, but which one is the better stock pick today? Let's see how they stack up against each other. High growth for Dutch Bros, but comps go to Starbucks Starbucks operates more than 38,000 stores as of the end of the 2024 fiscal first quarter (ended Dec. 31). It's a coffee shop juggernaut with no equal anywhere in the world, and it's fast encroaching on McDonald's lead as the largest restaurant chain in the world (McDonald's has over 40,000 locations). Dutch Bros, on the other hand, has only 831 stores as of the end of 2023, and in some ways this isn't even a contest. However, investing is all about the future, in which case Dutch Bros' small size could be an advantage, because it has the potential to grow that much bigger. In terms of revenue growth, there's no comparison. SBUX Revenue (TTM) Chart As Dutch Bros opens new stores at a fast pace of more than 150 stores annually, it's adding high incremental growth to its low total of $913 million over the trailing 12 months versus $37 billion for Starbucks. However, as compelling as that looks, it's not that simple. Starbucks has been reporting much better comparable sales growth than Dutch Bros in the most recent quarters despite its much bigger size. Company Q4 2022 Q1 2023 Q2 2023 Q3 2023 Q4 2023 Starbucks 5% 11% 10% 8% 5% Dutch Bros (0.6%) (2%) 3.8% 4% N/A Data sources: Starbucks and Dutch Bros. Quarters shown are for the calendar year. Starbucks' brand gives it a real edge, even though its high-growth phase is over. Dutch Bros may have tons of opportunity, but it can't compete with Starbucks' brand at this point. It's planning to open more than 3,000 stores over the next few years, while Starbucks sees the opportunity to expand by over 10,000 stores globally. Those won't add the same amount of growth in percentages, but they will add much more revenue. Story continues Risk, growth, opportunity, and value The case for Starbucks centers around this brand piece. Not only does it have the name, but it also has the scope and scale to get stores up and running quickly. It has years of experience and an existing network that it can leverage to expand profitably. It also has pricing power. Because it's a global company, it's less susceptible to geographic problems. For instance, when China was under lockdown last year, its other regions performed well. In the most recent quarter, it was able to overcome geopolitical headwinds to report competitive growth and increasing profits. The case for Dutch Bros is all about potential. It's very popular in its current markets, and it's reaching higher profitability as it expands, with a rising contribution margin and two consecutive quarters of positive net income. Which stock is the better buy? I think it's clear at this point that the answer to this question will largely depend on what kind of investor you are or what kind of stock you're looking to buy at the moment. Starbucks has a strong advantage in its unmatched brand value and scale, as well as a reliable expansion pipeline and profit picture. It also pays a growing dividend that yields 2.5% at the current price. It's an excellent value pick. If you have an appetite for risk, Dutch Bros may offer the opportunity for higher growth. There are many reasons to be confident about its prospects, but there are still unknowns. The better buy is the one that suits your needs today. Should you invest $1,000 in Starbucks right now? Before you buy stock in Starbucks, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now and Starbucks wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Stock Advisor provides investors with an easy-to-follow blueprint for success, including guidance on building a portfolio, regular updates from analysts, and two new stock picks each month. The Stock Advisor service has more than tripled the return of S&P 500 since 2002*. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of February 5, 2024 Jennifer Saibil has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Starbucks. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Best Stock to Buy Right Now: Starbucks vs. Dutch Bros was originally published by The Motley Fool Jon Jonsson disappeared from Whitehall without a trace at around 11am on February 9, 2019. The family of an Icelandic man who vanished from a Dublin hotel five years ago are hoping to get some answers following a renewed garda appeal. Jon Jonsson disappeared from Whitehall without a trace at around 11am on February 9, 2019, with a room key card from the Bonnington Hotel formerly known as the Regency Hotel in his possession. His family this week shared an update on the search after gardai renewed their appeal for the publics assistance. They wrote: Five years of feeling like we were speaking to a brick wall and with little to no support from authorities (Icelandic or Irish) has taken a toll on all of us on top of grieving Jon rostur. This has been a long and rocky road and we still haven't reached the destination. Two of Jon's siblings are now in Dublin with the goal of reestablishing a line of communication to the Gardai and trying to get some answers. They have also met with a missing person's organisation in Ireland who provided very valuable insight and advise. We thank everyone who has in some way provided support to the case throughout the years, whether offering on-the-ground support when we've been in Dublin, helping to spread the word, or simply by writing words of encouragement on this page. We really appreciate your kindness towards our family. Jon Jonsson (41) was last seen in Whitehall, Dublin after a poker game on Saturday, 9 February 2019, at 11am. He is described as being 6 ft tall and of medium build with short brown hair. When last seen, he was wearing a black padded jacket. Renewing their appeal for information on Jons whereabouts, a garda spokesperson said: Jons family have continued their search for Jon over the last 5 years. The Garda investigation into the disappearance of Jon has also continued over the last 5 years. The investigation to date has created over 270 jobs/ lines of enquiries and numerous statements have been taken and hours of CCTV were reviewed. Despite ongoing investigations and enquiries, Jon has yet to be located. During the course of the investigation, the investigation team has received two items of anonymous correspondence, the contents of which have been assessed. The Garda investigation team are appealing to the author(s) of those correspondences to make direct contact with them. Any contact will be dealt with in the strictest confidence. Anyone who has any information on Jons disappearance or who can assist in locating him is asked to contact Ballymun Garda Station on 01 6664400, The Garda Confidential Telephone Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station. Concerns have long been expressed about how easy it is for children to bypass these age restrictions by claiming that they are older than they are when setting up an account. All social media companies must raise their account age limits to 16 to match the digital consent age, according to Fine Gael TD Ciaran Cannon. Deputy Cannon said social media platforms must act and be accountable to limit the risk of harmful content, cyberbullying and other dangerous activity while children are online. Oireachtas Media Committee member Deputy Cannon referenced the young age children are allowed to open their accounts currently. Ciaran Cannon TD (Photo by Gerry Mooney) The digital age of consent is the minimum age a user must be before a social media or internet company can collect, process and store their data. In Ireland it is 16, higher than the age a user must be to create a social media profile on platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram or TikTok. Teenagers between the age of 13 and 16 years old must have parental permission to sign-up to social media for the purpose of data collection. Instagram and Facebook requires users to be at least 13 years old before they can create an account - in some jurisdictions, this age limit may be higher. Ciaran Cannon TD Tiktok now have a feature to ensure every account belonging to a user below age 18 is automatically set to a 60-minute daily screen time limit. The company is moving to improve its screen time tool, introducing new default settings for teen accounts, and expanding parental controls. In the European Union, users must be at least 16 - or a greater age in some countries - to register for WhatsApp. Mr Cannon spoke about how simple it is for younger users to skip around current regulations. Concerns have long been expressed about how easy it is for children to bypass these age restrictions by claiming that they are older than they are when setting up an account. Alarmingly, data from CyberSafeKids reveals that 84pc of under 12s have their own social media or instant messaging account, despite these minimum age restrictions of 13 on the most popular apps. "And 93pc of eight to 12-year-olds also have their own smart device. Over a quarter of all the children surveyed had seen or experienced something online in the last year that bothered them such as sexual or violent content. Brianna Ghey It begs the question of these social media firms raising the account age limit to 16 completely, to match the age of digital consent here. We need to be able to discuss this issue and age verification methods with the social media firms, so I would ask them to come before the Oireachtas media committee so we can raise concerns around safety and risk to them, Deputy Cannon concluded. Meanwhile, the mother of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey has said the UKs Online Safety Act does not go far enough in protecting children and called for more drastic action against online harms. Esther Ghey is campaigning for under-16s to be blocked from accessing social media on smartphones and stronger parental controls to flag potentially harmful searches to parents, in the wake of the sentencing of her daughters killers. Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe were both 15 when they killed Brianna, 16, with a hunting knife after luring her to Linear Park, Culcheth, a village near Warrington, Cheshire, on February 11 last year. Jenkinson had previously watched videos of torture and murder online. More than 100 new classroom builds are in doubt in a cost-cutting exercise that's already forced the Secretary of Education to apologise, following the Minister's intervention. At Papamoa College, the new principal last year said he was "in heaven" and the ministry had been "superb" over its projects; but now its second gym and wharenui teaching block are on hold due to reprioritisation. The Education Ministry has confirmed to RNZ that it has paused major projects at 20 primary schools and colleges due to rising costs, changing roll growth forecasts or the reprioritisation of scarce funds. About 300 new classrooms for 6600 children were promised in last year's Budget. But now 63 rooms at nine Auckland schools, and 52 elsewhere, plus two whole teaching blocks, have been placed in limbo. Education Minister Erica Stanford blames the previous government and officials: "It has become clear to me that there is a pattern of raised expectations among schools, a failure to deliver on these expectations, teamed with inadequate communication between the ministry and schools," she told RNZ on Thursday. "I have spent the last three months since coming into office determining the size and scale of the problem that has been left to this government and working at pace to find a solution." 'The buildings are shot' At Invercargill's James Hargest College, 14 classrooms are now in doubt. Principal Mike Newell says it did not make sense to pause the six-years-long project when "ours is at the point of final design, right down to the light switches". "It has to get built - it's just a matter of when, because the buildings are shot," he says. "We've had ceilings collapse on children, we've got a special needs unit, some of our most vulnerable kids, has a wall of water come down when the rain goes a certain way." The pause initiated in September 2023, was "while we explore more cost-effective options or because the expected roll growth has not occurred or forecast growth has changed", ministry head of property Sam Fowler says. "A small number had also been paused while we determine their relative priority to other investments to make sure that we are responding to the highest and most immediate needs of our schools." At Kaipara College west of Auckland, roll forecast changes and rising costs have hit its long-awaited technology and arts centre. In an online post, the school told families: "We will continue to fight for what we have been promised. "Your voices have been heard in Wellington and we have received an apology from the Secretary of Education for the way the decision and the communication about it was handled by ministry staff." The minister had "reached out after hearing our collective disappointment", it said in an online post in December. Stanford says she stepped in to tell the Secretary of Education to apologise after hearing from the school and a briefing from officials. "It became apparent that the way the project had been managed and the way in which the school had been communicated with did not meet my expectations, nor the expectations of the ministry. The Secretary of Education subsequently sent a letter of apology to the school." The ministry declined to release a copy of the apology to RNZ. Kaipara College says it was in ongoing talks with officials and no decisions had yet been made. Stanford said straight after the Kaipara case, "I asked the ministry about the number of schools that may be in a similar situation". Schools 'unsure' of Education Ministry's priorities However, Mike Newell says no one seemed to know what the priorities were or been able to sit down with the new minister. "So that's really frustrating that we have a new education minister in there, and we're unsure of what the priorities are." The ministry has to tell Stanford by this Friday how it intends to make savings of 7.5 per cent of its budget. The ministry told RNZ that capital expenditure was not part of the 7.5 per cent baseline savings exercise. In Marlborough, cost overruns are the problem at a massive project to merge two colleges and an intermediate. It had failed in its year-long attempt to find savings to bring it under the $170 million forecast, officials said, in what was initially a $60m build. The frontage of Ashburton College has looked like a building site for a long time. That may drag on, as the third stage of its $60m redevelopment - a teaching block, staffroom and library - is on hold, capping years of doubts that have swirled around it. RNZ approached all these schools for comment. Phil Pennington/RNZ Bay of Plenty If you love working out doors and in a small team then we have the role for you. We are needing someone who has either maintenance... View or Apply on GoodWork.co.nz Daniel Olivares Granada Sunday, 11 February 2024, 08:47 Compartir Copiar enlace WhatsApp Facebook X LinkedIn Telegram The promotional slogan of Castillo de Lachar (Granada province) is "a treasure to be discovered". While the castle, which won a Travelers Choice award in 2022 and 2023 and is part of Spains historical heritage network (Red de Patrimonio Historico), is well known, it hides secrets behind its walls about some of Europes most well-known historical figures. The original tower was built in the fourteenth century and the building started as a farmhouse on the lands of the Nasrid royal family, although some theories date the first structure to the Visigoths in the early eighth century. It remained a watchtower until the Reconquista at the end of the 15th century when it fell into the hands of the Canaveral family and was extended over the years. In 1885 Julio Quesada-Canaveral and Piedrola of Lachar, Duke of San Pedro de Galatino and Grand Duke of Spain and Count of Benalua and Las Villas, ordered a palace to be built on the remains of the Islamic construction. Ideal It was built in the neo-Arabic style with tiles and other traditional Islamic art including 16th century carved doors, very much to the Duke's taste - as would be seen years later in the Alhambra Palace Hotel, another of his projects. Among the Duke's friends was Spains King Alfonso XII with whom he had been at school and then later his son Alfonso XIII also became a regular guest. In fact, it was he who granted the duke the title of San Pedro de Galatino and Grande de Espana. Other European royal guests that came with Alfonso XIII included Prince Arthur, first Duke of Connaught and Strathearn and seventh child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, who is believed to have brought with him Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the legendary creator of Sherlock Holmes. The Spanish painter Joaquin Sorolla also visited Lachar with King Alfonso XIII. The result of the visit was his painting 'Capilla de la finca de Lachar', which is now in the Sorolla Museum in Madrid. Sorolla's Capilla de la Finca de Lachar. Ideal With the death of the Duke of San Pedro de Galatino shortly before the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936, the castle was passed over to Spains now defunct Instituto Nacional de Colonizacion (national institute of colonisation) at the end of the war until 1971, when the institution sold it to a private owner, an American of English descent called Donald Leroy Brown, also known as Lord Marton. Later Brown transferred the property to Herm Jan Van Asselt, a Dutch man known in Lachar as 'Mister Harris', who was honorary consul of Guinea Bissau and the countrys flag flew at the castle for several years. He and his wife Eduina considered converting it into a hotel and made some more modifications to that end, although the plan never actually came to fruition. the castle was declared an asset of cultural interest (BIC) in 1985. In 2005, tired of people trying to visit the castle thinking it was open to the public, Eduina Van Asselt published a statement in which she appealed to people to stop calling because it is a private castle that is not open to the public". Her appeal was printed in Granadas Ideal newspaper. On 15 June 2016 the property was acquired by Lachar y Penuelas town hall and after a year of restoration work the castle was in very poor condition - it was opened to the public. Guided tours and visits can be booked via the castles website where further information about its history can also be found in Spanish and English: Castillo de Lachar Cristina Pinto SUR Sunday, 11 February 2024, 08:25 Compartir Copiar enlace WhatsApp Facebook X LinkedIn Telegram Photography enthusiasts will gather again for the fourteenth running of SUR's Maraton Fotografico Fernando Gonzalez photography competition on Saturday 17 February. A number of tests will be staged on the streets of Malaga city as photographers battle it out to take the best shot according to the competition's guidelines. The winning photo will win a flight for two to any destination with Turkish Airlines, one of the partners in the competition. Registration to keen snappers is now available for five euros, although subscribers to SUR can enjoy a discount of four euros by entering the code: GONZALEZ24. Once registered, and several days before the competition, organisers will send an email with information on the time and place of the start of the event, as well as instructions on how to upload the images, which must be submitted before 7pm on Tuesday 20 February. The name of this competition pays homage to Fernando Gonzalez (Fefe), SUR graphic editor and photographer, who died in 2018. The event is organised by SUR and sponsored by Metro Malaga with the collaboration of Avanza, Famadesa and Turkish Airlines. All the required information and rules of the competition can be found at this link. Jose Maria Camarero Madrid Sunday, 11 February 2024, 08:58 Compartir Copiar enlace WhatsApp Facebook X LinkedIn Telegram In the real estate market data for Spain in 2023 almost 60% of the operations formalised did not require any mortgage, according to the latest data from the country's general council of notaries (Consejo General del Notariado). The latest figures reveal that 42% of purchases in December required financing, compared to 58% that could be paid for in cash. This record month builds on a trend during 2023 when every month saw more cash purchases than financed ones. The explanation for this situation is due to the large number of buyers who have the money at their disposal to buy a property. The buyers are generally large international funds that are buying up entire buildings; investors with available wealth who find opportunity and profitability in the sector; as well as foreign citizens willing to invest in a Spanish home. This has put pressure on prices in such a way that, although fewer homes were sold in 2023 than the previous year, the cost of these has not fallen. In fact, the sale and purchase of homes in Spain fell by 11.2% last year compared to the previous year and the granting of new mortgage loans to buy a home fell by 21.3%. However, the average price per square metre increased by 1.5% year-on-year, to 1,640 euros on average. It had been almost a decade since the Spanish property market had recorded more cash sales than mortgages, at the beginning of the recovery after the financial crisis. From 2011 to 2014, with the economy in recession, the few homes that were sold were paid for without a mortgage, because most of the population had no access to credit. Then, from 2015 until this year, that percentage has been growing to the current 40/60 split. Zerio is using cloud technology to digitize and automate security compliance requirements required to move international freight shipments. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves) Borderlands is a weekly rundown of developments in the world of United States-Mexico cross-border trucking and trade. This week: Zerio focused on technologizing global supply chain security compliance; Port Houston welcomes new Latin America shipping container service; Tesla auto parts supplier expanding Texas logistics operation; and Korean EV parts maker opens factory in Mexico. Zerio focused on technologizing global supply chain security compliance Miguel Olivo, co-founder and CEO of Zerio, said the idea for the company came about when a relative who works for a trucking company had security compliance issues with a load they were moving between Mexico and Texas. He said they were having trouble finding paperwork for a container that was stopped at the border, Olivo told FreightWaves. He was like, You should really look into this because everybody that we know, down here in the Rio Grande Valley, they still use paperwork for everything. Founded in 2019, Zerio is a cloud-based compliance platform that enables manufacturers, importers, exporters and carriers to implement and manage international supply chain security programs. Miguel Olivo, co-founder and CEO of Zerio. Zerios software is designed to meet requirements for cross-border freight certifications such as Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) in the U.S., Partners in Protection (PIP) in Canada and the Authorized Economic Operator (OEA) program in Mexico. C-TPAT serves as sort of a TSA Pre-Check for freight moving across international borders. Carriers and shippers that receive that designation can move more quickly across international lines due to their classification under C-TPAT. PIP and OEA serve as similar designations for cross-border operators in Canada and Mexico. This is the first time I heard of the C-TPAT program. I started researching and spending some time with trucking companies in the valley, Olivo said. We talked to other friends that are in transportation on both the Mexican side and the American side of the border. Everybodys telling us C-TPAT is a big deal. Story continues Zerios platform enables real-time visibility by using an integrated set of tools built to streamline compliance, evidence collection, risk management and audits. Zerio recently received an investment from Matt Silver, the founder and former CEO of Forager. Silver recently launched Cargado, a new venture aimed at creating a seamless platform for U.S.-Mexico cross-border logistics. Olivo, who has been working in the tech industry since 1998, had recently spent time in Canada and Europe working on other projects. He said he realized that there were security compliance requirements that transporters needed in almost every country. It dawned on me that there were these programs that every country had, and because we spent time in Europe and Canada, we realized, Why dont we just build this sort of global system that manages compliance for these programs? Olivo said. Well start with the U.S. and Mexico, but this is a global problem. Every border, every country has these programs, so we spent months just really reading about what these programs were, how they started, all of this research before we actually built anything. Olivo said after talking with trucking companies, cross-border operators and manufacturers, they realized that international compliance is an enterprise level problem. This is when we started designing an enterprise-size solution for it, Olivo said. We realized this is a global opportunity. Zerios platform manages C-TPAT, PIP and OEA program requirements, controls and evidence in one place, aimed at reducing time to compliance. One of the questions that we asked our prospects is that you guys have been running your security compliance on pencil and paper for 20 years, right? The question is, how are you going to be running it for the next 20, the exact same way?, Olivo said. If digitizing security compliance is important to you, than Zerio is a company working on this solution. Port Houston welcomes new Latin America shipping container service Port Houston announced that Zim Integrated Shipping Services new line, Gulf Toucan, arrived at the Barbours Cut Container Terminal on Thursday. The new service is a line from the east coast of South America to the Gulf of Mexico and the U.S. It includes eight 2,800 twenty-foot equivalent unit vessels, according to a news release. Haifa, Israel-based ZIM (NYSE: ZIM) is a global container liner shipping company with operations in more than 90 countries serving approximately 34,000 customers in over 200 ports worldwide. ZIM was founded in 1945. We are excited to introduce a brand new Latin American service from the U.S. Gulf owned and operated exclusively by ZIM, Daniel Sutton, ZIMs senior vice president of Gulf Pacific, said in a statement. The ZGT Service continues our ongoing expanded Latin American network and will provide excellent transit times from Houston to the east coast of South America, while also providing service to our Central American, Caribbean and west coast South America customers. Tesla auto parts supplier expanding Texas logistics operation US Farathane recently leased more than 260,000 square feet at the GTX Logistics Park in Georgetown, Texas, according to the Austin Business Journal. The Detroit-based company designs and manufactures plastic injection-molded components for various industries such as automotive, electronics and the commercial trucking sector. US Farathane currently has a manufacturing facility in Austin, Texas, which opened in 2012. Company officials did not say when they would move into GTX Logistics Park, a 231-acre development that includes a 409,822-square-foot, cross-docked industrial building. Georgetown is located about 28 miles north of Austin. Connecticut-based Atlas Holdings acquired US Farathane in April. According to a news release about the acquisition, US Farathanes customers include Tesla, General Motors, Ford, Stellantis, Toyota, Honda and Rivian. Korean EV parts maker opens factory in Mexico LS e-Mobility Solutions has opened an automotive parts factory in Durango, Mexico, according to The Korea Times. The plant comes with a production capacity of five million EV relays and four million battery disconnect units annually. The company said the facility is aimed at being a strategic base for the supply of electric vehicle components for automakers in North America. Officials for TLS e-Mobility Solutions said they hope to achieve sales of $524.85 million at the facility by 2030. LS e-Mobility Solutions is based in Cheogju-si, South Korea. The companys customers include Volvo, General Motors, Renault and Stellantis. In addition to Mexico, the company has factories in China and South Korea. More articles by Noi Mahoney 329 layoffs hit freight-related firms in Texas Goodyear Tire ordered to pay $4M in back pay to Mexican workers FBI alleges Mexican cartel, Canadian truckers part of drug ring The post Borderlands: Zerio focused on technologizing global supply chain security compliance appeared first on FreightWaves. Current Print Subscribers will be prompted to either login to their current site user account or to create a new one. A confirmation email will be sent when a new user account is created, which must be confirmed within three days in order to provide uninterrupted online access through your Print Subscription. Once the email address is confirmed please provide your Account Number to activate your Print Subscription Service. LaFayette, N.Y. -- Deputies are trying to find a man from the town of LaFayette who left his home Thursday afternoon and hasnt returned. The man Victor Devon Scott, 24 was last seen by a family member between 12:30 p.m. and 1 p.m. Feb. 8, said Onondaga County Sheriffs Office spokesperson Deputy Doug Roser. Several hours later, around 6:17 p.m., deputies responded to U.S. Route 11 near Scammell Road in Lafayette for a report of a missing person, Roser said. Scott reportedly left on foot, Roser said. His cell phone is currently off and going directly to voicemail, he said. Roser said Scott was last seen wearing a dark green fleece pullover, black pants, black shoes and glasses. He is described as being a white man, 5 feet 6 inches tall and 200 pounds. He has brown hair, blue eyes and a short beard. On Saturday, deputies, state Forest Rangers and friends and family of Scott searched the area where he was last seen. Around 4:45 p.m., Onondaga County Sheriffs Air 1 helicopter responded to the area to help search, Roser said. Roser said Scotts friends and family, volunteers and the Onondaga County Wilderness Search and Rescue are meeting at the Lafayette Fire Department on Route 11 Sunday. They will continue the search for Scott, he said. Deputies ask anyone with information on Scotts whereabouts to contact the Onondaga County Sheriffs Office or call 911. Staff writer Darian Stevenson covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? You can reach her at dstevenson@syracuse.com Key Insights Using the 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity, Bumi Armada Berhad fair value estimate is RM0.46 With RM0.55 share price, Bumi Armada Berhad appears to be trading close to its estimated fair value Our fair value estimate is 29% lower than Bumi Armada Berhad's analyst price target of RM0.64 How far off is Bumi Armada Berhad (KLSE:ARMADA) from its intrinsic value? Using the most recent financial data, we'll take a look at whether the stock is fairly priced by estimating the company's future cash flows and discounting them to their present value. This will be done using the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. Models like these may appear beyond the comprehension of a lay person, but they're fairly easy to follow. Companies can be valued in a lot of ways, so we would point out that a DCF is not perfect for every situation. If you want to learn more about discounted cash flow, the rationale behind this calculation can be read in detail in the Simply Wall St analysis model. Check out our latest analysis for Bumi Armada Berhad The Model We are going to use a two-stage DCF model, which, as the name states, takes into account two stages of growth. The first stage is generally a higher growth period which levels off heading towards the terminal value, captured in the second 'steady growth' period. To start off with, we need to estimate the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, so we need to discount the sum of these future cash flows to arrive at a present value estimate: Story continues 10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 Levered FCF (MYR, Millions) RM640.0m RM492.1m RM414.5m RM373.1m RM351.0m RM340.2m RM336.4m RM337.4m RM341.7m RM348.4m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x1 Analyst x1 Est @ -15.77% Est @ -9.98% Est @ -5.92% Est @ -3.08% Est @ -1.10% Est @ 0.29% Est @ 1.27% Est @ 1.95% Present Value (MYR, Millions) Discounted @ 16% RM551 RM364 RM264 RM204 RM165 RM138 RM117 RM101 RM88.2 RM77.4 ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St) Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = RM2.1b After calculating the present value of future cash flows in the initial 10-year period, we need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all future cash flows beyond the first stage. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 3.5%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 16%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2033 (1 + g) (r g) = RM348m (1 + 3.5%) (16% 3.5%) = RM2.8b Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= RM2.8b ( 1 + 16%)10= RM631m The total value is the sum of cash flows for the next ten years plus the discounted terminal value, which results in the Total Equity Value, which in this case is RM2.7b. To get the intrinsic value per share, we divide this by the total number of shares outstanding. Relative to the current share price of RM0.5, the company appears around fair value at the time of writing. Valuations are imprecise instruments though, rather like a telescope - move a few degrees and end up in a different galaxy. Do keep this in mind. dcf The Assumptions We would point out that the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate and of course the actual cash flows. You don't have to agree with these inputs, I recommend redoing the calculations yourself and playing with them. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Bumi Armada Berhad as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 16%, which is based on a levered beta of 2.000. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business. SWOT Analysis for Bumi Armada Berhad Strength Debt is well covered by cash flow. Weakness Earnings growth over the past year underperformed the Energy Services industry. Interest payments on debt are not well covered. Opportunity Annual earnings are forecast to grow for the next 3 years. Good value based on P/E ratio compared to estimated Fair P/E ratio. Threat Annual earnings are forecast to grow slower than the Malaysian market. Next Steps: Although the valuation of a company is important, it is only one of many factors that you need to assess for a company. DCF models are not the be-all and end-all of investment valuation. Preferably you'd apply different cases and assumptions and see how they would impact the company's valuation. For instance, if the terminal value growth rate is adjusted slightly, it can dramatically alter the overall result. For Bumi Armada Berhad, there are three fundamental factors you should further research: Risks: You should be aware of the 1 warning sign for Bumi Armada Berhad we've uncovered before considering an investment in the company. Future Earnings: How does ARMADA's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other High Quality Alternatives: Do you like a good all-rounder? Explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing! PS. The Simply Wall St app conducts a discounted cash flow valuation for every stock on the KLSE every day. If you want to find the calculation for other stocks just search here. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Flasshhhh BHPian Join Date: Sep 2023 Location: Jodhpur Posts: 63 Thanked: 74 Times View My Garage Re: 2023 Kia Seltos Facelift Review Quote: abhi3284 Originally Posted by Ready for the Unveil. Attachment 2571804 ** Presenting my 'Hulk' Attachment 2571805 Had a good Delivery experience. They also arranged for some Fanfare along with Birthday Party Poppers. My daughter enjoyed it a lot. Went through the boring stuff of the SA explaining the different features of the Car, which is overwhelming for me at this point with so much tech. Need to spend a good amount of time reading the Manual and understanding what each thing does. They gifted us a Cadbury Celebrations and a Ceramic Mug Gift Pack from Kia. Due to the great experience i had right from enquiry till delivery, i gifted a Parker Pen to my SA, as a token of appreciation. Attachment 2571806 Got the 5 Ltr. Free Petrol Coupon and headed to the nearby Fuel Pump and got it filled till Auto Cut-off. For some reason due to moving from Ritz to Seltos, i was a bit nervous driving back Home and was driving slow and sedate. Had already spoken with nearby Tyre Shop and arranged for Conti UC6 Tyres for swap after Delivery. Got it done. Conti UC6 price: 12,500 /- JK UC Royale Buyback: 5500 /- Difference per Tyre: 7000 /- Total Cost for Tyre Swap: 28,250 /- including Balancing Weight charges. Attachment 2571807 Attachment 2571808 Planning to drop my Car for Ceramic Coating tomm. Am still undecided whether to go for 1, 2 or 3 Yr. Package which costs 11k, 18k and 28k respectively. Not sure yet if it is worth investing so much for a 3 Yr. Plan which requires taking extra special care to protect the coating. Will share updates as i make further progress. Finally, D Day I've been patiently waiting for.Ready for the Unveil.** Presenting my 'Hulk'Had a good Delivery experience. They also arranged for some Fanfare along with Birthday Party Poppers. My daughter enjoyed it a lot. Went through the boring stuff of the SA explaining the different features of the Car, which is overwhelming for me at this point with so much tech. Need to spend a good amount of time reading the Manual and understanding what each thing does.They gifted us a Cadbury Celebrations and a Ceramic Mug Gift Pack from Kia.Due to the great experience i had right from enquiry till delivery, i gifted a Parker Pen to my SA, as a token of appreciation.Got the 5 Ltr. Free Petrol Coupon and headed to the nearby Fuel Pump and got it filled till Auto Cut-off. For some reason due to moving from Ritz to Seltos, i was a bit nervous driving back Home and was driving slow and sedate.Had already spoken with nearby Tyre Shop and arranged for Conti UC6 Tyres for swap after Delivery. Got it done.Conti UC6 price: 12,500 /-JK UC Royale Buyback: 5500 /-Difference per Tyre: 7000 /-Total Cost for Tyre Swap: 28,250 /- including Balancing Weight charges.Planning to drop my Car for Ceramic Coating tomm. Am still undecided whether to go for 1, 2 or 3 Yr. Package which costs 11k, 18k and 28k respectively. Not sure yet if it is worth investing so much for a 3 Yr. Plan which requires taking extra special care to protect the coating.Will share updates as i make further progress. Many Congratulations! Your post reminded me of my memory as I too was tensed on my way back to home as I was used to drive Indigo Manza 2010 model. Regarding features of the car, I am a techy guy, so most of the features were memorized by me watching several videos. But seeing them in person was a whole lot different. But with time, things will settle down. My car will be 1 month old on 19th Feb, and although not drove extensively, now the features and driving is settled. But, the feeling of getting in and out and that new car smell is still there. One thing, as soon as you have your registration number, login on My Kia and Kia Connect app. They are good too have. Regarding ceramic. I was considering PPF but now will go ahead with ceramic after my 1 month service. PPF although scratch resistant has its disadvantages. But ceramic(although not scratch resistant) is good, as it will protect the paint and will make cleaning easier. All the best to you for all your future rides. Would love to hear your experience. Many Congratulations!Your post reminded me of my memory as I too was tensed on my way back to home as I was used to drive Indigo Manza 2010 model.Regarding features of the car, I am a techy guy, so most of the features were memorized by me watching several videos. But seeing them in person was a whole lot different.But with time, things will settle down. My car will be 1 month old on 19th Feb, and although not drove extensively, now the features and driving is settled. But, the feeling of getting in and out and that new car smell is still there.One thing, as soon as you have your registration number, login on My Kia and Kia Connect app. They are good too have.Regarding ceramic. I was considering PPF but now will go ahead with ceramic after my 1 month service. PPF although scratch resistant has its disadvantages. But ceramic(although not scratch resistant) is good, as it will protect the paint and will make cleaning easier.All the best to you for all your future rides. Would love to hear your experience. Engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have unveiled a groundbreaking invention that has the potential to transform how doctors monitor the health of our internal organs. The "ultrasound sticker" is a small but powerful device that sticks to the skin and provides real-time monitoring of vital organs such as the liver and kidneys. This innovative sticker, approximately the size of a postage stamp, represents a significant advancement in medical technology. The sticker, created by a team of brilliant minds at MIT led by Professor Xuanhe Zhao, uses ultrasound technology to peek inside our bodies without the need for invasive procedures (via Interesting Engineering). How Does It Work? So, how does it work? The sticker sends gentle sound waves through the skin, bouncing off internal organs and returning to the sticker. By analyzing the pattern of these reflected waves, the sticker can detect changes in the rigidity of our organs - a key indicator of various health conditions. Imagine having a tiny, wearable device that can continuously monitor the health of your organs for up to 48 hours straight. That's precisely what this ultrasound sticker offers. It is like having a personal health assistant right on your skin, keeping an eye on your liver, kidneys, and more, without discomfort or inconvenience. Read Also: Lethal Meningitis Outbreak: Study Finds Fungus Targeted Brainstem in Cosmetic Surgery Patients in Mexico A Closer Look This sticker is also incredibly sensitive and can detect even the slightest changes in organ stiffness. This means it can pick up early warning signs of diseases like liver failure or the growth of solid tumors, allowing doctors to intervene sooner and potentially save lives. "We imagine that, just after a liver or kidney transplant, we could adhere this sticker to a patient and observe how the rigidity of the organ changes over days," explains lead author Hsiao-Chuan Liu. "If there is any early diagnosis of acute liver failure, doctors can immediately take action instead of waiting until the condition becomes severe." This technology holds particular promise for patients undergoing organ transplants or those recovering in intensive care units (ICUs) after surgery. Traditionally, doctors have relied on handheld ultrasound probes to monitor organ health, but these methods have limitations, especially when it comes to rapidly changing conditions like acute liver failure. That's where the ultrasound sticker shines. Its continuous monitoring capabilities offer a level of insight and early detection that was previously unheard of. In fact, in experiments on rats with induced acute liver failure, the sticker detected changes in organ stiffness within just six hours - a remarkable feat that could revolutionize patient care. Looking ahead, the MIT team is already working on refining the sticker for clinical use. They envision a future where patients can wear these stickers at home, allowing for continuous monitoring of their health over longer periods. Stay posted here at Tech Times. Related Article: Flipper Zero: Canada Banning Device, Law Enforcement Considers it a Threat 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. In an effort to ease growing concerns among smartphone component suppliers, Xiaomi, the Chinese tech giant that controls 18% of India's smartphone market, has made an urgent appeal to the Indian government for manufacturing incentives. The request in a letter dated Feb. 6 emphasizes the importance of taking immediate action to alleviate industry concerns (via Reuters). India's Scrutiny of Chinese Tech Firms The backdrop to Xiaomi's plea is the escalating scrutiny faced by Chinese companies operating in India. Reuters tells us that this scrutiny intensified after a border clash between India and China in 2020, has created significant hurdles for businesses, particularly in the smartphone sector, where critical components often come from Chinese suppliers. Muralikrishnan B., President of Xiaomi India, highlighted the challenges faced by component suppliers, citing compliance issues, visa concerns, and unspecified operational obstacles. The letter underscores the necessity for confidence-building measures to encourage suppliers to establish local operations, bolstering India's manufacturing ecosystem. The regulatory environment in India has further strained relations between Chinese companies and the Indian government. Allegations of wrongdoing have been levied against prominent players like Xiaomi and Vivo, with accusations ranging from breaching visa rules to alleged financial misconduct. These allegations have led to the freezing of millions of dollars worth of assets belonging to the companies, signaling a turbulent period for Chinese investments in India. Read Also: Elon Musk: Tesla to Use NVIDIA, AMD AI Chips to Build New Dojo Supercomputer India's Aggressive Regulations Beyond smartphones, Chinese companies across various sectors, including technology and automotive, have encountered roadblocks in India. The government's ban on over 300 Chinese apps and the halting of projects by Chinese automakers exemplify the broader challenges Chinese investors face in the Indian market. In response to the tumultuous environment, Xiaomi has proposed reducing import tariffs on specific smartphone components, such as sub-components used in batteries, USB cables, and phone covers. The aim is to enhance India's manufacturing competitiveness by offsetting costs and incentivizing local production. Xiaomi's call for manufacturing incentives aligns with India's broader economic goals of bolstering domestic manufacturing and reducing reliance on imports. It comes at a crucial juncture when the Indian government is reassessing its approach towards Chinese investments, with indications that scrutiny could be eased if geopolitical tensions subside. While Xiaomi awaits a response from Indian authorities, the tech industry keenly observes developments that could shape the future landscape of foreign investment in India. The outcome of this plea could have far-reaching implications for Xiaomi, the broader Chinese tech ecosystem, and India's aspirations to become a global manufacturing hub. In Other News A court recently rejected TikTok's bid to halt the implementation of stringent new European Union (EU) regulations designating it as a market "gatekeeper" pending a final decision on the video-sharing app's legal challenge. Stay posted here at Tech Times. Related Article: OpenAI's Sam Altman Seeks Trillions to Reshape Semiconductor Industry, Boost AI Development 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Chinese peacekeepers returned in December after completing their United Nations-led mission in Mali, as the international organisation ended its 10-year peacekeeping mission at the request of the Malian military junta. Observers have said it is likely that China's future dealings with the troubled West African nation will be strictly non-military. The former French colony has been battling a jihadist insurgency in the north of the country since 2012. It has also been hit by two military coups since 2020. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. Now, with the exit of French troops in 2022 and UN peacekeepers at the end of last year, the Malian junta is endearing itself to China and Russia, with the latter contributing troops or mercenaries under the Wagner Group, now known as the Africa Corps. Meanwhile, China hosted a delegation in December which included Mali's ministers of finance, commerce and foreign affairs. During their visit, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi promised Beijing would deepen cooperation with the African nation in education, training, medical care and agriculture. Wang also said China would help implement more schemes such as the Mali Digital project and the African Solar Belt programme to "help promote the peace and development process in Mali". But although Malian junta leaders have approached China for both development assistance and help with conflict resolution, observers have said it is likely that Beijing will provide only non-military aid. "So far we are seeing Beijing reinforcing its diplomacy in Mali and expanding in various sectors," said Lina Benabdallah, an associate professor in the politics and international affairs department at Wake Forest University in the US. Story continues The pledge to bankroll Malian projects points to a key Chinese diplomatic approach to conflicts - preferring its long-standing policy of promoting economic development as a solution to most problems, and avoiding direct intervention in complex conflicts. "We see more development projects and people-to-people relations, and the Chinese embassy in Mali posted about several education-related projects conducted in rural areas," Benabdallah said. "I don't think we are seeing a massive change of Chinese diplomacy in Mali; if anything, it might be gradual." In her recent study published by the Stimson Centre, Benabdallah argued that China seeks to avoid diplomatic entanglements with Western powers while protecting its economic and security interests. "Focusing on non-military aspects such as development has the potential to create opportunities to add value," she wrote in the study. Her analysis showed the likelihood of Beijing being involved in mediation was high where Chinese commercial interests were high. This was the case in Darfur, Sudan, where China has oil and energy security interests. Chinese peacekeeping troops have returned to China from Mali after the official end of the UN mission. Photo: 81.cn alt=Chinese peacekeeping troops have returned to China from Mali after the official end of the UN mission. Photo: 81.cn> China's commercial interests in the Sahel countries - those south of the Sahara - have been limited. But it is making inroads into countries such as Niger, where Beijing has energy and mining interests. While trade and investments by Chinese enterprises are growing in Mali, energy investments and trade relations have yet to bloom in significant ways in Chad and Burkina Faso. Burkina Faso only normalised relations with Beijing a few years ago. David Shinn, a professor at George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs, said when it came to supporting mediation and dialogue in Africa, China talked a good game and did provide some financial support for other organisations, but its own efforts were strictly limited. Shinn said except for UN peacekeeping operations, China did not engage its own personnel in active warfare in Africa, as the United States and France were willing to do. Nor did China have any interest in participating in a military response that was either led by or had significant involvement of a Western government. "Consequently, I don't envisage China trying to replace France in Mali or anywhere else in the Sahel," Shinn said. However, he said this was a task that Russia's now Africa Corps was willing to do. "It will be interesting to see if China is publicly supportive of Russia's military intervention in Mali, the Central African Republic, Burkina Faso and possibly Niger." Benjamin Barton, an associate professor at the University of Nottingham's Malaysia campus, said the conflict in the Sahel region was not China's, in the sense that its involvement in the region had always been indirect or driven by economic interests. "China has not been militarily involved in the Sahel since the region's instability spiked after the collapse of the Muammar Gaddafi regime in 2011, unlike France, the European Union and the countries of the region themselves," Barton said. Barton said China neither had a strong anti-terror presence nor appeared to be involved in paramilitary activity. And while China did have military-to-military exchanges with countries in the region, he said its footprint could be considered secondary in relation to countries such as the United States and France. China is only ever going to have a diplomatic approach in seeking to help bring about a sustainable exit out of the conflict, Barton said, as Beijing was not willing to dispatch its military to foreign conflicts or get involved in a combat far from China. "[China's] involvement will likely mirror its diplomatic endeavours as seen in other hotspots revolving around promoting dialogue, raising the issue within relevant multilateral settings, outreach to both conflicting parties and offering economic sweeteners as drivers to fostering interaction among the warring parties." This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright 2024 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2024. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. They simply had nowhere to evolve: a Russian paleontologist on the progress of scientific ideas about dinosaurs A business manager suspected of having ordered the attack on an elected official from Saint-Denis Tigrane Seydoux, the Frenchman behind the fashionable Italians in Madrid in which you always have to visit the bathroom Energy transition: The experts say so, the Court of Auditors says so A man who was drunk on a train and threatened to hit a police officer has been detained by the railway police The Police open an investigation in Andorra after the Investigative Team's report on OnlyFans: "If they are minors, the better" The Spanish Society of Allergology predicts an intense Spring for those allergic to grass pollen in the center and southwest of the peninsula The "egg-beating" trend brings new opportunities to the traditional poker industry in small towns in Zhejiang Guangxi's 15 cultural tourism projects plan to attract investment in Guangdong with a total investment of more than 80.7 billion yuan International newspapers: Gaza is bringing Washington back to the region, and Netanyahu may lose his position Annoyed by a kissing couple: woman attacks the person sitting next to her on the train Defeat in the FA Cup: Klopp breaks off interview I have no nerves for you Defeat in the FA Cup: Klopp breaks off interview I have no nerves for you 9th day of the Grand Sumo Spring Tournament New entrant with only one winner Takafuji 9 consecutive wins IN PICTURES - Football: discover the new Blues jerseys for Euro 2024 and the Olympics For the fifth time in a row: Medvedev lost again to Alcaraz in the Masters final in Indian Wells Badminton Akane Yamaguchi "Shidamatsu" pair and others are guaranteed to participate in the Paris Olympics Rugby: here is the program of the French XV for the rest of 2024 The first batch of imported exhibits of the 135th Canton Fair entered the country smoothly Yen exchange rate: The yen depreciates to the low 149 yen level to the dollar, due to speculation regarding monetary policy. Daihatsu's name announced by the FTC: ``We were waiting, but we will set up a forum for discussions.'' La Unio denounces the second detection of Moroccan strawberries with hepatitis A in nine days Without unnecessary risks: the ruble has risen in price on the Moscow Exchange following the results of the presidential elections in Russia The "wave of rework" after the Spring Festival has driven the rental market in Guangzhou to heat up rapidly In the first two months, the total foreign trade import and export value of Kashgar, Xinjiang increased by 90% year-on-year. The Director General of the South African Foreign Ministry will visit Kyiv as part of the diplomatic search for a solution to the conflict Concern about the fate of Princess of Wales Kate Middleton... and talk of an important royal announcement Russia demands that Germany officially recognize the siege of Leningrad as an act of genocide The PS5 finally sees its price drop thanks to this new offer Civil servants will have the salary increase after Easter and before the Budgets are approved Niger: what follow-up after the denunciation of the military agreement between Niamey and Washington? TikTok is at the heart of the US election season Putin: all traitors fighting against Russia will be identified by name and they will not be given peace Urgent | Al Jazeera obtains exclusive photos showing the Qassam tracking the movements of officer in the Shaldag unit, Yitzhar Hoffman, before he was killed by a snipers bullet. War in Sudan: community kitchens to help each other during Ramadan Communities 2019 - Privacy The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them. It might seem bad, but the worst that can happen when you buy a stock (without leverage) is that its share price goes to zero. But when you pick a company that is really flourishing, you can make more than 100%. To wit, the ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) share price has flown 136% in the last three years. Most would be happy with that. Let's take a look at the underlying fundamentals over the longer term, and see if they've been consistent with shareholders returns. See our latest analysis for ConocoPhillips While markets are a powerful pricing mechanism, share prices reflect investor sentiment, not just underlying business performance. By comparing earnings per share (EPS) and share price changes over time, we can get a feel for how investor attitudes to a company have morphed over time. During three years of share price growth, ConocoPhillips moved from a loss to profitability. That kind of transition can be an inflection point that justifies a strong share price gain, just as we have seen here. The company's earnings per share (over time) is depicted in the image below (click to see the exact numbers). We consider it positive that insiders have made significant purchases in the last year. Even so, future earnings will be far more important to whether current shareholders make money. It might be well worthwhile taking a look at our free report on ConocoPhillips' earnings, revenue and cash flow. What About Dividends? As well as measuring the share price return, investors should also consider the total shareholder return (TSR). Whereas the share price return only reflects the change in the share price, the TSR includes the value of dividends (assuming they were reinvested) and the benefit of any discounted capital raising or spin-off. So for companies that pay a generous dividend, the TSR is often a lot higher than the share price return. As it happens, ConocoPhillips' TSR for the last 3 years was 163%, which exceeds the share price return mentioned earlier. And there's no prize for guessing that the dividend payments largely explain the divergence! Story continues A Different Perspective ConocoPhillips provided a TSR of 0.2% over the last twelve months. But that was short of the market average. If we look back over five years, the returns are even better, coming in at 14% per year for five years. It's quite possible the business continues to execute with prowess, even as the share price gains are slowing. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand ConocoPhillips better, we need to consider many other factors. For example, we've discovered 2 warning signs for ConocoPhillips (1 is concerning!) that you should be aware of before investing here. There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying. Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on American exchanges. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com Simply Wall St analyst Simply Wall St and Simply Wall St have no position in any of the companies mentioned. This article is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Deutsche Telekom AG (ETR:DTE) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 15th of April to 0.77. The payment will take the dividend yield to 3.5%, which is in line with the average for the industry. Check out our latest analysis for Deutsche Telekom Deutsche Telekom's Earnings Easily Cover The Distributions Unless the payments are sustainable, the dividend yield doesn't mean too much. Prior to this announcement, Deutsche Telekom's dividend was comfortably covered by both cash flow and earnings. This means that a large portion of its earnings are being retained to grow the business. Over the next year, EPS is forecast to expand by 87.0%. If the dividend continues on this path, the payout ratio could be 35% by next year, which we think can be pretty sustainable going forward. Deutsche Telekom Has A Solid Track Record The company has a sustained record of paying dividends with very little fluctuation. The dividend has gone from an annual total of 0.50 in 2014 to the most recent total annual payment of 0.77. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 4.4% per annum over that time. Although we can't deny that the dividend has been remarkably stable in the past, the growth has been pretty muted. Deutsche Telekom Could Grow Its Dividend The company's investors will be pleased to have been receiving dividend income for some time. We are encouraged to see that Deutsche Telekom has grown earnings per share at 7.8% per year over the past five years. Since earnings per share is growing at an acceptable rate, and the payout policy is balanced, we think the company is positioning itself well to grow earnings and dividends in the future. Deutsche Telekom Looks Like A Great Dividend Stock In summary, it is always positive to see the dividend being increased, and we are particularly pleased with its overall sustainability. Distributions are quite easily covered by earnings, which are also being converted to cash flows. All in all, this checks a lot of the boxes we look for when choosing an income stock. Investors generally tend to favour companies with a consistent, stable dividend policy as opposed to those operating an irregular one. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. For example, we've picked out 1 warning sign for Deutsche Telekom that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high yield dividend stocks. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. I'm having some trouble with a travel insurance claim for a cruise I purchased through my Chase Sapphire Reserve card. The Sprit Team from Our Lady of Lords march as the Mystic Krewe of Titans rolled for its 14th annual Mardi Gras parade in Slidell on Friday, January 26, 2024. This coed krewe was established in 2010 by a group of Carnival veterans who wanted to bring the merriment of Mardi Gras to the streets of Slidell in a high-quality, family-oriented, nighttime parade. Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE:PRU) stock is about to trade ex-dividend in four days. The ex-dividend date is one business day before the record date, which is the cut-off date for shareholders to be present on the company's books to be eligible for a dividend payment. The ex-dividend date is important as the process of settlement involves two full business days. So if you miss that date, you would not show up on the company's books on the record date. Therefore, if you purchase Prudential Financial's shares on or after the 16th of February, you won't be eligible to receive the dividend, when it is paid on the 14th of March. The company's next dividend payment will be US$1.30 per share, on the back of last year when the company paid a total of US$5.20 to shareholders. Calculating the last year's worth of payments shows that Prudential Financial has a trailing yield of 4.9% on the current share price of US$105.58. If you buy this business for its dividend, you should have an idea of whether Prudential Financial's dividend is reliable and sustainable. We need to see whether the dividend is covered by earnings and if it's growing. Check out our latest analysis for Prudential Financial If a company pays out more in dividends than it earned, then the dividend might become unsustainable - hardly an ideal situation. Prudential Financial is paying out an acceptable 74% of its profit, a common payout level among most companies. When a company paid out less in dividends than it earned in profit, this generally suggests its dividend is affordable. The lower the % of its profit that it pays out, the greater the margin of safety for the dividend if the business enters a downturn. Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends. Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing? Businesses with shrinking earnings are tricky from a dividend perspective. If earnings decline and the company is forced to cut its dividend, investors could watch the value of their investment go up in smoke. With that in mind, we're discomforted by Prudential Financial's 6.6% per annum decline in earnings in the past five years. When earnings per share fall, the maximum amount of dividends that can be paid also falls. Story continues Many investors will assess a company's dividend performance by evaluating how much the dividend payments have changed over time. Since the start of our data, 10 years ago, Prudential Financial has lifted its dividend by approximately 13% a year on average. That's interesting, but the combination of a growing dividend despite declining earnings can typically only be achieved by paying out more of the company's profits. This can be valuable for shareholders, but it can't go on forever. To Sum It Up Is Prudential Financial an attractive dividend stock, or better left on the shelf? Earnings per share have been declining and the company is paying out more than half its profits to shareholders; not an enticing combination. All things considered, we're not optimistic about its dividend prospects, and would be inclined to leave it on the shelf for now. Curious what other investors think of Prudential Financial? See what analysts are forecasting, with this visualisation of its historical and future estimated earnings and cash flow. A common investing mistake is buying the first interesting stock you see. Here you can find a full list of high-yield dividend stocks. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. In the desert above the Dead Sea, evidence of Jewish rebels capture of Roman weaponry The 1,900-year-old swords are in perfect condition, thanks to the arid climate of the Judean Desert. The boss of Starbucks Australia is hoping the coffee chain will get renewed attention and investment in dozens of new stores from its billionaire owner Russell Withers now that he has sold his 7-Eleven empire in Australia. Withers, who with his late sister Beverley Barlow built their fortune over decades growing the 7-Eleven chain in Australia, last November agreed to sell the 750-store network for an undisclosed sum to its Japanese parent, 7-Eleven International. Withers also owns Starbucks Australia which expects to expand to more than 100 stores by next year. Starbucks Australia CEO Chris Garlick (left), billionaire Russell Withers (middle) and 7-Eleven Australia CEO Angus McKay. Withers is the owner of both businesses, but recently sold the convenience store chain. The family were very successful in being long-term in their views for building that business around the 7-Eleven brand in Australia for 46 years ... Theyve got exactly the same attitude to Starbucks, said Chris Garlick, the chief executive of Starbucks Australia, which recently turned a profit for the first time in 23 years. I think our recent performance has validated the belief they have that the brand has got a really strong place here, and encourage[s] them about what the future looks like for us as well. More Australian hospitality workers are taking up multiple jobs than ever, with many looking to quit for better-paying gigs to cope with cost-of-living pressures as cafe and restaurant owners contend with mounting operator costs. The rate of poly-employment, or workers holding more than one job at the same time, hit a record high of 6.7 per cent in the middle of 2023. More hospitality and retail workers are working multiple jobs than ever before. Credit: Dion Georgopoulos This trend has been led by the hospitality industry (7.8 per cent) followed by healthcare (7.2 per cent) and retail (5.6 per cent) as casualisation and job insecurity sees workers hedge their bets rather than quitting, according to workforce management platform Deputys latest employment report. Poly-employment has always been there since the beginning but it has risen to probably unprecedented levels. Its the highest share of poly-employment workers in the labour force since [it] was first measured, said labour economist and report author Dr Shashi Karunanethy. Money editor Dominic Powell and our experts share tips on how to save, invest and make the most of your money. Real Money, a free weekly newsletter giving expert tips on how to save, invest and make the most of your money, is sent every Sunday. Youre reading an excerpt sign up to get the whole newsletter in your inbox. Weve all heard the saying if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is, and we generally accept it. Unfortunately, its human nature to selectively ignore this wisdom when we come across something we really want to be as good as it sounds, and all our acumen gets thrown out the window. The ATO messaging you about a $20,000 tax refund? Sounds good! Someone wanting to buy your dusty old couch for $400 on Facebook Marketplace? Sure! Australians lose hundreds of millions of dollars every year to scams. Credit: Michael Howard This, and many other reasons, are why Australians lose hundreds of millions each year to scams, with the ACCCs Scamwatch division reporting that in 2023 we gave away $480 million to scammers though this is down on the whopping $569 million in losses reported in 2022. A woman has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly threatening a man and setting fire to his unit in Logan. Police were called about 4am on Saturday to a University Drive residence in Meadowbrook. Police were called to the Meadowbrook scene early on Saturday. The 30-year-old woman was taken to the Royal Brisbane and Womens Hospital with significant burns, while the 26-year-old man received minor burns to his hands. The Marsden woman has been charged with one count each of attempted murder (domestic violence) and arson. Looking back, there was one hard-to-spot clue that the whole thing was a sham. But it wasnt picked up until it was too late and the $284,000 was already stolen. In the middle of an online chain of correspondence between Tanmoy Banerjee and his conveyancer in December last year, a new email address started sending him messages. Tanmoy Banerjee and his partner Urmi Basu were victims of an invoice scam. Credit: Rhett Wyman Banerjee wasnt aware that his conveyancer had been hacked, as the 37-year-old Indian migrant discussed the purchase of his first property with his wife, Urmi Basu. The new email sender was almost identical to the previous one, except for the letter S added onto the end of the conveyancers legitimate domain name. On Feb. 2, ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) and Chevron (NYSE: CVX) reported their fourth-quarter and full-year 2023 results. It was the second-best year for both companies over the last decade (the best being 2022 when Brent crude oil prices averaged over $100 a barrel). Chevron rallied just shy of 3% on its news, while Exxon fell 0.4%. Zoom out, and Exxon is up 115% over the last three years compared to 71.1% for Chevron. Here's what you need to know to determine which dividend stock is best for you. Image source: Getty Images. Thriving at $80 Brent Exxon and Chevron's incredible performance in 2022 resulted from high oil prices and a supply/demand imbalance. The outsized earnings helped both companies improve their balance sheets and accelerate their investments. But it's not the kind of year investors should expect to happen under normal conditions. In 2023, Brent crude oil prices averaged a much lower $82 per barrel. And yet, Exxon and Chevron still generated gobs of operating cash flow that they used to support their operations, capital expenditures, and long-term investments, and to return cash to shareholders through dividends and buybacks. But is $80 Brent a reasonable expectation in the years to come? The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects crude oil prices to flatten over the next two years: We forecast average annual crude oil prices in 2024 and 2025 will remain near their 2023 average because we expect that global supply and demand for petroleum liquids will be relatively balanced over the next two years. We expect the Brent crude oil price will average $82 per barrel (b) in 2024 and $79/b in 2025, compared with its 2023 average of $82/b. We expect that the price of West Texas Intermediate will be slightly lower but generally follow the same path. I take the EIA's predictions with a grain of salt because unforeseen market conditions and geopolitical tensions can derail even the best forecasters. But if the prediction comes true, it would be music to the ears of Exxon and Chevron. At the very least, it provides a green light to boost production, which is exactly what both companies are doing through their organic growth as well as acquisitions. Story continues Exxon plans to close its $59.5 billion acquisition of Pioneer Natural Resources in Q2, significantly boosting its Permian Basin production. Chevron's $53 billion acquisition of Hess is expected to close later this year as well and will boost Chevron's international production, namely offshore Guyana. 2023 proved that both companies can thrive at $80 Brent. Exxon earned $36.1 billion in free cash flow (FCF), paid $14.9 in dividends, bought back $17.4 billion in stock, and lowered its debt position from $40.6 billion to $37.5 billion. Similarly, Chevron earned $19.8 billion in FCF, paid $11.3 billion in dividends, bought back $14.9 billion in stock, and lowered its debt from $23.3 billion to $20.8 billion. Chevron did tap into some of its cash reserves on the balance sheet to fund its capital-return program, but that's perfectly fine given it still has $8.2 billion in cash and relatively low debt. Two massive capital-return programs Exxon spent 7.6% more on buybacks and dividends in 2023 than it did in 2022. But Chevron boosted its capital return program by 17.9% in 2023, including a whopping 31.9% increase in buybacks. As a ratio of capital returns to buybacks, ExxonMobil's $32.4 billion represents 8% of its market cap, while Chevron's $26.3 billion is 9.3% of its market cap. In other words, if both companies did zero buybacks and used all the money on dividends, Exxon would yield 8%, and Chevron would yield 9.3%. This, of course, is purely hypothetical. But it shows that Chevron is executing a relatively higher capital-return program than Exxon. Growing dividends Not only is Chevron supporting a higher capital-return program than Exxon, but it is also raising its dividend more rapidly. CVX Dividend Chart As you can see in the chart, Chevron has increased its dividend at more than double the rate of Exxon over the last five years. In Q4, Exxon raised its dividend from $0.91 a share to $0.95 a share, marking the 41st consecutive annual increase. On Feb. 2, Chevron announced an 8% dividend raise, marking the 37th consecutive annual increase. Factoring in the forward dividend of $6.52 a share for Chevron and $3.80 a share for Exxon, Chevron yields 4.3% compared to 3.7% for Exxon. Two top-tier oil stocks to buy now Chevron's record year of capital returns and Exxon's industry-leading earnings make both stocks attractive right now. Chevron's Hess acquisition will allow it to join Exxon drilling offshore Guyana. Both companies have diversified upstream portfolios and thriving downstream businesses too. I used to like Chevron more than Exxon, mainly because Exxon was spending aggressively while operating a leveraged balance sheet. But now that the leverage has come down, I view both companies on a more equal footing. Chevron stands out as the more conservative pick. I don't expect it to be as aggressive as Exxon. Chevron CEO Mike Wirth has an excellent track record for staying disciplined when it's tempting to overly expand. It is growing its dividend at a faster rate than Exxon, which I expect to continue. And Chevron has the higher yield. Meanwhile, Exxon has a slightly better upstream portfolio, mainly because it is already producing offshore Guyana, and its Permian position is elevated from Pioneer's low production cost and premium acreage. I also expect Exxon to be more aggressive with its spending. Although it is a little riskier than Chevron, it's still a well-run diversified company. And because the balance sheet is in such good shape, Exxon isn't nearly as vulnerable as it used to be. The price-to-earnings ratios are also a toss-up, with Chevron at 13.4 compared to Exxon's 11.5. For most investors, buying a 50/50 split of both stocks is probably the best move. But if you're only choosing one, it will come down to preference based on the factors discussed. Should you invest $1,000 in ExxonMobil right now? Before you buy stock in ExxonMobil, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now and ExxonMobil wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Stock Advisor provides investors with an easy-to-follow blueprint for success, including guidance on building a portfolio, regular updates from analysts, and two new stock picks each month. The Stock Advisor service has more than tripled the return of S&P 500 since 2002*. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of February 5, 2024 Daniel Foelber has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Chevron. The Motley Fool recommends Pioneer Natural Resources. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. ExxonMobil and Chevron's Banner Results: Which Is the Better Dividend Stock to Buy Now? was originally published by The Motley Fool One in three Australian children could remain below grade-level expectations for reading in the next decade unless governments commit to strong targets to lift literacy rates and pledge to end the reading wars, education researchers say. The Grattan Institute has called for a revolution to increase the level of proficient readers by 15 percentage points to 83 per cent in the next 10 years and 90 per cent in the long term, saying governments and school sector leaders are not doing enough to address Australias reading performance problem. Reading success story: Principal Rhys Coulson and students at Templestowe Heights Primary School. Credit: Justin McManus Almost one-third of Australian children across years 3, 5, 7 and 9 failed to meet new proficiency standards for literacy in last years NAPLAN tests. In Victoria, with its high levels of advantaged students, that number is one in four. In a report released on Sunday, Grattan Institute education program director Jordana Hunter said decades of disagreement about how to teach reading and lack of explicit guidance to schools from state and federal governments were key causes of the problem. Police are investigating a suspected hit-and-run after a man was found dead in the middle of a road in Melbournes west during the early hours of Sunday. It is believed the pedestrian was struck by a car on Boundary Road in Derrimut, between William Angliss Drive and Mt Derrimut Road, just before 3.50am. Police said the 27-year-old Sunshine West man died at the scene and was later found by a passing driver. Investigators believe the car involved in the collision was dumped nearby before the driver fled. We are all deeply concerned by the tragic and horrifying events in Israel and Gaza, but recklessly publishing details of fellow Australians to provoke division will not have any positive impact on peace in the Middle East, she said. It simply tears at our social fabric and brings enormous distress to fellow Australians. Burns, whose electorate of Macnamara includes the Melbourne suburbs of Balaclava, Caulfield and Elsternwick, which have large Jewish communities, said the doxxing of Jews had led to death threats and vilification and, in extreme cases, forced people into hiding. Social media is the new frontier for antisemitism and attacking Jewish people, he said. I completely understand that people are distressed about the conflict in the Middle East, but this is no excuse to target Jewish Australians at home. This activism is misdirected and dangerous. There is already a provision within the Criminal Code which makes it a criminal offence, with penalties of up to five years jail, for someone who uses a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence. The proposed anti-doxxing provision would take the law one step further and make it possible to prosecute not just those who harass people online, but those who facilitate and encourage the harassment by disseminating the names, workplaces, contact details and social media accounts of those being targeted. Doxxing emerged in the 1990s as a form of online attack by computer hackers, where documents or docs containing peoples private information were uploaded and disseminated. It became a potent weapon within the anti-fascist movement, which has used doxxing to expose the identities of neo-Nazis and other right-wing extremists. The deliberate online targeting and harassment of Australian Jews, akin to digital terrorism, has now reached fever pitch. Dvir Abramovich, Anti-Defamation Commission In the US, the state of Washington last year passed an anti-doxxing law with bipartisan support. However, that law makes it a civil offence, rather than a criminal one. Washington is the most recent of a dozen US states to prohibit doxxing to varying degrees, but there are no federal laws in place. Executive Council of Australian Jewry president Daniel Aghion, KC, said that since Israels war against Hamas began, Jewish people living in Australia have felt unprecedented levels of fear and anxiety about their physical safety and livelihoods. In the last few days this has been caused by the publication of lists containing the names, faces and other personal information of hundreds of individuals, whose only common trait is that they are Jewish, Aghion said. Loading This has been done with co-ordination and with malice, in many cases resulting in harassment, death threats directed to named individuals and their children, professional and financial loss, vandalism of premises, and extensive psychological harm. Anti-Defamation Commission chair Dvir Abramovich said pro-Palestinian activists had declared open season on our community in publishing a hit list identifying all members of the WhatsApp group. We know that people are often inspired to do crazy things when they are radicalised online and this doxxing is dangerous and will have real-world consequences, he said. The deliberate online targeting and harassment of Australian Jews, akin to digital terrorism, has now reached fever pitch. Australia Palestine Advocacy Network president Nasser Mashni said that rather than worry about doxxing, the Australian government should respond to the escalating crisis in Rafah, in southern Gaza, where the Israeli government has issued its latest evacuation order. We implore the Australian government to immediately end its friendship with genocidal Israel, cut ties with the regime and to do all it can to stop the slaughter, Mashni said. Australia Palestine Advocacy Network president Nasser Mashni. Credit: Justin McManus This masthead last week reported that pro-Palestinian activists had published links to a spreadsheet containing the names, occupations and social media accounts of hundreds of members of the J.E.W.I.S.H WhatsApp group and separate documents containing their images and a leaked transcript of their group chat. The transcript revealed that some members of the WhatsApp group wrote letters to broadcasters, media companies and publishing houses raising concerns about pro-Palestinian writers, journalists and presenters. One of the presenters targeted by the group, Antoinette Lattouf, was stood down by the ABC for breaching the broadcasters social media policy after she shared a Human Rights Watch post on the Gaza conflict. She is suing the national broadcaster for unlawful dismissal. Loading Victoria Police confirmed it was examining whether charges could be brought against people who had doxxed Jewish people and businesses in Melbourne. Police are investigating following reports that a number of people who belong to a private social media chat group appear to have been released online, a spokesperson said. The mass doxxing prompted Liberal senator David Sharma, a former Australian ambassador to Israel, to write to Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus urging him to request a federal police investigation. This investigation also uncovered new information about the profits of some of the companies Richardson scrutinised. Internal corporate files show Paladin Groups founding director and major shareholder, Craig Thrupp, is estimated to have personally made more than $150 million after the company won Home Affairs contracts ultimately worth more than $500 million over four years to run offshore processing on Papua New Guineas Manus Island up to 2019. Craig Thrupps yacht. Via another of his companies, Thrupp has since purchased a $33 million luxury yacht and multiple properties, including an exclusive clifftop property off the coast of Bali. Paladin is facing an Australian Federal Police investigation into allegations, revealed by this masthead, that the firm paid bribes totalling $3 million in 2018 and 2019 to secure the backing of high-ranking PNG officials to enable it to run offshore processing on Manus Island. There is no suggestion Thrupp is involved in or had knowledge of any alleged crime, only that Paladin is one of at least three companies contracted by Home Affairs and suspected of paying bribes to Pacific Island officials. Thrupp was contacted for comment and did not respond but has previously denied all wrongdoing. Paladin founding director and major shareholder Craig Thrupp. In his interview, Richardson raised serious concerns about Home Affairs dealings with Paladin. It got contracts in areas in respect of which it had no particular expertise. Those contracts were consistently renewed over a period of time without ever being rechecked. And it was the failure to do the proper due diligence which led to Paladin getting contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Of Paladins profit margins, Richardson said: Even taking into account the risks, it was still quite exceptional. He also revealed his inquiry had separately uncovered allegations Paladin had paid bribes to foreign officials to maintain its rolling contract. We passed on relevant information to the AFP and to the National Anti-Corruption Commission, he said. Asked if Home Affairs should have acted on warning signs that Paladin may be engaged in alleged criminal wrongdoing, Richardson said: I think they should have pursued greater due diligence than what they did. Richardson confirmed that former Home Affairs contractor Canstruct, which managed a $1.8 billion rolling contract on Nauru between 2017 and late 2022, faces a separate federal police financial crime and bribery probe. Canstructs margins, like Paladins, were healthy, with corporate files suggesting Canstruct pocketed more than $100 million in annual profit from its Home Affairs contracts. The police investigation is probing Canstructs decision to give lucrative Home Affairs-funded and approved contracts to companies linked to Nauruan officials including then-president Lionel Aingimea. Canstruct has previously denied any wrongdoing and said the subcontracting of firms closely linked to senior Nauruan politicians was approved by Home Affairs. Loading While Richardson declined to comment on the individuals, he said: In many countries around the world political figures, do have an engagement with the private sector that would be considered unacceptable in Australia. Richardsons criticism of Home Affairs failure to safeguard taxpayer funds from allegedly dubious companies raises serious questions for both the opposition and government, although the ex-spy chief refused to be drawn on the question of political accountability. Much of the questionable contracting happened when now Opposition Leader Peter Dutton was responsible for the Department of Home Affairs, although Richardson laid blame with senior public servants and said he found no evidence of ministerial involvement in suspect contracting. Richardson said blame for the failures he uncovered lay with senior people within Home Affairs who were responsible [for ensuring] proper communication across the department. While the Albanese government commissioned Richardson to carry out his inquiry and has backed his proposed reforms, such as increased due diligence and intelligence sharing, not a single company, person or public servant has as yet been held accountable for practices that may have led to significant public money being squandered or used to fund serious graft corruption in Nauru and PNG. Proper due diligence was lacking when it came to contracts with relatively small companies with limited or no public profile. Dennis Richardson If the federal police probes of Paladin and Canstruct follow the path of other AFP foreign bribery matters, they are likely to be hamstrung by a range of legal and evidence-gathering challenges and delays. Richardson has also referred two offshore processing insiders to the National Anti-Corruption Commission, but it may also struggle to act given the offshore nature of the alleged wrongdoing and the suspected involvement of foreign politicians. Former AFP and Victorian corruption watchdog senior investigator, Tam McLaughlin, who is now a partner at boutique anti-corporate fraud company Duxton Hill, said Richardsons findings deserved further investigation and public scrutiny. He said Australians should be rightly concerned about the millions of taxpayer dollars that ended up in the pockets of suspect firms or overseas officials and said Richardsons report should lead to negligent public servants or alleged bribe payers being held accountable. Loading Its just the scale of it, and it seems to have been a wilful blindness [by Home Affairs], in many cases, as to not wanting to uncover the truth or ask the hard questions, he said. Failure of due diligence Richardsons inquiry involved a comprehensive sweep of information held by the National Intelligence Community and analysis of cabinet submissions and minutes and discovered the failure to conduct proper due diligence was long-standing. Home Affairs continued to vary or extend the contracts without undertaking due diligence appropriate to the situation, which would have given it pause for thought at each decision point, Richardson found in his report. Over the years, Home Affairs (and therefore the Commonwealth) has had contractual relationships with companies, including those under investigation by the AFP and a company whose owners were suspected, through the ownership of another company, of seeking to circumvent US sanctions against Iran, and with extensive suspicious money movements suggesting money laundering, bribery and other criminal activity. Home Affairs also used taxpayer funds to pay an enterprise suspected of corruption and a company whose CEO was being investigated for possible drugs and arms smuggling into Australia. While Richardson concludes that in the case of the alleged drug and weapons smuggler, it would have been at the time unrealistic for procurement officials to have known of the grave allegations, they should have known that other contractors were involved in suspected bribery, corruption and other crimes. With proper due diligence, Home Affairs could have considered alternative suppliers, and, if this was not possible, the implementation of mitigating measures. But this was not done, Richardson said. Coordination, communication and information flows within Home Affairs were inadequate. The former ASIO boss notes the intense pressure on Home Affairs to implement and sustain offshore processing a border security policy backed by both major parties describing an environment of high pressure where time was often of the essence. In his interview, Richardson said the contracting environment had involved shortcuts. He also highlights in his report the difficulty finding companies prepared to carry out work in remote locations that made Australia an international human rights pariah, stating it is possible that, even with access to the information available within government agencies, Home Affairs may have had no option but to enter into contracts with these companies. Richardson said this did not excuse the failure to carry out due diligence that extended to sharing and accessing information held by Home Affairs and its agencies, a failure he said, rested with senior SES [senior executive] managers rather than their more junior underlings. Proper due diligence was lacking when it came to contracts with relatively small companies with limited or no public profile, and where operations were to be in high-risk environments. Richardson is also highly critical of the federal police, finding that information flows from the AFP to Home Affairs were not always adequate. His declassified report does not identify the companies with alleged links to suspected corruption, arms and drug smuggling or sanctions busting. However, after this masthead and 60 Minutes obtained a version of his report prepared for potential public release, sources aware of the classified findings but not permitted to discuss them publicly revealed some of the companies named by Richardson in his still-confidential report. Mozammil Bhojani. They include a firm owned by Mozammil Bhojani, a Home Affairs contractor on Nauru who earned millions of Australian taxpayer dollars while the federal police was investigating him for bribing Nauruan officials. The AFP itself had been investigating a particular individual for foreign bribery offences, was aware that that person was in a contractual relationship with the Department of Home Affairs, but at no stage did they advise Home Affairs. In fact, Home Affairs became aware of the AFP investigation through a media release, Richardson said in his interview. Loading Its a breakdown in communication, and the irony of it is that this was happening after the Department of Home Affairs had been created, and the very purpose of the creation of the Department of Home Affairs was to break down barriers and to ensure better communication. And that didnt happen. Richardson was also critical of Home Affairs decision to keep paying a company closely associated with Bhojani after he was convicted of bribery, although noted they had done so after seeking legal advice. I think it was questionable a bit of common sense mightve led to more questioning, he said during his interview. A series of investigations by this masthead into Home Affairs scandals and failures have, in addition to the Richardson Inquiry, led to two other significant inquiries. The Nixon Inquiry found Home Affairs was failing to deal with rampant visa fraud and human trafficking, which sparked major policy reforms and the creation of a new multi-agency taskforce. The Briggs Inquiry led to the sacking of ex-Home Affairs secretary Michael Pezzullo for breaching the public service code of conduct. The Albanese government has restructured Home Affairs returning the AFP and Austrac to the portfolio of the Attorney-General. In his interview, Richardson defended his decision not to name individuals in his report because many people have moved on. The Victorian mental health systems missing middle will start being plugged from March 2025 with a three-year trial that will offer support to people experiencing psychological distress but who dont need emergency care. Tender documents seen by The Age show Victorias incoming Distress Brief Support (DBS) program will provide 14 days of comfort and advice for up to three weeks. The state government has also confirmed the service will be free for trial participants. Victoria will trial a new mental health service that will offer up to three weeks of practical, non-clinical support. Credit: Penny Stephens The Royal Commission into Victorias Mental Health System, which published its final report almost three years ago, called for a 14-day support program. Victorias incoming trial and the Scottish model its based on are designed to bridge the divide between family and friend support and presenting to a psychologist or emergency department. The DBS program is intended to provide people with compassionate and practical support to help them manage their distress before it escalates to a crisis point, the service delivery documents state. Two years after Phoebe Neylon, wife of tech industry veteran Sean Neylon, paid $9 million for the Byron Bay home of The Block presenter Shelley Craft, it is back up for sale. The challenge for selling agent, former owner and Crafts husband Christian Sergiacomi, of Pacifico Property, will be beating the stonking price that he sold it for at the peak of the boom. Pacifico House was built in 2020 as Shelley Craft and Christian Sergiacomis own home at Belongil Beach. Credit: Michael Lean This time around, and in the wake of a 2.6 per cent median house price drop in Byron Bay last year, the Paul Uhlmann Architects-designed house comes with a guide of $7.5 million to $8 million. Theres nothing quite like the peaceful feeling that overcomes you as you slump in a sauna and let 80-degree dry heat penetrate every pore and muscle. Inside, a cosy glow. Outside, snowflakes that drift down, glinting like Swarovski crystals. And yet the Finnish sauna-goer wont surrender to euphoria. Oh no. After youve heated up, you should run outside and leap into the frigid sea. (Urban saunas will have an ice room or cold shower.) In winter, hack a hole in the ice, and in you go. Or roll around in the snow. The art of the Finnish sauna. Credit: Jamie Brown Is this what an electric shock feels like? Probably. Try not to emit a piercing scream. The good news is that, if you dont have a heart attack, youll tingle all over. If the tingling isnt enough, slap yourself with a handful of fresh birch twigs. As well as extremes of heat and cold, a Finnish sauna challenges you to leave your inhibitions at the door, and go barefoot and naked, except in some mixed-sex saunas. Bring a towel to sit on, unless you want to sear your nether regions. The King has offered his most heartfelt thanks to the public for their support after his cancer diagnosis, saying their kind thoughts are the greatest comfort and encouragement. In his first public comments acknowledging his illness, the King recognised the goodwill he has been shown since Buckingham Palace announced his diagnosis less than a week ago. King Charles is facing treatment for an unnamed cancer. Credit: AP Writing from Sandringham, Norfolk, where he is working from home and resting after his first bout of treatment, the King spoke of his lifelong admiration for all those who support cancer patients. It is all the greater, he said, now that he has experienced their care personally. Bologna: When Bologna became the first major Italian city to impose a speed limit of 30km/h, Luca Mazzoli, a local taxi driver, posted a sign in his cab warning passengers of the change. He had to, he said grumpily the other day, to explain why I am driving so slowly. Lamborghini Countach 1971 prototype. Credit: Since the limit became enforceable in mid-January, it has taken longer for Mazzoli to get from Point A to Point B, he claimed, meaning that he has picked up fewer passengers and has found himself stuck in traffic more often. A city has to move, he said. Car Buyer Journey Study Shows More Satisfaction With Car Buying After Two Years of Declines In 2023, 69% of consumers reported being highly satisfied with the overall vehicle shopping and buying process, up from 61% in 2022. When considering the dealership experience, 74% of all vehicle buyers reported that they were highly satisfied 79% for new-vehicle buyers. Seventy-one percent of consumers plan to adopt an omnichannel approach for their next vehicle purchase, combining online steps with in-person activities at a dealership. ATLANTA, Jan. 31, 2024 -- Cox Automotive's annual Car Buyer Journey (CBJ) Study reveals that satisfaction with the vehicle shopping and buying experience improved in 2023 after declining in both 2021 and 2022. This is good news for automobile dealers, who will gather in Las Vegas starting Thursday, February 1, for the National Automobile Dealers Association's annual convention. Cox Automotive will be the largest exhibitor at NADA Show 2024, a showcase for technology and solutions driving the retail automobile business in America. According to the 2023 Cox Automotive Car Buyer Journey Study, overall car buying satisfaction increased significantly, with 69% of consumers being highly satisfied with the process. This is a notable increase from the 61% reported in the 2022 study. The rise in satisfaction can be attributed to several factors such as improved inventory levels, the return of discounting, and the further proliferation of an omnichannel approach to vehicle buying. This approach combines online and at-dealership activities, resulting in a more satisfying and efficient vehicle buying experience. Notably, the percentage of buyers highly satisfied with the overall shopping experience increased to 73% for new-vehicle buyers and increased from 58% to 68% for used-vehicle buyers. At 80%, new electric vehicle (EV) buyers continue to report the highest levels of satisfaction with the process. Retail outlets dealerships continue to deliver levels of satisfaction that many critics may find surprising: When considering the dealership or retailer experience in 2023, 74% of all vehicle buyers and 79% for new-vehicle buyers reported that they were highly satisfied. Satisfaction among new-vehicle buyers matched an all-time high, equal to the level reached in 2020, the peak of overall car buying satisfaction. Positive feedback extends to crucial touchpoints such as the test drive experience (82%), vehicle pickup and delivery process (79%), and interaction with the sales team (77%). "There is an often-cited narrative that suggests going to a car dealer is worse than a root canal," said Isabelle Helms, vice president of Research and Market Intelligence at Cox Automotive. "Our research and data, however, suggest that this is simply not the case. In fact, 79% of new-vehicle buyers were highly satisfied with the experience provided by their local automobile dealer." Affordability and Inventory Levels Affected the Car Shopping Experience While affordability remains a concern, the latest CBJ suggests the situation is improving. Regarding the price paid, 49% of buyers report paying more than expected, down from 54% in the 2022 study. Dissatisfaction with the price paid was highest among used-vehicle buyers. Better inventory levels were a key driver, as vehicle supply levels in the U.S. improved throughout the second half of 2022 and all of 2023, according to Cox Automotive's vAuto Available Inventory database. More options for buyers also triggered many dealers and automakers to increase incentives. Lower prices and a sense that the purchase "was a good deal" helped improve overall satisfaction. In the 2023 survey, 68% of buyers considered both new and used vehicles, up from 64% in the previous report; 78% of used-vehicle buyers considered a new vehicle during the shopping process. Buyers typically considered two vehicles and visited two dealerships. Nearly 80% of shoppers visited a third-party website during their buying journey (e.g., Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book (both Cox Automotive companies), Edmunds.com, or CarGurus). New EV buyers were more likely to visit third-party sites, particularly first-time EV buyers. The report also reveals that fewer shoppers visited automaker websites or used online retailers (e.g., Carvana, Vroom) compared to 2021 and 2022. With Better Digital Tools, the Buying Process Becomes More Efficient When it comes to car buying in America, the desired state is omnichannel, not entirely digital. According to the latest survey, 50% of all car buyers completed 100% of the steps in person, while 43% completed steps in a mix of online and in-person at the dealership. Only 7% of car buyers in 2023 completed all the steps online. Used-vehicle buyers were more likely to cite in-person as the solution. When asked about the desired state and how they'd likely complete their next vehicle purchase, 71% of consumers indicated their preference for an omnichannel approach. Twenty-one percent of buyers suggested their ideal vehicle purchase process would be entirely online, while only 8% said they would purchase entirely in person. Interestingly, buyers of new EVs are already living in the future: In the study, 69% indicated they used an omnichannel approach, far higher than traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) buyers at 39%. Meanwhile, 16% of new EV buyers bought entirely online, and 15% pursued an in-person process. Seamless Car Buying Process Shortens Time Spent and Increases Satisfaction One reason the shopping experience improved in 2023 over 2022 was that the time required from start to finish was shortened by more than an hour. A key takeaway is that an omnichannel approach greatly reduces the time required and, in turn, improves overall satisfaction. In the most recent survey, new-vehicle buyers reported spending approximately 11 hours and 45 minutes from beginning to end, down more than 80 minutes from the prior year. In comparison, used-vehicle buyers reported spending more than 14 hours, a one-hour decrease. New EV buyers, who spent less than 11 hours in the process, were the most satisfied with the process duration. Seventy-six percent of new EV buyers reported being highly satisfied with the time required, while 59% of new ICE buyers reported being satisfied with the time required, a drop from 2022. "Year after year, our studies suggest that consumers are not pursuing an entirely digital experience," added Vanessa Ton, senior manager of Market and Customer Research. "Rather, we believe car buyers want a seamless experience where they can start the process at home, shop, fill out any required forms, and then go to the dealership, test drive a car, complete the deal, and learn about their new purchase. Dealerships that fully embrace an omnichannel approach are the most successful, as the process becomes more efficient for everyone involved and delivers happier buyers as well." Who Bought a Vehicle in 2023 and Why The study suggests that car buying in America continues to be driven by households with above-average incomes. In the survey period, the average household income (HHI) was $140,000 for an EV buyer, $115,000 for a new-vehicle buyer, and $96,000 for a used-vehicle buyer. The survey also reveals that EV buyers were notably younger than average (41 years old versus 52 for all new-vehicle buyers). Key triggers for a vehicle purchase continue to be the aging of an existing vehicle, which was true for both new- and used-vehicle buyers. In 2023, more buyers were adding a vehicle to their household: 15% of buyers noted the purchase was triggered by the need for an additional vehicle in their household fleet, up from 11% in 2022, a 36% increase. Recent studies from Cox Automotive also suggest that consumers are putting a higher value on vehicle ownership, not just transportation. This trend is likely a result of changes in attitude following the global COVID-19 pandemic. Before the pandemic, 43% of consumers suggested that transportation is necessary, but ownership is not. In more recent surveys, that number had dropped to 35%. Study Methodology The annual CBJ study from Cox Automotive looks at several attributes tied to vehicle buying in America and focuses specifically on new- and used-vehicle buyer satisfaction. The annual survey considers vehicle buying from multiple angles: There's a generational analysis, a CPO deep dive, a look at satisfaction with the auto financing process, and even consideration of how electric vehicle buyers differ from buyers of traditional automobiles (internal combustion engine or ICE vehicles). The 2023 Car Buyer Journey results were derived from surveys of nearly 3,000 consumers who bought a new or used vehicle in a 12-month period ending August 2023. The survey was conducted in August and September 2023. For more information, see the 2023 Cox Automotive Car Buyer Journey Study Summary and download the infographic. About Cox Automotive Cox Automotive is the world's largest automotive services and technology provider. Fueled by the largest breadth of first-party data fed by 2.3 billion online interactions a year, Cox Automotive tailors leading solutions for car shoppers, auto manufacturers, dealers, lenders and fleets. The company has 29,000+ employees on five continents and a portfolio of industry-leading brands that include Autotrader, Kelley Blue Book, Manheim, vAuto, Dealertrack, NextGear Capital, CentralDispatch and FleetNet America. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., a privately-owned, Atlanta-based company with $22 billion in annual revenue. Visit coxautoinc.com or connect via @CoxAutomotive on X, CoxAutoInc on Facebook or Cox-Automotive-Inc on LinkedIn. vm / Getty Images Tax season is officially here, and the people who are in the best shape to minimize their tax bills, maximize their refunds and get every available credit and deduction are those who started 2023 with their taxes in mind. Read: This Is the One Type of Debt That Terrifies Dave Ramsey See: Owe Money to the IRS? Most People Dont Realize They Should Do This One Thing Whether you did or didnt, the opportunity is yours once more. Now is the time to position yourself for success in 2024 by heading into spring with a strategy to keep your money out of the IRSs hands. Sponsored: Owe the IRS $10K or more? Schedule a FREE consultation to see if you qualify for tax relief. Start by Filing 2023 on Time This Year, Tax Day Is Actually on Tax Day Generations of earners could predict that Tax Day would land on April 15. That all changed at the end of the 2010s but its changing back in 2024, so be ready. In 2023, April 15 fell on a Saturday, but Monday, April 17 coincided with Washington, D.C.s observance of Emancipation Day, so Tax Day was April 18 last year. The year before, in 2022, Emancipation Day also bumped Tax Day to April 18 except for taxpayers in Maine and Massachusetts. Since those states observed Patriots Day on April 18, their residents had until the 19th to file their returns. In 2021, COVID-19 delayed Tax Day by more than a month to May 17, which was better than in 2020, when the pandemics debut postponed Tax Day by three months, until July 15. But this year, things are finally back to normal, and Tax Day once again lands on April 15. Be ready so that missed deadlines, penalties and interest dont foil your financial plans. Next: Trump-Era Tax Cuts Are Expiring How Changes Will Impact Retirees Last Year Is in the Books Get Acquainted With 2024 When federal tax law first emerged in 1913, Americas tax code was about 400 pages long. By 2020, it had grown to roughly 75,000 pages. The IRS tax code is not only massive and complex but constantly in flux, with important revisions emerging every year and 2024 is no different. Story continues There have been a lot of tax law changes, and it is important to go through them or consult an expert about how they affect your situation, said Miles Brooks, CPA, director of tax strategy at CoinLedger. Take advantage of all the deductions and credits. For example, the EITC has been expanded this year, which means low- and moderate-income households stand to benefit. Its not just the Earned Income Tax Credit that has changed. The standard deduction is bigger in 2024, tax brackets have been expanded and the rules for reporting payment app transactions through Form 1099-K have changed. There were important adjustments to how business owners deduct meals, mileage and depreciation. The Secure 2.0 Act ushered in several key changes to retirement savings in 2024, including rules that govern early withdrawals, leftover 529 funds and required minimum distributions, as well as changes to charitable distributions and student loans. These updates and many others could impact some of the most important financial decisions youll make in 2024, including how much you save for retirement and the amount you ask your employer to withhold from your paycheck. Start by getting up to speed with this years unique rules your financial future depends on it. Increase Your Retirement Contributions Maxing out tax-advantaged retirement accounts is one of the most important keys to a financially secure retirement. To do that, youll have to adjust your budget to sock away a little more in 2024. Brooks pointed out that taxpayers can reduce their taxable income by taking advantage of the increased maximum annual contribution for 401(k) and IRA plans this year the maximum for 401(k)s is $23,000, and the IRA limit is $7,000. People over 50 can take advantage of catch-up contributions, as well. Open or Contribute to Other Tax-Advantaged Accounts Several experts recommended opening non-retirement accounts with special tax designations in 2024 or, if you already have them, adjusting contributions according to changes in this years limits. They include: 529 college savings plans Coverdell education savings accounts Health savings accounts (HSAs) Flexible spending accounts (FSAs) Schedule Medical Exams Now and Strategize for Deductions If youre anticipating significant medical bills, its important to understand how changes in 2024 will impact your strategy for deductions. Start by scheduling treatments and appointments and talking to your insurance carrier and health care providers to plan ahead for costs. Preplan your medical exams before time lapses, said Brooks. Usually, it takes time to secure a specialist appointment, and this year, the threshold of itemizing is more than $14,600 for people filing their taxes individually and more than $29,200 for those married and filing jointly. Thats important, because those who itemize can only deduct expenses exceeding 7.5% of their AGI. You can spread your medical bill payments over two years to maximize your deductions, said Brooks. Keep a Close Eye on Congress Current, ongoing Congressional action makes this an especially consequential year for tax planning. In 2024, staying abreast of tax legislation changes especially concerning the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act currently under Congressional review is critical, said Johan Garcia, a CPA with a masters degree in tax and more than 10 years of experience in tax advisory, tax compliance and business advisory. The legislation passed the House by a vote of 357-70, an overwhelming bipartisan effort that is almost unheard of in todays political climate. Its now heading to the Senate, and if it becomes law, the act will have major implications for millions of taxpayers for tax years 2023, 2024 and beyond. This act aims to extend certain Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) provisions that were phased out in 2023, including bonus depreciation for qualified assets, EBITDA in interest expense limits, immediate deductions for research and experimental activities and an increased Child Tax Credit, said Garcia, who previously served as the lead tax strategist for a publicly traded Fortune 500 company and is currently the owner and sole author of After Tax Cash and principal of JG CPA & Advisory. All these tax provisions are helpful for small businesses, individuals and family taxpayers. More From GOBankingRates This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Financial Experts: 6 Smart Ways To Approach Your Taxes in 2024 Governor Mark Gordon will host the latest in a series of Town Hall meetings addressing mental health care in Casper on February 13. The discussion is open to the public and will take place from 1:30 to 3 pm at Casper College Wheeler Music Hall. The Town Hall is an opportunity to hear from local communities firsthand about efforts underway to increase awareness of available resources and improve access to mental health care. Representatives of the executive, legislative and judicial branches are invited to attend, as well as local elected officials. The community engagement we have seen from these Town Halls has led us to identify our priorities and our most significant challenges, Governor Gordon said. I look forward to discussing the work we are doing and hearing the thoughts and experiences directly from Casper residents. Governor Gordon is prioritizing improving access to mental health resources. Last week he announced the launch of an initiative to address Wyomings ongoing mental health crisis. The Governors Mental Health Roadmap takes steps to advancing systemic behavioral health reform in Wyoming, identifying five pillars that are critical to improving outcomes for those who are battling mental health issues. The Governor will outline the roadmap during the Town Hall. Casper Mental Health Town Hall Tuesday, February 13 1:30 to 3 pm Casper College Wheeler Music Hall 1415 Lisco Drive, Casper WY Police play a pivotal role in fostering a crime-free society Staff Reporter RAIPUR, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai reiterated the governments unwavering commitment to combat crime, drug abuse, and illegal activities in Chhattisgarh while addressing the police officials on Saturday. Speaking at a conference attended by Inspectors General of Police and Superintendents of Police at Police Head Quarters Nava Raipur, Chief Minister Sai emphasised the imperative of instilling fear in criminals while earning respect from the general public akin to the armed forces. Underlining the dual role of law enforcement, Chief Minister Sai stressed the importance of firmness towards criminals and empathy towards law-abiding citizens. He denounced social maladies like illegal liquor, gambling, and betting, highlighting their detrimental impact, particularly on the youth. Asserting the governments resolve, Chief Minister Sai warned of strict disciplinary action against police officers at all levels if criminal activities persist unabated. Highlighting the significance of discipline within the police force, CM Sai stated police play a pivotal role in fostering a crime-free society. Drawing parallels with Prime Minister Narendra Modis vision of justice, he urged the timely implementation of new laws to uphold the rule of law effectively. Moreover, CM reiterated the governments unwavering support for police personnel combating Maoist insurgency, affirming continued efforts to enhance their welfare and operational capabilities. Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Vijay Sharma echoed Chief Minister Sais sentiments, emphasising the governments proactive stance in bolstering law enforcement. Noting the substantial increase in the Home Department budget, Sharma outlined provisions for enhancing operational efficiency and welfare measures for police personnel, including essential supplies for anti-Naxal operations. He urged collective efforts to foster a conducive environment for crime prevention and underscored the pivotal role of police captains in maintaining law and order at the district level. The conference, attended by top police officials and government dignitaries, provided a platform to strategise comprehensive approaches to law enforcement and crime prevention. Director General of Police Ashok Juneja extended a warm welcome, setting the tone for constructive discussions aimed at enhancing policing capabilities and ensuring public safety. 21 carnivores sent to Gorewada Rescue Centre in 5 years By Kaushik Bhattacharya Gorewada Rescue Centre, the only shelter for rescued wild animals in Maharashtra, currently has 27 tigers and 26 leopards. Of the carnivores, 21 were sent to the centre in last 5 years, revealed Forest Department. The Forest Department, in reply to a RTI query by Abhay Kolarkar, stated that forest teams rescued 30 carnivores including tiger, leopard and sloth bear, from various forest areas of the State between 2019 and 2023. Of these, 17 tigers and 4 leopards were sent to Gorewada Rescue Centre Nagpur for treatment and care. Currently, 27 tigers are at Gorewada Rescue Centre. Of the 27, we are planning to release two tigers into the wild. For this, a training session of the staff is on at Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR). Also, one more tiger will be released soon, Shatnik Bhagwat, Director, Gorewada Rescue Centre, told The Hitavada. The Gorewada Rescue Centre administration is planning to release only three tigers into the wild whereas 24 will be kept at the centre for the rest of their life. Similar planning is done for the leopards also. The centre has 26 leopards and two sloth bears. They all shall remain at the centre for the rest of their life. We have 30 enclosures in Gorewada Rescue Centre which are almost full with these carnivores. Most of the carnivores we have are injured or are not capable to hunt in the wild. Therefore, they will remain here for rest of their life. Under animal exchange programme we can send them to other zoos in the country, added Bhagwat. Vidarbha, which has the highest population of tigers in the State, witnesses man-animal conflict frequently. In the conflict with humans, many carnivores like tiger and leopard get injured. Forest teams rescue them and send to Gorewada. AAP to contest all 14 LS seats in Punjab, Chandigarh CHANDIGARH, IN A major blow to the Opposition INDI bloc, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal announced on Saturday that his party will contest alone all 14 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab and Chandigarh. Categorically signalling that there will be no alliance with the Congress in the State, Kejriwal said that the party will announce candidates for all 14 seats in the next 10-15 days. I would like to seek your blessings on one more thing. In the next two months, the Lok Sabha elections are scheduled. In this election, Punjab has 13 seats and one in Chandigarh. In total, there are 14 seats. In the next 10-15 days, the AAP will announce candidates for all the 14 seats. Just like you had supported us two years back, I would like to seek your blessings to let AAP win in all 14 seats by pressing on the broom, Kejriwal urged people to vote for his party in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. While launching Ghar Ghar Ration Scheme in Punjabs Amloh, the AAP chief said, Two years back, you gave us blessings. You gave 92 out of 117 seats to us (in Assembly polls), you created history in Punjab. BMC budget proposes works worth Rs 80887.48 lakhs Staff Reporter Mayor Malti Rai presented quarterly budget for the year 2024-25 on Saturday in presence of Chairman of Bhopal Municipal Corporation Kishan Suryavanshi for the development of State capital Bhopal where proposals worth Rs 80887.48 lakhs were given nod for further allocation in various departments. While presenting the quarterly budget Mayor Malti Rai said that electoral code of conduct is expected to impose in view of Lok Sabha elections and current financial year will be ending on March 31, 2024, and during this period, BMC is recovering the revenue as well. She said that most of the tax payers pay their tax in February or March. She said t hat it is not possible to make accurate assessment of the revenue generated during month of February and March. Addressing the members, Mayor said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has started campaign to promote solar power and two cities of Madhya Pradesh have been included in this campaign. Bhopal is also one of the cities selected for the solar power promotion campaign. She appealed the people to make Solar Mohalla in colonies and contribute to make the city a solar city. Mayor Malti Rai announced that people who prefer to install solar panel on their rooftop before March 31, 2024, will get 6 per cent rebate in property tax for year 2024-25. She also presented proposals for nursing home, hospitals license fee. BMC Chairman Kishan Suryavanshi said that the proposal will be sent to the Government for further approval. In her proposal, yearly license fee is decided as per number of beds in hospitals and nursing home. Hospitals having one to 15 beds are proposed to pay Rs 10,000 annual license fee while 16 to 30 beds is proposed to pay Rs 20,000. For 31 to 60 beds, license fee is proposed as 30,000, 61 to 100 bed is proposed as 50,000, 101 to 150 bed is proposed Rs 1 lakh, 151 to 200 beds is proposed Rs 2 lakh, 201 to 300 beds is proposed as 3 lakhs and above 301 lakh bed, license fee is proposed as Rs 5 lakh. NEW DELHI, THE rules for implementing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) will be issued before the coming Lok Sabha polls and the process to grant Indian nationality to the beneficiaries will start soon after, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said here on Saturday. Under the CAA, the Modi Government wants to grant Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants - Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians - from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who had come to India till December 31, 2014. The CAA is a law of the country and its notification will definitely be issued. It will be issued before the polls. The CAA will be implemented before the elections. No one should have any confusion about it, Shah said at the ET NOW Global Business Summit 2024. He said granting Indian citizenship to persecuted minorities of the neighbouring countries was a promise of the Congress leadership too. When the Partition happened - Hindus, Buddhists, Christians - all wanted to come to India after facing religious persecution there. They (Congress leaders) had promised to give citizenship to these people saying all of you are welcome. But the (Congress) leaders went back on their word, Shah said. The Home Minister said he wanted to make it clear that the CAA is not a law to snatch anyones citizenship. Our Muslim brothers are being instigated on the issue of CAA. CAA cant snatch anyones citizenship as the law does not have that provision. CAA has been enacted to give citizenship to those people who have come from Bangladesh and Pakistan after facing religious persecution. No one should oppose this law, he said. There were massive protests in some parts of the country after the CAA was passed by Parliament in December 2019 and got the presidential assent. Delayed by over four years, rules for the CAA are a must for its implementation. Officials said rules are ready and the online portal is also in place as the entire process will be online. The applicants will have to declare the year when they entered India without travel documents. No document will be sought from the applicants. According to the law, the benefits under the CAA will be given to the undocumented minorities from the three countries. The promise of implementing the controversial CAA was a major poll plank of the BJP in the last Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in West Bengal. The BJP partys leaders consider it a plausible factor that led to the rise of the BJP in Bengal. According to the Manual on Parliamentary Work, the rules for any legislation should have been framed within six months of presidential assent or seek an extension from the Committees on Subordinate Legislation in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Since 2020, the Home Ministry has been taking extensions at regular intervals from the parliamentary committee for framing the rules. Over a hundred people lost their lives during the protests or in police action after the Parliament passed CAA. Meanwhile, in the last two years, over 30 District Magistrates and Home Secretaries of nine States have been given powers to grant Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians coming from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan under the Citizenship Act, 1955. According to the annual report of the Ministry of Home Affairs for 2021-22, from April 1, 2021, to December 31, 2021, a total of 1,414 foreigners belonging to these non-Muslim minority communities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan were given Indian citizenship by registration or naturalisation under the Citizenship Act, 1955. The 9 States where Indian citizenship by registration or naturalisation is given under the Citizenship Act, 1955 to non-Muslim minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan are Gujarat, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Maharashtra. Interestingly, authorities in none of the districts of Assam and West Bengal, where the issue is politically very sensitive, have been given the powers so far. CM transfers 9th installment into accounts of 1.29 crore sisters Our Correspondent MANDLA, Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav, who visited Mandla for the first time after becoming the Chief Minister, announced opening of Ayurvedic College in the district. He said that no stone will be left unturned for development of the area. All the work will be done. During a programme organised at RD College, CM Dr Yadav transferred 9th installment of Ladli Bahna Yojana into the accounts of 1.29 crore sisters across the State in just one click. Addressing the public meeting at RD College Ground, CM Dr Yadav said that even today I have not come to you empty-handed. We know the importance of Ayurvedic medicines. Ayurveda works very well in our forests and villages. But there is no Ayurvedic college in the district which has potential for Ayurveda. On the occasion, I announce the Ayurvedic College in Mandla. Before this, when the Chief Minister reached the helipad at Amanla village, MLA and PHE Minister Sampatia Uike, Collector and public representatives of the district welcomed him. After this the Chief Minister reached RD College. Here he unveiled the statue of Rani Durgavati. The Chief Minister enjoyed dancing and playing musical instruments with folk dance groups present at RD College to welcome him. The Chief Minister became emotional along with the folk dance groups present in the college to welcome him. The Chief Minister held their musical instruments in his hands and enjoyed folk dance while playing them. During this, the Chief Minister directed officials to give incentive money to dance groups. While addressing the public meeting at RD College Ground, he also announced opening of Excellence College in Mandla on the request of local MLA and Cabinet Minister, Sampatiya Uike. During the programme, Chief Minister Dr Yadav transferred 9th installment of Ladli Bahna Yojana to the accounts of 1.29 crore sisters across the State and also into the accounts of Social Security Pension beneficiaries with a single click. He performed bhoomipujan of construction works worth about Rs 120.39 crore in Mandla district and also inaugurated construction works worth about Rs 14.14 crore. During this, while transferring the amount to the account of Ladli Bahna, the Chief Minister said that I am happy that today is the day of the Laldi Bahna. For the 9th time, funds are coming into the accounts of 1.29 crore Laldi Bahna of the state. Today, along with sending an amount of Rs. 1576 crore to the accounts of Laldi Bahna, an amount of about Rs.340 crore has also been transferred to the accounts of 56 lakh social security pension beneficiaries. During this, Minister Sampathiya Uike expressed his gratitude to the Chief Minister and said that in the oldest college of the district, students had been demanding for many years to install a statue of Rani Durgavati. Today, respecting the public sentiments of our region, the Chief Minister unveiled the statue of Rani Durgavati. During this, Union Minister Faggan Singh Kulaste joined virtually from Delhi, while District Panchayat President, Sanjay Kushram, MLA, Narayan Singh Patta, Chain Singh Varkade, former MLA, Dev Singh Saiyam, Rampyare Kulaste, Shivraj Shah, Dr Vinod Mishra, BJP District President, Bhisham Dwivedi and all the public representatives and large number of citizens were present. Every Indian has resolved to make India developed nation: PM DEESA, PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said today is the time for creating history with every person in the country resolving to make India a developed nation. Speaking after inaugurating or laying foundation stones of 1.3 lakh houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) across Gujarat through video link, he also said that his Government has succeeded in pulling 25 crore people out of poverty, and the biggest beneficiaries of its schemes are Dalits, OBCs and tribals. Todays time is the time of creating history, Modi said. During the `Swadeshi and Quit India movements, freedom had become every persons goal, and the creation of Viksit Bharat (developed India) has become a similar resolution for the nation today, he said. Today everyone, including children, wants India to become a developed nation in the next 25 years and everybody is contributing to the effort. Look at the figure of 1.3 lakh houses. I have not seen such a large figure even when I conduct national-level programmes for giving houses under PMAY. I congratulate the Gujarat Government. For any poor person, having his own house is a guarantee of better future, Modi said. The biggest beneficiaries of the Governments welfare schemes for the poor have been Dalits, Other Backward Classes and tribal families, he said, adding that if anyone benefited most from Modis guarantee, it is these families. The poor include every community. Benefits of welfare schemes are reaching everyone without discrimination. Modi has stood guarantee for those who had no guarantee, the Prime Minister further said. Describing the youth, farmers, women and poor as the four pillars of Viksit Bharat, he said their empowerment is his Governments top commitment. The biggest achievement of his Government was to bring 25 crore people out of poverty, Modi said. He congratulated all the families who received new houses at Saturdays function and wished them a bright future. When work of such a scale reaches completion, the nation calls it Modi ki Guarantee which means a guarantee of the fulfillment of guarantee, the Prime Minister said. His Government introduced schemes like free ration, inexpensive treatment facilities at hospitals, low-priced medicines, cheap mobile phone tariffs, gas cylinders under Ujjwala Yojna and LED bulbs which reduce electricity bills for reducing expenditure burden of the poor and the middle class, he said. The PM also mentioned the newly-introduced rooftop solar scheme which aims to cover one crore houses, reducing electricity bills and creating earnings from extra electricity. Under the scheme, households will get about 300 units of electricity free and the Government will purchase electricity worth thousands of rupees from them every year, he said. Modi also interacted with five beneficiaries through video link during the program which was organised at more than 180 places across all districts of Gujarat. The main event was held at Deesa in Banaskantha district. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, his cabinet colleagues, MPs, MLAs and local peoples representatives joined in the program at different locations. FIVE GEMS THE announcement of the highest civilian award Bharat Ratna to five personages -- Mr. Lal Krishna Advani, the late Karpoori Thakur, the late Choudhary Charan Singh, the P.V. Narasimha Rao, and the late Dr. M.S. Swaminathan brings into focus the immense contribution of these icons to the making the story of modern India brighter and better. Their cumulative contribution made India shine brighter beyond any shade of doubt. Though some people may try to interpret these awards as a politically-driven exercise, we do not subscribe to that view. We believe that these personages were born with a purpose and served that purpose with aplomb for which Bharat Ratna is the most appropriate honour. The nation saw the emotional response of Mr. Lal Krishna Advani upon getting the honour. But those were not his personal emotions. He delved deep into his own lifes story that ran parallel to the greater Indian story around Independence and later. His position of Deputy Prime Minister was only a happenstance, but Mr. Advanis contribution has been far greater than any such position of limited import. The late Karpoori Thakur was a leader of less fortunate segments whom he gave an authentic voice of their own. Suffice it is to say that Mr. Karpoori Thakur made all the difference to the way those less fortunate sections were living before his emergence on the socio-political horizon. He might have remained geographically restricted to the region of Bihar, all right. But he had an impact on the larger Indian society as well. Choudhary Charan Singh also played a similar role in the national socio-political ecosystem. He rose to become Prime Minister of India in a strange situation, all right, and did not face the Parliament even for a day. But such aberrations did not obliterate his contribution to the larger socio-political ecosystem of the country. For, Choudhary Charan Singh proved to be the staunchest voice of non-Congressism in the country at a time when the Congress party was the only dominant force of national proportions in India. The late Mr. P.V. Narasimha Rao was not just a Prime Minister at any time. He came into the hot seat at possibly the most crucial moment of contemporary Indian history and brought about core changes in policy and philosophy of governance. Though the nation now recognises the great contribution by Mr. P.V. Narasimha Rao, his own party -- Congress -- made every effort to belittle the man, and even did not allow his funeral to take place in the national capital. The Bharat Ratna to him neutralises all that insult at least to some extent. History will always remember him as a man of a great moment. Iconic agricultural scientists Dr. M.S. Swaminathan should have been given Bharat Ratna long ago for his immense contribution to Indias Green Revolution. But the honour to him is a recognition of the contribution science can make to carving out a great story of development of the country. Dr. Swaminathan was a scientists of international standing, and the honour to him is a very good gesture by the country to a man of incalculable merit. The Hitavada joins the nation in honouring the five personages. It places on record its appreciation and salutation to the five great gems that the Government found pleasure in honouring with Bharat Ratna. MIDC Butibori police bust casino in Tembhri village Staff Reporter The MIDC Butibori police raided a casino operating under the guise of a video game parlour at Tembhri village, and seized cash and other material collectively worth Rs 80,000. Police have arrested two owners after registering offences against them and three others. The accused have been identified as the casino owners Shubham Jagdish Chachane, a resident of Tembhri, and Babu Sheikh, a resident of Butibori; Hanumant Anand Sonone (44), Sushil Gajanan Bhajbhuje (25), both residents of Tembhri village in Hingna tehsil; customer Amol Kawdu Uikey (26), a resident of Zenda Chowk, Samudrapur, Wardha district. According to police, the casino was operating in a shop next to Mahakal Traders Building Material suppliers at Tembhri village. The accused were operating the casino with electronic machines under the guise of video games. The police received complaints that many youths from nearby area were betting in the casino and losing substantial amounts. MVA hasnt finalised candidate yet: Cong, Sena (UBT) Staff Reporter Though the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) (Sharad Pawar) has resolved in favour of fielding former MLC Prakash Gajbhiye as its candidate from Ramtek constituency of Lok Sabha, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) maintain that the alliance has not finalised candidate from the constituency. Ramtek seat of Lok Sabha has become sensitive for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti as well as MVA comprising Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar) and Shiv Sena (UBT). Since last few days, every party has been trying to explore the possibility of staking claim over Ramtek constituency in seat-sharing. However, none, except NCP (Sharad Pawar) has declared its candidate. Within MVA, this move of Sharad Pawar faction of NCP has created ripples. Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) have maintained that MVA as a whole has not finalised any candidate yet. Currently, it is decided that INDI Alliance will finalise the seat-sharing for constituent parties for various Lok Sabha constituencies. Subsequently, the parties will nominate their candidates for the respective constituencies. As far as Congress party is concerned, we follow a certain process. We seek the applications from the interested candidates, conduct their interviews, shortlist the names, send them to the parliamentary board, and then finalise the candidates. I dont want to comment on what NCP did. Every party has its own process. But, the alliance has not finalised seat-sharing yet, said Rajendra Mulak, President of Nagpur District (Rural) Congress Committee. Dushyant Chaturvedi, Contact Head for Shiv Sena (UBT), another MVA constituent, said, he was not aware of the decision of NCP (Sharad Pawar) of nominating Prakash Gajbhiye as its candidate. I dont have any idea about this development. I remember our leader Uddhavji had clearly said that he would not spare Ramtek for other constituents of MVA. But, I heard Shiv Sena has agreed upon 18 Lok Sabha seats in a meeting. In the same meeting, the party seniors might have decided something, which I am not aware of. It was our internal decision to support the name of Gajbhiye. Many of our office-bearers and workers demanded that Gajbhiyes name should be finalised for Ramtek constituency. Accordingly, we decided to announce his name. We hope our other constituents would endorse his name, said Salil Deshmukh, leader of NCP (Sharad Pawar) and Zilla Parishad member. Names of certain candidates are doing the rounds in every party, as probable candidate for Ramtek constituency of Lok Sabha. From Congress party, Kunal Rauts name is doing the rounds. Similarly, Shiv Sena (Shinde) wants to field Krupal Tumane, who is hoping for his third term as Member of Parliament from Ramtek. Recently, in a meeting, Chandrashekhar Bawankule, President of State unit of BJP, indicated that his party was planning to stake claim on Ramtek constituency in Mahayuti seat-sharing. Though the name of Prakash Gajbhiye suddenly came into limelight after NCP (Sharad Pawar) passing a resolution favouring his name, whether the partys Nagpur unit had sought permission of its supremo Sharad Pawar was not known. Pakistan elections Amid rigging rumours, Imrans PTI claims victory on 170 seats ISLAMABAD, IN A major political development, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) has claimed that it has won 170 out of 265 National Assembly seats and is set to form an alliance with Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM), Pakistan-based The Nation reported on Saturday. This comes even though the counting for the polls is underway and the independent candidates mostly backed by the PTI, have clinched victory on 100 seats. PTI leader Barrister Gohar Khan alleged that there was an attempt to shape the seats won by PTI into defeat. He also called on the party workers to protest outside the offices of Returning Officers (RO) tomorrow, where results got delayed, Dawn reported. Speaking to reporters on Saturday, he claimed that the PTI has won 170 National Assembly seats out of the 265 where elections were held. We claim with great certitude that right now, the PTI has achieved a lead on 170 seats of the National Assembly, Khan said. Out of these, 94 are those that the ECP is admitting and has issued Form-47 (provisional results). Gohar further said that 22 seats -- including three of Islamabad, four of Sindh and the rest of Punjab -- were those where, according to Form-45, the PTI had won but were converted to a defeat. He alleged that there was an apparent attempt to shape the winning seats of the PTI into defeats. Ram Temple symbolic of spirit of Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat: Om Birla NEW DELHI, LOK Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Saturday moved a resolution on the Ayodhya Ram Temple, describing its construction as a historic achievement, and said it will give the values of hope and unity to future generations. Reading out the resolution at the end of a nearly four-hour-long discussion on the construction of historic Shri Ram Temple and Pran Pratishtha of Shri Ramlala in the House, he said after centuries of wait, the Ram temple in Ayodhya has ushered in a new era of good governance and public welfare. The Speaker noted that the temple is symbolic of the spirit of Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat. Soon after the Supreme Court delivered its verdict, the statement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi inspired society about peace instead of a feeling of victory or defeat, Birla said, referring to the courts 2019 judgement in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title case. He said that through this resolution, the members of the House appreciate the historic work accomplished in Ayodhya. The temple being constructed in Ayodhya is not a structure created out of stones but is filled with the feelings of faith and belief, Birla said. Birla recalled that ahead of the January 22 consecration ceremony at the temple, the Prime Minister visited various religious sites and gave a message of national unity. In fulfilment of this moment, a large part of the judiciary and society played a key role, he said. Earlier, Opposition parties on Saturday walked out of the Rajya Sabha opposing the BJP governments white paper on the economy, with the CPI(M) also refusing to participate in the discussion on the Ram Temple in the House. The Left party said it will not become party to communalise the political situation. Both Houses of Parliament -- the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha -- are holding a discussion on the construction of historic Shri Ram Temple and Pran Pratishtha of Shri Ramlala. Members of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) were among those who walked out over the white paper brought by the government in Parliament to compare the state of the economy during the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) regimes. Participating in the discussion on the white paper in the Rajya Sabha, CPI(M) member John Brittas said, Protesting against the discrimination shown to Kerala, we are walking out. We are also not party to communalise the political situation, he said on the discussion on the Ram temple, which will be held after that on the white paper. This is not a white paper. This is an election paper. Selective amnesia and cherry picking. Finance minister (Nirmala Sitharaman) has said 2004-2009 was a good period but she gave the credit to the previous (NDA) government. Strange enough, the leader of the Left party said. Serious Situation In Red Sea By Girish Linganna THE Houthis in Yemen are very clear about wanting to get back at the West. This is because of the airstrikes led by the US that have been hitting their missile and drone launching areas. In return, these actions were a reaction to over 30 attacks by the Houthis on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. They claim these attacks are to help the Palestinians in Gaza. Now, the situation has become more serious. Yemens official Government, which is recognised by the UN and based in Aden, has alerted that the Houthis, who took over a large part of Yemen in 2014, are now planning to damage important underwater cables. These cables, including Internet lines under the Red Sea, link Asia and Europe. The alert was issued following a message from a group associated with the Houthis on the Telegram app, which shared a map of the underwater cable paths in the Red Sea. Is it possible for the Houthis to damage these cables? If they have the chance, they probably will. The group has said that they can easily find maps that show where underwater communication cables go by their coast. These cables run through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which is only 20 miles (32 km) wide at its smallest point. However, these fibre optic cables, responsible for carrying 17% of the worlds Internet data, are located on the ocean floor, often several hundred meters deep - too deep for divers to reach. The US and Russia are both believed to have the technology and ships needed to cut these cables. They can send a deep-sea diving vehicle from a larger ship and use a giant cutting tool, like a big pair of scissors, to cut the cables at the bottom of the ocean. However, this task would be much harder for the Houthis to accomplish. Former Royal Navy submarine commander Rear Admiral John Gower has assessed claims of threats to sabotage undersea cables as likely being a bluff, unless they specifically target a terminal. He expressed this viewpoint in comments to the BBC, indicating skepticism about the general threat but acknowledging the potential risk if the attacks are aimed at critical infrastructure points like terminals. He indicated that executing such a threat would require the support of an ally equipped with a submersible and the technology to pinpoint the cables locations. The Houthis have formed an alliance with Iran. Through assistance from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah in Lebanon, they have amassed a significant collection of missiles and drones. For the last eight years, they have launched these missiles and drones at targets including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Israel, and naval ships from the US and UK, along with any ships suspected of being associated with Israel, the US, or the UK. Given this context, the question arises: Could Iran empower the Houthis to sever undersea cables? Former Royal Navy Commander Tom Sharpe has stated to the media that, based on the Iranian militarys order of battle (orbat), there appears to be nothing in their capabilities, especially regarding their submarines, that would enable them to target these undersea cables. Commander Sharpe mentions that while diving could be considered as a method, the depth and high traffic in those areas would make such an operation very challenging. Agreeing with Rear Admiral Gower, he expresses his belief that the threats are likely a bluff. Assisting an ally in damaging the global undersea Internet cables would also represent a hazardous strategy for Tehran. Both Iran and the US have explicitly expressed their desire to avoid a full-scale conflict with one another. The ongoing conflict involving the US and Irans proxy forces and allies across the Middle East is being managed with some level of restraint. Before striking bases in Iraq and Syria associated with militias supported by Iran, the US provided several days notice, enabling important individuals to leave the area. Severing international communication cables would represent a significant escalation that might lead to counterattacks against Iran itself. Edmund Fitton-Brown, who served as the UK ambassador to Yemen between 2015 and 2017, mentioned to a media outlet that Iran would likely be cautious about extending their campaign of global disruption to include maritime activities. He further suggests that Iranians are more likely to turn to cyber strategies as an initial approach rather than directly targeting infrastructure for sabotage. In summary, the recent threat issued by the Houthis via their Telegram channel is deemed difficult to execute. Executing such a threat would pose significant technical difficulties and political risks for Iran, which the West perceives as the orchestrator behind all Houthi assaults in the Red Sea. However, the Houthis have unexpectedly struck before, like their missile attack on a Saudi oil depot in Jeddah right before the 2022 Formula 1 Grand Prix. Additionally, they have withstood almost eight years of heavy air strikes from a Saudi-led coalition, which has not succeeded in undoing their unauthorised seizure of power. Despite ongoing US-led air strikes targeting their missile and drone facilities, they continue to demonstrate resilience and no inclination to retreat in their confrontation with Western powers. The Houthis, despite being detested and feared by numerous Yemenis living outside their territories, have emerged as a formidable power. (IPA) (The author is a defence, aerospace & political analyst based in Bengaluru.) Terror funding NIA raids at 15 places in J&K JAMMU/SRINAGAR, NATIONAL Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday conducted raids at 15 locations across Jammu and Kashmir as part of its crackdown on the proscribed Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) in a terror funding case, an official said. The raids in the twin capitals of Srinagar and Jammu along with Budgam in central and Kulgam and Anantnag in south Kashmir led to the seizure of incriminating documents and digital devices connected with the activities of JeI and its related Trusts and more than Rs 20 lakh, a spokesperson of the federal agency said. However, official sources said two persons were also detained in Jammu for questioning during the raids targeting a private school and its functionaries including chairman at Gujjar Nagar and Shaheedi chowk in Jammu. They said the residences of former Jamaat chief Sheikh Ghulam Hassan and another leader, Sayar Ahmad Reshi, in Kulgam district were among those raided. The Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir was banned by the Centre for five years in February 2019. The spokesperson said NIA teams swooped down on the premises of various suspects at five locations in Srinagar, three in Budgam, two in Kulgam, one in Anantnag, and four in Jammu. The investigations in the case, registered on February 5, 2021, have so far revealed that JeI and its members have continued to promote terrorist and secessionist activities in J&K even after the outfit was proscribed under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in February 2019, the spokesperson said. The person added, Operatives of the banned organisation had been collecting funds through donations from within India and abroad. The NIA said the funds were collected mainly in the form of Zakat, Mowda and Bait-ul-Mal, purported to promote charity and other welfare activities, such as health and education, but were instead being used for carrying out violent and secessionist activities. It was further found that the funds raised by JeI were also being channelled to other proscribed terrorist organisations, such as Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) through well organised networks of JeI cadres, the spokesperson said. The official said JeI was also engaged in inciting impressionable youth and recruiting new members (Rukuns) in J&K to further its secessionist activities. NIA had earlier chargesheeted four accused in the case, in which investigation is still on, the spokesperson said. When it comes to parallel parking, you're on your own now. Ford Motor Co. announced this week during the 2023 earnings call the automaker is reviewing what customers like and actually use to determine which features on vehicles may be excessive or unnecessary. Say goodbye to the driver-assist parallel parking feature. "Very, very few people are using it. So we can remove that feature. It's about $60 per vehicle, another $10 million per year (in savings)," Kumar Galhotra, Ford's chief operating officer, said Tuesday to illustrate how Ford is making little changes for big savings. Kumar Galhotra, then president of Ford Blue, talks with John McElroy, host of "Autoline After Hours" webcast and podcast, prior to the Capital Markets Day at the Ford Experience Center on May 22, 2023. Ford studies consumer behavior with data provided by vehicles connected to its wireless network. "Connected vehicle data here is very important because it helps us see what we're providing, whether the customers are using it or not," Galhotra said. Will anybody notice? For example, the 2024 Explorer offers the active park assist feature as an option for a one-time cost of $355, Ford spokesman Alan Hall told the Free Press on Thursday. But the 2025 Explorer will not have it available, he said. The 2025 Ford Explorer ST with a 2.3-liter turbocharged engine at Ford World Headquarters in Dearborn on Jan. 24. The feature comes as an option for some vehicles and standard as part of a package on certain high-end versions, and no one will miss it, Ford dealers told the Free Press. Here's their reaction: "My kids use it when theyre driving my car. Most people my age and older cant trust it. This has been an available option going back 10 or 12 years now. Each generation gets a little different. Sometimes its hold the button, take your hands off the wheel. Sometimes hold onto the wheel. Theres never been any consistency to it and nobody ever learned to trust it. This decision doesnt hurt anything. Nobody is losing sleep over it," said Chad Wilson, general manager of Wilson Ford in Saginaw and Midland Ford. "Hmm. Ive never used it on any car Ive had. I remember showing somebody how it worked one time. Honestly, I dont think anybodys going to notice. They have to do things to stay competitive ... the tweaks theyre making, as long as Ford continues to build cars and trucks people want, Im all about it," said Jeff King, vice president and general manager at Bozard Ford Lincoln in St. Augustine, Florida. Story continues "If the public doesnt utilize some of these features, weve got to find a way to get some of these prices down. We need to pass those savings along to the consumer," said Thad Szott of Szott Auto Group, which sells Ford, Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram and Toyota vehicles in White Lake, Highland Township, Holly, Waterford and New Hudson, Michigan. Thad Szott takes a break from selling cars for Szott Auto Group in Holly to fish on Otsego Lake in Gaylord, Michigan, with his dog Nicki on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2020. He sees more and more customers shopping for vehicles to carry dogs. The Ford website says active park assist "helps take the anxiety out of parallel parking" and just requires drivers to shift, accelerate and brake while the system does the steering. The steering wheel moves back and forth on its own. Ford explains the decision "We are always evaluating our vehicles to make sure were giving customers more of what they love and less of what they dont," Ford said in a statement issued after the earnings call. "Connected vehicle data, that our customers opt-in to share with us, helps us understand this and, after evaluating the data for Active Park Assist across our vehicle lines, we found the overwhelming majority of customers arent using Active Park Assist in the way it is currently offered. As a result, at this time were going to focus resources on developing and improving other features." A good place to start Analysts applauded the decision. "Self-parking, in many cases, is difficult to use. Its not as simple as it shows up in commercials," said Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting for AutoForecast Solutions, speaking from personal experience. "The setup is not as simple as turning on a turn signal or changing a radio station. It becomes more of a hassle to figure out how to use it than just pulling into a parking space. Very few people will miss the feature. It's a good place to start. It's low-hanging fruit." Michelle Krebs, executive analyst at Cox Automotive, said parallel parking assist is not worth the $10 million that Ford will save with the cut. "I dont think its a feature that many people are familiar with or opt for." But that's not all In addition to cutting parallel parking assist, Galhotra said Ford found millions more in savings by replacing a vehicle part that consumers rarely see. "In one of our vehicle lines, we were using certain aero shields for fuel economy," he said this week. "... The team came up with a different way of delivering the same aero and save $40 per vehicle. So that's equivalent to about $10 million per year." Ford CEO Jim Farley said during the call that his team is committed to making more cuts in ways that don't disrupt the customer experience. Contact Phoebe Wall Howard: 313-618-1034 or phoward@freepress.com. Follow her on X at @phoebesaid This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ford will cut driver-assist parallel parking feature in vehicles Prudent Man Advisors LLC decreased its holdings in shares of Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Free Report) by 1.7% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 14,633 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after selling 251 shares during the quarter. Prudent Man Advisors LLCs holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $1,417,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of ABT. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC grew its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 104,649.4% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 30,247,436 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $3,320,866,000 after buying an additional 30,218,560 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Abbott Laboratories in the 4th quarter valued at $1,893,715,000. Morgan Stanley boosted its holdings in Abbott Laboratories by 14.3% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 38,966,499 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $4,278,132,000 after purchasing an additional 4,886,954 shares during the period. Bank of Montreal Can bought a new stake in Abbott Laboratories in the 2nd quarter valued at $368,418,000. Finally, Capital International Investors boosted its holdings in Abbott Laboratories by 4.9% in the 2nd quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 59,178,607 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $6,451,127,000 after purchasing an additional 2,747,652 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 73.70% of the companys stock. Get Abbott Laboratories alerts: Abbott Laboratories Price Performance ABT stock traded down $0.62 during trading on Friday, hitting $111.81. 5,947,680 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 5,491,193. Abbott Laboratories has a one year low of $89.67 and a one year high of $115.83. The stock has a market cap of $194.11 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.30, a P/E/G ratio of 2.69 and a beta of 0.75. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $110.62 and a 200 day simple moving average of $103.97. The company has a current ratio of 1.74, a quick ratio of 1.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38. Abbott Laboratories Increases Dividend Abbott Laboratories ( NYSE:ABT Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 24th. The healthcare product maker reported $1.19 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $1.19. The firm had revenue of $10.24 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $10.19 billion. Abbott Laboratories had a net margin of 14.27% and a return on equity of 20.84%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 1.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.03 EPS. Equities analysts expect that Abbott Laboratories will post 4.61 EPS for the current fiscal year. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 12th will be given a $0.55 dividend. This represents a $2.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.97%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, January 11th. This is a boost from Abbott Laboratoriess previous quarterly dividend of $0.51. Abbott Laboratoriess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 67.48%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of analysts have weighed in on the stock. Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $112.00 to $107.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Thursday, October 19th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $116.00 to $121.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, December 13th. Barclays raised their price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $133.00 to $141.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Friday, January 26th. Raymond James raised their price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $124.00 to $127.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, January 25th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $128.00 price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a report on Thursday, January 25th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Abbott Laboratories currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $120.00. Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Abbott Laboratories Insider Buying and Selling at Abbott Laboratories In other Abbott Laboratories news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 42,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $112.50, for a total value of $4,781,250.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 65,027 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,315,537.50. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In related news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 15,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $108.00, for a total transaction of $1,620,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 65,027 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,022,916. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 42,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $112.50, for a total transaction of $4,781,250.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 65,027 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,315,537.50. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 1.10% of the companys stock. Abbott Laboratories Company Profile (Free Report) Abbott Laboratories, together with its subsidiaries, discovers, develops, manufactures, and sells health care products worldwide. It operates in four segments: Established Pharmaceutical Products, Diagnostic Products, Nutritional Products, and Medical Devices. The Established Pharmaceutical Products segment provides generic pharmaceuticals for the treatment of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, irritable bowel syndrome or biliary spasm, intrahepatic cholestasis or depressive symptoms, gynecological disorder, hormone replacement therapy, dyslipidemia, hypertension, hypothyroidism, Meniere's disease and vestibular vertigo, pain, fever, inflammation, and migraine, as well as provides anti-infective clarithromycin, influenza vaccine, and products to regulate physiological rhythm of the colon. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ABT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Abbott Laboratories Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Abbott Laboratories and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Angeles Investment Advisors LLC cut its holdings in shares of Banco Bradesco S.A. (NYSE:BBD Free Report) by 14.5% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 22,511 shares of the banks stock after selling 3,815 shares during the quarter. Angeles Investment Advisors LLCs holdings in Banco Bradesco were worth $64,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. BlackRock Inc. lifted its holdings in Banco Bradesco by 48.4% during the first quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 72,108,265 shares of the banks stock valued at $188,924,000 after purchasing an additional 23,517,670 shares during the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in Banco Bradesco by 2.8% during the second quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 24,858,430 shares of the banks stock valued at $87,131,000 after purchasing an additional 681,532 shares during the last quarter. Macquarie Group Ltd. lifted its holdings in Banco Bradesco by 7.7% during the first quarter. Macquarie Group Ltd. now owns 24,224,185 shares of the banks stock valued at $63,467,000 after purchasing an additional 1,732,700 shares during the last quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. lifted its holdings in Banco Bradesco by 34.1% during the second quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 23,880,402 shares of the banks stock valued at $82,626,000 after purchasing an additional 6,075,854 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA increased its position in shares of Banco Bradesco by 35.8% during the third quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 21,319,038 shares of the banks stock valued at $60,759,000 after buying an additional 5,624,225 shares during the period. 1.84% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Banco Bradesco alerts: Banco Bradesco Price Performance BBD stock opened at $2.73 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.84, a quick ratio of 0.97 and a current ratio of 0.97. The companys 50 day moving average is $3.30 and its 200 day moving average is $3.13. Banco Bradesco S.A. has a 1-year low of $2.34 and a 1-year high of $3.68. Banco Bradesco Cuts Dividend Banco Bradesco ( NYSE:BBD Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 9th. The bank reported $0.08 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.09 by ($0.01). The company had revenue of $10.65 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.27 billion. Banco Bradesco had a return on equity of 9.06% and a net margin of 6.38%. Analysts expect that Banco Bradesco S.A. will post 0.35 EPS for the current fiscal year. The business also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 8th. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 5th will be given a $0.0038 dividend. This represents a dividend yield of 5.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 4th. Banco Bradescos dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 14.29%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several brokerages have recently weighed in on BBD. HSBC cut Banco Bradesco from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, January 8th. Jefferies Financial Group cut Banco Bradesco from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Friday. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their price target on Banco Bradesco from $3.20 to $2.80 and set a sell rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday. Get Our Latest Stock Report on BBD About Banco Bradesco (Free Report) Banco Bradesco SA, together with its subsidiaries, provides various banking products and services to individuals, corporates, and businesses in Brazil and internationally. The company operates through two segments, Banking and Insurance. It provides current, savings, click, and salary accounts; real estate credit, vehicle financing, payroll loans, mortgage loans, microcredit, leasing, and personal and installment credit; debit and business cards; financial and security services; consortium products; auto, personal accident, dental, travel, and life insurance; investment products; pension products; real estate and vehicle auctions; cash management, and foreign trade and exchange services; capitalization bonds; and internet banking services. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BBD? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Banco Bradesco S.A. (NYSE:BBD Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Banco Bradesco Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Banco Bradesco and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Investors are often guided by the idea of discovering 'the next big thing', even if that means buying 'story stocks' without any revenue, let alone profit. Unfortunately, these high risk investments often have little probability of ever paying off, and many investors pay a price to learn their lesson. Loss making companies can act like a sponge for capital - so investors should be cautious that they're not throwing good money after bad. If this kind of company isn't your style, you like companies that generate revenue, and even earn profits, then you may well be interested in Irish Continental Group (LON:ICGC). Now this is not to say that the company presents the best investment opportunity around, but profitability is a key component to success in business. See our latest analysis for Irish Continental Group How Fast Is Irish Continental Group Growing? If you believe that markets are even vaguely efficient, then over the long term you'd expect a company's share price to follow its earnings per share (EPS) outcomes. Therefore, there are plenty of investors who like to buy shares in companies that are growing EPS. Irish Continental Group's shareholders have have plenty to be happy about as their annual EPS growth for the last 3 years was 40%. Growth that fast may well be fleeting, but it should be more than enough to pique the interest of the wary stock pickers. Careful consideration of revenue growth and earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margins can help inform a view on the sustainability of the recent profit growth. The music to the ears of Irish Continental Group shareholders is that EBIT margins have grown from 5.8% to 11% in the last 12 months and revenues are on an upwards trend as well. Both of which are great metrics to check off for potential growth. The chart below shows how the company's bottom and top lines have progressed over time. Click on the chart to see the exact numbers. Story continues You don't drive with your eyes on the rear-view mirror, so you might be more interested in this free report showing analyst forecasts for Irish Continental Group's future profits. Are Irish Continental Group Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders? It's a necessity that company leaders act in the best interest of shareholders and so insider investment always comes as a reassurance to the market. So it is good to see that Irish Continental Group insiders have a significant amount of capital invested in the stock. We note that their impressive stake in the company is worth 126m. Coming in at 19% of the business, that holding gives insiders a lot of influence, and plenty of reason to generate value for shareholders. Looking very optimistic for investors. Should You Add Irish Continental Group To Your Watchlist? Irish Continental Group's earnings per share growth have been climbing higher at an appreciable rate. That sort of growth is nothing short of eye-catching, and the large investment held by insiders should certainly brighten the view of the company. At times fast EPS growth is a sign the business has reached an inflection point, so there's a potential opportunity to be had here. So at the surface level, Irish Continental Group is worth putting on your watchlist; after all, shareholders do well when the market underestimates fast growing companies. You should always think about risks though. Case in point, we've spotted 4 warning signs for Irish Continental Group you should be aware of, and 1 of them is a bit concerning. Although Irish Continental Group certainly looks good, it may appeal to more investors if insiders were buying up shares. If you like to see companies with insider buying, then check out this handpicked selection of British companies that not only boast of strong growth but have also seen recent insider buying.. Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. StockNews.com upgraded shares of First Commonwealth Financial (NYSE:FCF Free Report) from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report sent to investors on Wednesday. A number of other equities analysts have also weighed in on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price target on shares of First Commonwealth Financial from $15.00 to $14.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, October 26th. Stephens decreased their price target on shares of First Commonwealth Financial from $16.50 to $15.50 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, February 6th. Get First Commonwealth Financial alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on FCF First Commonwealth Financial Stock Up 1.5 % Shares of NYSE FCF opened at $13.35 on Wednesday. First Commonwealth Financial has a 1 year low of $11.16 and a 1 year high of $16.53. The firms 50 day moving average price is $14.64 and its 200 day moving average price is $13.52. The firm has a market cap of $1.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.67 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.14, a quick ratio of 0.92 and a current ratio of 0.92. First Commonwealth Financial (NYSE:FCF Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, January 30th. The bank reported $0.44 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.39 by $0.05. First Commonwealth Financial had a net margin of 25.07% and a return on equity of 13.78%. The firm had revenue of $168.55 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $123.17 million. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.39 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that First Commonwealth Financial will post 1.46 earnings per share for the current year. First Commonwealth Financial Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 23rd. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 9th will be issued a $0.125 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 8th. This represents a $0.50 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.75%. First Commonwealth Financials dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 32.47%. Hedge Funds Weigh In On First Commonwealth Financial A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in FCF. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. boosted its position in First Commonwealth Financial by 17.5% during the 2nd quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 53,157 shares of the banks stock worth $672,000 after purchasing an additional 7,905 shares during the period. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. boosted its position in First Commonwealth Financial by 20.7% during the 2nd quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 23,265 shares of the banks stock worth $294,000 after purchasing an additional 3,989 shares during the period. Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund acquired a new position in First Commonwealth Financial in the 3rd quarter worth $746,000. Barclays PLC lifted its holdings in First Commonwealth Financial by 70.4% in the 2nd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 175,273 shares of the banks stock worth $2,218,000 after buying an additional 72,432 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Janney Montgomery Scott LLC lifted its holdings in First Commonwealth Financial by 8.9% in the 2nd quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC now owns 88,086 shares of the banks stock worth $1,114,000 after buying an additional 7,225 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 66.73% of the companys stock. About First Commonwealth Financial (Get Free Report) First Commonwealth Financial Corporation, a financial holding company, provides various consumer and commercial banking services in the United States. Its consumer services include personal checking accounts, interest-earning checking accounts, savings and health savings accounts, insured money market accounts, debit cards, investment certificates, fixed and variable rate certificates of deposit, mortgage loans, secured and unsecured installment loans, construction and real estate loans, safe deposit facilities, credit cards, credit lines with overdraft checking protection, IRA accounts, and automated teller machine (atm) services, as well as internet, mobile, and telephone banking services. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for First Commonwealth Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for First Commonwealth Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp lowered its position in Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) by 12.0% in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 347,199 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 47,353 shares during the quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp owned 0.14% of Discover Financial Services worth $30,078,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Boston Partners raised its stake in shares of Discover Financial Services by 56.5% in the third quarter. Boston Partners now owns 8,597,250 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $743,663,000 after purchasing an additional 3,102,119 shares in the last quarter. Morgan Stanley raised its stake in shares of Discover Financial Services by 35.6% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 4,927,342 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $482,042,000 after buying an additional 1,293,260 shares in the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors bought a new position in shares of Discover Financial Services during the 2nd quarter worth about $495,973,000. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Discover Financial Services during the 4th quarter valued at about $340,672,000. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its stake in Discover Financial Services by 12.8% in the second quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 3,323,219 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $388,352,000 after acquiring an additional 377,737 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 83.63% of the companys stock. Get Discover Financial Services alerts: Discover Financial Services Price Performance Shares of DFS stock opened at $109.18 on Friday. Discover Financial Services has a 1 year low of $79.04 and a 1 year high of $122.50. The company has a current ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 1.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.48. The firms 50 day moving average is $106.98 and its 200-day moving average is $96.07. The firm has a market capitalization of $27.30 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.70, a PEG ratio of 0.92 and a beta of 1.43. Discover Financial Services Dividend Announcement Discover Financial Services ( NYSE:DFS Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 18th. The financial services provider reported $1.54 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.50 by ($0.96). The firm had revenue of $4.20 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.10 billion. Discover Financial Services had a return on equity of 21.81% and a net margin of 14.30%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 12.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $3.77 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Discover Financial Services will post 11.28 EPS for the current fiscal year. The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 7th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 22nd will be issued a $0.70 dividend. This represents a $2.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.56%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 21st. Discover Financial Servicess dividend payout ratio is 24.89%. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of research analysts have commented on the stock. BMO Capital Markets cut their price target on shares of Discover Financial Services from $116.00 to $104.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a research note on Monday, January 22nd. Morgan Stanley upgraded Discover Financial Services from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and raised their target price for the stock from $105.00 to $133.00 in a research report on Thursday. Barclays lowered their price target on Discover Financial Services from $124.00 to $112.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 19th. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price objective on Discover Financial Services from $139.00 to $121.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 19th. Finally, HSBC lowered shares of Discover Financial Services from a buy rating to a hold rating and lowered their target price for the stock from $121.00 to $107.00 in a report on Friday, January 19th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $114.24. Check Out Our Latest Analysis on DFS Insider Buying and Selling In other Discover Financial Services news, CFO John Greene sold 35,191 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $106.51, for a total transaction of $3,748,193.41. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 18,592 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,980,233.92. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.69% of the companys stock. Discover Financial Services Profile (Free Report) Discover Financial Services, through its subsidiaries, provides digital banking products and services, and payment services in the United States. It operates in two segments, Digital Banking and Payment Services. The Digital Banking segment offers Discover-branded credit cards to individuals; private student loans, personal loans, home loans, and other consumer lending; and direct-to-consumer deposit products comprising savings accounts, certificates of deposit, money market accounts, IRA certificates of deposit, IRA savings accounts and checking accounts, and sweep accounts. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding DFS? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Discover Financial Services Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Discover Financial Services and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Faced with the challenge of providing housing and services to the residents of south Minneapolis' large Camp Nenookaasi homeless encampment, the city of Minneapolis tried a new strategy: bypassing its traditional partnership with Hennepin County and instead awarding a nearly $1 million contract to a relatively unknown, for-profit group called Helix Health and Housing Services. There was no competitive bidding process for the contract. Rather, the city based its decision on its experience working with Helix co-owners Adam Fairbanks, a consultant for Red Lake Nation, and Carrie Johnson, the former service area director of housing at Avivo, during its response to another major encampment: the Wall of Forgotten Natives, which popped up along Hwy. 55 in 2018. At Nenookaasi, as was the case with the earlier encampment, many residents are Native Americans with tribal affiliations, struggling with a complex combination of addiction and trauma. These barriers have made it difficult for them to use sober emergency shelters and complicate the work of the usual nonprofit outreach agencies trying to match them with services and suitable housing in the private rental market. In Helix's first two months of work with the city, Camp Nenookaasi has been shut down multiple times only to have residents move to another unsanctioned campground. But Helix has reported some successes, housing nearly 100 people, far surpassing its initial goal. "Obviously, we had our hands full with Nenookaasi, and we needed a new and innovative solution," said Minneapolis' deputy health commissioner, Heidi Ritchie. "Looking around the country, nobody's found a way to address these large encampments, and so we're really looking at approaches that are innovative, that do take into account the specific and tailored barriers that individuals face, and how culture plays into that." The contract Helix declined interview requests in prior months, but agreed last week to share its first public report and discuss its methodology. Story continues Fairbanks and Johnson formed Helix, a limited liability company, in May 2022. Last October, they approached the city with a proposed "comprehensive public health response" for the residents of Camp Nenookaasi. The resulting city contract covers December 2023 through November 2024 and outlines a pilot project in which Helix would quickly identify 32 people living in encampments and move them into "temporary, safe, affordable housing," with on-site substance use treatment, therapy and supervision. Once the people have been stabilized which could take years they would get help moving into permanent supportive housing. The contract provides for Helix to hire eight full-time employees for housing services and seven full-time drug counselors and therapists, practically doubling its staff. Traditionally, contracting with social service organizations that do work in encampments has been Hennepin County's role. While Minneapolis has long contributed financially to those efforts, the Helix contract is the first of its kind for the city, said Minneapolis spokesperson Sarah McKenzie. A different strategy Helix says it has so far helped 98 Nenookaasi residents, exceeding the initial goal of 32. The residents were bussed to Twin Cities rental properties, grouped with the people they wanted to live with and given month-to-month and year-long leases with private landlords, said Johnson. "The goal is that they hopefully maintain it for forever, or move to a new place of their wishing," she said. The reason Helix was able to house nearly 100 people so rapidly, unlike the typical experience of chronically homeless people, is because Helix doesn't follow Hennepin County's methodology, said Fairbanks. Hennepin County is currently trying to reach functional zero chronic homelessness by 2025 through a system called coordinated entry. The strategy: prioritize people with the greatest needs those diagnosed with a disability who have been homeless for at least a year. Case managers help clear obstacles to housing, like expunging a warrant or settling unpaid rent from a prior lease, before searching for the right type of housing. Last year, Hennepin County said more than 90% of people served this way remained housed. "We make sure that once we've crossed that finish line to get you into housing, it's someplace that you can really thrive," said Danielle Werder, area manager of Hennepin County's Office to End Homelessness. But there has been criticism that coordinated entry isn't dynamic enough; affordable housing providers with units reserved for people coming out of homelessness sometimes have to wait long periods before they're able to lease them out, hurting revenue and leaving valuable housing stock unused. Helix does not use coordinated entry. While most local rental subsidy programs are funded by the Minnesota Department of Human Services and conducted through Hennepin County, Helix has a housing support agreement through Red Lake, which doesn't require it. That enables Helix to find unoccupied rental units in the private market, take whoever happens to be standing in front of them at a homeless encampment, and immediately move them in, said Fairbanks. "Good luck finding people that are in encampments or moving around," said Fairbanks. "The whole system of prioritizing those who need it the most? It doesn't work for those who need it the most, right? The system is designed to work for people where you can find them, and that doesn't work for an encampment population." New challenges But there have been challenges with Helix's model, too. There isn't 24-hour staffing or food provided at most of the units where Helix has housed people. Renters aren't supposed to have drugs in their apartments, but people are still using. Helix's staff are trained in harm reduction methods of safe use but the drug and mental health treatments are voluntary, as is sobriety. The Star Tribune found two men at Nenookaasi in January who had tried out a Helix placement only to return to the encampment. Robert Broderson recalled climbing aboard a Helix van that pulled up to the encampment in early December. He was taken to a small apartment building in north Minneapolis and assigned to a room with two other people who were in a relationship. The arrangement made him feel so awkward that he left right away. Ben Howze said that he couldn't get along with another Helix housemate who sold drugs, and that he returned to Nenookaasi to get food. Of the 98 people served at the beginning of the contract, Helix has lost contact with 12, said Johnson, resulting in a program retention rate of 88% in its first quarter. Only time will tell how successful Helix's rapid rehousing model will be in the long run. Helix must submit monthly invoices to the city and make quarterly public reports. Opioid settlement money The city's contract with Helix was funded with money from its portion of settlements in national legal cases with opioid manufacturers over their role in the opioid crisis. Half a million Americans died from opioid overdoses over the last 25 years, and communities including Minneapolis have been devastated by encampments, drug use on public transit and the petty crimes committed by people trying to feed powerful addictions. In August 2021, the Minnesota Attorney General's Office joined a $26 billion settlement agreement with drug manufacturers and distributors, and that money is now trickling down to the local governments that signed on. Minneapolis received $2.2 million in settlement payments as of last summer, and is scheduled to get $5.2 million more by the end of this year. Last February, the city approved $120,000 annually for a full-time senior public health specialist to help direct opioid settlement spending, but has not yet filled the role. In late 2023, the city's health department spent $10,000 on an education campaign about Steve's Law, which allows any member of the public to carry and use the opioid overdose-reversing drug naloxone, and shields from prosecution the person calling 911 to report an overdose. Minneapolis is also finalizing contracts with four organizations selected through a competitive bidding process for treatment and long-term recovery services. Vectors Research Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE:ROK Free Report) by 3.0% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 7,220 shares of the industrial products companys stock after acquiring an additional 210 shares during the period. Vectors Research Management LLCs holdings in Rockwell Automation were worth $1,896,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in ROK. OFI Invest Asset Management acquired a new stake in Rockwell Automation during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $26,000. BluePath Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Rockwell Automation in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Neo Ivy Capital Management acquired a new stake in shares of Rockwell Automation in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Clear Street Markets LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Rockwell Automation in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Finally, First Manhattan Co. lifted its holdings in shares of Rockwell Automation by 150.0% in the 4th quarter. First Manhattan Co. now owns 125 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 75 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.84% of the companys stock. Get Rockwell Automation alerts: Rockwell Automation Trading Up 1.7 % Rockwell Automation stock traded up $4.79 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $283.50. The stock had a trading volume of 1,503,844 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,182,080. Rockwell Automation, Inc. has a twelve month low of $252.11 and a twelve month high of $348.52. The stock has a market capitalization of $32.49 billion, a PE ratio of 26.97, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.62 and a beta of 1.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a current ratio of 1.25. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $295.26 and its 200 day simple moving average is $289.96. Rockwell Automation Dividend Announcement Rockwell Automation ( NYSE:ROK Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 31st. The industrial products company reported $2.04 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.62 by ($0.58). The business had revenue of $2.05 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.08 billion. Rockwell Automation had a return on equity of 37.22% and a net margin of 13.35%. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $2.46 EPS. Analysts expect that Rockwell Automation, Inc. will post 12.42 EPS for the current year. The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 11th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 20th will be given a dividend of $1.25 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 16th. This represents a $5.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.76%. Rockwell Automations dividend payout ratio is presently 47.57%. Insider Transactions at Rockwell Automation In other Rockwell Automation news, CEO Blake D. Moret sold 1,143 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $278.73, for a total value of $318,588.39. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 65,848 shares in the company, valued at $18,353,813.04. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other Rockwell Automation news, CEO Blake D. Moret sold 1,143 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $278.73, for a total transaction of $318,588.39. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 65,848 shares in the company, valued at $18,353,813.04. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Blake D. Moret sold 6,644 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $279.68, for a total transaction of $1,858,193.92. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 73,715 shares of the companys stock, valued at $20,616,611.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders sold 10,386 shares of company stock worth $2,892,850. Company insiders own 0.68% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several equities analysts recently weighed in on ROK shares. Citigroup dropped their price objective on Rockwell Automation from $351.00 to $330.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, February 1st. Stephens reaffirmed an equal weight rating and issued a $350.00 price objective on shares of Rockwell Automation in a research note on Friday, November 3rd. Mizuho dropped their price objective on Rockwell Automation from $300.00 to $265.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, February 1st. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on Rockwell Automation from $357.00 to $320.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, February 1st. Finally, UBS Group raised Rockwell Automation from a neutral rating to a buy rating and raised their price target for the stock from $305.00 to $360.00 in a research report on Wednesday, January 3rd. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $307.92. Get Our Latest Research Report on Rockwell Automation About Rockwell Automation (Free Report) Rockwell Automation, Inc provides industrial automation and digital transformation solutions in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, and Latin America. The company operates through three segments, Intelligent Devices, Software & Control, and Lifecycle Services. Its solutions include hardware and software products and services. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ROK? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE:ROK Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Rockwell Automation Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Rockwell Automation and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The Liberty Corridor will contain a new heavy duty railroad connecting the Nimba district of Guinea to a new Liberian deep water port - The Liberty Corridor will be a leading African example of multi-user, independently operated, open access infrastructure that will support the economic opening of the West African region to World markets - An estimated investment of US$3 to $5 billion will enable sustainable mineral development and downstream value addition to regional economies - Guma Africa Group Ltd is led by global Pan-African entrepreneur Robert Gumede of South Africa - The Letter of Intent provides that HPX and Guma Africa Group will enter into negotiations with the Government of Liberia to agree the framework granting exclusive rights to develop, finance and grant operating rights to the Liberty Corridor - The three parties will form a tripartite Liberty Corridor Project Steering Committee to liaise with all stakeholders and potential international financiers - Monrovia, The Republic of Liberia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 11, 2024) - Bronwyn Barnes, President and CEO of US Company High Power Exploration Inc ("HPX"), announced today the signing of a letter of intent with the Government of Liberia and the Guma Africa Group Ltd to enter into negotiations to own, design, finance, develop and operate The Liberty Corridor - a brand new multi-user infrastructure corridor connecting Guinea and Liberia. The Liberty Corridor will comprise a brand-new world-class rail system connecting Guinea to a brand-new deep-water port at Didia, Liberia, an extension of the existing hydropower network from Cote d'Ivoire into the Nimba districts of Liberia and Guinea, an upgrade of existing road networks in the Nimba district to all-weather roads and the implementation of fibre optic telecommunication cable connecting Liberia to the Nimba district and potentially beyond. The Liberty Corridor would be a joint development between the Government of Liberia, HPX and the Guma Africa Group, with the three parties who today, entered into an exclusive 30 day period (which can be extended) during which the final framework agreement will be negotiated. On completion of the final agreement, the document will be presented to the Liberian legislature for ratification. Story continues A Liberia-Guinea multi-user infrastructure corridor has the potential to transform the mineral-rich Nimba region, and for projects along the railway and roads corridor in Liberia. The Liberty Corridor will stimulate economic activity in mining, as well as agriculture, manufacturing, health and education. The Liberty Corridor will dramatically improve the quality of life for the millions of people living in the region and create sustainable regional employment. The President of Liberia His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr ., indicated his delight in having this major Project with the potential for profound positive impact on the Liberian economy and the region. Furthermore, the Project is consistent with the Boakai administration's ARREST (Agriculture, Road, Rule of Law, Education, Sanitation, & Tourism) agenda which will positively impact those sectors including electricity, telecommunication and the movement of goods and services. He noted that the Project comes less than a month into his term which portents good news for the country especially for young people which will provide jobs opportunities. "We are happy with the relationship with our American and South African counterparts, especially seeing this Project coming in less than a month into my new administration. "We have to prove to our partners that we are serious, accountable and honest, and that corruption will not be a hindrance to this administration," stated President Boakai. The President also thanked HPX management for the determination expressed to operate in Liberia, to provide employment opportunities for Liberians and to contribute to the economic viability of the country. He also assured Liberians that there are prospects and good news on the horizon for the country. HPX Chief Executive Officer Bronwyn Barnes commented: "HPX is delighted to have formed this partnership with the Government of Liberia and the Guma Africa Group to develop The Liberty Corridor in Guinea and Liberia." "President Joseph Boakai has started his Presidency on a strong footing, engaging with industry to build Liberia's economy. We are delighted to have signed this Letter of Intent with the Government of Liberia as we seek to build Liberia's mining sector in an open and transparent relationship that also delivers benefits to broader industry and community." "HPX looks forward to being part of the growth of Liberia's mining industry and working collaboratively with the Government of Liberia to expand both the mining sector and multiuser infrastructure opportunities centered around The Liberty Corridor." "The Liberty Corridor will be a world class infrastructure development that will include a brand new rail system constructed within the existing Yekepa - Buchanan infrastructure corridor, a new deep water port to be constructed at Didia, an upgrade to the existing road connecting the Nimba district to Didia, an expansion of existing renewable power systems from Liberia to Guinea, and high speed telecommunications infrastructure." Guma Africa Group's Pan African serial entrepreneur and philanthropist Robert Gumede said : "I am delighted to partner with HPX as we pool our resources to transform both Guinea and Liberia's economies through the development of the Liberty Corridor that can unlock mining, agriculture and industrialization of the two countries and the creation of sustainable jobs. The time for lip service is gone. Our joint partnership with HPX will support Liberia's long term investments policies." HPX Chairman Retired Ambassador J. Peter Pham also commented: "The U.S. Government's consideration of the potential for the Liberia - Guinea Corridor is extremely encouraging. This project has the potential to transform the mineral rich Nimba region, and for projects along the railway in Liberia, stimulating further economic activity not only in mining, but also agriculture, manufacturing, health, education. The Liberty Corridor will enhance the quality of life for the citizens of both countries through improved access to energy, transportation, and telecommunications." "The opportunities that a new, world class infrastructure corridor will offer are in line with the objectives of the United States Government Strategy towards Sub-Saharan Africa, and the commitments given by President Biden and the G7 in a flagship infrastructure initiative - the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment ("PGI")." The United States has announced a series of new PGI initiatives around the world to build out transformative economic corridors and drive infrastructure investments that can boost and connect economic development across multiple countries and sectors, including the "Lobito Atlantic Railway Corridor" launched by President Biden at the G7 Summit in Japan in May 2023. The Lobito Railway Corridor, currently connecting Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Zambia, helps integrate the three countries and enhance their connections with global markets by expanding export possibilities, boosting regional trade, and growing a variety of key market sectors. Ivanhoe Mines, a major African-based mining company founded and co-chaired by Robert Friedland, announced on 7 February 2024 that Ivanhoe Mines would be the first commercial customer to transport up to 240,000 tons of copper concentrate along The Lobito Corridor. The President of Liberia His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr with Mr Robert Friedland and Mr Robert Gumede at the signing ceremony in Monrovia on Friday 9 February 2024. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6263/197568_09d0f79e94d9caa2_005full.jpg His Excellency The President of Liberia His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr (centre) with the Founder, Chairman and CEO of I-Pulse Inc Mr Robert Friedland, Ms Bronwyn Barnes, President and CEO of HPX, Mr Robert Gumede Chairman and Founder Guma Africa Group, Amb.(ret) Peter Pham and Gerald Padmore of Cox Padmore Skolnik & Shakarchy. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6263/197568_09d0f79e94d9caa2_006full.jpg His Excellency The President of Liberia His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr (centre) with the Founder, Chairman and CEO of I-Pulse Inc Mr Robert Friedland (centre left), Ms Bronwyn Barnes, President and CEO of HPX (centre right), Mr Robert Gumede Chairman and Founder Guma Africa Group (left of Mr Friedland), Amb.(ret) Peter Pham (right of Ms Barnes), and Ambassador Sylvester Grigsby Minister of State for Presidential Affairs (right of Amb. Pham). To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6263/197568_09d0f79e94d9caa2_007full.jpg Background GUMA AFRICA GROUP is a Pan African diversified investment and operations group involved in Mining, Infrastructure, Tourism & Hospitality, ICT, Healthcare, Human Capital Development, Renewable Energy, Rail Manufacturing, etc. Guma operates in 28 African countries. HPX is an American exploration and development company focused on advancing its high-grade long-life iron ore mine in the Lola region of the Southeastern region of the Republic of Guinea. HPX's major shareholder and technology provider is I-Pulse Inc, a US Company founded and Chaired by Mr Robert Friedland and has a number of high profile American institutional and private investors as shareholders. I-Pulse Inc. is a private American company with a multibillion-dollar valuation founded by Robert Friedland and Laurent Frescaline and backed by a global network of shareholders. I-Pulse uses its unique expertise in electrical energy to power disruptive industrial solutions. The I-Pulse suite of technologies utilises proprietary capacitors that safely and repeatedly compress and release stored electricity in billionths of a second. The extremely high-powered discharges, which utilise extremely small amounts of energy, generate precise shockwaves directed to shape and assemble metals to previously unachievable degrees of precision; generate electrical fields that reveal chargeable or resistive mineral deposits, or water, at depth; and crush rock containing minerals or gemstones. I-Pulse is commercializing these applications in industries such as advanced manufacturing and mineral exploration. I-Pulse operates its I-Cube research and development facilities in Toulouse, France. Visit www.ipulse-group.com to learn more. Further information or media contact: Bronwyn Barnes, President and CEO HPX Bronwyn.Barnes@hpxmines.com +44 7810 227 672 Joe MacDonald, Head of Strategy and Business Development Joe.Macdonald@hpxmines.com + 44 7525 341 493 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/197568 David Dardashti Helping Our Clients is Our Top Priority. Miami, Feb. 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In light of the rising threat of fentanyl distribution in the United States and its ties to China's massive debts, Ibogaine By David Dardashti, a leader in addiction recovery treatment, today released a statement on their position. Fentanyl Scourge With opioid addiction remaining a hot-button issue in the United States and fentanyl increasingly becoming part of the problem, it is increasingly apparent that the mass distribution of the drug relies heavily on China's economy. While smaller criminal organizations have seen their limits with heroin, China's larger distribution capabilities, possibly enabled by our inability to get involved due to fear of debt and economic accountability, could be having an even bigger impact in more remote areas. "It is clear that something needs to be done," says David Dardashti, owner of Ibogaine By David Dardashti. "The rising level of fentanyl distribution is a real threat to our communities, one we can no longer ignore. We need to be more proactive in our approach and understand the full scope of the problem." Dardashti urges citizens to be aware of the problem and use their voice to hold government officials accountable for what is happening with China's massive debt. He explains that we need to find a solution that works not only in our favor but to benefit everyone in the long-run. Dardashti continued, "We need to find a way to work with China to reduce their debt, while still keeping our communities safe from the growing fentanyl scourge." David Dardashti urges citizens to use their voices in order to hold government officials accountable and find a solution that reduces China's debt while protecting communities from the fentanyl scourge. Ibogaine By David Dardashti Offers Holistic Healing by utilizing unique treatment for every condition being treated. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a0745f8b-0202-4ee8-bb32-3257fad6f609 Story continues CONTACT: Gavriel Dardashti +17869301880 gavriel@ibogaineclinic.com In other Ozzy news, the Prince of Darkness is planning to get back on stage for two final shows in the UK so he can thank his fans properly after a bunch of health complications have stopped him from performing. Siddaramaiah challenges Amit Shah to public debate on guarantee schemes | Bengaluru, Feb 11: Asserting that he could prove that the state's treasury is not empty because of the guarantee schemes, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday challenged Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is in the state, to participate in a public debate with him. Mr Shah arrived in Mysuru this morning and visited Chamundeshwari temple in the Chamundi hills and attended a fair before participating in meetings with state BJP leaders to discuss preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Countering Mr Shah's alleged claims that the state government's treasury is empty because of the guarantee schemes, Siddaramaiah said, "If this is Amit Shah's firm opinion, he should participate in a public debate with me. I can prove that our treasury is not empty because of the guarantee schemes, and instead, there is an unfair distribution of taxes from the Centre to the state. This is also a challenge to Amit Shah." Accusing BJP leaders of trying to "destabilise" the guarantee schemes of his government, the chief minister questioned if they harboured hatred for the people of Karnataka and claimed that those opposing them will not get the blessings of Goddess Chamundeshwari and will not have the mercy of Lord Ram. "If there are any objections to the guarantee schemes, BJP leaders should clearly state their opposition immediately, and announce that all guarantee schemes will be discontinued in the states governed by the BJP. Why are BJP leaders trying to destabilise guarantee schemes in Karnataka? Do they harbor hatred for the people of Karnataka," Siddaramaiah asked. The chief minister also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "stealing" the state's guarantee schemes, including the word 'guarantee' and "advertising" it under the same name, despite allegedly opposing them. In a statement released by his office, he called out the hypocrisy of BJP leaders opposing guarantee schemes in Karnataka on one hand, and promising to implement similar ones in states they govern on the other. "This shows the anti-poor stance and intellectual bankruptcy of that party (BJP)," he said. Claiming that the BJP leaders' real opposition is not the guarantee schemes, but the beneficiaries of these schemes - the poor - Siddaramaiah alleged that there is a history of BJP and the Sangh Parivar opposing programmes intended for the needy. "Even when the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi called for 'Garibi Hatao' (Eradicate Poverty), the same RSS-BJP opposed it. They have always opposed social justice programmes including land reforms and reservations. The poor should give a fitting reply to this," he said. To buttress his claims, Siddaramaiah alleged that the Central government, which had refused to provide rice for the state's 'Anna Bhagya' scheme (an additional 5 kg free rice for every member of BPL household), is now selling the same under the brand 'Bharat'. He also claimed that during his first term as chief minister, the BJP leaders had shown their "intolerance and jealousy" towards welfare programmes introduced for the poor. "The Central government, which had refused to provide rice at ? 33 per kilo when we (Karnataka govt) asked (for free supply to poor), is now selling it at ? 29 per kilo. In summary, the BJP is intolerant towards the poor, farmers, women, and workers of Karnataka," he added. Opposition to the Kannada flag, attempts at Hindi imposition, and the conspiracy to favour Amul over Nandini (state's milk brand) are all "achievements" of Amit Shah, the chief minister said. "If the Central government has to provide disaster relief, a high-level committee meeting chaired by Home Minister Amit Shah has to decide. Amit Shah, who is antagonistic towards Kannadigas, does not even call for such a meeting. Such people come to our state and lecture us," Siddaramaiah said. PTI Bhavish Aggarwal-led Ola Electric has received certification for its S1 Pro (Gen-2) electric scooter under the governments production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for the automobile and auto component industry. Sources told IANS on Saturday that the IPO-bound company had applied for the PLI certification for S1 Pro in October and received the certification this week. The companys Ola S1 Pro and Ola S1 Air are now eligible for subsidies under the governments auto PLI scheme for five years from the date of certification, sources added. Advertisement When reached, the company did not immediately comment on the development. Last month, the Ministry of Heavy Industries issued a notification to announce the extension of the tenure of the PLI scheme for automobile and auto components by one year. Under the amended scheme, the incentive will be applicable for a total of five consecutive financial years, starting from the financial year 2023-24. The amendment also includes changes to the table indicating the incentive outlay, with the total indicative incentive amounting to Rs 25,938 crore. In December, Ola Electric became the first Indian e-scooter (e2W) company to get eligible for the governments PLI scheme for its Ola S1 Air electric scooter. The other applicants for the PLI scheme are Hero MotoCorp, TVS Motor Company, Bajaj Auto and others. For e2W startups, fresh investment of Rs 1,000 crore is required to avail of the PLI scheme. Ola Electric plans to expand its EV business and establish a lithium-ion cell manufacturing facility. Pamela Anderson with her recent magazine shoot is causing quite a stir, and its not because of flashy makeup or glamorous outfits. The former Baywatch star made waves by baring her natural beauty for the cover of The Perfect Magazine, eschewing makeup entirely. In a world where the pressure to look flawless is relentless, Andersons bold choice is refreshing and empowering. The decision to go makeup-free stems from a deeply personal place for Anderson. She opened up about her journey, revealing that the passing of her makeup artist, Alexis Vogel, due to breast cancer in 2019, influenced her decision to embrace her natural appearance. Anderson expressed how liberating it feels to break away from societal norms and expectations, finding joy and freedom in going against the grain. See the post here: Advertisement View this post on Instagram A post shared by PERFECT (@theperfectmagazine) The cover photo captures Anderson effortlessly exuding confidence and grace. She lounges in her London hotel after the British Fashion Awards. Fans couldnt get enough of her radiant and unfiltered beauty, showering her with praise and admiration in the comments. In an interview, Anderson delved into the transformative journey shes been on, from her days as a Playboy icon to her role in Baywatch, which she humorously refers to as Halloween costumes. Now, shes returned to a place of self-love and acceptance. She has shed the layers of external expectations to reconnect with her true self. Its not just about makeup, Anderson explained, its about peeling back the layers and rediscovering my authentic self. Whats my purpose? Why do I resonate with people? Can I make a positive impact? These introspective questions reflect Andersons deeper exploration of identity and purpose beyond the superficial. By embracing her natural beauty, Pamela Anderson is spearheading a natural beauty revolution. She encourages others to embrace their authentic selves unapologetically. Her journey serves as a powerful reminder that true beauty comes from within, and self-love is the ultimate accessory. After coming out against the high command for the state of affairs within and the heavyweights for turning down the Ram Temple invitation, Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam was expelled from the party for six years over indiscipline and anti-party remarks, according to an official statement issued on Saturday. The decision was taken by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday after a proposal seeking his dismissal from the party was mooted by the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee. In view of the complaints of indiscipline and repeated statements against the party. Congress President has approved the proposal of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee to expel Pramod Krishnam from the party for six years with immediate effect, read an official statement issued by the Congress on Saturday. Advertisement Of late, Acharya Pramod Krishnam was in the crosshairs of his party with his public statements against the decision of Congress heavyweightsnational president Kharge, former presidents Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhito decline the invitation to the Pran Pratishtha of Shri Ram Lalla in Ayodhya on January 22. He also came out openly against his party high command over the perceived slackness in its preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and the disorder and rising differences in the Opposition blocINDIA while praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking the decades-old Ram Temple movement to a logical end. Labelling as unfortunate the decision by the Congress top leadership to turn down the invitation, Acharya Pramod Krishnam said, Ram Sabke Hain (Lord Ram belongs to all). Ram sabke hain (Lord Ram belongs to everyone). All that I would say is that turning down the invitation to the Pran Pratishtha ceremony was unfortunate, Acharya Krishnam told ANI in an interview earlier. Heaping praise on PM Modi, the dissident Congress leader said had it not been for him, Ram Mandir would never have been a reality. From Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehrum till today, the country has seen many PMs. But none made such a big effort to fulfil a long-held demand or wish. I commend the Prime Minister for his leadership and efforts to take the Ram Temple movement to its logical end, he said. Earlier, on January 29, Acharya Krishnam also took a dig at Rahuls ongoing Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, saying that while all other political parties are gearing up for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress seemed to be gearing up for the 2029 elections. Congress has some great and intelligent leaders. While all other parties around them have begun hectic preparations for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress is happy indulging in political tourism and travel. It would seem that the Congress has hit upon a ploy to win the 2024 elections after this year passes. Or rather, it almost looks as if we have already given up on 2024 and are preparating for the 2029 elections. Had we been preparing earnestly for 2024, things wouldnt have come to this, Acharya Krishnam told ANI earlier. After the politically significant exit of Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) Supremo, Nitish Kumar, from the Congress-led INDIA bloc and return to the BJP-led NDA, the now-expelled Congress leader said the Opposition alliance no longer exists. I believe there is no such thing as INDIA any more. The alliance contracted multiple serious ailments and afflictions at birth. Then it slipped into the ICU and ventilator. Eventually, it was Nitish Kumar (one of the key architects of the Bloc) who performed its last rights in Patna. I dont think it exists any longer, Acharya Krishnam said. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann will be visiting Ayodhya on Monday to pay obeisance to Ram Lalla, party sources said on Sunday. Most likely the two AAP leaders will be visiting Ayodhya along with their families. Arvind Kejriwal will seek blessing from Lord Ram along with his parents, wife and children, the sources said. Advertisement It will be for the first time the leaders will be visiting Ayodhya after the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla that took place last month. Earlier, when people were being invited for the pran pratishtha ceremony and expressing their desire to visit Ayodhya, the Delhi CM had mentioned about visiting Ayodhya with his family including parents, wife and children after the pran pratishtha to seek blessings of lord Ram. Following the consecration ceremony of the temple in Ayodhya and the inauguration, lakhs of devotees from across the nation visited Ayodhya to see Ram Lalla, since the temple was opened to the public. The temple was opened for the normal public after the Pran Pratishtha ceremony was done on 22 January. The Delhi government also runs pilgrimage trains to different religious places, including Ayodhya. Delhi Minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Atishi on Sunday accused the Centre of hindering the implementation of the state governments Ghar Ghar Ration scheme. Addressing a press conference here, Atishi said that Delhi governments Ghar Ghar Ration scheme is aimed at ensuring home delivery of ration to the people of the state. She alleged that it was on the directions of the Central government, Delhis L-G blocked the scheme and never let it get implemented. Advertisement Atishi said: As it is known to everyone, the government is responsible for introducing a ration scheme for the underprivileged class. Every poor family has a ration card, which is used to get rations including wheat, rice, pulses, and sugar, etc. This is done to ensure everyones right to food, preventing anyone from dying of hunger or starvation. She added that every ration card holder faces many difficulties in procuring the 4 kg wheat, 1 kg atta, and 1 kg sugar allocated to them each month. When they go to collect their ration, the shop is often found closed, or there is a long queue outside, she said. Even when they reach the shop, the shopkeeper misbehaves or claims the ration to be out of stock, Atishi said further, adding that It is common for ration card holders to receive incomplete rations. The senior AAP leader said: We have all seen that when someone raises their voice against ration shop malpractices, they are attacked, and goons are unleashed upon them. To eliminate this dictatorship of ration shopkeepers, when the Aam Aadmi Party Government was formed in Delhi, we launched the scheme for home delivery of ration. However, on Saturday the same scheme was launched by Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann in Punjab, which aims to benefit more than 17 lakh people, she added. People in Punjab with ration cards will no longer have to stand in long queues, Atishi said further. By Maha El Dahan and Federico Maccioni DUBAI (Reuters) -The International Monetary Fund said on Sunday Middle East economies were lagging below growth projections due to oil production cuts and the Israel-Gaza conflict, even as the global economic outlook remained resilient. Despite uncertainties, "the global economy has been surprisingly resilient," IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva told the Arab Fiscal Forum in Dubai, while warning of a potential wider impact on regional economies of continued conflict in Gaza. In a regional economic report last month, the IMF revised its GDP growth forecast for the Middle East and North Africa down to 2.9% this year, lagging below October projections, due in part to short term oil production cuts and the conflict in Gaza. The IMF last month edged its forecast for global economic growth higher, upgrading the outlook for both the United States and China and citing faster-than-expected easing of inflation. Georgieva said economies neighbouring Israel and the Palestinian territories saw the conflict weighing on tourism revenues, while Red Sea attacks weighed on freight costs globally. Those factors compounded "the challenges of economies that are still recovering from previous shocks," she told the forum on the sidelines of the World Governments Summit in Dubai. The Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen have been targeting commercial vessels with drones and missiles in the Red Sea since mid-November, and say their attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians as Israel strikes Hamas militants in Gaza. But the U.S. and its allies characterize them as indiscriminate and a menace to global trade. Several global shippers have been diverting traffic to the Cape of Good Hope, a longer route than through Egypt's Suez Canal. Egypt's Finance Minister Mohamed Maait told Reuters on the sidelines of the summit that part of the impact of the diversion on Suez Canal revenues could be absorbed due to good growth in "the period before the events." Story continues AI TSUNAMI The IMF will publish on Monday a paper that shows phasing out energy subsidies could save $336 billion in the Middle East, equivalent to the economies of Iraq and Libya combined, Georgieva said. Georgieva said that eliminating regressive energy subsidies also "discourages pollution, and helps improve social spending." In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, fossil fuel subsidies made up 19% of GDP in 2022, the IMF has said. It has recommended the gradual unwinding of energy subsidies for the region's economies, including oil exporters, and suggested targeted support as an alternative. Advanced technology, including Artificial Intelligence, is a key theme of focus at the World Governments Summit, with several top executives from major global tech firms due to speak, including Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI. Georgieva said globally, 40% of jobs are exposed to AI, and countries that lack the infrastructure and a skilled workforce to invest could fall behind. Regional economies such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia have significantly increased investment in AI as part of strategies to diversify income sources. (Reporting by Maha El Dahan and Federico Maccioni; Writing by Rachna Uppal; Editing by William Mallard, Sonali Paul and Bernadette Baum) Bihar floor test: Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in Bihar will face the crucial floor test on Monday. Kumar, who ditched the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan last month to form a new government with the help of the BJP, have been asked to prove majority on the floor of the House on February 12. The BJP has been keeping its flock together at a resort in Bodh Gaya ahead of the floor test. The saffron party, however, said that the MLAs were sent there for training and that there was no fear of poaching by the Opposition. The Congress MLAs were kept at a Hyderabad resort, while RJD lawmakers camped at Tejashwi Yadavs residence. Advertisement How numbers stack up in Bihar Assembly? Both, the BJP and Nitish Kumars JDU are confident to prove majority in the 243-member strong Bihar Legislative Assembly. The NDA is believed to have the support of 128 MLAs, six more than the required numbers. The BJP has 78 seats in Bihar, while JDUs current strength is 45. They are also supported by four MLAs of Jitan Ram Manjhis Hindustani Awam Morcha. An Independent lawmaker Sumit Singh has also given his support to the Nitish Kumar government. On the other hand, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has 79 MLAs in the Bihar Legislative Assembly. With 19 lawmakers from the Congress, and 16 from the Left parties, the Opposition has 114 legislators. If the lone AIMIM MLA joins them, they will still have only 115 lawmakers and will require at least 7 more to challenge the Nitish Kumar government. Meanwhile, the JDU has issued a three-line whip to its MLAs, asking them remain present in the Assembly on Monday. When Nitish joined hands with the BJP and formed new government, he had said that the game is not over yet. While the numbers are in favour of the NDA and it appears an easy win, Tejashwi Yadav is hoping for a last minute turnaround. As BJP-led Haryana government sealed off borders with Punjab in a bid to stop protesting farmers from reaching Delhi, the Opposition Congress has accused the Modi government of treating the countrys food providers like criminals. Sharing a purported video on X, Congress said that the Modi government has placed nails on the path of farmers and treating them like criminals. Farmers upset with the injustice of Modi government are coming to Delhi. As soon as the Modi government got wind of this, nails were placed on the path of the farmers. The path was blocked with stones. BJP government has shut down internet in many districts of Haryana. Our food providers are being treated like criminals, the Congress wrote on X. Advertisement The Congress said that instead of listen to the farmers, the Modi government has considered them as their enemies. The government should listen to the farmers and solve their problems. But intoxicated with ego, PM Modi and his government have considered farmers as their enemies, he said. Ahead of the farmers proposed Delhi Chalo protest march on February 13, the BJP government in Haryana on Saturday suspended mobile internet, bulk SMS and all dongle services in seven districts Jind, Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Fatehabad, Hisar and Sirsa. The government has also sealed off the Punjab-Haryana border in Ambala, Fatehabad and Jind in a bid to stop the farmers from reaching the national capital on February 13. More than 200 farmer unions are likely to take part in the Delhi Chalo protest march, which has been jointly called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha. Vijayan, against whose firm the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) has initiated a probe along with Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) and Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation Industrial (CMRL). Three important petitions related to the Exalogic Solutions are coming up for hearing in the Karnataka and Kerala High Courts on February 12. The Karnataka High Court will hear the plea by Exalogic Solutions, the firm owned by Veena Vijayan, seeking to stay the SFIO probe against it, on Monday . Advertisement A single bench of Justice Naga Prasanna will hear the plea of the firm of CM Vijayans daughter on Monday. The Exalogic Solutions has on Thursday approached the Karnataka High Court seeking to stay the SFIO probe against it . The firms petition also seeks that the inquiry order dated January 31 of the Ministry of Corporate affairs be quashed. The SFIO, which is probing the financial dealings of Exalogic Solutions, owned by Veena Vijayan, as well as Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) and KSIDC has issued summons to Veena Vijayan seeking various documents as part of the investigation. In its notice, the SFIO has asked Veena Vijayan to produce documents related to financial transactions between her company, Exalogic Solutions, and Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL). A copy of the summons was also submitted to the Karnataka High Court by Exalogic Solutions, in a plea seeking to stay the SFIOs investigation against it The Kerala High Court will again hear the petition by the state-run Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation( KSIDC) seeking to stay the SFIOs probe against it. The court on Wednesday declined to stay the same. Rejecting the KSIDC plea to stay the ongoing investigation proceedings in KSIDC by SFIO, Justice Devan Ramachandran has asked why KSIDC was afraid of the investigation. The court also declined to interfere with the notices directing KSIDC to produce documents sought by the probe agency. The SFIO has sought some documents from KSIDC as part of its probe into the dealings between CMRL and Exalogic Solutions The Kerala High Court will also again consider the petition filed by Shone George seeking an SFIO probe into the transactions between CMRL and Exalogic Solutions on Monday. Kottayam district Panchayat member Shone Georges petition in the Kerala High Court seeking to order a probe by the SFIO on the illegal payments made to chief minister Vijayans daughters company and to others by the mining company Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited(CMRL) , ultimately led to handing over of the investigation to the SFIO which probes corporate frauds of serious nature. The Income Tax Interim Settlement Board (ITISB) had found that CMRL had disbursed Rs 135 crore to political leaders and others after 2016. The ITISB has also found that a total of Rs 1.72 crore was received by Veena Vijayan and her company Exalogic during 2017-20 from the mining company, the CMRL without providing any service to them Exalogic Solutions has been in the eye of a storm after the Registrar of Companies (RoC) came out with a preliminary report pointing out major violations in its transactions with Kochi-based CMRL. The RoC had recommended investigations by the Enforcement Directorate and the CBI under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and the Prevention of Corruption Act A day ahead of the crucial floor test of Nitish Kumar government, a meeting of JD-U MLAs was held at the residence of Finance Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary on Sunday but 4 lawmakers were not present. However, another Minister said that they were in touch with all four and they would be reaching here in time for the vote. The meeting started at 5 p.m. and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was also present. Sources have said that of the missing four MLAs, three Bima Bharti, Sudarshan Kumar, and Dilip Rai had their phones switched off or out of network coverage area, while Dr Sanjiv Kumar, who represents Parbatta in Khagaria district, was in Goa but is expected to reach Patna by Monday. Advertisement On Saturday, a lunch party was held at the residence of Rural Development Minister Shrawan Kumar here where these MLAs as well as Shalini Mishra were not present. However, Mishra, who went to Delhi a few days ago, had returned to Patna and was present in the Sunday meeting. We are with Nitish Kumar and we will win the vote of trust, she said. Cabinet minister Sumit Singh, who is an Independent, said that the missing lawmakers will reach Patna for the floor test on Monday. We have contacted them and they are on the way to Patna. There will be no Khela (gamke) in Bihar. We are the players (Khiladi) and we will do the Khela, he said. Asked about the phones of three MLAs being switched off, Singh said that the party leaders have contacted them on their alternate numbers and they had promised to come to Patna. During the 2020 Assembly election as well as during the formation of Mahagathbandhan government, Bima Bharti had openly objected to Lesi Singh being made minister. On the other hand, Sudarshan Kumar was not pleased with senior party leader Ashok Chaudhary, considered close to Nitish Kumar, and had blamed him for interfering in his constituency. Rai was in the RJD before the 2020 Assembly election and joined the JD-U in the run-up to it. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, in the first of-its-kind interaction with the milk producers of the state, said the government was encouraging agriculture as an industry to make the farmers self-reliant. Since agriculture and milk production plays a pivotal role in promoting rural economy, the state government is coming up with innovative schemes in the upcoming budget to increase the income of farmers which were likely to yield positive results in the next two years, said the chief minister. He said there is a direct relationship between agriculture and milk production. It becomes necessary to go for natural and organic farming in a big way, thereby linking traditional farming techniques with modern technologies. Advertisement We intend to bring a revolutionary change in the agriculture sector with a special focus on promoting animal husbandry, he said, adding an increase of six rupees in the milk purchase price is an indication of our future course of action to strengthen the dairy sector for assuring fixed income to the farmers. Sukhu further informed that fundamental changes were being made in the policies and rules to ensure that money goes directly to the farmers. The government will also consider giving tax concessions to the milk producers, he assured. He said that the milk quality in the Himalayan region was far better and efforts were afoot for its marketing which would add to the income of farmers and make agriculture an employment-oriented industry besides taking measures to prevent them from exploitation while selling their produce in the open market. These efforts will help in strengthening the rural economy, he said. To strengthen the milk-based economy of the state, Him Ganga Yojana has been started with a budget provision of Rs 500 crore. The process of land transfer for setting up the milk processing plant to cost Rs 226 crore with a capacity of 1 lakh 50 thousand liters per day to be established at Dhagwar in Kangra district, has been completed. It can be enhanced up to 3 lakh liters per day, he said. The unutilised land of the farmers will be used for setting up solar plants to strengthen the rural economy under the second phase of the Rajiv Gandhi Self-Employment Startup Scheme, he stated. The chief minister also held extensive discussions with the farmers in an open dialogue session and assured to incorporate the suggestions received from the farmers and other stakeholders in its policy document. The chief minister also visited the exhibition set up by MILKFED and interacted with the farmers. Mizoram Chief Minister Laduhoma called on Union Minister of State (Independent charge) Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh here on Sunday and discussed various issues pertaining to the Northeastern state. During their meeting, Singh, who also holds the portfolio of MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Space and Atomic Energy, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi accords the highest priority to the North Eastern region and he is keen to ensure equitable development in all the eight States of the region. The Minister recalled that one of the first Centres of Excellence in the entire subcontinent, a specialised Citrus Fruit Park was set up by the Modi Government in Mizoram with Israeli collaboration. Advertisement He said that this will give a boost to horticulture, revenue and employment in the region. In the meeting, the Chief Minister urged for the posting of Civil Servants and officers in the State. The Minister suggested that he should send an official communication and assured that whatever is possible and appropriate would be done. Recalling his last meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Laduhoma said that he had not only given him encouragement but also asked him to keep providing updates about the state from time to time. Asserting that the BJP alone would win more than 370 seats and the NDA would cross the 400 figure in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the Congress would be completely wiped off in 2024. Sounding the bugle for Lok Sabha polls in Madhya Pradesh while addressing a huge gathering at the Janjatiya Mahasammelan near the Gopalpura airstrip in tribal-dominated Jhabua, Mr Modi said he had not come to campaign for elections but to express his gratitude and thank the people for showering so much love and blessings on him and the BJP. The PM was presented with a blue waistcoat with tribal prints and a white traditional turban at the venue. Advertisement Donning the tribal waistcoat throughout his speech, the PM said, The development and respect of tribals and poor sections is Modis guarantee, and fulfilling the dreams of tribals and their children is Modis commitment. Launching a scathing attack on the Congress, Mr Modi said, Loot aur phoot Congress ke oxygen hain, (corruption and politics of division are oxygen for Congress). Warning the people about the Congresss tactics, the PM said the Congress would try to divide people on the lines of caste, language, religion, and areas in its last-ditch effort to come back to power in the Lok Sabha polls. But I know that the people of the country have realised the truth about the Congress and they will never let the Congress succeed in its motives, Mr Modi said. Commenting on the present condition of the opposition, especially the Congress, the PM said that no one is ready to take any responsibility there. The Congress has sunk in its own marsh of sins and is sinking deeper with each attempt to come out of the quagmire, the PM said. The Prime Minister asserted, Currently, the Congress and other opposition leaders merely abuse me because I am diligently working for the welfare of the tribals and poor. The Congress never did anything for the welfare and respect of tribals during its rule and only treated them as a vote bank, the PM charged. He said that the reality is that, the Congress always hated and still hates villagers, poor and tribals and did nothing for their development. The Congress even tried to prevent a tribal woman (Droupadi Murmu) from becoming the President of the country, the PM said. On the other hand, the BJP government, under the leadership of late PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, was the first to launch a dedicated ministry for tribal welfare and provided a separate budget for tribal development works, he said. The PM said that the present BJP government has launched a Sickle Cell Mission for the eradication of sickle cell disease among tribals. He said the number of forest produce on which the government ensures MSP (minimum selling price) has been increased from 10 to around 90 now. Besides, Van Dhan centres have also been opened. More than 1.75 lakh beneficiaries have been provided with Swamitva Patras today to protect them from land rights-related problems, he said, adding that the BJP government has restored land rights to tribals. The PM Jan-Man yojana is also being implemented to benefit the most backward sections and tribals, he said. I guarantee that three crore women would be made lakhpati didi and drones would be provided to women farmers so that they bring an agricultural revolution by becoming the Namo drone didis, the PM said. Speaking about the works of the BJPs double-engine government in Madhya Pradesh, the PM said MP was a BIMARU state during the black period of the Congress rule in the state. Today, our double-engine government is providing 24 per cent more funds than the Congress for the development of railways in MP. We have provided concrete houses to 45 lakh families and ensured access to tapped water for 65 lakh families in MP, the PM stated. Pointing out that no tribal child must be deprived of good education, the PM said a CM RISE School would be started in Jhabua. The PM also laid the foundation of the Kanti Surya Tantya Mama Bhil University in Jhabua. At the mega event, Mr Modi laid the foundation stones of various projects and dedicated to the people several works worth more than Rs 7,550 crore in different parts of Madhya Pradesh. After his expulsion from the Congress, Acharya Pramod Krishnam demanded an explanation from party leaders for the move. Launching a major attack on party leaders for his expulsion on alleged anti-party activities, the expelled Congress leader said, KC Venugopal and Mallikarjun Kharge should explain what the activities were against the party, he questioned. While expressing his gratitude to the party leadership for issuing the order to free him from Congress, he asked the party leadership: Is taking the name of Ram, accepting the invitation for the consecration of Ram temple, or inviting PM Narendra Modi and CM Yogi to the foundation stone laying ceremony of Shri Kalki Dham is against the party. Advertisement At Kalki Dham in Sambhal on Sunday, the Acharya said on Saturday night, information was received from journalists and the media about the issue of letter by the Congress party about his expulsion. He further said that the Congress partys destruction did not happen due to Ram Mandir or Kalki Dham. The wrong decisions of big leaders are the reason behind this. When the party opposed Hindu religion, I called it wrong, he said, adding no one is greater than Ram and religion. Whatever happens now will be written in history. On the question of Sachin Pilot, he said wrong things happened to him continuously. He continued to tolerate insults even after taking a sip of poison. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday launched a scathing attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over farmer protest, saying those who spread nails in the path of farmers should be thrown out of the government. As many as 200 farmers unions have given a Delhi Chalo protest march call on February 13 over several demands, including the MSP guarantee. However, in order to stop the farmers from reaching Delhi, the BJP government in Haryana have sealed its border with Punjab with barricading and spread nails on their path. Advertisement Those who spread nails in the path of farmers are not worthy of trust, uproot them from Delhi, Congress will provide justice and profit to the farmers, Gandhi said. The Gandhi scion further accused Modi of cultivating lies and cheating the farmers. Modi, who cultivates lies day and night, has only cheated the farmers in the last 10 years. By promising double the income, Modi also made the farmers yearn for MSP, he said. Gandhi also claimed that farmers debt has increased 60 per cent due to not getting fair prices for their crops and as a result, about 30 farmers lost their lives everyday. The one whose USP is deception, can only do politics with the farmers in the name of MSP, not justice, he added. Meanwhile, the Congress party has accused the Modi government of treating the countrys food providers like criminals and spread nails in their path. Farmers, who are upset with the injustice of Modi government, are coming to Delhi. As soon as the Modi government got wind of this, nails were placed on the path of the farmers. The path was blocked with stones. BJP government has shut down internet in many districts of Haryana. Our food providers are being treated like criminals, the Congress wrote on X. Members of the Uttar Pradesh State Legislature will visit the Ram temple in Ayodhya on Sunday even as Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav has declined the invitation. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Uttar Pradesh Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana have invited members of both Houses of the legislature to offer prayers before Ram Lalla in the newly inaugurated temple in Ayodhya. The legislators will travel to Ayodhya on Sunday morning on buses arranged by the state government. Advertisement During a discussion on the budget in the House on Saturday, the Speaker reiterated his invitation to Akhilesh Yadav to join the visit to Ayodhya. However, Yadav declined the invitation, stating that he and his party members will only visit when Shri Ram calls them. Despite Yadavs refusal, leaders from various parties, including the BJP, Apna Dal Sonelal, Nishad Party, Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party, Rashtriya Lok Dal, Indian National Congress, Jansatta Dal Loktantrik, and Bahujan Samaj Party, have accepted the invitation and will be part of the visit. Ten luxury buses carrying Cabinet Ministers and members of the Legislature will leave for Ayodhya from 8 a.m. in the morning. Arrangements for the visit have been made by the Minister of State for Transport (Independent Charge) Dayashankar Singh. Ram Dhun will be played in the buses during the journey. The visit of the legislators to the Ram temple in Ayodhya holds religious and political significance, reflecting the deep reverence for Shri Ram among the people of Uttar Pradesh. Potential Watches of Switzerland Group plc (LON:WOSG) shareholders may wish to note that the Independent Non-Executive Chairman, Ian Carter, recently bought UK188k worth of stock, paying UK3.77 for each share. We reckon that's a good sign, especially since the purchase boosted their holding by 72%. View our latest analysis for Watches of Switzerland Group The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Watches of Switzerland Group Notably, that recent purchase by Ian Carter is the biggest insider purchase of Watches of Switzerland Group shares that we've seen in the last year. That means that an insider was happy to buy shares at around the current price of UK3.94. Of course they may have changed their mind. But this suggests they are optimistic. We do always like to see insider buying, but it is worth noting if those purchases were made at well below today's share price, as the discount to value may have narrowed with the rising price. The good news for Watches of Switzerland Group share holders is that insiders were buying at near the current price. While Watches of Switzerland Group insiders bought shares during the last year, they didn't sell. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date! Watches of Switzerland Group is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket. Does Watches of Switzerland Group Boast High Insider Ownership? Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Insiders own 3.3% of Watches of Switzerland Group shares, worth about UK31m. While this is a strong but not outstanding level of insider ownership, it's enough to indicate some alignment between management and smaller shareholders. Story continues So What Do The Watches of Switzerland Group Insider Transactions Indicate? The recent insider purchase is heartening. And an analysis of the transactions over the last year also gives us confidence. Given that insiders also own a fair bit of Watches of Switzerland Group we think they are probably pretty confident of a bright future. While we like knowing what's going on with the insider's ownership and transactions, we make sure to also consider what risks are facing a stock before making any investment decision. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 1 warning sign with Watches of Switzerland Group and understanding it should be part of your investment process. Of course Watches of Switzerland Group may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of high quality companies. For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Barring the Samajwadi Party, MLAs from all political parties of Uttar Pradesh on Sunday visited Ayodhya to offer prayers to Lord Ram, responding to the call of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana. Grateful for this spiritual journey, the MLAs expressed their appreciation to CM Yogi for extending this opportunity. Accompanied by ministers and legislators from the ruling coalition, members of opposition parties including BSP, RLD, and Congress joined in the collective reverence for Lord Ram. Advertisement The luxurious buses provided by the Transport Corporation resonated with the chanting of Ramdhun, while the vehicles were adorned with vibrant flowers, setting a serene atmosphere. To enhance the comfort of the journey, arrangements for refreshments were made, and each MLA received a thoughtful token of remembrance including a diary, a pen, a calendar, etc. For many, this pilgrimage marked a historic milestone, culminating in the realization of a dream cherished for centuriesthe construction of the grand temple of Lord Ram. The unity displayed by the government and MLAs from across the political spectrum was hailed as a momentous occasion, attributing it to CM Yogis visionary leadership. Such camaraderie, they noted, would be etched in the annals of history, alongside the contributions of Prime Minister Modi and Chief Minister Yogi. Reflecting on the profound significance of the pilgrimage, MLAs expressed overwhelming emotions and shared anecdotes of their anticipation leading up to the journey. Some took the opportunity to lament the absence of the Samajwadi Party and its leader, Akhilesh Yadav, criticizing their decision not to partake in the darshan of Lord Ram. Talking to the media, MLAs from various parties conveyed their sentiments of reverence and gratitude. Congress MLA Aradhana Mishra Mona reminisced about her longstanding connection with Awadh, considering the pilgrimage as an auspicious and deeply personal moment. BSP MLA Umashankar Singh commended the governments arrangements and emphasized his partys commitment to secularism, denouncing any politicization of the pilgrimage. Nishad Party President and Minister Sanjay Nishad described the occasion as monumental, underscoring the emotional significance of reconnecting with Lord Ram after many years. Days after his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Smriti Irani, Pramod Krishnam has been expelled from the Congress for six years over indiscipline and anti-party remarks. Reacting to the Congress partys action against him, Krishnam said that he will not compromise on Ram and Rashtra (Nation). There can be no compromise on Ram and Rashtra, the expelled Congress leader wrote on X and tagged Rahul Gandhi in the post. Advertisement Earlier on Saturday night, Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge approved a proposal of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee to expel Krishnam for a period of six years. The official statement of the Congress party said that the decision was taken after complaints of indiscipline and repeated public statements against the party. The development comes days after he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and invited him to attend the inauguration of Shri Kalki Dham on February 19. Krishnam also met several other BJP leaders, including Union Minister Smriti Irani and extended invitation to them to attend the inauguration of Shri Kalki Dham. Krishnam has also criticised the Congress party after it declined to attend the Ram temple consecration ceremony last month. Not even a Christian or a priest or Muslim can decline the invitation of Lord Ram. Ram is the soul of India. Without Ram, India cant even be imagined, Acharya Pramod said at the time. Recently, he also took a dig at Rahul Gandhis Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, saying it appears the party is preparing to contest the 2029 elections. Congress has some very great and intelligent leaders. On one hand, all political parties are gearing up for the 2024 elections, while on the other hand, the whole Congress party is doing political tourism; they are travelling. Actually, we will figure out how to win the 2024 elections after 2024. It seems we are preparing ourselves for the 2029 elections. Had we been preparing for 2024, this would not have happened, he had said. The introduction of generative AI into election campaigns ushers in a new era of unprecedented possibilities and concerns. The recent case in Indonesia sheds light on the transformative impact of AI, emphasizing its role in shaping electoral narratives, influencing voter sentiment, and redefining political personas. At the heart of this digital revolution is the use of AI to craft compelling campaign imagery, such as the endearing cartoon version of a once-feared special forces commander in Indonesia. This creative application of technology not only captures attention but also challenges traditional notions of political branding. The commanders shift from a fiery nationalist image to a gemoy (cute and cuddly) persona, courtesy AI, exemplifies the malleability of political identities in the digital age. However, as with any technological advancement, the infusion of AI into electoral campaigns raises critical concerns. The lack of clear regulations in Indonesia accentuates the potential misuse of AI tools, with campaigns pushing boundaries set by AI providers. The challenge lies in striking a delicate balance between harnessing the power of AI for positive engagement and preventing its exploitation for manipulative purposes. The use of AI-generated content extends beyond mere imagery, encompassing sentiment analysis, interactive chatbots, and targeted voter outreach. While these tools offer efficiency and customisation, concerns arise about their ethical implications and potential impact on the democratic process. The risk of creating echo chambers and manipulating public opinion demands a careful examination of the boundaries within which AI should operate in the political arena. One positive aspect of this technological leap is the democratisation of campaigning tools. Smaller contenders gain access to sophisticated AI-driven strategies that were once exclusive to major players with substantial budgets. The ability of AI to generate hyper-localised content tailored to specific demographics empowers candidates in reaching diverse voter groups effectively. This inclusivity in campaigning tools levels the playing field and fosters a more dynamic and diverse political landscape. The Indonesian case also underscores the need for stringent regulations to govern the use of AI in elections. With countries representing a significant portion of the global population heading to the polls, the impact of AI on electoral processes cannot be underestimated. Clear guidelines, informed by ethical considerations, are imperative to prevent AI from becoming a double-edged sword that undermines the integrity of democratic practices. As AI continues to permeate election campaigns worldwide, the focus must extend beyond concerns to explore the potential benefits it brings. AI-driven tools can enhance civic engagement, provide personalised information to voters, and streamline communication between candidates and the electorate. The challenge lies in harnessing AIs potential while safeguarding against its misuse for deceptive purposes. Striking this delicate balance requires a collaborative effort involving policymakers, tech companies, and the public to ensure that AI becomes a force for positive change in the democratic process rather than a tool for manipulation. Advertisement Will Tamil superstar Vijay glitter in the already crowded Tamil Nadu political scene now that he has launched his new political party? It is too soon to predict. After the launch of his party, Tamizhaga vetri Kazhagam Vijay, said, I have one more film I have signed, and I will finish it and ultimately involve myself in politics. I have been preparing myself for my political journey for a long time. I will devote myself to the people of Tamil Nadu. This is the only way I can give back to my people. Most people who come to politics would like to project themselves as genuine do-gooders. After the legendary former chief minister M G Ramachandran (MGR) and J. Jayalalithaa, other superstars such as Kamal Haasan and Vijaykant had ventured into politics earlier. They met with varying degrees of success. MGR had a base in DMK and Jayalalithaa thrived on an anti-DMK posture. Advertisement Kamal Haasan established his political party called Makkal Needhi Maiam. However, his party won no seats in the 2019 and 2021 elections. On the other hand, Vijaykant had a promising start but could not sustain his political career and unfortunately passed away recently. It is interesting to note that some actors who entered politics achieved success while others did not. Among the successful leaders were M.G. Ramachandran, J. Jayalalithaa, M. Karunanidhi, C.N. Annadurai, and Captain Vijayakanth. However, Sivaji Ganesan, Sarathkumar, Napoleon, and S.S. Rajendran were unsuccessful. Thalapathi (General) Vijay, a Christian from the Udayar community, is widely popular across different regions and can succeed in a state that looks up to cult figures. Vijay is rumoured to earn a whopping Rs 150 crores for each film. He has little competition because other famous stars like Ajith, Rajnikant, and, now, Kamal Hassan have not entered the political arena. Vijay will compete in the 2026 Assembly elections as a chief ministerial candidate. He has time to build his party and win the publics trust as an alternative to the DMK. His primary opponent in the generational shift would be Udayanidhi, a minister and the son of chief minister M.K. Stalin. How will Vijays political party meet the challenges ahead? It proposes a political philosophy combining the ideas of three influential figures B.R. Ambedkar, who advocated for the rights of Dalits; Periyar, a social reformer; and Kamaraj, a leader for the backward class. He is avoiding the word Dravida in his partys name. Vijays challenge is to win over voters from various political parties. These include the ruling DMK and the primary opposition AIADMK. The others are Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Vanniyar-dominated Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), Kamal Hasans Makkal Needhi Maiam, and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK). Earlier, Vijay had supported the India Against Corruption movement in 2011 and met PM Modi in 2014. In 2017, he also supported the pro-jallikattu protests. In 2018, he met he families of the victims of the Thoothukudi incident. Challenges before Vijay are many. He can succeed in a state adoring a cult-status politician. He is young (49) and a crowd-pulling figure. He has arrived at the right time. Vijay is Tamil, while Rajinikanths Marathi roots and BJP/RSS connections have caused controversies in a Dravidian-dominated state. Vijay should define his political ideology and contrast it with the Dravidian doctrine of DMK and AIADMK parties. He should adopt an aggressive posture. Vijay must specify which political party he is running against the DMK, AIADMK, or BJP. As a newcomer, his only feasible option is to oppose the ruling government, the DMK. This was the strategy that worked for J. Jayalalithaa, who positioned herself as anti-DMK and antiKarunanidhi and went on to become a successful politician. Can Vijay impact the votes of parties like DMK, AIADMK, and others in Tamil Nadu? How much will anti-incumbency work for him? For 50 years, these parties have ruled the state alternately, each with a strong 30 per cent vote base. While DMK focused on infrastructure, AIADMK implemented populist schemes. Vijay may or may not win, but his party will impact the other players. To ensure his success in the 2026 election, Vijay needs to focus on setting up booth committees. Since DMK and AIADMK already have a solid voter base, he needs to encourage his rural supporters to become actual voters. Motivating them and converting them into active voters is the key to winning. This can be done by organizing booth committees. A political rumour suggests the BJP is supporting his party against DMK. In exchange, his party would receive BJPs support in 2026. He needs to address this rumour to overcome it. It is premature to make predictions about Vijays future. However, it would be an exceptional accomplishment if he succeeded like MGR in Tamil Nadu and N.T. Rama Rao in Andhra Pradesh by building his fan base. The road ahead is complex and full of obstacles The energy level during the flag-off ceremony of The 57th Vintage and Classic Car Rally shot up with patriotic tunes played by the brass band of Delhis The Mann School displaying their raw that defied their age. The honorable guests, including Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri, were all praise for the children who mesmerised the entire audience with their flawless performance. The audience at the event included those who took part in the iconic and historic vintage and classic car rally organised by The Statesman Group in New Delhi. Advertisement The band played Saare Jahan Se Accha Hindustan Hamara, during flag-off of the rally by the Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. Later, they played Bharat ke Jawaan, Foxtrot, Mera Mulk Mera Desh, and Hum Honge Kamyab while the vintage cars embarked on the rally. The minister, after the flag- off ceremony, interacted with the students and appreciated their performance and discipline. The 25-member band consisted of both girls and boys, who played their respective instruments with utmost perfection. Band Majors Saleena Shaheen Ali Alai, Vasanth Madhav S, Yash Gupta, and Divakar Sikaria led the band showcasing the talent of The Mann School band members who were also accompanied by their able band master Hony. Lt Nawab Khan. First Officer Ruchi Shanker, Associate NCC Officer (Army), also accompanied the students. The Mann School is known for its excellence not only in education but also for providing a comprehensive and holistic learning experience, fostering development of an all-round personality development of students for over three decades, under the leadership of Joginder Singh Mann, the chairman of the school. Microsoft founder and billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates has revealed that in 1997, when he read about children dying in various parts of the world due to diseases which were curable in the US, he realised what he wanted to do something beyond the company he founded. During a conversation with comedian Trevor Noah on his podcast, titled What Now? With Trevor Noah, Gates shared the 1997 incident. I had a long period from about age 18 to 40 where I was very monomaniacal. Microsoft was everything. I was lucky enough that as other people took over Microsoft, I got to go and read and learn about all the health challenges, why children die, said the Microsoft founder. Advertisement He went on to start his charitable organisation called Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Our foundation has spent $53.8 billion since 2000, and we think thats helped our partners make a difference. The number of children who die each year before their fifth birthday. Its fallen by half since the year 2000. Millions more kids are surviving. That makes us optimistic, Gates wrote on their website. Last December, he said that if we make smart investments now, artificial intelligence (AI) can make the world a more equitable place, reducing or even eliminating the lag time between when the rich world gets an innovation and when the poor world does. In a blog post titled The road ahead reaches a turning point in 2024, the Microsoft Co-founder said that we can learn a lot from global health about how to make AI more equitable. The main lesson is that the product must be tailored to the people who will use it, he wrote. One of the biggest impacts so far is on creating new medicines. Drug discovery requires combing through massive amounts of data, and AI tools can speed up that process significantly. Some companies are already working on cancer drugs developed this way. But a key priority of the Gates Foundation in AI is ensuring these tools also address health issues that disproportionately affect the worlds poorest, like AIDS, TB, and malaria, he stressed. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif told his party leaders that former president Asif Zardari has demanded prime ministers slot for his son and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and major ministerial portfolios, local media reported. In a major development, the PPP has agreed to make a coalition government with the PML-N on the condition that Bilawal will be made the Prime Minister, The News reported. Shehbaz told the party leaders that Zardari offered, in exchange, the PPP would support the PML-N to make its government in the Punjab province. Advertisement The News has learnt from the PML-N sources that Shehbaz Sharif met Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal on Friday night and discussed the future coalition. Party sources said on Saturday the PML-N leaders had discussed different options for making the future government in Centre as well as in Punjab province. Party sources claimed the PML-N leadership was in a shock as the election results were completely different from their expectations. They said Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and other PML-N leaders were overconfident and the party leadership didnt pay much attention to public rallies, door-to-door campaigns, mass public campaigns and direct contacts with voters, especially on election day, The News reported. Party sources added that so far making a coalition with Zardari was the first option the PML-N was exploring but didnt want to give away the slot of prime minister. Sources claimed the meeting decided that in case the negotiations with PPP failed, the PML-N would make a coalition government with MQM, JUI-F and other smaller parties. They further claimed that in this scenario, PML-N will make Shehbaz Sharif the prime minister and Maryam Nawaz the Chief Minister of Punjab province, The News reported. Nine Pakistani nationals were killed in an armed attack in Sikran, located in Irans Sistan and Baluchistan province on Sunday, a provincial security source said, a media report said. The incident happened as three gunmen opened fire toward the Pakistani nationals, according to the provinces deputy governor, Alireza Marhamati, Alireza Marhamati, Mehr News reported. He added that three people were injured during the incident. Advertisement Condemning the tragic incident, Marhamati expressed sympathy with the families of the victims and the Pakistani people. Iranian police forces were immediately dispatched to the scene but the gunmen managed to flee the scene of the incident. The details of the incident are being investigated. Key Insights IPH's estimated fair value is AU$13.28 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity IPH is estimated to be 47% undervalued based on current share price of AU$7.00 Our fair value estimate is 41% higher than IPH's analyst price target of AU$9.39 Today we'll do a simple run through of a valuation method used to estimate the attractiveness of IPH Limited (ASX:IPH) as an investment opportunity by estimating the company's future cash flows and discounting them to their present value. We will use the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model on this occasion. It may sound complicated, but actually it is quite simple! Companies can be valued in a lot of ways, so we would point out that a DCF is not perfect for every situation. Anyone interested in learning a bit more about intrinsic value should have a read of the Simply Wall St analysis model. Check out our latest analysis for IPH What's The Estimated Valuation? We are going to use a two-stage DCF model, which, as the name states, takes into account two stages of growth. The first stage is generally a higher growth period which levels off heading towards the terminal value, captured in the second 'steady growth' period. In the first stage we need to estimate the cash flows to the business over the next ten years. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, so we need to discount the sum of these future cash flows to arrive at a present value estimate: 10-year free cash flow (FCF) forecast 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 Levered FCF (A$, Millions) AU$36.3m AU$121.4m AU$130.0m AU$143.6m AU$153.8m AU$162.4m AU$169.8m AU$176.3m AU$182.2m AU$187.7m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x2 Analyst x2 Analyst x2 Analyst x1 Est @ 7.07% Est @ 5.60% Est @ 4.57% Est @ 3.85% Est @ 3.34% Est @ 2.99% Present Value (A$, Millions) Discounted @ 6.6% AU$34.0 AU$107 AU$107 AU$111 AU$112 AU$111 AU$108 AU$106 AU$102 AU$99.0 ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St) Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = AU$997m Story continues After calculating the present value of future cash flows in the initial 10-year period, we need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all future cash flows beyond the first stage. For a number of reasons a very conservative growth rate is used that cannot exceed that of a country's GDP growth. In this case we have used the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield (2.2%) to estimate future growth. In the same way as with the 10-year 'growth' period, we discount future cash flows to today's value, using a cost of equity of 6.6%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2033 (1 + g) (r g) = AU$188m (1 + 2.2%) (6.6% 2.2%) = AU$4.3b Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= AU$4.3b ( 1 + 6.6%)10= AU$2.3b The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is AU$3.3b. The last step is to then divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of AU$7.0, the company appears quite good value at a 47% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Valuations are imprecise instruments though, rather like a telescope - move a few degrees and end up in a different galaxy. Do keep this in mind. dcf Important Assumptions We would point out that the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate and of course the actual cash flows. You don't have to agree with these inputs, I recommend redoing the calculations yourself and playing with them. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at IPH as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 6.6%, which is based on a levered beta of 0.967. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business. SWOT Analysis for IPH Strength Earnings growth over the past year exceeded the industry. Debt is well covered by earnings and cashflows. Weakness Dividend is low compared to the top 25% of dividend payers in the Professional Services market. Shareholders have been diluted in the past year. Opportunity Annual earnings are forecast to grow faster than the Australian market. Trading below our estimate of fair value by more than 20%. Threat Dividends are not covered by earnings and cashflows. Revenue is forecast to grow slower than 20% per year. Next Steps: Whilst important, the DCF calculation is only one of many factors that you need to assess for a company. DCF models are not the be-all and end-all of investment valuation. Instead the best use for a DCF model is to test certain assumptions and theories to see if they would lead to the company being undervalued or overvalued. For instance, if the terminal value growth rate is adjusted slightly, it can dramatically alter the overall result. What is the reason for the share price sitting below the intrinsic value? For IPH, we've put together three pertinent elements you should explore: Risks: Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 4 warning signs with IPH (at least 1 which is a bit concerning) , and understanding these should be part of your investment process. Management:Have insiders been ramping up their shares to take advantage of the market's sentiment for IPH's future outlook? Check out our management and board analysis with insights on CEO compensation and governance factors. Other Solid Businesses: Low debt, high returns on equity and good past performance are fundamental to a strong business. Why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals to see if there are other companies you may not have considered! PS. The Simply Wall St app conducts a discounted cash flow valuation for every stock on the ASX every day. If you want to find the calculation for other stocks just search here. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Who is the big winner from the inauguration of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya on January 22? The hindutvist PM, of course. Yet, is not the bigger winner Muhammad Ali Jinnah? For we are now an avowed Hindu Rashtra and Jinnah always maintained that whatever its pretensions to secularism, independent India was in fact a Hindu Raj. Gandhi sought to counter such a thesis by making Hindu-Muslim unity the fulcrum around which an independent Indian nation-state would be spun. In spiritual terms, this emphasis on Hindu-Muslim unity was expressed in the ineluctable belief that different religions are but different paths that lead to the same Truth. In political terms, Gandhi made Hindu-Muslim unity the leitmotif of the freedom movement, beginning with merging the demand for the restoration of the Khilafat with his non-violent civil disobedience satyagraha. In his personal life, his close associates included the Ali brothers, Dr M.A. Ansari, Dr Zakir Hussain and, above all, Maulana Azad. On the Dandi March, he stayed the last night before picking up a fistful of salt with a Muslim host and nominated Abbas Tyabji to lead the satyagraha in the event of his arrest. Above all, it was his designating Jawaharlal Nehru as his true successor that demonstrated his unwavering conviction that independent India, whether partitioned or not, could only be true to itself and its heritage by refusing to be a sectarian state. To this, Nehru added the coda that the state would have no religion. Now we have a prime minister who has displaced the four Shankaracharyas to emerge as the chief Hindu priest. Illustration: Job P.K. Nehru distilled the essential truth of the evolution of Indic civilisation as being inscribed on ancient palimpsests that are placed one upon the other without quite obscuring previous texts. From that arose a process of absorption, assimilation and synthesis that transformed military conquests into a composite heritage that drew the best from every source, victor or vanquished. Moreover, it was precisely over the period of the Delhi sultanate (1192-1526) that the Bhakti movement (and its Muslim counterpart, Sufism) got under way. It was over six centuries of Sultanate and Mughal rule (1526-1858) that Ramanujacharya and Swami Ramanand, Sant Tukaram and Krishna Chaitanya, Sankardev and Ravi Das, Kabir and Surdas and Mira, and then the ten gurus of Sikhism defined bhakti as the most popular form of religion. Indeed, Acharya Goswami Tulsidas began his famed Ramcharitmanas in 1574 in Ayodhya in the very shadow of the Babri Masjid built in 1528, without once mentioning the destruction of any Ram temple. Now we have the vice president informing the JNU convocation that the pain of 500 years has ended with the inauguration of the Ram Temple. Yet, the biggest Ram bhakt of them all, Mahatma Gandhi, never felt that pain. He never mentioned the Babri Masjid and unlike the hindutvists celebrating what the Supreme Court has described as the egregious violation of the law in violently bringing down the masjid, actually ensured that all mosques and shrines of the Muslim community in Delhi were returned to the Muslims when, at partition, Hindu and Sikh refugees from Pakistan started occupying them. Hence, argued Nehru, while Pakistan could become an Islamic nation if it wished, India would not follow suit by becoming a Hindu nation. It would remain secular. B.R. Ambedkar agreed and the nation concurred. At least till 2014. What, after all, is secularism? At its most basic, it is the right of Indian Muslims to remain Muslim with the same constitutional and legal rights as Indians of other faiths. Now, under the assault of Hindutva authoritarianism and majoritarianism, that national consensus on a secular India is being radically transformedin the direction that Jinnah had affirmed it would. Aiyar is a former Union minister and social commentator. I have just returned from what was a truly enjoyable weekend in Goa. On work. Attending fashion shows for a new idea called the India Mens Weekend put together by the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI). The two-day showcase had a mix of designersboth established and newputting together a mostly mens-only showcase of some incredible styles. It took place on the jetty of the historic Aguada Port and Jail Complex, on literally a floating pier, so imagine the thrill of watching a fashion show while in the middle of the sea and the sky. The historic former jail, now a hip hangout with exhibition halls, cafes and bars, is among the sunshine states more popular events spaces. Some of the designers who took part were the revered Rajesh Pratap Singh (his models actually emerged from the sea, their chic cropped pants and linen shirts drenched), Ashish Soni (who showed a variety of tailored options in monochromes), Antar-Agni (the label that made the mens dhoti au courant again), Rahul Khanna and Rohit Gandhi, JJ Valaya, Shantnu & Nikhil (gorgeous tie-dye denim jackets), Krishna Mehta, Manoviraj Khosla, Siddharth Tytler, Dhruv Vaish (returned from a gig in Italy and focused on sharp tailoring), Vivek Karunakaran (loved the mundu with the jacket), Bloni, Khanijo, Countrymade, Pawan Sachdeva, Paresh Lamba and Kommal and Ratul Sood. Models walk for Antar-Agni The event was small and attended by just a couple of hundred people. Yet, this is an event whose time has come. Menswear has begun to enjoy as much attention as womenswear in India. If one were to remove bridal lehengas out of the picture, Indian menswear enjoys just as much fanfare as designer womens wear does. Perhaps even more, this bunch in Goa would argue. Indian men have historically been peacocks. Most of our rulers enjoyed a gorgeous wardrobe, draped billowing fine cottons in their dhotis or angrakhas and showed off their wealth through their personal jewellery. It is only the British and their stiff upper lip that put a lid on men having fun with fashion. But the peacock is dancing again. The last decade or more has seen men experiment with fabulous, eccentric, or unusual styles. Much of it was led by the US legalising homosexual marriages. Guccis new creative director at the time, Alessandro Michele, celebrated with a gorgeous new aesthetic: the mans wardrobe borrowing heavily from the womans. Vivid florals, bright colours, and soft suits became the new language of menswear. The men became boys, pretty boys or girlie guys, and a new wave of soft masculinity arrived. Perhaps never to return. This season we see Anthony Vaccarello inject womens wear dress codes into menswear at Yves Saint Laurent (much like YSL himself had done 50 years ago with his Le Smoking suit, inspiring womens wear from menswear). Chiffon blouses, pussybows, floor-sweeping coats and high heels for men (GQs style editor Selman Fazil wore a pair of high-heeled boots on Goas pier too). The Indian menswear market has been the fastest growing segment in apparels. It is valued at $30 billion as of 2023, and expected to reach $34.50 billion by 2027. But apart from the traditional players like Arvind Mills brands (USPA, Arrow, Flying Machine), and Aditya Birlas (Louis Philippe, Allen Solly and Van Heusen), newer players such as Bombay Shirt Company, Rare Rabbit, Nicobar, Korra and Kaapus are bringing men a more stylish wardrobe. FDCI chairman Sunil Sethi agrees. He says his event is aimed at highlighting the exponential growth of menswear fashion illustrating the evolution from conventional attire to a refreshing representation of style. Look no further than Ranveer Singh, Karan Johar and Vijay Varma for cues. The government is examining foreign direct investment from China in Paytm Payments Services Ltd (PPSL), the payment aggregator subsidiary of One97 Communications Ltd, sources said. In November 2020, PPSL had applied for licence with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as a payment aggregator under the guidelines on Regulation of Payment Aggregators and Payment Gateways. However, in November 2022, RBI rejected PPSL's application and asked the company to resubmit it, so as to comply with Press Note 3 under FDI rules. One97 Communications Ltd (OCL) has investment from Chinese firm Ant Group Co. Subsequently, the company filed the required application on December 14, 2022 with government of India for past downward investment from OCL into the company in order to comply with Press Note 3 prescribed under FDI guidelines. An inter-ministerial committee is examining investments from China in PPSL and decision would be taken on the FDI issue after due consideration and comprehensive examination, sources said. Under Press Note 3, the government had made its prior approval mandatory for foreign investments in any sector from countries that share land border with India to curb opportunistic takeovers of domestic firms following the Covid-19 pandemic. Countries which share land borders with India are China, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar and Afghanistan. When contacted, a Paytm spokesperson said PPSL applied for an online Payment Aggregator (PA) application for online merchants and the regulator subsequently asked PPSL to seek necessary approvals for past downward investment and resubmit the application. "This is part of the regular process where everybody applying for a payment aggregator licence has to get FDI approval," the spokesperson said. The spokesperson said PPSL followed the relevant guidelines and submitted all relevant documents to the regulator within the stipulated time. During the pending process, PPSL was allowed to continue with its online payment aggregation business for existing partners without onboarding any new merchants. "Since then the ownership structure has changed. The Paytm founder remains the largest stakeholder in the company. Ant Financial reduced its stake in OCL to less than 10 per cent in July 2023. Subsequently, it does not qualify for beneficial company ownership. OCL founding promoter now holds a 24.3 per cent stake. Therefore, your understanding of FDI from China in PPSL is incorrect and misleading," the spokesperson said. The Reserve Bank last month barred Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL), an associate company of OCL, from accepting deposits or top-ups in any customer account, prepaid instruments, wallets, and FASTags, among others after February 29, 2024. The Reserve Bank's action against PPBL follows a comprehensive system audit report and subsequent compliance validation report of external auditors. RBI had said that these reports revealed persistent non-compliances and continued material supervisory concerns in PPBL, warranting further supervisory action. On March 11, 2022, RBI had barred PPBL from onboarding new customers with immediate effect. The Unified Payment Interface (UPI) services will be launched in Sri Lanka and Mauritius on Monday. RuPay card services will also be launched in Mauritius on the same day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, and Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth will attend the launch via video conferencing. The launch will enable the availability of UPI settlement services for Indian nationals travelling to Sri Lanka and Mauritius as well as for Mauritian nationals travelling to India, a statement from the prime minister's office noted. "The extension of RuPay card services in Mauritius will enable Mauritian banks to issue cards based on RuPay mechanism in Mauritius and facilitate usage of RuPay Card for settlements both in India and Mauritius." The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) dubbed the move "historic." PM of India @narendramodi, PM of Mauritius @MauritiusPM, and President of Sri Lanka to witness historic launch of UPI and RuPay connectivity with Mauritius and Sri Lanka #UPI - #RuPay on February 12, 2024 at 1:00 PM. Live at: https://t.co/8uDyl9x0A9@DasShaktikanta, @RBI, pic.twitter.com/KwZL14xY2o ReserveBankOfIndia (@RBI) February 11, 2024 The government claimed that the launch will benefit a wide cross-section of people through a faster and seamless digital transaction experience and enhance digital connectivity between the countries, and added that PM Modi has placed a strong emphasis on sharing our development experiences and innovation with partner countries. The Congress on Saturday expelled Acharya Pramod Krishnam from the party for "indiscipline", citing the repeated statements made by the leader against the party. The decision was taken by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday after a proposal seeking his dismissal from the party was mooted by the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee. "In view of the complaints of indiscipline and repeated statements against the party. Congress President has approved the proposal of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee to expel Pramod Krishnam from the party for six years with immediate effect," read an official statement issued by the Congress on Saturday. A day after his expulsion, Krishnam took to Twitter to post his response. "Ram and Rashtra... But there can be no compromise," he said. This isn't the first time that Krishnam has openly stood against Congress and its leadership. Earlier in the month, Krishnam met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to invite him to the foundation stone laying ceremony of Shri Kalki Dham in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal on February 19. He had also met Union Minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani to invite her to the event. He criticised the Congress leadership for skipping the Ram Mandir consecration event, before praising PM Modi. Krishnam said that had it not been for him, Ram Mandir would never have been a reality. "From Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehrum till today, the country has seen many PMs. But none made such a big effort to fulfil a long-held demand or wish. I commend the Prime Minister for his leadership and efforts to take the Ram Temple movement to its logical end," Krishnam said. He was also critical of Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, calling it political tourism". He added that while all other political parties are gearing up for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress seemed to be gearing up for the "2029 elections". "Congress has some great and intelligent leaders. While all other parties around them have begun hectic preparations for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress is happy to indulge in political tourism and travel. It would seem that Congress has hit upon a ploy to win the 2024 elections after this year passes. Or rather, it almost looks as if we have already given up on 2024 and are preparing for the 2029 elections. Had we been preparing earnestly for 2024, things wouldnt have come to this," Acharya Krishnam told ANI earlier. On Nitish Kumar leaving the INDIA bloc, Krishnam said the INDIA bloc no longer exists. "I believe there is no such thing as INDIA any more. The alliance contracted multiple serious ailments and afflictions at birth. Then it slipped into the ICU and ventilator. Eventually, it was Nitish Kumar (one of the key architects of the Bloc) who performed its last rights in Patna. I dont think it exists any longer," Krishnam said. However, reports are that Krishnam was disappointed with INDIA bloc partner Samajwadi Party's decision to declare candidates for both Sambhal and Lucknow, which he has been eyeing. During the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Krishnam contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Lucknow on a Congress ticket but lost. However, he garnered an impressive 1.8 lakh votes. The leader was earlier a part of Congress' Uttar Pradesh advisory council, formed to assist Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in her role as UP in-charge for the party. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut slammed the Centre for using Indias highest civilian award for political benefits. He charged that Bharat Ratna was conferred on five persons this year for political gains. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP told presspersons, Bharat Ratna is given after seeing the political benefits of it. The law is that in a year only three people can be awarded with Bharat Ratna, but, five people have been given (this year). All this is being done for political benefits. Former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh is being awarded Bharat Ratna because they want Jayant Chaudhary to join their party." Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Jayant Chaudhary welcomed the Centres decision to confer Bharat Ratna on former prime minister and his grandfather Charan Singh. RLD, which is currently part of the INDIA bloc spoke praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Parliament on Saturday. I am indebted. Only a government which is rooted to ground realities understands the voices from the ground and strengthens them, can honour 'Dhartiputra' Charan Singh with Bharat Ratna," Chaudhary said in Parliament. Hinting RLD will be joining NDA, Chaudhary told ANI, After it was announced that Bharat Ratna will be given (to Chaudhary Charan Singh), my emotions were attached. What will be our next steps and how we will be contesting the elections- these questions will be answered at that time." Ahead of Tuesday's 'Delhi Chalo' march called by farmers organisations, three Union ministers -- Piyush Goyal, Arjun Munda and Nityanand Rai -- will arrive in Chandigarh on Monday to hold talks with the farmers organisations. The the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha had announced 'Delhi Chalo' march by more than 200 farmers' unions on Tuesday to press the Centre for accepting several demands. Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Saturday said the Centre has invited them for a meeting to discuss their demands on February 12. "A meeting with Union Ministers Arjun Munda, Piyush Goyal and Nityanand Rai regarding the demands of farmers unions will take place on Monday at 5 pm in Chandigarh," Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee general secretary Sarvan Singh Pandher told reporters on Saturday. The meeting will be held at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration in Sector 26 here. This is the second meeting of the Centre with the farm leaders who have raised demands, including a law to guarantee a minimum support price for crops. The first meeting was held last week which also saw Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann attending it. During the meeting, the centre had assured the farmers of second round of meeting. However, the farmer leaders had said their proposed 'Delhi Chalo' march on February 13 still stood. Meanwhile, the Haryana Government has said that ordered the suspension of mobile internet services and bulk SMS in seven districts ahead of farmers' proposed 'Delhi Chalo' march on February 13. According to an official order, the mobile internet services will remain suspended in Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa districts from 6 am on February 11 to 23:59 pm on February 13. #WATCH | Security being tightened near Singhu Border, ahead of the farmers' call for March to Delhi on 13th February. pic.twitter.com/pcU9yobJhQ ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2024 Meanwhile, section 144 has been imposed at Panchkula in Haryana. A ban was imposed on taking out processions, demonstrations, march pasts on foot or with tractor trolleys and other vehicles, and carrying any sticks, rods or weapons, according to Panchkula DCP Sumer Singh Pratap. The Haryana Police has issued also traffic advisory, urging commuters to limit travel on main roads on Tuesday due to anticipated disruptions. Alternative routes have been suggested for commuters travelling between Chandigarh and Delhi to mitigate potential traffic congestion. Meanwhile, police have said that farmers from Punjab would not be allowed to enter Haryana. Senior police officials, including Haryana's DGP and Ambala's SP, have conducted inspections at border points to assess security arrangements. The officials have set up concrete barricades and road closures at the Shambhu border. The Ghaggar river bed has been dug up to impede movement. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann will visit the newly-built Ram temple in Ayodhya on Monday. "Kejriwal and Mann will be going to Ayodhya tomorrow. They will be accompanied by their families also," an Aam Aadmi Party source told PTI. Kejriwal, the national convenor of the AAP, had been invited to the consecration ceremony of the Ram Mandir on January 22, but he said he would visit the temple later with his wife and parents. Lakhs of devotees from across the country have been reaching Ayodhya ever since the temple opened its doors for public on January 23. On Sunday, over 325 legislators from Uttar Pradesh, barring those from main opposition Samajwadi Party, paid obeisance at the temple. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who joined his cabinet ministers in Ayodhya after arriving from Pune, visited the Ram Mandir with them and paid obeisance. The Occhiato Student Center at CSU Pueblo Fleet managers and the public are invited to a Hydrogen Educational Event set for 2-4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20, at the Occhiato Student Center at Colorado State University Pueblo, 2220 Bonforte Blvd. Participants will hear more about the Colorado State University/New Day Hydrogen proposed Hydrogen Refueling station planned for the Interstate 25 corridor in Pueblo. It will be among the first three public-facing hydrogen fueling stations in the state. "We'd like to tell you our thoughts about the project, but, more importantly, we want to hear your concerns," said Buford Barr, chief operational officer for New Day Hydrogen. "Today fleets are being challenged to reduce their carbon footprint and this transition to zero-emissions requires us to move away from diesel internal combustion vehicles towards electric vehicles." Local experts in hydrogen, Colorado vehicle grant programs, as well as fleet managers, will talk during the Hydrogen Educational Event. Southern Colorado Residential Renters meet Feb. 20 The Southern Colorado Residential Rental Association is set to meet for a class and luncheon starting at 10:30 a.m. Feb. 20 at Pueblo Union Depot, 132 W. B St. The class will focus on deductions landlords can take on their tax forms with Deb Bassi of Business Accounting Support Services Inc. The lunch will follow and include a review of new leases as well as a legislative review of proposed bills, including HB24-1098, "Fair cause for eviction," SB24-033, "Short term rental tax increase," and SB24-094, "Safe housing for residential tenants." The class is free for members or $25 for non-members. Lunch is $18 for members or $25 for non-members. Reservations can be made by leaving a message or texting 719-251-2257, or emailing scrra_mail@southerncoloradorentals.org. Broadband Outreach Session Feb. 21 in Avondale The Southern Colorado Economic Development District Regional Broadband Initiative is hosting a regional outreach session at 10 a.m. Feb. 21 at McHarg Park Community Center, 405 Second St., in Avondale. Story continues The group will present broadband progress updates, discuss upcoming funding opportunities and hear public input on broadband. Jeremiah Arellano New chief officer takes over Minnequa Works Federal Credit Union Minnequa Works Credit Union has named Pueblo native Jeremiah Arellano as its chief lending officer. Arellano has more than two decades of leadership and lending experience, bringing a wealth of knowledge and a deep commitment to the community. Arellano graduated from Pueblo Central High School before embarking on his higher education journey at University of Colorado Boulder and Colorado State University Pueblo. "We are thrilled to welcome Arellano to the Minnequa Works Credit Union family as our Chief Lending Officer," said Nathan Cape, president and CEO of Minnequa Works Credit Union. "His deep roots in Pueblo, coupled with his impressive track record in lending leadership, give him the opportunity to make a significant impact for our members and community." "Being a native of Pueblo, I am deeply invested in the success and prosperity of this community. I look forward to enhancing positive experience and lending growth for the members in the community that I call home," Arelanno said. Demystifying entrepreneurship program March 15-16 Erick Mueller and Visda Carson A program on "Demystifying Entrepreneurship" is set for March 15-16 in Pueblo. The program is taught by faculty Erick Mueller and Visda Carson with the University of Colorado Boulder Leeds School of Business and is sponsored by the Southern Colorado Small Business Development Center and the Latino Chamber of Commerce of Pueblo. The comprehensive curriculum covers essential aspects of entrepreneurship and aims to provide valuable insights and skills for aspiring entrepreneurs and business enthusiasts. The program "is a great opportunity for entrepreneurs to learn and take their next step in their business journey," said Noah Commerford, president and CEO of the Latino Chamber. The event also will include a panel of local business owners and city officials. The cost is only $15 thanks to the sponsorship of the Latino Chamber and includes all food, drinks, and supplies. Register at pueblolatinochamber.com or contact Catherine OGrady, small business development's education coordinator, via email at catherine.ogrady@Pueblocc.edu or by phone at 719-549-3245. This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Residential renters meeting, broadband outreach and more Pueblo business news Johri is the former chairman of Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs Legislators from both the Houses of Uttar Pradesh Legislature on Sunday left for Ayodhya from the state capital to visit the newly-built Ram temple. Legislators of the Samajwadi Party skipped the invite extended by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Speaker Satish Mahana. With the exception of Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders, most legislators had given their consent to visit Ayodhya. "Members of both the Houses of UP Legislature have left for Ayodhya. If anybody is not going, it is the 'samaaptwaadi party', "Keshav Prasad Maurya told PTI, apparently referring to the Samajwadi Party. He added, Jai Jai Shri Ram. We have got the opportunity to seek the blessings of Lord Ram in Ayodhya. Samajwadi Party will be wiped out." The members of both Houses were invited by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the Speaker of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly Satish Mahana to Ayodhya to offer prayers to Ram Lalla in the newly-constructed temple. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav had declined the invitation. Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana told ANI, "This is a special moment for me because I was part of the 'Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mukti Andolan'. This is an emotional moment for me. I am very happy." On Samajwadi Party skipping the trip, "Those who are meant to come will come. These discussions of faith and religion cannot be imposed on anyone, but at the time when I asked to raise the hand in the legislative assembly, only 14 legislators objected, saying they wouldn't go. Others are ready to attend. RLD leader Rajpal Balyan told ANI, "We are going to Ayodhya to seek blessings from Lord Ram. It is a good decision. It is their (SP) decision to not go." Meanwhile, the government in a statement said Adityanath would reach Ayodhya airport directly after which he would visit the temple with his cabinet ministers for darshan of Ram Lalla. Ten luxury buses were arranged for the travel of ministers and legislators. - with PTI inputs. The Independent candidates backed by Imran Khan's symbol-less Tehreek-e-Insaf party is hoping to form a government in Pakistan even as the country's two major political parties the Nawaz Sharif-led PML-N and the Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari headed PPP are in talks to form another coalition government with the blessings of Pakistan army chief General Asim Munir, said local reports. Independents backed by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan's PTI won 100 seats in the National Assembly. PTI chairman Gohar Ali Khan and other party leaders hoped that President Arif Alvi would invite the symbol-less party to form since it emerged as the largest single party following the elections. However, technically, the independents cannot be counted as PTI candidates as they lost the party symbol weeks before the elections were held. PTI's 100 constituencies is followed by PML-N with 73 seats and PPP with 54. A party needs at least 169 seats in the National Assembly. Of the 336 seats, 70 are reserved. The party is still short of 32 seats to cross the majority mark and Khan has urged his PTI leaders to approach independents to form government in the Centre as well as Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provinces. The PTI-backed independents can still join the party again within three days of the election but they have to hold intra-party elections and get a new party symbol. This will allow PTI to get 70 reserved seats in the National Assembly, reported Pakistan-based The Express Tribune. On the other hand, PML-N and PPP are keeping the cards close as they cautiously decided on another coalition government under the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) banner, reported The Dawn. PPP's Asif Ali Zardari is reportedly conducting meetings to discuss possible power-sharing agreements while Sharif has invited leaders of MQM-P, a Sindh-based party with a voter base of descendants of those who migrated from India post-Partition. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated his country's decision to move ahead with the ground offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, which is crammed with Palestinian refugees, many of who were displaced from other parts of the enclave and have nowhere to go. Dismissing the international alarm over the Rafah offensive, Netanyahu told US-based ABC News that the Israeli military would provide safe passage for the civilian population ahead of an expected assault on Rafah. He also rejected fears of a catastrophe. "Victory is within reach. Were going to do it. Were going to get the remaining Hamas terrorist battalions and Rafah, which is the last bastion, but were going to do it," he says in extracts of the interview released Saturday evening. "Were going to do it while providing safe passage for the civilian population so they can leave. We are working out a detailed plan to do so," Netanyahu added. "Were not, were not cavalier about this." He also dismissed international calls for Israel to avoid carrying out a military offensive inside Rafah. "Were going to get the remaining Hamas terrorist battalions in Rafah, which is the last bastion," Netanyahu told ABC. "Those who say that under no circumstances should we enter Rafah are basically saying lose the war. Keep Hamas there," he added. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu The Prime Minister had ordered the troops to prepare an evacuation plan for the estimated 1.3 million people in the city while stating that the IDF would provide a safe passage for the civilians. Netanyahu's statements come amid global outrage over the Rafah offensive. UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron said over half of Gaza's population is sheltering in the area while Dutch FM Hanke Bruins Slot said there could be "many civilian casualties". Saudi Arabia has warned of "very serious repercussions" if Rafah was stormed. Gaza's Hamas rulers said there could be tens of thousands of casualties. Meanwhile, Israeli air strikes killed 17 people in Rafah on the Gaza border overnight, medics said on Saturday. The Israeli military too claimed that Saturday's air raids killed two Hamas operatives. "Any Israeli incursion in Rafah means massacres, means destruction. People are filling every inch of the city and we have nowhere to go," said Rezik Salah, 35, who fled his Gaza City home with his wife and two children for Rafah early in the war. The political crisis in Pakistan has escalated with former Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) calling for a nationwide protest on Sunday. The stir call comes as Pakistan's powerful army chief Gen Asim Munir backed ex-premier Nawaz Sharif's plea to his rivals to help form a coalition government. When the votes to the National Assembly were counted, PTI won 92 seats, emerging at the top. Nawaz Sharif's PML-N won 77 while Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's PPP won 54 seats. To form a government, a party must win 133 seats out of 265 in the National Assembly. However, the PTI chairman Gohar Khan claimed that the party won elections on 170 seats in the National Assembly. Khan also said the 'peaceful protests' across the country on Sunday afternoon were aimed at protecting the sanctity of the vote as independent candidates are in the lead with 100 seats, ARY News reported. A statement by the party said important decisions were made during the meeting which the party said would be implemented after consultation with PTI founder Imran Khan. "The people have given their verdict in a peaceful and constitutional manner," the PTI said, adding that now it's time to protect the mandate. Meanwhile, more PTI-backed independent candidates have started moving high courts, alleging rigged poll counts. PTI-affiliated Independent candidates moved to the Lahore High Court challenging the results of the PP-164 and NA-118, where father-son duo Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz secured victory. Dr Yasmeen Rashid also challenged former prime minister Nawaz Sharifs victory in Lahores NA-130 constituency in the Lahore High Court. Another Independent candidate, Shehzad Farooq, challenged Maryam Nawazs win from Lahores NA:119 while another PML-N candidate Ata Tarars win from NA:127 was also been challenged in court by PTI-supported Independent candidate Zaheer Abbas Khokhar. 3 independents join PML-N Three newly-elected independent candidates have joined the Nawaz Sharif's party, according to reports. Barrister Aqeel, Raja Khurram Nawaz, and Mian Khan Bugti officially announced their decision to join the PML-N, strengthening the party's growing tally of elected members to the National Assembly. In Pakistan, independent candidates cannot form a government on their own and need to join a party. However, khan's close aide and media adviser, Zulfi Bukhari, told Reuters the party would announce within the next day the party banner they will ask independents to join. "We have no fear of independents going anywhere because these are the people who have struggled for the last 18 months and endured all kinds of torture and oppression," Bukhari told Reuters. New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) Petronet renewing a contract to buy 7.5 million tonnes of LNG from Qatar annually from 2029 for 20 years is the largest-ever extension of super-chilled fuel in the world, and will support India's clean energy goals, officials said. The original 25-year deal was signed in 1999 and supplies started in 2004. Qatar has since then never defaulted on a single cargo and neither did it slap penalties under take-or-pay clause when the Indian firm did not take deliveries because prices were too high, top Petronet officials said. Supplies under the extended contract would start after Petronet takes deliveries of 52 cargoes it had failed to take in 2015-16 when prices had shot up sharply. While the volumes in contract have not changed, price changed four times, including the latest one when the contract extension was renegotiated. The composition of the gas promised to be delivered has also changed. RasGas, which is now QatarEnergy, had originally signed to supply 'rich' or gas containing components of ethane and propane that is used as feedstock in petrochemical complexes. It supplied 5 Million Tonnes (MT) a year of LNG that contained methane (used to produce electricity, make fertilisers, turned into CNG or used as cooking fuel), as well as ethane and propane on a firm basis and the rest on best endeavour basis. In the revised contract agreed last week, where the price is also lower, QatarEnergy will supply 'lean' or gas stripped of ethane and propane. But Petronet officials said Qatar will continue to supply 'rich' gas as long as they dont have a facility to utilise ethane and propane. "We will continue to receive 'rich' LNG," a top company official said. State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) spent Rs 30,000 crore on building a petrochemical complex at Dahej in Gujarat to use ethane and propane from LNG coming from Qatar, to make products that are used to manufacture plastics to detergents. "They (ONGC) will continue to get those components," another official said. In 1999, in response to a tender, RasGas had offered to sell LNG to Petronet LNG Ltd, a joint venture of state-owned oil firms, headed by the Secretary in the Oil Ministry, at USD 2.53 per million British thermal unit at a crude oil price of USD 20 per barrel. The LNG price was to rise or fall by 2 cents per mmBtu in tandem with every dollar movement in oil price. At a USD 100 a barrel oil rate, the LNG price was to be USD 4.13 per mmBtu. Sources said the second best offer in that tender was from Petronas of Malaysia that quoted the same fixed cost but a slightly higher linkage to oil and coal prices. In case of Petronas, LNG price would have risen or fallen 3 cents per mmBtu for every rise or fall in oil prices. But strangely, an unsolicited offer from RasGas pricing LNG in a band of USD 16-24 per barrel oil price (USD 2.01 per mmBtu to USD 3.04 per mmBtu gas price) was accepted by Petronet in 2000. In 2003, Petronet renegotiated the price and agreed to have a fixed price at USD 20 per barrel of oil (USD 2.53 per mmBtu) for the first five years from 2004-2009 and indexation with actual crude prices thereafter. Under the 1999 contract, RasGas began supplying the first tranche of 5 MT a year or 'rich' LNG at Dahej in Gujarat in 2004. But supply of the remaining 2.5 MT could not start as contraction of Kochi terminal in Kerala was delayed. In 2005, Petronet entered into negotiations with RasGas to advance the tranche-2 volumes of 2.5 MT. They proposed to buy the entire 7.5 MT a year of contracted supplies at Dahej. Petronet signed a revised deal in 2006 wherein it agreed to take 5 MT of rich gas and for the rest agreed to RasGas condition that the rich gas will be supplied only on best endeavour basis rather than as contractual commitment, sources said, adding that the best endeavour basis has now been extended to all of the 7.5 MT of LNG supplies. After five years of fixed price, a new price kicked in from 2010. The rate was 12.67 per cent of the 12-month moving average of the basket of crude oil imported by Japan, called the Japanese Crude Cocktail, or JCC. This formula had a rolling ceiling and floor of 60-month average JCC, plus or minus USD 4. While the international oil prices dropped to multi-year lows in 2015, this ceiling and floor meant that LNG cost to India would remain at highs of USD 12-13 per mmBtu even though gas in spot or current market was available at half the rate. This floor and ceiling had benefitted India when rates remained at USD 8-9 despite crude oil shooting up to USD 147 a barrel and LNG rates touching USD 20 per mmBtu in previous years. The high prices of 2015 led to renegotiation of the price. The formula was revised to 12.67 per cent of the three-month average price of Brent crude plus a fixed component of USD 0.52 per mmBtu. Sources said the 20-year extension is only for 7.5 MT a year of original volume and the additional 1 MT will be dealt with separately. The new contract price is at about 12.2 per cent of Brent oil. The USD 0.52 per mmBtu of fixed cost has been scrapped and so has the responsibility on part of the Indian firm to ship the LNG. Now QatarEnergy will ship the gas, an exercise that will cost it around USD 0.30 per mmBtu. Petronet officials said the company had chartered-hired two ships, called 'Disha' and 'Rahi' from a consortium of Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) and Japanese firms K Line, NYK Line and Mitsui OSK Line. That contract was for 25 years and ends in 2028 after which ships will return to the consortium. A third ship, 'Aseem' was hired in 2006 for ferrying additional volumes of LNG from Qatar. Petronet will lease out the ship after 2028, they said. Since entering into a deal with Qatar, Indian firms have signed deals to import LNG from Australia, the US and Russia. According to Wood Mackenzie, the sales and purchase agreement extension between QatarEnergy and Petronet covers a total volume of 150 MT over 20 years, surpassing the two 108 million tonnes deals signed by QatarEnergy with the China National Petroleum Corporation and Sinopec in the past two years. "This agreement plays a crucial role in enabling India to reach its target of increasing the proportion of natural gas in its energy mix to 15 per cent by 2030, a significant rise from the current 6.3 per cent," said Daniel Toleman, Director, global LNG (Asia), at Wood Mackenzie. New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) Actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu is returning to work after a seven-month hiatus and this time with a health podcast. After completing the shooting of the Indian chapter of Prime Video series "Citadel" last July, the actor had announced a break from work to focus on her health. In 2022, she had revealed her diagnosis of myositis, an autoimmune condition, ahead of the release of her film "Yashoda". On Saturday, the 36-year-old actor shared a video on her Instagram Story announcing her comeback. "I am going back to work, finally. But apart from that, in the meantime, I was completely jobless. But, I am doing something fun with a friend. It's a health podcast. "It is quite unexpected, but it is something that I really love, and something I am extremely passionate about," Samantha said in the clip. The actor, whose last release was 2023's "Kushi", said the health podcast would release next week. "I hope some of you find it extremely useful. I have enjoyed making this," she added. Tehran, Feb 11 (AP) Iran marked on Sunday the 45th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution amid tensions gripping the wider Middle East over Israel's continued war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Thousands of Iranians marched through major streets and squares decorated with flags, balloons and banners with revolutionary and religious slogans. In Tehran, crowds waved Iranian flags, chanted slogans, and carried placards with the traditional Death to America and Death to Israel written on them. Some burned US and Israeli flags, a common practice in pro-government rallies. There was a heavy security presence in the major cities across the country. The anniversary came a month after a deadly attack by the extremist Islamic State group in the central city of Kerman that left at least 95 people dead during the commemoration for prominent Iranian general Qassem Soleimani whom the US killed in a 2020 drone strike. Iran has tried to blame the US and Israel for the attack as the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip continued. The Islamic Republic launched missile attacks on Iraq and Syria. It then struck alleged anti-Iran Sunni militant group Jaish al-Adl targets in nuclear-armed Pakistan, which responded with its own strikes on Iran, further raising tensions in a region inflamed by the Israel-Hamas war. Earlier in January a drone attack killed three US troops in Jordan which an umbrella group for Iran-backed factions known as the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed. The US said it held Tehran responsible. Iran threatened to decisively respond to any US attack on the Islamic Republic. The Islamic Revolution began with widespread unrest in Iran over the rule of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. The shah, terminally and secretly ill with cancer, fled the country in January 1979. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini then returned from exile and the government fell on Feb. 11, 1979, after days of mass demonstrations and confrontations between protesters and security forces. (AP) RUP RUP Dubai, Feb 11 (AP) The al-Qaida-linked militant group al-Shabab claimed an attack that killed three Emirati troops and a Bahraini military officer on a training mission at a military base in the Somali capital, authorities said on Sunday. The attack on Saturday targeted the troops at the General Gordon Military Base in Mogadishu. Details about the attack and whether it killed others remained scarce on Sunday, though Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud offered his condolences to the UAE for the loss of its troops. Early Sunday, the UAE's state-run WAM news agency reported the killing of three of its troops and the Bahraini officer in a terrorist act, without elaborating. It added that the attack wounded two others. Anwar Gargash, a senior Emirati diplomat, offered condolences to those killed and a quick recovery for the wounded. No treacherous act will prevent us from continuing the message of security and safety and combating extremism and terrorism in all its forms, Gargash wrote on X, formerly Twitter. The military of Bahrain, an island nation in the Persian Gulf off the coast of Saudi Arabia, later acknowledged the death of its officer in a statement posted to Instagram. Al-Shabab claimed the attack in a statement online, alleging it killed multiple people involved in the Emirati military effort. It described the UAE, a federation of seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula, as an enemy of Islamic Shariah law for backing the Somali government in its efforts to battle al-Shabab. Al-Shabab, or the youth in Arabic, is a Sunni Islamic extremist group in Somalia born out of that country's years of anarchy following its 1991 civil war. The affiliate of al-Qaida once held Mogadishu. Over time, an African Union-led force, with the backing of the US and other countries, pushed the militants out of Mogadishu. In the years since, al-Shabab has remained a threat as it seeks to overthrow the Western-backed Somali government. Al-Shabab has carried out attacks in neighbouring Kenya as well, since Nairobi provides troops and materiel to the African Union force in Somalia. The US under every president since George W. Bush has launched airstrikes against militants in Somalia, with the number of strikes now exceeding 300, according to New America, a Washington-based security think tank. The vast majority of those strikes took place under then-President Donald Trump. The US Embassy in Somalia on Sunday condemned what it called a cowardly attack against the training mission. We extend our deepest condolences to the loved ones of those who lost their lives in yesterday's deplorable terrorist attack against UAE military trainers and Somali soldiers valiantly working to advance the nation's stability, the embassy said. Somalia has also been an intense interest for Gulf states, particularly during the Qatar diplomatic crisis that gripped the region for several years and saw four nations, including the UAE, boycott Doha in a political dispute. Somali troops once seized millions of dollars of Emirati cash from a jet at gunpoint, sparking a diplomatic incident between Mogadishu and the UAE that halted its troop training program there. The UAE in recent years has increasingly invested in ports in East Africa, including in Somalia's breakaway Somaliland region. Securing Somalia fits into the Emirates' wider concerns about security in the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea, particularly as Somali piracy has resumed after years amid attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels on shipping in the region over Israel's war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. In 2019, al-Shabab claimed an attack that killed a man working for Dubai's PO Ports. (AP) GSP NSA NSA Warsaw, Feb 11 (AP) The NATO leader warned Sunday that Donald Trump was putting the safety of US troops and their allies at risk after the Republican presidential front-runner said Russia should be able to do "whatever the hell they want" to alliance members who don't meet their defense spending targets. Trump's remarks caused deep concern in Poland, a country in central Europe that has been under Russian control more often than not since the end of the 18th century. Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said no election campaign is an excuse for playing with the security of the alliance. Speaking Saturday at a rally in Conway, South Carolina, Trump recalled how as president he told an unidentified NATO member that he would encourage Russia to do as it wishes in cases of NATO allies who are delinquent. You didn't pay? You're delinquent?' Trump recounted saying. No I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You gotta pay. You gotta pay your bills.' NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that the 31 allies are committed to defending each other. NATO remains ready and able to defend all allies. Any attack on NATO will be met with a united and forceful response, Stoltenberg said. Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the U.S., and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk. Stoltenberg added in his statement that he expects that, regardless of who wins the presidential election, the US will remain a strong and committed NATO ally. The German government did not officially comment on Trump's remarks, but the country's foreign office published a statement Sunday morning pointing out NATO's principle of solidarity. One for all and all for one.' This NATO creed keeps more than 950 million people safe from Anchorage to Erzurum," the Foreign Ministry said on X, formerly Twitter. German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung wrote in an editorial that if Trump will become US president again, such statements will increase the risk of Putin expanding his war. Europeans can only do one thing to counter this: finally invest in their military security in line with the seriousness of the situation. Trump's comments were of particular concern to NATO's front-line countries, like Poland and the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, which were either under the control of Moscow or fully incorporated into the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Fears there run especially high given Russia's invasion of Ukraine. While in office, Trump had already threatened not to come to the aid of any country under attack that he considered owed NATO and the US and was not spending enough on defence. His stance destabilised the alliance, particularly countries with borders close to Russia. Under NATO's mutual defence clause, Article 5 of its founding treaty, all allies commit help of any member who comes under attack. Article 5 has only ever been activated once by the US in the wake of the Sept 11, 2001, attacks. After Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014, NATO leaders agreed to halt the defence spending cuts made after the end of the Cold War and start moving toward spending 2% of gross domestic product on their military budgets. No country is in debt to another, or to NATO. NATO has undertaken its biggest military buildup since the Cold War since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. (AP) SCY SCY Military contractor Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) is in the business of building fighter jets -- and business is booming. In a pair of Earth-shaking announcements last week, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) informed Congress of a plan to sell a combined $31.6 billion in new weapons sales to Greece and Turkey. But the biggest of these deals is for Turkey. Why is Turkey buying 40 new F-16 fighter jets? As you may already know, DSCA is the Pentagon department responsible for coordinating sensitive weapons sales between U.S. defense contractors and foreign governments. Turkey says it wants these new fighter jets to "expand and modernize" its air force, which currently comprises primarily older F-16C Falcon and F-4E Phantom fighter jets. Before this sale can go through, though, the U.S. State Department must sign off on the deal as supporting "the foreign policy goals and national security of the United States" and unlikely to "alter the basic military balance in the region" -- in this case, southern Europe -- and Congress must either approve or reject the sale. That's the stage we're at in this process right now. Absent a refusal by Congress, therefore, Lockheed Martin will be named the "principal contactor" on a deal to sell Turkey 40 brand-new F-16 fighter jets. It will also upgrade 79 F-16s that Turkey already owns to a new F-16V (for "Viper") configuration. Adjacent to this work, Lockheed will coordinate the delivery of some 48 F110-GE-129D engines from General Electric (NYSE: GE), along with radars, navigation systems, missile launchers, and auto-cannons -- and more than 3,000 assorted bombs, missiles, and "smart bomb" guidance kits from a whole series of other U.S. defense contractors. Total cost for all this hardware: $23 billion. Why is Greece buying 40 new F-35 fighter jets? And that's not all. Greece also wants to "modernize its air force." So simultaneous with the Turkey announcement, DSCA advised Congress of a corresponding deal to arm Turkish neighbor Greece with 40 new F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jets. Here, Lockheed Martin will share the principal contractor role with fellow defense contracting heavyweight RTX Corporation (NYSE: RTX), which makes the F135 engines that power the F-35, on a sale worth $8.6 billion. Story continues In contrast to the Turkey deal, no upgrades will be involved in this sale. (This will be Greece's first purchase of the F-35, after all.) Greece also isn't buying a lot of ordnance, which helps to further explain the sale's smaller size -- although Greece is buying 42 Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 engines from RTX, and additional weapons purchases may follow. Also on the horizon may be even more sales of the F-35 as the country's F-4E and Mirage 2000 aircraft age out of service, and potentially upgrades of Greece's own F-16 fleet (which like Turkey's comprises primarily older F-16C variants). So keep an eye on that as an opportunity for future Lockheed Martin sales. What it means for Lockheed Martin stock As for now, the $31.6 billion in total revenue that will flow through Lockheed Martin across these two weapons deals is quite large enough to move the needle on this defense contractor. Even assuming that much of this revenue will ultimately end up at other defense companies, if we apply Lockheed Martin's operating profit margin (10.2% for its aeronautics unit, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence) to the revenue at first point of impact, these two deals alone have the potential to generate in excess of $3.2 billion in operating profit. That's more than one full year's worth of profit for the aeronautics division, and more than 36% of all the profit that Lockheed Martin earned across all divisions in 2023. So what does this mean for investors? Well, it ultimately depends on how long it takes Lockheed to deliver these 80 new fighter jets to (and upgrade 79 more for) its customers. But we seem to be looking here at a combined 47% increase in sales and 36% boost in earnings compared to Lockheed's 2023 sales and earnings. Spread that out over even, say, five years, and I anticipate this weapons deal has the potential to more than double the 3.2% annualized earnings growth rate that most analysts have penciled in for Lockheed Martin. Long story short, analysts' forecasts for Lockheed Martin's growth rate are too low. And Lockheed Martin's stock price should therefore go higher. Should you invest $1,000 in Lockheed Martin right now? Before you buy stock in Lockheed Martin, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now and Lockheed Martin wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Stock Advisor provides investors with an easy-to-follow blueprint for success, including guidance on building a portfolio, regular updates from analysts, and two new stock picks each month. The Stock Advisor service has more than tripled the return of S&P 500 since 2002*. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of February 5, 2024 Rich Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Lockheed Martin and RTX. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Lockheed Martin Will Sell $23 Billion Worth of F-16 Fighter Jets to Turkey was originally published by The Motley Fool Moscow, Feb 11 (AP) A 71-year-old Ukrainian man died in a Russian prison while on trial for espionage, activists said on Sunday. Court documents found by human rights group Memorial revealed that the Russian state had closed its case against the late Viktor Demchenko, who was accused of spying, participation in a terrorist group, and the illegal possession of weapons and ammunition. Officials later told Russian state news agency Tass that Demchenko died on December 31 as the result of a stroke several days earlier, but did not say why it had taken so long for the news to become public. Demchenko, who was born in the town of Mospino in Ukraine's Donetsk region, had been on trial in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don since August 2023. By the time of his death, there had been seven hearings in the case, all of them behind closed doors. Russian authorities have detained a number of people on spying charges since the start of its full-scale war against Ukraine, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was jailed in March 2023 on espionage charges he denies. The secretive nature of such trials, which are closed to the press on the grounds of national security, means that information is scarce. However, in his recent interview with US television host Carlson Tucker, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia was ready to negotiate a prisoner exchange for Gershkovich's freedom, suggesting that Moscow wanted the release of a Russian imprisoned in Germany. (AP) PY PY New York, Feb 11 (AP) Republican front-runner Donald Trump has said that, as president, he warned NATO allies that he would encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want to countries that are delinquent as the front-runner for the Republican nomination ramped up his attacks on foreign aid and long-standing international alliances. NATO's leader said Trump's words could undermine security and put American and European forces at risk. Speaking at a rally Saturday in Conway, South Carolina, Trump recounted a story he has told before about an unidentified NATO member who confronted him over his threat not to defend members who fail to meet the trans-Atlantic alliance's defence spending targets. But this time, Trump went further, saying had told the member that he would, in fact, encourage Russia to do as it wishes in that case. You didn't pay? You're delinquent?' Trump recounted saying. No I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You gotta pay. You gotta pay your bills.' NATO allies agreed in 2014, after Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, to halt the spending cuts they had made after the Cold War and move toward spending 2% of their GDPs on defense by 2024. NATO's secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg, said in a statement Sunday that "any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the US, and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk. The defence minister in Poland, which has been under Russian control more often than not since the end of the 18th century, no election campaign is an excuse for playing with the security of the alliance. Earlier, White House spokesperson Andrew Bates responded to Trump's comments by saying that "encouraging invasions of our closest allies by murderous regimes is appalling and unhinged - and it endangers American national security, global stability, and our economy at home. Trump's remarks come as Ukraine remains mired in its efforts to stave off Russia's 2022 invasion and as Republicans in Congress have become increasingly sceptical of providing additional aid money to the country as it struggles with stalled counteroffensives and weapons shortfalls. Trump also called for the end of foreign aid WITHOUT STRINGS ATTACHED, arguing that the US should dramatically curtail the way it provides money. FROM THIS POINT FORWARD, ARE YOU LISTENING US SENATE(?), NO MONEY IN THE FORM OF FOREIGN AID SHOULD BE GIVEN TO ANY COUNTRY UNLESS IT IS DONE AS A LOAN, NOT JUST A GIVEAWAY," Trump wrote on his social media network in all-caps letters. Trump went on to say the money could be loaned ON EXTRAORDINARILY GOOD TERMS," with no interest and no date for repayment. But he said that, IF THE COUNTRY WE ARE HELPING EVER TURNS AGAINST US, OR STRIKES IT RICH SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE, THE LOAN WILL BE PAID OFF AND THE MONEY RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES. During his 2016 campaign, Trump alarmed Western allies by warning that the United States, under his leadership, might abandon its NATO treaty commitments and only come to the defence of countries that meet the alliance's guidelines by committing 2 percent of their gross domestic products to military spending. Trump, as president, eventually endorsed NATO's Article 5 mutual defense clause, which states that an armed attack against one or more of its members shall be considered an attack against all members. But he often depicted NATO allies as leeches on the US military and openly questioned the value of the military alliance that has defined American foreign policy for decades. NATO has been a success story for the last 75 years, said GOP presidential rival Nikki Haley, who was Trump's UN ambassador. She told CBS' face the Nation on Sunday that after the 9/11 attacks, we needed a lot of friends. We can never get into the point where we don't need friends. Now, we do want NATO allies to pull their weight. But there are ways you can do that without sitting there and telling Russia, have your way with these countries. As of 2022, NATO reported that seven of what are now 31 NATO member countries were meeting that obligation - up from three in 2014. Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine has spurred additional military spending by some NATO members. Trump has often tried to take credit for that increase, and bragged again Saturday that, as a results of his threats, hundreds of billions of dollars came into NATO- even though countries do not pay NATO directly. (AP) SCY SCY Lahore, Feb 11 (PTI) The PML-N, which is all set to form the coalition government in Pakistan along with the PPP, on Sunday managed to secure the support of the first independent candidate backed by Imran Khan's party to increase its strength in Parliament. Wasim Qadir, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)-backed candidate who defeated Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's stalwart Sheikh Rohail Asghar from Lahores National Assembly-121 constituency, joined the PML-N after a meeting with Maryam Nawaz, daughter of the party supremo Nawaz Sharif, at her residence. I have joined PML-N as it is my home," Qadir said after the meeting. According to sources in the PML-N, the "working" on the PTI-backed winners have been underway and in the next 24 to 48 hours more such candidates will join the PML-N of Sharifs. "The establishment will make sure that it sends as many PTI-backed independent candidates to the PML-N camp so that it's dependence on the Pakistan People's Party of Bhuttos could be minimal," the sources said, adding that the PPP wants the prime minister's slot in which the establishment is keen to install its favourite, PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif. Meanwhile, Shehbaz Sharif met with PPP leadership Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari in Lahore and announced "political cooperation" between the two parties. In a joint statement after the meeting, both the parties agreed to "save the country from political instability". It said the PPP will place the suggestions of the PML-N leadership before it's central executive committee on Monday and will give it's response. Earlier in the day, the PML-N enhanced its efforts to form a coalition government in Islamabad. A delegation of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), which grabbed 17 national assembly seats, called on the Sharif brothers -- Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif -- in their Jati Umra Raiwind residence and agreed in principle to work together in forming the government. We will work together in the interest of the country and public. The basic points had been agreed upon by the two parties, a PMLN statement said after the meeting. The MQM-Ps delegation comprised Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Farooq Sattar, Kamran Tessori and Mustafa Kamal. The MQM-P, which is mainly a Karachi-based party, had formed an alliance with the PML-N ahead of Feb 8 polls. Going by their numerical strength, both the PML-N and the PPP are in a position to form a coalition government in the Centre. However, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif announced that all parties except PTI should join hands in the upcoming set up. According to the results announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) till Sunday, of the total 265 National Assembly seats, PTI-backed Independents bagged 93 seats, followed by PML-N at 73, PPP 54, MQM 17 and others 19. Sources said that both PML-N and PPP want the prime ministerial slot. "Shehbaz Sharif is favourite for the PM office for being more close to the military establishment. Besides, PML-N has more seats in Parliament than the PPP. The PPP wants the PM's slot for Bilawal Bhutto Zardari," they said, adding that Asif Zardari has sought the coveted office from Nawaz Sharif. "Shehbaz is a blue-eyed boy of the military establishment, which feels much comfortable working with him. The new government set up will be like that of PDM (Pakistan Democratic Movement) one," the sources said. New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) Two juveniles were killed and another suffered serious injuries when their scooter rammed into a road divider near Kabutar market in north Delhi, police said on Sunday. The accident took place on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday. According to the police, they got a PCR call regarding the accident at 1.55 am on Sunday. "A team was dispatched to the spot and on reaching there, one scooter was found near Kabutar Market at lower Subhas Marg. The team got to know that three juveniles were injured who were rushed to hospital," a senior police officer said. The officer said they got information from the hospital that two juveniles were declared dead on arrival, while another suffered serious injuries. Police said the condition of the injured was critical and the bodies have been handed over to their family members after autopsy. "On local inquiry, it was revealed that the scooter which collided with the divider was being driven recklessly at a high speed. When we checked the registration number of the scooter, we found that the scooter was stolen from Laxmi Nagar area in August last year," the officer said. An FIR has been registered and further investigation into the matter is underway, the police officer added. New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) Three foreign nationals have been arrested here on the charge of peddling drugs, and cocaine and ecstasy pills seized from them, the Delhi Police said on Sunday. The accused have been identified as David Narh and Emmanual Owusu Nsiah, citizens of Ghana, and Chimobi David Okpara, a citizen of Nigeria, it said. Police said 64 grams of fine quality cocaine and 20 pills of ecstasy were seized. Action was taken on the basis of information received by the Trans Yamuna Range of the Special Cell, which among its responsibilities has the task of tracking the activities of "party drug suppliers", Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Amit Kaushik said. He said that Narh and Nsiah, who were on a scooter, were intercepted by a police team near the SFS Flats Road in Mayur Vihar Phase-3. "Following a search, 56.69 gram of cocaine and 20 ecstasy pills were seized," the DCP said and added that they were taken in police remand after registration of a case. During interrogation, they mentioned that Okpara was the source of the seized drugs, the official said. He was eventually apprehended, Kaushik said. He was produced before a court and a warrant to search his flat in a housing society in Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh was procured. "During the search, 7.12 grams of cocaine was seized. Efforts are on to identify their forward and backward linkages," the official said. Prayagraj (UP), Feb 11 (UP) A gathering of seers organised by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) here on Sunday called for "liberating" Mathura and Kashi like Ayodhya. Addressing the gathering at the Magh Mela here, Akhil Bharatiya Sant Samiti general secretary Swami Jitendranand Saraswati said, "We have talked about three temples. If the Muslim community does not abandon its claims over Kashi and Mathura, we will lay claim to all our demolished temples and eliminate our stigma." He said that after the consecration ceremony at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, the Muslim community should abandon their claims over Kashi and Mathura. He was making an apparent reference to the Kashi Vishwanath temple-Gyanvapi mosque dispute in Varanasi and the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah issue in Mathura. "The resolution taken here never remains unfulfilled and today we all have resolved that like Ayodhya, we will also liberate Mathura and Kashi," Saraswati, who presided over the meet, said. The gathering discussed various issues such as religious conversion, "love jihad", social harmony, and the propagation of Hinduism, he said. "Sanatan Dharma was attacked so much, yet we survived due to the power of our religion," he said, adding the seers will discuss the issues of Kashi and Mathura soon. VHP leader Dinesh said the organisation will work on the issues brought up by the seers and will plan its future programmes under their guidance. A suspected shoplifter shot a tourist in the leg inside a Times Square sporting goods store and then fled into the street, stopping to shoot at a pursuing police officer who could not return fire because of the evening crowds, police said. The tourist, a 37-year-old woman, was expected to recover after Thursdays shooting in New York City. It prompted a huge police presence and search that temporarily closed streets in the area, which draws thousands of people daily. The shooter, described by police as a male between 15 and 20 years old, was still at large Friday. We are looking for one male. He is the shooter, Chief of Patrol John Chell said at a news conference at the scene Thursday. He shot at our cops not once but twice, and also shot an innocent female one time in the leg. The shooter, dressed all in white, pulled out a gun shortly after 7 p.m. and fired after being confronted by a security officer inside the store. After striking the tourist, the shooter and another male ran from the store and were quickly spotted by police officers, Chell said. The second person was taken into custody while the shooter ran away, at one point cutting between buildings, where he turned and fired at a police officer who was chasing him. Our officer draws his weapon. He cannot fire, Chell said. Too many people around, theres too many people ducking. The suspect fired again from under his arm and continued to flee, running into a subway station, where he was last seen. Video shows him going onto the tracks and coming back out of the subway, Chell said. A reward of as much as $10,000 was offered for information, police said. Overall, crime rates have plummeted in New York City since a spike at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of people shot in the city dropped 39% between 2022 and 2023, a trend that has continued into the new year. (AP) Moments before a private jet slammed into a Florida highway, the pilot calmly told an airport controller that the aircraft was not going to make the runway since it had lost both engines. The jet, with five people aboard, was bound for the airport in Naples when it tried to make an emergency landing on Interstate 75 on Friday afternoon. But witnesses say it collided with a vehicle the wing of the plane dragging a car before slamming into a wall. An explosion followed, with flames and black smoke rising from the scene. Two people were killed, according to the Collier County Sheriffs Office, but it wasnt immediately know whether the victims had been passengers on the plane or were on the ground. Federal authorities have launched an investigation into the crash near Naples, just north of where the interstate heads east toward Fort Lauderdale along what is known as Alligator Alley. One National Transportation Safety Board investigator arrived at the crash site Friday afternoon, with several more expected to arrive on Saturday. The plane had taken off from an airport at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, at about 1 p.m. It was scheduled to land in Naples around the time of the crash, Naples Airport Authority spokesperson Robin King said, when pilot contacted the tower requesting an emergency landing. Got that. Emergency. Clear to land. Runway. Two. Three, the air traffic controller responded to the pilot, in audio obtained by The Associated Press. Were clear to land but were not gonna make the runway. Weve lost both engines, the pilot calmly replied. The tower lost contact, and then airport workers saw the smoke from the interstate just a few miles away, King said. King said they sent fire trucks with special foam to the scene, and three of the five people on board were taken from the wreckage alive. Brianna Walker saw the wing of the plane drag the car in front of hers and slam into the wall. Its seconds that separated us from the car in front of us, she said. The wing pulverized this one car. Walker and her friend spotted the plane moments before it hit the highway, allowing her friend to pull over before the crash. The plane was over our heads by inches, she said. It took a hard right and skid across the highway. According to the FlightAware aircraft tracker, the plane was operated by Hop-a-Jet Worldwide Charter based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The aircraft had been scheduled to fly back to Fort Lauderdale on Friday afternoon. Hop-a-Jet said Friday night that it had received confirmed reports of an accident involving one of our leased aircraft near Naples and would send a team to the crash site, the Naples Daily News reported. Our immediate concern is for the well-being of our passengers, crew members, and their families, the statement said. It didnt contain details of the crash. A spokesperson for Ohio State University said the aircraft is not affiliated with the university, and they had no further information about it. Federal authorities said a preliminary report about the cause of the crash can be expected in 30 days. (AP) An Israeli drone struck a car near Lebanons southern port city of Sidon on Saturday, killing at least two people and wounding two others, security officials said. The strike came as tensions across the Middle East grow with the Israel-Hamas war, a drone attack last month that killed three U.S. troops in northeastern Jordan near the Syrian border, and attacks by Yemens Iran-backed Houthi rebels on vessels passing through the Red Sea. The drone strike near the coastal town of Jadra took place about 60 kilometers (37 miles) from the Israeli border, making it one of the farthest inside Lebanon since violence erupted along the Lebanon-Israel border on Oct. 8, a day after Hamas attack in southern Israel. An Israeli security official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said the target of the strike in Sidon was Hamas official Basel Saleh, who was injured to an unknown extent. The official said Saleh was responsible for enlistment of new Hamas recruits in Gaza and the West Bank. Two Lebanese security officials said the strike damaged a car and killed two people, including one on a motorcycle. They spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. (AP) Key Insights The projected fair value for Christie Group is UK0.76 based on Dividend Discount Model Current share price of UK0.88 suggests Christie Group is potentially trading close to its fair value Christie Group's peers seem to be trading at a higher premium to fair value based onthe industry average of -15% Today we'll do a simple run through of a valuation method used to estimate the attractiveness of Christie Group plc (LON:CTG) as an investment opportunity by taking the expected future cash flows and discounting them to today's value. One way to achieve this is by employing the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. It may sound complicated, but actually it is quite simple! Remember though, that there are many ways to estimate a company's value, and a DCF is just one method. For those who are keen learners of equity analysis, the Simply Wall St analysis model here may be something of interest to you. Check out our latest analysis for Christie Group Crunching The Numbers We have to calculate the value of Christie Group slightly differently to other stocks because it is a professional services company. Instead of using free cash flows, which are hard to estimate and often not reported by analysts in this industry, dividends per share (DPS) payments are used. Unless a company pays out the majority of its FCF as a dividend, this method will typically underestimate the value of the stock. We use the Gordon Growth Model, which assumes dividend will grow into perpetuity at a rate that can be sustained. The dividend is expected to grow at an annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 1.6%. We then discount this figure to today's value at a cost of equity of 6.6%. Relative to the current share price of UK0.9, the company appears around fair value at the time of writing. Valuations are imprecise instruments though, rather like a telescope - move a few degrees and end up in a different galaxy. Do keep this in mind. Story continues Value Per Share = Expected Dividend Per Share / (Discount Rate - Perpetual Growth Rate) = UK0.04 / (6.6% 1.6%) = UK0.8 dcf Important Assumptions The calculation above is very dependent on two assumptions. The first is the discount rate and the other is the cash flows. Part of investing is coming up with your own evaluation of a company's future performance, so try the calculation yourself and check your own assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Christie Group as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 6.6%, which is based on a levered beta of 0.909. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business. SWOT Analysis for Christie Group Strength Debt is well covered by cash flow. Weakness Earnings declined over the past year. Interest payments on debt are not well covered. Dividend is low compared to the top 25% of dividend payers in the Professional Services market. Current share price is above our estimate of fair value. Opportunity Annual revenue is forecast to grow faster than the British market. Threat Dividends are not covered by earnings and cashflows. Moving On: Valuation is only one side of the coin in terms of building your investment thesis, and it shouldn't be the only metric you look at when researching a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Instead the best use for a DCF model is to test certain assumptions and theories to see if they would lead to the company being undervalued or overvalued. For instance, if the terminal value growth rate is adjusted slightly, it can dramatically alter the overall result. For Christie Group, we've compiled three fundamental aspects you should explore: Risks: Take risks, for example - Christie Group has 4 warning signs (and 2 which are significant) we think you should know about. Future Earnings: How does CTG's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other Solid Businesses: Low debt, high returns on equity and good past performance are fundamental to a strong business. Why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals to see if there are other companies you may not have considered! PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every British stock every day, so if you want to find the intrinsic value of any other stock just search here. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. President Joe Bidens Democratic allies are launching an aggressive defense against a special counsels explosive claims that the 81-year-old president couldnt remember major milestones in his life, trying to diminish the significance of the prosecutors allegations that Biden was too forgetful to be charged for mishandling classified material. Biden set the angry tone hours after special counsel Robert Hurs report was released, dismissing the reports conclusions about his memory and insisting he hadnt forgotten the year his son Beau died, as Hur claimed. Democrats on Capitol Hill and around the country quickly followed. Republicans saying that Biden is old is the least surprising thing in American politics, Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, said. Its all theyve got. Democrats plan to answer the widespread questions about the 81-year-old presidents age and readiness by affirming that Biden is capable of being commander in chief and trying to discredit people who portray him as enfeebled. Key to that strategy is drawing a contrast with former President Donald Trump, the heavy Republican front-runner who is himself 77 and has also confused names and facts while also facing four indictments and multiple multimillion-dollar civil judgments. The signs of support are crucial for Biden as he prepares for what could be a tight election against Trump. Even before the reports release, fears were mounting that the coalition that helped elect Biden in 2020 was fraying, making it all the more important for Biden to keep as many supporters as possible firmly on his side. The Biden campaign circulated talking points to allies that were obtained by The Associated Press. The talking points refer to Hur, a U.S. attorney during the Trump administration, as a MAGA-appointed attorney who doesnt have a case so he decided to lob personal attacks against the president. Thats a reference to Make America Great Again, Trumps political movement. The talking points also stressed that Hur is a lawyer not a doctor so people should take his legal conclusions and ignore his political opinions. The White House has also noted Biden cooperated with Hur, who declined to charge him with unlawfully retaining classified documents, while Trump faces an indictment in Florida after the FBI seized records from his Mar-a-Lago residence. The way that the presidents demeanor in that report was characterized could not be more wrong on the facts and clearly politically motivated, gratuitous, Vice President Kamala Harris said Friday. I will say that when it comes to the role and responsibility of a prosecutor in a situation like that, we should expect that there would be a higher level of integrity than what we saw. Indignation spread into South Carolina, where Biden scored a commanding victory in the first-in-the-nation Democratic primary on Feb. 3, which was designed by his campaign to project clear strength. Some saw Bidens forceful response to the special counsel as a promising sign. I truly believe this is bringing the best out in the president. Its showing that hes a fighter, said LaJoia Broughton, a 42-year-old small-business owner in Columbia who voted for Biden in the primary. Biden aides say they do not expect the president or his campaign to take on the age question more directly. They cant make Biden any younger, and note that attacks on the president over his age were also persistent four years ago, when Trump labeled him Sleepy Joe. Instead, they intend to draw on the blueprint of the 2020 campaign and argue many voters wont want a repeat of Trumps turbulent time in the White House. They also plan to highlight Bidens accomplishments and an economy that continues to show strength. The president has said that age is a fair question on voters minds, but if youre an independent or pursuable voter across this country and youre worried about your kid facing gun violence while going to school, the prospect a national abortion ban, or the future of our democracy, you may think about the presidents age, but at the end of the day the choice is easy, said Kate Berner, a former deputy communications director in the Biden White House. Donald Trump is on the wrong side of all of those issues. Some Democrats werent so optimistic. This is a distraction. When youre running a presidential campaign, you dont like distractions, said Jim Messina, who led former President Barack Obamas last campaign. Messina compared the special counsels report to the announcement in October 2016 by then- FBI Director James Comey that he was further investigating Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clintons handling of classified emails when she was secretary of state. Comeys announcement, which came 11 days before the election, has been blamed for helping Trump beat Clinton. In this case, this weeks report comes nine months before Election Day, Nov. 5 Theres just so much time to get through all this, Messina said. Trump has all the trials coming up. Id be surprised if this was an issue in a month. Still, Trumps allies were emboldened this week. Beyond celebrating the release of the special counsels embarrassing descriptions of Biden, Trump won a new trove of delegates in Nevadas Thursday caucuses, where he ran unopposed. We all already know that Joe Biden is senile. Whats being lost is that Joe Biden is a criminal who put American national security at risk, Donald Trump Jr. wrote in one of many messages highlighting the new report. Barry Goodman, a Biden fundraiser from Michigan, said hes had some donors take a wait and see approach about supporting Biden, even before the special counsels announcement. They wanted to see if someone else would get in or whether Trump would drop out but no one else is getting in, Goodman said. Of everyone I talk to, some are more excited than others. Still, Goodman said the report did nothing to shake his support for Biden. Trav Robertson, a former South Carolina Democratic Party chairman, described the report as an obvious political liability for Biden. But he directed blame squarely at Attorney General Merrick Garland for allowing the report to include comments about the presidents age, memory and cognitive function. Merrick Garland not doing his job only allowed a Trump appointee to feed a political narrative to deflect from Trump, Robertson said, adding, Donald Trump cant lift a glass of water to his lips without using both hands because hes old. Indeed, Bidens allies were eager to highlight a perceived double standard as Bidens gaffes get far more attention than those of other leading politicians. Trump repeatedly confused former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Republican rival Nikki Haley in recent weeks. Biden didnt help himself, of course, by referring to the Egyptian leader as the president of Mexico late Thursday. Theres a clear unfairness there that people feel, Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., a former U.S. attorney, said of the focus on Bidens gaffes, describing the special counsels assessment of Bidens mental health as improper, inappropriate and shameful. Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., noted that even House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., also recently confused Iran with Israel. Who cares? Garcia said of the gaffes. The president is going to win. Im very confident in that. Most importantly, hes going to be running against a 91-time indicted criminal. (AP) The Marine Corps released the names Friday of the five Marines killed when their CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter went down in the mountains outside San Diego during a historic storm. All of them were in their 20s. The decorated Marines were assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and were based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego. We have been confronted with a tragedy that is every service familys worst fear, said Lt. Col. Nicholas J. Harvey, commanding officer of the squadron. The Flying Tigers family stands strong and includes the friends and community who have supported our squadron during this challenging time. We will get through this together. The youngest was Lance Cpl. Donovan Davis, 21, of Olathe, Kansas, who was just promoted to the rank of lance corporal on New Years Day. The oldest was Capt. Miguel Nava, 28, of Traverse City, Michigan. Nava was a 2013 graduate of Comstock Park High School, near Grand Rapids. The school district said he graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2017. Miguel dedicated his time to help, mentor, guide, encourage and support Comstock Park students. There is no greater example of what it means to be a Panther than Miguel, the district said. Davis and Sgt. Alec Langen, 23, of Chandler, Arizona, were both crew chiefs. The rest were CH-53E pilots. We will miss him dearly, his mother Caryn Langen told KNSD-TV of San Diego. The other pilots on board were Capt. Jack Casey, 26, of Dover, New Hampshire, and Capt. Benjamin Moulton, 27, of Emmett, Idaho. The Super Stallion vanished late Tuesday night on its way back to Miramar from Creech Air Force Base. The craft was discovered Wednesday morning near the mountain community of Pine Valley. The military confirmed Thursday that all five Marines were killed when their helicopter went down during stormy weather, and efforts were underway to recover their remains, which will take weeks because of the rough terrain and weather, said Col. James C. Ford, operations officer with 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. In the meantime, Marines are staying with the remains round-the-clock to adhere to their ethos of never leaving any Marine behind. The military is investigating the crash. (AP) Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced Friday that he will run for U.S. Senate, giving Republicans a prominent candidate who is well-positioned to run a competitive campaign for the GOP in a state that hasnt had a Republican U.S. senator in 37 years. The decision marks a surprise turnaround for Hogan, a moderate who had considered a presidential bid. During Hogans tenure as governor, he became a national figure as one of the rare Republicans willing to criticize Donald Trump. Last month, Hogan stepped down from the leadership of the third-party movement No Labels. My fellow Marylanders: you know me, Hogan begins in a video released by his Senate campaign. For eight years, we proved that the toxic politics that divide our nation need not divide our state. The former governor added that he decided to run for Senate not to serve one party, but to try to be part of the solution: to fix our nations broken politics and fight for Maryland. That is what I did as your governor and its exactly how Ill serve you in the United States Senate, Hogan said. GOP leaders are eager to pick up the seat as they try to wrest control of the Senate from Democrats, who hold a slim majority and are defending more seats than Republicans in 2024. In 2022, Hogan rebuffed an aggressive push from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and other Republicans to run against Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen. When he announced his decision not to run for Senate two years ago, Hogan expressed confidence he could win. But just because you can win a race, doesnt mean thats the job you should do if your hearts not in it. And I just didnt see myself being a U.S. senator, he said then. The former two-term governor who left office early last year will be running for an open seat due to the retirement of Sen. Ben Cardin. Hogan made his Senate bid known just hours before Marylands filing deadline. Hogan announced in March that he would not challenge Trump for the GOPs White House nomination. Last month, he squelched speculation of a third-party presidential run and endorsed former United Nations ambassador and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley for the Republican nomination for president. The rarely open Maryland Senate seat already has drawn U.S. Rep. David Trone into the Democratic primary, as well as Angela Alsobrooks, the county executive of Prince Georges County in the suburbs of the nations capital. Trone, the wealthy founder of a chain of liquor stores called Total Wine & More, has poured $23 million of his own money into his campaign so far. Seven Republicans have filed to enter the GOP primary, but none is as well known as the former governor. Hogan was only the second Republican governor to ever win reelection in Maryland, a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1. He won his first term as governor in 2014 in an upset, using public campaign financing against a better-funded candidate. Running on fiscal concerns as a moderate Republican businessman, Hogan tapped into voter frustration over a series of tax and fee increases to defeat then-Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown. Hogan, who had never held elected office before, focused on pocketbook issues from the outset. He lowered tolls, an action he could take without approval from the General Assembly, long controlled by Democrats. But he also faced challenges, including unrest in Baltimore following the death of Freddie Gray in police custody in 2015. Hogan sent the National Guard to help restore order. In June of that year, Hogan was diagnosed with stage 3 non-Hodgkins lymphoma but continued working while receiving treatment. He has been in remission since November 2015. Marylands last Republican U.S. senator was Charles Mathias, who served in the Senate from 1969 to 1987. Mathias was known as a liberal Republican who often clashed with his party over issues such as the Vietnam War and civil rights. (AP) Former President Donald Trump won Nevadas Republican presidential caucuses Thursday after he was the only major candidate to compete, winning his third straight state as he tries to secure his partys nomination. Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, his last major rival still in the race, skipped the caucuses even though they are the only contest in Nevada that counts toward the GOP nomination. Haley cited what she considered an unfair process favoring Trump and instead ran in Nevadas symbolic state-run presidential primary on Tuesday, when she finished behind the none of these candidates option. Trump will win most, if not all, of the states 26 delegates. He needs to accrue 1,215 delegates to formally clinch the partys nomination and could reach that number in March. From Nevada, the GOP contest pivots to the South Carolina primary in Haleys home state on Feb. 24. Trump remains popular in the deeply conservative state but Haley, who won two elections as South Carolinas governor, is hoping her local roots give her an edge. Trump is eyeing a massive delegate haul during the March 5 Super Tuesday contests, which would move him closer to becoming the GOPs presumptive nominee. Trump, delivering a brief victory speech in Las Vegas, basked in reports of long lines in the Western state and told his supporters he was eager to declare victory in the upcoming South Carolina primary. Were leading everybody, he said. Is there any way we can call the election for next Tuesday? Thats all I want. Though Trump has been the front-runner, Nevadas caucuses were seen as especially skewed in his favor due to the intense grassroots support caucuses require candidates to harness around a state in order to win. Nevadas state party gave him a greater edge last year when it barred candidates from running both in the primary and caucuses and also restricted the role of super PACs like the groups that were key to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis campaign before he dropped out. Caucuses typically require voters to show up for an in-person meeting at a certain day or time, while elections can offer more flexibility to participate, with polls open for most of the day on Election Day along with absentee or early voting. Nevada Republicans said they wanted certain rules in place like a requirement that participants show a government-issued ID. Trumps supporters waited in long lines Thursday. At one caucus site at a Reno-area elementary school, a line of nearly 1,000 people stretched around the corner and down the street 20 minutes after the caucuses opened. Voters in line, some of whom were wearing Trump hats and shirts, said they came out to back the former president in a contest that would give him a third straight win in the Republican presidential race. I think its about backing Trump up and giving him the support that he needs. And to let people know that were supporting him, said Heather Kirkwood, 47. Trump has long been immensely popular among Nevada Republicans, but he had other perceived advantages among the partys key figures. Nevada GOP Party Chair Michael McDonald and the states Republican National Committeeman Jim DeGraffenreid were among six Republicans in the state indicted on felony charges that they were so-called fake electors who sent certificates to Congress falsely claiming Trump won Nevada in 2020. The chairman of the Republican Party in Clark County the largest county, which is home to Las Vegas was another of the six so-called fake electors. Republicans are increasingly converging behind Trump while he faces a deluge of legal problems, including 91 criminal charges in four separate cases. Trump is flexing his influence both in Congress where Republicans rejected a border security deal after he pushed against it and at the Republican National Committee, as chairwoman Ronna McDaniel could resign in the coming weeks after he publicly questioned whether she should stay in the job. Trump still faces unprecedented jeopardy for a major candidate. A federal appeals panel ruled this week that Trump can face trial on charges that he plotted to overturn the results of the 2020 election, rejecting his claims that he is immune from prosecution. The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday heard arguments in a case trying to keep Trump from the 2024 presidential ballot over his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss. The justices sounded broadly skeptical of the effort. (AP) A proposed bill aims to classify intentionally blocking traffic on New York City streets as an act of domestic terrorism. Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-Queens) introduced the bill in response to the chaos often caused by protests, particularly those related to recent events like the Israel-Hamas war. The bills introduction coincides with Amatos upcoming rematch against a Republican opponent she narrowly defeated in 2022, with insiders suggesting that the bill could serve as an effort to appeal to a district that has shifted more conservative in recent years, according to The New York Post. Documents supporting the bill emphasize that while individuals have the right to protest, they should not have the right to instill fear, panic, or endanger the lives of others by blocking traffic. Under the proposed legislation, individuals convicted of this offense could face up to seven years in prison for a class D felony, as reported by The New York Post. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) Meta has removed Instagram and Facebook accounts run on behalf of Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after criticism over his support for Hamas after its Oct. 7 attack on Israel that sparked the monthslong war still raging in the Gaza Strip, the company confirmed Friday. Meta, based in Menlo Park, California, offered no specifics about its reasoning. However, it said it removed the accounts for repeatedly violating our Dangerous Organizations and Individuals policy. We do not allow organizations or individuals that proclaim a violent mission or are engaged in violence to have a presence on our platforms, the policy states. That includes those designated as terrorists by the U.S. government. Irans mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Khamenei and his vast patronage network inside Iran have long been targeted by American sanctions. Khamenei himself has been targeted by U.S. sanctions since 2019 by the administration of then-President Donald Trump as tensions began to spiral in the Middle East over Trump unilaterally withdrawing America from Tehrans nuclear deal with world powers. However, pressure has been growing on online platforms to remove Khamenei in recent years, particularly after the mass protests that followed the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini after her arrest allegedly over how she wore the mandated headscarf in Iran. Khameneis use of Facebook has drawn criticism in the past. The social network has been banned in Iran since its 2009 disputed presidential election and the Green Movement protests that followed. Iran began blocking Instagram and Metas WhatsApp messaging service after the protests over Aminis death. Khamenei still maintains an account on X, formerly Twitter. Khamenei and accounts associated with the supreme leader had been praising the Hamas attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw some 250 others taken hostage. Immediately after the attack, Khamenei backed Hamas in a speech, saying: We kiss the hands of those who planned the attack on the Zionist regime. Iran has provided arms and support to Hamas, though Tehran isnt believed to have directed the Oct. 7 attack. In the time since, Israels war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip has killed over 27,000 Palestinians and sparked tensions across the wider Middle East. Iranian-backed militias like Lebanons Hezbollah and Yemens Houthi rebels, also armed by Iran, have launched attacks against Israel in the time since. Jonathan Greenblatt of the Anti-Defamation League praised Metas decision. Hes used these platforms for years to incite violent antisemitism, to legitimize militant anti-zionism and to make genocidal threats, Greenblatt wrote online. (AP) A rare strike, attributed to Israel, was carried out about 60 kilometers from Lebanons southern border on Shabbos, the deepest Israeli strike in Lebanese territory since October 7th. According to reports, a drone struck a vehicle in the village of Jadra. The target of the strike was senior Hamas official Basel Salah, responsible for recruiting and activating Hamas operatives, including during the current war. He was wounded in the attack but survived. According to a Reuters report, Salah was close to Saleh al-Arouri, the Hamas deputy chief killed last month in an Israeli strike near Beirut. Three other people were killed in the strike two members of Hamas and a Hezbollah operative. The strike was carried out while Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian was visiting Lebanon and meeting with, among other officials, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. A statement was issued following their meeting that the two spoke about the axis of resistance and the developments in the region in the shadow of the war. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) IDF forces, acting on Shin Bet intelligence, uncovered one of Hamass most significant data centers right under the UNWRA headquarters in the Gaza Strip. The IDF stated: Acting on ISA intelligence, the forces discovered a tunnel shaft near a UNRWA school, leading to an underground terrorist tunnel beneath UNRWAs main headquarters. The forces found electrical infrastructure inside the tunnel connected to UNRWAs main HQ, suggesting it was supplying the tunnel with electricitygenerated by the fuel provided through humanitarian aid. This 700-meter-long tunnel, 18 meters deep, contained multiple blast doors and various intelligence assets seized by the forces. Intelligence and documents found confirmed the offices use by Hamas terrorists. Large quantities of weapons, including rifles, ammunition, grenades and explosives, were uncovered hidden in the buildings offices. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) Israel has identified the southern Gaza city of Rafah as the next target in its military offensive against Hamas. Rafah, which borders Egypt, is normally home to 280,000 people. But its population has swelled to over 1.5 million roughly three-quarters of Gazas population as Palestinians flee fighting, destruction and hunger elsewhere in the territory. Sprawling tent camps now dot the city. Satellite images from Planet Labs PBC taken three months apart and analyzed by The Associated Press capture the massive population shift since the onset of the Israel-Hamas war. They show an area near the Tel al-Sultan refugee camp on Oct. 13, 2023, the wars sixth day, and Jan. 14 of this year. In what was once scrubland near farm fields, the newer image shows a tent city. Hundreds of makeshift shelters surround a warehouse that is a distribution center for the limited aid now entering the besieged Gaza Strip. The area surveyed in both photos is part of the wider Rafah refugee camp, one of eight urban camps in the Gaza Strip that were built for families displaced during the war surrounding the creation of Israel in 1948. The U.S. and other members of the international community have raised concerns about the safety of civilians if Israeli troops move into Rafah. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday he had ordered the military to draw up plans to evacuate civilians from the packed city before an expected Israeli ground invasion. Israeli airstrikes hit central Gaza and Rafah overnight into Friday. (AP) Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told ABC News that those who say that we shouldnt enter Rafah under any circumstances are basically saying lose the war keep Hamas there. Speaking in an interview on This Week with George Stephanopoulos, Netanyahu elaborated: Victory is within reach. Were going to do it. Were going to get the remaining Hamas terrorist battalions in Rafah, which is the last bastion. The last four remaining Hamas battalions are in the southern Gazan city of Rafah, embedded among over a million civilians who fled to the city from other parts of the Strip. Netanyahu added that Israeli is working on a detailed plan to evacuate civilians from the area. Were working out a detailed plan to do so, he said. And thats what weve done up until now. Were not cavalier about this. This is part of our war effort to get civilians out of harms way. Its part of Hamass efforts to keep them in harms way. But were going to do it and I agree with the Americans were going to do it while providing a safe passage for the civilian population so they can leave. The Biden administration, along with Egypt and the international community, are opposing Israels plan for a military operation in Gaza, saying that it will cause a humanitarian catastrophe. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) In the 1980s, Craig Underwood was a fourth-generation California farmer, struggling with the regions changing agricultural landscape, when he stepped up to meet a need in the marketplace: Red jalapeno peppers. The call came from David Tran, a Cantonese refugee from Vietnam who had arrived in the Golden State a few years before. He had developed a sauce that he intended for fans of the Southeast Asian flavor profile, called sriracha, but he needed a supplier. In 1988, a seed supplier told Underwood about Trans need for a pepper fix and he decided to write to Tran with a simple question: Would you like me to grow some peppers? Tran contracted the farmer to grow 50 acres, and the pair began a partnership that was highly unusual in the processing business, as Underwood described it in a 2013 documentary about the duo. As long as Tran was selling sauce, he said, we have to be growing it for them. Within a few years, Underwood had become Trans exclusive pepper supplier, expanding his farm by thousands of acres to grow in the process. The duo developed a personal rapport as well as a business arrangement that lasted almost 30 years. Then came a sudden fallout and a lawsuit that cost both men millions, plus a lot of anger and hurt feelings, Fortunes Indrani Sen reported. Underwoods farm, called Underwood Ranches and located in Californias Ventura County, grew to become one of the countrys leading jalapeno growers. During his partnership with Tran, Underwood rented and purchased land to grow from around 400 acres to some three thousand acres to grow enough peppers for Trans rocketing business, Huy Fong Foods, which made $131 million in sales in 2020. Tran and Underwood's years of success together Tran and Underwood met each others families, watched their respective kids grow up, and even met to talk about the succession of their partnership. In 2013, when the city of Irwindale brought lawsuits against Trans factory claiming that the smell of the peppers was giving neighbors headaches, Underwood testified on his behalf at a city council meeting. Story continues The sauce business boomed. In 2012, Tran built a 650,000-square-foot factory less than two hours from Underwoods headquarters in Ventura County. Huy Fong remained an independent company, turning down offers from large food corporations to buy or invest, and never spent a cent on advertising. The brand spread like a fire anyways, with other brands and fans creating merch like mugs, earrings, and apparel, all as a tribute to the sauces pop culture success. But it all ended in one soured conversation. The two men have different accounts of what exactly happened in November of 2016, but it was one afternoon's discussion of prices that ruptured the pairs relationship for good. The fallout and the aftermath The schism cost both men millions. Trans Irwindale factory has operated sporadically and at a fraction of its capacity. Underwood, having purchased and leased thousands of acres of land to accommodate Huy Fongs pepper needs, faced financial ruin. He took out loans and laid off 45 workers as he tried to figure out what the hells going on, Fortunes Indrani Sen reported. Then came the lawsuits. In 2017, Huy Fong Foods sued to recover $1.4 million that he overpaid for the 2016 growing season, and Underwood countersued, alleging fraud. A jury ruled in Underwoods favor and awarded him $13.3 million in compensatory damages and $10 million in punitive damages. The jury also ordered the farmer to reimburse Tran the $1.4 million overpayment. The burn of the fallout is still felt by sriracha fans worldwide. For Tran, the dissolved partnership prompted a sriracha shortage, leaving store shelves without the green-tipped bottles for more than three years, which led to fans and restaurants stockpiling bottles. For Underwood, the loss resulted in layoffs, loans and low sales which led him to believe that Tran was really out to destroy him. Hes since began his own sriracha brand, called Dragon Sriracha, which joins a growing list of Huy Fong competitors that offer alternative versions of the spicy, sweet sauce. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com A veteran officer in the IDFs Intelligence Directorate said that the army has serious suspicions that Hamas spies penetrated the IDF prior to October 7th, Yisrael Hayom reported on Sunday. The investigative committee must inquire about how they had so much inside information about what was happening on the most classified IDF bases, the officer said. The Nukhba terrorists had information about the most sensitive IDF sites, information that is kept highly classified even within the military. We need to find out how this information reached them. These are details that IDF commanders do not disclose even to their closest friends. He explained that the implication is that there was a double intelligence failure by the Shin Bet. The Shin Bet was supposed to gather information about Hamas plans and it is known that it failed in doing so. But the Shin Bet is also responsible for preventing counterintelligence, which means not allowing the enemy to gather information from within Israel. We now know that Hamas had a lot of information about us, beyond collecting information from drones and surveillance. In other words, there is reason to suspect serious counterintelligence and we still dont know how it was carried out. This is a matter that cannot be covered up and we must investigate it after the war. The officer said that it is possible that a foreign country aided in the counterintelligence efforts. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) According to information obtained by the IDF in the Gaza Strip, a journalist affiliated with Al Jazeera is allegedly serving as a commander within the military wing of Hamas. IDFs Arabic-language spokesperson, Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee, reported that IDF forces discovered a laptop at a Hamas site in northern Gaza several weeks ago. This laptop is said to belong to Mohamed Washah, a resident of Buriej in central Gaza. Washah has recently appeared in broadcasts by the Qatari-owned Al Jazeera, which has identified him as a journalist. Adraee detailed that the laptop contained evidence indicating Washahs significant role as a commander in Hamass anti-tank missile division. Additionally, it was revealed that Washah had shifted his focus to research and development for Hamass aerial operations unit towards the end of 2022. This claim comes in the wake of an incident last month where two Al Jazeera journalists were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Rafah. Posthumously, the IDF accused them of being operatives for Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, both classified as terror organizations. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) Israel shouldnt go ahead with a military operation in the densely populated Gaza border town of Rafah without a credible plan to protect civilians, President Joe Biden told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, the White House said. Today, US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu engaged in a significant phone conversation, lasting approximately 45 minutes, to deliberate on the ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza, including efforts to secure the release of hostages held in the territory. This call, reported by Channel 12, marked the first dialogue between the two since President Biden characterized Israels response in Gaza as over the top. The discussion centered on three critical issues: the proposed military action in Rafah, the final bastion of Hamas strength in Gaza; enhancing the provision of humanitarian aid to the civilian population; and addressing a deadlock in negotiations for a hostage exchange that might lead to a temporary cessation of hostilities. The White House provided details of the call, noting Bidens reiteration of the joint objective to defeat Hamas and safeguard the enduring security of Israel and its citizens. The conversation also touched on the ongoing efforts to free all hostages held by Hamas. President Biden underscored the importance of building on the current negotiations to expedite the release of hostages and urged for immediate and concrete measures to boost humanitarian support for Palestinian civilians. Furthermore, Biden stressed that any military operation in Rafah must be accompanied by a comprehensive plan to protect the over one million people seeking refuge in the city. Both leaders agreed to maintain open lines of communication moving forward. In related developments, CIA Director William Burns is slated to arrive in Cairo on Tuesday for discussions with intermediaries about a possible ceasefire. Israel has been hesitant to engage in talks due to Hamass unrealistic conditions for a permanent ceasefire, which include troop withdrawal from Gaza, the territorys reconstruction, and the release of approximately 1,500 Palestinian prisoners, some of whom are key figures in terrorist activities, in exchange for the remaining hostages. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) We are in the final days of the If the Walls Could Talk campaign, and the walls of Yerushalayim are pleading louder than ever. Families in desperate need face neglect, hardship, and uncertainty, and are counting on your immediate support. For over 160 years, Kollel Shomrei Hachomos has been the lifeline, allocating over $16 million annually to assist widows, orphans, kollel families, and those struck by illness throughout Eretz Yisroel. The deadline is almost. The families cant wait any longer. Join our auction and support our cause while winning incredible prizes. Will you act before its too late? Get your tickets today. CLICK HERE. Kollel Shomrei Hachomos Reb Meir Baal Haness At a moment of geopolitical strife, Britains defence capabilities have never been more important. The UK is playing a critical role in Ukraine, providing training and weapons to the countrys military, as it seeks to turn back the Russian assault. In the Middle-East RAF Typhoon jets, operating out of Cyprus, have been flying the arduous 3,000 mile journey to Yemen to attack Houthi rebels threatening the freedom of passage through the Red Sea. In focus: Britains defence capabilities have never been more important, Alex Brummer says It is an air journey only made possible by the flight refuelling technology developed by aviation innovator Sir Alan Cobham. How extraordinary it is that at a time when command and control over Britains defences is so vital to our national security that critical technologies, developed at Wimborne based Cobham plc, were allowed to fall into the hands of private equity vulture Advent. It is an outfit devoted to reaping quick profits for investors and tax advantaged returns for partners. The managing partner of Advent International Shonnel Malani is unapologetic about the rapid fire way in which a UK aerospace champion, bought for 4billion in 2019, has been dismantled making our investors happy. He claims to have fundamentally improved Britains defence supply chain. Selling off Cobham air-to-air flight refuelling system to Irish-US competitor Eaton for 2billion may appear to pose no threat to the UK: after all the Americans are our allies in protecting Red Sea shipping. The reality is that Britain has surrendered proprietary technology, vital R&D and patents to an Irish-American giant and torn a hole in the nations sovereignty and capability. Conflict: RAF Typhoon jets have been flying the arduous 3,000 mile journey to Yemen to attack Houthi rebels For the moment jobs in Dorset may be protected but from now on decisions about the workforce, R&D and investment will be taken at Eatons dual homes in Dublin and Ohio. Moreover, Irelands foreign policy and its views on the Middle-East differ greatly from the UK which potentially could damage the UKs freedom of action. It is easy for Advent to argue it has done Cobham a huge favour by selling off its disparate parts so rapidly. Reality is that Advent and other private equity firms are rarely business builders. The objective is to buy undervalued assets, depriving existing shareholders of an upside to which they are entitled, and disposing of them as soon as possible making often super-rich invtestors ever more wealthy. A pattern of ruthless cost cutting, particularly in tech based enterprises, is rarely positive. Advent, having dismantled Cobham, also has been allowed by UK public investors, a flaccid board and the government to gobble up another defence gem Ultra Electronics. Its advanced sonar technology is capable of detecting leading to the capture and destruction of enemy submarines. With each aerospace and electronics takeover the UK armed forces are undermined. At this time of supreme international peril the current and future governments must invoke the National Investment and Securities Act to protect what is left of our diminished defence players. No longer should cash, private equity greed and overseas ownership be allowed to work against the public interest. There are almost a million violent crimes committed each year in the UK. Many occur at home, although incidents frequently erupt in bars, clubs and street corners. Once the police have been called and forensic teams have done their work, crime scenes need to be cleaned and decontaminated. The job can be messy, difficult and traumatic but it has to be done. React Group specialises in emergency cleaning of every hue. The shares are just 1.25p and should go far under turnaround veteran, Mark Braund. Messy business: React Group rushes to emergency scenes to clean up after violent crimes and accidents React does the kind of work that no one likes to think about, cleaning up after accidents, from motorway pile-ups to prison brawls. When squatters are evicted from homes, React teams are tasked with removing dirty needles, filthy upholstery and damaged fixtures, scrubbing down every surface along the way. When towns are flooded and sewage escapes, React is called in to make properties safe and dry. When deaths occur on the railways suicides, staff, stray deer React is responsible for cleaning the tracks and trains, a grisly task. Cleaners also rush to the scene when hazardous chemicals or germs escape into the atmosphere, a service that was much in demand during the Covid pandemic. This work is not for the faint-hearted. Employees have to be properly trained, mistakes can be perilous and fast, effective service is paramount. The work is lucrative too and few firms offer it at scale. But emergency cleaning is unpredictable by nature and when Braund began to advise React in 2019, the group was struggling, amid persistent losses and a share price of less than 0.5p. As Braund set to work, React's fortunes began slowly to improve and in December 2020, he was appointed chairman. The company has changed materially since then, winning substantial contracts and making two key acquisitions, Fidelis in 2021 and LaddersFree a year later. Fidelis specialises in deep cleaning, from hotels and restaurants to schools and hospitals. Very different from everyday tidy-ups, this type of service is non-discretionary and cleaners need to be thoroughly vetted, particularly those working in education and health. Contracts also tend to be long, from three to seven years, giving React the predictable revenue that was sorely lacking before. LaddersFree also benefits from long-term contracts. The company is one of the largest window-cleaning firms in the country and, as its name suggests, no ladders are involved. Instead, operators use deionised water and long poles that allow them to clean buildings up to six storeys high without the faff and expense of ladders or other equipment. Customers include Lidl, Next and Costa Coffee and business is brisk. Results for 2023, unveiled last week, were impressive. Revenues climbed 43 per cent year-on-year to 19.6 million, while profits soared from 700,000 to 1.8 million. Nor are these figures a flash in the pan. Over the past four years, sales have climbed more than sixfold and the group has moved from losses into profit, bolstered by a healthy bank balance, with more than 2 million of cash at hand. Braund has high hopes for the future too, aiming to take revenues to 50 million in the next three to five years, with profits rising alongside. Success should come from a blend of small acquisitions and organic growth. Specialist cleaning is a fragmented market, populated by hundreds of tiny firms operating in their local area. This provides rich pickings for Braund and his team, especially as React has acquired a reputation for looking after the businesses it buys. Big companies often prefer to work with suppliers that can service all their specialist cleaning needs so acquisitions should prove fruitful. There are plenty of cross-selling opportunities too, cleaning properties inside and out for customers. LaddersFree should also benefit from plans to make the business nimbler and more digital, reducing paperwork and enhancing communication between window-cleaners and their customers. Brokers are optimistic about React, expecting continued growth for several years to come. Braund inspires confidence too. Having cut his teeth at IBM, he has spent the past two decades as an entrepreneur, founding a successful recruitment business with his wife and masterminding several turnarounds. Midas verdict: React Group is a small business in a big market so there is plenty of room to grow. Braund and his team have shown they can deliver results, they have attracted support from large investors and the shares, at 1.25p, should prove rewarding. Traded on: AIM Ticker: REAT Contact: reactsc.co.uk or 01283 550503 Speaking out: Jacob Rees-Mogg On Tuesday we were treated to the launch of the Liz Truss-led group of 'Popular Conservatives' or PopCons who aim to 'excite the public' by offering an alternative to the perceived weakness of Rishi Sunak's Government. Among the attendees was Somerset MP and ex-Brexit Opportunities Minister Jacob Rees-Mogg, who proudly proclaimed in a speech that 'the age of Davos man is over'. He was referring to the gathering of the financial and political elite at the World Economic Forum, held in the Swiss ski destination last month. But PopCon man might want to pass on his musings to Lord Dominic Johnson, the Investment Minister with whom he co-founded hedge fund Somerset Capital in 2007. His lordship spent quite a lot of time at this year's Davos gathering, going so far as to say the event had provided 'terrific opportunities' to trumpet the UK's technological and investment credentials. With friends like that... Vodafone boss meets German Chancellor 'in slow lane' Vodafone boss Margherita Della Valle was globetrotting last week, flitting to Germany for a 'an engaging and productive meeting' with Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Germany is the telecom giant's largest market, but it is struggling to boost sales and a flagging share price. Scholz is likely to be understanding, given Germany itself is stuck in the slow lane, becoming the world's worst-performing big economy last year. Nicht gut! Gay Huey Evans looking for 'interesting' new role What next for Gay Huey Evans who will this year leave the Standard Chartered board after nine years? The all-American director is seeking a new role, she tells Whispers, 'but only if it's interesting'. Evans has not been far from controversy in recent times. She stepped down last year as chair of the London Metal Exchange following the fallout from the crisis in the nickel market which resulted in billions of pounds worth of trades being cancelled. The 146-year-old LME was lambasted by investors for its handling of the affair. Evans' response? 'It is a physical market,' she explains. 'Not as simple as gilts and equities.' Not sure the red braces brigade at the LME would agree. Good news (at last) for 'Baroness Bra' Good news (at last) for Michelle Mone, the beleaguered lingerie queen also known as 'Baroness Bra'. There were fears that a horse the peer gave her husband Doug Barrowman as a wedding present might not run in the Grand National due to a 75 million court order freezing their assets. This is part of a criminal investigation into alleged PPE fraud in the pandemic, which they deny. The full list of those frozen assets has now been made public and there's no mention of Monbeg Genius, the nag in question. That means the 14-1 fancy is free to run at Aintree for the first prize of 500,000. Giddy-up! Contributors: Patrick Tooher, Mark Shapland The private equity boss behind the controversial break-up of Cobham is preparing to sell off the last remnants of the UK defence and aerospace group. Shonnel Malani, managing partner at Advent International, has overseen the dismemberment of Cobham since taking it over for 4 billion in 2019. He told The Mail on Sunday that he has no regrets and he indicated that Advent could soon have more UK targets. Cobham's sprawling operations have been sold off piece by piece to a series of international buyers leaving it with no manufacturing presence in the UK at a time when geopolitical tensions are high and when military top brass are warning that the UK needs to be prepared for the possibility of war. Broken up: Cobham's sprawling operations have been sold off piece by piece to a series of international buyers Malani told The Mail on Sunday: 'We are starting to consider the exit of the last parts of Cobham, but no rush. Over the next year or two is fine.' Lady Cobham, daughter-in-law of company founder Sir Alan Cobham, has been an outspoken critic of the takeover. She said last night: 'Cobham was a vital contributor to national security in the Cold War, the Falklands campaign and the Gulf Wars. It was part of national resilience in the face of crisis. 'It is now broken up to the detriment of that resilience and many individuals have lined their pockets. 'Is this not another case of selling off the family silverware?' The rump of the Cobham business includes CAES, which is behind radar and electronic warfare technology, and Cobham Satcom, a Denmark-based satellite communications firm. These are set to be sold off at a time of heightening tensions amid the Ukraine war, US-China tensions and conflict in the Middle East all of which put a premium on defence businesses. It is not clear who the future buyers might be. Foreign industrial giants and private equity firms have queued to snap up other parts of the business. ALEX BRUMMER: Government must act on private equity's role in defence How extraordinary it is that at a time when command and control over Britains defences is so vital to our national security that critical technologies, developed at Wimborne based Cobham plc, were allowed to fall into the hands of private equity vulture Advent. Read more here. Seven other divisions have already been sold off reportedly yielding nearly 6 billion, including Paris-based Cobham Aerospace Communications, which was hived off to France's Thales in an 850 million deal agreed last summer. Advent's takeover of Cobham was vigorously opposed by a number of politicians and military figures. Their fears about what would happen next were confirmed when Advent started breaking up the company. Malani said: 'We've made our investors happy.' He added: 'Cobham was a large conglomerate, many disparate businesses, that frankly was in quite a lot of trouble. 'Had we not bought it a year or so from then it would have probably hit a wall of some sort and inflicted some sort of break up on its own.' Meanwhile, Boeing had been suing Cobham over delays to its aerial refuelling programme, resulting in a settlement that cost the British company more than 80 million. In 2021, Cobham Mission Systems, which makes air-to-air flight refuelling technology and is based in Wimborne, Dorset, was sold to US-Irish giant Eaton for 2 billion. Advent scooped up another British defence firm, Ultra Electronics, for 2.6 billion in 2022. Malani said there were no 'imminent' deals, but there may be opportunities later this year or next. Block: Sam Smith fears women will be excluded The Government may row back on changes to rules promoting start-ups after critics warned they could lock out female 'angel' investors. Bim Afolami, the City minister, this week said the Government had noted the 'significant concerns'. Angel investors plough money into start-up businesses. Under the current rules, businesses need approval from City regulators before they can market themselves to investors. But promotions targeting High Net Worth individuals which would include most angels are exempt. A row has erupted over moves from January 31 that raise the High Net Worth threshold to 170,000 a year from 100,000 previously because only 72,500 women in the UK make that much. It has led to fears women will be excluded. Sam Smith, founder and former boss of broker FinnCap, said: 'This change is putting blockers where they don't need to be. 'People from under-represented backgrounds tend to back businesses founded by other people from under-represented backgrounds.' Emma Sinclair, founder of digital marketplace EnterpriseAlumni, added: 'Fewer females being able to invest in female founders is catastrophic and paternalistic.' bymuratdeniz / iStock.com The past couple of years have been extremely difficult for the crypto ecosystem. Scandals, collapses, losses and lawsuits marred the industry, resulting in a loss of confidence in the space and a loss of funds for many. While 2023, fared better, the trial of former FTX chief executive Sam Bankman-Fried found guilty of all seven criminal counts against him in November coupled with many assets still struggling to regain ground, made for a somewhat lukewarm environment. While the industry is still reeling from these developments, 2024 seems off to a good start, notably with the recent and long-awaited Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approval of Spot Bitcoin exchange traded funds (ETFs), which many see as a legitimization of the space and the Holy Grail of crypto. See: 8 Best Cryptocurrencies To Invest In for 2024 Here Are: 6 Genius Things All Wealthy People Do With Their Money Yet, for people working in crypto and its broader ecosystem however, the ride has proven rocky, although there are some glimpses of hope, with some experts arguing that it can only go up from here. To put this in context, in December, crypto job postings on LinkedIn declined a whopping 57% year-over-year, yet, its less than the 71% year-over-year drop in November, according to Bloomberg. Sponsored: Owe the IRS $10K or more? Schedule a FREE consultation to see if you qualify for tax relief. A Long Bear Market Phillip Shoemaker, executive director of Identity.com, a non-profit organization providing decentralized identity verification, said that while he knew this was going to be a long downturn and took a conservative approach, getting cash in the bank and such, he still didnt expect this bear market to be as long as it has been. Obviously, SBF did a big disservice to us by inviting in the regulators and then really angering them, because he stabbed them in the back by being a fraudster, said Shoemaker. Theres been a lot of unhappiness in the space post-FTX, and regulators have been bringing heat. But regulation does need to happen. Im more concerned about good crypto companies just being down in this environment, but is the time to stay in your lane, to work and, well, to keep building. The bull market will return its a matter of when, not if. Story continues A Dramatic Shift For some participants, working in crypto post-FTX, is working in a landscape that has dramatically shifted. For instance, Tayler McCracken, editor-in-chief, Coin Bureau, said that the aftermath of the FTX collapse, the SBF trial, and other high-profile setbacks have significantly altered the industrys atmosphere. The once buoyant interest has waned, as reflected in the reduced engagement with our content and a noticeable decline in job inquiries. Conversations have shifted from eager curiosity about joining the crypto world to cautious inquiries about its viability, said McCracken. Yet, he also noted that despite these challenges, their commitment to the crypto industry remains unwavering. Those of us who continue to navigate these turbulent waters do so out of a firm belief in the potential of crypto to foster a more inclusive, transparent and equitable financial system. We are confident that the industry will emerge stronger, learning from these experiences, he added. Glimpses of Hope Not all is doom and gloom however, and several experts see cryptos turmoil as an industry undergoing necessary growing pains, which in turn, are triggering some much-needed regulations. Mike Martin, head of content at Tastycrypto, called these changes necessary. We can draw parallels with the early days of the internet remember the dot-com bubble? Just like then, were experiencing periods of intense volatility and vulnerability, which are essential for our growth and resilience, just as it was for the internet back in 2000, said Martin. In turn, this could set the stage for a more resilient space and the newly approved Bitcoin ETFs are also helping boost confidence in the space, as it has sparked renewed interest. However, there is at least two-three years of a learning curve for both investment advisors and retail investors before crypto truly becomes a recommended allocation into a portfolio model, said Andy LaPointe, author, advisor and founder of CryptoWisdom.com. This means those working in the industry still have an uphill battle. Yet, as Martin further argued, long-term participants in the crypto world, like himself, view these fluctuations through a lens thats focused on the future, adding that the ebbs and flows of this business, though unsettling, dont sway them because they know this technology is simply too efficient to not only have a future but be the future. So, what are we as an industry doing in response to these challenges? he queried. Were doing what Chicago did after the great fire of 1871 and what the United States did after the Crash of 1929: were rebuilding. Were strengthening our foundations and our ecosystem to make them more robust than ever. 2023 was a Darwinian survival of the fittest moment in crypto, and those of us still around are more resilient than ever. More From GOBankingRates This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Miserable Is It To Work In Crypto Right Now and Is the Money Still Worth It? More than 383,000 Frigidaire Branded Side by Side Refrigerators with Slim Ice Buckets sold between November 2015 and September 2019 have been recalled due to a safety hazard. More than 383,000 Frigidaire Branded Side by Side Refrigerators with Slim Ice Buckets have been recalled following reports of plastic in the ice bucket. The recalled appliances have an ice bucket assembly component that could break and cause plastic pieces to fall into the ice bucket. That poses "choking and laceration hazards to consumers if the pieces are dispensed out of the ice bucket," the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said in an announcement on Thursday. More than 383,000 Frigidaire Branded Side by Side Refrigerators with Slim Ice Buckets sold between November 2015 and September 2019 have been recalled due to a safety hazard. Electrolux, Frigidaires parent company, received 343 reports of plastic breaking off into the ice buckets. There have been two reports of consumers being cut or hurt by the plastic after it was dispensed. The recalled refrigerators include model numbers: DGHK2355TF, DGHX2655TF, FFSC2323TS, FGSC2335TD, FGSC2335TF, FGSS2635TD, FGSS2635TE, FGSS2635TF, FGSS2635TP, FPSC2277RF, FPSC2278UF, FPSS2677RF, LFSC2324VF, LGHK2336TD, LGHK2336TF, LGHX2636TD, and LGHX2636TF. Additionally, appliance owners could also visit https://www.frigidaire.com/en/frigidaire-recall-information to see if their specific serial number is included in this recall. The appliances were manufactured in Mexico and sold nationwide at stores like Lowes and Home Depot as well as online at Frigidaire.com between November 2015 and September 2019 for between $1,400 and $2,400. Anyone who has one of the recalled models is advised to stop using the ice bucket immediately. Consumers can contact Electrolux Group for a free replacement ice bucket assembly component. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Frigidaire recalls thousands of refrigerators over safety concerns It's common for many investors, especially those who are inexperienced, to buy shares in companies with a good story even if these companies are loss-making. But as Peter Lynch said in One Up On Wall Street, 'Long shots almost never pay off.' Loss-making companies are always racing against time to reach financial sustainability, so investors in these companies may be taking on more risk than they should. If this kind of company isn't your style, you like companies that generate revenue, and even earn profits, then you may well be interested in Teledyne Technologies (NYSE:TDY). Even if this company is fairly valued by the market, investors would agree that generating consistent profits will continue to provide Teledyne Technologies with the means to add long-term value to shareholders. View our latest analysis for Teledyne Technologies How Quickly Is Teledyne Technologies Increasing Earnings Per Share? If you believe that markets are even vaguely efficient, then over the long term you'd expect a company's share price to follow its earnings per share (EPS) outcomes. That means EPS growth is considered a real positive by most successful long-term investors. Shareholders will be happy to know that Teledyne Technologies' EPS has grown 20% each year, compound, over three years. As a general rule, we'd say that if a company can keep up that sort of growth, shareholders will be beaming. Top-line growth is a great indicator that growth is sustainable, and combined with a high earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margin, it's a great way for a company to maintain a competitive advantage in the market. EBIT margins for Teledyne Technologies remained fairly unchanged over the last year, however the company should be pleased to report its revenue growth for the period of 3.2% to US$5.6b. That's a real positive. The chart below shows how the company's bottom and top lines have progressed over time. Click on the chart to see the exact numbers. Story continues The trick, as an investor, is to find companies that are going to perform well in the future, not just in the past. While crystal balls don't exist, you can check our visualization of consensus analyst forecasts for Teledyne Technologies' future EPS 100% free. Are Teledyne Technologies Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders? Since Teledyne Technologies has a market capitalisation of US$20b, we wouldn't expect insiders to hold a large percentage of shares. But we are reassured by the fact they have invested in the company. Notably, they have an enviable stake in the company, worth US$237m. Holders should find this level of insider commitment quite encouraging, since it would ensure that the leaders of the company would also experience their success, or failure, with the stock. It means a lot to see insiders invested in the business, but shareholders may be wondering if remuneration policies are in their best interest. Our quick analysis into CEO remuneration would seem to indicate they are. For companies with market capitalisations over US$8.0b, like Teledyne Technologies, the median CEO pay is around US$12m. Teledyne Technologies' CEO took home a total compensation package of US$2.3m in the year prior to January 2023. That's clearly well below average, so at a glance that arrangement seems generous to shareholders and points to a modest remuneration culture. CEO compensation is hardly the most important aspect of a company to consider, but when it's reasonable, that gives a little more confidence that leadership are looking out for shareholder interests. It can also be a sign of a culture of integrity, in a broader sense. Should You Add Teledyne Technologies To Your Watchlist? You can't deny that Teledyne Technologies has grown its earnings per share at a very impressive rate. That's attractive. If that's not enough, consider also that the CEO pay is quite reasonable, and insiders are well-invested alongside other shareholders. Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to investing but it definitely makes Teledyne Technologies look rather interesting indeed. If you think Teledyne Technologies might suit your style as an investor, you could go straight to its annual report, or you could first check our discounted cash flow (DCF) valuation for the company. There's always the possibility of doing well buying stocks that are not growing earnings and do not have insiders buying shares. But for those who consider these important metrics, we encourage you to check out companies that do have those features. You can access a tailored list of companies which have demonstrated growth backed by recent insider purchases. Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. A new lighting system has been installed at the Community Walkway in Grange allowing both the access road and the walkway itself to be used much later during the winter months. New tarmac on the access road also means the walkway is more user friendly for people with buggies, wheelchair users and walkers in general. The official Lighting-Up Celebration took place on Bank Holiday Monday, February 5. A sponsored 6km walk, starting from the Walkway was the focus of the day and was greatly supported by the local community. In particular the children from Grange School, under the guidance of Principal Richard Carroll and staff, had been practising 1k Every Day around the Walkway for the month of January. They were fit and ready to take on the 6km with ease! A large project like this takes a lot of commitment, organising and funding. Project managed by Tomas O Slatara and John Costigan, the committee of Grange Development Association took up the challenge. Much-appreciated South Tipperary Development Company Leader and Council grants were secured, plans were drawn up and planning permission obtained. GS Electrical, Cashel were contracted to do the work and the entire process took just six months to complete by December 2023. Additional support was provided by the Board of Management of Grange School. Private donations were welcomed as well as the proceeds of the sponsored walk which has currently reached over 8,000. At a presentation to Grange committee and South Tipperary Development company at the new Grange Walkway on Bank Holiday Monday, February 5 were: Standing: John Phelan, Noreen Doheny, John Doheny, Mick Mullane, Gerard Liston, Liam Ahearn, John Costigan, Don Keating, Richard Carroll (Principal, Grange National Schol), Michael Fitzgerald, Ann Fitzgerald, Senator Garret Ahearn. Seated: Fiona Rea (chairperson, Grange Development Association), Sara Bourke (South Tipperary Development Company), Eoin Wolahan (Chair, Local Community Development Committee), Marie Cox (Community & Rural Development, Tipperary County Council), Tomas O Slatara. PIC: MICHAEL BOLAND We are very grateful to our neighbours Coolmore, who presented the committee with an extremely generous donation of 5,000 on the day which will help cover the outstanding costs for the project. Coolmore Stud were represented at the event by John Casey and Mairead Cronin. The Lighting-Up Celebration was attended by the GDA Committee, representatives of South Tipperary Development Company and Tipperary Co. Council. Public representatives who gave great support to the project, Senator Garret Ahearn, FG who is vice-chairperson of the GDA, Cllr. Micheal Anglim, FF and Cllr. Marie Murphy, FG also attended along with parents, children and many others from the Grange community. The Community Walkway was blessed by Fr. Michael Toomey PP and Fr Bernard Frawley. The official Lighting-Up Ceremony was performed by Guest of Honour, Liam Ahearn. Upon completion of their 6km walk the happy walkers were treated to delicious refreshments in Grange Hall, provided by Grange School Parents Association and many local volunteers. A great and successful day was enjoyed by one and all! Heartfelt memories, fond descriptions and loving tributes have poured in for a Tipperary-based nun and former teacher who passed away. Sr. Ursula Ryan of Presentation Convent, Thurles and Kimmage Road West, Dublin passed away on February 6, in the loving care of her community and carers. The Tipperary community, friends, past pupils and neighbours have all left condolences since Sr Ryan's passing, many which note how kind of a person she was, and how she was "very much loved by all". One person wrote of how she was a "dedicated teacher": "Sr. Ursula was one of the first nuns we all encountered on starting school as she always taught Junior Infants. She was a shining example of what a nun and a teacher should be. Kind and caring. My memory is that all the children loved her," one person said. Another commented: "So sorry to hear of Sr. Ursula's passing. She was my first teacher in Presentation in Terenure over 50 years ago, and I still smile when I think of how lovely, gentle and encouraging she was. I hope she knew what a good start she gave to so many of us." "Condolences to Sr Ursulas family. She was my first teacher in Presentation Terenure and after nearly 50 years, I have never forgotten her kindness. May she rest in peace," another past-pupil wrote. Speaking of her kind and gentle nature, a friend of the late Sr Ryan said: "It was both my great privilege and pleasure to call Sr. Ursula my friend. She was a wonderfully kind and inspirational lady, always gentle & ever joyful. She was a teacher not merely academically but spiritually and emotionally also in that she brought her beliefs to life." According to those who knew her, Sr Ryan's mantra was 'words speak, example thunders'. "She practiced that all her saintly life," one individual said. Deeply regretted by her Presentation Community and Congregation her sisters Sr. Catherine RSC, Eileen, and Eithne, her brother Sean, her sister-in-law June, brothers-in-law Liam and Eamonn, her nieces and nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews, her extended family and friends. Sr Ryan was laid to rest this Friday, February 9, in St. Patrick's Cemetery. The Local Injury Unit at Nenagh Hospital has seen a huge increase in the numbers using the facility since 2019. New figures released by University Hospital Limerick Group show that in 2019, a total of 10,215 people used the unit. However, the latest figures show that it jumped to 13,876 in 2023. In total, 37,657 people have attended Nenaghs Local Injury Unit since 2019. At a time of high demand for emergency care in the Mid-West, the three Injury Units at Nenagh, Ennis and St Johns Hospital, are providing a fast, efficient and high quality service for thousands of people every year who need timely treatment for minor injuries. Speaking on the latest episode of The UL Hospitals Podcast, Dr Cormac Mehigan, Consultant in Emergency Medicine and Clinical Lead at the Injury Unit in Ennis Hospital, described the Injury Units as rapid, efficient, high-level facilities with good outcomes for patients, 12 hours a day, 365 days of the year. Over the past five years, the three Injury Units have been a crucial pathway for the hospital treatment of minor injuries in the Mid-West, and a total of 46,704 patients attended the units during 2023. Total group-wide Injury Unit attendances for 2023 were 6% greater than in 2022, and since 2019 have grown by 40%. Staffed by Emergency Medicine Consultant-led expert teams of Registered Advanced Nurse Practitioners, registrars, and administrative support, the Injury Units provide timely treatment for minor injuries that are non-threatening to life or limb but still require expert, prompt attention. No appointment is necessary, and the service is free to those who are referred by GP. This report is hidden behind the paywall and it's intended for the local biz class. However, for the sake of newsworthy "fair use" and the public trust . . . We "liberated" the most important that might signal EPIC fighting confronting local biz who MIGHT be betrayed by voters, politicos and the home team . . . The upshot: EXPECT BITTER PROTEST & DEBATE IF DOWNTOWN DIGS FOR KANSAS CITY ROYALS THREATEN LOCAL CREATIVES & SMALL BIZ!!! Of course the home team could've done us all a favor by just being up front about their destination inside the loop. But there's no fun in honest & forthright conversations with taxpayers. Instead, blood curses and even more threats to private property might cause people to lose their Super Bowl goodwill and turn on the Royals & Chiefs in a low turnout election. Take a peek: "The Royals themselves cannot condemn property. The power of eminent domain rests with different condemning authorities, such as local and state governmental bodies, economic development agencies and other groups such as private oil, gas and electric utility companies. "Most of the cases where Kansas City has directly initiated condemnation involved taking agricultural land for "public use" projects, such as road improvements, recreational trails, sidewalks and storm drains. For one municipal project, the police department's East Patrol Campus in the Wendell Phillips neighborhood, the city condemned and tore down dozens of occupied single-family homes between 2012 and 2014 . . . "The Royals don't yet have full control of a stadium location but could announce their pick any time, as an April 2 stadium sales tax vote approaches for the team and the Kansas City Chiefs. If the owners of any Crossroads properties refuse to sell, the scope of any forcible takings and how much Kansas City could have to pay for them may become apparent only after ballots are cast." Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) Full Year 2023 Results Key Financial Results Revenue: US$91.5b (up 5.9% from FY 2022). Net income: US$9.07b (up 1.8% from FY 2022). Profit margin: 9.9% (in line with FY 2022). EPS: US$6.59 (up from US$6.46 in FY 2022). All figures shown in the chart above are for the trailing 12 month (TTM) period PepsiCo EPS Misses Expectations Revenue was in line with analyst estimates. Earnings per share (EPS) missed analyst estimates by 11%. Looking ahead, revenue is forecast to grow 4.8% p.a. on average during the next 3 years, compared to a 5.1% growth forecast for the Beverage industry in the US. Performance of the American Beverage industry. The company's shares are down 1.9% from a week ago. Risk Analysis Before we wrap up, we've discovered 1 warning sign for PepsiCo that you should be aware of. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Moldovan border police have discovered fragments of a Russian Shahed one-way attack drone near the village of Etulia, Vulcanesti district, close to the Moldovan-Ukrainian border. That's according to NewsMaker, Ukrinform reports. According to Moldovan border guards, the area where the wreckage of the combat drone was found on Sunday, February 11, was cordoned off, and this information was promptly reported to the competent authorities. "There is no risk or danger to the population in the area, and the authorities have taken all necessary measures to maintain public order, peace and security. There is a suspicion that the discovered fragments of the drone are one of the drones shot down by a Ukrainian anti-aircraft gun," the border police said. According to Ukrainian authorities, the drone attack occurred on the night of February 9-10 in Ukraine's Izmail district, near the border with Moldova. Photo credit: border.gov.md Usually, when one insider buys stock, it might not be a monumental event. But when multiple insiders are buying like they did in the case of Castile Resources Limited (ASX:CST), that sends out a positive message to the company's shareholders. While we would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing, we do think it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing. Check out our latest analysis for Castile Resources Castile Resources Insider Transactions Over The Last Year In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when insider Ram Kangatharan bought AU$159k worth of shares at a price of AU$0.084 per share. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, at around the current price, which is AU$0.09. While their view may have changed since the purchase was made, this does at least suggest they have had confidence in the company's future. We do always like to see insider buying, but it is worth noting if those purchases were made at well below today's share price, as the discount to value may have narrowed with the rising price. Happily, the Castile Resources insiders decided to buy shares at close to current prices. While Castile Resources insiders bought shares during the last year, they didn't sell. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below! There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying. Does Castile Resources Boast High Insider Ownership? Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. It appears that Castile Resources insiders own 20% of the company, worth about AU$4.4m. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment. Story continues What Might The Insider Transactions At Castile Resources Tell Us? The fact that there have been no Castile Resources insider transactions recently certainly doesn't bother us. On a brighter note, the transactions over the last year are encouraging. Insiders do have a stake in Castile Resources and their transactions don't cause us concern. So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. For instance, we've identified 4 warning signs for Castile Resources (2 are a bit concerning) you should be aware of. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies. For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. RAWALPINDI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Feb, 2024) The security forces on Sunday killed a high-profile terrorist ring leader, associated with the banned extremist organization Daesh, in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Khyber District. According to an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) news release, the security forces conducted the operation in the Khyber District on the reported presence of terrorist Surat Gul alias Saif Ullah of Daesh, who was killed during an intense exchange of fire. Weapons, ammunition and explosives were recovered from the killed terrorist commander, who remained actively involved in terror activities, including target killing of innocent civilians as well as extortion. He was highly wanted by the law enforcement agencies. "Sanitization operation is being conducted to eliminate any other terrorist found in the area. Locals of the area appreciated the operation and expressed their full support for the security forces to eliminate the menace of terrorism," the ISPR said. Jakarta, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Feb, 2024) Indonesians vote in a presidential election Wednesday with Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto the clear favourite after a campaign mixing nationalist rhetoric and pledges to continue the era of popular outgoing leader Joko Widodo. The former general lost to Widodo in 2014 and 2019 but is on course to finally lead the world's third-largest democracy after rehabilitating his image. Widodo is constitutionally barred from running for a third term but his popularity hit all-time highs last year with polls showing he would have likely won another election. Instead he is playing kingmaker for his defence chief and eldest son, who have joined forces on the same ticket. Polls project Subianto to win a majority from nearly 205 million Indonesians who will dip their finger in halal ink at more than 800,000 polling stations across the volcano-dotted archipelago. "What do I like? His persistence. For me, he cares about the people," said Wilhelmina, a 51-year-old housewife in the capital Jakarta who goes by one name. Battling the 72-year-old for a potential second-round run-off vote if he falls short are former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan and former Central Java governor Ganjar Pranowo. NGOs and his former military bosses accuse Subianto of ordering the abduction of democracy activists at the end of dictator Suharto's rule in the late 1990s, but his new "cuddly grandpa" persona has won over younger voters. Wilhelmina joined student protests when Subianto allegedly targeted them but says she has forgiven him. "That figure was in the past," she said. The defence chief's strongman credentials as a former special forces leader, his new social media image and the addition of Widodo's eldest son have boosted his appeal. The decision to recruit Gibran Rakabuming Raka courted controversy after Widodo's brother-in-law passed a ruling to lower the age for candidates. Their campaign surged after the 36-year-old was allowed to run. The younger Widodo's popularity is tied to his father, who took Indonesia out of the Covid-19 pandemic relatively unscathed and back to five percent growth. So analysts say the vote will be a referendum on Widodo and Subianto's administration. Subianto has pledged to carry on Widodo's ambitious economic development and infrastructure-building. Baswedan has instead promoted an opposition message targeting bad governance, while Pranowo has offered free internet for students and banked on his humble background. But both have been unable to match the star power of the Subianto campaign. "It's as simple as that, to continue Jokowi's policies or not," said Yoes Kenawas, research fellow at Jakarta-based Atma Jaya Catholic University, using the president's nickname. Is he from Fallbrook? No. Has he ever been arrested before? Several times. Why was he in Fallbrook? We still don't know, but here's what we do know. Fallbrook knows him as an outsider, a visitor, or a newcomer who was arrested on suspicion of murder on Friday, Feb. 9 after the blunt force murder of Doug Hardy. He led our law enforcement on a search and was found in the backyard of a property near Palomino and Morro Rd. that same night. He is from Knoxville, Tennessee, although arrest records suggest that he may have been arrested in several states across the US including Tennessee, Illinois, Arizona, and most recently in California. A woman who wishes to be anonymous talked to Village News and told us she was being stalked by Mr. Zielinski. She said she had originally met him in another state and about a month ago, after a long silence, he started communicating with her again, which was terrifying for her. Apparently, at some point in the recent past Zielinski claimed he was with the Hell's Angels, but sources who know him doubt that it is true. Also, he has paraded around for weeks at a time as "Captain Jack Sparrow," who he believes he resembles. In 2017 he was written about in an online publication called "WeirldNews" after he was arrested for burglary and resisting arrest, He was sneaking into a home where he had been asked to leave because he was acting crazy and he refused, according to news accounts.. Apparently, he came back and entered through a bottom-story window. At that time, he had been claiming he was "Captain Jack Sparrow" and was wearing a pirate costume, complete with a black vest, brown jacket, a black pirate hat, and red gloves. This is an early version story. The complete story will be in the Village News this coming week. The al-Qaida-linked militant group al-Shabab claimed an attack that killed four Emirati troops and a Bahraini military officer on a training mission at a military base in the Somali capital, authorities said Sunday. The attack Saturday targeted the troops at the General Gordon Military Base in Mogadishu. Details about the attack and whether it killed others remained scarce Sunday, although Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud offered his condolences to the UAE for the loss of its troops. Early Sunday, the UAE's state-run WAM news agency reported the killing of three of its troops and the Bahraini officer in a "terrorist act." A fourth later died en route to the Emirates, WAM reported. WAM released footage of three flag-draped caskets coming off an Emirati Boeing C-17A Globemaster III at Al Bateen Executive Airport in Abu Dhabi with an honor guard present. WAM identified the dead as a colonel, two warrant officers and a corporal. Anwar Gargash, a senior Emirati diplomat, offered condolences to those killed and a quick recovery for the wounded. "No treacherous act will prevent us from continuing the message of security and safety and combating extremism and terrorism in all its forms," Gargash wrote on X, formerly Twitter. The military of Bahrain, an island nation in the Persian Gulf off the coast of Saudi Arabia, later acknowledged the death of a major in a statement carried by the state-run Bahrain News Agency. Al-Shabab claimed the attack in a statement online, alleging it killed multiple people involved in the Emirati military effort. It described the UAE, a federation of seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula, as an "enemy" of Islamic (Shariah) law for backing the Somali government in its efforts to battle al-Shabab. Al-Shabab, or "the youth" in Arabic, is a Sunni Islamic extremist group in Somalia born out of that country's years of anarchy following its 1991 civil war. The affiliate of al-Qaida once held Mogadishu. Over time, an African Union-led force, with the backing of the U.S. and other countries, pushed the militants out of Mogadishu. In the years since, al-Shabab has remained a threat as it seeks to overthrow the Western-backed Somali government. Al-Shabab has carried out attacks in neighboring Kenya as well, since Nairobi provides troops and materiel to the African Union force in Somalia. The United States under every president since George W. Bush has launched airstrikes against militants in Somalia, with the number of strikes now exceeding 300, according to New America, a Washington-based security research group. The majority of those strikes took place under then-President Donald Trump. The U.S. Embassy in Somalia on Sunday condemned what it called a "cowardly attack" against the training mission. "We extend our deepest condolences to the loved ones of those who lost their lives in yesterday's deplorable terrorist attack against UAE military trainers and Somali soldiers valiantly working to advance the nation's stability," the embassy said. Somalia has also been an intense interest for Gulf states, particularly during the Qatar diplomatic crisis that gripped the region for several years and saw four nations including the UAE boycott Doha in a political dispute. Somali troops once seized millions of dollars of Emirati cash from a jet at gunpoint, sparking a diplomatic incident between Mogadishu and the UAE that halted its troop training program there. The UAE in recent years has increasingly invested in ports in East Africa, including in Somalia's breakaway Somaliland region. Securing Somalia fits into the Emirates' wider concerns about security in the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea, particularly as Somali piracy has resumed after years amid attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels on shipping in the region over Israel's war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. In 2019, al-Shabab claimed an attack that killed a man working for Dubai's P&O Ports. With two weeks to go before the South Carolina Republican primary, Nikki Haley is trying to challenge Donald Trump on her home turf while the former president tries to quash his last major rival's narrow path to the nomination. Trump, turning his campaign focus to the southern state days after an easy victory in Nevada, is expected to rev up his supporters at a Saturday afternoon rally in Conway, near Myrtle Beach. On his way in, Trump stopped and briefly spoke to an overflow crowd gathered outside and thanked South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, who endorsed him early. McMaster became governor in 2017 when Trump appointed Haley to be his ambassador to the United Nations. "It was more important to get Henry McMaster to be governor than it was to have her in the United Nations," Trump said, referring to Haley without mentioning her name. "And he did a much better job." Trump, who has long been the front-runner in the GOP presidential race, won three states in a row and is looking to use South Carolina's February 24 primary to close out Haley's chances and turn his focus fully on an expected rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden in the general election. Haley skipped the Nevada caucuses, condemning the contest as rigged for Trump, and she has instead focused on South Carolina, kicking off a two-week bus tour across the state where she served as governor from 2011 to 2017. 'They're grumpy old men!' Speaking to about a couple hundred people gathered outside a historic opera house in Newberry, Haley on Saturday portrayed Trump as an erratic and self-absorbed figure not focused on the American people. She pointed to the way he flexed his influence over the Republican Party this past week, successfully pressuring GOP lawmakers in Washington to reject a bipartisan border security deal and publicly pressed Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel to consider leaving her job. "What is happening?" Haley said. "On that day of all those losses, he had his fingerprints all over it," she added. Haley reprised her questions of Trump's mental fitness, an attack she has sharpened since a January 19 speech in which he repeatedly confused her with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Haley, 52, has called throughout her campaign for mental competency tests for politicians, a way to contrast with 77-year-old Trump and 81-year-old Biden. "Why do we have to have someone in their 80s run for office?" she asked. "Why can't they let go of their power?" A person in the crowd shouted out: "Because they're grumpy old men!" "They are grumpy old men," Haley said. Haley continued the argument when speaking to reporters afterward, citing a report released Thursday by the special counsel investigating Biden's possession of classified documents. The report described Biden's memory as "poor." "American can do better than two 80-year-olds for president," Haley said. Harlie O'Connell, a longtime South Carolina resident who backs Haley, said she is excited to vote in the presidential primary for a woman from her home state. While O'Connell plans to support the eventual GOP nominee, she said she would prefer someone younger. "It's just time for some fresh blood," O'Connell said. Her husband, Mike O'Connell, credited Haley for bringing major manufacturers such as Volvo and Samsung to the state while she was governor, bringing jobs and investment. He drew a contrast between the candidates' approach to foreign policy and said he wants the U.S. to continue assisting Ukraine in its war with Russia, as Haley has pledged. "We need to encourage friendships and not discourage them," he said of international relations. Bob Pollard, a retired firefighter, said Haley showed "level-headedness" that Trump lacks in the way she responded to the 2015 shooting at a Charleston church in which a white supremacist killed nine Black members of the congregation. Pollard said he cannot support Trump because "he's a maniac," adding that Trump's campaign, in which he speaks frequently of "retribution" and his personal grievances, has "turned into a personal vendetta." Trump 'here to help us' In Conway, people began lining up to see Trump hours before the doors opened to the arena where he was set to take the stage later. Organizers expecting a capacity crowd set up screens outside where an overflow crowd would be able to watch Trump's appearance. The city sits along the Grand Strand, a broad expanse of South Carolina's northern coast that is home to Myrtle Beach and Horry County, one of the most reliably conservative spots in the state and a central area of Trump's base of support in the state in his past campaigns. Tim Carter, from nearby Murrells Inlet, said he had backed Trump since 2016 and would do so again this year. "We're here to stand for Trump, get our economy better, shut our border down, more jobs for our people," said Carter, a pastor and military veteran who runs an addiction recovery ministry. Cheryl Savage from Conway, who was waiting on the bleachers to hear from Trump, said the former president is "here to help us." Savage said she backed Haley during her first run for governor in 2010 but now feels she is hurting herself by staying in the race. "He deserves a second term," Savage said, of Trump. "He did a fantastic job for four years." It took decades for David Tran to become a hot sauce multimillionaire, with his signature sriracha becoming one of the top three hot sauce brands in America. He got started making chili sauce back in his homeland, right after serving in the South Vietnamese army and manning his older brothers chili field to provide for his family. He would sell glass jars of the sauce door to door, Tran said during He got started making chili sauce back in his homeland, right after serving in the South Vietnamese army and manning his older brothers chili field to provide for his family. He would sell glass jars of the sauce door to door, Tran said during a 2013 interview for a Vietnamese American oral history project at the University of California, Irvine. He would do nothing but take care of the chili and bring it to the market, he recalled. It was a secretive operation, he said, because at the time the communist[s] came and they closed almost every business because it belonged to the government. Tran and his family eventually fled Vietnam, bringing 100 ounces of gold stashed in cans of condensed milk to the United States, where he ended up in Los Angeles. There he forged an unlikely, decades-long bond with a California farmer nearly his same age as his main chili pepper provider. But now, as Fortunes Indrani Sen reports, Trans supply of the sauce that made him famous remains shaky despite reaching stores again after a spotty three-year run. Beginning of a hot sauce empire Arriving in Los Angeles in 1979, Tran was one of the more than 240,000 ethnic Chinese that left Vietnam after its long civil war ended in 1975. He rented an industrial bottling space near Los Angeles Chinatown in the 1980s, and named his company after the Taiwanese freighter ship that carried him away from Vietnam, the Huy Fong. Tran initially expected sriracha to have limited appeal, explaining in his oral history that he initially thought he was going to sell it to Chinese or Vietnamese. Story continues Tran didnt spend a dime on marketing, but his product found fans across the country and was celebrated by chefs and celebrities like Miley Cyrus. The bottle could even be found on the International Space Station. An unusual business model Sriracha relied on just one red pepper grower: Craig Underwood, a fourth-generation California farmer who was struggling to keep up with Americans new taste for spicy and international food. Underwood reached out to offer to grow peppers for the fledgling chili sauce company in 1988 and the two started a partnership that lasted almost 30 years. Tran and Underwood spent time with each others families, watched each others kids grow up, and even talked about succession plans. The duo peaked at a harvest of 100 million pounds of peppers in 2015. Now that theyve fallen out, all those years of friendship and chili peppers are water under the bridge. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com At least five people, including Somali military officials and a United Arab Emirates soldier, were killed Saturday after a soldier opened fire at a military base in the capital of Mogadishu, an army officer and hospital staff told Reuters. The UAE's defense ministry, however, said three members of its armed forces and one Bahraini officer were killed in a "terrorist act" in Somalia while they were training Somali armed forces. Two more were injured, the ministry added in a statement. The ministry did not give other details about the attack but said the UAE "continues to coordinate and cooperate with the Somali government in investigating" the act. The gunman, a newly trained Somali soldier, was also shot dead at the Gordon military base managed by the UAE, said the army officer, who gave his name only as Ahmed. "The soldier opened fire on the UAE trainers and Somali military officials when they started praying. Four UAE officers were injured while four Somali soldiers died," the officer told Reuters. "We understand the soldier had defected from al Shabab before he was recruited as a soldier by Somalia and UAE," he said. Al-Shabab, linked to al-Qaida, claimed responsibility for the attack via a statement on its Radio al Andalus and said its fighters had killed 17 soldiers. Two nurses and a doctor at the Erdogan Hospital in Mogadishu, who asked not to be named, told Reuters a senior officer from the UAE had died and four other officers were seriously injured. In addition, about 10 injured Somali soldiers had been brought to the hospital, they said. Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in a statement on state media, SONNA, offered his condolences to the UAE following the incident. Al-Shabab has waged an insurgency against the Somali government since 2006 to try to establish its own rule. Yuwei Zhangzou represents a new type of Chinese tourist. Last month, the Shanghai-based fashion influencer had close encounters with reindeer, visited Santa's village and stayed in a glass-enclosed treehouse during a trip that she organized herself to Finland. Very little shopping was involved. "I was hoping to get lucky and see the Northern Lights and I got it! I was happy," she said. As Chinese travelers gear up for the Lunar New Year holiday, which this year runs from February 10-17, more of the people who can afford to travel abroad are eschewing the group tours and shop-til-you-drop holidays that were popular before the pandemic and opting for more adventurous, experience-based trips like Zhangzou's, industry experts say. "Independent travelers might be spending a bit more on travel and accommodation and so on, but they may well offset it by not spending as much in the luxury goods shops," said Steve Saxon, a Shenzhen-based partner at McKinsey & Co. "There's a trend to be more active and that is flowing through into the types of trips people want to take," he added. "You don't just go to Thailand, you go to Thailand to do a kayaking or diving trip. Or if you go to Europe, you're going to ski." While a record high number of Chinese will be holidaying at home amid a lackluster economy, a smaller, wealthier but still significant number of people are opting for adventure, gourmet or cultural holidays abroad as flight schedules, and visa processing times, return to their pre-pandemic "normal." China's international travel recovery remains a tick under 70% of 2019 levels, McKinsey's Saxon said, and that percentage would be higher without the United States, where levels are at just 19% of pre-pandemic levels due to limited flight capacity and geopolitical tensions. On flights between Europe and China, seat bookings are at 93% of pre-pandemic levels, according to the data, independent travelers, rather than tour groups, driving the increase. Zhou Weihong, deputy general manager at Shanghai-headquartered Spring Tour, the tour agency arm of budget airline Spring Airlines 601021.SS, said its Lunar New Year offers for Europe sold out weeks before the festival, even though prices remain above pre-pandemic levels. Trips that involve a chance to see the Northern Lights have been particularly popular, Zhou added. Shifting priorities Globally, more younger travelers have embraced the trend towards more bespoke, "special interest" holidays since the pandemic ended, and Trip.com, China's largest online travel agency, has taken note. Chief Executive Jane Sun told Reuters the agency was changing its approach to group tour offers to accommodate travelers' desire for more independence and flexibility. "Consumer behavior is changing. So we have new products... private tours where the family will hire a driver, a tour guide, and design their own tour. For young families, these are very popular," Sun said, adding that such trips were growing in the "triple digits." Younger travelers were gravitating to trips focused on meditation, cooking or photography, Sun said. Trip.com data shows popular outbound destinations for this year's Lunar New Year holiday include Southeast Asia, Japan and Australia. European luxury brands that relied on big-spending Chinese tourists for growth before the pandemic have resigned themselves to making fewer sales to Chinese travelers. Last month, Louis Vuitton owner LVMH LVMH.PA CFO Jean-Jacques Guiony told analysts sales to Chinese consumers in France were at about 70% of 2019 levels. "It's not the same customers, fewer groups, much more independent travelers with a higher worth," he said. "We don't see the big busloads of Chinese customers coming in groups." For fashion influencer Zhangzou, the less packaged and more off the beaten track the holiday, the better. This year, she is planning a safari trip to Kenya over the summer, and maybe a trip to Mexico or Cuba before Christmas." In 2023 I went to places I was familiar with, 2024 for me is about going somewhere different, I want to do some new things," she said. Iran and the United States have exchanged messages throughout Israel's 4-month-old war on Hamas in Gaza, including about Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, the Iranian foreign minister said Saturday. "During this war and in the recent weeks, there was an exchange of messages between Iran and America," Hossein Amirabdollahian said through a translator at a news conference capping a daylong visit to Beirut. He said the United States had asked Tehran to request Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, "not to get widely, fully involved in this war against" Israel. Hezbollah has exchanged near-daily fire with the Israeli military along the Lebanese-Israeli frontier to support its Palestinian ally Hamas, and it has vowed to "fight to the end" should Israel launch a full-scare war on Lebanon. Israel launched a war it says aims to destroy Hamas after the Islamist group staged a deadly cross-border terror attack on southern Israel on October 7. The conflict has rippled across the region and earlier this month Washington staged strikes against Iran-aligned groups in Irag, Syria and Yemen in retaliation for a deadly attack on U.S. troops in Jordan. Amirabdollahian on Saturday warned Israel against taking any steps toward a broader war against Lebanon, saying that would be Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's "last day." He also said Iran saw a political solution as the only way to end the Gaza war. "Iran and Lebanon confirm that war is not the solution, and that we absolutely never sought to expand it," Amirabdollahian told a news conference earlier on Saturday alongside his Lebanese counterpart, Abdallah Bou Habib. He also said Tehran was in talks with Saudi Arabia on a political solution to hostilities in Gaza. Hamas this week proposed a ceasefire of 4-1/2 months, during which remaining hostages held by Hamas would go free, Israel would withdraw its troops from Gaza and agreement would be reached on an end to the war. Netanyahu called the Hamas terms "delusional" and vowed to fight on. But Amirabdollahian said Hamas was presenting ideas based on a "realistic view," and that they should be widely backed in order to end the war. Amirabdollahian met on Saturday with Lebanon's caretaker prime minister, foreign minister, speaker of parliament and Hezbollah head Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah Hezbollah's Al-Manar television outlet said the foreign minister and Nasrallah reviewed the latest developments in Gaza and southern Lebanon, including "the near future of the situation in Lebanon." Amirabdollahian is set to travel on to Syria, according to Syrian media, and will meet top officials there. Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps have suffered one of their most bruising spells in Syria since arriving a decade ago to aid President Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian civil war. Since December, Israeli strikes have killed more than half a dozen of their members, among them one of the Guards' top intelligence generals. Israeli forces have discovered a tunnel network hundreds of meters long extending partly under UNRWA's Gaza headquarters, the military says, calling it new evidence of Hamas militants burrowing under the main relief agency for Palestinians. Israeli Army engineers took reporters with foreign news outlets through the tunnel passages. They entered a shaft next to a school on the periphery of the United Nations compound, descending to the concrete-lined tunnel. After 20 minutes of walking through the hot, narrow and occasionally winding passage, they got underneath UNRWA headquarters, according to an army lieutenant-colonel leading the tour. The military said the tunnel was 700 meters long, 18 meters deep bifurcated at times and it revealed side rooms. There was an office space, with steel safes that had been opened and emptied. There was a tiled toilet. One large chamber was packed with computer servers, another with industrial battery stacks. "Everything is conducted from here. All the energy for the tunnels, which you walked through them, are powered from here," said the lieutenant-colonel, who gave only his first name, Ido. Ido said Hamas militants appeared to have evacuated when Israel Defense Forces, also known as IDF, were advancing. He said they preemptively cut communications cables, which he showed, that ran through the floor of the UNRWA headquarters' basement. It appeared that heavy Israeli barrages and sustained winter rains also may have played a part in the militants' departure. Several stretches of the tunnel were clogged with dislodged sand and knee-high water. Call for UNRWA official to resign After the discovery of the tunnel, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz called for the resignation of UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini on a post on social media platform X. Katz dismissed Lazzarini's claim that he was unaware of the tunnel's existence as "not only absurd but also an affront to common sense." In a statement, UNRWA said it had vacated the headquarters on October 12, five days after the terror attack occurred, and was therefore "unable to confirm or otherwise comment" on the Israeli finding. "UNRWA ... does not have the military and security expertise nor the capacity to undertake military inspections of what is or might be under its premises," the statement said. This is a time of internal crisis for the U.N. relief agency, which is facing Israeli allegations that some of its staff were working for Hamas. The agency has launched its own internal probe into the claims, and several donor countries have frozen their funding. The Palestinians have accused Israel of falsifying information to tarnish UNRWA, which employs 13,000 people in the Gaza Strip and has been a lifeline for the aid-dependent population for years. The humanitarian agency runs schools, primary health care clinics and other social services, and it distributes aid. "We know that they [Hamas] have people working in UNRWA. We want every international organization to work in Gaza. That is not a problem. Our problem is the Hamas," Ido told reporters. Hamas has denied numerous and longstanding accusations that it operates in and underneath civilian facilities, such as schools and hospitals. The Israeli military did not allow journalists to take photographs of military intelligence, such as maps or certain equipment in the convoy of armored vehicles they traveled in. It also requested approval before transmission of photographs and video footage taken during the trip. Israel targets Rafah Israeli airstrikes targeted the Gaza city of Rafah Saturday after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered an evacuation plan for civilians from the southern border city ahead of an expected ground invasion creating widespread panic. More than half of Gaza's 2.3 million people are packed into Rafah, many after evacuating two-thirds of Gaza's territory. It's not clear where these people could find shelter next. The Associated Press, citing health officials and eyewitnesses, reported at least 44 people were killed including more than a dozen children when airstrikes hit several homes in the Rafah area. Netanyahu's office said Friday the military was ordered to develop a plan to evacuate civilians in Rafah and destroy four Hamas battalions it said were deployed there. Hamas has been designated a terror group by the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union. Rafah borders Egypt and officials there have warned that any ground operation in the area or mass displacement across the border would undermine its 40-year-old peace treaty with Israel. It is also the main humanitarian aid entry point to Gaza and intense fighting could further hamper relief efforts. Egypt's foreign minister, Sameh Shoukry, warned that any Israeli ground offensive on Rafah would have "disastrous consequences," claiming that Israel aims to eventually force the Palestinians out of their land. The dire humanitarian situation has sparked Arab and U.N. concerns that Palestinians may eventually be driven over the border. Egypt has sent about 40 tanks and armored personnel carriers to northeastern Sinai within the past two weeks as part of a series of measures to bolster security on its border with Gaza, two Egyptian security sources said. Germanys foreign minister also warned that an Israeli ground offensive on Rafah would be devastating, writing on X, formerly Twitter, that such a move would be "a humanitarian catastrophe." She said, "The people of Gaza cannot disappear into thin air." UN warns of risk of 'gigantic tragedy' Netanyahu's announcement came hours after U.S. President Joe Biden delivered some of his strongest criticism yet of the Israeli military campaign in Gaza, calling Israel's conduct in the military operation "over the top" during a news conference late Thursday. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said there would be the risk of a "gigantic tragedy" if the IDF expanded its offensive into the town. "We would not support in any way forced displacement, which goes against international law," Guterres' spokesperson told reporters Friday about a potential evacuation of Rafah. "An escalation of the fighting in Rafah, which is already straining under the extraordinary number of people who have been displaced from other parts of Gaza, will mark another devastating turn in a war that has reportedly killed over 27,000 people most of them women and children," Catherine Russell, the executive director of UNICEF said. Some information for this story was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. An Israeli drone struck a car near Lebanons southern port city of Sidon on Saturday, killing at least two people and wounding two others, security officials said. The strike came as tensions across the Middle East grow with the Israel-Hamas war, a drone attack last month that killed three U.S. troops in northeastern Jordan near the Syrian border, and attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels on vessels passing through the Red Sea. The drone strike near the coastal town of Jadra took place about 60 kilometers from the Israeli border, making it one of the farthest inside Lebanon since violence erupted along the Lebanon-Israel border on October 8, a day after Hamas' terror attack in southern Israel. An Israeli security official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said the target of the strike in Sidon was Hamas official Basel Saleh, who was "injured to an unknown extent." The official said Saleh was responsible for enlistment of new Hamas recruits in Gaza and the West Bank. Two Lebanese security officials said the strike damaged a car and killed two people, including one on a motorcycle. They spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. Lebanese troops cordoned off the area. Drone strikes in Lebanon blamed on Israel have so far killed several officials from Hezbollah and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. The previous farthest strike was the January 2 attack that killed top Hamas official Saleh Arouri in Beirut. On Saturday night, Israeli forces shelled the southern Lebanese border village of Houla, killing one person and wounding nine as they left a mosque after prayers, state-run National News Agency reported. The agency said that in addition to the artillery shelling, a drone fired a missile toward the mosque. Children were among the wounded, the agency said. The attacks in Lebanon came as Irans Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian met in Beirut with Lebanese leaders, including the countrys caretaker prime minister, parliament speaker and the head of the militant Hezbollah group. Amirabdollahian said that if the United States wants to bring stability to the region again, it should work on forcing Israel to end its military operations in the Gaza Strip. He told reporters after meeting his counterpart Abdallah Bouhabib that after four months of war, Israel and its backers had not achieved "anything tangible." In an apparent reference to attacks by Iran-backed fighters in Yemen, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, Amirabdollahian said that "if American wants calm to prevail in the region, then the mechanism and the solution is to stop the genocide, crimes and the war against Gaza and the West Bank." He blasted Washington, saying the U.S. is working on two tracks, one of which is sending weapons to Israel "and participating in the genocide in Gaza," and at the same time speaking about reaching a political solution to the war. The U.S. Central Command announced Saturday that the U.S. military conducted self-defense strikes against two mobile unmanned surface vessels, four anti-ship cruise missiles, and one mobile land attack cruise missile that were prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea from Yemen. The military said the missiles and an unmanned vessel in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen presented an imminent threat to U.S. Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region. Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea over Israels offensive in Gaza, imperiling a key route for trade between Asia, the Mideast and Europe. However, many of the vessels attacked have tenuous or no clear links to Israel. The Houthis media office said the U.S.-led coalition launched three airstrikes on Salif district in the Red Sea province of Hodeida on Saturday. In response, the U.S. and Britain launched several airstrikes on Houthi-held areas across Yemen, including the rebel-held capital of Sanaa. The Houthis held a mass funeral in Sanaa Saturday for 17 of their fighters who they said were killed in strikes by the U.S.-led coalition, according to the Houthi-run SABA news agency. The report didnt say when and where the fighters were killed. In Syria, Israeli airstrikes hit several sites on the outskirts of the capital, Damascus, the Syrian military said Saturday. The strikes came from the direction of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, Syrian state news agency SANA reported, citing an unnamed military official. It added that air defenses shot down some and those that landed resulted in "some material losses." Britain-based war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said one of the strikes hit a residential building west of the capital. It reported three unidentified people were killed. Earlier it said casualties could be "figures of non-Syrian nationalities." The observatory said Saturday's assault was the 10th apparent Israeli strike on Syrian territory since the beginning of the year. There was no immediate comment from Israel. Presumed Israeli strikes in Syria in the past have killed high-ranking figures with Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and allied groups. In December, a strike on a Damascus neighborhood killed a high-ranking Iranian general, Seyed Razi Mousavi, a longtime adviser to the Revolutionary Guard in Syria. Tensions also have flared elsewhere in the region. A U.S. airstrike in Baghdad Wednesday killed a commander of Kataib Hezbollah, one of the most powerful armed groups in Iraq, as part of Washington's retaliation for the killing of three U.S. troops in Jordan last month. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed militias that has launched numerous attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria, issued a call Friday for fighters to join its ranks to drive "occupying forces" out of the country. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq has conducted about 170 attacks on bases with U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria over the last four months, saying they were because of Washingtons support of Israel in its war in Gaza and that it aims to expel U.S. forces from the region. Iraqi and U.S. officials launched formal talks last month to wind down the presence of U.S.-led coalition forces in Iraq, but the talks were paused following the strike in Jordan attributed to the Islamic Resistance in Iraq. Officials from both countries announced Thursday the talks will resume, with the next meeting set for Sunday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is promising safe passage for tens of thousands of Palestinians out of Gazas southernmost town of Rafah ahead of a planned Israeli ground offensive against Hamas militants; It is not clear, however, where the displaced Palestinians will go. Netanyahu, in an interview broadcast Sunday on ABCs This Week show, reiterated his intention to order Israeli troops to attack four Hamas battalions in Rafah, saying victory cannot be achieved over the militants in Gaza without clearing them out of the town on the Egyptian border. With more than half of Gazas 2.3 million people crammed into the far southern reaches of the territory, international critics of Netanyahu have expressed alarm at the prospect of an Israeli ground assault. But the Israeli leader said, "We're going to do it. We're going to do it while providing safe passage for the civilian population so they can leave." Watch related report by Veronica Balderas Iglesias: When asked where the Palestinians many already sheltering in makeshift tents would go, Netanyahu said only that Israeli officials are "working out a detailed plan." Some world officials are expressing deep concerns about the Israeli war plan in Rafah and its promise of safety for the Palestinians there. President Joe Biden spoke to Netanyahu by phone Sunday and told him Israel shouldnt go forward with a military operation in Rafah without a credible and executable plan for ensuring the safety of and support for the more than one million people sheltering there, a White House statement said. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said there would be the risk of a "gigantic tragedy" if the Israel Defense Forces expand their offensive into the town. We would not support in any way forced displacement, which goes against international law, Guterres spokesperson told reporters Friday about a potential evacuation of Rafah. Biden, who has supported Israels right to defend itself following the October 7 Hamas terror attack, said last week that nonetheless the Israeli military campaign in Gaza is over the top. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock wrote on social media platform X, "The people in Gaza cannot disappear into thin air," adding that an Israeli offensive on Rafah would be a "humanitarian catastrophe in the making." Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry warned Saturday of "very serious repercussions of storming and targeting" Rafah and called for an urgent U.N. Security Council meeting. British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said he is "deeply concerned" about the prospective offensive. "The priority must be an immediate pause in the fighting to get aid in and hostages out," he wrote on X. An Israeli ground offensive into Rafah could have other repercussions as well. Hamas-run Al-Aqsa television quoted a senior Hamas official as saying any Israeli ground offensive into Rafah would "blow up" negotiations for a halt in the fighting and the possible release of about 100 hostages held by the militants. Even with a looming ground offensive, Israeli airstrikes have targeted Rafah. The Associated Press, citing health officials and eyewitnesses, reported at least 44 people were killed Saturday including more than a dozen children when air attacks hit several homes in the Rafah area. Hamas has been designated a terror group by the United States, Britain and the European Union. The war in Gaza started with the October attack that killed 1,200 people in Israel and led to the capture of 240 hostages, about 100 of whom were released in a weeklong cease-fire in November. Hamas health officials say Israels counteroffensive in Gaza has killed more than 28,000 people. Egyptian officials have warned that any ground operation in Rafah or mass displacement across the border would undermine its 40-year-old peace treaty with Israel. It is also the main humanitarian aid entry point to Gaza and intense fighting could further hamper relief efforts. Egypt's foreign minister, Sameh Shoukry, warned that any Israeli ground offensive on Rafah would have disastrous consequences, claiming that Israel aims to eventually force the Palestinians out of their land. The dire humanitarian situation has sparked Arab and U.N. concerns that Palestinians may eventually be driven over the border. Egypt has sent about 40 tanks and armored personnel carriers to northeastern Sinai within the past two weeks as part of a series of measures to bolster security on its border with Gaza, two Egyptian security sources said. Gaza tunnels The Israeli military says it has discovered a tunnel network hundreds of meters long, extending partly under the Gaza headquarters of the United Nations relief agency for Palestinians. Israeli army engineers took reporters from foreign news outlets through the tunnels. They entered a shaft next to a school on the periphery of the U.N. compound, descending to the concrete-lined tunnel. After 20 minutes of walking through the hot, narrow and occasionally winding passage, they were underneath the relief agency headquarters, according to an army lieutenant-colonel leading the tour. The military said the tunnel was 700 meters long, 18 meters deep, bifurcated at times, and it revealed side-rooms. There was an office space, with steel safes that had been opened and emptied. There was a tiled toilet. One large chamber was packed with computer servers, and another with industrial battery stacks. Everything is conducted from here. All the energy for the tunnels, which you walked through them are powered from here," said the lieutenant-colonel, who gave only his first name, Ido. Ido said Hamas militants appeared to have evacuated when the IDF was advancing. He said they preemptively cut communications cables, which he showed, that ran through the floor of the basement of the relief agency headquarters. It appeared that heavy Israeli barrages and sustained winter rains also may have played a part in the militants departure. Several stretches of the tunnel were clogged with dislodged sand and knee-high water. After the discovery of the tunnel, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz posted on X, a call for the resignation of Philippe Lazzarini, the commissioner-general of the relief agency. Katz dismissed Lazzarinis claim that he was unaware of the tunnels existence as not only absurd but also an affront to common sense. In a statement, the U.N. Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA, said it had vacated the headquarters on October 12, five days after the terror attack occurred, and was therefore "unable to confirm or otherwise comment" on the Israeli finding. This is a time of internal crisis for the U.N. relief agency, which is facing Israeli allegations that 12 of its staff aided the October attack. The agency has launched an internal probe into the claims, and several donor countries, including the U.S., have frozen their funding. Some information for this story came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. Melodic Colombian Spanish fills a hospital treating soldiers wounded fighting Russian forces in eastern Ukraine. Ukraine's ranks are depleted by two years of war. As it battles the Russian war machine, Ukraine is welcoming hardened fighters from one of the world's longest-running conflicts. Professional soldiers from Colombia bolster the ranks of volunteers from around the world who have answered Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's call for foreign fighters to join his nation's war with Russia. A 32-year-old from the city of Medellin was trying to save a colleague wounded in three days of heavy fighting with Russian forces. Russian drones attacked the group and shrapnel from a grenade dropped by one pierced his jawbone. "I thought I was going to die," said the man, who goes by the call sign Checho. The fighters insisted on being identified by their military call signs because they feared for their safety and that of their families. "We got up and decided to run away from the position to save our lives," Checho said. "There was nowhere to hide." Colombia's military has been fighting drug-trafficking cartels and rebel groups for decades, making its soldiers some of the world's most experienced. With a military of 250,000, Colombia has Latin America's second-largest army, after Brazil's. More than 10,000 retire each year. And hundreds are heading to fight in Ukraine, where many make four times as much as experienced non-commissioned officers earn in Colombia, or even more. "Colombia has a large army with highly trained personnel but the pay isn't great when you compare it to other militaries," said Andres Macias of Bogota's Externado University, who studies Colombian work for military contractors around the world. Retired Colombian soldiers began to head overseas in the early 2000s to work for U.S. military contractors protecting infrastructure including oil wells in Iraq. Retired members of Colombia's military have also been hired as trainers in the United Arab Emirates and joined in Yemen's battle against Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Colombia's role as a recruiting ground for the global security industry also has its murkier, mercenary corners: Two Colombians were killed and 18 were arrested after they were accused of taking part in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise. At the military hospital normally treating wounded Ukrainian soldiers, a group of about 50 Colombian fighters spend most of their time staring at their phone screens calling home, browsing the internet and listening to music in between meals and medical procedures, most for light injuries. As the two-year mark in the war approaches, Ukraine's forces are in a stalemate with Russia's. Ukraine is now expanding its system allowing people from around the world to join the army, said Oleksandr Shahuri, an officer of the Department of Coordination of Foreigners in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In early 2022, authorities said 20,000 people from 52 countries were in Ukraine. Now, in keeping with the secrecy surrounding any military numbers, authorities will not say how many are on the battlefield but they do say fighters' profile has changed. The first waves of volunteers came mostly from post-Soviet or English-speaking countries. Speaking Russian or English made it easier for them to integrate into Ukraine's military, Shahuri said. Last year the military developed an infrastructure of Spanish-speaking recruiters, instructors and junior operational officers, he added. Hector Bernal, a retired ex-combat medic who runs a center for tactical medicine outside Bogota, says that in the last eight months he's trained more than 20 Colombians who went on to fight in Ukraine. "They're like the Latin American migrants who go to the U.S. in search of a better future," Bernal said. "These are not volunteers who want to defend another country's flag. They are simply motivated by economic need." While generals in Colombia get around $6,000 a month in salaries and bonuses, the same as a government minister, the rank and file gets by on a much more modest income. Corporals in Colombia get a basic salary of around $400 a month, while experienced drill sergeants can earn up to $900. Colombia's monthly minimum wage is currently $330. In Ukraine any member of the armed forces, regardless of citizenship, is entitled to a monthly salary of up to $3,300, depending on their rank and type of service. They are also entitled to up to $28,660 if they are injured, depending on the severity of the wounds. If they are killed in action, their families are due $400,000 compensation. Checho says principle drove him to travel to Kyiv last September. He estimates that in his unit alone, there were around 100 other fighters from Colombia who had made the same journey. "I know that there are not many of us, but we try to give the most we have in order to make things happen and to see a change as soon as possible," he said. In Colombia, word about recruitment to the Ukrainian army spreads mostly through social media. Some of the volunteers who already fight in Ukraine share insights on the recruitment process on platforms such as TikTok or WhatsApp. But when something goes wrong, getting information about their loved ones is hard for relatives. Diego Espitia lost contact with his cousin Oscar Triana after Triana joined the Ukrainian army in August 2023. Six weeks later, the retired soldier from Bogota stopped posting updates on social media. With no Ukrainian embassy in Bogota, Triana's family reached out for information from the Ukrainian embassy in Peru and the Colombian consulate in Poland the last country Triana passed through on his way into Ukraine. Neither responded. "We want the authorities in both countries to give us information about what happened, to respond to our emails. That is what we are demanding now," Espitia said. The Associated Press tracked down a Colombian fighter who uses the call sign Oso Polar Polar Bear and says he was the last person to see Triana alive on October 8, 2023. He says Triana's unit was ambushed by Russian forces in the Kharkiv region, after which his fate was unknown. The Ukrainian military unit where Triana was serving confirmed to The Associated Press that Triana is officially missing, but would not disclose any details surrounding the circumstances in which he disappeared. Espitia, his cousin, says he's not sure what motivated Triana to fight in Ukraine. But the 43-year-old had served in the Colombian army for more than 20 years and leaving it had been "mentally difficult," Espitia said. "It could've been for the money, or because he missed the adrenaline of being in combat. But he didn't open up very much about his reasons for going," Espitia said. After almost three weeks in the hospital, Checho has returned to Ukraine's front line. So have more than 50 other Colombian fighters who were treated in the same facility. "The situation here is hard," Checho told AP. "We are under constant bombardment, but we will keep fighting." Myanmars military regime has undertaken a major expansion of the countrys prison system since toppling an elected government three years ago, according to new analysis of satellite data, amid a bloody civil war and crackdown on pro-democracy activists. Rights groups fear the expansion portends more arbitrary arrests, prisoner abuse and forced labor. By scouring open-source satellite images from the months leading up to the February 2021 coup through last month, Myanmar Witness, a project of the U.K.-based Center for Information Resilience, found dozens of new buildings inside and next to existing prisons and whole new prisons built or begun around the country. It shared the findings in a report issued January 31, just before the February 1 anniversary of the putsch. As activists and civil society continue to be arrested and detained by the Myanmar military, in many cases arbitrarily and without trial, this report reveals the scale of growth in the regimes repressive prison complex, Myanmar Witness project director Matt Lawrence told VOA. He said their research found evidence of new detention facilities or expanded perimeters in almost half of the prisons we mapped. The team said it found 33 new structures at 25 of the 59 prisons it mapped, as well as large perimeter expansions at another two in Sagaing region, the scene of some of the stiffest armed resistance to the junta. Though many of the structures are outside the prisons walls, Myanmar Witness said their high-security design bears the hallmarks of detention facilities. We assessed these additional structures as most likely being used for prisoner accommodation because of the appearance of double fencing along the entire perimeter in satellite and other imagery, Lawrence said. Some larger additions appeared to have small gatehouses on the entrances or a security entrance gate, and some other additions appeared to have a watchtower adjacent to the perimeter, he added. The team said it also mapped two new prisons built since the coup, one in Sagaing and another in Mon state, and a third nearing completion in Ayeyarwady state. Since completing its analysis for the report, Lawrence told VOA they also mapped a fourth new prison underway in Bago region. Myanmar Witness labeled six of the 59 sites it mapped as unconfirmed prisons for various reasons. It says one site may have been abandoned and that others had the telltale signs of a typical prison but did not appear on the regimes official list. On the whole, though, Lawrence said the teams inventory of the growth of Myanmars prison system was probably an underestimate, given the limits of open-source data. That growth comes amid a wave of arrests of those resisting the junta, from armed rebels to online critics, even journalists for covering the news. The junta has outlawed any criticism of the regime or the coup. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a rights groups based in neighboring Thailand tracking the crackdown, said the junta has arrested over 26,000 political prisoners since the coup and that some 20,000 remain in custody. AAPP founder and joint secretary Bo Kyi said the scale of the prison expansion program uncovered by Myanmar Witness suggests the junta intends to continue arresting many more dissidents in a bid to intimidate the resistance. The expansion of prisons mean they will arrest more people who [are] against them, he told VOA. The issue of political prisoners is directly related with current political problems. People [are] against the military and people want to replace military rule to civilian rule. Therefore [the] military junta is trying to create [a] climate of fear, he said. In his latest report, from October, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, said the junta has continued arresting dissidents at a staggering scale. They included over 130 people arrested last June for wearing flowers to celebrate the 78th birthday of the juntas most famous prisoner, Aung San Suu Kyi. The ousted governments de facto leader was arrested on the morning of the coup and remains in custody serving a 27-year prison sentence on a spate of charges widely seen to have been trumped up. Andrews report describes overcrowded and filthy conditions inside some prisons alongside unchecked abuse and torture, from beatings to rape and genital mutilation. At the time of the report, the AAPP said at least 188 political prisoners had died either in prison or during interrogation from a lack of health care, torture or outright murder. In July 2022 the regime openly executed four convicted dissidents at Insein Prison, the countrys first use of capital punishment in decades. More than 100 others remain on death row. If the new prisons, expanded perimeters and prison buildings uncovered by Myanmar Witness portend more prisoners, they also portend more prisoner abuse, said Manny Maung, Myanmar researcher for Human Rights Watch. If youve ... got these new structures where they plan on putting people in after summary trials that are completely opaque already and then taking them somewhere else where we have no insight or no visibility on, I think the risk of abuse in detention is extremely high, she told VOA. She also said she worries that the junta may be adding prison capacity to boost its supply of forced labor. Because they have a history of labor camps, they have a history of forced recruitment and portering. Certainly this forced labor is something ... I would be increasingly worried about if theyre filling up these prisons as well, she said. Along with the prisons, Myanmar Witness said it used satellite images to map and analyze at least 29 labor camp sites, mostly quarries and farms, and possibly 24 more. While they did not show the same degree of development and expansion as the prisons, it says most appeared to still be active. The controversial leader of South Africa's third largest political party promised Saturday to create jobs for millions of the country's unemployed and turn around its economy as he seeks to attract more voters ahead of the much-anticipated general election. Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party founder Julius Malema addressed a packed 56,000-capacity Moses Mabhida Stadium in the coastal city of Durban as he launched the party's election manifesto to the delight of supporters. "This is not a manifesto of promises, it's a manifesto of commitments," he said. With election season well underway in South Africa, most political parties who have not launched their manifestos are expected to do so in the coming weeks. A date for the election has not been announced. The election is expected to be highly contested because the ruling African National Congress, which has governed the country since Nelson Mandela became South Africa's first democratically-elected leader in 1994, faces myriad challenges. EFF party supporters Saturday, clad in red party regalia, including T-shirts with Malema's likeness, went into a frenzy as he entered the stadium, singing struggle songs and liberation slogans. The EFF is popular among many disenchanted South Africans, especially youth, due to its radical policies that include the expropriation of white-owned land and the nationalization of mines and banks. Malema, a controversial figure who largely divides opinion for his radical proposals to solve the country's problems, continues to enjoy widening popularity in South Africa and increasingly across Africa. A former ANC youth leader who was expelled from the party, Malema is now among the ruling party's staunchest critics. He's an outspoken lawmaker who has become a thorn in the side of the ANC and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. The EFF garnered 10% of the national vote in the country's 2019 elections to become the third largest opposition party. Buoyed by the decline in support for the ANC, which has governed South Africa since 1994, the party expects to increase its support in the upcoming elections. Polls by polling firm Ipsos released this week estimate the EFF could perform better in the upcoming elections and replace the Democratic Alliance as the second biggest party in the country. The same polls also suggest the ANC could dip under 50% of electoral support in what is expected to be the ruling party's toughest elections yet. Malema announced the party's slogan for the coming elections as "Jobs and land now! Stop loadshedding," a phrase that alludes to the country's high unemployment rate of more than 30%, the slow pace of land redistribution and the country's electricity crisis, which has resulted in rolling power blackouts. "This manifesto is a manifesto of the people swimming in the pool of poverty," said Malema. Malema said the party would stop the power blackouts that are impacting the country's economy and would create jobs through, among other things, the creation of social housing and road infrastructure. He also promised to jail politicians and public servants who are implicated in corruption and vowed to introduce incentives for police to fight the country's high prevalence of crime. "We are going to increase the visibility of police and soldiers. Many of you can't say that you saw the police on your way here," he said. Malema also promised to increase social welfare grants and introduce a basic income grant for the unemployed. Some EFF supporters who spoke to The Associated Press expressed confidence in the party's chances in the upcoming elections. Nomonde Simelane, 28, a staunch EFF supporter wearing party regalia, said the party was the only one serious about changing Black people's economic situation in South Africa. "No other party is serious about returning the land, or making sure that Black people also benefit from the country's economy," said Simelane. Raymond Zitha, 33, said he didn't vote in the last election but would do so this year to support the EFF. He was among supporters who were bussed into the rally in Durban by the party from various parts of KwaZulu-Natal province, where fierce political competition is expected. Some smaller parties led by former leaders and members of major political parties also will take part in the elections. Former ANC and South Africa President Jacob Zuma announced the formation of a new party, Umkhonto we Sizwe ("Spear of the Nation"), which has been registered to compete in this year's elections. Mmusi Maimane, the former leader of the opposition Democratic Alliance, has started BOSA, a new party set to run for the first time, while former Johannesburg mayor and DA member Herman Mashaba's Action SA will take part in its first national election. Of the 50 or so countries that have held or are holding elections in 2024, none will have more people going to the polls on a single day than Indonesia. The current president is on his second term and ineligible to run, leaving Indonesians with three choices to replace him when they head to the polls Wednesday. In Jakarta, Indonesia, VOA's Ahadian Utama reports. Devianti Faridz and Yuni Salim contributed to the report. Swisscom AG (VTX:SCMN) will pay a dividend of CHF22.00 on the 4th of April. Based on this payment, the dividend yield will be 4.4%, which is fairly typical for the industry. View our latest analysis for Swisscom Swisscom's Earnings Easily Cover The Distributions We like a dividend to be consistent over the long term, so checking whether it is sustainable is important. Prior to this announcement, Swisscom's dividend was comfortably covered by both cash flow and earnings. This indicates that a lot of the earnings are being reinvested into the business, with the aim of fueling growth. The next year is set to see EPS grow by 2.3%. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 65% by next year, which is in a pretty sustainable range. Swisscom Has A Solid Track Record The company has an extended history of paying stable dividends. There hasn't been much of a change in the dividend over the last 10 years. Although we can't deny that the dividend has been remarkably stable in the past, the growth has been pretty muted. Swisscom May Find It Hard To Grow The Dividend Some investors will be chomping at the bit to buy some of the company's stock based on its dividend history. Earnings has been rising at 2.3% per annum over the last five years, which admittedly is a bit slow. Swisscom is struggling to find viable investments, so it is returning more to shareholders. This could mean the dividend doesn't have the growth potential we look for going into the future. We Really Like Swisscom's Dividend In summary, it is good to see that the dividend is staying consistent, and we don't think there is any reason to suspect this might change over the medium term. Earnings are easily covering distributions, and the company is generating plenty of cash. Taking this all into consideration, this looks like it could be a good dividend opportunity. Investors generally tend to favour companies with a consistent, stable dividend policy as opposed to those operating an irregular one. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. For example, we've picked out 1 warning sign for Swisscom that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our collection of strong dividend payers. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. The death toll amid protests in Senegal over the postponement of the presidential election until December has climbed to three, as concerns grow that one of the remaining democracies in coup-hit West Africa is under threat. The announcement of the delay just three weeks ahead of the planned Feb. 25 vote triggered violent clashes on Friday between protesters and police in Dakar and several other cities, in a wave of unrest that many fear will spill over into protracted instability. President Macky Sall has said the delay is necessary because electoral disputes threatened the credibility of the poll, but some opposition lawmakers have denounced the move as an "institutional coup." As the public outcry mounts, the West African regional bloc ECOWAS and foreign powers have urged Sall to put the country back on a regular electoral footing. The death of one young man amid reported protests in the southern city of Zinguinchor on Saturday evening took the number of those killed since Friday to three, according to Cartogra Free Senegal (CFS), a civil society platform tracking casualties. "We tried to save him when he arrived at hospital and unfortunately he died in intensive care," Ndiame Diop, the manager of Ziguinchor hospital, told Reuters, saying it was not possible to determine the exact cause of death without an autopsy. A spokesperson for the interior ministry did not respond to a request for comment. The ministry has so far confirmed only one death, a student in the northern city of Saint-Louis on Friday. Reuters has not been able to independently confirm a reported second death: a 23-year-old merchant on the outskirts of Dakar, according to CFS. The U.S. Bureau of African Affairs said in an online post on Saturday that it was saddened to learn of the first two deaths. "We urge all parties to act in a peaceful and measured manner, and we continue to call on President Sall to restore the electoral calendar, restore confidence, and bring calm to the situation," it said. What happens next is not clear. Opposition lawmakers and presidential candidates who reject the postponement have filed legal challenges and said they will refuse to recognize Sall as president after his original mandate expires in early April. The postponement bill backed by parliament included the extension of his tenure until his successor is installed after the election now reset for Dec. 15. "If President Macky Sall does not restore power to us on April 3, we will set up a parallel government of national unity," opposition lawmaker Guy Marius Sagna said on the radio on Sunday. Tuareg separatists announced Saturday the lifting of blockades they'd set up in December on main roads throughout northern Mali after the national army took back several towns. "All blockades on the routes from the Algerian border to the towns of Timbuktu and Gao have been lifted," the Permanent Strategic Framework, an alliance of rebel forces, told Agence France-Presse, without giving more details. The Taureg-dominated rebel groups lost control of several localities in the north of the country after an army offensive in late 2023 that culminated with the taking of Kidal, a bastion of the separatist movement. Hostilities had resumed last August after eight years of relative calm as both sides fought to take possession of military camps abandoned by United Nations troops who left under orders of the Mali government. The military junta that seized power in a 2020 coup largely won those exchanges, but the rebels didn't surrender and retreated into remote desert and mountainous areas. Mali's army was backed by mercenaries from Russia's Wagner Group, according to the rebels and local elected officials, but the regime denies the presence of the controversial private security group. In December, the rebels blocked all products and types of vehicles in the sparsely populated north. There also have been accusations of atrocities committed against civilians during the recent offensive by Mali's army and the Russian force, which again the authorities have repeatedly denied. The U.S. Senate is working through the weekend on a $95.3 billion military aid package, of which about $60 billion would go to support Ukraines defensive war against Russia. Late Friday, 64 senators voted in favor of the bill while 19 voted against it. Fourteen Republicans joined Democrats to move the proposal toward the next stage while facing objections from a core group of Republicans more closely aligned with the GOP's presidential front-runner, Donald Trump who dont consider U.S. support of Ukraine against Russia a priority. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told the senators he would be willing to amend the package to win over more support, but the New York Democrat also warned they would stay in session "until the job is done." Even if the foreign aid package clears the Senate with possible Sunday voting, the package still faces a deeply uncertain fate in the House. In that chamber, the Republican majority is even more opposed to helping the U.S. ally in Europe, as the war between Ukraine and Russia enters its second year. Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday decried a Republican delay on approving new U.S. aid to Ukraine. "The failure of the United States Congress, if it occurs, not to support Ukraine is close to criminal neglect. It is outrageous," Biden said in the White House Oval Office alongside German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Scholz made a whirlwind stop in Washington to support Bidens efforts to gain funding for Ukraine. Scholz addressed growing concerns in Europe about the standoff between the Democratic president and House Republicans on Ukraine funding. "Without the support of [the] United States, and without the support of the European states, Ukraine will have not a chance to defend its own country," Scholz said. Former Polish President Lech Walesa also visited the U.S. capital this week to rally for renewed U.S. military aid to Ukraine. The 80-year-old labor leader turned politician and Nobel Peace Prize winner said the world currently has a unique opportunity to force political change in Russia and should not let it pass. "The whole world has joined together against Russia. It has never been like this. Its our great opportunity to finally put some order into this world," Walesa said in an address on February 8 at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, or CSIS, a Washington policy group. Walesa said he came to Washington mainly to underscore the importance of commanding the information space and to encourage the country not to retreat from its leadership role, VOA sister organization RFE/RL reports. The United States has been Ukraines largest supplier of military assistance in the war, but that help is stalled while Congress wrangles over a bill providing aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. Meanwhile, Ukraines air force said Sunday that it shot down 40 of 45 Iran-manufactured Shahed drones used by Russia in attacks on Ukraine. The air force posted on Telegram that the drones were launched from Crimea. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the latest Russian attack on Kharkiv, writing on February 10, that "terror cannot go unpunished" and that "Russia must be held accountable for every life it has ruined and destroyed," The Kyiv Independent reports. A Russian drone attack struck a gas station in Kharkiv overnight on February 10, triggering a large fire that engulfed 15 residential homes and killed at least seven people, including three children. Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov later reported that 57 people had been injured in the attack and declared February 11, as a day of mourning in the city. According to Zelenskyy, four people were rescued and dozens of others have been evacuated from their homes. Serhii Bolvinov, head of Kharkiv Oblast police's investigative department, reported on Facebook that an entire family was burned alive in their home. The youngest child was less than one year old. "It is impossible to identify the body of the baby at the scene. The burning temperature was such that the bones and the baby's body almost turned to ashes," Bolvinov wrote. Due to its proximity to the Russian border, Kharkiv and the surrounding oblast are frequently targeted by Russian drones and missiles. Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. With the death toll rising from missile and drone strikes almost two years after Russia invaded, Ukraine is urging Australia to share its world-leading approach to treating burn victims. Doctors say the number of Ukrainians dying from injuries caused by burns during Russias invasion is rising sharply and warn Ukraines medical system is struggling to cope. Representatives from the Lviv-based Christian Medical Association of Ukraine are in Australia urging the government to send specialist medical expertise and supplies. There has been no official government response so far. Australia has expertise with burn injuries. Many techniques were developed after the terrorist bombings on the Indonesian island of Bali in 2002. Two hundred and two people were killed, including many foreign nationals. Rudi Myhovych of the Christian Medical Association of Ukraine told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. he hopes the government will send doctors to Ukraine. We hope to get teams of plastic burns doctor[s] to Ukraine for [the] short term," he said. "We respect your time, and we are trying to be careful and maximize all of the help that is in our hands. But also, we plan to send Ukrainian doctors. They can observe and take the knowledge and better skills. So, because [the] amount of cases is unbelievable. The United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has reported that at least 10,000 civilians have been killed and upwards of 18,500 have been injured since Russia invaded on February 24, 2022. Attacks on health care facilities, a lack of medical staff and power shortages have made it harder for victims to receive care during the conflict. Russia has claimed its invasion of Ukraine is a "special military operation" and has insisted it does not target civilians both of which are refuted by Ukraine, the U.N., the United States and NATO. Australia is among the largest non-NATO contributors to Kyivs war effort, supplying missiles and armored personnel carriers. The government also has imposed sanctions on hundreds of Russian politicians, including President Vladimir Putin, military commanders and businesspeople. They are the most sweeping penalties Australia has ever put on another country. Additionally, Canberra has banned imports of Russian oil, petroleum, coal and gas. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during his nightly address, touted Ukraines air defenses for downing 40 out of 45 Iran-made Shahed drones from a Russian attack of Ukraine. Zelenskyy said Kyiv is working to improve its air defenses and its electronic warfare systems calling it one of the key priorities of the year. In a five-and-a-half-hour barrage, Russia attacked Ukraine overnight with dozens of drones, injuring at least one civilian and damaging a gas pipeline as well as residential buildings in the river and seaport of Mykolaiv, Ukraines military said Sunday. Serhiy Popko, the head of Kyiv's military administration, said Ukraines air force defense systems downed 40 out of the 45 Russia-launched, Iran-made Shahed attack drones. "The air alert in the capital lasted almost two hours, he said on Telegram. According to preliminary information, there were neither casualties nor destruction in or near the capital. In southern Ukraine, the military command said on Telegram that its air defense systems were engaged for more than five hours and destroyed 26 Russia-launched Shahed drones over several southern regions, mainly over the Mykolaiv region near the Black Sea. At least one civilian was injured there from the falling debris. "The priority for the enemy was again the coastal strip of infrastructure and agro-industrial facilities," the military said. Watch related report by Arash Arabasadi: Falling debris from a downed drone and the blast wave damaged residential buildings and a gas pipeline in Mykolaiv, the military command said. Four drones were downed over the Black Sea port of Odesa, the military said. The Reuters news agency was not able to independently verify the reports. Both Russia and Ukraine have intensified their air attacks in recent months, targeting each other's critical energy, military and transport infrastructure. Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate passed a key procedural vote to advance a sweeping $95 billion foreign aid package. Ukraine would receive $61 billion to restock its depleted ammunition supplies, weapons and other crucial needs as it enters its third year of the defensive war against Russia. Though the measure passed a procedural hurdle, it faces an uncertain future in the Republican-majority House. Russia Starlink worries Ukraines military intelligence said it has confirmed earlier reports that Russian troops are using Elon Musks Starlink satellite communications system for their communications on the battlefield. The satellite terminals had been sent to Ukraine after the Russian invasion in 2022. Since then, some of these territories in eastern Ukraine have been occupied by Russian forces. The Ukrainian defense ministry's Main Directorate of Intelligence, or GUR, said they confirmed the systems use by Russian forces. Cases of the Russian occupiers' use of the given devices have been registered. It is beginning to take on a systemic nature," GUR quoted spokesperson Andriy Yusov as saying. Russia's defense ministry did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment. The GUR said it had intercepted an exchange between two Russian soldiers discussing setting up the terminals. It posted what it said was an audio clip of the exchange on Telegram. The GUR did not specify how it thought the terminals had been obtained by Russian forces. Starlink said on February 8 that its terminals were not active in Russia and that SpaceX had never sold or marketed the service in Russia or shipped equipment to locations in Russia. In a statement posted on X, Starlink did not say anything about their possible use in occupied areas of Ukraine. "If SpaceX obtains knowledge that a Starlink terminal is being used by a sanctioned or unauthorized party, we investigate the claim and take actions to deactivate the terminal if confirmed," it said. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. Air defense systems operated by U.S.-led coalition troops based in eastern Syria halted six drone attacks targeting their base at the Conoco oil field on Saturday, a security source said. The source did not tell Reuters if there were any casualties from the attacks. Coalition troops and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who together fight remnants of the Islamic State group, have faced increased attacks by Iran-backed groups in Syria and Iraq since Hamas' terror attack against Israel on October 7. The head of the SDF, General Mazloum Abdi, told Reuters last week that the U.S. should send additional air defense systems to Syria to protect their bases after six SDF fighters were killed in one of the drone attacks. Another drone attack blamed on Iran-backed groups on a border outpost in Jordan killed three U.S. soldiers and injured more than 30 service members late last month. Israeli forces have discovered a tunnel network hundreds of meters long extending partly under UNRWA's Gaza headquarters, the military says, calling it new evidence of Hamas militants burrowing under the main relief agency for Palestinians. Israeli Army engineers took reporters with foreign news outlets through the tunnel passages. They entered a shaft next to a school on the periphery of the United Nations compound, descending to the concrete-lined tunnel. After 20 minutes of walking through the hot, narrow and occasionally winding passage, they got underneath UNRWA headquarters, according to an army lieutenant-colonel leading the tour. The military said the tunnel was 700 meters long, 18 meters deep bifurcated at times and it revealed side rooms. There was an office space, with steel safes that had been opened and emptied. There was a tiled toilet. One large chamber was packed with computer servers, another with industrial battery stacks. "Everything is conducted from here. All the energy for the tunnels, which you walked through them, are powered from here," said the lieutenant-colonel, who gave only his first name, Ido. Ido said Hamas militants appeared to have evacuated when Israel Defense Forces, also known as IDF, were advancing. He said they preemptively cut communications cables, which he showed, that ran through the floor of the UNRWA headquarters' basement. It appeared that heavy Israeli barrages and sustained winter rains also may have played a part in the militants' departure. Several stretches of the tunnel were clogged with dislodged sand and knee-high water. Call for UNRWA official to resign After the discovery of the tunnel, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz called for the resignation of UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini on a post on social media platform X. Katz dismissed Lazzarini's claim that he was unaware of the tunnel's existence as "not only absurd but also an affront to common sense." In a statement, UNRWA said it had vacated the headquarters on October 12, five days after the terror attack occurred, and was therefore "unable to confirm or otherwise comment" on the Israeli finding. "UNRWA ... does not have the military and security expertise nor the capacity to undertake military inspections of what is or might be under its premises," the statement said. This is a time of internal crisis for the U.N. relief agency, which is facing Israeli allegations that some of its staff were working for Hamas. The agency has launched its own internal probe into the claims, and several donor countries have frozen their funding. The Palestinians have accused Israel of falsifying information to tarnish UNRWA, which employs 13,000 people in the Gaza Strip and has been a lifeline for the aid-dependent population for years. The humanitarian agency runs schools, primary health care clinics and other social services, and it distributes aid. "We know that they [Hamas] have people working in UNRWA. We want every international organization to work in Gaza. That is not a problem. Our problem is the Hamas," Ido told reporters. Hamas has denied numerous and longstanding accusations that it operates in and underneath civilian facilities, such as schools and hospitals. The Israeli military did not allow journalists to take photographs of military intelligence, such as maps or certain equipment in the convoy of armored vehicles they traveled in. It also requested approval before transmission of photographs and video footage taken during the trip. Israel targets Rafah Israeli airstrikes targeted the Gaza city of Rafah Saturday after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered an evacuation plan for civilians from the southern border city ahead of an expected ground invasion creating widespread panic. More than half of Gaza's 2.3 million people are packed into Rafah, many after evacuating two-thirds of Gaza's territory. It's not clear where these people could find shelter next. The Associated Press, citing health officials and eyewitnesses, reported at least 44 people were killed including more than a dozen children when airstrikes hit several homes in the Rafah area. Netanyahu's office said Friday the military was ordered to develop a plan to evacuate civilians in Rafah and destroy four Hamas battalions it said were deployed there. Hamas has been designated a terror group by the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union. Rafah borders Egypt and officials there have warned that any ground operation in the area or mass displacement across the border would undermine its 40-year-old peace treaty with Israel. It is also the main humanitarian aid entry point to Gaza and intense fighting could further hamper relief efforts. Egypt's foreign minister, Sameh Shoukry, warned that any Israeli ground offensive on Rafah would have "disastrous consequences," claiming that Israel aims to eventually force the Palestinians out of their land. The dire humanitarian situation has sparked Arab and U.N. concerns that Palestinians may eventually be driven over the border. Egypt has sent about 40 tanks and armored personnel carriers to northeastern Sinai within the past two weeks as part of a series of measures to bolster security on its border with Gaza, two Egyptian security sources said. UN warns of risk of 'gigantic tragedy' Netanyahu's announcement came hours after U.S. President Joe Biden delivered some of his strongest criticism yet of the Israeli military campaign in Gaza, calling Israel's conduct in the military operation "over the top" during a news conference late Thursday. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said there would be the risk of a "gigantic tragedy" if the IDF expanded its offensive into the town. "We would not support in any way forced displacement, which goes against international law," Guterres' spokesperson told reporters Friday about a potential evacuation of Rafah. "An escalation of the fighting in Rafah, which is already straining under the extraordinary number of people who have been displaced from other parts of Gaza, will mark another devastating turn in a war that has reportedly killed over 27,000 people most of them women and children," Catherine Russell, the executive director of UNICEF said. Some information for this story was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. Having enough feed for livestock is critical to the food security of many African countries. Some farmers are considering adopting a Chinese-engineered grass called Juncao, advertised as high-yielding and fast-maturing. Some scientists advise caution. Francis Ontomwa has more from Kajiado, Kenya. HARARE, ZIMBABWE Zimbabwe's Cabinet decision to abolish the death penalty, announced on Wednesday, is being hailed by human rights advocates, but not all Zimbabweans are in favor of the move. Amnesty International one of the rights groups which has pushed for the abolition of capital punishment in Zimbabwe welcomed the announcement this week by Harare. "Zimbabwe has taken the right step towards ending this abhorrent and inhuman form of punishment that has no place in today's justice system," said Roselina Muzerengi, campaigns coordinator at Amnesty International in Zimbabwe. "Now that the Cabinet has given its nod, Parliament must ensure the death penalty is truly abolished by voting to pass legislation that will make this a reality. We are happy that the abolition debate is gaining momentum. So, as an organization, we are waiting to see the response by the Parliament of Zimbabwe." In a message via WhatsApp, U.N. Special Rapporteur Mary Lawlor, who reports and advises on the situation of human rights advocates, also expressed her support for the move. "I am delighted that Zimbabwe has decided to abolish the death penalty. The death penalty is always wrong. It has never been shown to be a deterrent and many innocent people around the world have been executed," Lawlor said. But not everyone is happy with the decision, given that Zimbabwe's crime rate is rising as the economy continues to decline. A senator for the ruling Zanu-PF party, who asked not to be identified for fear of losing her position, said she is against abolition of the death penalty. "As a people, as a nation, and are we not perpetuating wanton killing? Life is precious. Life imprisonment in itself is torture," she said. "We have a parole system, which is there in place, that can review some of these judgments [life imprisonment]. Peace and closure to the affected families can only be achieved if they know that the perpetrator is made the same fate as their relatives." Zimbabwe's information minister, Jenfan Muswere, this week told reporters that the move to abolish the death penalty was made after countrywide consultations. "The circumstances attracting death penalty options include where murder has been committed against a prison officer, police officer, a minor or a pregnant woman, or it is committed in the commission of other serious crimes. Or where there is pre-meditation," Muswere said. "In view of the need to retain the deterrent element in sentencing murderers, it is expected that the new law will impose lengthy sentences without violating the right to life." Some Zimbabweans, such as Tinei Mukuri, want the death sentence to remain in the statute books. "There are circumstances when it is really aggravated, it's gruesome, it's pure cruelty when someone kills someone. ... And then we say that person needs to be rehabilitated, spending the rest of his time in jail surviving on taxpayers' money, when the best would be just to also to face the same death that would have been inflicted on other people," Mukuri said. Vincent Mazilankatha holds a similar view. "It's very sad that our government decided to abolish death penalty when there is a rise of premeditated murder cases here in Zimbabwe," Mazilankatha said. "People are killing each other, people are killing some other people with impunity. Some of them are walking scot free. Parliament is expected to take up legislation soon that officially bans the death penalty. The bill is expected to sail to approval, as the ruling Zanu-PF party now has a two-thirds majority, and President Emmerson Mnangawa supports abolishment. HARARE, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Zimbabwe expects to harvest 2.28 million metric tons of maize this year, enough to meet its annual consumption, due to the promotion of farming practices aimed at reducing the impact of climate change, such as no till farming and water harvesting. "Water harvesting techniques, soil and moisture conservation and the minimal disturbance of soil under this program has seen a good crop around the country," Zimbabwe's Deputy Agriculture Minister Vangelis Haritatos told Reuters. No till farming minimises soil disturbance, which helps keep carbon in the soil and also enriches soil biodiversity, reducing the need for chemical fertilisers that emit greenhouse. Zimbabwe is one of the countries worst affected by the El Nino weather pattern and struggles to feed itself. Zimbabwe produced 2.3 million tons of maize last year. The country requires 2.2 million tons of the staple grain annually for human and livestock consumption. Last December, during an extended spell of dry and hot weather conditions, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube said Zimbabwe's maize harvest could be halved to 1.1 million tons in 2024 due to an El Nino-induced drought. El Nino, a natural climate phenomenon in which surface waters of the central and eastern Pacific become unusually warm, causing changes in global weather patterns, is expected to hit crop yields during the 2023/24 farming season. However, rains received during the second half of December and throughout January revived Zimbabwe's hopes for a good harvest. Smallholder farmers, who produce most of the country's maize, doubled their planted area to 744,588 hectares in the 2023-24 season, from 366,706 hectares previously, according to government data. "This is a reflection that farmers are adopting the recommended climate-proofing interventions, especially during the El Nino condition," cabinet said in a statement released late on Tuesday. Reporting by Nelson Banya and Nyasha Chingono; Editing by Michael Perry The Egyptian government informed its Israeli counterpart that if the IDF carry out an operation in Rafah as announced, entailing the disruption of humanitarian aid delivery into the Gaza Strip, it would suspend the Camp David Accords. Signed in 1978 and 1979 by former Muslim Brotherhood member Anwar el-Sadat and revisionist Zionist Menahem Beguin, the Camp David Accords, which comprise two separate agreements, were never fully implemented. However, the second agreement ended the war between the two states. Their suspension could mean a new war. Saudi Arabia and Qatar have also warned Israel of the consequences such an operation would have. Gladiator star to stage concert at Temple of Venus and Roma in the shadow of the Colosseum. Russell Crowe is to perform with his band The Gentlemen Barbers at the Temple of Venus and Roma, in the Roman Forum opposite the Colosseum, on 23 June 2025. The concert by the Hollywood actor and musician is part of a tour of Italy next summer, taking in Pompeii, Piacenza, Varese and Bologna, in addition to Rome. Crowe, who toured Italy with his band last summer, announced the news during an appearance at the 74th edition of the Sanremo Music Festival, Italy's biggest song contest, on Thursday night. The Colosseum inaugurated a new elevator this evening, in the presence of Italys culture minister, with a special message from Gladiator star @russellcrowe pic.twitter.com/58RScX3zRW Wanted in Rome (@wantedinrome) May 30, 2023 The Oscar-winning actor and director, famed for starring in blockbuster movies such as Gladiator and A Beautiful Mind, has led a parallel career in music for decades, with a repertoire ranging from rock to folk and country. Russell Crowe and Rome In 2022 Crowe was honoured as Rome's ambassador in the world in recognition of the special bond that ties the Gladiator star to the Eternal City. The 59-year-old star, who was born in New Zealand but has spent much of his life in Australia, recently discovered that he has Italian heritage. After an extensive search, he traced his roots to Ascoli Piceno in Italy's central Marche region. "Turns out my great great great grandfather, on my mother's side, who travelled to NZ in 1864 was Luigi Ghezzi", Crowe wrote on X last December. Temple of Venus and Roma Believed to have been the largest temple in ancient Rome, the Tempio di Venere e Roma was dedicated to the goddesses Venus Felix (Venus the Bringer of Good Fortune) and Roma Aeterna (Eternal Rome). The Orchestra Italiana del Cinema performing music from The Gladiator soundtrack in the Colosseum as the sun goes down. Priceless. pic.twitter.com/h5L1hVnDqC Wanted in Rome (@wantedinrome) May 30, 2023 Construction of the temple began in 121 under Emperor Hadrian and it was completed in 141. The ancient site recently underwent a major restoration sponsored by luxury fashion house Fendi. Tickets for the Italy concerts by Russell Crowe & The Gentlemen Barbers go on sale from Monday 12 February. Photo credit: Massimo Todaro / Shutterstock.com. The Commonwealth Bank is tipped to post half-year cash profits of more than $5 billion this week, although analysts are sceptical of its record-high share price amid strong mortgage competition and a squeeze on banks profit margins. The market, which tends to look to major banks earnings and commentary as a bellwether for the health of the broader economy, will be closely watching CBAs results as the countrys biggest bank reports on February 14. CBA chief executive Matt Comyn will provide an update to the market on the banks highly anticipated earnings results on Wednesday. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer The consensus is for CBA to clock in a $5.1 billion cash net profit. The bank recorded a $5.15 billion profit for the previous corresponding half-year to the end of 2022, but JP Morgan lead Australian banks analyst Andrew Triggs said this time around there were several headwinds for the company. CBA has shown it is not immune to industry-wide cost pressures, he said, which would probably weigh on the banks profit growth, with competition remaining intense in the mortgage market, to which CBA is heavily exposed. A costly IVF technique commonly used in Australia is being unnecessarily sold to thousands of patients and could even be reducing their chances of having a baby, a new study has found. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) a procedure that involves a single sperm being injected into an egg was designed for couples with severe male infertility, such as a very low sperm count, estimated to affect 30 per cent of couples using IVF. Invented in the 1990s, ICSI was designed for couples with severe male infertility, Credit: Istock But since its invention in the 1990s, ICSI has become much more widely adopted including by couples where the man has no or only moderate fertility issues. Some Australian IVF clinics are now using the procedure, which typically costs $400 to $800 more than traditional IVF per cycle, in more than 90 per cent of cycles. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size This story is a part of the February 11 edition of Sunday Life. See all 10 stories . When restaurateur and celebrity chef Guillaume Brahimi, 56, tied the knot with Mara & Mine designer and billionaire chicken heiress Tamie Ingham, 38, the lavish wedding at Musee Rodin in Paris last June was the talk of town. Among the star-studded guests at the event were media mogul Lachlan Murdoch, who served as a groomsman, and Jasmine Stefanovic, who was a bridesmaid. Eight months on from the nuptials, the loved-up couple, who live in Sydney, share their story with Sunday Life. How did you meet? Guillaume: We met at a dinner party that was more like a set-up organised by friends, just before the first COVID lockdown in 2020. Tamie had just returned to Sydney after living in Los Angeles and a friend of ours, Karl Stefanovic, thought we were a good match. Tamie was immediately stunning to my eye. We sat next to one another at dinner and it felt natural to start talking to her. The rest is history. Tamie: The dinner party didnt feel like a set-up, as there were 20 other guests invited. There were a number of friends trying to get us together before this point. I didnt know much about Guillaume before I met him. I have never been keen on being set up, but I was very surprised when I met him because he has such a beautiful presence and it felt natural to be around him. The moment Guillaume walked into the room he had a way of grabbing everyones attention. He has an incredible personality and great sense of humour. He is very kind and loved by everyone. Guillaume wears Orlebar Brown T-shirt and chinos, Gucci sunglasses from Eyewear Index, Chopard watch. Tamie wears Dior dress, bra and briefs. Credit: Hugh Stewart Who made the first move? G: I did, of course! We went on a couple of restaurant dates after our first meeting, and then I invited Tamie to my house and cooked for her a few times. We were lucky enough to be able to get to know one another as we werent able to travel overseas and had more together time. Advertisement T: Guillaume is an amazing chef and I got to experience his best dishes at home while also getting to know him more intimately. He spoiled me and pulled out all the culinary stops. For him, its all about chopping ingredients in front of you, having a glass of wine together and setting the scene with great music Francoise Hardy, Serge Gainsbourg, lots of Carla Bruni in the background. All these things make meals together more romantic. I found this very charming. He finds true pleasure in preparing the dinner in front of you. Its still what we love to do. Was marriage something you both wanted? T: Ive always wanted to get married. I was in no rush for it to happen. For me, it was about finding the right person. I knew after a few dates with Guillaume that he was someone special I could spend the rest of my life with. As soon as we could travel after COVID, we went to Paris and he introduced me to his family. After that, we were constantly drawn back there, either for work or to visit his parents. Paris became a second home for us, so it was a no-brainer to choose it for our wedding. We wanted Guillaumes family to be there and for our family to experience the love we share for the city. G: We definitely wanted to get married, and I never felt concerned about asking Tamie. And Paris is where I come from, so it was special to celebrate it there. Tamie wears Valentino dress, her own jewellery. Guillaume wears P. Johnson suit, Orlebar Brown T-shirt, Chopard watch. Credit: Hugh Stewart The wedding day looked seamless. Any hiccups organising it from Australia? T: It proved to be difficult at times but it was worth every minute of it. We had our ceremony at Musee Rodin and just two weeks before we got married they called to tell us there was a huge fashion week event and a marquee being put up in front of the museum and nothing they could do about it. We couldnt change the venue for our guests at short notice. I remember doing the dress rehearsal and being stressed to see this huge eyesore of a marquee. Advertisement G: A friend of Tamies had the marquee taken down the day before and the wedding was perfect. How do you support one another in your relationship? T: I met Guillaume during a pivot in his career as he had just shut down his restaurant in Sydney. We like to discuss next moves and plan our future and career. G: We are a team that summarises everything. We dont do anything without talking to one another first. Communication is important. He is incredible in front of the camera, like a movie star. I was impressed because I am very camera shy. TAMIE INGHAM What do you see as each others strengths? T: I am a planner. I like to sit with Guillaume and say, Lets look at what is happening in the next five years and plan ahead. Guillaume looks one week ahead; I am definitely the one whos all about the bigger picture. I think my strength is pushing him to have a five-year plan and not just think day by day. Guillaume is very creative and a fantastic chef. When I was with him during Tour de France filming, I saw him go off script and he was perfect. If he made a mistake, he would redo it off the top of his head. He is incredible in front of the camera, like a movie star. I was impressed because I am very camera shy. Advertisement G: Tamie pushes me, and we talk a lot about what well do next. She wants me to excel, but more importantly she is happy when I am happy, and its nice to have someone who feels that way for you. Tamie wears Fendi dress, her own jewellery. Credit: Hugh Stewart How do you celebrate Valentines Day? G: Valentines Day is another occasion to spoil each other, but I hope people dont wait a year to do something nice for one another. Tamie loves discovering new places, and I am a creature of habit. I like going to a nice restaurant, discovering it and talking about it long after. I love going to Alessandro Pavonis aMare as much as I love going to Sean Morans Panorama. Sometimes we go to Freds, other times its Crown Nobu for sushi and a cocktail. T: I am very lucky because Guillaume is French, which means he is romantic all the time. Its the small gestures that mean so much. Every morning he wakes earlier than I do and makes me a lemon and ginger tea. I appreciate how caring and kind he is to me. We also like to make time for a walk together, either before or after work. We love to lock in a date night once a week! What are your plans for the year ahead? T: We drove to Byron Bay recently and spent eight hours in the car working on a list of New Year resolutions. Weve been editing it all January and there are no more than 10 things on it. The most important for us is creating a healthy routine. Guillaume travels so much for work to Crown [casino] in Perth or Melbourne and filming overseas but wherever we find ourselves our health is important and that means exercising regularly. As far as my work goes, my sister has recently launched a sexual-wellness brand and Ive been working on a strategy. I have also been working on a new project with Guillaume thats the exciting part of 2024 that is yet to come together. Advertisement G: We talk about travelling to Spain this year, maybe Brazil, and I am filming in France for SBS again. I would love Tamie to come with me as she keeps my morale high and is good for me. She knows I like to have her with me. Were talking about working on new projects together. I dont know what that will look like, a restaurant or something else. Its a work in progress. Loading What does family mean to both of you? G: Tamie doesnt do anything without her brother and sister and I love that they are a very close family. T: I was nervous to meet Guillaumes family in France due to the language barrier, but I shouldnt have been. Family is super important to me and Guillaume is also close to his parents and siblings. Were very similar in that way. My mother, Mary, is Italian and while she isnt a chef, she is a very good cook. I love how she and Guillaume always compare Italian and French cooking. Styling, Penny McCarthy; Hair, Keiren Street using Wella; Make-up, Katie Angus using Nars Cosmetics at Mecca; Fashion assistant, Allegra Cole. STOCKISTS Chopard; Dior; Eyewear Index; Fendi; Orlebar Brown; P. Johnson; Valentino Pocock owns a home in the ACT and has disclosed another property interstate for which he has lent friends money for their deposit and is on the title. His friends pay the mortgage, and Pocock does not derive income from the property. Greens housing spokesman Max Chandler-Mather, who does not own property, labelled Anthony Albanese a property investor prime minister who was refusing to phase out billions of dollars in property investor tax concessions that are denying millions of renters the chance to buy a home. Greens housing spokesman Max Chandler-Mather. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen Ive been a renter my entire adult life, Chandler-Mather said. I know what its like to be evicted without grounds and cop an unfair rent increase, but its something that seems entirely alien to a Labor and Liberal Party stacked full of property investors who all oppose rent caps or changes to negative gearing. In the Labor caucus, 77 members of its combined total of 103 MPs and senators, or 75 per cent, have declared ownership of two or more properties in their names or their partners names. In the Coalition party room, this figure stands at 55 of its 86 MPs and senators, or 64 per cent. Loading The Greens have five members with two or more properties. Deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi and the partys treasury spokesman Nick McKim both own four. The prime minister owns two properties in Sydneys inner west his home in Marrickville and an investment property in Dulwich Hill both of which are rented. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, who has cashed in the sizeable property portfolio he amassed with his wife in recent years, has declared owning just his residential farm in Dayboro, north of Brisbane. Of those who did not declare a residential home on their interest register, six parliamentarians less than 3 per cent of the parliament confirmed to this masthead that they were renting. However, a number of these MPs and senators also held investment properties at the same time. Those who were renting and owned no property include: Chandler-Mather and his Greens colleague Stephen Bates, and Liberal MP James Stevens. This compares with 30 per cent of Australians who are renters, according to the latest census data, while 35 per cent have a mortgage and 31 per cent own their homes outright. While Dutton last week ruled out supporting any changes to negative gearing, the issue has been on the radar of other Liberals. In comments last week to a property summit, former NSW Liberal premier Dominic Perrottet called for negative gearing arrangements to be reviewed as part of broader tax reform saying it could drive supply. Many economists, however, have argued that changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions alone would have a minimal impact on housing affordability, and instead boosting the supply of housing stock through less onerous planning laws and government investment was key. There are tax policy and equity arguments for changes to the negative gearing and the discount to the capital gains tax. However, it is a non-issue from the point of view of housing affordability, said Dr Peter Tulip, a former Reserve Bank economist now at the centre-right think tank the Centre for Independent Studies. Tulip pointed to multiple studies, including one by University of Melbourne academics published in the International Economic Review journal, which found that removing negative gearing would reduce house prices by 0.9 per cent and raise rents 2.5 per cent. Another study, published in 2016 by the Grattan Institute which has backed policy reform to the concessions as budget-saving measures, found that abolishing negative gearing and halving the capital gains tax discount to 25 per cent would only lower house prices by about 2 per cent. However, Grattans economic policy program director Brendan Coates said while the downward pressure on affordability would be minuscule, such changes would boost home ownership rates by making property investment less attractive. At the moment, some of those negatively geared investors are beating out first home buyers at auctions. That process changes if those tax concessions are wound back, he said. Coates said that the biggest impediment to reform in this area was not politicians being unprepared to act against their personal interests, but fears that they would be punished at the ballot box. The cost of negative gearing to the budget was $2.7 billion in 2020-21 financial year. Negative gearing is the process whereby taxpayers lose money on investment properties which they then use to reduce their overall taxable incomes. Labor went to 2016 and 2019 elections promising to restrict negative gearing to new properties only and to halve the 50 per cent capital gains tax deduction, with its tax agenda widely attributed as a key factor in Bill Shortens defeat in 2019. Former Finance Minister Mathias Cormann is living in Paris now, where he works as the head of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. His art-filled office is in a Louis XIV-style French villa in the 16th arrondissement, right next to the Bois de Boulogne. He also gets a grace-and-favour Parisian apartment. One hopes such comforts insulate him from insults meted out by former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull in the ABCs documentary Nemesis, the second part of which aired this week. Cormann, who publicly abandoned Turnbull during the poisonous spill-upon-spill week of August 2018, was described as Machiavellian by one of his former colleagues for his role in Turnbulls ousting. But it was Turnbulls offhand remark about Cormanns figure that must have really hurt. The prime ministerships of Tony Abbott, Scott Morrison and Malcolm Turnbull are examined in the ABC program Nemesis. Credit: ABC Mathias has put on a lot of weight, Turnbull remarked as he was filmed viewing footage of Cormann from the coup week. You know, since 2018. He looks very lean there. It was a casual fat-shaming worthy of Married at First Sight, or Mean Girls both of which have been reprised recently, and both of which depict a world less catty than parliament during the Abbott/Turnbull/Morrison years. Since Hawke was PM, perhaps even since Rudd, something has shifted. In 2015 Abbott publicly skolled a beer. In a piece discussing what felt odd about this, journalist Judith Ireland wrote, perhaps it is that it was an unmistakably and assertively macho act amid a chanting group of hyped-up dudes. And that it came from a Prime Minister who has been trying for the last 18 months to convince us that he is also the Minister for Women. The way we read the act depends both on the times and the person, and the ways they are entangled. Hawkes drinking was taken as a sign of who he was, which made sense in the context of the time he led the country. By the time Abbott led, masculinity and its place in the nation had shifted; the way Abbott personified a certain version of masculinity had become troubling. An image from video footage of Barnaby Joyce on the footpath in Braddon, Canberra on Wednesday. Credit: Nine We have changed the way we interpret drinking, but there is something that hasnt changed, too. In 2018, Jacqueline Maley wrote in this masthead that a woman would not be allowed the level of personal complexity that Joyce was. When a woman transgresses, it is used to point back to her as a cartoonish type of some sort. Mens failings are used as pointers to their depth. What is common to the cases of Hawke, Rudd, Abbott and Joyce despite the changing interpretations of drinking is that each time that interpretation was used as an aid to better understanding them as people, a new and useful clue to their character. There is a more sinister comparison, though it depends on the same mechanics. In a piece about Indigenous deaths in police custody, Amy McQuire writes of Rebecca Maher, a 36-year-old mother, detained for being drunk, who hours later was dead; and of Kwementyaye Briscoe, 28, arrested for being drunk in public, who was dying while the officer on duty listened to his iPod. Last week saw the newest first-quarter earnings release from TransDigm Group Incorporated (NYSE:TDG), an important milestone in the company's journey to build a stronger business. Results overall were respectable, with statutory earnings of US$4.87 per share roughly in line with what the analysts had forecast. Revenues of US$1.8b came in 6.5% ahead of analyst predictions. This is an important time for investors, as they can track a company's performance in its report, look at what experts are forecasting for next year, and see if there has been any change to expectations for the business. With this in mind, we've gathered the latest statutory forecasts to see what the analysts are expecting for next year. See our latest analysis for TransDigm Group Taking into account the latest results, the current consensus from TransDigm Group's 21 analysts is for revenues of US$7.71b in 2024. This would reflect a meaningful 10% increase on its revenue over the past 12 months. Per-share earnings are expected to expand 12% to US$27.31. Before this earnings report, the analysts had been forecasting revenues of US$7.63b and earnings per share (EPS) of US$28.17 in 2024. The analysts seem to have become a little more negative on the business after the latest results, given the minor downgrade to their earnings per share numbers for next year. Althoughthe analysts have revised their earnings forecasts for next year, they've also lifted the consensus price target 7.3% to US$1,182, suggesting the revised estimates are not indicative of a weaker long-term future for the business. Fixating on a single price target can be unwise though, since the consensus target is effectively the average of analyst price targets. As a result, some investors like to look at the range of estimates to see if there are any diverging opinions on the company's valuation. The most optimistic TransDigm Group analyst has a price target of US$1,380 per share, while the most pessimistic values it at US$705. As you can see, analysts are not all in agreement on the stock's future, but the range of estimates is still reasonably narrow, which could suggest that the outcome is not totally unpredictable. Story continues Taking a look at the bigger picture now, one of the ways we can understand these forecasts is to see how they compare to both past performance and industry growth estimates. The analysts are definitely expecting TransDigm Group's growth to accelerate, with the forecast 14% annualised growth to the end of 2024 ranking favourably alongside historical growth of 6.3% per annum over the past five years. By contrast, our data suggests that other companies (with analyst coverage) in a similar industry are forecast to grow their revenue at 6.5% per year. Factoring in the forecast acceleration in revenue, it's pretty clear that TransDigm Group is expected to grow much faster than its industry. The Bottom Line The most important thing to take away is that the analysts downgraded their earnings per share estimates, showing that there has been a clear decline in sentiment following these results. Fortunately, they also reconfirmed their revenue numbers, suggesting that it's tracking in line with expectations. Additionally, our data suggests that revenue is expected to grow faster than the wider industry. There was also a nice increase in the price target, with the analysts clearly feeling that the intrinsic value of the business is improving. With that said, the long-term trajectory of the company's earnings is a lot more important than next year. At Simply Wall St, we have a full range of analyst estimates for TransDigm Group going out to 2026, and you can see them free on our platform here.. And what about risks? Every company has them, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for TransDigm Group (of which 2 are potentially serious!) you should know about. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Washington: Donald Trump has suggested that as US president he would encourage Russia to attack American military allies who do not spend enough on defence, in a significant escalation of his rhetoric against the NATO alliance. As the former president edges closer to winning the Republican presidential nomination, he has also vowed to embark on the biggest migrant deportation program in US history, crack down on transgender insanity and cut funding for schools teaching about systemic racism in America. Donald Trump speaks in Conway, South Carolina. Credit: AP The comments were made during an incendiary speech at a campaign rally in South Carolina, which the White House described as unhinged and critics viewed as startling, even by Trumps often inflammatory standards. Speaking to a crowd of supporters as well as to Republican members of Congress who are set to vote on whether to provide more aid to Ukraine Trump described a meeting during which he claimed to have responded to an ally about NATO funding and suggested Russia could attack at will if member countries didnt pay their share. Newberry, South Carolina: Nikki Haley has again suggested without evidence that the Democrats would not be renominating US President Joe Biden because of questions about his age and memory, while continuing her calls to Republicans that they not overlook former president Donald Trumps own mental competency in the 2024 presidential contest. I said this before, and everybody in the media lost their mind, but Joe Biden is not going to be the nominee he is not, she said outside an opera house in Newberry, South Carolina, where she began what is expected to be a dayslong bus tour across the state. In a later news conference, Haley added that Republicans needed to wake up and choose someone else as their nominee as well. Nikki Haley is trying to steer the conversation towards the ages of Trump, 77, and Biden, 81. Credit: AP When asked what moves she believed Democrats were making to thwart Bidens nomination, she did not offer any specifics, only saying, I mean, theres no way that theyre not in complete panic right now. The remarks from Haley, a former governor of South Carolina and a United Nations ambassador under Trump, are part of a new argument her sharpest against Trump yet that she unveiled this week in light of the special counsel report questioning Bidens mental acuity over his handling of classified documents. Haley has been taking a more combative posture toward Trump as the two head into an important primary showdown in her home state on February 24. One day this Fall, I fasted for four hours and headed west on the subway to Prenuvos New York City location nestled next to a Five Guys and AMC theater steps away from Penn Station. If you werent looking for the sign, you could easily miss it amid the chaos of 34th Street. My typical Thursday routine was out the window because I had committed to a full-body MRI, ready to join the ranks of celebrities and influencers who have gotten on the Prenuvo bandwagon. Prenuvo, whose ethos centers on preventive care, offers customers three MRIs: A torso scan, a head-and-torso scan, or a full-body scan. The company uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to scan for early signs of disease and doesnt use ionizing radiation or contrast dyes. Founded in 2018 in Vancouver, Prenuvo opened in New York City in April 2023 as part of a massive nationwide expansion following $70 million in series A seed funding. 23andMe cofounder Anne Wojcicki and actress Cindy Crawford are among the elites who have invested in the company. Kim Kardashian also took the scan and received over 3.5 million likes on a post about her experience, calling it a life saving machine. At a health care conference in October, I met the companys CEO Andrew Lacy, who said the demand for the scan has been soaringevident in the bi-coastal expansion in the U.S. Clinics are opening across North America, and the slots are filling up quickly, Erica Ferreira, a senior MRI technologist at Prenuvo, tells me on-site. Some people are just really excited about the preventative approach, and they want to take their health into their own hands. They might have a high family history of cancer and want to check out if they're predisposed, Ferreira says, touting its ability to detect tumors one centerimer or larger, aneurysms that have not ruptured yet, and hundreds of conditions. Or they're just getting older, and they want a baseline to be able to compare if something were to go wrong in the future. Story continues The 60-minute, $2,500 full-body scan I underwent is the most comprehensive option. When I entered the building, the team greeted me and the technician talked me through the process. I changed into scrubs, and removed all my jewelry and watch, as any metal would become projectile if accidentally brought into the scan room. I headed into the technologists room to put on the headphones and get prepped for the scan (waving to our Fortune video producer as I rolled in, hello Ted). I have never had an MRI, so I was nervous about feeling claustrophobic. Luckily, though, the scan opened at the front and back, so I immediately felt calmer. I was comforted by the technologists telling me it is a bit more spacious than a typical MRI. The radiologists behind the glass would watch a handful of monitors. In full transparency, I didnt mind the time passing, staying motionless and holding my breath when instructed through the loud noises, especially since I was watching the entire first episode of the David Beckham documentary. After an hour, I said goodbye to the staff, grabbed a snack, and headed home. While I knew I was undergoing the scan for work purposes, there was part of me anxiously awaiting the results, fearful of what I may find. Did I want to know what was there? *** Less than a week later, I received a phone call that my results were ready and headed into my account to print them out. The lengthy files findings began at the head and brain and went down the body. Most of the sections were marked in green with no adverse findings. A few were marked as informational findings in blue, which indicated normal anatomical variants such as having dense breast tissue. In this case, it may be helpful to know as mammograms miss one in eight breast cancers. People with dense breast tissue are recommended to get an MRI during routine checks. However, another example of an informational finding was in my heart section, which indicated a slight leftward displacementbut with an indication that there is no needed follow-up if asymptomatic. The report outlined sections that required minor attention in yellow. Prenuvo offers patients a 15-minute consultation with a nurse practitioner, and you can also send your results to an outside doctor. During my consultation, I went over some of the minor attention sections, such as the minor fluid buildup in my left nostril (I was going through a cold, which explained it) and a central disc herniation in my lumbar spine (Doctors told me this is a normal variation, and no action is needed if asymptomatic other than working on posture to care for the spine). If someone had an urgent finding, they would likely take their scan to an outside physician and discuss the next steps. The full-body MRI controversy When sharing my scan with Dr. Matthew Davenport, the William Martel Collegiate professor of radiology and service chief and vice chair in the Department of Radiology at Michigan Medicine, he assured me my scan was completely normal for someone my age. Davenport, who is not affiliated with Prenuvo and does not have a doctor-patient relationship with me, shared his concern that outlining specific anatomical variations as findings can cause unnecessary psychological stress for people. Knowing is not always to your advantage if what you learn doesn't have a clear pathway. Sometimes when you learn a piece of information, you can be misdirected as to the importance of it, he tells Fortune, adding that further testing, appointments, and procedures down the line may lead to more harm than good. You can learn something about yourself, but it can actually increase your uncertainty. In his own practice, Davenport says 20% to 40% of cross-sectional imaging studies like MRIs and CT scans have an incidental finding. He imagines that a host of people taking routine preventative scans may go to lengths to address something that is still in the spectrum of normal, he says. Those incidental findings are 500 to one or 1,000 to one unimportant, but we ended up doing stuff with them because we don't know what to do. We want to manage that uncertainty. Prenuvo includes disclaimers at the top of their results page, indicating what the MRI does not replace, including routine breast cancer screenings, colonoscopies, and pap smears. Still, Davenport fears that people may assume they dont need other follow ups. There is the potential for someone to get a result, have it be totally clean and say, I can now disengage from normal recommended screening protocols, he says. That's a significant concern of mine. He also says it's rare to discover an aggressive or harmful finding during a full-body MRI when no symptoms are present. A 2019 analysis of 12 studies spanning over 5,000 asymptotic people, published in the Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, found that incidental and indeterminate findings were common for asymptomatic people undergoing full-body MRIs. The analysis of six studies found a 16% prevalence of false positive findings. There's a much smaller proportion of aggressive diseases, which are the ones we're trying to find, but we're lost in the haystack of all the other stuff, Davenport says. It's common for the aggressive ones to grow quickly, so we'd have to catch the screenable interval exactly right. The American College of Radiology issued a statement on full body MRIs in April, stating, To date, there is no documented evidence that total body screening is cost-efficient or effective in prolonging life. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force routinely updates their recommendations for screenings. However, for Ferreira and her team, even minor findings or anatomical variants may reassure patients that they are okay. Knowledge is power, she tells Fortune. In the future, if something was kind of bothering them, they'll at least know they had this before, so that might not be the root cause of their problem now. Is the future about prevention? Ferreria and her team hope Prenuvo becomes a part of peoples routine health plan. I think eventually where we want to go is how you go to the dentist. You get a checkup. You go to your physician. You get a physical. You go for your Prenuvo scan every so often just ensuring that everything is working properly in the body, Ferreira says. But, of course, theres also the cost. Prenvuo, which encourages people to consider taking the MRI routinely, tells me they aim to make their services more accessible such as working with employers to offer this as a benefit. However, as it stands, the full-body scan is available for those who are willing to shell out over $2,000. So, would I do it again? Probably notbecause of the cost and maybe because Im in my mid-20s and feel generally healthy. I learned things about my body and anatomy, but its unclear how necessary it all is. Id consider it down the road in a decade or two when more long-term evidence about their effectiveness is available. I see the potential benefits and drawbacks, but aim to stick with the routine tests recommended to me by my doctor. Peter Diamandis, renowned entrepreneur and founder of the XPRIZE on longevity medicine, says there are so many mysteries in our body. To have more knowledge about our health is undoubtedly a human desire and instinct. Even then, medicine is full of variability far greater than we realize and specialists often disagree about proper interventions. As it stands, full-body MRIs are not recommended because of limited evidence that their benefits outweigh the undue additional risks and harms such as psychological harm and more unanswered questions, never mind the cost. For more on how to live longer: This story was originally featured on Fortune.com By Hannah Cottrell, PA A busker who left his guitar at a bus stop was reunited with the instrument less than 24 hours later thanks to the power of social media. Jesse Geaney said losing his guitar would have thrown (him) a curveball and affected his livelihood after he had started to produce studio recordings of his music, saying he didnt expect to see it again. The 30-year-old, originally from Ireland and currently living in Lewisham, south-east London, started busking while he was homeless for around eight years. Jesse Geaney said his livelihood would have been affected had he not been reunited with his guitar (Jesse Geaney/PA) Music really helped me deal with the stress of being homeless and it gave me something to hold on to, he told the PA news agency. He added that he has been sober for a year and has been able to access supported social housing through Lewisham Council in the last seven months. Mr Geaney said he was in a positive place before he lost his guitar on Friday evening when suddenly everything came crashing back down and everything was ruined. I knew something was going to go wrong, it was bad. I couldnt do any of the things I planned this month, he said. But it spun around thanks to the people of Lewisham and the sheer kindness and commitment and the power of the internet. He added that he was on the way to a friends recording studio when he left his guitar at the bus stop after being in a rush. Ive just started getting all the music stuff going, he said. I didnt expect to see it again you see an instrument on the street, a lot of people would take that. He posted about his lost guitar in a local Facebook group and said that, within hours, he received several messages from people helping to connect him with a woman who found it and took it safely home with her. Claire Wheeler found the guitar at the bus stop and posted photos of it on a local Facebook group (Claire Wheeler/PA) I was so surprised to wake up on Saturday morning to see messages about it all the whole thing was resolved in 15 hours just through the community Facebook page, he said. Claire Wheeler, a substance misuse worker from nearby Eltham, said she was on her way home on Friday evening when she saw Mr Geaneys guitar at the bus stop. She took photos of the instrument and initially planned to hand it to a bus driver, but they declined to take it because it was not left on the bus itself. So Ms Wheeler decided to take it home with her and posted the images to the Facebook group where members of the page were able to locate Mr Geaneys original post and connect the pair. Somebody else did the work for me they found him, the power of social media did it all for me, she told PA. It makes me feel happy that its going back to the right place. To speak to Jesse and hear his story makes me feel even better someone who has been down on their luck and trying to do an awful lot with their life, and this is his livelihood. The pair met on Saturday, and Ms Wheeler returned the guitar to its owner. Mr Geaney said he felt uplifted after being reunited with his instrument, saying he would have had to scrape together to purchase a new one after recently spending 220 on his guitar. Its a high precision instrument which would be worth a pretty penny Im just in awe and Im still buzzing that this has happened, he said. The integrity of people is just beautiful and for every one person that does you bad, theres 10 people that can do you good. James Cox The director of a new film about two brothers who set out to murder a TD has said it does not glorify political violence in any way. Suit Hung. Tied Tongue' is the first feature film from Dublin director Sau Dachi. The synopsis of the film reads: "What if all the variables collided - youre not able to buy a house (ever), lost your only parent due to a government failing, lost in depression and anxiety and you went on to murder a TD who, in your view, has failed the people. "Thats what new Irish film Suit Hung. Tied Tongue. examines; the horrific concept that violence could happen at any time in these politically polarised times. "Its a cautionary tale about two brothers who become anarchically radicalised against the state. The fall-out from their crimes brings national outrage, disgust and support." Speaking to BreakingNews.ie, Mr Dachi said the story is dark, and does not glorify political violence. "If anyone said that, they probably haven't seen the film. There was a good bit of care with the harsher moments to make sure it's not glorifying anything in the film... the music helps with that as well. "It's certainly not a hate piece. A lot of time was taken to make it down the middle. There are lots of viewers who hate the brothers, and others who support them. "People who have seen the film recognise a lot of care was taken to make it a hard-hitting piece about what can happen. When we were editing the film there was the news about politicians getting extra protection. I was reading that thinking 'my God'." Mr Dachi's idea was originally to make a short film, but the project developed into a feature. He hopes for a cinematic release this year, and Suit Hung. Tied Tongue has already enjoyed success at a number of film festivals. It has been shown at the Richard Harris Film Festival with a nomination for Lead Role for Paul St Leger and has won Best Feature Film at the Underground Film Festival. Suit Hung. Tied Tongue has also been nominated as Best Genre Film at The Vancouver Badass Film Festival. The film was scored by Grammy nominee Dario Rodighiero. Mr Dachi enjoys working with music, and he worked closely with Mr Rodighiero to ensure the tense score complimented the story. The protagonists in the film lost their mother to cancer after she was affected by the Cervical scandal, and other themes such as the housing crisis also feature. Mr Dachi said this adds to the real feeling of the story. The film was shot in Finglas, Malahide, the Liberties and Co Wicklow. "A lot of the themes in the film are based on real stories of people I know. Most of them are first-hand accounts, bar the fictional part of the two brothers carrying out their plan. "The whole goal was to make this very real. A lot of it is shot on high-end cameras. The cameras we use are the ones they used in Skyfall. However, it's mixed with very crude cameras, to get across the brothers filming themselves and stuff. There's lots of dash-cam footage, that type of stuff. We wanted it coming across as hyperrealistic, echoing The Blair Witch Project and that type of film. "That's also a budget thing, which helped us. If we were to shoot it all on good cameras you would lose the vibe and style, but it would also be very expensive. "It's a great contrast. All the high-end camera shots are in black and white, and then the crude stuff is colour but very degraded and horrible looking. "The two lead actors, Paul St Leger and Alex Eydt, I was with them when we were shooting, but it was very free form acting. I had a few notes here and there, but I didn't want them to read off script. It's really natural, which is great. "They'd come to me with ideas. We rented a house for three days, the brothers' house in the film, and it was just creating every day." Mr Dachi hopes the film will get viewers thinking about issues we face as a society. Paul St Leger and Alex Eydt star in the film "Within the film, it's based on many true stories. I feel it's based on real feelings, I'm feeling vibes the kettle is fully boiled... that type of thing. "Our main minister in the film gets across that he's telling the people what they want to hear but not acting on it. "A lot of people were saying the ending was very sad. I wasn't expecting that reaction. I had all the opinions set in my mind, and they were all different [viewer reactions]. "Not a single person in the film had a full script, they all had their own. I was getting hounded by the actors asking where it was going. I had to tell them they'd see at the end. "The themes should resonate with people. We wanted to make something hard hitting, abrasive, and unrelenting in its brutality. There is not a moment in this film that's nice, it's pretty much miserable from start to finish." Making films on a small budget is always challenging, and Mr Dachi faced another obstacle when the final edit was lost following a hard drive crash. However, he's proud of the finished product and feels it deserves a cinema release in 2024. Toyota closed out 2023 as Irelands best-selling car brand, making it three years in a row. Toyota sold 16,532 cars in 2023, 3,164 more than the next best-seller, with a market-leading share of 13.57%. Electrified driving continues to prove hugely popular among Irish drivers, with hybrid electric and plug-in hybrid securing a combined market share of 26.82% - 4.66% higher than diesel, which dropped to 22.16% of total sales, a reduction of 4.58% compared to 2022. In 2018, Toyota became the first brand to cease diesel production for mass-market passenger cars, and in 2023 its electrified models represented 92.8% of its entire annual sales. Toyota Ireland offers the widest range of hybrid electric cars on the market, reflecting the growing consumer demand for more environmentally friendly, low-emission vehicles, which are playing an important role in moving drivers away from diesel to electrified driving. Hybrid electric has proven to be the sweet spot for those looking to make a positive change and embrace electrified driving without compromise. Looking at the entire electrified market, including battery electric vehicles, 2023 represented a landmark year for more sustainable motoring taking a combined market share of 45.52%, cementing electrification as the new normal. In December, Toyota detailed its multi-pathway strategy to democratise the worlds journey to carbon neutrality, by investing in the development of new low and zero-emissions vehicles to meet the needs of consumers. Toyota is also doubling down on its investment in next-generation battery technology development, focusing on introducing solid-state batteries to the market in 2027-2028. Steve Tormey, CEO, Toyota Ireland, said: As a brand that has championed sustainable and electrified motoring for years, seeing hybrid electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles overtake diesel for the first time feels like vindication for making the tough, but right, decision to pull out of diesel back in 2018 when it was by far the most popular seller. "It is clear by the growing demand for electrified vehicles, and our hybrid electric models in particular, that our Built for a Better World brand promise is registering more than ever in the conscience of the mass market. Authorities say one person is dead after being struck by a tanker truck at the intersection of Ruth Street and Woodrow Avenue in Sinking Spring. Davida King says she was in the area visiting her boyfriend. "We came up this way and they had the whole street blocked off, so we couldn't get out this way at all nor could we come back to the house the other way," King said. Police say that neighbors told them they saw a man walking around the street. According to police, a witness says the man jumped into the path of the tanker truck. "My humble and most sincere condolences to the people that lost their family member," King said. Woodrow Avenue in the area of Route 422 was closed, but has since reopened. Police say the truck driver did not stop at the scene. An officer tells 69 News that police would like to speak to the driver. The officer says he doesn't think the driver realized what happened. The name of the person who police say was struck has not been released. Photo: Jim Allen - FreightWaves Chart of the Week: Carrier Details Net Changes in Trucking Authorities USA SONAR: CDNCA.USA Since the start of November, net active truckload operating authorities have dropped by 9,000 an approximately 12% increase over the same period last year, according to Carrier Details analysis of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration data. The operating authorities measured here are Motor Carrier of Property authorizations. These are specific to for-hire truckload companies, which can represent any number of trucks. Over 92% of the operating authorities represent carriers that have fewer than 20 trucks in their fleet. So one authority can be a single truck or 5,000 trucks the latter being in the gross minority. Point being, this data is heavily skewed toward small operators. Measuring available capacity is one of the most challenging things to do in the trucking industry due to the aforementioned extreme fragmentation. While we can measure the total number of operators and their fleet sizes, it does not mean they are available to service the existing freight demand. Some carriers may specialize in certain commodities like produce or limit themselves to a single region. They also may lack the visibility to know where all the available freight is. Freight demand itself is very dynamic and prone to extreme seasonal and economic cycle fluctuations. The best data points to view when trying to see capacitys effectiveness in the U.S. are tender rejection and spot rate averages the former being more precise than the latter. Looking at the past five-year history of the national tender rejection rate (OTRI) and dry van spot rate (NTI), both are low compared to the pandemic years of 2020-21. There does appear to be a slight upward trend that started in the spring of last year, however. This tells us that capacity is slowly becoming less available, though still abundant. The purpose of looking at the net changes in authorities data is to see the direction and rate of capacity growth or deterioration. The current level of deterioration is historically fast, meaning the truckload market has the increasing potential to flip to a much tighter environment without much notice. Story continues Looking at a chart of total operating authorities (supply) and the national tender volume index (demand), the demand side moves much more quickly and is more volatile than the supply side. This is due to the length of time the decision and equipment acquisition/sale process is for the supply side of the market. If demand remains somewhat stable, the supply could fall right through it due to the momentum and opacity of the market. The biggest question at the moment is, when will this happen? It is nearly impossible to predict with any precision due to carrier positioning and network incongruencies with demand, although it does appear increasingly likely in the next 12 months. From a shipping perspective, it would be ill-advised not to begin preparation. Even if the market does not flip this year, it is wise to prepare. Some of the strategies that hedge against freight market volatility include: Carrier/route guide diversification. Private fleet growth. Increasing dedicated service. Dynamic pricing that moves with the market (Cost plus/Index-linked contracts). All of these strategies may cost more in the short term but hedge against dramatic, budget-destroying events. Perhaps the better question to ask is, how long will the next period of disruption last? About the Chart of the Week The FreightWaves Chart of the Week is a chart selection from SONAR that provides an interesting data point to describe the state of the freight markets. A chart is chosen from thousands of potential charts on SONAR to help participants visualize the freight market in real time. Each week a Market Expert will post a chart, along with commentary, live on the front page. After that, the Chart of the Week will be archived on FreightWaves.com for future reference. SONAR aggregates data from hundreds of sources, presenting the data in charts and maps and providing commentary on what freight market experts want to know about the industry in real time. The FreightWaves data science and product teams are releasing new datasets each week and enhancing the client experience. To request a SONAR demo, click here. The post Trucking authority correction accelerates appeared first on FreightWaves. ORLANDO, Fla. While NASA is rooting for SpaceX to achieve Starship success so it can land humans on the moon, the U.S. military has plans of their own for the massive rocket that could include launches from Floridas Space Coast. Elon Musks next-generation rocket currently in development at SpaceXs southeast Texas facilities is gearing up for its third suborbital test flight as soon as this month after its first two ended in explosions last year. Its part of the companys long-term plans for a completely reusable spacecraft with more payload capacity into space than any other rocket ever. Starships potential also includes flying quickly from one spot on Earth to another, which is what has the Department of Defense interested. That was discussed during the Space Mobility Conference held by the Space Force at the Orange County Convention Center earlier this month. Rocket cargo point-to-point is not the reason were building Starship, said SpaceX senior adviser Gary Henry. Were building Starship to get to Mars. [But] what were finding is its a system were putting together that has profound impacts for national security, and one of them just happens to be rocket point-to-point. The big driver of that is the potential the military could use the rocket to send supplies, and perhaps even troops in the future, to anywhere in the world in less than an hour. Defense department officials began looking at the idea two decades ago but only recently has it come closer to reality. Envision a number of containers sitting in a warehouse down in [Cape] Canaveral, we go to an alert level, we pull them up, you start putting them on the rocket, said Gregory Spanjers, chief scientist for the U.S. Air Force Research Lab. At each successive alert level, your time to launch shrinks and shrinks and shrinks, and we can we get it down to one hour. Spanjers said teams have already been making mockups of Starships cargo bay figuring out how to take advantage of a quick supply run. Story continues Speed is the obvious draw, but the cost is dropping and getting closer to existing expenses for moving supplies. Henry said SpaceXs current fleet of Falcon 9 rockets with boosters originally designed to fly 10 times, but with future boosters that might go up as many as 40 times, have brought the price of flying payloads from about $4,500 per pound to about $900 per pound. The Falcon 9s have a capacity of 44,000 pounds to 132,000 pounds. But Starship is a very different animal, he said. Starship is fundamentally meant to be rapidly reusable We designed the vehicle from the outset to fly 100 times, not 10 times, and its going to deliver [220,000 to 250,000 pounds] 100 to 115 metric tons to low-Earth orbit. He said Starship would bring the cost trajectory down to a starting point of $90 per pound. Musk has said he could see that dropping even more to $9 a pound down the road. Henry said these are prices close to what one gets using a C-17 cargo plane transport, the supply workhorse of the military, but with flights that take hours instead of minutes. He also stressed just how often SpaceX plans to launch. In a few years, we will be launching Starships hundreds, and soon thereafter, thousands of times a year, he said. And if just assuming you have a rapidly reusable system that could lets say launch twice a day, from a single launch base, youre going to find very, very quickly, were going to run out of places to launch. Right now SpaceX has one usable launch tower at Starbase in Texas, but it is already building out more. Steel girders constructed at SpaceXs Kennedy Space Center facilities were loaded Wednesday on a barge to make their way to Starbase. SpaceX is also building out a Starship launch tower at KSC. To meet its launch plans, it will need multiple launch towers from its existing launch sites at KSC, Texas and California, but SpaceX could spread its footprint to new launch sites down the line as well, and that could feed into point-to-point plans the military is interested in, Henry said. I think the answer is were going to need both as a company, but also as a nation, to fully leverage Starship, he said. Were going to need a proliferation of launch sites [within the continental U.S.] and maybe even globally to fully capture this. Its one of the facets of Chinas growing space program that is starting to outpace the U.S. During a talk at the conference, Space Force intelligence analyst Chief Master Sgt. Ronald Lerch with Space Systems Command said China was beginning to build out more launch sites and advance their rocket types to catch up to the U.S. Theres a bottleneck that they need to alleviate so theyre doing something about it, he said noting it performed its first sea launch in the South China Sea as well. He also noted their price points are projected to fall as well with Chinas Long March 5 rocket flying at around $1,360 per pound, but the Long March 9 rocket is aiming to be completely reusable with a price cut in half down to $680 per pound. China is moving very, very close, It is full speed ahead in terms of reusability, he said, and that it too is relying on commercial launches, and not just government rockets. This thrust feeds into Chinas stance as a superpower in space as it continues to build out its low-Earth orbit space station and has plans to pursue a crewed lunar landing before the end of the decade. On top of any sort of lunar competition, Chinas saber-rattling in terms of trying to reunify with Taiwan has U.S. military concerned. Right now we have a very aggressive adversary, said Space Force Col. Nathan Vosters, director for requirements, resources, and programs for the Indo-Pacific region. He said the ability for rapid delivery to that part of the world ties directly to ensuring a free and open region, which generates 60% of the worlds gross domestic product. This technology, I think, has the opportunity to both promote a continued free and open Indo-Pacific while also contributing directly to the war fight if and when that time would come, he said. At the very least, this changes the calculus problem a little bit for our adversaries in the region. Spanjers said getting over the technological hurdle that Starship is attempting is essential but everyone on the board felt it was just a matter of time. I hope that we see a successful demonstration here very quickly, he said. I think were all in your corner, because it advances where were going. There are lots of ways to make a lot of money with the stock market. That said, none are more reliable than buying stocks that pay dividends and holding them for a long time. Long-term dividend stock investors don't even need to be good at picking winners to assemble a portfolio that performs well. That's because companies tend to be profitable on a recurring basis before they initiate dividend programs. Image source: Getty Images. A commitment to distribute a portion of profits forces management teams to make careful investments with the earnings they retain. As a result, dividend payers tend to outperform non-dividend-payers by a mile when viewed over long timelines. From 1973 through 2022, dividend non-payers in the benchmark S&P 500 index delivered a lousy 3.95% average annual return. Dividend-paying stocks in the same index produced a 9.18% average annual return. In addition to better returns, there's also an unquantifiable mental health benefit to filling your portfolio with dividend-paying stocks. Investors focused on retirement tend to rely on dividend stocks for recurring income so they're rarely eager to sell. This makes dividend payers far less likely to exhibit wild price swings when the overall economy is in turmoil. These three stocks offer an average yield of 7.5% at recent prices, so an investment of about $1,340 spread equally among them will lead to an extra $100 in annual dividend income in the year ahead. AT&T Shares of AT&T (NYSE: T) have been under pressure because old-fashioned landlines and internet connections that rely on telephone lines are rapidly disappearing. As a result, the stock offers a huge 6.6% dividend yield. Luckily, AT&T's fiber-optic internet service, AT&T Fiber, and its ongoing 5G rollout are offsetting the losses. In 2023, the company added over 1 million AT&T Fiber subscribers for the sixth year in a row. AT&T's expanding 5G network pushed mobility service revenue 4.4% higher last year, and it isn't the only operating segment reporting gains. Soaring Fiber revenue drove consumer broadband sales 8.1% higher last year. Story continues It took longer than it should have, but AT&T finally launched a fixed wireless service, called AT&T Internet Air, last August. With the new service available in just 35 locations, the company signed up 93,000 subscribers last year. Now that it's available in 59 locations, don't be surprised if fixed wireless signups exceed fiber signups in 2024. Pfizer Shares of Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) offer an unusually large 6.1% dividend yield at recent prices. The pharmaceutical stock has been under pressure because sales of its COVID-19 products evaporated even faster than expected. Declining sales of Comirnaty and Paxlovid pushed total revenue down 41% last year, but the worst is already over. Combined sales of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine and antiviral treatment sank to $2.2 billion during the last three months of 2023 if you factor in a $3.2 billion inventory writedown for Paxlovid. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved nine new drugs from Pfizer last year. Now that Paxlovid and Comirnaty losses are in the rearview mirror, this company's top and bottom lines could return to growth. Oncology will continue to be an important area for Pfizer. The company acquired four commercial-stage therapies from Seagen in 2023. One of those drugs, Padcev, recently earned approval to treat newly diagnosed bladder cancer patients. New cancer patients tend to stay on therapy much longer than folks who already failed one course of treatment. With a new first-line indication, industry analysts think annual Padcev sales could surge to $7 billion at its peak. Altria Group Altria Group (NYSE: MO) is the U.S. tobacco company that markets the leading Marlboro brand. Cigarette smoking has been in decline for decades, but the pricing power that comes with such a powerful brand has allowed the company to raise its dividend 58 times over the past 54 years. Altria Group's attempt to transition cigarette smokers to e-vapor products hit a snag when the FDA banned the fruity flavors that teens and adults prefer. Altria repositioned by selling its stake in Juul and acquiring NJOY last year. At the moment, NJOY is one of three e-cigarette brands authorized by the FDA and the only one with a replaceable pod-based system. Altria Group and its peers have had a hard time competing against unauthorized disposable e-vapor products such as Elf Bar. As a result, the stock offers a huge 9.8% dividend yield at recent prices. The FDA has been slow to enforce its flavored e-cigarette ban, but it's finally started making significant moves in recent months. In addition to dozens of warning letters to online retailers, the FDA teamed up with Customs and Border Protection to seize 41 shipments of illicit vaporizers last December. Illicit vaporizers might slow down Altria's pace of dividend raises for another couple of years. Still, it's only a matter of time before government regulators effectively limit access to illicit e-cigarettes. Should you invest $1,000 in AT&T right now? Before you buy stock in AT&T, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now and AT&T wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Stock Advisor provides investors with an easy-to-follow blueprint for success, including guidance on building a portfolio, regular updates from analysts, and two new stock picks each month. The Stock Advisor service has more than tripled the return of S&P 500 since 2002*. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of February 5, 2024 Cory Renauer has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Pfizer. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Want an Extra $100 in Annual Dividend Income? Invest $1,340 in These 3 High-Yield Dividend Stocks. was originally published by The Motley Fool After he dies, Warren Buffett says 90% of his wife's inheritance will go into this one investment and it's not Berkshire Hathaway. Here's why, plus 1 extra tool to transfer wealth Legendary investor Warren Buffett has generated substantial returns for the shareholders of his company, Berkshire Hathaway. From 1964 to 2022, Berkshire delivered an overall gain of 3,787,464%. Given the astonishing track record, one might assume that Buffett would want this successful trajectory to continue through his estate after his passing. However, the Oracle of Omaha has a different plan. Don't miss In his 2013 letter to Berkshire shareholders, Buffett shed light on the directives he has included in his will. One bequest provides that cash will be delivered to a trustee for my wifes benefit, he wrote. My advice to the trustee could not be more simple: Put 10% of the cash in short-term government bonds and 90% in a very low-cost S&P 500 index fund. Buffett recommended using Vanguards S&P 500 index fund. While this strategy is straightforward and doesn't require constant monitoring or active trading, Buffett expressed a significant amount of confidence in it. I believe the trusts long-term results from this policy will be superior to those attained by most investors whether pension funds, institutions or individuals who employ high-fee managers, he said. For those with healthy fortunes, theres also a Trump-era tax break they can take advantage of to transfer a portion of their wealth, however, its set to expire at the end of 2025. 'The best thing to do' An S&P 500 index fund is a type of mutual fund or exchange-traded fund (ETF) designed to replicate the performance of the S&P 500 Index, a primary benchmark for the U.S. stock market. The index reflects the stock performance of 500 of the largest companies listed on stock exchanges in the U.S. and is often considered a barometer for the overall economy. Story continues While Buffett advocates everyday investors make use of index funds, he does not dismiss the value of his own company. During Berkshires 2021 annual shareholders meeting, Buffett addressed a question about whether his directive to the trustees of his estate to invest significantly in an index fund represents a lack of confidence in Berkshires management. Well, no, because were talking about way less than 1% of my estate, he clarified, noting that 99.7%-plus of his estate will either go to philanthropies or to the federal government. I just think that the best thing to do is buy 90% in S&P 500 index fund, Buffett emphasized. Read more: No landlord? No problem! Explore hassle-free real estate investments The average person can't pick stocks Buffetts preference for recommending index funds stems from his belief that stock picking is not an optimal strategy for average investors. At the 2021 shareholders meeting, he stated frankly, I do not think the average person can pick stocks. This is where index funds come into play. Investing in an S&P 500 index fund is not complicated: one simply purchases the fund and holds onto it without the need to select individual stocks. Its a passive investment strategy. The fund aims to replicate the index's performance by holding the same stocks in the same proportions as they appear in the index. Unlike actively managed funds, where fund managers make decisions about how to allocate assets, index funds try to match the index, not outperform it. Moreover, by investing in an S&P 500 index fund, investors get exposure to 500 large companies across various industries. This diversification can help reduce risk because the fund's performance isn't tied to the success or failure of a single company. In 2023, the S&P 500 surged 24% and its up more than 8% in 2024. Federal estate and gift taxes In 2017, then-President Donald Trump signed into law the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), which provided a flurry of temporary tax relief measures. Among them was raising the lifetime federal gift and estate tax exemption the amount for 2024 stands at $13.61 million ($27.22 million for married couples). That means individuals can transfer assets up to those amounts without triggering federal estate taxes. If Congress decides not to extend the tax breaks offered by the TCJA by the end of 2025, the exemption amounts will revert to the previous system, roughly half as much. One tool people can use to safely pass on wealth and can be used before the TCJA expiry date is called a spousal lifetime access trust (SLAT). These are irrevocable trusts that remove assets from an estate but allow for the possibility of accessing them in the future by the primary beneficiary. Typically, a spouse is listed as the primary beneficiary, while children and grandchildren can be beneficiaries of the remaining assets in the trust once the primary beneficiary dies. What to read next This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Scout Investments Inc. lessened its stake in shares of Core Laboratories Inc. (NYSE:CLB Free Report) by 2.8% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 286,149 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after selling 8,305 shares during the quarter. Scout Investments Inc. owned about 0.61% of Core Laboratories worth $6,676,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in CLB. Raymond James & Associates purchased a new position in shares of Core Laboratories in the first quarter worth approximately $1,980,000. US Bancorp DE raised its stake in Core Laboratories by 15.3% during the 1st quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 5,945 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $188,000 after acquiring an additional 790 shares during the period. Citigroup Inc. raised its stake in Core Laboratories by 57.8% during the 1st quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 39,192 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $1,240,000 after acquiring an additional 14,354 shares during the period. Rhumbline Advisers raised its stake in Core Laboratories by 9.4% during the 1st quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 68,839 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $2,177,000 after acquiring an additional 5,931 shares during the period. Finally, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS raised its stake in Core Laboratories by 14.0% during the 1st quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 39,895 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $1,262,000 after acquiring an additional 4,909 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 97.81% of the companys stock. Get Core Laboratories alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of research firms have commented on CLB. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Core Laboratories from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Saturday, January 20th. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their target price on shares of Core Laboratories from $21.00 to $17.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, February 5th. Finally, TheStreet cut shares of Core Laboratories from a b- rating to a c rating in a research report on Thursday, November 2nd. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and three have assigned a hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Core Laboratories has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $19.88. Core Laboratories Trading Down 2.3 % Shares of CLB opened at $14.52 on Friday. The companys fifty day moving average is $16.79 and its 200 day moving average is $20.80. Core Laboratories Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $14.27 and a fifty-two week high of $27.94. The stock has a market capitalization of $678.43 million, a PE ratio of 16.88, a P/E/G ratio of 0.46 and a beta of 2.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70, a quick ratio of 1.73 and a current ratio of 2.55. Core Laboratories (NYSE:CLB Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 31st. The oil and gas company reported $0.19 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.20 by ($0.01). Core Laboratories had a return on equity of 15.12% and a net margin of 8.03%. The business had revenue of $128.21 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $127.80 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.23 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Core Laboratories Inc. will post 0.8 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Core Laboratories Announces Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 4th. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 12th will be paid a $0.01 dividend. This represents a $0.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.28%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 9th. Core Laboratoriess dividend payout ratio is currently 4.65%. About Core Laboratories (Free Report) Core Laboratories Inc provides reservoir description and production enhancement services and products to the oil and gas industry in the United States, Canada, and internationally. It operates through Reservoir Description and Production Enhancement segments. The Reservoir Description segment includes the characterization of petroleum reservoir rock, reservoir fluid, and gas samples to enhance production and improve recovery of oil and gas from its clients' reservoirs. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Core Laboratories Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Core Laboratories and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Texas Permanent School Fund Corp trimmed its position in shares of Halliburton (NYSE:HAL Free Report) by 1.9% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 185,661 shares of the oilfield services companys stock after selling 3,521 shares during the period. Texas Permanent School Fund Corps holdings in Halliburton were worth $7,519,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. UBS Group AG increased its holdings in Halliburton by 6.5% during the third quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 2,237,806 shares of the oilfield services companys stock worth $90,631,000 after buying an additional 137,222 shares during the last quarter. Aptus Capital Advisors LLC bought a new position in Halliburton during the third quarter worth $225,000. Wade G W & Inc. bought a new position in Halliburton during the third quarter worth $239,000. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System boosted its position in Halliburton by 4.9% during the third quarter. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System now owns 969,445 shares of the oilfield services companys stock worth $39,263,000 after purchasing an additional 44,916 shares during the period. Finally, Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC bought a new position in Halliburton during the third quarter worth $94,000. 82.09% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Halliburton alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of research firms have commented on HAL. UBS Group lifted their price objective on shares of Halliburton from $44.00 to $48.00 in a research report on Monday, January 22nd. Barclays reduced their price objective on shares of Halliburton from $55.00 to $54.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, January 24th. Atb Cap Markets cut shares of Halliburton from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating in a research report on Friday, December 22nd. StockNews.com cut shares of Halliburton from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 20th. Finally, Susquehanna reduced their target price on shares of Halliburton from $51.00 to $49.00 and set a positive rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, January 24th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $48.63. Halliburton Stock Down 1.5 % HAL stock opened at $34.51 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $30.72 billion, a PE ratio of 11.78, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.86 and a beta of 2.01. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $35.50 and a 200 day simple moving average of $38.30. Halliburton has a 52 week low of $27.84 and a 52 week high of $43.85. The company has a quick ratio of 1.48, a current ratio of 2.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81. Halliburton (NYSE:HAL Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 23rd. The oilfield services company reported $0.86 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.80 by $0.06. The business had revenue of $5.74 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.78 billion. Halliburton had a return on equity of 31.59% and a net margin of 11.46%. Halliburtons revenue for the quarter was up 2.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.72 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Halliburton will post 3.43 EPS for the current fiscal year. Halliburton Increases Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 27th. Investors of record on Wednesday, March 6th will be paid a $0.17 dividend. This represents a $0.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.97%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 5th. This is an increase from Halliburtons previous quarterly dividend of $0.16. Halliburtons payout ratio is 21.84%. Halliburton Profile (Free Report) Halliburton Company provides products and services to the energy industry worldwide. It operates in two segments, Completion and Production, and Drilling and Evaluation. The Completion and Production segment offers production enhancement services that include stimulation and sand control services; cementing services, such as well bonding and casing, and casing equipment; completion tools that offer downhole solutions and services, including well completion products and services, intelligent well completions, and service tools, as well as liner hanger, sand control, and multilateral systems; production solutions comprising coiled tubing, hydraulic workover units, downhole tools, and pumping and nitrogen services; and pipeline and process services, such as pre-commissioning, commissioning, maintenance, and decommissioning. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Halliburton Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Halliburton and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Nationwide gas prices have taken a sharp increase in late February and will continue to rise, said AAA officials. In the last week Arizona's average pump price rose more than 10 cents. AAA reported in early February that Arizona has experienced one of the largest increases in average gas price out of all the states since the beginning of the month, rising by a dime. AAA projected pump prices would gradually rise nationwide in the coming months due to higher oil prices and warmer temperatures driving gas demand up. Latest gas price news: Why are gas prices still going up in Arizona? Here's how much you'll pay Now at $3.41, Arizonas average gas price on Feb. 29 was also nearly a dime higher than the national average of $3.31. Why is gas going up? AAA officials attribute some of the increase to the two-week shutdown of the BP-Whiting refinery in Indiana due to a power outage. The refinery processed around 435,000 barrels per day, and the shutdown impacted prices in the Midwest the most. The ripples made by the shutdown have been felt nationwide. Pump prices usually move higher this time of year, but a 12 cent jump in one week is notable, said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson. However, the refinery shutdown will likely be resolved soon, so further increases at the pump should revert to slower and lower seasonal gains. Arizona gas prices are usually lowest during December and January after the state switches to its winter blend of gas, which is typically less costly, said AAA spokesperson Julian Paredes. Because the winters cold temperatures also often cause people to remain at home more, national gas prices typically fall during this season with gas demand. Gross's prediction that gas prices would probably rise again after Valentines Day proved correct. Paredes said this is because as temperatures rise near the end of February and people begin to drive more often, gas demand rises as well. With it, gas prices would typically begin to experience incremental increases of a few cents from week to week, according to Paredes. Story continues When we get closer to spring, gas prices will traditionally start going up just because as soon as we get more sun and warmer weather, demand for gas nationwide is going to start increasing, he said. Looking beyond our backyard, future increases in oil prices may also be pushing pump prices up, Paredes said. The decrease in the countrys gas stocks, as well as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and Ukraine, have contributed to rising oil prices. However, Gross predicted that prices would not spike dramatically unless some event shocks the worldwide oil market. How can I save money on gas in Arizona? Gas prices will generally trend upward as spring draws near until they peak around June, Gross anticipated. However, he said they may experience some flat days or even slight decreases along the way. Over the past week, Arizonas average pump price jumped from $3.36 to $3.41 as of Feb. 29. Some people are rightfully very concerned about gas prices, but at least right now, theres nothing really out of the ordinary happening right now even though we do expect to see gas prices going up, Paredes said. But thats typically normal as we get closer to spring and, obviously, summer. As the temperatures heat up and gas prices rise with them, here are some ways to save money while fueling up: Use gas price apps that allow you to compare local gas prices and find the stations with the lowest rates. With more than 100 million downloads, the free app and website GasBuddy is a popular option. You can also search gas on Google Maps to browse current gas prices in your area and get directions to nearby stations, all in one place. Implement driving habits that will maximize your gas mileage, like accelerating and braking gradually, following the speed limit, reducing your cars load and using cruise control. Take advantage of rewards programs. Many grocery stores offer popular discount programs for shoppers. For example, customers can earn points by shopping at Frys Food Stores, which they can then redeem when fueling up at Frys gas stations and select Shell locations. Shoppers at Albertsons and Safeway stores throughout the state can also redeem rewards to save money on gas at Safeway, Chevron and Texaco gas stations. Outside of grocery stores, GasBuddy issues cards that allow customers to save up to 25 cents per gallon when they activate deal alerts in its app and use the card to pay for gas. Properly maintain your car to maximize each tank of gas by inflating your tires, replacing dirty air filters and getting oil changes when recommended. Where is the cheapest place to get gas in Arizona? While statewide gas prices have been trending upward throughout the state recently, average gas prices are lower in some cities and counties than others. These places boasted some of the lowest average pump prices in Arizona, as of Feb. 29: Graham County: $3.08 Greenlee County: $3.22 Navajo County: $3.27 Gila County: $3.28 Apache County: $3.30 Cochise County: $3.30 Meanwhile, average pump prices were highest in these metro Phoenix regions as of Feb. 29: Scottsdale: $3.56 Peoria: $3.56 West Valley: $3.49 Maricopa County: $3.47 Glendale: 3.46 Phoenix: $3.46 Mesa 3.46 Why is gas more expensive in Phoenix than in Tucson? While gas prices have been increasing across Arizona, Pima County and Tucson still boast some of the lowest average pump prices in the state. On Feb. 29, Tucsons average pump price was roughly $3.31, about 15 cents less than Phoenixs average pump price of approximately $3.46. Southern Arizona typically has some of the cheapest gas prices statewide because of where the regions gas is sourced from, Paredes said. While much of Arizonas gas is imported from California, which has some of the most expensive gas nationwide, Tucson and the rest of southern Arizona receive most of their gas from Texas. As a result, the regions gas prices are usually less expensive. Madeline Nguyen is a breaking news reporter for The Republic. Reach her at Madeline.Nguyen@gannett.com or 480-619-0285. Follow her on X @madelineynguyen. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Gasoline prices are going up in Arizona? Here's a look at why Weather Alert ...Elevated Fire Danger Today and Tuesday... ...Hard Freeze Expected Tonight... The combination of very dry air and northwest winds gusting up to 20 mph will create an elevated risk of uncontrolled fire spread this afternoon. Relative humidity values will fall to 20 to 35%, with the lowest humidity levels over the Ozark Foothills of southeast Missouri. A more substantial fire danger is expected Tuesday, as southwest winds increase significantly, with gusts of 25 to 40 mph forecast Tuesday afternoon. Relative humidity values Tuesday afternoon will fall to 25 to 35%. If you are planning outdoor burning today and Tuesday, use extra caution and have fire suppression equipment ready. Tonight, very cold and dry surface high pressure will allow temperatures to drop into the middle and upper 20s throughout the region. Although the growing season has not officially started, tender vegetation could be impacted by these cold temperatures. Please take necessary actions to protect any tender vegetation tonight. FENNVILLE Seven years ago, Jacqueline Petro took the leap into business ownership, opening The 205 Coffee Bar in downtown Holland. But she recently passed the torch to new owners. These days, she's working on a new project: The Woods Luxury Camping. The Woods, located on 45 acres in Fennville, has 15 cabins with "luxurious" interiors close to local vineyards and breweries. Creativity and growth come from unexpected places and experiences, and The Woods is an invitation for guests to unleash their creativity in the heart of nature, Petro said. Its an escape where the unexpected meets the extraordinary luxury of our handcrafted cabins and stunning surroundings. The Woods Luxury Camping in Fennville is a new creation from former The 205 Coffee Bar owner Jacqueline Petro. Along with the "glamping" cabins, The Woods has EV chargers, a contemporary bathhouse, a community gathering space, complimentary continental breakfast and smores. The Woods is more than a retreat away from the hustle and stress of everyday life, Petro said. Our vision was to create a haven where our guests can acquire a cabin in the middle of the woods for a few days and connect with nature without sacrificing the comforts of a luxury retreat. Petro said the decision to sell The 205 was driven by a desire for an enhanced quality of life, and the opportunity to work alongside her family. The exploration of the glamping concept became a turning point, recognizing the untapped potential it offered in West Michigan, Petro said. The prospect of creating a family-oriented business in my preferred environment, and the chance to share this retreat with others is definitely a win/win. The Woods Luxury Camping in Fennville will begin reservation booking Feb. 13. Lisa Mize, executive director of The Saugatuck Douglas Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the community is thrilled to welcome The Woods and said it only adds to the charm and allure of the region. Subscribe: Get all your breaking news and unlimited access to our local coverage As we continue to showcase the beauty of Saugatuck, Douglas and Fennville, The Woods adds an exciting chapter to our narrative, Mize wrote in a release. Story continues Reservations open Feb. 13. For more information, visit bookthewoods.com. Contact reporter Austin Metz at ametz@hollandsentinel.com. This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: The Woods, glamping in Fennville, will open for reservations soon Bruce Prichard says he is not at liberty to discuss any legal matters related to WWE. Prichard has worked as the Executive Director at WWE since October 2019. He previously spent many years with the company, and he worked closely with Vince McMahon. On January 25, Janel Grant filed a lawsuit against Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis, and WWE, in which she alleged that McMahon and Laurinaitis engaged in sexual assault and trafficking of her. McMahon has denied the allegations, but he is under federal investigation. On the latest episode of Something To Wrestle, the lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE came up in the conversation. Bruce Prichard stated that he was not at liberty to discuss legal matters about WWE. He emphasized that he could not comment. (H/t Jeremy Lambert of Fightful for the transcription) As far as lawsuits and things of that nature, Im not at liberty to discuss any legal matters of the company whatsoever, Prichard said. To that, there is nothing that I can say. There cant be a response from the legal standpoint. You can ask until youre blue in the face, and thats going to be your answer. Im not involved, Im not being sued, Im not being accused of anything. Its a legal matter. Sometimes, it is as simple as, for those who believe, the explanation is needed; for those that dont, no explanation will do. Thats kind of where we are. Let the rest of it sit in the hands of the fine legal system we have here in the United States of America. Bruce Prichard: I Cant Comment Bruce Prichard then stated that nobody told him not to do anything on the podcast, aside from the fact that he could not comment on the lawsuit. No one told me not to do anything on the podcast other than the simple fact that I work for a company that is involved in a lawsuit right now, he said. I cant comment. Folks, if you work at a large company and your large company is being sued, there is very little you can say about it. If you do, thats a good way for you to lose your job. Vince McMahon resigned from WWE and TKO shortly after the lawsuit became public. He also issued a statement about the situation. RELATED: Ronda Rousey: Bruce Prichard Is Vince McMahons Avatar; If Hes Still Around, Vince Still Is The post Bruce Prichard Says Hes Not At Liberty To Discuss Vince McMahon Lawsuit appeared first on Wrestlezone. The couple met in the early 1990s Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic John Leguizamos wife, Justine Maurer, remembers the moment she met the man who would become her husband. He does too. I was shooting Carlitos Way, he says, recalling his time on the 1993 crime drama starring Al Pacino. I was a costumer on the movie, Maurer, 54, says. They met on a Manhattan corner outside a wardrobe fitting. She was already a fan of his, having seen his critically acclaimed, politically pointed one-man shows like 1991s Mambo Mouth. In the early 90s in New York you couldnt go anywhere that somebody didnt ask, Have you seen it? Who is this guy? It was so explosive, she says. Maurer had, she admits, a bit of a crush. I thought he was cute. I asked the designers if I could be at his fitting, even though I didnt need to be there.It was a beautiful sunny day, they both agree, and John walked up with his dog. Luigi, says Leguizamo, 63. Id just done Super Mario Brothers. I named the dog after my character. Justine was stunning. She was an angel. So beautiful, so sexy, just captivating. Related: John Leguizamo on What His 1993 Super Mario Bros. Movie Has in Common with It's a Wonderful Life (Exclusive) So the fitting happened and then, well, not much else. At the time Leguizamo was in a relationship with actress Yelba Osorio. (The two married in 1994 and divorced in 1996.) I think Justine and I were at very different points in our lives, he says. We were able to develop a friendship until the timing was right. It was phone calls, says Maurer. We would call each other every few months and check in and have these amazing long conversations. One day in 1996 Maurers phone rang again. She remembers him saying, Im in the city. Do you want to come by? The next day, the two took along Sunday-afternoon walk. And that was when it became evident theres something romantic here, she says. Leguizamo admits he had been thinking about her: I said, Lets make this something. And we moved in right away. John Leguizamo and Justine Maurer on their wedding day in 2003, courtesy John Leguizamo and Justine Maurer They first lived in a bungalow at the Chateau Marmont hotel in Los Angeles for six months.Drew Barrymore was on one side of us, and Keanu Reeves was on the other, recalls Leguizamo. I had learned a lot. I did not want a tumultuous relationship. I wanted peace. I wanted to have an oasis. And Justine gave me all of that. They had their fun, certainly. She loved hip-hop, he says.Wed go to clubs. Hip-hop is part of my life. She came with me to places where they checked her mouth for razor blades! Shes this White girl from the Upper West Side! (That was a new experience for me, Maurer says with a laugh.) She became a healing force in my life, continues Leguizamo, who wed Maurer in June 2003 following the birth of their daughter Allegra in 1999 and son Lucas in 2000. There, of course, have been differences. Were both from New York, but I went to public schools; she went to private schools, he says. All my friends were Latin and Black, and all her friends were White and Jewish. But thats what made it exciting and thrilling. It wasnt just preaching to the choir; it was converting some-body in a way. I like talking about my culture to Justine because it helps me understand where I came from and how far Ive come. Related: John Leguizamo Says He Was Once Fired from a Film Because They Couldn't 'Have Two Latin People' Amy Sussman/WWD/Penske Media via Getty Lucas Leguizamo, Allegra Leguizamo, Justine Maurer, and John Leguizamo These days Leguizamo and Maurer live in Manhattan, where hes still performing regularly and she sits on boards focusing on city preservation. Allegra, now 24, has followed in her fathers foot-steps as an actress and director, while Lucas, now23, works in finance. Together with their children, they still celebrate their blended worldview. I never went to a seder in my life until Justine andI had kids. It was so beautiful, says Leguizamo. So we did seders and then Easter. We would do Christmas and Hanukkah.I think it gave them a strong sense of connection to where they come from.You start to see that when you have diversity and a mixed marriage, your wealth is doubled. Our kids felt that and now live that. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Young Americans focus on 'enjoying life' while also being able to 'retire comfortably,' study says and could even be better off financially than older folks. Time to learn from the kids? From doom spending to racking up credit card debt, young people arent often refered to as financial role models. Dont miss But it turns out that assumption just might be wrong. According to a recent survey by financial services company Empower, the kids are financially alright. Early thoughts of retirement The Empower study, which surveyed more than 1,000 Americans about their spending and saving habits, revealed that Gen Z is planning early for their retirement. On average, theyve started setting aside money at age 23 a full seven years younger than the national average of 30. Gen Zers early start on retirement savings points to their focus on financial goals to enjoy life in the here and now, while being able to retire comfortably, the survey explained. This tracks with the generations overall approach to money. Soft saving is a popular TikTok money approach. Instead of aggressively hustling and saving, Gen Z wants to both use their money to enjoy life now, while also putting some aside for later. But not all young people are like this. A 2023 survey from fintech company Intuit discovered that 73% of Gen Zers are hesitant to save for the long-term. Even if they are saving, 66% of them dont think theyll ever have enough money to retire. Many Americans may identify more with those anxious Gen Zers than the ones building up their nest egg. However, you should take a page from the more prudent youth. Social Security isnt enough to live on right now and it may shrink further in the next decade. Story continues Unfortunately, time is not your friend when it comes to retirement savings. Its better to start putting money in a 401(k) sooner rather than later so that you can build up a good lump sum to help you retire. Read more: Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now cash in on prime real estate without the headache of being a landlord. Here's how Long-term care It turns out that kids care about their parents a lot: when it comes to financial planning, 21% of Gen Zers are factoring in support for aging relatives, according to the Empower survey. This is a bit higher than the 18% of families who have factored this in, but less than the 34% of extended families living together who have done the same. This isnt just out of the goodness of Gen Zs heart, either. The younger generation is watching the aging population grow, while facing the reality that 28% of Americans some of whom may be Gen Zs own parents dont have any retirement savings, according to the Federal Reserve. Even if their parents do have savings, it may not be enough. It costs an average of $23,232 per year to support a single older person in excellent health, living in a mortgage-free home, according to the Elder Index, developed by the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The number is even higher if youre in poor health or a renter. The best way for those nearing retirement to plan for their long-term care is the aforementioned 401(k) savings, as well as the possibility of purchasing long-term care insurance. But the most important thing for your long-term care financial plan is to actually have a conversation with your kids about your financial situation, even if its awkward. This way, you can both figure out how they can help you as you age, but you can also pass down your wisdom to help them plan for their own futures. What to read next This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. A judge in Oklahoma has stepped down after she was caught texting and mocking prosecutors during the trial of a two-year-old boy who was murdered. According to KSNT, District Judge Traci Soderstrom won't be seeking judicial office again in the state of Oklahoma while being accused of several things, including gross neglect of duty, oppression in office, lack of proper temperament, and failure to supervise her office. "I promised to uphold the Constitution in a fair, even-handed and efficient manner," Soderstrom said in a resignation letter. "I believe that I have done so. However, being human, I have also faltered." Soderstrom was investigated after Oklahoma Supreme Court Chief Justice John Kane IV recommended an investigation be opened after she was found to have mocked prosecutors, praised the defense attorney, laughed at a comment made by the bailiff, and called the prosecutor's key witness a liar during the trial. The Oklahoman shared video footage that showed Soderstrom had been texting away during jury selection, opening statements, and testimony during the trial. Soderstrom is accused of sending more than 500 text messages to the bailiff. In those texts, Soderstrom said things such as the prosecutor was "sweating through his coat," described the defense attorney as "awesome," and asked, "Can I clap for her?" during their opening statements. Soderstrom voluntarily suspended herself in October. More on this Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to Fox News Shannon Bream on Sunday about the militarys planned incursion into Rafah, a city in the southern Gaza Strip where approximately 1.5 million people are currently sheltered. While these people have few options available to them, Netanyahu said theres plenty of room north of Rafah for them to go to, and thats where were going to direct them. Netanyahu added that the military will deploy flyers, with cellphones and with safe corridors and other things to guide citizens to another part of Gaza. It is unclear what part of Gaza Netanyahu seemed to reference. According to the Associated Press, of the 1.5 million currently in Rafah, many are refugees from areas north of the city that have been leveled by the Israel Defense Forces. One city north of Rafah is the destroyed Khan Yunis, once touted as a safe haven for Gazans fleeing the north, who had previously been directed to move south. In photos taken by CNN, it is clear that much of Khan Yunis as it existed in December 2023 is no longer there. On Tuesday, the United Nations reported that the population of Rafah has increased fivefold since the current war between Israel and Hamas began on Oct. 7 following the terrorist groups attack on Israel and kidnapping of hundreds of people. U.N. spokesperson Jens Laerke explained, To be clear, intensified hostilities in Rafah in this situation could lead to large-scale loss of civilian lives, and we must do everything possible within our power to avoid that. Elsewhere on Sunday, Netanyahu told ABCs This Week that plans are in the works to help citizens who now need to flee Rafah. He said, We are working out a detailed plan to do so before he added, We are not going to let Hamas emerge victorious. And if we leave, itll be a tremendous victory for the Iran terror axis. He added, Were going to do it. Were going to get the remaining Hamas terrorist battalions in Rafah, which is the last bastion, but were going to do it. Netanyahu and President Joe Biden spoke Sunday for the first time since the latter appeared to criticize Israels operation in Gaza. The president told White House reporters, Im of the view, as you know, that the conduct of the response in Gaza in the Gaza Strip has been over the top. A military push into Rafah would also threaten the relationship between Israel and Egypt and cut off one of the most important avenues for delivering aid into the devastated region. The suggestion of the war expanding into Rafah has drawn sharp condemnation from around the world. European Union representative on foreign affairs and security Joseph Borrell Fontelles posted on Saturday, I echo the warning by several EU member states that an Israeli offensive on Rafah would lead to an unspeakable humanitarian catastrophe and grave tensions with Egypt. Resuming negotiations to free hostages and suspend hostilities is the only way to avert a bloodshed. I echo the warning by several EU member states that an Israeli offensive on Rafah would lead to an unspeakable humanitarian catastrophe and grave tensions with Egypt. Resuming negotiations to free hostages and suspend hostilities is the only way to avert a bloodshed. Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) February 10, 2024 U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield also condemned the planned invasion. In an interview with NPR, she said, Look, we have been absolutely clear that under the current circumstances in Rafah, a military operation now in that area cannot proceed. And that would dramatically exacerbate the humanitarian emergency that were all seeking to alleviate right now. Israel has an obligation to ensure that civilians, that their civilian population is safe and that theyre secure and that they have access to humanitarian aid and to basic services, Thomas-Greenfield added. Watch Netanyahu Fox News Sunday interview in the video above. The post Netanyahu Says Theres Plenty of Room in the North for Displaced Palestinians as Israels Military Plans to Push South | Video appeared first on TheWrap. The self-proclaimed "Pro-Life Spiderman" who climbed the Las Vegas Sphere earlier this week caused an astronomical amount of damage in a short period of time. Maison Des Champs, 24, a Vegas resident and activist, was trying to bring awareness to a homeless pregnant woman who needed help when he climbed to the top of the 366-foot tall Sphere. 'Pro-Life Spiderman' Was Arrested After Climbing To The Top Of The Las Vegas Sphere MEGA On Wednesday, Des Champs climbed to the top of the Sphere and documented and shared his stunt on social media. "I'm here on top of the Sphere. I guess they're gonna make me go through the top. I just wanted to say I'm doing this today to raise money for a mother named Isabel," he said in a video he shared on his Instagram page. "She's homeless and pregnant and needs help, guys. Go over to letthemlive.org or the link in my bio to go support this woman." Des Champs is trying to raise money so the homeless woman, Isabel, can cancel her abortion appointment scheduled on February 10. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Maison DesChamps (@prolife.spiderman) An arrest report states that a Sphere engineer was inside the building when he saw Des Champs climbing the Exosphere. The engineer tracked his climb up and notified his supervisors and police who met Des Champs at the top of the Sphere. According to KTNV, in the arrest report, police stated there was a "security concern" about allowing Des Champs to climb back down. If they didn't bring him down from the top of the venue, a helicopter rescue would have been necessary. Matthew German, the Sphere Vice President of Security and Threat Management, told police the Sphere is not meant to be touched or climbed on the exterior. The report also states there are also concerns about the climb being live-streamed and that intellectual property from the venue may have been leaked to the public. Mason Des Champs - Instagram In addition to that, Sphere officials said it will take some time to fully assess the real damages done because of the large number of lights. They anticipate the cost of the damages will exceed $100,000. Des Champs is facing multiple charges, including destroying property greater than $5,000 and conspiracy to destroy private property. According to KTNV, three other people were arrested in connection with the publicity stunt and appeared in a Vegas courtroom on Thursday. The judge ruled that the three can be released on their own recognizance, must stay out of the Strip corridor, and have no contact with Des Champs while the case is pending. This wasn't the first time Des Champs was arrested for a similar stunt. He has actually completed multiple other climbs in the past to bring awareness to the anti-abortion nonprofit, Let Them Live. He was arrested for climbing the Aria in Las Vegas in August 2021 and the Accenture Tower in Chicago in October 2023. While Des Champs is facing multiple charges, it appears that he's not worried because he told police that he's never been convicted of his previous climbs and "his attorneys will get him off this incident as well." The Fundraiser For Isabel Reached Its Goal Maison DesChamps - Instagram Shortly after Des Champs climbed to the top of the Las Vegas Sphere, the fundraiser for Isabel had less than $300 in donations. Now just days later, the fundraiser has exceeded the original goal of $25,000 and the second goal of $35,000. The new goal is now $50,000. A description on the page tells Isabel's story and why Des Champs decided to climb the Sphere. "Maison Des Champs here, but you might know me better as the Pro-Life Spider-Man. Today, my mission transcends the adrenaline rush of scaling skyscrapers; it's about channeling our collective strength towards a cause far greater than any physical feat," the description reads. "In the spotlight of my climb today is Isabel, a brave soul currently navigating through life's harshest storms, pregnant and facing uncertainty with every step." Two updates have since been shared on the page. "We hit our goal of $25,000 for Isabel!!!! Thank you so much for your support and prayers! I'm going to raise the goal to $35,000 to help cover other mom's expenses that Let Them Live supports. Let's do this!" the first update reads. The second update reads, "Thank you all so much for stepping up to support these moms and their children! Thanks to you all, we have just surpassed our second goal of $35,000!! Wow! Let's keep the momentum going and try and hit $50,000 for these women in crisis pregnancies. Thanks to your support, Let Them Live will be able to help so many more moms!" Editor's note: For all the latest Super Bowl 2024 news, highlights, scores and analysis, follow our live updates here. Taylor Swift is ready for it ready for some football, that is. After concluding a series of Eras tour shows in Tokyo, the pop superstar is seemingly headed to the Super Bowl to root on her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, as the Kansas City Chiefs take on the San Francisco 49ers. Gracie Hunt, daughter of Kansas City Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt, told People on Saturday that Swift will attend the big game. "She's coming!" Hunt told People. "We're excited." The confirmation came amid speculation about whether Swift could make it to Las Vegas for the Super Bowl in time, after performing in Tokyo just one day before the game. Even the Embassy of Japan weighed in, assuring fans that "despite the 12-hour flight and 17-hour time difference," Swift could, in fact, "comfortably arrive" in Vegas prior to the game as long she left Tokyo in the evening after her concert. Taylor Swift performs at the Tokyo Dome on Wednesday, kicking off the 2024 leg of her Eras tour. What is Taylor Swift's flight time? How long will it take her to get from Tokyo to Las Vegas for the Super Bowl? That appears to be exactly what she did. On Saturday, fans and aviation journalists identified what they believed to be Swift's private jet, which arrived at LAX in Los Angeles from Haneda Airport in Tokyo shortly after 3:30 p.m. local time. It wasn't immediately clear how Swift planned to travel from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. USA TODAY reached out to a representative for Swift. Swift, who recently made history at the Grammy Awards by becoming the first artist to win album of the year four times, marked the end of her Tokyo Eras tour shows with an Instagram post early Sunday. She's back! Taylor Swift, fans overjoyed as Eras Tour resumes in Tokyo "Those 4 shows at Tokyo Dome were so wonderful," she wrote. "I'd missed you all so much and loved being on stage frolicking around with my fellow performers and band again. Thank you to everyone who lives in and around Tokyo, and everyone who traveled far and wide to be there with us." Swift did not, however, mention her own plans to travel far and wide. She is next set to perform in Australia beginning on Feb. 16. Contributing: Foster Klug and Maria Sherman, The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Taylor Swift will be at Super Bowl for Travis Kelce, Gracie Hunt says The View host Alyssa Farah Griffin was among those fired up about former President Donald Trump questioning the whereabouts of his Republican rival Nikki Haleys husband. After criticizing Haley for previously supporting him before turning against Trump, he asked at a rally in Haleys home state of South Carolina, Wheres your husband? Oh, hes away. Hes away. What happened to her husband? What happened to her husband? Where is he? Hes gone! He knew. Griffin answered Trumps rhetorical question, which implied that Haleys husband was intentionally not publicly supporting her. On X (formerly Twitter), Griffin wrote that Haleys husband is currently deployed abroad serving our country in uniform Something Donald Trump never did. What a sad old man. .@NikkiHaleys husband is currently deployed abroad serving our country in uniform Something Donald Trump never did. What a sad old man. https://t.co/6sRRudtXh3 Alyssa Farah Griffin (@Alyssafarah) February 10, 2024 In another tweet, Griffin noted that Major Michael Haley, a member of the South Carolina National Guard, was deployed to Africa, where he is serving with the Army. Griffin, who was White House communications director under Trump, also shared posts from others disgusted with Trumps comments. Jason Church shared that hed served with Major Haley and wrote, Major Haley is what every platoon leader wishes an S-3 would be. The right man for the job. The S-3 designation refers to a military officer in charge of operations. Served west of me in Afghanistan. It was a bad year in Panjwai'i @jaketapper. There's a reason we don't talk about it. Major Haley is what every platoon leader wishes an S-3 would be. The right man for the job. https://t.co/vMeUEF8Smx Jason Church (@JasonChurchWI) February 10, 2024 She also shared a comment from former George W. Bush White House lawyer Jamil Jaffer, who wrote, Why is @GOP about to nominate someone who attacks the spouse of a GOP candidate for office while he is serving overseas in the @SCNationalGuard? This is not the Republican Party I joined + have worked for nearly every cycle since the late 90s. Shame on you @realDonaldTrump. While speaking to a crowd in Lexington, Kentucky on Saturday, Haley fired back at Trump. She told her supporters that Trump mocked my husbands military service. And Ill say this: Donald, if you have something to say, dont say it behind my back. Get on a debate stage and say it to my face. If you mock the service of a combat veteran, you dont deserve a drivers license, let alone being president of the United States. Haley: He mocked my husband's military service. If you have something to say, don't say it behind my back. Get on a debate stage and say it to my face. If you mock the service of a veteran, you don't deserve a driver's license let alone being President of the United States. pic.twitter.com/BVwPIAtZ72 Acyn (@Acyn) February 11, 2024 The Trump campaign has not issued any further comment. Also Saturday, Trump told his Truth Social followers, The Radical Left Democrats want Nikki Haley because they know that shes easy to beat. Shes very easy to beat! Haley supports a 23% national sales tax and she wants to gut Medicare and Social Security! According to FactCheck.org, Trumps claim is in reference to a Facebook post Haley wrote a dozen years ago in support of the Fair Tax, which would replace income tax with sales tax. Melania Trump has not yet made it to any of her husbands campaign events and is not deployed overseas with any branch of the military. In November 2023, the Washington Post reported that she spent most of her time in the pairs Florida Mar-a-Lago home. The post The View Host Alyssa Farah Griffin Calls Out Trump for Claiming Nikki Haleys Husband Is Gone: What a Sad Old Man appeared first on TheWrap. Amid growing speculations of her whereabouts, the former First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump, resurfaced at a gala hosted by one of Donald Trump's fan clubs, the Trumpettes, in Mar-a-Lago. On social media, the hashtag "Where's Melania" began to trend, and to silence detractors, MAGA fans posted videos of Melania holding her husband's hand as they mingled with guests at the event. Since her mother's funeral, Trump has stated that Melania would return to support him publicly in his re-election campaign. Melania Trump Dazzles In A Black Outfit Alongside Her Husband At Trumpettes Gala For all of the Wheres Melania haters, I found her. Shes at her house at Mar a Lago looking hot with her husband, who just gave a speech at the Trumpettes event. She looks amazing too. A supportive wife supporting her super star husband who crushed it today in SC! pic.twitter.com/CbNHOhZkFK Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) February 11, 2024 The former First Lady looked stunning in a black outfit as she appeared next to her husband for an official outing to support Trump in his re-election campaign this year. The last time Melania made such an appearance to help her husband was at the 2022 election when the couple came out to cast their votes. At the Trumpettes event, Melania entered the ballroom before Trump, who was behind his wife, greeting fans and admirers. The 53-year-old former model also made sure to wave and smile at people as she walked by. According to reports, approximately 1,000 people at the venue had paid between $850 and $2,500 to attend the event and meet Trump. Before addressing the crowd of supporters at the event, Trump introduced his wife by saying, "First of all, our great first lady." This was met with a loud cheer from the attendees, who had probably been anticipating Melania's return to the campaign trail. 'Where's Melania?' Trends Online After Donald Trump Attacked Nikki Haley MEGA Prior to Melania's outing to the Trumpette's event, several individuals took to social media to speculate on the former first lady's whereabouts after her husband, Trump, made a comment at his political adversary, Nikki Haley. During a rally in South Carolina on Saturday, Trump took the chance to slam Haley, saying, "Where's her husband? Oh, he's away What happened to her husband? Where is he? He's gone." Haley's husband, Michael Haley, is currently deployed in Africa, serving with the South Carolina Army National Guard to support the U.S. Africa Command. This is his second active-duty deployment overseas. Haley fired back at Trump later that day, saying, "If you mock the service of a combat veteran, you don't deserve a driver's license, let alone being president of the United States. Donald, if you have something to say, don't say it behind my back; get on a debate stage and say it to my face." Over an X, people took it a step further by asking Trump, "Where's Melania." One individual wrote, "Why is Trump asking about Nikki Haley's husband? Where's Melania?" Donald and Melania Trump make there entrance at Mar-a-Lago yesterday with Vivek Ramaswamy and his wife. To those asking where's Melania..here's your answer. pic.twitter.com/sVY0a54YHg Freyja (@FreyjaTarte) February 11, 2024 Another commented, "Where's Melania? Do we need the police for a welfare check? Look what he did to the first wife." In a response to the detractors, MAGA fan Laura Loomer wrote on X, "For all of the "Where's Melania" haters, I found her. She's at her house at Mar a Lago looking hot with her husband, who just gave a speech at the Trumpettes event. She looks amazing, too. A supportive wife supporting her superstar husband who crushed it today in SC!" Another person said, "Donald and Melania Trump make there entrance at Mar-a-Lago yesterday with Vivek Ramaswamy and his wife. To those asking where's Melania.. here's your answer." The Former First Lady's Stylist Earned $100,000 From Donald Trump's PAC MEGA Melania's return to the public comes after a shocking revelation was made about her stylist, Herve Pierre Braillard's earnings from Trump's Super PAC. The PAC's legal filing with the Federal Election Commission revealed that Braillard earned $100,000 for "consulting fees" from the committee in the last six months. The fashion guru has been paid a total of $371,000 since April 2022. Braillard's earnings were questionable due to Melania's very limited outings during the period when he made over $100,000. Last year December, she made an appearance at a Naturalization Ceremony at the National Archives. Then, in January 2024, Melania was seen again for her mother, Amalija Knavs' funeral. During her time as First Lady, Braillard helped Melania pick out her clothes and was the brain behind her stunning ivory gown, which she wore for her husband's inaugural ball in 2017. With Melania's return to the public eye, Braillard will be hard at work styling her for events and all the appearances she would make to support her husband, Trump. Update your library with the new crop of design-focused books hitting shelves this month. Just in time for spring renovations, get inspired with a close look at work from two of the most exciting architects in the industry todayTokyo-based Shigeru Ban and New Yorks Peter Marino. If your interiors need a boost, or you love to geek out on design history, a new book from Italian furniture brand Cassina celebrates the 50th anniversary of its iMaestri Collection, launched in 1973 to reissue pieces by some of the great design practitioners of the 20th century. Pick up one (or all three) for a lust-worthy dose of design that will have you rearranging rooms in your head before you even turn to chapter two. Echoes, Cassina. 50 Years of iMaestri More from Robb Report A colorful version of Gerrit T. Rietvelds Zig Zag chair. Launched in 1927, the Italian furniture brand Cassina has become one of the most respected in the industry. Initially manufacturing in-house designsmainly cabinets and coffee tablesCassina pivoted in 1948 when the company began to partner with outside architects and designers for new collections. Twenty-five years later, in 1973, Cassina codified its iMaestri Collection, a mix of previously out-of-production furniture, products that had never been realized before, and pieces that have never gone out of productionall by modernist design leaders. In honor of the collections 50th anniversary, the brand presents Echoes, Cassina. 50 Years of iMaestri, a volume from Rizzoli New York that explores its history and development. Diving into the work and life of each of the 14 names in the collectionGerrit Thomas Rietveld, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Charlotte Perriand, Pierre Jeanneret, and othersthe book includes historical materials (many previously unpublished) such as sketches, technical drawings, letters, and period photographs, all of which illustrate the craft, creativity, and innovation that made these designers superstars. Subverting the idea of a static historical archive, Cassina continues to add names to the iMaestri coterie: Its forthcoming partnership with Eames Office will include the launch of a lighting collection during Aprils Milan Design Week. Tiffany & Co.: The Landmark Tiffany and Co.s Union Square location at the turn of the century. In April 2023, New Yorks Tiffany & Co. Landmark building reopened after a complete, multiyear renovation. This month, Assouline is releasing Tiffany & Co.: The Landmark, a title dedicated to the Fifth Avenue strongholdand to the centuries-old legacy of craftsmanship that goes into pieces offered by the storied house, from its famous stained-glass lamps and silverwork to the jewelry in the iconic blue box. Get an up-close look at the remodeling process and learn more about the inspiration behind the bright and airy interiors designed by architect Peter Marino. Covering 10 storiesincluding a new three-level exhibition and event space designed by Shohei Shigematsu of the Office for Metropolitan Architecturethe art-forward redesign transforms the brands flagship, which originally opened in 1940, beyond just a shopping destination: With works by Daniel Arsham, Sarah Sze, Rashid Johnson, Julian Schnabel, and dozens more, the Tiffany Landmark now reads like a whos-who of the contemporary-art world, blurring the line between boutique and gallery in an elegantly thoughtful way. Karl Lagerfeld: A Life in Houses Karl Lagerfeld in his Monte Carlo apartment. Some people amass art and furniture, others go for houses and cars. Karl Lagerfeld collected it all. The late fashion designer and Chanel creative director is believed to have owned upwards of 20 properties in his lifetime; a recent release from Thames & Hudson, Karl Lagerfeld: A Life in Houses, explores 13 of those homes in impressive depth. Written by Patrick Mauries and former Architectural Digest France editor in chief Marie Kalt, this publication is the first dedicated exclusively to Lagerfelds residences, most of which were in Italy and France. Using interiors to track the designers personal and stylistic evolution, the book includes dozens of images showing Lagerfelds spaces, as well as the exacting designer amid his many notable acquisitions, from an array of Art Deco furniture and Memphis Group pieces to the objects of his true passion: 18th-century furnishings and objets dart. It is said that you can tell a lot about a person from the spaces they inhabit, and though Lagerfeld came across as rigid in public, Mauries writes that he also loved to be playful, not only with the spirit of the age but also with the spirit of places. Best of Robb Report Sign up for Robb Report's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Costco CFO Richard Galanti is stepping down after nearly 40 years with the company. He will be replaced by Kroger's CFO, Gary Millerchip, in March. Costco customers shared their concerns about the leadership change online. A major shakeup is going down at Costco next month, and customers are majorly freaking out about it. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Richard Galanti, Costco's Chief Financial Officer, will be stepping down from his role on March 15. Galanti, who has had the CFO role for nearly 40 years, will be replaced by Kroger's CFO, Gary Millerchip. While you're most likely to see Costco customers complaining about membership card scans or new shopping carts, they are now sounding the alarm about Galanti's replacement. It could be bad news for both customers and employees, some claim. This just shows how closely die-hard Costco customers follow company news and how invested they are in the store. A Reddit thread about the change in leadership has received nearly 800 comments from concerned shoppers. "I have a bad feeling about this," said one user who captured the grim tone of most of the comments. Overall, the majority of users seemed to be concerned about the potential for price increases at the warehouse. "AKA - I'm here to increase prices and take away perks. Been the trend for the past decade, and don't see it stopping anytime soon," one person wrote. Kroger, Millerchip's soon-to-be former place of employment, wasn't spared in the comments. "Kroger has been garbage for a while. This isn't a good sign for Costco," read one comment aimed at the grocery store. "Kroger and Costco don't even belong in the same sentence together. Its all downhill from here." A veteran Costco employee didn't have a rosy outlook: "20+ year employee here, and I've seen the old guard take their values with them out the door. This is terrible:(." Another employee was just as pessimistic: "I'm a long-time employee (30+years) and I'm usually pretty optimistic about Costco in general. This is not good. Nothing this guy has done aligns with the way Costco treats its employees, members, or vendors and the fact that the guys up top think this is the person for the job does not bode well at all." A number of commenters expressed concern over the future of Costco's beloved $1.50 hot dog and soda combo. "I won't mince words and waste time. He better not fk with the hot dogs," one user wrote. "The hotdog will be the canary," another said. The price of the hot dog and soda combo has been the same since the 1980s, so a price increase would be the first in decades. It goes without saying that it would send Costco shoppers into an absolute frenzy. It remains to be seen what changes, if any, the new leadership will bring, but we know that shoppers will let Costco know what they really think. You Might Also Like The name "pearl sugar" might conjure up images of those perfectly round, sometimes pearlescent, sprinkles seen on cookies and cakes. The confusion is understandable: those are sugar pearls, not pearl sugar. Rough and irregular, pearl sugar looks more like lumpy, bumpy freshwater pearls than the kind you'd find at Tiffany's. Sometimes known as "nib sugar," it has more in common with sugar cubes than birthday cake sprinkles. Unlike regular sugar, pearl sugar won't melt away under high heat. Since it holds its shape, it's typically used to add texture to baked goods, either as a topping or mixed into the batter or dough. Pearl sugar is popular throughout Europe, but it's best known in Belgium and Sweden. Both countries have their own namesake varieties: Belgian pearl sugar and Swedish pearl sugar. But how different can rough little lumps of sugar really be? Surprisingly different. Despite their similarities, the two ingredients are subtly distinct in ways that can have a big impact. Belgian pearl sugar is bigger sometimes reaching the size of a peanut and is more condensed. Swedish pearl sugar, meanwhile, is smaller and lighter. While the two generally have different uses, they can also be used interchangeably. However, it's important to know the differences between these two types of sugar before substituting one for the other. Read more: 25 Chocolate Brands, Ranked Worst To Best What Is Belgian Pearl Sugar? A small wooden bowl of Belgian pearl sugar and cinnamon sticks - Fluff Media/Shutterstock Belgian pearl sugar is large, tightly packed, and crunchy. It's meant to be mixed into batters and doughs. When baked, it caramelizes to form sweet, crunchy pockets. It's a key ingredient in one of the country's most famous and beloved cultural exports: Belgian waffles. If you've only had the type of "Belgian waffles" served at hotel breakfast buffets, you might not be familiar with the crunchy texture of the real deal. That authentic crunch comes from caramelized pearl sugar. Belgian pearl sugar is typically made from sugar beets rather than sugar cane. Beet sugar isn't that different from cane sugar, but it does have a slightly earthier taste and isn't quite as sweet. It also melts differently, a key consideration if you're trying to make truly authentic Belgian waffles. There are two main producers of Belgian pearl sugar: Couplet and Tirlemont. The two producers use different methods, which makes for two different products. Couplet is generally the preferred brand: its pearls are packed densely, making them less likely to melt away into the dough. Couplet pearls are also less sticky, which makes for easier cleanup. That's a pretty big bonus there are few substances more stubborn than melted sugar. What Is Swedish Pearl Sugar? Fingers rolling a ball of cookie dough in Swedish pearl sugar - Emmoth/Shutterstock Have you ever seen a croissant, Danish, or panettone decked with what appears to be sea salt? Chances are, that "salt" is actually Swedish pearl sugar. Smaller than its Belgian counterpart, Swedish pearl sugar is typically used as a topping or decoration -- think of it as an old-fashioned sprinkle. You won't find it baked into recipes it'll disappear into the batter. Traditionally, the uses for Belgian pearl sugar are pretty limited. Belgian waffles, cramiques, and Dutch suikerbrood are its main claims to fame. Swedish pearl sugar, on the other hand, is more versatile and enjoys wider popularity. Of course, it's used in traditional Swedish sweets like chokladbollar, but it's popular in other cuisines across Europe, too. In France, Swedish pearl sugar is used to top sweet choux pastry puffs called chouquettes; in Germany, it's liberally doused on saure-sahne-platzchen, or sour cream cookies. Swedish pearl sugar also often makes an appearance on Finnish pulla, a sweet cardamom bread served in braided loaves. Swedish pearl sugar tends to come from sugar cane, the source of 70% of the world's sugar. There isn't a significant nutritional difference between beet sugar and cane sugar, but there is a difference in the way that they're processed. Cane sugar is often refined using bone char, an animal byproduct. Some vegans and vegetarians avoid it in favor of beet sugar, which isn't processed with animal products. Belgian Pearl Sugar Is Baked Into Waffles And Breads Close-up of Belgian waffles with three pearls of Belgian sugar - Natalia Van Doninck/Shutterstock Too big to be used as a garnish, Belgian pearl sugar is best known for one thing: making Belgian waffles. Genuine Belgian waffles also called Liege waffles boast small, crunchy pockets of caramelized sugar embedded in the batter. These pockets are formed when lumps of pearl sugar caramelize and brown against the heat of the waffle iron, and they're part of what makes authentic Belgian waffles unique. Belgian pearl sugar isn't just used for waffles, though. It's sometimes used in lieu of or in addition to raisins in cramiques, a type of Belgian brioche. It's also used in Dutch sugar bread, known as suikerbrood. Suikerbrood, a simple yeasted bread typically baked in a roll, sometimes incorporates cinnamon along with lumps of pearl sugar. If you want to try working with Belgian pearl sugar, make a few batches of Belgian waffles or brioche buns then consider experimenting to develop your own recipes. Swedish Pearl Sugar Is Better As A Topping Close-up of Swedish kardemummabullar topped with Swedish pearl sugar - AS Foodstudio/Shutterstock While Belgian pearl sugar is meant to melt and caramelize into batters and doughs, its Swedish cousin is typically used as decoration on top of buns, cookies, and other baked goods. Like most garnishes, toppings, and decorations, Swedish pearl sugar might seem like an optional add-on. If you're just using it as a finishing touch on cookies or kardemummabullar Swedish cardamom buns it's okay to forgo it if you want. However, Swedish pearl sugar adds an essential textural element to some sweets. Chokladbollar, or traditional Swedish chocolate balls, are encrusted with pearl sugar for an extra crunch. Without pearl sugar, chouquettes would just be plain balls of choux. Even when pearl sugar doesn't play an essential role in the recipe, it adds an extra air of authenticity to many Nordic sweets. If you can stand the extra expense (and aren't trying to keep an eye on your sugar consumption), it's worthwhile to buy some pearl sugar as an elegant way to dress up your confections. Read the original article on Tasting Table. When it comes to cheese, American and European varieties stand as distinct expressions of culinary craftsmanship. The two vast geographical locations have each cultivated their own rich cheese-making traditions, yielding products with unique characteristics and flavors. But unless you're a cheesemonger, cheese just might seem like cheese, particularly when you're wandering the grocery store looking for cheese board ingredients. Let's take a deep dive into the complex -- and sometimes contentious -- worlds of American and European cheese. In general, American cheeses are often crafted through industrial processes, using advanced technologies to ensure consistency and affordability. In contrast, European cheeses often adhere to time-honored, artisanal methods, prioritizing tradition and terroir. However, the differences extend beyond production methods; ingredients also play a pivotal role. American cheeses may incorporate additives and stabilizers for longer shelf life, while European counterparts typically rely on simpler, more natural components. One cannot overlook the contrast in cost, either. European cheeses, cherished for their nuance, geographical indications, and history, often come with a premium price tag in American markets. It's important to dispel the misconception that one is inherently superior to the other. Both American and European cheeses offer a diverse array of tastes, textures, and applications, each with its own merits. There are good and bad examples in both places. So, whether you're savoring a creamy French brie or relishing the sharp bite of a Vermont cheddar, there is plenty to appreciate. Let's explore what each place brings to the world of cheese. Read more: The 20 Best Olive Oils For Cooking How Is American Cheese Different From European? sliced cheese - Juanmonino/Getty Images American cheeses, a diverse and vibrant category in the culinary world, have carved their own distinct niche on the global cheese landscape. While Europe often takes the spotlight in cheese discussions, American cheeses offer a delightful spectrum of flavors, textures, and traditions that are uniquely their own. The origins of American cheese-making trace back to the early days of European colonization, with immigrants bringing their cheese-making traditions to the New World. Over centuries, American cheese artisans have harnessed their creativity, blending old-world techniques with modern innovation. What sets American cheeses apart is their willingness to embrace variety and experimentation. From the iconic American slices to the nutty, Alpine-inspired wheels of Wisconsin gruyere, American cheesemakers have adapted and expanded upon classic European styles. While American cheeses may share some similarities with their European counterparts, they often reflect local flavor profiles. Furthermore, American artisanal cheesemakers are not bound by centuries-old regulations, allowing for more innovation and creative liberty in cheese production. In recent years, the American cheese scene has seen an exciting resurgence, with a growing number of small-scale producers crafting artisanal cheeses that rival their European counterparts in complexity and quality. So, whether you're exploring a tangy blue cheese from Oregon, a creamy goat cheese from California, or a sharp aged cheddar from New York, American cheeses are a testament to the country's rich tapestry of flavors, makers, and traditions. European Cheeses Are Old World aged European cheeses - Jupiterimages/Getty Images European cheeses embody centuries of artisanal craftsmanship and regional diversity. Europe boasts a rich and storied history of cheese-making that sets its produce apart from those produced elsewhere. With roots dating back thousands of years, European cheeses are deeply intertwined with the continent's culture and geography. What truly distinguishes European cheeses is their unwavering commitment to old-world techniques and time-honored styles of production. Many of these cheeses are lovingly crafted by hand, often by skilled artisans who have dedicated their lives to perfecting their craft. Traditional methods passed down through generations continue to be the backbone of European cheese-making. Gorgonzola was invented by accident in the 9th century, and has changed very little since then, still being made with penicillium to create the mold. Some cheeses, like those crafted by monastic communities, such as Roquefort, which was mentioned in 11th-century records at Conques, in France, maintain a sense of sacred tradition, echoing the same meticulous practices that monks followed centuries ago. European cheeses are renowned for their remarkable diversity, shaped by the distinct terroirs and local traditions of each region. From pungent blue-veined Roquefort to nutty, Alpine classics like Emmental from Switzerland, European cheeses captivate the senses with their unique flavors, textures, and aromas. Whether aged in centuries-old caves or mountain chalets, European cheeses remain a testament to the enduring artistry and heritage of cheese-making on the continent. American Cheese Tends To Be More Processed milk pasteurization for making cheese - RossHelen/Shutterstock American and European cheeses diverge in their production methods, reflecting distinct philosophies and regulatory landscapes. One notable difference lies in pasteurization. American cheeses often undergo pasteurization, a process mandated for safety reasons, which involves heating milk to kill harmful bacteria. Consequently, pasteurization can alter the flavor and texture of cheese, yielding products that lean towards consistency and conformity. Any cheeses that are made with raw milk in the U.S. must be aged for a minimum of 60 days to be sold. In contrast, many European cheeses are crafted with raw milk, allowing the full spectrum of natural flavors to flourish and develop during the aging process. It's for this reason that many cheeses are not allowed to be brought back to the U.S. from Europe with travelers. So, to truly enjoy raw European cheeses, you'll need to plan a trip. Packaging also sets these cheeses apart. American cheeses frequently come vacuum-sealed or in plastic wrap, prioritizing convenience and extended shelf life. In contrast, European cheeses often grace the shelves in artisanal markets, presented in wax paper, wooden boxes, or cloth coverings that maintain the cheese's integrity and allow it to breathe. European Cheeses Are Often Pricier With Good Reason Selling European cheeses in Los Angeles - Bloomberg/Getty Images When it comes to the price disparity between American and European cheeses, one of the primary factors at play is importation. European cheeses often command a premium price tag in American markets due to the costs associated with shipping, tariffs, and import duties. This means that consumers may find themselves shelling out more for their favorite wedges of gruyere or rounds of Camembert than they would for domestic varieties. However, price discrepancies aren't solely attributed to importation. In both American and European cheese markets, various factors contribute to higher prices. For American cheeses, production costs, such as sourcing high-quality milk, maintaining stringent safety standards, and investing in modern equipment and facilities, can drive up prices. Similarly, in Europe, artisanal cheeses made by hand using traditional methods may come with a higher price tag to account for labor-intensive processes and limited production quantities. Factors like aging time, cheese rarity, and the exclusivity of certain varieties also influence pricing in both markets. Ultimately, while European cheeses may be more costly due to importation, a myriad of factors contribute to the pricing dynamics of both American and European cheeses, reflecting the intricate interplay between tradition, innovation, and market demand. Taste And Texture Differs In America And Europe Gruyere cheese - barmalini/Shutterstock When comparing American and European cheeses, discerning palates may notice distinct differences in taste and texture that stem from variations in production methods, ingredients, and terroir. Versions of gruyere, for example, share common characteristics. The American adaptation, however, is easily set apart from its European counterpart. This is one reason that Swiss and French gruyere makers tried to restrict Americans from calling their cheese gruyere. However, a court decided in 2023 that Americans could use gruyere as a generic term for American gruyere cheeses. Cheaper American gruyere tends to be milder in flavor, with a slightly different aftertaste compared to the original. And its texture can lack the same depth and complexity found in the terroir of traditional European gruyere. It also melts differently. While European gruyere boasts a smooth, creamy melt that enhances fondues and gratins, American gruyere doesn't have the same level of meltiness. But, as with many American and European cheeses, there is a huge range of quality of gruyere across the board. Just keep in mind that there will be differences between the same style of cheese depending on where it originates, and how it is made. The trick is to seek out the best varieties, whether eating American or European cheese. Don't stint, instead opt for the best version of that cheese to get the best flavor and eating experience. Read the original article on Tasting Table. An agreement is nearly finalized that will increase water storage on Colorado's Western Slope and allow more water to flow to Colorado Springs. Sandwiches are a source of national, state, and even city-wide pride in the United States. The po'boy checks all the boxes as a New Orleans-born sandwich, Louisiana staple, and popular menu item at seafood restaurants nationwide. While catfish, fried shrimp, and oysters may be more well-known po'boy fillings, one of the original po'boy sandwiches was made with roast beef. The invention of the po'boy is hotly debated, but the name of the sandwich itself dates back to 1929 when Bennie and Clovis Martin began feeding union workers on strike for free with roast beef, gravy, and french fry sandwiches. The roast beef po'boy became a city-wide sensation and just about a decade later gave rise to the now Louisiana-famous term "debris." According to Mother's Restaurant, the legendary New Orleans institution and self-proclaimed originator of the term, debris are the tasty remnants of roast beef that fall off the chuck as it's being sliced and served into a sandwich. These discarded beef shavings sit marinating for hours in the gravy that likewise collects at the bottom of the bin. Mother's history page states that the term was coined by the original owner Simon Landry when a customer requested he add the bits of beef swimming in gravy instead of the slices of roast beef Landry was serving. Landry called the remnants "debris," a term that is now synonymous with a flavorful, meaty sandwich upgrade and is also a fixture on po'boy menus. Read more: Styles Of Regional BBQ In The US Debris Sandwiches In New Orleans, Louisiana, And Beyond roast beef po'boy on french bread - Jean Faucett/Shutterstock While the original debris po'boy sandwich consisted of stewed bits of roast beef morsels, crust, and fat, today even Mother's has expanded the definition to include all types of meat. Many restaurants in Louisiana, including Mother's, now add all bits and drippings from an array of leftover slow-cooked meats into one ultra-savory and flavorful sandwich filling. Debris can also be used as sandwich toppers in standard roast beef po'boys. For home cooks, debris po'boys can be made with the fall-apart chuck roasts, briskets, or even pork roast that come out of the crock-pot, Dutch oven, or pressure cooker reheated in their juices. The result of reheating meat in their drippings is an ultra-moist, melt-in-your-mouth sandwich filling that brings a decadent au jus element to pair with the po'boy's French bread. You could apply a debris twist on a classic French dip sandwich by leaving the chuck roast in the au jus instead of separating it into a dipping sauce. Plus, adding cheese and caramelized onions would provide a wonderfully rich, creamy, and sweet contrast. If you have any leftover turkey and drippings after Thanksgiving, you can upgrade a classic Thanksgiving leftover into a debris turkey sandwich by combining and simmering the drippings and leftover turkey meat. Turkey debris would work perfectly in our hot turkey sandwich with cranberry mostarda recipe. Read the original article on Tasting Table. Embrace Iowa helps Iowans who are struggling to meet their most basic needs. For more than three decades, the Des Moines Register has encouraged readers to donate to the annual Embrace Iowa charitable program and support its deserving recipients who receive a much-needed lift from their economic woes. The 2023-24 drive ended in January and raised $381,256 from 868 generous donors, an increase from the previous years tally of $343,178. Individual awards are valued up to $750 and the funds are frequently used by applicants to pay off unexpected debts, including medical assistance charges, rent, and utility bills. Katherine Riley Harrington, the executive director of the Iowa Community Action Association that administers the program, said she is grateful for the financial relief the donations will provide. We are delighted with that result, she shared, and we're so happy to continue this partnership with the Des Moines Register. Jada Bahls-Kargalskiy, one of last years recipients, described the funding as more of a hand up, than a hand out and praised the ease of applying for aid. We try hard to make it accessible and straightforward, Harrington agreed. Other programs that may have government funding can feel overwhelming with the amount of paperwork. How to get help from Embrace Iowa Financial relief is open to any Iowa resident with a gross annual income of 200% or less than the federal poverty guidelines. All 99 of Iowas counties are covered by 16 local Community Action Agencies, each tasked with using their own discretion and local knowledge to distribute the donations throughout the year. Unlike many charitable programs, funds are not reimbursed back to the applicant, bypassing any attempts at fraud. In the case of financial problems like overdue optician invoices or car repair bills, the money is instead paid directly to the provider, landlord or creditor. A lot of the things that we can help with really lean toward a quality of life that everyone can access. So, eyeglasses that work, so that you can see, that allow you to navigate through life, stuff that shouldn't be a privilege, Harrington said. She has noticed an unexpected pattern of unselfish behavior among many of the most-in-need recipients, who despite their urgent need for support will still encourage the agencies to divert their funds to another needy family. I do think that there's a distinctly Midwestern phenomenon where even folks who are struggling really want to look out for the next guy, or the next family who might also be struggling as well, she said. How Embrace Iowa helped five Iowans Jason Wurdinger reached out to Embrace Iowa for help with repairs to his car. During the most recent fundraising campaign, five Iowans shared their personal stories with the Register and their first-time experiences applying for help. Jason Wurdinger used the funds to pay for repairs to his car and offset his mobility difficulties.A grant helped Jada Bahls-Kargalskiy following a tragic and unexpected medical crisis.Lahtecia Uhl was able to regain her independence and support her family after making her vehicle roadworthy.Embrace Iowa contributed to the costs of emergency dental care to help Robin Taylor recover from a painful accident.And Donna Grossman was able to pay off a mounting backlog of bills sent by the Des Moines Water Works. Harrington admits the program faces an ongoing concern of receiving far more applications than can be helped by the available pool of funds. We wish in Community Action there were resources that allowed for everyone to be on the path toward self-sufficiency and that they wouldn't have to rely on some of these funding mechanisms as a backstop for an emergency crisis, Harrington said. How you can help While the current appeal season has closed, Embrace Iowa continues to accept funds throughout the year and all pledges received will be applied to the 2024-25 campaign. Donations can be made online at iowacommunityaction.org/about/donate. Or checks can be mailed to Embrace Iowa, P.O. Box 10611, Cedar Rapids, IA 52410-0611. Each contribution is tax deductible. To ensure each donation achieves its maximum benefit, no contribution dollars pay for Embrace Iowas staff, or cover administration costs. Richard Lane is a freelance writer for the Des Moines Register. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Embrace Iowa charity raises $381,256 to help Iowans in need When my sister, her husband and their four-month-old daughter moved from New Jersey to the Netherlands in March of 2022, I wasnt expecting our family to receive a lesson in Dutch parenting. But, after spending time at their former home on Bloemgracht, a street and canal in the Jordaan neighborhood of Amsterdam, I learned a lot about the Dutch parenting pedagogy: namely, allowing children to be free and independenteven when it means permitting them to bike in the rain. Yet underneath this conscious parenting philosophy, I observed that, while Dutch parenting may indeed be impressive, its the Dutch social safety net that permits parents to feel safe and secure enough to allow their children this broad freedom and independence. Social safety net Visiting my sisters 1600s-era apartment one summer, I meet her Dutch neighbors Daan and Annamarie and their two children, Louie, 7, and Morris, 10. As my partner, Mike, and I sit on the bench in front of my sisters home, we watch as Louie and Morris chase each other up and down the street, barefoot and dodging Bakfietsthe human-powered cargo bike that all the cool Dutch parents haveand run back and forth across the bridge over the Bloemgracht canal. Two weeks later, back home in our apartment in New York City, I tried to imagine the kids in our neighborhood running barefoot across the street, barreling into and out of their neighbors homes, feeling free yet secure (and not contracting tetanus). I wanted to know why Dutch children like Louie and Morris are often cited as being the happiest in the world. It struck me that not only are these young kids comfortable roaming around their neighborhood in Amsterdam (the city is on average much safer than New York City), but Dutch children are also consciousof their surroundings, of other people, and of their environment. This consciousness is seemingly infused into their every move: The way Dutch children greet adults when they walk into a room (instead of skulking behind their parents like many American children do), or the way they engage with their neighbors of all ages. Dutch kids seem to do so from a place of curiosity, wonder, and responsibilityeven from a very young age. Yet, at least according to Daan and Annamarie, Dutch children arent really taught about being environmentally-conscious or independenteither at home or at school. The children simply model the way their parents and other Dutch people interact with others and their environment; that is, with respect and self-confidence. This independence and attendant accountability reminded me of the Sami, a tribe of Northern Scandinavian people who are reindeer herders in the Arctic. Unregimented to a degree that would be unsettling to Americans, even young Sami children are given a say in what to wear in temperatures of -22F and are permitted to use their own earmarking knives on reindeer calves. In addition to cultivating flexible sleep habits for young children, every parent in the tribe looks out for the safety of every child in the tribe. Frankly, this sounds idyllic. There has been much written about the way non-American children are raised and the freedom theyre provided versus the intense helicopter parenting observed in the United States. But what seems to be frustratingly glossed over in these case studies is the acknowledgment that it is an economic luxury to raise happy, confident kids who pay attention to the environment around them. Specifically, it takes an infrastructure that supports parents and working people. American parents on both sides of the political spectrum know this and are increasingly frustrated by how little they have been offered in this countryparticularly in exchange for the high taxes they pay. When well-meaning authors suggest that parents are doing it better in other countries, it can feel eye roll-worthy at best and condescending at worst. A couple of recent articles come to mind whose biting headlines reflect this exasperation, from Kelsey Osgoods Parenting Like The Mayans Isnt Going To Fix This in Romper Magazine to Matthias Doepke and Fabrizio Zilibottis Americans Are Often Told to Parent Like Scandinavians. Heres Why Thats Impossible in TIME Magazine. In a country like the Netherlands where parents like my sister receive ample parental leave, childcare stipends, a four-day work week, and universal healthcare, the low-level anxiety that many American parents feel isnt as common. This is not to mention the lack of safe drinking water and the plague of gun violence that burden and terrorize millions of American parents. I suspect that the laissez-faire approach of Dutch parentsand its ability to inspire independence and profound respect in Dutch childrenplainly has less to do with Dutch exceptionalism, and more to do with a robust Dutch social safety net and infrastructure that simply does not exist in the United States. Parenting in America Here in New York, when news recently broke of a child who died by opioid exposure while at his daycare in the North Bronx, the borough where my partner Mike teaches at a Title I public school, media coverage of the devastating incident quickly turned to our countrys fentanyl epidemic, the uptick in fatal overdoses, and what must be done to crack down on drugs. I remember bristling at the distinct lack of a national conversation around why this boys mother was given the impossible choice of either losing her job or leaving her child at a daycare located a few blocks away from an open-air drug marketalong a trash-strewn underpass. American parents deserve better than this, and so do their children. The inexcusable wealth inequality that affords the richest American parents the feeling of safety and security and permits them to parent in a freer, more Dutch (or French, or Mayan, or Danish, etc.) way, is simply not available to the poorest American parents. As an example, in the South Bronx neighborhood where Mike teaches, some parents cant allow their children to go trick-or-treating on Halloween due to the rampant slashings and gang initiations that traditionally occur on that evening. Our country is suffering as a result of this shameful disparity between rich and poor parents. As Megan Erickson, a former New York City public school teacher, posits in her book Class War: The Privatization of Childhood, what does America have at stake when some children go to school hungry and others ride in $1,000 strollers? Her answer: a lot. This is because it is not only the material disadvantages that take such a toll on our nations poorfrom the lack of access to healthy food to the barriers to college admissionbut the fact that many American parents are forced to rear their children in a state of hypervigilance. Operating under chronic stress has real consequences which costs the United States more than $300 billion per year, according to a report by the American Psychological Association. The Brookings Institute has directly linked American poverty to increased pain, worry, sadness, stress, and anger. Parenting is stressful and all-consuming enough without also battling poverty: Without adequate government help, working mothers in particular put in an approximately eighty-hour workweek between waged work and child care, longer than anyone else in the American economy. Just ask American mothers parenting during the pandemic, who were described as being in crisis. At home in Westchester, where Mike and I moved last year due to the exorbitantly high cost of rent in Manhattan, Im now a parent myself. As a freelance writer in the United States, this means that Im on unpaid maternity leave while I care for my newborn child. Mike, who is a member of a teachers union, receives only six weeks of paid parental leave. For me, there was no kraamzorg, a professional Dutch maternity nurse who comes to a womans home to help her for eight days postpartum. And for our family, there will be no low-cost, high-quality childcare or preschool. I think about the support that Louie and Morriss parents have in the Netherlands, and whether parents in the United States will ever be the beneficiaries of such basic societal support (I dont dare dream of a Sami-like utopia here). To get there, I imagine that we will need to continue organizing in an intersectional manner to demand paid parental leave, safe neighborhoods, and affordable childcare for the benefit of American parents. Only then will American children, too, have an opportunity to be among the happiest, and most independent, in the world. For further reading Bringing Up Bebe: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting by Pamela Druckerman The Happiest Kids in the World: How Dutch Parents Help Their Kids (and Themselves) by Doing Less by Rina Mae Acosta and Michele Hutchison The Danish Way of Parenting: What the Happiest People in the World Know About Raising Confident, Capable Kids by Jessica Joelle Alexander and Iben Sandahl Hunt, Gather, Parent: What Ancient Cultures Can Teach Us about the Lost Art of Raising Happy, Helpful Little Humans by Michaeleen Doucleff Class War: The Privatization of Childhood by Megan Erickson Lord Byron (17881824) is among the UKs greatest exports. Why, then, do so many treat him with embarrassed wariness? Perhaps we judge him for his shocking passions (not least with Augusta, his half-sister, and numerous women and men of the ton, the Grand Tour and the demi-monde) or abhor his evident abusiveness. Perhaps its the extent of his work: thousands of pages of febrile, sometimes puerile rhyme. Or perhaps we simply fear that he is as Wordsworth once declared insane. In Greece, meanwhile, hes a national hero: he died at 36 in Missolonghi, during the Greek War of Independence, in which he led campaigns and gave material support, 200 years ago this spring. Most poets biographies are either unwritten or unreadably dull, but Byron has dozens, all of them rollicking. Every Byron chronicler since Thomas Moore (1830) has had in some way to account for the poets ribald memoirs. They were burnt by Moore, John Cam Hobhouse and George Murray in 1824, but because they were circulated in private before that, and Moore drew on them for his writing, we know they annotated Byrons ill-starred match with Annabella Milbanke and his sybaritic years in Venice, 181619. (Letters suggest that at least 200 women notched his bedposts in this time, some sisters, many bought.) And we know what wasnt in them: Byrons final transformation, into a relatively lonely military man. Moores betrayal was to some extent a good thing, as the memoirs would have pinned down one numbed face of Byron for eternity: his Venetian carnival mask (which depilated horror is now kept at the Keats-Shelley House in Rome). Letters to and from him show well his essential mutability. Andrew Stauffers new biography, Byron: A Life in Ten Letters, which starts each chapter with a letter from the poets own unsettled pen (and quotes empathetically from womens letters, too), is therefore immediately valuable. Its debt to existing biographies is large, but its mosaic structure deftly deals with Byrons evolutions. One of Stauffers arguments is that Countess Teresa Guiccioli was Byrons greatest love. This is defensible, albeit debatable Hobhouse scribbled in Moores Life, near claims the partnership was nonpareil, [Byron] told me quite the contrary. While Teresa was his longest-unabandoned, plausibly final lover, Fiona MacCarthys reason for her staying power has remained persuasive: Byron thrived on difficulty, always keeping a wall between himself and those he professed to love. Because Teresa was married, Byron could not feel entrapped by her. The most honest love letter he ever wrote was to her, in English. But he refused to translate it for her, and he left her too, in the end, when he fell in love with Greece. 'Doing and saying things in large part [so] that he may write about them': Stauffer sees Byron as a 'method actor' - Fototeca Gilardi/Getty Images Stauffer also emphasises Byrons method actor personality. Stauffer often finds him doing and saying things in large part [so] that he may write about them: while writing one letter, Byron is mid-seducing someones wife at a party with all parties present. Characters who shaped his image of himself include Cain (Byron believed he was marked, by heritage and by his clubfoot, as itinerant and damned), Miltons Adam (Byron says the world is all before him, as he ousts himself from one Paradise after another) and Dantes Paolo and Francesca, who are buffeted around the second circle of Inferno by the headwinds of their lust, and who began their love affair through literature. His literary influences influenced his life. The question of his lifes appearance in his work is more complex. As Martin Amis wrote of a Life of Coleridge, often writers level up [the subjects] uvre on a biographical crowbar. Applied to most work, this approach is both icky and quacky: correlation does not mean causation, as all junior statisticians know. With Byron, it is not so contentious. The second canto of Don Juan in which his hero survives a shipwreck was, he claimed, entirely drawn from fact. In a letter in 1814, he calls poetry a reflection of the world; in his journal in 1821, it is the feeling of a Former world and Future. His writing takes on all the world with tired and wired exhaustiveness. It is safest to say, with the critic Jerome McGann, that it half perceives and half creates Byrons existence. Indeed, as soon as he ceased to write, the souls of reflection and action alike were leeched from him when doctors tried to cure an ague through bloodletting, in 1824. Byrons witty and bravura works deserve a grander afterlife; but if that cant be found, he walks and casts his glamour nonetheless among us. Byrons friend and doctor John Polidori was with him and the Shelleys at the Villa Diodati in 1816, when Frankenstein was born, and based The Vampyre (1819) on some pages Byron penned about a man who dies in Greece but rises from the dead with amorous intentions and on Byron himself. According to Stauffers paradoxically scholarly and entertaining book, every dangerously attractive, aristocratic vampire from Bram Stokers Dracula to Anne Rices Lestat can be traced back to Byron. Camille Ralphss debut poetry collection After You Were, I Am will be published by Faber in March. Byron: A Life in Ten Letters is published by Cambridge University Press at 25. To order your copy for 19.99 call 0844 871 1514 or visit Telegraph Books 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. Ever since his cancer diagnosis was revealed, questions and concerns continue to arise surrounding the future of the monarchy. Understandably, theres a major question on everyones minds: Is King Charles stepping down? Now, the monarch is speaking up about his diagnosis for the first time since his diagnosis, and his statement may give us a solid understanding of his plans moving forward. In January 2024, King Charles was admitted to a hospital for a routine procedure to treat an enlarged prostate. But less than two weeks after the operation, Buckingham Palace announced that doctors discovered the monarch had a form of cancer following additional tests. His Majesty has today commenced a schedule of regular treatments, during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties, the palace shared in a statement on February 5, 2024. Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual. More from StyleCaster The statement continued: The King is grateful to his medical team for their swift intervention, which was made possible thanks to his recent hospital procedure. He remains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible. His Majesty has chosen to share his diagnosis to prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer. As the monarch continues his treatment, however, questions continue to arise about his future on the throne. The major concern on everyones mind: is King Charles stepping down? Heres what we know so farincluding what the king has said himself since his diagnosis was first announced. Is King Charles stepping down? Image: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images. Is King Charles stepping down? So far, the answer is no. While the monarch is taking a break from public facing duties throughout his treatment, the palace has since confirmed that he will continue to carry out his duties as head of state, including any paperwork and private meetings with officials. Royal experts largely agree that the monarch will not abdicate the throne. Carolyn Harris, a royal history instructor at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Education, told USA Today that if an abdication were ever to occur, it would only be under extreme circumstances. In Britain, you dont see peaceful abdications, she told the publication on February 8, 2024. Harris believes the king would have to be extremely ill before deciding to step down, given the examples of his mother and father to keep calm and carry on, she said. They will have had a huge impact on him to carry on with this until the end of his life. As for King Charles, the monarch is taking his diagnosis in stride. In his first statement since the palace announced his condition, King Charles expressed his immense gratitude for the support hes received from around the world. As all those who have been affected by cancer will know, such kind thoughts are the greatest comfort and encouragement, he shared on Saturday, February 10, 2024. It is equally heartening to hear how sharing my own diagnosis has helped promote public understanding and shine a light on the work of all those organizations which support cancer patients and their families across the UK and wider world, he continued in his statement. My lifelong admiration for their tireless care and dedication is all the greater as a result of my own personal experience. The kings statement came one day before he was seen publicly for the first time since announcing his cancer diagnosis. On Sunday, February 11, 2024, the monarch and his wife, Queen Camilla, were photographed on a walk on their royal Sandringham estate. King Charles smiled and waved at a crowd of around 100 well-wishers who gathered outside the estate grounds to express their support, before walking into the church on the estate for a morning service. Endgame: Inside the Royal Family and the Monarchys Fight for Survival by Omid Scobie Endgame: Inside the Royal Family and the Monarchy's Fight for Survival $23.14$32.0028% Off Buy Now Endgame, the explosive book from longtime royal journalist Omid Scobie and author of the international blockbuster Finding Freedom, is a penetrating investigation into the current state of the British monarchyan unpopular king, a power-hungry heir to the throne, a queen willing to go to dangerous lengths to preserve her image, and a prince forced to start a new life after being betrayed by his own family. Queen Elizabeth IIs death ruptured the already-fractured foundations of the House of Windsorand dismantled the protective shield around it. With an institution long plagued by antiquated ideas around race, class and money, the monarchy and those who prop it up are now exposed and at odds with a rapidly modernizing world. Relying on his vast experience as a royal reporter and over a decade of conversations and interviews with current and former Palace staff, trusted friends of the royals and even the family members themselves, Scobie pulls back the curtain on an institution in turmoil to show what the monarchy must change in order to survive. Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think youll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission from the sale. Best of StyleCaster After a big crawfish boil, there are only two things my family would make with the leftover tails: crawfish omelets or crawfish etouffee. Those weekends were always full of crawfish boiling, peeling, and eating (and accidental eye rubbing), and I miss them dearly. These days, when Im not close to home for crawfish season (which is April through June in Louisiana), I make etouffee with frozen crawfish tails to feel closer to my family. Now, Im happy to share my recipe with you! (And if crawfish isnt your thing, no problem we also have a recipe for shrimp etouffee). Key Ingredients in Crawfish Etouffee Crawfish tails: Either frozen or freshly boiled crawfish tails will work. For a good frozen option, I find that Walmart reliably stocks Louisiana crawfish tails in their frozen seafood section across the United States. The Holy Trinity: A mixture of celery, bell pepper, and onion that serves as the base of many New Orleans dishes. Broth: Seafood or chicken broth gets added to the brown roux to form the etouffee sauce. Cajun seasoning: Your favorite store-bought or homemade Cajun seasoning will do. If yours has salt, taste before adding more salt to the final etouffee. How to Make Crawfish Etouffee Based on whether you use freshly boiled or frozen crawfish, your tails may vary in moisture, so watch how your etouffee thickens and adjust with more flour if you need to. Make the roux. Cook butter and flour until it darkens to the color of peanut butter, forming the base of the etouffee sauce. Then add the holy trinity and cook until the vegetables are tender. Add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer until the etouffee is thickened to the texture of gravy and coats the back of a spoon. Season the etouffee and serve. Taste and season as needed. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley leaves if you like. Credit: Photo: Ryan Liebe ; Food Stylist: Brett Regot Credit: Photo: Ryan Liebe ; Food Stylist: Brett Regot What to Serve with Crawfish Etouffee Crawfish etouffee is often served with cooked white rice or toasted French bread and garnished with parsley or green onion. Crawfish Etouffee Recipe Save this simple and extra-flavorful recipe because youll want to make it every week. Prep time 10 minutes to 15 minutes Cook time 25 minutes to 30 minutes Serves 4 Ingredients 1 medium stalk celery 1/2 medium yellow onion 1/2 medium green bell pepper 4 cloves garlic 6 tablespoons unsalted butter or neutral oil, such as vegetable and canola 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more as needed 1 (14.5-ounce) can low-sodium chicken broth, or 2 cups seafood broth 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning with salt or Old Bay seasoning 1 dried bay leaf 12 to 16 ounces crawfish tail meat, thawed if frozen (do not drain) Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional) Coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves (optional) Cooked white rice , for serving Hot sauce, preferably Louisiana (optional) Instructions Prepare the following, adding each to the same medium bowl as it is completed: Trim and dice 1 medium celery stalk, 1/2 medium yellow onion, and 1/2 medium green bell pepper. Mince 4 garlic cloves (4 teaspoons). Melt 6 tablespoons unsalted butter in a medium saute pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat, or heat 6 tablespoons neutral oil in the pan until shimmering. Add 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and cook, stirring constantly, until it darkens to the color of peanut butter, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the celery mixture and cook until the vegetables are tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1 (14.5-ounce) can low-sodium chicken broth or 2 cups seafood broth, 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning or Old Bay, and 1 dried bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, add 12 to 16 ounces crawfish tail meat, and simmer until the etouffee is thickened to the texture of gravy and coats the back of a spoon, 12 to 15 minutes. If the etouffee is too thin, transfer 1 cup of the etouffee into a bowl, add 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, and stir until the flour is dissolved. Return the mixture to the pan, stir to combine, and simmer until thickened. Repeat with more flour as needed. Taste and season with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne as needed. Discard the bay leaf. Garnish with coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves if desired. Serve with white rice and hot sauce if desired. Recipe Notes Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Meet the tester Nortent Lavvo 4: first impressions The Nortent Lavvo 4 (available to buy direct from Nortent) is a beautiful tipi-style shelter designed by the same team that brought us the epic Gamme, the versatile Vern 1 and the unique Bivuakk. Hailing from Norway, Nortents shelters are designed to put up with the worst of the Scandinavian winter, coming with features that are both innovative and intuitive all to help you survive in the coldest, windiest and harshest environments possible. And, in my opinion, the brand has consistently delivered some of the best 4-season tents on the market, with plenty more to come through 2024. Specifications List price: 873 - 1,379 (incl delivery & taxes in UK ) / $760 - $1,150 (not including delivery & taxes to US) Style: Tipi tent Weight: 3.9kg / 8.5lbs Height: 1.93m / 76in Diameter: 3.63m / 143in Rooms: One bedroom without inner, one bedroom and vestibule with inner Compatibility: 4 without inner; 2-3 with inner In true Nortent style, the Lavvo is a four-season, four-person shelter built to beat the Scandinavian winter. It comes in a beautiful tipi-style design (check out our guide to 10 types of tent) based on the tried-and-tested form of shelter that Norways indigenous Sami people called home for thousands of years. For added versatility, the tent also comes with a stove jack through which you can easily slide the flue of a camping stove, allowing you to comfortably sleep in this thing when the weather is substantially below zero. Whats more, with a reasonable packed size and weighing below 4 kg, the Lavvo is also surprisingly portable, especially when the load is divided among two, three or four of you. In the UK, the Lavvo is available from Valley and Peak for between 873 and 1,379 depending on the configuration, which puts it at the top end of most budgets for tents of this type. When bought directly from Nortent, the tent will cost you between $760 and $1,150 depending on the configuration, though this doesnt include delivery and tax. So this is far from a budget shelter something that the high-quality materials, the expert stitching and the innovative design speak for the second you open the bag. For a high price tag, you get a premium product; one that promises to keep you safe and very comfortable in the worst conditions any of us would conceivably camp in. Nortent Lavvo 4: in the wild Nortent Lavvo 4 tent To test the Nortent Lavvo 4, I headed to Dartmoor National Park with a friend when the weather forecast was looking particularly grim. We were able to properly put it up against some serious rain and driving wind, pitching it and packing it away several times over a few days, and getting a feel for its performance as a long-term shelter in appalling conditions. As this tent is built for the arctic tundra, however, its worth saying that we werent able to test it in any snow yet. Of course, the UK, my primary testing ground, doesnt deliver the harsh conditions the Lavvo was designed for, so I cant speak to its performance in brutal temperatures substantially below zero, nor can I comment on its performance in blizzard conditions. But what I can say is that based on my experiences with it to date, Id be super confident putting this tent up against the very worst of the UKs winter weather and Im looking forward to getting out in this in the snow as soon as some is forecast here. Pitching the Nortent Lavvo 4 Nortent Lavvo 4 tent To erect the Nortent Lavvo, the process is reasonably simple, though it can be somewhat finicky on your own. It involves pegging out sections of the fly before mounting the internal aluminum (or carbon, depending on your configuration) support pole on the underside of the flysheet to give the tent its shape. Much like a standard trekking pole tent, you then need to play around with the peg-out points on the flysheet to get the maximum amount of tension for optimal structural integrity. Doing this on your own is a bit of a difficult process, however, and we even found it a little tricky as a twosome when we did it for the first time. For that reason, I wouldnt use the Lavvo on my own without a little more pitching practice first. As the structural integrity of the Lavvo also rests on there being equal tension around the internal pole, its also crucial that you pitch the tent on flat ground something we realized early on when we tried to put the Lavvo on Dartmoors famously uneven moorland. To add extra tension, there are a further ten guyout points all around the fly sheet to properly glue this tent to the ground. And while youd need to camp in unusually harsh conditions for all ten of these to be necessary, the Lavvo thankfully comes with more than enough pegs to do so, which gives you extra confidence when pitching in bad weather. Inside the Nortent Lavvo 4 Nortent Lavvo 4 tent While were on the subject of stoves, this is another aspect of the Lavvo that makes it ultra-versatile. The chimney port sits just above the gigantic main entry door and comes with velcro fastenings to seal it shut when not in use, much like on the Nortent Gamme and the Bivuakk. Both the inner and the Lavvo floor are cut in a way that means the space in front of the door remains open, ie, theres no groundsheet, floor or inner here. This allows you to mount a stove directly on the ground and feed your flue up through the chimney port above. Additionally, you can use this space to allow wet gear to dry through the night without bringing any water into your inner or having to store this on the waterproof groundsheet. Nortent Lavvo 4 tent For me, however, Id love to see Nortent add an additional optional groundsheet to this part of the floor. It would add an extra layer of versatility to the shelter, making it an even better option for summer adventures when the weathers warmer, drier and more forgiving. It would deliver space for at least one extra person and kit (potentially two at a push) and would allow you to make full use of the door space when not using a stove. The Nortent Lavvo comes with one gigantic triangular entry door with smooth zips and glow-in-the-dark toggles, as well as slightly smaller door to the rear. As with the pegs, the zips and the toggles are large and easy to pull, even when wearing thick winter gloves. Inside the tent, there are also more than enough ventilation options. It comes with a couple of large ports around the floor and a very large port at the top of the center pole. These do a great job at optimizing ventilation and allow for minimal condensation when using this tent as a duo. Nortent Lavvo 4 tent One last thing to bear in mind is that the flysheet on the Lavvo needs to be seam-sealed find out more in our how to seam seal a tent guide. As its constructed out of a silnylon material, the seams of the tent cannot be sealed with tape (as is the case with polyester flysheets, for example), and instead are made waterproof by applying a small amount of silicone sealer along each seam inside. And while this step is fully optional, wed recommend it as, due to the thickness of the flysheet (40D), the holes created during the stitching process are comparatively bigger than those left on super-lightweight flysheets, such as those on the Vern 1 or the Bivuakk (which are both half the thickness of the Lavvos flysheet at 20D). Nortent supply a tube of sealant with the tents as standard, so wed recommend you seal all seams before pitching this anywhere youd expect any sustained rainfall. Durability Nortent Lavvo 4 tent Durability-wise, the Nortent Lavvo 4 is incredibly heavy-duty. Id expect this tent to survive for many, many seasons, probably long outlasting me. If treated right, it will easily put up with the worst weather you could throw at it, whilst still being an incredibly comfortable place to while away long summers nights on a campsite somewhere. Overall, I love the Lavvo. Its a beautiful tent that is incredibly comfortable, versatile and fun to use. Thanks to its reasonably small pack size (for the size and strength of the shelter), its also surprisingly portable if shared between two or three campers. With the option to add a stove, the Lavvo also lends itself well to bushcrafting trips or to adventures in temperatures substantially below zero degrees. Unfortunately, for me, however, its mostly overkill for the types of conditions Ill ever face here in the UK but were I to camp somewhere arctic, the Nortent Lavvo 4 would definitely be one of my first choices. "Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." As Prince William steps up his royal responsibilities in the absence of King Charles III and Princess Catherinewho have both faced separate medical concerns over the past few weekshe is making sure to keep his loved ones in his thoughts. Tonight, the Prince of Wales attended a dinner for the London Air Ambulance Charity Gala, a cause he has a special connection to, having worked as a pilot for the East Anglian Air Ambulance service from March 2015 to July 2017. In a speech at the event, William paid tribute to the king, whose cancer diagnosis was announced earlier this week, and to his wife, who is recovering from abdominal surgery. Id like to take this opportunity to say thank you, also, for the kind messages of support for Catherine and for my father, especially in recent days. It means a great deal to us all, William began. He jokingly added, Its fair to say the past few weeks have had a rather medical focus. So I thought Id come to an air ambulance function to get away from it all! Daniel Leal Charless cancer was identified during a recent procedure he underwent to treat a benign enlarged prostate. Bazaar understands that the condition is not prostate cancer, although Buckingham Palace has thus far refrained from specifying the monarchs diagnosis. As for the Princess of Wales, Kate has returned home to Windsor, following a scheduled abdominal surgery on January 16. The Princess is in good spirits, a royal source told Bazaar when she was discharged from the hospital. She is not expected to return to royal duties until after March. Elsewhere in Williams speech, he paid tribute to another famous face among the guests: Tom Cruise. Tom, if you wouldn't mind not borrowing either of the new helicopters for the next Mission: Impossible, it would be appreciated, the prince joked. We have all seen on our screens thathow can I put it?you seem to have a different take on normal wear and tear to the rest of us. Its not the kind that buffs out. WPA Pool - Getty Images Read Williams full speech below. Good evening, everyone. Thank you all for being here. And thank you to those whose hard work has made this evening possible. Id like to take this opportunity to say thank you, also, for the kind messages of support for Catherine and for my father, especially in recent days. It means a great deal to us all. Its fair to say the past few weeks have had a rather medical focus. So I thought Id come to an air ambulance function to get away from it all! But, seriously, we gather tonight to help as many people as possible benefit from top-class care in the silhouette of London Air Ambulances flying lifelines. As a former pilot for East Anglian Air Ambulance, I know just how vital the work of air ambulance teams across the country is, and the truly lifesaving difference it can make to deliver urgent medical care wherever injury strikes. Here in London, the current aircraft have served magnificently. But our capital city needs a new fleet. And we are up against time. The clue really is in the appeals name. By September, we need the two new red birdsdecked with the latest kit, such as night visionin our skies. You wouldnt be here if you needed much persuading, I know. But just wait to hear Milanas story later of how the air ambulance, and its incredible teams, have given her a second chance at life. I should also take this opportunity to give a mention to myourfellow pilot, Tom Cruise. Tom, huge thanks for supporting us tonight. And Tom, if you wouldn't mind not borrowing either of the new helicopters for the next Mission: Impossible, it would be appreciated. We have all seen on our screens thathow can I put it?you seem to have a different take on normal wear and tear to the rest of us. Its not the kind that buffs out. Anyway, an enormous thank you to all for being here tonight and for supporting such a wonderful cause. You are all, each and every one of you, lifesavers. You Might Also Like When Mardi Gras rolls around with all its bon temps, can Lent be far behind? No, not more than 24 hours behind at any rate, since the whole point of Fat-slash-Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day is that it's the last chance for a carb-fat-sugar blowout before Ash Wednesday ushers in a 40-day fasting period. Well, fasting for some. While most Christian denominations observe the Lenten period as a time of reflection and prayer prior to the celebration of Christ's rebirth on Easter Sunday, the only major ones that involve mandatory fasting are the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches. The reason for this is that most Protestant denominations see fasting as an individual choice. While Lenten fast days in the Roman Catholic Church Ash Wednesday and all of the Fridays during this period involve abstinence from certain types of food, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops lists no such stipulations regarding beverages. It's important to note that these fast days don't involve abstaining from food entirely, but merely limit the amount as well as the types of food that may be consumed. This means that even heartier beverages such as shakes and smoothies are permissible as these would not be considered full meals on their own. The only instance in which a beverage might enter questionable territory, theologically speaking, would be if it was made with meat broth or bouillon as these are considered meat-adjacent. Milk, however, is still permissible as it doesn't have a meaty flavor. Read more: Bottled Water Brands, Ranked Worst To Best Things Are Different In The Orthodox Church Romanian Easter wine, eggs, bread - Christian Badescu/Shutterstock Orthodox church doctrine requires a far stricter fast than is called for by the Roman Catholic Church. It's quite a bit more complicated, too, since Catholics only have to remember one Wednesday and half a dozen Fridays (well, technically seven, since Lent runs for six and a half weeks) but Orthodox Christians must abide by a rather complex calendar of changing fasting obligations. For the first three days (or two and a half, actually), a total fast may be involved, as is the case for the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of Holy Week. At other times, most animal foods are proscribed, including not just meat but fish, eggs, and dairy. And yes, certain beverages are restricted, as well. Since milk is a dairy product, the Orthodox faithful cannot drink it during Lent, although there seems to be no ban on plant-based substitutes. Wine and other alcoholic beverages, however, can only be consumed on weekends and certain feast days, which stands in contrast to the Roman Catholic church where giving up alcohol is a strictly voluntary observance. Starbucks olive oil-based drinks would also be forbidden fruit during Lent as olive oil, too, is in the restricted category. This means that Oleato cold brews, espressos, and lattes must be a weekend-only indulgence until Easter, which comes a bit later in the Orthodox church. While Roman Catholics and Protestants observe Lent starting on February 14 this year, Orthodox Lent begins on March 18 and Easter (Pascha) is May 5. Read the original article on Mashed. Miss Japan 2024 Karolina Shiino has reportedly relinquished her title amid reports that she had an affair with a married man. On 22 January, Shiino was crowned Miss Japan, sparking public discourse over what it means to be Japanese at a time when the country has continued to value homogeneity. The Ukrainian-born model has lived in Japan since the age of 5 and reportedly became a naturalised citizen in 2022. According to the contests organisers, she has since renounced her title after an article published last week in the Weekly Bunshun exposed her affair with a married man. The article revealed that Shiino had been in a relationship with muscle doctor influencer Takuma Maeda. Although she initially confirmed the relationship, she stressed that she was unaware that he was married. However, she later backtracked her previous statement, saying that it was not true and admitted that she had been aware that he was married with children. Shiino posted on Instagram, saying that she offered to give up her crown and resign from her modeling agency. Im very sorry for causing tremendous trouble and for acting as if betraying everyone who has supported me, she wrote in her Instagram post. She apologised for lying, explaining that she was in complete shock and scared of the backlash when the report came out, which was why she lied. She also reportedly reached out and apologised to all involved parties. On Tuesday, the office of the Miss Japan organisers confirmed that Shiinos renunciation of the title was accepted and the slot for the 2024 winner would be empty. In light of the scandal, the organisation noted that it takes seriously our responsibility for causing the ruckus and apologised to their sponsors and judges as well as talent involved in the pageant. At first, the organisation said they defended Shiino because they had believed her when she said that she didnt know Maeda was still married. She had claimed that he had told her that he was divorced and that she had broken up with him as soon as she found out that wasnt the case. In his own Instagram post, Maeda reportedly posted a message on Instagram, saying that he had no intention of divorcing his wife and apologised for drama and strife hes caused for both Shiino and his family. Maeda notably has received less backlash than Shiino, primarily due to Japans male-dominated culture in which the public is much harder on women for being anything less than perfect. Extramarital affairs are often career-ending when exposed. Most notably, famed Japanese actor Ryoko Hirosues affair with a married celebrity chef led to her agency suspending all of her work contracts indefinitely, while his work continued. Parents of an Academy School District 20 student have filed a federal lawsuit against the district, alleging they failed to respond to a student who sexually assaulted their daughter while both were attending Woodmen-Roberts Elementary. In the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court, the parents claim that a school employee failed to stop or prevent the assault and that school administration failed to properly notify them and law enforcement afterwards. According to court documents, on Jan. 25, 2022, a male student who had a reputation for sexually harassing other female students had allegedly groped the plaintiffs' daughter's breasts in front of their class. The lawsuit claims the only adult present at this time was a lunch monitor who was looking at their phone and took no action at the time of the alleged assault. Immediately afterward, the male student openly bragged to other classmates about getting the full package while the female student reported the incident to their teacher, who then brought her to school administration. The student relayed what she had told her teacher to Woodmen-Roberts Elementarys principal, vice principal and other administrators. Her parents were then notified of the incident hours later via a message stating there was an incident at the school. "No urgency. No request to meet with them. No details. It wasnt until they collected the minor child from school and she got home and told them that knew anything about 'the incident,'" the parents' attorney Melissa Rueschhoff told the Gazette. The documents note that the Colorado Springs Police Department was only informed by school officials after insistence by the parents. Featured Local Savings Police then investigated the incident later that day, and the male student and other classmates corroborated what was reported by the female student. The incident was also captured on video in the school. The male student was later charged with two criminal counts by police that included unlawful sexual conduct. The plaintiffs daughter stayed out of school for two weeks, since no action was taken by the school to separate the students following the incident. Rueschhoff later negotiated with general counsel for D-20 to implement parameters and keep them separate, but the female student ultimately decided to change school districts. "This child was outgoing, preppy, a state ranked swimmer, etc. This incident was so traumatic for her that she became introverted, almost recluse, began dressing in oversized, baggy clothing, and refused to swim," Rueschhoff wrote in an email. "Fortunately, she has left the school and the district altogether, and continued to receive counseling and support services." The parents are seeking damages for financial loss, physical harm, humiliation, mental anguish and emotional distress for Academy D-20's violation of Title IX. They claim that violations come from allowing the assault to occur, despite the students' known tendencies, failing to conduct their own investigation following the student's report and failing to conduct any follow-up actions to ensure student safety. No Academy D-20 administrators nor Woodmen-Roberts Elementary faculty have commented on the incident nor the lawsuit, but a public statement was released by the district in response to inquiries on the case. The district takes reports of this nature extremely seriously. Consistent with district policy and procedures, the district takes appropriate actions to investigate and address any report, terminate unwelcome behavior, ensure it does not recur, and prevent retaliation at any school promptly and impartially, the statement read. We are committed to maintaining the integrity of the legal process and respectfully decline to provide further comment. Thank you for your understanding. A trial date has not been set for the suit. The white marble carved from quarries in the area gives a special radiance to Estremoz's architecture - joe daniel price/Moment RF As I drove along the empty motorway, a hill-top town rose on the horizon, its snow-white dazzle standing out against a sky the same shade of blue as a painted Portuguese tile. Tucked into a northerly corner of the sparsely inhabited Alentejo region, Estremoz is just 90 minutes by car from Lisbon airport yet remains stuck in the tourist slow lane, slumped in a doze that recalls the rural Portugal of an earlier, slower time. It might lack the high-wattage beauty of better-known Alentejo towns like Evora and Monsaraz, but little Estremoz holds two major trump cards. One is the towns Saturday food and antique market, hands-down the best mercado in the region. The other is the famous white marble carved from quarries in the area, which gives a special radiance to its old-town churches and a glamour to the facades of its aristocratic houses. As a destination, moreover, Estremoz is coming up on the inside largely thanks to Brazilian chef Michele Marques, whose two fine restaurants have sealed her reputation as a force to be reckoned with in the new Alentejo cuisine. At dinner on a Friday night at Mercearia Gadanha, a former grocery store transformed into a wine shop, delicatessen and dining room, Marques brought me plates of duck croquettes and grilled local porco preto (black-foot pork) with coriander-scented breadcrumbs. She stood by my table and told me of her serendipitous journey from Petropolis to this provincial Portuguese town and her love affair with the regions foods and wines. In the 10 years since she opened the Mercearia, several of the chefs dishes like her trompe loeil dessert of green apple and pennyroyal mint have become modern Alentejano classics. Estremoz is a picturesque place to stroll around - Luis Davilla/Cover/Getty But Marques, never one to rest on her laurels, was soon working on a second project: Casa do Gadanha a rustic-minimalist restaurant-with-rooms with a fresh-faced contemporary menu (curated by her chef husband Ruben Trindade) thats now in its second successful year. I arrived early on a Saturday market day in Estremoz, when the town rouses itself from its habitual snooze to welcome crowds of local shoppers on the wide Rossio square. I roamed the stalls in a state of heightened retail excitement, pondering all the while how this 1950s sideboard, that wide-mouthed clay amphora, could be made to fit into the back of my Nissan Qashqai. I could see Marquess point about the excellence of Alentejo produce: into my fabric bag went roundels of fresh sheeps cheese, hunks of cured black-foot sausage, crunchy green olives and a box of sweet almond pastries ingredients, all, of the picnic I was already planning for a sun-dappled meadow a few miles out of town. Dinner at Brazilian chef Michele Marques's famed Mercearia Gadanha - Mercearia Gadanha Though perhaps not quite well-accoutred enough for a longer stay, what Estremoz was able to offer seemed perfectly calibrated for a low-key weekend break. There was a clutch of museums, good for a morning mooch, best of which was the huge Berardo collection of azulejos (tiles) splendidly displayed in the baroque Palacio Tocha. On my strolls around town I had fun spotting the local marble in ever more surprising guises, from benches to bathtubs, sinks to staircases, cups to cobbles. A particular pleasure was Estremozs legion of bric-a-brac shops among them Casbablanca, a hole-in-the-wall locale where French interior-design maven Aurele Lefaucheux held court, mixing and matching Alentejano crafts with mid-century vintage pieces and Moroccan carpets. On Sunday morning, I walked through the battlements into the alleys of a fortified upper town where orange trees hung over whitewashed walls, their branches laden with ripe fruit. An occasional car rattled by on the undulating cobbles. In a patch of rough ground within the castle walls, a donkey brayed. From the top of the picture-book medieval tower crowning the town, built (of course) entirely in bright white marble, I looked out over a modest urban sprawl which fizzled out into a gentle landscape of olive groves and vineyards. Late at night, through my bathroom window at Casa do Gadanha, I caught another beatific vision: the citadel where Id stood and gazed that morning, shining in the moonlight with a strange neon glow. Essentials Paul Richardson was a guest of Casa do Gadanha (00 351 268 249 790; casadogadanha.pt), which has double rooms from 120, including breakfast. TAP Portugal (flytap.com) flies from London and Manchester to Lisbon from 97 return. 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. At the turn of 1924, all of musical New York was agog at the prospect of an Experiment in Modern Music. The venue was the exceedingly plush Aeolian Hall, and the famous Paul Whiteman Band was performing. It wasnt quite the first experiment in combining jazz and classical music Whiteman had recently caused a stir by mingling songs from modernist composers such as Schoenberg, Milhaud and Bartok with jazz songs by Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern and Gershwin. But this was on a bigger scale altogether. Whiteman had commissioned a new concerto for solo pianist and jazz band from the man of the moment, 25-year-old George Gershwin. He had already scored a massive success in Tin Pan Alley with songs like Swanee and Stairway to Heaven, and had written the much talked-about Jazz Opera Blue Monday. The opera was actually a flop, but the fact that it existed at all was more evidence that the early 1920s was a moment of liberation and breaking boundaries in music. The romantic musical plush of the pre-First-World-War era had been banished. Thanks to the economic boom, this was a hedonistic new era prompting wild experimentation in the arts, which some called the Machine Age, some the Jazz Age. As Whiteman himself put it, Jazz evolves new forms, new colors, new technical methods, just as America constantly throws aside old machines for newer and more efficient ones. No wonder a glittering audience turned out on that snowy night on 12 February 1924. The march king John Philip Sousa, virtuoso pianists Leopold Godowsky and Rachmaninov, the conductor Jascha Heifetz, and composers Ernest Bloch and Igor Stravinsky were all there. The evening launched with a surprisingly old-fashioned speech from Whiteman about the concert being a stepping stone for the masses to enjoy symphony and opera. Then came a strange hodge-podge of recent blues hits, comedy numbers like Yes! We Have No Bananas, piano novelties, a Russian selection including Rachmaninovs famous C sharp minor Prelude, and light music numbers by operetta composer Victor Herbert. Finally came Gershwins Rhapsody, with the composer himself at the piano, and, for the first time ever, the pieces outrageously horny clarinet wail rang out. The audience loved it, but the critics werent so sure. Despite some praise for the musics exuberance and originality, as well as Gershwins virtuoso skills as a pianist, the common criticism was that the piece was formless just one damned thing after another. Thats not literally true. The piece works something like a one-movement symphony, with a big opening movement dominated by a gloriously swaggering idea that owes a lot to the stride piano of James P Johnson. Then comes a lighter Scherzo with a Trio (often cut), a heart-warming slow movement with that immortal big tune and a Finale which leads to a return of the stride-piano idea. It looks good on paper, but is undeniably bitty to hear. Most listeners wont mind, because the actual material is so irresistible especially that big romping tune near the beginning, with its vamping stride-piano accompaniment, and the big romantic melody towards the end, which sounds like Rachmaninov spiced up with Broadway sassiness. Given the inventiveness of the actual music, perhaps we should embrace the quixotic nature of the piece, which in its early days would change from one performance to the next. This quality is written into the score itself, which exists in innumerable versions. Theres the two-piano version Gershwin penned at top speed in January 1924, having forgotten all about the commission from Paul Whiteman until he read about the forthcoming premiere in a newspaper (probably untrue, like the numerous stories about who contributed what to this piece legendary premieres have a way of spawning legends). The first page of the autographed manuscript, Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin, January 7th 1924 - Gabriel Hackett/Archive Photos/Getty Images Then came a number of orchestrations by Ferde Grofe, the first for jazz band, the second for theatre pit orchestra, and then the one most of us are familiar with, for symphony orchestra. In addition to these are the numerous hugely truncated versions which just preserve the tunes (a cunning ploy on Gershwins part, as he could register the piece as a song and claim more royalties), and the rearrangements like the one made for a United Airlines advertisement in 1987. Another layer of creative unpredictability has been added by the pianists whove recorded the work, not least Gershwin himself, whose two versions are significantly different. Leonard Bernstein introduced some cuts of his own, and yet managed to drag out the tempo of some sections so much that his version is actually longer than many. Then there are the very interesting jazz versions, which leaven the written score with improvisation. Glenn Millers version dethrones the pianist in favour of the trumpeter Bobby Hackett and adds the element of swing that until then had always been missing. Ellington goes even further in swinging the piece, turning it into a genuine big-band piece with prominent solos for his star players such as clarinettist Harry Carney, trumpeter Cootie Williams and tenor saxophonist Paul Gonsalves. The Polish ensemble 'Blue Jazz' performing Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue in Gorky Central Park, Moscow, 1956 - Sovfoto/Universal Images Group via Getty Images So yes, that 1924 premiere was a red-letter day in the history of music but which music exactly? Does it belong in the history of the virtuoso piano concerto? Or should we look at it more as a piece of exciting musical modernism? Thats perhaps a better starting-point, given that the premiere took place during a concert grandly entitled An Experiment in Modern Music. Or is it part of the history of jazz again a reasonable assumption, given that the premiere was given by perhaps the most famous jazz band in the country at that time? Or even the history of dance music, given that quite a bit of the music is in a foxtrot rhythm? History has given us the answer. Gershwins piece caught that magic historical moment when a fusion of modernism, jazz and classical music seemed possible. Thats why it briefly spawned a host of imitations, including Gershwins own Concerto in F, Ravels piano concerto, and George Antheils Jazz Symphony. But the moment passed. By the 1940s, with the advent of bebop, jazz had lost its popular vigour and became an art-form of its own. Gershwins Rhapsody became increasingly captured by the classical world, so we now get performances which follow the final orchestral version to the letter, in a spirit of authenticity. To me this betrays something essential about the piece. Perhaps the best gift we could offer the Rhapsody in Blue on its 100th birthday would be to give up on authenticity and encourage pianists and conductors to play fast and loose with the score, the way musicians used to. It would outrage the purists, but restore the shine on this most loveable of 20th-century masterpieces. Sunday Feature: American Rhapsody is on Radio 3 at 6.45pm on Sunday February 11 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. SAN DIEGO (Border Report) Little known fact, Americans also get deported from Mexico, something that happened 261 times last year according to Mexicos Institute of Migration in Tijuana. In 2023 alone, 288 foreign nationals were deported out of Baja to countries such as Peru, Germany, Colombia, Honduras, El Salvador, but most were Americans. In all, more than 17,000 people were deported from Mexico last year, with more than 2,500 from China alone. Another 1,500 were sent back to Uzbekistan. Lanes to be added for southbound commuters at San Ysidro Port of Entry Many on the list were Brazilians and from other South American countries. Hundreds of African immigrants were also deported from Mexico to countries such as Mauritania, Guinea and Ghana. Russians and many Central American immigrants also found themselves being sent back home from Mexico in 2023. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. Two school districts in Greene County operate on a four-day week: Fair Grove, pictured above, and Walnut Grove. The number of Missouri districts adopting a four-day school week climbed steadily for a decade and spiked during the pandemic. Nearly 170 districts more than 30% in the state now operate on the shorter week. Until last year, the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education had not commissioned a large-scale study about what impact the alternative calendar had on student learning. That inaugural report, made public Feb. 6 during a meeting of the state Board of Education, showed that operating on a four-day week in Missouri was neither helpful nor harmful academically. As part of the presentation, researcher Amanda Weissman of the SAS Institute which produced the report noted the findings in Missouri were generally consistent with years of research conducted about four-day school weeks in 16 other states. "Of all those studies, half of them have found no effect and half have found a very small negative effects," she said. Board president Charlie Shields asked if the four-day school week "expanded the gap or narrowed the gap" for student subgroups who might, on average, lag behind peers academically. Charlie Shields "As a board, we are intensely interested in the equity issue," he said. Shields was told the research did not drill down far enough to see if certain groups of students performed better or worse in the shorter week. He said there was nothing in the report to suggest students, as a whole, were better off academically. "The policymakers put this option in place. It will be the policymakers who have to review it and they are but I think the question, at the end of the day, that we can say and they need to understand is, it doesn't move us forward," he said. "It just keeps us level set and our goal should not be just level set." The study looked at the types of districts making the switch through the 2021-22 year and noted many had demographic similarities. A look at students enrolled in four-day school weeks showed they were: More likely to be rural, white and eligible for free or reduced-price school meals, a national measure of poverty; Less likely to be in programs for gifted education or English language learners; Enrolled in districts with lower achievement and growth scores prior to adopting a four-day week. "The students in the districts that adopt a four-day school week are not representative of all the students in Missouri, as a whole," Weissman said. According to the study, schools that switched after the start of the pandemic were more likely to be located in towns rather than rural areas. They were also more likely to include Hispanic, multiracial or foster students, or those eligible for special education and English language learner programs. More: What sets Springfield schools apart? All 7 school board candidates give same answer Early on, districts making the switch cited cost savings as a factor but the overwhelming majority said the impetus is to recruit and retain staff and to compete with neighboring districts that either pay better or already operate on the four-day week. However, the study did not examine if districts on the truncated schedule were more effective at recruiting qualified teachers and staff or keeping experienced teachers in the classroom. Questions about the popularity of the option have swirled in recent years, especially as the number and the size of districts making the switch started to grow. Lisa Sireno, assistant commissioner for the Office of Quality Schools in DESE, said the four-day school week has been permitted since 2011. "For most of the time since then, there have been some small increases in the number of schools from year to year until the pandemic years and then we started to see an increase," she said. Margie Vandeven In early 2023, Missouri Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven, who is stepping down this summer, said it gave her "great pause" to see so many districts switching to four-day weeks. In announcing plans for the study, she said there were inherent challenges because districts have implemented the model in different ways. Some districts simply elongate the school day or length of the school year to satisfy the minimum classroom hours required annually. There is also wide variation in how districts handle the fifth day, when class is not in session. Some are closed or offer child care to families while others provide tutoring or extra instruction to help students catch up or get ahead academically. Jon Turner, an associate professor at Missouri State University who studies the four-day school week, said numerous studies in other states showed that districts that "protect instructional time" had no significant impact on their academic performance, as measured by standardized tests. More: Annual report cards for Missouri schools released here's how Ozarks districts scored Turner said it was great to hear Vandeven acknowledge the same in Missouri. "A lot of four-day school week districts have felt that they were under attack for making the decision or at least it was implied that it was not what was best for students' academic performance," said Turner, in an interview with the News-Leader after the board meeting. "This latest research from DESE reaffirmed other research." Jon Turner The data used for the SAS Institute report was data that districts must report annually to DESE. Turner questioned why it has taken so long for DESE to study this issue and noted the decision by larger districts, including Independence, to move to the four-day week has shined the spotlight on the issue. "There were questions that were raised about how does this drive teacher retention and how does this drive other issues in education," he said. "The state department of education holds all the date necessary to investigate these issues. I hope that they'll continue to take those next steps to dive even deeper into how this has impacted schools in Missouri." Following the report Feb. 6, Vandeven said the decision to move to a four-day week is made at the local level. She said districts survey the communities they serve to see if the option is wanted and working. She acknowledged there were a number of questions the report did not address. "We all have questions but the question I would have for this board is to figure out what is the department of education's responsibility to explore various aspects," she said. Southwest Missouri districts with four-day school weeks A look at districts in the Springfield area, by county, that have adopted a four-day school week: Greene Fair Grove, Walnut Grove; Christian Chadwick, Billings, Clever, Spokane; Taney Bradleyville, Taneyville, Forsyth, Kirbyville; Dade Everton, Greenville; Lawrence Aurora, Miller, Pierce City, Verona; Polk Fair Play, Halfway, Marion C. Early, Pleasant Hope. This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Report: Four-day school weeks don't 'harm' Missouri students' learning The car that six-year-old Hind Rajab was riding in when Israeli tanks attacked, killing her and her family (Palestinian Red Crescent/AFP/Getty) A six-year-old Palestinian girl who called authorities begging for help as the lone survivor of an attack in Gaza City has been discovered dead. She died alongside a pair of paramedics who were trying to save her. The girl, Hind Rajab, was with family members her aunt, uncle, and her three cousins racing in their family car to outrun Israeli tanks and escape the city. Tanks ultimately fired on the car, killing Hind's relatives. The little girl survived the initial assault long enough to call emergency operators to try to find help. Gunfire can be heard just before Hind's call abruptly ends, the BBC reports. On Saturday, paramedics with the Palestinian Red Crescent Society managed to reach the area where Hind's relatives were killed. Prior to that, the area had been closed off due to it being an active combat zone. (Family Handout/AFP/Getty) They eventually found a black Kia, its windows blown out, its doors riddled with bullets. That was the car Hind and her family were in when they attempted to flee the city. A paramedic reported that Hind's remains were found among the bodies of her family members. She appeared to have died from gunfire and shelling. The black Kia was not the only vehicle destroyed on the street; the paramedics also discovered the remains of an ambulance just a few meters away. The Red Crescent said that an ambulance was sent to answer Hind's call for help, but never returned. The PRCS has accused Israel of intentionally destroying the ambulance and killing its paramedics. "The [Israeli] occupation deliberately targeted the Red Crescent crew despite obtaining prior coordination to allow the ambulance to arrive at the scene to rescue the child Hind," the organisation said in a statement. The group told the BBC that it had previously coordinated with the Israeli army to obtain assurances that they could safely retrieve Hind. Those alleged agreements were reportedly not honoured. (Family Handout/AFP/Getty) Nibal Farsakh, a spokesperson for the PRCS, told the BBC that their paramedics could see the spot where Hind was trapped, but that there was nonstop gunfire making a rescue impossible. Hind's mother is also calling for accountability for Israel. "For every person who heard my voice and my daughter's pleading voice, yet did not rescue her, I will question them before God on the Day of Judgement," she told the BBC. "Netanyahu, Biden, and all those who collaborated against us, against Gaza and its people, I pray against them from the depths of my heart." Israel has not released an official statement regarding Hind, her family, or the deaths of the paramedics. The Independent has reached out for comment. In the past, Israel has accused Palestinians of using ambulances to transport weapons and fighters, and hospitals as hideouts. This has allowed the Israeli military to justify attacks that would typically be considered war crimes under the International Criminal Court's standards. A view of the U.S.-Mexico border fence located about a mile west of Lukeville, Ariz., on January 4, 2024. The Lukeville Port of Entry reopened Jan. 4 after it closed on Dec. 4 last year reassigning port officers to assist processing of asylum seekers. I believe President Trump got it right when he stated, A nation without borders is not a nation. That is why I testified in front of the United States Houses Committee on Homeland Security in favor of impeaching DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for his refusal to secure the southern border. My understanding of border security comes from direct experience securing a nations border. It was earned on a barren desert battlefield half a world away from the turret of an M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle. In 2005, as a newly minted 2nd Lieutenant, my platoon deployed to Nineveh Province, Iraq, under the command of then-Colonel H.R. McMaster and was tasked with securing the border between Iraq and Syria. Our mission was simple: close the border. And thats exactly what we did. We did not capture people and release them into the interior of the country. We did not hand out citations and ask folks to report back in ten years. We closed the border to ensure the country was safe. Since 2021, more than 8 million illegal immigrants have entered the Unites States. That is more than the population of Missouri. These numbers are not an accident. There is only one reason 8 million people illegally cross a sovereign nations border: because they know they can get away with it. In the years of Secretary Mayorkas reign, there has been an orchestrated lack of enforcement of our nations immigration laws. That failure has not only led to impeachment proceedings against Mayorkas; it has given rise to an unprecedented level of state actions necessary to fill the vacuum created by the Secretarys ineptitude. My office has been on the frontlines of the battle to secure our southern border. In FY 2020, Congress appropriated funds explicitly for the purpose of constructing barrier systems at the southern border to keep illegal immigrants out of our country. In the appropriation, Congress explicitly stated the money shall only be available for construction of barrier systems along the southwest border. Secretary Mayorkas refused to comply with Congress command. Missouri immediately filed suit. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that states can bring a challenge against the federal government for abdicating its responsibility at the border. That ruling cleared the way for our lawsuit against the Secretarys refusal to finish President Trumps border wall to move forward. We also filed suit against Mayorkas for allowing hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants to be paroled into the United States every year without congressional authorization. Parole allows noncitizens to physically enter and remain in the United States without lawful status for several years while their application is reviewed. We also filed suit to halt Mayorkas attempt to implement a rule that redefined what had previously been considered illegal border crossings as lawful pathways. Rather than acknowledge the root cause of the influx of illegal immigrants poring over our border, the Secretary tried to define the problem away by simply making something that was once illegal into something legal. Mayorkas process would allow vast numbers of illegal immigrants to enter the country and receive instant work authorization under bogus asylum claims. Mayorkas has enacted illegal policies that are akin to posting a Come In, Were Open sign along the southern border. States are then forced to bear the enormous cost of Secretary Mayorkas failure, despite it not being the states responsibility to do the federal governments job for them. Secretary Mayorkas swore an oath to faithfully execute the laws of our land, and is refusing to do so. In Missouri, we remove officials who do not do their jobs because we have seen firsthand the catastrophic toll it takes on entire communities. I ousted a Soros-backed prosecutor from office because her refusal to do her job resulted in the killing and maiming of countless Missourians. Since we took action, order has been restored to the City of St. Louis. Congress must remove a government official who refuses to do his job for the same reason: to restore order. We have reached a point of no-return. My office is doing everything we can at the state level to rectify this appalling situation, but Congress has a role to play in restoring accountability. While we battle in the nations courts, Congress must use every tool at its disposal to obtain accountability for the American people. If we can send American troops overseas to secure a nations border, we can surely secure our own. Andrew Bailey is a combat veteran and Missouri attorney general. He is campaigning for the Republican nomination to run for another term. This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Andrew Bailey: United States' southern border is worth defending Lest anyone think his power in Florida was diminished by the wreckage of his presidential campaign, Gov. Ron DeSantis made a big splash as he reasserted himself in the 2024 legislative session. Just home from Iowa and New Hampshire, the governor endorsed a four-point plan that looks like a platform for a 2028 national campaign and laid it before Florida lawmakers. His ideas were dutifully praised by House and Senate leaders in Tallahassee, of course, but probably wont change anything in Washington. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks at a town hall meeting Jan. 19 at Cara Irish Pub & Restaurant in Dover, NH, ahead of the New Hampshire presidential primary. He quit the race for the GOP presidential nomination two days later. DeSantis endorsed whats known as an Article V convention to amend the U.S. Constitution in ways the right wing of the Republican Party has been yearning for since Barry Goldwater was saying nice things about extremism. America hasnt had such a convention since the original confab in Philadelphia, but the Constitution provides that well have to get out the powdered wigs and quill pens again if 34 states say so. There are resolutions in this session to make Florida the 27th state to call for a new constitutional initiative. Whatever comes out of such a convention would then have to be ratified by 38 states. The amendments DeSantis desires would: Require Congress to balance the federal budget except in times of emergency. Impose term limits on Congress. Give the president a line-item veto of expenditures in federal budgets. Forbid Congress to exempt itself from laws it passes. If they publish an updated edition of Profiles In Courage someday, none of these proposals will earn DeSantis a special new chapter. But each of them is very popular with voters willing to overlook some procedural and political flaws. State lawmakers have passed resolutions backing the balanced-budget and term-limits ideas. Making Congress obey the same laws it imposes on the rest of us is a fine idea. The political problem is, Congress has had more than two centuries to do so, and it obviously has no intention of acting. The same selfish reasoning explains why theres no line-item veto, which DeSantis and many other governors wield in state budgets. Congress likes cramming hometown pork projects into the federal budget or writing proviso language that favors different campaign donors. Members dont want presidents redlining what they spend. Everybody is for a balanced budget so long as all the military bases, pollution clean-up projects, highways, bridges, social programs and schools in their own states are protected. And when they want to spend more that the government takes in, members could just find a national emergency, like getting Taylor Swift to the Super Bowl on time, and throw money at it. Theyve done sillier stuff. Term limits feel good, and Americans always love to show those pandering professional politicians whos boss. But all they really do is toss out the good with the bad and replace them with pandering professional politicians who might or might not do better. It would be better if we all paid attention to whos doing well and who needs to go, and then vote accordingly, but its easier to just make them all run for something else or become lobbyists after eight or 12 years. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., walks to the chamber during a test vote to begin debate on a border security bill, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. Senate Republicans have already blocked the bipartisan border package, scuttling months of negotiations between the two parties on legislation intended to cut down record numbers of illegal border crossings. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) DeSantis is right that Congress will never curtail its own powers, so a convention will be the only option. But thats problematic in itself. States can list an agenda, but whats stopping a runaway convention from proposing a whole new, radically different country? How are these delegates to be selected? How do we know lobbyists for special interests oil, big tech, pharma, agriculture, media, defense contractors wont influence them in writing a new Constitution? After seeing what the U.S. House just did in choosing a speaker, does anyone think a constitutional convention could agree on a document 38 states will ratify? If a proposed charter fails ratification, can the convention reconvene and keep putting out new ones? Or would the states have to authorize a do-over? And then another and another? It was probably easier 230 years ago, when there were only 13 colonies, and everyone pretty much agreed to form a country. But even then, they got slavery wrong and compromised on a bunch of language were still fighting about. Bill Cotterell Bill Cotterell is a retired Capitol reporter for United Press International and the Tallahassee Democrat. He writes a weekly column for The News Service of Florida and City & State Florida. He can be reached at bcotterell@cityandstatefl.com. 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: Bill Cotterell: DeSantis lets us know hes home WTs Cornette Library to celebrate 50 Years with Feb. 13 reception CANYON For 50 years, the James and Mary Elizabeth Cornette Library has anchored West Texas A&M Universitys campus, a sanctum for studying, learning and exploring for students and community members alike. The library celebrates its half-century milestone with an 11 a.m. Feb. 13 reception in the library atrium on WTs campus in Canyon. An academic library is the heart of a university, said Shawna Kennedy-Witthar, director of information and library resources. And here, we strive to be that place, where everyone can find what they need and have a place. The James and Mary Elizabeth Cornette Library celebrates its half-century milestone with an 11 a.m. Feb. 13 reception in the library atrium on WTs campus in Canyon. The reception will include a performance by the librarys book cart drill team, the Cartigans, as well as cake, Buffalo cookies and more. Speakers will include WT President Walter V. Wendler; Kennedy Witthar; Sidnye Johnson, head of special collections and University archives; and Dr. Jim Cornette, son of the librarys namesakes and professor emeritus of mathematics at Iowa State University. WT has maintained the vitality of that library, Cornette said. Its still such a viable place for students. As part of the 50th anniversary celebration, a year-long exhibit on the librarys first level showcases the evolution of WT's library history. WT has had a library space since it opened in 1910. The institution's first library, from 1910 to 1914, was in the schools Administration Building, which was destroyed in 1914 by fire. From 1916 until 1952, the library was housed in Old Main. And for the next 22 years, the library was located adjacent to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum. (The building was annexed to the museum in 1986.) Artifacts from those previous locations are on display in the first-floor exhibit, including original bookcases, archived catalogue materials, and a section of a stained-glass window. The current library opened in 1974 a 88,900-square-feet facility in the center of WTs campus. On Wednesday, Feb. 14, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., a special Valentine's Day tribute, Cards and Letters from Home will be on display at the Texas Panhandle War Memorial and Education Center, honoring Navy Veteran Jackie Smith of Amarillo. 'Cards and Letters' to be on display Valentine's Day at war museum On Wednesday, Feb. 14, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., a special Valentine's Day tribute, Cards and Letters from Home will be on display at the Texas Panhandle War Memorial and Education Center, honoring Navy Veteran Jackie Smith of Amarillo. In 1991, ET-2 Smith was assigned to the USS Tarawa which was assigned duty in the Persian Gulf during the Persian Gulf War. Students from Smiths elementary schools, Oakdale, Landergin, and Humphreys Highland sent Valentine Day cards and letters to Smith expressing their respect, valentines wishes, and wishing him a safe return home. These cards and letters will be on display for all to enjoy. Students from each of the schools have been invited to tour the War Memorial Education Center and view the exhibits. Students who attended these schools in 1991, were in class with Mrs. Adams (Landergin), Mrs. Rankin (Humphreys Highland), or Mrs. McCarter (Oakdale) are welcome to the War Memorial Education Center to view their work from 33 years ago, to read and to remember. Everyone is invited to visit their education center Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call 806-350-8387, follow them on Facebook or visit their website,www.TexasPanhandleWarMemorial.com . City inviting citizens to join CERT, help Amarillo First responders such as the Amarillo Police Department and the Amarillo Fire Department are vital in times of emergencies, but ordinary citizens can also help. This is where the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) can make a difference. The Amarillo Area Office of Emergency Management is offering the CERT Academy a four-day program on Saturdays beginning in April which equips community members with the essential skills and knowledge to help in a community emergency. The CERT Academy is offered free of charge. The skills and knowledge obtained through the CERT Academy can directly impact the lives of others during emergencies, said Max Dunlap, director of the Amarillo Area Office of Emergency Management. Anyone wanting to help our community and make a positive impact is welcome. CERT is a volunteer program that trains individuals in basic disaster preparedness and response skills. The CERT Academy will be held April 6, April 20, May 4 and May 18 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Amarillo Area Office of Emergency Management, located in the basement of the Simms Building at 808 S. Buchanan St. A hands-on practical will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on May 30. Registration is available at: veoci.com/v/p/form/w479f6evqrad For more information contact City of Amarillo Media Relations Manager Dave Henry at 806-378-5219 or by email at david.henry@amarillo.gov. Ascension Academy will host its Annual Gala fundraiser with a Mardi Gras theme on Feb. 24, at the Grand Plaza in Amarillo Civic Center. Ascension Academy to hold Mardi Gras gala Ascension Academy will host its Annual Gala fundraiser with a Mardi Gras theme on Feb. 24, at the Grand Plaza in Amarillo Civic Center. The event will recreate a Bourbon Street experience with a Cajun-inspired dinner, cocktails, live jazz music by Esquire Jazz, and a wine and whisky pull. Guests can also participate in a vast silent auction featuring much-coveted items such as diamond earrings from Barnes Jewelry, a hand-painted tequila set, or trips to Cancun, Barbados, Antigua, and Lake Tahoe. The live auction will get the crowd going by allowing guests to bid on items and packages like a bar cart complete with a Bartesian cocktail machine, liquors, glassware, and mixers; a lawncare package from Western Equipment complete with a self-propelled lawnmower, a trimmer, and a blower; and a South African safari hunt for seven days and up to seven animals. Guests will also be able to win big from a 50/50 cash raffle drawing the more tickets bought, the bigger the pot grows. Tickets and sponsorship packages are still available for a short amount of time on the Ascension Academy website at htps://www.ascensionacademy.org/about-us/gala-ascension-academy-college-preparatoryschool Ascension Academy is seeking sponsors to help offset the cost of putting on this fundraiser. Individual and couples tickets will also get you into Big Fun in the Big Easy, and you'll be supporting Ascension Academy in its mission to provide an exemplary college preparatory education to maximize the potential of every student. Inquiries about Ascension Academy or the Mardi Gras Gala should be directed to Development Director Cassie Montgomery at 806-382-1211. Municipal Court Compliance Campaign 2024 begins Beginning Monday, Feb. 5, the City of Amarillo Municipal Court began a compliance campaign, focusing on anyone with outstanding citations and encouraging the public to take the necessary steps to resolve their cases with the court. In March, Municipal Court will be initiate the second phase of the compliance campaign by working closely with the Amarillo Police Department (APD) to address any outstanding warrants. Beginning the week of Monday, March 4, APD will have officers specifically assigned to serve outstanding warrants in the Amarillo area. Those residents with active warrants may appear in person at the Municipal Court, 201 S.E. 4th Avenue to resolve their cases. The court may be contacted by telephone at Municipal Court at (806) 378-3082, email citycourt@amarillo.gov, visit http://bit.ly/2DJ608R There are still options once a warrant has been issued on the city citation. Depending on the nature of the circumstances, solutions may include trials before a judge or jury, payment plans, community service, or time to search for a job. A person is always entitled to hire an attorney to handle their cases or represent themselves. For those pleading guilty or no contest, many cases can be paid online at https://www.municipalonlinepayments.com/amarillotx/court/search . Dove Creek Equine Rescue (DCER) launched its February campaign to secure new monthly donors to support the equine rescue and become members of the Heart of the Herd. Dove Creek Equine Rescue launches February Heart of the Herd Campaign CANYON Dove Creek Equine Rescue (DCER) launched its February campaign to secure new monthly donors to support the equine rescue and become members of the Heart of the Herd. They are invited to special members-only events at the ranch. In 2024, Dove Creek is hoping to add 24 new monthly donors with a minimum donation of $24 per month. Throughout February, the nonprofit will be giving new Heart of the Herd donors a box of DCER merchandise. New donors who commit to a monthly donation of at least $24.00 qualify for this giveaway, which includes a Comfort Colors t-shirt and Heart of the Herd logoed mug, tote bag, and sticker. In addition, all February donors who honor someone with their donation can have DCER mail their honoree a fun Valentine which features a rescue horse. Founder and Executive Director Laurie Higgins-Kerley emphasized the importance of recurring donors:"Our Heart of the Herd donors provide us with a stable and reliable source of funding, allowing us to plan long-term initiatives and maintain daily care for the herd, such as feed and veterinary care. It costs us $400 each month to care for a healthy horse. If the horse or barnyard animal is in a compromised state, that cost can be much higher. The ongoing commitment of our monthly donors is like a steady heartbeat that sustains our rescue efforts, making a lasting impact on the lives of horses and humans in need." To sign up to be a Heart of the Herd monthly donor, visit www.dovecreekequinerescue.org and look for the Heart of the Herd February popup. Payment options include debit or credit card, Google pay, or bank draft. The sign-up process is easy, and donors can create a donor account and view all of their online donations and print tax statements in one place. Dove Creek Equine Rescue was founded by Higgins-Kerley in 2012 and has rescued 242 unwanted and neglected animals since its inception. The mission of the nonprofit is to restore the dignity, purpose, and wholeness of unwanted horses who need a second chance in life and humans who need healing and direction by providing compassionate care, connection, and education. Beginning Tuesday, contractors will begin removing selected trees from US 87 near Buffalo Stadium Road to the US 87/US 60 split near Canyon. TxDOT to remove trees around US 87 near Canyon starting Tuesday CANYON The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) announced via social media that the dpeartment has identified a little more than a dozen trees alongside US 87, just north of Canyon that could cause safety problems for the traveling public. As such, beginning Tuesday, Feb. 13, in coordination with the city of Canyon, TxDOTs contractor, Falls Foundation Repair will begin removing selected trees from US 87 near Buffalo Stadium Road to the US 87/US 60 split. TxDOT said the project is expected to take one week to complete, weather pending. "These work sites may require shoulder or lane closures, so were asking drivers to please slow down and take their time when driving through those areas," TxDOT said in a Facebook post. "The trees are being removed because they are either dead, near the end of their life span or pose a safety risk to drivers. We understand that some of these trees are old and acknowledge them as a long-standing staple of the Canyon community. In collaboration with the City of Canyon, TxDOT has future plans to plant new trees in safer spaces along US 87." The Amarillo Crime Stoppers is seeking information in connection to an early burglary Jan. 26 at the My Eye Dr. in the 2400 block of Interstate 40 West. Police officers sent to the scene found that entry was forced into the business, and multiple items had been taken. Amarillo Crime Stoppers Crime of the Week: Eye Dr. burglary The Amarillo Crime Stoppers is seeking information for its Crime of the Week, a burglary at a local optometrist's office. On Friday, Jan. 26, just after 8 a.m., Amarillo police officers were sent to My Eye Dr. in the 2400 block of Interstate 40 West and found that entry was forced into the business and multiple items had been taken. Various lab equipment valued over $100,000, and personal items were stolen during this burglary. Anyone who may have information possibly connected to this incident is asked to contact Amarillo Crime Stoppers at 806-374-4400. Tips remain anonymous, and if the information provided leads to an arrest or the recovery of stolen property, it could earn a reward up to $1,000. Tips can also be submitted by visiting amapolice.org or by using the P3 Tips App. Remember to "Say It Here" with Amarillo Crime Stoppers. WTs online programs continue to rank highly in prestigious U.S. News rankings CANYON West Texas A&M Universitys online bachelors program ranked No. 45 in the nation and No. 3 in Texas, according to newly released 2024 rankings from U.S. News & World Report. Several undergraduate and graduate programs also rank highly state- and nationwide in the new standings, with 11 total programs earning the magazines coveted Best Program status: online bachelors programs, online bachelors programs for veterans, online undergraduate business programs, online MBA, online MBA for veterans, and graduate programs in computer information technology, criminal justice and public administration, education, engineering business (non-MBA) and nursing. Statewide, WTs online bachelors program is behind only Texas A&M University and the University of North Texas. Each of the 11 WT programs ranked in the top third of U.S. News & World Reports rankings. Of particular note: The graduate program in computer information technology rose to No. 14 from No. 16 (and No. 4 in Texas); the graduate program in criminal justice and public administration rose to No. 17 from No. 30 (and No. 3 in Texas); the graduate program in engineering rose to No. 37 from No. 41 (and No. 3 in Texas); the graduate program in nursing rose to No. 49 from No. 55 (and No. 7 in Texas); and the undergraduate business program rose to No. 83 from No. 88 (and No. 6 in Texas). Among programs for veterans, WT is the top-ranked school in Texas for online bachelors programs and No. 5 among Texas schools for online MBA for veterans. U.S. News evaluated schools based on a variety of factors, such as student engagement, faculty credentials, and services and technologies. In its 12th year, the U.S. News Best Online Programs is designed for individuals looking to complete or further their education. This year's edition evaluates more than 1,600 online bachelor's and master's degree programs using metrics specific to online learning. The rankings only include degree-granting programs offered primarily online by regionally accredited institutions. Prospective students can see how WT compares to other institutions and how the rankings are calculated on USNews.com. For more information on the Best Online Programs, explore Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and use #BestOnline. Veterans invited to session on resolving VA medical issues hosted by Texas Veterans Commission AUSTIN - Texas veterans are invited to the Texas Veterans Commissions (TVC) Health Care Information Session and find out about assistance available to resolve VA medical issues at no cost. The session will be held on Feb. 16, 2024 at 1:30 p.m. on Zoom. The session features TVC Health Care Advocates (HCAs) who help Texas veterans navigate the VA health care system and resolve related issues at no cost. This includes issues such as: enrollment, appointments, billing, prescriptions, Care in the Community / MISSION Act assistance MRIs/X-rays/lab tests and more. Additionally, information on Veterans Health Administration (VHA) updates will be provided. Listen to TVC HCAs and fellow veterans Nikki Taylor and Jennifer Aparicio talk about what they do and what to expect at the session. (TVC podcast Take a Guided Tour of VA Health Care - https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/texasveteranscommission/episodes/Take-a-Guided-Tour-of-VA-Health-Care-e2euhj7 ) US 60/70/84 bridge project to be discussed at public meetings in Farwell, Texico FARWELL Information on a proposed project to build a bridge at US 60/70/84, in the cities of Farwell, Texas, and Texico, New Mexico will be presented at two public meetings scheduled for February, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) announced in a news release. The public meetings will present information on a proposed project to build a bridge structure over the existing BNSF railroad crossing at the Texas/New Mexico state line. Citizens are invited to attend either one of the meetings being held in the cities of Farwell and Texico and will have the opportunity to join in-person or view the information virtually. The public is encouraged to attend, ask questions and provide feedback. The Farwell public meeting will take place 5:30-7:30 p.m. (CST) on Thursday, Feb. 15, at the Farwell ISD Administration Building, located at 805 Ave. G. The second meeting will be held in Texico, 5:30-7:30 p.m. (MST), on Thursday, Feb. 22, at the Texico ISD cafeteria, located at 520 N. Griffin St. This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo area Our Town briefs for Feb. 11, 2024 Egyptian officials have told Israel they will not oppose an operation in Rafah if Palestinian civilian casualties are avoided, Israels Army Radio reports. Cairo told Israeli diplomats that while it will strongly criticise Israels assault on the densely populated city in southern Gaza, it would not take action to hinder the IDFs operation as long as it was conducted in a way that avoided high civilian casualties. It comes as Egypt on Sunday threatened to suspend its peace treaty with Israel if it launched a ground invasion of Rafah saying that fighting there could force the closure of the territorys main aid supply route. The threat to suspend the Camp David Accords, a cornerstone of regional stability for nearly a half-century, came after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said sending troops into Rafah was necessary to win the four-month-old war against the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, said on Friday the army was preparing for the evacuation of Rafah ahead of a ground invasion, despite warnings from the US that doing so would be a humanitarian disaster. On Sunday, Hamas-run Aqsa Television channel quoted a senior Hamas leader as saying the invasion would blow up the hostage exchange negotiations. 05:00 PM GMT That's all for today. Thanks for following the Telegraph's live blog. Well be back tomorrow with the latest updates on the war. 04:55 PM GMT Palestinian President arrives in Doha Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Doha on Sunday for talks on securing a ceasefire in the Gaza war with the Qatari emir, whose country has been at the heart of mediation efforts and hosts political leaders of militant group Hamas. Palestinian news agency WAFA said Abbas would meet emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Monday, but did not say if he would also meet leaders of Hamas, a group that has long been at odds with Abbas and his West Bank-based Fatah group. The Palestinian ambassador to Qatar, Munir Ghannam, told Voice of Palestine Radio on Sunday that Abbas and the emir would discuss efforts to secure a Gaza ceasefire with Israel and ways to increase aid for the territorys 2.3 million people. 04:41 PM GMT Joe Biden to speak with Benjamin Netanyahu US President Joe Biden will speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, two White House officials said, in what will be the two leaders first conversation since Mr Biden said Israels military response in Gaza has been over the top. Mr Biden, who is spending the weekend at his home in Wilmington, Delaware, is slated to speak with Mr Netanyahu on Sunday morning, one of the officials said. The Israeli prime minister told the Fox News Sunday program earlier on Sunday that he has not talked with Biden since his over the top comment on Thursday and did not know what the US leader meant by it. 04:16 PM GMT Israel will push into Rafah despite international pushback Israel will push into Rafah in southern Gaza despite widespread concerns over the potential toll, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a television interview on Sunday, vowing to provide safe passage for civilians out of the overcrowded city. Victory is within reach. Were going to do it. Were going to get the remaining Hamas terrorist battalions in Rafah, which is the last bastion, Mr Netanyahu told ABC News, in an extract of the This Week with George Stephanopoulos interview released Saturday evening. Despite international alarm over the potential for carnage in a place crammed with more than half of the Gaza Strips 2.4 million people, Mr Netanyahu said: Were going to do it while providing safe passage for the civilian population. 03:49 PM GMT War in pictures Displaced members of Palestinian Abu Mustafa family, who fled their house due to Israeli strikes, shelter at the border with Egypt - Mohammed Salem/Reuters Smoke and explosion following an Israeli bombardment inside the Gaza Strip - Ariel Schalit/AP 03:09 PM GMT Thousands in Iran chant 'Death to Israel' Hundreds of thousands of people chanted Death to Israel in rallies across Iran to mark the Islamic Revolutions 45th anniversary on Sunday, Reuters reports. Demonstrators burned US and Israeli flags amid the ongoing war between Israel and Tehran-backed Hamas. President Ebrahim Raisi, in a televised speech, accused Tehrans arch-foe the United States and some Western countries of backing the Zionist regimes crimes against humanity in Gaza. 02:44 PM GMT Netanyahu hasn't spoken to Biden since he said war was 'over the top' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he has not spoken to US President Joe Biden since the president made remarks about Israels military response to Hamas being over the top. Netanyahu was speaking in an interview on the Fox News Sunday program. I appreciate President Bidens support for Israel since the beginning of the war. I dont know exactly what he meant by that, Netanyahu said in reference to the US leaders comments in an interview aired on Sunday on ABCs This Week program. 02:09 PM GMT Rafah invasion will blow up hostage negotiations, says Hamas Any Israeli ground offensive in Rafah on the Gaza border will blow up the hostage exchange negotiations, a senior Hamas leader said. Hamas kidnapped hundreds of people during its assault on Israel on October 7 and have since released some elderly hostages following negotiations with the Israeli government. It is understood that 31 of the 136 hostages still being held in captivity in Gaza are dead. Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, said on Friday the army was preparing for the evacuation of Rafah ahead of a ground invasion, despite warnings from the US that doing so would be a humanitarian disaster. On Sunday, Hamas-run Aqsa Television channel quoted a senior Hamas leader as saying the invasion would blow up the hostage negotiations. 01:20 PM GMT US strikes missile sites in Yemen US Central Command (Centcom) said on Sunday its forces on Feb. 10 had carried out strikes on two unmanned surface vessels (USVs) and three anti-ship cruise missiles north of Yemens port city of Hodeidah that were threatening ships in the area. Centcom identified these USVs and missiles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined they presented an imminent threat to U.S. Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region, it added. 12:20 PM GMT Israels Q tests lasers that can shoot down incoming rockets Even in a James Bond film, it might seem a little far-fetched: a laser that can shoot enemy missiles out of the sky, writes Robert Mendick. But in a country at war, where self-preservation is the mother of invention, Israels military has successfully tested a new defence system that destroys incoming rockets using beams of light. The project is the brainchild of Dr Danny Gold, Israels equivalent to MI6s Q, the scientific genius behind the Iron Dome air-defence system that casts a protective shield over a country that is regularly bombarded by Hamas from the south and Hezbollah to the north. Read the full piece here. 12:00 PM GMT IMF: War has devastated economy of Gaza and West Bank The Israel-Hamas war has devastated the economies of both the embattled Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank, the International Monetary Funds chief said Sunday, adding that only durable peace would improve the outlook. The Palestinian economys dire outlook is worsening as the conflict persists, managing director Kristalina Georgieva told the World Governments Summit in Dubai. Only a durable peace and political solution will fundamentally change it. Economically, the impact of the conflict has been devastating, Georgieva said. 11:30 AM GMT US senate deliberates over aid package for Israel A narrowly divided US Senate will try to move closer to passing a $95.34 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan on Sunday, while hoping to show enough bipartisan support to propel the measure all the way through Congress. The legislation needs 60 votes to overcome a procedural hurdle and continue toward Senate passage in the coming days. It could move more quickly if Democrats and Republicans reach an agreement to fast-track the measure, though even then it will face stiff opposition in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. The money is viewed a crucial by Kyiv as it grinds toward the second anniversary of a Russian invasion. Democratic President Joe Biden, who has been seeking the aid for months on Friday said Congress would be guilty of neglect if it failed to pass the measure. 11:07 AM GMT Iranians chant 'death to Israel' on anniversary of Islamic Revolution Hundreds of thousands of people chanted Death to Israel in rallies across Iran to mark the Islamic Revolutions 45th anniversary on Sunday, with some burning U.S. and Israeli flags amid the ongoing war between Israel and Tehran-backed Hamas. President Ebrahim Raisi, in a televised speech, accused Tehrans arch-foe the United States and some Western countries of backing the Zionist regimes (Israel) crimes against humanity in Gaza. State TV said millions had turned out at rallies and it showed large crowds chanting Death to Israel, Death to America!, a common practice during state-organised rallies on the anniversary of the 1979 revolution that toppled the U.S.-backed monarch. State media published a picture of some marchers hanging an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by a noose. 10:49 AM GMT Hamas official survives Israeli assassination attempt in Lebanon A senior Hamas official survived an Israeli assassination attempt in Lebanon yesterday. The official, a Hamas recruiter named by AFP as Basel Salah, was travelling in a car in the interior of Lebanon when it was struck by a drone. Salah, who also managed members of Hamas, is believed to be an affiliate of Saleh Al Arouri, the deputy chairman of Hamas political arm who was killed in Beirut. The drone strike was the second this week to target cars deep inside Lebanon, with the other one killing a Hezbollah operative. 10:25 AM GMT Iran marks 45th anniversary of Islamic Revolution Iran marked Sunday the 45th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution amid tensions gripping the wider Middle East over Israels continued war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Thousands of Iranians marched through major streets and squares decorated with flags, balloons and banners with revolutionary and religious slogans. In Tehran, crowds waved Iranian flags, chanted slogans, and carried placards with the traditional Death to America and Death to Israel written on them. Some burned U.S. and Israeli flags, a common practice in pro-government rallies. 10:07 AM GMT Hamas: Israeli invasion of Rafah will 'blow up' hostage negotiations Any Israeli ground offensive in Rafah on the Gaza border will blow up the hostage exchange negotiations, Hamas-run Aqsa Television channel quoted a senior Hamas leader as saying on Sunday. It comes as Israels neighbors and key mediators warned Saturday of disaster and repercussions if its military launches a ground invasion in Rafah, where Israel says remaining Hamas strongholds are located along with over half the besieged territorys population. Israeli airstrikes killed at least 44 Palestinians in Rafah, hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he asked the military to plan for the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people ahead of an invasion. He gave no details or timeline. 09:49 AM GMT UN maritime agency working to resolve Red Sea crisis The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is working tirelessly to solve the Red Sea crisis, which is severely disrupting the global transport of goods, its head Arsenio Dominguez told AFP. Yemens Huthi rebels, supported by Iran, have launched dozens of attacks against ships in the Red Sea since November, targeting boats headed for Israel in an act of solidarity with inhabitants of the Gaza Strip, which is in the grip of the war between Israel and Hamas. Despite retaliatory strikes by the US and UK, the rebels are still launching attacks, firing at US ship Star Nasia and UK vessel Morning Tide on Tuesday. The IMO, the United Nations agency responsible for security at sea, is working to ensure that parties continue to talk so that the situation does not degenerate any further, and we can return to a safe maritime environment, Panama-born Secretary General Dominguez told AFP on Thursday. 09:17 AM GMT Netanyahu promises safe passage to civilians in Rafah The threat of an Israeli incursion into Gazas southernmost town of Rafah persisted Sunday, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised safe passage to civilians displaced there. In an interview airing Sunday, Netanyahu reiterated his intention to extend Israels military operation against Hamas into Rafah. Despite international alarm over the potential for carnage in a place crammed with more than half of the Gaza Strips 2.4 million people, Netanyahu told ABC News: Were going to do it. Were going to do it while providing safe passage for the civilian population so they can leave, he said, according to published extracts of the interview. 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. Since King Charles IIIs cancer diagnosis, all eyes have been on the British royal family. There have been a number of developments in the House of Windsor over the course of the last few days alone, including Prince Harrys recent trip to the United Kingdom to visit his father. The father-son meeting, however, was extraordinarily brief. And one royal expert believes this significant family members presence may have been part of the reason for the meetings length. According to royal expert Robert Jobson, Queen Camilla might have played a part in the quick meeting. The Queen was with the King, Jobson said, per Marie Claire via The Sun. Lets be honesthe [Harry] wasnt too complimentary about Queen Camilla in his book, Spare. He wasnt very complimentary about her on Netflix. They dont get on. More from SheKnows Queen Camilla gives an encouraging update on King Charles III's health amid cancer diagnosis. https://t.co/rOYaE9KZTd SheKnows (@SheKnows) February 9, 2024 Indeed, there may have been a lot of tension in the room if Queen Camilla was present for Harrys reunion with his father. But theres also more to it. The royals do stick to a pretty military clock, Jobson said. You have to get the helicopter pilot there, all these things. So his plans had to be changed. The one thing the King doesnt like is changing his plans. He gave him long enough for a kiss and a hug and wished him all the best. King Charles and Queen Camilla reportedly left Clarence House for Sandringham after the meeting. Jobson also conceded there simply has not been a lot of contact between Harry and his father over the course of the last few years. As much as wed like to believe that, in a moment like this, those feelings can be put aside, it is much easier said than done. The important element of this entire story, though, is that Prince Harry was there for his father, even if only for a brief meeting. Other royal experts feel that Harry and King Charles reunion could spell the end of the royal feud, at least between the father and son. Whether the relationship between Harry and his older brother Prince William will ever recover is another concern all together. But this royal experts insight may clue us in just a bit more as to why this reunion was so short-lived. Click here to see a complete timeline of Prince Harry and Meghan Markles feud with the royal family. Kate Middleton, Prince William, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle Best of SheKnows Sign up for SheKnows' Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. As Kyle Cavaliere drove down I-75 in Naples, Florida an object in motion caught the corner of his eye. He turned to look. It was an airplane, and something was terribly wrong. "After a couple of seconds I realized it was not going up, it was actually going down," Cavaliere told the Naples Daily News in an email. The plane, a Bombardier 600 private jet, crashed on top of a white pickup truck two cars in front of him, Cavaliere wrote. It spun out of the control and burst into flames, coming to rest off the shoulder of the highway. "As I passed the plane you could feel the heat even from inside the vehicle," wrote Cavaliere, a Naples businessman. The jet was flying into Naples from Columbus, Ohio when its pilot reported losing power in both engines, according to a recording of flight radio traffic. Pilot Edward Daniel Murphy, 50, of Oakland Park, Florida and second in command Ian Frederick Hofmann, 65, of Pompano Beach, Florida died in the crash, the Collier County Sheriff's Office said Saturday afternoon. Crew member Sydney Ann Bosmans, 27, of Jupiter, Florida; and passengers Aaron Baker, 35, and Audra Green, 23, both of Columbus, Ohio, survived. All the occupants of two automobiles damaged in the crash survived, Florida Highway Patrol said. Cavaliere told the Daily News that he stopped his car and checked on the driver of the pickup, who said he didn't need assistance. Then he saw survivors running out of the plane and darted across three lanes of traffic to try to help, according to cell phone video he shared with the Daily News. Plane crash history: 3 people were killed just after takeoff from Naples airport in 2002 'Are they alive?' "Is there anybody else in there?" he shouted. "Yes, our pilots!" one of the survivors responded. "Are they alive?" "I don't know!" Cavaliere wrote that he helped survivors cross the street, as a cloud of thick black smoke billowed from the engulfed jet. "At that point I couldnt do anything else and all that I was going to be is another person in the way so I left," Cavaliere wrote. "Just an incredibly tragic event but I give praise to the pilots for their heroism and remaining calm under pressure." This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Naples, Florida plane crash: Man rushes to help plane crash victims Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley on Sunday warned against taking the side of a thug following former President Trumps warning to NATO allies that he would encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want to nations that are delinquent. Asked by CBS Face The Nation anchor Margaret Brennan if she would adhere to the NATO premise that an attack on one is an attack on all, Haley a former United Nations ambassador under Trump said, I mean, absolutely. NATO has been a success story for the last 75 years. Haley was responding to Trumps comments from a Saturday rally in South Carolina, where he recounted a story about when an unidentified foreign leader questioned him about his threat not to defend members who do not hit the alliances defense spending targets. Trump said he told the leader he would encourage Russia to do whatever it wishes and recalled saying, You didnt pay? Youre delinquent. No I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You gotta pay. You gotta pay your bills. Haley on Sunday warned the U.S. against taking the side of a thug, a likely reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin. But what bothers me about this is, dont take the side of a thug, who kills his opponents. Dont take the side of someone who has gone in and invaded a country and half a million people have died or been wounded because of Putin. Dont take the side of someone who continues to lie, she continued, later pointing to her experience working with Russia. After September 10, we needed a lot of friends, we can never get into the point where we dont need friends. Now, we do want NATO allies to pull their weight. But there are ways you can do that without sitting there and telling Russia, Have your way with these countries,' she added later, in reference to the 9/11 attacks. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg weighed in on Trumps comments Sunday, writing that any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the U.S., and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk. Haley Trumps main GOP presidential challenger has repeatedly called out Trumps apparent friendliness to foreign dictators on the campaign trail. National polling indexes from The Hill and Decision Desk HQ show Trump with a 60-point lead nationally over Haley, while the former president has a 32-point lead in Haleys home state of South Carolina. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The president's lawyer goes on TV to defend his client's mental acuity. The likely Republican presidential nominee heads toward winning one unprecedented court case and losing another. And the House speaker tries to figure out how to get his raucous caucus to pass even legislation they support. Washington, never a tidy place, has descended into a hot mess. Let's start at the White House. President Joe Biden's personal lawyer, Bob Bauer, on Sunday defended the commander in chief's mental fitness and accused the special prosecutor who questioned it in his investigative report of having political motives. "You have to wonder" if Robert Hur added pejorative comments about Biden's memory to "placate" Republicans who would be angry about the decision not to prosecute the president for his handling of sensitive documents, Bauer told CBS' "Face the Nation." Meanwhile, at D.C. courthouses, Supreme Court justices Thursday signaled during oral arguments they were likely to block efforts to keep Trump off the ballot in Colorado and elsewhere a win for him. But an appeals court panel two days earlier unanimously rejected his argument that he should have presidential immunity from criminal prosecution. That's a bigger loss, one that increases the prospects he'll face a trial before Election Day on criminal charges related to the Jan. 6 attack. President Joe Biden speaks in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2024, in Washington. All that overshadowed the meltdown on Capitol Hill when new-ish House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on Tuesday lost back-to-back votes on Republican priorities he had expected to pass, one to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and another to send aid to Israel. We've had embattled presidents, stalemated Congresses and inflammatory campaigns before, of course, but usually not all at once. While crisis is no stranger to official Washington, the breadth of dysfunction in the space of a week may mark a new high in recent times. Or low. Hello to the next nine months Despite debates over whether Biden's age is a problem and if Trump will be convicted of a felony, both men remain on fast tracks to claim their parties' presidential nomination. Biden won more than 96% of the vote in this month's first sanctioned Democratic primary, in South Carolina, with challengers Marianne Williamson, an inspirational author, and Dean Phillips, a Minnesota congressman, eking out only about 2% each. The once-sprawling Republican field has narrowed to Trump and a single challenger, former United Nation ambassador Nikki Haley. But in the next Republican primary, in her home state of South Carolina, he is trouncing her by 2-1, 65%-32%, in recent polls averaged by fivethirtyeight.com. That's despite the findings in a new ABC News/Ipsos poll that shows deep voter unease about both leading contenders. In the online survey, taken Friday and Saturday, 86% said Biden (he's 81) was too old to serve another term, and 61% said Trump (he's 77) was too old. With their nominations all but guaranteed anyway, the landscape is set for the longest general election in American history and, to all appearances, one of the most brutal. The GOP portrays Biden as feeble. Democrats call Trump dangerous. Republicans spotlighted the special counsel's description of Biden as "an elderly man with a poor memory," and worse. On "Fox News Sunday," Alabama Sen. Tom Cotton called Biden "a failed president, and the Democratic Party knows the only way to stop Donald Trump from being elected this fall is to convict him and imprison him." Democrats rallied behind Biden. "This kind of sense that he's not ready for this job is just a bucket of BS that's so deep, your boots will get stuck in it," campaign co-chair Mitch Landrieu said on NBC's "Meet the Press." There was a furor, too, over Trump's comments at a rally in South Carolina Saturday. He said he had warned an unidentified European leader that as president he would refuse to defend countries in the NATO alliance that hadn't paid all their dues. "In fact, I would encourage (Russia) to do whatever they want," he declared. "You've got to pay." "NATO isn't a protection racket," Delaware Sen. Chris Coons protested on ABC's "This Week." "It's a security alliance." Republicans were unperturbed. "I have zero concern" about what he said, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio said dismissively on CNN's "State of the Union." Then he added, "But there has to be an alliance." That ray of bipartisan light? No more There had been one bipartisan ray of light, but it was extinguished over the past week, too. Senate Republicans on Wednesday blocked a $118 billion legislative package that included provisions to tighten the southern border with Mexico and to send aid to Ukraine. It had been negotiated over weeks by conservative Republican James Lankford of Oklahoma, liberal Democrat Chris Murphy of Connecticut, and independent Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. Prospects in the Senate had been promising, but they were already difficult in the House when Trump denounced it, sealing its fate. "It was not a very productive week in Washington, D.C., whether it was for the Congress or for the president," Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, said in an interview on ABC. "And I think that's what frustrates people when you look around the country." At the moment, the question in Washington isn't how things will get better. It's this: Could they get worse? This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: From Joe Biden to Donald Trump to Congress: Leaders are under fire Norwegian will modify its 2024 and 2025 itineraries, replacing it with other stops in Italy, Croatia, and Slovenia. Bruce Hood/Getty Images Norwegian Cruise Line is saying arrivederci to Venice, cutting the canal city from its cruise itineraries in 2024 and 2025. The cruise line confirmed to Travel + Leisure it will no longer include stops in Venice as part of its plans years after the city declared its waterways a national monument and banned large cruise ships. Since then, Norwegian said it has been ferrying visitors to the famed city by tender, but it was no longer a viable option. Due to the restrictions on large cruise ships to sail into the Venice Lagoon and dock at the usual piers, large cruise ships calling to Venice are required to anchor outside of the lagoon and utilize tender boats to access the Port of Venice, a Norwegian Cruise Line spokesperson told T+L. While we have made every effort possible to maintain these calls to Venice, the tender operation and overall experience this provides our guests has fallen short of the standard we aim to deliver. Going forward, Norwegian will modify its 2024 itineraries that previously included Venice, replacing it with port visits to either Ravenna, Italy; Rijeka and Zadar, Croatia; or Koper, Slovenia. In 2025, the cruise line will replace stops in Venice with either a sea day or another port, depending on availability. We recognize that Venice is one of the worlds greatest destinations, cherished by both our guests and crew, and as such acknowledge the inconvenience and frustration this disruption may cause, the spokesperson added. We appreciate the understanding of our loyal guests and travel agent partners. Major cruise lines have utilized different options to get guests to Venice. MSC Cruises, for example, stops in Marghera, which sits just across the water from the city. Others, like Princess Cruises and Holland America Line, stop in Trieste, which sits on the border near Slovenia. Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises both stop in Ravenna, about a 2 hour 30 minute drive from Venice. Venice has been making efforts to limit over-tourism for years. The city, which has received multiple reprieves from being included on UNESCOs list of world heritage sites in danger, also plans to implement a tourist fee for day visitors this spring and aims to limit the size of tour groups allowed this coming summer. For more Travel & Leisure news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on Travel & Leisure. Police have arrested a man believed to be one of the largest street takeover organizers in Southern California. The man was identified as Erick Romero Quintana, 20, of Paramount, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Quintana has over 70,000 followers on social media and is allegedly responsible for coordinating events throughout the Southland resulting in large-scale takeovers, smash-and-grab robberies, vehicle thefts, and other violent crimes including murder, police said. On Feb. 7, the LAPDs Street Racing Task Force served a search warrant at a home in Paramount where Quintana was located and taken into custody. He was arrested on charges of conspiracy and is facing multiple felony counts related to organizing the takeover events. This arrest is significant not only for the City of Los Angeles but also for the Southern California region, said LAPD. With a rise in violent, deadly street takeovers and sideshows taking place across SoCal, authorities and L.A. city officials are working to crack down on the illegal gatherings. A street takeover in South L.A. on May 2, 2022. (Onscene.TV) A street takeover is seen in the area of Rosecrans and Atlantic avenues in Compton in 2020. (KTLA) A car is seen during a street takeover in South Los Angeles on July 4, 2022. (No credit for image) Cars do stunts as Christmas trees burn during a street takeover in Watts on Jan. 9, 2023. A passenger is seen hanging onto the side of a car during a street takeover in Los Angeles. (Image acquired by KTLA) Drivers pulled stunts in a Whittier parking lot on July 18, 2023. (Key News Network) A pickup truck is seen doing doughnuts during a street takeover in Sun Valley on Sept. 11, 2023. (KNN) Four people were shot during street takeovers that happened in various parts of LA over the weekend. A driver is seen during a street takeover in Santa Fe Springs on Oct. 27, 2022. (AIO Filmz) A car is seen during a street takeover in Buena Park on Oct. 6, 2022. (AIO FIlmz) A spectator uses a torch during a street takeover in Santa Fe Springs. Oct. 27, 2022. (AIO Filmz) Los Angeles Police vehicles converging at the intersection of Sawtelle Boulevard and National Boulevard to stop a street takeover. Aug. 19, 2022. (ANG News) What appears to be a handgun is seen during a street takeover in South Los Angeles on March 21, 2022. (Credit: Anonymous videographer) A street takeover is seen in an undated file photo. (Onscene.tv) A street takeover in south Los Angeles came to a screeching halt when shots rang out Monday morning, June 6, 2022 (OnScene.TV) Police made multiple arrests during a street takeover in Sun Valley on May 5, 2022. (KTLA) Attendees performed donuts during a street takeover in South L.A. on May 29, 2022. (RMG News) A passenger is seen hanging out of a window during a street takeover in Anaheim on Aug. 18, 2022. (O.C. Hawk) Street racers took over several neighborhoods in South Los Angeles on July 6, 2023. (Anonymous) An image taken from video shows three cars and spectators involved in a street takeover in Southern California on June 12, 2023. A car is seen during a street takeover in Anaheim on Nov. 23, 2022. (OCHN) A driver does donuts at Wilmington Avenue and Caldwell Street on Aug. 22, 2022. where speed bumps were recently installed. (OnScene.TV) An illegal street takeover shut down an intersection in Florence on May 1, 2022 (RMG News) Three street takeovers plagued South Los Angeles on May 14, 2023. A street takeover in South Los Angeles. June 12, 2023. Theft group may be behind hundreds of home burglaries across Southern California The number of incidents resulting from unsafe driving behaviors, including motorists exceeding 100 mph on state highways, illegal street racing and sideshow activities, and speed-related crashes are occurring at a staggering pace, said the California Highway Patrol. A new pilot program in L.A. will deploy more officers at intersections known for takeovers along with adding raised and hardened center lines, raised pavement markers, rumble strips and the installation of gutters at certain spots. Illegal street racing and sideshows are not just reckless activities; they are potential tragedies in the making. These events put lives at risk, not only for the participants but also for innocent bystanders, said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. Anyone with information on illegal street events call the LAPDs Street Racing Task Force at 213-833-3746. The public can also call LAPD at 1-877-527-3247. Anonymous tips can be provided to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. School discipline looks a lot different in Ventura County than it did about a decade ago. During the 2011-12 school year, the county's K-12 public schools suspended students more than 14,592 times and expelled 217 students. Last school year, those totals plummeted to 6,909 suspensions and 144 expulsions. The changes are part of a larger trend across California, where legislation and shifting practices have transformed the school disciplinary systems. State data released at the end of December shows that the state, similar to Ventura County, has seen suspension and expulsion rates chopped in half over a decade. Lawmakers banned "willful defiance" suspensions for first through third graders in 2013 and five years later expanded the provision to middle schools. In October, lawmakers capped the rollout by blocking the suspensions in high schools. The law means K-12 schools are no longer allowed to suspend or recommend expulsion for students for "willful defiance," a broad category of acts that includes everything from shouting obscenities at school officials to wearing a hat in class. Schools are still allowed to suspend students, though, for more serious behaviors like sexual harassment, violent acts and drug use. The changes are meant to align K-12 disciplinary practices with research that shows that students of color and students with disabilities are suspended and expelled at disproportionate rates. Other studies have shown that so-called "exclusionary discipline" can be more harmful than good, driving students toward increased school avoidance, drop-out rates and involvement with the juvenile justice system. "We want to be get to the point where suspensions are truly a measure of last resort," said Daniel Losen, a researcher with the UCLA Civil Rights Project that tracks trends in national suspension and expulsion data. Losen said there's still work to do: The state's decade-long decrease in suspensions has stalled, and he worries that the trend could reverse as pandemic-related funds dry up and school resources get stretched. The researcher said there are no studies that indicate that suspensions and expulsions are effective methods to address misconduct. On the contrary, he said, sending students home is an effective way of cutting them off from supports their schools might offer, like counseling, meals and assistance for disabilities. "How in any universe is that going to be a healthy response?" Losen said. Schools are changing how they handle misconduct Schools in Ventura County have almost entirely stopped suspending students for defiance alone. While schools suspend about the same number of students each year for violent incidents and drug use, "defiance only" suspensions are down by over 96% since 2012. It is unlikely that legislation alone is responsible for the change. Suspensions for defiance began to drop in Ventura County during the 2012-13 school year, before state lawmakers passed the first ban on defiance suspensions in lower elementary grades. Similarly, high school "defiance only" suspensions dropped by 96% between the 2011 and 2022 school years the same rate as all grades combined even though the law didn't cover grades nine to 12 until the current school year. Oxnard Union High School District, home to more than a third of the county's high schoolers, is one of the chief drivers of that trend locally. Last year, the district only suspended 112 students for defiance, down 96% from a 2011 total of 2,544. Superintendent Tom McCoy said the 17,500-student district started changing its suspension policy when it saw the state roll out legislation for lower grades. McCoy said Oxnard Union, like many other districts, is working to replace suspensions and expulsions with preventative measures, like expanded mental health and wellness programming, and "restorative" in-school responses like individual counseling. "Our job is always to try and be restorative and do prevention before something happens," McCoy said. "What do we need to do to make things more positive?" Letitia T. Bradley, the director of student support services for Santa Paula Unified School District, said schools have tried to be "more creative" in the ways they deal with unruly students. "Sometimes it's about a kid's inability to respond to their environment," she said. "Sometimes it's about our inability to respond to them." More 'violent' incidents Despite the changes over the decade, the overall number of suspensions in the county ticked up last year to 6,909. The last time the county had more suspensions was the 2015 school year. Most of that increase came in the form of what the state's data system tags as "violent incidents" along with a bump in "illicit drug related" suspensions. Greg Bayless, Ventura Unified School District's assistant superintendent of educational services, said in an emailed statement that the state data reflects, in part, "student behavioral challenges" associated with returning to in-person classes after long school closures. But the numbers could be inflated in other ways. McCoy said Oxnard Union has logged more incidents in recent years partly because the district added a tip line that allows students and community members to anonymously report incidents by phone or online. "We're finding more things than we did before," he said. It is also possible that the way the state collects disciplinary data could alter the numbers. Almost half of the county's suspensions last year were filed for "violent incidents" that did not include an injury. But the state's definition of a violent incident doesn't require a fight or an attempted assault. The tag can be applied to incidents where a student threatened injury or used profanity. Losen, the UCLA researcher, said he worries that schools could use the broadly defined category to replace willful defiance suspensions in situations where students use curse words or vulgarity, a shift he called a potential "whack-a-mole" problem. "If we fail to monitor (this data)," he said, "that progress will reverse." Isaiah Murtaugh covers education for the Ventura County Star in partnership with Report for America. Reach him at isaiah.murtaugh@vcstar.com or 805-437-0236 and follow him on Twitter @isaiahmurtaugh and @vcsschools. You can support this work with a tax-deductible donation to Report for America. This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Ventura County's school suspensions, expulsions up after decade drop Democrats and some Republicans were quick to condemn Donald Trump after the former president said Saturday night he would encourage Russia to attack the nation's NATO allies who did not meet their financial targets. Trump just said he would let Russia take a European country under certain circumstances and I guess the Scolding Industrial Complex is gonna tell us not to say Russia Trump Trump Russia but honestly this seems kinda important, Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) posted. At a rally in South Carolina on Saturday night, Trump recounted a conversation with an unnamed head of state about how he would respond if a NATO member who had not paid enough money for its defense was attacked by Russia. One of the presidents of a big country stood up and said, Well, sir, if we dont pay, and were attacked by Russia, will you protect us? Trump said. You didn't pay? You're delinquent? Trump recounted responding. No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You gotta pay. You gotta pay your bills. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) slammed the remarks Saturday night in a post on X. Trump bragged that hed encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want to our NATO allies if they didnt spend enough on defense, Schiff wrote. Hes more interested in aggrandizing himself and pleasing Putin than protecting our allies. It would be enough to make Reagan ill. Others used Trumps statements to draw a contrast between the current frontrunner in the GOP presidential primary, and President Joe Biden who has been on the defense over his mental acuity after a special counsel report described him as an elderly man with a poor memory. The White House, Biden and other allies have forcefully refuted the characterization. Biden: 14.8m jobs; lower costs for insulin; repairs to road/bridges; health care for vets; cleaning up the environment; stronger alliances. And yes: mixed up a country leaders name. And this happened, too, Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.) wrote on X, linking to a clip of Trumps remarks. Is there really a choice? Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty that launched NATO in 1949 calls for every country to defend every other in the event of an attack. The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all," it states. Article 5 was invoked in defense of the United States after the 9/11 attacks in 2001. The 31 current members of NATO have agreed, as a target figure, to spend at least 2 percent of their GDP on defense, though some nations are below that figure. The White House blasted Trump's comments as "unhinged" Saturday night. Encouraging invasions of our closest allies by murderous regimes is appalling and unhinged and it endangers American national security, global stability, and our economy at home, White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said in a statement. Speaking for Trump, Jason Miller offered a feisty defense of the GOP presidential frontrunner. Democrat and media pearl-clutchers seem to have forgotten that we had four years of peace and prosperity under President Trump," he said in a statement Sunday, "but Europe saw death and destruction under Obama-Biden and now more death and destruction under Biden. President Trump got our allies to increase their NATO spending by demanding they pay up, but Joe Biden went back to letting them take advantage of the American taxpayer." Regardless, European leaders joined Democrats in criticizing Trump's comments. Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the US, and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said. "Reckless statements on #NATOs security and Art 5 solidarity serve only Putins interest. They do not bring more security or peace to the world," Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, said on X. Other Trump detractors also chimed in. Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley the only high-profile Republican still battling Trump for the GOP nomination hammered Trump for showing deference to Russia. "NATO has been a success story for the last 75 years. But what bothers me about this is, don't take the side of a thug, who kills his opponents. don't take the side of someone who has gone in and invaded a country and half a million people have died or been wounded because of Putin," Haley said Sunday during an interview on CBS' "Face the Nation." "Now, we do want NATO allies to pull their weight. But there are ways you can do that without sitting there and telling Russia, have your way with these countries. That's not what we want," she added. Former Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie called Trump's statements "absolutely inappropriate," but the remarks are "consistent with his love for dictators," the former New Jersey governor said during an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday. John Bolton, who once served as Trump's national security adviser, said the threat of Trump withdrawing from NATO if he wins a second term in the White House would be very real. "When he says he wants to get out of NATO, I think it's a very real threat, and it will have dramatically negative implications for the United States, not just in the North Atlantic, but worldwide," Bolton said on MSNBC's "This Weekend." But on the right, some defended Trumps comments, downplaying the meaning behind the striking remarks. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) on CNNs State of the Union said he doesnt think that Trump was really inviting Russia to attack NATO nations. Thats not how I view that statement, he told host Jake Tapper. Rubio said Trump was merely making a point by telling a story. He doesnt talk like a traditional politician, Rubio added. David Cohen contributed to this report. People charged with a crime in Oklahoma are spending more days in jail as they await trial, according to a new report from the MODERN Justice Task Force, commissioned by Gov. Kevin Stitt in July 2023. On any given day, more than 9,000 Oklahomans are sitting in jail. They are likely to be in a facility that has dangerous overcrowding or recently failed a health inspection. Or they may simply be in jail because their name falls at the bottom of the list for transfer to a state mental health facility like the person who recently had to wait over 1,000 days. The jail population in Oklahoma has not kept pace with decreasing crime and arrest rates in recent years, leaving the state with one of the highest incarceration rates in the United States. How can this be? The answer lies in the pretrial system, according to a new report from the MODERN Justice Task Force, commissioned by Gov. Kevin Stitt in July 2023. People charged with a crime in Oklahoma are spending more days in jail as they await trial, undermining the presumption of innocence. And Oklahoma is incarcerating its way through a public health crisis. Despite having the second-highest rates of mental illness and substance use disorders in the country, state funding for mental health services has declined by 11% over the last decade. The absence of effective treatment means people often cycle in and out of jail, adding fuel to the flame of the jail system crisis in Oklahoma. But above all, the new report shines light on what we do not and cannot see when it comes to the pretrial system in Oklahoma. After a deep dive into the data systems and infrastructure, the task force found that each of Oklahomas 75 county jails is independently operated and has a mutually exclusive system of collecting data on the people it holds behind its bars. Think of it like a game of telephone, stretched across the state: Sometimes operators are speaking the same language, and other times they are speaking different languages entirely. But what gets lost in translation has immense consequences. Without a centralized system, policymakers cannot connect the dots among jails and grasp the urgent challenges facing the pretrial system as a whole. On the flip side, a policy change implemented in a jail in one county that may be replicable across others remains hidden, out of sight. Yet, 71% of voters in Oklahoma want to see more done in terms of criminal justice reform, according to a 2023 poll by Arnold Ventures. We can begin to address the multiple challenges that contribute to the thousands of people held in pretrial incarceration in Oklahoma nearly 70% of the total jail population only when we can clearly see those challenges in the full light of day. When we have comprehensive public data, we are bound to have better outcomes. Its for this reason that the task force, in its report, recommends reforming pretrial data collection and reporting. At The Bail Project, we know the importance of data. As so little data is collected about the pretrial population at large, our national database provides key insight into this under-researched population. One thing we know from our data is that if you provide supportive services, clients will return to court most of the time weve posted bail for over 29,000 clients, who return to court over 91% of the time. Policymakers need good data to make good decisions. Consider the MODERN Justice Task Force report as the first piece of evidence. The task force has delivered in making plain the need for modernizing data collection and reporting through a centralized, statewide system in order to create community safety for all Oklahomans whether they live in Cimarron County or Oklahoma County. Now, we urge lawmakers to follow the evidence by legislating a bill to create such a system. Avery Bizzell Avery Bizzell is the senior policy strategist at The Bail Project, a national nonprofit that advances policy changes at the local, state and national levels through the provision of free bail assistance and pretrial support to thousands of low-income people every year. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: MODERN Justice Task Force report lays groundwork for pretrial reform On any given weekday, inside an Aurora classroom, you can find students producing their own masterpieces: from singing a cappella duets to scratching over beats, even creating music podcasts talking about their current favorite artists. Each project encompasses the spirit of Denver musical legend Charles Burrell, as part of a school in his namesake. "He broke the barrier," Burrell Arts Campus Principal Kurtis Quig described Burrell simply. "There are so many artists of color that didn't see themselves in that genre at all. He was able to have people follow him." Burrell was the first Black member of an American symphony. "He's 103 (years old), and he is feisty," laughed Quig. "He's got this passion for kids, this passion for the arts." / Credit: Burrell Arts Campus And, to this day, the community feels his impact. The Burrell Arts Campus is a magnet school, part of a larger campus through Aurora Central. Through a pathway system, high schoolers pave their path for the future with arts-integrated education. "I run live shows," senior Vincent Lucero said proudly. "I can go and DJ. I sit there and chill. I listen, and then I come up with an idea to do something to the beat to make it sound better. It makes me want to come to school every day. I'm actually trying to get into CU Denver for their music program now." One of Lucero's projects for the semester entailed creating his own beats. "The beats were fire. Is that what they say?" asked CBS News Colorado's Mekialaya White. "Yes! The beats were fire, lit," said Lucero. Diego Armendariz is a freshman, just beginning his education through the Burrell School. "Music is always a big opportunity for me. I can learn different ways how to use my voice and uplift other people's voices and we can come together to do something big. I hope to be a part of this school's history. I want to do big things here and hopeful I can graduate as valedictorian," said Armendariz. Staff members say helping students discover their potential makes their hearts sing. "It's fantastic and really fascinating to see the different styles of music they're working on. They come to me with an idea, and I am just a facilitator," teacher Joe Dellapenna said. "Education is your biggest facet, and we want to facilitate that. We're trying to tell kids the world is open you have everything at your disposal, and we want to expose you so you can be like Charlie," added Quig. Families in Aurora and all across the Denver metro area can apply to attend the Burrell Arts Campus. Learn more here. Pharma exec won't commit to selling life-saving drug in U.S. for lower price offered in Canada Missing Marines found dead Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo previews Sunday's Super Bowl matchup Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley has a new reason to demand that ex-President Donald Trump debate her in South Carolina: The former president attacked Haley's husband, who is overseas on military deployment, for being absent from the campaign trial. "If you mock the service of a combat veteran, you dont deserve a drivers license, let alone being president of the United States, Haley told supporters in Gilbert, S.C., part of her bus tour throughout the state. "Donald, if you have something to say, dont say it behind my back," she said. "Get on a debate stage and say it to my face." Hours earlier, during a rally in Conway, S.C., Trump referred to Michael Haley when discussing a meeting he had with Nikki Haley some time ago. "She comes over to see me at Mar-a-Lago - 'sir, I will never run against you' ... She brought her husband," Trump said. The former president then added: "Wheres your husband? ... Oh, hes away ... Hes away ... What happened to her husband? What happened to her husband?! Where is he?! ... Hes gone! He knew! He knew!" Haley quickly responded to Trump on the social media site X, formerly Twitter, noting that the Republican nomination frontrunner never served in the military. Donald Trump and Nikki Haley "Michael is deployed serving our country, something you know nothing about," Haley said. "Someone who continually disrespects the sacrifices of military families has no business being commander in chief." Michael Haley himself responded on X with a meme that read: The difference between humans and animals? Animals would never allow the dumbest ones to lead the pack. Haley, the former governor of South Carolina, also reposted comments from her supporters condemning Trump. President Joe Biden also weighed in, saying on X about Trump's question: "The answer is that Major Haley is abroad, serving his country right now. We know he (Trump) thinks our troops are 'suckers,' but this guy wouldnt know service to his country if it slapped him in the face." Trump in 2020 faced allegations first reported by The Atlantic that he repeatedly disparaged members of the military and described America's war dead as "losers" and "suckers." "This is a disgrace," New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu said on X. "Major Haley is serving his country. Donald Trump is again attacking and insulting military families." Trump and Haley both campaigned in South Carolina on Saturday, two week ahead of the Republican primary on Feb. 24. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Haley denounces Trump's attack on husband - who is deployed overseas Thick with irony is the Midsouth Association of Independent Schools contention that the provision of the Mississippi Constitution plainly stating that public funds cannot go to private schools should be ruled invalid by the courts because of its racist origins. Perhaps the schools that make up the association should look in the mirror. Many, but not all, of the 125 Mississippi private schools in the association trace their beginnings to the 1950s and 1960s and their founders objections to the school desegregation mandated by federal courts. The Midsouth Association of Independent Schools previously was known as the Mississippi Private School Association, which was started in the 1960s by parents and others who did not want white Mississippians to go to integrated schools. That nugget of truth was omitted by Buck Dougherty, an attorney with the Chicago-based Liberty Justice Center, in arguing last week before the state Supreme Court that Section 208 was enacted as part of the 1890 Constitution for racist reasons and thus should be ruled invalid. Dougherty was making his ironic argument on behalf of the aforementioned Midsouth Association of Independent Schools, which in 2022 received $10 million in public funds now in question before the states high court. Dougherty said in a news release that Section 208 of the Mississippi Constitution targeted independent schools that dared to teach Catholic immigrants and newly freed slaves to read and write, and theres no way to sidestep that ugly past. Ultimately, the tension between this discriminatory provision in Mississippis Constitution and the U.S. Constitution has been festering for a century, and the Court must resolve that tension. It is true that Mississippi is one of more than 30 states with so-called Blaine Amendments that were passed in an effort to keep public funds from going to Catholic schools. But Mississippi is unique in that it is one of only two states with a constitutional provision that prevents not only public money from going to religious or sectarian schools, but also to any school not conducted as a free school. Lets give the Midsouth Association of Independent Schools the benefit of the doubt. It could be argued that most of the private schools today do not discriminate against Black Mississippians. It also is a fact that Section 208 of the constitution does not cause discrimination against minority students, considering that Black students and other minority groups make up a slim majority of the about 440,000 students in the public schools and white students compose the overwhelming majority of the about 45,000 students attending private schools in Mississippi. In other words, it is difficult to claim, as the Liberty Justice Center is attempting to do, that the state constitution, which prevents public funds from going to private schools, discriminates against Black students since a narrow majority of public school enrollment is composed of Black and minority groups, while the vast majority of private school enrollment is white. The plain and simple fact is that public money going to private schools is going to majority white schools, while public money going to public schools is going to majority-minority schools. Perhaps the Midsouth Association of Independent Schools and Section 208 of the state constitution have something in common maybe they both were created with racist intent, but neither is racially motivated now. The current lawsuit is not the first involving public money going to private schools and Section 208 of the Mississippi Constitution. In 1964, during the height of efforts to circumvent federal court orders to desegregate Mississippi public schools, the Legislature passed a law that offered tuition for students to attend private schools in clear violation of Section 208. The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals found that law unconstitutional in 1969. The federal court found that the tuition grants have fostered the creation of private segregated schools. The statute, as amended, encourages, facilitates, and supports the establishment of a system of private schools operated on a racially segregated basis as an alternative available to white students seeking to avoid desegregated public schools. The ruling pointed out that when the Mississippi law was enacted, there were three non-sectarian private schools in the state. But three years later, thanks in large part to the tuition grants and the efforts to avoid integrated schools, there were 45. If someone doubts the findings of the 5th Circuit, look at the website of the Midsouth Association of Independent Schools. It points out that the formation of the Mississippi Private School Association, which later changed its name to the Midsouth Association of Independent Schools, was precipitated in large part because of that 5th Circuit court ruling. That lawsuit, as well as other seismic political and social revolutions in states and communities orchestrated at the federal level, motivated a group of men to meet in Greenwood, MS, and there to draw up a draft of bylaws and a charter of incorporation for the Mississippi Private School Association, according to the organizations own website. Pot meet kettle. This analysis was produced by Mississippi Today, a nonprofit news organization that covers state government, public policy, politics and culture. Bobby Harrison is Mississippi Todays senior Capitol reporter. It's less than one week until Animal Planet's annual fur-tastic sports game kicks off. Puppy Bowl XX will kick off within its usual pup-sized football stadium with record-breaking 131 dogs from 73 shelters nationwide, including one puppy hailing from Florida. When is Puppy Bowl 2024? Am I able to watch the Puppy Bowl and the Super bowl on Sunday? The three-hour Puppy Bowl XX will air on Feb. 11 at 2 p.m. ET. For those worried they'll miss out on the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers while tuning into the pups' game, don't fret. Kickoff for Super Bowl LVIII begins at 6:30 p.m. EST. How can I watch Puppy Bowl 20? The Puppy Bowl will air on Animal Planet, Discovery, Discovery +, TBS, TruTv and Max. How does the Puppy Bowl work? For those new to game, it will field a roster of pups from the perennially opposing sides this year's being Team Ruff and Team Fluff frolicking and "sniffing butts on the turf field" in a way that sometimes resembles football. Dan Schachner, a former NFL referee, will return to the Puppy Bowl for his 13th year as referee. He will be joined by a Bichon Frise/poodle mix named Whistle as his assistant. Puppy Bowl referee Dan Schachner holds Whistle, the event's first-ever dog assistant ref. Whistle is from the Phoenix Animal Rescue. Sportscasters Steve Levy and Taylor Rooks will also return to provide play-by-play commentary and special elements such as the slo-mo cam, the water-bowl cam and kitten spectators in the Temptations Sky Box. Keep in mind that the Puppy Bowl has already been filmed. It is now being edited for Sunday's broadcast, according to USA TODAY. Meet Mr. Bean, representing Florida in Puppy Bowl 20 Mr. Bean, a papillon mix born without fore legs, was adopted by Dasha Melgarejo, a Wellington resident and horse jumper. Who will Florida be supporting in the Puppy Bowl? Well, all of the puppies, but which one will we especially be rooting for? Meet Mr. Bean, a papillon who was born with only his back legs and learned to walk despite his setbacks. He is a rescue puppy from Barky Pines Rescue and Sanctuary in Loxahatchee, Florida. "Once he was found as a stray, Mr. Bean was taken to a shelter and eventually made his way to Barky Pines Rescue and Sanctuary. A few months later, he was adopted by a local couple who absolutely adore him," officials write about the upcoming Puppy Bowl player. "He also has several fur siblings to play with and steal toys from, which he manages to do quite often." Along with Mr. Bean, there will be six dogs in total with special needs, including a pug terrier Riddle who has the neurological condition cerebellar hypoplasia. Can I adopt Mr. Bean or any of the puppies in the Puppy Bowl? All of the dogs are available for adoption, with the caveat that they're so cute, they're going fast. Many have already been adopted, including by the Puppy Bowl crew. "We're transparent about that. Our goal is to find them their forever home," Schachner said. "Seven have been adopted by the crew, which is a record, from a show editor to the network president." For those interested in Mr. Bean, visit Barky Pines Animal Rescue and Sanctuary's website for more information. This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Puppy Bowl 2024 on Sunday: What channel and where to stream Statement: Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas' border policy is "personally responsible" for fentanyl crossing the border. In their failed push to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, some House Republicans made the fentanyl crisis a central part of their effort to prove he willfully shirked his duty to secure and monitor the U.S.-Mexico border, through which flow much of the synthetic opioids consumed in the United States. In a Jan. 19 impeachment hearing, U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin, said Mayorkas and his border policy is "personally responsible" for fentanyl, a dangerously powerful and cheaply made synthetic opioid, coming across the southern border. Fentanyl comes from China, and they make it in Mexico, and they kill our children here. Two hundred thousand more than Vietnam, World War II, he said. I have seen it personally, the destruction it does every five minutes. It is a fentanyl superhighway, and (Secretary Mayorkas') border policy is personally responsible for it. McCaul, who represents a district that stretches from Austin to Houston, has sought to tie Mayorkas to the fentanyl overdose death toll in the U.S. during several other media appearances, including in a Jan. 28 "Fox News Sunday" appearance. "200 million people (are) dead now, thanks to fentanyl poisoning that this one man (Mayorkas) is responsible for," McCaul said. (A spokesperson for McCaul told us he meant to say 200,000 people have died of fentanyl overdoses during Biden's term, a statistic he correctly stated in the impeachment hearing.) More than 190,000 Americans have died of overdoses from fentanyl during the Biden administration more than in the previous decade, according to provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But, opioid policy experts said, its wrong to single out Mayorkas for blame for a crisis that has its roots in the 1990s. One major reason: Border policies are shaped by the Homeland Security Department chief along with the president and Congress not just by Mayorkas. (PolitiFact has ruled as false claims that Biden's border policies are to blame for U.S. fentanyl deaths.) While a small percentage of illicitly produced fentanyl is seized by Border Patrol agents, the vast majority of fentanyl enters the country in vehicles driven by U.S. citizens, Customs and Border Protection and sentencing data show. Vanda Felbab-Brown, a Brookings Institute senior foreign policy fellow who co-directs its series "The Opioid Crisis in America: Domestic and International Dimensions, said congressional funding for more vehicle scanners would have a significant effect on the amount of fentanyl that comes into the U.S. and that is outside of Mayorkas control. Most fentanyl in U.S. comes through legal ports of entry Felbab-Brown, an internationally recognized international crime and foreign policy expert, said the fentanyl influx cant be blamed on Mayorkas or the Biden administration. This is because the large majority of fentanyl seizures more than 90% happen at official ports of entry, as Customs and Border Protection data show. These drugs are smuggled almost entirely in vehicles driven by U.S. citizens, according to U.S. Sentencing Commission data, and not trafficked by illegal immigrants wading through the Rio Grande. As PolitiFact has previously found, drug smugglers prefer to traffic fentanyl and other illicit substances in cargo trucks to reduce risks of loss and waste. The quantities smuggled into the country outside of legal ports of entry, however, are still significant. In House testimony, which McCauls office referenced as evidence for his claim, National Border Patrol Council President Brandon Judd stated that Bidens border policies have led to a historically high number of got-aways, or people who crossed the border illegally but evaded apprehension. However, the estimated annual apprehension rate of undocumented migrants under Mayorkas has averaged 78%, identical to that of the Trump administration, according to a Jan. 28 Homeland Security Department memo. Judd also noted that Border Patrol seized roughly 3,243 pounds of fentanyl in Bidens first two years in office, which means hundreds of millions of lethal doses of the synthetic opioid were brought into the U.S. outside of legal ports of entry. The National Border Patrol Council, which Judd leads, is the Border Patrol's union. But given that a far higher quantity of fentanyl comes in cargo vehicles, the best tools the U.S. has to combat fentanyl trafficking are large, noninvasive cargo scanners, Felbab-Brown said. And only Congress can allocate funds to CBP to purchase new scanners or add Border Patrol agents. Historically, only about 2% of passenger vehicles and 17% of cargo trucks have been inspected, significantly limiting detection capability, as per an October 2023 White House memo. To increase fentanyl seizures, Mayorkas and the Biden administration are requesting 123 new large-scale scanners with a goal of scanning 70% of cargo trucks by 2026. The drive-thru machines use X-ray technology to scan the entire contents of a vehicle in roughly 8 minutes, compared with 120 minutes for the physical inspections that CBP has traditionally used, the memo said. The Biden administration and Mayorkas worked with a bipartisan group of senators for months to draft a border security package that would include funding for those scanners and allocate money for additional Border Patrol agents. The Senate reached a deal Feb. 4 on the bill but House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., announced the legislation would be dead on arrival if it reaches his chamber. Its another reason that claims Mayorkas is responsible for all fentanyl coming through the border dont hold up, Andrew Kolodny, medical director for the Opioid Policy Research Collaborative at Brandeis University, told the American-Statesman and PolitiFact. Congress should be appropriating funds to help with fentanyl detection, Kolodny said. It's hypocritical to blame Biden for fentanyl coming in from Mexico if Congress is not appropriating funds that could help with interdiction. Danny W. Davis, a professor at Texas A&Ms Bush School of Government and Public Service who specializes in homeland and national security, said scanners are a necessary piece, but just one piece of the puzzle to prevent drug smuggling. Is (Mayorkas) responsible for every gram of fentanyl that comes across? No, he said. But he is responsible for securing the border. In response to requests for comment, McCaul did not restate his previous claims that Mayorkas is responsible for fentanyl deaths or for fentanyl that enters the U.S. border. Secretary Mayorkas as the head of the Department of Homeland Security is responsible for the porous southern border," McCaul wrote in a statement. "His rescission of successful policies and refusal to enforce our nations laws has directly led to the chaos and death plaguing our state, as border patrol agents tell me each and every time I visit South Texas. READ: Rep. Michael McCaul's full statesman to the American-Statesman Despite Judds past criticism of Biden's immigration policies, the National Border Patrol Council endorsed the bipartisan border package on Monday, saying it is far better than the status quo. Both GOP senators from Texas voted against the bill. As evidence for his claim, McCauls office also pointed the Statesman and PolitiFact to an article from a news website run by the conservative Heritage Foundation that quoted National Border Patrol Council spokesman Chris Cabrera stating, It has made (the cartels) job a whole lot easier, seemingly in response to a question about drug cartels and the Biden administrations changes in border policy. The article provides no evidence for McCauls specific claim about Mayorkas and fentanyl. The article also highlights a tweet by Cabrera that says, When is Congress going to wake up and get to work on the problems along our southern border? In a letter responding to the House Homeland Security Committee's impeachment allegations, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas noted that more than 14,000 smugglers have been arrested during his tenure and thousands have been prosecuted under federal law. Congress, president help shape homeland security policy Mayorkas is the top Homeland Security Department official as well as an appointed member of the presidents Cabinet. His job is to oversee enforcement of U.S. laws and executive orders relating to border security, immigration, cybersecurity, disaster response and national and economic security a role that requires cooperation with federal, state, local, international and private sector partners, the department's website says. Congress passes the laws that the department must enforce and sets its budget with stipulations for how money can be spent, limiting how much influence any individual secretary can have. Executive orders from the White House also direct the departments actions, though they are superseded by federal laws. One major change Bidens administration made in May 2023 was to end immigration restrictions under Title 42, which had let the U.S. quickly expel migrants without considering their asylum requests amid the public health emergency wrought by COVID-19. The administration also shifted from detaining all apprehended migrants to letting some of them remain in the country while awaiting asylum hearings, which critics call catch and release. Mayorkas has led operations targeting cartels, U.S. distributors The job of preventing and fighting fentanyl smuggling is a multinational, multiagency affair, requiring cooperation among Mexican law enforcement officials, the Chinese government and countless other organizations. In addition, many different federal and state entities, such as the Drug Enforcement Administration and the FBI, share responsibility with the Homeland Security Department for investigating, arresting and prosecuting suspected criminals and smugglers, noted Davis, the Texas A&M homeland security expert. You can't just say the Homeland Security Department has all responsibility, he said. Over the past three years, Mayorkas has overseen several undercover operations targeting cartels in Mexico and domestic fentanyl distributors in the U.S., such as Operation Sentinel, as USA TODAY has reported. In a letter responding to the House Homeland Security Committee's impeachment allegations, Mayorkas noted that more than 14,000 smugglers have been arrested during his tenure and thousands have been prosecuted under federal law. The letter also said, DHS has seized more fentanyl and arrested more individuals for fentanyl-related crimes in the last two years than in the previous five years combined. Mayorkas does not have complete control over other factors that affect fentanyl smuggling, such as negotiations with China, which ships chemical precursors for the drugs to Mexico. Biden negotiated a deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping last year to reduce those shipments. Fentanyl crisis has roots in 1990s opioid epidemic Medicine and public policy experts say the fentanyl crisiss roots go far deeper than what Mayorkas or any one official controls. "We have a fentanyl problem because there's an epidemic of opioid use disorder in the United States, and it's coming into demand for millions of people who are addicted to opioids," said Kolodny, with the Opioid Policy Research Collaborative. The opioid epidemic began in the 1990s, long before Mayorkas became homeland security secretary, and largely involved prescription opioids. After the Bush administration cracked down on the pills, Mexican cartels rushed to fill that vacuum with heroin. Synthetic opioids a cheaper alternative to heroin and pills began to flood the market in the early 2010s, during the Obama administration. Synthetic opioid-related deaths started to sharply increase in 2013 and skyrocketed during the Trump years, jumping from more than 28,000 in 2017 to 57,000 in 2020, according to CDC data. These deaths continued climbing during Biden's term, with more than two-thirds of 106,699 overdose-related deaths in 2021 71,689 resulting from synthetic opioid use. Kolodny has criticized the Obama and Trump administrations federal response to fentanyl and said the Food and Drug Administration failed to sufficiently regulate opioid manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies. PolitiFact's ruling McCaul said during an impeachment hearing that Mayorkas' border policy is "personally responsible" for fentanyl crossing the border. The opioid epidemic has its roots in the 1990s, and illicitly produced fentanyl began flooding U.S. markets long before Mayorkas became the homeland security chief. Although more migrants have tried to enter the U.S. under Mayorkas watch, the vast majority of fentanyl enters the country in vehicles driven by U.S. citizens through legal ports of entry, CBP and other data show. Noninvasive scanners are the best option for seizing fentanyl shipments, experts say, but Congress has so far declined to approve requests from Biden and Mayorkas for funding to purchase more of them. Under Mayorkas, the Homeland Security Department has led a number of efforts to target domestic drug networks and outside cartels, and fostered greater cooperation with Mexico to enforce laws against drug trafficking, experts said. We rate the claim False. Editor's note: We've updated this story to link to Rep. Michael McCaul's full statement to the Austin American-Statesman. Our sources This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: GOP claims that Mayorkas is responsible for fentanyl crisis are false The Republican Party of Texas executive committee voted Saturday to censure House Speaker Dade Phelan and passed a resolution stating that the party will not associate with antisemites a reversal from December, when a similar measure was narrowly and controversially defeated following outcry over a major donor groups ties to white supremacists. The antisemitism resolution, which passed unanimously with two abstentions, came four months after The Texas Tribune reported that Jonathan Stickland, then the leader of Defend Texas Liberty, had hosted infamous white supremacist and Adolf Hitler admirer Nick Fuentes for nearly seven hours in early October. Subsequent reporting by the Tribune uncovered other, close ties between avowed antisemites and Defend Texas Liberty, a major political action committee that two West Texas oil tycoons have used to fund far-right groups and lawmakers in the state. Defend Texas Liberty is also one of the Texas GOPs biggest donors. In response to the Fuentes meeting, Phelan and 60 other House Republicans called on party members to redirect any funds from Defend Texas Liberty to pro-Israel charities demands that were initially rebuffed by some Republicans, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who later announced that he was reinvesting the $3 million he received from Defend Texas Liberty into Israeli bonds. Nearly half of the Texas GOPs executive committee also demanded that the party cut all ties with Stickland, Defend Texas Liberty and its auxiliary organizations until Stickland was removed and a full explanation for the Fuentes meeting was provided. Stickland was quietly removed as Defend Texas Libertys president in October, but is still the leader of an influential consulting firm, Pale Horse Strategies, that works with Defend Texas Liberty clients. Defend Texas Liberty has yet to provide more details on its links to Fuentes or Fuentes associates including the leader of Texans For Strong Borders, an anti-immigration group that continues to push lawmakers to adopt hardline border policies. The tensions came to a head in December, when the Texas GOPs executive committee narrowly defeated a resolution that would have banned the party from associating with antisemites, Holocaust deniers or neo-Nazis language that some members of the executive committee argued was too vague, and could complicate the partys relationship with donors or candidates. The need for such a measure was also downplayed at the time by Texas GOP Chair Matt Rinaldi, who abstained from voting but argued there was no "significant" antisemitism on the right. Rinaldi is a longtime ally of Defend Texas Liberty who was seen outside of the one-story, rural Tarrant County office where Fuentes was being hosted. Rinaldi later denied meeting with Fuentes and condemned him. Last month, the Tribune also reported that, at the same time that he was attacking critics of Defend Texas Liberty over the Fuentes meeting, Rinaldi was working as an attorney for Farris Wilks, one the two West Texas oil billionaires who fund Defend Texas Liberty. After the measure was defeated in December, Patrick also put out a lengthy statement in which he condemned the vote and said he expected it to be revisited by the Texas GOPs executive committee at its next meeting. The executive committee did as much on Saturday, passing a resolution that stated that the party opposes anti-Semitism and will always oppose and not associate with individuals or groups which espouse anti-Semitism or support for attacks on Israel. The resolutions language is significantly watered down compared to proposals from late last year, which specifically named Stickland and Defend Texas Liberty or sought to ban those who espouse as well as those who tolerate antisemitism, neo-Nazi beliefs or Holocaust denial. Since then, Defend Texas Libertys funders have spun off a new political action committee, Texans United For a Conservative Majority, that has been active in this years primaries. Separately, the executive committee also voted 55-4 to censure Phelan over, among other things, his role in the impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton, his appointment of Democrats to chair House committees and for allegedly allowing a bill on border security to die in May. Phelan was not at the committee meeting. Phelans spokesperson, Cait Wittman, slammed the censure on Saturday, as well as the executive committees previous failure to ban antisemites from the party and what she said was its delayed response to last years scandal involving Bryan Slaton, a Republican state representative who was expelled from the Texas House in May after getting a 19-year-old aide drunk and having sex with her. This is the same organization that rolled out the red carpet for a group of Neo-Nazis, refused to disassociate from anti-Semitic groups and balked at formally condemning a known sexual predator before he was ousted from the Texas House, Wittman wrote on X. The (executive committee) has lost its moral authority and is no longer representative of the views of the Party as a whole. 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. Foreign Secretary David Cameron recently suggested that the United Kingdom could recognise the state of Palestine before waiting for the conclusion of talks between Israel and the Palestinians. He said that recognition cant come at the start of the process, but it doesnt have to be the very end of the process. This is dangerous ground for the unwary, including both Cameron and the credulous Biden administration, which is also musing about recognising a nonexistent state. Since the first Oslo Accord, if not before, it has been bedrock peace-process doctrine that both Israel and the Palestinians must agree to any two-state solution. Moreover, Israel is responding to a terrorist attack comparable to al Qaedas 9-11 attack on America, while simultaneously menaced by Irans quest for nuclear weapons. What kind of ally then puts a knife in Israels back? Without agreement by the two most-concerned parties, there is no agreement at all. As former US Secretary of State James Baker often said, we cant want peace more than the parties themselves. Recognising statehood in international affairs is far more consequential than recognising a state of mind. In both treaties and customary international law, statehood has critically important characteristics, including having a defined territory and population, a capital city, and being able to implement normal governmental functions. There is no existing Palestine that meets any of these core criteria. Pretending that the Palestinian Authority (or Hamas for that matter) qualifies does not make it so. Indeed, wishing wistfully quite likely inhibits achieving the objectives statehood advocates supposedly want. Imposing this key potential outcome of contentious negotiations almost certainly reduces Palestinian incentives to deal seriously with the Israeli government, which will in turn reduce Israeli interest in any deal. However much the Foreign Office dislikes Israel or Netanyahu, there is no justification for abandoning a key premise of the international state system. The origins of the other-worldly notion of recognising a Palestinian state before there is one stem directly from none other than Yasser Arafat. Beginning in 1988-89 and continuing episodically thereafter, Arafat tried to have the Palestine Liberation Organisation admitted as a member of the United Nations and its specialised agencies. Because all UN agency charters limit membership to states, Arafat believed that admission would confer state status on the PLO, thus constructing not facts on the ground in the Middle East, but in the corridors of the UN. President George H. W. Bush strongly objected to this fantasy, threatening to withhold all American contributions to any UN component that admitted Palestine, a threat ultimately embodied in statutory law by overwhelming House and Senate votes. This is of far more than just historical interest. The threat worked until American resolve collapsed under Obama, allowing the Palestinian Authority to gain admittance to Unesco (from which Ronald Reagan had earlier withdrawn, with George W. Bush later returning). Obamas mistake led to President Trumps decision to withdraw. Biden rejoined. Should Trump win in November, count on a third withdrawal in short order. Obsessively imagining a Palestinian state has thus caused real damage to the United Nations, which doesnt matter that much except to the very types of people in the Foreign Office and State Department who also advocate early recognition of Palestine. Rishi Sunak walked back Camerons frolic, saying the remarks had been over-interpreted. During Prime Ministers Questions, however, he said Britain would recognise a Palestinian state when it was most conducive to the peace process, and stressed his commitment to a two-state solution. Unfortunately for the Prime Minister, any prospect that Israel would agree, already close to nonexistent, died along with over 1,200 Israelis killed in Hamass barbaric October 7 attack. If further proof were required, consider Bidens embarrassing efforts to negotiate a second cease-fire and the release of remaining Israeli hostages brutally kidnapped by Hamas. It was not Israel, but Hamas which effectively scuttled this gambit, by adding conditions guaranteed to provoke Israels rejection, which they did Netanyahu made clear that Israel wants, as it should, total victory over Hamas. In World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt insisted that Germany and Japan agree to unconditional surrender. There is no reason Israel should not demand the same from Hamas. We can then turn to other Middle Eastern threats facing Israel and the wider West, nearly all of which emanate from Iran. 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. BENGALURU (Reuters) - Israel's Tower Semiconductor has submitted a proposal to India's government to build an $8 billion chipmaking facility in the South Asian nation, national daily Indian Express reported on Sunday. Tower, seeking government incentives for its plan, is looking to manufacture 65 nanometre and 40 nanometre chips in India, the report said. The company and India's IT ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Chip manufacturing is a key plank of Modi's business agenda, but initial bids to offer $10 billion in incentives to the industry have floundered, with some proposals stalled or cancelled. (Reporting by Munsif Vengattil in Bengaluru; Editing by Sonali Paulmus) The war in Ukraine continues to rumble on, and while we often hear of military actions, behind the scenes, it seems the nation is evolving into the world's tech R&D lab. A report from Time claims Palantir Technologies has integrated its software into the daily operations of the Ukrainian government, using AI to analyze data from various sources, providing military options to commanders. This technology has been used for more than just battlefield intelligence; it also aids in collecting evidence of war crimes, clearing land mines, resettling refugees, and rooting out corruption. Building a tech sector Palantir is not the only tech company aiding Ukraine. Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Starlink have all contributed to the country's defense, offering protection from cyberattacks, migrating critical government data to the cloud, and maintaining connectivity. Clearview AI, a controversial facial-recognition company, has provided its tools to Ukrainian officials, who have used it to identify Russian presence on their soil. The collaboration between foreign tech companies and the Ukrainian armed forces is driving a new kind of experimentation in military AI, Time says, marking a significant change in the character of warfare. While some view the deployment of AI tools skeptically, Ukraine and its private-sector allies are playing a longer game: creating a war lab for the future. The potential global ramifications of this are immense. In conflicts waged with software and AI, tech companies could wield significant power as independent actors. This could lead to breakthroughs that disregard legal, ethical, or regulatory norms, and these new tools risk falling into the hands of adversaries. Ukraine has been working to build a tech sector that could not only help win the war but also serve as a pillar of its economy in the future. Tech CEOs, defense conferences, and business summits have been targeted with the message that Ukraine is open for business. The response has been positive, with investors launching funds to invest in Ukrainian startups and defense-tech companies setting up shop in Kyiv. However, the use of tools provided by companies like Palantir and Clearview raises complicated questions about when and how invasive technology should be used in wartime, as well as how far privacy rights should extend. Despite these concerns, Ukraine continues to serve as a living laboratory for AI-enabled systems, marking a significant shift in the character of warfare. More from TechRadar Pro How a woman landed a role at Google with the help of her viral job application video Mariana Kobayashi is an account executive at Google's Dublin office. After being laid off from LinkedIn, she sent a job application video to Google. She missed out on the first role, but she said the video got Google's attention. It's notoriously difficult to get a job at Google. The tech giant, once famous for its lavish perks, receives millions of applications a year, with some estimating that it's nearly 10 times harder to land a job there than to get accepted to Harvard. For Mariana Kobayashi, an account executive currently working at Google's Dublin office, it was all about standing out from the crowd. After being laid off from LinkedIn, Kobayashi said she set her sights on Google in June last year. But she told Business Insider that she decided to take a different approach to applying: curating a video about why she should get the role. The video ran through her work experience and had pre-recorded references from former colleagues and friends in the industry. The whole process took about 10 hours, she said. After it was done, Kobayashi used ContactOut, an email lookup tool, to send it directly to the hiring manager. She also posted the video online and it quickly went viral. "Lots of people reached out to me offering coffee chats and letting me know about positions," she said. "Then the recruiter for the role reached out, and I had a call with her." A 'purpose-driven' application Kobayashi said the Google recruiter told her she was overqualified for the grad scheme she'd applied for. However, she said she was impressed with the video and Kobayashi's LinkedIn content and promised to keep her in the pipeline for further roles. "I followed up every two months, letting her know my progress and what I was up to. In September, I saw a position for an account executive," Kobayashi said. Kobayashi said she was able to get a referral from a friend and applied immediately despite being slightly underqualified for the role. The recruiter also reached out about the role, offering to connect her with the hiring manager. "It was a very purpose-driven application, so I think that made me stand out, and then because the recruiter was already kind of on my side, that helped," she said. Acknowledging her 'red flags' Kobayashi said she sent out two documents after the interviews. One highlighted why a company should hire her and another detailed what she perceived as her "red flags" or employment gaps. "It was a document saying: 'This is why you should not hire me,'" she said. "But I also included a page saying: 'This is how I'm going to turn my red flags into green flags.'" She said she lacked sales experience and wanted to acknowledge this while showing she had a plan to address it. A three-step interview She said the interview involved three stages of roughly 45-minute calls, including a case study and a leadership assessment. "After an interview, I'd send them the documents, and they loved it," she said. After completing the interview process, she followed up with the recruiter weekly. "I had to wait one month until I got a response telling me I was in the final pool of people," she said. "A week later, I got a job offer." Read the original article on Business Insider Jasper Kenzo Sundeen's reporting for the Yakima Herald-Republic is possible with support from Report for America and community members through the Yakima Valley Community Fund. For information on republishing, email news@yakimaherald.com. New Delhi: Bhavish Aggarwal-led Ola Electric has received certification for its S1 Pro (Gen-2) electric scooter under the government's production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for the automobile and auto component industry. Sources told IANS on Saturday that the IPO-bound company had applied for the PLI certification for S1 Pro in October and received the certification this week. The company's Ola S1 Pro and Ola S1 Air are now eligible for subsidies under the government's auto PLI scheme for five years from the date of certification, sources added. When reached, the company did not immediately comment on the development. Last month, the Ministry of Heavy Industries issued a notification to announce the extension of the tenure of the PLI scheme for automobile and auto components by one year. (Also Read: How To Save Your Parking Spot in Android Auto, Follow THESE 6 Steps) Under the amended scheme, the incentive will be applicable for a total of five consecutive financial years, starting from the financial year 2023-24. The amendment also includes changes to the table indicating the incentive outlay, with the total indicative incentive amounting to Rs 25,938 crore. In December, Ola Electric became the first Indian e-scooter (e2W) company to get eligible for the government's PLI scheme for its Ola S1 Air electric scooter. (Also Read: Digital Tech Spending In India To Grow 2x The Economy In 2024) The other applicants for the PLI scheme are Hero MotoCorp, TVS Motor Company, Bajaj Auto and others. For e2W startups, a fresh investment of Rs 1,000 crore is required to avail of the PLI scheme. Ola Electric plans to expand its EV business and establish a lithium-ion cell manufacturing facility. IAF Agniveervayu Recruitment 2024: The Indian Air Force will close the registration for IAF Agniveervayu Recruitment today, February 11, 2024. Candidates interested in applying for the positions should visit IAF Agniveervayu's official website at agnipathvayu.cdac.in. The online examination will take place beginning March 17. Application for the positions requires passing the Intermediate/10+2/Equivalent examination. Candidates born between January 2, 2004, and July 2, 2007, can apply. If a candidate passes all phases of the Selection Procedure, their maximum age as of the date of enrolment should be 21 years. In accordance with the official notification, only unmarried male and female candidates are eligible to apply for enrollment as Agniveervayu. They must commit to remaining unmarried throughout the specified four-year engagement period. All candidates, irrespective of their category, are required to pay an application fee of Rs 550 to complete the IAF Agniveervayu registration form. IAF Agniveervayu Recruitment 2024: Steps To Apply Here Visit IAF Agniveer's official webpage at agnipathvayu.cdac.in. Click the registration link located on the home page. A new website will emerge, where candidates can register themselves. Fill out the application form and pay the applicable fees. Click submit to download the page. Keep a hard copy in case you need it later. The examination fee of Rs. 550/- plus GST is payable online by the candidate upon enrolling for the online examination. Payments can be made via a payment gateway using debit cards, credit cards, or internet banking. For additional information, candidates should visit the IAF's official website. As the Lok Sabha Election draws nearer, the Congress party finds itself grappling with escalating crises as its allies from the I.N.D.I.A bloc begin to distance themselves. With just under two months left until the polls, disagreements over seat-sharing within the INDIA alliance are driving parties away from the grand old party. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has now hinted that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) may contest all seven seats in the upcoming LS polls. Kejriwal's surprising statement comes when he has already announced on Saturday that his party will contest alone all 14 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab and Chandigarh. Categorically signalling that there will be no alliance with the Congress in the state, Kejriwal said that the party will announce candidates for all 14 seats in the next 10-15 days. Speaking in Tarn Taran, Punjab, on Sunday, Kejriwal announced that the people of Delhi have resolved to allocate all seven seats to AAP. He highlighted recent actions by the Punjab government against the ration mafia and the provision of free electricity as indicators of their dedication to governance. Kejriwal criticized the Modi government for withholding over Rs 8,000 crore from the Punjab government, hampering progress in both Punjab and Delhi. He emphasized that despite obstacles, his administration continues to work diligently for the people. The CM also accused the BJP of attempting to discredit AAP out of fear, asserting that AAP's growing influence poses a threat to the BJP's dominance. Highlighting AAP's achievements, Kejriwal noted the historic purchase of a private power plant at a significantly reduced cost, a move aimed at providing affordable electricity to Delhi residents. He defended his administration's intentions, asserting that the purchase was made to benefit the public, not for personal gain. Kejriwal's remarks underscored AAP's growing prominence in national politics, with the party's success in Delhi and Punjab elections serving as evidence of its increasing support base. He warned the BJP against underestimating AAP's potential, suggesting that continued growth could lead to an AAP government at the center. New Delhi: The first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi, Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) Mandir, is all set to be inaugurated. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the temple in Abu Dhabi on February 14, 2024. BAPS Mandir is the first traditional Hindu Temple in the United Arab Emirates, built on 27 acres of land. Speaking to ANI, Director of the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi, Pranav Desai, said, "The temple is built on 27 acres of land which was gifted by the leadership of the UAE. So we are really thankful for the graciousness of the leadership of UAE." "We are also thankful to the leadership of India; because of their will and support, we have built this beautiful temple," said Desai. #WATCH | Visuals of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) Mandir, the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi. It will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi on February 14. pic.twitter.com/udaOUkPpeK ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2024 PM Modi will embark on a two-day official visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from February 13-14, during which he will inaugurate the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi, BAPS Mandir, and will also address the Indian diaspora. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday visited Jhabua district in Madhya Pradesh, where he received a grand reception from the people. He held a road show along with Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, as the crowd greeted him with flower petals and slogans. He also addressed the Jan Jatiya Mahasabha, a tribal conclave, at the public rally in Jhabua. The PM inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of several development projects worth Rs 7,500 crore for the tribal-dominated region. The projects include roads, bridges, water supply, irrigation, education, health, and skill development, according to the PMO. Speaking at the rally, PM Modi praised the double engine government of BJP at the Centre and the state, and said that it was working with double speed for the welfare of the people. He claimed that the opposition leaders had accepted the reality of BJPs popularity and were now predicting a landslide victory for the NDA in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. He asserted that the BJP alone would win more than 370 seats in the 2024 polls. VIDEO | "Even the leaders of opposition are now saying 'abki baar 400 paar' for the NDA. However, I want to say that the BJP alone will win more than 370 seats in the (2024) Lok Sabha elections," says PM @narendramodi, addressing the Jan Jatiya Mahasabha in Jhabua, Madhya pic.twitter.com/0DrFM8lc02 February 11, 2024 The PM also slammed the Congress for neglecting the tribal community and their rights. He said that the BJP had opened four times more Ekalavya schools for tribal children than the Congress, and had amended the Forest Rights Act to restore the land rights of the tribals. He also highlighted the efforts of his government to eradicate sickle cell anaemia, a genetic disease that affects many tribals, by providing free treatment and screening. The PMs visit to Jhabua is seen as a crucial move to woo the tribal voters, who constitute about 21% of the states population. The BJP had won 28 of the 47 seats reserved for the Scheduled Tribes in the 2023 Assembly elections, and is aiming to repeat its performance in the Lok Sabha elections. In a breakthrough, the Uttarakhand Police has arrested Haldwani riots mastermind Abdul Malik from Delhi, said many reports. The accused is being interrogated by the security agencies. He is likely to be charged under NSA among other sections. The arrest follows a series of incidents involving disorder, stone-throwing, and arson during the removal of an unauthorized mosque situated in Banbhulpura. Abdul was behind the construction of the illegal mosque on the government property. Uttarakhand Police has been working to identify the people involved in riots using CCTV footage and so far, many of them have already been arrested. The crackdown on troublemakers has been intensified since Saturday, leading to the detention of more than 75 individuals, including women allegedly involved in the disturbances. According to reports, five individuals, including the brother of a local SP leader, are among those arrested. The affected area has been heavily secured by paramilitary forces, police, and PAC units to prevent further escalation of violence. In response to the volatile situation, the Uttarakhand government today demanded four additional companies of central paramilitary forces to maintain law and order situation in Nainital's Banbhulpura where violence erupted a few days ago during an anti-encroachment drive by the district administration. Nainital district administration has deployed a large number of police forces in Haldwani's Banbhoolpura area after the violence that broke out on February 8 following an anti-encroachment drive. To keep the situation under control the entire area has been divided into 5 super zones, where 7 magistrates have been given charges. Three FIRs were registered on Friday, and police stressed that there was no fresh violence and that the situation was under control. State Additional Director General of Police (ADG) Law & Order AP Anshuman said that the situation in Haldwani is normal and the curfew continues in Banbhoolpura only. Five people died and three people were seriously injured in the clashes. New Delhi: The Nainital district administration has beefed up security in Banbhoolpura area of Haldwani after five people lost their lives in the violence that broke out on February 8 over an anti-encroachment drive. The area has been divided into five super zones and seven magistrates have been assigned to maintain law and order. The authorities have arrested five people and named 19 others in three FIRs filed in connection with the violence. They have also booked 5,000 unidentified people for rioting and vandalism. The violence erupted on Thursday night after the anti-encroachment drive was launched in the area. A curfew was imposed to control the situation. On Friday, the police said that there was no fresh violence and the situation was under control. They said that they have registered three FIRs and arrested five people. They said that they are checking the CCTV footage and identifying the miscreants. They said that five people died and three people were seriously injured in the violence. They also said that several police officials were injured. The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Nainital PN Meena said that three cases were filed in which 19 people were named and 5,000 unknown people were also involved. He said that the police have taken many people into custody and started searches. The security forces have been deployed in the violence-hit area after the clashes on Thursday night following the anti-encroachment drive. On Friday, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited Haldwani and condemned the attack on police personnel, including women officers. He also inquired about the condition of the injured women police team, other policemen, administration, municipal corporation personnel, and journalists. Dhami said that the video footage and footprints of those who violated the law and damaged government property were available. He said that the process of identifying and taking legal action against the miscreants was underway. He also instructed the ADG Law and Order AP Anshuman to camp in the affected area to ensure peace and law and order in Banbhoolpura. The CM also instructed to take strict action against the unruly elements who attacked the police and administration officials and personnel during the removal of illegal construction and created unrest in the area. He appealed to the local people to maintain peace and said that no one would be allowed to play with law and order in the state. The state government issued a high alert across the state on Friday. The district administration also ordered the suspension of internet services and the closure of all schools and colleges. New Delhi: Acharya Pramod Krishnam criticized the Congress party on Sunday, asserting that he was never its servant and did not seek a position within it. His remarks followed his expulsion from the party. Acharya Pramod Krishnam said "Main Congress party ka naukar nahi tha, aur maine naukri bhi nahi maangi thi." "I want to thank the leaders of Congress who played a vital role in expelling me from the party," he added. Speaking to news agency ANI, Krishnam lamented that in its fervor to oppose Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress party had begun to harbor animosity towards the nation itself. "The first person to see the dream of Ram Rajya was Mahatma Gandhi and PM Modi is fulfilling his dreams. If PM Modi is taking decisions for the welfare of the country, it should be appreciated but the Congress party hates PM Modi so much that now they have started hating the entire country. Now, they want to erase 'Sanatana', they hate PM Modi so much that they start hating anyone who even meets him," said Acharya. Coming down heavily on the Congress party following his expulsion, Krishnam said that he would wish to be expelled for 14 years instead of 6 years as Lord Rama also went into exile for 14 years. "Last night through many media outlets, I got to know that the Congress party has issued a letter from its side. KC Venugopal in the letter has said that I have been expelled for anti-party activities. First of all, I thank Congress leadership for freeing me from the party. Along with this, I want to ask them what activities were there that were against the party,?" Krishnam said while addressing a press conference. "Secondly, I wish to Congress party to expel me for 14 years instead of 6 years. Lord Rama was also expelled for 14 years," he added. Questing the allegations of anti-party activity, the expelled Congress leader said, "Taking the name of Lord Rama or going to Ayodhya or accepting the invitation of Pran Pratishtha event or laying the foundation of Shri Kalki Dham or meeting Narendra Modi ji is anti-party activity? These are my questions from the leadership of Congress and they must tell the people what are the things that are anti-party activities." He said that there were many decisions taken by the grand old party that he did not agree with, which included opposing the abrogation of Article 370. "There were many decisions taken by the Congress party that I did not agree with, like opposing the abrogation of Article 370. Congress should not have opposed this. Congress should not have supported DMK leaders when they compared Sanatana Dharma with Dengue and Malaria. I want to clarify one thing, no compromise should be made on Ram and Rashtra. Today, I got free," Krishnam said. Reacting to the action taken against him, Pramod Krishnam said that the promise made by him to former Prime Minister Rajeev Gandhi that he wouldn't leave the Congress Party till he died, was the reason he didn't leave the party despite various insults. "I have been connected through Congress for years. Rajesh Pilot made me meet Rajeev Gandhi Ji. I said then that I won't leave Congress till I die. I have made my promises. There were many issues of Congress that I did not agree with. Like the abrogation of Article 370, triple Talaq, Congress should not have opposed it," he said. "The party started insulting me. I have faced a lot of insults, yet I didn't leave the party. The promise that I made to Rajiv Gandhi, used to come in between and hence I did not leave the party. I also thought that the person who does not know how to respect people who have stood with their grandparents, from Ghulam Nahi Azad to Kamal Nath, from Bhupendra Singh Hooda to Digvijaya Singh and Anand Sharma. These are the people who were with Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, and Sonia Gandhi. They were the people who held the hands of Rahul Gandhi and made him learn how to walk," the expelled Congress leader added. Hitting out at the grand old party, Krishnam said, "The question is not of my expulsion, the question is that the Congress, which was of Mahatma Gandhi, Subhash Chandra Bose, Pt Jawaharlal Nehru, Maulana Azad, Indira Gandhi, where they have brought this congress?" In a veiled attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Acharya Pramod Krishnam said, "The question is of the future of the country. I know that in a democracy, a strong opposition is necessary. But in the name of strong opposition, they only have hate against one person. Being in opposition doesn't mean hating your prime minister. I have to say that it is unfortunate that he hates PM Modi to the extent that now he has started to hate the country. A person who doesn't respect his mother or sister, how will he respect others?" "Sachin Pilot has been disrespected a lot in the party and like Lord Shiv, he is gulping the poison. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is also being disrespected...You should ask her why is she not joining Rahul Gandhi in his Yatra. The question is who is giving instructions to disrespect them because our president (Mallikarjun Kharge) is just a rubber stamp," Krishnam added. He said that from now on, he will stand by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the nation's development. "I am happy to say that I did not leave Congress. I did not break the promise that I made with Rajiv Gandhi. But from today, for the nation's development, I will stand by the prime minister of the country. Shri Kalki Dham foundation laying ceremony will be held on February 19. And I am proud that PM Modi will be attending the event. I thank UP CM Yogi Adityanath ji as well for accepting the invitation to come to Shri Kalki Dham," the expelled Congress leader said. When asked about joining hands with the BJP, Krishnam said, "I don't know where I will go. I have faith in god. I will go wherever God takes me. I am with Modi ji because he is with the country." The decision to expel Krishnam was taken by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday after a proposal seeking his dismissal from the party was mooted by the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee. "In view of the complaints of indiscipline and repeated statements against the party. Congress President has approved the proposal of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee to expel Pramod Krishnam from the party for six years with immediate effect," read an official statement issued by the Congress on Saturday. New Delhi: Haryana is facing more and more restrictions due to the farmers agitation. The Haryana government has banned internet services in seven districts of the state, namely Ambala, Jind, Kurukshetra, Hisar, Kaithal, Fatehabad and Sirsa. Meanwhile, Section 144 has been enforced in Panchkula, which is close to Chandigarh. Panchkula DCP Sumer Singh Pratap said that there is a prohibition on holding rallies, protests, march pasts and carrying any kind of sticks, rods or weapons with pedestrians or tractor trolleys and other vehicles. After the farmers organizations announced their march to Delhi on 13 February, the security has been tightened in the Punjab-Haryana border areas to stop them from reaching the national capital. The Punjab-Haryana borders have been sealed. The borders have been shut by barricades, boulders, sand-filled tippers and barbed wire. Internet Suspension: As per an official order, mobile internet services will be suspended in Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa districts from 6 am on 11 February to 11.30 pm on 13 February. Traffic advisory issued Along with sealing the border, a traffic advisory has also been released. The Haryana Police has issued a traffic advisory, anticipating possible traffic disruptions on the main routes of Punjab and Haryana. However, traffic will continue on all other routes in the state. The administration has appealed to the people not to go out unnecessarily during this time and to avoid travelling if possible. Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order), Haryana, Mamta Singh, while giving information, said that to know the current situation of traffic, follow the social media platforms of Haryana Police- Twitter @police_haryana, @DGPHaryana or Facebook account Haryana Police. She also said that in any situation, they can contact on dial-112. Section 144 imposed in Kurukshetra The administration has sealed the Haryana Punjab border in the village Tyukar of Pehowa. The Haryana administration has become alert due to the farmers march to Delhi on 13 February. What Are The Farmers' Demands? The farmers main demands are legal guarantee for MSP, implementation of Swaminathan Commission recommendations, agricultural loan waiver, withdrawal of cases registered against farmers, justice for the victims of Lakhimpur Kheri violence. Many farmer organizations of Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh have warned of protest on this issue. New Delhi: Life in Haldwani is gradually returning to normalcy after enduring the brunt of violence. However, those disrupting the peace are soon to face consequences. The police have apprehended 5 individuals involved in the violence, with their identities now revealed. The hunt for the mastermind, Abdul Malik, is ongoing, with 12 police teams dedicated to capturing riot suspects. Yet, it's the common people who have borne the brunt of the unrest, leaving them fearful and seeking refuge elsewhere. Residents of the curfew-hit Banbhulpura area in Haldwani express astonishment at the unprecedented violence. The owner of a local hotel recounts sheltering 17-20 stranded passengers during the chaos, highlighting the alarming sound of gunfire echoing through the streets. After four days of uncertainty, police intervention finally ensured their rescue. However, the aftermath leaves a scarcity of essentials like food and vegetables, disproportionately affecting the impoverished populace. Amidst the turmoil, Anabiya, a 10th-grade student, frets over her impending board exams. With internet services suspended, essential tuition classes are disrupted, casting uncertainty over practical exams scheduled for February 12th. Anabiya's father, Faisal, shares his concern for his children's education, urging authorities to reinstate internet connectivity. The pervasive unease resonates among other board examinees in Haldwani, amplifying distress over academic preparations. In the wake of the Haldwani violence, a mass exodus ensues as residents seek refuge elsewhere. Exclusive interviews with women from the Banbhulpura area reveal a community grappling with the aftermath of stone-pelting and arson. Locked homes stand as silent witnesses to the upheaval, prompting an exodus driven by intensified administrative actions. Amidst the turmoil, families are compelled to seek sanctuary with relatives, grappling with the ramifications of the unrest. Residents of Malik's Bagicha area recount familial arrests, prompting them to seek solace with relatives. Anxiety pervades as locals contemplate the ramifications of the imposed curfew. Maulana Muqeen Qasmi of the Indira Nagar Mosque refutes claims of external involvement, stressing the need for impartiality in addressing culpability. While acknowledging the need for accountability, Maulana advocates against indiscriminate targeting, emphasizing a measured approach to justice. New Delhi: The Ram temple in Ayodhya will receive a visit from most of the Uttar Pradesh legislators on Sunday, except for the Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav who turned down the invitation. The speaker of the House invited Yadav to join them in Ayodhya during a budget discussion on Saturday, but the opposition leader said he would only go when Lord Shri Ram called him. The invitation to offer prayers at the newly opened temple was extended by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and UP Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana to members of both Houses of the legislature. Mahana said that the lawmakers would travel to Ayodhya on buses on Sunday morning. Adityanath and his cabinet ministers would also go to Ayodhya by air on Sunday and have a darshan of Ram Lalla at the temple, according to an official statement. It was not clear how many of the 400 MLAs in the assembly and 100 members in the Legislative Council were going to Ayodhya. The ruling National Democratic Alliance has 277 MLAs in the assembly, including 252 from BJP and its allies Apna Dal (Sonelal), Nishad party and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP). The main opposition party SP has 108 MLAs, followed by Rashtriya Lok Dal with nine, Indian National Congress with two, Jansatta Dal Loktantrik with two and Bahujan Samaj Party with one. The leaders of RLD, BSP, Congress and Jansatta Dal Loktantrik said they accepted the invitation and would go to Ayodhya. Ten luxury buses with cabinet ministers and legislators on board would leave for Ayodhya at 8 am. The Minister of State for Transport (Independent Charge) Dayashankar Singh made the arrangements for the visit. Ram Dhun would be played in the buses during the trip. Targeting Cookies These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising. New Delhi: Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet, recently disclosed that the company has achieved a significant milestone with 100 million subscriptions to Google One, its cloud storage service. Google One provides additional storage for popular services such as Gmail, Drive, and Photos, along with access to enhanced features. Additionally, YouTube Music and YouTube Premium have also hit the 100 million subscriber mark, as announced by Google last week. The Google One Premium plan offers 2TB of storage along with additional features such as VPN and dark web monitoring. Furthermore, the company has introduced a new AI Premium Plan, which grants users access to Gemini AI. In the near future, this plan will also provide generative AI functionalities within Gmail and Docs. We just crossed 100 million Google One subscribers! Looking forward to building on that momentum with our new AI Premium Plan, offering AI features like Gemini Advanced, plus Gemini in Gmail, Docs + more coming soon, Pichai said in a post on X. (Also Read: Govt Blocks 1.4 Lakh Mobile Numbers Linked To Financial Frauds) Google One provides expanded storage, unlocks exclusive features in Google products, and allows the company to build a strong relationship with its most engaged users. Google One Plans start from $1.99 per month, which gives 100GB of storage shareable with five people and access to its VPN service in the US. People can use Gemini Advanced by subscribing to the new Google One AI Premium plan. (Also Read: Apple iPhone 15 Gets Price Cut In India On Flipkart: Check Bank Offers And Discount Details) The 'Gemini Ultra' AI model will be a paid experience, available through a new $20 Google One tier (with a two-month-long free trial) that also includes 2TB of storage and access to Gemini in Google Workspace apps like Docs, Slides, Sheets and Meet. YouTube Music and YouTube Premium have also hit the 100 million subscriber mark, as announced by Google last week. (With inputs from IANS) New Delhi: Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly shaping the way we interact with technology, offering both exciting possibilities and potential challenges. As AI technology advances, it introduces new opportunities for innovation across various industries. However, alongside its benefits concerns arise regarding issues like data privacy and misinformation. Google has declared its commitment to assist the European parliamentary elections by providing voters with reliable information, protecting its platforms from misuse, and offering top-notch security tools and training to campaigns. (Also Read: Jeff Bezos To Sell Up To 50 Million Amazon Shares By January 31 Next Year) From June 6th to 9th, citizens in the 27 European Union member states will cast their votes to choose Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). (Also Read: How To Save Your Parking Spot in Android Auto, Follow THESE 6 Steps) Across our efforts, well have an increased focus on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) and the part it can play in the misinformation landscape while also leveraging AI models to augment our abuse-fighting efforts, Annette Kroeber-Riel, who serves as Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy for Europe, stated. In the upcoming months, individuals searching for topics like 'how to vote' will discover information on various aspects of voting, including ID requirements, registration procedures, voting deadlines, casting votes abroad, and guidance for different voting methods, such as in-person or by mail. Were collaborating with the European Parliament which aggregates information from Electoral Commissions and authorities in the 27 EU member states, stated Google. Every advertiser intending to run election ads on Google platforms in the EU must undergo a verification process and include a clear in-ad disclosure indicating the entity that paid for the ad. These ads are published in our Political Ads Transparency Report, where anyone can look up information such as how much was spent and where it was shown. We also limit how advertisers can target election ads, informed the company. The company mentioned that AI models are being used to bolster efforts in combating abuse, aiding in the enforcement of its policies. With recent advances in our Large Language Models (LLMs), were building faster and more adaptable enforcement systems that enable us to remain nimble and take action even more quickly when new threats emerge, said Google. As with any new technology, AI brings both opportunities and challenges. For instance, generative AI simplifies the creation of new content, yet it also introduces concerns about the reliability of information, such as with "deepfakes." Furthermore, Google added We have policies across our products and services that address misinformation and disinformation in the context of AI. (With IANS Inputs) New Delhi: In a bid to curb digital fraud, the government has taken decisive action by blocking 1.4 lakh mobile numbers associated with financial fraud. Financial Services Secretary Vivek Joshi chaired a meeting to address cyber security concerns in the financial services sector, focusing on integrating banks and financial institutions into the Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System (CFCFRMS) platform. Integration For Enhanced Security Discussions during the meeting centered on integrating the CFCFRMS platform with the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP). (Also Read: Tech Layoffs Surges By 136% In 2024; Is AI To Blame? Check What Study Claims) This integration aims to centralize the platform, fostering collaboration between law enforcement agencies, banks, and financial institutions. Real-time monitoring and preventing fraudulent activities are among the key objectives of this initiative. (Also Read: Apple iPhone 15 Gets Price Cut In India On Flipkart: Check Bank Offers And Discount Details) Transition To Specific Number Series To streamline communication and combat fraud, banks and financial institutions are mandated to transition from regular 10-digit numbers to specific number series, such as '140xxx,' as prescribed by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). Government's Technological Initiatives The Department of Telecom (DoT) has developed the ASTR, an AI-machine learning-based engine, to detect mobile connections obtained through fake or forged documents. As a result, approximately 1.40 lakh mobile handsets linked to disconnected or misused connections have been blocked. Enforcement Actions And Results The government's proactive measures have yielded significant results. Over 500 arrests have been made, and around 3.08 lakh SIM cards and 50,000 IMEIs have been blocked since April 2023. Numerous fake links, APKs, and URLs associated with cybercrimes have been blocked. The meeting emphasized the importance of ensuring round-the-clock availability of resources to address complaints promptly. It also stressed the need for banks and financial institutions to conduct customer awareness programs in regional languages to enhance digital payment security. Collaborative Efforts Officials from various departments and organizations, including the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, Reserve Bank of India, and National Payments Corporation of India, among others, attended the meeting, highlighting the collaborative effort to combat financial fraud effectively. (With PTI Inputs) New Delhi: In a stunning turn of events, a prominent security researcher who had previously been recognized by Apple for their contributions in uncovering vulnerabilities now finds themselves at the center of controversy. Accusations have surfaced alleging that this individual engaged in deceptive practices to defraud the tech giant, purportedly acquiring products worth approximately $2.5 million through fraudulent means. Noah Roskin-Frazee, who is associated with ZeroClicks Lab received recognition from Apple for helping identify a security flaw. Apple thanked Noah Roskin-Frazee and Prof. J. from ZeroClicks.ai Lab for their assistance. (Also Read: Google Takes Action Against Misinformation In Europe; Check Details) However, according to 404Media, the individual had already been arrested for allegedly scamming Apple out of $2.5 million by stealing iPhones, Macs, and gift cards by the time Apple expressed gratitude towards them. (Also Read: A Comprehensive Tech Guide For Valentines Day) The Breach: How Roskin-Frazee and Latteri Exploited Apple's System Roskin-Frazee discovered a vulnerability in Apple's backend system called Toolbox. Working together with Keith Latteri, another researcher, they performed an escalation attack on the company's backend. After a series of steps they managed to gain access to Toolbox. They even got access to an employee account of a third-party company that was helping Apple with customer support. Then, under false identities, the duo placed orders for various Apple products, manipulating the sum payable to zero dollars. This allowed them to procure iPhones, laptops, and gift cards without any cost. They even accessed an employee account of a third-party company assisting Apple with customer support. Using false identities, they placed orders for various Apple products, manipulating the payable sum to zero dollars. This enabled them to obtain iPhones, laptops, and gift cards without any cost. This case presents a startling sequence of events, particularly with Apple expressing gratitude to the individual just two weeks after their arrest. Furthermore, reports indicate that one of the researchers took further audacious steps by extending an Apple Care subscription for themselves and their family, potentially exposing their identity in the process. Washington: Aimed at leveraging engineering as a powerful tool to address global challenges and improve the quality of life, a group of Indians in Silicon Valley has announced the formation of a global network of Indian professionals dedicated to fostering innovations. As a non-profit entity in Silicon Valley, Indian Professional Without Borders is a global network of Indian-origin professionals dedicated to fostering innovation, collaboration, and social impact through a shared heritage and commitment to excellence, according to a statement issued by them. The official launch featured chief guest Dr K Srikar Reddy, Consul General of India at San Francisco and Shailendra Joshi, former chief secretary and advisor to the Telangana Gov delivered the keynote address. "At 'Indian Engineers Without Borders,' we are committed to uniting Indian engineers and like-minded individuals worldwide," said its co-founder Shachindra Nath. (Also Read: Google Pixel Phones May Get New Adaptive Touch Feature Based On Environment) Our goal is to leverage engineering as a powerful tool to address global challenges, improve the quality of life, and drive forward with innovation that has a lasting impact, he said. With 1,100 members and eight chapters across four continents, the launch marks the beginning of a significant journey towards engineering excellence and global collaboration, Nath said. At the inaugural event, Indian Professional Without Borders, announced the 101 Days of AI Learning Festival, which promises to offer insights into AI and machine learning, providing valuable skills for seasoned professionals and newcomers to the tech landscape. In alignment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement at the GPAI Summit 2023 of a new AI mission to enhance sectors like agriculture, healthcare, and education, our festival aims to democratise AI education for a broad audience. This initiative is in sync with India's stride towards technological innovation, underscoring the pivotal role of AI in shaping the future, the media release said. (Also Read: Google One Hits 100 Mn Subscribers After YouTube Music And YouTube Premium) New Delhi: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued directives to regulated entities, including banks urging them to explore alternative methods for second-factor authentication and moving away from reliance on SMS-based one-time passwords. While there are alternative methods available, they all require the use of a mobile phone for authentication. SMS-based OTPs Vulnerable to Scams Banking industry experts have raised concerns about the vulnerability of SMS-based one-time passwords (OTPs) to "social engineering" scams which involve tactics like tricking customers into revealing their passwords or conducting SIM swaps. (Also Read: Google Pixel Phones May Get New Adaptive Touch Feature Based On Environment) In response, the adoption of authenticator apps requiring users to obtain passwords from separate mobile applications has emerged as a favored alternative to OTPs. Service providers have introduced alternative solutions like tokens embedded within mobile applications. However, despite these advancements reliance on mobile phones remains integral to the authentication process. (Also Read: Google One Hits 100 Mn Subscribers After YouTube Music And YouTube Premium) Route Mobile Sends 4 Billion OTPs Monthly According to a report by The Times of India, Route Mobile, a leading provider of communication platform services reveals that it sends approximately four billion one-time passwords (OTPs) each month on behalf of various service providers. Rajdipkumar Gupta, the Managing Director and CEO of Route Mobile highlighted concerns over the surge in digital adoption leading to increased potential for digital frauds. Gupta emphasized the need for attention to rising fraud rates particularly in emerging markets experiencing rapid growth. In response to these challenges, Route Mobile has launched the TruSense division under Route Mobile UK aimed at combating identity theft and enhancing security measures. OTP-less authentication system TruSense, the latest initiative from Route Mobile has unveiled a novel OTP-less authentication system. This innovative approach enables service providers to establish a direct data connection with users' devices, facilitating identification and token exchange without the need for users to input OTPs. David Vigar, the Executive Vice President responsible for digital identity, cautioned against relying solely on biometrics for authentication. He emphasized that advancements in artificial intelligence pose a significant risk, as deepfake technology could potentially bypass facial recognition systems. RBI Proposes AePS Onboarding Streamlining The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has put forth proposals aimed at streamlining the onboarding procedures for Aadhaar-enabled Payment System (AePS) touchpoint operators, with directives to be implemented by banks. The RBI is contemplating the implementation of additional measures for fraud risk management in the AePS framework. New Delhi: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced that it will stage peaceful protests across the country on Sunday to demand the timely announcement of the election results and to safeguard the vote, as independent candidates are ahead with 100 seats. The decision was taken after the partys core committee met and discussed the election results and the next steps. The core committee also talked about the possible alliances with other political parties. The party said that important decisions were made during the meeting, which would be finalized after consulting with PTI founder Imran Khan. The PTI said that the people had expressed their choice in a peaceful and constitutional way, and now it was time to defend their mandate. ARY News reported that the results of 257 out of the 265 National Assembly seats where elections were held had been declared, which showed that the independent candidates had the most seats with 100. The PML-N and PPP had 73 and 54 seats, respectively. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement had 17 seats, while the PML-Q had three. The JUI-F and Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP) had three and two seats, respectively. MWM and BNP had one seat each. (ANI) In addition, independent candidates backed by PTI have filed petitions in the high courts, alleging that the polls were rigged. Independent candidates affiliated with PTI also challenged the results of PP-164 and NA-118 in the Lahore High Court (LHC), where PML-N leaders Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz won. Dr Yasmeen Rashid also contested the victory of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in NA-130 in Lahore in the LHC. Another independent candidate, Shehzad Farooq, disputed the win of Maryam Nawaz in NA-119 in Lahore, while PTI-supported independent candidate Zaheer Abbas Khokhar challenged the win of PML-N candidate Ata Tarar in NA-127. Rehana Dar, the mother of Usman Dar, asked the high court to recount the votes in NA-71 in Sialkot, where PML-N veteran Khawaja Asif won. New Delhi: As the general elections in Pakistan resulted in no clear majority for any party, the countrys army chief Gen Asim Munir on Saturday supported former prime minister Nawaz Sharifs proposal to form a coalition government with other democratic forces. Sharif, who has the backing of the Pakistan Army, made the appeal on Friday to overcome the economic and political challenges facing the country. He is a three-time former prime minister and leads the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, which secured 73 seats in the National Assembly. The largest share of 102 seats went to independents allied with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of Imran Khan, another former prime minister who is currently in jail. Khans party has declared victory in the elections. Other parties that won seats in the National Assembly are the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) with 54, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) with 17 and 11 seats for smaller parties. The Election Commission of Pakistan announced the results of 257 seats out of 265. One seat was not contested due to the death of a candidate. A party needs 133 seats out of 265 to form a government in the National Assembly. A simple majority of 169 seats out of 336, including the reserved seats for women and minorities, is also required. The general election was marred by accusations of rigging, violence and a nationwide mobile phone blackout. The counting of votes is still ongoing. In a statement on Saturday, Gen Munir said that a unified government of all democratic forces would reflect the diversity and pluralism of Pakistan. He said that the purpose of elections and democracy was to serve the people of Pakistan and not to create winners and losers. The Pakistan Army, which has ruled the country for more than half of its 75 years of history, has a strong influence on security and foreign policy matters. He said that Pakistan needed a stable and healing leadership to move away from the politics of chaos and division that was not suitable for a progressive country of 250 million people. He said that elections were a way to determine the will of the people and not a zero-sum game. He also said that the people of Pakistan had shown their trust in the Constitution of Pakistan and it was the duty of all political parties to respond with political maturity and unity. On the other hand, Khan, 71, claimed victory in the general elections in an AI-generated audio-video message on Saturday. He thanked the people for voting for PTI and urged them to protect the integrity of their votes from the establishment. Jon Caldara is president of the Independence Institute in Denver and hosts The Devils Advocate with Jon Caldara on Colorado Public Television Channel 12. His column appears Sundays in Colorado Politics. Naomi Schaefer Riley is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where she researches child welfare. She is a former columnist for the New York Post and a former Wall Street Journal editor and writer, as well as the author of seven books, including, most recently, No Way to Treat a Child: How the Foster Care System, Family Courts, and Racial Activists Are Wrecking Young Lives, (Bombardier, 2021). Re: One feature of the global food economy is the simultaneous import and [ #permalink StrivingTurtle wrote: One feature of the global food economy is the simultaneous import and export of the same items, a phenomenon known as redundant trade. In California, for example, domestic cherries are exported to Canada and Japan, while a nearly equivalent number of cherries are imported from Chile, Italy, and Germany. California also exports and imports nearly identical amounts of lettuce and almonds. Although shipping fresh fruits and vegetables is an expensive undertaking, there is a justifiable economic rationale for redundant trade. Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the conclusion above? Establishing international ties through trade facilitates access to other desired goods that are more efficiently produced abroad. Undertaking free trade with ones political allies helps to maintain international goodwill. In recent years, consumers in California boycotted domestic cherries, demanding better working conditions for agricultural laborers in the state. Local growers could sell their products at a premium in domestic markets. The economic globalization of redundant trade allows for the sharing of cultural norms and values. economic rationale International good will is not an economic benefit that a county can derive from "redundant trade". So, this will not strengthen our conclusion. This choice presents an issue of betterment of working conditions for agricultural laborers. Another non economic reason, betterment of conditions would be a more of an ethical issue than a economic issue. This choice is a clear non-economic rationale, thus incorrect. In fact it is a cultural rationale. This is an economic reason, so we can not reject this choice straight away. (D) is the most difficult to prove incorrect of all the incorrect answer choices. If local growers could sell their products at a higher price in domestic markets, then it means that they will get a lower price in foreign markets. Therefore "redundant trade" will not be so viable economically. In fact, (D) could easily be the answer to the question stem which asks for a "justifiable reason not to practice redundant trade" Quote: facilitates access to goods that are more efficiently produced abroad. Now just because they are produced efficiently, there is no guarantee that importing them will be cheaper. What if the transportation costs are prohibitive? What if the import duty is obscene? Note: While strengthening or weakening the argument you should prove that a choice is correct/ incorrect without making any additional assumptions Using this logic, one could say that (E) is correct because, What if sharing cultural norms and values prevents war between countries, saving them lot of money, thus an economic rationale. But, this is not correct; we have made an extra assumption that "sharing cultural norms and values prevents war between countries". Therefore, (A) is correct because it gives an economic rationale for using "redundant trade". Notice that we can prove this without making any additional assumptions. Hi Turtle,The conclusion asks for a justifiablebehind "redundant trade". So, you can easily eliminate the answer choices that present a non-economic rationale. (B), (C) and (E) present a non-economic rationale for conducting "redundant trade"(B) Undertaking free trade with ones political allies helps to maintain international goodwill.(C) In recent years, consumers in California boycotted domestic cherries, demanding better working conditions for agricultural laborers in the state.(E) The economic globalization of redundant trade allows for the sharing of cultural norms and values.(D) Local growers could sell their products at a premium in domestic markets.(A) Establishing international ties through trade facilitates access to other desired goods that are more efficiently produced abroad.When you say - "What if the transportation costs are prohibitive?" and "What if the import duty is obscene?", you are making additional assumptions. By this way we can make any choice a strengthener or a weakenerI hope this clears your doubt,Vercules_________________ the seeds themselves are quite expensive, and the plants require more fertilizer and water to grow well than normal ones since consumer demand for grains, fruits, and vegetables grown without the use of pesticides continues to rise Plant scientists have used genetic engineering on seeds to produce crop plants that are highly resistant to insect damage. Unfortunately,. Thus, for most farmers the savings on pesticides would not compensate for the higher seed costs and the cost of additional fertilizer. However,, the use of genetically engineered seeds of this kind is likely to become widespread.In the argument given, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?(A) The first supplies a context for the argument; the second is the argument's main conclusion.(B) The first introduces a development that the argument predicts will have a certain outcome; the second is a state of affairs that the argument denies will be part of that outcome.(C) The first presents a development that the argument predicts will have a certain outcome; the second acknowledges a consideration that weighs against that prediction.(D) The first provides evidence to support a prediction that the argument seeks to defend; the second is that prediction.(E) The first and the second each provide evidence to support the argument's main conclusion.Similar question but with a different boldfaced part: [LINK1] A Martinsville doctor who was sentenced to 40 years in prison after prescribing more than half a million doses of highly addictive opioids in two years has been granted a new trial by a federal appeals court that found the instructions given to jurors at his trial misstated the law. Joel Smithers was convicted in 2019 of more than 800 counts of illegally prescribing drugs. Prosecutors said during his trial that patients from five states drove hundreds of miles to see him to get prescriptions for oxycodone, fentanyl and other powerful painkillers. Authorities said Smithers headed a drug distribution ring that contributed to the opioid abuse crisis in Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. In a ruling issued Friday, a three-judge panel of the Richmond-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated Smithers convictions and ordered a new trial. Jurors at Smithers trial were instructed that in order to find Smithers guilty of illegally prescribing drugs, they must find that he did so without a legitimate medical purpose or beyond the bounds of medical practice. But the appeals court found that that jury instruction was improper, citing a 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that said a defendant must knowingly or intentionally act in an unauthorized manner to be guilty of that charge. Even though the jury convicted Smithers in 2019, his case was subject to the 2022 Supreme Court decision because his appeal was still pending when that ruling was issued. Justice Roger Gregory, who wrote the 3-0 opinion for the 4th Circuit panel, cited Smithers testimony at his trial, when he said almost all of his patients had had significant car or workplace accidents and that he believed there was a legitimate medical purpose for each of the prescriptions he wrote. Gregory wrote that even though a jury might very well not have believed Smithers testimony that he acted with a legitimate medical purpose, the defense provided evidence that could have led to a finding of not guilty on each of the unlawful distribution charges against Smithers. In sum, because there was evidence upon which a jury could have reached a contrary finding, the instructional errors were not harmless, Gregory wrote. During Smithers trial, a receptionist testified that patients would wait up to 12 hours to see Smithers, who sometimes kept his office open past midnight. Smithers did not accept insurance and took in close to $700,000 in cash and credit card payments over two years, prosecutors said. We understand the 4th circuit decision following a recent change in the law and look forward to retrying the defendant, U.S. Attorney Christopher Kavanaugh said in a statement Monday. Beau Brindley, an attorney for Smithers, did not immediately respond to a phone message seeking comment on the ruling. Philosophers offer that a sense of a life well-lived comes from having something to love, something to do and something to hope for. Those elements are represented in the stories of three notable people, each represented by a statue, all in the South. Something to love: Freedom. Our American Revolution of 250 years ago inspired the French Revolution within a decade, which in turn immediately inspired the revolution to create the second independent republic in the Americas Haiti. Today, in Savannah, Ga., the Haitian Monument honors Les Chasseurs-Volontaires de Saint-Domingue, free men of color and enslaved men promised their freedom afterward, who fought as French colonials alongside American patriots in 1779, attempting to recover Savannah from British troops. One figure in the tableau is the 12-year-old drummer boy, Henri Christophe, who would later become the first president of Haiti. Saint-Domingue (Hispaniola) was regarded as the Pearl of the Antilles for the prosperity it produced for French owners of sugar plantations. But only 10% of the islands 550,000 population were the white elites and the mixed-race merchants and tradesmen. Ninety percent of the population were enslaved people brutally forced to work to maximize their productivity before they died of yellow fever in a year or two and were easily replaced in a steady African slave trade. A slave rebellion ignited the Haitian Revolution in 1791, but the elites ignored the French Republics outlawing of slavery. After much turmoil, revolution leader Toussaint LOuverture ruled the French colony as governor-general, but in 1802, Napoleon, rising in power, sought to reinstate slavery in Haiti, wanting the sugar wealth to fund his French ambitions. After the French tricked and arrested LOuverture, and after his successor was assassinated, rival generals Henri Christophe and Alexandre Petion divided the western part of the island. In 1807, the drummer-boy-cum-general established the State of Haiti in the north, created Code Henry, a remarkable design for legislative governing, restored some economic prosperity and interrupted the slave trade by capturing ships and freeing the enslaved. But, four years later, he succumbed to the temptations of power and made himself king, spending lavishly on palaces and parties. After suffering a stroke and fearing a coup, he committed suicide in 1820, leaving behind a much-debated legacy. Something to do: Opportunity. Napoleons avarice for power cost him dearly also. Having lost 37,000 soldiers to yellow fever in Saint-Domingue and needing money for his war with Great Britain, in 1803, he offered to sell Frances Louisiana territory to the fledgling United States. After securing the purchase to double the countrys size for four cents per acre, President Thomas Jefferson sent Lewis and Clarks Corps of Discovery to explore Americas great new opportunity. William Clark took along York, a man he enslaved. York was big, strong, smart and quite the attraction to indigenous tribes, who had never seen a black-skinned person. They regarded him as special, giving him attention Clark resented. York walked, rowed, towed, climbed, built, hunted and endured all the experiences of the others on the expedition. He enjoyed freedoms he could not have imagined and undoubtedly developed a new concept of himself and his place in the world. That only compounded his disappointment when, upon the expeditions return, Clark continued to enslave him as property. Through all the adventures and encounters with new people, York had changed immensely, but Clark not at all. Yorks statue stands in Louisville, Ky., overlooking the Ohio River, where Yorks opportunity and his transformation during the expedition began. Something to hope for: A better self. After the American Civil War, Simon Green Atkins sought to improve his life and the lives of others through education and home ownership. After teaching at Livingstone College and leading the Depot Street Graded School to prominence, he began the Slater Industrial Institute, which became Winston-Salem State University. He also developed Columbia Heights as a neighborhood of mutual support for Black professionals. His notable accomplishments in the service of others in North Carolina are honored by one of only three statues in Winston-Salem, his at WSSU. In these three statues, standing tall in three Southern cities, we find history worth remembering and lives worth exploring to consider finding for ourselves something to love, something to do, something to hope for. The mother of a teenage mass shooter who ignored one sign after another that her son was both seriously troubled and a danger to himself and others has been held accountable in a court of law. An Oakland County, Mich., jury last week found Jennifer Crumbley, 45, guilty on four counts of involuntary manslaughter for her role in the shooting at Oxford High school on Nov. 30, 2021. She could face as many as 15 years in prison when she is sentenced in April. Ethan Crumbley, now 17, killed four of his classmates and wounded seven others at Oxford High School with a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun given to him as an early Christmas gift by his mother and father, even as he was behaving erratically and pleading for help in texts and journal entries. The teen has been sentenced to life in prison without parole. The schoolmates he killed ranged in age from 17 to 14. The case marks the first time that a U.S. court has held a parent culpable in a mass shooting by a child. Crumbleys husband, James, 47, will be tried separately in March. Jennifer Crumbleys lawyer, Shannon Smith, said in her closing argument that the verdict in this case sets a bad precedent and will lead to courts holding parents responsible for actions of their children that may be beyond their control. This is not justice. This is not how justice works, Smith said. This does nothing for people who have lost everything and it does nothing to undo the tragedy that unfolded on Nov. 30. But this jurys verdict was fair and reasonable. Timely and compassionate intervention by the Crumbleys, and even the tiniest dose of common sense, could have saved lives. That morning, on the day of the shooting, school officials summoned the Crumbleys for a conference after their son had drawn a bleeding body on a math worksheet. The thoughts wont stop, the son wrote on the drawing. Help me. The Crumbleys said they would arrange counseling for their son within the next two days. Two hours later, he opened fire on other students with the pistol his parents had given him. School officials didnt ask the Crumbleys whether their son either owned or had access to a gun and they should have. But the Crumbleys knew he did. And yet they said and did nothing about it despite warnings from school officials that their son needed to see a mental health professional as soon as possible. More significantly, neither the mother nor the father had kept the weapon securely stored. It is, of course, easy to sit in judgment from afar with the luxury of hindsight. And some parents may be genuinely concerned that they may be held liable for the actions of their children, despite their best efforts to raise them well. But the facts of this case suggest that the Crumbleys were nowhere near the ZIP code of best efforts. They bought their teen a lethal weapon, knowing he was feeling downcast at the time. They failed to store it properly. They seemed clueless and indifferent about their sons emotional troubles. My parents wont listen to me about help or a therapist, their son wrote in one of his journal entries. Crumbley said she hadnt seen any of her sons journal entries and that he hadnt asked her for therapy sessions. Even so, she seemed incredibly unaware of her sons state of mind. As for the broader implications of the case, dare we hope that our worshipful obsession with firearms had finally turned a corner? If one jury has had the conscience and good sense to demand accountability for gun violence in America, so could others. Some may see the verdict as filling a need to blame someone anyone for the nations gun violence problems. But it also could open the door to accountability on a larger scale. If parents can be held responsible for negligence and reckless disregard, so should lawmakers and gun manufacturers. Closer to home, as Greensboro and Winston-Salem grapple with epidemic gun violence, we, too, need to hold ourselves accountable by taking ownership of the problem and seeking solutions as communities. Sunday, Feb. 11 A Griefshare program will be hosted by Cold Springs Global Methodist Sundays through April 21 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. for those dealing with life stresses following the loss of a loved one. For more information and to register go to griefshare.org/findagroup or call the Church office, 704-782-1811. Monday, Feb. 12 The Concord Duplicate Bridge face-to-face games through Concord Parks and Recreation at Hartsell Recreation Center, 60 Hartsell School Road, at noon. Cost is $5 per player. You must have a partner. Tuesday, Feb. 13 TOPS #437 (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) meets every Tuesday at 10 a.m. (weigh-in begins at 9:30 a.m.) at Lakeview Baptist Church, 2532 Lane St., Kannapolis. Visitors are welcome. How Great Thou Art Drawing Class led by James Fore in a weekly drawing class 1:30 p.m. in the fellowship hall at Calvary Lutheran Church, Concord, NC 28025. All are welcome. Bring paper and pencil. Contact the church office at 704-782-6923 for more details. The Women of Mt. Mitchell Global Methodist Church will be sponsoring a pancake supper from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The church is located at 6001 Old Salisbury Concord Road, Kannapolis. For more information, call 704-933-0155. Wednesday, Feb. 14 The Sportscenter weekly Bible study will be at 11:30 a.m. at the Sportscenter 233 Country Club Drive, NE, Concord. Hosted by Pastor Debbie Frye. Centering Prayer Weekly via Zoom meets at 7:30 p.m. For the Zoom link, check the Calvary Lutheran Church Facebook page or website http://www.clconcord.org, or call the church office at 704-782-6923. How Great Thou Art Drawing Class led by James Fore in a weekly drawing class 1:30 p.m. in the fellowship hall at Calvary Lutheran Church, Concord, NC 28025. All are welcome. Bring paper and pencil. Contact the church office at 704-782-6923 for more details. Thursday, Feb. 15 Epworth United Methodist Church will have a hot dog sale from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Epworth is at 1030 Burrage Road, NE, Concord. Credit cards accepted. For deliveries, call 704-786-5500. Friday, Feb. 16 The Concord Duplicate Bridge face-to-face games through Concord Parks and Recreation at Hartsell Recreation Center, 60 Hartsell School Road, at noon. Cost is $5 per player. You must have a partner and provide proof of vaccination. Hot dogs at McGill Baptist Church, 5300 Poplar Tent Road, will be sold along with fried bologna and barbecue sandwiches and desserts from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17 The Piedmont Farmers Market is open from 9 a.m. to noon at 518 Winecoff School Road. It features lots of local produce, meat, flowers and other products. Hot dogs at Center United Methodist Church at 1119 Union St., S., are offered on the second and fourth Saturday of each month from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dine in and take out. Call-in orders are welcomed at 704-782-1785. A GriefShare Support Group will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Oak Grove Baptist Church, room 23. Sessions will be Saturdays through May 11. Register at GriefShare.org, use zip code 28075. The church is located at 200 Sims Parkway, Harrisburg. For more information, call 704-455-2763. Sunday, Feb. 18 A Griefshare program will be hosted by Cold Springs Global Methodist Sundays through April 21 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. for those dealing with life stresses following the loss of a loved one. For more information and to register go to griefshare.org/findagroup or call the Church office, 704-782-1811. Candidates for Cabarrus County Commissioner will participate in a forum at 2:30 p.m. at Mt. Pleasant Town Hall. The forum is sponsored by the Eastern Cabarrus Historical Society and is not affiliated with the Town of Mount Pleasant, any candidate, or party. It will be moderated by The Honorable William Hamby, retired district court judge. Monday, Feb. 19 The Concord Duplicate Bridge face-to-face games through Concord Parks and Recreation at Hartsell Recreation Center, 60 Hartsell School Road, at noon. Cost is $5 per player. You must have a partner. Tuesday, Feb. 20 TOPS #437 (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) meets every Tuesday at 10 a.m. (weigh-in begins at 9:30 a.m.) at Lakeview Baptist Church, 2532 Lane St., Kannapolis. Visitors are welcome. How Great Thou Art Drawing Class led by James Fore in a weekly drawing class 1:30 p.m. in the fellowship hall at Calvary Lutheran Church, Concord, NC 28025. All are welcome. Bring paper and pencil. Contact the church office at 704-782-6923 for more details. Wednesday, Feb. 21 The Sportscenter weekly Bible study will be at 11:30 a.m. at the Sportscenter 233 Country Club Drive, NE, Concord. Hosted by Pastor Debbie Frye. Centering Prayer Weekly via Zoom meets at 7:30 p.m. For the Zoom link, check the Calvary Lutheran Church Facebook page or website http://www.clconcord.org, or call the church office at 704-782-6923. How Great Thou Art Drawing Class led by James Fore in a weekly drawing class 1:30 p.m. in the fellowship hall at Calvary Lutheran Church, Concord, NC 28025. All are welcome. Bring paper and pencil. Contact the church office at 704-782-6923 for more details. The Cabarrus Senior Center Photo Club is alive and clicking away. If you like taking photos, come join the members on the first and third Wednesdays of the month from 1:30-3 p.m. at the Cabarrus Senior Center, 331 Corban Ave., SE, Concord, and share your photographic creativity. Whether you are a seasoned photographer or strictly amateur, all are welcome. Thursday, Feb. 22 Epworth United Methodist Church will have a hot dog sale from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Epworth is at 1030 Burrage Road, NE, Concord. Credit cards accepted. For deliveries, call 704-786-5500. Friday, Feb. 23 The Concord Duplicate Bridge face-to-face games through Concord Parks and Recreation at Hartsell Recreation Center, 60 Hartsell School Road, at noon. Cost is $5 per player. You must have a partner and provide proof of vaccination. Hot dogs at McGill Baptist Church, 5300 Poplar Tent Road, will be sold along with fried bologna and barbecue sandwiches and desserts from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24 The Piedmont Farmers Market is open from 9 a.m. to noon at 518 Winecoff School Road. It features lots of local produce, meat, flowers and other products. Hot dogs at Center United Methodist Church at 1119 Union St., S., are offered on the second and fourth Saturday of each month from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dine in and take out. Call-in orders are welcomed at 704-782-1785. A GriefShare Support Group will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Oak Grove Baptist Church, room 23. Sessions will be Saturdays through May 11. Register at GriefShare.org, use zip code 28075. The church is located at 200 Sims Parkway, Harrisburg. For more information, call 704-455-2763. Sunday, Feb. 25 A Griefshare program will be hosted by Cold Springs Global Methodist Sundays through April 21 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. for those dealing with life stresses following the loss of a loved one. For more information and to register go to griefshare.org/findagroup or call the Church office, 704-782-1811. The Houston Preaching Mission features Dr. Luke Powery, Dean of the Chapel and Professor of Homiletics and African and African American Studies at Duke University, as the guest preacher at Central United Methodist Church. Sunday School classes will meet Powell in the Youth Room at 9:30 a.m. and he will speak at the 10:30 a.m. worship service. A congregational meal of baked chicken, green beans, macaroni and cheese, green salad, roll and sheet cake will be catered by Second Course. Reservaions are requested for the meal. The Tyro Methodist Puppets will perform at Cold Springs Methodist Church at 6.30 p.m. All ages are Invited. There is no charge for this exciting show, but a donation to the Tyro puppet ministry is appreciated. Monday, Feb. 26 The Concord Duplicate Bridge face-to-face games through Concord Parks and Recreation at Hartsell Recreation Center, 60 Hartsell School Road, at noon. Cost is $5 per player. You must have a partner. Tuesday, Feb. 27 TOPS #437 (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) meets every Tuesday at 10 a.m. (weigh-in begins at 9:30 a.m.) at Lakeview Baptist Church, 2532 Lane St., Kannapolis. Visitors are welcome. How Great Thou Art Drawing Class led by James Fore in a weekly drawing class 1:30 p.m. in the fellowship hall at Calvary Lutheran Church, Concord, NC 28025. All are welcome. Bring paper and pencil. Contact the church office at 704-782-6923 for more details. Wednesday, Feb. 28 The Sportscenter weekly Bible study will be at 11:30 a.m. at the Sportscenter 233 Country Club Drive, NE, Concord. Hosted by Pastor Debbie Frye. Centering Prayer Weekly via Zoom meets at 7:30 p.m. For the Zoom link, check the Calvary Lutheran Church Facebook page or website http://www.clconcord.org, or call the church office at 704-782-6923. How Great Thou Art Drawing Class led by James Fore in a weekly drawing class 1:30 p.m. in the fellowship hall at Calvary Lutheran Church, Concord, NC 28025. All are welcome. Bring paper and pencil. Contact the church office at 704-782-6923 for more details. Thursday, Feb. 29 Epworth United Methodist Church will have a hot dog sale from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Epworth is at 1030 Burrage Road, NE, Concord. Credit cards accepted. For deliveries, call 704-786-5500. Friday, March 1 The Concord Duplicate Bridge face-to-face games through Concord Parks and Recreation at Hartsell Recreation Center, 60 Hartsell School Road, at noon. Cost is $5 per player. You must have a partner and provide proof of vaccination. Hot dogs at McGill Baptist Church, 5300 Poplar Tent Road, will be sold along with fried bologna and barbecue sandwiches and desserts from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 2 The Piedmont Farmers Market is open from 9 a.m. to noon at 518 Winecoff School Road. It features lots of local produce, meat, flowers and other products. Hot dogs at Center United Methodist Church at 1119 Union St., S., are offered on the second and fourth Saturday of each month from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dine in and take out. Call-in orders are welcomed at 704-782-1785. A GriefShare Support Group will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Oak Grove Baptist Church, room 23. Sessions will be Saturdays through May 11. Register at GriefShare.org, use zip code 28075. The church is located at 200 Sims Parkway, Harrisburg. For more information, call 704-455-2763. The first Saturday monthly community breakfast will be held at Cold Springs Global Methodist, 2550 Cold Springs Road, Concord 7 to 10 a.m. The cost is a donation to help support community. Does your community group or nonprofit agency have an upcoming event that would be of interest to the public? Email it to mplemmons@independenttribune.com. SPRINGFIELD Welcomed precipitation across most of the state in late January contributed to what has been a slow journey to recovery from the 2023 drought. Illinois received an average of 4.25 inches of precipitation Jan. 1-29, which was 2.53 inches above normal, the National Agricultural Statistics Service Illinois field office reported. The active pattern created some flooding issues and extremely muddy conditions. We made up some serious ground in drought relief over the last few weeks in southern Illinois, State Climatologist Trent Ford told FarmWeek. Deep-layer soil and water table levels are still much below average, but theyre improving. Looking back on a rollercoaster crop season, a dry start to summer pushed the entire state into drought by late June, and while timely summer rains limited significant row crop impacts, a dry fall reignited the drought, causing low water levels on the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. The tables turned again in January. Ford said levels on the Mississippi River between Cairo and Memphis, Tennessee, have increased 10 to 15 feet in some areas over the past couple of weeks. While significant rainfall is encouraging, it will take a lot more to reach normal river levels due to the intensity of drought experienced across the entire Midwest down into the southern states. Meanwhile, some bodies of water, including the Illinois and Rock rivers, reached or surpassed flood stage last week. Ice jams also contributed to flooding issues at some locations. A similar story can be told for soil moisture levels across the state. Ford said there has been significant progress replenishing moisture, but especially in southern and western Illinois, two years of drought conditions have dried up deeper level soils. For example, our well at the water survey site in Belleville, the water tables are still 10 feet deeper than what we typically expect this time of year, he said. The topsoil moisture supply ranked 57% adequate, 39% surplus and just 4% short statewide as of Jan. 28, according to NASS. February is usually the driest month of the year, so Ford is not expecting much help in the near term, but he said, The biggest determinant for crop impacts from drought is how much rain falls in spring and summer. So even if we come in with fairly dry soils in the spring, if we get enough rain this summer, there wont be that many impacts. On the flip side, if there is a dry pattern in the spring and summer, Ford said Illinois remains in a vulnerable state for drought, but that does not mean a repeat of 2023 is inevitable. Because there isnt a strong signal pointing to drought in spring and summer, Im not overly concerned at this time, he said. The 2023 drought was not predicted very well more than a few weeks out, so well have to wait and see what weather we get come April and May. At the end of January, the U.S. Drought Monitor showed parts of western Illinois and the entire southern third of the state were experiencing abnormally dry conditions with 18% in moderate drought. 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 A way toward two states? For more than half a century, Israel has controlled the borders of the West Bank and Gaza. Home to 5 million Palestinians, these areas exist in a kind of netherworld between being part of Israel and being separate, sovereign entities. Israel controls their territory, but Palestinians who live in the West Bank and Gaza cannot vote in Israel and do not have basic rights or freedom of movement. It is a situation that many analysts have long understood is unsustainable, because it has repeatedly given way to extreme fighting between Israelis and Palestinians. Yet with the U.S. and other powers firmly backing Israel as a strategic ally, few could see realistic possibilities for change. The shocking scale of violence in the war is changing that. About 1,200 people were killed and 240 were kidnapped in Hamas Oct. 7 attack. In Gaza, Israels war has killed more than 27,000 residents, mostly civilians. This violence, along with the threat of a wider war breaking out, is upending the once-remote idea of significant change in the region. Nearly the entire population of 2 million people in Gaza have been displaced from their homes and face dire humanitarian emergencies due to food, water and power shortages, foreign aid blockages and the destruction of Gazas hospitals. With Houthi militants in Yemen entering the conflict and threats from Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, the U.S. is wary of being pulled into another war in the Middle East. Pressure is growing internationally for a cease-fire -- and a two-state solution. The U.S., the European Union and China all voice support for a two-state solution, and Saudi Arabia has made the possibility of a historic accord with Israel contingent on it. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said that a two-state solution is the only path to peace. Pressure is mounting in Israel as well, as people continue to protest for the Israeli government to make a deal and bring 130 hostages still captive home alive. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus approval ratings are tanking. Israels economy is shrinking. And the Israeli government is increasingly divided over the war effort, with Netanyahu losing support in his own far-right party. A two-state solution still faces large obstacles. But international consensus is growing that a two-state solution is the only acceptable outcome of the current violence. The conditions unfolding in Israel and Gaza are beginning to reach a breaking point, similar to the conditions in South Africa that formed prior to apartheids defeat. The Winston-Salem metropolitan statistical areas slow-but-steady economic climb has been snapped on the annual Milken Institutes 2024 ranking of the nations 200 best-performing cities. The Winston-Salem area of Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Stokes and Yadkin counties was ranked No. 86 for 2024, down from No. 82 in 2023. Meanwhile, the Greensboro-High Point metro took an eye-opening year-over-year tumble from No. 108 to No. 164. The index, which has been compiled since 2003 by California research firm Milken Institute, has evolved into an annual high-profile economic measuring stick. The institute ranks 200 metropolitan areas based on economic growth, including both long-term and short-term measurements of employment and indicators of high-tech output. The 2024 index and rankings are mainly based on data from 2022. The Triads three chambers of commerce latched onto the Milken rankings shortly after its debut as the region was attempting to recover from the latest wave of furniture, textile and tobacco manufacturing losses from the 2001-03 recession. At the time, the chambers pledged to get the region into the top 50 of large metros by 2010 through cooperating more on economic-development projects and improving local workforce skills challenges that have continued to persist over the past 21 years. In recent years, Milken has been separating the 200 metros into five tiers, with Winston-Salem listed as 41st out of 80 Tier 3 regions. It is sandwiched by Fort Wayne, Ind., and Wichita, Kan. Meanwhile, Greensboro-High Point was ranked 36th among 50 Tier 4 regions, with New Haven-Milford, Conn., above and Modesto, Calif., below. This years top-performing cities had several common themes: a vigorous and growing high-tech sector, rebounding leisure and hospitality sectors and community resilience. Simultaneously, housing supply and affordability was a concern among most top-performing cities, according to the Milken report. While remarking on the strong performance of top-ranked cities, this years Best Performing Cities report also noted that cities that offer higher wages and lower costs of living remain attractive to younger generations of workers. Milken ranking categories Milkens current ranking criteria has 13 categories. Among them: household broadband access in 2022; community resilience; income inequality index; housing affordability index in 2022 and high-tech gross domestic product growth for 2021-22. For the Winston-Salem metro area, the top individual category scores are No. 23 for housing affordability for 2020-21 and No. 50 for wage growth for 2021-22. Meanwhile, the lowest scores are No. 169 for household broadband coverage and No. 153 for job growth for 2021-22. The Winston-Salem MSA was ranked as performing better than the national average in eight of the 13 categories. Mayor Allen Joines has said the Milken rankings certainly are helpful as we work to attract new businesses and in recruiting individuals to work here. Mark Owens, president and chief executive of Greater Winston-Salem Inc., said the Milken ranking is one tool of many that we use to evaluate the economic health and growth of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County and how those indicators compare across metro areas. We continue to see gains in quality-of-life metrics like housing affordability, which is a big competitive advantage for us to attract talent here. Another growth area is high tech impact where our location quotient for jobs and talent rivals much larger metro areas. For the Greensboro-High Point MSA, the top individual category scores are No. 34 for high-tech concentration gross domestic product location quotient for 2022 and No. 69 for housing affordability. Meanwhile, the lowest scores are No. 177 for job growth between 2021 and 2022 and No. 163 for high-tech gross domestic product growth for 2017-22. The Greensboro-High Point MSA was ranked as performing better than the national average in three of the 13 categories. Bright times ahead Although both Triad metros fell in the 2024 rankings, the bright side is that there is a great likelihood of them climbing significantly over the next six years. A key focus of the 13 categories that Milken measures is the high-tech sector, such as advanced manufacturing, both in terms of number of employers and the sectors gross domestic product growth as measured annually and over a rolling five-year period. Forsyth County and the Triad extended during 2023 a three-year wave of landing high-profile advanced manufacturing projects. The foremost announcement was a second expansion of the Toyota Battery Manufacturing plant in Liberty to 2,100 to 5,100 jobs and from $5.9 billion to almost $14 billion in capital investment. Pledges made during 2023 include: Deere & Co. in Kernersville ($69.6 million, up to 89 jobs); Honda Aircraft Co. at Piedmont Triad International Airport ($55.7 million, 280 jobs); Marshall Aerospace USA at Piedmont Triad International Airport ($50 million, 240 jobs); Nucor Corp. in Lexington ($350 million, 180 jobs); ProKidney Corp. ($458 million, 330 jobs in Greensboro and $21 million and 50 jobs in Winston-Salem); and Ziehl-Abegg in Winston-Salem ($100 million and 600 jobs). The study takes into account job and wage growth over a period ending just as our area had an incredible run of success in business expansion announcements, said Brent Christensen, president and chief executive of Greensboro Chamber of Commerce. As Toyota, Boom Supersonic, Marshall Aerospace and others complete their construction and hire thousands of new employees for higher paying jobs, the Greensboro-High Point numbers are sure to accelerate. Michael Walden, an economics professor at N.C. State University, said that both metros are in transition from their past economic structure to a new structure, possibly built around transportation and new energy. Accomplishing this transition takes time. The two metros should continue leveraging their prime location, quality educational facilities and promising start to move toward their goal. Walden said that attracting outside workers and students should be a priority. Charlotte and Raleigh didnt go through a similar transition; hence their rankings are much higher, Walden said. Winston-Salem and Greensboro-High Point know what they need to do they just need to keep doing it. In a decade, the two metros will be much higher in the rankings. The economic categories used by Milken do matter at a broad level, but it is unlikely every metro area can perform well in each category, said John Quinterno, principal with South by North Strategies Ltd., a Chapel Hill research company specializing in economic and social policy. For instance, given their size, location, economic structure, and economic history, it is unlikely that places like Greensboro-High Point and Winston-Salem ever will perform as well on the high-tech impact measures as, say, Durham or Raleigh, to say nothing of places like Austin or San Francisco. That said, Quinterno indicated the Triad metros progress could be made in areas related to access to economic opportunity. Neither area scores well in relation to economic equality, and both areas have issues related to broadband access. Improving outcomes in those areas is more in the direct control of local and state policymakers. Similarly, paying more attention to the wages associated with jobs added to the area, rather than simply assuming any job is a good job, should be an important part of any economic development efforts. Other state metros Milken ranked Raleigh at No. 2 up one spot from 2023 based primarily on its strong high-tech sector and rapid job and wage growth. The report also continues to tout the Triangles major research universities and technical colleges that turn out high-quality skilled workers who attract high-tech companies to the area. The Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area was ranked No. 10 overall up from No. 20 in 2023. The metros best overall category was No. 12 for short-term job growth. It was ranked above the national average in all but the income inequality index category. Wilmington fell from No. 7 in 2022 to No. 21 in 2024. Wilmingtons most noteworthy result was being ranked No. 10 for wage growth for 2017-22. It was ranked above the national average in 11 of 13 categories. The Durham-Chapel Hill MSA was ranked No. 36 overall, up from No. 29 in 2023 and No. 19 in 2022. It was ranked above the national average in eight of 13 categories. The Asheville metro area was ranked No. 61 overall down from No. 47 in 2023, but up from No. 165 in 2022. Its best category was No. 22 in wage growth for 2017-22. It was ranked above the national average in six of 13 categories. Fayettevilles MSA was ranked No. 180, down from No. 163 in 2023 and No. 174 in 2022. The areas best category was No. 39 in income inequality index. It was ranked above the national average in four of 13 categories. In the small metro rankings, Burlington was ranked No. 75 compared with No. 14 in 2023 and No. 36 in 2022. It was ranked above the national average in nine of 13 categories. For at least the past decade, reported The New Lede last September, a growing number of peer-reviewed medical studies have linked exposure to nitrates in drinking water to elevated incidences of cancer. As the environmental news service clearly states, this news isnt exactly news. For years, researchers, public health officials and environmental watchdog groups have been warning local leaders and state lawmakers that Big Ags growing dependency on chemical crop science and CAFO-based livestock and poultry production was increasing nitrate levels in both rural and urban wells to health-impacting levels. Warning after warning, however, went unheeded despite huge increases in nitrogen and, in turn, nitrate pollution across corn and livestock country. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, ... nitrogen applied to corn has increased 120 million pounds annually since 2000, The New Lede notes, while the amount of nitrogen-rich and untreated liquid and solid manure most of it in the Midwest grew to 1.4 billion tons by 2018 Worse than even those truly staggering amounts, we know that as much as 70% of the nitrogen applied to farmland leaked off fields and drained toxic nitrates into the regions waters. Again, weve known this since at least 2015 when, in a high-profile lawsuit, the Des Moines Water Works sued several drainage districts upstream of its key water source, the Racoon River, for contaminating its water with dangerous levels of nitrates for its 500,000 customers. The fight turned ugly when Iowas then-Gov. Terry Branstad, a committed warrior for Big Ag, called the lawsuit an act of war on rural Iowa. The sound bite was Grade A baloney, but it hit its mark; since the suit was dismissed in 2017, no public agency has attempted to bring Big Ag to heel over its growing role in nitrate pollution. And that can't be dismissed as just some legal weakness or lack of evidence. But a Feb. 1 follow-up story on nitrate contamination by The New Lede, the reporting arm of the nonprofit, nonpartisan group that most farmers love to hate, the Environmental Working Group, noted that lawmakers and public health officials in Iowa, Minnesota, and Nebraska are pursuing new strategies at reducing the risks nitrate pollution poses to human health presented by ongoing farm-related contamination. The reason is simple, says University of Nebraska researcher Eleanor Rogan, chair of the Department of Environmental, Agricultural, and Occupational Health at its Medical Center: Its pretty obvious that in the areas where levels of nitrates and other agrichemicals in water are higher, you get more pediatric cancers and birth defects. And, she adds, So that sort of tells you maybe you should do something ... In Nebraska, that something largely turns out to be $2.5 million to fund researchers in part with identifying and controlling the sources of cancer in the states children. The reason for the new state funds is equally obvious: Nebraska has a high rate of birth defects and pediatric cancers in areas where groundwater is contaminated with nitrates and atrazine, a weed killer. An Iowa state legislator, Democrat Austin Baeth, an internal medicine specialist from Des Moines, explains The New Lede, is leading a statehouse effort to figure out the key drivers of our cancer rate, the second highest in the nation. One Minnesota state rep, Democrat Rick Hansen, has a different approach than his nitrate-rich neighbors. Hanson wants a polluters-pay, $1-per-ton surcharge on in-state sales of commercial fertilizers to fund cleanup of rural and community water sources impacted by nitrogen overuse. Its just one good idea that serves notice that nitrate contamination of rural and, increasingly, downstream urban and suburban water sources is a deadly, here-and-now problem, and yesterdays denials and todays delays wont be suffered silently by a now better informed, increasingly endangered public. States that produce the most greenhouse emissions from agriculture States that produce the most greenhouse emissions from agriculture Manure is a growing source of agricultural emissions Last year, Ken Furstenau like many Lancaster County residents was shocked and surprised to see the assessed value of his home jump nearly 26%. He was shocked but not so surprised when a 2024 preliminary valuation notice showed up in his mailbox and he and his wifes home value increased another 3%, to $485,900 more than a $110,000 increase in the past two years. Six years ago, when the Furstenaus moved to the house about a mile south of Hickman on three acres of land, it was surrounded by farmland, Furstenau said. Then a developer bought the land and subdivided it into 23 lots. Now, he said, those lots have million dollar homes on them. So our little house, the valuation just keeps going up, he said. Its shocking. The Furstenaus are among between 53,000 and 54,000 homeowners in Lancaster County the majority of them in Lincoln whose assessed property values increased again this year, after a whopping average 23% increase in residential property last year. For years, the Lancaster County Assessor did not do total revaluations of property each year. It used to be every three years, then every two years. The increase in the in-between years was largely growth new properties added to the roles. Lancaster County Assessor Dan Nolte said now they want to adjust the market more regularly. With the very robust marketplace we want to update more frequently so we dont see the huge increases weve seen, he said. This year, the assessors office looked at neighborhoods where there were sufficient sales to require an adjustment in value. They looked at sales in those areas to compare sale prices to assessed value and adjusted neighborhood rates accordingly, said Brian Grimm, chief field deputy in the assessors office. What we wanted to hit was those that had really, really strong sales, he said. As a result, homes in about 250 neighborhoods saw increases. The average increase in residential properties was 5% to 7%, Grimm said. The median sale increase in the neighborhoods where the assessor changed values ranged from around 3% to 7%. The valuation increases of homes in those neighborhoods were based on that median increase. Condominiums saw higher increases some more than 24%. The valuation increases of individual properties based on those median sales differed slightly, Grimm said. The median sale price increase in some of the newer areas were slightly higher: 7.6% in east Lincolns Wandering Creek, for instance. The growth in some of the countys towns had slightly higher average increases: 7.6% in Hickman, 9.8% in Denton, 6.5% in Waverly and 16% in Cheney, according to data provided by the assessors office. Two neighborhoods saw reductions in value. Grimm said adjusting properties to market value annually will keep homeowners from experiencing huge jumps. Its these big valuation changes that they just detest, he said. We feel the best thing is to try to keep all the properties at market every year. The assessor's office is still working on commercial properties, he said. Rural acreages increased an average of 3%; dry cropland 3% and irrigated farmland 5%. Furstenau said he and his wife both educators in Wilber-Clatonia hope to retire and move to Minnesota in a few years and they worry about how their property taxes might affect their ability to sell their home. We think it will continue to go up, he said. Our concern is well struggle to sell because the property taxes are so high. Top Journal Star photos for February 2024 After a court ruling in Delaware last year highlighted a loophole in roughly a dozen states' laws that excluded Tesla and other direct-to-consumer auto sellers from the legal definition of car manufacturers, industry groups in Nebraska set out to update the Cornhusker State's law accordingly. Nebraska's New Car & Truck Dealers Association proposed a tweak to state law to Sen. Carolyn Bosn of Lincoln, who introduced a bill last month that would add fewer than 15 words to the state's Motor Vehicle Industry Regulation Act. "The bill started off pretty simple," said Loy Todd, the association's lobbyist who drew Bosn's attention to the loophole. "Just updating the definition to make sure that if you manufacture motor vehicles, you're a manufacturer as simplistic as that may sound." So Bosn, who in January kicked off her first full year as a state senator after she was appointed to the Legislature in the middle of the 2023 legislative session last April, introduced LB891 which seemed to check all the boxes she was looking for in legislation she might take up this year. "That was pretty much the criteria of bringing bills to me was, Lets bring non-controversial, good policy that is not political," Bosn said. But when it came time for the bill's public hearing last month in the Legislature's Transportation and Telecommunications Committee, Tesla owners, an employee and the automotive company's lobbyist lined up against the measure, which, they said, would prevent Tesla from operating a service center in Nebraska. Nebraska law currently allows Tesla to operate a service center for providing service including warranty repairs in-state, rather than requiring technicians or customers to travel across state borders," Mary Vaggalis, the company's lobbyist, told the committee at the Jan. 23 hearing. Under this authority," she added, "Tesla has opened a service center in Lincoln." That was news to almost everyone, including Bosn, who learned of Tesla's new service center operating at the former Sears auto shop at Gateway Mall, and existing in a legal gray area in the days leading up to the hearing. There had been no grand opening event, nor news alerts. And the redevelopment plan for the former Sears space wasn't presented to the city's Urban Design Committee until early January. A staff report noted developers planned to convert the garage for "an American multi-national high-end green electric vehicle service facility." But the shop's service manager, Chad Hart, told the committee Tesla had opened shop in Lincoln on Dec. 18 or at least, he said, that's when Tesla "officially took possession of the building from the landlords." Suddenly, Bosn's attempt to clear up the definition of manufacturer in Nebraska's law governing car makers threatened to close a fledgling business and inconvenience, if not outrage, the roughly 3,200 Tesla owners in Nebraska. "Once they indicated they had that service center, we weren't interested in closing it down," said Todd, the car and truck dealers' lobbyist. "We basically, in this short (60-day legislative) session, just wanted to do what we could to fix up that definition. Because otherwise, any manufacturer who hasn't got franchised dealers can basically say, 'We're not a manufacturer, which makes lots of laws unenforceable.'" As written, the bill would redefine auto manufacturers to include car makers that sell their product directly to consumers, eliminating the prior definition's apparent dependence on a franchise dealership model which was at the heart of the Delaware case that prompted the change. Designating Tesla and other direct-to-consumer car sellers as manufacturers in state law would prohibit them from operating service centers due to provisions in the Motor Vehicle Industry Regulation Act meant to protect traditional car dealers from having to compete directly with car makers. In effect, Bosn's bill would have barred Tesla from operating the service center it has opened in Nebraska which wasn't her intent, she said. Before the hearing on her bill took place in January, she worked with lobbyists for Tesla and the New Car & Truck Dealers Association to come up with an amendment to the bill to provide a carve-out for existing electric vehicle service centers. But committee members were skeptical of such a specific carve out and of the implication that a minor clarification to the state's law could have such drastic consequences for Tesla. "If (the bill) is essentially cleaning up the language that we have in statute, I guess my question is how did Tesla build a service center under the current law? Omaha Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh asked at January's hearing. Vaggalis, Tesla's lobbyist, told the committee that two tiny changes brought by Bosn's bill the addition of a comma and the word "includes" would bring Tesla under the definition that, the company believes, it was previously excluded from. Cavanaugh, still skeptical, pointed to her years of service on the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee and Tesla's prior attempts to strike parts of the Motor Vehicle Industry Regulation Act "so they didnt have to operate in the dealership model," she said. "So (Tesla) then created a service center, but now want to not be considered a dealership or a franchise?" Cavanaugh said. "But they are a manufacturer." Vaggalis maintained that Tesla doesn't believe it counts as a manufacturer under current law, which, she said, the company reexamined in the wake of the Delaware case. In the weeks since the hearing, Bosn and industry lobbyists from both sides have worked together to draft a compromise that will specifically let car makers provide warranty and repair services to their customers so long as they aren't opening sales floors or manufacturing plants in Nebraska, Bosn said. Will it strike the right balance to appease traditional car dealers, Tesla and the committee that must advance it to the floor of the Legislature? "Thats the goal, Bosn said last week, knocking on the wooden table in front of her. Ive talked with all the senators on the committee, answered their questions on it, and I think everybody feels as though now were at a place where that is the intention, the goal and whats accomplished. The committee hasn't yet advanced the bill an action that Bosn, who serves on the committee, said she'll only support if the amendment shielding service centers is adopted. Photos: Nebraska Legislature gavels in for first day of 2024 session Dorsay Einung feels young again when she takes to the skies. Einung had put off her aviation dreams for decades. A military brat whose father worked on B-52 bombers in the United States Air Force, Einung couldnt achieve it through the armed forces because women werent being trained to become pilots when she was young. By the time the military began training women for those positions, Einung was busy with motherhood. Now, after having successfully raised nine children, the 62-year-old Omaha grandmother has spent nearly the last three years becoming a licensed private pilot through Revv Aviations flight school at the Council Bluffs Municipal Airport. Einung can hardly wait for her dream to come true in just a couple of months. When Im flying, all I am thinking about is flying, she said. For me, flying is like going on a road trip. Einung was very much the busy mother. In addition to her two biological children, she raised seven other children, who couldnt count on their own parents, until each graduated from high school. As co-owner of a residential property management company and an IT consultant, Einung never hurt for money even as she raised the children. Her nonbiological childrens parents and family members kicked in financial help when they could. As part of that arrangement, Einung kept the children out of the foster care system. My house has always been the house where when children didnt have any place to go. ... they would come to my house and I would feed them, Einung said. It always ended up being slumber parties and stuff, and they never went home. While she raised the kids, who are now adults, Einung put her flying dream on hold. It wasnt until 2021 that Einung began to seriously pursue flying. After trying unsuccessfully to arrange a discovery flight a flight that usually crystalizes a persons decision on whether they want to become a pilot with another aviation company, Einung reached out to her childhood friend Jerome Howard, who is a chief flight instructor at Revv Aviation. Once she discovered she was comfortable in the cockpit, Einung enrolled as a student pilot at Revv. Ive been around planes my entire life, she said. I did (the discovery flight) to make sure and not waste anybodys time. You dont want to be six months in and find out that you cant stomach the movement and all that stuff. Taking it slow: I want to be extremely safe Einung isnt in a hurry when it comes to her flight instruction. She doesnt cut corners. She doesnt take risks. Shes not afraid to request that her instructors practice with her repeatedly and show her what to do so she can fully understand how the planes she flies operate. She absolutely refuses to get in any planes that dont pass pre-flight checks. Einung trains on a Cessna 172 single-engine plane. My flight instructors have told me Im very cautious, Einung said, adding that she considers that a compliment. Its taking me longer on purpose because I want to be extremely safe. Occasionally, the age gap between Einung and her instructors bubbles to the surface. When speaking with The Omaha World-Herald, Einung inadvertently referred to her discovery flight instructor as one of the kids before quickly correcting herself. Ive got to stop doing that, she said. I dont do that around them. I call them young men, gentlemen or something like that. On the flip-side, Einung self-deprecatingly refers to herself as a geriatric to her current flight instructor, Josh Finecy a description that she said he doesnt like. Einung has the highest praise for Finecy. Hes absolutely my hero, she said. Having trained under Finecy since August, Einung said the flight instructor pushes her to fly when she needs to yet gives her the out if she really needs it. Finecy said Einung definitely does not let her age get in the way and is always motivated to learn. Some students might have a crappy day and its kind of easy to tell. With her, shes always in a good mood and always has a good attitude, Finecy said. Howard, the chief flight instructor, said there are a handful of students older than Einung at Revv. Weve got a couple of individuals that have switched careers. Theyre not coming out as consistently (as Einung) but they do come out on a fairly regular basis to learn the same skills, he said. With the goal of finishing her instruction by April, the only major obstacles that remain toward getting her private pilots license are two more written tests and a check ride that essentially acts as her field test. Given how she has performed so far, Howard doesnt foresee any obstacles toward Einung getting her private pilots license. Shes been very consistent. Her progress has been very steady, Howard said. April is a very realistic goal for her to get finished. Shell keep coming after what she wants After Einung earns her private pilots license, she plans to pursue getting a certificate in instrument flight rules. That instrument rating would allow her to fly when weather conditions limit a pilots visibility. The private pilots license would only allow Einsung to fly under visual flight rules. Einung likened getting an instrument rating to knowing how to drive a car in foggy conditions. If you dont know how to drive a car in fog, its kind of useless to know how to drive a car, she said. So I want my IFR so I can fly in any conditions. While she pursues her instrument rating, Einung will fly under visual flight rules once she earns her private pilots license. She will put that license to very good use. Her immediate plan after getting her license will be to transport animals. Einung said shes flown as far north as Minneapolis and as far west as Denver. By flying the animals, Einung said she can relieve organizations burden of finding enough drivers to cover hundreds of miles of transportation. People only want to drive 80 to 100 miles per section, Einung said. If we need to get the dog to Minneapolis (from Oklahoma), there are a lot of people involved in that. If I can just fly down there, pick the dog up and take it to wherever they need it to go, it will save a lot of people a lot of time. Einung is also interested in piloting medical flights that link rural areas to major hospitals. While an instrument rating is not necessarily a requirement for Einung to volunteer for those flights, she said she would only volunteer after she gets that rating. I dont want to have somebody dependent on (me for) having a procedure and the weather gets bad and I cant fly in it, she said. Shes also considering becoming a corporate pilot. Finecy harbors no doubts that shell be able to achieve whatever she wants to in the aviation world. The biggest thing is her motivation, he said. You cant really tell her no because shell keep coming after what she wants. A $1.9 million state grant will lead to the construction of 13 houses in Bellevue to replace some of those that were lost in the 2019 floods. In a press conference at Bellevue City Hall on Friday, Gov. Jim Pillen, along with Nebraska Economic Development Director K.C. Belitz, announced the grant will finance the construction of the single-family homes. The grant was awarded to the Housing Foundation for Sarpy County, which is working with Omaha metro area homebuilder Sudbeck Homes to construct the homes. The houses will be located in the 51st Street and Lookingglass Drive area, which is in the southern part of Nebraskas third largest city. Its really, really important that the state of Nebraska plays a great role in helping our communities, Pillen said. Melvin Sudbeck of Sudbeck Homes told reporters that the company expects to break ground in about four months. The first houses are expected to be completed next year. The new homes will make up only a small fraction of the 399 homes Bellevue lost in the spring 2019 floods. Most of the houses lost were in lower-income neighborhoods, said Carolyn Pospisil, executive director of the countys housing foundation. City and housing leaders placed an emphasis on bringing back people who were displaced by the floods. She said the foundation will reach out to people who expressed interest in returning during a survey conducted in the floods aftermath. Well be able to reach out first to those families. And then after that, well be able to open them up to the market, Pospisil said. Most of the upcoming houses are expected to be sold in the low $200,000 range. The average house will have three bedrooms and two bathrooms. This isnt going to just be 13 homes that look all the same in the same area, Pospisil said. Pospisil told reporters the new homes will open Sarpy County up to people who dont necessarily have high incomes. Basically, families that are making $80,000 per year or less dont really have an option right now for homeownership in Sarpy County, she said. This will allow us to build things (with) higher quality building products with a little bit less of a (price) tag. With the state grant and plan to build those homes, Pospisil said those two things could provide a blueprint toward getting more middle-class families to move to Sarpy County. This has given us a chance to rethink what homeownership looks like for families that are in middle incomes and middle-class families, she said. Four years ago: Photos, videos from catastrophic flooding in Nebraska Flooding in Nickerson, 3.13 Flooding in Wahoo, 3.13 Flooding in Nickerson, 3.13 Flooding in Ashland Area, 3.14 Flooding in Ashland Area, 3.14 Flooding, Ashland Flooding, Hooper Flooding, 3.14 Flooding, 3.14 Flooding, 3.14 Flooding, 3.14 Fremont flooding Rescued in boat Spencer Dam Highway flooding Genoa bridge Stranded cattle Flooding, 3.15 Flooding, 3.15 Tuxedo Park in Crete Platte River flooding at I-80 Flooding near Plattsmouth, 3.16 Peru flooding, 3.17 Peru flooding, 3.17 Peru flooding, 3.17 Peru flooding, 3.17 Peru flooding, 3.17 Peru flooding, 3.17 Peru flooding, 3.17 Peru flooding, 3.17 Rescuing calf in Fullerton Nebraska City flooding Cooper plant Water flowing over levee L575 across the river from Nebraska City in Percival, Iowa Steinhart Grain Terminal at Nebraska City By the numbers RAYMOND Four candidates are running for two seats on the Raymond School Board in a recall election later this month. On Tuesday, Feb. 27, voters will select two people to sit on the School Board until April 2025. Recall petitions against School Board members Gwen Keller and Janell Wise were certified in January. Keller resigned from the School Board last month and will not be on ballots. Recall supporters argue that, as board members, Keller and Wise have discriminated against Raymond School Principal Jeff Peterson and not followed Wisconsins open meeting laws. In a statement about alleged discrimination against Peterson, Keller and Wise said any notion that the school district or its board members would tolerate any discrimination, including that which is based on sex, sexual orientation or any other protected classification, is ridiculous and extremely disappointing. In fall 2023, the Racine County Sheriffs Office closed its investigation and did not recommend charges regarding an open meeting law complaint against the Raymond School Board. Wise and Hribar Wise and Jennifer Hribar are running for the seat currently held by Wise. In an email, Wise said she brings experience, stability, a unifying voice and sound decision-making to the board. With all the district has faced this year, along with the aging facility and declining test scores, we have much to tackle, Wise wrote. Maintaining my recent experience on the board would ensure we are positioned to move swiftly. If voters elect her Feb. 27, Wise says she would focus on putting students needs first, the district being fiscally responsible and ensuring parents have the primary role in shaping the morals, values and beliefs of their children. Wise said her priorities would continue to be the safety of students and staff, teacher and administrator retention, excellence in education, facilities improvement and long-term planning, fiscal responsibility and building trust and partnership with the entire community. I am committed to being a force that helps bring the community together, Wise wrote. In an email, Hribar, a former Raymond School Board member, said she is running to reestablish transparency, communication and accountability for our school district. These traits are essential to a successful school district which prioritizes children, Hribar wrote. I have the necessary experience that school board members should possess. I care for our district and its wellbeing A school board must be mission-focused and refrain from personal ambitions. This is how I served on the school board, and I am now seeking an opportunity to reestablish those core tenets. Hribar, whose children attended Raymond School, said transparency is a key priority because it is essential to citizen confidence in their school district. If citizens cannot trust the state of their childrens education and the use of tax dollars, something must be changed, Hribar wrote. I believe anyone can be a school board member, but our district is experiencing unique challenges, and my experience will be a valuable asset I wish to preserve the district for future generations of students. If elected, Hribar said her priorities would include curriculum, student achievement and fiscal responsibility. Langenfeld and Pauers Dean Langenfeld and Mike Pauers are running for the seat previously held by Keller. In an email, Langenfeld said his experience as an information technology executive can help the school district with its financial and organizational efficiencies. He wrote that he has leadership experience and has managed many multi-million dollar budgets and projects. I am looking forward to helping the school take a more objective look at vendor contracts, service contracts and the overall budget to help us understand and implement the most efficient use of our dollars to better serve our children and community, Langenfeld wrote. I would implement processes to regularly review vendor contracts, services and technology purchases to perpetually ensure the district is using its dollars in the most efficient way possible. If elected, Langenfeld, who has a daughter at Raymond School, said he will prioritize providing the best education possible to students through actions including zero-tolerance bullying and cyber-bullying policies, facility management and safety and staff retainment. He also would focus on building trust through transparency and open, two-way communication with our parents, community members and staff. I am focused on bringing the community together and not perpetuating the divisiveness that has invaded all of our discussions regarding whats best for the school, Langenfeld wrote. I intend to do this through listening, compromise and basing my agenda on the will of the community and not on my personal belief system. In an email, Pauers said he would prioritize quality education for students and work together with the community and educational stakeholders to not only promote success for our students, but to provide a rigorous educational experience that will prepare students for the real world, support staff and ensure the future of our students growth is valued from the top down. Pauers said that work starts with the board and school administration. If elected, Pauers wrote that he would work together to keep the educational environment free of outside influences that may include political and governmental biases. The school environment should be safe and welcoming to all. Pauers said he would prioritize retaining and hiring quality teachers and administrators and always have open communication with community, school, students and staff. Additional priorities for Pauers include making extracurricular activities available for students; listening to and valuing the contributions of all staff; ensuring curriculum is current, rigorous, and pushes students and staff to grow academically through collaboration, data collection and analysis of school scores; and financial planning to repair, enhance and continue to maintain the structural integrity of the school, while being fiscally responsible and transparent with the community at all times. Ten photos of the Raymond School Board Dec. 18 meeting Raymond School has named its new leader for the rest of the school year. Heiden and Kostuch James Heiden, left, talks with Audrey Kostuch on Monday before a Raymond School Board meeting. Kostuch, board president, and board members app Heiden meet and greet James Heiden, left, talks with an attendee Monday before a Raymond School Board meeting, 2659 76th St. Heiden was appointed Raymond School int Peter Kempen Peter Kempen, Raymond School interim principal, talks Monday during a Raymond School Board meeting, 2659 76th St. Kempen's first day was Dec. Garvey and Kostuch Monday during a Raymond School Board meeting, 2659 76th St. Signed recall petitions Dorae Moonen presents signed recall petitions Monday during a Raymond School Board meeting, 2659 76th St. The petitions are to recall board me Dorae Moonen Dorae Moonen presents signed recall petitions Monday during a Raymond School Board meeting, 2659 76th St. The petitions are to recall board me Heiden and Lewis Monday during a Raymond School Board meeting, 2659 76th St. Board meeting School Board President Audrey Kostuch, left, listens to Superintendent Michael Garvey on Monday during a Raymond School Board meeting, 2659 76 Audrey Kostuch Monday during a Raymond School Board meeting, 2659 76th St. Janell Wise Board member Janell Wise walks Monday during a Raymond School Board meeting, 2659 76th St. Signed recall petitions for Wise and board member G Raymond School Board Dec. 18, 2023 CALEDONIA Students were nervous when rehearsals began in the fall. They had started practicing for the Moana Jr. musical performance at Gifford K-8 School and were unsure how it would go. During the past several months, though, students have learned new languages, memorized lines and songs, and developed close bonds. The five months we all spent together, you definitely see the family form, said eighth grader Madysen Kwiatkowski. Were all so close with each other. Kwiatkowski and seventh grader Emma Jarrett both held the role of Chief Ancestor One in the musical. Saturday, Feb. 10, was the final Moana Jr. show for about 45 middle schoolers at Gifford, 8332 Northwestern Ave. They performed on six days over two weekends this month, often doing multiple shows per day. Students learned two new languages, Samoan and Tokelauan, that are in several songs. That was a difficult learning process, but students became more comfortable with repetition. Rehearsals happened four days each week for the first few months, and ramped up to five days per week in January and February. All that time together resulted in new connections and helped deepen friendships. Theres so many people that you meet that you get so close with, even in the span of a week or two, Kwiatkowski said. Its so fun to be close with everybody and have such amazing friendships. Several adults helped direct, design and manage the performances. Students held crew roles, including seventh grader Nariah Pearson, who was in charge of lighting. As with learning lines and songs, it took time for Pearson to learn lighting cues. She said getting the timing right felt overwhelming at times, but overall the work was fun. A couple days before the final show, students said it felt bittersweet to be nearing the end of the process that started five months ago. I love everyone here and now suddenly its all gone, said eighth grader Jenna Pearce. Pearce and eighth grader Millie Davidz both held the role of Tamatoa in the musical. Students enjoyed rehearsing in a nonjudgmental space where they could be their unique selves. If youre in theater, youre going to be a weird kid, Pearce said. You better just embrace it with people you love. They said developing friendships has made them realize it is helpful to be vulnerable and discuss their feelings. Its OK to open up to people, Pearson said. I used to never want to talk to people about my emotions, because I thought they would judge me, but I found a group of people who have gone through the same emotions, who dont judge me, and I love it. During the past five months, middle schoolers said they have gained self-confidence and learned not to be too hard on themselves if they make a small error. Davidz learned that there are good, supportive people around me, she said. I have the closest group of friends I have ever had, and its really, really important. In photos: Gifford School presents Disney's 'Frozen Jr.' Raena Karolus and Olaf Autumn Madsen and Benisia Lopex The creative team bringing Disney's "Frozen Jr." to the stage at Gifford School Raena Karolus with a "personal flurry" Senior members of the cast with a projection of the aurora borealis Mackenzie Judd and Ben Bohat AJ Anzalone, as Olaf, and Mackenzie Judd, as Anna Benny Lopez, Adrianna Thomas, and Madysen Kwiatkowski Ashley Olesen stepped in to add authentic detail to the set pieces. Scene from Disney's "Frozen Jr." at Gifford School WATERFORD The Explore Waterford business group is hosting a new event that it hopes will bring businesses together and support the organizations mission. The inaugural Explore Waterford Gala, which will include a dinner and a silent auction, is scheduled for 5 p.m. March 1 at the Halverson House event center, S110W23450 County Line Road. Aubrey McGaughy, executive director of Explore Waterford, said the program also will include presentations of the Community Leader of the Year and Business Leader of the Year awards, introductions of new board members, and a presentation about the organizations plans for the future. Tickets are $75 each or $700 for a table. Hero tickets also are available for $75 for anyone wanting to sponsor a firefighter, teacher or other public servant. The dress code is semi-formal or business attire. McGaughy said she wants to bring together the groups business partners and help them to build relationships in the community all while having a good time. Were so excited, she said. People can get together and have some fun. McGaughy has been working on the idea of an annual event since taking over last summer as the organizations leader. Explore Waterford uses public funding and membership dues to represent the business community and to organize events such as the Waterford Christmas Parade and the Celebrate Waterford summer festival. Based inside Village Hall, the organization was created in 2019 through a merger of the Waterford Area Chamber of Commerce and a downtown promotion group called Absolutely Waterford. Joi Alex, owner of Halverson House, said she enjoys meeting members of the business community and is certain the event will be a success. Were happy to host them here, she said. It sounds like it should be a lot of fun and a great way to celebrate the community. Plans call for making the gala an annual event. Youve got to start somewhere, McGaughy said. The skys the limit. In photos and videos: Waterfords hot air balloon festival 2022 Watch now: Waterford Balloonfest Watch now: Waterford Balloonfest Watch now: Waterford Balloonfest Watch now: Waterford Balloonfest Waterfords Balloonfest Waterfords Balloonfest Waterfords Balloonfest Waterfords Balloonfest Waterfords Balloonfest Waterfords Balloonfest Waterfords Balloonfest Waterfords Balloonfest Waterfords Balloonfest Waterfords Balloonfest Waterfords Balloonfest Waterfords Balloonfest Waterfords Balloonfest Waterfords Balloonfest Waterfords Balloonfest Waterfords Balloonfest Waterfords Balloonfest Waterfords Balloonfest Waterfords Balloonfest Waterfords Balloonfest Waterfords Balloonfest Waterfords Balloonfest Waterfords Balloonfest Waterfords Balloonfest Waterfords Balloonfest Waterfords Balloonfest Waterfords Balloonfest Waterfords Balloonfest Waterfords Balloonfest Waterfords Balloonfest A harsh reality has set in for many residents of Rock and Green counties. Dozens of people spent their Saturday picking up aluminum siding and insulation, navigating debris fields that used to be houses, barns and sheds after Wisconsins first recorded February tornadoes Thursday night. The National Weather Service has classified the Green County tornado as a high EF1 and the other much more devastating one, near Evansville, as a possible EF3, pending further investigation. An EF1 tornado has winds up to 110 mph, an EF2 up to 135 mph. An EF5 tornado, the most severe, has winds in excess of 200 mph. The tornado to the north and northeast of Evansville tornado had winds of at least 135 mph and threw debris 10,000 to 15,000 feet into the air. It was on the ground for 36 minutes, traveling 24.5 miles with a maximum width of 500 yards. As of 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Rock County officials counted 25 homes damaged but said that number may change pending further investigation. At least one home was a total loss, 11 others sustained major damage, and the remainder had comparatively minor damage, according to Emergency Management Director Kevin Wernet. He said more information on damage totals and recovery efforts will be available Monday. Rock County Emergency Management on Monday reported that 31 residences were impacted by the tornado, with three destroyed, 10 suffering major damage, and 11 minor damage. Electrical companies estimate 28 meters were still without power On Monday, with power expected to be restored over the next couple of days. The tornados path of destruction was clear. Equally striking was the resilience of the community affected, people clawing their way through the destruction to help each other, clearing the rubble left in the storms wake. The amount of progress thats been made on (debris) removal is just incredible, Wernet said. Neighbors helping neighbors is working. Help is available The command center established in the parking lot of the Evansville Piggly Wiggly has been scaled down, but those in need of food, drink and other resources can find help at the Evansville Fire District on Water Street, where donations are being accepted. Volunteer firefighters will staff the building from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Sunday, according to Evansville Fire Lt. Brian Shotliff. Law enforcement will maintain a heavy presence in the area. Emergency management officials have also set up portable toilets and pallets of bottled water at the Porter Town Hall, at 8809 N. Wilder Road, and Yahara Valley Elementary School, at 8643 N. Raymond Road in Edgerton, for residents and cleanup volunteers in the impact zone, Rock County Sheriffs Office Capt. Marl Thompson said. While power has been restored to the majority of people in the Evansville area, officials estimated that 30 to 40 customers were still without electricity as of Saturday morning, adding that, while workers were moving faster than expected on the downed power lines, they couldnt give any estimates on when power would be fully restored. We just got to handle it Rock County first responders were out in force in the immediate aftermath of the storm Thursday night, shining flashlights into homes and making contact with their residents. While many homes were damaged, no one was badly injured. After those initial endeavors into the moonlit wreckage, Shotliff spent the night at the fire district, prepared for an immediate response if it was needed. We knew what it was, but we didnt know how big. It was dark. We couldnt see anything, Shotliff said. Once its here we just got to handle it. And handle it the community has. Donations poured in, Shotliff said. Granola bars, bottled water and bags of chips have been a hit. Home Depot donated storm supplies, which many have taken advantage of. The fire department has been available fill up animals water tanks and containers for farmers. Officials could not confirm the number of people displaced but said the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army are offering help to those seeking accommodations. Officials said most displaced people have opted to stay with friends or family. All roads in the Evansville area have been reopened with the exception of Gibbs Lake Road, where emergency crews are still clearing downed power lines and trees. Patrol cars that had blocked the ends of Tolles Road have been replaced by civilian sedans, trucks and farm vehicles, neighbors helping one another pick up the pieces. On the gravelly roadsides, people set up shop: Some wielded tools and machinery, others unloaded coolers full of food and water. Several declined to comment, focusing themselves on recovery efforts. Wernet urged people who need home, auto and other equipment repairs to work with closely with their insurers and check out any potential contractors. More information about dealing with contractors can be found on the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection website. 1. Yes. It will be convenient and the fares are cheap. I plan to use the transit system often. 2. Yes. I have a vehicle, but I may still use the service now and then, especially in bad weather. 3. No. I dont use the current bus service, and I dont plan to use the micro-transit service either. 4. No. It may be fine in town, but it still involves a transfer for longer trips. That wont work. 5. Unsure. Its hard to say. It depends on how well the service works once its in place. Vote View Results St. Joseph Academy alum Sam Speca is following in his grandfathers example of is set to work as a volunteer in Central America helping others. Speca is joining the Peace Corps like his grandfather Douglas Gemmell did decades earlier. Speca will travel to Panama this month to volunteer for two years, though the exact location he will work in the country and his specific duties have not yet been fully specified. Im really excited to go, but leaving family for so long is always hard. I just have this gut feeling that Ill see them around. Ill see them again. Itll be fine, Speca said. Its only for two years, and when I think about how fast college or high school went for four years, its going to fly by. Speca is a recent Marquette University graduate, where he studied environmental studies and interdisciplinary environmental studies. He said he was inspired by his grandfathers own experiences as a Peace Corps volunteer. Hes always played such a big role in my life, and he was really the first person Id say that introduced me to the outdoors, like hiking and fishing. It was through those experiences when I was younger (that) I realized I want to do something outside, Speca said. As he worked and interned for different employers, Speca said he fell in love with the natural world and ecology, but also volunteering. I found that the Peace Corps hit that perfect balance of volunteer (and) outdoor work, he said. Speca said he also was interested in the Peace Corps international impact. The Peace Corps ask countries to apply for specific numbers of volunteers for specific duties. That was important for me that it wasnt just going over there and stomping around and doing your own thing, Speca said. During his two-year commitment, Speca hopes to do something that matters. I would just want to do something that I can say helped someone in some way, he said. To get into the Peace Corps, Speca said he was required to write a persuasive essay, a few self-descriptions and explain why he wanted to be in the Corps,. He underwent a legal and medical clearance process and submited references and a resume. Making it through that was honestly a big triumph for me, he said. Family connections Doing work in south and central America is significant for Speca too, because his grandmother is from that region. Gemmell said he was surprised by Specas interest in the Peace Corps. I just hope that he has a good time, he said. The people you meet there in the Peace Corps are usually people that are interested in doing good things for the world, so I think itll be a good experience for him. Gemmell volunteered in the Universidad Pedagogica in Bogota, Columbia, where he later met his wife before moving back to Kenosha. Speca said hes looking forward to getting to know new cultures. Its going to be a huge learning process for me, and thats what Im really excited about. I just cant wait to experience a culture more fully, he said. This is the real deal, and thats really pushing me forward. I cant wait. Here's where to buy nostalgic 90s Valentine's Day cards 1. Space Jam 90s Valentines Day Cards 2. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Valentines Day Cards 3. 90s Celebrity Valentines Day Cards 4. Vintage Lisa Frank Valentines Day Cards 5. 90s Valentines Day Mystery Cards KYIV, Ukraine Melodic Colombian Spanish fills a hospital treating soldiers wounded fighting Russian forces in eastern Ukraine. Ukraine's ranks are depleted by two years of war. As it battles the Russian war machine, Ukraine is welcoming hardened fighters from one of the world's longest-running conflicts. Professional soldiers from Colombia bolster the ranks of volunteers from around the world who have answered Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's call for foreign fighters to join his nation's war with Russia. A 32-year-old from the city of Medellin was trying to save a colleague wounded in three days of heavy fighting with Russian forces. Russian drones attacked the group and shrapnel from a grenade dropped by one pierced his jawbone. I thought I was going to die, said the man, who goes by the call sign Checho. The fighters insisted on being identified by their military call signs because they feared for their safety and that of their families. We got up and decided to run away from the position to save our lives, Checho said. "There was nowhere to hide. Colombia's military has been fighting drug-trafficking cartels and rebel groups for decades, making its soldiers some of the world's most experienced. With a military of 250,000, Colombia has Latin Americas second-largest army, after Brazils. More than 10,000 retire each year. And hundreds are heading to fight in Ukraine, where many make four times as much as experienced non-commissioned officers earn in Colombia, or even more. Colombia has a large army with highly trained personnel but the pay isn't great when you compare it to other militaries, said Andres Macias of Bogota's Externado University, who studies Colombian work for military contractors around the world. Retired Colombian soldiers began to head overseas in the early 2000s to work for U.S. military contractors protecting infrastructure including oil wells in Iraq. Retired members of Colombia's military have also been hired as trainers in the United Arab Emirates and joined in Yemen's battle against Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Colombias role as a recruiting ground for the global security industry also has its murkier, mercenary corners: Two Colombians were killed and 18 were arrested after they were accused of taking part in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise. At the military hospital normally treating wounded Ukrainian soldiers, a group of about 50 Colombian fighters spend most of their time staring at their phone screens calling home, browsing the internet and listening to music in between meals and medical procedures, most for light injuries. In a battlefield stalemate with Russia, Ukraine is expanding its system allowing people from around the world to join the Ukrainian army, said Oleksandr Shahuri, an officer of the Department of Coordination of Foreigners in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In early 2022, authorities said 20,000 people from 52 countries were in Ukraine. Now, in keeping with the secrecy surrounding any military numbers, authorities will not say how many are on the battlefield but they do say fighters' profile has changed. The first waves of volunteers came mostly from post-Soviet or English-speaking countries. Speaking Russian or English made it easier for them to integrate into Ukraines military, Shahuri said. Last year the military developed an infrastructure of Spanish-speaking recruiters, instructors and junior operational officers, he added. Hector Bernal, a retired ex-combat medic who runs a center for tactical medicine outside Bogota, says that in the last eight months hes trained more than 20 Colombians who went on to fight in Ukraine. "Theyre like the Latin American migrants who go to the U.S. in search of a better future" Bernal said. These are not volunteers who want to defend another country's flag. They are simply motivated by economic need. While generals in Colombia get around $6,000 a month in salaries and bonuses, the same as a government minister, the rank and file gets by on a much more modest income. Corporals in Colombia get a basic salary of around $400 a month, while experienced drill sergeants can earn up to $900. Colombia's monthly minimum wage is currently $330. In Ukraine any member of the armed forces, regardless of citizenship, is entitled to a monthly salary of up to $3,300, depending on their rank and type of service. They are also entitled to up to $28,660 if they are injured, depending on the severity of the wounds. If they are killed in action, their families are due $400,000 compensation. Checho says principle drove him to travel to Kyiv last September. He estimates that in his unit alone, there were around 100 other fighters from Colombia who had made the same journey. I know that there are not many of us, but we try to give the most we have in order to make things happen and to see a change as soon as possible, he said. In Colombia, word about recruitment to the Ukrainian army spreads mostly through social media. Some of the volunteers who already fight in Ukraine share insights on the recruitment process on platforms such as TikTok or WhatsApp. After almost three weeks in the hospital, Checho has returned to Ukraines front line. So have more than 50 other Colombian fighters who were treated in the same facility. The situation here is hard, Checho said. We are under constant bombardment, but we will keep fighting. Upward of 20,000 Ukrainian amputees face trauma on a scale unseen since WWI U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher took a tough vote last week for our nation and democratic norms. All of Wisconsin should thank him. Gallagher, R-Green Bay, voted against his partys reckless attempt to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who would have been the first Cabinet secretary in nearly 150 years to suffer such a condemnation. House GOP leaders and their Donald Trump-fawning flock faulted Mayorkas for allegedly failing to enforce the law and secure the border. Migrants have been streaming to and often across the southern border in recent years, fleeing poverty and violence in search of the American dream. Unauthorized crossings have increased under President Joe Bidens administration. But former President Trump, who has led calls for Mayorkas removal, failed to stop many undocumented entries, too, when he was in charge. And for all his tough talk, Trump deported fewer people than his predecessor, Barack Obama. Nor did Mexico ever pay for that unrealistic wall Trump never built as promised. Every modern president has struggled with immigration, which is why the Senate has been negotiating a workable compromise only for House GOP leaders to swiftly reject it out of hand. Significantly, legal immigration fell during Trumps tenure. Thats not good for our nation, given Americas aging population and need for more talent, and given the desire of so many people from abroad to contribute here. Immigration has always been Americas strength. But the issue on the floor of the House last week was Mayorkas. Gallagher isnt a fan, strongly faulting Bidens secretary for helping to create a dangerous crisis. Yet Gallagher understood well that impeachment would have been drastic. It is supposed to be reserved for the conviction of treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors, according to the Constitution. Resorting to impeachment over differences in public policy or even, in Gallaghers words, stunning incompetence, was never intended by the nations Founders. Mayorkas has been faithfully implementing Bidens policies, Gallagher told his colleagues. If the GOP sets a precedent for impeaching Cabinet secretaries it doesnt like, the Democrats will surely retaliate with similar attempts in the future, Gallagher warned. The rest of Wisconsins GOP congressional delegation went along with the failed impeachment stunt. They should have listened to Gallagher instead, putting their country above their party. Gallagher faulted Democrats for using impeachment as a weapon against Trump, because they couldnt produce evidence he had committed a crime. But starting a string of impeachments of Cabinet secretaries, who answer to presidents, would have gone even further. Creating a new, lower standard for impeachment, one without any clear limiting principle, wont secure the border or hold Mr. Biden accountable and will set a dangerous new precedent that will be weaponized against future Republican administrations, Gallagher said. It will only further pry open the Pandoras box of perpetual impeachment. Hes right. The Republican-controlled House voted 214-216 last week not to impeach Mayorkas at least for now. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., suggested another vote is possible this week, when a GOP member who was missing for health reasons may return. Besides Gallagher, Republicans Ken Buck of Colorado, Tom McClintock of California and all Democrats were opposed to impeachment. Ultimately, the U.S. Senate wont convict Mayorkas. That would require a two-thirds vote. Yet his impeachment would further degrade our political system. Washingtons deterioration into shameless partisanship above all else is seeping into state politics. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, for example, has threatened to impeach a state Supreme Court justice and a state elections administrator if they dont do his bidding, making our statehouse more dysfunctional. After Gallagher refused to play along with the House GOPs impeachment frenzy (the Republicans are already investigating Biden for possible removal, based on flimsy reasons), some of his colleagues tried to intimidate Gallagher to flip his vote on the House floor. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who favors volume over reason, shouted at Gallagher. But the Green Bay Republican wasnt backing down. Good for him. Democrats have resorted to premature impeachment talk in the past, too. Then-U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, for example, played to her progressive base by calling for the removal of President George W. Bush near the end of his second term. If the politicians of either party want to win policy debates, they need to convince voters to elect them to the White House and legislative majorities. What they shouldnt do is short-circuit the will of the people based on accusations that dont come close to the standards for removal the Constitution demands. Gallagher got it right. His House colleagues should get back to the difficult work of governing, rather than continuing to play political games that diminish our democracy. Dear W.C., I was in a car accident two months ago while driving my friends car to work. I had to borrow her car when mine broke down and I was afraid of losing my job. I was hit by an uninsured driver and my friends insurance has a high deductible that I am trying to pay. I missed a lot of work anyway due to an injury from the accident and because I did not have any transportation. Now I am in worse shape than I would have been if I had not borrowed her car and just stayed home from work to begin with. My own car needs a lot of repairs, and the tires are bad. My hopes of saving up for its repairs are gone until I finish paying for the deductible so my friend can get her car fixed as well and get out of debt with my landlord. A lady at work speaks very highly of The Time is Now to Help and she told me about how you had helped her with her car repairs when she had been down on her luck. I am praying you are the answer to my prayers. Dear Readers, The requests for car repairs and transportation assistance are at the highest level we have seen. With so many jobs and livelihoods dependent on reliable transportation we have been working tirelessly on these requests and there continues to be a long waiting list for good used vehicles. In this week alone we have repaired six cars for single mothers and working poor families. When I called the woman, I knew she needed a car repair and rental assistance, but I would find there were a few other areas she was in need of help as well. We would all work together to get both her and her friend the helping hand up they needed. While I looked over the paperwork the woman had included with her letter, a quote for the car repairs for her car, the accident report, the payments made towards the deductible on her friends car insurance, and a late notice from her landlord, I asked the woman additional questions about her situation. As I took notes the woman answered all my questions in detail. The woman had put all her income and her small savings towards paying the deductible so her friend could return to work, causing her to fall behind in rent and other expenses. She also let me know how the loss of transportation had affected her friends income and job attendance as well. I put together a list of assistance required for each woman and asked for the friends contact information so I could confirm her needs. After reviewing the quote she had received for her car repairs, and noting the age and condition of her vehicle, I made arrangements to get it in for the required service immediately. It also would receive new tires and some overdue routine maintenance to be sure it provided safe, reliable transportation going forward. The next area we would help with would be to pay her overdue rent and pay an additional month to help her get back on her feet. Gift cards for food and gas would help her budget even further as I learned she was a single mother with two young children and the mother had been forced to cut back in food and other daily necessities to try and stretch every dollar. We added her friend to our call and went over her situation with her car now repaired from the accident, but still in need of several repairs the insurance did not cover, we would provide those as well. We would provide additional gift cards for food and gas for this single mother to help to ease her strained budget caused by the lack of transportation. Both women were crying tears of gratitude as I told them about all of You and how you make our good works possible. Please donate at this time as all your donations will now be matched by the Family Foundation 2024 $40,000 Matching Grant, doubling your help provided to remove the pains of poverty in our communities. This matching grant will allow us to continue our good work by preventing homelessness, hunger, and suffering. Thank You and God Bless You. Health & Happiness, Love & GOD Bless Everyone, Sal Please Help: There are many coming to us in desperation. Our good fellow creations need our compassion. Together we make a big difference. Make checks payable to: The Time Is Now to Help, P.O. Box 1, Lake Geneva, WI 53147. The Time Is Now to Help is a federally recognized 5013 charitable organization. You will receive a tax deductible, itemized thank you receipt showing how 100% of your donation was used for providing poverty relief. Please visit our website for more information, to read more of our past and current columns and/or to make a donation: www.timeisnowtohelp.org A Very Special Thank You: Clarence W. and Marilyn Schawk Donor Fund, Ziegler Charitable Foundation, Paul Ziegler, Kunes Family Foundation, Kunes Country Auto Group, Anderson Moran Construction, Bonnie Glennon, Gerry and Kae Venema, William and Lois McEssy, Michael and Mary Alice Deutsch, Steven and Deidred Trumble, Jeff Martin, Electronic Specialties, Landon Petrie, Jr. and Nancy Schwab, Bernd and Christine Kampe, HomeTown Auto Exchange, Paper Dolls, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Schuberth, Martin Group, John Stensland and family, Michael and Barbo Olijnek, A Partridge in a Charity, Ina Cunningham, Borg Indak, Robin Culbertson, Thomas Biddick, Thomas and Mary Johnson, Edward and Florence Chaulkin, James Sadler, Joyce Byers, William and Jean Isaacson, Thomas and Kay Rowntree, Stanley Roelker, John and Rita Race, Bob and Millie McCormick, Nancy Ferguson, Patricia Christopherson, Mary Jane Bates, Steven and Gabrielle Thomas, all of our anonymous donors and ALL of you who support The Time Is Now to Help donation boxes. Anyone who would like a Time Is Now donation box in your business, please call (262) 249-7000. Prayer Chain: The power of prayer and positive thoughts comes from the true healer, our Lord answering our prayers. Please pray for healing for the following people: Brian, Mike, Sylvia, Megan, Kayla, Maria C., Sal, Betty, Scott, Annie, Marilyn, Brandon, Helen, Dennis, Mary, Joseph, Jordan, Jean, Tom L., Dr. Peter, Matthew, Pam E., Jenene B., John S., Patricia H., Ron K., Marian K., Judy, Wendy, Eric, Anthony, Mary, Charlie, Tom P., Christina, Billy, Mike, Cheryl, Bryan E., Ellie and Cornelia. People participate in a rally to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the victory of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution in Tehran, Iran, Feb. 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Shadati) TEHRAN, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Mass rallies were held across Iran on Sunday to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the victory of the country's 1979 Islamic Revolution. The rallies, also attended by the country's officials and military commanders, started concurrently at 9:00 a.m. local time (0530 GMT) in 1,400 cities and 35,000 villages across Iran, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency. In the capital Tehran, people marched from 13 locations towards the Azadi Square, where Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi delivered a speech. Raisi said the country's "vigilant, insightful and conscious" people had managed to overcome all problems caused by the "enemies," according to a statement published on the website of his office. He said Iran was dependent neither on the East nor the West and made decisions and acted on its own. He also condemned "the Israeli crimes in Gaza perpetrated with the support of the Western states claiming to be human rights advocates." During the rallies in Tehran, people chanted slogans and carried banners featuring similar slogans in support of Iran, its Islamic Revolution, and the Palestinians. They also condemned the United States and Israel. Along the routes of the rallies, a number of homegrown missiles and a launch vehicle dubbed Simorgh were put on display. The 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran toppled the U.S.-backed Shah regime, and brought the country under the leadership of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the late founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran. A military band performs during a rally to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the victory of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution in Tehran, Iran, Feb. 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Shadati) A rally is held to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the victory of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution in Tehran, Iran, Feb. 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Shadati) Parachuters are seen during a rally to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the victory of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution in Tehran, Iran, Feb. 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Shadati MOGADISHU, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- At least three members of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Armed Forces were killed in an attack on a military base in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, on Saturday evening, officials confirmed on Sunday. The attack which targeted troops at the General Gordon military base also led to the injuries of three officers from Bahrain Defense Force and Somalia National Army (SNA). The Somali government did not provide details of the attack involved. The deaths, which were confirmed by the UAE Ministry of Defense, happened after a Somali army recruit discharged his gun targeting the soldiers inside the military facility. The UAE soldiers were on a training mission of the Somali National Army as part of bilateral agreement between the UAE and Somalia. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Sunday condemned the incident and offered his condolences to the government and people of the UAE for the officers who lost their lives in Mogadishu. "I strongly condemn this horrible act that took the lives of these officers who sacrificed their time and lives for the liberation of our country and the rebuilding of our forces," he said in a statement issued in Mogadishu. The president ordered the security forces to conduct an urgent investigation into the latest incident in the country. "We promise that strict actions will be taken against whoever organized this heinous act," he added. Al-Shabab, which has been fighting the government for more than two decades, claimed responsibility for the attack, saying its fighters killed many people involved in the Emirati military training mission in Somalia. Dartmouth College, the Ivy League university in New Hampshire, announced last week that it will again require standardized tests from applicants. American students who wish to attend Dartmouth starting in the fall of 2025 will need to send SAT or ACT scores with their applications. Students from other parts of the world will need to submit results from an equivalent standardized national exam, according to Dartmouth. The university suspended its consideration of standardized tests for four years. In 2020, Dartmouth and many other American universities entered a test-optional period, which officials said was because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Why did the schools go test optional? Starting in the spring of 2020, schools increasingly stopped holding in-person classes. That made it difficult for students to prepare for and gather to take standardized tests. Many universities used the test-optional period to find out what would happen if they no longer required the SAT and ACT. Years before, a few studies said that the tests favored wealthy students. Nat Smitobol is with IvyWise, a company that offers college admissions advice in New York City. Smitobol said universities want a diverse group of students and were not sure they were getting enough of them by looking at standardized tests. Dartmouth said it looked at its group of accepted students after four years. It found the test optional policy increased the number of applications but made it harder to find the best students. The university said it discovered standardized test scores were a valuable element of Dartmouths undergraduate application. In addition, the university said the tests expanded its ability to identify talent. That means the tests made it easier for Dartmouth to find good students who do not come from rich families or wealthy high schools. Dartmouth joins Georgetown University in Washington D.C. and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as top schools again requiring standardized test scores. Currently, Yale University in Connecticut, Harvard University and Duke University in North Carolina still permit students to apply without test results. They are all highly selective schools. But some experts wonder if those schools will follow Dartmouth. Students still take the test even if optional Smitobol at IvyWise said most students still take the SAT or ACT. But he said most do not understand that they can still apply to schools such as Dartmouth even if their scores are a little low. An average SAT score is 1050 while 1600 is perfect. Theres kids that wont break 1000 that can absolutely do the work at a Penn (University of Pennsylvania) or a Harvard or any of these places, theres no doubt about it. Smitobol said a student with good grades who is an immigrant, or whose parents did not go to college, should almost always submit their test scores. If you score a 1400 or above and youre the first in your family to go to college, that would be an astronomical score, he said. And really, quite frankly, that's way more impressive than a 1550 from a student, you know, like from an affluent background. Many students, however, say they like the freedom of choosing whether to send their scores to other schools. Better things to do than take a test Renee Bischoff is the Director of College Counseling at Hawken School, a high school near Cleveland, Ohio. She said she has some students who are good at lots of things: theater, sports, leadership activities, teaching younger students or performing community service, but they are not good at taking standardized tests. If they choose to apply to a college that does not need a test score, they can put their energy into other things. She said some students were taking tests five times in an effort to raise their scores. I will say to them, you know what? You shouldnt spend the extra time. Dont spend the money. Dont spend your Saturday. Focus your time on doing the things that are deeply meaningful to you and work hard in school. That will be the leading thing and the testing isn't required, so let's not spend all our time and money on that. Barry Maloney is the president of Worcester State University in Massachusetts. He wrote an opinion piece for the Telegram & Gazette, a local newspaper, about test optional admission. For colleges like his, he wrote, a students grades are the best predictor of their success. If a standardized test is something you dont want to take for admissionfor any reasonyou simply dont need to, he wrote. Christiana Kalokoh is a senior at Annandale High School in Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C. She was born in the African nation of Sierra Leone and moved to the U.S. as a girl. She was accepted to a number of colleges already but did not send her test scores. She said she tried her best on the tests, but she felt intimidated and confused. She did not take a test preparation class like some students. However, Kalokoh has done well in school and taken part in many clubs and activities. She has a job to help support her family. She is the president of her schools Bible study club and takes part in heritage night, where she teaches people about her country. The importance of hope Kalokoh said she liked the fact that she could still get into a good college without doing well on the tests. It gives me a sense of peace knowing that if I were to study my hardest and try my best and still maybe not get such a great score, it wouldn't completely ruin my chances of getting into that college. She applied to the University of Virginia and James Madison University and did not send her test scores. She will find out if she has been accepted later this spring. Laura Wells is the AVID program coordinator at Annandale. The program identifies students who could do well in college, but they need extra support in order to succeed in more difficult classes. The program also gives extra help and direction on college applications. Wells helps students such as Kalokoh, who were not born in the U.S., or whose parents do not speak English. Wells said her students usually have trouble with the tests. But the ones who get straight As, the very top grades, go on to do well in college. Even if top schools require test scores, she said it is important that other schools remain test optional. The students she works with still need to believe they can go to a good college. For her, such schools in Virginia include the University of Virginia (UVA) and Virginia Tech. I do hope that schools like, you know UVA, Virginia Tech, still choose to be test optional because otherwise, it is really hard, I think, for students to kind of see themselves at those schools. They can accept the fact that they might not get into Dartmouth or Georgetown or Johns Hopkins or something, right? But you should have a shot at being able to go to your top-ranked state school. Yeah, that's what I think, anyway. Im Dan Friedell. And Im Caty Weaver. Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on a report by the Associated Press. Quiz - Dartmouth Will Again Require Standardized Tests Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz __________________________________________________ Words in This Story standardized test n. tests taken by large numbers of students that are meant to measure their general knowledge and compare it to other students applicant n. a person who is submitting applications for entry into a school or college equivalent adj. something that is different in small details but is more or less equal to something else diverse adj. involving many different kinds of people talent n. people who have valuable abilities and knowledge mean n. a value that has an equal number of values above it and below it astronomical adj. an extremely high value affluent adj. having a large amount of money or property focus v. pay attention or put time into something intimidated adj. made fearful by something confused adj. unsure and not able to make a clear decision We want to hear from you. Have you taken the SAT or ACT? How do you feel about the tests? A 15-year-old boy in Gaza was able to build a device to provide electricity to light the tent he is staying in with his family. Hussam Al-Attar got two fans at a resale market and used them to create small wind turbines to produce electricity. His invention led others in the camp where he stays to start calling him the Newton of Gaza. This comparison involves the English scientist, Isaac Newton. Newton is known for his major scientific discoveries in the fields of physics, mathematics and astronomy more than 300 years ago. A famous story about Newton describes how an apple falling on his head led him to discover the nature of gravity. "Newton was sitting under an apple tree when an apple fell on his head and he discovered gravity, Al-Attar told Reuters news agency. And we here are living in darkness and tragedy, and rockets are falling on us, therefore I thought of creating light, and did so," he added. Al-Attar is staying with his family in a tent in Rafah, a city on the southern edge of the Gaza Strip, near the border with Egypt. Reuters reported that Rafah currently holds more than half of Gazas total population of 2.3 million people. Large numbers of people fled to the area from other parts of Gaza to escape fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas fighters. The fighting has been ongoing since Hamas militants invaded southern Israel from Gaza on October 7. Israeli officials say the invasion left 1,200 people dead and 253 kidnapped. Israel immediately began a large military campaign to answer the actions of Hamas. Israeli military officials have said their goal is to crush the Palestinian Islamist group. Local health officials in Gaza say the fighting has killed more than 27,000 people across the territory and caused displacement and hunger. Al-Attar and his family are staying in a tent that is partly attached to a house. He was able to climb onto the roof to set up two fans, one above the other. The wind can turn the fans, which produce small amounts of electricity. He then connected the fans to wires and built a charging station. Al-Attar also built switches to control a lighting system made out of wood. He said his first two attempts failed and it took him a while to develop a working system. "I started developing it further, bit by bit, until I was able to extend the wires through the room to the tent that we are living in, so that the tent will have light." Al-Attar added that he was happy to be able to create something to help ease the suffering of his family members. He said he is looking forward to the future when conditions can improve in Gaza. "I am very happy that people in this camp call me Gaza's Newton, Al-Attar said. He added, Because I hope to achieve my dream of becoming a scientist like Newton and creating an invention that will benefit not only the people of the Gaza Strip, but the whole world." Im Bryan Lynn. Reuters reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English. _______________________________________________ Words in This Story tent n. a structure made of metal poles and cloth that is used to provide protection for people camping outdoors turbine n. a large machine that produces power by using gas, steam, wind, etc. tragedy n. an event or situation that is very sad, often involving death roof n. the surface that covers and protects the top of a building or vehicle charge v. to put electricity into a device that holds electrical charge called a battery switch n. a device that permits or cuts electrical current in a circuit achieve v. to succeed in doing something good, usually by working hard benefit v. to be helped by something BUENOS AIRES, Argentina A Catholic laywoman who lived in 18th-century Argentina and joined the Jesuits in their evangelical mission throughout the South American country will become the first female saint from the home country of Pope Francis on Sunday. Maria Antonia de Paz y Figueroa, more commonly known by her Quechua name of "Mama Antula," was born in 1730 into a wealthy family in Santiago del Estero, a province north of Buenos Aires. At the age of 15, she left the comfortable life of her home and the privileges of her family to join the Jesuits at a time when women's options were limited to marriage or joining a convent. "She was a rebel, just like Jesus," Cintia Suarez, co-author of the biography "Mama Antula, the first female saint of Argentina," told The Associated Press. "She confronted her father saying 'I'm not going to get married or become a nun.' She just didn't want to follow orders." Mama Antula collaborated in the performance of spiritual exercises based on the writings of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Company of Jesus in 1534, according to her biographer. When the Spanish crown expelled the Jesuits from America in 1767, considering them a threat to its interests, Mama Antula decided to take up the mantle and continue her work, even at the risk of being imprisoned. She was a very astute woman who, against the prejudices of the time, had the ability to persuade parish priests and bishops to continue the spiritual exercises of the Jesuits despite the prohibition. "Patience is good, but perseverance is better," is a phrase that is attributed to her in historical texts collected in Suarez's biography. At a time when slavery still prevailed, masters and slaves, rich and poor were welcome in her spiritual exercises. It was within that space of reflection that she helped erase social differences. "Mama Antula's charity, above all in the service to the neediest, is today very much in evidence in the midst of a society that runs the risk of forgetting that radical individualism is the most difficult virus to overcome," Francis told a group of Argentine pilgrims Friday who are in town for this weekend's canonization. Despite her outstanding work, Mama Antula was not widely recognized due to her status as a lay woman until 2013, when Francis, also a native of Argentina, was elected pope and brought her back to the public eye. Francis first authorized her beatification in 2016, after the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints recognized a miracle linked to Mama Antula. It was the inexplicable healing in 1905 of a seriously ill nun belonging to the religious order in charge of the House of spiritual exercises founded by Mama Antula in Buenos Aires. The second miracle that opened the door to her canonization came in 2017, when a former Jesuit seminarian was left on the verge of death from a stroke. A friend brought a picture of Mama Antula to the hospital and stuck it on the vital signs monitor. The man improved and left intensive care. The canonization of Mama Antula in a ceremony to be presided over by Francis at St. Peter's Basilica marks not only the first time a female from Argentina will become a saint, but will bring together two antagonistic figures: Francis and the newly elected president of Argentina, Javier Milei, who once called the pope an "imbecile" for defending social justice and "the representative of malignance on Earth." Francis, who had a long conversation with Milei after he was elected, indicated he forgave him for the campaign rhetoric and even suggested he is considering visiting his native country this year. Maria Antonia de Paz y Figueroa, or "Mama Antula," died March 7, 1799, aged 69. U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher, a key Republican Congressman who has spearheaded House pushback against the Chinese government, announced Saturday that he won't run for a fifth term. The announcement comes just days after he angered his fellow Republicans by refusing to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The GOP has been looking to oust Mayorkas as a way to punish the Biden administration over its handling of the U.S.-Mexico border. A House impeachment vote Tuesday fell just one vote short. Gallagher was one of three Republicans who opposed impeachment. His fellow Republicans surrounded him on the House floor in an attempt to change his mind, but he refused to change his vote. Record numbers of people have been arriving at the southern border as they flee countries around the globe. Many claim asylum and end up in U.S. cities that are ill-prepared to provide for them while they await court proceedings. The issue is potent line of attack for Donald Trump as he works toward defeating President Joe Biden in November's elections. OUR VIEW: Mike Gallagher showed courage, leadership in rejecting impeachment U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher took a tough vote last week for our nation and democratic norms. Gallagher wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed published after the vote that impeachment wouldn't stop migrants from crossing the border and would set a precedent that could be used against future Republican administrations. But the impeachment votes failure was a major setback for the GOP. Wisconsin Republicans began mulling this week whether Gallagher should face a primary challenger. Gallagher did not mention the impeachment vote in a statement announcing his retirement, saying only that he doesn't want to grow old in Washington. The Framers intended citizens to serve in Congress for a season and then return to their private lives, Gallagher said. Electoral politics was never supposed to be a career and, trust me, Congress is no place to grow old. And so, with a heavy heart, I have decided not to run for re-election. He told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the backlash over the impeachment vote did not play a role in his decision. I feel, honestly, like people get it, and they can accept the fact that they don't have to agree with you 100%, he told the newspaper, adding later in the interview: The news cycle is so short that I just don't think that stuff lasts. Voicemails The Associated Press left at his offices in Washington and Wisconsin on Saturday werent immediately returned. Gallagher, a former Marine who grew up in Green Bay, has represented northeastern Wisconsin in Congress since 2017. He spent last year leading a new House committee dedicated to countering China. During the committee's first hearing, he framed the competition between the U.S. and China as an existential struggle over what life will look like in the 21st century. Tensions between the two countries have been high for years, with both sides enacting tariffs on imports during Trump's term as president. China's opaque response to COVID-19, aggression toward Taiwan and the discovery of a possible spy balloon floating across the U.S. last year have only intensified lawmakers' intent to do more to block the Chinese government. Chinese officials have lashed out at the committee, accusing its members of bias and maintaining a Cold War mentality. Gallagher was one of the highest-profile Republicans considering a run for U.S. Senate this year against incumbent Wisconsin Democrat Tammy Baldwin. But he abandoned the idea in June. He said then that he wanted to focus on countering China through the committee and that he planned to run for a fifth term in the House. - Advertisement - International anti-smoking advocates condemned what they called shameful attempts to discredit the Philippines for its endorsement of state policies aimed at effectively ending smoking in the country during the 10th Conference of the Parties of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) in Panama. The Philippines once again received the Dirty Ashtray award for advocating tobacco harm reduction at COP 10, held from February 5 to 10, 2024. Anti-smoking advocates contended that the Global Alliance on Tobacco Control (GATC), which presents the award, demonstrated an authoritarian agenda. Professor David Sweanor, chair of the advisory board of the Center for Health Law, Policy, and Ethics at the University of Ottawa, said the Philippines successfully resisted a well-funded effort to deny consumers safer alternatives to lethal cigarettes. To attack a country for standing up for the right of people to access life-saving products shows a frighteningly authoritarian and moralistic agenda. If we are to successfully reduce cigarette smoking, anti-tobacco groups need to learn from countries like the Philippines rather than denigrate them, Sweanor said. Martin Cullip, an international fellow at the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, lauded the Philippines for remaining steadfast in its stance. In COP 9, the Philippines said, we are not going to ban these products, we are going to regulate them. And this sent shockwaves throughout the meeting, he said. - Advertisement - Cullip made these remarks during the international conference GOOD COP/BAD COP organized by the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA), providing a platform for leading voices on consumer issues, national and global policies, and harm reduction from 14 countries to discuss relevant tobacco control issues. Cullip also dismissed GATCs attack on the Philippines as shameful. This is GATC trying to influence, shame, and bully parties to the treaty. Parties are the boss of these proceedings, GATC is just an observer. Its the tail wagging the dog, and Im always surprised that national governments put up with this treatment, he said. Jeffrey Zamora, president of Asovape Costa Rica and a board member of ARDT Iberoamerica, an alliance of consumer organizations championing tobacco harm reduction in the Iberoamerican region, said, GATCs action is part of the standard procedure of shaming any different position or if someone raises any concern to the narrative pushed by the WHO FCTC Secretariat. Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Hubert Guevara, head of the Philippine delegation to COP 10, emphasized in his presentation the countrys enactment of the Vape Law in 2022 to regulate vapes and novel tobacco products and reduce harm from smoking. Guevara noted the importance of a tailored, multi-sectoral approach to FCTC implementation, acknowledging varying national contexts and priorities and domestic legislation. This key achievement is the result of a collective and balanced approach, with whole-of-society and whole-of-government efforts, in advocating for and implementing effective policies and legislative measures, he said. Guevara also mentioned that in line with articles 5.1 and 5.3 of the FCTC, the Philippines has strengthened its multi-sectoral national strategy on tobacco regulation and tobacco regulation coordinating mechanism. Dr. Lorenzo Mata, president of Quit For Good, a non-profit organization promoting harm reduction to mitigate the damage caused by cigarettes, expressed confidence that the Philippines progressive position, ridiculed by GATC and other groups, would be vindicated in the end due to its well-meaning intention to help smokers, not persecute them. Science is replete with examples of individuals who were ridiculed, persecuted or labeled as heretics for telling the truth. Pythagoras, Galileo Galilei, Isaac Newton and Gregor Mendel were mistreated during their time, only to be vindicated later. I am confident that tobacco harm reduction, endorsed by the Philippines during the WHO FCTC Conference of the Parties, would be subsequently acknowledged as an effective and successful public health strategy that could help more than a billion smokers, said Mata. This is not just a theory but is, in fact, being verified and experienced in several other countries such as Japan, the UK, and Sweden where smoke-free alternatives such as heated tobacco, vapes and oral nicotine have led to a substantial decline in smoking rates, said Mata. Anton Israel also criticized GATC and its allied organizations for interfering in the WHO FCTC proceedings by insulting delegates of countries that do not share their dogmatism. It is a clear violation of the national sovereignty of the Philippines where the majority of Congress voted to pass the Vape Law to provide alternatives to millions of Filipino smokers, said Israel. Instead of insult, the Philippines deserves recognition for defending a science-based and pragmatic approach to end smoking. By regulating vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products, the Philippines will remove the need for ashtrays faster than any other countries sticking to the prohibitionist and quit-or-die policies of the WHO FCTC, said Israel. The Philippines became the first Southeast Asian country to enact comprehensive vape regulations in 2022, covering electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco, and other smoke-free products for adult consumers. These products, according to numerous scientific studies, have been found to be at least 95 percent less harmful than traditional cigarettes. - Advertisement - Power retailer Manila Electric Co. said over the weekend it energized two new smart substations in Taguig City with combined investment of P854.04 million to serve the growing power demand in the bustling business center. The move is part of the companys thrust in investing in cutting-edge technology and improve the quality of electricity service to its customers. Meralco executive vice president and chief operating officer Ronnie Aperocho said the projects are part of the companys commitment to ensuring the delivery of reliable and stable electricity service to help promote economic progress. As we energize these new substations, we also strengthen our commitment to continue delivering quality electricity service by strategically investing in projects to further improve our distribution system, he said. Our customers can be assured that Meralco will remain a reliable and active partner of the government in the pursuit of continuous economic growth for all, he said. - Advertisement - The Fort Bonifacio Global City (FBGC)-2 Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS) Substation entailing a capital investment of P413.98 million was developed to improve the switching flexibility, reliability and power quality in Bonifacio Global City and nearby areas. Meanwhile, the P440.06-million McKinley Hill GIS substation will improve operational switching flexibility during contingencies in McKinley Hill and its adjacent communities. Meralco said both network improvement projects involved the installation of a 115 kV 34.5 kV GIS, and an 83-MVA power transformer. Meralco also constructed a new 0.3 km., 115 kV line and one new 34.5 kV distribution feeder for the FBGC 2-Substation, while the McKinley Hill Substation involved the construction of underground 115 kV lines and two new 34.5 kV distribution feeders. Among the communities and establishments that will benefit from the new substations are St. Lukes Medical Center, Shangri-La The Fort, Arthaland, Uptown Mall, One Residences, Venice Grand Canal Mall, Enderun Colleges Inc., Commerce & Industry Plaza, Science Hub, One Le Grand Tower, 8 Upper McKinley Towers and One World Square. Meralco said the development of new state-of-the-art smart substations would support the governments push to ensure energy security under the administrations top priorities for its socio-economic agenda. ISLAMABAD, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Three people were killed and seven others injured in a clash between two political rival parties in Pakistan's southern Sindh province on Sunday, officials said. The armed clash happened in the Larkana district, between the workers of the Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP) and the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), official sources told Xinhua. The heated debate between the rivals went ugly and a gunfire started in which the workers of both parties and the policemen who were deployed on their security were killed and injured. The local police reached the spot to control the situation in which the three persons, including an assistant sub-inspector of police, were killed, the sources added. The protestors dispersed after the intervention of the police and the situation is under control in the area, the sources said. The injured including a police officer have been shifted to a nearby hospital where two of them are in critical condition. - Advertisement - Manila, PhilippinesThe Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Sunday accused Chinese vessels of dangerous maneuvers during a nine-day patrol near a reef off the coast of the Southeast Asian country. The Philippine vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua was deployed in early February to patrol the waters around Scarborough Shoal, a rich fishing ground in the South China Sea, and deliver provisions to Filipino fishermen and ensure their safety. The reef has been a flashpoint between the countries since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012. Since then, Beijing has deployed patrol boats that Manila says harass Philippine vessels and prevent Filipino fishermen from reaching the lagoon where fish are more plentiful. During the patrol, Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessels performed dangerous and blocking maneuvers at sea against BRP Teresa Magbanua four times, with the CCG vessels crossing the bow of the PCG vessel twice, the Philippine Coast Guard said in a statement. PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan said the 2,260-ton BRP Teresa Magbanua was deployed to conduct a routine mission of monitoring and safeguarding the fishermen, who were sailing within the countrys exclusive economic zones (EEZ). - Advertisement - The four CCG vessels that shadowed the Philippine ship on more than 40 occasions were identified with bow numbers 3105, 3302, 3063, and 3064. PCG also observed what it described as four Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) vessels. Videos released by the PCG show a CCG vessel meters from the port beam of the BRP Teresa Magbanua, before it crosses the path of the Filipino boat. Nevertheless, the PCG vessel professionally engaged both the CCG and CMM vessels through radio reiterating the clear and principled position of the Philippines in accordance with international law, the PCG statement read. The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Scarborough Shoal is 240 kilometers (150 miles) west of the Philippines main island of Luzon and nearly 900 kilometres from the nearest major Chinese land mass of Hainan. PCG said it already provided assistance such as food and groceries to 100 Filipino fishermen in 14 boats as they completed maritime operations in the disputed shoal known colloquially as Bajo de Masinloc. Admiral Gavan assured the public that the PCG remained steadfast in their commitment to President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and the Filipino nation to protect our territorial waters. The Coast Guards white ships will consistently ensure Filipino fishermens safety and welfare, he said. Every Coast Guardian will do more, so that the best public service prevails in accordance with the Presidents vision and call [to] action towards Bagong Pilipinas by ensuring food security, among others, being a fundamental element of the social chance to drive national development, he added. Previously, small fishermen were advised by the Defense Department not to travel alone in this contested part of the West Philippines Sea (WPS). This, after Filipino fishermen reported harassment from Chinese-flagged vessels several times. The recent incidents came two months after tense standoffs between China and the Philippines around disputed reefs in the South China Sea that saw a collision between vessels from the two countries and Chinese ships blasting water cannon at Philippine boats. China claims almost the entire sea and has ignored an international tribunal ruling that its assertions have no legal basis. It deploys boats to patrol the busy waterway and has built artificial islands that it has militarised to reinforce its claims. Chinese and Philippine officials last month agreed on the need for closer dialogue to deal with maritime emergencies in the waterway as tensions escalated. With AFP - Advertisement - To gear up the countrys digital transformation push, the Marcos administration vowed to push for the digitalization of key government agencies to streamline their services and initiatives. Consistent with this transformative policy direction, all government offices must then ensure that their vital services are digitized immediately, President Marcos previously said during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) last year. To fulfill his promises, Mr. Marcos signed various bills to hasten the countrys digital transformation as the Philippines revitalizes its economy post-COVID pandemic as well as to streamline institutional processes and reduce opportunities for corruption. In the latest Corruption Perception Index of Transparency International, the Philippines ranked 115th out of 180 countries, one notch higher compared to the 116th place the country scored in 2022. According to Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, the recent result would serve as a hope and a challenge to the administration. - Advertisement - Earnest efforts are already being undertaken to implement the digital transformation mandate of the administration in order to streamline institutional processes and curtail opportunities for graft and corruption, Bersamin said. Marcos inks PPP Code, Internet Transactions Act, Ease of Paying Taxes Act To further boost the countrys digitization efforts, President Marcos simultaneously signed Republic Act No. 11966, or the Public-Private Partnership Code of the Philippines (PPP Code) and R.A. No 11967 or the Internet Transactions Act (ITA) of 2023 in December. The PPP Code draws from over three decades of experience in implementing the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Law, ensuring improved infrastructure projects and risk mitigation during implementation. President Marcos shows the newly-signed Public-Private Partnership Code of the Philippines and the Internet Transactions Act of 2023 in December. Presidential Communications Office Meanwhile, the ITA reflects the governments commitment to safeguarding consumers and merchants while leveraging e-commerce for growth. President Marcos also inked R.A No. 11976, known as the Ease of Paying Taxes Act, which aims to advance the administrations 8-Point Socioeconomic Agenda by enhancing revenue collection through digitization initiatives. Identified as a legislative priority in the Presidents 2022 and 2023 SONAs, the law modernizes tax administration, strengthens taxpayer rights, and expands the tax base while minimizing taxpayer burden, anticipating a long-term increase in revenue. Key features include classifying taxpayers by size, electronic or manual filing of returns, and eliminating distinctions in the sales of goods and services. Additionally, it streamlines processes, reduces requirements, and digitalizes BIR services. Embrace digitalization, technology President Marcos also directed the countrys justice sector to embrace digitalization and innovative practices to decongest jails and prison facilities nationwide. By embracing technology and innovative practices, we can enhance our efficiency, reduce delays, and ensure swift and fair legal proceedings, he said. He urged members of the Justice Sector Coordination Council to discuss innovative ways to improve their policies and initiatives. President Marcos also issued an executive order to streamline the permit processing for the construction of telecommunications and internet infrastructure in the Philippines. Under Executive Order No. 32, all cities and municipalities are required to establish a one-stop shop for construction permits, simplifying the application process for building permits and related certificates. The EO stressed that no additional national or local permits or clearances are needed for the construction, installation, repair, operation, and maintenance of telecommunications and internet infrastructure. The President likewise highlighted the urgency to simplify the investment process in the country. EO No. 18 established Green Lanes in government offices to expedite investment processes and directed the Board of Investments to create a One-Stop-Action-Center for Strategic Investments, serving as a single entry point for qualified projects. - Advertisement - The administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has affirmed its strong commitment to the 10th Conference of the Parties to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (COP10-WHO FCTC) to further strengthen efforts smoking in the Philippines. Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Hubert Dominic Guevara in a speech in Panama said the Philippines welcomes the positive strides that parties have made, but also acknowledged the remaining challenges. Guevaras remarks were delivered by Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Assistant Secretary for Digital Media and Communications Patricia Kayle Martin. Guevara noted that the Philippines has made notable progress in implementing WHO FCTC as he highlighted that the Philippine Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) reported a significant decrease in tobacco use from 23.8 percent in 2015 to 19.5 percent in 2021. He attributed the significant development of GATS to the whole-of-society and whole-of-government approach of President Marcos. - Advertisement - This key achievement is the result of a collective and balanced approach, with whole-of-society and whole-of-government efforts in advocating for and implementing effective p olicies and legislative measures, Guevara said, referring to the remarkable development of the GATS report. Guevara also said the Marcos administration has strengthened the multi-sectoral national strategy on tobacco regulation along with the governments tobacco regulation coordinating mechanism in compliance with Articles 5.1 and 5.2a of the FCTC. He highlighted the enactment of Republic Act No. 11900, or the Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act which established a regulatory framework for the importation, manufacture, sale, packaging, distribution, use, and communication of vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products and other novel tobacco products. RA 11900 is an addition to the various legislative measures already in place such as the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003, the Graphic Health Warning Law, and Excise Tax Laws on novel tobacco products, among others. This new law safeguards minors by restricting the sale, including online trade, distribution and marketing of these products and prohibits tobacco product-related activities within a hundred meters of schools, playgrounds, and facilities frequented by minors, Guevarra said, referring to RA 11900. Guevara said the government was able to secure US$3 billion from excise taxes on tobacco and vapor products in 2022 that was utilized for essential government services such the universal healthcare and COVID-19 recovery initiatives and other infrastructure projects such as farm to market roads, schools, hospitals and rural health facilities, among others. In adherence to FCTC Article 6, since enacting the relevant law in 2012, the Philippines has consistently increased excise tax rates on cigarettes and tobacco products, making cigarettes less affordable, and consequently decreasing consumption, he said. In addition, the Philippines is currently in the process of enacting legislation entitled Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act that declares smuggling of tobacco as economic sabotage and aims to illicit tobacco trade in the Philippines, the official added. In conclusion, Guevara assured the COP10-WHO FCTC that the administration of President Marcos underscored the importance of a tailored, multi-sectoral approach to FCTC implementation as he acknowledged Article 1(d) of the FCTC, varying national contexts and priorities and domestic legislation. He said the Philippines will continue to engage constructive dialogues, collaboration and share its experiences with fellow Parties of the Conference to overcome various challenges in realizing the aims of the Convention as part of the governments commitment to the WHO FCTC. - Advertisement - foodpanda shares key trends to drive PH digital economy In 2024, the Philippines digital economy is projected to maintain its upward trajectory, with e-Commerce playing a pivotal role. This growth is fueled by increasing local spending, as unemployment drops and remittances rise. According to insights from data and analytics firm GlobalData, e-Commerce sales in the Philippines are projected to maintain their growth trajectory driven by the growing online consumer preference, reaching Php 969 billion by 2026 or at a compound annual growth rate of 9%. As e-Commerce becomes the main driver of the countrys digital transformation, foodpanda Philippines CEO Daniel Marogy highlighted key e-Commerce trends in 2024 that will be essential for boosting the PH digital economy. This year, were expecting to see some global e-Commerce trends that can also be applied to the Filipino market. Digital transformation keeps evolving, and those groundbreaking trends we saw in 2023 will continue reshaping our world in remarkable ways. AI-powered in-restaurant solutions for partner vendors - Advertisement - Among the anticipated trends for 2024 is the greater use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve customer experiences. Filipinos value personalized service, so e-Commerce platforms can leverage AI to offer tailored recommendations based on individual preferences and browsing habits. For foodpandas part, they have partnered with software company TabSquare to empower restaurants with artificial intelligence (AI)-powered in-restaurant solutions. Restaurant owners can review the transactions via TabSquares analytics, which provides valuable insights to support partners in improving menu items, pricing, and promotions, among other things. This enables restaurant owners to identify trends, and personalize subsequent experiences based on customers purchasing history, Marogy said. Marogy added that this type of innovative tech tool will also significantly contribute to the digital literacy and expanded growth of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the e-Commerce landscape. Were here to guide MSMEs through these new business and tech trends, which are key to their long-term survival and success. Empowering delivery partners While the increasing adoption of online delivery services has transformed consumer behavior, they have also created new livelihood opportunities, particularly for delivery partners. Marogy highlighted the growing gig economy, especially in the online delivery space. Through our partnership with foodpanda logistics, thousands of Ka-panda delivery partners can help us deliver food and groceries to our app users while enjoying flexibility and autonomy to balance work with their other responsibilities. He also pointed out how the flexibility provides them with the freedom to shape their daily schedule around their own needs and circumstances. Sustainable online delivery ecosystem As environmental awareness increases, the year 2024 will witness more Filipino consumers embracing eco-friendly practices, and e-Commerce platforms that adopt this mindset could connect better with the public. Being a tech platform, one of foodpandas missions is to create a more sustainable restaurant and delivery ecosystem, which is highlighted in their flagship sustainable program Lets Do Our Pau-rt (LDOP). With LDOP, were honing in on three main goals: protecting the environment, helping our communities grow, and tackling hunger head-on. We have been leveraging our technology and network resources as a platform for sustainability across all aspects of operations and community engagement so were confident that by using our resources wisely, we can make a real difference in these areas. With hunger being one of the countrys most pressing issues, the company has intensified its efforts in various initiatives to fight hunger, such as food donation drives for underserved communities and educational campaigns addressing food waste. One of the initiatives that were putting our focus on is our partnership with Scholars of Sustenance, a global food rescue foundation. Through this initiative, we rescue surplus food and donate it to communities in need. The e-Commerce sector is set to drive growth in the Philippines digital economy and businesses must stay flexible to adapt to changes and embrace innovation and sustainability. This will not only meet consumer needs but also benefit the countrys economy and society. At foodpanda, innovation isnt just about keeping up with the times its about making sure were giving the best service to everyone in our network from our app users and delivery partners to our partner vendors and the communities we serve, Marogy concluded. A Burlington, North Carolina, man was arrested after a pursuit involving a motorcycle began in Patrick County and ended in Carroll County. On Feb. 8, at approximately 3:25 p.m., Virginia State Police Senior Trooper Jeremiah Mabe attempted to stop a motorcyclist on Jeb Stuart Highway in Patrick County after the motorcycle was clocked going 81 mph in a 55 mph zone. A pursuit ensued and Maj. Rob Coleman with the Patrick County Sheriffs Office joined the chase at the intersection of Animal Clinic Road. As the motorcycle continued west on Jeb Stuart Highway, a Branch Civil road construction crew was notified ahead by the Patrick County Sheriffs Office to stop all traffic in the construction zone going up the mountain near Lovers Leap. Sheriff Dan Smith said although the traffic was stopped, the motorcycle continued up the mountain and into Carroll County and when Mabe and Coleman lost sight of it, they ended the pursuit. The 911 Communications Center in Patrick County notified the Carroll County Sheriffs Office and requested assistance and deputies in Carroll County located the motorcycle at the end of a dead-end road off of U.S. 58. A release did not disclose the name of the road where the motorcycle was located. Daniel Thomas Humphries, 29, was found hiding in the woods, a short distance away from the bike and was taken into custody, the release stated. Humphries was charged with eluding a law enforcement officer, reckless driving, and other unnamed traffic violations. He was released from the Patrick County Jail after posting a $5,000 bond. BREVARD Girl Scouts Carolinas Peaks to Piedmont (GSCP2P) is partnering together with Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) to celebrate the total solar eclipse happening in April. The event titled Total Eclipse of Brevard invites all girls in grades K-12 to spend the weekend at Camp Pisgah, the GSCP2P camp property in Brevard, to participate in a full schedule of activities in coordination with PARI. The highlight of the event will be an interactive, live Q&A with Girl Scout alum and retired NASA astronaut, Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger, who will be traveling to Brevard from Seattle, Washington. There is also a Dinner and Q&A option available for those families that wish to just participate for the day and meet Metcalf-Lindenburger. We are thrilled to host Dottie and give girls across our state an opportunity to interact with an actual astronaut, said Jennifer Wilcox, CEO of GSCP2P. The partnership with PARI and the activities surrounding the weekend are going to give girls a chance to experience space science in a whole new way. The event takes place at Camp Pisgah April 5-7, and you must be a registered Girl Scout to attend. Interested in becoming a member so you can attend the solar eclipse event and dozens of other Girl Scout programs throughout the year? Visit www.BeAGirlScout.org to learn more and join today. Morocco and Guinea signed, Thursday in Conakry, a protocol on the management and operation of the Mohammed VI Religious Complex in Conakry, whose construction works were kicked off by King Mohammed VI, Commander of the Faithful, in February 2017. The Protocol was signed, on the Moroccan side, by Secretary General of the Mohammed VI Foundation of African Ulema, Mohamed Rifki, while the Guinean side was represented by the Minister Secretary General of Religious Affairs, El Hadj Karamo Diawara. The two parties underscored the urgent necessity to enhance religious, spiritual, and cultural cooperation between the two nations, with a focus on serving Islam and Muslims, as well as contributing to the development and stability of Guinean society. The agreement, symbolizing the enduring cultural, spiritual, and historical ties between the two nations, will enable Guinea to benefit from Moroccan expertise and experience in the training of Imams, as well as in the planning and management of mosques. The Mohammed VI Religious Complex in Conakry is designed to propagate the religious values of tolerance, solidarity, and dialogue, grounded in the shared religious principles between the two countries. It also aims to facilitate the exchange of experiences in Imam training and the organization of religious and cultural events. Spanning over one hectare, the religious building comprises a prayer hall accommodating over 3,000 worshippers, a conference room, a library, a Koranic school, a shopping centre, green spaces, and administrative facilities. 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: Derry Oliver, 17, right, hugs her mother, also Derry Oliver, during a visit to a playground near home, Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, in New York. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the younger Oliver embraced therapy as she struggled with the isolation of remote learning, even as her mother pushed back. Credit: AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews Derry Oliver was in fifth grade when she first talked to her mom about seeing a therapist. She was living in Georgia with her uncle and grandparents while her mom was in New York scoping out jobs and apartments ahead of moving the family. It was a rough year apart. Oliver, now 17, was feeling depressed. A school staffer raised the idea of a therapist. Oliver's mom, also named Derry Oliver, questioned the school's assessment and didn't give consent for therapy. "You're so young," the mom recalled thinking. "There's nothing wrong with you. These are growing pains." The issue boiled over again during the COVID-19 pandemic when the younger Oliver, struggling with the isolation of remote learning, reached out to her Brooklyn high school for help. School-based mental health professionals like social workers can provide some counseling without parent permission. But in New York, referring a student to more intensive therapy almost always requires a parent's agreement. In Oliver's case, that led to more conflict. "It was very emotional for both of us because I understood her frustrations and fears," the younger Oliver recalled. "But at the same time it's sometimes best for your child to be able to access this rather than hold it away from them." As schools across the country respond to a youth mental health crisis accelerated by the pandemic, many are confronting the thorny legal, ethical, and practical challenges of getting parents on board with treatment. The issue has become politicized, with some states looking to streamline access as conservative politicians elsewhere propose further restrictions, accusing schools of trying to indoctrinate students and cut out parents. Differing perspectives on mental health aren't new for parents and kids, but more conflicts are emerging as young people get more comfortable talking openly about mental health and treatment becomes more readily available. Schools have invested pandemic relief money in hiring more mental health specialists as well as telehealth and online counseling to reach as many students as possible. "It's this disconnect," said Chelsea Trout, a social work graduate student at NYU doing her training at a Brooklyn charter school. "The kids are all on TikTok or the internet and understand therapy speak and that this is something that could be helpful for their mental health and are interested in, but don't have the explicit buy-in from their parents." Research suggests that having to obtain parental permission can be a significant barrier to teens accessing treatment. Access to therapy can be critical, particularly for LGBTQ+ youth, who are significantly more likely than their peers to attempt suicide, and whose parents may not know about or approve of their sexual orientations or gender identities. Jessica Chock-Goldman, a social worker at Bard Early College High School in Manhattan, said she's seen many cases where mental health issues turn severe in part because teens didn't get earlier access to therapy. "A lot of kids would be hospitalized because of suicidal ideations or intent because the preventative work didn't come into fruition," she said. The question of when young people can consent to mental health treatment is getting increasing attention from policymakers. States like California and Colorado have recently lowered the age of consent for treatment to 12. But in some states like North Carolina, the issue has been swept up into larger political debates about parents' input on curriculum and the rights of transgender students. There's also a huge obstacle outside the law: Therapy is rarely free, and paying for it or submitting insurance claims often requires parental support. Teens in New York can consent to therapy starting at age 16, and a provision allows doctors to authorize treatment for younger children if they deem it in their best interest. But there are caveats: The consent laws only apply in outpatient settings licensed by the state, and they don't extend to the prescription of medications. Derry Oliver, right, holds daughter Dessie, 2, while her other daughter, also named Derry, swings during a visit to a playground near their home, Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, in New York. During the COVID-19 pandemic the younger Derry Oliver embraced therapy as she struggled with the isolation of remote learning, even as her mother pushed back. Credit: AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews New York City Mayor Eric Adams recently announced a partnership with the platform Talkspace to provide free online counseling to all city teens, through a program known as NYC Teenspace. It doesn't ask for insurance, but parental consent is required, "except in the case of special circumstances," according to the program's website. For Oliver and her mom, years of conversations have yielded some progress, but not as much access to therapy as the younger Oliver wants. Several years ago, the Olivers agreed on a compromise. They found a Black female therapist, which was important to both of them as a Black family. The elder Oliver has felt the sting of being called "aggressive" for expressing normal emotions as a Black woman, and has had negative experiences with therapists and depression medication, which she said made her feel like a "zombie." The elder Oliver agreed her daughter could start therapyas long as she sat in on the sessions. But the therapist changed jobs after about a month, and Oliver hasn't seen another therapist since. "It has to be someone trustworthy," the elder Oliver said of a potential therapist for her daughter. Trout, the school social worker in training, said she's encountered a number of parents who, like Oliver, don't trust the school's recommendations, and wonder why their child would need therapy if they're succeeding academically and socially. "If we're thinking about predominantly Black and brown communities, if your interactions with social workers or mental health services or anything in that realm thus far have not been positive," she said, "how could you trust them with your kids?" Statistics show a racial divide. In 2021, 14% of white children reported seeing a therapist at some point during that year, compared to 9% of Black children, 8% of Hispanic kids, and only 3% of Asian American children, according to a survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Without access to therapy, the younger Oliver has sought advice about managing her emotions through friends, school social workers, and the internet. But she's convinced she could do a lot more with consistent professional help. Oliver has already gotten into a number of collegesto her mom's enormous prideand is weighing her options for next year. One thing she's considering: how much access they offer to therapists. ___ Correction note: This story has been corrected to reflect that Derry was living in Georgia with her uncle and grandparents, and not her brother. 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. A Muscatine man who was charged with the alleged burglary of the vacated Welch Apartments is facing additional felony charges after being arrested inside the building. According to a press release from the City of Muscatine, Miguel Salcedo, 52, is charged with an additional 12 counts of third-degree burglary, one count of trespass and felon in possession of a firearm. Third-degree burglary is a Class D felony punishable by up to five years in prison. Trespass is a simple misdemeanor. Felon in possession of a firearm is a Class D felony. He had been charged with one count of third-degree burglary and wanted on a warrant at the time of his arrest on Jan. 10. An arraignment is set for Friday, Feb. 2. Salcedo remains in the Muscatine County Jail under $5,000 bond. Salcedo was arrested Jan. 10 after Muscatine Police officers were called to the Welch Apartments at 220 Iowa Ave. A contractor working inside the building reported that he noticed the keys to all the apartments were missing from the office. Officers searched the building and located Salcedo in apartment 306. According to the arrest report, Salcedo was barricaded inside the apartment. He was found in the bathroom of the apartment with a backpack containing multiple cards, jewelry and a firearm. During a city council meeting, Police Chief Tony Kies said many of the items discovered had been damaged or destroyed. He compared the damage inside the building to fire damage. The press release said that investigators have been working closely with the displaced residents of the apartment complex to identify and return the property and to further criminal prosecution efforts. The investigation has been ongoing since the crime was discovered. Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact Sgt. Jeff DeVrieze at (563) 263-9922 Ext. 629. The Welch Apartments have been vacant since Aug. 23, 2023 when a structural engineer declared the building unsafe. According to a press release the engineer had found bulging walls and walls pulling away from the floors. All 17 tenants were evacuated. Guwahati: ULFA (Independent) chief Paresh Baruah survived four assassination attempts while he was in Bangladesh. Renowned journalist Rajeev Bhattacharyya made this startling revelation in his latest book, ULFA: The Mirage of Dawn. In the book, which was released in New Delhi on Saturday, journalist Bhattacharyya uncovers a web of connections between the ULFA, Pakistan, and Bhutan besides the series of assassination attempts on elusive ULFA (I) boss Paresh Baruah. According to the book, the first attempt was made at ULFAs camp in Bangladeshs Satcherri when an assassin was sent by Special Branch of Assam police to kill Baruah. However, he escaped from the camp before he could pull the trigger. The second attempt was made by a senior officer of Assam police who got in touch with a criminal syndicate in Bangladesh to gun down Baruah which failed. The same officer had also convinced an ULFA functionary turned mole named Munna Mishra to cross the border into Bangladesh and target Baruah. This attempt proved futile as well after Mishra was apprehended by the police in the neighbouring country after crossing the border. But he managed to return to India after a senior official from the Indian High Commission in Dhaka intervened to secure his release from police custody. The fourth attempt was in Dhaka when a boulder was hurled by an unknown person at Baruah at a crowded place in the car he was travelling. Baruah escaped unhurt although the windscreen of the vehicle was damaged. Bhattacharyyas narrative also delves into the imprisonment of ULFAs Paresh Baruah in Bangladesh, shedding light on the intricate dynamics between insurgent groups and law enforcement agencies. The book reveals four assassination attempts on Baruahs life, highlighting the persistent efforts to neutralize him. Journalists Bhattacharyyas account unveils a deal between ULFA and CPI (Maoist) for the transfer of weapons, with two consignments successfully delivered, raising concerns about the nexus between insurgent groups operating in different parts of the country. The book reveals that between 1996 and 2004, ULFA rebels, along with members of other Northeast insurgent groups such as the NDFB, PLA, and ATTF were trained at different locations in Pakistan with a focus on assembling bombs through sophisticated technology including PTD. It is estimated that around a hundred rebels had received the training during this period. One ULFA batch was also taken to Tora Bora in Afghanistan for training. The modules offered to the rebel groups were of different durations ranging from seventeen days to three months. The book sheds light on the diplomatic efforts made by Bhutans King Jigme Sinye Wangchuk to persuade ULFA and NDFB insurgents to vacate their camps in Bhutan. Despite offering financial assistance, the efforts were largely unsuccessful, leading to the eventual launch of Operation All Clear in 2003, which dismantled rebel camps in the country. VILLACH/RIJEKA, Austria/Croatia, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Dancing flamingos, roaring Viking warriors, singing Super Mario characters... Tens of thousands joined the carnival parade in southern Austria's border city of Villach on Saturday to showcase their fancy makeup and costumes and celebrate the traditional festival. This year's "Carnival Saturday" parade in Villach coincided with the first day of the Chinese New Year. Many participants and organizers, on the sidelines of the parade, extended their festive greetings to Chinese people and looked forward to seeing more Chinese visitors joining the parade next year. On Saturday afternoon, the grand parade, featuring dozens of colorful floats and some 100 groups, made its way through Villach's inner city. Many groups showered the spectators with candies and confetti from atop the floats and handed out mulled wine, a local specialty, to the audience. The unique feature of the Villach carnival parade was the "Lei Lei" greetings, which were shouted at the top of their voices by the parade groups, spectators, and masters of ceremonies throughout the parade. "Lei Lei" is a traditional carnival greeting used by Villach locals specifically for carnival Saturday to send festive greetings and add to the festive atmosphere, although its origin and exact meaning remain largely unknown, according to Silvia Wirnsberger, director of business at Region Villach Tourismus GmbH, a local tourism development company. Wirnsberger told Xinhua on the parade's sidelines that she recently learned that the "Lei Lei" greeting sounds very similar to "Lai Lai" in Chinese, which means "Come Come." "This actually adds a new layer of meaning to our 'Lei Lei' greeting in Villach, because we welcome Chinese people to come to Villach, join the carnival parade and also enjoy the beautiful natural scenery here," She said. "I wish everyone in China a happy Chinese New Year!" In the city of Rijeka, the third-largest city in Croatia, more than 100,000 visitors from Croatia and abroad flocked to the streets on Sunday to watch the carnival parade, which showcased some 10,000 paraders from many countries, including from China. Rimac Hrvoje, a visitor from Croatia's capital Zagreb, said he was surprised to see for the first time the on-the-spot traditional Chinese dragon dance at the carnival parade. Hrvoje said that he once watched the lion dance on TV and Sunday's experience helped him to know more about the Chinese culture, of which the dragon dance is one symbol. Rijeka has enjoyed great relations with China, and has established a sister city relationship with three Chinese cities, namely, Dalian, Ningbo and Qingdao. Petar Skarpa, director of the Rijeka Tourist Board, said that the presence of the Chinese team at the carnival "will strengthen that cooperation." Skarpa extended his welcome to Chinese tourists to visit Rijeka. "Chinese tourists are always welcomed in Rijeka. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, there were plenty of Chinese tourists in Rijeka and in the northern Adriatic region and I hope that now Chinese tourists will come back in even greater numbers," he said. On Sunday, the actor took to Instagram to share an adorable video of Devi flaunting her swirly hairstyles with vibrant. She wrote, "Our Heart outside our body." https://www.instagram.com/p/C3KzuF7tHkY/ In the video, the toddler is seen with cute short hair and a variety of vivid hair clips, with each scene featuring a different hue. Meanwhile, Bipasha recently celebrated her birthday in the Maldives with her hubby, Karan Singh Grover and daughter Devi. Basu posted an adorable picture of her along with Karan and Devi against a beautiful backdrop of the ocean, expressing her heartfelt gratitude to her followers. She wrote in the caption, "Love is all that I can feel. So grateful to all who love me and are sending me the sweetest wishes..Just a Lucky Girl" https://www.instagram.com/p/C1yiB25LeyC/?hl=en Bipasha and Karan first met on the set of Bhushan Patel's film 'Alone' in 2015, which marked their first on-screen collaboration and they tied the knot after one year of dating in April 2016. Bipasha and Karan welcomed Devi on November 12, 2022. Taking to Instagram, Bipasha shared a post through which she announced the name of her baby. The picture read, "12.11.2022. Devi Basu Singh Grover. The physical manifestation of our love and blessings of Ma is here now and she is divine." On the work front, after making her debut with 'Ajnabee', Bipasha Basu rose to fame for her performance in Vikram Bhatt's horror thriller 'Raaz' in 2002, which was a smash hit and spawned multiple sequels. She also earned her first nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress for her role in the movie. The actor has since appeared in several hit films, including 'Jism', 'No Entry', 'Dhoom 2', 'Corporate', 'Phir Hera Pheri', 'Creature 3D', 'Alone', among others. (ANI) Taking part in the discussion on budget in the state assembly on Saturday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, said that during previous governments in Uttar Pradesh many sectors, including the service sector, which had great potential, were neglected. The potential that Uttar Pradesh had in spiritual tourism was completely ignored by the previous governments, he remarked. The Chief Minister said, "Opposition parties were saying that politics should not be done in the name of Lord Ram. We have never done politics in the name of Shri Ram. Lord Ram is our deity. Without invoking the name of Ram, no work can be done. The chant of "Ram-Ram" is heard in every aspect of life - waking up, sleeping, crying, and laughing." Continuing his attack on the opposition, he added, "They don't go to Ayodhya for fear of losing their vote bank. It's you who is doing vote bank politics, not us. Even before the construction of the temple, when there was no court decision, we went to Ayodhya and organized the grand celebration of Deepotsav. We are going today and will continue to go in the future. There should be no doubt about it." The Chief Minister mentioned that the government has allocated funds in the budget for Ayodhya, Kashi, Mathura-Vrindavan, Barsana, Gokul, Govardhan, Naimisharanya, Vindhyavasini Dham, Devipatan Dham, Nath Corridor (Bareilly), and Chitrakoot. Under the Mukhyamantri Paryatan Samvardhan Yojana (CM Tourism Promotion Scheme), provisions have been made in the budget to develop each religious site in every assembly constituency, he pointed out. He said that the state government aims to organize the Prayagraj Kumbh in 2025, surpassing the one held in 2019. For this purpose, budget allocations have been made again in the budget. Additionally, funds have been allocated in the budget for the establishment of a Kumbh Museum in Prayagraj. Hitting out at the SP government that governed the state prior 2017, CM Yogi stated that they had done nothing for Mathura-Vrindavan and were even afraid of visiting the places. "The SP government had locked the gates in Kashi and the park behind the Janambhoomi at Mathura. Our government opened the locks. Funds have been allocated for the construction of the Banke Bihari Mandir corridor as well." The Chief Minister informed that funds have been allocated in the budget for the Nishad Raj Guhya Cultural Center in Shringverpur. Provisions have also been made in the budget for the Hariharpur Music College in the Azamgarh district and the Maharshi Valmiki Cultural Center in Chitrakoot. There is also a budget allocation for the birthplace of Tulsidas Ji in Rajapur. He further mentioned the progress being made in Vidur Kutir. He said a medical college is being built in the name of Maharaj Vidur. He emphasized the actions being taken for the rejuvenation of Bijnor, stating that he had stayed overnight there. Taking a dig at the opposition leader, CM Yogi said, "The opposition leader may have never stayed in Bijnor. He was afraid that 'chacha' might grab the chair at one point. He would never have gone to Noida and Bijnor when he was the Chief Minister." The Chief Minister highlighted the initiatives of the state government, including the formation of a PAC battalion in the name of Uda Devi, the renovation of Lucknow Fort, and plans to restore forts in other places. He mentioned the development of heritage tourism and the allocation of budget for the International Ramayana and Vedic Research Institute in Ayodhya, emphasizing the rapid progress made in these areas. (ANI) The deceased was identified as Zahooruddin, according to the police. The sleuths stated further that the accused, identified as Shahid, stabbed Zahooruddin over a monetary dispute of Rs 10,000. "As stated by family members, Zahooruddin had loaned the money to Shahid some time ago and latter had shown reluctance in returning the same," an officer said. The police informed further that the victim was taken to GTB Hospital where he died while receiving treatment, within an hour. The accused, meanwhile, was reported absconding and a manhunt was underway to track him down at the earliest, the police added. A case was registered under section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code at Dayalpur police station. Further investigation is underway. (ANI) Weighing in on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the Lok Sabha on Saturday, Union Minister Anupriya Patel said several key decisions in the national interest were taken during the 11-day sitting in both Houses. Speaking to ANI on Saturday, the Union Minister said, "This was the last day of 17th Lok Sabha. We made several memories over these five years. We had a lot of achievements and accomplishments to our credit. Several laws and decisions that are important for the nation were passed from time to time. The PM brought all these decisions in his address to the Lower House on the last day." Anupriya and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) MP Supriya Sule spoke to the media together as the last session of the 17th Lok Sabha concluded. "We are good friends. The Opposition and the Treasury benchs exist inside the Parliament during proceedings. Beyond the four walls of the Parliament, all the MPs are friends," she said, adding, "This is called a healthy democracy. We both will continue to be in the service of the nation." Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi addressed the last sitting of the 17th Lok Sabha. "17th Lok Sabha has been witness to numerous important decisions. These five years have been about 'Reform, Perform and Transform'," PM Modi said. On the significance of the Sengol in the Lower house, he said, "Sengol is a symbol of the reclamation of India's heritage and remembrance of our Independence" Turning to the successful hosting of the G20 Summit in the national capital last year under India's presidency, he said the event not only raised India's global pride and prestige but will also give the country strength. "The presidency of this global forum passed to India last year and every state demonstrated their cultural identies and traditions through events around the G20 Summit," he added. On the resolution passed on Saturday about the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of Shri Ram Lalla at his birthplace in Ayodhya, Prime Minister Modi said it would enable our future generations to take more pride in their national heritage and cultural diversity. "The Parliament will continue to inspire its members to leave behind a legacy for future generations and work for the dreams and aspirations of future generations. It would be a collective and collaborating effort involving all members," PM Modi said. (ANI) In a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his last address in the Lower House in the current NDA tenure at the closing of the Budget Session of Parliament, Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Saturday called it his 'valedictory speech' in the 17th Lok Sabha. Claiming that PM Modi's speech was 'repetitive' in nature, the Congress leader told media persons, "Today was the day for him to make his valedictory speech, it (closing session of the Lok Sabha) was his farewell ceremony. He (PM Modi) could have ended his speech in 2-4 minutes but instead made it long-winding and repetitive. He repeated what he said in his previous speeches during the Budget Session, especially the one on the motion of thanks to the President's address to a joint sitting of both Houses. We had no option but to listen to him." The senior Congress leader claimed a lot of 'dos and dont's' were enforced in Parliament in the name of discipline, in the wake of the bulk suspension of MPs. It wasn't good for democracy," he said. The Budget Session of the Parliament began on January 31 and was extended by a day till February 10. This was the last session of Lok Sabha before the general elections expected in April-May this year. Earlier, on Saturday, Prime Minister Modi said the 17th Lok Sabha logged 97 per cent productivity. Addressing the House, the Prime Minister said "today's occasion is significant for India's democracy". Lauding the efforts of all members of the 17th Lok Sabha in making important decisions and giving direction to the country and the people, he added, "Today marks a special occasion to dedicate to the nation the ideological journey." "Reform, Perform and 'Transform has been the mantra for the past 5 years", PM Modi said, noting that the same could be experienced by the entire country today. Prime Minister Modi added that he was hopeful that the people will continue to bless the 17th Lok Sabha for its efforts. Underlining the contributions of all members of the House, PM Modi expressed gratitude towards them, especially the Speaker of the House. The Prime Minister thanked the Speaker and complimented him for his ever-smiling, balanced and impartial handling of the House. (ANI) Amid the ongoing tussle between non-BJP states and the Centre over the tax devolution mechanism, Kerala Finance Minister KN Balagopal on Saturday expressed concerns saying there has been a reduction in the percentage of funds that the soutern is getting from the Centre. Speaking to ANI on Saturday, Finance Minister KN Balagopal said, "Look at the percentage of the money given to other states and then look at what is given to Kerala. The funds collected by the Union (government) increased 11 times during this period but the increase in tax to Kerala is only 8.8 times which means there is a sharp decline. So the reduction is huge and that is why states like Kerala, Punjab, Karnataka, and West Bengal are raising this issue." Kerala Finance Minister further stated that the state government is facing a shortage of funds to meet the expenditure for its social schemes. "We are facing the problem of giving minimum necessary things as well. We have to give pensions to 62 lakh families who were entitled to one. However, the release of these pensions are getting delayed because of lack of payments from the Union," he said. Earlier on Thursday, a protest was led by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Delhi against the central government's alleged discrimination towards Kerala. The legislators were seen raising slogans against the central government and holding banners that read "Fight to protect Federalism". "Today, we are at a historical juncture of the Indian republic. A democracy that was envisaged as a 'Union of States' is slowly and steadily being crippled into an undemocratic 'Union over States'. We are seeing its manifestations around the country, especially in opposition-ruled states," Vijayan said at protests. Similarly, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar on Wednesday held a protest at Jantar Mantar in the national capital to protest against the Centre's tax devolution policies to the southern state. However, the Centre has rejected such claims made by these states and said that allegations are "patently wrong and mischievous." The Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that these are "there are factual errors, false monetary claims, misleading statements, and selective mention of certain losses allegedly suffered without mentioning the gains that have accrued to the state (Karnataka) in the 15th Finance Commission period." Earlier, Prime Minister Modi on Wednesday ripped into the Congress for allegedly working against the "interests of the nation and said that attempts are being made to divide the country over funds. "Some are trying to divide the country over funds. What can be a bigger misfortune for the country? Such a mindset is being demonstrated by a responsible national party. It is unfortunate! Our tax, our money! What language is being used? This is dangerous for the future of the country," PM Modi said. (ANI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath graced Shri Geeta Bhakti Amrit Mahotsav in Pune, Maharashtra on Sunday. Describing Maharashtra as a land of both he asserted that, when devotion intertwines with strength, the chains of slavery crumble. Addressing a gathering on the eighth day of Shri Geeta Bhakti Amrit Mahotsav organized in Alandi, Pune, CM Yogi said: "It was here that Guru Samarth Ramdas provided his guidance to the brave Chhatrapati Shivaji. When devotion and power mingle, the shackles of slavery shatter. This is what we have witnessed in Ayodhya with the construction of a grand and divine Ram Temple after 500 years of bondage. With the company of saints and the efforts of Prime Minister Modi, we all have been witnesses to the historical date of 22nd January. The new and grand Ayodhya is inviting you all." During the ceremony, Yogi Adityanath presented an Angavastra and an idol of Lord Ganesha to Swami Govind Dev Giri, along with releasing a souvenir commemorating the saint's life. He was also honoured by Shankaracharya Vijayendra Saraswati with traditional 'Angvastra' and Prasad. Reflecting on the occasion of Swami Govind Dev Giri's 75th birth anniversary, Yogi Adityanath expressed his admiration for the saint's lifelong dedication to Vedic Sanatan Dharma and his invaluable contributions to Hindu society. Yogi Adityanath shared his long-standing desire to visit Alandi, a place he had read about in his childhood while studying the Dnyaneshwari. He stated: "At the age of just 15, Pujya Dnyaneshwar Ji Maharaj did the work of showing a new path to the devotees by preaching Dnyaneshwari. In just 21 years, the revered Dnyaneshwar Ji Maharaj had done the work of spreading the spirituality of India across the globe by taking Sanjeev Samadhi." He praised the spiritual legacy of Maharashtra, exemplified by luminaries like Samarthguru Ramdas and Chhatrapati Shivaji, whose valour and devotion continue to inspire. Highlighting the significance of Maharashtra's history of bravery, Yogi Adityanath mentioned that the Defense Corridor of Uttar Pradesh, named in honour of Veer Chhatrapati Shivaji, underscoring the enduring spirit of resistance against oppression. He added that when he became the Chief Minister of UP, the name of the Mughal Museum being built in Agra was changed to Chhatrapati Shivaji Museum. He also talked about how Chhatrapati Shivaji made Aurangzeb suffer with his bravery. Expressing gratitude for the event, Yogi Adityanath extended an invitation to all attendees to visit Ayodhya, the site of the grand Shri Ram temple, symbolizing the triumph of devotion over adversity.The event was attended by notable figures including Swami Ramdev, Mahamandaleshwar Swami Avadheshananda of Juna Akhara, Swami Chidanand Saraswati, Swami Rajendradas, and other esteemed guests, alongside a multitude of devotees and citizens. Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited the Sanjeevan Samadhi Temple of Pujya Dnyaneshwar Maharaj in Pune on Sunday morning and offered prayers. Swami Govind Dev Giri Maharaj welcomed the CM at the temple. On this occasion, ministers in the Maharashtra government Chandrakant Patil and Dilip Walse Patil as well as UP Jal Shakti Minister Swatantradev Singh were present. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath offered flowers at the Sanjeevan Samadhi of Dnyaneshwar Maharaj and worshiped him as per the rituals. The Chief Minister also met the saints present there. On behalf of the temple, a picture of revered Dnyaneshwar Maharaj ji was presented to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The saints congratulated CM Yogi by presenting the idols of Shri Ram, Janaki and Lakshman. (ANI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath along with Deputy CMs Keshav Prasad Maurya, Brajesh Pathak and other members of the UP Assembly and Legislative Council offered prayers at Ayodhya's Ram Janmabhoomi Temple on Sunday. The members of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly and Legislative Council arrived in Ayodhya on buses. People also showered petals on MLAs visiting Ram Janmabhoomi temple near the border of Barabanki and Ayodhya. Bulldozers were lined up to welcome the convoy of UP MLAs. After offering the prayers, Deputy CM KP Maurya told ANI, "Today all the legislators had the opportunity to seek blessings from Lord Ram in Ayodhya. May he shower his blessings and by 2047 we become Viksit Bharat." State Minister Nand Gopal Nandi alleged that the leaders of Congress and Samajwadi Party are doing appeasement politics. "There are people doing appeasement politics in the opposition, be it Congress or Samajwadi Party...Their ancestors inherited the Samajwadi Party and opposed Sanatan Dharma," he said. UP Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana called himself fortunate for the privilege of seeing Lord Ram directly. After offering the prayers at Ayodhya's Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, Mahana said, "I am very emotional because when I came to this place, there was a structure here, which was demolished in front of us on December 6. I had come here at the time when a bullet was fired in 1990. I came here at the time when the platform was constructed. And today I am fortunate that I got the privilege of seeing God directly." The 'Pran Pratishtha' of Shri Ram Lalla at Ayodhya's historic temple was held on January 22, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi performing the rituals, led by a group of priests. Acharya Satyendra Das is the Chief Priest of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Temple, in Ayodhya. (ANI) Amit Shah also felicitated sculptor Arun Yogiraj at the Suttur Jatra Mahotsav program for creating the Rama Lalla idol placed in the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22. Addressing the event, the Home Minister said, "We all saw the consecration of the idol of Lord Shri Ram in Ayodhya... Suttur Math has decided to open its branch in Ayodhya. I congratulate Suttur Swami for it...PM Modi has done the work of revival of cultural centres like Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, Mahakal Corridor, Baba Kedarnath and Badrinath." He said Suttur Math has always been the centre of selfless service. "Suttur Math has been the centre of selfless service; work is worship and charity. For ages, the 'Math' has continued the tradition of service. On behalf of the BJP, I not only want to acknowledge but also salute it," Shah said. Yogiraj, the sculptor who carved Ram Lalla's idol, attended the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya on January 22. The Ram Lalla idol was unveiled at the Pran Pratishtha ceremony after the hour-long rituals in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who led the ceremony. The event saw the participation of about 8,000 invitees, including 1,500-1,600 eminent guests. The 'Ram Nagri' Ayodhya also grabbed global eyeballs, with earthen lamps or diyas lit up on a massive scale and crackers going up and dazzling the night sky in different parts of the city. Visuals also showed celebrations unfolding at the famous Saryu Ghat, with beaming locals expressing their devotion to Ram Lalla. (ANI) The Swarna Moortheeswarar Temple, a 350-year-old temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in Kandadevi village, witnessed the long-awaited revival of its chariot after 17 years on Sunday. The grand procession commenced at 6:10 AM and the day began with a special yagya at 3:30 AM, followed by intricate pujas, setting the spiritual tone for the event. Over 2,000 policemen were deployed to ensure the security of the proceedings. The public is not allowed to pull the chariot by rope. Workers from the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE), which manages and controls the temple administration in the state, pulled the chariot by the rope. Previously marred by controversies surrounding the denial of rights to Scheduled Caste (SC) individuals in pulling the chariot, the Madras High Court addressed the matter on November 3. The court deliberated whether Central forces should be deployed to ensure the festival's smooth conduct. District Collector Asha Ajith presided over the meeting. District SP Arvind and revenue officials, and Rani Mathuranthangi of Sivaganga Samasthanam and other stakeholders were present and in response, a decision was reached that representatives from the Sivaganga Samasthanam and Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department employees would jointly pull the chariot during the trial run. Official sources said that the trial run gained unanimous support from representatives of the Nattars group and Scheduled Castes, highlighting a collaborative effort to restore the festival's glory. Situated in the Sivagangai district, the Shree Swarnamurtheeswarar temple was a prominent religious centre during the reign of kings, serving around 170 villages. The temple procession, held in the Tamil month of Ani, attracts a multitude of devotees. The temple's architecture is Chettinadu style, with modern and elegant features that are influenced by Nagarathar. The temple is associated with events from the Indian epic Ramayana and has historical and religious significance. The chariot festival, discontinued in 1998 due to factional disputes, resumed from 2002 to 2006 under heightened security. A hiatus followed for four years due to the temple's consecration ceremony, and subsequent attempts to resume the chariot procession faced hindrances. Legal proceedings led to the order for a chariot trial run, marking a significant step towards the revival of this cherished tradition. In the past five years, various reasons have hindered the chariot festival, despite efforts to organize it. The culmination of repairs to the chariot, costing several lakhs, paved the way for its return, breathing new life into the cultural and religious heritage of the region. With the successful trial run, hopes are high for the resumption of the Chariot festival. (ANI) After a two-day hiatus, Rahul Gandhi resumed the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Raigarh, Chhattisgarh. Addressing a public rally during the Chhattisgarh leg of Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra here, the Wayanad MP said, "People from BJP-RSS make religions, languages and states fight with each other. Hatred cannot drive away hatred, only love can." "In today's time, hate is being spread all across the country. You speak Tamil, Bengali, and Urdu that's why we don't like you. You are from Kashmir that's why we don't like you. This weakens the country. BJP and RSS people are spreading hatred," he added. He further said that the Yatra aims to build a nation for the upcoming generation that is full of love. Earlier, Rahul Gandhi had garlanded the Mahatma Gandhi statue at the Gandhi Chowk in Raigarh district. Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra rolled out from Manipur's Thoubal on January 14. The yatra will cover over 6,700 kilometres over 67 days, traversing through 110 districts. It will cover a distance of 6,713 km, straddling 100 Lok Sabha constituencies and 337 assembly segments and covering 110 districts. The yatra will conclude in Mumbai on March 20, after 67 days. A follow-up to the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' which saw Rahul Gandhi cover more than 3,000 kilometres on foot--from Kanya Kumari to Srinagar--the Yatra 2.0 is following a hybrid format. (ANI) Working towards development of villages on the northern borders, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan has directed the local Army formations to help in the rehabilitation of Nelang and Jadhang villages in Uttarakhand near the China border. The villages were inhabited till 1962 but they moved out of there after the war with China started at that time to places in Uttarkashi and adjoining areas. The efforts to strengthen the border villages had started in the last few years as the Narendra Modi government has started the Vibrant Villages programme under which villages along the LAC from Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh are being developed. "Operation Sadbhavna has also been extended to these areas where the Army formations can also carry out activities to support the villages. As part of these, the CDS has directed the local Army units to help rehabilitate the villages of Nelang and Jadhang," defence officials told ANI. "The CDS gave the instructions to the local formations during a recent visit to border areas in Uttarakhand also known as the central sector along the LAC," they said. Development of border villages, which are also now being termed as the first villages of the country on the border. The responsibility for the development of these villages has been given to the core team of central and state agencies including the local Army units, ITBP battalions and the civilian agencies. The core teams are now making efforts to help the villagers come back to their villages and they have identified issues in achieving their objectives. "The first issue is about identification of original citizens of these villages as the natives moved out in 1962 and now it is a tough task to identify the real inheritors of the land vacated by them. Many of the owners have died since then," the officials said. There is also a need to restart commercial activities for the natives to help them earn their livelihood from their villages only. The Army is trying to help the villages by creating tourism opportunities by developing infrastructure for them. "The skies are very clear in this area due to zero pollution and the altitude of 13,000 feet here. Stargazing can be a popular activity here and we are trying to promote this as a tourism activity here," an Army official said. The attempt is also to promote the Jadh festival of the Jadhang village where the natives visit their local devatas (deities) and the Army is also trying to help them build their temples there, they said. The Army had also worked with the civilian agencies to hold the Jadh community festival last year and would be doing so this year as well. Once commercial activities begin in the area and road connectivity is improved, the villages can be developed for tourism. The Army is also looking to take its units and establishments from the lands near the villages to forward areas to help in the rehabilitation of the Nelang village. The villages located at around 13,000 feet altitude are seen as one of the most beautiful locations in the state of Uttarakhand and have a big tourism potential. (ANI) DMK Leader RS Bharathi on Sunday slammed the Union government for allegedly not doing enough for the release of Tamil Nadu fishermen detained by the Sri Lankan Navy. The Sri Lankan Navy on Thursday apprehended 19 fishermen along with two boats from Tamil Nadu's Rameswaram He claimed, "Since 2014, 3,076 fishermen have been arrested in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's regime. Even on the 8th of February, 19 fishermen were arrested and are languishing in Sri Lankan jail. He also alleged that the ruling BJP is not allowing a discussion in Parliament on the fishermen's issue. "If the DMK raises its voice to discuss this in Parliament, they say that it cannot be discussed. The Tamil Nadu government has written 35 times to the Minister of External Affairs regarding the fishermen issue. Similarly, letters have been written to the Prime Minister 13 times, but the central government has not taken any action on all of them," he told reporters here. On Thursday, the fishermen were apprehended while they were fishing near Delft Island in the Palk Bay Sea, the fishermen's association said. The arrested fishermen have been identified as Jolson (42), Mcdon (40), Bismar (26), Muniyasamy (36), Muniyasamy (48), Shekhar (49), Sesu Raja (41), Flower Sun (28), Prashant (32), Arogya Prabhakaran (47), Selva Thomas (50), Selvaraj (46), Anton Sasikumar (43), Muniasamy, Health (50), Oswald (36) and Orissa (36). "480 fishermen from Rameswaram went to the sea yesterday to catch fish. They were fishing near Neduntivu in the Bagjalasanthi Sea area. The Sri Lankan Navy arrived there. 19 fishermen were arrested and taken to Kangesanthurai Naval Camp for investigation," CR Senthilvel, state secretary of the AITUC Fishermen Association, said. "Fishing boats INT.TN 10 MM 324 is owned by K Alex of Thangachimadham and INT.TN 10 MM 925 owned by S Anton Sasikumar were taken," he added. Earlier on February 6, twelve fishermen from Tamil Nadu, who were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy on January 13, were released and reached Chennai airport. According to officials, a total of 23 Indian fishermen and two boats were held by the Sri Lankan Navy from Rameswaram while they were fishing near Delft Island in the Palkbay Sea area. (ANI) Trinamool Congress MP Sushmita Dev thanked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after TMC on Sunday announced her candidature for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections. "I want to express gratitude towards West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. She has given me a chance to go to Rajya Sabja again. I am going to represent the All India Trinamool Congress party. Mamata Didi has proved how much she supports women's empowerment," said Sushmita Dev. Notably, TMC announced Sagarika Ghose, Sushmita Dev, Nadimul Haque, and Mamata Bala Thakur as its candidates for election to the Upper House of Parliament. Slamming the Centre over the women's reservation bill, Dev said, "Bhartiya Janta Party sometime back passed a women's reservation bill, but I want to know when it will be implemented; nobody can predict. But today, Mamata Didi gave a chance to many women to represent the party in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha." Appreciating Mamata Banerjee over her decision, Dev said, "This decision is historic in itself. I don't think many women from northeastern states, especially from West Bengal, got the chance to reach Rajya Sabha twice. I think this is a very good decision." Sushmita Dev also thanked National General Secretary, All India Trinamool Congress, Abhishek Banerjee, saying, "I thank all the party workers and especially TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. He has always left footprints to follow. He always motivated us. I hope he keeps doing the same in the future as well. We should all feel proud of what Mamata Didi has done for empowering women." (ANI) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday will have to prove his majority in the Assembly after he ditched the Mahagathbandhan an alliance of the RJD, the Congress and the Left parties in Bihar to join the NDA. Earlier today, the JD-U national president arrived at the residence of party leader and state minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary for the meeting of party MLAs here ahead of the floor test. JD-U leader KC Tyagi said, "The kind of fear and insecurity present in the RJD-Congress camp shows how unstable both parties are. This time, the opposition will have nothing to cheer about". JD-U MLA Zama Khan said, "All MLAs have come." Another party MLA Vinay Kumar Choudhary told ANI, "We are safe under the leadership of CM Nitish Kumar...It is confirmed (passing the floor test)." On the Bihar Floor Test, BJP leader Haribhushan Thakur said, "We will win the floor test with a comfortable margin. Nitish Kumar will remain our CM with two Deputy CMs and this govt will complete its term... Jitan Ram Manjhi is with us..." At present, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the BJP has 128 seats in the Bihar assembly, of which the BJP has 78 seats, the JD-U 45 and the Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM) four. The remaining lone seat is held by an Independent MLA. The Opposition holds 114 seats in the Bihar House and needs 122 for a majority. (ANI) Karnataka BJP chief BY Vijayendra affirmed that BJP and JDS will fight the elections unitedly in all 28 Lok Sabha constituencies and we will make complete efforts to win all 28 Lok Sabha seats Karnataka BJP chief BY Vijayendra said, "We discussed in detail the strategy for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. All our leaders have assured our Home Minister (Amit Shah) that BJP and JDS will fight the elections unitedly in all 28 Lok Sabha constituencies and we will make 100 per cent efforts to win all 28 Lok Sabha seats." He further said that in the last 10 years under PM Narendra Modi the state had witnessed lot of development. "Under UPA government the state received Rs 82,000 crores in the last 10 years. Under PM Modi the state received Rs 2 lakh 85 thousand crores for development. Congress is not able to fulfill its commitment to the people of Karnataka. Development work has come to standstill. In last 8 to 9 months no development work has taken place under Congress. To hide its own failures they are speaking against the centre," he said. He said that the BJP will expose the Congress and CM Siddaramaiah before the people of Karnataka. "Congress government is anti-poor, anti-dalit and anti-farmer. We will bring it before the people of Karnataka. We do not have any expectation from the budget of state government," he added. After the Karnataka BJP core committee meeting in Mysuru, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader CT Ravi asserted that the BJP would make a 100 per cent effort to win all 28 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha election. In the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections 2024, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a Karnataka BJP core committee meeting in Mysuru, Karnataka on Sunday. "A target has been set to achieve 100 per cent result. To win all 28 seats, suggestions have been given to us, which we will implement and achieve 100 per cent results. Currently, NDA has 27 seats, and if we work hard, we will win all 28 seats next time," CT Ravi told ANI He further said that just like in Gujarat and Delhi NDA has 100 per cent seats, if our party works hard then NDA would become a member of the 100 per cent club. Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah offered prayers at Chamundeshwari Temple in Mysuru, Karnataka. Earlier today, felicitated sculptor Arun Yogiraj at the Suttur Jatra Mahotsav program for creating the Rama Lalla idol placed in the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22. Addressing the event, the Home Minister said, "We all saw the consecration of the idol of Lord Shri Ram in Ayodhya... Suttur Math has decided to open its branch in Ayodhya. I congratulate Suttur Swami for it...PM Modi has done the work of revival of cultural centres like Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, Mahakal Corridor, Baba Kedarnath and Badrinath." "Suttur Math has been the centre of selfless service; work is worship and charity. For ages, the 'Math' has continued the tradition of service. On behalf of the BJP, I not only want to acknowledge but also salute it," Shah said. (ANI) Amid outrage by the Karnataka government against the Centre, over 'injustice' to the state, Chief Minister Siddaramiah on Sunday challenged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to participate in a public debate with him that the state's treasury is not empty because of the guarantee schemes. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah criticized Home Minister Amit Shah, accusing him of displaying animosity with the state government by claiming 'the treasury is empty due to guarantee schemes.' Siddaramaiah asserted that if Amit Shah genuinely holds this view, he should engage in a public debate with him. "Home Minister Amit Shah, who has arrived in Karnataka, has vented his envy towards our government by saying 'the treasury is empty because of the guarantee schemes'. If this is Amit Shah's firm opinion, he should participate in a public debate with me. I can prove that our treasury is not empty because of the guarantee schemes; instead, there is an unfair distribution of taxes from the Centre to the state. This is also a challenge to Amit Shah," he said. The Chief Minister also criticized the BJP for opposing guarantee schemes in Karnataka while promising to implement similar programs in the states they govern. He accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of appropriating both the name and substance of "Karnataka's guarantee schemes and branding them as his party's programmes". CM Siddaramaiah said that Amit Shah, who participated in several programmes in the state on Sunday, came to Karnataka with empty hands. "Amit Shah has come to Karnataka with empty hands. He hasn't called for a single meeting so far to provide relief funds for the drought. Farmers are suffering here; there is no water," Siddaramaiah told reporters here. Siddaramaiah had called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on December 19 last year and sought Rs 18,177.44 crores as assistance from the Central government for undertaking drought relief work in the State. Questioning Amit Shah on the social media platform X, the Chief Minister reminded him that four months have elapsed since Karnataka submitted its report to the Centre on the drought situation in the State and even the Central Study Team has visited and submitted its report. As per the rules, the Union Home Minister has to chair a high-level meeting to examine the Central Study Team's report and grant approval for releasing drought relief to the State. Earlier today, Amit Shah arrived in Karnataka's Mysore and visited Suttur Math. The Union Minister felicitated sculptor Arun Yogiraj at the Suttur Jatra Mahotsav programme for creating the Rama Lalla idol placed in the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22. Siddaramaiah argued that the root of the BJP's opposition lies in their historical resistance to programmes aimed at benefiting the poor. He cited instances where the central government opposed welfare programs initiated during his first term as Chief Minister. Siddaramaiah concluded by emphasizing his commitment to alleviating the hardships of the poor and criticized those who oppose guarantee schemes, stating that their actions are not in line with true devotion to God. He invoked the names of deities like Rama and Chamundeshwari, suggesting that those who oppose programs for the welfare of the poor cannot expect divine blessings. "No matter how many times you chant the name of Rama while causing harm to the poor, it is futile. What is the use of offering Naivedya to God without providing food to the poor? What is the benefit of building temples for God without providing homes to the poor? Those who oppose the guarantee schemes cannot have the mercy of any Rama. They cannot have the blessings of Mother Chamundeshwari," he said. (ANI) Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday asserted that the Muslim community backed their (Shiv Sena (UBT) brand of Hindutva which 'lights the stoves in their homes" and rejects that of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which "burns their homes." Addressing a gathering of Shiv Sena workers here, Thackeray said, "The Muslim community is coming with us. I ask them don't you know that I am the party chief of Shiv Sena and the son of a 'Hindu Hriday Samrat'. I am a staunch Hindu myself so why are you coming with me? They say that we have come to know that there is a difference between your Hindutva and the Hindutva of BJP. Your Hindutva burns the stove in our house and the Hindutva of the BJP burns the house," the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief said. He further said that Ram is in our hearts and this is our Hindutva, and we are patriotic Hindus. Earlier, Thackeray said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government awarded the Bharat Ratna to former Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur to lure voters from the eastern state in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. "Earlier there were rules on how many Bharat Ratna could be awarded and to whom and when they could be awarded. PM Narendra Modi is awarding it to whoever comes to his mind," Uddhav Thackeray said. He further said that he is happy that Karpoori Thakur is being acknowledged after so many years. "I am not saying that whoever has been conferred with the Bharat Ratna is wrong. They need votes in Bihar that's why Bharat Ratna has been awarded to Karpoori Thakur," he added. (ANI) Members of two parties at the council in Sweden's second-largest city submitted a motion to expand its foreign relations. However, the move caught the attention of the Chinese embassy in Stockholm, according to the report. The mission sent an e-mail to the Gothenburg City Council, warning it should adhere to the One China principle, Beijing's claim that Taiwan is part of China, the Goteborg Posten reported. The politicians should handle the "Taiwan issue" correctly, as it was at the very core of China's interests, the embassy said. While Gothenburg and Shanghai were sister cities, there were rising suspicions about national security threats from China's investments. Several Swedish cities have ended sister relations with Chinese cities, but Gothenburg has economic factors to consider. China's Geely owns Gothenburg-based carmaker Volvo Car Corporation, leaving more than 10,000 jobs at risk if relations between the two countries deteriorate. As a result, opinions at the city council were divided about whether to deal with the issue or leave it up to the central government, Taiwan News reported. Taiwan's envoy to Sweden, Klement Gu, called on the mayor of Gothenburg to visit Taiwan and witness the country's economy, culture, and education. Bilateral relations should not be subject to interference by China, he said. (ANI) Dubai [UAE], February 11 (ANI/WAM): Mohamed Yousef AlSharhan, Managing Director of the World Governments Summit (WGS) Organisation, said the number of volunteers at WGS 2024 exceeds 200, including 110 volunteers from community development institutions, 20 university students, 12 summit partners and members, 10 volunteers from the Ministry of Community Development, 10 senior citizens, and 20 volunteers from the Watani Al Emarat Foundation. In a statement to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), Al Sharhan affirmed the commitment of WGS 2024 to attract volunteers like in its previous editions, focusing on their skills and awareness of hospitality protocols. Volunteers are selected after a series of personal interviews to ensure that they are efficient in their assigned tasks and can interact with guests from various nationalities to convey a positive image of the UAE to the world, he added. He explained that volunteers undergo quality training to enable them to provide the best services when welcoming the summit's guests and assisting them at the event's venue. The tasks of the volunteer team include conducting preparations before the start of the summit, assisting in participant registration and reception, organising session halls, crowd management, technical support, administrative affairs, and providing logistical services. Regarding partners, Al Sharhan said that the summit gathers several prominent national and international partners who share its visions and goals and contribute to its success. The summit's partners include the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), its "Intelligent 200 volunteers participate in organising WGS 2024: MD of WGS Organisation Mobility Partner;" the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), its "Sustainable Energy Partner;" the Dubai Municipality, its "Smart City Partner," Etisalat by e&, its "Technology Partner;" the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), its "Research and Innovation Partner;" the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), its "Strategic Partner," the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, its "Leading Partner," and G42, in addition to Emirates Airlines, Dubai Airports, Emirates Transport and Al Tayer Motors as its "Exclusive Car Partner," as well as local, regional and international media institutions. The summit's partners will showcase their latest innovations and global trends by highlighting leading practices, experiences, and smart solutions to support discussions, boost research, and inspire global creativity for the summit's guests, he added. He then stressed that the summit will enable its partners to understand the future trends of governments, global trends, and the opinions of decision-makers and thought leaders, as well as enhance their strategic partnerships to serve their future directions and plans. He then pointed out that WGS 2024 will feature a rich agenda covering key future sectors, bringing together elite leaders, thinkers, and futurists to exchange views and ideas and share experiences under a positive model of international cooperation aimed at building a better overall future for humanity. Al Sharhan said that the summit's participants will have the opportunity to attend 110 interactive keynote sessions where 200 international figures, including presidents, ministers, experts, thinkers, and future-makers, will speak, in addition to global forums, including the Global Health Forum, the Futures of Education Forum, the Future Work Forum, and the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Forum, which will discuss major global trends and focus on drafting strategies and plans in key sectors of interest to humanity. They will also have the opportunity to attend the Arab Meeting for Young Leaders, which will discuss issues and opportunities relevant to the Arab youth, he added, noting that the summit will host roundtable meetings aimed at promoting international cooperation, identifying innovative solutions to future challenges, highlighting key opportunities, and inspiring the next generation of governments. The summit's current edition will offer several accompanying events held on its sidelines, including the Time Magazine Awards ceremony held at the Museum of the Future in Dubai to honour the winners of the magazine's annual list of more than 100 influential international personalities, as well as the Positive Impact Awards, providing a platform to showcase inspiring experiences that can contribute to positive future changes, he further added. The summit will also host several accompanying exhibitions, such as the Creative Governments Innovations Exhibition, which will encourage visitors to think in new and unconventional ways to address and confront urgent challenges, as well as engage them with innovators who have established best practices through inspiring experiences and innovative projects, to adopt and integrate these methodologies within the appropriate context, Al Sharhan said in conclusion. (ANI/WAM) Former President Trump voiced his disapproval against a Senate foreign aid bill in a rally held in South Carolina, expressing concern over its substantial allocation, reported The Hill Trump said, "They want to give like almost $100 billion to a few countries, $100 billion." He proposed an alternative approach, stating, "I said, 'Why do we do this? If you do, you give them, not $100 billion, you give it to 'em as a loan.'" According to The Hill, the Senate recently advanced a USD 95.3 billion package aimed at providing funding for Ukraine and Israel. This move followed the collapse of a bipartisan agreement merging foreign aid with border security reforms, a deal Trump vehemently opposed. Trump's criticism was evident when he labeled it a "death wish" for his party immediately after its unveiling, as per The Hill. "Only a fool, or a Radical Left Democrat, would vote for this horrendous Border Bill, which only gives Shutdown Authority after 5000 Encounters a day when we already have the right to CLOSE THE BORDER NOW, which must be done," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "This Bill is a great gift to the Democrats and a Death Wish for The Republican Party. It takes the HORRIBLE JOB the Democrats have done on Immigration and the Border, absolves them, and puts it all squarely on the shoulders of Republicans," Trump continued. Trump's stance found support from Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.), who also condemned the bill. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) also went after the bill. "I've seen enough. This bill is even worse than we expected and won't come close to ending the border catastrophe the President has created. As the lead Democrat negotiator proclaimed, Under this legislation, 'the border never closes,'" Johnson wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. If this bill reaches the House, it will be dead on arrival," he added. The Senate's decision to push forward with the foreign aid package, despite opposition from Trump and other Republican figures, underscores ongoing debates over the allocation of government funds and approaches to international assistance. (ANI) Clashes between demonstrators and security forces engulfed Senegal's capital, Dakar and other urban centers on Friday, marking the first widespread unrest following the postponement of the vote, a decision feared to precipitate prolonged instability. According to Al Jazeera, in a statement issued on February 10, the Ministry of Interior and Public Security acknowledged the death of student Alpha Yero Tounkara and pledged an investigation while refuting accusations against its forces. "The Defence and Security Forces did not intervene to maintain order on the university campus where the death occurred," the statement clarified. The continuation of protests on February 10 remained uncertain. However, any further confrontations with security forces could deepen concerns of democratic regression, as per Al Jazeera Less than three weeks before the scheduled February 25 presidential election, parliament voted to reschedule it to December, effectively extending President Macky Sall's tenure and triggering apprehensions about the state of democracy in a region plagued by coups. Sall, having served his constitutional limit of two terms, faced opposition as parliament approved the delay amid the forceful removal of dissenting lawmakers from the chamber. Following the parliamentary decision, 39 members of the opposition coalition, Yewwi Askan Wi, and multiple opposition presidential candidates lodged legal challenges against the postponement with the Constitutional Court. In an effort to assuage public discontent, Sall cited concerns about the credibility of the electoral process due to challenges to the candidate list as the reason for the postponement. Nevertheless, resentment persisted, with critics labeling the move as an "institutional coup." "We are fed up with Macky Sall; he has already had two terms. What else does he want?" a protester spoke to Al Jazeera. This incident underscores the growing unrest and political turmoil in Senegal, raising questions about the future of democracy in the West African nation. (ANI) Baloch activist Mahrang Baloch has alleged that families of missing persons who participated in the march are being forcibly disappeared by the state and termed it a "cruel act of targeting families of victims to sabotage their struggle." She mentioned that the whereabouts of Gulkhan Shikari, his son Miran Shikari, and Zahid son of Aktar Muhammad, remain unknown since their abduction on February 7, 2024. She urged human rights organisations to speak out against state barbarism. In a post on X, Mahrang Baloch stated, "The families of Baloch missing persons who participated in the march are being forcibly disappeared by the state, a cruel act of targeting victim families to sabotage their struggle." "The whereabouts of Gulkhan Shikari, his son Miran Shikari, and Zahid son of Aktar Muhammad remain unknown since their abduction on February 7, 2024. They joined march for the release of Nawab Imran and Najeeb Baloch. Their lives are in grave danger. We urge human rights organisations to speak out against state barbarism," she added. https://twitter.com/MahrangBaloch_/status/1756590229895475551 Earlier on February 5, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee held a press conference at Civil Hospital Quetta, condemning the alleged fake encounters of missing persons. Present at the conference were family members of the victims, joining the call for justice. Speaking to reporters, Mahrang Baloch spoke about the disturbing trend of extrajudicial killings. She emphasised that despite peaceful demands voiced during the Long March, the Pakistani authorities refused to address the concerns of the families of missing persons. Expressing her disappointment Baloch stated, "The state persists in its cruel and oppressive policies towards Balochistan." In the press conference, Mahrang challenged the narrative propagated by Pakistani forces and agencies during extrajudicial killings in Balochistan.Often citing terrorism as justification, she noted that the state lacked evidence to support these allegations. "The state is committing inhumane acts by justifying the actions of armed men. The false narrative of missing persons being in the mountains is a cover for the ongoing Baloch genocide," Mahrang asserted, expressing her anger against the Pakistani establishment. In the aftermath of the recent Mach incident, Mahrang stated, "The bodies of five people have been brought in, with four identified by relatives who were previously forcibly disappeared by state agencies. Concerns remain regarding the fifth body, raising fears of another victim of enforced disappearance." Baloch activists have been urging international authorities to intervene in the ongoing genocide of their community members. Activists have been calling for a fact-finding mission led by the United Nations Working Group to investigate the matter thoroughly. Earlier in December, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) had organised a massive long march to raise their voice against the issue of enforced disappearances. This long march had witnessed massive participation from every corner of Balochistan. The march had started in Turbat, reached Quetta, and eventually ended in Islamabad. On January 23, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) announced ending their sit-in outside the National Press Club (NPC) in Islamabad against enforced disappearances, Pakistan-based The News International reported. At that time, Mahrang Baloch said they will head back to Balochistan with pain, suffering and anti-Baloch attitudes of Islamabad. The decision of Baloch Yakjehti Committee came a day after NPC Islamabad registered a complaint with the Kohsar Police Station on Monday requesting to remove the Baloch protesters from the open park in front of the NPC. At that time, Mahrang Baloch in a post on X stated, "Tomorrow we are going back to Balochistan from Islamabad with pain, suffering and anti-Baloch attitudes of Islamabad. We will reach our land and convey the stories of Islamabad from the Singlakh mountains of Balochistan to the blue sea." "Now our morale and courage have increased, and we will now take this movement to the homes of Balochistan with our powerful morale. It is our promise to our people and the land that we will defeat this imperialist system from our land with the power of the people," she added. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) had shown support for the Baloch sit-in that had been carried out in Islamabad since December 20, 2023. In a post shared on X, HRCP stated, "HRCP stands in solidarity with the ongoing Baloch camp led by women against enforced disappearances that has faced persistent harassment from local law enforcement, as well as dismissal from government authorities." "We are also deeply concerned by efforts to uproot the camp--this violates not only the Islamabad High Court's order that the camp remain undisturbed, but also the protestors' right to peacefully assemble. The validity of the Baloch protestors' demands cannot continue to be ignored, and must be heeded with the legitimacy it deserves, not with undue force or defamation," it added. (ANI) Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers held protests in different cities of Pakistan against alleged rigging in the results of general elections held on February 8, Pakistan-based Geo News reported. PTI workers held a protest outside the district election commissioner's office in Rawalpindi's Sadiqabad. The police personnel deployed in Rawalpindi reportedly used tear gas and charged batons to disperse the protesters. Police arrested PTI supporters staging protests in Rawalpindi over the results of the elections conducted on February 8 after the latter closed routes leading up to the entrance of the district election commission's office, The Express Tribune reported. A number of police officers were deployed in the area. The closure of the district office also affected the road leading to the press club. After the closure of the ECP office, the PTI supporters gathered near Murree Road, according to The Express Tribune report. The protesters offered support to PTI's founder, Imran Khan, who is currently incarcerated in Adiala jail. All police stations have been asked to take action against protests taking place within their respective jurisdictions. Meanwhile, some PTI workers staged a protest outside the Sukkur Press Club. PTI's independent candidates from NA-200 and PS-24, Gohar Khoso and Safia Baloch, led the protest, Geo News reported. Furthermore, PTI workers held protests outside the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) Sindh office, with heavy police forces deployed in the area. PTI has shared visuals of protests being held in various parts of Pakistan. PTI shared a video that showed a large number of PTI supporters staging protests over the results of the elections. In a post on X, PTI leader Seemabia Tahir stated, "On the call of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf workers held a peaceful protest in Rawalpindi under the leadership of North Punjab President Seembia Tahir, in which Shehryar Riaz, Chaudhry Nazir, Ziad Khaliq Kayani and Chaudhry Afzal participated. Also participated and recorded a strong protest against rigging." https://twitter.com/seemabiatahir/status/1756664847515983964 In a post on X, PTI leader Shoaib Shaheen said PTI has a legal right to go to the RO office. In a post on X, PTI stated, "We have a legal right to go to the RO office, but the policemen, to whom we pay dearly, are preventing us from entering by blocking the road. - Shoaib Shaheen." PTI supporters held a peaceful protest outside the RO office in Faisalabad. While sharing the visuals on X, PTI stated, "Faisalabad: Peaceful protest of NA98 Tehreek-e-Insaf candidate Hafiz Mumtaz outside the RO office: We won the election from here with a lead of about 30,000 according to Form 45." https://twitter.com/PTIofficial/status/1756645675226292254 PTI under the leadership of the regional president, held protest outside the RO office in Mansehra over the rigging of polls. In a post on X, PTI stated, "Mansehra: Under the leadership of regional president PTE Hazara Babar Saleem Swati, the workers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf, on the call of Imran Khan, continued a peaceful protest against rigging outside the RO office." https://twitter.com/PTIofficial/status/1756642268767826103 PTI's protest in various parts of Pakistan came after PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan called for peaceful protests across the nation against Returning Officers (ROs) on Sunday, Pakistan-based The Express Tribune reported. He said that the people of Pakistan had complete trust in former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's vision of "slavery unacceptable" in the aftermath of the February 8 polls.He noted that despite the challenges faced on February 8, the people have showcased a clear and transparent mandate in favour of the PTI. He accused the ROs of "attempting to usurp their mandate once again." He condemned these "unacceptable attempts to undermine democracy through tampering with election results." Gohar Ali Khan warned that any such action would be detrimental to Pakistan and unacceptable to the people, "who will not tolerate any violation of their voting rights." He highlighted the importance of making use of "constitutional, democratic, and political rights for the fundamental purpose of protecting the people's mandate," The Express Tribune reported. The PTI chairman asserted that gaining a clear majority in the Centre, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the "constitutional and democratic right of the PTI." He stated that "preserving complete respect for the people's mandate is in the best interest of Pakistan and should be maintained under all circumstances." (ANI) In a startling revelation, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) uncovered a top-secret Hamas data center strategically concealed beneath the Gaza Strip headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), The Times of Israel reported. The subterranean facility, equipped with living quarters for Hamas operatives, an electrical room, and industrial battery power banks, was ingeniously positioned to avoid detection and airstrikes. The discovery comes amid heightened scrutiny of UNRWA's alleged collusion with Hamas, with Israel accusing 12 UNRWA staff members of involvement in a massacre orchestrated by Hamas-led terrorists. The accusations have prompted several top donor countries to announce funding freezes, raising concerns about the agency's ability to continue its operations in Gaza and the broader Middle East, as reported by The Times of Israel. The IDF's findings shed light on the intricate nature of the Hamas data centre, concealed beneath UNRWA's Gaza headquarters in the upscale Rimal neighbourhood. The initial ground offensive in Gaza City did not unveil the data centre, but new intelligence, including information obtained from Shin Bet interrogations of captured terrorists, guided the IDF to the precise location. Col Benny Aharon, commander of the 401st Armored Brigade, emphasized the importance of intelligence gathered from previous operations: "We had a basis of information, but not enough to be able to dig down 20 meters and find it; we needed a bit more. There's information we get from prisoners we capture, from computers we find, from documents, maps." The IDF's recent return to the northern Gaza Strip for smaller operations, post the destruction of Hamas's fighting capabilities, underscores their commitment to dismantling strategic Hamas assets. Col Nissim Hazan, a senior officer in the 401st Brigade, explained that these operations require meticulous research, time, and patience. Despite the success of the mission, it came at a cost, with two soldiers losing their lives during the operation to reach the Hamas data center. The risks associated with such raids remain, even as the IDF continues its efforts to neutralize strategic Hamas tunnels. Journalists were given a firsthand look at the 700-meter-long tunnel leading to the data center, guided by troops from the elite Yahalom combat engineering unit and the Shaldag unit. The tunnel, with its branching paths, was equipped with neon glowsticks to ensure the group stayed on course. The journey included a section with Hamas's concrete arches, leading to a large hallway featuring living quarters, a kitchenette, and meeting rooms adorned with posters bearing the logo of Hamas's military wing. Hazan detailed the challenging conditions inside the tunnel: "Keep your head down and don't touch the ceiling," he cautioned, as the group navigated through flooded sections and slippery inclines to reach the heart of the facility. The electrical room, housing power inverters and industrial batteries, was covered in mud, a testament to the arduous journey undertaken by the combat engineers. The heart of the facility revealed rows of server cabinets comprising Hamas's data center. Hazan explained that the server farm was likely used for intelligence gathering, data processing, and communications. The IDF seized hard drives and computers for investigation before demolishing the tunnel system in a controlled explosion. Hazan expressed confidence in the IDF's ability to locate and dismantle additional "strategic" Hamas tunnels in Gaza in the coming months. He noted, "We have time, months ahead of us in the war, and one by one we will dismantle them and take away what the enemy is trying to hide, and it hides it in a very sophisticated and cynical way." UNRWA's Gaza headquarters, situated directly above the hidden Hamas data center, became a focal point of scrutiny. Aharon revealed that weapons caches belonging to Hamas were discovered when IDF forces raided and battled Hamas gunmen for the complex, although after UN staff had evacuated. The caches included grenades, rockets, launchers, explosives, and a substantial amount of weaponry, according to The Times of Israel. Furthermore, allegations of UNRWA's collusion with Hamas surfaced, with claims that some offices within the UNRWA complex were used by Hamas terrorists. Aharon accused UNRWA of providing cover for Hamas and asserted, "UNRWA knows exactly what is happening underground, and UNRWA uses its budget to fund some of Hamas's military capabilities, this is for certain." The IDF emphasized that the electrical cables leading from the UN building to the tunnel were providing power to the Hamas infrastructure below ground. Despite the proximity, UNRWA's server room appeared mostly empty, with cables disconnected and computers removed. In response to the allegations, Philippe Lazzarini, the head of UNRWA, denied any knowledge of the Hamas data centre in a tweet following the publication. The IDF's revelations have intensified concerns about UNRWA's role and the potential misuse of its facilities. As Israel grapples with the aftermath of this discovery, questions surrounding UNRWA's collaboration with Hamas and the perpetuation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict persist. The intricate web of tunnels, data centres, and alleged collusion has added another layer of complexity to the already contentious situation in the region, The Times of Israel reported. (ANI) The Indian ambassador to the UAE, Sunjay Sudhir, said that people are keen to listen to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision and his vision of 'Viksit Bharat' in the 'Ahlan Modi' event set to be held on February 13. During his visit to the UAE, PM Modi will address the Indian diaspora at the 'Ahlan Modi' event on February 13. Sanjay Sudhir said that they had to close the registration as soon as the number of people who could attend the event reached 65,000, as they could not accommodate more people. In an interview with ANI, Sunjay Sudhir said, "The UAE is home to about 3.5 million Indians, which is the largest number of Indian nationals anywhere in the world. Wherever the Indian diaspora is, they're always very keen to listen firsthand to Prime Minister Modi. And we can just see their enthusiasm here, because when we opened the registrations for Ahlan Modi. We had to actually close the registration as soon as the mark touched 65,000 because we could not accommodate anymore." "So, people are so keen to listen to the Prime Minister's vision and his vision of Viksit Bharat's vision of where India is going. What are the policy changes happening in India, the Amrit Kaal, as we often talk about? So there's a lot of enthusiasm in the Indian community to listen to the leader," he added. Earlier in December, PM Modi launched 'Viksit Bharat @2047: Voice of Youth'. Viksit Bharat @2047 is the vision to make India a developed nation by 2047, the 100th year of independence, according to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting press release. The vision encompasses various aspects of development, including economic growth, social progress, environmental sustainability, and good governance. Speaking about PM Modi's upcoming visit to the UAE, he said, "Well, I think we're keeping our fingers crossed. Our preparations are going pretty well, both on the logistics front as well as on the substantive front. It is quite an elaborate visit, if you look at it, because this visit will take the prime minister to both Abu Dhabi and Dubai. He'll have bilateral meetings with President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, as well as with the Vice President, Ruler of Dubai, the Prime Minister, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid in Dubai." Sunjay Sudhir stated that PM Modi will also address the World Government Summit in Dubai. He further stated that PM Modi will be addressing the Indian community in Abu Dhabi and will inaugurate BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi. He further said, "On the substantive side, you'll see once the visit starts that there are a lot of very significant documents that will be signed and exchanged, including some treaties, some agreements, some MoUs, and a couple of them I can share with you. One is the bilateral investment treaty; another very interesting one is an MoU on national archives, because that is something that will help us further rediscover our shared heritage, our shared history." The Indian envoy recalled PM Modi's first visit to the UAE in 2015, which he stressed was the first visit of PM Modi after a gap of 34 years. He said that the ties between India and the UAE have grown very well and noted that the two nations signed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in 2022. Asked how the upcoming visit of PM Modi will enhance bilateral ties between the two nations, he responded, "PM Modi's visit in 2015 was the first visit of an Indian Prime Minister after a gap of 34 years. And since then, the visit, which is going to happen less than 48 hours from now, would actually be his 7th visit. So this speaks of how accelerated our relations have been in the last 19 years." "In 2017, we signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement. And I think, in all dimensions, this relationship has grown very well. We signed the CEPA in 2022. Within less than two years of that, we are going to sign a bilateral investment treaty, and that will make the UAE the only country with which India has both a CEPA as well as a bilateral investment treaty. And then, if you look at other areas like FinTech, just about two weeks ago, the UAE launched its own Jeevan credit and debit card and that card is entirely based on India's tried and tested robust Rupay debit and credit card stack," he added. He stated that the two nations, about eight months ago, started the mechanism for settling trade in Indian rupees and Dirhams. He said India and UAE are working together in various sectors. "About eight months back, we started the mechanism for settling trade in Indian rupees and Dherams. Now, these are very milestone things--IIT, for instance--that you spoke about. So there are so many areas in which we are working together, making our first leaps in these areas," he said. He also spoke about the IIT Delhi-Abu Dhabi project and added that it will be the first IIT campus in the Middle East. He said that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in to establish the IIT campus in Abu Dhabi in July 2023, when PM Modi was in UAE. Speaking on the IIT Delhi Abu Dhabi project, he said, "IIT Delhi Abu Dhabi is, again, a very significant project, perhaps the first of its kind. This would be the first IIT campus ever in the Middle East. And it all came out of the vision document, that was unveiled by our leaders in February 2022. It talked about setting up a campus of IIT here." "And just about eight months ago, in July, when the Prime Minister was here, we signed an MoU to establish that campus here. And today is a reality. About a week ago, the first master's course commenced on sustainability and energy transition," he added. In 2023, IIT Delhi inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) and the Ministry of Education, Government of India, to set up its international campus in Abu Dhabi, according to an IIT Delhi press release. The MoU was signed in the presence of PM Modi and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. (ANI) In a major diplomatic triumph for India, eight veterans of the Indian Navy who were sentenced to death in Qatar, were released by Doha on Monday. The capital punishment was commuted to an extended prison term earlier following diplomatic intervention by New Delhi. Amid desperate pleas by the anxious kin of the Navy veterans to secure their release and safe passage back to their homeland, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had assured that it would mobilise all diplomatic channels and arrange legal assistance to bring them back. Of the eight former Navy officers, seven have already returned to India, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) informed through an official statement on Monday. The Union government released an official statement welcoming the decision to set the veteran officers free, saying, "The Government of India welcomes the release of eight Indian nationals working for the Dahra Global company who were detained in Qatar. Seven out of the eight of them have returned to India. We appreciate the decision by the Amir of the State of Qatar to enable the release and home-coming of these nationals." The eight Indian nationals were imprisoned in Qatar since October 2022 and were accused of allegedly spying on a submarine programme. The retired naval personnel were sentenced to death by a Qatar court on charges that have not yet been made public officially. Earlier, the Qatari Court commuted the death penalty sentence of eight ex-Indian naval officers it had arrested last year in the Dahra Global case, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a press statement. The sentence has now been reduced to jail terms. Describing the judgement, the Ministry of External Affairs had said, "We have noted the verdict today of the Court of Appeal of Qatar in the Dahra Global case, in which the sentences have been reduced. "The MEA also said that the detailed judgement in the case is awaited and are in close touch with the legal team in Qatar. MEA added, "The detailed judgement is awaited. We are in close touch with the legal team as well as the family members to decide on the next steps. Our Ambassador to Qatar and other officials were present in the Court of Appeal today, along with the family members. We have stood by them since the beginning of the matter and we will continue to extend all consular and legal assistance. We will also continue to take up the matter with the Qatari authorities." Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Qatar''s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani on the sidelines of the COP28 summit in Dubai and discussed bilateral partnership and the "well-being of the Indian community" living in Qatar. Earlier, the newly appointed spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, Jaiswal, emphasised the temporal significance of this period, stating, "As far as the issue is concerned, there is a time of 60 days when this issue can be appealed in the Court of Cassation, which is the highest court in Qatar." The MEA''s legal team possesses the confidential court order detailing the commutation of the death sentences to imprisonment terms, a move revealed in a press release following the court of appeal''s judgement on December 28. "We issued a press release in which we informed you that the death sentence, which was originally a death penalty, has been changed to imprisonment sentences. Now our legal team has that court order, and I can confirm that all of them have received sentences of different durations, and the death penalty has been abolished," Jaiswal said. Moreover, the Court of First Instance of Qatar had also passed the judgement against them, according to a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs. The MEA spokesperson also highlighted the recent meeting that took place between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad and said that they have had a good conversation on the overall bilateral relationship. (ANI) Canadian lawmaker Jeremy Patzer will host the 'Sindhi Roundtable' in the Canadian Parliament on February 27, the Sindhi Foundation said in an official statement, adding that the event is aimed at promoting the Sindhi language. As per the statement, the event will be organised on International Mother Language Day during the parliament session between 11 am and 1 pm (local time). "This year, Patzer will host an event in the Parliament of Canada. Although International Mother Language Day is celebrated on February 21st each year, since the Canadian Parliament session will start in the following week, the Members of Parliament and Sindhi Community scheduled February 27th for an open discussion to strengthen the relationship of Canada and the Sindhis in Sindh (in Pakistan), as well as the diaspora. Language is the foundation and most prominent part of any culture," the statement read. According to the United Nations, "Every two weeks, a language disappears, taking with it an entire cultural and intellectual heritage. At least 43 per cent of the estimated 6,000 languages spoken in the world are endangered. Only a few hundred languages have genuinely been given a place in education systems and the public domain, and less than a hundred are used in the digital world". International Mother Language Day is observed every year to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. In the recent past, the Sindhi language has also been facing multiple challenges in its land of origin, Sindh, in Pakistan, and the diaspora. Hence, the Sindhi Foundation persistently celebrates International Mother Language Day every year, the release informed, adding that other than language promotion, the event scheduled to be held on February 27 at the Canadian Parliament will help build strong relationships between Sindhis and Canadians. "Time has come for the Canadian Consulate in Karachi and the High Commission in Islamabad to recognise the Sindhi language and provide services to Sindhis in their own native language," Sufi Laghari, executive director of the Sindhi Foundation, was quoted as saying in the release. "Time has come that the Canadian Consulate in Karachi and the High Commission in Islamabad must recognize the Sindhi language and provide services to Sindhis in their own native language," Laghari added. International Mother Language Day was proclaimed by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in November 1999. The idea to celebrate mother tongue was carried forward at the initiative of Bangladesh. And, the UN General Assembly welcomed the proclamation on the day of its resolution in 2002. (ANI) The event was held as part of the celebrations to mark the special day dedicated to global unity and diversity. The Saudi Embassy put up a stall at the event, showcasing traditional Emirati food and hospitality. According to the official statement, the stall offered guests an authentic taste of Emirati cuisine. The spread gave attendees a flavorful glimpse into the UAE's rich culinary traditions developed over centuries. Additionally, in keeping with the UAE's values of cooperation and cultural exchange, the stall served as a small yet special ambassador for Emirati culture. (ANI) RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) A man is being charged in connection with a head-on collision in Rutherford County Wednesday that resulted in a womans death, authorities said. According to Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP), a 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe was traveling southbound in the northbound lane on Lebanon Pike (Highway 231) near Old Lebanon Pike while trying to pass/overtake another vehicle on Wednesday, Feb. 7. 4 killed in head-on crash on Bell Road A 2021 Toyota Corolla was heading northbound in the correct lane, so the Chevrolet reportedly hit the Toyota head-on. The Chevrolet overturned and came to rest on its top in the southbound lane while the Toyota stopped off the east side of the road, officials said. THP said the driver of the Toyota 51-year-old Maria Valadez of Tennessee was wearing a seatbelt, but she was killed in the crash. Meanwhile, authorities identified the driver of the Chevrolet as 51-year-old Miguel Medina Isaac of Tennessee, adding that it remains unknown whether he was wearing a seatbelt, but he was still injured in the collision. There is no word on the nature of those injuries or his current condition. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com According to THP, Isaac is being charged with vehicular homicide following Wednesdays incident. No additional details have been released about the crash. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) A person was injured following a house fire in Farmerville, according to the citys fire department. Firefighters say on Friday at around 10:50 p.m. they responded to 764 South Rose Avenue for a house on fire. Upon arrival, responding crews report smoke and fire coming through the roof of the home. With the help of various agencies from the surrounding cities, Farmersville Fire says they used an offensive strategy and saved the structure with heavy fire damage. Firefighters reported one person was transported by ambulance. The cause of the fire is under investigation. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47. A 15-year-old male was arrested in connection with a robbery of a pizza delivery driver in Hyde Park. On February 7 police responded to 21 Woodglen Rd in the area of the Fairmount Housing Development in Hyde Park for a pizza delivery driver who was robbed. While conducting their investigation, an individual matching the description of one of the suspects walked in front of an unmarked police car, police say. Detectives attempted to stop the individual who then fled on foot away from the police. A short time later a 15-year-old from Hyde Park was arrested and charged with delinquency to wit: armed robbery. Police later obtained a search warren for his home and recovered evidence of the crime. The second suspect remains at large and police continue investigating the facts around this incident. The safety and security of the community remain paramount, and collaborative efforts between authorities and the public are pivotal in achieving this goal, Boston police said in a release. By remaining vigilant and cooperative, residents can play a crucial role in assisting detectives in their investigation and ensuring that those responsible are held accountable for their actions. The 15-year-old male will be arraigned in Boston Juvenile Court. Police are asking anyone with information regarding this incident to contact District E-18 Detectives at (617) 343-5607. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW A massive mess was left behind at a home in Indiana County after a car slammed into it early Saturday morning. The Indiana Borough Police Department says the crash happened around 2:30 a.m. on Philadelphia Street near East Avenue. PHOTOS: Indiana Borough home sustains serious structural damage after car slams into it Photos from the Indiana Fire Association show a car went through the first floor of the home, taking out a corner of the structure. First responders temporarily placed a strut to keep the house from falling, then replaced them with sistered 2x4s. The car was lifted out of the backyard with a rotator. Police say the home was occupied at the time of the crash, and a child was taken to hospital. His injuries are said to be minor. The driver, who police identify as a man in his early 40s, was also taken to the hospital for minor injuries. Fire officials with the Indiana Fire Association said this isnt the first time this house has been hit by a car. The residents were displaced for the night, and Channel 11 was told the property owner was on scene making arrangements for repairs. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW TRENDING NOW: City of Pittsburgh exploring supporting professional basketball team Woman charged in death of 1-month-old after allegedly placing infant in oven Taylor Swift reaches LAX in journey from Tokyo to Super Bowl, online sleuths say. Will she make it? VIDEO: Mount Washington businesses, residents welcome Mon Inclines reopening DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts New York City plans to implement an 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew at 20 more migrant shelters beginning Monday, Mayor Adams office said Sunday. The new curfew, introduced as anxiety rises about migrant crime, would apply to about 3,600 people, and would bring the number of asylum seeker shelters with curfews to 24. The city instituted curfews at four relief centers last month. Among the 20 new shelters is a large relief center in Long Island City, Queens, that houses about 1,000 migrants, according to government data. Typical city homeless shelters already have curfews. Kayla Mamelak, a City Hall spokeswoman, said in a statement that the broadening of the curfew will allow for more efficient capacity management for migrants in the citys care. The share of emergency shelters affected by the new curfew shift is relatively small. Adams administration has opened more than 200 emergency shelters since waves of migrants began to arrive en masse in the city in spring 2022. But the widening of the curfew rules comes after city officials publicly keyed on crimes linked to migrants, who can appear stuck in difficult straits without access to work. A 15-year-old Venezuelan immigrant was accused of shooting a tourist and opening fire on a cop in Times Square on Thursday. Three days earlier, NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban said at a news conference that a wave of migrant crime has hit New York in recent months. Others have pushed back on the suggestion that the roughly 66,000 asylum seekers in the citys care are driving a significant increase in crime. Studies have found that immigrants are historically linked to significantly less criminal behavior than native-born Americans. At a news conference in Brooklyn on Friday, Gov. Hochul rejected the notion that migrants are driving a crime wave. We have 170,000 migrants who have come to the city. They are looking for a better life, said Hochul, a Democrat. Yes, there are isolated instances. But I would not characterize that as a massive crime wave. Earlier in the week, city Comptroller Brad Lander, a Democrat, said that the police commissioners remark about a migrant crime wave represented a baseless Republican talking point. Lander said Adams, who has also highlighted migrant crime, has engaged in fear mongering. Of course individuals who commit crimes should be held accountable, the comptroller said in a Tuesday interview, but he added that the evidence is clear that immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than native-born residents. Adams has said the overwhelming majority of the migrants are simply pursuing the American Dream. They want to contribute to our society, he said last week. Many of the migrants in the city fled political and economic turmoil in Central and South America, and then headed for New York City, which has a unique rule requiring that those who need shelter receive it from the government. Some residents have reportedly complained about migrants begging for money in neighborhoods near shelters. New York City continues to lead the nation in managing this national humanitarian crisis, and that includes prioritizing the health and safety of both asylum seekers in our care and New Yorkers who live in the communities surrounding the emergency shelters we manage, Mamelak said in her statement. This is expected to be the most heated state house race in 2024: the battle between Republican Tricia Cotham and whoever wins the Democratic primary. ALSO READ: Rep. Tricia Cotham announces reelection run in new district This district includes Mint Hill, Matthews, and even some of south Charlotte. Three candidates have thrown their hats in the ring: Terry Landsell, Dr. Yolona Holmes, and Nicole Sidman. Landsell did not respond in time to be interviewed on this weeks show. However, Holmes and Sidman spoke with Political Beats Joe Bruno, saying they are both up for the challenge should they make it to the general election. My desire and passion to continue to serve the community that was left broken and disheartened by what had transpired in 2022 gave me that passion and leverage to move forward for the upcoming 2024 election, Holmes said. I think that Tricia Cotham has, you know, betrayed her voters, and shes betrayed North Carolina, Sidman said. So I think theres a real good argument there that I am a person who does what I say Im going to do. And I can be trusted to be the same person in Raleigh that you vote for in March and then in November. >>>Tune in to the Political Beat at 11:30 a.m. on Channel 9, as Sidman and Holmes both share their plans for statewide change if elected in November. (WATCH BELOW: Democratic leaders hold rally in Charlotte in response to Tricia Cothams party switch) 3-vehicle crash in Northeast causes serious injuries EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) Three vehicles collided in Northeast El Paso early Sunday morning, Feb. 11, resulting in serious injuries, El Paso Police said. The crash happened along the 8400 block of Dyer, police said. That is near the intersection with Britton Avenue. Police sent out an alert to media about the crash at 2:10 a.m. but didnt say when the crash happened. Police said Special Traffic Investigations unit responded to the scene. They did not say how many people were hurt or what led up to the crash. This is a developing story and we will update it when we learn more. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. A recent traffic stop in Carroll County led to a methamphetamine arrest, according to deputies. Carroll County deputies said 38-year-old Eddie Jarrett was found with about six ounces of suspected methamphetamine. Deputies also found a large amount of cash. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Jarrett was arrested and charged with trafficking methamphetamine. The Carrollton Police Department and University of West Georgia Police Department assisted with the investigation, deputies said. TRENDING STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) Four people are dead following a crash that occurred on Bell Road Sunday morning, officials said. According to the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD), the head-on collision happened on Sunday, Feb. 11 at approximately 6:45 a.m. on Bell Road near the Brittany Park Drive intersection. Have breaking come to you: Subscribe to News 2 email alerts Authorities said a 2015 Chevrolet Camaro was speeding west when it failed to negotiate a curve, crossed into oncoming traffic, and struck a 2012 Toyota 4-Runner SUV. All four occupants inside the Camaro described as three males and one female were killed in the crash, according to police. The male driver and male front seat passengers were reportedly wearing seatbelts while the male and female back seat passengers were not. The MNPD said the male back seat passenger has been identified as 20-year-old Alonzo Alfonzo of Nashville. Efforts to identify the other three motorists are still underway. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com According to officials, toxicology testing is pending in order to determine whether impairment on the part of the Camaro driver was a contributing factor to the crash. The 32-year-old Toyota driver who was wearing a seatbelt was brought to Vanderbilt University Medical Center with serious but non-life-threatening injuries from the collision, authorities said. Additional information about the deadly crash has not been released. Download the News 2 app to stay updated on the go. Sign up for WKRN email alerts to have breaking news sent to your inbox. Find todays top stories on WKRN.com for Nashville, TN and all of Middle Tennessee. This is a developing story. WKRN News 2 will continue to update this article as new information becomes available. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. Sign up for CNNs Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. For the first time since his death in 1882, Charles Darwins impressive library has been virtually reassembled to reveal the multitude of books, pamphlets and journals cited and read by the influential naturalist. The author of numerous works, Darwin is perhaps best known for his 1859 book, On the Origin of Species, which introduced the fundamental scientific concept of evolution to the world. In honor of the 215th anniversary of Darwins birthday on February 12, the research team behind the Darwin Online project has released a 300-page catalog that compiles the original 7,400 titles and 13,000 volumes originally owned by Darwin. The catalog includes 9,300 links to copies of the library contents that are available for free online, inviting the public to peruse what Darwin read. This unprecedentedly detailed view of Darwins complete library allows one to appreciate more than ever that he was not an isolated figure working alone but an expert of his time building on the sophisticated science and studies and other knowledge of thousands of people. Indeed, the size and range of works in the library makes manifest the extraordinary extent of Darwins research into the work of others, said project leader Dr. John van Wyhe, historian of science at the National University of Singapore. Piecing together a lost library When Darwin was alive, he kept meticulous records of his library, including a 426-page handwritten Catalogue of the Library of Charles Darwin compiled in 1875. Initially after Darwin died, his library was preserved and recorded. But over time, much of its contents were lost or ended up elsewhere. Two main collections featuring 1,480 books were kept at the University of Cambridge and Down House, Darwins family home in Downe, England, that remains open to the public. But the collections only included an estimated 15% of the original library. After receiving letters from researchers and the public asking about specific titles from Darwins library, van Wyhe and his colleagues began their project to recreate it virtually in 2007. Scholars have been researching Darwins life and works for over a century, van Wyhe said. One of the most important elements in understanding Darwins theories is his sources the publications by others that he used in his research. Institutions such as the Down House museum, the Cambridge University Library and Christs College Cambridge, as well as private collections, were used to track down the materials during the painstaking 18-year process. Charles Darwin is depicted circa 1880 in a painting by Walter William Ouless. - Rischgitz/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Despite his disciplined recordkeeping, Darwin used abbreviated or vague ways to refer to journals and pamphlets in his collection, with many entries missing authors, dates or sources. The project team combed over each piece of paper turned up during its search, sifting through handwritten family documents and letters, Darwins reading notebooks, his wifes diaries and lists from scholars written a century ago. By comparing all the documents, the researchers found thousands of previously unknown titles, including bound books and unbound volumes and pamphlets, and traced the journey of titles sold at auction over the past 100 years. It has been like 5,000 little detective stories trying to find out which author or article Darwin noted having it is a joy to strike gold and find the exact source he was referring to, van Wyhe said. We can now show that originally he had far more in his impressive library. A surprising collection Darwin naturally had a wealth of titles concerned with his main scientific interests, such as biology and geology. He owned a copy of an article authored by the ornithologist John James Audubon called Account of the habits of the Turkey Buzzard (Vultura aura), particularly with the view of exploding the opinion generally entertained of its extraordinary power of smelling. The article, sold at auction in 1975, served as the inspiration behind one of Darwins investigations while sailing on the HMS Beagle. He was hired in 1831 as a naturalist aboard the ship and voyaged around South America and the surrounding islands, including the Galapagos, to study and collect plants and animals. He owned a copy of Explorations and Adventures in Equatorial Africa, authored by Paul Du Chaillu after the zoologist became the first European to describe gorillas in the wild during expeditions to Africa in the 1850s. Darwins collection also included a German periodical that revealed the first published photographs of bacteria in 1877. But the naturalists library contained multitudes, showcasing his thirst for knowledge, van Wyhe said. Darwin also read philosophers, such as John Stuart Mill and Auguste Comte, and had a number of works about psychology, religion, art, history, travel, farming and animal breeding and behavior. Nearly half the books were written in French, German, Italian, Dutch, Danish, Latin, Spanish and Swedish a surprising revelation given that Darwin was known as a poor linguist with a bad ear for languages, van Wyhe said. He was a very highly educated person who learned ancient Greek and Latin in school as well as French, van Wyhe said. He later learned Spanish and some Portuguese for the voyage of the Beagle and he taught himself (with dictionaries) to read German and Italian and he somehow got through other languages in the same way. This shows how determined he was to find out what other men of science had published and to extract information relevant for his theories. There is also evidence that Darwin read travelogues from explorers and missionaries to understand the gestures used by different ethnic groups. And Darwin enjoyed reading novels as well. In 2019, a copy of Elizabeth Gaskells Wives and Daughters, a serial published as a book in 1866, appeared at auction, bearing a note that said, This book was a great favourite of Charles Darwins and the last book to be read aloud to him. Exploring Darwins eclectic library showcases different sides of the scientist and will allow people to gain insights into who he was as a person, van Wyhe said. This is exactly what the library can show, he said. Instead of basing ones understanding on the authors Darwin read that are mentioned in biographies, etc., anyone can now scroll through his whole library. The impression this gives is that he was a voracious reader and he got through an astonishing number of works. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Rally of relatives of Ukrainian prisoners of war in Kyiv on February 11 Relatives of Azovstal defenders and other prisoners of war came out to rally and remind the world a large number of Ukrainian soldiers are still in Russian captivity and need help, stated according to an NV report on Feb. 11. The action took place near the Dorohozhychi Metro Station. It was attended by about 500 people. Among them were serving soldiers. "I am from Kakhovka, Kherson Oblast, which is currently occupied, said one protester. There are Russians there who came to liberate us. And they liberated us from everything: from our homes, from peace. We go out and fight for our relatives. We are waiting for them to return. NV NV NV NV NV NV Read also: Russian POWs thank Ukrainians for humane treatment during recent exchange video Some participants have been waiting for their relatives for almost two years. "Maxim. He is a good friend of mine. I have been waiting for him for 21 months. He was defending Azovstal," said another participant. NV NV NV NV On Dec. 7, 2023, Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets reported that approximately 28 thousand Ukrainian civilians are held in Russian captivity, about 2 thousand of them citizens over the age of 65. He added that there are also thousands of Ukrainian soldiers and political prisoners in captivity who also need help. NV NV NV The last prisoner exchange took place on Feb. 8. Another 100 heroes returned home. Most of them had defended Azovstal. Read also: Russian POWs thank Ukrainians for humane treatment during recent exchange video 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 PORTLAND A federal agency is offering a $50,000 reward for information about the deaths of three endangered gray wolves from the same pack in southern Oregon. The collars from two gray wolves sent a mortality signal Dec. 29. State wildlife officials responded and found three dead wolves, two with collars and one without, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said in a statement. The collared wolves were an adult breeding female and a subadult from the Gearhart Mountain Pack. The other wolf killed was also a subadult. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said it is aware of seven wolves remaining in the pack, including a breeding male. Officials did not indicate in the statement how the wolves died. A phone message left Saturday seeking more information was not immediately returned. Gray wolves are protected by federal law under the Endangered Species Act. It is illegal to hurt or kill them. The reward is for information leading to an arrest, criminal conviction or fine. In Oregon, gray wolves are listed as endangered in the western two-thirds of the state. The three wolves were killed east of Bly in southern Oregons Klamath County. They were in an area that wolves are known to inhabit, stretching across Klamath and Lake counties, just north of the Oregon-California border. This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: $50K offered for info on deaths of endangered gray wolves in Oregon Viktor Demchenko, a 71-year-old Ukrainian citizen held in a pre-trial detention facility in Russias Rostov Oblast on charges of "espionage" and "participation in a terrorist organisation", has died in Russia. Source: Memorial, a Russian human rights organisation; TASS, a Russian news outlet Details: Memorial reported that a statement on the courts website said that Demchenkos case was closed due to his death. According to Memorial, Demchenko likely died in a pre-trial detention facility in Rostov Oblast. Little is known about Demchenko and his case other than that he was born in 1952 in Mospyne, near Donetsk, where he lived. Russian forces have been partially controlling Mospyne since 2014. It is unclear whether Demchenko had any relatives, or where they might be. Demchenko was accused of "espionage" (Art. 276 of the Russian Criminal Code), "participation in a terrorist organisation" (Art. 205.4.2), and illegal possession of weapons or ammunition (Art. 222.1). His case was brought to the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don in late August 2023, with seven hearings taking place since. Russian law enforcement officials told TASS that Demchenko died from a stroke in a prison hospital in Rostov Oblast on 31 December 2023. Defendants in this type of cases are normally held in Rostov pre-trial detention centres. Support UP or become our patron! The twins reunited and hugging and sitting next to each other. A pair of twins reunited in a heartwarming moment after 81 years apart, saying it felt like they were meeting for the first time. Maurilia Chavez and Andrea Lopez, 90, were brought back together in December after a DNA test revealed their connection. It was like the first time I see her in my life because 81 years is too longI remember just a little bit, a little, little bit, Lopez told News 9. The twins were just five when their parents died and they and the rest of their 10-member clan were split up among relatives. After the genetic test matched the pair around Thanksgiving, Lopez, who lives in Las Vegas, booked a plane ticket to Denver to visit her long-lost twin, the local outlet reported. My little sister, I really wanted to see you, to have you with me, my beautiful little sister, Lopez said when they reunited. Maurilia Chavez and Andrea Lopez, 90, met for the first time in December after finding out each other was still alive through a DNA test. 9NEWS I never think I was going to see her, never, Chavez said. The last time they saw each other was when they were nine and they and their siblings were reunited for one day. Prior to their meet-up in December, the siblings spent long hours talking on the phone. The twins come from a family of 10 that was split up among family members when they were just five after their parents died. 9NEWS They recalled how they hardly recognized each other on the phone as their voices had changed so much since they were children. They even shared a twin bed and Lopez admitted she fell out of it while visiting Chavez. But she didnt mind, as all the sisters wanted to do was make up for lost time. After the genetic test matched the pair around Thanksgiving, Lopez, who lives in Las Vegas, booked a plane ticket to Denver to visit her long-lost twin, the local outlet reported. 9NEWS They spent time recollecting their childhood memories until it was time for Lopez to head back to Nevada, according to News 9. I am more happiest person in the world because I never thought I was going to see her again and the other reason I cry like a baby, I was lonely I have a beautiful family but what I really need was my sister, Chavez said. The twins one day dream of living with one another, whispering back and forth to each other about what state theyll live in. They even shared a bed a twin bed, no less and Lopez admitted she fell out of it while visiting Chavez. 9NEWS Since their meeting, they have found out that three of their siblings are still alive and are in their 80s and 90s, according to News 9. Lopez has met one of her brothers, who drove from Los Angeles to visit her and she has since gone to Texas to see another brother. As we gear up for another primary season, there is one thing we need to remember. In elections, the advantage goes to the incumbent. The power of the incumbency is a tale as old as time. This is due to incumbents name recognition among voters, that usually comes from the attention they receive from local and sometimes national media; having a voting record, experience aiding constituents with services; and their ability to raise what seems to be an infinite amount of money so they use it in their reelection bids. Having such an advantage going into an election makes it nearly impossible for a challenger to defeat an incumbent. In fact, incumbents win 90% of reelection. Let that be repeated. Incumbents win roughly 90% of reelection. As we go through this, it is important to note why groups and individuals will donate large sums of cash to incumbents. The reason is contributors view current officeholders as better investments than challengers. According to Roger Davidson, Walter Oleszek, Frances Lee, Eric Schickler, and James Curry - top congressional political scientists - many donors to campaigns seek to cultivate closer relationships with people in positions of power. Donors know that incumbents usually win reelection so they do not waste their money on challengers, even when those challengers might be more appealing in their policy stance or Party affiliation. Indeed access-oriented giving follows the shifts in Party control, as donors curry favor with committee chairs and other leaders regardless of Party. The same goes for state legislatures. Challengers, on the other hand, are dealt a tough hand. Political analyst Thomas Edsall explained the failure to raise enough money creates a vicious spiral. Some donors become reluctant to invest their cash, and then state and national Parties are less likely to targetParty building and get out the vote drives in those races. To put another way, if a challenger wants a lot of money, they must win the election. But therein lies the conundrum, how can challengers win without donations? There is also message signaling when it comes to campaign finance. The more money a challenger has and spends, the more votes he/she is likely to attract. That is not, however, the same correlation for incumbents. While incumbents may incredibly outraise challengers and easily win the election, if they spend a lot of money in the campaign, they appear vulnerable to lose. Another message to send in campaign finance is invincibility. If an incumbent reveals a large war-chest before a candidate filing deadline, that may repel any possible challengers. If an incumbent uncovers a small campaign account, it could attract a prospective opponent. This can be seen in our local elections. Take the primary for Texas House District 83 for example. Incumbent Dustin Burrows raked in $203,775 in political donations giving him a grand total of $610,746 cash on hand. Going through the Calendars Committee Chairs donor list from the Texas Ethics Commission (TEC), most of his donors derived from political action committees (PACs). As aforementioned, whether they agree with the Chairman is irrelevant to his stature in the lower chamber. These PACs know his important position in the Texas House and desire access to him. Chair Burrows Republican primary opponent Wade Cowan took in $14,500 and has a respectable $68,656 cash on hand. According to the TEC filing, the largest donor to Mr. Cowans campaign was himself. Mr. Cowan currently has a television spot on local media and hopes such spending can translate into votes. State Senator Charles Perry who is a great fundraiser continues to keep challengers from his seat. He accepted $119,535 in donations to give him a whopping $1.4 million cash on hand, according to the TEC report. Sen. Perrys impressive fundraising ability continues to stave off even the most qualified contenders. While most of this piece discussed incumbents advantage in reelection through campaign finance, gerrymandering must be discussed here too. Gerrymandering is the manipulation of a legislative district by the Party in power to maintain its dominance. Such happens every ten years in the session after the census is taken in Texas. Lawmakers, then, redraw the legislative districts that are meant to reflect the changes in the states population. What lawmakers produce, however, are legislative district maps that favor themselves and the Party in power. This establishes districts with little competition, therefore, creating fewer challengers to officeholders. So as we enter into the primaries, we cannot forget an advantage exists in the races. The advantage goes to the incumbent. Drew Landry is an assistant professor of government at South Plains College. This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Advantage: Incumbents in West Texas party primary election this spring VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) Regent University has selected Attorney General of Virginia, Jason S. Miyares as its 2024 commencement speaker. We are delighted that Attorney General Jason Miyares wishes to celebrate the accomplishments of our Class of 2024, said Chancellor Gordon Robertson of Regent University. Attorney General Miyares has worked tirelessly to keep Virginia safe and thriving economically. AG Miyares knows the value of hard work and can speak to successfully navigating bold change in the face of considerable challenge. In November 2021 Miyares was elected the 48th Attorney General of Virginia. He is the first Hispanic American to be elected to a statewide office in Virginia and the first child of an immigrant to be attorney general. Regents commencement ceremony takes place on Saturday, May 4 at 9:15 a.m. on the outdoor plaza in front of the library. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. Semafor Signals Insights from Foreign Affairs, The Economist, and Izvestia The News Artificial intelligence models chose to initiate arms races, deploy nuclear weapons, and escalate to war in a series of conflict simulations, a new study found. Five AI programs from OpenAI, Meta, and Anthropic were put in charge of fictional countries and acted far more aggressively than humans tend to in similar situations, the authors wrote. We have it! Lets use it, one of the models said when justifying launching a nuclear attack. The study, conducted by researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology, Stanford University, Northeastern University, and the Hoover Wargaming and Crisis Simulation Initiative, concluded that given the findings, the U.S. and other countries should remain cautious about integrating autonomous AI agents into military processes. The research was published in January and first reported by Vice. SIGNALS Semafor Signals: Global insights on today's biggest stories. Militaries race ahead to integrate AI in everything from HR to fighter jets Sources: Foreign Affairs, The New Yorker, The Hill, Asia Times, Izvestia While AI systems launching a nuclear war may seem far-fetched, militaries have increasingly started to deploy the technology in a range of uses. Some of the applications are relatively uncontested: Allocating human resources more efficiently, predicting when weapons will need maintenance, and speeding up the analysis of satellite imagery. More controversially, the U.S. has also tested out AI fighter jet pilots and autonomous drone swarms, which have raised fears among human rights groups that AI-powered weapons will eventually operate without human control. While less is known about what countries such as Russia and China are doing, the U.S. has said Beijings military is taking strides to deploy AI to rapidly identify vulnerabilities in U.S. operations, while Russian officials said in 2019 that they plan to use AI to predict potential surprise attacks. Analysts warn that AI can have particular dangers in the nuclear realm Sources: Arms Control Association, Vox, Foreign Policy U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan has emphasized the need to maintain a human-in-the-loop when it comes to nuclear weapons, and has called on other nuclear powers to commit to similar policies. But the real danger may be if leaders start using AI to guide their decision-making about a crisis in the same way we rely on navigation applications to provide directions while we drive, nuclear weapons researcher Jeffrey Lewis wrote. In other words, some experts are concerned that military leaders may become overly dependent on AI-produced information in critical moments. When people start to believe that machines are thinking, theyre more likely to do crazy things, Stanford Universitys Herbert Lin told Foreign Policy. Russia, China, and US are modernizing their nuclear arsenals, risking a new arms race Sources: Time, Carnegie Politika, Politico, The Economist The worlds leading nuclear superpowers, the U.S., Russia, and China, are all rapidly upgrading or expanding their nuclear arsenals. In the U.S., a $1 trillion plan is apace to eventually replace all three legs of the nuclear triad nuclear-capable submarines, bombers, and ICBMs. A full-scale modernization is also ongoing in Russia, even if the plans remain behind schedule, a Russian nuclear expert wrote for Carnegie Politika. Meanwhile Beijing looks set to triple its nuclear arsenal by 2035, U.S. officials have announced. As a range of long-standing arms control agreements have fallen by the wayside, the three superpowers look set to enter a new nuclear arms race, The Economist wrote. MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency released the identity of a pedestrian killed in a Mobile County crash in January as 61-year-old Karen M. Malinauskas of Mobile. Troopers responded to the single-vehicle crash involving a pedestrian at about 9:10 p.m. on Jan. 15. According to ALEA a 16-year-old from Irvington driving a 2017 Honda Civic hit Malinauskas who was standing on Three Notch Road near Emerald Drive. Malinauskas was pronounced dead on the scene. INCIDENT LOCATION: This embedded content is not available in your region. Authorities could not confirm her identity until recently. ALEA continues to investigate the crash. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5. Italy has been shaken by the alleged gang rape of a 13-year-old girl in front of her boyfriend in a public park in the Sicilian city of Catania, the latest in a string of shocking sexual attacks in the country. The case is reminiscent of two alleged gang rapes last summer. A group of seven men and teenage boys between the ages of 15 and 18 are currently on trial for the alleged rape of a 19-year-old girl in Palermo in August. Weeks later nine young men were arrested and charged with allegedly raping two cousins aged 10 and 12 near Naples and broadcasting the attack live on social media. They, too, are facing trial. Last months alleged gang rape in Catania has become not only a symbol of violence against women in the country, but a cause celebre for Italys far-right government. The seven suspected perpetrators were all Egyptian migrants, three of them under the age of 18, Catania police confirmed to CNN. CNN approached the suspects lawyers for comment. Lawyers for three of them said their clients denied involvement in the actual assault, while the others would not comment because their clients are minors. The case was soon seized upon as evidence that migrants should be blocked from entering the country. Italys prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, came to power in September 2022 on an anti-immigration platform, but her efforts to curb irregular migration into the country have so far been unsuccessful. The Villa Bellini in Catania, Sicily, Italy, where a girl was allegedly raped. - Orietta Scardino/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock The men accused in the latest Sicilian case entered Italy by boat in 2021 and 2022 as unaccompanied minors, according to Catania police. Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, one of the countrys most visible far-right figures, said on X that they should not have been allowed to stay. Meanwhile, during a visit to Catania, Meloni expressed her solidarity with the alleged rape victim and her family. The state will be there, and the state will guarantee that justice will be done, she said. The ways in which the cases between those with Italian suspects and those with Egyptian suspects are being handled are already drawing scrutiny. The men accused of raping the 19-year-old woman in Palermo have been granted fast-track trials, their lawyers told CNN, which means they will be held behind closed doors and sealed. The Egyptian suspects have been appointed lawyers who have not yet entered a plea, but the prosecutor in the case has already filed additional charges tied to illegal immigration, Alessandro Fidone, the court appointed lawyer representing two of the suspects told CNN. Those who were now over the age of 18, and therefore not categorized as unaccompanied minors, no longer had the right to stay in the country because Egyptians do not qualify for asylum in Italy. Italys interior ministry has called for a thorough review of all centers housing unaccompanied minors to see if similar cases exist. Migration blamed Italy has long struggled with the problem of gender-based violence. In November, both houses of parliament unanimously passed a new measure strengthening punishments against perpetrators of gender-based violence and increasing protective measures for women who fear for their lives. The legislation was inspired by the case of Giulia Cecchettin, a 22-year-old woman murdered by an ex-boyfriend. She was one of 118 femicides in Italy last year. In 2022, women were the victims of 91% of homicides committed by family members, partners or former partners, according to the European Data Journalism Network. Violence against women is a phenomenon thats more or less present in all countries, caused by structural causes like the disparity between men and women, stereotypes and prejudices, Elena Biaggioni, vice president of D.i.Re, a national association that coordinates anti-violence centers and womens shelters, said last June. Matteo Salvini argued that the suspects - who are Egyptian migrants - should not have been allowed to stay in Italy. - Massimo Di Vita/Mondadori Portfolio/Getty Images Speaking at a protest after a pregnant woman was allegedly stabbed to death by her partner, she added: But of course in countries where theres a macho culture and sexism is stronger, like Italy, this violence is justified in a different way. Yet in the latest case, officials have centered their attention on the background of the alleged perpetrators. The judge investigating the most recent case, Carlo Umberto Cannella, said the suspects were likely to reoffend because they were not accustomed to civilization. He ruled that they should all remain in prison while the investigation is underway. It appears clear that there is a danger of repetition of the crime also in light of the fact that the horror only ended thanks to the girls attempt to free herself, Cannella said Wednesday as he ruled that the suspects should not be released on bail, according to a court spokesperson. In a scathing op-ed in the right-leaning newspaper Il Giornale, which was founded by the family of the late former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, the editors also blamed migration for the alleged Sicily rape. Why are these individuals, without any requirement to access international protection, still in Italy and have not been subject to expulsion? the editors wrote. Because upon arrival in our country they declared themselves minors and the law prevents the rejection of irregular immigrants who have not yet reached the age of majority. Now they will go to trial for rape but, in the meantime, that little girl will forever carry with her the pain and trauma of rape, suffered at just 13 years old. This is not the first case of non-EU minors being welcomed into Italian facilities and then engaging in criminal activities. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Former White House communications director Alyssa Farah Griffin said that the 2024 election will come down to whoever is the least off putting for voters in a likely matchup between President Biden and former President Trump. Farah Griffin responded to recent gaffes made by Biden and Trump and suggested that each candidate has concerns with age and mental sharpness on CNNs State of the Union panel on Sunday. Her comments come after a special counsel report looking into classified documents found at Bidens private residences labeled the sitting president as an elderly man with a poor memory. Theres a question of mental acuity and age on both sides. But the conundrum of 2024 is that Republicans are running the one person who could lose to Joe Biden and Democrats are losing running the one person who can lose to Donald Trump, Farah Griffin said. Neither of these are popular candidates nationally, and in fact, its basically going to come down to a handful of swing states, who was the least off putting for voters in November. Thats what were dealing with. The enthusiasm the lack of enthusiasm with Biden is very real, but also the number of people who could never support Donald Trump is also very real, she said. Biden, 81, and Trump, 77, have both faced questions about their age and mental readiness when it comes to hoping for a second term in the White House. A recent NBC News poll found that 76 percent of voters had major or moderate concerns when asked whether Biden has the necessary mental and physical health to be president for a second term. Forty-eight percent of voters said they had major or moderate concerns when asked the same question about Trump, according to the poll. Biden and the White House slammed special counsel Robert Hurs report, with his legal team saying it was inappropriate and that it was trashing the president. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. LONDON (AP) As chances rise of a Joe Biden-Donald Trump rematch in the U.S. presidential election, Americas allies are bracing for a bumpy ride. Many worry that a second term for Trump would be an earthquake, but tremors already abound and concerns are rising that the U.S. could grow less dependable regardless of who wins. With a divided electorate and gridlock in Congress, the next American president could easily become consumed by manifold challenges at home before even beginning to address flashpoints around the world, from Ukraine to the Middle East. French President Emmanuel Macrons recent verdict was blunt: Americas first priority is itself. The first Trump administration stress-tested the bonds between the U.S. and its allies, particularly in Europe. Trump derided the leaders of some friendly nations, including Germanys Angela Merkel and Britains Theresa May, while praising authoritarians such as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian leader Vladimir Putin. He has called Chinas Xi Jinping brilliant and Hungarys Viktor Orban a great leader. In campaign speeches, Trump remains skeptical of organizations such as NATO, often lamenting the billions the U.S. spends on the military alliance whose support has been critical to Ukraines fight against Russias invasion. He said at a rally on Saturday that, as president, hed warned NATO allies he would encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want to countries that didnt pay their way in the alliance. Trump also wrote on his social media network that in future the U.S. should end all foreign aid donations and replace them with loans. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned that Trump risked endangering U.S. troops and their allies. Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the U.S., and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk, he said in a statement Sunday. Biden, meanwhile, has made support for Ukraine a key priority and moral imperative. But Bidens assertion after his election in 2020 that America is back on the global stage has not been entirely borne out. Congressional Republicans have stalled more military aid for Ukraine, while Americas influence has been unable to contain conflict in the Middle East Thomas Gift, director of the Centre on U.S. Politics at University College London, said that whoever wins the presidential race, the direction of travel will be the same toward a multipolar planet in which the United States is no longer the indisputable world superpower. Most allied leaders refrain from commenting directly on the U.S. election, sticking to the line that its for Americans to pick their leader. They are conscious that they will have to work with the eventual winner, whoever it is and behind the scenes, governments will be doing the backroom work of quietly establishing links with the contenders political teams, said Richard Dalton, a former senior British diplomat. But many of Americas European NATO allies are worried that with or without Trump, the U.S. is becoming less reliable. Some have started to talk openly about the need for members to ramp up military spending, and to plan for an alliance without the United States. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he was currently on the phone a lot with my colleagues and asking them to do more to support Ukraine. Germany is the second-largest donor of military aid to Kyiv, behind the U.S., but Scholz recently told German weekly Die Zeit that the country couldnt fill any gap on its own if the U.S.A. ceased to be a supporter. Trumps comments on Saturday about NATO rang alarm bells in Poland, which shares a border with Ukraine. We have a hot war at our border, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Sunday. He warned: We must realize that the EU cannot be an economic and civilizational giant and a dwarf when it comes to defense, because the world has changed. Russia, meanwhile, is busy bolstering ties with China, Iran and North Korea and trying to chip away at Ukraines international support. Macron also suggested American attention was focused far from Europe. If Washingtons top priority is the U.S., he said its second is China. This is also why I want a stronger Europe, that knows how to protect itself and isnt dependent on others, Macron said at a January news conference. Trump does have supporters in Europe, notably pro-Russia populists such as Hungarys Orban. But former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson raised some eyebrows when he argued recently that a Trump presidency could be just what the world needs. Johnson is a strong supporter of Ukraine in its struggle against Russian invasion, whereas Trump has frequently praised Putin and said hed end the war within 24 hours. However, Johnson said in a Daily Mail column that he didnt believe Trump would ditch the Ukrainians, but instead would help Ukraine win the war, leaving the West stronger and the world more stable. Bronwen Maddox, director of the international affairs think tank Chatham House, said arguments like that underestimate how destabilizing Trump has been, and likely would continue to be if reelected. For those who say his first term did not do much damage to international order, one answer is that he took the U.S. out of the JCPOA, the deal to curb Irans nuclear program. Irans acceleration of its work since then has left it a threshold nuclear weapon state, she said during a recent speech on the year ahead. Biden was a critic of Trumps Iran policy but hasnt managed to rebuild bridges with Tehran, which continues to flex its muscles across the region. Dalton, a former U.K. ambassador to Iran, said prospects for the Middle East would be slightly worse under Trump than Biden. But he said divergence on the regions main tensions the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Irans ambitions would be limited. No U.S. administration is going to make a serious effort to resolve differences with Iran through diplomacy, Dalton told The Associated Press. That ship sailed quite some time ago. Palestinians and their supporters, meanwhile, implore Biden to temper U.S. support for Israel as the civilian death toll from the war in Gaza climbs. But hard-liners in Israel argue the U.S. is already restraining the offensive against Hamas too much. Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israels far-right national security minister, recently said Biden was not giving Israel his full backing and that if Trump was in power, the U.S. conduct would be completely different. Much like its allies, Americas rivals are not openly expressing a preference for the election outcome. Trump developed a strong rapport with Turkeys Erdogan, calling them very good friends during a 2019 meeting at the White House. Yet Turkey-U.S. relations were fraught during his tenure. The Trump administration removed Turkey from its F-35 fighter jet project over Ankaras decision to purchase Russian-made missile defense systems, while Trump himself threatened to ruin Turkeys economy. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told CBS in January that he doesnt believe there will be any difference between a Trump and a Biden presidency. He argued that Russia-U.S. relations have been going downhill since George W. Bushs administration. China, where leaders initial warmth toward Trump soured into tit-for-tat tariffs and rising tensions, little changed under Biden, who continued his predecessors tough stance toward the United States strategic rival. Zhao Minghao, a professor of international relations at Fudan University in Shanghai, said that for China, the two candidates were like two bowls of poison. Gift, from University College London, said the move to a more fractured world is going to happen regardless of whether Donald Trump or Joe Biden is elected. Its just sort of a reality, he said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. Its ironic that in 2024 the very fate of our republic rests entirely in the hands of the nations 85 million low wage potential voters, roughly a third of the American electorate that society and the corporate news media regularly ignore. Its the common Beltway wisdom that these folks at the base of the pyramid are marginal to the political conversation as compared to the vaunted middle class upon which both major parties have for so long fixated on. Its the product of a perverse feedback loop that was flagged by a Columbia University study undertaken of the 2106 electorate with the support of the Poor Peoples Campaign, which studied the low-wage voter cohort and found a majority of them did not vote and when they were surveyed they explained they didnt turn out because they didnt hear candidates discuss issues that had any relevancy to their lives. Columbia University researcher Robert Paul Hartley found that only 46 percent of voters with household income less than twice the federal poverty rate cast a ballot in 2016, as compared to a 68 percent turnout rate for voters who had a household income more than twice the poverty line. Theyre saying that theyre not voting because people are not speaking to their issues and that theyre just not interested in those candidates, Hartley, told the New York Times But its not that they couldnt be. Its a kind of conundrum. Low-wealth voters are left out of our deliberations and sit on the sidelines, their disengagement reinforced by voter suppression, and campaign consultants use their MIA status to justify the pursuit of that white suburban voter they feel more comfortable with anyway. Like so much Beltway wisdom that failed to flag the rise of Donald Trump and the Insurrection, it is seriously flawed and informed by racism, classicism, and condescension as well as by a corporate media looking to capture eyeballs that can afford a Viking cruise. In 2016, in key rust belt states where unions were part of the historic Democratic base like Michigan, Trump won thanks to depressed African American voter turnout and the lack of engagement of the multi-racial cohort of economically struggling voters that polls show overwhelming support for reproductive rights, a living wage and universal healthcare. In 2016, Trump carried Michigan by just 10,000 votes. 980,000 low-wage voters did not turn out. If. 1.1 percent of those voters had bothered the results would have been different. Michigan was no exception. In North Carolina, Trumps margin of victory was 170,000 votes while 920,000 poor and low-wealth voters sat it out. If just 18.9 percent of those disengaged voters had been motivated to go to the polls history would have bent another way. In the House of Representatives in 2022, now held by Speaker Mike Johnson, R-LA., an unapologetic insurrectionist, the GOP won control by just 3,500 votes in five tight House races. In 2020, in Arizona, Georgia, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin the Biden-Trump faceoff was really tight, close to just 3 percent. In Texas, a Republican bastion for decades, the margin was just over 5 percent. The numbers dont lie. If voters want to vote the GOP into extinction they can do it by waking what the Rev. Dr. William Barber calls the sleeping giant thats the low-wage, low-wealth multi-racial voter cohort. That might yank the Democratic Party of Sen. Joe Manchin to the left considerably but we will have saved the republic just the same. This is too high stakes to be left to the courts. This week in Washington at the National Press Club the Poor Peoples Campaign, under the leadership of Barber and Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, announced their plans for a mass mobilization of 15 million poor and low-wealth voters nationwide ahead of Novembers election. They were joined by respected pollster Celinda Lake, President of Lake Research Partners. Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course. "In 2024, the election is going to be about mobilization, Lake told reporters. There is no question that the biggest contest between the two parties is going to be who can get their voters out to vote. Democrats have an enthusiasm gap today, and the progressive alliance and Democrats have fissures within their constituency that makes getting out the vote even more important. The biggest bloc of potential voters by far is low-income, low-wage voters. Increased participation even by miniscule percentages could be game changers. It is a massive voter engagement that is being started here today. Lakes analysis was certainly born out in the recently concluded South Carolina Democratic Primary where President Biden easily prevailed but what has professional Democrats worried was the anemic turnout in a state where Black voters are pivotal and voter engagement has been downhill since President Obama. In the 2008 primary over a half-million turned out, close to a quarter of the registered voters. In the most recent Democratic contest just over 130,000 came out, less than five percent of the states voters. In 2016, in a proof of concept, the Poor Peoples Campaign targeted specific low wealth and low wage voters in several states including in Georgia where they identified and mobilized 36,000 previously unengaged voters that helped produce the margin of victory in the pivotal U.S. Senate races won by Rev. Raphael Warner (D-GA) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA). The Poor Peoples Campaign is planning simultaneous actions on March 2 at over 30 state capitols to launch the campaign and highlight the policies being promulgated in state houses across the country that are hurting the poor or distracting from addressing the real issues facing poor and low-wealth people, according to the PPC. The targeted states include Alabama, Arizona, California, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. For far too long extremists have blamed poor people and low wage people for their plight while moderates too often have ignored poor people, appealing instead to the so-called middle class while the poor and low wage people have become nearly half of this country, Barber told reporters. Poor and low wage people have the power to determine and decide the 2024 elections and elections beyond. In the 2016 election there were 34 million poor and low wealth people eligible to vote but didnt. These voters made up more than a quarter of the electorate. Barber continued: Poverty is now the fourth leading crisis of death in America, a moral crisis in America taking the lives of 800 people a day and this is before and after COVIDThese are the issues that must be at the center of the narrative of a democracy in our country. If we are serious about saving the democracy it cant be some philosophical term. Saving the democracy must be a Third Reconstruction where people are paid a living wagewhere people have health carewhere public education is fully funded and where voting rights are protected and expanded. Barber called out by name eight moderate U.S. Senate Democrats that in 2021 joined with the Republicans to defeat raising the minimum wage to $1 from the $7.25 where it has been stuck since 2009 when Obama was president. Speakers at the press conference referenced Congresss decision to roll back the expansion of the Earned Income Child Tax Credit, which caused a major spike in childhood poverty and the Biden administrations decision to let states unwind Medicaid when the White House declared the pandemic was over. As a consequence, several million people lost their subsidized coverage including over three million children. We are mobilizing, organizing, registering and educating people for a movement that votes, votes for healthcare and debt cancellation, votes for living wages and string anti-poverty programs and votes for fair taxes and the demilitarizing of our communities and world, said Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis who noted that since the last presidential election close to 1,000 voter suppression bills have been introduced that impacts poor and low income people the most. Dozens of local leaders from the state chapters of the Poor Peoples Campaign were on hand in person and virtually for the high spirited kick off including Janice Guzman, an organizer with the Massachusetts Poor People's Campaign and SEIU 1199. "I work for MassHealth as a Personal Care Attendant, helping to take care of people with disabilities and who are sick and need help with their daily activities. But I do not have health insurance myself, Guzman told reporters. I am an essential worker living paycheck-to-paycheck and I have to make decisions every day. Do I put gas in my car or do I pay my bills? Or do I put food on my table?, said Janice Guzman, an organizer with the. This is why I am organizing with the Massachusetts Poor People's Campaign. We have got to get our power as people, get back the mic, raise our voices and register voters. Forward together!" The Jacksonville Beach Police Department will host an accelerated hiring process. Applicants will complete the following in one day: Physical Abilities Test Written Exam Oral Board You must apply before March 28th, 2024. After applying, email Detective Ikram at yikram@jaxbchfl.net to RSVP. If you are chosen to attend the process, an invite will be sent to you. To see the benefits and to apply, click the link below! https://www.jacksonvillebeach.org/265/Joining-JBPD >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. Hateful rhetoric, not helping kids In his Feb. 4 commentary Why the flap over Swift? Because griping works in politics, (1C) Bud Kennedy describes the complaining and resentment that are powerful tools in politics. It doesnt matter if there is meaningful truth involved or solutions presented. For example, I have received in the mail twice flyers from a group called the Texas Family Project. The nonsense accuses Republican state Rep. Stephanie Klick of siding with Muslims in her voting pattern. This hateful rhetoric has nothing to do with Texas families. And if the group represented families, it would be seeking the best ways to educate all children, provide functional day care and ensure food security and safety for children and families. The only way to have any impact on this trashy side of politics is to call it out. And Kennedy does his best to do this. - Penny Baxter, North Richland Hills How does Paxton pull it off? Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton clearly does not want to be deposed or testify under oath, (Feb. 7, 17A, Justice delayed as court halts AG Paxtons trial deposition) and there can only be one reason: He would have to either incriminate himself or commit perjury. Any reasonable person would assume that his delaying tactics indicate that he is guilty of the charges against him. His nefarious behavior is nothing new, but how was he so handily reelected? Do reasonable Texans buy that the Donald Trump witch hunt scenario applies to Paxton? - Owen Daniel, Fort Worth Caring for those most in need Many thanks for the article Feb. 4 about Fort Worths street medicine team. (4A, Help is on the way; Team of dedicated health care workers are a literal lifeline for Fort Worths unhoused population) These professionals who choose to take their skill and training onto the streets are proof that there truly are angels among us. I pray God continues to bless their work. Great story. - Diane Etzel, Fort Worth Texas will always be red Regarding Ryan Rusaks Feb. 4 column, Texas at center of 2024 election even without being a swing state, (4C) Texas is still significant to the national conversation. Our abortion laws reflect the conservative values of many Texans, and it is because we cherish all life and believe there is value and potential in the children who are not given a chance to live. Busing migrants to sanctuary cities may seem controversial, but it sends a clear message that Texas is willing to take action when the federal government does not. Sen. Ted Cruz has proved he will defend and protect the will of the majority of Texans. Rep. Colin Allred has not. Texas will not turn blue. The Democratic Party is heavily influenced by progressives, and most people dont like it. Texas will reaffirm its conservative values in the coming election. - Elizabeth Thompson, Saginaw Let the pros educate children As a Fort Worth ISD mom, Im writing to raise awareness about the threat religious extremist groups pose to our school district. While these groups divert attention from student outcomes and threaten board members, I am increasingly concerned about their efforts to ban books and curricula that represent people from diverse cultures, beliefs and sexual orientations, as so many Fort Worthians are. Research shows that reading a variety of books leads students to higher reading scores, deeper engagement in school, reduced propensity for risky behavior and stronger connections with classmates and family. Please support teachers and librarians trained to decide which books are appropriate without infringing on parents rights to limit access to books for their own children. Please encourage board trustees to respect our families and adopt the policy proposals we have submitted to the district to reduce outside influence. - Sabrina Ball, Fort Worth Members of the Action against Unfair Ulez group blocked cameras for three hours in Sutton on Sunday - JAMIE LORRIMAN Anti-Ulez activists have blocked every camera in Sutton in a protest at Sadiq Khans controversial scheme. Around 400 protesters took part in the borough-wide demonstration, which organisers say involved obstructing more than 80 cameras on Sunday afternoon. Bus driver Kingsley Hamilton, of campaign group Action Against Unfair Ulez, said the demonstration meant that no Ulez camera was functioning in the south London borough as at least 20 other cameras have already been damaged or removed. Motorists driving through Sutton were previously not impacted by the Ultra Low Emission Zone daily charges of 12.50 per day for non-compliant vehicles. However, London mayor Mr Khans expansion of the scheme last year saw around 90 per cent of the borough fall under Ulez rules overnight. Placards and posters were used to block the view of Ulez cameras - JAMIE LORRIMAN The decision was fiercely opposed by the council and a petition set up to delay the expansion until public transport in Sutton had improved significantly amassed thousands of signatures. On Sunday, between 12pm and 3pm, activists held up signs in front of cameras which enforce the scheme allowing motorists with non-compliant vehicles to drive through the borough for free. Mr Hamilton, 45, told The Telegraph: There are 107 cameras that we are aware of but a lot of them have been deactivated. We got at least 80 covered today, so every single camera in the borough is either deactivated or is being covered with a placard today. Weve put messages out on social media advertising the fact it is only for three hours, so drivers can do what they would normally do like visit a relative in hospital, without being fined. Mr Hamilton, who brought his 1967 Routemaster bus to the demonstration, lives in Wallington with his wife Hannah. The couple have a Volkswagen Tiguan which they use to drive their two-year-old son Teddy to hospital appointments. The toddler has primary ciliary dyskinesia, a rare disorder which affects the airways and means he often suffers from lung infections. A cardboard box is used to cover a Ulez camera in Sutton - JAMIE LORRIMAN Mrs Hamilton, 40, who attended the protest as well said: We cant afford to buy a new car and if my son needs to go to hospital, Im not going to wait for an ambulance - Im going to drive him myself. While standing at the Rosehill Roundabout in Sutton, Mr Hamilton and his fellow activists received several beeps in support from drivers as they passed, including motorists in smaller and seemingly compliant cars. Even people who have compliant cars had to fork out and get unaffordable loans to buy these compliant cars, Mr Hamilton said. So its all very well saying that people have compliant cars now, but theyve still got that loan to pay off, that loan that they didnt need during a cost of living crisis. Some anti-Ulez activists have previously taken their rage even further with so-called Blade-Runners ripping down or damaging cameras a criminal offence. However, Mr Hamilton was keen to stress that his group would not be breaking the law. He said: Some of the cameras in the borough have already been deactivated. Obviously, that has nothing to do with us, we are not condoning any criminal activity. The Telegraph has approached the Mayor of London and Transport for London for a response. A Met Police spokesman said: Police are aware of a protest at the Rose Hill Roundabout in Sutton today, Sunday 11 February. The protest passed peacefully and no arrests were made. The group have now left the area. 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. Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum spoke in front of a house on Harper Road in Atlantas Lakewood Heights neighborhood to provide new details in an arson investigation from Saturday morning. Earlier on Saturday, an Atlanta Police Department patrol car was set on fire outside the home of an officer living in the Lakewood Heights area. On Saturday night, Schierbaum confirmed the arson of the patrol car was connected to members of the group known as Defend the Atlanta Forest and Stop Cop City. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Schierbaum said at the briefing that the group had taken credit for the arson on Saturday and that investigation by APD, the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department, and a group of state and federal partner agencies had taken officers to a home on Harper Road. As that investigation played out, a group commonly known as Defend the Atlanta Forest or Stop Cop City took claim of that arson. In the neighborhood of residents of this city, they claimed, took responsibility for setting fire to the police car that is used to protect this city, Schierbaum said, adding that neighborhood residents had also assisted the department. TRENDING STORIES: The police chief said they developed probable cause for a search warrant of the home, then executed it. While Schierbaum spoke to members of the media and the public, officers were actively searching the property behind him. As a result of that citizen support investigators, probable cause was developed and we believe that two arsonists involved fled to 501 Parker Road SE, shortly after the arson took place. We presented our evidence to a judge late this afternoon, and the judge concurred that probable cause existed. Shortly after that, the Atlanta Police Department APEX Unit executed that search warrant at the residence behind me. As we speak, the residence is being processed by investigators from this department, investigators of the FBI, investigators of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Schierbaum said. According to the chief, members of the U.S. Secret Service were also assisting. He said APD was searching for multiple individuals for questioning, and that the people who set the patrol car on fire had fled to the home behind him earlier on Saturday, though they were no longer at the house. During the briefing, Schierbaum spoke strongly about the departments commitment to holding those setting fires accountable and praised the efforts of APD and its partners. I want to note a couple of things here. We are not going to allow, as a police department or law enforcement community, for this city to be held hostage to fear and intimidation from fire. In the last 72 hours, we have served four search warrants, collecting evidence for a series of fires that have taken place. On Thursday morning we took into custody an individual we believe and have alleged to be a key participant of those arsons. The citizens of Atlanta, they are residents of a first-class city and they deserve and should expect first-class first responders of their fire and police departments. An attempt to use fire to incite fear to stop the building of a training center that is vital to us being a first-class city protected by first-class first responders will fail. The citizens should know that those, that very small group, that has committed these fires, are being held accountable, Schierbaum said. The chief said the protests, which have gone for about two years, have seen dozens of fires set, saying the group responsible must not be allowed to threaten Atlanta residents or leaders. This is a group that have now for almost two years have set dozens of fires trying to intimidate the politicians of this city, the law enforcement in this city, as well as the contractors to stop building the public safety training center. They took claim for that fire today, Schierbaum said. What does it mean to the citizens of Atlanta? Thats $80,000 of your taxpayer dollars that will be used to replace that vehicle. What does it mean to the citizens of this city? That is a neighborhood that is deprived of its police officer and his vehicle until it is replaced. During a brief question and answer session, the chief said the department will not for one moment rest until those committing arson were held accountable, then thanked the various agencies who had assisted in the investigation, noting that they had worked together all day long, even before the sun came up, and continued as the sun set over Atlanta. When asked if he would consider ending a lawsuit involving the public training facility, Schierbaum declined, instead saying Our job is keeping Atlanta safe. Folks who are setting fires? Thats who Im having this conversation with. We are going to continue to arrest them, we are going to continue to hold them accountable. Arson is wrong, arson is a crime, it puts lives in danger. This department will not tolerate that. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: A 16-year-old boy jumped into a freezing Arizona lake to try and rescue a man who drove his SUV into the water on Wednesday, according to several outlets. Ethan Cakmak jumped into action after learning a man had driven into a neighborhood lake near his apartment complex near Dobson and Queen Creek roads in Chandler, Arizona, ABC15 reported. Erkan Cakmak, the teen's father, told FOX10 that he was working from home and heard "a plump" from his balcony door and spotted the car in the lake. "I realized that he needed help, he might drown. So, I ran outside, through the gate, took my shirt off, took everything out of my pockets and I jumped into the water," Ethan Cakmak said. The teen "sprung into the water" as his father called 911. When Ethan swam out to the car, he noticed the man inside was passed out but breathing, ABC15 reported. "I looked through the window and I see the guy with his chin on his chest bobbing up and down because he was breathing, which is good because that means he's alive, but his eyes were closed, and he wasn't responding to any banging on the window," the teen told FOX10. The car had stopped sinking, but Ethan was unable to break a window to help get the man out. He swam back to shore. Teen believes it's important to help others First responders arrived and pulled the man out of the water, ABC15 reported. The driver, who has not been identified, was taken to the hospital for evaluation, FOX10 reported. Chandler Police Sgt. Ricky Gonzales told FOX10 he commended the father and son duo for stepping up to help. "I think that's awesome. It goes to show that we're out here looking out for each other. Not just us, PD and fire, but also our private citizens," Gonzales said. "That's pretty cool." The teen told ABC15 that helping others is important to him and is one of "his values." "People need help sometimes and you should be as a community there for each other," Ethan told ABC15. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Teen in Arizona tried to save a man whose car went into a lake EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) Retired Army Maj. Gen. Edward Greer, who has spent most of his retirement years in El Paso, survived three wars and growing up in a segregated United States. He also reached the pinnacle of his chosen profession, rising to the rank of a major general or a two-star general. As he nears his 100th birthday next month, Greer doesnt like to think of himself as a pioneer or trailblazer as a Black man. Distinguished Army major general to turn 100 in March Instead, he likes to think about all the Black men who came before him, paving the way for his success. There were so many other guys who went down that road before I even got around, Greer said in a sit-down interview earlier this month. Greer, a native of Gary, West Virginia, will turn 100 on March 8. We have had some guys who have done some fantastic things you have probably never even heard of, he said. Photos by Dave Burge/KTSM Greer started his Army adventure when he enlisted in 1943 and served for three years in World War II. He served in the 777th Field Artillery Battalion, an all-Black unit that had white officers. After World War II ended, he would go back to college, earn a degree and then return to the Army, this time as an officer as a young second lieutenant. He would go on to see action in Korea and Vietnam and rise up through the ranks. In Korea, he would earn a Silver Star, the U.S. Armed Forces third highest military honor for valor in combat. In Vietnam, when he was a colonel, he would oversee four artillery units. Greer said he really doesnt have any memories of World War II, that it was like another lifetime ago. He, however, has vivid recollections of both Korea and Vietnam. Id say that one was a gentlemans war (Korea) and the other (Vietnam) was hell, he said. I personally had a different aspect of Vietnam, Greer said. I spent my tour in a helicopter. By this time in Vietnam, I was at the grade of colonel and was commanding a field artillery group of four artillery battalions, dispersed from Da Nang all the way up to the Laotian border. The only safe way to get to all those places was by helicopter, he continued. If you tried to drive a Jeep through those places, youd end up missing in action or killed in action. It was dangerous. Greer said the North Vietnamese were a ferocious enemy highly trained who gave you a good battle any day. He said he would have liked to have been a regular tourist and seen places like Hue, the ancient imperial capital of Vietnam that was virtually destroyed during the war. It was such a quaint place, but it would have been suicide, especially a lone Jeep going through an area like that, Greer said. Perhaps the pinnacle of Greers career came in 1972, when he was one of five Black soldiers who were all selected for promotion to brigadier general (one-star) on the same day. You recognize how few there are (Black generals) and you are one of a few, he said. The Army, I give them credit, to make a selection of five at one swoop (for promotion to general) It had never been done before or never been done since. Only two of those soldiers selected for promotion to general that day are still alive, Greer said. Greer spent much of his time as a general serving in the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. before retiring. Throughout his Army career, he trained and visited Fort Bliss many times. He said he fell in love with the weather, the culture and the slower pace of life along the border. He also enjoyed going over to Juarez where he never had any problems with segregation or racism. In 1976, he and his wife moved to El Paso and he has been living here ever since. One of his proudest achievements was helping to raise money for and get the Buffalo Soldier statue built that is located near the entrance to Fort Bliss that is near El Paso International Airport. That statue signifies the Black soldiers who came before him and dealt with a segregated Army long before President Harry Truman integrated it by executive order in 1948, Greer said. Greer said the integration of the Army six years before the Supreme Court struck down school segregation in its historic Brown vs. the Board of Education ruling helped propel great change in the United States. Ive seen a fair amount of change since I first started (in the Army), he said. One being the Army going from Black units and white units to primarily being one Army. I would say it has been a success. That successful integration of the Army spread to other areas of life, he added. Greer has obviously seen an unimaginable amount of change in his century of life. It gets mind-boggling at times, he said. I have to admit I havent kept up. A lot of these things, my grandchildren are experts at and its news to me. I know every day is an achievement for me, he said. After he turns 100, what is his next goal? To make it to 101, he said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, Sunday with symptoms of an emergent bladder issue, his spokesperson said in a statement. Austins security detail transported him to the hospital Sunday afternoon, according to the statement. This is Austins second hospitalization for urinary tract issues this year. At approximately 4:55 pm today, Secretary Austin transferred the functions and duties of the office of the Secretary of Defense to Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks, Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in the statement, more than two hours after he first left for Walter Reed. The Deputy Secretary is prepared to assume the functions and duties of the Secretary of Defense, if required. The White House, Congress and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff have also been notified of Austins condition, Ryder said. Austin has been recovering from a severe urinary tract infection that developed following a procedure to treat prostate cancer late last year. He traveled by ambulance to Walter Reed on Jan. 1 and spent two weeks being treated. Austin admits he wanted to keep his cancer diagnosis secret His, and his teams, failure to notify the president, Congress or the public about that initial hospitalization created an uproar early in the year that prompted a Pentagon review of notification procedures when the defense secretary is incapacitated. The review, which will recommend a new notification policy, was completed on Thursday, Ryder told reporters during a briefing. Austin traveled to Walter Reed on Sunday with equipment that will allow him to maintain both classified and unclassified communications, Ryder said. Authorities on Saturday released the names of two people killed Friday when a vehicle being pursued by a Cahokia Heights police officer collided with their vehicle as it turned into a driveway. Marilyn Hill, 60, and Willie Bufford, 73, both of Cahokia Heights, died at the scene of the crash in the 3500 block of Bond Avenue, in East St. Louis, according to a release from Illinois State Police. The accident happened at 2:19 p.m. on Friday. Heres how the Illinois State Police release describes what happened: A Cahokia Heights Police Department (CH PD) officer observed Unit 1 traveling at a high rate of speed and while attempting to catch up to the vehicle to initiate enforcement action, the vehicle was observed traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes of traffic, the release states. Unit 1 struck Unit 2 on the drivers side as they were turning left into a driveway. The driver of the speeding car then tried to flee the scene of the crash, pulled out a firearm and accidentally shot himself. The driver was taken to a hospital for treatment. The identity of the driver of the vehicle that collided with the uninvolved vehicle was not released. East St. Louis police asked state police to investigate the incident, the release states. Aiken County authorities are investigating a fatal accident that took place Saturday night. A Nissan Sentra was traveling east on Sandbar Ferry Road near Swamp Road in Beech Island when it hit a pedestrian walking in the road at about 8 p.m., according to Aiken County Coroner Darryl Ables. The pedestrian was pronounced dead on the scene and their identity will be released after next-of-kin has been notified. Ables' office and the South Carolina Highway Patrol are continuing with the investigation. 'It's absolutely wonderful': New North Augusta middle school celebrated by community This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Beech Island, Aiken County car crash causes pedestrian death This past December at the age of 47, Tepatondele Teta Delozege became a firefighter with Orange County Fire Rescue. Its been great, I work with a great crew they challenge me, said Tepatondele Teta Delozege. In 2023, Lynx Tepatondele Teta Delozege became part of the departments certified class 104 after being certified in fire school after his third attempt. The training in Orlando was just one of the hurdles he completed growing up in another country. Im built for this; God gave me these skills. I can do this, said Tepatondele Teta Delozege. Read: Report: DEA operation nets head of drug trafficking organization based in Orlando When his parents named him, they gave him the first name Lynx, named after his fathers Boy Scout nickname. In Belgium, the government didnt allow a first name to be the name of an animal, and he opted out to change it, so for years, his ID card looked different, barring no first name. First name: Last name: Tepatondele Teta Delozege At 18, Tepatondele Teta Delozege played professional basketball in Belgium for the Spirou Basket Charleroi. Read: Pedestrian dies after car crash in Merritt Island, troopers say He attended and graduated college from Pembroke, North Carolina with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education. After college, he returned to Belgium, where he continued to play semi-professional basketball and work as a physical trainer. Tepatondele Teta Delozege then owned a gym, but it eventually went out of business. In 2010, Tepatondele Teta Delozege signed up for a green card lottery to become a U.S. resident. After seven years, he received the card and moved to the U.S., which he then noticed had a first name added by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The agency gave him the name Fnu, which stood for First Name Unknown. While he found his career, he plans to become a U.S. citizen as Lynx Jean Marie Teta Delozege Tepatondele. He wants to add Jean Marie as a middle name in honor of his father. Once he graduates from paramedic school, he will pursue his citizenship. He believes it will happen in the next two years. Read: Abandoned Pine Hills Church destroyed by fire was recently being used for religious service Tepatondele Teta Delozege is now working at Fire Station 52 in Orange County. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Two poll workers hang a sign at the polling station in the Carl-von-Ossietzky-Gymnasium in Berlin-Pankow before voting begins. Voters in hundreds of Berlin constituencies head to the polls for a partial re-run of the 2021 federal election, after numerous mishaps the first time round. Christoph Soeder/dpa Voters in hundreds of Berlin constituencies were heading to the polls on Sunday for a partial re-run of the 2021 federal election, after numerous mishaps the first time round. In December, Germany's Constitutional Court ordered a repeat after the botched elections in the city-state on September 26, 2021, including ballot papers being incorrect or going missing altogether. Queues formed outside polling stations beyond the supposed close of voting when projected results had already been announced. So on Sunday, 549,549 Berliners may cast their ballots in 455 of the city's 2,256 constituencies and associated postal voting districts, or around a fifth of the overall number. The vote will not alter the majority of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's centre-left governing coalition as it affects only 0.9% of voters nationwide. However, the capital's voters could make minor changes in the make-up of the Bundestag, as the German parliament is known. Berlin currently has 29 of the 736 lawmakers in the national parliament and some lawmakers are at risk of losing their seats while others might be returned for the first time. At a broader level, the vote is seen as marking the start of a key election year in Germany, with European elections scheduled for June 9, then state elections in Saxony, Thuringia and Brandenburg in September. However, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) will probably not prosper in the re-run. The AfD has seen support surge in opinion polls in eastern states such as Saxony, but does not have the same widespread appeal in Berlin. Two poll workers hang a sign at the polling station in the Carl-von-Ossietzky-Gymnasium in Berlin-Pankow before voting begins. Voters in hundreds of Berlin constituencies head to the polls for a partial re-run of the 2021 federal election, after numerous mishaps the first time round. Christoph Soeder/dpa Two poll workers hang a sign at the polling station in the Carl-von-Ossietzky-Gymnasium in Berlin-Pankow before voting begins. Voters in hundreds of Berlin constituencies head to the polls for a partial re-run of the 2021 federal election, after numerous mishaps the first time round. Christoph Soeder/dpa From the Dispatch Weekly on The Dispatch Hello and happy Sunday. I sincerely hope none of you have turned the 2024 election into a drinking game (tempting though that may be), because anyone who has probably woke up Friday to a splitting headache. Take a shot every time former President Donald Trump has business before a court? Check. And/or a drink every time current President Joe Biden has a senior moment? Check, check, and check. Forgive me for making light of very serious business, but Thursday was a crazy day. The Supreme Court heard oral arguments as to whether Colorado can keep Trump off the ballot in the state under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, known as the Insurrection Clause. Even before the ink was dry on the articles, blog posts, and tweets discussing that storythat the justices seem unlikely to rule that Trump is ineligible to runnews broke that Attorney General Merrick Garland had released to Congress a report from Special Counsel Robert Hur on his investigation into Bidens handling of classified documents. Now, the report had some good news for Biden. While Hur found that the president did retain and disclose classified materials, no criminal charges are warranted in this matter. Good start, right? Hur ran through a list of reasons for his findings: Having classified documents at his home while he was vice president and president is allowed, and jurors might find that Biden did not retain the documents wilfully. But then Hur concluded: Mr. Biden would likely present himself to a jury, as he did during our interview of him, as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory. Thats not the kind of get-out-of-jail-free card that an octogenarian running for a second term in the White House is looking for. These were hardly groundbreaking disclosures about Bidens age and mental fitness. An NBC News poll released before Hurs report came out found that 76 percent of voters have concerns about Bidens health. But Hurs report was a product of Bidens own Justice Department. We dont like to repeat ourselves around here too often, but these stories warranted throwing all of our resources at them. In fact, we ended up sending two separate Morning Dispatch newsletters on Friday. In the main newsletter (), we focused on Hurs report and the reaction to it from both Democrats and Republicans. And we reported on the press conference the White House called for Thursday night to allow Biden to respond: The president then took questions, and at one point poked fun at one of the lines in the report. Im well-meaning, and Im an elderly man, and I know what the hell Im doing, he said. As he exited the stage, however, a reporter shouted a question regarding the ongoing negotiations to free the remaining hostages in Gaza. Biden returned to address the final questionand confused Mexico with Egypt in his answer. In the very specialand unlikely to be replicatedAfternoon Dispatch (), we covered the oral arguments on the 14th Amendment question. The gang noted that the justices had questions on various aspects of the case but focused on issues surrounding the authority of the states to act on Section 3. The conclusion? All indications from the oral argument suggest the justices are not inclined to pursue an expansive ruling requiring them to adjudicate what does and doesnt constitute an insurrection. In The Collision, Mike and Sarah touched on the Hur report, but spent more time discussing the oral arguments in the 14th Amendment case and covered the other big legal matter involving Trump this week: A three-judge panel from the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Trump enjoys no immunity from prosecution by Jack Smith in the January 6 case. How Trump responds to that ruling could determine whether that case is heard before the 2024 election, and Sarah and Mike run through the various scenarios. If [Trump] wins the general election, the criminal cases against himall of themwill be put on hold while he is in office, or dismissed entirely, they wrote. Its why Smiths team wants to speed up the process and why Trumps team wants to slow it down. These are political, not legal, arguments for why the courts should act, yet the D.C. Circuit appears also to be influenced by the time crunch. In Boiling Frogs (), Nick defended Hurwhom Trump appointed to be a U.S. attorney in 2018from accusations that his report was politically motivated, instead blaming the Democratic Party for refusing to address this very obvious problem earlier. The hard truth is that it was a matter of time before the presidents senescence exploded as a political issue in a spectacular way, he wrote. Most of us assumed that moment would come when he suffered a health crisis; instead it came when his own DOJ, in an official investigation, concluded that hes too feeble-minded for a jury to believe hes capable of felonious mens rea. The bomb has gone off at last, and members of Bidens party privately seem to recognize the scale of the blast. Its been a long time coming. The fuse has been lit for years. In Stirewalt on Politics (), Chris labeled Hurs report a 10-word epitaph for Democrats hopes. But before he gets there, he also reminded us that congressional Republicans had a historically bad week that was overshadowed by the other stories. A bipartisan bill in the Senate to shore up border security and provide funding to Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwanthe product of months of negotiationfaced transparently opportunistic opposition from former President Trump and was deemed dead on arrival in the House by Speaker Mike Johnson. To cover their hides from such a nakedly political move, House Republicans teed up a pair of messaging measures to try to put some pressure back on the Senate, Chris wrote. The first, a doomed, incoherent impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas spearheaded by the unquenchably ambitious Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, unexpectedly failed. Whoops. Moving right along, Johnsons team brought forward a standalone bill for Israel funding which also failed. We are a country facing serious challenges, and this week was an unfortunate reminder that we have, for whatever reason(s), put too many unserious people into positions of power. On that cheery note, we did write about a few other things. Thank you for reading. Not a member? Join now! Full-on war between Israel and Lebanon-based Hezbollah has yet to break out, but the Israeli Defense Forces are treating conflict as a foregone conclusion. Charlotte reported from the border community of Hanita on the number of troops deployed and citizens displaced, noting that a wider conflict would exact a high cost on both sides. Government officials have already begun preparing Israelis across the country for the possibility of long-range Hezbollah attacks, urging civilians to take appropriate precautions by stocking their shelters, she wrote. The Israeli Health Ministry last month ordered hospitals in the north to be ready to care for thousands of wounded patients. College enrollment has been steadily declining since 2010, a problem with multiple causes and no easy solutions. Or, maybe its not a problem at all? Thats the argument made by economist and American Enterprise Institute fellow Beth Akers. She noted that a declining birthrate has a lot to do with that, and thats an intractable problem. But another problem is that people dont feel like college degrees give them a good return on their investment, and colleges will have to do a bit of introspection about whats brought them to this point. Half of the American workforce has built lives and families working in jobs that dont require a degree, Akers wrote. I hope that as young people turn away from traditional higher education, they take inspiration from the paths that these workers took to develop their skills and build careers. While they are less celebrated by society, pathways toward careers in the trades are often more lucrative than more academically oriented degrees. Not a member? Join now! And heres the best of the rest. Late last week, Jessica Melugin argued that its the job of parents, not the government, to keep kids safe online. Continuing in our series of point/counterpoint arguments, this week Michael Toscano said its time for Congress to pass the Kids Online Safety Act. The other other big story from Thursday was that former Fox News host Tucker Carlson aired his two-hour interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin made many false or misleading statements. And while Tucker might not have pushed back as much as he should have, we put fact checker Alex on the case. For a deeper dive on the chaos in Congress over the border deal, check out Dispatch Politics . The crew also had the latest on Nikki Haleys campaign. The Department of Labor issued a new rule that determines whether workers should be considered employees or independent contractors. In Capitolism (), Scott explained why the rule remains costly, why it probably wont achieve its primary objective, and how a new and important study on a similar regulation in California shows just these very things. The pods: On Advisory Opinionswhich was just featured in The New Yorker!Sarah and David discuss the oral arguments regarding Trumps eligibility under the 14th Amendment. On The Dispatch Podcast, the gang talked about the collapse of the border deal and treads into AO territory in discussing the D.C. Circuit Courts ruling that Trump is not immune from prosecution. And if you could use a virtual break from the news, tune into The Remnant, where Jonah checked in from the Virgin Islands and revealed how blissfully out of touch he was this week. 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. President Biden went after former President Trump on Sunday for his comments admitting he once threatened NATO allies he would encourage Russian aggression, calling the remarks appalling and dangerous. Trump recounted the remarks during a campaign rally Saturday, saying he would encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want to countries that are delinquent on NATO financial and military contributions. Biden warned Sunday that a second Trump term would destroy American relations abroad and embolden the countrys enemies. If my opponent, Donald Trump, is able to regain power, he is making it clear as day that he will abandon our NATO allies if Russia attacks and allow Russia to do whatever the hell they want with them, he said in a statement. Serving as Commander-in-Chief is the ultimate responsibility and one that should weigh heavily on the individuals that hold this office, he continued. Donald Trumps admission that he intends to give Putin a greenlight for more war and violence, to continue his brutal assault against a free Ukraine, and to expand his aggression to the people of Poland and the Baltic States are appalling and dangerous. Sadly, they are also predictable coming from a man who is promising to rule as a dictator like the ones he praises on day one if he returns to the oval office, he added. Bidens comments come after the White House denounced Trump on Saturday night, calling him unhinged. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) also joked that Russian President Vladimir Putin must be absolutely thrilled about Trumps words. GOP rival Nikki Haley also hit Trump for the comments, warning the former president to not take the side of a thug, referring to Putin. Haley added that she would absolutely stand with NATO if elected president. NATO has been a success story for the last 75 years, she said in a CBS Face the Nation interview Sunday. Trump was critical of NATO allies while president and repeatedly threatened to undermine the international defensive alliance. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in a statement Sunday that any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the U.S., and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk. Trump has similarly called on the U.S. to halt foreign aid spending, including to Ukraine, raising concerns among Democrats and Americas allies in Europe. The Trump campaign doubled down in a statement to The Hill, denouncing Bidens defense policy in Europe. President Trump got our allies to increase their NATO spending by demanding they pay up, but Joe Biden went back to letting them take advantage of the American taxpayer, spokesman Jason Miller said. When you dont pay your defense spending you cant be surprised that you get more war. Updated 9:30 p.m. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. An attorney for President Biden went after special counsel Robert Hur on Sunday, accusing the former federal prosecutor of producing a shoddy work product in the report that cleared Biden of wrongdoing for keeping classified documents. Hur said Biden came off as a well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory in interviews for the investigation, a characterization Biden has aggressively denied. Attorney Bob Bauer said Hurs report went off the rails, including personal attacks on Biden that were born of political intention and not judicial investigation. The investigation could have been concluded in two or three months. It went on for over 15 months, Bauer said in a CBS Face the Nation interview Sunday. And so along with a legal conclusion comes this flood of characterizations, factual misstatements, pejorative comments about the President that are inconsistent with [Department of Justice] policy and norms. And that, as you see over the last 48 hours, have been widely criticized by legal experts, he continued. This is not what prosecutors do. It is [a] shoddy work product. Bidens legal team derided Hurs characterizations of the president as inflammatory, asking Hur to revisit and revise the language. Bauer said those requests were not heeded in the final report. While the report clears Biden of any criminal wrongdoing, it affirms that the president did keep classified information from his time as vice president in his home and office. The comments on Bidens mental acuity and behavior which Bauer dubbed totally inappropriate have raised questions among some Biden supporters about Hurs reliability. Hur is a former U.S. attorney for Maryland appointed by President Trump in 2018. He resigned when Biden came into office, which is standard for federal prosecutors. Bauer, who was present when Biden was interviewed by Hur, said the president gave his best recollection of events, as asked, and did not show signs of any mental deficiency. [Biden] engaged, he answered the questions, and the special counsels decision to cherry-pick, in a very misleading way, some of the references that youre discussing here, is an example of what I call a really shabby work product and completely out of bounds for a prosecutor, Bauer said. He also alleged that Hur included the personal digs at Biden as part of a political attack on the president, given that the investigations result did not find Biden at fault. What I was concerned about in the course of this investigation is that we had a special counsel who had one eye on the foregone legal conclusions, and one eye on the inevitable storm from members of his own party, would he [have] to conclude that the president had not broken the law, Bauer said. So you have to wonder with those pressures impinging on the investigation from the outside, knowing the attacks the Republicans had levied on the law enforcement process did he decide we would have to ask that he would reach the only legal conclusion possible, and then tossing the rest of it to placate a certain political constituency? he continued. Bidens age and memory have been front and center in his 2024 reelection campaign. Biden and his campaign have denied any problems, though the president has made a series of gaffes in recent days, including mixing up the leaders of France and Germany and misstating Egypt as Mexico during a press conference. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. John Kirby speaks at a press briefing at the White House in Washington By Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) -John Kirby, President Joe Biden's top national security spokesperson, is getting a promotion and an expanded role at the White House, a U.S. official told Reuters on Sunday. Kirby, who in past years has served as the top spokesperson at both the Pentagon and the State Department, will have a new title - White House national security communications adviser - and will be elevated to an assistant to the president from deputy assistant. He will be in charge of communications coordination for national security across a variety of agencies, the official said. Kirby will preside over a separate team from the National Security Council's press office, which will continue its daily press operations as usual. It is headed by chief spokesperson Adrienne Watson. Kirby has been one of the most visible faces of the Biden White House, frequently joining the podium for briefings alongside press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre to brief on national security issues, particularly since the Hamas attacks on Israel on Oct. 7 and Israel's subsequent attack on Gaza. His appearances in the briefing room will continue, commensurate with when national security issues are dominant themes of the day, the official said. Anita Dunn, a senior Biden adviser, said in a statement that Kirby's "decades of high level national security experience and his clear, strategic insights make him a deeply valued communicator and adviser on this team." "President Biden is proud to have John leading national security message coordination across the administration as we continue to make a forceful case for our national security interests at home and in the world," she said. Kirby, a retired U.S. Navy admiral, has been the National Security Council's coordinator for strategic communications since he was brought over from the Pentagon in 2022. Under the new structure he will hire a small staff tasked with helping him synchronize the administration's messaging on national security issues. (Reporting By Steve Holland; Editing by Mark Porter and Stephen Coates) President Joe Biden is warming to the idea of being more publicly critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as his countrys assault on Gaza continues unabated, The Washington Post reported. The paper reported that Biden is becoming increasingly frustrated with Netanyahu, citing interviews with multiple sources familiar with internal White House discussions. Per the Post, the president and his aides are no longer viewing Netanyahu as a productive partner who can be influenced even in private. Biden and the prime minister have known each other for more than four decades, and the president has long been a supporter of Israel, but Biden recently signaled a potential shift in his view of Israels military actions when he said last week that the conduct of [Israels] response in Gaza was over the top. A lot of innocent people are starving, Biden said. A lot of innocent people are in trouble and theyre dying. And its got to stop. One official told the Post that the issue of humanitarian aid to Gaza is constantly on [Bidens] mind. A United Nations report found that one in four Gazans are starving due to the war. U.N. aid agency UNRWA recently said Israel is preventing a months worth of food aid for 1.1 million Palestinians from entering the Gaza Strip. The White House later clarified Bidens over the top remarks, saying that nothing has changed in the administrations messaging about the war. Bidens position hasnt changed. I dont think his messaging has changed. We dont think his messaging has [changed]. He doesnt believe his messaging has changed, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre clarified the next day during a briefing. But behind the scenes, the White House is becoming increasingly frustrated with Netanyahu, sources told the paper, especially in light of Israels plans for a ground invasion of Rafah, a city on Gazas southern border with Egypt, where upwards of 1.5 million Gazans have fled and are now living in makeshift tents. Before the war, 280,000 people lived in Rafah. Theyre already living in tents and not getting enough food and water and youre saying go somewhere else, an outside adviser to the White House told the Washington Post. Where? How are they supposed to get there? In an interview Sunday on ABCs This Week, Netanyahu defended his direction for the evacuation of Rafah. Those who say that under no circumstances should we enter Rafah are basically saying lose the war, he said. Prime Minister Netanyahu defends his direction for Israeli Defense Forces to evacuate civilians out of Rafah ahead of ground invasion: Those who say that under no circumstances should we enter Rafah are basically saying lose the war. https://t.co/fqz18NLoo3 pic.twitter.com/zpMhdkm97i This Week (@ThisWeekABC) February 11, 2024 Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Israel last week participating in negotiations for a ceasefire deal, but Netanyahu rejected an offer from Hamas to release the hostages and engage in a ceasefire, calling the deal delusional. Continued military pressure is a necessary condition for the release of the hostages, Netanyahu said. There are clearly nonstarters in what (Hamas has) put forward, Blinken said of the offer. But we also see space in what came back to pursue negotiations, to see if we can get to an agreement. Thats what we intend to do. Israels military operations in Gaza since Oct. 7 have killed more than 28,000 Palestinians and injured upwards of 67,000, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Over the weekend, Israel killed at least 44 Palestinians in Rafah alone, including more than a dozen children. Even if Biden sharpens his rhetoric around the war, it will make little substantive difference as long as the U.S. is funding Israels military efforts, Ben Rhodes, former president Barack Obamas deputy national security adviser, told the paper. Last week, the Senate advanced a $95 billion aid package that included $35 billion in aid for Israel. It will now head to the House. So long as you are supporting Netanyahus military operation in Gaza without condition, it makes absolutely no difference how much you turn the dial in your comments. Fundamentally, you have to make a decision not to give Bibi a blank check of support, Rhodes said, referring to Netanyahu as Bibi, a common nickname for the prime minister. More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed a deal to secure the release of hostages in Gaza at length on Sunday, according to a senior administration official, who cautioned that while a framework is in place, gaps remain. In their first call since January 19, Biden and Netanyahu discussed Israels ongoing campaign in Gaza, the return of hostages held by Hamas, and Israels anticipated ground assault on the city of Rafah, which has drawn concern from the US and from others in the region. The President reaffirmed our shared goal to see Hamas defeated and to ensure the long-term security of Israel and its people. The President and the Prime Minister discussed ongoing efforts to secure the release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas, a statement from the White House said. Over the last several months, the US has attempted to put more pressure on the Israeli government to support a humanitarian pause in its war against Hamas. But those efforts have yielded little success. Last week, Netanyahu called Hamas recent proposals for a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza delusional. The full Hamas response proposes three phases, each lasting 45 days, including the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, a massive humanitarian effort, and freedom of movement for people throughout Gaza, according to a copy obtained by CNN. There is not a commitment there has to be a negotiation, its a process, and at the moment, from what I see from Hamas, its not happening, Netanyahu said. There are 136 hostages being held in Gaza, including 132 who were captured during Hamas October 7 attack. Twenty-nine of the hostages are dead, according to the Israeli prime ministers office. Secretary of State Antony Blinken previously said negotiations toward an agreement would continue despite the Israeli prime ministers comments, which Blinken said were referencing the absolute non-starters in the proposal. The call between Biden and Netanyahu lasted about 45 minutes, and two-thirds of the call was focused on the release of hostages, according to the senior Biden administration official. There are certainly gaps that need to be closed. Some of them are significant, but there has been real progress over the last few weeks, and we are now seeking to do all we possibly can to capitalize on it, the official said. Biden on Sunday reaffirmed his view that a military operation in Rafah should not proceed without a credible and executable plan for ensuring the safety of and support for the more than one million people sheltering there, the White House said. Netanyahu last week said the Israel Defense Forces would soon go into Rafah, Hamas last bastion. More than 1.3 million people are believed to be in the southern city, the majority of whom were displaced from other parts of Gaza, according to the United Nations. Netanyahu called for the people in Rafah to evacuate ahead of the ground assault, but it is unclear where they could go; the city borders Egypt to the south, but the border has been closed for months. The US has said it would not support an Israeli military operation in Rafah without serious planning given the risks. We have made very clear that an operation under current conditions is not something that we could envision, the senior administration official said. Bidens phone call with Netanyahu comes a few days after the president offered one of his sharpest rebukes to date of Israels military conduct in Gaza, saying the operation to go after Hamas had been over the top. Im of the view, as you know, that the conduct of the response in Gaza in the Gaza Strip has been over the top, Biden told reporters at the White House on Thursday, describing his own efforts to open up Gaza so more humanitarian aid could flow in. Biden and Netanyahu didnt specifically address the presidents comment, the senior administration official said. Last week, Blinken told Netanyahu and other top Israeli officials that the civilian toll in Gaza remains too high as violence continues in the region. Nearly 2 million people have been displaced from their homes. Hundreds of thousands are experiencing acute hunger. Most have lost someone that they love. And day after day, more people are killed, Blinken said at a news conference after meeting with top Israeli officials. The Israeli offensive, launched after the Hamas attack just over four months ago, has taken an immense humanitarian toll on the strip, with tens of thousands dead and the population of Gaza on the brink of famine. Officials see a cessation in fighting as central to both their short- and longer-term objectives for Gaza as international and domestic US pressure to end the conflict mounts. Earlier Sunday, Biden also spoke with Blinken, CIA Director Bill Burns, Vice President Kamala Harris, national security adviser Jake Sullivan and his senior White House team. This story and headline have been updated with additional developments. CNNs Jennifer Hansler, Amir Tal, Mick Krever, Abeer Salman, Eve Brennan and Hamdi Alkhshali contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com President Joe Biden on Sunday told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israels planned ground invasion in Rafah should not proceed without a plan to ensure the safety of the more than 1 million people living there, according to the White House. During the conversation, Biden and Netanyahu reaffirmed their shared goal to see Hamas defeated and to ensure the long-term security of Israel and its people, and discussed efforts to release the remaining hostages held by Hamas, according to a readout of the call. He also called for urgent and specific steps to increase the throughput and consistency of humanitarian assistance to innocent Palestinian civilians. And he reaffirmed his view that a military operation in Rafah should not proceed without a credible and executable plan for ensuring the safety of and support for the more than one million people sheltering there, the readout said. The Biden administration, aid agencies and other world leaders have urged Netanyahu to call off his plans to invade the southern Gaza city, which had a population of roughly 280,000, before the war but is now home to more than 1.4 million people who have fled south to avoid Israels military offensive. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock warned that an Israeli offensive on Rafah would be a humanitarian catastrophe in the making. The people in Gaza cannot disappear into thin air," she posted on X. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby previously warned the U.S. would not support Israels assault on the region, saying that a military operation would be a disaster for civilians there. In an interview with NPR, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said that a military operation in the city cannot proceed under current conditions. Biden has been relatively unwavering in his support for Israel, and has a longstanding relationship with Netanyhu, who has been prime minister off and on since the 1990s. But last week he criticized Israels response to the deadly Oct. 7 attack by Hamas as over the top. Netanyahu has pushed back on the criticism, saying that an Israeli victory over Hamas is within reach. Those who say that under no circumstances should we enter Rafah are basically saying lose the war, keep Hamas there, he said during an interview that aired Sunday on ABCs This Week. By Andrea Shalal WILMINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday that Israel should not launch a military operation in Rafah without a credible plan to ensure the safety of the roughly 1 million people sheltering there, the White House said. Biden and Netanyahu spoke for about 45 minutes, days after the U.S. leader said Israel's military response in the Gaza Strip had been "over the top" and expressed grave concern over the rising civilian death toll in the Palestinian enclave. The call focused largely on ongoing efforts to secure the release of the remaining 132 hostages held by the Islamist Hamas group in Gaza, a senior administration official told reporters, noting that "real progress" had been made in recent weeks. While there were still some "significant" gaps to close, the official said the deal was "pretty much there," adding that Biden had stressed the need to capitalize on that progress to "secure the release of all hostages as soon as possible." Biden also emphasized his view that "a military operation in Rafah just really cannot proceed without a credible and implementable plan for ensuring the safety of and support for the more than 1 million people that are now sheltering there," the official said, adding that they simply had "nowhere to go." Biden's blunt warnings against a military operation in Rafah, located in the southern part of Gaza on the border with Egypt, come amid warnings from aid agencies who say such an assault could lead to many more death, and concerns that it could derail the hostage release efforts. Hamas-run Aqsa Television on Sunday quoted a senior Hamas leader as saying that any Israeli ground offensive in Rafah will "blow up" the hostage-exchange negotiations. Netanyahu's office has said that it had ordered the military to develop a plan to evacuate Rafah and destroy four Hamas battalions it says are deployed there. "The president's been clear in his comments ... about Israel's conduct in Gaza," the official said. The United States supported the need to defeat Hamas, but had repeatedly warned Israel that it had to ensure that innocent civilians were protected. Israeli leaders had told U.S. officials that moving civilians to safety was a "clear precondition" for their military operations, the official said. "They've made clear that they would not contemplate any operation without it." Biden affirmed the United States' support for the long-term security of Israel, but also called for "urgent and specific steps" to increase humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians in Gaza, including a huge shipment of U.S. flour that would feed 1.4 million Gazans for six months, the official added. The White House said Biden and Netanyahu agreed to remain in close contact, but gave no date for a next possible call. Biden will host Jordanian King Abdullah at the White House on Monday and has been closely engaged in the hostage release negotiations, the official said. U.S. officials are also in close touch with regional officials and Egypt. 'OVER THE TOP' The Israeli prime minister told the "Fox News Sunday" program earlier on Sunday that he had not talked with Biden since the U.S. president's "over the top" comment and did not know what he meant by it. The U.S. official said the comment was not addressed specifically in the call, the leaders' first since Dec. 19. Asked in an interview with ABC's "This Week" program aired on Sunday how many Israeli hostages held in Gaza are still alive, Netanyahu said "enough to warrant the kind of efforts that we're doing." Health authorities in Gaza, which is controlled by Hamas, estimate more than 28,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed in the region since the conflict began in October. Palestinian health authorities say around 70% of those who have been killed were women or children under 18. The World Health Organization has described the Palestinian Health Ministry system for reporting casualties as "very good" and U.N. agencies regularly cite its death toll figures. Hamas gunmen killed 1,200 Israelis and took around 250 hostages back to Gaza in the October assault that triggered the conflict. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal in Wilmington and Leah Douglas in Washington; Editing by Paul Simao and Mark Porter) President Biden on Sunday advised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to not proceed with Israels slated operations in Rafah without a plan, the White House announced. The White House said Biden, in a call with Netanyahu on Sunday morning, told the Israeli leader that the military operation in Rafah should not proceed without a credible and executable plan for ensuring the safety of and support for the more than one million people sheltering there. Israel ordered evacuations of Rafah last week in anticipation of an invasion of the densely populated city, where one of Gazas largest refugee camps is located for Palestinians fleeing the war. It is the enclaves southernmost city and is located at the border with Egypt. Rafah was considered the last designated safe zone in Gaza, while Israel claims it is the last remaining stronghold for the Palestinian militant group Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization that has ruled Gaza since 2007. Israel struck Rafah overnight into last Friday and continued strikes over the weekend, which killed at least 31 Palestinians, The Associated Press (AP) reported. The strikes came despite the U.S.s warnings last week against extending operations into Rafah. State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel last week said an expansion into Rafah with no planning and little thought in an area where there is sheltering of a million people would be a disaster. In his call with Netanyahu on Sunday, Biden also reaffirmed the White Houses shared goal to see the threat of Hamas eliminated following the groups Oct. 7 attack, which left about 1,200 people dead, mostly civilians, according to the White House readout. Biden also stressed the need to capitalize on progress made in the negotiations for the release of the remaining hostages taken by Hamas during its Oct. 7 assault and called for specific steps to increase humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians. More than 27,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the onset of the war in early October, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza, per the AP. Biden has increased his calls in recent weeks for Israel to take greater caution in preventing civilian deaths in Gaza and last week said the conduct of the response in [the] Gaza Strip has been over the top. Netanyahu on Sunday dismissed this claim and said he believed Israel was doing the right thing in Gaza. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. President Biden will travel to East Palestine on Feb. 16, a little more than a year a since the derailment of a Norfolk Southern train carrying toxic chemicals near the town. [T]he President will travel to East Palestine, Ohio to discuss how the Administration is continuing to work with state and local officials to hold Norfolk Southern accountable and support the community as it moves forward, the White House said in an advisory Saturday. The President will discuss his commitment to ensuring the people of East Palestine are not defined by this single event, and that his administration is delivering on the needs of families, businesses, and affected residents, the advisory continued. The train that derailed near the town spilled dangerous chemicals including vinyl chloride in the area, which has resulted in increased environmental and health concerns in the area. The White House also noted the upcoming trip at the end of last month, but the date was not specified at the time. The presidents visit to the Ohio town follows his comments from March last year, in which he said he vowed to visit at some point. The president has faced criticism from Republicans for not making the trip to the Buckeye State town, with his main rival for the 2024 presidential race, former President Trump, visiting East Palestine in February of last year to bring supplies and offer support to the community. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) recently noted concerns about the situation from constituents in the area. People are still concerned about the cleanup efforts, making sure you actually clean up the community, theyre worried about the long-term health consequences, Vance told The Hill. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Joe Biden in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, on 9 February 2024. Joe Biden in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, on 9 February 2024. Photograph: Andrew Harnik/AP In a call on Sunday with Benjamin Netanyahu, Joe Biden told the Israeli prime minister that Israel should not launch a military operation in Rafah without a credible and executable plan for ensuring the safety of and support for the more than one million people sheltering there. The call between the US president and Netanyahu was the first between the two leaders since Biden on Thursday used the phrase over the top to describe Israels military strikes in Gaza in response to the 7 October attack by Hamas. Related: Netanyahu defies Biden, insisting theres no space for Palestinian state Biden and officials with the United Nations have warned that an Israeli military ground offensive in Rafah, where about 1.3 million Palestinians are sheltering, would lead to a bloodbath. Israels military has appeared determined to move forward with the offensive while it remains unclear where the large number of civilians could be safely moved away from danger. More than half of Gazas population has fled to Rafah, which is near Israels border with Egypt. And the UN has said a quarter of that population is facing starvation. Israel has already been conducting airstrikes in Rafah that have killed and wounded several people. Netanyahu has claimed Israel will be moving forward with the ground campaign in Rafah but has insisted that plans are still being worked on. A ground operation in Rafah could cut off one of the only routes available for badly needed medical and food supplies to reach civilians in Gaza. The health ministry in Gaza has said more than 28,000 people have been killed there since the 7 October attack by Hamas that killed about 1,200. Bidens national security adviser, John Kirby, has said the US would not be in favor of any assault on Rafah without due consideration of civilians. That kind of military operation would be a disaster, Kirby has said, and its not something that we would support. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Bob Moore, who followed his passion in the middle of his life to found Bobs Red Mill, died Saturday at his home, officials connected with the company said. He was 94. He took his love of healthy foods and milling whole grains to found the company in 1978 in Milwaukie. The company quickly grew from just serving the Portland region to being a global food brand with more than 200 products in more than 70 countries. When he was 81, officials said, he began an Employee Stock Ownership Plan for the company. At this time, more than 700 employee owners own the company. He remained on the board until his death. Bobs legacy will live on forever in all of us who had the opportunity to work with him and is infused into the Bobs Red Mill brand, Bobs Red Mill CEO Trey Winthrop said in a statement. He did everything in his power to leave us on a strong path forward. All of us feel responsible and motivated to preserve his old-world approach to unprocessed foods; his commitment to pure, high-quality ingredients; and his generosity to employee owners and educational organizations focused on nutritional health. A celebration of life will be held at the Bobs Red Mill store in Milwaukie at a future date. Details are pending, but it will be open to the public. Bob spoke with KOIN 6 News in February 2022 about his life and times. Watch the video below Bob Moore was easy to recognize. He wore a red vest, cap, a beard and a bolo tie just like the image on millions of packages of milled whole gran products from oatmeal to flour. He was born in Portland on February 15, 1929 but grew up in California. He ran 2 gas stations, then started a flour mill there. He turned it over to his sons, then retired with his wife to Milwaukie to attend the seminary. But when he found an old feed mill in Milwaukie, he decided to launch Bobs Red Mill Natural Foods when he was around 48. Bobs Red Mill was health food before health food was cool, said Kerry Tymchuk of the Oregon Historical Society. The title of his biography that was written about him is People Before Profits. And I think that was one of his philosophies. He was a very religious man and believed in helping people, an incredibly generous philanthropist and gave millions of dollars of donations to Oregon State University and OHSU. He is survived by his three sons, Ken, Bob, Jr., and David; daughters-in-law Dora, Barbara, Ashleigh and Terry; 9 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. KOIN 6 News will have more information as it develops. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. A video shows a 30-foot-long dead gray whale washed up on Bolsa Chica State Beach in Southern California following a series of storms. Bicyclist Eric Meyer told the Orange County Register that he first mistook the whales carcass for sea foam on Thursday, Feb. 8, near Huntington Beach. Its kind of sad. I just went out on a whale trip and saw a gray whale, Meyer told the publication. Its pretty sad to see a big creature dead. A video posted to Facebook by Don Koland shows seagulls flying around the decomposing body. Gray whales are currently migrating north along the West Coast from Baja California to the Arctic, the Marine Mammal Center reported. The whale found at Bolsa Chica State Beach probably washed ashore during the recent series of storms, Justin Viezbicke, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations California marine mammal stranding response coordinator, told the Orange County Register. With all the recent fronts weve had blow through, this is typically what happens, he said. Those things that are floating around, they do get pushed ashore. The whale may have been dead for several weeks before washing ashore, KABC reported. Gray whales grow to about 49 feet and weigh up to 90,000 pounds, the NOAA said. They travel up to 14,000 miles round trip on their annual migrations. They are filter feeders, normally feeding on invertebrates on or near the sea bottom. Experts say their lifespan is unknown, but one gray whale was estimated to be 75 to 80 years old at death. Threats to gray whales include entanglement by fishing nets, ship strikes, ocean noise and climate change. They also are hunted by orcas, known as killer whales. The NOAA has been studying elevated numbers of gray whale strandings along the West Coast. Nearly 350 strandings have been recorded in the U.S. since Jan. 1, 2019. Body camera footage shows a Columbus police sergeant fired more than 10 gunshots into the windshield while on the hood of a stolen vehicle that struck him in a North Side parking lot. The sergeant, who has worked for Columbus police for 10 years, has not been identified. The bodycam and dash camera footage from a police cruiser, released Friday, shows what occurred Wednesday afternoon as Columbus police officers attempted to stop a 2015 Toyota Corolla that had been reported stolen from Lancaster. Body camera footage shows a Columbus police sergeant being struck by a car in a parking lot Wednesday afternoon. The driver of the vehicle, Holly Graham, is charged with felonious assault on a police officer. The video footage shows the car, driven by 32-year-old Holly Graham, driving in circles around gas pumps at two service stations on East Dublin-Granville Road as police attempt to stop her. On at least two occasions, Graham pulls into a pump, and police pull in behind her, giving her verbal commands to show her hands, but Graham drives away. For more than five minutes, officers attempt to block Graham in the parking lots, finally attempting to use stop sticks to disable the vehicle in a parking lot of the Huntley Square shopping plaza near the intersection of Huntley Road and East Dublin-Granville Road. Prior coverage: Woman shot by Columbus police officer Wednesday was arrested day before Body camera footage from the sergeant shows him approaching the Toyota Corolla with his gun drawn, giving multiple verbal commands for the car to stop as it is backing up. The car then speeds up, striking the sergeant squarely. The camera footage shows the officer, who is on the hood of the car as it continues to move forward, firing what sounds like 12 shots into the windshield of the vehicle. The car drives through a ditch between the parking lot and East Dublin-Granville Road, abruptly stopping and causing the sergeant to fall onto the road. Body camera footage shows a car that struck a Columbus police sergeant driving with the officer on the car's hood. The driver, Holly Graham, is charged with felonious assault on a police officer. Grahan then drove eastbound in the westbound lanes of traffic for several blocks before hitting two cars head-on near the Interstate 71 interchange. When other officers approach Graham, she appears to have a gunshot wound to each of her upper thighs and one to her lower torso below her belt line. As officers start to assess Graham's injuries and apply tourniquets to each of her legs, Graham asks repeatedly for her water, which she says is in the center console of the car. "I didn't (expletive) mean to hit the mother (expletive)," Graham is heard saying. "Does anybody have an (expletive) cigarette? For real, does anybody have a cigarette?" she also says. Body camera footage from a Columbus police sergeant shows him firing multiple gunshots into the windshield of a car that hit him on the city's North Side. The driver of the vehicle, Holly Graham, is facing a felonious assault charge. Officers continue to treat Graham while paramedics are en route, repeatedly telling Graham their main concern is the holes in her legs, despite her insistence on having her water. "If you're trying to help me, water is the best for it," Graham says in the footage. Graham was taken to OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital, where she remains hospitalized in stable condition. She has been charged with felonious assault on a police officer. bbruner@dispatch.com @bethany_bruner This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Watch Ohio police sergeant shoot woman from hood of moving car The body of an Iraq combat veteran missing since Dec. 16 was found in the Columbia River near Plymouth, Wash., in Benton County Saturday morning. According to a Facebook post by his friend Andrew Ross, Chance Townsend went missing at night on his way down from Prosser to a Christmas party in Hermiston, Ore., where he grew up. His car was found on the Interstate 82 Oregon-Washington bridge. Townsend had severe post traumatic stress disorder, according to Ross. Searches were conducted in December with K-9 units, and volunteers that included veterans, friends and waterfowl hunters searched with drones, on foot and in boats, according to Ross. His body was spotted Saturday by fishermen and recovered by Columbia Basin Dive Rescue and Benton County sheriffs deputies and Benton County Fire District 6. An autopsy is planned to determine the cause of death. The Veterans Crisis Line offers support for veterans and their loved ones. Dial 988 and press 1 or text 838255. Those having thoughts of suicide and needing someone to talk to may contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988. The author of this story is anonymous for their safety. RAFAH, the Gaza StripThe vast majority of Gaza residents followed Israels instructions to flee their homes, which would supposedly keep them safe from the IDFs war on Hamas. They took them at their word, taking flight with their extended families and a few belongings only to find that the bombs, death, and destruction would soon follow them. As each alleged safe haven came under attack, the Israelis ordered families to move even further south. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians obeyed those demands and are now huddled against the southern border with Egypt in the city of Rafahsome literally have their tents pitched against the fence that cages them inside a warzone. How have they been rewarded? The Israeli bombs have come to Rafah over the past week, and the rumors of an imminent invasion of the last refuge are now at fever pitchpowered by threats from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Deadly air strikes on Rafah Friday were accompanied by reports that another evacuation order would be issued before the tanks rolled in. The United Nations called invasion plans a disaster. The European Unions top diplomat said there would be catastrophic consequences. Where can we go if the Israeli army initiates an operation in Rafah? asks Abu Zakaria al-Hams, 55. He is living with six family members in a tent pitched right on the border with Egypt because of the overcrowding within Rafah city limits. This is not their first temporary home, after leaving their home in Gaza City, they sought refuge in Khan Yunis, which was a designated safe zone in the southern part of the Strip until Israel changed its mind and took their battle against Hamas to the city. By U.N. Human Rights Office estimates over half of the entire population of the Gaza Stripwell over a million refugeesare now crammed into Rafah, a small city that was previously home to around 250,000 people. An aerial view of the makeshift tents as the Palestinian families seek refuge at the El-Mavasi district as they struggle to find clean water, food and medicine as the Israeli attacks continue in Rafah on February 9, 2024. Abed Zagout/Anadolu via Getty Images There is no vacant space in Rafah to walk; the prices of food items have tripled, and they are not available at all times. My children havent had enough food for the past four months, al-Hams said. A day ago, the Israeli army suddenly targeted a kindergarten in Rafah, a civilian car and today a mosque. It is too risky to walk in the streets. An air strike on Rafah this month reportedly killed 16 members of a family who had already been forced to flee three times before settling in the final safe zone in the Strip. Listen: Missing Gaza Girl Trapped in Car Shootout Begs for Help Al-Hams wants to know where the IDF will order them next. Will they permit our return to Gaza and the north, or will they compel us to cross the border? he asked. Or perhaps, he fears, they will be given no evacuation corridor out and may have to flee for their lives themselves. How can we cross this border? There are three types of fences and walls between Rafah and Sinai. It is impossible to survive. Like many who quit their homes believing Israeli claims that they would be safer in the supposed humanitarian zones in the south, al-Hams wishes he had ignored them. Theres no safe place, and I feel profound regret for leaving Gaza, he said. Four Homes in 100 Days The refugees seeking shelter in Rafah have turned to improvised spaces, such as wedding halls and unfinished construction sites to keep them from the rainfall and winter nights. There are not enough tents to go around, leading many to resort to using plastic sheeting to make impromptu tents or to replace shattered windows or missing roofs. Palestinians including children who fled from Israeli attacks and took refuge in Rafah city, try to survive in makeshift tents as they form a dense crowd on the streets of Rafah, Gaza on February 08, 2024. Abed Rahim Khatib/Anadolu via Getty Images Samer Younis, 55, has set up a tent for his family in the middle of a street in Tal al-Sultan in Rafah where he is trying to make ends meet by selling crunchy handmade snacks to children. I have no relatives in Rafah to stay in their house, and in order to shelter my family I had to construct a tent using nylon, the price of which has doubled, he said. There are hundreds of tents in this area now, it was empty a few weeks ago. The Israeli army squeezed us in Rafah which is too small compared to Khan Younis, where the operations of the army were increasing. The Younis familys last three months desperately trying to survive with no fixed abode is typical. As soon as the Oct. 7 massacre took place, they evacuated their home in eastern Gaza City, seeking refuge in the Shujia neighborhood for a week. Following an Israeli army evacuation order on Oct. 13, Samer was forced to move again, settling in the Nuseirat refugee camp just south of the Gaza Valley. During about three months of staying in Nuseirat we suffered a water shortage, food prices rocketing up and other items that were barely available, especially bread and wheat. I lost 15 kg [over 30 lbs], he said. The Israeli army had instructed us to go south of the Gaza Valley, but on Dec. 23, I was compelled to leave the Nuseirat refugee camp for Rafah as the Israeli army highlighted that our residential block was high-risk in the next phase of the war, he said. Samers anxiety intensified as the imminent birth of his grandchild approaches. Fearing the challenges of getting his daughter-in-law to the hospital this month, he strategically positioned his tent in close to the only accessible health-care facility in Rafah. Unfortunately, the area has many problems, including the absence of public transportation and the shutdown of mobile networks and internet services. We now find refuge in Tal al-Sultan, located to the west of Rafah, deemed a safe zone by the Israeli army. However, just a week ago, tragedy struck as the Israeli army targeted a nearby building, claiming lives within the Nofal family, he said. Desperate Palestinians Set Up GoFundMes to Pay Huge Bribes to Escape Gaza The constant threat of displacement and evacuations haunts me, heightening concerns for the safety of my family. I worry that amidst these challenges, I may lose loved ones or witness my children sustaining injuries. The added distress lies in the uncertainty of being able to transport them to a hospital when needed." There is no anesthetic for surgery, and most medications are unavailable. Medicine is only provided to those close to Hamas employees, and this is a problem. Even the distribution mechanism of aid is unclear. No one provided us with even a can of food, he said. Samers wife, Maha, 45, said: My dream now is a family gathering around a hot lunch or dinner, which is a luxury now. Or even to have a warm bath or even with cold water so children can sleep clean." Sick Kids Armed with a hammer and a small shovel, Mohammed al-Ghrabli is constructing a nylon tent that will serve as a temporary shelter for himself, his wife, and their three children. Having traveled to Rafah in the past week, he said, This marks the fifth time weve faced displacement in the past three months. We saw the death in Gaza when they shelled the residential quarters in our area last October. We were waiting to die. We woke everyday to live a new life, he said. My children have many stomach and skin diseases and the UNRWA clinic doesnt have the right medicine. We are taking a substitution. Even the food is unsafe, he said. Palestinian children walk among collapsed buildings as daily life continues under Israeli attacks in Rafah on February 05, 2024. Abed Rahim Khatib/Anadolu via Getty Images Al-Ghrabli blamed both Hamas and Israel for the horrible situation that his family is facing as he says With each evacuation order from the Israeli army we kept moving from Gaza to central Gaza to Khan Younis and now in Rafah. Hamas plan is unclear, are they proposing a solution for us? And will the Israeli army end this suffering soon? We fear the Israeli army may instruct us to evacuate Rafah to Sinai or force us to cross the border into Sinaiits our worst nightmare, and thoughts of a bleaker future linger. We remain in anticipation, I am afraid we are not ready to face the uncertainty for what comes our way, he said. As rain is affecting the tents in the camp, he said: The weather is bitterly cold, and we fled our house with summer clothes now it is winter and there are no clothes in the market. We use wood to make a fire at the door of the tent to get warmer. Mohammed Yasser, 53, leads a family of 17, including three grandchildren under 3. They moved to Rafah in December, but he does not see it as a beacon of safety. You look at the people here, you feel they appear like zombiesexhausted, fatigued, thirsty, and unkempt, he said. The biting cold within the tents has left our childrens skin cracked, blood flowing from their tiny lips. Im not asking Arab or U.S. to help. Im only asking Allah to grant us the reward for enduring these challenging days. Replace our sorrow with joy and relieve our constriction with a sense of comfort. In our desperate need, He is our only refuge. 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. LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) A 5-year-old Michigan boy was safely reunited with his mother after detectives arrested the father of the boy on the interstate, 900 miles from homenear Little Rock, Arkansas. Arkansas State Police arrested the Pontiac boys father, a 40-year-old Houston, Texas, man, in the Little Rock are on Feb. 3, according to Oakland County Office of the Sheriff. Oakland County officials said the boys father kidnapped him from Pontiac on Feb. 2, when the boys mother and father got into an argument in the mothers car. Officials say the mother then went into her house and the father drove her car away, taking the boy with him. A 5-year-old Pontiac boy is safe at home with his mother after Arkansas State Police arrested his father on an interstate near Little Rock. (Oakland County Sheriff) Officials said the father did not have custody and had not been involved in the boys life for several years, up until the last few monthsso obviously, there was concern about what was going to happen next. The mother later contacted the Oakland County Sheriffs Office, which traced her cars location to Arkansas. Arkansas State Police tracked down the stolen car on the expressway and pulled it over, arresting the boys father. The boys mother flew to Little Rock that day to reunite with her son, the sheriffs office said. The mother and son have returned to Pontiac. Oakland County detectives are in the process of extraditing the father back to Michigan for prosecution, the agency said. The boys father is facing car theft charges in Pontiac and additional felonies in Arkansas, the sheriffs office said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News. FILE PHOTO: Federal police officers leave the headquarters of the Liberal Party during an operation targeting some of former President Jair Bolsonaro's top aides in Brasilia By Lisandra Paraguassu BRASILIA (Reuters) - A Brazilian army colonel wanted by police in an investigation into am attempted coup by associates of Brazil's former far-right president was arrested on Sunday when he returned from the United States. Colonel Bernardo Correa Neto was arrested at Brasilia's airport when he arrived and put in detention at an army garrison after a custody hearing. He was sent to the United States by the army on a mission at the Inter-American Defense College in Washington in December 2022, when former President Jair Bolsonaro left for Florida days before the swearing in of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro never conceded defeat by Lula in the October 2022 election and was declared ineligible for elected office until 2030 for abusing his power as president and attacking Brazil's voting system by making baseless claims that it was open to fraud. The Federal Police on Thursday raided Bolsonaro's beach house and political party office, confiscated his passport and accused him of editing a draft decree to overturn the election result as part of an alleged plot for a military coup. Bolsonaro, a far-right populist often likened to former U.S. President Donald Trump, has denied the conspiracy and called the investigation political persecution. Thursday's police operation included search warrants against four former ministers, three of them retired army generals, and the arrest of four former aides, including Colonel Correa Neto. The president of Bolsonaro's right-wing political party, Valdemar Costa Neto, was also arrested on Thursday when a search of his Brasilia home turned up an unregistered firearm. He was set free provisionally on Saturday but has been ordered by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes not to speak to others implicated in the coup investigation. (Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu and Anthony Boadle; Editing by Mark Porter) A British man flew from Londons Heathrow Airport to Kennedy Airport without a ticket or a passport on Christmas Eve, according to multiple reports. Craig Sturt, 46, was detained when he landed in New York and shipped back to the U.K. on a charter flight, the Telegraph reported. Investigators believe Sturt, who is 6 feet tall, sneaked behind other passengers at a passport check and during boarding of the British Airways flight, according to the Telegraph. Heathrow officials insisted that Sturt must have undergone security screening, Sky News reported. However, they provided no explanation for how he cleared security and customs checks without any documents. All people who go airside are subject to security screening, including the individual involved in this case, a spokesperson told the outlet. Sturt slipped onto a Boeing 787 Dreamliner at Heathrows Terminal 5 without a ticket, authorities told Sky News. Evidently, security at Kennedy Airport was tighter, as Sturt was apprehended when attempting to clear customs without documentation. U.S. authorities put Sturt on a plane back to the U.K. on Christmas Day, and he was detained upon arrival, Sky News reported. He was charged with fraud and Aviation Security Act offenses. Sturt was due in court on Jan. 25, but he never showed up, according to Sky News. A warrant was issued for his arrest and he remains on the run. We continue to work with all our partners to review and enhance the already robust security measures in place which are kept under constant review by the wider security partnership, London police told Sky News. _____ Every week brings yet more evidence of Britains disappearing culture of work and aspiration. Millions are no longer seeking employment. Political efforts to get people off benefits and into jobs have been pathetic. Businesses are giving up looking for workers from among the British population, instead importing vast numbers of migrants. Lockdown is partly to blame. It further entrenched an existing tendency in Britain towards welfarism, bolstering the assumption that the state would always step in with generous benefits, even for people who are capable of working. The sharp increase in the number claiming to be unable to hold down jobs because of poor mental health may well be connected with the policy of actively banning normal human interactions during the pandemic, a population-wide retreat from reality. But the country also has to grapple with the possibility that, for millions, it may feel perfectly rational no longer to strive or make any particular effort. Older workers, flirting with early retirement, speak of their alienation from companies that have been captured by woke HR ideologues. The benefits system is malfunctioning, not doing enough to encourage people into work. For some groups in employment, marginal tax rates of 60 or even 70 per cent are an obvious disincentive to working harder or getting a promotion. For the young, house prices that are now massively out of kilter with incomes are an immovable barrier to aspiration. If you have no realistic possibility of emulating your parents path through life, or can only do so with super-human levels of saving and thrift, then it would hardly be surprising if some just give up in despair. Turning all this around is one of the most important tasks facing the Government, starting with the upcoming Budget. Otherwise there is a danger that this culture of idleness becomes self-reinforcing, with people believing they are no longer even expected to work, all propped up by an increasingly embittered taxpaying minority. Britain urgently needs to rediscover the virtues of ambition and aspiration. Or those of us who remain committed to personal responsibility and work might as well give up, too. 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. It would be nice to know that under the scary headlines, Britain isnt really the lawless land it seems to be. That the shocking incidents of casual theft and violence we see reported so frequently are just outlier events, hammed up for shock value. But sadly such criminality isnt marginal. It appears instead to be the direct consequences of two things: a dramatic downward slide in civility, and a widespread awareness that the police wont, or cant, go after most criminals, especially those who shoplift. Accordingly, the news this week that the future of the West End is in peril because of rising numbers of muggings of wealthy shoppers is not a surprise, though it is certainly depressing. The power of thugs and criminals has grown so strong they seemingly have the ability to shutter the economy and ruin the sense of security that has always made London such a magnet for money-spenders. But the weakened police, under-manned and ideologically compromised, are seemingly no longer a force to take seriously, let alone fear. And even if they were, what exactly are the consequences for criminals? The prisons are loaded beyond capacity. There just arent the resources to prevent or punish. Which is why so many shops are finding themselves targets for brazen thefts, forced to hire private security and lock away items like steak and beer. Even Waitrose isnt immune. The last few weeks, browsing the biscuit aisle at leisure, I have twice suddenly heard a major scuffle and shouts, as bands of thieves sprint for the exit with a haul of single malt and other booze, security guards yelling at them. After both incidents I spoke to staff, who said these are gangs who live safe in the knowledge they wont be caught. Its happening all the time now. Nothing will happen to them, and they know it. 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. Waitrose has noticed far more demand for American-style pancakes Britons are planning an American pancake day, according to Waitrose, as demand for the thicker variety rises. Searches for American pancakes are up by 57 per cent compared with 2023, the supermarket said, ahead of pancake day on Tuesday. Sales of pancakes and crepes are also up by almost a quarter (24 per cent) compared with February 2023. American pancakes are a staple of many restaurant brunch menus. The Breakfast Club, a chain of cafes specialising in breakfast food, offers four options including the All American which features bacon, sausage, potatoes, eggs and maple syrup. Waitrose said searches for its recipe for Scotch pancakes with hot-smoked salmon, crispy sprouts, avocado and egg were up 163 per cent. Pancake day, or Shrove Tuesday, marks the beginning of Lent, the 40-day period before Easter. Use up store cupboard staples The tradition developed as a way to use up some store cupboard staples including eggs, milk and sugar before the period of abstinence. Bestsellers included Scotch pancakes, also known as drop scones, as well as buttermilk American-style pancakes, Waitrose said. As opposed to the traditional crepe, made by combining flour, milk, and eggs, American-style pancakes use baking powder to achieve a thicker base. They are often presented in a stack rather than singly. Traditional toppings for crepes range from lemon and sugar to Nutella and banana, while American pancakes are more likely to be varnished with berries and cream. Will Torrent, a development chef at Waitrose, said: Pancake day always calls for American-style pancakes in the Torrent household. I like to enrich mine with buttermilk for the extra flavour and fluffiness. The chef added that he tops his pancake stacks with blueberry compote, Canadian maple syrup and creme fraiche, for the perfect sweet treat. 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 tech industry has stalled. There is little sign that the UK will ever become a major force in electric vehicles, or in green energy. The City is so dead that the one IPO of any significance so far this year will be a Kazakh-based airline. There is not very much to make anyone feel optimistic about the British economy right now. Yet, with excellent results over the last few weeks from AstraZeneca and GSK, it is clear that we still have a world-class life sciences industry. This is surely the time to double down on that global lead, especially as the pharmaceutical industry is growing again and most of all to make sure it does not drift into irrelevance in the way so many others have done over the last decade. With growth flatlining, the Government as confused as ever and the Labour Party about-turning on all its main policy pledges even before it takes office, it has been yet another dismal week for the UK economy. Even so, two of Britains major companies have reported excellent results. We are used to AstraZeneca doing well. Under the astute leadership of Pascal Soriot, the company which took the lead on Covid vaccines, even if it did not manage to capitalise on them reported very solid results. True, it slightly missed expectations for profits, but that was only because the costs of all the new drugs it is planning to launch came in higher than forecast. Revenues were up, and it is on track to deliver 15 new medicines by the end of the decade. By any reasonable measure, this is a company in rude health. More interesting is the recovery of GSK. For the best part of two decades, the conglomerate has drifted aimlessly, and has constantly disappointed its investors. And yet there are now clear signs that the controversial decision to demerge its consumer unit is starting to pay off. Its latest results, delivered at the end of January, easily beat estimates for sales and profits. A company that has regularly failed to deliver any blockbusters may finally have found one with its RSV vaccine Arexvy already close to that status only a few months after it was launched. Investors may have been disappointed that its chief executive Emma Walmsley decided to stay on after the demerger. There was not much in her record to suggest she could turn the business around. And yet, it is now at least cautiously optimistic that the focus and intensity of becoming a pure pharmaceuticals business again will get it back on track for sustained growth. The shares are up by 20pc over the last six months, as that starts to become evident. That comes at the right time. After a decade of being overshadowed by tech, life sciences is starting to grow again. We have seen that most of all with the extraordinary success of Novo Nordisk, which has been powered by its Wegovy weight loss drug. It is now Europes largest company measured by market value, worth a staggering $400bn (317bn). And yet, what it really shows is that there are still lots of conditions that can be treated with novel and effective medicines. Obesity is just one example. There are potentially many others. The UK has a fantastic base in life sciences. We have to make sure we hold on to that lead. For starters, we should be offering far more generous tax reliefs for research and development, the lifeblood of the life sciences industry. Sure, we have the new full expensing regime that allows companies to offset the cost of investment against their corporation tax bill, and that will help. Even so, we are not seeing the same number of smaller biotech companies bubbling up through the stock market as we did a decade or two ago. That needs to change, because it is those kinds of hyper-growth companies that will turbo-change the industry. We need extra tax reliefs for start-ups. We also need to expand the few world-class science parks we have, and to secure their links with the worlds best universities. Cambridge has emerged as a hub for life sciences, but it is ridiculous that the city has not been able to expand to provide the kind of housing and lab space that it needs to fulfill its potential (finally building a new rail link with Oxford would help, as well). The same is true of many other cities where the links between universities and start-up life sciences companies could be a lot stronger. Finally, we need to make sure that an NHS in permanent crisis, and always desperate for more funding, does not crush a global life science industry. It is always easy to try and trim over-stretched budgets by squeezing drug prices, or by refusing to make new medicines available. After all, that is a lot easier than turning down a pay rise, or closing a few hospital wards. And yet it is surely a false economy. British pharma companies, and especially the start-ups, need a secure and profitable domestic base from which to launch themselves onto the rest of the world. After all, if they are successful they will be generating plenty of tax revenue to help pay for more generous funding for the NHS. The UK has a fantastic position in life sciences. It has been overshadowed over the last few years by the success of Pfizer in Covid vaccines, and more recently by Novo in the new class of weight-loss drugs. It has not helped that one of its two major conglomerates GSK was stuck in the doldrums. But it is starting to emerge from that. The UK has squandered leads in plenty of other industries in the past now it needs to make sure this one does not get away as well. 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. Pro-Palestine protesters and climate activists occupying the British Museum over its new 10-year partnership with BP Pro-Palestinian protesters have staged a sit-in demonstration inside the British Museum demanding that BP stops drilling for oil off the Gaza coast. In footage shared on social media, activists, some of whom were wearing masks and waving Palestinian flags shouted: Your profits are covered in Palestinian blood. The demonstrators claim that BP and other oil and gas companies are fuelling the ongoing conflict in the region by signing a deal with Israel for 12 new oil and gas licences off the West Gaza coast. In December, the British Museum announced a new 10-year 50 million deal with BP. The demonstrators were seen sitting on the floor in the atrium of the building holding banners that read: BP fuels colonial genocide. Energy Embargo for Palestine posted on X, claiming responsibility for the action. Energy Embargo for Palestine claimed responsibility for the action - Joao Pereira / Story Picture Agency/Joao Pereira / Story Picture Agency A statement read: We have just occupied the British Museum alongside comrades from the Free Palestine Coalition. We demand that the British Museum end its 10-year partnership with British Petroleum, an energy company profiting from Israels colonial genocide. On October 30th 2023, one month into the genocidal bombardment of Gaza, Israel granted gas licences off the coast of Gaza to BP and five other companies. We will not watch idly as energy companies based in Britain fuel Israels colonial genocide. The protesters also read the poem If I Must Die - written by Dr Refaat Alareer, who was killed alongside his family in an Israeli airstrike in December - aloud to attendees of the demonstration. Millie Devereux, 30, who was visiting the museum on Sunday, said: As you go in, youve got the central atrium and they were sat right in the middle of the central atrium, just in front of the entrance. There were about 50 and some people were sitting down with them as well. It wasnt causing any disruption at all, it was all very chilled. About 10 or 15 police officers were stood in a line when we were there. Pro-Palestine protesters and climate activists occupying the British Museum over its new 10-year partnership with BP In a statement in December announcing its new deal with BP, the museum said: A new multi-year partnership with BP will support the future transformation of the museum by contributing 50 million over 10 years. The partnership will also help deliver on plans to maintain public access for generations to come. The museum is very grateful for BPs support at this early stage of the masterplan. The museums relationship with BP dates back to 1996, and climate campaigners have long criticised the decision to take money from an oil and gas firm. More than 300 professionals working in the museum sector signed a February 2022 letter urging it to cut ties with BP, and numerous protests have previously been staged inside the museum itself. Several major cultural sites in the UK, including the National Gallery and National Theatre, have previously ended lucrative sponsorship deals with energy firms amid protests. The Metropolitan Police said officers attended the protest. They were later filmed escorting the chanting protesters from the building. A British Museum spokesperson said: The British Museum respects other peoples right to express their views and allows peaceful protest onsite at the Museum as long as there is no risk to the collection, staff or visitors. Climate protesters in Paris last month threw soup over the glass-protected Mona Lisa in the Louvre. Activists have also targeted a landscape painting by Horatio McCulloch, My Hearts In The Highlands, in Glasgows Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, as well as a 500-year-old copy of Leonardo Da Vincis Last Summer in Londons Royal Academy. 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. RICHMOND A campaign finance reform bill sailed through two legislative panels with unanimous support, but appears to be dying without a vote in the House Appropriations Committee. The bill, introduced by Del. Marcus Simon, D-Fairfax, would prohibit politicians from using campaign donations on personal expenditures such as mortgage or rent payments, clothing or tuition. It passed the House Privileges and Elections subcommittee and full committee with unanimous support and was referred to the appropriations committee on Jan. 30, where theres been no hearing or vote. I think we are all pretty stunned, said Nancy Morgan, coordinator for BigMoneyOutVA. Its disrespectful to the voters. Its disingenuous and its not transparent. If they dont want the bill, then bring it forward and just dont vote for it. Being stalled in the appropriations committee prevents the bill from reaching the House floor. Crossover day is Tuesday, meaning bills that havent passed in their respective chambers by that date wont progress to the other body. Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax, is carrying an identical bill. It passed the Senate for the third time on Tuesday with a 35-4 vote and will now progress to the other chamber. But the stalled momentum on the House bill indicates Boyskos measure could face a similar fate when it crosses over. Abortion, guns, housing and more: A breakdown of bills introduced in Virginias General Assembly Del. Luke Torian, a Dumfries Democrat and chair of the appropriations committee, did not respond to a request for comment Friday. The bill has 26 co-sponsors in the House, including Democrats Phil Hernandez of Norfolk, Shelly Simonds of Newport News, and Nadarius Clark of Suffolk. Colonial Heights Republican Mike Cherry and Virginia Beach Democrat Kelly Convirs-Fowler serve as chief co-patrons. Im disappointed this policy will not make it though the legislative process, Convirs-Fowler said Friday. Virginia has some of the most lax campaign finance rules in the nation. Politicians can legally spend campaign donations on essentially anything, and theres no limit on who can donate or how much they can give. Candidates report their expenses, but reporting requirements are vague and its often unclear what specific items were purchased or how it related to campaigning. Legislation to tighten the rules has come before the General Assembly for more than a decade, but never reaches the governors desk. Morgan said BigMoneyOutVA, a nonpartisan organization that advocates for transparency and less money in government, felt optimistic this year after the strong support shown in the committees. Everybody is disappointed and we want to know from legislators why this bill isnt moving (for a vote), she said. Citizens want campaign finance reform. A 2021 poll from the Wason Center for Civic Leadership at Christopher Newport University found 73% of those polled in Virginia supported banning the personal use of campaign funds. Related Articles Janet Boyd, director of voter services for The League of Women Voters in Virginia, said their organization is also disheartened. The league is a nonpartisan organization that works to protect democracy and voting rights. We were supporting it and were very frustrated about the whole thing, she said. The Senate has made more progress so its possible that we might still be able to do something. In previous years, some who opposed tighter rules have argued it could confuse well-meaning lawmakers. Others said donors should trust the politicians they choose to support. Forty-four states define how campaign funds can be used, with most only permitting the money to be spent on expenditures reasonably related to campaign activities, according to data on the National Conference of State Legislatures website. Katie King, katie.king@virginiamedia.com ANNVILE, Pa. (WHTM) A vehicle crashed into a building in Lebanon County during the early morning hours of Sunday, Feb. 11. According to Bellgrove Fire Company, the crash occured at 1:56 a.m. in the 1500 block of PA State Route 934 when crews were called for a vehicle into a structure. Crews were able to support an interior wall that was damaged and one person was treated by EMS. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Nittany Insiders The fire company also said that occupants of the structure are being assisted by the American Red Cross with temporary housing. The scene was then turned over to a restoration company to secure damage to the structure. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. Democratic strategist James Carville said President Biden not sitting for an interview before the Super Bowl is a sign of his administration having little confidence in him. Its the biggest television audience, not even close, and you get a chance to do a 20, 25-minute interview on that day, and you dont do it, thats a kind of sign that the staff or yourself doesnt have much confidence in you. Theres no other way to read this, Carville said in a recent interview on CNNs Smerconish. This will be the second year in a row that the president has not sat for an interview before the big game. Bidens decision not to participate comes as hes been facing bad press in the wake of the release of a special counsel report on his handling of classified documents. The report from special counsel Robert Hur, released Thursday, concluded no charges should be brought against the president, but it noted Biden had problems with memory and recall. We have also considered that, at trial, Mr. Biden would likely present himself to a jury, as he did during our interview of him, as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory, Hur wrote. Based on our direct interactions with and observations of him, he is someone for whom many jurors will want to identify reasonable doubt. It would be difficult to convince a jury that they should convict him by then a former president well into his eighties of a serious felony that requires a mental state of willfulness. Biden hit back at the report in a fiery press conference Thursday night, defending his memory and mental capability. My memorys fine Take a look at what Ive done since I became president How did that happen? I guess I just forgot what was going on, he said. In the same press conference, however, the president confused the president of Egypt with the president of Mexico. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The US has almost returned to the beginning of the discussion on military aid to Ukraine I have talked to a lot of colleagues in Washington and I must say that today the chances that the aid to Ukraine will be approved in the Senate are about 50-50. There is only a 25% chance that the aid will be passed in both houses of Congress and that President Biden will be able to sign it. At least that's what observers are saying today. What actually happened. The US has practically returned to the beginning of the discussion on military aid to Ukraine. Because at the moment, the Senate has allegedly agreed on a compromise between Republicans and Democrats almost over the weekend. But at the same time, the Republicans do not yet have all the votes to pass the bill. Chuck Schumer has begun the process of procedural votes, and on Wednesday, February 7, there will be this first vote - at least that's what they plan - which should allow the entire bill to be voted on in the Senate, one of the chambers of Congress, by the end of the week. There are about 75 votes now, and we need to get a few more. Ukrainian advocacy in Congress is very actively working today with people in American districts to influence their senators and congressmen to vote accordingly. The Ukrainian diaspora in the United States is calling on its representatives in the regions to call and write to their legislators to ensure that they vote for this bill. This bill, which was agreed upon in the Senate, is comprehensive, as it includes many aspects of the national security of the United States. And it is likely to be passed. But Mike Johnson said that this law in its current form is unacceptable to the House of Representatives, and the House of Representatives will pass a separate law. He will put a separate law to the vote. If this happens, it means that the Senate will have to vote again on a similar bill. Then a joint conference of concurrence takes place if these bills do not have identical content. And only then can it go to the president for signature. And I have to say that under the most optimistic scenarios, this may take a month or two. Under pessimistic scenarios, it may take much longer, and perhaps not pass in the form that is proposed. Trump's son recently said that Ukraine has long since lost What do I know about the Republican position on supporting Ukraine? A cornerstone alongside the issue of strengthening the southern border of the United States is the issue of assistance to Ukraine. But it is also a matter of political struggle in the United States. And this part of the Republicans, which is represented by Johnson and which is represented by President Biden, is actually quite critical. Especially if you watch various election speeches and rallies of Trump's representatives in the United States, you can see how negative they are about helping Ukraine. In fact, Trump's son recently said that Ukraine has long since lost and there is no point in supporting it today and giving money so that President Zelensky can buy yachts. I mean, of course, this whole story has been refuted, but the radical part of the Republican Party and Trump's supporters continue to spread this information and make such appeals to their supporters. It is likely that we will see this Biden-Trump tandem in the presidential election. Donald Trump has a very strong position. Among his supporters, and we've talked about this a lot, he has a virtually cemented electorate. And he needs to keep this electorate and maybe add a little more to outweigh this 50-something percent. And President Biden has a chance to hold on to his electorate as well, but his electorate is more fragmented. Because this is, again, a democracy and these are people with a more analytical position who analyze the course of the presidency and all these conflicts in the world. Now Trump is saying that "there were no wars under President Trump, but President Biden came in and now there are wars. I will end all wars." That is, this argument is constantly used by candidate Trump in his rhetoric. And he explains the same thing to his voters, who believe in him almost blindly and believe anything he says. And this Republican populist position is quite common in a large number of states in the United States. They have a lot of viewers, listeners on social media, and they believe it. So it is very difficult to counteract this rhetoric. If Biden wins, many people are talking about how much strength and energy he personally still has to lead America forward. Few people doubt his positions on Ukraine, his positions on how he sees the defense of Europe, his positions on Russia. So all of these remain strengths when it comes to risks in the region and the situation in Ukraine. Trump believes that he is Putin's friend. He says honestly and openly that he is ready to go to a truce and he will move in this direction. Trump wants to end the war. However, he avoids explaining how he wants to end the war. But Trump belongs to this category of people who believe that the world is divided into zones of interest and that the powers that be determine the further development of the geopolitical world. Therefore, he also has a rather open position. If former President Donald Trump becomes the new president, we can most likely expect to see an increase in rhetoric about the need for peace and negotiations. 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 Rodney King famously asked, Cant we all get along? No, Rodney, we cant. Never have, and probably, this side of heaven, never will. Pride, anger, lust, gluttony, sloth, greed and envy probably not an exhaustive list of deadly sins have always been with us, and show no signs of going away. These ineradicable human failings have been behind all manner of unrest, from World War II to domestic violence. The only times when these vices are kept under control is when there are powerful social and cultural controls and, those failing, brute force. As you are reading this, we are seeing the failure of timely application of a little brute force, and now face the prospect of all-out war the most brutal of brute force. Charles Milliken As the bombs and missiles fly, we must ask what went wrong? After World War I, and again after WWII, after we fought wars to end wars, and twice ushered in new world orders the League of Nations, then the United Nations we learned, once again, that good intentions are never sufficient. Dont get me wrong good intentions are necessary for any sort of decent order, but without sanctions behind them, they are not enough. This leads, inescapably, to who applies the sanctions? Within the nation-state, the government, more or less effectively, keeps the lid on civil unrest and general mayhem. Internationally, however, it is a different story. Bad actors, whether individuals or nations, will act badly if they think they can get away with it. Or sometimes, truth be told, they will act badly from the sheer visceral joy of acting badly even if they know they wont get away with it. That leads to us, and our reaction to being fatally attacked in the Middle East. Some ask why are we in the Middle East to begin with? Indeed, why are we anywhere outside the bounds of the fifty states? From the founding of our nation, two fatal flaws have often bedeviled our foreign policy. One was isolationism, and the second, more or less related, was indifference to other tribes and nations killing each other. Are we our brothers keeper? For whatever concatenation of reasons, good, bad, and indifferent, the United States found itself, four hundred years after the first colonists landed, the most powerful nation the world had ever known indeed so powerful in 1945 it would have been hard to imagine any combination of nations able to stop us from complete rule of the world. Alas, it was not to be. Bad actors, seeing that we were not going to assert our dominance, proceeded to act badly. The body count, world wide since 1945, is horrendous including over 100,000 Americans killed in half-hearted attempts to keep the lid on. The total for non-Americans, including those killed by their own bad-acting governments, is in the tens of millions. Almost all of these would not have died if we had unmistakably put our foot down in 1945. So here we are, once again half-heartedly trying to keep the bad actor du jour, Iran, from acting even more badly than it has. As I write, these pin-prick attacks on Irans proxies are designed to send a message. These send a message, all right: we, once again, are not serious. We dont want to provoke a wider war. After all, didnt we give Iran and its proxies several days of notice we were going to strike back? How non-provocative can you be? We gave them plenty of time to get out of Dodge before any damage was done, so if anyone insisted on sticking around, dont blame us. We just, pretty please, want Iran to stop sending drones to kill American soldiers. Iran wont stop. They calculate we will not do what is necessary to do, which is to eliminate the current regime root and branch. All they have to do is wear out American resolve and watch us go back to our isolationist home, and fight among ourselves. Then, with nuclear arms and the billions in cash weve already given them, you can imagine the rest. Leon Trotsky said you may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you. Charles Milliken is a professor emeritus after 22 years of teaching economics and related subjects at Siena Heights University. He can be reached at milliken.charles@gmail.com. This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Charles Milliken: Sometimes you just thave to give war a chance A woman who opened fire inside pastor Joel Osteens Houston megachurch on Sunday was killed by two off-duty law enforcement officers, according to authorities. A young boy who accompanied the rifle-toting woman into Lakewood Church at around 1:50 p.m. local time was in critical condition after being shot in the exchange of gunfire, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said at a news conference. The child, believed to be around 5 years old, remained in critical condition on Sunday afternoon. It was not immediately clear who had fired the shot that had injured the boy, nor what his relationship to the woman was. One other person, a 56-year-old man, was hospitalized with a gunshot wound to the leg. He was listed as stable on Sunday afternoon. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene. Estimated to be between 30 and 35 years old, she was not immediately identified by authorities. Finner said that the woman had threatened she also had a bomb, but authorities searching her backpack and vehicle had been unable to locate any explosives. Osteen also addressed the shooting at the news conference. [Of] course, were devastated. We have been here 65 years; to have somebody shooting in your church.... he said, trailing off. But [while] we dont understand why these things happen, we know God is in control. The 60-year-old pastor went on to say that the community would be praying for the boy and the gun-toting woman. Were going to stay strong, Osteen continued. Were going to continue to move forward. There are forces of evil. The forces that are for us, the forces of God are stronger than that. Pastor Joel Osteen addresses media after shooting at Lakewood Church in Houston: "We don't understand why these things happen, but we know God's in control." https://t.co/rzYNp0xEmk pic.twitter.com/r2uDjli4Ey ABC News (@ABC) February 11, 2024 Osteen explained that the church had been transitioning between services when the shooting began. I can only imagine if it would have happened during the 11 oclock service, he said. A motive in the shooting was not immediately announced by police, and an investigation into the matter was ongoing on Sunday evening, with first responders remaining on the scene. There is an active situation involving shots fired at Lakewood. Law enforcement is on the scene, Lakewood Church had earlier posted on X. That is all the information we have at this time. Please pray for Lakewood and our community. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said in a statement that he and his wife were among those praying for Lakewood and its parishioners. Our hearts are with those impacted by todays tragic shooting in Houston, he said. Places of worship are sacred. Roughly 45,000 people attend weekly services at Lakewood, making it the third largest megachurch in the U.S., the Associated Press reported, citing the Hartford Institute for Religion Research. We worship together, Finner said. We cry together. But we rebuild together. This is a tragic day. Watch how we stand together. No suspect or suspects will tear down our city and our places of worship. 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. By Gopal Sharma KATHMANDU (Reuters) - About 68,000 children and their families who survived Nepals deadliest quake in eight years need further humanitarian aid to rebuild their lives, UNICEF said on Sunday, 100 days after the tremors that devastated parts of west Nepal. A 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck two districts of Jajarkot and Rukum West in the remote western region of the Himalayan country on Nov. 3, killing at least 154 people, more than half of them children. The tremors, the deadliest in Nepal since two quakes killed about 9,000 people in 2015, flattened more than 26,000 houses and partially damaged another 35,000 buildings, rendering them unfit to live, according to official estimates. UNICEF said about 200,000 people, including 68,000 children, many of whom spent a cold winter in temporary shelters, still need humanitarian assistance to recover from the disaster. The U.N. agency said it is appealing for $14.7 million funding to support these children. Thousands of children affected by the destructive earthquake ... are still dealing with the trauma of losing loved ones. Their development is at risk as they lost their belongings, homes and schools, among others, Alice Akunga, UNICEF representative to Nepal, said in a statement. Even as temperatures rise, the needs are still high as children require nutritious food, clean water, education and shelter. One of the best ways to rebuild childrens lives and restore a sense of normalcy is to get them back to school and learning, so that they can play with their friends, learn and heal, Akunga said. Anil Pokhrel, chief of Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, said a proposal to provide financial support to affected families to rebuild their homes was ready for cabinet approval. (Reporting by Gopal Sharma; editing by Mark Heinrich) An adviser to former President Clinton warned Sunday that President Biden must broaden his appeal to 2024 voters instead of just focusing on attacks against former President Trump if he wants to be reelected. Doug Sosnik, a senior adviser to Clinton, compared the 2024 election to 1980 in a New York Times op-ed, with Biden being former President Carter and Trump former President Ronald Reagan. Sosnik pointed out that both Carter and Biden had trouble winning over voters, and warned that Biden may need to switch strategies to win. Biden has spent much of his 2024 reelection campaign focused on Trump, specifically his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, warning that reelecting Trump is a danger to democracy. But Sosnik is skeptical that the strategy is enough. Mr. Biden is no doubt counting on those vulnerabilities to hurt Mr. Trump. But Mr. Biden also needs to do more, he wrote. One of the lessons from the 1980 presidential campaign is that dissatisfaction with one candidate isnt enough to seal his fate if the opponent cant meet voters threshold for acceptability. To get re-elected, Mr. Biden needs to clear the same threshold that Mr. Reagan did, he continued. Reagan defeated a struggling Carter with promises for a new direction and charisma, brushing off concerns over his age that Biden is also now facing. Sosnik wrote that Biden must also embrace aspects of Reagans campaign, building a positive picture that voters can be attracted to in addition to attacks on Trump. At this point Mr. Bidens biggest challenge is not Mr. Trump but himself. Can he convince the voters, as Mr. Reagan did, that he is up to the job of being president at an age when most people have retired? Sosnik wrote. Bidens age has been front and center in his campaign, with an overwhelming majority of voters saying he is too old and a series of gaffes raising concerns. Reagan faced similar questions, especially during his landslide 1984 reelection. Reagan announced that he was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease six years after he left office in 1994, but concerns over his mental acuity swirled throughout his presidency, especially its waning years. In 1980, voters held on to doubts about Mr. Reagans age and temperament through much of the race, but given their concerns about Mr. Carter, they continued to lower the bar on what they needed to see from Mr. Reagan to earn their support, Sosnik wrote. He pointed to the Oct. 28, 1980, debate between Carter and Reagan as the turning point for the election. Reagan was able to prove that he is up to the task of the presidency at his age and seal the deal. Mr. Biden has a similar task ahead of him, Sosnik wrote. Like Mr. Reagan, the president must overcome deep doubts about his age and his ability to put the country back on track over the next four years. In order to find success, Biden should emphasize that age alone is not what counts; its the wisdom of his ideas, Sosnik wrote, attacking the age criticism head-on instead of brushing it off. And contrast his forward-looking views on climate change, abortion rights and reasonable gun control with Mr. Trumps backward views on these issues, he added. Voters will be given daily reminders for the next nine months of how chaotic the next four years will be if Mr. Trump is elected, Sosnik wrote. In the end, it will be up to Mr. Biden to convince enough voters that he is up to the presidency into his mid-80s. If he is not able to do that, it doesnt really matter how the country feels about Mr. Trump. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Republican consultant Matt Wylie opined in his Feb. 5 op-ed that If Taylor Swift is the difference-maker in this election maybe the problem is the the Republican message, tactics and vision. Bingo. As Swift says in her song, Exile, I think Ive seen this film before and I didnt like the ending. This business of Republican operatives attacking her is a distraction from the issues, and worse, an implication that encouraging people to vote is subversive and shouldnt be done by celebrities. The Republican Party of 2024 intrudes into our bedrooms and schools, attacking personal choices of women and families. It is led by a former president who hatefully says that immigrants are poisoning our nations blood. Swifts advice to Shake it off will translate into Republicans and independents voting for Democrats this time around. Lawonna Daves, Charlotte Biden, the border Mitch McConnell and Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma were in favor of the bipartisan border package. Conservative Republicans like me were against giving President Biden money for Ukraine and Israel on his promise to address the border later. Lets get the border shut down first and then give our allies money for their war efforts. Many of us just dont trust our president on border issues. The GOP loses most of these bipartisan deals, and the RINOs famous saying is We did the best we could. Trump is the best fighter we have. Some of these Washington elites need to read his book, The Art of the Deal. Jim Cherry, Charlotte A blown deal As an unaffiliated voter who has voted for Republican candidates over the years, it is mind-boggling that so many legislators, not just MAGA ones, but real politicians who want to get things done have allowed themselves to crawl down the rabbit hole of political foolishness and ineptitude that Trump leads supporters down. A decently crafted border bill, along with aid to our allies Ukraine and Israel, is blown. Self-serving politics has won. For now. Philip Solomon, Charlotte City ordinances As a long-term resident of Fourth Ward, I do not support recriminalizing city ordinances around open containers of alcohol and public defecation. It is already a Class 3 misdemeanor to be drunk and disorderly. I would rather our City Council spend time and resources on public safety issues surrounding guns in our parks and providing services such as public restrooms and housing for our homeless population. Soon, large corporations will come with their hands out for help with low occupancy rates in their office buildings. Before we dip into the public coffer to provide them with tax advantages, perhaps they should partner with Roof Above and OneMECK to subsidize building of public restrooms and better shelter for our most vulnerable citizens. These would be great places for naming rights. Deb Park, Charlotte Green space The Observers Feb. 5 article about Charlottes office vacancy rates did not touch on one of the worst aspects of the Centene office debacle in the University City area. When construction began in 2020, two access points to the Mallard Creek Greenway were eliminated. A news release at the time stated that improved access to the greenway would be provided, and a massive concrete and composite elevated walkway from the complex to the greenway was eventually constructed, but this remains closed off to area residents use. A vacant office building (and multi-level parking garage) has taken the place of acres of woodlands and green space. Our part of Charlotte is the poorer for it. Michael A. Clark, Charlotte Dirty politics Politics has become the nastiest business Ive seen in my 75 years. Nikki Haley belittles Donald Trumps age in ads instead of highlighting their policy differences, and N.C. congressional candidate Grey Mills shows President Biden tripping on steps, something I myself have done. I would still match my mental acuity against Mills any day of the week. Mills also wants to use military force against cartels located in other countries. Imagine how you would react if another country used military force against a perceived threat on our soil. Thomas Strini, Spencer A Cobb County Schools bus driver is being called a hero after he saved the life of an elementary school student who was choking on a piece of candy. A little more than a month after starting as a bus driver for the district, Michael Green said a Mableton Elementary School student told him that she was choking on a piece of candy. Green then pulled the bus over and performed the Heimlich maneuver on the girl and was able to get the piece of candy out of the girls throat. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] I had an elementary student swallow a piece of candy. As we were headed to take them home, one of the kids on the bus told me she was choking, shes choking. Shes choking. So, I looked in the mirror and saw her standing and holding her throat. I pulled the bus over and performed the Heimlich maneuver on her, and I was able to dislodge the piece of candy out of her throat, Green said. After the incident, Green drove the student back to campus so that school staff could care for her until she could be picked up by her father. The little girls brother personally thanked Green for saving the girls life, according to the district. TRENDING STORIES: Green said he hopes to never have this experience again. The district thanked Green for his quick reaction. He has our deepest thanks for keeping his composure and helping our precious student, Mableton Assistant Principal Lori L. Arends said. I was so proud of his actions, including having the presence of mind to call us and bring her back to the school. He was so humble. Thank you, Mr. Green! [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: Cofers vision Two Sacramento mayoral candidates want to hire 100 cops. Another wants to cut the police budget, (sacbee.com, Feb. 2) I appreciate the distinctions made between mayoral candidates. As a licensed clinical social worker, I value Dr. Flojaune Cofers vision of social workers and police officers working in an interdisciplinary manner for the greater support and safety of the community. It is also important to recognize that Cofer does not accept any corporate money. She is not beholden to special interest groups. This places her in a unique position to better serve the needs of everyone in Sacramento. Gail Marie Erlandson Sacramento Survival mode 73-year-old homeless woman trapped in tent during Sacramento storm: I couldnt move, (sacbee.com, Feb. 5) Most people know the frantic feeling that comes when our luggage is lost at the airport, so can we even begin to imagine what it must be like to lose all of our worldly possessions in a homeless sweep? In simple psychology, Maslows Hierarchy of Needs explains that humans must have food, shelter and safety before theyre capable of higher thinking. Unhoused people live in survival mode, and we have the audacity to destroy the bare necessities theyve accumulated. Emergency Safe Ground Sites are routinely blocked by NIMBY residents. I fully understand their objections, but 10,000 homeless people are camped very close to our backyards anyway, so why cant we provide designated, supervised camping/RV sites before we endlessly debate their longer-term life issues? Instead of blaming our politicians, we need to look at ourselves. If we were in their shoes, where would we go? Bonnie Jacobson Sacramento Opinion Shut down Aliso Canyon California and Newsoms environmental grade takes a hit, (sacbee.com, Feb. 1) For those of us closely following Gov. Gavin Newsoms climate track record, its no surprise that his environmental grade is slipping. Our governor has been embracing the title of climate champion on the world stage, but at home, here in California, Newsoms promises have not matched his policies. Many communities, including those living through the aftermath of the horrific gas blowout at the Aliso Canyon gas storage facility, are having to continue to push Newsom to keep his climate promises. Just weeks prior to Newsom calling the climate crisis a fossil fuel crisis at Climate Week 2023, the governors appointed California Public Utilities Commission approved another expansion of Aliso Canyon despite residents pleading to shut down the dangerous facility. In order to not let his climate grade slip even further, Newsom must keep his promises on climate, especially by shutting down Aliso Canyon once and for all. Andrea Vega Los Angeles Do-nothing party This story isnt over: Anniversary of East Palestine train crash brings little closure, (sacbee.com, Feb. 1) This article detailing the actions of the railroad industry to prevent needed safety protections should change the minds of those who dont care which party has a congressional majority. With constant pressure and money flowing in, railroad lobbyists have all but guaranteed that GOP members of Congress will block the legislation, preventing it from coming to the floor. Then, these incompetent, compromised lawmakers will chastise the Biden Administration for not taking measures to ensure the very protections they are unwilling to implement. GOP refusal to act is standard operating procedure. From gun safety to immigration to climate mitigation, doing nothing serves no one. All too often, Republicans identify problems but do not act on solutions. Politics and grievances take precedence over their elected duties. Their extreme partisanship has doomed them. Choose to move forward. Elect Democratic candidates in 2024. A good start is to elect Jessica Morse in Congressional District 3. Barbara V Smith Auburn Ceasefire resolution Ceasefire resolution would help Sacramento speak up for Gaza, (sacbee.com, Feb. 3) The wisdom of the United Nations has served us well over the years. Now, the U.N. is calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, not to ignore Hamas, but to put an end to the same deplorable behavior. Jewish Voices for Peace is one group among many other interfaith-oriented groups calling for a ceasefire. I respect Mayor Darrell Steinberg as a person, but I find his position of resisting a ceasefire resolution unfortunate, and not in sync with our broader community. A ceasefire resolution is not a solution to the conflict in Palestine, but it is a beginning. Gail Marie Erlandson Sacramento COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) A 33-year-old Columbus man is facing federal misdemeanor charges that involve an alleged money laundering scheme and threatening a health clinic. Mohamed Waes pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge related to intentionally intimidating a person because they provide reproductive health services as well as a felony charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Franklin Township fiscal officer ordered to reimburse over $9,000 in unapproved paid hours According to court documents, Waes allegedly called the Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio on July 5, 2022 and threatened to burn down their building. The federal law prohibiting threatening a person because they provide reproductive health services falls under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act. Waes was also allegedly involved in a money laundering conspiracy from March 2019 to March 2020. Court documents said that the conspiracy had scammers creating fake emails and sending emails to various companies impersonating vendors and asking for money. Waes attempted to launder more than $1.9 million in business email compromise proceeds but successfully laundered more than $273,000. A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. As he delivered a speech to a room of reporters and lawmakers on Jan. 31, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) was looking for laughs. Its a very unsettling time here in Congress, as we all know, Schumer said at an annual press corps dinner. The House has been in endless chaos. Supreme Court justices ethics are in question. Donald Trump has declared he will return and rule as dictator. And then Schumer delivered his punchline: And apparently, worst of all, I said ZYN shouldnt be marketed to kids. Schumers joke came days after he cautioned parents about the popular tobacco-free nicotine pouches which have become all the rageparticularly in circles of young conservatives. At a January press conference, Schumer warned of so-called ZYNfluencers who promote the product on social media, with Schumer claiming ZYN is marketing itself to youngsters with flavors ranging from citrus to cinnamon. Congress Passes Bill Banning Tobacco, E-Cig Sales for Those Under 21 He called on the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the products marketing, and for the Food and Drug Administration to look into ZYNs health effects. He described the product as a pouch packed with problems. I am delivering a warning to parents because these pouches seem to lock their sights on young kids, teenagers and even lowerand then use the social media to hook em, he said. Predictably, Schumers comment outraged conservative politicians, influencers, and media personalitieslike noted ZYN enthusiast Tucker Carlsonwho celebrate the tobacco-free pouches. ZYN users boast that the nicotine product has work-enhancing properties without the carcinogenic dangers of tobacco. (Some studies back-up claims that nicotine can be a performance enhancer, but the scientific jury is still out on ZYNs cancer-causing risks.) Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) has called for a ZYNsurrection against Schumers supposed crackdown. (For good measure, she also proclaimed that Democrats are idiots for going after ZYN.) The Senate GOPs campaign arm has had a field day with Schumers comments. And the head of the House GOPs campaign arm, Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC), posted a photo of himself, decked out in hunting gear, proudly displaying a tin of coffee-flavored ZYN. Big Brother Schumer doesnt want us to chew or smoke. Now hes against an alternative thats helped many quit. Come and take it! pic.twitter.com/vVeFLlVSal Rep. Richard Hudson (@RepRichHudson) January 24, 2024 That last phraseCome and Take It!is a Spartan battle cry that has subsequently been used in the American Revolution, the Texas Revolution, the Civil War, presidential politics, and the NHL. Its also now become an ultra-online rallying cry to own the libs over their concerns about ZYN. (Never mind that Schumer has not called for a ban on ZYN, introduced ZYN-related legislation, or even recommended specific ZYN regulations.) Come and take it, Chuck, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC)a former ZYN useralso posted on X. ZYN is just the latest random partisan food fight on Capitol Hill. In the hyper-political atmosphere of Congress, Schumers conservative critics have relished painting the Senate leader as a menacing nanny-state boogeyman, trying to yank ZYN off the gas station shelves. Multiple Republicans posed a rhetorical question to The Daily Beast: If Schumer comes for ZYN, whats next? Its of little consequence to these Republicans that Schumer has not actually called for a ZYN ban. Never let the pesky facts get in the way of good politics. Still, Schumers focus on ZYN has also presented Republicans with the opportunity to go after Schumer on all the other things hes not focused on. Hes not doing anything about fentanyl, Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC) told The Daily Beast. This border crisis is between he and Biden and their policies, and theyre going after ZYN. Thats quite hypocritical. Theres, of course, a certain irony in Budd and other Republicans going after Schumer on the border, given that the Senate majority leader backed a bill to bolster security at the U.S.-Mexico borderwhere there has been a surge in fentanyl seizuresand Senate Republicans quickly tanked the legislation while admitting they were doing so for political reasons. But Budd said his North Carolina constituents are furious with Schumer over the ZYN comments. They believe hes out of touch, Budd said. MIGRATION-USA/CONGRESS Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) walks through the subway at the U.S. Capitol. Leah Mills/Reuters The GOPs myopic focus on ZYN reflects a political reality. While Congress hasnt accomplished much since Republicans took back the House 13 months ago, there isnt all that much for Republicans to run on and complain about in the 2024 election. The economy, as Americans are increasingly realizing, has been persistently good. And while there are plenty of complaints about border security, its Republicans who are standing in the way of action, for nakedly political reasons. Enter a culture war issue like ZYN. And Republicans think, while its a seemingly small issue, it matters a great deal to some voters. The head of the Senate GOPs campaign effort, Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), told The Daily Beast that Schumers ZYN comments are not playing real well back home. The federal government taking away from their daily routine? Good luck with that, Daines said with a chuckle. For Daines, the government simply shouldnt get involved in the nicotine pouchesend of conversation. Asked if there is any room for increased oversight or regulation of ZYN, he had a definitive answer. No, he said. Republicans have also long leaned on that argument that the federal government has better things to do than worry about tobacco products. Over a decade ago, when a Democrat complained about Hudson using chewing tobacco during committee hearings, Hudson told Roll Call that Capitol Hills anti-tobacco crusaders should save their outrage to tackle the debt crisis and lower standards of living. Plenty of lawmakersperhaps most visibly Republicansuse tobacco products. Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX) can be spotted smoking a cigar on his way into House votes, leaving it outside by the Capitol steps and returning to it as soon as votes end. The House Rules Committee meeting roomlocated across from the press galleryusually reeks of cigar smoke due to Chairman Tom Coles predilection for tobacco. Despite the use of these products on Capitol Hill, Congress has passed major bipartisan legislation regulating tobacco. In 2009, Congress passed the landmark Tobacco Control Act, giving the FDA authority to regulate tobacco products and restrict marketing to youth. In 2020, the House passed a bill to address youth vaping with wide bipartisan support. When it comes to ZYN, however, Republicans have been vocal protectors. But Democrats arent entirely on the outside looking ZYN. Cans of tobacco group Swedish Match's ZYN-branded tobacco-free nicotine pouches are seen on display at the company's concept store in Stockholm, Sweden. Anna Ringstrom/Reuters Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA)known for his own populist streaksaid he disagrees with Schumer on the nicotine pouches. Like marijuana, which Fetterman has relentlessly advocated to legalize, he said the feds should just stay out the fight. I mean, we all pick our own kinds of hills to fight for. But a nicotine pouch would not be one of them, he told The Daily Beast. ZYNs parent company, Philip Morris International, maintains that it fully meets and exceeds regulations. A spokesperson told The Daily Beast that their marketing practices prohibit the use of social media influencers and are focused on preventing underage access. ZYN is designed for adults aged 21 or older who are currently using nicotine products and wish to continue using nicotine, a PMI spokesperson said in a statement. For nearly a decade, ZYN has been responsibly marketed in the U.S., and its prevalence with former adult smokers today is consistent with declining U.S. smoking rates. Tillis said hes been the model ZYN customer. A longtime tobacco-user, Tillis converted to ZYN, using the pouches for five years before finally quitting nicotine altogether. He told The Daily Beast that hes encouraged friends to convert to ZYN. It just seems illogical to me that he would do that, Tillis said of Schumers ZYN comments. Its much safer. It doesnt have carcinogens for the products that people would likely go back to. Tillis wants to talk to Schumer about ZYN oversight. The North Carolinian is known for his rare willingness to work across the aisle, and said he isnt ruling out all ZYN oversight or regulation. But, Tillis said, he also wants to make it easier for tobacco users to wean themselves off the known dangers of smoking or chewing tobacco. The concern from ZYN skeptics is that its working the opposite way. Instead of encouraging people to quit tobacco products, critics worry that ZYN is a gateway to harmful cigarettes and vapes. A 2023 study found that 1.5 percent of middle high school students had used nicotine pouches in the past 30 days. Some conservative Republicans havent made up their minds on whether the federal government should engage on the issue. Conservative Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN) said he would take a look at any legislation that hits the Senate floor. When it comes to that topic, everybodys kind of full of the federal government trying to get in your business from so many different angles, Braun told The Daily Beast. Ive been a believer, thoughthat may be a little different than some Republicansthat you take care of yourself, you take care of your Mother Earth, and those are all things that you keep in mind, he continued. Other senators are staying out of the issue entirelyor simply know nothing about it. Asked about the ZYN nicotine pouches, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) said he had no idea what The Daily Beast was talking about. When The Daily Beast asked the top Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Committee about ZYN, Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) apparently thought this reporter was asking him about sin. (Another reporter at a different outlet later overheard Pallone discussing the confusing, whos-on-first-esque interview with a staffer.) It seems that plenty of lawmakers are either unfamiliar with the ZYN wars, or are just staying out of iteven those who are usually hasty culture warriors. Conservative Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO)who has branded himself as in-touch with the young, conservative, male wing of the GOPtold The Daily Beast he didnt have a position. I havent heard much about it from people in Missouri, Hawley said. Doesnt mean that its not an important issue, but I just need to educate myself a little bit more on it. Guess Whos Secretly Backing This Anti-Smoking Vape Group Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH)another conservative senator unafraid to stoke a culture wartold Business Insider that hes plugged into a lot of weird right-wing subcultures, but that ZYN isnt one of them. Although tobacco isnt an ingredient in ZYN, the FDA considers the pouches a tobacco product and subjects the brand to corresponding regulatory standards. The FDA declined to comment on ZYN specifically, but the government agency told The Daily Beast that it remains concerned about any tobacco product that may appeal to youth. While the FDA insists it is paying close attention to all tobacco products, some lawmakers agree with Schumer that the federal government should take greater action on ZYN. Certainly addictive substances need to have guardrails, Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) told The Daily Beast, pointing to studies that warn of youth use of addictive substances. Most people support that process of looking at what are the appropriate corporate guardrails, Hickenlooper said. As for the ZYNsurrection, anti-tobacco leader Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) told The Daily Beast he just doesnt get it. Im not sure of the motivation, Blumenthal said. I sued the big tobacco companies. Ive had to take action against vaping. Nicotine is a really powerfully addictive drug, and once kids are addicted, the door is open to other even more harmful products. 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. During the Revolution of Dignity, the new commander of the Territorial Defense Forces, Ihor Plakhuta, worked in the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) and led the Internal Troops that dispersed Maidan, said Ukrainian outlet Hromadske on Feb. 11. On Feb. 11, Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed Ihor Plakhuta as the new commander of the Territorial Defense Forces. Earlier, Anatoliy Barhylevych was dismissed from this position and became the new head of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, replacing Serhiy Shaptala. On Feb. 18, 2014, Major General Plakhuta remarked to a journalist that there would be no storming of the protesters' barricades on Maidan. Two hours later they were stormed. Ukrayinska Pravda reported that Plakhuta had stated that "the men in black who dismantled the barricades were utility workers." He also reported two injuries: a Berkut officer and a soldier. That same evening, Plakhuta assured Hromadske journalist Anastasia Stanko that Internal Troops soldiers had not used force against the protesters. Read also: Former Joint Forces Commander learns of his dismissal from media Major General Plakhuta was then the head of the Southern Territorial Command of the Internal Troops of the MIA. He stated that about 400 soldiers of the Internal Troops and the Berkut special forces were involved in clearing the streets adjacent to the Presidential Administration. According to the media, on Dec. 10, 2013, the Internal Troops completely cleared the government quarter of the Euromaidan barricades. 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 National Coalition Party (NCP) presidential candidate Alexander Stubb attends an election night event at the Helsinki City Hall. Former conservative prime minister Alexander Stubb won Finland's run-off presidential election on Sunday, narrowly beating ex-foreign minister and Green politician Pekka Haavisto for the post that wields significant power in foreign policy. Heikki Saukkomaa/Lehtikuva/dpa Former conservative prime minister Alexander Stubb won Finland's run-off presidential election on Sunday, narrowly beating ex-foreign minister and Green politician Pekka Haavisto for the post that wields significant power in foreign policy. Stubb garnered 51.7% of the vote to Haavisto's 48.3%, public broadcaster Yle projected after 98% of the ballots were counted. The result was closer than expected, with pre-election opinion polls having put Stubb in a more commanding lead. Yle said Haavisto did well in cities and university towns while Stubb did better in the suburbs and rural areas. Haavisto congratulated Stubb on his victory as soon as the broadcaster made its call. In his first remarks as the incoming president, Stubb called the win the greatest honour of his life. He will take office at the beginning of March, succeeding popular President Sauli Niinisto, who has completed two six-year terms and is not permitted to stand again. The Finnish president is elected directly and holds significant powers in foreign and security policy, apart from their ceremonial role. Finland shares a 1,340-kilometre border with Russia. Under Niinisto and in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Nordic country decided to apply for NATO membership in 2022. After decades of military non-alignment, it became the 31st member of the defence alliance in April 2023. Haavisto actually signed the country's NATO accession document in April 2023 as the then-foreign minister under prime minister Sanna Marin. Finnish conservative leader Petteri Orpo became prime minister two months later. Finland's relationship with Russia has drastically deteriorated since joining NATO. The crossings along the Russian-Finnish border have been closed for several months, and just days ago the Finnish government extended this measure until mid-April. The Finnish government accuses the Russian authorities of deliberately bringing asylum seekers to the border without the necessary documents in order to sow discord in Finland. Both Stubb and Haavisto are considered to be pro-European and staunch supporters of Ukraine. The election was therefore not expected to have a major impact on Finland's Russia policy. Stubb and Haavisto received the most votes of the nine candidates in the first round, held on January 28. In that contest, Stubb got 27.2% of the vote, Haavisto 25.8%. They beat out other heavyweights in Finnish politics, such as the right-wing populist parliamentary speaker Jussi Halla-aho and the former EU commissioner Olli Rehn. Stubb served as prime minister from 2014 to 2015. National Coalition Party (NCP) presidential candidate Alexander Stubb (L) and Green Party backed candidate for a nonpartisan constituency association Pekka Haavisto attend an election night event at the Helsinki City Hall. Former conservative prime minister Alexander Stubb won Finland's run-off presidential election on Sunday, narrowly beating ex-foreign minister and Green politician Pekka Haavisto for the post that wields significant power in foreign policy. Jussi Nukari/Lehtikuva/dpa National Coalition Party (NCP) presidential candidate Alexander Stubb (2nd R) celebrates with his wife Suzanne Innes-Stubb at his election reception in Helsinki. Former conservative prime minister Alexander Stubb won Finland's run-off presidential election on Sunday, narrowly beating ex-foreign minister and Green politician Pekka Haavisto for the post that wields significant power in foreign policy. Emmi Korhonen/Lehtikuva/dpa Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) on Sunday ripped what he called the appalling idea that President Biden struggled to remember the year of his son Beaus death, following a special counsel report on Bidens handling of classified documents that offered a stark assessment of the presidents memory. We are in a fight for the soul of our nation, Coons said Sunday during an interview with ABC Newss This Week. And the idea that somehow, Joe Biden forgot the date of his sons death is offensive and appalling. Special counsel Robert Hur released a 388-page report last Thursday that concluded Biden willfully retained classified documents, but declined to bring charges. The report also featured details about the 81-year-olds memory and recall, describing the president as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory. Hurs report included details about how Biden did not remember within several years when his son Beau had died. Biden lashed out in response to Hurs report during a combative and hastily scheduled press conference from the White House, where he told reporters: How in the hell dare he raise that. Frankly, when I was asked the question I thought to myself it wasnt any of their damn business. I dont need anyone to remind me when he passed away, Biden said. Biden has come under intense scrutiny for the press conference, particularly when he mistakenly referred to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi as the president of Mexico when answering a question on the Israel-Hamas war. Coons came to the defense of Biden on Sunday, telling This Week co-anchor Jonathan Karl, As you well know, small gaffes are part of what all of us in public life do. He then referenced a gaffe from House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) in which he appeared to confuse Iran with Israel something Biden allies have been flooding social media with since Bidens mix-up Thursday. Coons also pointed to former President Trumps remarks last month, when he appeared to confuse Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) while discussing the Jan. 6. insurrection. Heres what matters not the occasional small gaffe. He had a 12-minute press conference where he was focused, engaged, purposeful, and all youre focused on is that one minute or less, Coons said. Karl interjected to say the instance was not just one moment and played a series of clips of other gaffes from the president. Karl pointed to a poll showing 80 percent of respondents that said they think Biden is too old to serve as president. If press coverage focuses relentlessly on things that dont represent Joe Bidens real body of work, you can push towards that kind of result, Coons responded. That poll should have been about whos accurately working to secure our border. And what you should be focused on in my view, what that poll should have focused on, what our nation should focus on, is the way that Donald Trump is undermining the rule of law, democracy and our safety as a nation, he added. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. In a followup to a tentative ruling made in December, a federal judge has ordered Elon Musk to comply with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) subpoena and testify again in its probe of his Twitter takeover, Reuters reports. Per the order, which was filed Saturday night in a California court, Musk and the SEC now have a week to work out a time and place for his appearance or it will be decided for them. The SEC has been investigating Musks purchase of Twitter, now X, since 2022 over concerns about his lateness in disclosing his stake in Twitter. The order comes after Musk failed to appear for a testimony in September and later refused to attend a rescheduled interview, prompting the SEC to sue. US Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler sided with the SEC after Musk tried to challenge its subpoena, which he claims is seeking irrelevant information and is harassment, as hes already been interviewed twice. But, the SEC says it has obtained new documents in relation to the probe and has further questions for the X owner. Musk also argued that the subpoena exceeds the SECs authority because it was issued by a staff member appointed by the SECs Director of Enforcement. Beeler struck these arguments down, ruling that the subpoena is valid. UPDATE 2/12/24 9:22 a.m.: According to Columbus police, the victims injuries are considered non-life-threatening. COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) The Columbus Police Department is investigating a Saturday evening shooting on the 6600 block of Dorsey Drive in East Columbus. CPD says one person was injured in the shooting. The victims condition is unknown at this time. Stick with WRBL on-air and online as more details become available. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRBL. AUSTIN (KXAN) The wreck happened in a flash. Steven Heller was enjoying a New Years Day bike ride through Pflugerville on the first day of 2023. The next moment, in a blur, Heller recalls an impact launching him through the air and watching his bicycle flying in the other direction beneath him. Follow KXANs complete investigation into Texas Attorney Generals Crime Victims Compensation program I dont think many people would walk away from being hit with a car that fast, Heller said at his kitchen counter, after viewing police footage of the incident obtained by KXAN for the first time. The stolen car that hit him at the intersection of Gattis School Road and Farm to Market Road 685 in Pflugerville was in a police chase and driven by a convicted felon, according to court records. Its just the amazement that I walked away from this, he said. Before seeing the footage, Heller had no idea how fast the stolen car was moving or that a second sedan was inches from running over his head. After the car hit Heller, it careened through a traffic signal pole, leaving nothing but a shattered metal stump. Steven Heller, a victim hit by a stolen car involved in a police chase, holds a laptop showing a moment after he was knocked off his bicycle that was captured on police body camera. (KXAN Photo/ Matt Grant) At the hospital, Hellers diagnostic scans and a medical evaluation miraculously found only minor injuries. Since the incident was classified as a violent crime, Heller qualified for assistance with medical bills from the states Crime Victims Compensation Program, or CVC. The CVC programs goal is to help victims move forward with their lives. The Office of Attorney General Ken Paxton operates the fund. It reimburses people for hospital bills, therapy, relocation, lost wages and more. The money used is primarily generated from court fees, rather than taxes. KXAN has followed Hellers and other victims cases for more than a year. Through multiple reports, dozens of public information requests, and interviews with former and current employees, KXAN has revealed a struggling department with high turnover and staffing shortages that has left victims waiting in a bureaucratic maze of paperwork for months. Explore: Held Up Crime victims left waiting for state money Amid these investigations, KXAN also discovered the program has submitted statistics to the state Legislature that make it appear victim claims are being handled far faster than reality. For example, in the summer of 2023, the average victim waited six months for a first payment, according to internal division data obtained by KXAN. Meanwhile, the CVC office reported to lawmakers that claims were being paid in an average of just 36 days, according to state records. The questionable statistics uncovered by KXAN caught the eye of Rep. Mary Gonzalez, D-Clint, who said she was perturbed by them. We expect for that data to be integral, said Gonzalez, vice chair of the House Appropriations Committee. If data submitted to the Legislature are skewed, it can impact their evaluation of an agencys performance, she said. This data is critical, she said. This is exactly the type of information we use to decide how much money gets appropriated; how much staff is needed. Misleading calculations? State Rep. Mary Gonzalez, an El Paso-area Democrat, says she is working with colleagues to address discrepancies in CVC data, which is critical to assessing the programs performance. (KXAN Photo/Matt Grant) To arrive at the statistics sent to the Legislature, KXAN discovered Paxtons CVC office averages two very different types of claims together: victim claims that take months to pay and sexual assault examination claims that typically take less than a week. Whats more, sexual assault exam payments dont involve victims at all theyre handled directly between medical providers and the state, according to interviews with former and current workers and agency records. It has been very concerning to me, as I continue to dig into this, Gonzalez said. I am very fortunate that the appropriations staff of the Texas House is looking into this, and we are working hard with other members of the Legislature to bring more light to the information and to make sure that we hold the agency accountable. Former AG official: skewed math obscures Texas victim compensation delays In light of KXANs findings, Gonzalez said shes working to build a coalition of lawmakers who will dig into the questionable CVC data and try to find a solution before the next Legislative session begins in 2025. Paxtons communications office has not provided a comment or acknowledged receipt of KXANs approximately two dozen emails with detailed questions and phone messages since November. For this most recent report, KXAN called and emailed a half dozen times over the course of two weeks. Paxtons press office never responded. The last time Paxtons office provided a comment on the CVC topic, in September 2023, a spokesperson said the office was nearly fully staffed after the OAG worked alongside the legislature to address recruiting and retention difficulties that state agencies have faced in recent years, resulting in an across-the-board pay raise for all state employees. In January, a CVC employee list showed 22 vacant positions, about half the number of vacancies in April 2023, according to department rosters. Despite the staffing improvements, claims are still taking months to process. AGs office tells feds one thing, Texas lawmakers another KXAN dug into the CVC offices most recent fiscal year 2022 report to the U.S. Department of Justices Office for Victims of Crime and discovered Paxtons office submits strikingly different metrics to state Legislators compared to federal authorities. States that receive CVC funding from the federal government submit their performance statistics to the federal Office for Victims of Crime. Retraumatizing: State staffing woes punish Texas crime victims In fiscal year 2022, Texas reported to the federal government the average claim took 74 days to determine eligibility. Meanwhile, Paxtons CVC office reported to the state Legislature it took 39 days, on average, to analyze a claim, determine eligibility and make a first payment. The Attorney Generals office reported to state lawmakers the time it took to determine eligibility and pay out claims to victims was 39 days (KXAN Graphic/Richie Bowes) The AGs office reported to the US Department of Justice that 74 days was the time to determine if someone is eligible. (KXAN Graphic/Richie Bowes) It isnt clear why the CVC divisions submit such different measurements to the state and federal governments. Regarding how Texas compiles the federal statistics, a DOJ official referred to an instruction manual that says Texas should count the days from the time of receipt of an application to decision. Note: Processing time is based on a states established procedure. The instructions do not mention whether sexual assault examination claims may be included, and Paxtons office did not respond to specific questions about its federal reporting methods. KXAN asked the DOJ if it had concerns about the different statistics being reported to the federal and state governments. A DOJ official said it is unclear if the reports rely on the same metrics, and the DOJ doesnt have oversight of state legislature reports. Gonzalez called the disparate state and federal reports, which a KXAN investigation uncovered, very concerning. I think the AGs office is probably telling us different data because we are responsible for how much funding the agency gets, Gonzalez said. They want to demonstrate they are high-performing, even if those numbers arent completely accurate. Skewed data Part of the reason the state data has become skewed, as Gonzalez described it, is because legislative changes streamlined the reimbursement process for sex assault examination claims. In 2019, Rep. Victoria Neave Criado, D-Dallas, authored House Bill 616, which allows medical providers to be reimbursed directly by the CVC program for sex assault examinations. That change sped up sexual assault claims. To get a better idea of how other states handle their statistics, KXAN contacted crime victim compensation offices in the 10 most populous states outside Texas. We asked if they include sexual assault examination claims in measurements reported to the state or federal government. Of those that responded and answered KXANs specific questions, California, Ohio, Georgia and Michigan said they do not include sexual assault examinations in their calculations. Illinois and New Jerseys crime victim compensation offices said they dont handle costs for forensic exams. Florida did not answer that specific question from KXAN. New York and Pennsylvania never responded. At least one state, North Carolina, said it does include sexual assault forensic examination claims in its performance report to the federal government. Gonzalez wants Texas to separate out rape kit exam data to give lawmakers a more accurate picture of how long victims, overall, are waiting for help. I think taxpayers and Texans just want transparency, she said. Another state lawmaker, Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, who is on the Texas Senate Finance Committee, said she is dedicated to collaborating with Paxton, advocates and stakeholders to ensure the effective and prompt service of the CVC funds. Zaffirini said she will be looking at allocating resources and enhancing data collection to improve the program. Lawmakers eye fixes to Texas crime victim fund after KXAN investigation Heller expressed some surprise and concern about how Texas CVC office has reported its performance, but the statistics were more of an afterthought. At the forefront of Hellers mind has been a months-long struggle to get his medical bills paid. At the time of KXANs November report, Heller had waited nearly six months and received nothing except unanswered phone calls. A week after KXANs investigation aired, he was told his hospital bill totaling $1,327.76 was paid. At the end of January more than a year after his accident the CVC office paid $650 for his ambulance bill, effectively closing the saga of his wreck and bills. Heller shared his payment records and bills with KXAN. I feel great about it, Heller said. Ive been sick of dealing with this for over a year, trying to get the payment that they said I should get. The process was difficult, but Heller knows it can be even tougher for more complex cases. He considers himself lucky. I cant imagine what its like for someone with a more traumatic experience, with bills that are even more expensive, having to deal with this, he said. And having to relive that trauma, again and again. Investigative Photojournalist Richie Bowes, Director of Investigations & Innovation Josh Hinkle, Digital Special Projects Developer Robert Sims, Graphic Artist Christina Staggs and Digital Director Kate Winkle contributed to this report. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. A crowd surrounded a driverless Waymo car and set it ablaze in San Francisco, California firefighters say. Videos on X, formerly Twitter, captured by an onlooker show the incident in Chinatown. One shows people breaking windows with skateboards while the crowd cheers and shouts. Later videos show people standing back from the blazing vehicle. See the videos here. Warning, some of the videos contain explicit language some may find offensive. Video showed someone smashing the cars windows with a skateboard. San Francisco firefighters told KNTV the incident took place around 9:25 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10. Waymo officials told the station no one was inside the vehicle at the time. In another post on X, San Francisco firefighters said a crowd surrounded the car, broke windows and sprayed graffiti before lighting a firework inside, catching it on fire. Waymo Vehicle surrounded and then graffitid, windows were broken, and firework lit on fire inside the vehicle which ultimately caught the entire vehicle on fire. #SFFD Photos by Seraphine Hossenlopp pic.twitter.com/aOTqL3Rk8V SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT MEDIA (@SFFDPIO) February 11, 2024 A large crowd celebrated the first day of the Lunar New Year in Chinatown on Saturday, SFGate reported. Its not clear what set off the crowd, although driverless cars have been controversial in the city, NPR reported. In 2023, protesters blocked off the cars with traffic cones to immobilize them. A driverless Waymo car struck a bicyclist in San Francisco on Tuesday, Feb. 6, causing minor injuries, KGO reported. Woman vanishes into 25-foot sinkhole outside home, California rescuers say 16-year-old rushes into frigid pond to help save driver after crash. He needs help Mom, two kids arrive home to find stranger trying on clothes, California police say A block party took over downtown San Luis Obispo on Saturday with hundreds of people packing Palm Street in front of the Ah Louis Store to celebrate not only the buildings 150th anniversary, but also Lunar New Year. The party a partnership between the city and Karson Butler Events took over a block of Palm Street between Chorro and Morro streets throughout the day, starting at 11 a.m. Were so excited that the city, in partnership with the Ah Louis Store and the team at Karson Butler Events, is able to have this brand new community event, economic development and tourism manager Molly Cano told The Tribune in the week before the party. I think something that were really excited about is being able to tell the story overall for the historic Chinatown district and be able to really kind of put a focus and an emphasis on this unique historic district that we have within the community. A block party took over downtown San Luis Obispo on Feb. 10, 2024, with hundreds of people packing Palm Street in front of the Ah Louis Store to celebrate not only the buildings 150th anniversary, but also Lunar New Year. Cano said Karson Butler Events, which opened up a retail gift shop in the Ah Louis building in 2016, was instrumental in planning and executing the unique event. Co-founder and CEO Amber Karson said she and her sister Emily Butler had long been looking for ways to honor the history of the building and the legacy of its original owner, Ah Louis. Its been a dream of ours to reinvigorate what weve learned about the history, Karson told The Tribune on Feb. 5. Thats really important to Emily and me. When we are in that building, the whole point is to bring love and light back to the Ah Louis home. It was such a cornerstone of our community. The Cal Poly Lion Dance Team performed during a Lunar New Year block party in downtown San Luis Obispo on Feb. 10, 2024. Ah Louis Store building celebrates 150th anniversary Beside being a prominent businessman, Ah Louis was also something of an honorary mayor of San Luis Obispos original Chinatown, which spanned a swath of Palm Street until much of it was bulldozed in the 1950s. The brick Ah Louis Store that sits on the corner of Palm and Chorro streets today was built in 1885, replacing a wooden one that was built in 1874, and is one of the last remaining buildings original to that district. Over the years, it at times served as a post office, general store, bank and an employment office, besides being a gathering point for the Chinese community in San Luis Obispo. Karson noted that during its lengthy history, the building and the block were also the site of numerous parties and celebrations, including ones for the Lunar New Year. Taking that into mind as the buildings 150th anniversary approached, Karson said she felt the time was right to connect with the city for a massive celebration focused around the stores birthday and Lunar New Year. A block party took over downtown San Luis Obispo on Feb. 10, 2024, with hundreds of people packing Palm Street in front of the Ah Louis Store to celebrate not only the buildings 150th anniversary, but also Lunar New Year. The city and Butler reached out to local cultural groups, including the Central Coast Chinese Association and the Cal Poly Chinese Students Association, for input while planning the event. They also have been working directly with the Louis family, especially Dr. William Watson, Louis grandson and the owner of the Ah Louis Store building, she said. Beside the Ah Louis Store, other businesses in the Chinatown district including Mee Heng Low, the Palm Theatre and Hotel San Luis Obispo will also have special activities for the block party. It is really kind of this fantastic synergy between a lot of people that have been dreaming and planning this for a while, Karson said. San Luis Obispo diversity, equity and inclusion manager Nestor Veloz-Passalacqua said the celebration is a way for the city to highlight the important contributions of diverse populations to the regions history but also as a way to acknowledge its diversity today. Something that is very critical, that we want to be able to acknowledge, is we want to make sure people know the city is in fact, quite diverse, he said. We want people to know that they are critical today. The Cal Poly Lion Dance Team performed during a Lunar New Year block party in downtown San Luis Obispo on Feb. 10, 2024. What was on the lineup for Lunar New Year block party? There was plenty of excitement on the block during the all-day party. Families and residents wandered the booths set up in the parking lot adjacent to the Ah Louis Store, snacking on pork belly buns from Bings Bao Buns or the myriad other food options at the event. Cal Polys Lion Dance Team put on crowd-pleasing performances throughout the late afternoon, wowing the assembled audience with their acrobatics and dancing. A block party took over downtown San Luis Obispo on Feb. 10, 2024, with hundreds of people packing Palm Street in front of the Ah Louis Store to celebrate not only the buildings 150th anniversary, but also Lunar New Year. Other events included an opening ceremony and celebration of the Ah Louis Stores 150 years, followed by a performance from the Central Coast Chinese Association, a food panel on SLOs Rising Asian Food Scene, a dance performance by the Cal Poly KAJA KREW, a tea cermony demonstation by the Inari Tea Lounge and a parking lot dance party. The Palm Theatre also held a special screening of the 2001 romantic drama In the Mood for Love. To cap off the evening, the citys first-ever drone light show lit up the sky above San Luis Obispo, wowing the assembled crowd who packed not only the parking lot adjacent to the Ah Louis Store, but were also stopped on corners throughout the city to see the spectacle. A block party took over downtown San Luis Obispo on Feb. 10, 2024, with hundreds of people packing Palm Street in front of the Ah Louis Store to celebrate not only the buildings 150th anniversary, but also Lunar New Year. Mimicking traditional fireworks, drones formed complex shapes in the sky, switching from a flying dragon to spelling out messages like Happy Lunar New Year and 2024. At one point the drones morphed into a giant red envelope that opened, revealing coins inside. As the drone light show continued, photos of Ah Louis and his family were displayed on the side of the store building. Soon after the light show concluded, the crowd began to disperse, content after welcoming a new year in style. The overwhelming outpouring of support from the San Luis Obispo community was truly heartwarming, Karson told The Tribune after the event. Palm Street radiated with joy, love and appreciation throughout the entire day. It was a profound honor for us to revive a Lunar New Year celebration in commemoration of the 150-year anniversary of The Ah Louis Store. This day will be eternally engraved in our hearts. A block party took over downtown San Luis Obispo on Feb. 10, 2024, with hundreds of people packing Palm Street in front of the Ah Louis Store to celebrate not only the buildings 150th anniversary, but also Lunar New Year. The citys first-ever drone light show wowed crowds, forming shapes like dragons and red envelopes. Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, said that Ukrainian forces are facing a very difficult moment and need weapons, warning that waiting influences the situation on the front line. Foreign aid for Ukraine dropped to the lowest level since January 2022, according to the report by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy published on Dec. 7. The situation on the front line is very difficult. It has never been easy since Feb. 24, 2022, and if anyone thinks that the front line is easy, they are people who do not understand the war, Danilov told Portuguese Lusa news agency in an interview published on Feb. 11. He said Russia is receiving weapons from North Korea and Iran, which led to some changes in the front-line situation. Danilov also said that, in this scenario, if the Western countries do not significantly increase their arms and ammunition delivery to Ukraine, the situation will get really complicated. We need weapons, weapons, weapons, Danilov said. U.S. senators have finally put for a vote a highly anticipated bill on Feb. 8 that includes foreign aid packages for Ukraine and Israel. Republican legislators have refused to support a $61 billion Ukrainian aid package without funding being tied to border security reforms. Funds to Ukraine have been delayed for months as senators negotiated a deal that still faces harsh opposition in the House of Representatives. Former U.S. President Donald Trump, who is also the presumptive Republican candidate in the 2024 presidential elections, has lobbied allies in Congress to reject any bipartisan border agreement. The European Union on Feb. 1 announced unanimous approval of a 50-billion euro ($54 billion) support package for Ukraine, which was blocked by Hungary in December. U.S. officials welcomed the news but said the EU could not support Ukraine on its own without U.S. military assistance. Read also: Opinion: Protecting Ukraine aid from Western political dysfunction Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. AUSTIN (KXAN) A local nonprofit worked to combat the ongoing diaper insecurity lovingly. The Austin Diaper Bank (ADB) hosted its Volunteer with your Valentine event on Saturday. ADBs Program Outreach Coordinator, Analisa Cantu, says the idea for the event stemmed from wanting to share love to help babies and families in the Austin area. We call it a date that makes a difference, Cantu said. Were working to make sure that no family goes without diapers. According to a study done by the National Diaper Bank Network, 1 in 2 U.S. families cannot afford enough diapers to keep their infant or child clean, dry, and healthy. We know that inability to afford or access diapers can cause some serious problems for families, Cantu said. Irregular diaper changing can lead to a higher rate of urinary tract infections, diaper rash. Debbie Immel, the Chief Development Officer at Lifeworks, an organization tasked to help families in need, was one of the volunteers on Saturday. Immels inspiration to volunteer came from a conversation she had working with a client who was facing homelessness. We were talking about finding housing, and what she said is right now all I need are diapers for my child,' Immel said. A new Texas law that became law from the past regular session helped accommodate some savings by removing sales tax on diapers, wipes, period supplies and other health-related items. We did the math. On average, families are spending up to $100 per month per child on diapers, Cantu said. It really does make a difference [as] that money saved can go to purchasing other basic needs: gas, food, rent. ADB will continue to host Volunteer with your Valentine events throughout the week: Sunday, Feb. 11 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 14 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. ADB headquarters is located on Denton Drive in north Austin. Anyone 21 and older can register to volunteer. The cost is $25 per person. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. When he was PM, Mr Cameron personally intervened against the execution of another child protester on Saudis secretive death row - BILAL HUSSEIN/AP David Cameron has been urged to intervene to save the lives of two men in Saudi Arabia who are facing imminent execution after being accused of taking part in protests when they were minors. In a letter penned by Sir Peter Bottomley, and co-signed by eight cross-party MPs and peers, the Foreign Secretary has been asked to make a public call for the executions to be halted and to leverage Britains close and vital relationship with Saudi Arabia. The two young men, Abdullah Al Derazi and Youssef Al Manasif, were both arrested after they had turned 18. However, their alleged crimes relate to attending anti-government protests over the treatment of the Shia minority which dates back to when they were as young as 15. Multiple rights groups have said that their sentences were upheld following grossly unfair trials and torture-tainted confessions. Recent developments in the prison where they are held indicate they may be executed at any moment, the letter, seen exclusively by The Telegraph, read. We respectfully request that you make a public call for their executions to be halted, and for their death sentences to be overturned in line with the Saudi Governments legal obligations and its promises to stop executing child defendants. Preparing inmates for execution As prime minister in 2015, Lord Cameron said that he would personally intervene against the imminent execution of another child protester on Saudis secretive death row, Ali Al Nimr, who was set to imminently be beheaded. When his sentence was commuted, the foreign secretary at the time, Philip Hammond, suggested it was a victory of British diplomacy. Saudi Arabia has repeatedly declared in recent years that it has abolished the death penalty for child defendants. All of the charges against the young men are non-lethal and do not meet the most serious crimes threshold for the death penalty to be applied. Abdallah, whose death sentence has been upheld by the Supreme Court, spent two weeks in a coma following the torture he faced during his arrest in 2014, his court records show. His charges include burning tyres and attending a funeral when he was 17. According to the European Saudi Organisation for Human Rights (ESOHR), which monitors and investigates Saudis opaque death row, Dammam Investigations Prison, which holds both Abdullah and Youssef, is preparing inmates for execution. A relative of Youssef, whose identity has been hidden due to fear of reprisal, described the family as desperate. Last week, an inmate in Dammam, who was accused of similar crimes to the two young men, was executed without warning, prompting campaigners to raise the alarm over the two child defendants. Witnesses have told ESOHR that death row detainees in Dammam have also been photographed recently, which they believe to be an indicator of imminent execution. 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 February 11, 1858, French peasant girl Bernadette Soubirous said the Virgin Mary appeared to her at a grotto in Lourdes. File Photo by Guerinf/Wikimedia Feb. 11 (UPI) -- On this date in history: In 1858, French peasant girl Bernadette Soubirous said the Virgin Mary appeared to her at Lourdes. In December 1933, the pope proclaimed Bernadette a saint. In 1929, a Lateran treaty signed in Italy recognized the sovereignty of Vatican City. In 1929, Miss Bobbi Trout, an 18-year-old "Tomboy" who took up flying to avoid dish-washing, broke three world aviation records. In 1941, Glenn Miller's Chattanooga Choo Choo was awarded the first gold record, given for sales of 1 million copies. Firefighters and rescue staff arrive at the site of plane crash near Moscow on February 11, 2018. File Photo courtesy of the Russian Emergencies Ministry press service In 1945, U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Josef Stalin ended a wartime conference at Yalta. UPI File Photo Singer Whitney Houston died at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles on February 11, 2012. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI In 1965, U.S. and South Vietnamese planes made their first bombing raids on North Vietnam. In 1970, Japan put a satellite, Ohsumi, in space, following the Soviet Union, the United States and France. L-R, biologists Kieran Suckling, Cody Martz and Taylor McKinnon hold protest signs at the Malheur National Wildlife Reserve on January 16, 2016, in Burns, Ore. On February 11, 2016, the last four remaining armed occupiers at the refuge surrendered after a 41-day standoff that left one dead. File Photo by Jim Bryant/UPI In 1990, Nelson Mandela, leader of the movement to end South African apartheid, was released after 27 years in prison. In 1993, British Prime Minister John Major said Queen Elizabeth II would pay income tax on her personal income as well as being subject to capital and inheritance levies. South African leader Nelson Mandela (C) and wife Winnie (R) wave to the crowd of supporters June 25, 1990. On February 11, 1990, Mandela was released after 27 years in prison. File Photo by Martin Jeong/UPI In 2006, U.S. adventurer Steve Fossett broke the solo flight record when he landed near Bournemouth, England, covering 24,997 miles after taking off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida four days earlier. In 2009, a long, bitter political fight in Zimbabwe apparently was resolved when President Robert Mugabe swore in opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai as prime minister. On February 11, 1929, a Lateran treaty signed in Italy recognized the sovereignty of Vatican City. File Photo by Stefano Spaziani/UPI File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI In 2011, Hosni Mubarak stepped down after nearly 30 years as president of Egypt, bowing to intense public pressure to resign after 18 days of massive, often violent protests that spawned a reported death toll of more than 800 people. Mubarak, 82, ceded power to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. Britain's Queen Elizabeth II greets students and alumni at the Wren Building at The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va., on May 4, 2007. On February 11, 1993, British Prime Minister John Major said Queen Elizabeth II would pay income tax on her personal income as well as being subject to capital and inheritance levies. File Photo by Rodney Lamkey/UPI In 2012, Whitney Houston, an American pop singing star who sold millions of albums and starred in movies, was found dead in a Beverly Hills, Calif., hotel room. The Los Angeles coroner said the 48-year-old entertainer died of accidental drowning in her bathtub but that cocaine and heart disease also played a role. In 2014, an Algerian Hercules C-130 military plane crashed into a mountain in eastern Algeria, killing 77 people, including civilians. There was one survivor, a soldier. Ohsumi satellite in orbit on February 18, 2014. File Photo by Rlandmann/Wikimedia In 2016, the last four remaining armed occupiers at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon surrendered after a 41-day standoff that left one dead. In 2018, a passenger jet carrying 71 people on board crashed after takeoff from a Moscow airport, killing all on board. In 2021, President Joe Biden officially ended a national emergency declaration at the United States' southern border that allowed former President Donald Trump two years ago to divert federal funds to build his border wall. File Photo by Oliver Contreras/UPI Editor's note: This the third story in the Abilene Reporter News' series "A Day in the Life," in which we shadow local law enforcement, public figures and other people of note to catch a glimpse of all that they do for the community every day. It was dark out, with the occasional streetlamp providing a dim light on the wet pavement. Reporter-News was recently picked up for a ride-along with Officer Kimberly Salazar of the Abilene Police Department. About four minutes into the shift, a call came out from dispatch about a disturbance in a nearby apartment complex. Dispatchers at the Abilene Police Department answer calls from officers on patrol on January 26, 2024. As Officer Salazar drove towards the complex, she unbuckled her seatbelt in anticipation. As soon as the car was in park, she took off quickly in the direction of the call. Officer Sonny Johnson joined as backup as they quietly weaved their way up the outdoor cement stairs towards the apartment. To the right of the apartment was an unlit hallway, and the air was tense as the officers approached the front door. Johnson promptly knocked on the door with no immediate answer. He then banged loudly on the door and shouted "Police!" The woman inside the apartment opened the door slightly and explained that someone had been knocking on her door while threatening to kill her. The officers quickly scanned the complex, seeing nothing but a stray cat walking around the front lawn. Both officers assured the woman that they would check the complex for her and reminded her to call the police again if there was another disturbance. As the officers made their way down the nearby unlit stairs, they turned on their shoulder flashlights and were constantly scanning for any signs of movement. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but this was just the beginning of the evening shift on a Friday night in Abilene. First-generation American with big dreams Officer Kimberly Salazar has been a police officer since 2020, but her dream goes back much further than that. She is the daughter of two immigrants, with her mother being from Mexico and her father from El Salvador. They originally moved to Chicago but settled later in Abilene, and Salazar has been here ever since. As a third-grade student in Abilene, she attended the annual Safety City field trip. On that fateful day, she sat in a police car, and there discovered her desire to become a law enforcement officer ever since. Officer Kimberly Salazar stands with her patrol vehicle outside APD. At just 24 years old, Salazar became a member of the "COVID class" at the Abilene Police Department but even that could not deter her from completing her dream. She is now a current patrol officer, who works the evening shift four days a week and describes herself as having a serious "passion for policing." In an interview with Reporter-News, she said that she does this tough work for her young son at home. She wants to keep Abilene safe for him and for all children across the city. She also hopes that she can respond to citizens who are having a tough day, and simply "fix it." Two Abilenes At any given time, there are an average of 18 patrol police officers on call in Abilene. The police department has split the city into nine districts or "beats" with two to three officers assigned to each district. Their busiest shift is a Friday or Saturday night mid shift, which ranges from 2 p.m. -midnight. Reporter-News witnessed calls coming through dispatch every 5-10 minutes throughout the entire evening shift. Salazar noted that the department sees everything from domestic disturbances to overdose calls to traffic accidents, just about every week here in Abilene. She remarked, however, that there are two distinct Abilenes: daytime Abilene and Abilene after dark, which is "the stuff that you don't see or hear all the time on the news." Those are the calls that are her bread and butter every Friday and Saturday night. Officer Kimberly Salazar, as her shift changes from day to night. Salazar has seen it all; from finding a threatening suspect armed with a machete to chasing down suspects to responding to alcohol-related car crashes or to assisting with drug overdoses. Reporter-News witnessed several stops with Officers Salazar and Johnson. In one stop, a home alarm system had been triggered, and both officers searched the entire property to make sure nothing was amiss. Salazar even called the homeowner, who was not present, to reassure her that the property was safe and sound and checked by police. Additionally, the officers responded to a routine traffic stop which took a different turn. Salazar noted that when she initially pulled over the vehicle, she detected a drug odor. This gave her probable cause to search the occupants of the vehicle and the vehicle itself. Officer Johnson assisted with the search of the occupants and did so in a respectful and calm manner. Reporter-News witnessed Salazar inspect the vehicle carefully, making sure to put the objects back where she had found them. No drugs were found in this case, but Salazar made sure to carefully explain every step of the process and even leave the occupants laughing after the traffic stop. According to Salazar, her days are "never boring and never the same." 'Those that thank us, makes it worth it' Officer Salazar recounted a particularly memorable night in which she was called to evict some residents from a local motel. When she arrived on scene, she saw a family of four being evicted and also detected a drug odor emanating from the complex. She felt for the two young children involved in this unfortunate situation and talked with them about the upcoming holidays to distract them. The young girl talked constantly about a Barbie doll that she had wanted for Christmas, and Salazar made sure to make that happen. Several days later, Salazar arrived at the family's new residence to present the little girl with her desired doll and the young boy with a dinosaur. Salazar recalled with a beautiful smile that like that family, "those who thank us, make it worth it." She said she hoped that "being able to impact a child's life" could make a difference in preventing future issues with the police. She sadly recounted a different story about a runaway teenager, in which she reflected that if police had encountered her in a positive way earlier it could have been prevented. The APD badge on the patrol car at night. After catching the runaway, Salazar told the teenager, "I don't know your story, but I am willing to listen." This small interaction sums up Salazar's character as a current patrol officer. She is extremely conscientious of others and of her interactions with them. She takes her job very seriously but doesn't forget to smile, knowing that some citizens of Abilene are having a truly rough day. Overall, Salazar is an extremely hard worker who exudes passion for her career and for those she has sworn to protect. This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: A day in the life: Abilene Police Officer A bombshell report raising questions about President Bidens mental acuity has sparked new anxieties among House Democrats, who fear the focus on the presidents age could hamstring their efforts to flip control of the lower chamber in Novembers elections. The Democrats are quick to emphasize that they disagree strongly with the assessments of special counsel Robert Hur, whose report into Bidens handling of classified documents painted the president as a well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory. Many Democrats are furious with the portrayal, accusing Hur of overstepping his charge with political smears. But the Democrats also acknowledge that, fairly or not, the report has provided new ammunition for an old GOP attack line: That the 81-year-old Biden is suffering the frailties of age in ways that make him unfit to hold the office a narrative thats emerged as a chief vulnerability for the president and his party heading into November. Democrats are going to say that [Hur] put a lot of stuff in there that he shouldnt have. His job was not to analyze whether [Biden] is old or not, his job was: Did he commit a crime or not? said a former Democratic aide who maintains close contact with Capitol Hill. But thats neither here nor there. It feeds into the narrative that hes too old. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) delivered a similar message. Huffman went after Hur as a grandstanding prosecutor making gratuitous insulting remarks while not bringing charges. But he also conceded that the report, by feeding the GOPs portrait of a feeble president, could be damaging to Democrats. Its not fair, Huffman said, but this narrative is going to be with us whether we like it or not and it is worrisome. Released Thursday, Hurs report found that Biden, after serving as vice president in the Obama administration, had willfully retained and disclosed classified materials, but his actions did not rise to a level deserving criminal charges. That component of the findings marked a victory for the president. And speaking to Democrats at their annual strategy retreat in Northern Virginia shortly after the report was released, Biden focused squarely on the absence of charges and his cooperation in the investigation two features that have set him apart from former President Trump, who is under indictment for his handling of classified documents after he left the White House in 2021. The bottom line is, a special counsel in my case decided against moving forward with any charges. And this matter is now closed, Biden told the Democrats at the Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg, Va. Yet Hur also made clear that his decision not to bring charges was derived, at least in part, from his assessment that a jury would likely not convict the president a sympathetic figure with a poor memory in a trial that would be years away. It would be difficult to convince a jury that they should convict him by then a former president well into his eighties of a serious felony that requires a mental state of willfulness, the report reads. The White House quickly sought to contain the damage, staging a press conference with Biden Thursday night, when he delivered a fiery defense of his health and condemned Hurs judgments as wildly inaccurate. Im well-meaning, and Im an elderly man, and I know what the hell Im doing, he said. Ive been president; I put this country back on its feet. I dont need his recommendation. Yet the event later turned combative when Biden opened the floor to questions and clashed with some of the reporters in the room over the public perception of his health and mental fitness exchanges that churned headlines and caused even some of Bidens Democratic allies to denounce his strategy. Thats not the way you want to do it. I think we can all agree on that, Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) said Friday in an interview with CNN. He was angry, he was frustrated by what came out, there was not a prepared, clear agenda of OK, heres my explanation, heres what Im doing, and it didnt go well. Theres no doubt about it. Republicans wasted no time seizing on Hurs findings, saying they were just the latest evidence that Bidens health is deteriorating and he should remain a one-term president. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) blasted out a fundraising email warning that Biden is a risk to national security. If Joe Biden is too incapable to be held accountable for mishandling classified information, then he is undoubtedly unfit for the Oval Office, Johnsons message reads. Publicly, most Democrats have rushed to Bidens defense, noting that Trump, the runaway favorite to win the GOPs presidential nomination, is 77 years old and frequently makes his own gaffes in interviews and speeches on the campaign trail. In one prominent episode last month, he appeared to mistake Nikki Haley for former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). A number of Democrats downplayed the significance of Hurs report, characterizing it as a piece of Beltway navel gazing that will have little resonance beyond Washington, especially given that the elections are still nine months away. There is an eternity between now and November, said Licy Do Canto, an adviser to former Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and the late Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.). The story will come and go as a chapter in a broader question about the role of age and wisdom in running for public office. In my view, it doesnt do some catastrophic damage that those have suggested about it, and even those who, for hyperbole, have suggested that this is the worst day of his presidency, added Do Canto, now with APCO Worldwide, a global consulting company. I think thats just Washington trying to act more sophisticated than it is. Others noted that the news cycle moves quickly, and predicted that Hurs report would soon be overtaken in the public eye by the actions of Congress this week, when the House is expected to vote on the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Johnson will have to decide how to approach a package of aid for Ukraine and Israel, and voters on Long Island will go to the polls to decide who will replace former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.), who was expelled late last year. Given the high stakes in Tuesdays special election in New Yorks 3rd Congressional District, some observers said the outcome of that contest will, by itself, eclipse the Hur report by mid-week. By November, they said, itll be completely forgotten. These things last until the next thing, said the former Democratic aide. The election will dominate everything. Win or lose, for Democrats, itll dominate everything. And itll change the subject. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. WASHINGTON The immigration debate has undoubtedly shifted to the right. The border bill Democrats endorsed this past week was far more conservative than anything the party had agreed to in the past and they slammed Republicans for not going along. The bill would make it more difficult for migrants to qualify for asylum, while giving the president the power to put asylum fully out of reach for long stretches of time, and it would restrict the presidents ability to give temporary legal status to immigrants who cross the border. Behind the shift is a transformed political reality, based on public opinion on immigration moving sharply to the right since Biden became president. A variety of factors in recent years including instability in South and Central America and the end of pandemic-era provisions restricting migration led the number of immigrants crossing the border to skyrocket to record highs, with Border Patrol taking more than 225,000 migrants into custody in December 2023. Whats ahead of the shift, according to interviews with Democrats and immigration advocates, is far less certain. Dreamers and other undocumented immigrants, whose legal status has long been what Democrats hoped to gain out of immigration negotiations, were left feeling left out after party leaders instead prepared to trade tougher border enforcement for U.S. aid to Ukraine. The seeming abandonment of their cause has alarmed Latino Democrats. Our votes matter. So sometimes that means withholding votes. Sometimes it means continuing to have tough conversations, Rep. Nanette Diaz Barrigan (D-Calif.), who chairs the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, told reporters this week at House Democrats annual retreat in Leesburg, Va. But it is completely unacceptable that the Hispanic Caucus would not be at the table on the issue that we lead on, which is immigration. Advocates outside of the government went even further, with many alarmed Democrats are ceding ground even as an increasing number of conservatives are embracing the great replacement conspiracy theory and Trump allies are planning deportation camps. This bill sets a dangerous legacy and signals to the country that Trumps immigration policy has captured our government, United We Dream director Greisa Martinez Rosas said Wednesday. The pro-immigrant group warned Democrats they were cowering to the MAGA Republicans strategy by supporting the bill. In prior bipartisan talks over immigration policy, Democrats typically sought some sort of pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants in the U.S., either those who have been here for years or young people who were brought to the country recently by their parents, in exchange for tougher border policy. By not demanding it this time around, Democrats run the risk of demoralizing a key segment of their political coalition and giving up leverage in future attempts to reform the nations immigration laws. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a lead negotiator on the Senate deal, insisted the party was not abandoning DREAMers even as it agreed to an immigration deal with no path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a lead negotiator on the Senate deal, insisted the party was not abandoning DREAMers even as it agreed to an immigration deal with no path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. On top of it all, Latino lawmakers couldnt help but point out their lack of representation in the negotiating team, which included Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), and James Lankford (R-Okla.). Why was Alex Padilla not there? Why was Bob Menendez not there? asked Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas). Why was not one of our senators there? Because we can continue to do everything we can, but the Senate has to see that there are voices behind us, that someones got our back. Underlying the political shift is a surge at the southern U.S. border, with unprecedented numbers of migrants arriving there last year, and from more places around the world than ever before. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), architect of an ill-fated bill in 2013 that would have paired citizenship and border security, suggested this week citizenship had become irrelevant to Republicans. Are we going to remodel the kitchen when the rest of the house is on fire? We have a fire going on with mass migration, Rubio said. Polling from Blueprint, a centrist Democratic group, backs up the idea there was political demand for the deal, even without a pathway to citizenship: 58% of voters supported the deal, while only 22% opposed it. Even among Latino voters, two-thirds supported increasing border security and three-fifths supported making it harder to qualify for asylum. Democratic voters, meanwhile, are placing less emphasis on immigration than the rest of the country. An NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist College survey released this week found just 3% of Democrats named immigration the top issue facing the country, compared to 11% of independents and 14% of Republicans. Indeed, two Democratic strategists, both speaking on condition of anonymity to frankly discuss party strategy, admitted Bidens disappointingperformance among Latino voters in 2020, following the partys leftward moves on immigration remember Abolish ICE? during the Trump era, set the stage for him to abandon his more liberal campaign positioning on the issue and the comprehensive immigration bill he sent to Congress on his first day in office. One bluntly said the deal was the best available way for Biden to fend off attacks on immigration, an issue where he regularly polls even worse than his already low-approval ratings. The only reason the border is not secure is because of Donald Trump and his MAGA friends, Biden said on Tuesday, using a line hes likely to repeat multiple times between now and the election. Some Latino Democrats and immigration advocates worry the party could alienate Latino voters by moving rightward on immigration, hurting the party in places like Eagle Pass, Texas. But polling shows even many Latino voters are supportive of increased border security. Some Latino Democrats and immigration advocates worry the party could alienate Latino voters by moving rightward on immigration, hurting the party in places like Eagle Pass, Texas. But polling shows even many Latino voters are supportive of increased border security. Senate Democrats insisted that they werent leaving Dreamers or other undocumented immigrants behind, and that, if anything, this years negotiations would allow them to build on their progress since they can now point to the GOPs refusal to accept the deal as evidence of their hypocrisy on the issue. I wish we could fix every problem all at once, Murphy told HuffPost, but Democrats are the only party that has shown a sincerity about fixing the border. I think the politics are potentially flipping because Republicans have exposed themselves as wanting the chaos and Democrats have shown that were serious about the changes in the border. I get it that people in the past have been used to Democrats not talking and leading on the border, but were doing that now. And the American public is going to figure that out as we head into the election, he added. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate and a key participant in many immigration policy negotiations over the years, acknowledged the tradeoff in a Senate floor speech on Wednesday before ultimately voting for the bill. I am deeply, deeply disappointed that this bill does not include a path to citizenship for Dreamers, recipients of temporary protected status, farmworkers, or other essential people who have spent years contributing to our society, Durbin said. He noted that the border security and Ukraine bill did include increases in green cards and the children of certain visa holders. He vowed to continue pushing for the Dream Act. For many advocates, however, the party is simply playing a game where the rules are set by the GOP. Democrats, youre never going to be cruel enough, tough enough, anti-immigrant enough or able to deport your way to the negotiating table with McConnell and MAGA, Julian Castro, the former Housing Secretary under President Barack Obama, wrote this week on social media. Stop playing their game. Dont act out of fear. Offer a positive vision on immigration instead. America needs it. Jonathan Nicholson contributed to this story. Democrats are looking to avert an embarrassing defeat in Tuesdays high-stakes special election for former Rep. George Santoss (R-N.Y.) House seat, a race that could have broader implications for November as the party hopes to flip the lower chamber. Although Democrats see the seat as a prime pickup opportunity, recent polls have shown their nominee, former Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.), locked in a tight race with Republican Mazi Pilip, who has sought to tie him to President Bidens policies, especially on immigration. With New York viewed as key to Democrats chances of winning the House, the race is an important bellwether for both parties. And a Democratic loss would raise alarm bells for a party grappling with an incumbent president dogged by low approval ratings and growing concerns over immigration. Both sides will say this is a must-win election, but the stakes are higher for Democrats. Suozzis high name recognition, combined with the fact that hes leading in nearly every major poll, sets an expectation that Democrats will regain control of this seat, Democratic strategist Greg Drilling said. If Pilip pulls off a victory, it will be seen as a major upset that generates momentum for Republicans heading into November. Republicans scored an upset victory in the district in 2022 when Santos won by more than 7 points. The district under its current borders would have voted for Biden over former President Trump by 8 points in the 2020 presidential election. In the aftermath of Santos being expelled from the House in December following the House Ethics Investigation into the many false statements he made about his background, Democrats seemed poised for a chance to further narrow the GOPs already-narrow majority in the body. The party turned to Suozzi, who previously represented the district for six years before not seeking reelection in 2022 to pursue an unsuccessful gubernatorial bid, as their nominee. Democrats have described Suozzi as a familiar face for New Yorks 3rd Congressional District who has developed a reputation as a moderate well-suited to represent the districts constituents. He is facing an opponent who at least started the campaign as a relatively unknown candidate who served in the Nassau County Legislature. Suozzi and the Democrats have also comfortably outspent Pilip and the Republicans throughout the race. But the handful of polls conducted on the race have shown a tight match-up with Suozzi in the lead, though within the margin of error. Beneath the surface, some reasons for concern linger for Democrats. Long Island, where the district is located, has more commonly been electing Republicans in recent years. Nassau County, which makes up most of the district, has leaned Democratic at the presidential level but is led by a Republican county executive, and a majority of the members of the county legislature are Republican. The congressional district comfortably voted for former GOP Rep. Lee Zeldin in the states 2022 gubernatorial race. Pilips campaign has centered its attacks on Suozzi around immigration, an apparent effort to tie him to Biden, whose policies on the issue have been rated poorly. Voters in the district say immigration is one of their most important issues. Democrats still expressed optimism about Suozzi winning but recognized the race likely will be tight given the realities of the district. Tom Suozzis moderate politics and nearly three decades of public service in Nassau County makes him one of the few Democrats in New York capable of winning that district at this moment, Drilling said. NY-3 is a swing district that both parties see as winnable, so operatives across the country are closely watching to see what messaging and tactics ultimately resonate with voters. He said the strategies the winning campaign uses will likely be adopted in other competitive swing districts this year. Democratic strategist Gabe Tobias said the election is the first real race of 2024 and a bellwether of Democratic chances throughout the year. He said Democrats should win, especially in the aftermath of the fiasco surrounding Santos, but Suozzis lead in the polls by a few points is not anywhere near a sure thing. Tobias argued Democrats need to work to mobilize their voters to succeed in congressional races this year, focusing on issues like protecting abortion access and democracy in the aftermath of Roe v. Wade overturning and the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. Suozzi has sought to push back against Pilips accusations that he is weak on securing the border, releasing ads calling attention to his support for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and emphasizing his support for the bipartisan Senate legislation on immigration that Senate Republicans ultimately blocked. Tobias, who served as a senior adviser to the progressive PAC Justice Democrats, argued Republicans are trying to set immigration as the defining issue of the race, but Democrats should not buy into that. What that does is just lifting up those right-wing talking points and making it seem like theyre representing reality instead of talking about things that they should be talking about, which is the threat posed to the fundamental nature of our democracy by the far-right, he said. Thats what voters need to be hearing right now. Thats I would say more than anything how Democrats were able to win such surprising victories in 2022. One Democratic strategist disagreed, arguing that doubling down on immigration not being a serious issue would cause a worse performance. They said Suozzi is pursuing the right strategy in navigating a difficult position on immigration, but if he loses, itll be because national narratives are dominating the race. If Suozzi loses, Democrats should be very concerned about November. A Suozzi defeat means that Republicans may have found their winning formula for swing districts in November: Tie the Democrat to President Biden and the border crisis, they said. Democratic strategist Tom Bonier said Suozzi needs to simultaneously improve Democratic turnout and persuade more independents than the party did in 2022 when Santos won. He said the signs appear promising for Suozzi so far based on an analysis of early voting and polls, but most people vote on election day. He added that immigration and abortion likely will be the two issues most impacting voters decisions. Democrats have sought to tie Pilip to Republican calls for a national abortion ban, despite Pilip having said she is opposed to abortion but would not support a ban. A Siena College poll found voters trust Suozzi significantly more than Pilip on addressing abortion, while Pilip performed strongest of several key issues with addressing the influx of migrants into the country. But Bonier said Democrats may not be in as poor of a position on immigration in the aftermath of Republicans failure on the issue in Congress. After negotiators from both parties reached a deal to address the migrants entering the U.S., the legislation failed to advance in the Senate this week after Trump called on members of his party to oppose it. Suozzi supported the bill, while Pilip opposed it. If nothing else, its likely blunted the effectiveness of the issue. For me, this will be an interesting but a very early test of have Republicans lost what they, I believe, had hoped to be their most powerful issue in this election, Bonier said, referring to both the special election and the 2024 campaign. He was less concerned about the meaning of Suozzi falling short in the race by a few points as long as he improves the Democrats margin compared to 2022. He said if Suozzi loses by 8 points, which seems unlikely, that would be a red flag for the party, but demographics have caused the district to trend away from Democrats. If Suozzi wins, Bonier said, it would be a good sign that Democrats are equipped with the right strategy for success in 2024. New Yorks 3rd District is one of five House seats in the state Republicans currently hold that Democrats see as key to their strategy to win back the majority. To take a seat that was blue in 2020, flipped red in 2022, to bring it back in is certainly a good sign for Democrats both in terms of ability to take back the House in November but also in terms of the presidential race to the extent that the Democratic playbook is to run against Republican extremism, Bonier said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Deputies with the Richmond County Sheriffs Office are asking for public help in a homicide investigation. ALSO READ: 2 shot, 1 killed in south Charlotte, police say On January 28, sheriffs office officials went to a home on Springhill Church Road in Hamlet after getting a call about someone possibly dead inside. At the scene, responding deputies found a man with gunshot wounds, dead inside the home. The victim was later identified as 29-year-old, Damian Ray Brayboy. Investigators are asking anyone with information to please contact the Richmond County Crime Stoppers at (910)-997-5454. This is a developing story; check back at wsoctv.com for updates. (WATCH BELOW: Family of crash victim still seeking justice one year later) By Mohammad Salem and Nidal al-Mughrabi RAFAH, Gaza Strip/DOHA (Reuters) -The Abu Mustafa family's tent is hard against the high concrete and metal fence separating Gaza from Egypt in Rafah, the last relatively safe place in an enclave devastated by Israel's military offensive, but one that may now also come under attack. The family is among more than a million Palestinians now crammed into the area around Rafah and fearing they have nowhere left to flee inside a tiny strip largely reduced to rubble and where fighting still rages. "Every day, were on the run. Being displaced is tough because I have two daughters with disabilities. I cant carry them around. I dont have a car or a cart," said Laila Abu Mustafa. "If there will be more displacement, I'm not moving," she said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered an evacuation plan for the civilians who crowd Rafah, camping in streets and empty lots, on the beach and like the Abu Mustafa family on the sandy strip along the Egyptian border. In a call, U.S. President Joe Biden told Netanyahu that Israel should not proceed with a military operation in Rafah without a plan to ensure the safety of people sheltering there, the White House said. The call came days after Biden said Israel's response in Gaza was "over the top". A senior Biden administration official said negotiators working on a deal to release the remaining hostages held by Hamas had made "real progress" over the last few weeks. There were still some "significant" gaps to close, the official said, but added: "It's pretty much there." Before previous assaults on Gaza cities, Israel's military has ordered civilians to leave without preparing any specific evacuation plan. Aid agencies say an assault on Rafah would be catastrophic. The war began on Oct. 7 when Hamas stormed the border fence with Israel, sending in fighters who killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and seized about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Four months later, Gaza is in ruins. Under a massive daily bombardment, Israeli forces have overrun most of the enclave, smashing houses, public buildings and infrastructure with air raids, artillery fire and controlled detonations. Palestinian health authorities say more than 28,000 people have been killed. More than 85% of Gazans are homeless. A U.N. survey found that nearly one in 10 children under five are acutely malnourished. Efforts to finalise a deal on a ceasefire have so far failed to bring an agreement. Last week Israel rejected a Hamas proposal, saying it would not stop fighting while the group retained brigades that Israel says are hiding in Rafah. Egyptian security sources said more high-level talks were planned for Tuesday with senior officials from Qatar and the United States to attend, as well as Israeli and Palestinian delegations. Israeli air raids have started targeting Rafah over recent days. On Sunday, Hamas said Israeli air raids in the Gaza Strip over the previous four days had killed two hostages and injured eight others. The group said any Israeli assault on Rafah would "blow up" the discussions for a deal to free the remaining hostages. EVACUATION PLAN FOR CIVILIANS In an interview aired on U.S. network ABC on Sunday, Netanyahu reiterated that Israeli forces would assault Rafah but were preparing "a detailed plan" for where civilians there could go. "We're going to do it. We're going to get the remaining Hamas terrorist battalions in Rafah," he said, adding: "We're going to do it while providing safe passage for the civilian population". Netanyahu cast doubt on the accuracy of the Palestinian death toll, describing the figures produced by health authorities in Hamas-run Gaza as "Hamas statistics". "It's only been one civilian that's been killed for one Hamas terrorist in Gaza," he said. "We've killed or wounded around 20,000 Hamas terrorists; out of that, 12,000 fighters" he said without explaining further. Palestinian health authorities say around 70% of people killed in Gaza are women or children under 18. The Israeli military said in a briefing in December that they thought roughly two civilians had been killed in Gaza for each dead Hamas combatant. The World Health Organization has described the Palestinian Health Ministry system for reporting casualties as "very good" and U.N. agencies regularly cite its death toll figures. Against the border fence, topped with barbed wire, the Abu Mustafa family hangs laundry between tents. They cook what little food they can gather in tin cans over a fire in the sand. Fear of an assault on Rafah is the constant subject of every conversation in the crammed city, said Mariam, who fled her home in Gaza City early in the war with her three children aged 5, 7 and 9. "I can't describe how we feel. There is turmoil in my head. My children keep asking me when Israel will invade Rafah and where we will go and if we will die. And I don't have the answers," she said. (Reporting by Mohammad Salem in Rafah, Nidal al-Mughrabi in Doha, Dan Williams in Jerusalem, Ahmed Mohamed Hassan in Cairo and Leah Douglas and Jasper WardWriting by Angus McDowall and Giles ElgoodEditing by Sharon Singleton, Frances Kerry and Hugh Lawson) FILE - Dexter King, son of the late civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., listens to arguments in the State Court of Criminal Appeals in Jackson, Tenn., Friday, Aug. 29, 1997, to determine whether two Memphis judges have overstepped their authority surrounding the investigation of the King assassination. A memorial service was held Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, in Atlanta for Dexter Scott King, who died in January at the age of 62 after battling prostate cancer. (Helen Comer/The Jackson Sun via AP, Pool, File) Dexter Scott King, the late son of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, was remembered Saturday as the protector of his familys legacy and the keeper of his father's dream during a memorial service in Atlanta. You, my love, were born a King, beautifully sculpted with the physical traits and intellect of the most revered and impactful man of our time, your beloved father. In addition to that, you held the grace, talent and steadfastness of your beautiful mother, Dexters wife, Leah Weber King, said in her speech, speaking directly to him. You were, indeed, what most would consider and what I considered a man who had it all, she said. But instead of devoting your life to how these riches could advance your personal aspirations and fill your ego, you devoted your life to how all of these riches could advance the cause and legacy of your father, your mother and your family. Dexter Scott King died Jan. 22, 2024, at the age of 62 at his home in Malibu, California, after battling prostate cancer. The memorial service for Dexter King was held at Ebenezer Baptist Church, where his father once was pastor. Among others paying homage were his two living siblings and musician Stevie Wonder, who sang They Wont Go When I Go. Dexters older brother, Martin Luther King III, said Dexter has been welcomed home by their mother, father and sister Yolanda Denice King, who died in 2007, a year after their mother. Hes run his race, now its up to us, King III said, promising he and Kings' last surviving daughter, the Rev. Bernice A. King, would continue the family's legacy. We will one day achieve what Mom and Dad talked about, the beloved community, he said. We arent even in the vicinity today, but we will get there." Dexter King was named for the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, where his father was pastor during the bus boycott that vaulted him to national prominence following the 1955 arrest of Rosa Parks. King was 7 years old when his father was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968. He bore such a striking resemblance to his father that he was cast to play him in a 2002 television movie about Rosa Parks, starring Angela Bassett. He spent much of his life protecting the legacy of his parents. Dexter King served as chairman of The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change and was president of the King Estate, working to protect the familys intellectual property. Dexter was ahead of his time, Bernice King said of her brothers vision in protecting the familys intellectual rights. Thats Dexter Scott Kings legacy. In an old speech played at the memorial, around the time when he began a leadership role with the King Center, Dexter Scott King said, When people ask, What does Dexter want? Dexter wants to serve, Dexter has to serve because the triple evils of poverty, racism and violence are still among us. He met James Earl Ray, who had pleaded guilty to murdering his father in 1969, during a visit in 1997 at a Nashville prison. King believed Ray was innocent, and the family sought to have Ray stand trial, hoping it would reveal evidence of a broader conspiracy. Ray told King in the prison meeting that he wasnt the killer, and King replied, I believe you and my family believes you. Ray never stood trial and died from liver failure in 1998. ___ Thiessen reported from Anchorage, Alaska. Warnings advising Israel not to enter the populated city of Rafah in Gaza are continuing to mount as Israel prepares to expand its offensive. Israel ordered evacuations last week ahead of an anticipated invasion of Rafah a city in southern Gaza that is home to the largest refugee camp for Palestinians fleeing the war. It is estimated that more than 1.4 million people are staying in Rafah amid the ongoing conflict. Now, world leaders are calling on Israel to not enter Rafah. President Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a phone call Sunday that no military operation in Rafah should proceed without a credible and executable plan for ensuring the safety of and support for the more than one million people sheltering there. CNN reported that Saudi Arabias Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned Israel of very serious repercussions if their forces target Rafah. The Kingdom affirms its categorical rejection and strong condemnation of their forcible deportation, and renews its demand for an immediate ceasefire, the ministry said in a statement, according to the outlet. Two Egyptian officials and a Western diplomat said Egypt threatened to suspend its peace treaty with Israel if Israel forces were sent into Rafah, The Associated Press reported. European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that an offensive into Rafah would lead to an unspeakable humanitarian catastrophe and grave tensions with Egypt. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said an Israeli operation into Rafah cannot proceed in an interview with NPR. And that would dramatically exacerbate the humanitarian emergency that were all seeking to alleviate right now. Israel has an obligation to ensure that civilians, that their civilian population is safe and that theyre secure and that they have access to humanitarian aid and to basic services, she continued. Israel struck Rafah last week after the U.S. warned against expanding the war to the overcrowded city. State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said last week that moving into Rafah with no planning and little thought in an area where there is sheltering of a million people would be a disaster. Biden also said last week that Israels response in Gaza was over the top a comment dismissed by Netanyahu during an interview on ABCs This Week on Sunday. Netanyahu also said those warning against entering Rafah are basically saying lose the war. The Associated Press contributed For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The director of the 20 Days in Mariupol documentary, Mstyslav Chernov, has received the DGA (Directors Guild of America) Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary. The DGA Awards recognize outstanding directorial achievements in television, commercials and documentaries. The ceremony took place on Feb. 10 in Beverly Hills, California. In his acceptance speech, Chernov spoke about the recent Russian attack on Kharkiv. Today my homecity was attacked. Seven people were killed, among them three children. So this is a sad day. At the same time, I see the power of cinema by standing here and looking at you. Because when these children, these people are running from bombs into basements, they are watching movies. Read also: Directors Guild of America nominates Mstyslav Chernovs 20 days in Mariupol for awards See the full list of winners here. Previously, Chernovs documentary was nominated for the 2024 Oscars in the Best Documentary Feature Film category. 20 Days in Mariupol recounts the brutal siege of Mariupol by Russian forces in February and March 2022. Produced by Ukrainian journalists, including Associated Press video operator Mstyslav Chernov, photographer Evhen Maloletka, and producer Vasylisa Stepanenko, the team remained in the city under Russian occupation, capturing the horrors of the invasion, from tanks shelling houses to the killing of civilians, the bombing of a maternity hospital, and mass graves. Read also: Ukrainian film 20 Days in Mariupol nominated for 2024 Oscars Despite being hunted by Russian troops, they managed to leave the city through a green corridor, taking all the footage with them. The film premiered internationally at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2023, winning the Audience Award. Its Ukrainian premiere occurred at the Docudays UA festival in Kyiv, followed by a release in Ukrainian cinemas in August 2023, where it became the highest-grossing Ukrainian documentary film of all time in its opening weekend. 20 Days in Mariupol also received two BAFTA nominations for Best Documentary Feature Film and Best International Film. Read also: Ukrainian documentary 20 Days in Mariupol nominated for 2024 BAFTA Awards in two categories 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 first day of February 2024 started with a sunrise free of clouds in Columbus. This view looks east over the Scioto River at the confluence with the Olentangy River. It's that time of year when dark winter mornings and evenings can start to drag. There's good news for those looking forward to brighter evenings: the start of daylight saving time is approaching. "Springing forward" for the start of daylight saving time means losing an hour of sleep, but the sun setting after 7 p.m. might be worth the tradeoff. Here's what you need to know about daylight saving time in 2024. When does daylight saving time start in 2024? Daylight saving time starts at 2 a.m. on March 10. In the spring, participating states turn clocks forward one hour on the second Sunday of March, causing us to "spring forward" and lose an hour of sleep. When does daylight saving time end in 2024? Clocks "fall back" Nov. 3. Daylight saving time ends on the first Sunday of November each year. Why do clocks change at 2 a.m. for daylight saving? In an interview with Time Magazine, author Michael Downing cited his book, "Spring Forward: The Annual Madness of Daylight Saving Time," to explain how Amtrak and railroads are the main reason clocks change at 2 a.m. for daylight saving time. According to Downing, there were no trains leaving the station at 2 a.m. on Sundays in New York City in 1918, when the country first experimented with daylight saving time, making it a convenient hour for the time change. Do we lose an hour of sleep when we spring forward? Clocks are set one hour ahead at 2 a.m. If you are sleeping at that time, you will "lose" an hour of sleep. How did daylight saving time start? The Uniform Time Act established nationwide standards for the observance of daylight saving time when it was signed into law in 1966. Prior to that, daylight saving time in the United States was not regulated by the federal government, which left municipalities, cities and states to decide when it started and ended, and whether or not to observe it. According to the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education, this caused problems for several industries, including railroads, trucking and airlines. By the mid-20th century, the emerging broadcast television industry was finding it difficult to work within patchwork time zones and standards. The dates we currently use to observe daylight saving time, starting on the second Sunday of March and ending on the first Sunday of November, were established in 2005 when Congress amended the act. Which states don't observe daylight saving time? Hawaii and parts of Arizona do not participate in daylight saving time. The Navajo Nation which spans Arizona, Utah and New Mexico does observe the time change, making it the lone participant in Arizona. The territories of American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands do not observe daylight saving time. Dispatch Reporter Monroe Trombly and The Indy Star contributed to this report. @Colebehr_report Cbehrens@dispatch.com This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Time to set your clocks forward as daylight saving time 2024 begins PALM BEACH Former first lady Melania Trump accompanied Donald Trump at his appearance Saturday evening at a gala hosted by one of his fan clubs, the Trumpettes, at the couple's Mara-Lago Club. Melania Trump walked into the ballroom ahead of her husband, who greeted well-wishers who had lined up along velvet ropes carving a wide path to a stage. She smiled and waved at attendees. Trump then embraced her and spoke to her before stepping onto the stage to address the crowd of nearly 1,000 who had paid from $850 to $2,500 to attend. "First of all, our great first lady," Trump said as the crowd cheered exuberantly. Trumpettes co-founder Toni Holt Kramer said Saturday's event was the "very best" of the four she has done at Mar-a-Lago and was made special by Melania Trump's appearance. "I was so honored to also have the first lady there," she said. Melania Trump has been absent from the campaign trail, the former president's courtroom appearances The former first lady had been absent from her husband's side for political events dating back to November 2022 when she accompanied him as he spoke to reporters and then both cast their ballots at the Barbara Mandel Recreation Center in Palm Beach. She then accompanied him as he announced his 2024 White House comeback campaign at Mar-a-Lago a week later. Former President of the United States Donald Trump and his wife Melania after voting inside the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center in Palm Beach on November 8, 2022. The absences had sparked widespread conjecture ranging from her purported distaste for the political life, to her wish to focus on raising the couple's teenage son, to her speculated disinterest in engaging her husband's courtroom battles. What is certain is that, for an undisclosed period, Melania Trump was tending to her mother, Amalija Knavss, who was seriously ill and died in early January. The former president first spoke publicly about his mother-in-law's health at his New Year's Eve gala, where he explained that Knavss was "very ill" and that Melania was at her side at a Miami hospital. Melania Trump watches as pallbearers prepare to load the casket of her mother, Amalia Knavs, into a hearse following her funeral at the Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea in Palm Beach on January 18, 2024. Melania Trump called her mother, who passed away in January, "a strong woman" Knavss subsequently died Jan. 9 at the age of 78. Melania announced the loss of her mother on X, calling her "a strong woman who always carried herself with grace, warmth, and dignity." As he spoke to the country on the night of Iowa caucus results, on Jan. 15, the former president acknowledged his mother-in-law's passing the previous week. "Most importantly, I want to thank my incredible wife, the first lady, I'll say former and maybe future," Trump said in Iowa. "But more importantly than Melania, I want to thank her incredible, beautiful mother who passed away a few days ago." Three days later, the Trump family gathered for Knavss' funeral service at Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea in Palm Beach where Melania Trump gave the eulogyd. Where is Melania Trump? Grieving former first lady not in New Hampshire as Trump wins primary "Her love for her husband, Viktor, my father, Ines, my sister, and me was boundless," she said. "Her nurturing spirit had no limits, creating a legacy that will last for generations. She showered her grandson, Barron, with affection, illuminating his world with love, tender care and unwavering devotion." Around that time, a source told the Palm Beach Daily News that the former first lady would be traveling to Slovenia for her mother's burial. Melania Trump had not been making public appearances The former first lady has been conspicuously absent from her husband's political and court appearances throughout 2023 and early 2024. She was not present as Trump spoke to the nation in April of last year from the Palm Beach private club after he was arraigned on the first set of what now are 91 felony charges. Peculiarly, Trump omitted mention of Melania in a minute-long segment of the speech in which he spoke poignantly and lovingly about his family. Melania Trump joined Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump attend the Trumpettes Gala at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday night. "I built a great business with my family. Built a fantastic business," Trump said. "I have a son here who's done a great job. And I have another son here who's done a great job. And Tiffany. And Ivanka. And Barron will be great some day. He's tall, he is tall and he's smart, but I have a great family and they've done a fantastic job and we appreciated it very much. They've gone through hell." She was also absent when her husband appeared in federal court in Miami last June to enter his not guilty plea in the indictment over his possession, handling and storing of classified documents. Neither the former president or the former first lady have commented publicly on her absences from the campaign trail and court appearances. At one point in 2023, there were news reports that her focus was parenting her son, Barron. In a story last March, People magazine wrote: "Even since her husband was elected president, Melania, now 52, has been known as a woman who keeps to herself, preferring to spend time with family rather than rubbing elbows in social circles or giving interviews to the press." The magazine also quoted an unnamed source in Palm Beach who said "Barron has always been a first priority in [Melania's] life She has always put him first. She is a good mother." Antonio Fins is a politics and business editor at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at afins@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Melania Trump joins Donald Trump at Trumpettes gala at Mar-a-Lago Former President Donald Trump spent about $50 million from Republican donors on legal bills in 2023 as he faced a panoply of criminal and civil charges, according to a report by The New York Times. Thus far in the 2024 primary, Trumps Save America PAC, has spent about as much money on legal bills as Trumps only competitor, Nikki Haley, has managed to raise for all her campaign committees combined over the past year, the report said. The massive sum of money covered expenses for Trumps legal defense, as well as payments to lawyers who represented witnesses involved in Trumps spiraling legal web. Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to guest at a campaign event on December 19, 2023 in Waterloo, Iowa. Iowa Republicans will be the first to select their partys nomination for the 2024 presidential race, when they go to caucus on January 15, 2024. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) Sources told the Times that Trump spent more money than his campaign raised during the second half of 2023, while millions of dollars in donations were moved to the PAC in recent months to help pay Trumps legal defense. The account initially received a surge of donations after the 2020 election which Trump lost but falsely claimed to his followers that the process was rigged. As the Save America fund began drying up last year, Trump privately called on another pro-Trump super PAC, MAGA Inc., to give back $60 million that was initially intended to help support his 2024 campaign. Instead, the money was transferred into Save America, which is one of the largest funds that continues to cover Trumps runaway legal bills. In the latter half of 2023, MAGA Inc. returned $30 million to Save America, averaging $5 million per month on top of $12.5 million in refunds the super PAC had already reported in the first half of the year. Additionally, Trump allocated 10 percent of online donations to Save America, meaning 10 cents of every dollar from his supporters goes to the PAC and from there to his lawyers, the Times reported. Another pro-Trump PAC called Make America Great Again has also helped cover Trumps legal bills. During the first six months of 2023, Save America channeled $5.85 million to the Make America Great Again PAC, with nearly the entire amount being allocated to cover Trumps mounting legal expenses. The $50 million figure is a rough combination of legal payments by both groups, the Times reported. The precise amount that the PACs spent on legal bills over the past year will be revealed in new filings to the Federal Election Commission. It appeared that Trump was increasingly using his candidacy to bail him out of his legal troubles. The accuracy of the spending totals depend on how Trumps campaign team categorized specific expense items while completing the required FEC paperwork. Some expenditures have already been scrutinized as documents showed Trumps Save America PAC also paid former first lady Melania Trumps stylist $18,000 a month for strategy consulting. The documents could also paint a clearer picture of Trumps overall financial health as the Republican frontrunner faced staggering penalties in two New York civil cases in which he was found guilty of business fraud and defamation. The pending ruling from Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron poses a significant risk to Trump, which could permanently ban his business empire in the state and impose a hefty financial penalty of $370 million. That ruling comes on the heels of a separate judgment issued in the defamation suit brought by author E. Jean Carroll, in which Trump was ordered to pay $83 million. Trump vowed to appeal the Carroll verdict, and while awaiting that ruling, its likely the former president will not immediately pay her. However, he might be required to put up a substantial sum of his own money as the appeals process plays out. While Trump has the option to pay the entire amount to the court or obtain a bond, he cannot legally use campaign funds to pay any of the $83.3 million awarded to Carroll. Separately, Trump faces criminal trial this spring after being indicted for his failed efforts to overturn the 2020 election, as well as a similar case in Georgia after he was indicted with 19 co-defendants in connection with a conspiracy to subvert the state results. Additionally, Trump was hit with a federal indictment in Florida last summer on 37 counts for his alleged mishandling of classified documents that were found at his Mar-a-Lago estate after leaving office. Trump is also scheduled to go on trial to face 34 felony charges related to a hush-money scheme involving former adult film star Stormy Daniels. Can Donald Trumps Campaign Funds Cover His Mounting Legal Expenses? Former President Donald Trump again stirred fears about the future of NATO by suggesting he might not come to the aid of European nations if they're attacked by Russia and might even "encourage" Russians "to do whatever the hell they want." Trump, during a campaign rally in Conway, South Carolina, on Saturday said his decision, if he's elected again, would be based on whether NATO members are contributing enough to the foundational alliance. The former president said he made that very point during an international meeting that took place during his presidency. One of the presidents of a big country stood up and said, Well sir, if we dont pay and were attacked by Russia, will you protect us? I said, You didnt pay? Youre delinquent? He said, Yes, lets say that happened. No, I would not protect you." Trump then added: "In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want." In a statement put out by his campaign, President Joe Biden said: If my opponent, Donald Trump, is able to regain power, he is making it clear as day that he will abandon our NATO allies if Russia attacks and allow Russia to do whatever the hell they want with them. He added that Trumps comments are predictable coming from a man who is promising to rule as a dictator like the ones he praises on day one if he returns to the Oval Office." Biden said "freedom and democracy itself are on the ballot in November. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Trump's comments could endanger lives. Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the U.S., and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk," Stoltenberg said in a statement. "I expect that regardless of who wins the presidential election, the US will remain a strong and committed NATO ally. Donald Trump at a NATO meeting in 2019 Trump's periodic threats have outraged foreign policy analysts who believe that Trump will destroy NATO if he's elected to a second term. The former president's critics say Trump bashes NATO as a sign of support for Russia President Vladimir Putin, another longtime rival of the European military alliance. The NATO charter requires members to come to the aid of others if they are attacked. NATO invoked this article to help the United States after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Members of the international organization, formed in the wake of World War II, do not pay dues as such. They use a budget formula that Trump has repeatedly mischaracterized during his years in public life. NATO members are asked to spend at least 2% of their GDP on defense. Not all members have reached this goal, fueling Trump's criticism of the alliance. The Biden administration immediately denounced Trump's latest comments about NATO. White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said that encouraging invasions of our closest allies by murderous regimes is appalling and unhinged. He said it endangers American national security, global stability, and our economy at home. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Trump's opponent in the race for the Republican presidential nomination, described NATO as "a success story for the last 75 years." Speaking on CBS' "Face The Nation,' Haley criticized Trump for again taking the side of Putin, describing the Russian president as "a thug who kills his opponents." "Now, we do want NATO allies to pull their weight," Haley told CBS. "But there are ways you can do that without sitting there and telling Russia, have your way with these countries." Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., appearing on ABC's "This Week," said that "NATO isn't a protection racket. It's a security alliance." Meanwhile, a Republican senator, Marco Rubio of Florida, said on CNN's "State of the Union" that Trump was telling "a story" about something that "happened in the past." Rubio noted that Trump has already been president and did not pull the U.S. out of NATO. "He doesn't talk like a traditional politician," Rubio said. "And we have already been through this now." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Donald Trump threatens NATO, says he might 'encourage' Russian attack KANSAS CITY, Mo. A driver speeding away from Kansas City police conducting a traffic violation Saturday night ended with a two-car crash that sent three people to the hospital with injuries ranging from serious to critical. Around 11:47 p.m., police tried stopping the driver of a Chevrolet Malibu who was driving north on Pennsylvania Avenue near 38th Street. Police say the driver then sped away and the officer did not chase after the vehicle. FOX4 newsletters: Get the latest news delivered to your inbox The driver allegedly continued speeding and failed to stop at a stop sign at the Valentine Road intersection and hit a Chrysler 200 with two people inside. The driver and passenger of the Chrysler were both wearing seat belts but still suffered serious injuries and were taken to the hospital. Officials say they are now in stable condition. The driver of the Chevy was not wearing a seatbelt and was taken to the hospital and remains in critical condition. KCPD is investigating for suspected impairment of both drivers involved. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. EARLY, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) Early police officers apprehended an armed robbery suspect after a pursuit Friday afternoon. On February 9th at about 6:45 p.m., the Early Police Department aided other Brown County law enforcement agencies in pursuing an armed robbery suspect. Officers were alerted to the pursuit in Mills County, with Brown County officers joining when the vehicle entered their jurisdiction. An attempt to deploy spike strips on Zephyr Highway proved unsuccessful, and the vehicle fled out of sight into Early. A witness reported spotting the vehicle in a vacant lot behind the Early Police Station. Officers apprehended the suspect without incident and recovered a firearm from their possession. The suspects identity has not been disclosed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com. Former Bay St. Louis Mayor Eddie Favre died early Sunday. He was 69. The mayor of Bay St. Louis when Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005 saw the city through its worst disaster wearing shorts and flip-flops as he traveled the country to raise fund for his city and raise awareness of the devastation suffered by the Mississippi Gulf Coast. He even wore a tuxedo with the pants altered into shorts for a gala event in Washington, D.C., vowing to not wear long pants until Bay St. Louis has fully recovered from the storm. He finally put on long pants again in 2011 not because he felt that Bay St. Louis had recovered from Katrina, but because he was subpoenaed in a court case. Sun Herald reporter Anita Lee saw the then-former mayor in long pants at the Harrison County Courthouse. Were not quite there, Favre said at the time, but I didnt want to offend the judge. Favre, the brother of current Bay St. Louis Mayor Mike Favre, began his career in public service in 1980 as city clerk for Bay St. Louis. He then served the city for 20 years as mayor, deciding not to run again in 2009. He retired briefly before heading back into public service as Hancock County administrator in 2016. He retired again in 2022, citing health reasons. The city honored Favre with a Bronze Star on the sidewalk in front of Hancock Whitney Bank on Beach Boulevard in October 2022. In addition to his work as a public service, Favre was a fixture in fundraisers that included cooking. He cooked in competitions to help raise money for Hope Haven, the American Cancer Society and other charities. Kay Kell, who worked as city clerk from 1989 to 1996, said working for Favre was an adventure. To read the rest of this story from WXXV-TV, click here. The U.S. Supreme Court expressed proper doubt toward Colorados attempt to exclude Donald Trump from its presidential ballot under the 14th Amendment. Trump is indeed an anti-democratic demagogue who sought to overturn the 2020 election, before and on Jan. 6. But the judgment of whether he engaged in a second Civil War is not for 50 state courts to decide. It could be unanimous to overrule Colorado. Interpreting Section 3 of the 14th Amendment is no simple task. It states, No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability. Question one is how insurrection or rebellion are defined. Question two is who does the defining, and the enforcement. Question three is whether this language, which doesnt even include reference to the presidency itself, applies to that office or only to those beneath it. Question four is can a state do this or must Congress. Lawyers on both sides disagreed with how exclusion from the ballot would proceed even if the candidate in question were an avowed insurrectionist running for an office clearly listed in the amendment. Colorados lawyer called it a very easy case; the self-declared enemy of America could be scratched from the ballot by state courts, period, end of story. Trumps lawyer disagreed and wasnt crazy for doing so. Even if the candidate is an admitted insurrectionist, said Jonathan Mitchell, [the Constitution] still allows the candidate to run for office and even win election to office and then see whether Congress lifts that disability after the election. Its true that the language applies only to holding office, not to running, and its also true that it explicitly gives Congress the power to remove such disability. The fact that in this case the person in question is a former president complicates matters further. As does the fact that, unlike every other president before him, he had never before sworn the oath for any other office. As does the fact that what Trump did, while definitely wrong and quite possibly criminal, may not legally be an insurrection. Special Counsel Jack Smiths case against Trump for meddling in the 2020 election is powerful, and it is a tragedy that the case may not be settled before voters go to the polls in November. The prospect of a President-elect Trump or a second-term President Trump being found guilty of undermining the American democratic system is enough to make ones head spin. (So is the prospect of Republican voters making him the partys standard-bearer despite all hes done and all he pledges to do.) But state by state removal from the ballot by state courts for having engaged in insurrection? That dog will not hunt, nor should it. ___ Estonia is set to carry on building a defence line on the border with Russia, despite Russian President Vladimir Putin's claims that he is not going to attack Poland or the Baltic states. Source: Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur in an interview with dpa, as reported by European Pravda, citing Tagesschau Details: Pevkur warned against believing Putin's reassuring claims, recalling that the Russian president categorically denied such plans a few days before invading Ukraine. "We will not change our plans just because Putin gave an interview to a journalist. Do you believe Vladimir Putin after what he has said and how he has behaved over the years?" Pevkur said. The minister noted that Estonia is boosting its readiness "and this is something that everyone should do". In a recent interview with Tucker Carlson, Putin said he was not considering an attack on Poland or the Baltic states because they "were of no interest to him". Background: The European Commission noted that Putin had repeated old lies, distortions and manipulations in his interview with Carlson. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak described Russian President Vladimir Putin's remarks that the war against Ukraine is the result of NATO expansion as absolutely ridiculous. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski noted that Putin's claims are not new at all, but it is shocking that an American journalist is giving them a platform. Support UP or become our patron! Donald Trump has a habit of saying something that contains a kernel of truth but wrecking its impact with excessive rhetoric. The latest example has sent ripples of concern around Europe and brought into question the former and maybe next American presidents commitment to Nato. In his latest campaign foray, Mr Trump focused on the question of Americas contribution to Europes defence. He repeated a view expressed during his time in the White House that the Europeans were not paying their way and relying too heavily on US protection. But he went further by suggesting he told one Nato leader that he would encourage Russia to attack a country that refused to pay up. The aggressors could do whatever the hell they want, he said. How much of this is windy election talk and how much would translate into the policy of a second Trump presidency is impossible to say. But the European Nato countries need to assume the worst and act accordingly. Americas growing frustration with Europe is not confined to Mr Trump. Barack Obama made a similar appeal for more spending when he was president, if not quite in the same language. Pressure was applied by Nato for all member states to spend at least 2 per cent of GDP on their own defence and yet most still do not. The US Congress will vote soon on a substantial foreign aid package which includes billions of dollars earmarked for the defence of Ukraine. This is being stalled by political wrangling on Capitol Hill, with Republicans unwilling to commit further large sums to a war that many consider unwinnable. Mr Trump, virtually assured the Republican nomination for this Novembers presidential election, is taking this reluctance much further by implying he does not subscribe any longer to the doctrine of mutual defence under Article 5 of the Nato treaty. Were this to be his policy in the White House, the implications would be enormous. The US has been trying to disengage from its role as world policeman for some time. Mr Trump is more interested in China and the Pacific, a foreign policy pivot that began under president Obama and reflects the changing balance of world power. Mr Trumps latest outburst may have caught the headlines but is hardly surprising since he has made no attempt to hide his disdain for multilateral bodies or the so-called liberal international order. Europe needs to wake up to the new reality. 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. European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell brought a plan to Kyiv to overcome the ammunition shortage. He proposes to stop exports to third countries and for these countries to postpone these orders themselves. Ukraine should receive the ammunition first. Borrell's proposal will be heard in the partner countries, but the European Union must contribute. I will tell you a not-so-well-known fact. The first two IRIS-T missile systems were also already contracted by an African country, but I won't name it. But we managed to get them. It was a manifestation of political will and, ultimately, solidarity. I just know this story and how difficult these negotiations were. If it can be done for air defense, why can't it be done for ammunition? This conversation has been going on for a long time. It is not something new. It is great that Josep Borrell is voicing it now, but countries must either compensate their companies for this or provide a certain premium. Not literally, but a premium for some countries to agree to wait. To do this, budgets need to be formed, and whether this story works legally for each country needs to be studied. In my opinion, this is where the European Union could pay these additional "waiting bonuses," as I would call them, from a special EU fund. If there is political will, the legal basis should work. However, Borrell is being a bit disingenuous (I say this with all due respect; he is a true sympathizer and friend of Ukraine), because you can still overclock capacities, even in today's reality, and allocate additional money. You can give companies a perspective, not just money. And pay attention; there is one country I have yet to see much in our media - Finland. In this country, they have a mechanism in place. When companies that produce weapons or military equipment need additional logistics chains, they put in place the appropriate legislation and ensure this is done. The state takes care of this, and they have priority. This is a kind of military light economy. If such light options were introduced throughout the European Union, things would go much better and faster. All countries should get involved That is, there are reserves and finances for this. By the way, remember that not even all NATO countries have reached the 2% of GDP spending on defense. So, the discussion about 2% in today's reality is half shameful and half ridiculous. I don't know whether it is more ridiculous or more shameful. There should be a discussion about 3%+. In some countries, this position is already fluctuating around 3%+, for example, in the case of the Poles. But all countries should get involved. Read also: Will a war between Russia and NATO start in February? Here's how it could happen The second point is that we must start developing new weapon types. The West has a testing ground here in Ukraine, and I say this without any cynicism. This is our common Western history. It is valuable. The West should learn from this war and produce better weapons. But it should also be grateful to Ukraine as a country and, in fact, to Ukrainians for this happening. And to launch the mechanisms mentioned above. I repeat again: the discussion about 2% is ridiculous. There should be a discussion about ensuring strategic deterrence and strategic superiority of the West in the 21st century. This is how the issue is today. The memoranda between the United States and Israel contains a qualitative military advantage story, the so-called QMA. That is, the United States guarantees Israel that, no matter what kind of assistance it receives, it will always have a qualitative military advantage. What I miss (even though I am not a fan of the Israeli model for Ukraine and believe that it will not work) is that despite many different and good stories that are written in all documents on military and security assistance to us, there are no explicit guarantees that we should have a decent and sufficient level of strategic deterrence against today's Russia. We need to agree not on what we will do, but what level we will reach. This is not just a story about us. It should be a story about the entire West. We should not be talking about 2%, 3%, or 5% of defense spending by GDP, but about having a sufficient strategic deterrence against those who want to defeat us and make us disappear. We are currently engaged in a series of negotiations with various countries on security guarantees. You and I understand that we are not talking about security guarantees. In this confusing world, no one can provide security guarantees to anyone. But these arrangements must take on at least some features of security guarantees. I have already said one thing. We need not talk about what can be provided and when, but what the West can do for us based on its understanding, political will, and capabilities. We need to define what is necessary for a sufficient level of deterrence of today's Russia and tomorrow's, because tomorrow will not change for the better. This must be a joint decision. It should not be only our definition or the Western one, but we must define it together. We have formats for this. We have created a new NATO-Ukraine Council. This will not be enough in the long run, but at least we have a starting point. And we have to agree on what Ukraine needs. This is the first point. Read also: For real this time: how Ukraine could navigate a path to NATO Secondly, these agreements/memorandums should specify that what is needed and jointly determined is what is provided. Let's be honest, no matter how much we say that security commitments are really not what we expect, this is what our Western partners are ready to give us today. This is not a bad thing, of course, because we still need weapons, intelligence, logistics, and all of this needs to be negotiated. But, we are well aware that we need security guarantees to exist as a nation. Without them, who will stay here? Who will invest here? A new conversation will arise if it is not a reliable logic of NATO security guarantees or if it is not through bilateral or multilateral systems of guarantees. What will this conversation be about? It will be about nuclear weapons. This discussion will definitely arise in society. This discussion will influence the general atmosphere of non-proliferation. At some point, this Pandora's box will open, and it will be difficult to close it. Do you remember how, in those Arabian tales, you open this bottle, the djinn flies out, and you must put it back in? You can't. That's why the risks here and the stakes are enormous. We have to talk about it as well. Of course, cautiously and responsibly, but we have to talk about it. The wager is our existence, nothing more and nothing less. So, the leader of European diplomacy, Josep Borel, essentially asked our partners to give up their place in line to Ukraine to receive ammunition. From time to time, the EU governments are presented with analytical data that Russia may attack NATO countries at some point. Given such risks, the first reflex may be to keep weapons and ammunition for themselves. This is one of the considerations that exists there. In 2022, the risk assessment was higher. I talk to our friends in many EU countries. Now, they say that Russia's potential for an attack is insufficient. But we are well aware that the logic of decision-making in the Kremlin is not based on purely rational considerations and an understanding of modern warfare. They are not just raising the nuclear stakes for no reason. As of today, almost no one in Europe really believes in a Russian attack, with the exception of some Baltic and Central European states. This is not a story about faith. Read also: Biden hosts Zelenskyy again, Polish government change, news on the border blockade Remember, there's a fairy tale about a shepherd who is tending his sheep and then cries out, "wolves, wolves," as a result, when the wolves come for the third time, no one runs to his aid. We talked a lot about security risks, Nord Stream 2, and some people listened attentively. Some people smiled as if they understood our emotions, and now they have stopped smiling. This is a somber story. Will Russia attack the European Union today? As of today, more likely no than yes, to be honest. Will Russia or someone behind Russia at some point try to test Article 5 of the NATO treaty? I believe that there are definitely such plans. Whether they will do it militarily or in some other way, we have yet to determine. They will also try to figure out how to raise the stakes. I hear around Europe, and I observe that the rhetoric of the military, both those who are currently in office and those who have already retired but have their share of experience, has changed a lot. They understand the Russian threat differently, but perhaps not only the Russian threat. The world is changing rapidly. They have realized that using classical, conventional warfare, artificial intelligence, and new technologies can lead to new potentialities. They understand this better than politicians. So, the military in the West is beginning to wake up. They probably have already woken up. It's the kind of morning when they haven't had breakfast yet, but their hand is already reaching for coffee (and they should be reaching for a gun). 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 Former Republican National Committee (RNC) chair Gov. Marc Racicot (R-Mont.) on Saturday said the committee is now remarkably different from when he served as its head. [T]he way that virtually everyone in the party has flocked to worship at the temple of Donald Trump, indicates to me that theres something remarkably different today than what I experienced, Racicot, who served as head of the RNC from 2001 to 2003, said in an interview on MSNBCs The Weekend. Racicots comments come as multiple outlets reported earlier this week that current chair Ronna McDaniel may leave the role following the South Carolina primary, with her reportedly facing pressure from other party figures who are displeased with the direction of the party and its finances as the 2024 election looms. [M]y guess would be that theres some area of performance that Ronna did not quite measure up to, and that, I would guess would be, and this is only a guess, is that one, the [Democratic National Committee] has been outraising the RNC by a substantial measure, Racicot said. Former President Trump said in an interview last Sunday that he expects to see some changes when it comes to the RNC chair. I think she did great when she ran Michigan for me. I think she did OK initially in the RNC, Trump told Fox News, in reference to McDaniel. I would say, right now, there will probably be some changes made. In the same interview, Trump was asked about Democrats outraising Republicans, to which he responded by saying that he has a lot of money. And the money that they get, people are not looking at the RNC. They want they want changes. I you have to understand, I have nothing to do with the RNC. I dont Im separate, Trump said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A former Yakima school resource officer is now facing charges for a sexual relationship with a teen girl and for raping her drunk friend. Prosecutors filed charges on Thursday against Elias Huizar, 39, of West Richland, for second-degree rape, third-degree child rape, as well as two counts of providing alcohol to minors. Huizar is out of the Benton County jail after posting a $200,000 bond. He is expected to back in court Feb. 15 to enter a plea to the charges. Police began investigating the claims when Huizars 17-year-old girlfriend, their 9-month-old son and her teenage friend approached Benton County sheriffs deputies in Benton City on Feb. 3, according to court documents. Elias Huizar They claimed that Huizar sexually assaulted the younger teen while she was unconscious after drinking at his home. When West Richland police went to his home on Highlands Boulevard, he refused to open the door and triggering a two-hour standoff until the Tri-Cities Regional SWAT team forced their way into the house. His girlfriends age raised questions from prosecutors, who felt it was likely that they had a sexual relationship before she could legally consent. But according to court documents, this wasnt the first time rumors about a sexual relationship between the couple had surfaced. When he was a school resource officer at her school, he got a protection order against the then 13-year-old girl after she allegedly told others they had a sexual relationship. Protection order Huizar was working as a Washington Middle School school resource officer in Yakima in 2019 when he sought the protection order. In the application for the order, he claimed the girl told her friends in March 2019 that she was in a relationship with Huizar. The students reported it to the principal, but she denied making the statements. Reports surfaced again after the girl allegedly sent social medial messages to others that she was dating Huizar and that they had sex. This time the school district and police department were informed. The girl denied sending the messages, saying her account was hacked. A criminal investigation was completed by the Attorney Generals Office and the case was unfounded, Huizar wrote in his petition for the protection order. (She) was then expelled from school. Huizar was removed from the school so the girl could return. According to the order, police searched her phone and found numerous photos she took when he wasnt aware. She also allegedly had photos from his and his wifes Facebook pages. The girl also contacted Huizars wife, according to the petition for the order. Then Yakima County Judge Gayle Harthcock approved the order which prevented her from coming within 500 feet of him or his wife or children for a year. Huizar and his wife split in 2020 in what appeared to be an acrimonious divorce. While divorce paperwork and protection order applications claim he suffers from depression, post-traumatic stress and other mental health issues, it did not include any claims about his relationship with a teen. Reconnected in 2022 Court documents claim Huizars current girlfriend told investigators he reached out to her 2022 when she was 15 and they began meeting in his home in West Richland. She soon became pregnant, and their baby was born in April 2023. She started living with him and was 17 when her younger friend was there on Feb. 2 and they were drinking. The younger girl felt sick and laid down and her friend stayed with her. Both were both asleep when Huizars girlfriend woke to find Huizar allegedly assaulting her friend. The teens left with the baby in Huizars truck and he followed them, the documents said. Huizar kept driving when they stopped to talk with a Benton County sheriffs deputy. West Richland police were notified and went to Huizars home, but he refused to come outside and officers had to force their way inside. As clouds continue to move into north Georgia, so does the risk for severe storms. Severe Weather Team 2 Meteorologist Ashley Kramlich says starting tonight the risk for severe storms will go up across north Georgia. A level 2 out of 5 risk has been issued for West Georgia tonight. The threat for severe storms increases on Monday with all of North Georgia under a level 2 out of 5 risk for severe weather. A flood watch goes into effect tonight at 7 p.m. through 7 p.m. on Monday. [DOWNLOAD: Free Severe Weather Team 2 App for alerts wherever you go] Kramlich says that a warm front will move in tonight and this will place the region in the warm sector of the system which can produce strong and severe storms. Waves of storms containing heavy rain will be likely through at least Monday afternoon. A cold front will move across the area Monday evening, eventually bringing an end to the severe weather risk and wet weather. Monday evening, drier weather will move through the region. Storms that develop Sunday night and Monday will be capable of: Heavy rain and possible flooding Damaging wind gusts Isolated tornadoes [UPLOAD PHOTOS: Share your weather photos with us here] The City of Ocala Recreation and Parks Department is launching an exciting initiative this spring. It will allow college-bound students aged 14 to 18 the opportunity to tour colleges and universities. This experience will offer students an opportunity to discover educational institutions around Florida. Read: Super Bowl LVIII: Taylor Swift lands at LAX, should reach Las Vegas in time for game These teenagers will spend a day in each City visiting several different colleges and universities while experiencing the culture of each location and it costs $25 per person, per trip. There will be buses to take students from the Mary Sue Rich Community Center at Reed Place, 1821 NW 21st Ave. Read: Sensory Safari: Central Florida zoo offers inclusive program The program schedule is: April 15 - Florida A&M University and Tallahassee Community College, Tallahassee, Fl. April 17 - Jacksonville University and University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Fl. April 19 - Bethune Cookman and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fl. June 3 - University of Florida and Santa Fe College, Gainesville, Fl. June 17 - Webber International University, Warner University and Florida Southern College, Lakeland, Fl. July 8 - University of Central Florida, Full Sail University and Rollins College, Orlando, Fl. July 22 - University of South Florida and University of Tampa, Tampa, Fl Click here for more information, or contact 352-401-6980 Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. A total of 22 million tonnes of cargo has been exported via Ukraines sea corridor by more than 700 ships. Source: Ukraines Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov on X Details: Kubrakov wrote on X that total exports via Ukraines Black Sea corridor amounted to 22 million tonnes of cargo. He also said that this number can grow higher if Ukrainian ports and other infrastructure, including roads and railways, undergo modernisation and are better developed. 22 mln tons cargo has been exported through #Ukrainian corridor by more than 700 vessels. The result can be higher in case of modernisation and development ports and infrastructure including auto and rail ways. We do all possible for this despite systematical air attacks. Last pic.twitter.com/wBcXvi5BL8 Oleksandr Kubrakov (@OlKubrakov) February 11, 2024 "We do everything possible for this despite systematical [sic] air attacks. Last night it was another one in order to damage grain infrastructure. I saw the results, but in any case we continue to load new vessels," Kubrakov wrote. Background: Ukraines Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov reported that exports via the Ukrainian sea corridor totalled 6.3 million tonnes in January, which is almost equal to the pre-war level. Support UP or become our patron! HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) The Alabama Democratic Conferences Annual Membership Breakfast was a central hub for state and community leaders to discuss the importance of unity to change the issues theyve seen across the state. We are here because we are living in the best of times, and the worst of times, said ADC member Eddgra Fallin. Officer charged in shooting death of Stephen Perkins enters not guilty plea Fallin and about 100 others filled the Robert Bob Harrison Senior Center Saturday to share their concerns and how they plan to address them at the polls this upcoming election. Formed in 1960, the ADC was designed to enable Black Americans to participate in local and state politics. Members like Eddie Sherrod have worked alongside the organization to encourage voter participation for decades. We do voter registration and voter education. We inform people about the various bills and how they would affect them and their neighborhood, Sherrod said. Proposed bills like the new Jawan Dallas and Steve Perkins Act are named after two Alabama men killed by police officers. State Senator Merika Coleman is proposing legislation to make police body and dash camera video more available to the public. Nick Perkins supporting proposed police body camera legislation Nicholas Perkins, the bother of Stephen Perkins believes families in Alabama need this. Stephen Perkins was shot and killed at his home by Decatur Police on September 29. Nicholas Perkins was a special guest speaker at the ADC Breakfast to share his familys story and support of the bill. This happens way too often and families are denied the privilege and the right to know what happened to their loved one. So state leaders being here will be a segway to the nation, Perkins said. The new legislation would require a law enforcement agency to hand over body camera footage within 30 days if requested. Perkins says the legislation can help prevent future families from experiencing the same battles as his. It can also ensure that Steves legacy lives on for years to come. It is an absolute honor to have this piece of legislation named after Steve Perkins to keep his legacy alive, and to forever have his name in the mouths of the citizens of Alabama, possibly the citizens of the United States so that he is always remembered in some shape, form or fashion, Perkins added. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com. The Israeli Defence Force has reportedly detained two Americans they encountered during a raid at a home in Gaza. Relatives of Hashem Alagha, 20, and Borak Alagha, 18, said the brothers were with a group of approximately 20 others who were rounded up by the IDF after a raid. Yasmeen Elagha, the men's cousin, said both of them are American citizens who were born in the Chicago suburbs, according to CNN. She said her cousins stayed in Chicago into their early childhood, after which they moved. The men's father is also reportedly a Canadian citizen, according to Ms Elagha. Hashem and Borak's mother was reportedly present during the raid. She told Ms Elagha that IDF forces broke through a door while the group of men were sleeping, tied up the women and children, and took the men into custody. She does not know where the men were allegedly taken. Ms Elagha said that the home the IDF raided belongs to her uncle and that her family has no ties to Hamas. The US State Department is aware that the IDF has detained a pair of American citizens. We are aware of these reports and we are currently seeking additional information, but I dont have any additional information to share and would not be able to at this point, given privacy considerations, Vedant Patel, the State Department Deputy Spokesperson, said during a press briefing. Ms Elagha's accusations come just on the heels of another set of damning allegations made the by Palestinian Red Crescent Society that claim Israel intentionally killed a little girl, her family, and the paramedics sent to rescue them. Hind Rajab, who was killed in Gaza (Family Handout/AFP/Getty) And those allegations followed a scathing report released by Amnesty International on Monday, which found Israel displayed a chilling disregard for Palestinian lives and went so far as to suggest a war crimes investigation was warranted. US officials have been trying to negotiate a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas to facilitate hostage exchanges and to allow for a "humanitarian pause" to the fighting. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not been receptive to calls for a ceasefire thus far. Gaza (AP) Surrender to the ludicrous demands of Hamas which weve just heard wont lead to the liberation of the hostages, and it will only invite another massacre, Ms Netanyahu said during a press conference following a ceasefire discussion. Mr Blinken said the US cannot force Israel to agree to a ceasefire, according to the New York Times. It will be up to Israelis to decide what they want to do, when they want to do it, how they want to do it, Mr Blinken said. No ones going to make those decisions for them. All that we can do is to show what the possibilities are, what the options are, what the future could be, and compare it to the alternative. And the alternative right now looks like an endless cycle of violence and destruction and despair. Moon has shown where she stands on protecting youth Dorothy Moon says: Voters need to start asking candidates for local office where they stand on sexualizing children, because its happening in communities all across our state.... Lets see how Moon protects Idahoans. Moon supported rapist Aaron von Ehlinger during Ethics Committee Hearings, dismissing the gravity of the charges raised against him by a teen intern. Her testimony included victim-blaming and demonstrated a lack of empathy and understanding. Ill never forget the screams after Jane Doe left the room. She was swarmed by people and chased to her car after Moon, Giddings, and others alerted supporters of where shed be. How despicable to dox the brave woman who came forward to take a dangerous predator out of the statehouse. Sexual assault and child abuse are real problems in Idaho. According to data collected from state law enforcement agencies, the rate of sexual violence reached its highest point in 2020. We need to start believing survivors, providing resources and stop using marginalized groups to distract from real issues. So Moon is right. Lets look at how candidates stand up against sexualizing children and protecting survivors of sexual assault. And lets remember the saying: When someone shows you who they are, believe them. Rep. Rod Furniss, Rigby A voucher by any other name bleeds public schools Lets make some things clear about the tax credit Bill HB447, currently being floated by our state legislature. A $5,000 tax credit for a private and/or religious school (including home schools) needs to be examined for impact. Parents (who choose to send their child to a private school), get a big reduction in their tax liability. If they make from $90,000 to $100,000 a year and owe taxes of maybe 10%, they get the gift of a credit of $5,000, half of the tax they would normally pay. Thats a tax credit. That money reduces the amount of tax collected by the state of Idaho. Since the Idaho education budget (last in the nation for per pupil spending) is based on enrollment, if more students leave the public schools for private education or homeschooling, the individual district gets less money. How is that not bleeding public education? And this does not consider the issues of lack of accountability and the prohibition against using public money for religious schools. Its not called a voucher, but thats what it is, make no mistake. And its part of a Republican agenda to weaken public schools and shift money to the private sector. Penelope Manning, Boise Idaho Power ripping off rooftop solar Idaho Powers years-long campaign to end rooftop solar in Idaho finally paid off. How do I know this? Because Idaho Power was kind enough to send out a mailer detailing all of the ways in which they cheated, and will continue to cheat, existing and future solar customers. A sampling: disparate treatment of supply versus demand power; ratepayer discrimination based on home orientation; preferred solar generation rates after sunset; applicability to already-installed systems; and yearly rate increases. No rational consumer would install and finance a rooftop solar system costing tens of thousands of dollars, for which they would be paying over the next 10, 15, or 20 years, under these conditions. In the long history of regulating monopoly utilities like Idaho Power, has any regulatory agency ever given the regulated utility authority to simply increase the rates they charge to an entire class of residential customers every year? Well, now we have at least one example because thats exactly what IPUC just did. One can only laugh (or cry if you were foolish enough to install a rooftop solar system in the last few years) at Idaho Powers messaging about supporting clean energy and protecting the environment. Fool me once Tim Murphy, Boise Stop going after libraries I cannot understand the Idaho Legislatures war against libraries and librarians. If there is a book in the library that you dont want your child to read, there is a simple solution that requires no legislation: be a parent. Care enough to know what your child is reading and, if theyre too young for certain books or if for some reason the material offends you, exercise your parental discretion. Its ironic that the political party spearheading this crusade is the one that has traditionally opposed government interference in personal matters. Now they want the government to take the place of the family and determine not only the books their child can access at a library but decide what books my child can access. There is a reason libraries are operated by government and not by the church. Sometimes books challenge our thinking and expand our horizons. Thats a good thing. It prevents us from being locked in a box all our lives. And good parents encourage critical thinking by exposing their kids to the world when theyre ready. Libraries play a critical role in the process. William Rice, Boise Open primary would end dominance of far right The recent kerfuffles over Medicaid funding and arming school teachers highlight the problems inherent in a Legislature most of whose members are Republican, many of whom feel the need to pander to the extreme right wing of the party. This right wing is helmed by Dorothy Moon, who controls potential candidates for office by allocating money and censuring legislators who fail to obey her every rule. She has gone to war with the citizens of Idaho by proposing making the citizens initiative much harder by setting the bar for signatures and number of districts impossibly high, or by amending the constitution to eliminate the citizen initiative entirely. The Open Primaries initiative will eliminate closed primaries, which are publicly funded but bar non-party members, including the 275,000 unaffiliated voters in Idaho. The initiative will allow all eligible Idaho voters to vote for the candidates of their choice in the primary elections. Having to answer directly to the voting public, rather than to party bosses, will help free representatives to do the peoples work, like funding our schools and taking care of our most vulnerable. This is what Idahoans want to see from their Legislators. Stanley M. Hall, Boise Mr Trump, frontrunner to be the Republican candidate, has said Mr Farage would do a 'great job' as ambassador - TIA DUFOUR/WHITE HOUSE Nigel Farage has said he would definitely like to serve as British ambassador to the US, even under Labour. The former UKIP leader said he would of course step up to the plate if asked, suggesting he could be a friend to Donald Trump on Labours behalf if he returns to the White House. He also signalled a greater likelihood of standing to be an MP at the next election, insisting he is currently undecided, having said just days ago it was not his intention. And he claimed he is contacted several times a day by desperate Tory MPs who want to know his next move. Mr Trump, who is the frontrunner to be the Republican candidate, previously said Mr Farage would do a great job as ambassador. This was seconded by the former foreign secretary Lord Owen last month. In an interview with The Sunday Times, Mr Farage made clear he would be willing to take on the responsibility even with Sir Keir Starmer in charge. He said: Is it a job I would do? Yes, of course I would. Yeah. Very, very important job. And Starmer has a problem. His government will be filled with people like [the current shadow foreign secretary, David] Lammy, whove been so negative towards Trump. They may need a friend there. But well see. Mr Farage, who founded Reform and now serves as honourary president, said he is totally undecided about running for the party at the next election, having recently told Bloomberg at the moment its not my intention. On potentially taking over from Richard Tice as leader, he questioned what he could actually achieve, other than making the Labour lead bigger Farage has campaigned alongside Trump for years - BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP So the other option is that I just sit it out and play the longer game. I just dont know the answer, he said. He revealed he considers the question on a daily basis, saying: I chuck it around my head every day. I go to bed thinking about it. What is the right thing to do or not to do? He also claimed he is contacted by Conservative MPs every day. On receiving a text during the interview, he told the newspaper: Theres another one. Theyre looking for something, theyre desperate. Im Uncle Nige. They all want to know what Im going to do. Asked if these MPs want to join Reform, or for Farage to join the Tories, he said: It could be either way. Mr Farage said Mr Trump is fascinated by British politics - and has asked him for advice in the past. He wants to know about the characters, the players, he said. Are we really implementing Brexit properly? Are we taking advantage of it? Are we getting the right deal? Very much detailed, boom-boom type stuff. He described himself as a dispassionate friend to the former president, in the sense that he does not want anything from him. Ive never asked him for anything. Im not relying upon him for a job, he added. The British ambassador to the US currently Dame Karen Pierce is appointed by the monarch, following approval from the Prime Minister. Mr Farage also suggested that, as a radical politician, he is more aligned with veteran left-wing senator Bernie Sanders than Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Put to him that he sounded closer to Jeremy Corbyn than Mr Sunak, as he called for huge, radical reform to the whole system, he said: Not Corbyn. But I might feel closer to Bernie Sanders. Definitely. 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. FILE - Firefighters arrive to attend a memorial for Charles Morton, the U.S. Forest Service firefighter assigned to the Big Bear Hotshots who was killed in the line of duty on Sept. 17 on the El Dorado Fire, Sept. 25, 2020 at The Rock Church in San Bernardino, Calif. A man whose familys gender reveal ceremony in 2020 sparked a Southern California wildfire that killed the firefighter has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter. Prosecutors announced the guilty plea on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024. (Terry Pierson/The Orange County Register via AP, file) SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (AP) A man whose family's gender reveal photo shoot sparked a Southern California wildfire that killed a firefighter in 2020 has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, prosecutors said Friday. The El Dorado Fire erupted on Sept. 5, 2020, when Refugio Jimenez Jr. and Angelina Jimenez and their young children staged a photo shoot for their baby gender reveal at El Dorado Ranch Park in Yucaipa, at the foot of the San Bernardino Mountains. A smoke-generating pyrotechnic device was set off in a field and quickly ignited dry grass on a scorching day. The couple frantically tried to use bottled water to douse the flames and called 911, authorities said. Strong winds stoked the fire as it ran through wilderness on national forest land, about 75 miles (120 kilometers) east of Los Angeles. Charles Morton, the 39-year-old leader of the elite Big Bear Interagency Hotshot Squad, was killed on Sept. 17, 2020, when flames overran a remote area where firefighters were cutting fire breaks. Morton had worked as a firefighter for 18 years, mostly with the U.S. Forest Service. On Friday, the San Bernardino County district attorney announced that Refugio Jimenez Jr. had pleaded guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter and two counts of recklessly causing a fire to an inhabited structure. He will be taken into custody on Feb. 23 to serve a year in jail. His sentence also includes two years of felony probation and 200 hours of community service. Angelina Jimenez pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor counts of recklessly causing fire to property of another. She was sentenced to a year of summary probation and 400 hours of community service. The couple was also ordered to pay $1,789,972 in restitution. Resolving the case was never going to be a win, District Attorney Jason Anderson said in a news release, offering his condolences to Mortons family. To the victims who lost so much, including their homes with valuables and memories, we understand those are intangibles can never be replaced. The U.S. Forest Service in September on the third anniversary of the ignition of the fire filed a lawsuit against the pyrotechnic device's manufacturers, distributors and sellers, as well as the couple. The lawsuit alleges that the Smoke Bombs used were illegal in California and known to be defective. Mike Scafiddi, the lawyer for Refugio Jimenez Jr., said the couple has wanted to speak publicly about the fire, its impact on the community and Morton's death but cannot because of the ongoing federal litigation. They have been praying for Mr. Morton and his family every night since his death," Scafiddi told The Associated Press on Sunday. "It has touched them profoundly. The lawyer said his client had researched and tested the pyrotechnic device before setting it off that day, finding no problems online or during his test. It was unforeseeable in all minds, he said. Scafiddi said the couple had not, contrary to what's been said publicly for years, hosted a gender-reveal party. He said it was a photo shoot to discover the baby's gender with the couple, a few relatives and their children. To infer that it was a gathering of multiple people with food and celebration is simply incorrect, he said. This was simply taking photographs in what was a beautiful backdrop. An attorney for Angelina Jimenez did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday. The blaze injured 13 other people and forced the evacuations of hundreds of residents in small communities in the San Bernardino National Forest area. It destroyed five homes and 15 other buildings. Flames blackened nearly 36 square miles (92 square kilometers) of land in San Bernardino and Riverside counties before the blaze was contained on Nov. 16, 2020. The fire was one of thousands during a record-breaking wildfire season in California that charred more than 4% of the state while destroying nearly 10,500 buildings and killing 33 people. Extremely dry conditions and heat waves tied to climate change have made wildfires harder to fight. Climate change has made the West much warmer and drier in the past 30 years and will continue to make weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive. The Federal Way police department is investigating a shooting that happened at a California Burrito location Saturday. Officers say they were sent to the restaurant at 31600 Pacific Highway South around 4:26 p.m. One person was taken to Harborview with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds. The Federal Way Police Department is currently conducting a thorough investigation, said a spokesperson. Convicted rapist Isla Bryson, who transitioned from a man to a woman, was originally housed in a female prison before being transferred to a male unit following outcry - ANDREW MILLIGAN/PA Female prisoners views on transgender inmates in Scotland will be kept secret after the prison service blocked requests for a poll to be made public. Critics accused the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) of silencing womens voices after refusing to disclose their responses to a survey carried out as part of a review of its controversial transgender prisoner management policy. The review of the policy was ongoing when rapist Isla Bryson, previously known as Adam Graham, was sent to Scotlands only womens jail following conviction in February last year. Bryson was later moved to a male jail following a huge outcry. The results of the survey were requested under Freedom of Information (FOI) legislation. However, the SPS refused to disclose them, saying if they were made public, it could undermine the confidentiality of the women who took part. The updated policy, which was finalised in December, still allows male-bodied inmates to be placed in female jails if they identify as women, under certain conditions. Even after the Bryson controversy, the SPS has refused to follow the far tougher rules on trans prisoners which are in place in England. SNP is demonstrating pervasive secrecy Russell Findlay, the Scottish Conservative shadow justice secretary, said the public was surely entitled to hear the views of women prisoners expected to share single-sex spaces with male-bodied inmates. He said: Personal or other sensitive information could be easily removed before publication of this important survey. Doing so might also help explain why the majority of women didnt even respond. Across Scotlands justice system and the wider public sector, we see increasing evidence of the SNPs pervasive secrecy culture and this appears to be yet another example. Giving evidence to MSPs earlier this year, Theresa Medhurst, chief executive of the SPS, claimed women in custody were very kind to and understanding of transgender individuals in our care. However, critics of her policy insist that women prisoners, who have often suffered violence at the hands of men, could be traumatised by the mere presence of male inmates in the female estate. Kenny MacAskill, the former SNP justice secretary who now sits as an Alba Party MP, said the refusal to release the data smacked of a cover-up. This is entirely unacceptable, he said. An assessment cant be made without being able to consider all sides of the argument and, in particular, the views of women prisoners who are most impacted. Anonymity can and should be given but the totality of what was said by women must be available. Kenny MacAskill, the former SNP justice secretary, has criticised the SPS's refusal to release the findings - FRASER BREMNER The SPS turned down the FOI request by claiming releasing the information would prejudice substantially the effective conduct of public affairs. In contrast, an SPS prisoner survey carried out every two years is published on its website and says the comprehensive results furnishes a meaningful channel for the users voice to be heard. An SPS spokesman said: We consulted widely in developing our Policy for the Management of Transgender People in Custody, including with women in our care, and their views were integral to its development. Under the policy any transgender woman with a history of violence against women and girls, who presents a risk to women and girls, will not be placed in the female estate. 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. Support SLO County Housing Reporting Support reporter John Lynchs coverage of housing and homelessness in SLO County by donating to The Tribunes Local Impact Journalism Fund. Go to sanluisobispo.com/donate. When Carol Ellis was kicked out of her Morro Bay apartment in late 2022, she knew she was running out of options. After being evicted twice in the past five years, Ellis moved into a 22-foot, 25-year-old recreational vehicle in November 2022 and took up working as a camp host at Gaviota State Park to keep her rent low, assuming that living in mobile home parks and campgrounds would be a cheaper alternative to a traditional rental. At that point when I got that last eviction, I couldnt find any place affordable for me to live, Ellis said. For a very brief time, that camp setup worked, but while she was visiting family for Christmas that year winter storms rolled through San Luis Obispo County, ruining her RV and razing her campsite to the ground. She then spent January, February and March 2023 living and parking her RV on the streets of San Luis Obispo County, taking on another camp hosting job through the summer. Its not that easy to get a spot, Ellis said. Youre always planning your next spot most of the posts were three to six months, so youre putting in for a whole year ahead, and pretty much all the parks I talk to are full until next fall. Near the end of October, she moved to Morro Bay at the urging of her family, who encouraged her to find a spot in the Silver City Resort and RV park. Ellis, 65, settled into the park, trading in her RV for a larger, newer 30-foot trailer that she had moved to the campground, expecting to live there for the foreseeable future. The unit cost much of her savings, but was supposed to provide a long-term, less expensive form of housing, she said. Then in December, she received the news: Shed have to leave within a month. Im walking my dog past the office, and (the manager) just comes out and says, Hey, I have bad news. The owner told me that hes not renewing your lease and you have 30 days to leave, and he handed me the no-fault non-renewal, Ellis told The Tribune soon after. It was like someone punched me in the chest. With mobile home parks full to bursting and cities across San Luis Obispo County implementing new parking and camping ordinances that restrict the places where people can stay overnight in vehicles, people in Ellis situation are feeling the squeeze. Carol Ellis moved to the Silver City Resort mobile home park with a new trailer in Morro Bay, as seen Dec. 5, 2023. She had to find a new home after a notice of non-renewal. Mobile home parks serving fewer low-income residents Linda Winters, a longtime mobile home resident of Silver City West the neighboring mobile home park owned by the same company as Silver City Resort said Ellis isnt the only person struggling to find a home for their RVs and trailers. Winters advocates for the rights of mobile home park residents in the city, and has been involved in litigation against the parks landlord related to eviction proceedings. Winters said since the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent housing frenzy in San Luis Obispo County, many mobile home parks are filling up with higher-paid remote workers who relocated and downsized thanks to the allure of the Central Coast. According to the U.S. Census Bureaus most recent data on the value of manufactured homes in the western region of the United States, the average sales price of a one-bedroom manufactured home was $94,400 in August 2023, while a double averaged $163,300. As recently as August 2019, one-bedroom manufactured homes averaged almost half that, at $48,200 in the western U.S. and doubles averaged $120,700, census data showed. Those recent hikes in the average price of a mobile home even outpaced the price of new single-family homes between 2017 and 2023, an analysis of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and Census Bureau data by online loan platform LendingTree found. Because mobile homes are more valuable than ever, its driven up the value of plots of land in mobile home parks and has provided park owners with more incentive to upgrade their parks and get the most value possible, Winters said. That leaves residents of some parks at a high risk for removal, as Ellis and many other residents who tend to be older working people and retirees are on fixed incomes, Winters said. Carol Ellis moved to the Silver City Resort mobile home park with a new trailer in Morro Bay, paid for landscape structures like fencing as seen Dec. 5, 2023. Now she needs to find a new home after a notice of non-renewal . Because Ellis had lived at Silver City for less than 270 days, she didnt count as a permanent resident, which exposed her to more risk of eviction or non-renewal of a lease, Winters said. If youre not permanent ... they can come in at any given time and say, We would like you to leave, and they can give you a no-cause eviction notice, Winters said. They basically dont have to have any reason at all. Angus Keith, the owner of Silver City West and Silver City Resort, told The Tribune the park is within its legal rights to remove short-term tenants, regardless of the reason. Ellis said her pair of evictions even if they are no-fault evictions and a non-renewal of her most recent lease are a black scar on future housing applications shell pursue, and threw her into a spiral when she realized she may end up homeless again. As such, Ellis said she considers herself extremely lucky to have found a place to park her trailer, landing a rental RV space on a property near Avila Ranch within her price range with just two weeks to spare on her Silver City Resort lease. Had it not been for her new home near Avila Ranch, Ellis said she didnt know how she would have kept her trailer mobile because her car cant tow the trailer. Though its far from any neighbors and is a considerable drive from Morro Bay the place she considers home its better than the uncertainty many people who live in their vehicles face each night, Ellis said. Im too old to be like scrambling and trying to find a place to lay my head, Ellis said. For Gods sake, these should be the golden years where youre relaxing and enjoying yourself. Carol Ellis moved to the Silver City Resort mobile home park with a new trailer in Morro Bay, paid for landscape structures like fencing as seen Dec. 5, 2023. She had to find a new home after a notice of non-renewal. SLO County cities tighten parking rules According to San Luis Obispo Countys 2022 Point-In-Time Count, around 26% of homeless individuals counted in the county the night of Feb. 22, 2022 or 370 people were living in their vehicles, with 13% of homeless residents living in RVs, 9% in vans and 4% in cars. Vehicular homelessness was the second-most common type of shelter tracked by the 2022 count second only to the 41% of homeless residents who said they lived in tents and more than the population staying in emergency and transitional shelters. Since the 2022 count, vehicular homelessness has risen in many San Luis Obispo County cities, leading municipalities to roll out parking ordinances that make living overnight in a vehicle a more challenging proposition. Most ordinances introduced by San Luis Obispo County cities in recent years bar RV vehicular living and camping for more than a day or two within set distances of other camps with the aim of preventing encampments from forming and places such as residential areas, schools, playgrounds, commercial areas, fire zones and parts of public and private property. In the past year, Morro Bay, Grover Beach and Atascadero all introduced new or strengthened existing camping and parking ordinances, while Paso Robles has restricted RV camping on most streets since 2016. Arroyo Grande also explored introducing a new parking ordinance last year, but did not move forward with it. San Luis Obispo Countys land is governed by the Rural Recreation and Camping Ordinance, which makes a few exceptions, but generally prohibits RV camping on most county roads for extended periods of time. Under the countys ordinance, overnight camping and sleeping in vehicles is prohibited in unincorporated towns such as Avila Beach, Oceano, Los Osos and Cayucos, along with county roads such as Lone Pine Road and Prefumo Canyon Road. While ordinances have created more restrictions on where parking is allowed, the few places where people living in their vehicles could legally stay such as the Oklahoma Avenue Safe Parking site which initially opened to accommodate people who were living in vehicles on Palisades Avenue in Los Osos have started ramping down operations in the last year. More recently, a proposed replacement for the Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispos Railroad Square Safe Parking program that provided a spot for around two dozen parkers in San Luis Obispo stalled out without a replacement program. That leaves the dozen vehicle spaces at 40 Prado Homeless Services Center as the only place that provide dedicated safe parking spots, homeless services director Jack Lahey told The Tribune in an email. Lahey said the Prado safe parking program provides 90-day enrollments in CAPSLOs case management services, with the goal of moving participants toward a housing outcome. With only a dozen spots available, demand has risen in recent years, he said. Currently, 44 people are on 40 Prados referral list to reserve a parking spot. Former Oklahoma Avenue Safe Parking Site resident Deana Clarke has stayed in the same place in her recreational vehicle for no more than two or three nights in a row, never exceeding the limit introduced by local ordinances. Vehicular homelessness on the rise Former Oklahoma Avenue Safe Parking site resident Deana Clarke said she and her two dogs are facing the uncertainty caused by more restrictive parking ordinances and fewer legal places to sleep each night. Clarke was told to leave the parking site in August by the county, and now moves from spot to spot around San Luis Obispo County in her 42-year-old recreational vehicle, often joined by a pair of other former Oklahoma Avenue residents and their vehicles. From the shoulders of Highway 1 along the North Coast to the parking space in front of her daughters Morro Bay home, Clarke has stayed mobile to keep from getting ticketed. Over the past four months, Clarke hasnt stayed in the same place for more than two to three nights in a row, never exceeding the limit introduced by local ordinances, she said. Were hoping well be here maybe just one more night, Clarke told The Tribune while staying on a shoulder of Highway 1 near Morro Bay in January. There were no campsites available for the three of us, and we try to stay together because some of us are single, and its a lot. Former Oklahoma Avenue Safe Parking Site resident Deana Clarke has stayed in the same place in her recreational vehicle for no more than two or three nights in a row, never exceeding the limit introduced by local ordinances. Clarke said she received disability benefits since 2013 due to a collision with a drunk driver, but its not enough to afford a rental in San Luis Obispo County. In addition to being on a fixed income, Clarke said her pets and four-decade-old recreational vehicle have taken her out of the running for many prospective rental arrangements and mobile home parks, which often have pet restrictions and require RVs manufactured within the past 10 to 15 years. Staying at a campground is too expensive each night and means living far from amenities, while most rental RV spaces in San Luis Obispo County are simply too expensive for many low or fixed-income vehicle owners who previously would have been able to get by in a mobile home park, Clarke said. After spending several years in the RV, she said shes hesitant to leave it behind for any reason in the event she becomes homeless again. Im not selling my RV first of all, its a vintage RV, its paid for and its mine, Clarke said. It has always kept a roof over my head. Always. Unwilling to leave San Luis Obispo County behind, Clarke said this will likely be her status quo for the foreseeable future. It shouldnt be against the law to sleep in your vehicle, Clarke said. Were not bothering anybody, were not hurting anybody. Were just trying to keep our head above water Former Oklahoma Avenue Safe Parking Site resident Deana Clarke has stayed in the same place in her recreational vehicle for no more than two or three nights in a row, never exceeding the limit introduced by local ordinances. National Coalition Party (NCP) presidential candidate Alexander Stubb (L) and Green Party backed candidate for a nonpartisan constituency association Pekka Haavisto attend an election night event at the Helsinki City Hall. Former conservative prime minister Alexander Stubb won Finland's run-off presidential election on Sunday, narrowly beating ex-foreign minister and Green politician Pekka Haavisto for the post that wields significant power in foreign policy. Heikki Saukkomaa/Lehtikuva/dpa Former conservative prime minister Alexander Stubb won Finland's run-off presidential election on Sunday, narrowly beating ex-foreign minister and Green politician Pekka Haavisto for the post that wields significant power in foreign policy. Stubb garnered 51.6% of the vote to Haavisto's 48.4%, public broadcaster Yle projected after 98% of the ballots were counted. The result was closer than expected, with pre-election opinion polls having put Stubb in a more commanding lead. Yle said Haavisto did well in cities and university towns while Stubb did better in the suburbs and rural areas. Haavisto congratulated Stubb on his victory as soon as the broadcaster made its call. In his first remarks as the incoming president, Stubb called the win the greatest honour of his life. He will take office at the beginning of March, succeeding popular President Sauli Niinisto, who has completed two six-year terms and is not permitted to stand again. Despite the loss, the close election result is a success for Haavisto, with just under 100,000 separating him from Stubb in the final tally that defied pollster predictions of a far clearer lead for Stubb. The Finnish president is elected directly and holds significant powers in foreign and security policy, apart from their ceremonial role. Finland shares a 1,340-kilometre border with Russia. Under Niinisto and in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Nordic country decided to apply for NATO membership in 2022. After decades of military non-alignment, it became the 31st member of the defence alliance in April 2023. Haavisto actually signed the country's NATO accession document in April 2023 as the then-foreign minister under prime minister Sanna Marin. Finnish conservative leader Petteri Orpo became prime minister two months later. Finland's relationship with Russia has drastically deteriorated since joining NATO. The crossings along the Russian-Finnish border have been closed for several months, and just days ago the Finnish government extended this measure until mid-April. Helsinki accuses Moscow of deliberately bringing asylum seekers to the border without the necessary documents in order to sow discord in Finland. Both Stubb and Haavisto are considered to be pro-European and staunch supporters of Ukraine. The election was therefore not expected to have a major impact on Finland's Russia policy. Stubb and Haavisto received the most votes of the nine candidates in the first round, held on January 28. In that contest, Stubb got 27.2% of the vote, Haavisto 25.8%. They beat out other heavyweights in Finnish politics, such as right-wing populist parliamentary speaker Jussi Halla-aho and former EU commissioner Olli Rehn. Stubb served as prime minister from 2014 to 2015. National Coalition Party (NCP) presidential candidate Alexander Stubb attends an election night event at the Helsinki City Hall. Former conservative prime minister Alexander Stubb won Finland's run-off presidential election on Sunday, narrowly beating ex-foreign minister and Green politician Pekka Haavisto for the post that wields significant power in foreign policy. Heikki Saukkomaa/Lehtikuva/dpa National Coalition Party (NCP) presidential candidate Alexander Stubb pictured at his election reception in Helsinki. Former conservative prime minister Alexander Stubb won Finland's run-off presidential election on Sunday, narrowly beating ex-foreign minister and Green politician Pekka Haavisto for the post that wields significant power in foreign policy. Emmi Korhonen/Lehtikuva/dpa By Anne Kauranen HELSINKI (Reuters) - Alexander Stubb declared himself winner of Finland's presidential election on Sunday after a campaign built on promises to make the most of his country's new membership of NATO and back Ukraine in its war with shared neighbour Russia. In his new job, the centre-right former prime minister and investment banker will head up foreign and security policy, represent Finland in NATO meetings and act as Commander-in-Chief of the military. It is "very important that we in Europe take care of our own defence," the 55-year-old told Reuters in the buildup to the vote. He said he agreed with his predecessor Sauli Niinisto "who said that we need a more European NATO". The new job marks Stubb's return to domestic politics after several years abroad working as vice president of the European Investment Bank and director at the European University Institute in Florence. Allies describe him as a multi-lingual, pro-European, fiscal conservative. He describes himself as a moderate. He would be "a Western president in many ways" and lean towards the United States, Britain and Nordic neighbours when it came to setting the tone of foreign policy, he told Reuters. He would set "no limits" to Finland's support for Ukraine. "My starting point is, paraphrasing (European Central Bank President) Mario Draghi, whatever it takes," Stubb said. The Nordic nation joined the Western military alliance in April last year, breaking with decades of non-alignment in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. During his election campaign Stubb said Finland should be an active NATO member and seek to have some NATO troops stationed on its territory. He has also said he would be ready to let nuclear weapons be transported through the country - though not stored there. "At times, a nuclear weapon is a guarantee of peace," he said at a debate. Many Finns also see cosmopolitan Stubb as a candidate of the Helsinki elite, according to University of Helsinki political scientist Johanna Vuorelma. "The visible and well-known names of the business world are strongly behind Stubb," Vuorelma said. But that was an image he tried to shift during his campaign, by speaking favourably of Finland's social-democratic welfare model, she added. As far back as the 1990s, it was clear that foreign policy was one of his strengths, even though over the years there were questions "over what the level of his domestic political expertise and interest in it was," the head of Finland's Centre for Parliamentary Studies, Markku Jokisipila, said. Stubb served as a Member of the European Parliament from 2004 to 2008 before moving home to kick off a political career capped by a string of ministerial posts - foreign affairs, European affairs and trade, finance and then prime minister in 2014-2015. He was ousted in 2016 as chair of the National Coalition Party that he still represents. Stubb is a keen amateur athlete and triathlon champion - though he has said he will cut down on sport once he becomes Finland's 13th president. He is married to British-born lawyer Suzanne Innes-Stubb, 54, with whom he has two grown-up children. (Reporting by Anne Kauranen; Editing by Andrew Heavens) By Anne Kauranen and Essi Lehto HELSINKI (Reuters) -Alexander Stubb of the centre-right National Coalition Party narrowly won Finland's presidential election on Sunday, defeating liberal Green Party member Pekka Haavisto, who conceded defeat. Stubb is pro-European and a strong supporter of Ukraine who has taken a tough stance towards Russia. He declared himself winner in the run-off vote after securing 51.6% of the votes as 99.7% of ballots had been counted, against Haavisto's 48.4%, justice ministry data showed. Finland new head of state will be responsible for its security and foreign policy, including the recently approved NATO member's stance towards Russia, with which it shares a long border. In televised remarks Stubb called his victory "the greatest honour" of his life. "The feeling is calm, humble but of course at the same time I am extremely happy and grateful that the Finns in such large numbers have voted and that I get to serve as president of the Republic of Finland," he said. Stubb, a former prime minister, had won the first round on Jan. 28 with 27.2% of the vote ahead of Haavisto on 25.8%. He has also led Haavisto in opinion surveys, most recently by 6-8 percentage points. Haavisto congratulated Stubb as "the 13th president of Finland". "I believe Finland now gets a good president for the republic. Alexander Stubb is an experienced, competent person for the job. No more babble," he said. The vote marks a new era in Finland, which for decades has elected presidents to foster diplomacy, in particular with neighbouring Russia, and opted not to join military alliances so it could soothe tensions between Moscow and NATO. But Finns changed their minds after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, in a rapid U-turn that led to the country joining NATO in April last year. Now under the Western alliance's security umbrella, Stubb will replace Sauli Niinisto, who is retiring after two six-year terms in which he earned the nickname "the Putin Whisperer" for his previous close ties with the Russian leader. Stubb will have a central role in defining Finland's NATO policies, while taking the lead on overall foreign and security policy in close cooperation with the government and acting as commander-in-chief of the armed forces. "Warm congratulations to Alexander Stubb. Finland is our close friend and partner," Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said in a post on X. NO RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA Lauri, a 36-year-old IT worker who voted in Helsinki, named Russia as the main task the new president will face. "Obviously we all know that we are in a difficult position nowadays looking at Russia, the entire turbulence in the world today. So I think that's the biggest threat and biggest issue that we have," he told Reuters on Saturday. In an interview with Reuters last month, Stubb said there would be no Russian pillar in Finland's foreign policy for now: "Politically, there will be no relations with the president of Russia or with the Russian political leadership until they stop the war in Ukraine." Stubb is in favour of deep NATO cooperation, such as allowing the transport of nuclear weapons across Finnish soil and placing some NATO troops permanently in Finland. He does not support storing nuclear weapons in Finland, however. "At times, a nuclear weapon is a guarantee of peace," Stubb said in a debate on Tuesday. Russia has threatened Finland with retaliation in response to its NATO membership and a defence cooperation agreement signed with the U.S. in December. (Reporting by Anne Kauranen, Essi Lehto and Tom Little in Helsinki, Editing by Kylie MacLellan, Sharon Singleton, Hugh Lawson, Terje Solsvik and Giles Elgood) Green Party backed candidate for a nonpartisan constituency association Pekka Haavisto casts his vote during the second round of the Finnish presidential election. Mikko Stig/STT-Lehtikuva/dpa Finnish voters who were not among the 46% of the electorate who voted early are going to the polls on Sunday to elect a president in a run-off election. Voters have until the evening to decide between former prime minister Alexander Stubb, 55, and former foreign minister Pekka Haavisto, 65. Nearly 2 million voters residing in Finland have already cast their ballots. Based on that, an initial projection should be published shortly after the polling stations close at 8 pm (1800 GMT). A provisional final result is expected to be released in the course of the evening. Stubb, a conservative, is considered the slight favourite over his Green party challenger, according to the polls. National Coalition Party (NCP) presidential candidate Alexander Stubb and his wife Suzanne Innes-Stubb cast their vote during the second round of the Finnish presidential election. Mikko Stig/STT-Lehtikuva/dpa (Bloomberg) -- Finland will pick a new president on Sunday to fill a critical role at the helm of the newest member of NATO as concerns grow that neighboring Russia may directly confront the defense alliance. Most Read from Bloomberg Its expected to be a tight race between two veteran politicians, Alexander Stubb and Pekka Haavisto, vying for a six-year term as the Nordic countrys top diplomat and supreme commander for its defense forces. Former Prime Minister Stubb, 55, has remained the favorite in the polls during the two weeks of campaigning after his close first-round victory. Yet his lead in a head-to-head match with Haavisto, the previous foreign minister, has narrowed, with about 54% of the electorate backing Stubb in the latest survey by YLE, down from 59% before the Jan. 28 round of voting. The mainly figurehead role, with limited influence on domestic policy, has acquired more significance after Vladimir Putins all-out invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. Even as Finland joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization last year for added security, the task of steering its foreign and security policy is complicated by growing uncertainty over whether Moscows imperialist designs include the blocs territory. Read More: Finland Joins NATO as Defense Alliance Expands Northward Stubb and Haavisto, 65, have shown few differences over the presidents key areas of power with 90% of population supporting NATO membership, there is little domestic debate over Finlands options. The pair would represent continuity with President Sauli Niinisto the architect behind Finlands and Swedens NATO entry applications who was once also known as the Putin whisperer and is no longer eligible to run. Sweden still remains outside the alliance as Hungary has continued to hold out on ratifying the enlargement that would be crucial for the alliances ability to defend its eastern flank. Finlands NATO entry lengthened the blocs border with Russia by 1,300 kilometers (800 miles). Earlier this week, the authorities renewed their decision to keep all the road crossings on that frontier sealed to curb the flow of Russian-assisted asylum seekers to the checkpoints viewing the phenomenon as a deliberate attempt to undermine its national security. In Finnish foreign and security policy, you have to stay cool, calm and collected, Stubb told reporters on Saturday. Were used to Russian intimidation, were used to dealing with situations like these. Once part of Czarist Russia, Finland had to defend its sovereignty against the Soviet Union in two wars in the 1939 to 1944 period. The country has more artillery than France and Germany combined and can call on as many as 280,000 troops in time of war. Polls open at 9 a.m. local time on Sunday and close at 8 p.m., when the results of ballots cast in advance are published. Results are likely to be ready within a few hours. The new presidents term begins March 1. Both Stubb and Haavisto have hit the campaign trail in recent weeks, criss-crossing the country in an attempt to appeal to undecided voters who backed other first-round contestants, including Speaker of parliament Jussi Halla-aho of the nationalist Finns Party and Bank of Finland Governor Olli Rehn. Read More: Two Political Veterans to Contest Finnish Presidential Runoff An avid triathlete in his spare time, Stubb is more likely to win over voters leaning toward conservative values. Haavisto, who would be Finlands first out gay president if he wins, has gained popularity by spinning records from the 1960s and 1970s under the pseudonym DJ Pexi. Apart from an occasional jab during debates, the candidates have kept their campaigns civilized, avoiding any mud-slinging. Its quite rare that in a liberal democracy you can conduct a campaign without slander, Stubb said Saturday. The reason for this is probably that for Finland, foreign policy is existential and people understand that. --With assistance from Chris Miller. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. In the small town just a light-rail trip away from downtown Phoenix, residents of a place called Culdesac in Arizona are one of the first non-urban communities in the U.S. to boast a walkable, car-free neighborhood. Walking the streets of the $170 million, 17-acre community, which is in reality more like a large campus within the city of Tempe, residents notice no parking for cars among the Mediterranean-style white units. Instead, the homes are mixed with courtyards for social gatherings, grocery stores, restaurants, and yoga studios. For residents of Culdesac, they have everything they need for their economical, physical, and social well-being within walking distance. About 92% of U.S. households in 2021 had at least one car. Transportation marks the largest source of greenhouse gas pollution in the U.S., accounting for 28% of total pollution in 2021. The greenhouse gases come largely from the burning of fossil fuels. While electric vehicle production is increasing and aims to be the mainstream form of transportation in the future S&P Global Mobility forecasts electric vehicle sales to account for 40% of all passenger vehicle sales by 2030 EV vehicles dont address the high demand for lithium mining needed for EVs and the underlying effect of car-centered communities in the U.S. Culdesac aims to eliminate the harmful effects of cars on the environment with climate-friendly housing while reuniting communities outside of the home and workplace. Today in the U.S. we only build two kinds of housing: single-family homes that are lonely and have a painful commute, or we build these mid-rise projects with double-loaded corridors, said Ryan Johnson, co-founder of Culdesac alongside Jeff Berens. Johnsons enthusiasm for the car-free neighborhood came from living and traveling in countries that focus on walkability: We can build walkable neighborhoods successfully in the U.S. in [the] 2020s. The development broke ground in 2019 and has seen its first residents move in and try the lifestyle in 2023. For some, cars equal freedom, but for me, its a restriction, Vanessa Fox, a 32-year-old resident of Culdesac said. Freedom is being able to just simply walk out and access places. The developers hope to have around 1,000 people live in Culdesac by 2025, when their 760 units will be completed. The first 200 residents will receive ebikes. We look back nostalgically at college, because its the only time most people have lived in a walkable neighborhood, says Johnson. People are happier and healthier, and even wealthier when theyre living in a walkable neighborhood. Today, urban metropolises mark the only places for walkable communities. But even these cities rely on cars for transportation and are not fully accessible for residents to non-urban environments, such as the Blue Hills Reservation outside Boston that is only minutes from downtown yet still unreachable for many residents. Countries across the globe are looking at ways of eliminating cars. For example, Wales is banning new road projects in an effort to go carbon-neutral. Culdesac is a glimpse into the future of 15-minute cities, putting people at the center of transportation, and creating a sustainable environment. Join our free newsletter for cool news and actionable info that makes it easy to help yourself while helping the planet. December 22 was Nancy Ancrum Day in Miami-Dade County. That proclamation, made official with a plaque from the county and a small ceremony, was bestowed in appreciation for her 40 years of work at the Miami Herald, the last 10 as editorial page editor, a job she dispatched with a lightness of spirit that belied the heaviness of her responsibilities. The announcement came during one of Nancys multiple retirement parties she decided late last year that it was time to hand over the reins of the opinion section. Nancy was surprised by the framed proclamation hand delivered by Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. Those of us who served with Nancy on the Miami Herald Editorial Board werent. The honor was deserved. Nancy led the editorial board the way she approached everything in life: with compassion, humor, humility, joy and an occasional dose of sternness. Im channeling my mother now, she would laugh after she had to use a steely tone during a particularly difficult interview with a political candidate. She died on Friday at age 67 after a long illness. Leading an editorial board through tough decisions and controversial election recommendations is not for the faint of heart. Nancy displayed the necessary mental toughness as required. When criticism was leveled or fury vented, she absorbed that without flinching, often bearing the brunt of it so others wouldnt have to. But its her joy we remember most. During our morning meetings, held virtually throughout the pandemic, we discussed South Floridas issues with vigor, intensity and a lot of laughter. Nancy was our boss but she was also our friend. She cared about her fellow board members and colleagues and understood that, in the midst of opining on Gov. Ron DeSantis latest proposal or dissecting the current scandal at Miami City Hall, we had lives outside of work. She had perspective, a valuable trait in a world where overheated rhetoric can feel all-consuming. She fostered an environment where members of the editorial board could express their opinions without fear or embarrassment. Nancy lived up to the principles of journalism and of democracy, where the free exchange of ideas is paramount. Journalists were her tribe, she liked to say, and that is how she approached each meeting with the editorial board, each conversation with a member of the community. She considered any meeting she attended a success if she was able to offer someone the opportunity to write an opinion piece for the Herald. Extending the Heralds platform to the community was second nature to her. She also kept common sense at the fore when making editorial decisions. She defended the positions of the editorial board even when they werent popular with some members of the community. When we changed our minds as we did with some election recommendations based on new information she was forthcoming about it. Nancys headline writing was among the sharpest in opinion journalism. She had a knack for helping her staff put thoughts into words during our discussions. She also authored powerful editorials. When footage of the 2021 Surfside building collapse was released, she wrote a piece that captured what many felt in the wake of such a tragedy, titled Surfside condo-collapse video is haunting for what we didnt see: the people inside. Nancy also gave us freedom to innovate in a business that is ever changing. Under her leadership, the editorial board launched a podcast called Woke Wars and won several awards. Among them is the Pulitzer Prize her successor, Amy Driscoll, won for editorial writing in 2023. Her Miami Herald retirement party, just a little over three weeks ago, made her feel like the belle of the ball, she said. Storms had been on the horizon but when the evening dawned, the weather was fine. We toasted her and celebrated together, as a team. Nancy remained a committed Miami Herald editor in spirit even after her official retirement. Her husband, George Fishman, a familiar face to the board in no small part because our morning meetings gave us a window into each others households, sent a message to the board on Saturday, after she passed away. Nancy, he said, had noticed a typo the night before in an editorial. We fixed it, of course, with profound thanks and gratitude. A former aide to former President George W. Bush blasted former President Trump for his mocking of GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haleys husband over the weekend for being away on a military deployment. Yeah, hes an asshole, Scott Jennings said on CNNs State of the Union in response to Trumps remarks the day before. During a South Carolina rally on Saturday, Trump mocked Haleys husband, who was deployed to Africa in June last year with the South Carolina Army National Guard, for being absent from the campaign trail. Wheres her husband? Trump said. Oh, hes away, hes away. What happened to her husband? What happened to her husband? Where is he? Hes gone. His comments sparked criticism from Haley, who said Trump has no business being commander in chief. Jennings suggested Trump was taking a cheap shot at Haley. She lost the early races in Iowa and New Hampshire to Trump and lost the Nevada primary race to none of these candidates. There were no delegates up for grabs in the Nevada primary race, but there were in the Nevada caucuses, which Trump won. Its not the first time hes been an asshole. That wont be the last time hes been an asshole. But thats what it is now. So people like it. And I know people are going to slough it off as well, This is just a tough political campaign.' Jennings said. The man is serving the United States in uniform overseas. So its a below-the-belt shot against someone who is not going to beat him for the nomination, he added. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Dries and Eugenie van Agt died together as the number of couples in the Netherlands choosing joint euthanasia grows A former Dutch prime minister and his wife have died hand in hand in a rare double euthanasia. Dries van Agt and his wife, Eugenie, were both 93 and were buried together on Thursday. He died hand in hand with his beloved wife Eugenie van Agt-Krekelberg, the support and anchor with whom he was together for more than 70 years and whom he always continued to refer to as my girl, The Rights Forum, a human rights charity he founded, said on Friday. The couple met as students at Nijmegen. The Rights Forum described him as idiosyncratic and said that Van Agt and his wife were very ill, but couldnt live without each other. A Dutchman of Catholic stock, van Agt served as prime minister between 1977 and 1982. He was popular for his humour and for riding with Tour de France cyclists. He was branded a Jesuit and a mystic by political rivals. The former Christian Democrat adopted increasingly Left-wing views later in life, opposing his partys electoral agreement with Gert Wilders PVV in 2010. Van Agt was especially vocal on the Israel-Palestine conflict, writing books on the topic and branding Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, a war criminal in 2016. Euthanasia and assisted suicide have been legal in the Netherlands since 2002 under specific conditions. Double euthanasia is rare but has been on the rise there with 26 in 2020 and 58 in 2022 out of a total of 9,000 euthanasia cases. Jozef van der Heijden, a former MP from van Agts party, and his wife Gonnie died in a double euthanasia in 2016. Constance de Vries of the Euthanasia Expertise Center told De Volkskraant, a broadsheet newspaper: Many people dread the prospect of having to continue on their own, especially when they are 80 and no longer so flexible. 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. It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of former Norfolk Commonwealths Attorney Greg Underwood from complications of cancer on the evening of Feb. 10. He was 68 years old. Mr. Underwood preceded Ramin Fatehi as Commonwealths Attorney and paved the way for progressive prosecution in the City of Norfolk. Before his career in law, Mr. Underwood enlisted in the Air Force after graduating high school and served as an aircraft electrician. He went on to earn his bachelors degree at Fayetteville State University and return to the Air Force as an officer and Deputy Missile Combat Crew Commander. Mr. Underwood earned his law degree at UNC Chapel Hill and began his legal career with the Virginia Legal Aid Society in Farmville, eventually becoming a prosecutor in Norfolk in 1990, working in private practice as a defense attorney, returning to prosecution in Virginia Beach, and making his way back to our Norfolk office in the early 2000s. In 2009, the citizens of Norfolk elected him Commonwealths Attorney, making him the first Black man to serve in the position. Among the legacies from Mr. Underwoods tenure are the offices policy to decline to prosecute simple marijuana possession cases, after an analysis showed that a disparate number of Black people were being arrested in Norfolk for the offense; the offices policy to not ask for cash bail, which effectively criminalizes poverty; and the establishment of the first and only Family Justice Center in Virginia. He will be dearly missed by many in our community and beyond. As he always liked to say, #KeepItMoving. Animal rights activists have presented a touching story of Pryma, a sheep who miraculously survived the bombardment of Donetsk Oblast and gave birth to a baby, Vuhlynka ("Coal"). UAnimals activists took these sheep in August last year at the request of soldier Maksym, who rescued Pryma after the Russian attack on the farm. The sheep escaped the farm in the village of Yampil through a hole in the damaged fence. Several dozen sheep that managed to flee from the farm suffered from packs of hungry dogs, cold and bombardments. The Pryma fell into a large pit with dead animals. It is unknown how long she stayed there. All photos: UAnimals "She was very weak when the soldier found her. He took Pryma to his deployment point, and a week later, Pryma made a surprise she gave birth to a lamb, Vuhlynka," the animal rights activists recalled. It turned out that the soldier saved not one but two lives. Pryma and Vuhlynka rescued by the Ukrainian soldier in Donetsk Oblast The sheep are currently being cared for at the Zelenyi Hai rehabilitation centre. A veterinarian worked with them for a month, as they had many skin diseases. "Pryma and Vuhlynka have been treated and vaccinated and are well fed. Soldier Maksym wants to take Vuhlynka and Pryma to live with him in the village when he gets back from the front. Maksym says he doesn't see them as food, only as friends," the animal rights activists added. Earlier, the Scottish zoo sheltered a bear from Yampil in Donetsk Oblast, also rescued by the Ukrainian troops. The Kyiv Zoo has become a new home for four servals evacuated from Kurakhove in Donetsk Oblast. Support UP or become our patron! Protesters march against insecurity and immigration in Kaweni, Mayotte, on Feb 6 - LEMOR DAVID/ABACA/SHUTTERSTOCK/SHUTTERSTOCK France will revoke birthright citizenship in its Indian Ocean department of Mayotte in a bid to curb a migration crisis that sparked weeks of protests, the countrys interior minister said. Gerald Darmanin announced the strong, clear and radical move to reporters on the airport tarmac shortly after flying into Mayotte on Sunday morning. It will no longer be possible to become French if you are not yourself the child of French parents, Mr Darmanin said. He said the measure, which would involve controversial amendments to the Constitution, is aimed at literally cutting off the attractiveness of Mayotte and eliminating the possibility of obtaining French citizenship through immigration, be it legal or illegal. He said the reform will not be applied anywhere else in France, citing exceptional situations that call for exceptional measures. Gerald Darmanin, the interior minister, said the 'strong, clear and radical' move would entail amending France's Constitution - CHAFION MADI/AFP Located in the Indian Ocean between Mozambique and Madagascar, the two islands of Mayotte make up the poorest region in France. Decades of social unrest, poverty, crime and insecurity have been exacerbated by a major water shortage as well as an influx of illegal immigrants fleeing poverty from the neighbouring island nation of the Comoros. Nearly half of Mayottes 310,000 residents are immigrants from the Comoros or other African countries. Over the last three weeks, activists have protested on the streets and erected barricades in opposition to the migration crisis and living conditions. Territorialised visas to be scrapped One of the protesters long-standing demands has also been to eliminate the territorialised visa, a residence permit that prohibits holders from travelling to mainland France or another French department and restricts their movement to within Mayotte. The visas are specific to Mayotte. Mr Darmanin announced that territorialised visas will be scrapped. Since we will have far fewer residence permits, and since we will no longer have the possibility of being French when we come to Mayotte, territorialised visas will no longer be necessary, he said. Birthright citizenship rules in Mayotte changed in 2018 when France introduced a rule requiring at least one foreign-born parent to have lived in Mayotte for more than three months before the childs birth in order for the child to qualify for French nationality. 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. UPDATE: Franklin County officials said on Sunday that they no longer think two suspects from a Saturday night chase are in the area of County Road 4115. FRANKLIN COUNTY, Texas (KETK) The Franklin County Sheriffs Office said that anyone who lives near south east County Road 4115 should stay indoors while they search for two suspects from a chase. Alto ISD coach, teacher arrested for improper relationship with student, officials say The sheriffs office was reportedly chasing two vehicles on Interstate 30, one of which was reported stolen from Mt. Pleasant and the other was later found empty near Lowes Distribution Center. They added that they are still searching for a black 2008 BMW 528 4 door with the Texas license plate number: SXV 1527. Officials said that two men who were possibly white or Hispanic were seen running south across I-30 near south east County Road 4115. One man was reportedly wearing dark clothes and a dark hoodie and the other was reportedly wearing light colored clothing. Theres an active law enforcement presence in that area and officials are asking anyone nearby to stay indoors with any pets. Anyone who sees anything suspicious is asked to call 911. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. Recently appointed French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne has expressed concern about a possible Russian attack on NATO and called for increased investment in defense in an interview with the newspaper Ouest France published on Feb. 10. Paris is determined to double funding for its military programs, which Sejourne described as "an existential question for the European Union". Read also: Poland counters Putins historical distortions, debunks claims in Tucker Carlson interview In the current geopolitical context, it is crucial to ask the right questions and ensure adequate funding for military budgets to counter possible threats, he said, stressing the importance of a more coordinated organization of European defense and greater coordination between armies. Read also: Paris to supply Kyiv with up to 50 precision-guided bombs per month and increase supply of artillery ammunitio New intelligence shows that Russia is rearming faster than expected and could attack a NATO country within three to five years, Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said on Feb. 9, Reuters reports. 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 Missouri mother who told police she accidentally baked her baby to death had suffered from mental illness for years, a longtime friend told The Daily Beast on Sunday. Mariah Thomas, 26, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and could face a decade or more in prison in connection with the death of 1-month-old daughter ZaRiah. According to a police affidavit, Thomas told her parentswho were not home at the timethat she went to put the infant down for a nap and mistakenly put her in the oven instead of the crib. Responding officers found the baby covered in thermal burns, her onesie melted into her diaper. It was not immediately clear if authorities accepted Thomas explanation for the death of her child, and her family did not respond to requests for comment. Authorities did not release any details about Thomas mental health history. A close friend, who asked not to be identified amid an outpouring of vitriol against Thomas and her family on social media, does not believe she purposefully killed the child. Mariah has been dealing with mental illnesses since a child, the friend said, adding that Thomas told her she stopped taking medication for her conditions while pregnant. Fatal Mistake: Mom Accidentally Put Baby in Oven for Nap The friend said she asked if Thomas started taking her medication again after the baby was born. She said, No. And I said, But you not pregnant no more. And thats when she laughed, and I said thats not funny, she said. Thomas mental health deteriorated further after she gave birth, the friend said, pointing to posts Thomas made on Facebook and TikTok in which she claimed that people only cared about her because she had a baby. Im done being fucking nice, Thomas wrote on Jan. 15. Like I said before yall only fucking with me cause of my daughter & I said what I said. Throughout the month, Thomas posted multiple times about feeling lonely or that she had no friends. She thought everyone only likes her because her daughter was born, and she didnt like that at all, the friend said. She wanted everyones attention, too, just like ZaRiah was getting attention. She said Thomaswho also posted about the joy of being a motherreally loved her baby and would never want to harm her. I know Mariah didnt do it on purpose, the friend said. https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=310664335299893&id=100090689867173&mibextid=WC7FNe Thomas lived with her parents, but her mother went to work on Friday and her father went out to look for work, leaving her alone with ZaRiah. Hours later, Thomas called her mother in hysterics to say something was wrong with the baby. Police were summoned and were told that she had told her father, I thought I put Za'riah in the crib but I accidentally put her in the oven. The friend said she could not believe it when she heard the news. She didnt mean to hurt her baby, she said. She loved her baby dearly. 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. BOSTON An associate of the violent Dorchester-based gang Cameron Street pled guilty Thursday to a drug trafficking charge in federal court in Boston. The allegations included a cocaine deal in Braintree, the U.S. attorney's office said. Michael "Meech" Lopes, 35, of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, cocaine base and methamphetamine, authorities said. During a two-year investigation into Cameron Street, Lopes conspired with a Cameron Street gang member and others to distribute cocaine, cocaine base and methamphetamine, federal prosecutors said. Lopes sold cocaine and cocaine base to a cooperating witness in Boston, Braintree and Pawtucket, prosecutors said in the news release. They said a search of Lopes home in April 2022 resulted in the seizure of about 174 grams of cocaine base, 215 grams of cocaine, 180 grams of methamphetamine, packaging materials and $2,342 in cash. Lopes faces up to 20 years in prison, supervised release of at least three years and a fine of up to $1 million. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for May 6. Among the agencies assisting in the investigation were Quincy, Canton, Randolph, Stoughton and Brockton police; prosecutors in Norfolk and Plymouth counties; and State Police. This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Suspect in Braintree cocaine deal pleads guilty, prosecutors say Tradition is on the menu during Gen Z date night. Despite being seen as politically progressive when it comes to gender equality, young American men are still expected to pick up the tab for the women theyre wooing and theyre more than happy to do so. A survey of 552 heterosexual college students cited in a new report by The New York Times found that Zoomer men paid for dates 90% of the time. Gen Z women, on the other hand, paid in full for just 2% of the dates they went on, while 8% of dates were split evenly between the sexes. The traditional pattern is still there, professor Shanhong Luo, who conducted the research, told the publication. The Times cited one 27-year-old woman who claimed that gender equality wasnt a reason to expect the fairer sex to split the bill. Gender equality didnt mean men and women should pay the same when they went out, the unidentified woman purportedly said, saying that females earn less than men in the workplace, spend more time getting ready for outings, and pay more for reproductive care. A survey of 552 heterosexual college students cited in a new report by The New York Times found that Zoomer men paid for dates 90% of the time. Stock image. Getty Images/iStockphoto While many Gen Z women are reluctant to pay for a date, it seems most young men are happy to cover the costs completely. Scott Bowen, 24, told The Times he always paid for drinks, meals and coffees on dates, with the tab usually coming in somewhere between $70 and $100 a pop. For men who are actively trying to find a partner, dating doesnt come cheap but some men are offended or angry when a woman gets out her purse and offers to cover her share. On the first date, I always establish beforehand that I want to pay, Kent Barnhill, a 27-year-old data analyst and self-described feminist from Washington, D.C., said. The fact Im paying more does not bother me. Barnhill said he was furious when his current girlfriend wanted to split the bill on their first date. Now, however, after dating his ladylove for some time, Barnhill is happier to divvy up costs when they go out for drinks or dinner. Some men get offended when women over to split the cost of date activities. Stock image. Getty Images/iStockphoto But he is far from the only fella furious when a woman wants to whip out her bank card. A couple of guys get a little stiff when I offer to pay, Kala Lundahl, 24, told The Times. You can tell theyre not comfortable with that idea. BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock will travel to Israel in the middle of next week, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Sunday, a trip in which she said she plans to urge for a ceasefire as Israel prepares to advance on Rafah. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said his government is preparing an evacuation plan for the more than one million Palestinians penned into Rafah, on the southern border with Egypt. Many have already been displaced at least once and have nowhere left to flee in the crowded enclave. "The distress in Rafah is already beyond belief. 1.3 million people are seeking protection from the fighting in the most limited of space. An offensive by the Israeli army on Rafah would be a humanitarian catastrophe," Baerbock wrote in a post on X on Saturday. "Israel must defend itself against Hamas terror but at the same time alleviate the suffering of civilians as much as possible. That is why another pause in fighting is needed - also in order for hostages can finally be released. I will discuss ways towards that in Israel again next week," she added in a second post. Palestinian health authorities say more than 28,000 people, about 70% of them women and children, have been killed since Israel began its offensive after militant group Hamas, which controls Gaza, stormed the border fence into Israel on Oct. 7. According to Israeli tallies, 1,200 were killed in the Hamas attack and more than 250 hostages taken. Baerbock's visit next week will be her fifth since the outbreak of the war. (Reporting by Andreas Rinke, Writing by Victoria Waldersee;Editing by Elaine Hardcastle and Sharon Singleton) Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) went after President Biden in the wake of a recent special counsel report on the presidents retention of documents. [I]n a world this dangerous, you cant have a have a Commander-in-Chief who doesnt know what hes doing or where he is, Gingrich in a interview on The Cats Roundtable on WABC 770 AM with host John Catsimatidis that aired Sunday. The report from special counsel Robert Hur, released Thursday, concluded no charges should be brought against the president, but it noted Biden had problems with memory and recall. We have also considered that, at trial, Mr. Biden would likely present himself to a jury, as he did during our interview of him, as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory, Hur wrote. Based on our direct interactions with and observations of him, he is someone for whom many jurors will want to identify reasonable doubt. It would be difficult to convince a jury that they should convict him by then a former president well into his eighties of a serious felony that requires a mental state of willfulness. Biden hit back at the report in a fiery press conference Thursday night, defending his memory and mental capability. My memorys fine. Take a look at what Ive done since I became president. How did that happen? I guess I just forgot what was going on, he said. The president also specifically pushed back against Hurs comments about how he could be perceived by a jury. Im well-meaning and Im an elderly man and I know what the hell Im doing. Ive been president; I put this country back on its feet. I dont need his recommendation, Biden said. In the same press conference, however, the president confused the president of Egypt with the president of Mexico, a moment Gingrich expressed concern about in the interview with Catsimatidis. [Y]ou watch that and you realize, This is the guy under our system, who is Commander-in-Chief, Gingrich said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich slammed President Biden for his stance on Iran and the Middle East in a Sunday interview, calling it madness. The Middle East has recently been dealing with the Israel-Hamas war and the Iran-backed Houthi rebels striking ships, disrupting international trade in retaliation to Israels bombardment of Gaza. Gingrich particularly criticized Biden for not standing up to Iran in a bigger way. By any reasonable standard, this is madness, Gingrich said during his appearance on the Cats Roundtable Show with host John Catsimatidis that aired Sunday. The United States is following a policy which weakens our own economy, increases our dependence on the world, strengthens our enemies. Gingrich, during his remarks, questioned if the Biden administration and the people he chose to fill Cabinet positions are even capable of running the country. You have to look at that and think, Are these people deliberately, anti-American, Gingrich said. Or are they just stunningly incompetent? Gingrich has been previously critical of Biden and his stance on Iran. On Feb. 1, Gingrich slammed Biden, characterizing him for being out of touch with reality and not being brave enough to respond to Iran. So you have a president who is sort of the epitome of being out of touch with reality, of being weak, and of just plain lying, Gingrich told Sean Hannity during his Thursday appearance on the Fox News show Hannity. He would pick on the Israelis because its dangerous to do something directly to the Iranians. On Friday, the U.S. carried out retaliatory strikes against Iranian forces and the militias they support in Syria and Iraq. On Sunday, Gingrich drew a contrast between Bidens and former president Trumps foreign policy posture, asserting that during Trumps time in office no nations wanted to create escalations with the U.S. while now, in his view, other world leaders see Biden differently. The question is who intimidates who, Gingrich said. When Donald Trump was President, it was very clear that Trump intimidated all these guys. They didnt want to mess with him. They didnt want to take any big risks. They certainly didnt want to get into a fight with him. Biden is the opposite. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Dianne Wassenich, left, former director of the San Marcos River Foundation, speaks during a Thursday hearing in San Marcos about a proposed wastewater treatment plant in Hays County. Aqua Texas, a private utility company, is asking state regulators to allow it to build a plant that would eventually release 900,000 gallons of treated wastewater per day into Hemphill Creek, which eventually would take the treated wastewater into the Lower San Marcos River. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer Virginia Parker, executive director of the San Marcos River Foundation, speaks during a Thursday hearing in San Marcos about a proposed wastewater treatment plant in Hays County. Aqua Texas, a private utility company, is asking state regulators to allow it to build a plant that would eventually release 900,000 gallons of treated wastewater per day into Hemphill Creek, which eventually would take the treated wastewater into the Lower San Marcos River. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer A private utility company accused of overpumping groundwater is seeking permission from the state to build a plant that would put 900,000 gallons of treated wastewater per day into Hemphill Creek in Hays County. Aqua Texas, part of Pennsylvania-based company Aqua, has applied to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to operate a plant at 6397 Texas Highway 21, northeast of San Marcos. According to the companys application, the plant would be adjacent to an existing Aqua Texas treatment plant that serves the Sunset Oaks subdivision. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The intent was to expand the treatment and disposal capacity of the Aqua Texas Sunset Oaks permit, engineer Michael Bevilacqua wrote in the application, but due to site constraints, the new plant into needs to be located on the other side of Hemphill Creek. That requires seeking a new permit, instead of expanding the existing one. The company is asking to discharge up to 900,000 gallons per day of wastewater from the Upper Creek plant into an unnamed tributary that enters Hemphill Creek. The effluent would then travel to Morrison Creek, then into the Lower San Marcos River. The site is vacant and appears to have been used for livestock grazing, according to the application.TCEQ officials have issued a draft permit, which includes a preliminary determination that existing water quality uses in the three waterways will not be impaired. The agency said there is "limited aquatic life use" in Hemphill Creek, while the designated uses for that segment of the San Marcos River are primary contact recreation, public water supply and high aquatic life use. The Sunset Oaks wastewater treatment permit was first issued in 2017 and was most recently amended in 2021, according to TCEQ records. The most recent revision permitted a four-phase expansion, allowing the plant to ultimately reach an average annual flow limit of 1.25 million gallons per day. That wastewater travels the same route from Hemphill Creek to Morrison Creek to the San Marcos River. Three notices of alleged violations were issued for that facility in November, two moderate and one minor, records show. The combined plants would discharge more than 2 million gallons of treated wastewater per day; that's enough to fill about three Olympic-sized swimming pools. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In July, state Sen. Judith Zaffrini, D-Laredo, asked TCEQ officials to hold a public meeting on the new permit, citing concerns expressed by her constituents. Her district stretches from the Mexican border to Austin and includes part of Hays County, where the proposed plant would be located. But only two opponents the current and former executive directors of the San Marcos River Foundation, an environmental advocacy group spoke at a sparsely attended meeting on Texas State University's campus in San Marcos on Thursday night, If you wanted nobody to show up, this would be the perfect place to have such a meeting, Dianne Wassenich, former director of the nonprofit, told TCEQ staff, citing the lack of free parking and relative inaccessibility of the college campus. Even if people tried to show up, they might not be able to find it, she said. Wassenich said shes concerned there isnt sufficient monitoring to ensure that creeks and rivers can handle the amount of wastewater being put into them as the number of treatment plants in the area increases. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Im very concerned about the segment of the San Marcos River where this effluent is going to end up, she said, questioning the agencys models for whether the water can actually be assimilated. We cant keep adding so much wastewater without affecting clarity, Wassenich said. She asked if the TCEQ is looking at not just individual treatment plants but the cumulative effects of permits being approved near San Marcos. She cited concerns about the amount of dissolved oxygen in the wastewater; aquatic life relies on oxygen in the water and suffers when that level drops. Virginia Parker, the river foundations current director, said shed like to see higher standards for the effluent allowed by the permit, as well as requiring the company to reuse treated water. We have got to get a handle on the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus in these river and creeks, she said. We have to got to start using this wastewater for a better purpose, she said. Nitrogen and phosphorous are beneficial for plant growth, making them good for fertilizing fields, but threatening to aquatic systems where they can cause algal blooms. Wassenich also told the agency that the company has a terrible reputation in the area, and said that makes it hard to trust that it will responsibly operate a wastewater plant, especially one that wont be monitored at all times. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Aqua Texas is currently suing the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District, which is tasked with managing groundwater in western Hays County. The district find the company a $448,710 for allegedly pumping nearly double the amount of water that its permit allowed in drought conditions in 2022. Iit also said it would not renew the company's permit if an agreement wasn't reached. In December, the company sued the district in federal court, accusing it of unfair and unequal treatment. Another child has been returned from the temporarily occupied part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, the Ministry of Reintegration reported on Feb. 10. According to the report, at the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, the girl was visiting her grandparents. They could not leave the occupied territories because her grandmother was seriously ill. The Ministry of Reintegration added that the parents were not able to take the girl with them when they left, considering it too risky. The girl's mother, Mariya, asked the agency for help in December 2023, when the child's grandmother died. Two months later, the child was able to be returned as part of the Way Home project. The Ministry of Reintegration also noted that 56 children have already been returned to government-controlled territory through this project. On Feb. 2, the charity organization Save Ukraine reported that four children had been returned from the temporarily occupied parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts. The youngest one of them was not even a year old. Read also: "It will take 55 years" to return Ukrainian children from Russia warns ombudsman 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 Ohio has made the news, but not for the success of Ohio State football or the induction of a new musical act into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This time, its because of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yosts quixotic effort to have Googles search engine declared a common carrier. Traditionally, a common carrier is a business that opens itself indiscriminately to public use. It is on this basis that Ohio, other states, and the federal government all have imposed nondiscrimination requirements on entities like railroads and telephone companies. In the case of a railroad, rail companies that offer services to all comers to transport goods from one point to another are subject to a requirement that they dont offer different prices to different customers. In the case of telephone companies that promise to connect people for private communications, common-carriage requirements mean that they must serve all customers and carry all lawful traffic on an equal basis. In the case of Ohios lawsuit against Google, Yost is seeking to prevent the company from giving preferential treatment to its own products or services in search results. Yost's Google lawsuit would hurt users The problem is that, not only is Google not a common carrier under the standard legal definition of the term, but the company has a clear First Amendment interest to determine how it wants to display its own search results. It is ultimately no different than a travel agent giving her opinion as to the best hotel in Cincinnati. I won't work here. DeWine, hate groups have made Ohio dangerous for trans people. The primary reason it is clear that Google is not a common carrier is that it doesnt offer itself indiscriminately for public use. Google instead offers tailored responses to queries with what they hope an individual user will find to be the most relevant information. If a user searches for restaurants, Googles algorithm will consider not only the users location, but also what options he clicked when running similar queries in the past, or even whether he has visited a particular restaurants website. This process is much more like answering a question than it is like transporting private communications between individuals using a telephone line or cell towers. In fact, Google users will often receive different results even for the same search. It is not at all like the undifferentiated transport of goods or persons by a rail company. Google is protected by First Amendment Moreover, Googles search results constitute speech. Thats why several federal district courts have found that search engines like Google have a protected First Amendment interest in those results. Google is trying to provide the best possible answer for its users. This may include integrating direct answers to questions in ways that prioritize Google products and services where they are directly relevant. If Google fails to give users the most relevant information, they will search out information elsewhere, and the service will not be as profitable for advertisers. There are other competing general search engines like Bing, and specialized search engines like Yelp or Amazon also provide useful information. There is no reason to think that Google giving its own products or services preferential treatment is beyond what a user might expect, when competition is just a few clicks, swipes, or keystrokes away. Want to submit columns to the Dispatch? Here's everything you need to know. In fact, there are reasons to believe that Google search users prefer it precisely because they think it delivers better results, including how it integrates Googles other products and services. For example, a search for an Italian restaurant is enhanced by having Googles reviews and maps integrated in the results. This lets users compare the ratings that consumers have given those restaurants, and to see how easy it would be to walk or drive to each. Restricting Google from this kind of self-preferencing by invoking common-carrier requirements would make the service less useful, and leave consumers worse off. This is precisely what happened in Europe after the EU passed a ban on self-preferencing. A user must conduct her restaurant search on one site, then go to another site to get reviews, and then yet another site for directions. This extra work amounts to a cost imposed on users by government regulation. Ben Sperry Similarly, if Yost succeeds in his effort to impose common-carriage nondiscrimination requirements on Google, the result will be less useful search results. It would also stretch the legal meaning of common carrier beyond the breaking point, and violate the First Amendment. Ohio deserves better. Ben Sperry is a senior scholar with the International Center for Law & Economics (ICLE) and co-author of ICLEs amicus brief in the case Ohio v. Google. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio's lawsuit against Google wrong, could make search results worse (Bloomberg) -- Representative Mike Gallagher, a Republican from Wisconsin who broke with most of his colleagues by refusing to vote for the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, said he wont seek reelection in November. Most Read from Bloomberg Gallagher, the chairman of a House committee looking into Chinas military and economic threats to the US, has faced a party backlash after helping halt the impeachment effort and landing House Speaker Mike Johnson with an unexpected defeat on Tuesday. Gallagher, 39, was once considered a rising star in the party. He dove into the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, saying he wanted identify the bipartisan center of gravity where Republicans and Democrats could agree on how to ensure US supremacy in the competition with China in sectors such as critical technology. His announcement closely follows the retirement of GOP Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers, the chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee who said Thursday she wont run for reelection after almost 20 years in Congress. House Financial Services Chairman Patrick McHenry, a key ally of the crypto industry, plans to retire when his term ends in January 2025. Gallagher, a four-term House member, ran afoul of his caucus on the Mayorkas impeachment a vote spurred by a record number of migrants at the southern US border and former President Donald Trumps elevation of immigration to a main theme of his 2024 election campaign. In a Wall Street Journal op-ed, Gallagher said impeachment wouldnt resolve the border crisis he blamed on President Joe Biden and would also set a dangerous new precedent that would be used against future Republican administrations. Gallagher emerged as an outspoken critic of China on Capitol Hill, seeking to curb the flow of American investor money into China by focusing on sectors of the Chinese economy rather than individual businesses. Yet his committees lack of legislative authority means its proposals are at the mercy of other committee chairs. In a report in December, the panel recommended raising tariffs on goods from China and further restricting investment into China. Gallaghers announcement on X, formerly known as Twitter, cited the intentions of the framers of the US Constitution. Electoral politics was never supposed to be a career and, trust me, Congress is no place to grow old, he said. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Donald Trump spent the weekend telling senators they should not pass more unconditional U.S. foreign aid. More than a dozen Republicans ignored him Sunday, moving forward on a bill to send $95 billion in aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. The Senate voted 67-27 to advance the foreign aid supplemental spending bill that doesnt include border provisions, moving it another step closer to passage. That still isnt guaranteed, as leaders havent yet reached an agreement on GOP-demanded border amendments. The package faces some resistance from Republicans, who say they won't back further aid to Ukraine unless its amended to include border policy changes. Last week, Republicans blocked a bipartisan border-foreign aid package that was negotiated for months, arguing it didnt go far enough to limit migration. Consideration of border amendments would require unanimous consent from senators, which is still elusive. From this point forward, are you listening U.S. Senate (?), Trump wrote on Truth Social. No money in the form of foreign aid should be given to any country unless it is done as a loan, not just a giveaway. Trump had helped tank the bipartisan border-foreign aid bill, calling for Republicans to block that legislation as well. This time, many GOP senators didnt seem concerned with his opposition. I think that it's unlikely that we lose any more [members], Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said in response to Trumps comments. It's more likely that we can gain more, particularly of members who were just wanting to make sure that our members got a chance to file amendments and have them heard. Republican support actually gained some ground on Sunday, with 18 voting to move the measure forward. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell stumped for further aid in his Sunday floor speech, refusing to back away from his adamant support for foreign aid, particularly Ukraine, thats highlighted a growing divide within his conference. I know its become quite fashionable in some circles to disregard the global interests we have as a global power. To bemoan the responsibilities of global leadership, McConnell said. This is idle work for idle minds. And it has no place in the United States Senate. Trump had other comments over the weekend that riled lawmakers, suggesting at a rally Saturday evening that Russia should do whatever the hell they want to any NATO-member nation that is not meeting its spending commitment. Senate Democrats were expectedly aghast at the comment but the remarks also elicited mixed responses from Senate Republicans. Tillis blamed Trumps team rather than the former presidents long-established beef with NATO, saying shame on his briefers for not explaining the U.S. has made a commitment to assist any NATO country that is attacked. Others were sharper in their criticism. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said it was a stupid thing to say. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said it was uncalled for. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said he doesnt take Trump literally. None of us want to see a war in Europe and I don't think he does either, said Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.). And, very clearly, we're going to defend our NATO allies, and I'm quite certain the president does not want to see us in a war with Russia. On the foreign aid bill, which has cut into the Senates previously scheduled two-week recess, lawmakers are still holding out hope for a time agreement and swift amendment votes. Several had scheduled international CODELs and commitments in their home states. But any one senator can prevent that from happening, and Paul has indicated he will object to any attempts to speed up passage unless the southern border is addressed first. Without a time agreement, final passage cant occur before Wednesday. We shouldn't be sending anything overseas until we secure [our own] border, Paul said Sunday. A few months into her first term as governor, Nikki Haley signed one of the strictest immigration bills in the country. Like Arizonas infamous show me your papers law, the most controversial part of South Carolinas legislation required law enforcement to check peoples legal status during stops if they suspected they were in the country illegally. Critics said it would lead to racial profiling. Haley drew on her own background as the daughter of immigrants who came to the country legally to stress that the bill wasnt about intolerance, but upholding the law. This enforces the fact that illegal immigration is not welcome in South Carolina, Haley said at a press conference after signing the bill. Legal immigration is more than welcome. More than a decade later, Haleys record on immigration is under fire as former President Donald Trump seeks to make border policy a key part of his campaign to secure the GOP presidential nomination and defeat President Joe Biden in the general election. As Trump and his allies attempt to paint Haley as weak on border security, the former South Carolina governor is pushing back by leaning into both her immigration record in the state and her vision for future federal policy. This month, Haley criticized Trump for killing a bipartisan border agreement and delaying reforms until after the election. She has pointed to the time shes spent on the US border with Mexico and laid out a border plan that would add more border patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, defund sanctuary cities and increase deportations. And she has stressed that when she was governor, her state pushed back on a former Democratic president. We passed the toughest illegal immigration law in the country, Haley said last week at a rally in Aiken, South Carolina. President Obama sued us over it, and we won. Parts of the 2011 law one provision made it a crime to transport an undocumented person and another made it a crime to fail to carry an alien registration card were blocked by the courts. Strict guardrails were also placed on when a law enforcement officer could question someone about their legal status and prevented officers from detaining people to investigate. But key parts remained intact. It tightened rules around employers using the federal E-Verify database to check if employees are able to work in the country legally and created an Immigration Enforcement Unit to target undocumented immigrants suspected of crimes. We need to take what we did in South Carolina and we need to go national with it, Haley said in a digital ad released Monday. Attacks on immigration The efforts come in the wake of attacks from Trump and his allies eager to give the former president a decisive win in the Palmetto States February 24 primary. The Trump campaign and a super PAC backing the president both released ads ahead of the New Hampshire primary hitting Haley on border policy. And earlier this month, Trump allies held a news conference outside the state capitol on Haleys weakness on immigration. Donald Trump knows what the American people want. Hes driving the Trump Train of sensible immigration policy, South Carolina state Treasurer Curtis Loftis said at the news conference. Nikki Haley and others have recently jumped on that train, but theyre just passengers. Loftis, one of dozens of South Carolina elected officials who have backed Trump over Haley, said the former governor and her allies benefit from open borders because they love, they thrive, they just enjoy cheap labor at every level of their lives. An ad from the Trump campaign said Haley opposed the former presidents border wall and his campaign pledge to ban Muslims from entering the country. Haley has said that she supports a border wall, but thinks a wall alone isnt enough to stop illegal immigration. When Trump called for a Muslim ban as a candidate, Haley said the proposal was absolutely un-American. (As president, Trump limited travel from a list of majority-Muslim countries.) The same year Nikki Haley passed one of the toughest immigration laws in the country as governor, Donald Trump was still a New York City liberal donating to Kamala Harris, Haley spokesperson Olivia Perez-Cubas said in a statement. Nikki knows that we are a country of laws, and the minute that we lose that, we give up everything this country was founded on. South Carolinians know shell be tough on illegal immigration as president because she did it already as governor. As Haley continues her longshot challenge to Trump, she has struggled to emphasize her Tea Party roots to voters, many of whom see her as a more traditional Republican. While that has helped her with moderates and independents, it has hurt her with conservatives and the bulk of GOP primary voters, who favor Trump overwhelmingly. A Monmouth University/Washington Post poll released February 1 found that 62% of potential South Carolina Republican primary voters trust Trump most on immigration, 22% said they trust Haley more and 15% said they trust them equally. Overall, Trump led by 26 points, with 58% of voters backing the former president and 32% supporting Haley. Fighting the Obama administration Haleys approach to immigration policy over the last 13 years has closely mirrored changes in the way the Republican Party has juggled the issue. During Obamas first term in office, South Carolina joined a handful of states that sought to take immigration enforcement into their own hands. What we saw happening was a number of states sort of looking to jump on what they saw as a bandwagon of anti-immigrant legislation that I think a lot of people saw as an easy political win, said Omar Jadwat, the director of the ACLUs Immigrants Rights Project, one of the groups that challenged the law. The 2011 immigration law Haley signed was part of a small wave of legislation with show me your papers style provisions, which required law enforcement to ask for peoples immigration documents during traffic or other stops if they suspected them of being in the country illegally. The law, known as Act 69, was soon challenged by the Obama Justice Department and immigrant rights groups. They successfully argued that parts of the laws were preempted by federal law. Its not the job of state law enforcement to enforce immigration law, said Michelle Lapointe, the deputy director for legal at the National Immigration Law Center. And thats been made clear, over and over again, in these court cases. Haleys administration said the federal government wasnt doing enough. If the feds were doing their job, we wouldnt have had to address illegal immigration reform at the state level, Rob Godfrey, a spokesman for Haley at the time, said in a statement after a federal judge blocked part of the Act 69. But, until they do, were going to keep fighting in South Carolina to be able to enforce our laws. A softer touch Haley has advocated a hardline immigration policy with less of the inflammatory language used by her peers. She has supported building a wall on the US border with Mexico, adding 25,000 more border patrol and ICE agents, and increasing deportations. But shes also, over the years, scolded Republicans for the language they use to characterize migrants, particularly after Trump called some migrants rapists and said they were bringing crime and drugs into the country. Haley tried to strike that balance during a 2015 appearance at the Aspen Institute. Asked about how, as the daughter of Indian immigrants, she viewed the tone of immigration discussions, Haley led by saying America is a country of laws. But she also stressed that America is a country of immigrants. We dont need to talk about them as criminals, theyre not, she said. Theyre families that want a better life, and theyre desperate to get here. What we need to do is make sure that we have a set of laws that we follow. The first part of that quote was used in a pro-Trump super PAC ad that referred to migrants as drug traffickers, rapists, poisoning our country and accused Haley of being soft on criminals. The group, MAGA Inc., aired the ad in New Hampshire ahead of the states primary last month. Nikki Haley: too weak, too liberal to fix the border, the narrator says. Haleys 2015 comments came in the wake of the 2012 presidential election, when Republicans sought to regain support among Latino voters. Mitt Romneys loss to former President Barack Obama, a contest Republicans thought they could win, set off a round of soul searching in the Republican National Committee that culminated in the 2013 Growth & Opportunity Project report, also known as the RNC autopsy. As we studied what happened in the 2012 election, it became really pretty clear that a lot of voters just didnt think Republicans particularly cared about them, said Henry Barbour, a longtime RNC committeeman from Mississippi and co-author of the report. The autopsy advised Republicans to push for comprehensive immigration reform, craft a message that acknowledges the unique perspective of the Latino community and take better care in how messaging was relayed. The Republican Party is one of tolerance and respect, and we need to ensure that the tone of our message is always reflective of these core principles, it read. Then came Trump. While the former president was able to appeal to working class voters, a group the report didnt address, his 2016 campaign rejected many of the recommendations about where the party should go. Barbour, who donated to Haley after Trump vowed that anyone who contributed to her would be permanently barred from the MAGA camp, described Haley as clear eyed about threats at the border without being exclusionary or divisive. There is still a place in the Republican Party for an approach like hers, he said. I think theres a lot of room for somebody whos going to be more inclusive, he said. Practice the politics of addition as opposed to the politics of division but yet be conservative. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Listen to this full episode of The New Abnormal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and Stitcher. The Guardian Angels have been meting out vigilante justice on New York City streets since 1979. Last week the red beret-wearing crime fighters appeared on Fox News when their leader, Curtis Sliwa, a recent GOP mayoral candidate, was interviewed by Sean Hannity about the migrant crisis in New York. While the interview was in progress, the Angels violently detained a man in Times Square that Sliwa told Hannity was a migrant shoplifter. The Guardian Angels spotted him, stopped him, Sliwa boasted to Hannity on air. He resisted. And lets just say we gave him a little pain compliance. His mother back in Venezuela felt the vibrations. Hes sucking concrete. The cops scraped him off the asphalt. Hes on his way to jail, but theyll cut him loose. We gotta take 42nd Street back, Sean, these illegal[s] saying they own this street. They think they rule the night. This is our country. If they cant abide by the rules, then were gonna kick em back from where they came. Evangelicals Trump Worship Looks More Like QAnon Every Day But as New Abnormal co-host Andy Levy points out, almost none of what Sliwa said was true: You heard Curtis Sliwa say that the guy had been shoplifting. There is absolutely no evidence of that. Police have not said he was shoplifting. Moreover, the alleged migrant turned out to be a long-time resident of the Bronx. Sliwa said he thought he was a migrant because he spoke Spanish, Levy said. Podcast producer Jesse Kaden described Sliwa as a crazy cat man who lives in a 320-square-foot studio with 15 cats. And when hes not there, he wears a stupid-looking comic-book vigilante costume while being racist and harassing people. Sliwa, Kaden points out, has always been more adept at getting attention than making sense. This is also a guy who throughout the pandemic would go into board of education meetings without a mask at the height of the pandemic just to harass people who were vulnerable to stop doing anything about education. This guys been a known menace, Kaden said, and I really hope this is the thing that finally gets him locked up. Later, Levy talks to Laurie Kilmartin, a stand-up comedian who wrote for Conan OBrien for 11 years, has written two books, and now has a new comedy special, Cis Woke Grief Slut, available for purchase online. Levy tries very hard to plug Kilmartins special without blowing any of her punchlines, but he cant help noting, somewhat wincingly, that she (a dog owner!) describes dogs as replaceable. Supreme Court Justices Are In the Bag for Donald Trump Kilmartin doesnt back down: They are. And just so your audience doesnt think youre horrific, Ill say my proof, and this is that my dad over the course of his lifetime had five black labs named Pepsi. And every time a Pepsi died, my dad would go to the pound, hed pick out the new Pepsi and he'd take the collar off the dead Pepsi and put it on the new Pepsi. And we, our family, had one red dog collar for 55 years with the same tag. However, some Pepsis apparently were more equal than others. My dad left me the ashes of Pepsi four and I still have them, Kilmartin said. So all the Pepsis were beloved members of our family, and four was probably the favorite. Listen to this full episode of The New Abnormal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and Stitcher. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Hotel Emma at Pearl consists of several buildings where beer was brewed in the site's days as a brewery. That past is celebrated in design touches and events at the site. Hotel Emma Two San Antonio hotels joined the prestigious list of luxury properties recommended for getaways on the 2024 Forbes Travel Guide. Hotel Emma, recently recognized as one of the best hotels in the country, attained recommended status on the list, given to businesses with excellent and consistent service. Mokara Hotel & Spa on the Riverwalk received an even higher rating, earning the 4-star award delegated to exceptional properties. Advertisement Article continues below this ad READ MORE: Hotel Emma named one of the best hotels in U.S. About 2,000 hotels worldwide won a spot in the guide, with the most outstanding locations getting the coveted 5-star award. Forbes evaluates each property using undercover guests that stay for at least two nights to scope out the scene. They use more than 900 factors to determine quality. EXPRESS BRIEFING: Get a morning roundup of the days biggest stories Twenty-seven other Texas venues in Dallas, Houston and Austin made the list. Only three statewide earned the 5-star designation. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Ritz Carlton and Carte Blanche in Dallas received five stars along with The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston. CONWAY, S.C. (WBTW) Nikki Haley punched back against former president Donald Trump on Saturday after he questioned where her husband while making a campaign stop at Coastal Carolina University. Wheres her husband? Hes away. What happened to her husband? What happened to her husband? Where is he? Hes gone, Trump said. He knew. Haleys husband Michael, a major in the National Guard, deployed earlier this year to Africa attached to the 218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade. Haley took to her X account shortly after Trumps Conway appearance, saying his comments were below the belt. Michael is deployed serving our country, something you know nothing about. Someone who continually disrespects the sacrifices of military families has no business being commander in chief, Haley wrote. South Carolinas GOP primary is Feb. 24, and Trump holds more than a 30-point lead over Haley. * * * Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW. CONWAY, S.C. (WBTW) GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley launched a fresh offensive against Donald Trump on Saturday, challenging him to a debate after he mocked her husband at a Coastal Carolina University campaign stop. Ill say this. Donald, if you have something to say, dont say it behind my back. Get on a debate stage and say it to my face, Haley told supporters in Gilbert. Trump was at Coastal Carolina University on Saturday two weeks ahead of South Carolinas Republican primary and spent much of his 90-minute speech attacking Haley and President Biden. At one point, Trump asked why Haleys husband Michael wasnt on the campaign trail with her. Wheres her husband? Hes away. What happened to her husband? What happened to her husband? Where is he? Hes gone, Trump said. He knew. Haleys husband Michael, a major in the National Guard, deployed earlier this year to Africa attached to the 218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade. Haley said Trumps comments were the latest indication that hes unfit to be Commander-in-Chief. I am proud of Michaels service. Every military spouse knows its a family sacrifice, Haley said. If you mock the service of a combat veteran, you dont deserve a drivers license, let alone being president of the United States. * * * Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW. Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley on Sunday called former President Trumps questioning of her military husbands whereabouts insulting to military families. Trump, who holds a comfortable lead over Haley in the GOP primary race, spoke at a campaign event in Conway, S.C., on Saturday, when he questioned why Haleys husband is not with her on the campaign trail. Her husband, Maj. Michael Haley, is currently abroad with the South Carolina National Guard on a yearlong mission. He is being deployed as a staff officer with the 218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, which the National Guard states is giving support in the Horn of Africa, The Associated Press (AP) reported. What happened to her husband? Trump asked at the South Carolina campaign event. Where is he? Hes gone. He knew. He knew. His comments are reminiscent of those he made in 2015 about whether the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), a prisoner of war in Vietnam, should be considered a hero because Trump liked people who werent captured. Pressed on his comments by CBS Face The Nation anchor Margaret Brennan and how Haley still worked in Trumps Cabinet despite this criticism of McCain, the former United Nations ambassador responded, Well, I agreed to serve our country, and Im proud that I got to serve our country. Theres nothing no more higher honor than to serve the people of this country. But what I can tell you is look, its just, its insulting to military members. Its insulting to military families. And the part that bothers me is he continues to do this, Haley continued.This isnt personal about me and Michael, this is about what it says to every member who sacrifices for us. This is about what it says to every military family who sacrifices alongside of them. We cant have someone who sits there and mocks our men and women who are trying to protect America, she added. Haley argued Trumps remarks follow a pattern of chaos and irresponsibility. Trumps remarks about Haleys husband drew strong rebuke from various Republicans, including one of Haleys strongest supports, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu. This is a disgrace. Major Haley is serving his country. Donald Trump is again attacking and insulting military families. The contrast couldnt be more striking. Republicans have a great choice in @NikkiHaley. Shell be a President we are ALWAYS proud of, Sununu wrote in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. When you start talking about a veteran serving overseas, I dont care if you know them or not, that should make your heart sick, said South Carolina state Rep. Chris Wooten, who introduced Haley at an evening rally, per the AP. Haley also weighed in on Saturday, writing, Michael is deployed serving our country, something you know nothing about. Someone who continually disrespects the sacrifices of military families has no business being commander in chief. Haley and Trump are both making a series of campaign stops in Haleys home state of South Carolina, which will hold its primary later this month. Trump holds a nearly 32-point lead over Haley in the Palmetto State, according to polling data from The Hill and Decision Desk HQ. Haley has vowed to remain in the race until at least Super Tuesday despite disappointing losses in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. GOP presidential primary candidate Nikki Haley went after her campaign rival former President Trump over comments he made about her military husband who is deployed overseas. Michael is deployed serving our country, something you know nothing about, Haley said in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. Someone who continually disrespects the sacrifices of military families has no business being commander in chief. Haley was responding to comments that the former president made at a rally in her home state Saturday. Wheres her husband? Trump said. Oh, hes away, hes away. What happened to her husband? What happened to her husband? Where is he? Hes gone. Haleys husband, Maj. Michael Haley, was deployed to Africa in June of last year with the South Carolina Army National Guard. She wished him farewell in a ceremony in mid-June for about 200 soldiers at The Citadel, a military college in Charleston. Hes always been my rock, Haley said following the ceremony. We have both lived a life of service, and so when he goes off to deploy, my support is completely with him. If I happen to be running for president, his support is completely with me. We will continue to stay in touch as best we can, she added. Haley and her husband have been married for over 25 years, and he had been a common presence at her rallies during her candidacy. The former United Nations ambassador frequently talked about being a military wife, with her husband originally becoming a part of the National Guard in the mid-2000s. He was first deployed overseas in Haleys first term as the Palmetto State governor. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Aftermath of Israeli strikes, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip (Reuters) - Any Israeli ground offensive in Rafah on the Gaza border will "blow up" the hostage exchange negotiations," Hamas-run Aqsa Television channel quoted a senior Hamas leader as saying on Sunday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said it had ordered the military to develop a plan to evacuate Rafah and destroy four Hamas battalions it says are deployed there. Most of the displaced have sought shelter in Rafah, on the border with Egypt, but after fruitless ceasefire talks, Netanyahu this week said Israeli forces would fight on until "total victory." Israel's military ordered civilians to flee south before previous assaults on Gaza's cities, but now there is no obvious place to go and aid agencies have said many people could die. The conflict in Gaza began on Oct. 7 when Hamas gunmen stormed border defences to attack Israeli towns, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 hostages back to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies. Israel responded with a massive bombardment and ground offensive in which more than 28,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed, according to medical authorities in Hamas-run Gaza. (Reporting by Nidal Al-Mughrabi;Editing by Elaine Hardcastle) Vice President Kamala Harris plans to meet with members of the Arab American community were abruptly postponed this week after leaders decided not to move forward, according to two sources familiar with the situation, marking the latest sign of the obstacles the administration faces in trying to make inroads with the community. President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris have been dogged by protesters calling for a ceasefire in Gaza at events nationwide, underscoring a persistent reality as the president shifts into general election mode: Democrats are deeply divided on Bidens support for Israel as it wages war with Hamas, and the issue threatens to split the coalition. Earlier in the week, the vice presidents office held a virtual meeting with around a dozen participants from the Arab American community including activists and representative organizations to discuss topics, including the crisis in Gaza, ahead of a listening session with Harris at the White House that was scheduled for Monday, one source said. The following day, those participants called off the Monday session, citing concerns including potential backlash from allies and not wanting to speak for entire communities. Conversations about potentially rescheduling are ongoing, sources said. The now-postponed meeting, which has not been previously reported, is part of a concerted effort by the administration to hear from members of the Arab American community, including this past week in Michigan after a push by leaders and activists to meet with White House officials. A White House official told CNN the vice president looks forward to continuing to engage with leaders of the Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian communities, including through phone calls and meetings. The vice president is committed to listening to and having a dialogue with members of these communities, and we look forward to meeting with these leaders in the future, the official said, adding that Harris has spoken to people who have left Gaza, people contributing to the humanitarian response and others. The community members invited to Mondays session maintained they want to keep lines of communication with the White House open, but the episode served as yet another reminder of the challenges the administration is confronting. It also comes as Harris faces protesters on her reproductive freedoms tour, including one group declining to participate over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. ACCESS Reproductive Justice, a California-based nonprofit focused on abortion access, decided not to attend Harris San Jose stop. We feel very strongly that the plight of the Palestinian people is very much a reproductive justice issue and quite frankly ignored by the Biden-Harris administration, Jessica Pinckney Gil, executive director of ACCESS RJ, told CNN. Gil stressed that the group is staying in contact with the vice presidents office despite its decision not to attend the event. For us, being at the event was supporting policies that we cant fully support, whereas continuing to be in dialogue with the administration is pushing for policy change, she said. Sources told CNN that Harris staff, at the vice presidents direction, have offered those protesting at her events an opportunity to speak directly with senior White House officials to share their concerns. Harris was interrupted during remarks in San Jose in January as she participated in a moderated discussion about abortion rights with actress Sophia Bush. A protester could be heard calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. And this week, Harris was interrupted by a protester during her speech in Savannah, Georgia. A few minutes into her speech, a protester yelled, Shame on you and Youre committing genocide, referring to the violence that is unfolding in Gaza. Harris responded by saying, We know in a healthy democracy we value the freedom of all people to be heard, but right now we are talking about what has happened to the women and people of America as a result of the Dobbs decision, referring to the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. A member of the Harris team spoke with the demonstrator in Georgia, the White House official said. A recent CNN poll found 34% of Americans approve of Bidens handling of the war between Israel and Hamas. About half of Democrats 51% say they approve of his handling of the Israel-Hamas war; among Democrats younger than 45, that falls to just 35%. This week, senior administration officials met with members of the Arab American and Muslim communities in the battleground state of Michigan. Asked about that meeting, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, We want to hear directly from them, adding that its important for community leaders to be able to speak directly to officials in the White House. The Michigan meeting came after Bidens campaign manager, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, traveled to the state to meet with local community leaders, including members of the Arab American and Muslim communities. One sit-down, which was expected to include roughly a dozen Arab American, Muslim, and Palestinian leaders and activists, was called off last month when invitees declined to attend. At the time, some expressed frustration that the Biden team had sent a campaign official instead of White House officials. The presidents refusal to change course or even to publicly acknowledge his mistakes is a grave insult to people here in Michigan, to Michigan Democrats in particular, Abbas Alawieh, spokesperson of Listen to Michigan, said Friday. Listen to Michigan is a new campaign urging Democrats to vote Uncommitted in the states February 27 presidential primary to demand Biden support a ceasefire. And the hypocrisy of telling us privately that the administration has made mistakes while continuing to fail to hold (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu accountable publicly, its a blatant display of moral bankruptcy that will have political consequences here in Michigan, Alawieh said. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com If you heat your home with natural gas, its time you learned that heat pumps can be good for both your pocketbook and the planet. What are they? Theyre essentially air conditioners that can also run in reverse. So, they can both cool or heat your home. An air compressor heats or cools a liquid refrigerant that is pumped into your home in tubes that run to a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger (also called air handler) transfers the heat to air that is blown through your home. In large homes, ducts distribute the air from the air handler to each room. In smaller homes, ductless systems blow the air in the largest room, with supplemental electric heaters in rooms far from the air handler. For renters, portable heat pumps are also available. Heat pumps are super efficient: they use about three times less electricity than electric furnaces or baseboard heaters. Since electricity costs only 8 cents per kilowatthour (kWh) for homes in the Tri-Cities, heating homes with heat pumps costs just 60% of the cost with natural gas furnaces, according to remodelingcalculator.org. Youve likely heard that heat pumps dont work in the cold. That used to be true, but not anymore. Newer designs can be more than 100% efficient at temperatures below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. In Maine, one of the coldest states in the U.S., more than 100,000 heat pumps have been installed over the last five years. Heat pumps generally cost thousands of dollars more than furnaces, but most cost no more than combinations of furnaces and air conditioners, which together serve the same heating and cooling function. Variable speed heat pumps capable of heating to well below 0 degrees cost thousands more. However, a federal tax credit of $2,000, a state rebate of up to $8,000 for households with annual incomes less than 150% of the median state income ($85,000 in 2024), and a $1000 local utility rebate for heat pumps can make up the difference. See the savings calculator at rewiringamerica.org. State rebates will be available later this year. Even if the upfront cost of a heat pump is higher than a furnace, the lower cost of heating with a heat pump can make up the difference. For example, if a heat pump costs $5,000 more than a furnace after tax credits and rebates but saves $500 per year on heating, it will pay for itself in 10 years. So, overall, heat pumps are the cheaper option for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. And, since the energy that powers them is almost completely carbon free in our region, they are also better for the climate. So, if your gas furnace fails, replace it with a heat pump. If you have air conditioning, your heat pump will replace your old AC unit too. If your AC unit fails, replace it and your heating system with a heat pump. If your heating system consists of baseboard heaters or an electric furnace, youll cut your heating costs by a factor of three. If its a gas furnace, your heating costs will be cut by 40%. If both your gas furnace and AC are working, it can still pay to replace them with a heat pump if theyre old and therefore inefficient. For a heat pump that saves you $700 per year on heating but costs $7,000 after tax credits and rebates, the payback will take 10 years. Regardless, its prudent to prepare for the day when you must replace your heating system. Do your research. Get estimates from HVAC specialists. Compare your options. Variable speed units are slightly more efficient at heating than single speed units but are significantly more efficient at cooling; their much higher cost is only justified if you anticipate extremely cold or hot conditions. Your HVAC specialist should be aware of the tax credits and rebates. If not, seek a specialist who is. Retired climate scientist Steve Ghan leads the Tri-Cities Washington Chapter of Citizens Climate Lobby. Mark Anthony Chavez, 29, has been charged with injury to a child by reckless omission after doctors discovered that the child died from blunt force trauma to the head caused by physical abuse. Bexar County Sheriff's Office San Antonio police arrested a 29-year-old man accused of physically abusing a child, leading to the 2-year-olds death. Mark Anthony Chavez has been charged with injury of a child by reckless omission after allegedly causing blunt force trauma to the head to the child in June of last year. According to the arrest affidavit, Chavez and a witness were interviewed by San Antonio police detectives on June 23, 2023. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Chavez told police that on June 21, he was in the living room with the witness and the child. While the witness was asleep, he said the child stood up on the couch and fell backward, striking the back of her head on the windowsill. The witness told investigators that she woke up to the child crying. The affidavit states that the child was given a bottle and then vomited. She was then given a bath and placed in bed for the night. On June 22, the witness, a registered nurse at Metropolitan Hospital, left for work around 6:20 a.m. She checked on the child before leaving, stating the child was asleep. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Chavez, who stayed home alone with the child throughout the day, described the 2-year-old as fussy during that time. Around 3 p.m. that same day, Chavez said the child hit her head again while playing with a toy, the affidavit states. The childs head was red as she whined and cried after the fall, he told investigators. Chavez then gave her a bottle and said she became fussier as she continued to cry while drinking the bottle. Shortly after, he put the child to sleep. After waking the child up around 6 p.m., he noticed that she was not breathing normally and was posturing. Chavez called the witness and she told him to call 911. Around 7 p.m., he called 911 and said the child was tightening up and not breathing normally, the affidavit states. EMS arrived and the victim was taken to University Hospital. Upon arrival, the child was unresponsive. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Further evaluation by a UT Health San Antonio Division of Child Abuse Physician showed the childs injuries were high impact and likely the result of physical abuse. A doctor conducted the childs autopsy and determined the cause of death to be complications following blunt force trauma to the head. The manner of death was ruled a homicide, the affidavit states. A helicopter carrying six people crashed in a Southern California desert late Friday departed from Palm Springs before crashing, the latest in a number of high-profile aviation disasters in the U.S. Two crew members and four passengers are confirmed dead in the fiery crash. The CEO of one of Nigeria's largest banks was among the victims, along with his wife and son. Herbert Wigwe, chief executive of Access Bank, was among the six people on board when the aircraft went down shortly after 10 p.m. All six people were killed, including two pilots and Bamofin Abimbola Ogunbanjo, former chair of NGX Group, the Nigerian stock exchange. The deaths of Wigwe, his family and Ogunbanjo were confirmed Saturday by Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a former Nigerian finance minister who is now the director-general of the World Trade Organization. Terribly saddened by the news of the terrible loss of Herbert Wigwe ... his wife and son as well as Bimbo Ogunbanjo in a helicopter crash, Okonjo-Iweala wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. May the souls of the departed rest in perfect peace. This undated photograph shows Herbert Wigwe, chief executive of Access Bank, Nigeria in his Lagos office. Wigwe was killed Friday, Feb. 9, 2024 along with his wife and son when a helicopter they were riding in crashed near in Southern California's Mojave Desert. The death of Wigwe, 57, shocked many in Nigeria and in the banking sector. He was widely seen as an industry leader, having been involved in two of the countrys biggest banks, including Guaranty Trust Bank, where he was previously executive director. Under Wigwes leadership, Access Banks assets and presence grew beyond borders in several African countries. His death is a terrible blow for Nigeria and Africas banking industry, Nigerian presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga wrote on X. Wigwe had a big vision to make Access Holdings (the parent company) Africas biggest, with all the unquenchable thirst for acquisitions, Onanuga added. Wigwes interests also spanned the education sector. His private university, founded in Nigerias oil-rich Niger Delta region where he was from, is scheduled to open in September. Last year he said the university was an opportunity for me to give back to society. This is surreal and I am lost for words, Festus Keyamo, Nigerias minister of aviation and aerospace development, wrote in a post on X. May Almighty God comfort his aged parents and sibling ... his immediate family members, his staff, friends across Nigeria and dependents. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed Saturday it and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash of the Eurocopter EC 130 helicopter. The NTSB confirmed Saturday that the helicopter departed from Palm Springs at 8:45 p.m. with a destination of Boulder City, Nevada. At 10:08 the aircraft "impacted terrain" about 75 miles northeast of Barstow, south of Interstate 15. The NTSB said it was a charter flight was operated Orbic Air LLC. The NTSB said the the helicopter's charter company is linked with an address in Camarillo but based in Burbank. Information from Flight Aware also indicates the helicopter took off from the Camarillo Airport shortly before 5:30 p.m. Friday and stopped in Burbank before continuing to Palm Springs. The NTSB said it is presently gathering evidence at the scene. While a preliminary report will be available in a "couple of weeks," the NTSB said the full investigation into the crash could take between 12 and 24 months. The investigation will include witness reports of rain and a "wintry mix" of conditions reported in the area. Downed power lines also were reported in the area. The NTSB said the helicopter was not equipped with a voice data recorder or a flight data recorder, nor was it require to do so. The areas of investigation for the NTSB: air "worthiness" of the craft, including maintenance and structure of the helicopter operations meteorology air traffic control The NTSB asks that anyone who witnessed the crash while driving on I-15 reach out with any information, including photos, that might aid in the investigation at witness@ntsb.gov. The crash follows two deadly aviation disasters in recent days. At least two people were killed Friday afternoon when a small plane that had lost both its engines crashed into a vehicle on a Florida interstate as the pilot attempted to make an emergency landing, authorities said. And earlier this week, five U.S. Marines died after a military helicopter went down in the mountains near San Diego. Many aviation disasters have happened in California Southern California is busy hub for military and small aircraft and has a long history of aviation tragedies and near-disasters. In June 2022, three military aircraft crashes occurred in Southern California in the span of a week. U.S. Navy pilot Lt. Richard Bullock was killed on June 3 when his F/A-18E Super Hornet crashed near Trona. Days later, five Marines on an MV-22B Osprey died when the aircraft crashed in a California desert near the Arizona border during training. A Navy helicopter crashed in the same region and all four crew members survived. In July, six people died after a Cessna C550 crashed near the French Valley Airport in Murrieta, California. It happened just days after a 39-year-old man was killed and three children were injured near the same airport. This past January, a Navy helicopter crashed off the coast of Coronado, California with all six aboard surviving. Jack Cress, an instructor in the Aviation Safety & Security Program at the University of Southern California and a former helicopter pilot in the U.S. Marine Corps. said that while the Southern California's mountainous terrain and weather events like the atmospheric river can pose a challenge for pilots, the high traffic likely contributes to the number of accidents. "Accident rates may be a little bit higher in California than others, but I would assume if it's the case, it would most likely be because of volume more than anything else," said Cress. Contributing: The Desert Sun in Palm Springs, Calif., and the Ventura County Star in Camarillo, Calif. Contact reporter Krystal Nurse at knurse@USATODAY.com. Follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @KrystalRNurse. Contributing: The Associated Press; Christopher Cann, Natalie Neysa Alund, Claire Thornton and Minnah Arshad USA TODAY; Luis Zambrano and Kate Cimini, USA TODAY NETWORK This is a developing story and will be updated. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Helicopter that crashed in desert departed from Palm Springs This undated photograph shows Herbert Wigwe, chief executive of Access Bank, Nigeria in his Lagos office. Wigwe was killed Friday, Feb. 9, 2024 along with his wife and son when a helicopter they were riding in crashed near in Southern California's Mojave Desert. (AP Photo/Ayodeji Owolabi) Nigerian leaders Sunday mourned the death of the CEO of one of the country's largest banks after he and five others were killed Friday in a helicopter crash in Southern California's Mojave Desert. Herbert Wigwe, chief executive of Access Bank, and his wife and son were among the six people on board when the aircraft went down shortly after 10 p.m. near Interstate 15. All six people were killed, including two pilots and Bamofin Abimbola Ogunbanjo, former chair of NGX Group, the Nigerian stock exchange. Nigeria's president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, grieved the deaths in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. Their passing is an overwhelming tragedy that is shocking beyond comprehension, he wrote. I pray for the peaceful repose of the departed and ask God Almighty to comfort the multitude of Nigerians who are grieving and the families of the deceased at this deeply agonizing moment. The death of Wigwe, 57; his wife, Chizoba; and son, Chizi, shocked many in Nigeria and in the banking sector. He was widely seen as an industry leader, having been involved in two of the countrys biggest banks, including Guaranty Trust Bank, where he was previously executive director. Under Wigwes leadership, Access Banks assets and presence grew beyond borders in several African countries. Dr. Wigwe was a key driving force and a larger-than-life personality who brought his remarkable passion, energy and experience to the transformation of the Access franchise, Sunday Ekwochi, group company secretary of parent company Access Holdings, said Sunday in a statement. The bank, in a post on X, wrote that Wigwe's passion and unwavering commitment to excellence transformed Access into a global powerhouse. His legacy of excellence and compassion will continue to inspire us all, the statement said. Wigwe's death is a terrible blow for Nigeria and Africas banking industry, Nigerian presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga wrote on X. Wigwe had a big vision to make Access Holdings Africas biggest, with all the unquenchable thirst for acquisitions, Onanuga added. Wigwes interests also spanned the education sector. His private university, founded in Nigerias oil-rich Niger Delta region where he was from, is scheduled to open in September. Last year he said the university was an opportunity for me to give back to society. The crash happened south of I-15 near Halloran Springs Road, about 75 miles (120 km) northeast of Barstow, according to Michael Graham of the National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the crash. Graham said Saturday that he did not have information about the two crew members, a pilot and a safety pilot. The aircraft did not have a cockpit voice recorder or a flight data recorder and was not required to have them, he added. The Airbus EC-130 left Palm Springs Airport at around 8:45 p.m. on Friday and was traveling to Boulder City, Nevada, Graham said. Boulder City is about 26 miles (40 kilometers) southeast of Las Vegas, where the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers are set to play in Super Bowl 58 on Sunday. Flight-tracking data shows the helicopter was traveling along the interstate about 1,000 to 1,500 feet (304.80 to 457.20 meters) above ground level, Graham said during a Sunday news conference. The aircraft made a slight right turn, turning south of the roadway, and the data then shows a gradual descent and increasing ground speed. The wreckage site shows that helicopter hit the ground with its nose low at a right-bank angle, Graham said, adding that meteorologists have confirmed the weather included precipitation. The debris field was about 100 yards (91.44 meters) long. The flight was a charter operated by Orbic Air LLC. Several people traveling on I-15 witnessed the crash and called 911, Graham said. Witnesses reported that it was raining with a wintry mix at the time of the crash, according to Graham. People also reported a fire on the helicopter plus some downed power lines. This is the beginning of a long process. We will not jump to any conclusions, Graham said Saturday. Investigators on Sunday began mapping the area with drones and documenting the wreckage. They are also gathering pilot and maintenance records. A preliminary report is expected to be released within 30 days, though a full investigation will take up to two years to complete. The crash site is not far from the California-Nevada border. Halloran Springs Road crosses the highway in an area known to travelers for an abandoned gas station with a sign declaring Lo Gas and Eat. Its a remote area of the desert, with an elevation of nearly 3,000 feet (914.40 meters), and about a 60- to 80-mile (100- to 130-km) drive from Las Vegas. The crash came just three days after a U.S. Marine Corps helicopter went down in the mountains outside San Diego during historic downpours, killing five Marines. ___ Beam reported from Sacramento, California; Asadu from Abuja, Nigeria; and Dazio from Los Angeles. Associated Press writer Todd Richmond in Madison, Wisconsin, contributed. The death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in 2022 after she was held by Irans morality police for not complying with the countrys hijab rules drew global attention to the repression of women in Iran. Neighboring Saudi Arabia, a Sunni country, theologically and politically opposed to Shiite Iran, has similar restrictive rules when it comes to women. The connection between faith and practice in the Muslim world at large lies at the heart of my research. A wider look at some of the Muslim majority countries shows that even when they may claim to be diametrically opposed ideologically, they often have similar religious police, or other rules for enforcing faith in everyday life. Moreover, it is my belief, they have nothing to do with Islamic tenets. In many Muslim majority countries, imposing barriers on women has been a way of informing the world what kind of policy and ideology the government believes in. Market inspectors turned into morality police The closest thing to the morality police of today to be found in early Islamic history is the Muhtasib, or observers. The Muhtasib, who had to know Islamic law, were appointed by the ruler, such as the sultan in Ottoman times, to oversee matters of trade. The Muhtasibs job was to make sure that traders were using correct measures and weights, paying taxes and maintaining hygienic conditions in their establishments. More generally they would observe public actions and had the jurisdiction to reprimand and at times penalize people. They were not known to target women, and they respected the beliefs of multiple faiths that existed at the time. In contemporary Iran, the rules on head covering are upheld for all women, even if theyre not Muslim. Islams basic tenets are that humans share a direct relationship with God without the interference of individuals or any organizations. The Quran does not stipulate that women shouldnt drive, as in Saudi Arabia, or that women should be forced to wear conservative dress. While the Quran asks both men and women to dress modestly, it does not discriminate. Politics of the veil In todays political environment, womens bodies and their sartorial modesty are often the quickest way for governments to express whether the country is secular. In the 1970s, for example, the Syrian government forbade women from wearing the veil in public because President Hafez-al-Assad wanted to convey to the outside world that the Baathist regime was secular and left of the center. The policy continued under President Bashar al-Assad and, in 2010, over a thousand veil-wearing primary school teachers were removed from their teaching jobs and given administrative posts. In Iran, however, following the 1979 revolution, as observers have pointed out, the hijab came to be the central symbol, of Islamist rule. Compulsory hijab wearing was enforced in Iran through law, and any violation was penalized with fines and a two-month prison sentence. Egypt provides another example. In 2011, the image of a woman whose face was veiled but whose upper garment had come apart exposing her blue bra while she was being dragged by the Egyptian police, captured the medias attention. The image, which came to be known as the girl in the blue bra, soon became a symbol of womens oppression by the Egyptian military. The 2011 image known as The Girl in the Blue Bra, taken during the Egyptian Revolution. Stringer/Reuters/Landov The fact is that women face police brutality regardless of how they dress. The girl in the blue bra was attacked by the police because she dared protest the countrys conditions. I believe disrobing her and kicking her in her abdomen was being done on purpose to deter other women from joining the revolution. In 2011, many female protesters were put through a virginity test by the Egyptian police when in captivity. As opposed to a misconception that Muslim women are always forced to act conservatively in their respective countries, the truth is that women are violated for being nonconformist citizens in their respective political regimes. What is important to note is that these patriarchal practices often are not limited to policing modest dressing for women and penalizing them brutally, but also in forcing them to remove their veil. Following the 2013 coup in Egypt, when Egyptian army chief Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi overthrew the democratically elected president, Mohammed Morsi, widespread changes were introduced, including a crackdown on women who chose to wear the niqab. Womens rights and choices over their bodies need to be respected by Muslim majority nations and the rest of the world. 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: Deina Abdelkader, UMass Lowell Read more: Deina Abdelkader 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. A 4-year-old was killed in a hit-and-run crash on Merrill Road near Rogero Road in Arlington late Saturday night. The Jacksonville Sheriffs Office says about 11:00pm, a light-colored sedan changed lanes and ran into an SUV, forcing it off Merrill Road according to witnesses. The SUV crashed into a telephone pole. The driver of the car fled and has not reported the crash to JSO. A 4-year-old passenger in the SUV was pronounced dead at the scene. The SUV driver was transported to the hospital by Jacksonville Fire and Rescue. Anyone with information about the light-colored sedan is encouraged to contact JSO at 904-630-0500 or call Crimestoppers at 866-845-TIPS and you may be eligible for a cash reward. The car will likely have damage to the passengers side door(s). Waynesboro police are asking the public for help in identifying a vehicle believed to be involved in a hit-and-run that injured four pedestrians. On Friday, Feb. 9, police say the dark-colored vehicle pictured injured four pedestrians: one adult and three minors. This could have been any of our family members who were struck by a vehicle and left injured in the roadway, so please help us bring justice and closure to the victims and their families, the police department said in a statement. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] A $1,000 cash reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of the driver of the vehicle. If you are the driver of the involved vehicle, its never too late to do the right thing by turning yourself over to law enforcement, police said. To submit a tip, contact Waynesboro Police Department Major Angela Collins at 706-554-8029, Georgia State Patrol at 912-688-6999, or the Burke County Sheriffs Office at 706-554-2133. TRENDING STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: As Monday morning dawned, Joan Terrall was in a hurry. The 67-year-old darted back and forth between her tent and a friends camper as she prepared to leave the patch of desert land that shed called home for the past two years. The area outside Goldfield Ghost Town, an 1800s-themed tourist attraction up the road from Apache Junction in Pinal County, had long served as a landing spot for those in need of a place to stay. Terrall and her boyfriend were among a few dozen people living in tents, cars and campers scattered across the informal community. But now, she had to leave. The lands owner, the Bureau of Land Management, plans to convert it into a 1,100-acre recreation area. They wanted everybody out by 12:01 a.m. on Monday meaning Terrall and many of her neighbors were already overstaying their welcome as they packed. BLMs decision came after years of local concerns about trash, illegal camping, and fire risks in the area, as well as increasing pressure for park spaces near fast-growing metro Phoenix. A sign informs people residing on federal land near Apache Junction in Pinal County of an impending closure starting Feb. 5, 2024. Some worried driving out the people who already lived in the area could push them further into rural desert areas, putting them at increased risk of crime, dehydration and other dangers. It's a dilemma similar to those playing out in urban areas, as government officials weigh public safety and possible neighborhood nuisances against displacing homeless people and moving them farther away from services. The land offers superb views of the Superstition Mountains, less than an hour away from the densely packed heart of the state. Planned amenities such as trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding will complement outdoor opportunities in nearby Tonto National Forest, Lost Dutchman State Park and Peralta Regional Park. BLM officials posted signs in January informing Terrall and her neighbors of the deadline. Terrall initially said she hoped to be out of the area on time. She spent days trying to find a motel room where she and her boyfriend could stay. She thought shed found one in east Mesa until she discovered that she would have to pay $1,300 upfront to reserve the room for a week, even if it was later covered by assistance programs. Youre helping homeless people, Terrall said. I dont have that kind of money. Ultimately, she changed her plans. A friend invited her to stay near her campsite on state trust land off Peralta Road, outside of Gold Canyon. Bret Dawkins, 58, another friend who also was leaving BLM land, offered to give Terrall and a few others a ride over. As she prepared to leave, Terrall said staying at her friends campsite was only a temporary fix. Law enforcement are strict about the two-week camping limit in the Peralta Road area, she said. Its also far out in the desert with nothing around. Thats less than ideal for Terrall, who doesnt have a car and will have to figure out how to get to the closest grocery store for supplies. Still, she said its better than nothing. Well make it, she said. But its going to be tough. Steven Lee Thomas prepares to leave an abandoned trailer he stayed in the night before on Oct. 3, 2023. Thomas is one of dozens of people living in the desert land owned by the Bureau of Land Management. Packing up camp Tony Tozier, 63, was packing his belongings on Monday not far from Terralls campsite. In the days before the deadline, hed managed to get his van running and his items mostly packed in bins scattered around his camping area. But his work was far from done. He needed to transport his belongings and find a new place to stay. He promised to help his friends, Rose Sherwood, 69, and Bill Shelly, 58, get their possessions out of the area. Plus, Tozier recently had a heart attack. He had a Monday afternoon appointment with his cardiologist to receive medication and check up on his recovery. As he sorted through his items Monday morning, two BLM rangers pulled up to his campsite. They spoke with Tozier for about 20 minutes before handing him a violation notice. Tozier said one of the rangers promised theyd rip up the notice and dismiss the violation if he left the area as soon as he could. Hes a good cop, Tozier said of the BLM ranger. Hes trying if I get out of here, he wont bother me. BLM rangers had made just one closure-related arrest as of Thursday, according to spokesperson Chris Wonderly. Several other people were arrested by the Pinal County Sheriffs Office on outstanding warrants, he said. Pinal County officials said animal shelter staff were on call to assist with any pets left behind by people leaving the area, but hadnt received any as of Friday. Wonderly said the majority of people living in the area left on Monday, but a handful remained as of Thursday. A significant amount of trash was left in the area and officials will create plans to remove it once every camper has left, he said. Rose Sherwood sits with her dog Nibbler at a campsite she and her partner have been living at near Goldfield Ghost Town on Oct. 3, 2023. Where did all the people go? On Friday, most people who had left the Goldfield area said they remained somewhere in the desert. Sherwood and Shelly ran into trouble with their camper. They had hoped the vehicle could make it to a plot of land they own near Kingman, about 250 miles away, but it broke down just a few minutes up the road from their former home. Meanwhile, Tozier said he ran out of time to pack up most of his belongings. He ended up leaving behind most of his bins and nearly all of his blankets. The ranger he encountered dismissed his violation, he said. But as the week went on, he said he observed law enforcement officials get pushier with the people left in the area. They treat you like youre some criminal or something, he said, saying he felt there were fewer places to go now. Tozier, Sherwood and Shelly are now all camped out alongside the highway and facing mounting challenges. Tozier said he has no source of heat in his car, where he normally sleeps. Without his blankets, hes increasingly worried about the cold nights ahead. Temperatures near Apache Junction fell to 40 degrees by Thursday, with snow dusting the tops of the Superstition Mountains. Sherwood and Shelly are living off a supply of instant ramen. They said they only have enough left for a few more days, and their camper still isnt running. Theyre not sure when theyll be able to make it to the grocery store or the Genesis Project, an Apache Junction soup kitchen that feeds many homeless individuals in the area. Right now the group is taking it day by day, in hopes of getting the RV off the road and to a place where they can make repairs. They said they're waiting for law enforcement to come speak to them, but it hasn't happened yet. "They just keep driving by, driving by, driving by," Shelly said. Gina Barker, 51, told The Republic she was camping in her car and hopping between parking lots. She spent Thursday night in a lot near Sossaman Road and Southern Avenue in east Mesa, sick with pneumonia. Terrall, the woman who said she was headed to the Peralta Road area, and Dorothy Bolen, a 62-year-old who said she didnt know where she would go, didnt return The Republics call on Friday. A note left for Bureau of Land Management rangers reads, "This is not an abanded vehicle. We will move it as soon as we can." The camper is one of dozens parked on federal land near Apache Junction in Pinal County. In many rural places, a lack of shelter None of the people The Republic spoke with on Friday were in a shelter or receiving housing services. Before the clear-out, BLM officials said they would direct people living in the area to Arizona's 2-1-1 social services hotline and the Genesis Project, the Apache Junction soup kitchen. But the agency wasnt providing services directly, and Wonderly couldnt tell The Republic on Thursday how many people had sought or received services before leaving their campsites. The 2-1-1 hotline provides an online dashboard that shows who is calling in to request assistance. It shows 60 people called the hotline within the past 30 days from within the zip code that encompasses the Goldfield area. Of those, 40% of callers were seeking housing services such as emergency shelter, low-cost housing and mortgage assistance. But housing services are scarce in the area. Pinal County does not have an emergency homeless shelter for the general public and its not the only one. Apache, Greenlee, La Paz, Navajo and Yuma counties also lack community shelters, hotline officials said. Local officials say that creating and operating a homeless shelter open to the public is a complicated endeavor. It requires funding, community buy-in and partnerships between governments and nonprofits. Dashboard data shows the 2-1-1 hotline, which is run by the nonprofit Solari Crisis Response Network, has received nearly 600 calls so far this year related to housing services from all counties without community homeless shelters. Calls from Pinal County make up the bulk of that number. Hotline officials have received more than 487 calls from Pinal County since the start of the year related to housing needs, per the dashboard. Even if there were shelters, Solari President Andrew Erwin said theyd probably be full. The entire state is facing a housing crisis, he said, and a lack of affordable housing is the biggest barrier to getting people off the streets. Erwin said nearby Maricopa County does have shelters although not nearly enough to help all of the homeless individuals in the Phoenix metro area. But many of the people living in the Goldfield area told The Republic they had not called the hotline to see if those shelters could help them. Terrall said she tried calling the hotline once years ago, but hadnt found it helpful. Erwin said its hard to say just how many people choose not to seek out help because they assume it is unavailable or that it means moving to a different area of the state. Its one of those things where its trying to measure that thing that doesnt happen, Erwin said. Weve done a lot of work in rural and frontier Arizona, and I think there is a mentality of, I need to figure this out on my own. I think that is just part of the culture. We try to do whatever we can to market out into those communities that we are a resource. Sasha Hupka covers county government and election administration for The Arizona Republic. Do you have a tip to share on elections or voting? Reach her at sasha.hupka@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @SashaHupka. Follow her on Threads: @sashahupkasnaps. Helen Rummel covers higher education for The Arizona Republic. Reach her at Helen Rummel covers higher education for The Arizona Republic. Reach her at hrummel@azcentral.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @helenrummel. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Homeless campers were forced off BLM land. Where did they go? Too busy trying to figure out the perfect Valentines Day gift for your picky spouse to keep up with the news? You're not alone fretting about the holiday. The Valentines Day forecast topped the news this week. Heres what else you missed. Here is a look at the upper levels of the atmosphere on Wednesday, Feb 14, according to the GFS weather model. Relatively quiet weather is expected in Texas. Pivotal Weather With Valentines Day less than a week away, you may be wondering how this year is looking. Will it be brutally cold, like in 2021 when it snowed? Or could it possibly be a rainy holiday this time around? Click to read everything we know right now. Boerne Champion's Gage Goldberg has a moment with his father, Hall of Fame Wrestler Bill Goldberg, after signing his scholarship to the University of Colorado during siging day at the school Wednesday morning. Robin Jerstad Boerne Champion senior linebacker Gage Goldberg signed a walk-on agreement with Deion Sanders Colorado Buffaloes on Wednesday morning. Click to read all about the preferred walk-on agreement. Advertisement Article continues below this ad AUSTIN, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 08: Philanthropist and attorney Thomas J. Henry launches new art and music experience "Austin Elevates" at Summit Austin on November 08, 2019 in Austin, Texas. Johnny Nunez/Getty Images for Lawlor Media Group inc. A former Thomas J. Henry Law employee has sued the firm alleging she was drugged and sexually assaulted at a 2019 event in Austin by its then-CEO. Click to read more details. Map of the Balcones Escarpment, which runs through central Texas. San Antonio Express-News The Balcones Escarpment, a geological scar millions of years old running across central Texas, has played a huge role in shaping what Texas looks like, as well as where and how the states population has grown. Click to read all about this important geological feature. Advertisement Article continues below this ad New trustees, Karla Duran ,white dress and David Salcido, glasses second from left pose with family and friends after they were sworn in on Tuesday,May 23, 2023 at 7100 Culebra Ronald Cortes / Contribuitor Guest Opinions. Earlier this month, I attended the first day of the Oklahoma Legislatures 2024 regular session. Along with several other tribal leaders, I met with legislators and observed the Oklahoma governors State of the State address. We showed up because we understand that the success of our tribal nations and the state of Oklahoma are closely tied. When it comes to creating jobs and growing the economy, attracting tourism, protecting public safety, providing world-class health care, and much more, thriving tribal nations are Oklahomas most unique competitive advantage. Never miss Indian Countrys biggest stories and breaking news. Click here to sign up to get our reporting sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Unfortunately, in his speech on that day, the Oklahoma governor went out of his way to be divisive and paint a distorted picture of tribal sovereignty as chaos. Yet while the governor attempts to create confusion for political purposes, at Cherokee Nation we see cooperation every day. Those of us living in northeastern Oklahoma, including our many friends in the Oklahoma Legislature, know that Cherokee Nation is a great partner. We have already begun work on policies for this legislative session that will advance Cherokee Nation and all of Oklahoma. One bill we are engaged on is HB 3863 by Rep. Ross Ford, which would make it easier for victims of domestic violence to escape dangerous situations. Last year, Oklahoma required utility companies to waive mandatory credit checks and deposits when a person escaping domestic violence sets up a new account, but the state left out tribally operated domestic violence shelters from the list of who can certify eligibility for the waiver. HB 3863 corrects that oversight. Cherokee Nation is deeply committed to protecting our citizens who have been victims of domestic violence. We provide resources, including law enforcement response, emergency shelters, counseling and programs for rebuilding lives. Our award-winning ONE FIRE Victim Services program is a gold standard among tribes and the whole country, and HB 3863 gives us another tool to help victims become financially stable. Cherokee Nation Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr. Another issue were supporting is expansion of the Wellness Advisory Council to the State Department of Health, with HB 3333 by Rep. Cindy Roe and SB 1708 by Sen. Ally Seifried. These would add representatives of tribal health systems, urban Indian health care, and experts in cardiovascular problems like heart disease and diabetes to a group that advises the State Health Department. A similar bill passed with large bipartisan support last session, but it was unfortunately vetoed by the governor. The governor may continue to resist working with tribal nations, but we wont let that stop us from moving forward with our many friends at the state. Along those lines, an important issue this year will be extending Cherokee Nations compacts with Oklahoma on car tags and tobacco sales. These compacts are proven successful at increasing state revenue, preventing costly litigation, and establishing fair and predictable rules for businesses. For more than two decades, Cherokee Nation car tags have supported millions of dollars annually going to schools across northeast Oklahoma. Last year, Cherokee Nation gave a record $7.8 million to 109 public school districts, including nearly $1.8 million for Tulsa County schools. At Cherokee Nation, we dont want those funds to be disrupted, and we are prepared to work in good faith with the Oklahoma Legislature and governor to make sure that doesnt happen. For the good of all Oklahoma, its time to leave behind a 19th century mindset and recognize that Cherokee Nation and other tribes bring huge benefits for the state. I am grateful to the legislative leadership and the large majority of legislators from both parties who understand that. I am hopeful that this session the good sense of working together will prevail over attempts to divide us. Chuck Hoskin. Jr. is the principal chief of the Cherokee Nation. Rep. Jasmine Crockett believes that voters can find more common ground with Democrats than with House Republicans. Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives held the House Democrats 2024 Issues Conference at the Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg, Va. last week. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were among a list of speakers at the 3-day press conference, as well as Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg andNational Economic Council director Lael Brainard. Planned Parenthood CEO Alexis McGill and Reproductive Freedom for All CEO Mini Timmaraju also delivered remarks at the retreat. US House Minority leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) speaks during a press conference at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on September 29, 2023. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images) This is a very important conference for members to come together to focus on what our agenda is on behalf of the American people, U.S. Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev. told theGrio. Its also important for us to share our perspective with the other members of our caucus, said the Congressional Black Caucus chairman. You dont always get a time to do that as a caucus. Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., told theGrio that House Democrats want to put people over politics and make life better for the American people. He added that House Democrats are tackling issues like the cost of health care, the cost of living and student loan forgiveness to help the average American. During opening remarks, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., stated that his partys motto for this year is Finish the Job as they work to win back the House majority in the 2024 elections. Republicans currently hold a slight majority in the chamber with 219 members to Democrats 212. Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, conducts a news conference following the CBCs National Summit on Democracy & Race near Capitol Hill on Tuesday, May 9, 2023. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, told theGrio that House GOP members have not accomplished anything since theyve taken over and gotten the majority in the House. So do we really want to put an unproductive team in place in the Senate and the House and in the presidency [this November]? she inquired. Absolutely not. Johnson told theGrio that during this session, House Republicans have only focused their attention on electing two House speakers, trying to impeach [Dept. Homeland Security] Secretary [Alejandro] Mayorkas, while at the same time declaring war on Taylor Swift. Crockett believes that voters can find more common ground with Democrats than with House Republicans. If you want to continue progress as it relates to climate change or if you want to get some of our rights back when it relates to reproductive access then thats going to be this team, she said. UNITED STATES NOVEMBER 13: 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 in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, November 13, 2022. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) Do we want to live in a world where everythings not perfect but at least we know that we have a team that is not continually kicking people that are already down, she added. During the conference, Horsford, chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, held a discussion on diversity, equity and inclusion to reduce the attacks marginalized communities face in the workplace and on college campuses. He also told theGrio that this year, the CBC plans to focus on advancing economic opportunity and wealth creation for Black Americans. The caucus members will aim to build Black wealth in America and to work with the Biden-Harris administration to ensure that these priorities are embedded into the larger Democratic agenda, he said. Never miss a beat: Get our daily stories straight to your inbox with theGrios newsletter. The post House Dems talk tackling health care, student loan forgiveness and discrimination at annual party retreat appeared first on TheGrio. Homeless tents are set up along a retaining wall in Oklahoma City on Monday, Dec. 11, 2023. States are plowing billions of dollars into a high-stakes health care experiment: using scarce public health insurance money to house the poorest and sickest Americans. Homelessness jumped 12% in the U.S. last year, to an estimated 653,104 Americans, the highest level on record. At least 19 states are directing money from Medicaid the state-federal health insurance program for low-income people to address the crisis, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. California is going the biggest, pumping $12 billion into a Medicaid initiative largely to help homeless patients find housing, pay for it and avoid eviction. Arizona is allocating $550 million in Medicaid funding primarily to cover six months of rent for homeless people. Oregon is spending more than $1 billion on services such as emergency rental assistance for patients facing homelessness. Even ruby-red Arkansas will dedicate nearly $100 million partly to house its neediest. Tennessee, West Virginia and Montana are in the pipeline. The Biden administration is encouraging other states to jump in. Its part of a broader White House strategy that encourages Medicaid directors to offer social services alongside traditional medical care, with the goal of making their residents healthier. A health care dollar can do more than just pay for a doctor visit or hospital stay, Xavier Becerra, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, told KFF Health News. Is there anyone who would deny that someone who is homeless is going to have a harder time also keeping their health up? Its not just states experimenting with this approach. Sherry Glied, a New York University professor and former Obama administration official, pointed to at least 57 health systems and 917 hospitals around the country that have launched social service initiatives, with most focusing on housing. In this 2021 file photo, California Gov. Gavin Newsom displays seven bills he signed to address the homelessness crisis. Among his initiatives: Using Medicaid to pay for housing. Becerra acknowledged these initiatives are experimental. But he said the federal government can no longer ignore the rampant death and disease that is plaguing homeless people. Were simply saying, State, if you can prove to us that with this Medicaid dollar you will improve someones health or health outcome, then you have essentially served the purpose of the Medicaid program and youre saving taxpayers more money, he said. However, evidence supporting this argument is mixed. Theres little agreement that this strategy will provide a long-term fix for vulnerable patients health or housing. For instance, in a trial by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, homeless people in Santa Clara County, California, who were randomly assigned to receive long-term housing and services used the psychiatric emergency department 38% less than a control group over four years while increasing their use of routine mental health care. But participants were still hospitalized at high rates and continued to rely on the emergency room. Still, states are forging ahead. Arizona: Saving $4,300 per person Arizona saw a 5% jump in homelessness in 2023. Housing agencies are maxed out and we have enormous need to help stabilize people, said Alex Demyan, assistant director of the states Medicaid agency. A state-funded Medicaid initiative is providing 3,000 rent vouchers for people in southern Arizona who have a severe mental illness and are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. That program slashed ER visits 45% and reduced hospital inpatient admissions 53% at the six-month mark after patients started receiving services, while increasing less costly preventive care 56% and saving $4,300 per member, per month, according to state data. Weve seen such positive health outcomes and cost reductions as a result, so it made total sense to us to expand our work in that space, Demyan said. Now the state is adding a Medicaid program that will prioritize homeless people and those at risk of losing housing who also have a mental health condition and chronic illness. It will provide rent payments for up to six months and transitional housing, which can include shelters with intensive services. 'A sad situation': Homeless campers in Arizona prepare to leave as closure approaches West Coast solutions California is home to nearly 30% of the nations homeless population. The state launched its massive CalAIM initiative in 2022 to offer a wide variety of social services to a small sliver of the states roughly 15 million Medicaid enrollees. A large part of the resources is going to housing. If youre saddled with a great deal of either physical or behavioral health conditions, whether its diabetes or HIV, high blood pressure or schizophrenia, without housing, its really hard to stabilize those conditions, said Mark Ghaly, secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency. But he cautioned that Medicaids core focus must remain getting people healthy, even if theyre living outside. That is a monumental and expensive challenge because conditions like diabetes, heart disease and HIV require continuous treatment and often multiple medications. I do not think that health care is responsible for solving homelessness, Ghaly said. But if housing instability or lack of housing is one of the key drivers getting in the way of being healthy, then absolutely we need to pay attention to it. Health insurers that provide Medicaid coverage in California can choose whether to provide housing services, but Oregon is requiring Medicaid insurers to do so. The state is targeting patients at risk of becoming homeless. Participants will be eligible for six months of rent and other services when the program launches in November, said Dave Baden, deputy director of the Oregon Health Authority. Mission creep Not all health care leaders or even homelessness experts believe housing is the best use of Medicaid money, especially for a safety-net program that faces routine criticism for failing to provide health care to many enrollees. State Medicaid programs often struggle to deliver basic medical services, such as childhood dental visits and breast cancer screenings. In California, the state spending the most on housing, children on Medicaid did not have timely access to care for mental health or substance use in 2022, according to a November audit. If youre on Medicaid, you often have to wait months and months for a specialty visit, even if its a life-threatening concern, so I worry about what people wont be able to get because of this, said Margot Kushel, a leading homelessness researcher and doctor in San Francisco who primarily treats low-income patients. Kushel said the danger is that most Medicaid housing assistance can be used only once or is time-limited. By the time folks get into housing, theyre already really, really sick, she said. What happens at the end of six months when rental assistance like free rent runs out? Thats why the Oregon program is really trying to focus on people teetering on the brink, deputy director Baden said. If youre already homeless, you really need longer, sustainable housing dollars to keep that person housed. Glied, the NYU professor, warned in a recent health policy analysis of mission creep in health care. She cautioned that social services could be a dangerous distraction, and argued that health programs should instead improve basic care and leave housing to organizations that specialize in it. Providing people with food or housing is pretty far removed from the core mission of health care, she told KFF Health News. A homeless camp at the Jones Swamp Wetland Preserve in Pensacola, Fla., on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024. Peter Lee, another former Obama administration official and the founding executive director of Californias Obamacare exchange, said health care providers should consider offering some housing and social services, but he too fears such initiatives may divert money from traditional medicine and prevent patients from getting care. In the past five to 10 years, there has been a lot of recognition that health is about much more than actual health care. Very true, Lee said. The question is how do you address those issues while health care itself is not doing too great. Still, states say theyre committed even if their initiatives dont pass a traditional cost-benefit analysis. The singular focus on a financial return on investment is not as clear as it was previously, said Cindy Mann, a federal Medicaid director under Obama. States are just seeing how little sense it makes to treat people and then release them back to the streets. This article was produced by KFF Health News, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation. KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF an independent source of health policy research, polling and journalism. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is housing health care? State Medicaid programs increasingly say yes Most Americans say Joe Biden is too old to serve another term, a new poll showed - EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/Reuters A new poll released on Sunday found that 86 per cent of American voters believe that 81-year-old Joe Biden is too old to serve another term. In a report released on Thursday, special counsel Robert Hur described the US president as a well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory, and thus ruled he should not face further scrutiny over allegations he mishandled confidential documents. Despite growing evidence suggesting Mr Biden is an electoral liability, experts warn that ditching him as the Democrat nominee for the November presidential election is fraught with difficulty. Mr Bidens supporters have an iron grip on the Democratic National Committee, which has bent over backwards to support him. It altered the primary calendar, decreeing that New Hampshire - where Mr Biden fared badly in 2020 - should no longer be the first in the nation, instead making it so that South Carolina - which brought his campaign back from the dead four years ago - was first on the calendar. Experts warned that ditching Joe Biden as the Democrat nominee would be fraught with difficulty - Julia Nikhinson - Pool via CNP/INSTARimages.com If the Democrats wish to now introduce a new candidate to run against Mr Biden for the nomination they would be severely inhibited as 80 per cent of the upcoming primary contests have closed applications for new entries. Any rule changes to allow for a new candidate on the ballot in those states would have to be passed by the partys Biden-backing Rules and Bylaws Committee. In theory, delegates who have already pledged their support for Mr Biden but are now concerned by his mental state could defect when it came to a floor vote. But that is considered highly unlikely. There is no mechanism that could force him out. That could only happen voluntarily, explained Christopher Galdieri, professor of politics at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire. If he were to stand aside a lot would depend on timing. If it took place after the primaries, when all the delegates had been selected they would make the decision at the convention. You would have a throwback to the 19th century where the nomination was fought out on the floor, rather than rubber-stamping the primary and caucus results. Professor Galdieri said if Mr Biden dropped out while the primaries were in full flow There would be absolute chaos. Bidens name would be on most of the ballots. In other states, there would be a scramble, he added. Either way it would be the worst of both worlds, There would be very short notice. Candidates who have not been through the wringer would turn up at the convention and tear each other apart. Mr Biden remains publicly determined to contest the presidential election. If he opted to drop out, he would follow in similar footsteps to Lyndon Johnson who, in failing health and unnerved by Bobby Kennedys entry into the presidential race as well as his narrow win in New Hampshire over Eugene McCarthy, announced he would not seek re-election. I shall not seek and I will not accept the nomination of my party for another term as your president, he said in an address to the nation in 1968. Some of Mr Bidens allies have suggested he should follow the example of Ronald Reagans riposte in a presidential debate when critics suggested that at 73, he was too old to seek a second term. I want you to know that also I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponents youth and inexperience. Even his opponent, Walter Mondale, laughed. 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 protester raises a crucifix during a rally against same-sex marriage, at central Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. More than 1,500 protesters have gathered in central Athens to oppose legislation that would legalize same-sex marriage in Greece. The bill is set for a vote in parliament in days. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) ATHENS, Greece (AP) More than 1,500 protesters gathered in central Athens on Sunday to oppose legislation that would legalize same-sex marriage in Greece. The bill is set for a vote in parliament in days. Greeces conservative government is sponsoring the bill but it will require votes from center and left opposition parties to be approved. However, even some center-left lawmakers have gone on record as opposing the bill. Organizers of Sundays rally religious groups described the bill as a threat to the traditional family. Many of the protesters chanted hands off our children. Unfortunately, the woke agenda has also reached Greece and that agenda includes the marriage of homosexuals, Dimitris Natsios, leader of the far-right and strongly religious Niki party told the Associated Press. Greece is a Christian Orthodox country and our tradition does not allow this. ... We know and respect one type of marriage: The Orthodox Christian wedding. Our Constitution also does not provide for this, so this bill is unconstitutional and runs counter to our faith in Christ, Natsios said. The Niki party, founded in 2019, entered Parliament in 2023. In the most recent election, in June, it came in sixth, with 3.70% of the vote and elected 10 lawmakers to the 300-member assembly. Many same-sex couples in Greece seeking to start a family currently get married in countries where same-sex weddings are legal. Greece has legalized cohabitation contracts for same-sex couples since December 2015. It also allowed sex identity change by simple declaration without mandating psychiatric evaluation and sex reassignment surgery in October 2017. If the bill is approved, Greece would become the first majority Orthodox country to legalize same-sex marriage. A new bill that would limit the use of preferred pronouns could open Idaho up to lawsuits if it makes its way through the Legislature, attorneys told the Idaho Statesman. Rep. Ted Hill, R-Eagle, introduced a bill that would prohibit public employees from being required to refer to people by the pronouns they use and forbid teachers from calling their students by their requested pronouns without written permission from their parents. The bill addresses a constitutional issue that has crept into our society where compelled speech becomes something that we have to honor, Hill, the bill sponsor, told a legislative committee. The bill aims to protect government employees from facing repercussions if they refuse to call people by anything other than their legal name or the pronoun connected to their biological sex. It would also let public employees sue if they face repercussions for refusing to use preferred pronouns. But the legislation raised concerns over whether its constitutional. Jodi Nafzger, the Title IX coordinator for the College of Idaho, told the Idaho Statesman by phone that Hills bill, and others like it, raise distinct constitutional questions around free speech and due process. The ACLU of Idaho told the Statesman in a statement that the bill likely violates constitutional and statutory protections. While people may hold a variety of beliefs about transgender people, the First Amendment does not grant school officials a free speech right to refuse to address transgender students by the pronouns consistent with their gender identity, the ACLU said. Issue will land squarely in U.S. Supreme Court Versions of the bill to limit pronoun usage have already become law in many other states, and lawsuits around the country indicate that fights over parental rights, gender identity discrimination and employee rights could lead from split appeals court decisions to a U.S. Supreme Court case. Hill said he borrowed language for his bill from legislation passed in other states. Tensions between discrimination and free speech rights continue to play out in the Supreme Court. In a 2020 ruling, justices clarified that sex discrimination includes sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination, but in 2023, they found that some professions have a First Amendment right to express their views, even if they are discriminatory. Though Nafzger said that courts so far have generally found that misgendering someone does not itself rise to discrimination, it can become discrimination if combined with other forms of disrespect or targeting. Drafted rules about discrimination in education from President Joe Bidens administration are also expected to expand protections for transgender people, which include use of preferred pronouns. A case over Hills bill or another like it is going to eventually land squarely in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, she said. Sydney Madsen, a Pocatello resident whos intersex, told the Statesman she thinks the bill contradicts itself. It aims to protect the constitutional right to free speech of all people in the state of Idaho while limiting the ways that people can express themselves verbally, she said, restricting the expression of queer people in particular. Madsen said lawmakers should recognize that the intended sexual binary behind the bill already creates problems for people like her. Intersex people are born with characteristics of both sexes. Though Madsen has no preference on pronouns, she said she doesnt identify as female and that neither sex identifier applies to her. Pressure to use different pronouns, lawmaker says Rep. Mark Stinson, serving as a substitute for Rep. Colin Nash, D-Boise, asked Hill whether his bill would be in contradiction to any existing laws and whether he expects the law to be challenged in court. Hill said hes sure it would be. Hill said teachers in schools and law enforcement are being pressured to use particular pronouns but didnt cite specific examples of retribution. He said people can use the pronouns they want but that it shouldnt be compulsory for others to use them. Hill compared new forms of pronoun usage to asking someone to call him your lordship, to citizens using comrade in the Soviet Union, and to people saying, Heil Hitler. Theres your compelled speech, and this starts to get into that route, he said. We can recognize voluntarily, sure, but I shouldnt be forced to say anything that I dont want to say. Want the latest news on the Idaho Legislature? Sign up for Capitol Letters, a newsletter we send for every day of the legislative session. We'll keep you up to date on bills in the process of becoming law. I'm an American who met my husband while studying at Oxford. We now live in England together and have 4 children. I met my future husband, Will, while I was studying at Oxford. Our bond deepened when Will supported me through my mother's suicide. I eventually moved to London, married Will, and we now have four children. I'm a native New Yorker who attended Oxford for my undergraduate studies in the early 2000s. It was the era of Prince William mania when Americans started flocking to St. Andrews in droves. I didn't seriously expect to meet, date, kiss, or marry Prince William, though I'm confident my mother hoped I might. While I didn't care about titles, I did entertain plenty of thoughts of what it might be like to date a Brit or several. But I quickly decided that English men probably weren't for me; they seemed too weedy, too boozy, and not into expressing many emotions. Plus, the mythical "accent" became a source of confusion rather than sex appeal once I realized there were over 30 accents depending on where someone hails from. But then I met my very own Will. We became close friends first We didn't have any classes together since we studied different subjects, but we attended the same college and lived in the same first-year dorms. We were introduced during my first month in England through mutual friends, and I remember our hallway meeting vividly, even though it was over two decades ago. He was wearing a pale blue hoodie that matched his eyes. He was gushing about his obsession with "Seinfeld" and New York. I felt a strange niggle but it wasn't butterflies. It was certainty: I somehow knew this person would matter in my life. Will and I never dated during our college years. I'd started Oxford late after a few semesters in a liberal arts college in the US so I was a couple of years older than him when we met. This seems insignificant now, but at the time, I felt far too mature and wise to date someone younger. Instead, we became the closest of friends, bonding over a love of food, pop culture, and our similar senses of humor. Still, we couldn't be more different on paper: He's from London and a huge, tight-knit family with five brothers and a sister. I grew up an only child with a single mother and no other relatives in Manhattan. But talking to him always felt effortless. Best of all, I never had to police my personality around him. He enjoyed the weirdest, wildest versions of me. In the rom-com movie montage of my college years in England, Will is everywhere: trekking to the pyramids in Egypt with me and another friend; dressed in a Santa hat, distributing presents one Christmas; standing beside me at fancy-dress bops (college dances); dinners and college balls. Will was there for me when I needed him most I was living in Paris during my year abroad, with my mother. She'd experienced a mental health crisis and died by suicide after several months of living there. I didn't have any other parents or family I could contact. If not for friends like Will, who showed up the day after my mother died and quietly, efficiently, and patiently packed my life up and helped me get back to London, I'm not sure how I would have made it through that period in my life. I was in a terrible headspace for a long time after my mom died, convinced I was damaged, going through the everyday motions of living while trying to numb any real emotion. I'd moved back to Manhattan, but returning to the city I'd grown up in without the person I loved most didn't feel like healing. It was more like being haunted. I found myself back in London soon after Will and I hadn't dated in any traditional sense when I started throwing around the possibility of quitting my job and moving to London. It sounds dramatic to relocate your life on a whim, but I'd stopped trusting in stability after my mother died. I was 25 and had nothing to lose. Will and I moved in together right away for financial reasons and because I couldn't legally work in the UK in the beginning so we "hard launched" our relationship. London provided an ideal backdrop for making new memories instead of chasing ghosts from my past. It's 16 years later, and I'm still living in London with my now-husband, Will, and I have zero regrets. We now have four children together. England is where I've grown up: I became a parent, a spouse, and a writer here. It's also where part of me will forever be 20 years old, watching "Seinfeld" reruns, eating supermarket tortellini, and slowly falling in love in some British dude's dorm room. Read the original article on Business Insider By Maha El Dahan and Federico Maccioni DUBAI (Reuters) -The International Monetary Fund said on Sunday Middle East economies were lagging below growth projections due to oil production cuts and the Israel-Gaza conflict, even as the global economic outlook remained resilient. Despite uncertainties, "the global economy has been surprisingly resilient," IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva told the Arab Fiscal Forum in Dubai, while warning of a potential wider impact on regional economies of continued conflict in Gaza. In a regional economic report last month, the IMF revised its GDP growth forecast for the Middle East and North Africa down to 2.9% this year, lagging below October projections, due in part to short term oil production cuts and the conflict in Gaza. The IMF last month edged its forecast for global economic growth higher, upgrading the outlook for both the United States and China and citing faster-than-expected easing of inflation. Georgieva said economies neighbouring Israel and the Palestinian territories saw the conflict weighing on tourism revenues, while Red Sea attacks weighed on freight costs globally. Those factors compounded "the challenges of economies that are still recovering from previous shocks," she told the forum on the sidelines of the World Governments Summit in Dubai. The Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen have been targeting commercial vessels with drones and missiles in the Red Sea since mid-November, and say their attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians as Israel strikes Hamas militants in Gaza. But the U.S. and its allies characterize them as indiscriminate and a menace to global trade. Several global shippers have been diverting traffic to the Cape of Good Hope, a longer route than through Egypt's Suez Canal. Egypt's Finance Minister Mohamed Maait told Reuters on the sidelines of the summit that part of the impact of the diversion on Suez Canal revenues could be absorbed due to good growth in "the period before the events." AI TSUNAMI The IMF will publish on Monday a paper that shows phasing out energy subsidies could save $336 billion in the Middle East, equivalent to the economies of Iraq and Libya combined, Georgieva said. Georgieva said that eliminating regressive energy subsidies also "discourages pollution, and helps improve social spending." In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, fossil fuel subsidies made up 19% of GDP in 2022, the IMF has said. It has recommended the gradual unwinding of energy subsidies for the region's economies, including oil exporters, and suggested targeted support as an alternative. Advanced technology, including Artificial Intelligence, is a key theme of focus at the World Governments Summit, with several top executives from major global tech firms due to speak, including Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI. Georgieva said globally, 40% of jobs are exposed to AI, and countries that lack the infrastructure and a skilled workforce to invest could fall behind. Regional economies such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia have significantly increased investment in AI as part of strategies to diversify income sources. (Reporting by Maha El Dahan and Federico Maccioni; Writing by Rachna Uppal; Editing by William Mallard, Sonali Paul and Bernadette Baum) Final campaign rally of Presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo and his running mate Mahfud MD in Semarang JAKARTA (Reuters) - Two of Indonesia's three presidential contenders pledged to protect press freedom in the world's third-largest democracy at a weekend event that frontrunner Prabowo Subianto didn't attend. The event came just days ahead of the Feb. 14 poll, and as some Indonesians raise concerns over an erosion of the country's hard-won democratic freedoms. Criticism over political interference has been levelled especially at outgoing President Joko Widodo, who has given tacit support to Prabowo. In the past, incumbents wrapping up their second term as president have remained neutral. On the last day of campaigning, ex-Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan and ex-Central Java governor Ganjar Pranowo signed the National Press Council's written declarations to uphold democracy and press freedom. It was unclear if Prabowo, represented at the Saturday event by the head of his campaign team, signed the declaration. His campaign did not respond to queries on the matter. Prabowo is projected by some opinion surveys to pip the 50% threshold needed to win the election in a single round. The former special forces commander, who is making his third run at the presidency, has long faced allegations of rights abuses during his time in the military. He denies the accusations, but critics have questioned Prabowo's commitment to protecting human rights. Prabowo's campaign chief, Rosan Roeslani, said at the event: "Freedom of the press is something that we absolutely must maintain and improve ... because it is one of the spearheads of our democracy." Rosan did not explain Prabowo's absence from the event. Last week, Human Rights Watch said Prabowo did not respond to a questionnaire on key rights issues facing Indonesians, while Anies and Ganjar submitted detailed answers. "Two of the main political teams have done Indonesian voters a service by sharing their views," said Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "Indonesian voters need to know (all candidates') positions on many important issues that affect them and the communities in which they live." (Reporting by Bernadette Christina Munthe and Ananda Teresia; Writing by Kanupriya Kapoor; Editing by Tom Hogue) Faith seekers lined the curb of the East Side home. They came from across the city, the state and as far away as the East Coast in search of one thing a miracle. They sought cures for ailments, blindness, heart disease and ravages of longevity. The object of their visit: an old red oak tree in the backyard that mysteriously spewed water. They called it The Weeping Tree. Homeowner Lucille Pope said it was her mystery tree. In April 2006, Pope clung to the hope that her home was the site of miraculous healing water. She held on to that hope even after San Antonio Water System experts determined the trees roots had tapped into the water line of a backyard shed. The tree, more than 100 years old, gurgled water for three months before the pilgrimages began. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Pope called the Edwards Aquifer Authority, the Texas Forest Service and nurseries, but the specialists couldnt give her an explanation. Before she received the utilitys definitive answer, she just wanted to know if she had a healing tree or blessed water. Pope said the pain in her swollen ankles went away when she soaked her feet in the water. Thats Gods water, she said. Nobody knows but God. Lucille Pope tests the water flowing from a tree in her backyard on the East Side of San Antonio on Wednesday, August 9, 2006. Her son Lloyd (right) had just collected a full gallon of the water in a few minutes. TOM REEL/SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS Courtney Pinion, 26, tries to hear the water running out of a red oak tree in Lloyd Pope's backyard on Wednesday, August 16, 2006. The watering tree has attracted the attention of religious faithful and the curious. JERRY LARA/SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS Jeanne Germer, 22, holds a sample of water from the watering red oak tree in Lloyd Pope's backyard on Wednesday, August 16, 2006. JERRY LARA/SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS Lloyd Pope talks with his mother, Lucille, about a possible explanation for a water streaming from a red oak in their backyard on Wednesday, August 16, 2006. JERRY LARA/SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS Lucille Pope watches the flow of water out of a tree in her backyard on the East Side in San Antonio. TOM REEL/SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS Lucille Pope drinks the water mysteriously leaking out of a tree in her backyard on the East Side in San Antonio. TOM REEL/SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS In early April 2006, Popes son Lloyd first saw a damp spot at the base of the tree trunk when he went to fill the water trough of his stepsons dog, Neno. Days later, water flowed to the ground from the other side of the trunk. Not long after, a continuous stream splattered against a parked 1980s white Cadillac. Advertisement Article continues below this ad People flocked to the site as others did in the early 1990s after the reported sighting of tears wept by a statue of the saint named La Inmaculada at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. Theres a history of other reported sightings across the state. In 1998, a front yard statue of the Virgin Mary drew crowds to Corpus Christi. The homeowner said she saw the peeling plaster statue turn its head and take a small step in its alcove. In August 2007, worshippers at the Laredo Medical Center said they saw a consecrated host wafer that bore the image of Jesus. A Wilson County resident said that while making dinner, she discovered a tortilla with the image of the Virgin Mary on one side and Jesus on the other side. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Local academics said believers were seeking answers to ultimate questions. Jacob Friesenhahn, assistant professor of religious studies at Our Lady of the Lake University, said the image of purification excites the human religious imagination for some people. He said there was a time when settlers believed a spring of water was a sacred place before aquifers took away the mystery of fresh water coming from the ground. I would break it down in how people have a craving for nature, not just the supernatural, but the supernatural that comes to us from nature, said Friesenhahn, 44, also program head for theology. Theres something kind of mystical about it and remystifying it. He said the concept of healing in water is an ancient narrative that crosses cultures. He noted how people fly to Lourdes, France, and line up for miles to soak in the waters. In the Gospel of John, theres a healing pool where people crowd around to be first in the water. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Theres something here where people are kind of craving something more mysterious, Friesenhahn said. You could say modern society has kind of kicked out the supernatural, but peoples hunger for it, it still pops up. Theres this need maybe to find something extraordinary and kind of break us out of our routines. Visitors to the site held on to that belief even when told of a logical explanation. Before letting visitors in the yard, Lloyd Pope ensured the faithful knew there was a scientific answer for the water that flowed from the tree like a half-running faucet. Lucille Pope near the tree in her backyard on the East Side in 2006, where she later drinks directly from the water leaking from her tree. Tom Reel/Staff Tom Reel/Staff Lucille Pope near the tree in her backyard on the East Side in 2006, where she later drinks directly from the water leaking from her tree. Tom Reel/Staff Tom Reel/Staff I aint with that superstitious stuff, he said as he caught water gurgling from the tree in a plastic gallon jug. Theres no crying Mary here. When word spread of the unusual sight, crowds flocked to the home. They came from Dallas, Georgetown and Laredo. The San Antonio Express-News did not publish the address, but people still tracked down the trees location. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The morning the story ran, it had 283 online hits; days later, the count had risen to 606,000 Google searches from China to New Zealand. CNNs website ran a brief on the story. The Popes landline rang with calls from almost every state in the nation some callers asked about buying bottles of the mysterious water. Readers shared their opinions. Some questioned the eyebrow-raising sight and why God would present a watering tree during a drought. Another person supported those who had faith in miracles. Lloyd Pope warned visitors that the water tested positive for chlorine residue. They still sipped the cool liquid pooled in cupped hands. They trickled it upon their faces. They held hands and prayed in hushed tones beneath the oaks sprawling branches. Within weeks, the furor died down. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Popes no longer live at the home. Many of their neighbors who witnessed the scene have moved away or passed on. But Leonard Longoria, who lives a block away, knows the tale of the weeping tree. He wasnt around at the time, but his late mother-in-law, Rosa Valdez, told him about the spectacle that captured the attention of the city, state and nation. Valdez said everyone thought it was a miracle from God he suspected something else. Ive seen it on our ranch, Longoria said at his front yard fence. Tree roots tap into a water pipe and over time pressure builds and bursts through a hollowed-out part of the trunk. Unlike those occurrences that seem normal in rural areas, the sight of water bubbling from a tree still has a place in San Antonio lore. Since then, the house has been renovated. New fabricated siding has replaced old wood panels. Any remnant of its past is covered, a sign of gentrification spreading across the once heavily populated African American community. One thing hasnt changed the tree still stands. A Qatar Emiri Air Force Dassault Mirage 2000-5 fighter jet takes off as part of a Joint Task Force Odyssey Dawn mission in Souda Bay in Greece JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia has ditched a controversial plan to buy 733 million euros ($790 million) worth of Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets previously used by Qatar, the defence ministry spokesperson said late on Saturday. "There is no purchase of Mirage jets. Even though it was planned, it has been cancelled ... meaning there is no active contract," spokesperson Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak said in a statement, but did not elaborate. Last month, the ministry said the deal to purchase the 12 fighter jets was delayed due to fiscal constraints and that the military would order a retrofit for its existing Sukhoi and F-16 aircraft instead. The planned purchase garnered controversy when it was announced last year, as lawmakers said the secondhand jets were old. Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto, the frontrunner to win Indonesia's presidential election on Feb. 14, has been criticised about the deal by rival candidates during campaigning. But he defended the purchase during one of the presidential debates, saying the secondhand jets were still good for another 15 years and were needed while the country waits for its new jets to arrive. Prabowo has overseen the military's efforts to modernise its ageing fleet, which include purchases of Rafale fighter jets, drones from Turkish Aerospace and fighter jets and transport helicopters from U.S. companies Boeing and Lockheed Martin. ($1 = 0.9275 euros) (Reporting by Ananda Teresia; Writing by Gayatri Suroyo) FILE - Indonesian President Joko Widodo, dressed in traditional Central Javanese royalty outfit, smiles during a ceremony marking the country's 78th anniversary of independence at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Aug. 17, 2023. Widodo's phenomenal rise from a riverside slum, where he grew up, to the presidency of Indonesia spotlighted how far the world's third-largest democracy had veered from a brutal authoritarian era a decade ago. With his second and final five-year term ending in October, Widodo, regarded by some as Asia's Barack Obama, is leaving a legacy of impressive economic growth and an ambitious array of infrastructure projects including a $33 billion plan to relocate Indonesia's congested capital to the frontier island of Borneo. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim, File) JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) Joko Widodos phenomenal rise from a riverside slum, where he grew up, to the presidency of Indonesia spotlighted how far the worlds third-largest democracy had veered from a brutal authoritarian era decades ago. With his second and final five-year term ending in October, Widodo regarded by some as Asias Barack Obama is leaving a legacy of impressive economic growth and an ambitious array of infrastructure projects topped by a $33 billion plan to relocate Indonesias congested capital to the frontier island of Borneo. Dismissed as a political lightweight by rivals when he first won the presidency in 2014, Widodo built a reputation as a soft-spoken reformer who promised to fight poverty and inequalities by exploiting Indonesias abundant resources and tourism draw to propel its economy, the largest in Southeast Asia. He served as mayor of Solo city, where he was born to a working-class family in illegally built shacks along a river, then became governor of the capital, Jakarta, before clinching his first presidential term. Widodo was the first Indonesian president to emerge outside the political and military elite. But critics say he thrived on political compromises, became beholden to political party supporters and accommodated ex-generals who served under the late authoritarian leader Suharto. His pragmatic deals cushioned opposition to his leadership but also threatened Indonesia's fragile democracy that sprang a commoner like him, the son of a wood seller, to power. Forging political compromises in the worlds largest archipelago nation with deep religious, ethnic and economic divides has been a constant struggle even by past leaders. Widodo was widely criticized when he appointed Prabowo Subianto his main challenger in two presidential elections as defense minister in 2019, after winning his second term. I am aware that there are people calling me stupid, dumb, ignorant, a pharaoh, a fool, Widodo said in his state of the nation address last year. What breaks my heart is that the polite culture and noble character of this nation seem to have ebbed away. Freedom and democracy are used to vent malice and slander." A special forces general accused of committing human rights atrocities in the Suharto era, Subianto is now the frontrunner in the Feb. 14 elections. His vice-presidential running mate is Widodos eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, who is the mayor of Surakarta, Widodos hometown in Central Java province. Widodo's son did not meet the age requirement of 40 for his candidacy but the Constitutional Court headed by the presidents brother-in-law made an exception in a ruling last year. A group of critics was considering an impeachment complaint against Widodo but legal experts said the chances of it succeeding are slim. He's still popular and parliament is dominated by his allies. Also known as Jokowi, Widodo, now 62, nurtured an image of an Indonesian everyman with a soft spot for the underclass and down-to-earth lifestyle that resonated with a wide base of ordinary voters. He often mingled with working-class crowds in cheap sneakers and rolled-up sleeves to check on their concerns. He took selfies with hordes of journalists and is one of the biggest fans of Metallica, the American heavy metal band whose concerts in the Indonesian capital he watched when he was the Jakarta governor. Widodo has enjoyed consistently high approval ratings of over 70% in recent months, an impressive feat in the final years of a decadelong presidency. It also makes him a powerful election endorser, a kingmaker, despite legal restrictions against the practice. Opponents have accused him of covertly using his clout to back his son and Subianto to create a new political dynasty. He has laughed off the accusations and called on Indonesians to help the next leaders press on with reforms to foster economic growth. Widodo's flagship projects centered on linking the nation of more than 17,000 islands with bridges, a high-speed train, toll roads, ports and airports. Jokowi is not a perfect leader, but still hes the best leader weve ever had, said Dwi Mustikarini, a Jakarta resident, He made Indonesia better and was respected by world leaders, but unfortunately, his political ambition to create a dynasty was like an obstacle for him to ending his reign with a soft landing. Aiming to generate more revenues and job opportunities, Widodo banned the export of selected raw materials like nickel ore and encouraged their local processing to get better prices in foreign markets. In a bid to lure investors and tourists and spur growth and employment beyond traffic-choked and overcrowded destinations like Jakarta, he launched one of the most ambitious and controversial projects of his presidency: relocating the capital about 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles) away to Borneo, a vast region of lush tropical rainforests where orangutans roam. In mid-2022, despite warnings from environmental activists of massive deforestation and protests by Indigenous communities, construction of the new capital began. It is envisioned as a futuristic green city about twice the size of New York. A grand inauguration is planned on Aug. 17 coinciding with Indonesias Independence Day, but authorities say the final stages of the city wont likely be completed until 2045. Under Widodo, Indonesia saw a period of remarkable growth averaging 5% annually, except in 2020, when the economy contracted due to the coronavirus pandemic. His economic roadmap, called Golden Indonesia 2045, projects Indonesia becoming one of the worlds top five economies with GDP of up to $9 trillion, exactly a century after it won independence from Dutch colonizers. That could be achieved if future leaders would muster the courage to make difficult and unpopular decisions and gain the support of different sectors, Widodo said in his speech last year. He warned that squandering the opportunity could bring Indonesia back to instability. Largely focused on domestic issues, the Bahasa-speaking Widodo also played a role on the world stage, where he often spoke through an interpreter and at times appeared uncomfortable with formalities and protocol. In 2022, he became the first Asian leader to visit Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv and later Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Moscow to help encourage the two enemies to start a dialogue. Later that year, he hosted a summit of the G20 leading rich and developing nations. In a delicate balancing act, he met President Joe Biden in the White House for talks on boosting defense cooperation after meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in China to expand trade and investment. Asked by journalists what he would do when he steps down, Widodo said he plans to return to his family in his hometown, where his political journey began, and play an active role in protecting the environment. That's the plan, Widodo told Bloomberg Television in a recent interview. But sometimes, plans can change. ___ Associated Press writer Jim Gomez contributed to this report. CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) A North Carolina inmate is now facing murder charges in connection with a 2023 homicide near Cordelia Park, according to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD). Officials named 34-year-old Curtis Elliott as the man who shot and killed then-32-year-old Jamal Jones on Tuesday, January 31, 2023, in northeast Charlotte. Previous | Homicide investigation underway in northeast Charlotte, police say Arrest warrants were issued for Elliott on Monday, February 5, 2024. He is currently being held at the Richmond Correctional Institution in Hoffman, NC, for unrelated charges, according to the NC Department of Adult Corrections website. Elliot is charged with Murder and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Just after 8 a.m. on January 31, 2023, officers say they were called to the 2100 block of North Davidson Street near E. 24th Street for a shooting. According to authorities, they arrived to find Jamal Jones shot and he was pronounced dead at the scene of the incident. The investigation into the shooting is still ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call 704-432-TIPS to speak with a homicide detective. Detective Buhr is the lead investigator in the case. The public can anonymously contact Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or at charlottecrimestoppers.com. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. Palestinians examine the damage to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) buildings on their way back to their homes in the wake of the Israeli army withdrew from North of Gaza City. Omar Ishaq/dpa The Israeli military said it has discovered a Hamas command tunnel running under the headquarters the main UN aid agency for Palestinians in Gaza. The tunnel was 700 metres long, 18 metres deep and served as an important facility for Hamas' military intelligence service, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said late on Saturday. The military said it found large quantities of weapons and explosives in the headquarters of the embattled UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in Gaza City, in the north of the coastal strip. The IDF also said there were indications that the premises of the UNRWA headquarters were used by Hamas militants. The UNRWA office was abandoned early in the war between Israel and Hamas. UNRWA's director said the agency knew nothing about the tunnel. The UN organization has come under heavy fire after Israel accused about a dozen employees of being involved in the October 7 terror attacks led by the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Several major Western donors to UNRWA, including the United States and Germany, temporarily suspended payments to the Gaza relief agency over the allegations. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has created an independent panel to investigate the allegations and several employees have been sacked. UNRWA employs roughly 13,000 people in Gaza. UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini said that his organization "did not know" about the tunnel under the headquarters. UNRWA staff left the offices Gaza City on October 12 "following the Israeli evacuation orders and as bombardment intensified in the area," he wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday night. "We have not used that compound since we left it nor are we aware of any activity that may have taken place there." He continued: "UNRWA is a human development and humanitarian organization that does not have the military and security expertise nor the capacity to undertake military inspections of what is or might be under its premises." Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz called for Lazzarini's resignation. "The exposure of @UNRWA's Gaza headquarters' deep involvement with Hamas, including its use for terror activities and as an access point to terror tunnels, requires immediate action," Katz said responding to Lazzarini's X post. Katz went on to say that Lazzarini's "claim of unawareness is not only absurd but also an affront to common sense. His prompt resignation is imperative." Shown here is the expected temperature at 6 a.m. Monday morning. San Antonio will drop to the upper 30s to low 40s. Pivotal Weather The center of a well-defined low-pressure system will be located right in the middle of Texas early Sunday morning. This will help to do two things. First, scattered strong to severe thunderstorms are possible very early in the morning across South-Central Texas. Then, as the low pressure system moves east, a cold front will move straight through San Antonio. Thunderstorms The only chance of thunderstorms Sunday will be between midnight and 7 a.m. After that, all storm activity is expected to move off to the north and east, toward East Texas and Louisiana. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The overall chance of early morning storms in San Antonio is 30% to 40%, meaning there is a decent chance the Alamo City misses out entirely. Higher storm chances are expected just to the north, toward Boerne, Canyon Lake and New Braunfels. Here's a look at the future radar, showing scattered strong thunderstorms in south-central Texas at 5 a.m. Sunday. The best chances of storms will stay north of San Antyonio. Pivotal Weather A few storms could be very strong or even severe, capable of large hail or damaging wind gusts. Thankfully, the window of time where storms are possible will be brief, ending before sunrise. The rest of the day will be dry with ample sunshine expected to return to South Texas. Cold front coming As the low pressure system moves off to the east, winds will start to change direction. By 10 a.m., winds will be coming in from the northwest as the cold front begins to sweep through. However, the cold air will be delayed. In fact, temperatures will still rise to the upper 60s to near 70 degrees by Sunday afternoon. Advertisement Article continues below this ad As winds continue to move into San Antonio at 20 mph, the chillier air will eventually arrive during the evening. Temperatures will fall into the 50s after 6 p.m., quickly reaching the 40s around 9 p.m. Overnight and into early Monday morning, low temps will bottom out in the upper 30s to near 40 degrees, staying above the freezing mark across all of South Texas. However, wind chill values will be several degrees colder, making things feel like 30 to 34 degrees in San Antonio. Shown here is the "feels-like" temperature at 6 a.m. Monday morning. Pivotal Weather Monday will be cool, but still comfortable in South Texas. After starting near 40 degrees, high temperatures will rise into the upper 50s to low 60s across the region. Bright and sunny conditions are expected with hardly a cloud in the sky. The incoming week Just like Monday, Tuesday is expected to be another cool, gorgeous day in South Texas. Itll be another chilly start as lows fall to the upper 30s and low 40s. Then, a quick warm-up will ensue, rising to 60 degrees by noon and topping out in the mid- to upper 60s by the afternoon. Enjoy the sunshine Tuesday before changes start to arrive for the rest of the week. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Wednesday is still looking good as high temperatures rise into the upper 60s. The only major difference will be more cloud cover in the area, but no rain is expected quite yet. Rain chances will start to move into the forecast by Thursday. Much of the day likely will be highlighted by overcast skies, but light rain showers will move in from the south by the afternoon and evening. Warnings of disaster if Israel invades crowded Rafah Israels neighbours and key mediators warned on Saturday of catastrophe and repercussions if invades Gazas southern city of Rafah. Israel previously ordered Palestinians to evacuate to the Egyptian border city, where more than half of Gaza's 2.3 million people are crammed in dire conditions. Concerns are rising that Israel's endgame is to push the Palestinians into Egypt - something Israel denies. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said any Israeli ground offensive on Rafah would have disastrous consequences. He claimed Israel aims to eventually force the Palestinians out of their land, which Egypt has warned would threaten the four-decade-old peace treaty between the two countries. Saudi Arabia warned of very serious repercussions, plus there's even increasing friction between Netanyahu and the United States, whose officials have said a Rafah invasion with no plan for civilians there would lead to disaster. The people in Gaza cannot disappear into thin air," German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on X. Despite mounting criticism, Netanyahu has vowed to go ahead with plans to invade Rafah. On Saturday, the hardline Israeli leader announced he had asked his military to plan for the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people ahead of an invasion. But he gave no details or timeline. IDF shows alleged Hamas tunnels under UN headquarters The Israeli military says it has discovered tunnels underneath the main headquarters of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees in Gaza City. The unveiling of the alleged tunnels marked the latest chapter in Israel's campaign against the embattled agency, which it accuses of collaborating with Hamas. Recent Israeli allegations that a dozen staff members participated in the Hamas attack on Israel 7 October plunged the agency into a financial crisis, prompting major donor states to suspend their funding as well as twin investigations. Israel has provided no evidence to back its claims that workers from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinians in the Near East (UNRWA) are Hamas members, its head told The Financial Times last week. The army invited journalists to view the tunnel on Thursday. It did not prove definitively that Hamas militants operated in the tunnels underneath the UNWRA facility, but it did show that at least a portion of the tunnel ran underneath the facility's courtyard. UNWRA says it had no knowledge of the facilities underground, but the findings merit an independent inquiry, which the agency is unable to perform due to the ongoing war. An Israeli soldier runs down a crater-like hole giving way to a small tunnel entrance into UNRWA compound, where the military discovered tunnels underneath the main headquarte - SERGEI GRITS/AP Israeli attacks continue to spread An Israeli drone struck a car near Lebanons southern port city of Sidon on Saturday, killing at least two people and wounding two others, security officials said. The strike came as tensions across the Middle East grow due to the Israel-Hamas war. A drone attack last month killed three US troops in northeastern Jordan near the Syrian border, and Yemens Iran-backed Houthi rebels have attacked vessels passing through the Red Sea. The drone strike near the coastal town of Jadra took place about 60 kilometres from the Israeli border, making it one of the farthest inside Lebanon since violence erupted. An Israeli security official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said the target of the strike in Sidon was Hamas official Basel Saleh, who was injured to an unknown extent. The official said Saleh was responsible for enlistment of new Hamas recruits in Gaza and the West Bank. On January 29, the Palestinian emergency services received a call from a six-year old girl called Hind Rajab, who said she was trapped in a car with her family and a tank was rolling towards them. Will you come and get me? she asked. Im so scared. It took nearly two weeks for officials to reach the area, sealed off as an active combat zone, to find Hind dead along with several members of her family. Their car was riddled with bullets. Nearby were the burnt-out remains of an ambulance sent to help. When Israel was attacked on October 7, all people of sanity and compassion condemned it as a modern-day pogrom. Israel had to restore its security and get its hostages back. But the conflict is now in its fifth month; the outcome is desperately uncertain. The mortality figures from the Hamas-run authority might be disputed, but when you invade a territory of 2.3 million people crowded into 139 square miles, its easy to believe that around 25,000 will die and what journalists cant report because were mostly barred from entry, we can see on footage uploaded on the internet. Houses, shops, mosques flattened; bodies crushed beneath rubble. Britain warns that perhaps half the population is trapped in or around Rafah, a city that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) are poised to attack. Benjamin Netanyahu has promised civilians safe passage. He also says victory is within reach. Thus far it has been elusive. Again, figures are unreliable but the tunnel network has proven more extensive than expected about 80 per cent is believed to be intact and there are concerns that once the Israelis vacate an area, Hamas simply moves back in. About a third of Hamass personnel might be dead, but senior leaders limp on and, crucially, the political struggle to detach ordinary Gazans from the Hamas leadership has not begun. There is no battle for hearts and minds. Now the West fears a refugee crisis, the collapse of the Abraham Accords and, after lobbing a few missiles at the Houthis, regional war with Iran. Even Joe Biden, an otherwise dutiful ally, has described Israels response to October 7 as over the top and would like us to know that he single-handedly got aid into Gaza. Britain and America look foolish. They talk incessantly about the need for a two-state solution, yet the man who makes the decisions that count, Netanyahu, has ruled it out. It is a cruel twist of fate that in its darkest hour, Israel has not a Golda Meir or a David Ben-Gurion in charge, but a 74-year-old populist whose chief goal is to stay out of jail propped up by coalition partners who are objectively not very nice (the heritage minister, who opposed sending humanitarian aid to civilians, was suspended after he suggested one solution might be to drop a nuclear bomb on Gaza). Many voters blame Netanyahu for the security lapses that led to October 7. Though they are united in abhorrence of Hamas, nowhere is the ethical debate about what to do more intense than in Israel itself. Indeed, I wonder if its easier to debate the war over there than it is here, where Britons walk about on eggshells, desperate not to hurt friends or give encouragement to villains. We have all suddenly become diplomats. One either lends enthusiastic support to Israel or Gaza, which gets you labelled a monster, or tries to be even-handed, which gets you labelled a coward. Hand-wringing Western liberals are accused of naivete. This, we are told, is the reality of war. The Israeli ambassador to the UK compared the Gaza operation to the British bombing of Dresden, implying that if our families were under attack, history shows that we, too, would favour an overwhelming response. Maybe. But that wouldnt make it right. Had I been alive then, I hope I wouldve had the courage to speak out against the bombing of German cities as did Bishop George Bell, a cleric who had helped Jews escape the Nazis, who argued that it was wrong to prosecute a war for justice and then behave unjustly to the enemys civilians. Churchill expressed doubts, too. He asked, when Bomber Harris was finished flattening Germany, What will lie between the white snows of Russia and the white cliffs of Dover? This is what Britain and America need to ask Netanyahu: what is the end goal of all this? To secure the hostages, hed answer. But last Novembers prisoner swap occurred as fighting was paused and, one month later, this rationale fell prey to ridicule when the IDF accidentally shot and killed three hostages who were trying to surrender. Netanyahu faces the long-term, unenviable choice between occupying Gaza, which means an indefinite insurgency, or imposing a Palestinian authority that would quickly revert to extremism among a population radicalised by violence. Either way, it is increasingly clear that he lacks the skills, perhaps the will, to navigate the situation. Hell have to go. According to one poll, only 32 per cent of Israelis would vote for him 53 per cent believe hes motivated by personal interest. War is hell and generally profits us nothing. By opening this column with Hinds death, I invite the question: Who actually killed her? But whether she was annihilated by Israeli or Hamas bullets, a bullet is a bullet, and innocent people are dying in a crossfire that I would condemn if it were in Belfast, Afghanistan or Ukraine. The conflict in Gaza must stop. 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. Israel is claiming that Hamas had command tunnels under the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) Gaza headquarters, further scrutinizing the agency whose funding has been downsized following allegations that some of its staffers participated in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. On Saturday, army engineers took foreign press reporters on an escorted trip, guiding them through a tunnel whose opening sits next to a school. The tunnel, which the military said was around 765 yards, brought the crew underneath UNRWA Headquarters after a 20-minute walk, an army lieutenant-colonel leading the tour said, according to Reuters. The tour came after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel Security Agency (ISA) forces have been conducting a raid on targets in northern and central Gaza. The forces located electrical infrastructure inside the tunnel connected to UNRWAs main headquarters, under which the underground tunnel was located, indicating that UNRWAs facilities supplied the tunnel with electricity, IDF and ISA said in a joint statement obtained by The Hill. They also claimed they found weapons inside the rooms. Further, the joint investigation concluded that the office of the UNRWA was used by Hamas. Large quantities of weapons were found inside the rooms of the building, including rifles, ammunition, grenades and explosives, the joint statement said. Intelligence and documents discovered in the offices of UNRWA officials confirmed that the offices had in fact also been used by Hamas terrorists. UNRWA said it abandoned the headquarters on Oct. 12. UNRWA does not have the military and security expertise nor the capacity to undertake military inspections of what is or might be under its premises, the UNRWA told Reuters in a statement. In the past, whenever (a) suspicious cavity was found close to or under UNRWA premises, protest letters were promptly filed to parties to the conflict, including both the de facto authorities in Gaza (Hamas) and the Israeli authorities. UNRWA runs hospitals and schools and distributes aid in Gaza. It employs 13,000 people in the Gaza Strip and has been a critical source of aid. The agencys funding has been frozen by several countries following reports of 12 of its employees participating in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel that left 1,200 dead. The United Nations on Monday announced it had appointed an independent review group to investigate concerns around the UNRWA. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. One of the Hamas command posts was located in a tunnel under the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). Source: The Times of Israel; Reuters; Israel Defense Forces Details: Israeli army engineers took reporters for foreign news outlets through the passages under UNRWA. UNRWA Headquarters is in Gaza City, among northern areas that Israeli troops and tanks overran early in the four-month war against the governing Islamist faction Hamas, which forced hundreds of thousands of civilians to flee south. "Reporters on the closely escorted trip entered a shaft next to a school on the periphery of the U.N. compound, descending to the concrete-lined tunnel. Twenty minutes of walking through the stifling hot, narrow and occasionally winding passage brought them underneath UNRWA Headquarters, an army lieutenant-colonel leading the tour said. The tunnel, which the military said was 700 metres long and 18 metres deep, bifurcated at times, revealing side-rooms. There was an office space, with steel safes that had been opened and emptied. There was a tiled toilet. One large chamber was packed with computer servers, another with industrial battery stacks," Reuters reported. All the energy for the tunnels was powered from this battery room, the lieutenant-colonel who led the tour said. "This is one of the central commands of the intelligence. This place is one of the Hamas intelligence units, where they commanded most of the combat," he explained. He also said Hamas appeared to have evacuated in the face of the Israeli advance, preemptively cutting off communications cables that ran through the floor of the UNRWA Headquarters basement. It appeared that heavy Israeli shelling and sustained winter rains may also have forced Hamas to evacuate, as several stretches of the tunnel were clogged with sand and knee-high water. In a statement, UNRWA said it had vacated the headquarters on 12 October, five days after the war began, and was therefore "unable to confirm or otherwise comment" on the Israeli finding. Reuters said UNRWA was already experiencing a "time of crisis", having launched an internal probe and seen a string of donor countries freeze funding over allegations last month by Israel that some of its staff doubled as Hamas operatives. "The Palestinians have accused Israel of falsifying information to tarnish UNRWA, which employs 13,000 people in the Gaza Strip and has been a lifeline for the aid-dependent population for years. The agency runs schools, primary healthcare clinics and other social services, and distributes aid, describing its activities as purely humanitarian," Reuters reported. Support UP or become our patron! Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a visit to the base of the IDF Yahalom Unit Amos Ben-Gershom/GPO/dpa Israel's allies warned that an "unspeakable humanitarian catastrophe" would unfold if there was an invasion of Rafah, the southern city in Gaza, into which hundreds of thousands of civilians have fled Israeli bombardment. British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said he was "deeply concerned" about the prospect of a military offensive, while EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said "an Israeli offensive on Rafah would lead to an unspeakable humanitarian catastrophe." US President Joe Biden, in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, also expressed concern about the civilian cost of such a campaign. A White House statement said Biden told Netanyahu that Israel "should not proceed without a credible and executable plan for ensuring the safety of and support for the more than 1 million people sheltering there." Hamas meanwhile said any military action in Rafah would mean the ending of talks on a hostage agreement. Any attack could ruin the negotiations, the Palestinian television station Al-Aqsa, considered a mouthpiece of the Palestinian organization, cited an unnamed high-ranking Hamas member as saying. Netanyahu earlier assured the hundreds of thousands of civilians seeking protection in Rafah of a "safe corridor" ahead of the planned ground offensive there. "We're not cavalier about this," Netanyahu said in an interview with the US broadcaster ABC News. When asked where the more than 1 million Palestinians in the city bordering Egypt should go, Netanyahu said that "a detailed plan" was being worked out. When asked in the interview how many hostages are still alive as far as Netanyahu knows, he replied that it was "enough to warrant the kind of efforts that we're doing." The twin goals of defeating Hamas and saving the lives of the hostages were not mutually exclusive, Netanyahu said. He said the previous deal that saw 110 hostages released alive had come about "because we applied military pressure, not because we stopped applying it." There are currently 136 people still held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, however Israeli media report that as many as 50 of them could be dead. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres also warned of a humanitarian catastrophe and consequences for the entire region. Half the population of the Gaza Strip is crammed into Rafah and has nowhere else to go, he wrote on the online platform X. Egypt fears that a massive military operation in Rafah could lead to an influx of desperate Palestinians to the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula. In the ABC interview Netanyahu said: "Those who say that under no circumstances should we enter Rafah are basically saying 'Lose the war. Keep Hamas there.'" Netanyahu said he agrees "with the Americans. We're going to do it while providing safe passage for the civilian population so they can leave." Israel has already attacked targets in Rafah from the air on several occasions. However, Israeli ground troops have not yet been deployed there. Before the war, the city had around 300,000 inhabitants, but now at least 1.3 million internally displaced people are said to be enduring harsh conditions in confined spaces. The Gaza war was triggered by the unprecedented massacre carried out by terrorists from Hamas and other extremist groups in southern Israel on October 7. More than 1,200 people were killed on the Israeli side. Israel responded with massive airstrikes and a ground offensive. The Hamas-controlled Health Ministry in Gaza put the death toll, as of Saturday, at more than 28,000. FILE - This photo shows a construction site of new housing projects in the West Bank Israeli settlement of Givat Ze'ev, Monday, June 18, 2023. The population of Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank grew nearly 3% in 2023, according to a new report based on population statistics from the Israeli government. The report, released Sunday Feb. 11, 2024 by the pro-settler group WestBankJewishPopulationStats.com, found the settler population jumped to 517,407 as of Dec. 31, from 502,991 a year earlier. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg, File) JERUSALEM (AP) The population of Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank grew nearly 3% in 2023, according to a new report based on population statistics from the Israeli government. The report, released Sunday by the pro-settler group WestBankJewishPopulationStats.com, found the settler population jumped to 517,407 as of Dec. 31, from 502,991 a year earlier. The settler population has grown over 15% in the last five years, the report said. Last year, it passed the half-million mark, a major threshold. This years report predicted accelerated growth in the coming years, claiming the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel, which triggered the current war in Gaza, persuaded many Israelis who were formerly opposed to settlement-building on occupied land to change positions. Serious cracks have indeed developed in the wall of opposition to Jewish settlement of the West Bank, it said. Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians seek all three areas for an independent state. The international community overwhelmingly considers Israels settlements to be illegal and obstacles to peace by occupying land the Palestinians seek for their state. Israel considers the West Bank to be disputed and says the territorys fate should be decided in negotiations. The Biden administration recently sanctioned four settlers for violence against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank. The report projected that if the growth rate over the past five years continues, the settler population in the West Bank will exceed 600,000 before 2030. The report did not include population figures for east Jerusalem, where more than 200,000 Israelis live in settlements that Israel considers to be neighborhoods of its capital. The Palestinians claim east Jerusalem as their would-be capital. Israels government is dominated by settler leaders and supporters. The Israeli watchdog group Terrestrial Jerusalem says that since the start of Israels war in Gaza on Oct. 7, three settlement plans were either approved or are about to be approved in east Jerusalem. Terrestrial Jerusalem called the speed of settlement approval processes over the last few months frenetic." The report comes as a spasm of violence grips the West Bank. Since the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, Israel has held the West Bank under a tight grip limiting movement and conducting frequent raids on what it says are militant targets. Palestinian health officials say 391 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank during that period. Most have been killed in clashes with Israeli forces. But the Israeli rights group Yesh Din says settlers shot and killed nine Palestinians in just the first month and a half of the war, among 225 incidents of Israeli civilian violence the group documented during that time. Wolves are thriving as farmland around the Tuscan city of Siena as allowed to revert to scrubland that attracts their prey - alessandro baldetti/iStockphoto Its symbol is the she-wolf of Roman legend, but an Italian town renowned for its art and gastronomy is being menaced by real-life wolves. There has been an increasing number of sightings on the outskirts of Siena, some 135 miles (220 kilometres) north of Rome, as the creatures nonchalantly pad along suburban streets. The most recent sighting was in late January when a pair was spotted at Porta Camollia, on the northern edge of the Tuscan city. They were seen by a motorist who did not manage to photograph them with his mobile phone. But he notified the authorities and officials found wolf excrement at the scene. Pets, particularly cats, have been going missing and the mangled remains of roe deer a favourite prey of wolves in Italy have been found in nearby countryside. Sightings The sightings occurred a few miles from the centre of the city, which boasts several she-wolf statues in stone and bronze. Sienas emblem is similar to the symbol of Rome: a she-wolf suckling the infant twins Romulus and Remus. The two symbols are related, according to legend, as when Romulus murdered Remus, Remuss sons Aschio and Senio fled Rome in fear for their lives and Senio founded Siena. The situation has caused such concern that the city council this week issued an appeal for help to Tuscanys regional government and the Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, a national body. The appeal was written by Nicoletta Fabio, the mayor, and Barbara Magi, the councillor responsible for the environment. Day by day, there is increasing alarm among residents, the mayor said in her letter. She said she was aware that wolves were a protected species under EU legislation but added that she was concerned for public safety. One factor contributing to the apex predators presence is the fact that much agricultural land on the outskirts of Siena is no longer farmed. Scrubland It has reverted to scrubland, which provides a habitat for roe deer and wild boar and attracts the wolves, the mayor said. The council wants to embark on a programme of clearing the abandoned land of scrub in collaboration with a national agricultural association, Coldiretti. Residents have also been told to keep their pets indoors at night and ensure they do not leave out food waste that could attract wolves. Trapping or shooting the wolves is not an option. There are not just Italian laws but European laws which at the moment prohibit us from capturing the wolves so theres not much we can do, Ms Magi told La Gazzetta di Siena, a local newspaper. The council does not have much power when it comes to this problem. We are urging people to show the utmost caution. Farmers Many farmers in Tuscany say they are at their wits end as the number of attacks on their livestock increases. Last month, farmer Elia Sardone found two of his sheep slaughtered on his farm near the town of Pienza, south of Siena. It happened in broad daylight, at around 9am, just 150 metres from a road, he said. As soon as I opened the gate to let the animals out I saw there had been an attack. The predator had killed two sheep while others were so terrified that they had run off. Its really becoming a problem. Apart from the damage to farmers, its becoming a real threat to peoples safety. As wolf numbers bounce back across Europe, the European Commission announced in December that it is considering whether to change the conservation status of the animal from strictly protected to protected. Protection for wolves was established in 1979. Since then the species has thrived and the number of attacks on livestock has soared. Biodiversity The comeback of wolves is good news for biodiversity in Europe. But the concentration of wolf packs in some European regions has become a real danger, especially for livestock. To manage critical wolf concentrations more actively, local authorities have been asking for more flexibility, said Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Commission, who lost Dolly, her pony, to a wolf attack on her familys rural property in northern Germany. 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. From behind bars, James Crumbley's life has imploded. His teenage son was locked up forever in December for committing a deadly mass school shooting. His wife was just convicted of involuntary manslaughter for her role in that shooting. His messy family life was broadcast to the world for two years, including that his wife was cheating on him. Now it's his turn to be judged. In three weeks, James Crumbley will be the third member of his family to test the criminal justice system when he goes to trial over his alleged role in the Nov. 30, 2021, Oxford High School mass shooting carried out by his son Ethan Crumbley, who has been sentenced to life without parole. The teenager killed four students and injured seven others, using a gun that his parents had gifted him just days earlier. James Crumbley, father of the Oxford High School shooter, makes his way into the Oakland County Courtroom of Judge Cheryl Matthews on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023 for a procedural hearing. Like his wife, James Crumbley is facing involuntary manslaughter charges as prosecutors seek to hold him responsible for the deaths of four students killed by his son. Legal experts say it's unlikely he will try to cut a deal at this stage, mainly because it's unlikely the prosecution will offer him one considering its landmark victory last week. On Wednesday, an Oakland County jury made history in convicting Jennifer Crumbley, making her the first parent in America to be held criminally responsible for a mass school shooting committed by their child. 'Anytime you put 12 in a box, anything is possible' But a fresh set of jurors will be judging James Crumbley, legal experts note, and he could get a different result than his wife. As seasoned criminal defense attorney Art Weiss noted: "Anytime you put 12 in a box, anything is possible." James Crumbley has to combat some damning evidence, legal experts stress, including the fact that he was the parent who bought the gun for his son, not his wife. And she testified that he was responsible for safely storing it, not her. Still, legal experts maintain, James Crumbley may have an edge with his jury that his wife didn't have, particularly if he comes off as more sympathetic than she did, and can convince the jury that his son was supposed to use the gun only with him at the shooting range and that it was properly secured until his wife used it to go target shooting with their son three days before the massacre. Ethan Crumbley is shown at a shooting range in a video displayed in court in July 2023, during a hearing to determine if he was eligible for a sentence of life without the possibility of parole. That latter point was what "hammered it home" for the jury in Jennifer Crumbley's trial that the mom was the last adult known to be in possession of the weapon before the shooting, according to the jury foreperson. Meanwhile, Jennifer Crumbley's trial left her husband with a road map of potential pitfalls, and key questions to consider: Should the father testify and risk coming off as unsympathetic or unreliable like his wife did, as the jury foreperson stated? Should his lawyer focus more on who had the gun last and how it wasn't a gift for the son to use as he pleased, and less on all the testimony about bad parenting? Should jurors be allowed to see the school shooting video and crime scene photos or learn about the wife's affair? James Crumbley may also want to focus on what wasn't presented at his wife's trial, legal experts note. Her trial included no testimony from mental health experts despite the prosecution's contention that the shooter was a troubled, delusional teen who was spiraling downward, but got no help. There was also no testimony from neighbors alleging the shooter was left home alone as a child, another point the prosecution has previously argued. 'I'd renew the motion for a change of venue' Then there's this time-sensitive issue to consider: Can James Crumbley get a fair trial in Oakland County, given all the publicity of his wife's trial? "Id renew the motion for a change of venue," said Weiss, president of the Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan who has been practicing law for 48 years. Weiss argues the Oakland County jury pool is "saturated" with people whose views have been tainted by the massacre and the wife's conviction, warranting a new trial location. "The fact that you have 12 of your neighbors and friends determine guilt (for one parent) I think it should be moved," he said. Weiss said James Crumbley should also learn from his wife's mistakes particularly her demeanor on the witness stand. "She didn't come across as sympathetic," Weiss said of Jennifer Crumbley, referring specifically to her comment that she wouldn't have done anything differently leading up to the shooting. As Weiss noted, the jury foreperson said in a "Today" show interview that Jennifer Crumbley's no-regret comment "was repeated a lot in the deliberation room. I think that it was very upsetting to hear." 'He needs to say: This is horrific' If James Crumbley takes the stand, Weiss cautioned, he must show genuine concern for the victims' families and genuine regret for the pain his son caused. "He's got to take some hits on it," Weiss said. "He needs to say, 'This is a horrific, horrific incident. I feel terrible. I just didn't see it. I didn't know. And the professionals who were there didn't help me.' " Legal experts say jurors may also see and hear testimony that puts James Crumbley in a better light than his wife. James Crumbley is seen holding his head in his hands as his wife, Jennifer, sits to his right as they are interviewed by Oakland County Sheriff deputies after their son, Ethan Crumbley, shot and killed four students at Oxford High School in on Nov. 30, 2021. The video was shown during day three in the trial of Jennifer Crumbley as she is being tried on four counts of involuntary manslaughter in the Oakland County courtroom of Judge Cheryl Matthews on Monday, Jan. 29, 2024. He was the one who was cheated on. He was the one who was sobbing in a police substation, and telling his son that he loved him repeatedly. He was the one crying in the back of a police cruiser, telling his wife to remember that he loved her if anything happened. He's also the one who bought his son the murder weapon. Gun purchase is 'a real problem' for dad "I think its a real problem for him," said prominent criminal defense attorney William Swor, who stressed that the dad buying a gun for his minor son addresses what this case is about. Swor, who has practiced law for more than four decades, is past president of the American Board of Criminal Defense Lawyers. "Was James Crumbley grossly negligent? And did that gross negligence result in the death of one or more people? That's what this trial is about. And that's the only thing this trial is about," Swor said. According to trial testimony, James Crumbley took his son to Acme Shooting Goods in Oxford on Black Friday 2021 four days before the shooting and bought a 9mm Sig Sauer handgun. That same day, his 15-year-old son posted a photo on Instagram of himself holding the semi-automatic handgun, writing: "Just got my new beauty today. SIG SAUER 9mm." Weiss, meanwhile, argues that the gun sale can be explained to the jury in a way that challenges the "gifted-gun" narrative. "Theres a difference between buying the gun as a gift, and giving him that gun," Weiss said, adding if it really was the boy's gun, "Then why did the parents have to hide it? "I think you have to drive home the difference between buying him the gun and giving him the gun to use," Weiss said. A fight to keep the shooting video out of trial Legal experts say another key factor that weighed heavily in the mom's trial was the jury being allowed to see the graphic school shooting video and photos from the crime scene. Jennifer Crumbley's lawyer tried to keep the video and photos out, but to no avail. James Crumbley's lawyer is also trying to keep that evidence out, though a decision has not yet been made. "The issue there is youre adding emotion. You're adding passion," said Swor, arguing this is exactly what the judge tells jurors they can't consider in reaching a verdict. "The judge tells the jury, 'You should not be moved by sympathy, passion, or prejudice,' and here the only purpose of this video is to inflame the passion of the jury," Swor said. James Crumbley's lawyer, Mariell Lehman, filed a motion last week urging the judge to keep the shooting video and crime scene photos out of the trial, arguing they are "extremely prejudicial" and irrelevant to the case. "The issues in the upcoming trial are not how the students died," Lehman writes, "but rather allegations that Mr. Crumbley failed to act to prevent the students' deaths when he was allegedly aware of a situation in which he should have acted." Gun purchase is prosecution's 'strong point' Former federal prosecutor Mark Chutkow said the dad buying the gun will likely play a bigger role in this second trial. "On the prosecution side, that's a definite strong point," Chutkow said, adding the mom "didn't know how to use guns. He did." Moreover, Chutkow noted, it was the dad who raced to the house after learning there was an active shooter at his son's high school, looked for the gun and panicked when he discovered it was missing. Still, Chutkow believes James Crumbley may have an edge on the prosecution. "Having the second trial is a slight advantage for the defense," said Chutkow, who led the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorneys Office in Detroit and is now in private practice at the Detroit-based Dykema law firm. "The witnesses have already gone through this wrenching testimony once, and its hard to summon up the strength to do it again. And sometimes witnesses, when they have to repeat their testimony it may not have the same (impact) the second time around." Chutkow, who successfully prosecuted former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick in the city's 2012 historic public corruption trial, believes the prosecution will continue to hammer away its narrative that the Crumbleys were not "adequately safeguarding their child." "Im sure theyll repeat those same points since it worked," Chutkow said. Humanizing James Crumbley But the defense is likely to pick up on what didn't work in Jennifer Crumbley's trial, Chutkow said, like her coming off as distant and not showing "appropriate emotion." "The defense will make a real effort to humanize the husband, where the jurors will try to (ask): 'Hey, could that that happen to me? Could I make a mistake that could cause my children to harm someone else?' Chutkow said, adding jurors may be more empathetic toward James Crumbley because he showed distress and emotion after the shooting. "If the parent is showing that they are devastated, the jury can kind of see that," Chutkow said, adding if James Crumbley seems "genuine and authentic" in his remorse, that makes a big difference. "If they have some sympathy for him, that could go a long way," Chutkow said, "and the case becomes that much harder for the prosecution." Change of venue 'uphill battle' Michael Bullotta, a former federal prosecutor in Detroit and Los Angeles who is now a criminal defense lawyer, also believes a change of venue due to juror bias is a valid concern in this case. "People are people. And they are going to naturally have that innate desire to be a good member of the community, and may feel a duty to convict," Bullotta said. But, he added, "It's a very uphill battle to change venue." For Bullotta, the key issue in the dad's case is the gun. "Whenever you leave a gun, not secured, and somebody ends up being killed, thats foreseeable," said Bullotta, who also believes James Crumbley's chances of conviction may be greater than his wife's given "he was in charge of the gun," at least according to her testimony. Still, Bullotta added: "Its going to be a completely different jury. And they are going to have to decide everything from scratch ... there is a possibility that the result can be different, and that will surely raise a claim of unfairness by the parties involved." But an acquittal for James Crumbley doesn't change anything for Jennifer Crumbley. Asked what it means to the mom's case should the father be acquitted, multiple legal experts answered exactly the same: "Nothing." Experts see grounds for overturning Jennifer Crumbley's conviction For both Crumbleys, legal experts believe a crucial decision by Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Cheryl Matthews hurts both spouses: jurors being allowed to see excerpts from the shooter's journal and text messages he sent a friend seven months before the shooting. In the journal and in those text messages, the shooter claims that his parents ignored his mental health issues and never got him help, prompting him to shoot up the school. The shooter, however, refused to testify in his mom's case, which is his right. That meant the defense couldn't challenge what the shooter wrote or texted, and was therefore left hamstrung. Still, the judge let the incriminating journal and text messages in, setting the stage for what legal experts predict will be a successful appeal. "I think theres a good chance of it getting reversed," Bullotta said of the Jennifer Crumbley verdict. "I was very surprised when I learned of these journal entries and text messages of a non-testifying witness being permitted." As Bullotta and other legal experts explained, criminal defendants have a right to confront their accusers. In this case, the shooter was accusing his parents of ignoring his mental health issues and even laughing at him, yet he refused to testify, so his allegations could not be challenged by the defense. And if the jury forewoman's comments are any indication, the shooter's journal entries influenced the jury during deliberations, as she stated on the "Today" show: To me personally, it wasnt as impactful as the evidence of her having the gun, but I know for my fellow jurors, that the notebook played a huge part." Weiss also is troubled by the journal being admitted as evidence, saying: "I dont know what theory the journal came in on, but to me thats a violation of confrontation." Bullotta called the journal entries "classic hearsay." "Unless the court of appeals deems it harmless error," Bullotta said, "the case will likely be reversed." Tresa Baldas is an award-winning courts and legal issues reporter who received a 2023 Wade H. McCree Advancement of Justice Award by the Michigan Press Association and was named the 2020 Richard Milliman "Michigan" Journalist of the Year by the Michigan Press Association. Contact her at tbaldas@freepress.com. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Experts: James Crumbley should learn from mistakes of convicted wife Japan will allocate 15.8 billion yen (approximately US$106 million) to help Ukraine address the aftermath of the Russian invasion in seven key areas. Source: Kyodo News Details: Japan will allocate the funds to help Ukraine rebuild and develop its infrastructure, and to help with demining efforts. Japanese and Ukrainian governments are expected to agree on Ukraines postwar rebuilding and sign over 10 memorandums on cooperation during the Japan-Ukraine conference on economic recovery. In January, Japan announced that it would contribute US$37 million to a NATO facility to ensure additional aid for Ukraine, including an unmanned aircraft detection system. However, Japan cannot send direct military aid to Ukraine due to the countrys constitutional restrictions. Seven key areas of Japan-Ukraine cooperation will also include agriculture development, improving the humanitarian situation, biotechnologies and industry, information technologies, and improving government and undertaking anti-corruption measures, Kyodo News reported. Japan and Ukraine are also expected to sign an agreement that will remove double taxation for Japanese firms operating in Ukraine. Background: Japans total financial aid for Ukraine to date exceeds US$4.5 billion, with Japan currently being number four among Ukraines partners in terms of the amount of budgetary aid provided. Support UP or become our patron! Before this week's sale of Amazon stock, Jeff Bezos' net worth was only $5 billion behind Elon Musk's $200 billion fortune, putting the title of "world's richest man" within reach. Getty Images This week Jeff Bezos sold 12 million shares of Amazon stock, netting about $2 billion. It's Bezos' first major sale of stock in the company since 2021. The move puts Bezos' within reach of overtaking Elon Musk as the world's richest man. Jeff Bezos this week unloaded 12 million shares of Amazon stock, netting him about $2 billion in a strategic move that may position him to once again claim the title of "world's richest man." The sale was in keeping with a plan announced by the company earlier in February for Bezos to sell off 50 million shares by the end of the year, valued at roughly $8.5 billion total. Bezos owned 988 million shares, just shy of 10% of Amazon, at the end of December, according to the company's 2023 proxy statement, with his entire stake worth about $168 billion. A sharp rise in Amazon's stock this year has led to a $22.6 billion rise in the company's founder and executive chairman's estimated wealth, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index . The surge has propelled Bezos into second place on the world's richest people list, with a net worth of $200 billion at the time of publication. While the exact motive behind Bezos' decision to offload shares is unknown, the massive sale does shrink the gap between his and Elon Musk's net worth, positioning Bezos to overtake the Tesla CEO in the rankings of the world's richest people. Before this week's sale of Amazon stock, Bezos' net worth was only $5 billion behind Musk's $200 billion fortune, putting the title of #1 billionaire well within reach. Musk's net worth rose to $209 billion in the days since, per Bloomberg's Billionaires Index, but the race for Bezos to catch up to Musk is on. Bezos first became the richest person in the world in 2017, overtaking Bill Gates. The pair traded off the title through the end of the year, but Bezos held the position of the wealthiest man in the world from 2018 through 2021, per Forbes' list of the world's billionaires, when Musk overtook him. As Bezos' wealth has surged this year, Musk's has fallen by $29 billion, due in part to a 27% plunge in Tesla's stock prompted by weaker-than-expected growth for the electric car company, as well as a Delaware judge's January 30 ruling that voided Musk's $55 billion compensation package at Tesla. Forbes' list of billionaires as of February 1 positions Musk as the #2 billionaire, second to Bernard Arnault, the CEO and chairman of luxury goods group LVMH, and Bezos holding the third place title. Bloomberg's list, however, which is updated at the close of every trading day in New York, ranks Musk as having the top slot with a fortune of $209 billion, with Bezos about $9 billion behind and Arnault in third. Musk maintains 411 million, or about 13% of Tesla shares, valued at roughly $73 billion. His investments in his other companies, including SpaceX, The Boring Company, and X, comprise the rest of his wealth. Bezos and representatives for Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. This week's stock sale is not Bezos' first time offloading a large portion of his Amazon holdings, though it is the only major sale he's made since 2021. That year, Bezos sold $2.5 billion worth of shares as he prepared to step down as CEO. In 2020, he dumped $1.8 billion after Amazon's stocks surged following the company's 2019 full-year earnings call. In 2019, Bezos offloaded roughly $2.8 billion worth of the company's stock. Read the original article on Business Insider How can you survive a lightning strike? A new study revealed a very unusual way of survival method. It's a known fact that water is a good conductor of electricity. This is why it is dangerous to touch or dip in water where a broken electrical line is submerged. Since water is a good conductor of electricity, some people will think that getting struck by lightning while they are soaking wet could endanger their lives. But, a new study claims that getting your body drenched in water could actually be a lifesaver if lightning strikes. Here's what researchers explained. How Can You Survive Lightning Strikes? Wet Skin Could Be the Answer According to The Guardian, a new study revealed that a human head could experience less damage from a lightning strike if it's wet. This was revealed after researchers subjected 3D human head models to the equivalent of a direct lightning strike. "If you are outdoors and there is no shelter, wet skin is better than dry skin because the water film is like a 'protective coating,'" explained Rene Machts from Ilmenau University of Technology (Germany), the study's first author. "Finding a 'protected' location and making yourself as small as possible is safer," he added. In the new study, experts stated that wet skin is better than dry one because the size of the current that passes over the drenched human body might be reduced in case of a lightning strike. This could also be the case in animals since scientists claim that animals with wet skin have a higher chance of survival compared to those that have dry skin during a lightning strike exposure. However, it is still not suggested to test this with your friends since researchers involved in the new study are still conducting tests to prove their theory. Read Also: Ancient Sea Sponges: New Study Suggests Global Warming is Deepening Proven Lightning Strike Survival Tips Instead of doing what the new study suggests, it is still safer to rely on proven survival lightning strike tips. These include the ones offered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: DON'T Touch Electronic Devices : Gadgets and equipment connected to an electrical outlet should not be touched during a lightning strike. : Gadgets and equipment connected to an electrical outlet should not be touched during a lightning strike. DON'T Use Corded Phones : If you have corded phones at your house, it would be best to avoid using them during a thunderstorm. : If you have corded phones at your house, it would be best to avoid using them during a thunderstorm. DON'T Go Near Windows, Concrete, Doors, and Porches : Never lie on concrete floors or go near walls, porches, windows, and doors since lightning can easily travel through any metal. : Never lie on concrete floors or go near walls, porches, windows, and doors since lightning can easily travel through any metal. NEVER Soak Your Body With Water: Experts urge people not to wash dishes, take a bath, or do any other activity that can soak their body during a thunderstorm. Related Article: Don't Shower or Wash Your Hands During Thunderstorms-NWS Explains Why Hillary Clinton is endorsing Mr Bidens campaign for a second presidential term because of his 'merits' - Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call Hillary Clinton said Joe Bidens age is a legitimate issue amid concerns about the US presidents fitness for office. The former Democrat presidential nominee added that the White House is aware of this. Ms Clinton told MSNBC: I talked to people in the White House all the time, and you know, they know its an issue, but as I like to say, look, its a legitimate issue. Its a legitimate issue for Trump whos only three years younger, right? Ms Clinton added. So its an issue. The interview was recorded on Wednesday, the day before Robert Hur, the Department of Justices special prosecutor, published his report investigating Mr Bidens handling of classified documents. The report described the 81-year-old president as a well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory which was hazy, fuzzy, faulty and having significant limitations. It also noted he could not recall defining dates in his own life such as the year his son Beau died or when he served as vice president. Both Mr Biden and the White House rejected the characterisation, with the president insisting: My memory is fine. I know what the hell Im doing, he added. Questions about Mr Bidens age are a growing concern for Democrat strategists planning an election campaign against likely Republican candidate Donald Trump. On Sunday, Mr Trump was criticised by the Nato general secretary after suggesting Russia should be encouraged to target any alliance member that fails to meet defence spending targets. A recent ABC News/Ipsos poll showed that 86 per cent of Americans believe Mr Biden is too old to serve a second term in the White House. That included 73 per cent of Democrat voters. Mr Bidens allies condemned the reports remarks as inappropriate and unfair. On Sunday, his personal lawyer said he registered concerns with the special counsel and the attorney general over what he said were pejorative and unnecessary digs at the presidents memory. This is a report that went off the rails, Bob Bauer said on CBS Face the Nation Sunday. Its a shabby work product. Jill Biden, the First Lady, defended her husband in a note to his campaign donors and questioned whether it was intended to score political points. Ms Clinton also said she is endorsing Mr Bidens campaign for a second presidential term because of his merits. Once you say that, you need to also talk about what is at stake in this election, Ms Clinton said. And Im for Joe Biden because of the merits. I think he has done a really good job as president, 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. At one point in Tucker Carlsons 127-minute interview with Vladimir Putin last week which was more like a tendentious, digressive history lecture, occasionally interrupted by a dim but obsequious schoolboy Carlson made the Russian president laugh. It was a creaky, troubling sound, something like the door of an antique iron safe being swung back and forth. One can only imagine how much Kremlin insiders hate that sound. Carlson had asked why Putin didnt try to score a propaganda victory by revealing information that might implicate the CIA in the still-mysterious Nord Stream pipeline bombing of September 2022. Putin laughed. Creak, creak, squeak. In the war of propaganda, it is very difficult to defeat the United States, he responded, because the United States controls all the worlds media and the European media. Well, OK. Lets start with the obvious irony: Putin is no slouch in the propaganda wars himself, and is well aware of his reputation in the West as a master manipulator. Why was he talking to, or rather at, Tucker Carlson in the first place? Well get back to that. But theres a second layer of irony, which even Putin could not have anticipated. His Carlson conversation was released online directly opposite Joe Bidens hastily arranged White House press conference on Thursday evening. The contrast could hardly have been more striking, or more bizarre. Its both unfair and unreasonable, no doubt, to draw a direct comparison between the two presidents media events, which took place in dramatically different circumstances and for different reasons. But politics, whether global or national, has nothing to do with what is fair or reasonable and everything to do with appearance and perception. If Putin was the winner of this weeks propaganda battle, that was largely by default. As usual, Bidens performance both demanded and deserved our compassion and empathy, even as we devoutly wished he were someone else, or somewhere else. The president addressed the cameras for about five minutes, fueled by tangible human emotion and reportedly without a Teleprompter, before taking a few questions from reporters. Everything he said and did in that brief appearance, up to and including his now-infamous confusion of Mexico with Egypt, is defensible or at least explicable when viewed through the distortion lens of American partisan politics. Commentators on MSNBC and elsewhere in the liberal-inflected media demonstrated that to the best of their ability over the next day or two. But if we could, just as a thought experiment, push ourselves away from that warped perspective, and ignore the orange-hued hobgoblin whose endless campaign speeches are laden with far worse misstatements, not to mention ludicrous delusions and outright fabrications well, no, I realize we cant do that. Donald Trump has transformed and stupefied American public discourse far more profoundly than he could ever have imagined was possible, and evidently we will remain mesmerized by him until hes dead or we all are, and perhaps after that. (Will the MAGA movement have him stuffed and mounted, like Lenin, or carry him around on a plywood platform, like a medieval saint?) But if we pretended, just for a minute, to notice that there are several billion people in the world who view the United States from outside with a mixture of terror, wonder and sheer mystification, we might also notice that what they saw in the White House on Thursday was the octogenarian leader of the most powerful military power in history, confronted with a report (from his own government!) that described him as an elderly man with a poor memory who suffers from diminished faculties, responding in an angry, mumbled monotone that was difficult to follow even if you knew what he was talking about and featured a spectacular mistake that he never noticed or corrected. What-about that all you like: Trumps evident derangement is infinitely more dangerous, Biden has a lifelong speech impediment that can lead to verbal tics and mangled diction, his Mexico-Egypt transposition is entirely typical of the gaffes heard throughout his public life. All of that is true, or at least plausible. But if we can pull away, once again, from What does this mean for the Democrats? and the ghoulish social media gloating of Individual 1 and his many fans, and regard this pseudo-event from the perspective of Tanzania or Indonesia or Mars, I think the verdict is clear. It was a catastrophe. A complete and total insert-a-profane-gerund disaster. Not just a political disaster, although probably that too. More of a global WTF: How in all the names of God in all the worlds religions did that guy end up as the most powerful individual on the planet, not to mention the supposed defender of so-called democracy against an insultingly idiotic fascist renaissance? To say that Putin looked good by comparison isnt even damning with faint praise. I wouldnt argue that he looked good at all. But in the face of Western media accounts that have depicted the Russian president as paranoid and isolated, he made an effort to appear statesmanlike and well informed. His history lessons were tendentious and highly selective, but his facts and dates were largely accurate. He appeared to view Carlson, understandably enough, with the attitude of a mildly bored spider who isnt sure whether the small insect being wrapped in its web is even worth eating. Lets return to his creaky laugh and his answer about the risks of fighting a propaganda war with America. Putin is nowhere near being a deep thinker or an intellectual (Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is the brains of that operation), but as an intelligence professional hes skilled at throwing shade, clouding the issue and twisting the knife. The first part of Putins statement, in larger historical terms, is pretty much true: He is no doubt better informed than most Americans about the ideological importance of U.S. soft power. But the second part, about American control of the media, is about halfway between cranky conspiracy theory and acerbic Noam Chomsky commentary: Yes, the Western press has a built-in bias toward liberal democracy and market capitalism. Breaking news! Putin deployed that rhetorical approach repeatedly with Carlson: He starts with a premise that is approximately true, or at least has some basis in reality, then leaps forward to increasingly contentious and illogical conclusions. Ukrainian nationality is a modern invention, the Russian leader argued in his extended opening monologue which he told Carlson would be 30 seconds or a minute and went on for nearly half an hour and the present-day Ukrainian state was constructed from territory that at various times belonged to the Russian Empire, the kingdom of Poland, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and who knows what else. Sure! Thats all true, but it doesnt follow that modern Ukraine has no right to exist, or that Russia is justified in clawing much of that territory back by force. Someone brighter than Tucker Carlson might have observed that all modern nation-states, pretty much, are artificial constructions. Nothing resembling present-tense Germany or Italy could be found on maps of Europe before the middle of the 19th century, and 200-odd years after the creation of the United Kingdom, the relationship between its constituent nations remains unsettled. One of the basic premises of post-Enlightenment global politics is that when a large majority of the people in a given territory decide that theyre a nation, as the Ukrainians have clearly done, the world is supposed to take them seriously: When in the course of human events, and all that. Similarly, Putin made the familiar case that the U.S. and NATO broke a post-Cold War promise not to expand the Western military alliance into the former Soviet bloc, let alone all the way to Russias western border. Hes definitely got a point, although the fine-grained details are contentious and the actual history is more complicated than that. Next comes the argument that the 2014 Maidan revolution that overthrew the pro-Russian government of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych who was corrupt and incompetent but had more or less been legitimately elected was actually a CIA-sponsored coup. I dont think that has a yes-or-no answer. It's more like a both-and: Ukrainian nationalists turned decisively against Yanukovych and Russian influence, and the U.S. not-so-covertly helped force him out. Even if we give Putin the W on that one, for arguments sake, thats when he runs out of rope. His following claim is that the U.S. and NATO engineered a civil war between government forces and pro-Russian militias in eastern Ukraine, and that his special military operation of 2022 to the rest of the world, an unprovoked invasion was simply an effort to settle that conflict. To give Carlson minimal credit, he keeps asking what possible threat Putin perceived in Ukraine that justified two years of grueling warfare, but doesnt appear to notice how thoroughly that question has been bulldozed beneath a structure of halfway plausible, irrelevant or thoroughly specious claims. Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course. As many other commentators have observed, Carlson played his useful-idiot role faithfully: He never mentioned Russian war crimes, the suppression of internal dissent or the increasingly vicious crackdown on LGBTQ people and civil liberties more generally. But he was entirely unsuccessful at baiting Putin into endorsing Donald Trump the Russian leader mentioned Trump just once, in passing or into proclaiming some alliance with right-wing Christians in the West. Putin's vague remarks about religion were artfully dull and entirely unspecific, and to Carlson's ears might have sounded alarmingly like Western moral relativism. (There's a good reason for that: Less than half the Russian population identifies as Orthodox Christian, and nearly 40 percent profess no particular religion.) All this confirms my sense that the larger audience Putin looks toward is global, and that contrary to the fantasies of some of his American or European fanboys, he has no interest in being identified as the leader of a white supremacist, Christian-centric campaign of reconquest. Russias most important actual or potential allies are the other BRICS countries Brazil, India, China and South Africa not Steve Bannon or Mike Johnson or the fractious white nationalists of Western Europe. Unsurprisingly, Carlson hadn't done his homework: Russian nationalism is built on the concept of a hybrid "Eurasian" identity as explored in a recent New York Review article by Gary Saul Morson which certainly has elements of racism but is entirely distinct from Euro-American notions of "whiteness." Americans largely havent noticed, or havent wanted to notice, that most developing nations in the Global South have remained on the sidelines of the Ukraine conflict, at best, and have turned decisively against U.S. policy in the Middle East since Israels Gaza invasion. Vladimir Putin is acutely aware of those realities, and believes he can exploit the intractable qualities demonstrated by Russia over the centuries patience, stubbornness and a remarkable tolerance for pointless suffering to turn them to his advantage. Joe Biden, as we have lately witnessed, is still struggling to come to grips with those facts. Would Putin prefer Trump to Biden? Without a doubt, but Im not sure it matters to him as much as the hypnotized American political classes believe. He told Carlson that the personality of individual leaders isnt important, and that the big historical question about the United States is whether its imperial decline comes suddenly and painfully, or more gradually over a longer period of time. He avoided saying whether he'd enjoy one of those options more than the other, graciously observing that it wasnt up to him. Joshua Conant's family at Port Huron Lanes on Feb. 10. From left to right: Sandy Schultz, Donald Schultz, Michael Conant and Sarah Schultz. More than 300 people visited Port Huron Lanes Saturday to honor Joshua Conant by donating to a new nonprofit founded in his name. The Joshua Garage, which Joshua Conant's family started in January, collected donations at the bowling alley to raise money that will go to help fund free CPR classes with the YMCA and help children in need celebrate their birthdays. Tickets to the event sold for $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Sandy Schultz, Joshua Conant's mother, said the event raised $4,500 in advance tickets. Joshua Conant died on Nov. 4 after he was pinned down by bouncers employed by Roche Bar in Port Huron. Michigan State Police has completed an investigation into his death and will present their findings to the Michigan Attorney General's Office to consider what charges, if any, should be filed. Since Joshua Conant's death, his family has spoken up about the importance of resuscitation response. In January, the city agreed to put defibrillators in all Port Huron police patrol cars after the family raised concerns at a city council meeting about the lack of defibrillators in most police vehicles. Schultz set up the nonprofit and held the bowling event with the intention that it will become an annual event in memory of her son. "I wanted to make sure no child goes without," Schultz said. "Birthdays are very important to me." Around 300 people attended the donation event at Port Huron Lanes to donate to The Joshua Garage while bowling. Schultz said she plans to host future donations on Joshua Conant's birthday, Oct. 17, as well as at car shows to honor his enthusiasm about vehicles. The bowling donation drive also marks an important date for another of Schultz's children: Jacob Conant, who died a year ago from leukemia. The brothers were twins, and Schultz said she had worried Joshua could be diagnosed. Several of Joshua Conant's friends and family attended the drive, including his best friend David Hart, who first met Joshua Conant in kindergarten. "Joshua loved parties and he loved bringing everyone together," Hart said. "I think he would have loved to have been a part of this, that's for sure." Sandy Schultz greets Joshua Conant's friends at Port Huron Lanes on Feb. 10. From left to right: David Hart, Austin Smith, Adam Shier. Dagny Evenson met Joshua Conant through their shared interest in cars. She felt it was important to donate to the nonprofit in memory of her friend. "He was just a lovely guy. Anyone who met Josh would have loved him," Evenson said. "He would probably have been floored by all the support he never knew he had." Those wishing to donate to The Joshua Garage or be notified of future events can contact Schultz at (810) 824-1189. Contact Johnathan Hogan at jhogan@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Joshua Conant's family holds charity drive at Port Huron Lanes Kate Middleton has seemingly recovered enough from her abdominal surgery three and a half weeks ago to now leave Windsor Castle for her separate home in Norfolk, where shell join the rest of the royal family. Middleton, 42, will reportedly finish recuperating at Anmer Hall, which she shares with Prince William on the couples Sandringham Estate, per People Magazine. Catherine is recovering well, a source told The Daily Mail on Friday. She was looking forward to a change of scene and will be able to take it easy in Norfolk while the children let off steam with William. The couple will be able to spend quality time with their three children Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5 who are currently on a half-term break from school. The Princess of Wales, however, is not expected to return to public duties until after Easter, according to Kensington Palace, which announced she had undergone a planned abdominal surgery on Jan. 16. Although an exact cause for the surgery has not been given, the palace later clarified the issue was not related to cancer. The surgery was successful, and it is expected that she will remain in hospital for 10 to 14 days, before returning home to continue her recovery, the palace said two days later. Middleton has since left the London Clinic without being photographed and, until now, had been resting at Adelaide Cottage, a small home on the Windsor property, roughly 25 miles outside the city. William reportedly postponed his engagements to be with his wife during her recovery and recently said that she had two Filipino nurses looking after her and they were amazing and kind, according to Patricia Spruce, who works for Englands National Health Service and spoke with the Prince regarding Kates health care. The royal familys travel plans will bring them closer to King Charles, who was diagnosed with cancer earlier this month while undergoing treatment for an enlarged prostate. Buckingham Palace didnt clarify if the cancer was related to that issue. Charles is currently staying at Sandringham, the same 20,000-acre estate on east Englands Norfolk Coast where Middleton is now heading. The Snohomish County Parks Department plans to reopen the day-use area at Kayak Point Regional Park in July, after most of the phase 1 construction is complete. The pier will remain closed for the entire summer. This is because the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife requires in-water construction when work is least likely to impact the ecosystem. Online reservations for the picnic areas will open on March 1. Families and visitors from across Snohomish County will have the opportunity to use Kayak Point Park this summer as we continue the improvements to the day-use area, said Snohomish County Councilmember Nate Nehring. The County is making significant investments for the long-term future of the park. Its election season. Time to make your voice heard. This year, however, its important to know how to comply with new voting procedures that will affect how you cast your ballot. Changes that were legislated last year may cause some confusion. But knowing how to navigate this new landscape will make it easier to exercise your right to vote. And to make sure your vote counts. First and foremost you must have an acceptable photo ID. And you need to bring it with you to your polling place. Acceptable IDs include a North Carolina drivers license, passport, ID issued by the Division of Motor Vehicles and certain college IDs. You may view a list of acceptable IDs on the N.C. Board of Elections website. Free IDs are available at county Board of Elections offices and at state Division of Motor Vehicles offices. Jennifer McMillan Rubin Importantly, if a voter does not have an acceptable ID, they may fill out an ID Exception Form and continue to vote. Absentee ballots must be delivered to county election boards no later than 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, March 5 for the primary and Nov. 5 for the general election. There is no longer a grace period that allows for ballots to be counted that arrive beyond Election Day, so mail them early. The ID requirement also applies to absentee ballots, which means voters must include a photocopy of an acceptable ID with the absentee ballot when it is mailed or delivered to county election board offices. This requirement, in addition to the necessity of two witnesses, means that it is important to read and follow the instructions on the absentee ballot very carefully. Care must also be taken by any voters utilizing same day registration during early voting periods. Boards of election must confirm the address on same day registration forms. That process relies on a mailing being delivered to the address on the registration form. If the postcard confirming the voters address is returned to the board of elections as undeliverable, the voters ballot may not count. As a result, it is crucial that the correct mailing address is legibly printed on all forms. This is particularly important for new residents and college students whose mailing addresses may differ from their residential addresses. Other changes in voting laws provide for more partisan political observers at polling places. This may result in more crowded polling places. Lets be clear. The unspoken goal of these new laws is to throw obstacles in the way of voters. Making the process more complicated and making it easier to disqualify your ballot are tactics intended to discourage voters. The danger of these voting obstacles is that they will discourage or intimidate voters and cause them to stay home. That is not how a democracy should work. So, as we have for more than 100 years, the League of Women Voters will mobilize our 2,000 members across the state to help register voters and inform them of the processes of voting. We provide nonpartisan voting information through our website, VOTE411.org, that generates sample ballots and other useful information tailored to the persons address. We will strive to empower voters and work to make this years election turnout a true representation of the will of N.C. voters. We cannot let those working against voters impede our ability to cast a ballot. We must empower voters to overcome the forces that would prevent them from making their voices heard. If we can achieve that, our states votes will reflect the true will of the voters, not the outcomes reflective of a depressed voter turnout. We can vote! We can make our vote count. Jennifer McMillan Rubin is the president of the League of Women Voters of North Carolina. The Knox County law director is elected to a four-year term, and David Buuck is running for a second term. There are two Republicans who will face off in the March 5 primary, and the winner will face the Democratic candidate in the August county general election. Democrat Jackson Fenner, 46 Jackson Fenner Why are you running? (from candidate interview) Fenner told Knox News he's running because the country is moving in an antidemocratic direction, against the will of the people. "I want people to be confident that our elections are fair and safe," he said. He's particularly concerned about potential fallout of the 2024 election. "I'm not going to cave to come political faction that wants to overturn an election because their side doesn't win. I'm going to stand for this county and make sure the legal, fair election stands. " How would you approach working with a largely Republican government? (from candidate interview) Fenner said he has friends in Knox County government who are on both sides of the political aisle, and knows they have the same goal. He acknowledged he may not be the Republican Knox County executive or the Republican-dominated commission's top pick, but is willing to work with everyone on behalf of Knox County residents. How does your personal experience practicing the law inform how you would serve in this role? (from candidate questionnaire) In 12 years of private practice, I have learned to manage an extensive and diverse caseload efficiently. Making tough decisions on the daily is a continuous task. I know how to deal with frustrating circumstances and to put clients in the best position to achieve best possible results. I am never afraid to try a case, but I also know when a case should settle. I have helped members of the public my entire career. Working closely with members of our community, I am more in touch with the reality of the people of Knox County are facing. What should voters know about the law directors office? (from candidate questionnaire) The law directors office works for and with the most crucial departments within our community. We represent and advise the Knox County school board, the sheriff's office, county commission and the health department. Any legal challenge the county faces goes to the office. What goes into your decision-making on when to fight lawsuits on behalf of taxpayers versus when to settle them? (from candidate questionnaire) It is always the clients decision regarding whether or not a case should settle. It is the lawyers job to advise the client so that they fully understand what their options are, and the strengths and weaknesses of their position. I will always make sure that the decision makers of the county know the pros and cons of a settlement versus a trial so that we can best serve the people of Knox County together. Republicans David Buuck, 76, incumbent David Buuck How does your experience practicing the law inform how you would serve in this role? (from candidate interview) Buuck was elected law director in 2020 after serving as chief deputy law director for over eight years and told Knox News he's enjoyed working with attorneys with diverse backgrounds in the office. He touted a staff with varying strengths, from specializing in contract law (he said the office executes 750 contracts every year) to civil rights suits. What should voters know about the law director's office? (from candidate interview) Buuck said a tough trend throughout his first term was people's desire to hire outside counsel and experts to do his office's work. Knox County has a smart, capable legal staff and seeking outside counsel is not necessary. "There seemed to be this attitude that Knox County was inferior and we had to go outside and get people," he said. He also wants people to know the law director's office can't make policy, they can only assist county officials. What problems is the law office facing currently? (from candidate interview) Buuck said one problem the office is facing is keeping good attorneys, because private positions pay higher. What goes into your decision-making on when to fight lawsuits on behalf of taxpayers versus when to settle them? (from candidate interview) Buuck said it's his job as an attorney to determine on the county winning a case. If there's no shot, there's no point in spending taxpayer dollars. Factors he typically weighs include strength of the other side's case and strength of the other side's witnesses. He knows the stakes are high: if he loses, taxpayers have to pay. Daniel Herrera, 31 How does your personal experience practicing the law inform how you would serve in this role? (from candidate questionnaire) I own my law firm and have attorneys and legal assistants working for me. My experience as a business owner and manager has prepared me for the role of law director. I have appeared in court over 500 times throughout all of East Tennessee. That experience and high-energy approach is what I am going to bring to the law director's office. What should voters know about the law director's office? (from candidate questionnaire) The current law director mishandled the COVID response that eliminated essential jobs and left Knox County children one of the last in the nation wearing masks. The current law director allowed the unelected board of health to exercise broad powers. The law director continues to oppose efforts by conservative county commissioners and school board members attempting to pass policies that protect taxpayers. What goes into your decision-making on when to fight lawsuits on behalf of taxpayers versus when to settle them? (from candidate questionnaire) I have received feedback from county officeholders that the law director caves on lawsuits and is quick to settle even when the facts and law are on the side of taxpayers. There needs to be a better balance, and the people of Knox County need a law director who is not afraid to take a case to trial and avoid settlements. This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Knox County law director candidates: 2024 Knox News voter guide NBCs Kristen Welker pushed former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) on Sunday about whom he is planning to back in Novembers election with President Biden and former President Trump headed to a likely rematch. Christie said on Meet the Press that there are two really bad choices in the likely presidential match-up next November. Welker repeatedly pressed Christie on whom he will support if the choices are between Biden and Trump, but the former governor said he wants to see whether theres a third option for the White House. It is different because this time we dont know if were going to have a third choice or not. And so Im not going to make any commitment. The one commitment I will make to you this morning is Im not voting for Donald Trump under any circumstances. Now, who I might vote for, Ill wait to see the complete field before I make my judgment, he said. Christie dropped out of the GOP presidential primary last month after failing to garner much traction in the polls. He has been a vocal critic of Trump, who Christie has repeatedly vowed to not support again. He said it was unlikely he would cast a ballot for Biden despite his criticism of Trump. No, look, I cant see myself voting for him because I dont agree with his policies and I have serious questions about his competence to serve another four years. So do I rule it out? I cant imagine doing it, he said. When Welker asked him why he would not support Biden since he is opposed to Trump, Christie reiterated that he disagrees with Bidens policies, adding that there are two awful choices. Look, you have two different problems here. You have someone in Joe Biden who I think doesnt physically look up to serving another four years, whose policies I disagree with in the main. You have Donald Trump, who I agree with [on] a number of his policies but who I believe his character absolutely disqualifies him from the presidency, he said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. British monarch King Charles III has released his first message to the public after Buckingham Palace made an initial statement of his cancer diagnosis earlier this week. The king said that he was grateful for the support of the public upon the palace's announcement. "As all those who have been affected by cancer will know, such kind thoughts are the greatest comfort and encouragement," his statement read. Charles is being treated for an unspecified form of cancer and is currently staying at Sandringham, the BBC reported. King's Cancer Still Unknown Medical staff who attended Charles detected the cancer while he was undergoing a separate procedure due to his enlarged prostate in late January. While the type of cancer was not disclosed, palace officials confirmed that it was not prostate cancer. "It is equally heartening to hear how sharing my own diagnosis has helped promote public understanding and shine a light on the work of all those organizations which support cancer patients and their families across the UK and wider world," the king's message added. "My lifelong admiration for their tireless care and dedication is all the greater as a result of my own personal experience." Charles stepped back from all public-facing duties while he was being treated for cancer, leaving Queen Camilla and Prince William to shoulder some of them in the meantime as William's wife, Princess Catherine, is also out of action until Easter after her own two-week hospital stay for scheduled abdominal surgery. Additionally, Prince Harry flew from the UK to briefly visit Charles before he and Camilla went to Sandringham earlier this week. Read Also: UK: Russian Spy Worked for MI6, Foreign Office, Accused of Sharing Military Docs' Top Secrets to Putin's Associates Royal Reporter: Charles Revealing Diagnosis 'Pretty Personal' BBC royal correspondent Jonny Dymond said that, while distinguishably different from his mother's approach, Charles's openness to tackle his cancer diagnosis was similar to Elizabeth II's playbook mantra of "I have to be seen to be believed," saying that revealing his diagnosis was "pretty personal" for the normally restrained standards of royal communication. "Well, the King won't be seen any time soon, the whirlwind of engagements is paused for the moment. But he will be heard from," he added. "Not many people of his age have chosen to make their medical condition a global talking point. And the King goes out of his way to express his hope that his relative openness has served a purpose." Related Article: Charles III Cancer Diagnosis: Prince William to Resume Public Engagements; Prince Harry Scheduled to Visit UK A Labour by-election candidate has apologised for his deeply offensive comments, after he reportedly said Israel allowed Hamas to carry out its October 7 attack to provide grounds to invade Gaza. Azhar Ali remains Labours candidate in Rochdale despite his remarks being described as totally reprehensible by Jewish groups and calls from the Tories to remove him. He was recorded making the comments at a meeting of the Lancashire Labour Party, according to The Mail on Sunday. The newspaper reported that Mr Ali told the meeting: The Egyptians are saying that they warned Israel 10 days earlier Americans warned them a day before (that) theres something happening. They deliberately took the security off, they allowed that massacre that gives them the green light to do whatever they bloody want. Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel on October 7 last year, in which 1,300 people were killed and more than 240 kidnapped. Israel has retaliated with months of attacks on the Gaza Strip, killing and wounding thousands. Mr Ali is also reported to have said that Sir Keir Starmer had lost the confidence of some of his MPs on the issue. Mr Ali, a Lancashire county councillor and former government adviser who was made an OBE in 2020 for public service, said: I apologise unreservedly to the Jewish community for my comments which were deeply offensive, ignorant and false. Hamass horrific terror attack was the responsibility of Hamas alone, and they are still holding hostages who must be released. October 7 was the greatest loss of Jewish life in a single day since the Holocaust, and Jews in the UK and across the world are living in fear of rising antisemitism. I will urgently apologise to Jewish leaders for my inexcusable comments. The Labour Party has changed unrecognisably under Keir Starmers leadership, he has my full support in delivering the change Britain needs. Pat McFadden, Labours national campaign co-ordinator, said Mr Alis comments were completely wrong. He should never have said something like that, he told Skys Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips. It is, of course, completely wrong to say that. I saw this last night, hes issued a complete apology and retraction. And I hope he learns a good lesson from it because he should never have said something like that in the first place. Asked if he will be Labours candidate for the by-election, Mr McFadden said yes he will. The deadline to replace Mr Ali as a candidate has passed. Conservative Cabinet minister Michael Gove said: Sir Keir Starmer cannot continue to support this candidacy. Mike Katz, the national chairman of the Jewish Labour Movement, said his group will not campaign in Rochdale, but stopped short of calling on Labour to withdraw support for Mr Ali. He tweeted: Azhar Alis comments are totally reprehensible. But this close to polling day, electoral law says he will be Labours candidate, whatever Starmer says or does now. Alis destroyed his past record of allyship with the Jewish community and has a mountain to climb to repair it. Fact is, alternative in Rochdale is George Galloway. Giving him a parliamentary platform to spew hate & sow division will harm the Jewish community far more than electing Ali. Mr Alis comments were also seized on by some as evidence that Sir Keir has failed to change his party since Jeremy Corbyns leadership, when the party was embroiled in an antisemitism row. Mr Katz said: We know how far the party has come under Keir Starmer in tackling antisemitism and that the party, from Starmer down, is as shocked and disgusted by Alis comments as we are. This proves there is still much work to do. Joe Glasman, head of political and government investigations at Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: Today we learned that Azhar Ali, Labours candidate for Parliament in Rochdale, claimed that Israel engineered the murder of over 1,200 of its own people, the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, in order to justify an incursion into Gaza. It is a blood libel. This man does not belong in a major political party, let alone in Parliament, yet Labour is, incredibly, still backing his candidacy after a quick apology. This is distressingly familiar to days that Sir Keir Starmer promised were behind us. This is not tearing antisemitism out by its roots. Recently, Sir Keir has admirably acted swiftly against Labour MPs including Diane Abbott and Kate Osamor. This sudden inconsistency is deeply alarming. Labour must urgently re-examine this obscene decision if its leader is to be regarded as a man of his word. Also running in Rochdale is political firebrand George Galloway, of the Workers Party of Britain, who is campaigning against Labours stance on the conflict in Gaza, and former Rochdale Labour MP Simon Danczuk, now the Reform Party candidate. About 20% of the electorate and 30% of the population of the town are Asian, with polls nationally suggesting Labours vote could be hit by Asian people unhappy with the party over Palestine and its perceived support for Israel. The Palestinian death toll stands at almost 28,000 after four months of war, according to Gazan health officials. Sir Tony held the Rochdale seat for Labour at the 2019 election with a 9,668 majority over the Conservatives. Voters go to the polls on February 29. With business groups long saying the tax should be scrapped, state lawmakers could look at further reducing a tax on commercial leases. The House Ways & Means Committee on Thursday reviewed tax-cut concepts, including a possible reduction in the lease tax, as the House and Senate prepare in the coming weeks to negotiate a tax package. But committee Chairman Stan McClain, R-Ocala, agreed with Senate Appropriations Chairman Doug Broxsons assessment that the final tax-cut package wont reach a $1.3 billion total in the current fiscal year. It wont be as robust, McClain said after the committee meeting when asked a question using the same phrase. McClain said his committee will roll out a proposal next week that could include shorter sales-tax holidays than in the current fiscal year, when the state offered two 14-day tax holidays for back-to-school items, two 14-day tax holidays for disaster-preparedness supplies, a three-month tax holiday for recreational items and activities and a seven-day tax holiday for such things as tools. During tax holidays, consumers do not have to pay sales taxes on purchases. Read: Bodycam footage sheds light on Altamonte Springs Police officer-involved shooting All of thats in play, McClain said. Again, we have a certain amount of money that we think we can use for tax packaging. McClain didnt say what the overall amount could be. House and Senate leaders will negotiate a budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year and a linked tax package before the scheduled March 8 end of the annual legislative session. On Wednesday, Broxson, R-Gulf Breeze, said the final budget will include paying off debt and socking away record reserves but probably will result in tax holidays that are more restricted than last year. Read: Super Bowl LVIII: What time, what channel, who is the halftime headliner? McClains committee on Thursday looked at several proposals, including making a deeper cut in the commercial-lease tax, which is expected to go from 4.5 percent to 2 percent in June. A 1 percentage point reduction would cut revenue to the state by about $360 million a year, McClain said. The reduction to 2 percent is tied to a 2021 legislative deal that included collecting sales taxes from out-of-state retailers on purchases made by Floridians and replenishing a state unemployment trust fund depleted after the economy took a massive hit early in the COVID-19 pandemic. The deal allowed cutting the commercial-lease tax when the unemployment fund was replenished. The trust fund is expected to hit a pre-pandemic benchmark of $4 billion in March. The state has imposed the commercial-lease tax since 1969, and business groups have sought for years to whittle the rate. Read: Super Bowl LVIII: Taylor Swift lands at LAX, should reach Las Vegas in time for game As an interim step during the 2023 session, lawmakers reduced the tax from 5.5 percent to 4.5 percent on July 1, the start of the current fiscal year. Meanwhile, the House committee also looked Thursday at limiting the number of years local tourist-development taxes could be imposed and providing up to $10,000 in credits against corporate income taxes for companies that employ people with disabilities. Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, said shed like the credits to also apply to small businesses. Depending on the way they are legally structured, small businesses might not pay corporate income taxes. Right now, I think Publix and Disney would be the biggest beneficiaries, Eskamani said. And I just feel like it would be awesome to incentivize small businesses to benefit too. Read: Belgium native with no legal first name becomes Orlando firefighter The credits were part of tax proposals from Gov. Ron DeSantis. McClain said his committee is still considering a $409 million DeSantis proposal to provide a one-year exemption on certain taxes, fees and assessments on property-insurance policies for homes up to $750,000. Overall, DeSantis recommended $1.1 billion in tax breaks for next fiscal year, including six sales-tax holidays similar to the current year. The governors proposal also called for $22 million in savings through an exemption on insurance premium taxes on flood-insurance policies and to permanently eliminate sales taxes on over-the-counter pet medications, projected to save $37 million. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Fresh fears have been raised over Rishi Sunaks Rwanda plan as it emerged that the new immigration minister previously raised concerns that it could breach international law. Documents seen by The Telegraph show that Michael Tomlinson, when solicitor general, advised the Government that plans to ignore injunctions by Strasbourg judges blocking deportation flights would put the UK in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). One of the so-called rule 39 orders issued by an anonymous judge from the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) blocked the first deportation flight to Rwanda in June 2022. The document, advising on the plans to ignore the orders, stated: The Attorney General and Solicitor General agreed that interim measures indicated by the European Court of Human Rights under rule 39 of the rules of court are binding as a matter of international law and there is no respectable argument to the contrary. As the illegal immigration minister, Mr Tomlinson has now been tasked by Rishi Sunak with ignoring interim injunctions from European judges under the new Safety of Rwanda Bill. Michael Tomlinson raised concerns when he was solicitor general - JEFF GILBERT The Bill is due to return to the House of Lords on Monday for its line-by-line scrutiny in its committee stage, when peers critical of the plans will table multiple amendments seeking to water down the legislation and strip out measures they believe breach international law. The Prime Minister has maintained that he will not allow a foreign court to block Rwanda flights and is prepared to ignore injunctions. However, Tory critics are sceptical and warn that he will have to defy his own law officers advice in order to do so. They pushed for a more radical approach declaring the injunctions not binding and requiring ministers to ignore them. A senior Tory MP said: This is the problem we have with this policy. Its just an attempt to kick all the problems down the road until they come back and hit us twice as hard. Its delusional to think you dont have to block off all Strasbourg pyjama injunctions and can still get enough people to Rwanda. Two police officers near to where a Boeing 767 sits on the runway at the military base in Amesbury, Salisbury preparing to take asylum seekers to Rwanda in June, 2022 - JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP However, a source close to James Cleverly, the Home Secretary, said: This advice is a year old. It does not, and could not have factored in the verdict of the Supreme Court, the new Treaty with Rwanda, and the Bill currently progressing through Parliament, one we believe is compliant with our obligations to international law. Another Government source said: This is a red herring and the new minister will judge each case as it comes. Hes getting on with the job of government rather than galavanting around the globe to make political points. Its unhelpful to the Conservative Party and these points were never made by certain people when they were actually in office. The Rwanda plan is also criticised today by a joint Commons and Lords committee as being fundamentally incompatible with the UKs human rights obligations. The Joint Committee on Human Rights said Rwanda Bill would erode protection for human rights provided by the Human Rights Act, contravene rights guaranteed under the European Convention on Human Rights and fall short of the UKs commitments under international treaties. It came as a total of 124 migrants on board three small boats reached the UK on Saturday across the Channel. The latest arrivals bring the total for the year to 1,506 which is down from the 2,072 by the same point in 2023 but up from 1,339 in 2022. 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. NATIONAL CITY, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) National City community members and leaders came together Saturday to hold a donation giveaway for flood survivors at the Heart Revolution Church in National City. The giveaway was put on by the non-profit Adrians Way, in collaboration with Poker champion Lena Evans and other community leaders. We need the help now, like right now, said Moises Godinez, Southcrest resident. The donation giveaway helped with immediate needs like clothes, shoes, food, etc. Godinez said the Jan. 22 flood destroyed his familys home in Southcrest. He recalled in the moment there was only enough time to grab their pets and escape out of the window with his sons help. We lost everything. Its a total loss. We lost furniture, appliances, televisions, electronics, you name itits everything, Godinez said. PHOTOS: Powerful storm slams San Diego with rain, snow, thunderstorms Now at the donation giveaway at Heart Revolution Church, Godinez is trying to get some lost items back. I got some food, some snacks. Thats what we need because in the hotel there is nothing to cook, there is no stove or whatever, Godinez said. Adrians Way president Shay Thomas told FOX 5 the flood destroyed her parents National City home on 8th Street. I think that is what helped us connect to the community right now and knowing we are called to do this. We have to help, the community has to band together and figure this out, said Shay Thomas, Adrians Way president. Rosaura Delgado also lives on 8th Street. She said she has lived in that home for 47 years. Delgado explained how the flood submerged the only five homes on the street. List: Road closures, real-time updates in aftermath of atmospheric river We had water to the front, water through the back. Our yards were flooded, I couldnt get out the house, Delgado said. Like dozens of others, Delgado said she had to climb out of the window, then took refuge in her boyfriends Nissan truck. For almost two hours raining, full of water. I thought that I was going to die for real, because I do not know how to swim, Delgado described. Despite the setback, Delgado is volunteering with Adrians Way during this giveaway, to help others with a comeback. City of San Diego recovers photo albums washed up in flood Of course I had to come to help my community, because I love National City, Delgado said. Here we are, come lean on us, let us help you, let us hug you, lets figure it out, Thomas added. This is what we really need, but we also need the government to step in and do something. Its almost three weeks, the city hasnt shown up to tell us exactly whats the plan. There was no plan, Godinez pleaded. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. Bayer Leverkusen's Amine Adli heads the ball next to Bayern Munich's Thomas Mueller during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich at BayArena. Federico Gambarini/dpa Unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen were on Saturday drawn to play second division side Fortuna Dusseldorf in the semi-finals of the German Cup. In the other semi-final, second division team Kaiserslautern will face the winner of the quarter-final between Saarbrucken and Monchengladbach, which had been scheduled for Wednesday but was postponed to March 12 due to a water-logged pitch. The draw come shortly after Leverkusen beat Bayern Munich 3-0 to go five points clear of them at the top of the Bundesliga. Xabi Alonso's team is unbeaten in all 31 season games in all competitions and seeking first silverware since a lone German Cup win in 1993. The semi-finals are scheduled for April 2 and 3, and the final is due to be contested at Berlin's Olympiastadion on May 25. Bayern Munich's Leon Goretzka (L) and Bayer Leverkusen's Amine Adli battle for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich at BayArena. Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa Bayern Munich's Leon Goretzka and Leverkusen's Amine Adli (l) battle for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich at BayArena. Federico Gambarini/dpa The Rev. Alex Harper prays with a crowd gathered for the One Heart Community Faith Rally in Munn Park in Lakeland in 2020. Harper died Jan. 22 at age 88. LAKELAND Since he first took to the pulpit in 1961, the Rev. Alex Harper not only served his congregation faithfully, but encouraged faithfulness and the love of God to communities throughout Lakeland. And through words of advice, wisdom, spiritual guidance and consolation, Harpers positive impacts will continue to reverberate across Polk County, Central Florida and beyond for many more years. Harper was the senior pastor of First Baptist Institutional Church in Lakeland from 1997 to 2024. Although he died Jan. 22 at 88 a month before his 89th birthday people who knew him said his legacy for doing unto others as you would have them do unto you will live on through his commitment to community and genuine love for people in general. He didnt just preach the word, he actually lived the word of God, said former Lakeland Mayor Gow Fields. He was a deep believer, as God pointed outpeople need to see the love of Christ in action out of the church. He understood while there may be politics in action, Christians had a role to play in exposing Christs life for all mankind, while also pursuing justice for all of his children. Fields, who served as mayor from 2010 to 2014, said Harper was always looking to do his part in building Gods kingdom here on earth for the betterment of First Baptist Institutional Church. The church has a congregation of 125 and is affiliated with the National Baptist Convention USA Inc. in Montgomery, Alabama. Highland Smith: Former Polk County deputy, court bailiff dies at 82 His extensive education and experience led him to be thoughtful and engaging as a preacher and church leader, said Fields, 61, a lifelong member of the First Baptist Institutional Church and first met Harper as a teenager. Harpers roots of divinity, altruism and affection for others started as a boy in Mississippi. He was born Feb. 23, 1935, in Nettleton, Mississippi, to the Rev. Odis and Rozena Harper, the second of 10 children. He eventually worked in the cotton fields along with his father and brother, Odis Jr. His father was a sharecropper and the family moved often. Harper worked as sharecropper, a railroad worker at 16 years old and a steel mill worker in Gary, Indiana, before becoming the senior pastor of First Baptist Institutional Church. He was also the director of the Congress for First South Florida Missionary Baptist District Association and president of Florida Theological Seminary and Bible College. Lemuel Geathers World War II vet, educator, activist from Winter Haven dies at 95 Harper received a doctorate in theology from Florida Theological Seminary and held an honorary doctor of divinity from Berean Christian College and Seminary in Palmetto. It was Harpers extensive education and experience that led him to be thoughtful and engaging as a preacher and church leader, Fields said. Hes left us, but his impact on people would remain inspirational for those of us that knew him. We will have to step up our game to be like him in our service to the community, said Fields, who lives in Lakeland. 'Outstanding leader' Ann Darby, Winter Haven's only Black female commissioner, dies at 89 Throughout his career, Harper devoted his life to serving God and helping people. He was a leader in civil rights, helping people of all races across Polk County, the state and nation. Among his recognitions, he received awards from the NAACP (he was a former president of the Lakeland branch), Florida Memorial University, the Progressive M&E Baptist State Convention of Florida, First South Florida Missionary Baptist District Association, and organizations across the U.S., according to his obituary. He also served as president of the State Congress of the Progressive M&E Baptist State Convention of Florida. Terry Coney, 72, who has been the NAACP Lakeland president for four years, was baptized in the First Baptist Institutional Church at 6 years old. After leaving Lakeland for 10 years, he returned in 2014. His family has ties to the church dating to the early 1900s. Coney said Harper was a spiritual leader who was engaged in the community and didnt shy away from speaking to his congregation about their engagement in social and civil issues. He was very supportive of me as president of the Lakeland NAACP and made sure the congregation supported me and the efforts of the NAACP in Lakeland, he said. He was spiritual, a man of God and was also a teacher. He believed in teaching Gods word and had a way of breaking things down in laymans terms where everyone could understand where it was coming from. Harper was married for nearly 70 years to Martha and had three sons Alex Jr., Rayford and Roger and a daughter, Yolanda Cope. He was buried Feb. 2 at Oak Hill Burial Park in Lakeland. This article originally appeared on The Ledger: 'Lived the word of God': Lakeland pastor Alex Harper had a big impact Captain Jason Sherrill has made his living on the water for more than half of his life. Even after 25 years in the fishing industry, he still loves to get out and explore new areas that provide excitement when finding something new. Last weekend, he was able to take advantage of the perfect weather and do some exploring, paying off in a full fish box. We were checking a new area on our way down to Key West, fishing on the way down, said Sherrill, who is now a salaried and consulting captain for hire along with owning an inshore charter boat out of Sarasota. Ive been playing around in that area for the past two years. We were getting into yelloweye snapper, queen snapper, tilefish, deepwater grouper and more. Then we found an edge that seemed like it had a wreck on it in 460 feet of water. The crew enjoyed the calm seas and dropped bait onto the new find below. They were more than halfway to their destination 200 miles into their journey. With more than 110 miles left to Key West aboard the 66-foot Spencer, the anglers were in no hurry catching quality deepwater fish. On a couple of drops, they hooked fish that were too large to turn, getting them into the structure below. Queen snapper have soft mouths so we fish light for them. We tend to pull a lot of hooks out. Dropping squid I think we hooked a snapper and thats when something big might have eaten one of them, but elephants do eat peanuts so it might have eaten the original bait. The something big was able to be held out of its structured home in the deepwater below, unlike the previous two hookups. A slow tug of war resumed and Sherrill knew it wasnt a snapper on the other end. We only had 25 pounds of drag on it, I know because it was set where I run them for swordfish, Sherrill recalled. After 20 minutes we finally saw it below, it was a giant Warsaw! Despite the difficulty of light tackle the giant grouper was worked to the surface. Opening the tuna door on the back of the Spencer they were able to slide it in, securing it for a few pictures. Thats when Sherrill was able to finally see the true size of the Warsaw grouper. I was guessing it was over 200 pounds, he said. We didnt put it on a scale, but it was definitely big. For comparison, a Warsaw grouper can grow to over 400 pounds with the world record at 436 pounds. There is no minimum size limit, but the daily bag limit is one fish per vessel. Most are caught in deep parts of the Gulf of Mexico in depths of more than 400 feet, and up to 1000 feet. Captain Jason Sherrill of Reel Addiction and Bucket List Consulting can be reached at (941) 650-9788. Veni Vidi Vici is a Tower District classic. And its a romantic spot too, according to Fresno Bee readers. The bar and restaurant with candlelit tables in the cozy brick dining room and on the shady patio was voted most romantic restaurant in Fresno in a recent Bee poll. Veni Vidi Vici, at 1116 Fulton St., beat the competition with 58% of the vote. The next closest restaurants were Maxs Bistro & Bar, Cracked Pepper Bistro and Elbow Room, all tied with 11% each of the vote. Veni Vidi Vici is a Latin phrase meaning I came, I saw, I conquered, though regular customers often shorten it to Venis. Food and Drink Ronald Harris Contrestano, bartender at Veni Vidi Vici pours an apple martini in this Fresno Bee file photo. The business is a small place thats been around since 1992. Tony Briseno has worked there since the mid-90s, when he was hired as a dishwasher and maintenance guy. Hes co-owned the place since 2004 with his sister, Cynthia Briceno (and yes, they spell their last names differently. The Mexican last name somehow ended up with different spellings on their birth certificates). Venis patio gets packed on hot weekend nights with cocktail drinkers. Many of those younger weekend customers come back later for dinner, Briseno said. A lot of people come back and say, Oh youre a restaurant? he said. Were a restaurant first. The romantic part happens inside, especially on weeknights. Thats where lots of couples dine from the limited but upscale menu that hasnt changed in 10 years, Chefs Adams Holland and Tim Woods who would go on to found the now-closed classic Tower restaurant Echo were there at the beginning. The popular appetizer goat cheese encrusted with cracked pepper and served in a pool of roasted garlic, olives and olive oil with bread is a favorite of many. Thats a Holland-and-Woods creation that Briseno remembers trying when he first got hired. I was like a starving Tower kid and it was the best thing Id ever had, he said. I fell in love with that and Ive been eating it ever since. The menu, with many entrees hovering around $30, features salmon, steak, pasta and more. And the Stockholm royale is a frequently ordered Fresno famous cocktail. The drink was invented by the late bartender/musician Brad Hufft at The Daily Planet (another backbone business in Tower that closed years ago). When it shut down, head waiter Ronald Harris Contrestano got hired at Veni Vidi Vidi, along with Daily Planet piano player Jim Wright, and the cocktail became popular at Venis too. A spin on the Stockholm 75, the Stockholm royale features vodka, lemonade simple syrup, pink Champagne and Chambord, a raspberry liquor. Although Yelp.com reviews ding the restaurant for its service, its still a staple of the Tower District. Romance Veni Vidi Vici is was voted the most romantic spot for dining in the Fresno area in a Fresno Bee poll. Many Fresnans made memories at Veni Vidi Vici with first dates, first kisses on the patio, and weddings and receptions under the large shady trees surrounded by benches by on the patio. We have a lot of people who have met there, dated, and then came back to have their wedding reception, Briseno said. Weve had over 10 (couples) in the last 20 years. They still keep coming back for their anniversary. Some have gotten divorced, and we see them with different people but they still come for dinner. Local musician Brian Kenney Fresno recorded a song about the business called Veni Vidi Vici on his Well Always Have Fresno album. It features an interview with the sibling owners in the middle of the song where a guitar solo would go. Its lyrics include: Its the upscale restaurant with the hip hop shows/Beautiful waitresses so everybody goes/Where its such a scene when they pack em in at night/And the foods so delightful/That they worship every bite-full. Veni Vidi Vici won The Fresno Bee poll about the most romantic restaurants in the Fresno area. Press Release February 11, 2024 Public warned of drawbacks to amendments CHA-CHA 'NOT MAGIC SOLUTION' TO ECONOMIC WOES -SEN. NANCY ...says proponents are selling false hopes to people Sen. Nancy Binay said on Saturday that the proposed amendments to the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution are "not a magic solution" to the problems confronting the Philippine economy and every struggling Filipino citizen. In a radio interview, Binay questioned whether the proposed amendments would genuinely lead to lower prices of basic commodities. "Hindi ito magic solution na kapag napasa, mawawala na lahat ng problema natin o okay na ang ekonomiya ng ating bansa. And I think baka kailangan namin din, isa yan sa kailangang ibahagi din sa mga kababayan na kumbaga hindi lang ito ang solusyon," Binay pointed out. According to her, the number one concern of Filipinos today based on various surveys is the steep prices of basic goods that is why it is important to manage the expectation of the people as discussions are underway to change the Charter. She added: "And then 'di ba, parang kasi dito sa gagawin naming proseso, baka din false hope sa ating mga kababayan na kumbaga kapag binoto nila ito sa plebisito, after one month okay na, bababa na ang presyo ng bigas, or bababa na ang presyo ng krudo, or maaayos na ang problema natin sa kuryente. Pero hindi ganun ang mangyayari." She urged the public to be aware that amending the economic provisions is not the sole solution to the challenges faced by the country. The Senate, through a subcommittee headed by Senator Sonny Angara, has begun deliberations on Resolution of Both Houses No. 6, which seeks to amend three constitutional economic provisions related to public service, education and advertising. During its first hearing, the subcommittee invited resource persons representing both proponents and opponents of amending the 37-year-old Charter. It intends to continue engaging stakeholders from both sides to ensure that the public is well-informed about the potential benefits and drawbacks of the proposed amendments. Binay stressed the importance of considering various factors and comprehensive solutions to address the country's economic issues. She urged her fellow lawmakers and the public to carefully listen to all perspectives before making any decisions regarding the proposed constitutional amendments. "As of the moment, para sa akin kasi, pakinggan muna natin lahat bago ako magde-desisyon. But so far, base sa unang hearing, parang mas marami kaming naging resource persons na mas mabigat ang hindi muna napapanahon ang pagpalit ng ating Konstitusyon," Binay remarked. Insights from experts showed that solving the problems of Filipinos involves tackling many factors and taking different actions, a view Binay agreed with. Binay pointed out the recurring issue of inconsistent electricity policies in the country, citing it as an example of a systemic challenge that needs to be addressed through legislation. Binay highlighted the lack of consistency in policies whenever there is a change in administration, likening it to changing the rules in the middle of a game for business owners. She questioned the feasibility of investing in a country where policies can change every six years. Addressing the issue, Binay emphasized the importance of enacting laws to provide stability and predictability in the energy sector, ensuring a conducive environment for businesses to thrive. Texas Republican representative Ronny Jackson said that special counsel Robert Hur's report "validates" what many White House observers have noticed, which was President Joe Biden's "serious issues" in terms of his health. Hur, who had been tasked with investigating Biden's mishandling of classified documents, described the president in a report this week as appearing like a "sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory." Hur's report immediately became a hot-button topic for US political pundits. "It validates what most of us have known," Jackson told Fox News Digital. "I've been saying since he was candidate Joe Biden that this man is not cognitively fit to be our president, our commander in chief, and our head of state. I've been saying that over and over." Jackson previously served as a White House physician during the Obama and Trump administrations, the former of which Biden was vice president. He claimed that he saw a "drastic difference" between his stint as VP and his presidency. "Go back and look at the videos from whenever he was first vice president and compare them to now. It's not even the same person," he added. "He's got some serious issues. I've been saying that for a long time. Now the report says that - the special counsel report came out and said exactly that. That was a special counsel appointed by the Biden DOJ, and they're saying the same thing that I and many Americans have been saying for a long time now." Read Also: Joe Biden's Order Includes Human Rights Conditions to Requirements for Military Assistance Jackson: Biden is Not Fine Despite the concern over his mental state, Biden made an address earlier this week that his memory was "fine" and defended his re-election campaign, saying that he was the "most qualified person in this country to be president." The address came just hours after Hur released his report, which did not recommend criminal charges against the president for mishandling classified documents. The records included classified documents about military and foreign policy in Afghanistan, among other records related to national security and foreign policy that Hur said included "sensitive intelligence sources and methods." Jackson noticed that the president made "all kinds of gaffes" and proved to the world that the report was accurate and that everything speculated by observers in the past three years was "accurate." "He's cognitively unfit to be our commander-in-chief, and it's going to be a problem for us," he added. "It's a real national security issue. I mean, it's always been a national security issue, but it's a national security issue that just gets worse by the day." Aside from Biden's memory and mental acuity, Jackson believed that the report validated that the government "has been weaponized for political purposes." "The Democrats have weaponized the government against Donald Trump. Anybody just has to beat Donald Trump for political purposes - the FBI, the DOJ," he explained. Related Article: Biden Unable to Recall Personal Milestones Visitors to the grounds of Lord Bathursts estate will have to pay an entry fee from next month Visitors to the grounds of Lord Bathursts estate will have to pay an entry fee from next month, bringing an end to the free access the public has enjoyed since 1695. Cirencester Park in Gloucestershire will require non-local visitors to use a pass to access its grounds, installing electric pedestrian gates on four main routes in. Earl Bathurst, whose family has run the estate for centuries, said the system will support restoration and maintenance work, adding that he is delighted to continue to share Cirencester Park with the local community and visitors to the area. The decision by the Bathurst Estate has previously caused controversy. The Countess publicly distanced herself, after what she described as some of the worst online bullying and libellous claims she had ever experienced. Lady Bathurst said she was being falsely credited with the initiative The blame is now being placed at my door, and I cannot allow that to happen and Im getting scant support from the estate office who seem to be perfectly happy for me to shoulder the blame, so I shall have to fight my own battles, Lady Bathurst said in a Facebook post in 2021. If truth be told, they were also not my choice and I have been very unhappy about it but the decision was made and as I have no say in the management of the estate, there was nothing I could do. I am uncomfortable with the growing belief that this is all my doing. It is not. Instead, she said, it was a decision from the estate manager. The new pass system will be activated on Friday, March 15. The Bathurst family has run the Grade I-listed Cirencester Park estate since 1695. The 18th-century landscape park was laid out by the 1st Earl Bathurst between 1714 and 1775 with the help of Alexander Pope. The site grew in popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic as residents and visitors sought to go for long walks during lockdown restrictions. A spokesperson for the Bathurst Estate said: The Bathurst Estate is committed to improving the visitor experience within Cirencester Park with the provision of new facilities, information points, family-friendly spaces such as a childrens play area and the picnic arboretum at The Old Kennels, while retaining the character of a Grade I-listed parkland. Lord Bathurst said the new passes will support restoration and maintenance work The management and maintenance of estates and private parklands is ever evolving, with landowners embracing new ways to ensure continuity in their conservation and preservation works; Cirencester Park is no different. The introduction of passes will support this, as well as the work of those employed to ensure the park is safe, that pathways are well-maintained and visitor areas are clean, interesting and enjoyable. Lord Bathurst said the new passes will support Phase II of the Broad Avenue Restoration Project at the park this autumn, as well as wider maintenance at the historic grounds. The physical and health benefits that people and their dogs get from the restorative powers of being in the natural environment of Cirencester Park is as important today as when the park was first established, he said. Local residents within Gloucestershire postcodes and surrounding villages can claim a Cirencester Park Community Pass. An individual Cirencester Park Annual Pass will cost 30 and an annual household pass, which can be used by up to six people in one household, will cost 50. A Day Pass is 4 for adults and 2 for children. 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. Varlin Higbee walks through a dense pinyon-juniper woodland in Lincoln County, Nev. The county commissioner would like to see the trees harvested and used for the production of biofuel. (Louis Sahagun / Los Angeles Times) When Varlin Higbee eyes the scrubby forest of pinyon pines and juniper trees that fill the high desert outside this old Union Pacific Railroad town, there's just one thought that crosses his mind: Theyre just a wildfire waiting to happen, the Lincoln County commissioner says of the low, bushy trees. And Higbee is not alone in his distaste for the plants. Lincoln County Commissioner Varlin Higbee, 63, in the rural eastern Nevada community of Caliente, Nev., which he believes would benefit from a plan to harvest pinyon and juniper trees to make methanol. (Louis Sahagun / Los Angeles Times) Despite the many uses Native Americans once had for pinyon-juniper woodlands not the least of which was sustenance from pine nuts ranchers and federal land managers throughout the American Southwest have now come to regard them as a highly flammable and invasive scourge. In parts of California and much of the Great Basin, land owners have declared war on pinyon pines and juniper trees, clearing them from rangelands with chains, bulldozers, saws and herbicides. At the same time, the trees are drawing increasing interest as a source of renewable energy such as in California's Lassen County, where 150,000 tons of the trees are fed into the Honey Lake Power Plant each year to generate energy for customers including San Diego Gas & Electric. Most recently, Higbee and other Nevada officials have proposed converting them into green methanol a biofuel that could be used for everything from generating electricity to powering cargo ships calling on the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Read more: Broken chargers, lax oversight: How California's troubled EV charging stations threaten emission goals In January, Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo signed a declaration of understanding with Denmark to develop an industrial park in Lincoln County where methanol would be extracted from wood and used as a fuel additive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from diesel engines. To hear Lombardo tell it, its a match made in heaven. This innovative and collaborative technology project produces clean renewable energy, while simultaneously utilizing trees that need to be thinned out to maintain a healthy forest, Lombardo said. Environmental groups, however, have blasted the plan. Among other criticisms, they say the deal with Denmark sets the stage for a fight over the future of an ecologically rich landscape, much of which has remained untouched by the glitz and bustle of Las Vegas and Reno. Gary Hughes of Biofuelwatch, an advocacy group focused on the impact of bioenergy development, dismissed the proposal as a technological dead end road and heartbreaking waste of healthy trees. A Maersk line container ship from Denmark awaits unloading at the Port of Los Angeles. Denmark is looking to the state of Nevada to convert pinyon pine and juniper trees into biofuel that could be used to power cargo ships. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Denmark which is home to Maersk, the world's largest container shipping company has pledged to become 100% fossil fuel free by 2050, and bioenergy is a key part of that ambitious effort. "Denmark is at the forefront of renewable energy developments and closer collaboration between Nevada and Denmark can only strengthen our joint quests to create economic growth and well-paid jobs while also doing good for the environment and our planet, read a statement from Danish Ambassador to the U.S. Jesper Mller Srensen. Nevada officials want to locate the facility in the middle of about 1.3 million acres of pinyon-juniper woodlands in public lands some 150 miles northeast of Las Vegas. The proposed site is also crossed by a Union Pacific mainline that terminates at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The facility, according to officials, could attract $260 million in investments, create 150 sorely needed local jobs and become a model for creating similar industrial parks in other parts of Nevada. Read more: Researchers discover thousands of nanoplastic bits in bottles of drinking water But there are significant environmental issues involved in scalping eastern Nevadas mountainous public lands of century-old trees standing 15 to 20 feet tall. Id be surprised if this proposal is successful, Hughes said. So far, efforts to produce methanol from wood at scale for the aviation industry, for example, have all failed. Patrick Donnelly, Great Basin director for the Center for Biological Diversity, called it a new chapter in our nations 200-year-long war on pinyon-juniper ecosystems. Each generation finds a new excuse to justify their destruction because they dont provide the economic benefits obtained from tall pine trees favored by the timber industry, he said. Now, it seems the state of Nevada is popping champagne corks because it believes it has found a way of making money from the trees, Donnelly said. But I see it as a short-term carbon benefit at the expense of the long-term carbon sequestration benefits provided by a healthy forest. The development of renewable energy facilities solar, wind, geothermal and biomass on public lands has been a top priority of the federal government as it seeks to ease the nations dependence on fossil fuels and curb global warming. With that goal in mind, the Bureau of Land Management is working closely in Lincoln County with the governors economic development office, engineers in Denmark, and Sixco Nevada Inc. a consortium of companies focused on deployment of new technologies to develop the proposal. Read more: Why did California officials drop two mountain lions in the desert and leave them to die? In the eyes of the BLM, pinyon pine and juniper trees are weedy species that invade sagebrush rangelands and increase the risk of wildfire. They say an overabundance of pinyon-juniper woodlands fueled the 2022 Calf Canyon-Hermits Peak fire in New Mexico, which burned 341,735 acres, a state record. But environmentalists argue that the loss of the trees outweighs the benefits of biofuel and biomass production. Pinyon-juniper woodlands absorb atmospheric carbon through the process of photosynthesis, and have been widespread for thousands of years in much of Nevada and Utah, as well as portions of California, Idaho, Oregon, Wyoming and Baja California. Critics of the biofuel project say the woodlands' role in carbon storage is critical to battling climate change. Environmentalists also worry that the loss and degradation of pinyon-juniper woodlands will pose a significant threat to a number of animal species, including the bright blue pinyon jay, which is under consideration for listing as a federally endangered species. Lincoln County Commissioner Varlin Higbee, center, walks with Derick Hembd, right, president of Sixco Nevada, a consortium of firms focused on infrastructure, and Bill Vinnicombet, a Sixco Nevada energy finance advisor, at the proposed site of the tree harvesting and biofuel production project northeast of Las Vegas. (Louis Sahagun / Los Angeles Times) The Western Watershed Project and Center for Biological Diversity have filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court challenging the BLMs approval of a plan to remove pinyon-juniper forests across more than 380,000 acres of sagebrush shrublands on federal land in eastern Nevada. The lawsuit claims the plan would eradicate habitat for imperiled sage grouse and pinyon jays with techniques including chaining the dragging of an anchor chain from a U.S. Navy vessel between two bulldozers in order to uproot and crush pinyon-juniper forests and sagebrush. Derick Hembd, president of Sixco Nevada, said the governors proposal calls for using shears and saws to harvest individual trees, leaving saplings and sagebrush untouched. It remains to be seen, however, whether concerns over the future of pinyon jays and other creatures threaten to stall or derail the project in rural Lincoln County, which is best known as a gateway to the secretive Area 51 U.S. Air Force military installation. But Higbee, 63, has high hopes for the proposal that could also breathe new life into struggling rural communities such as Caliente, where the population of about 1,100 people hasnt budged in decades. We need to grow, Higbee said with frustration. Im going to do everything in my power to get this project up and running. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The early bird gets the worm or, in this case, the cleanest planes. According to former flight attendant Jay Robert, who spent nearly two decades in the aviation industry, the later the flight, the filthier the aircraft. Throughout the day, theres only time to perform light spot cleaning, with some airlines relying on cabin crew to maintain cabin presentability until the plane reaches its final destination for the night stop, during which the aircraft is more thoroughly cleaned in preparation for the flight out the following morning, he told the Daily Mail, chalking it up to the airports tight schedules. Most airlines that operate domestic and short-haul flights adhere to tight schedules, limiting the time aircraft spend on the ground. But germaphobes beware: Just because you take off on a 5 a.m. flight doesnt mean its completely sanitized. Robert spent nearly two decades in the industry. Instagram/aflyguytravels Aircraft cleaning is highly unpredictable, Robert said. Instagram/aflyguytravels Robert also dished four more tips for a germ-free flight. First, he recommended passengers sanitize their seat area tray tables, seat cushions, armrests, screens and seat buckle and wouldnt dare go near the seat pocket. One area I steer clear of is the seatback pocket, as it often harbors various unpleasant surprises, from dirty tissues and diapers to full barf bags, he explained. Thirdly, Roberts revealed that he wouldnt sit on the seat cushion, claiming aircraft seats are not thoroughly cleaned between flights, and advised travelers to use a blanket as a chair cover. On several occasions, passengers have complained they sat in what seemed like clean seats, only to discover that the cushion beneath the cover was soiled and damp from the previous flight, he said, adding that he would only use the provided pillows as back support. Lazy cleaners often change only the top layer and not the entire cushion, meaning the pillow may still carry stains from body fluids like drool, sweat, and blood. Robert claimed that planes are not thoroughly cleaned between flights due to tight schedules. Hope stock.adobe.com Fourth, the ex-flight attendant advises you keep your shoes on. If you want to kick back and relax as much as you can on a cramped airplane Robert cautioned against taking off your shoes, as the carpets can be nasty. Not only is it unsanitary, but foot odor can be a nuisance, or even a real threat to air quality, for fellow travelers. Ive encountered situations where the scent emanating from someones bare feet was so overpowering that I had to discreetly spray perfume in that area, he recalled. There were also instances it was so toxic that I had to wake passengers and delicately discuss the matter, explaining that their foot odor was causing discomfort to others and that it was necessary to wear their shoes. If you wouldnt go into a public restroom barefoot, dont do it on the plane, he warned. Robert advised against going shoeless on a plane. milkovasa stock.adobe.com nally, for a germ-free flight, Robert advises that you pay attention to your surrounding before putting your carry-on items on the floor. Your bags could be spoiled if something spilled or leaked onto the floor from the passenger before you. Before placing your bags on the floor, carefully inspect your floor area, especially under seats, as cleaners often overlook these areas, he said, advising using the plastic wrap from the blanket provided by the aircraft to cover the floor under the seat in front of you. Even after almost 20 years in the business, Robert admitted he finds it difficult to trust airline cleaning practices, claiming that, because cleaning companies typically overworking and underpaying their staff, cleanliness standards are not met. Aircraft cleaning is highly unpredictable, he said. Even airlines renowned for their cleanliness standards fly to airports where they lack complete control over the contracted cleaning company. French President Emmanuel Macron has postponed his visit to Ukraine, which was originally planned for 13-14 February. Source: Challenges; European Pravda Details: Challenges reported that the French presidential administration explained the decision by security concerns. MEDEF Internationals France-Ukraine Business Council, which was planning a Kyiv visit alongside Macron, has also cancelled its visit. Challenges reported that before heading to Kyiv, Macron was supposed to carry out a "symbolic visit" to Odesa, the city that the French helped build. Important economic discussions related to the rebuilding of Ukraine were on the agenda for Macrons visit. The French president was expected to announce the creation of a 200 million fund that will be used for civilian projects in Ukraine undertaken by small and medium-sized French businesses. Macron was also expected to formally announce the appointment of the French Development Agency (AFD) as the coordinator for French aid to Ukraine. The French presidential administration stressed that 13-14 February was one possible date for Macrons visit among several other options. Arranging the security for the route Macron was supposed to take into Ukraine would have taken more time. Moreover, Macron wanted to "strengthen" French aid for Ukraine and to offer a new aid package in partnership with other European allies. Background: In January, Macron said he was planning to visit Ukraine to finalise work on a bilateral security guarantee agreement. In a phone call on 10 February, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, discussed the situation on the battlefield and Ukraine's defence needs. Support UP or become our patron! French President Emmanuel Macron has postponed his working visit to Ukraine, which was planned to take place on Feb. 14-15, the French business outlet Challenges reported on Feb. 11. The publication writes that the Elysee Palace explains this delay by means of security concerns. There have been no official reports on this matter yet. It is noted that the decision to cancel the visit has raised many questions from both French civil servants and leaders and Ukrainian diplomats. According to the publication, Macron was supposed to visit Odesa first and then go to the capital of Ukraine. He was also supposed to announce the creation of a 200 million fund for donations to civilian projects. Read also: President Zelenskyy discusses Ukraine's defense needs with Macron In addition, Macron was expected to officially announce the arrival of the French Development Agency as a coordinator of assistance to Ukraine. The French-Ukrainian business council Medef International, which had organized a mission to Kyiv at the same time, also canceled the trip. Media outlets had previously reported that Macron was planning a visit to Kyiv in part to finalize a bilateral agreement on security guarantees. On Feb. 10, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a phone conversation with Macron. They discussed the situation at the front, Ukraines defense needs, and security guarantees. Read also: France finalizing security agreement with Ukraine Macron 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 government of Andry Rajoelina, the Malagasy president, proposed the new law - RIJASOLO/AFP Madagascars parliament has passed a law that would punish paedophiles with surgical castration. The law drew criticism from international rights groups but won backing from some local activists who say it is necessary to deter a rape culture. The island nations upper house of parliament approved the legislation last week. It must now be ratified by the High Constitutional Court and signed into law by president Andry Rajoelina, whose government proposed the change. Landy Mbolatiana Randriamanantenasoa, the justice minister, said the measure was necessary because of an increase in rape against children. There were 600 cases of child rape recorded in 2023, she said, and 133 already in January this year. The current penal code has not been enough to curb the perpetrators of these offences, she said. Landy Mbolatiana Randriamanantenasoa, the justice minister, said 'the current penal code has not been enough to curb the perpetrators' The new law says surgical castration will always be pronounced for those guilty of raping a child under the age of 10. Cases of rape against children between the ages of 10 and 13 will be punished by either surgical or chemical castration. The rape of minors aged between 14 and 17 will be punished by chemical castration. Offenders will also face sterner sentences of up to life in prison. Chemical castration is the use of drugs to block hormones and decrease sexual desire. It is generally reversible by stopping the drugs. Surgical castration is irreversible. Several countries and some states in America, including California and Florida, allow for chemical castration for some sex offenders. Surgical castration as a punishment is much rarer. The use of both is highly contentious. Amnesty International said the punishment would amount to inhuman and degrading treatment inconsistent with Madagascars constitutional laws and failed to address serious flaws in the investigation of rapes. On the island, complaint procedures and trials are not carried out anonymously, said Nciko wa Nciko, an advisor for Madagascar at Amnesty. There is a lack of confidence in the Malagasy criminal justice system, due to opacity and corruption. And reprisals against rape victims are frequent. However, the law does not combat these factors. Jessica Lolonirina Nivoseheno of Women Break the Silence, an anti-rape campaign group, said: (The new law) is progress, because it is a deterrent punishment. This could prevent potential attackers from taking action ... but only if we, as citizens, are aware of the existence and importance of this new penalty. 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. Officers with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department have arrested and charged one man in connection with a 2023 homicide investigation. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Charlotte Crime Stoppers offers $5K reward one year after deadly shooting Channel 9 first brought you the story on January 31, 2023, after 22-year-old, Jamal Jones, was shot and killed around 8:45 a.m. on North Davidson Street near East 24th Street. At the beginning of 2024, Charlotte Crime Stoppers even offered a $5,000 reward for any information that would lead to an arrest. More than a year later, police announced the arrest of Curtis Elliot, 34, for Jones murder. Elliot is charged with murder and possession of a firearm by a convincted felon. (WATCH BELOW: Family of man who was shot by police in west Charlotte speaks) Birds fly over the Port of Corpus Christi, where tankers of liquefied natural gas have made for steady business. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer WASHINGTON The first shipment of U.S. liquefied natural gas left Cheniere Energys Sabine Pass export terminal in Louisiana almost eight years ago, ushering in a new age of American energy exports to allies around the globe and generating tens of billions of dollars a year for the U.S. economy. But with climate change now gaining bandwidth in global leaders minds, the greenhouse gas emissions produced by LNG, while in some respects markedly less than coal, are driving a tense assessment within the Biden administration about whether building more LNG terminals is in the worlds best interests, while they put a pause on permitting. WHAT IS LNG? Looking at the product at the center of Biden's export freeze Advertisement Article continues below this ad At the center of that debate is the network of American allies now dependent on U.S. LNG, for whom a reduction in American supply could have far-reaching implications beyond climate change, affecting the economic relationships around which so much diplomacy is built. The climate concerns are real, and they deserve a serious, hard look, but theres other geopolitical and market considerations we need to take into account, said Ben Cahill, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank. The fact is, gas demand is going to be with us for a long time and there will be multiple suppliers vying to meet that market demand. The United States exported more than 88 million tons of LNG last year, surpassing Qatar and Australia to become the worlds largest supplier. And with multiple terminals under construction along the Gulf Coast, the sector is expected to grow exponentially in the decades ahead, with research company Wood Mackenzie projecting LNG exports from the U.S. and Mexico to reach a capacity of 238 million metric tons per year by 2050, accounting for 30% of global supply. But in a note to clients last week, the company warned that while a short-term pause on U.S. LNG permitting was unlikely to have much impact on global energy markets a sustained interruption could have lasting implications on the global LNG market and could affect how buyers perceive US LNG." While we expect existing LNG buyers to wait in the short term, these and other potential new buyers could start to look at competing projects outside of the U.S., such as those in Canada, Australia and particularly Qatar, as alternative supply sources, wrote Giles Farrer, head of gas research at Wood Mackenzie. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Such a possibility has been seized on by Republicans, with Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-S.C., chair of the House Subcomittee on Energy, Climate and Grid Security, calling the pause "a gift to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin" at a hearing Tuesday. The question hanging over the White Houses deliberations is what happens when the permitting review is completed, which is expected to happen within the next 12 months. Many within the administration have deep concerns about the LNG industrys life cycle emissions. While burning natural gas produces about half the carbon dioxide of burning coal, methane leaks during the production and transportation of natural gas change the calculus markedly, particularly in the short term. A study by the Department of Energy in 2019 found that the life cycle emission of shipping LNG to European power plants could actually exceed that of burning coal over a 20-year period though over 100 years LNG emissions outperformed coal. Were the U.S. to extend the pause or require LNG facilities to mitigate their emissions, as the Australian government did last year much to the concern of buyers in Asia that could shift gas buyers away from export terminals along the Gulf Coast to countries with lower environmental standards. Advertisement Article continues below this ad At a meeting in a Washington think tank last week, the head of a Japanese research company, who was speaking on the condition of anonymity, warned that even a 10-month pause on U.S. permitting could, lead to a lot of loss of money and confidence in the business community. With this pause, it would make our efforts to reduce our dependence on Russian gas and LNG much harder, and not just for Japan, he said. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022, its pipeline exports to Europe have declined close to sixfold. If the U.S. reduced its LNG exports, it would be a boon for Russian projects, which are trying to attract customers in Western Europe and Asia, said Leslie Palti-Guzman, head of research at Houston-based analytics company SynMax. Right now, the world has more LNG export terminals being built than it needs, with the International Energy Agency warning of an oversupply beginning next year because of an unprecedented surge" in projects. A U.S. pause on permitting would have no impact on LNG supply over the next five years terminals take years to build but it could be a boon for competing nations come 2030. Advertisement Article continues below this ad CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) A man has been arrested and charged in the late December death of a 17-year-old, according to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD). CMPD identifies 17-year-old boy killed in Steele Creek shooting On February 9, 2024, police say they arrested 29-year-old Shawn Taliesin Davis Jr. He is being held without bond and is charged with the following: First Degree Murder Attempted First Degree Murder Two counts of Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon Three counts of Discharging a Firearm into Occupied Property Just after 2:30 a.m. on December 27, 2023, officers say they were called to the 16200 block of Long Talon Way for reports of the shooting. This is close to US-160 (Steele Creek Road) and the state line. Two people were found shot, according to authorities. One of the victims was pronounced deceased at the site of the incident and the other was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. A home in the area was also shot into; however, no one in the home was hurt. Officials later identified the young man who lost his life as 17-year-old Murahnee Johnson. Inmate charged with murder over a year after Villa Heights homicide: CMPD CMPDs Violent Criminal Apprehension Team (VCAT) was responsible for the arrest of Davis. Anyone with information is asked to call 704-432-TIPS to speak with a homicide detective. Detective ODell is the lead investigator in the case. The public can anonymously contact Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or at charlottecrimestoppers.com. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. (KRON) An Antioch resident was arrested after fleeing from police on Friday, the Oakley Police Department said. Oakley police special services team officers said they saw a vehicle that was speeding run two red lights. Police began to chase the driver. Police said the driver pulled into an apartment complex at 2747 Winding Lane in Antioch and fled on foot. Two firearms, marijuana located in vehicle in San Rafael The officers caught the suspect on foot and took him into custody. The suspect was identified as 20-year-old Antioch resident Andrew Early. Early was arrested and booked into jail for fleeing from officers, resisting officers, and forgery. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. A man died from multiple gunshot wounds after an incident in downtown Ventura early Sunday morning, police said. The Ventura Police Department received reports of shots fired around 2 a.m. Sunday near Oak and Main streets. Officers arrived to find the man with gunshot wounds, said Sgt. Joe Munger. The victim was transported to Ventura County Medical Center where he later died, Munger said. Ventura police identified the victim as Anthony Castanon, 20, of Santa Paula. Officers also learned that two other males a 24-year-old from Oxnard and a 17-year-old from Santa Paula had gone on their own to Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura for treatment of gunshot wounds. Munger said their initial investigation shows the incidents were related. Both the patients remained in serious but stable condition, police officials said Sunday afternoon. A juvenile has been arrested in connection with the shooting death of the man, Munger said. Police are still investigating whether more people were involved in the incident. Because the investigation is ongoing, Munger could not say whether the incident was random or gang related. Sunday's death marks the Ventura's first homicide of 2024, he said. Two days earlier, Ventura officers responded to reports of shots fired in east Ventura's Cabrillo Village community. Investigators responded Friday after 9:30 p.m. and found several spent casings and other evidence at the scene, but no victims were found and no property damage was discovered. Ventura police asked anyone with information about the incident to contact Detective Alberto Tovar at 805-339-4462 This story may be updated. This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Police ID man killed in Ventura's first homicide of 2024 Craig Sturt would have gone through security screening, a Heathrow spokesman insisted An investigation into security procedures at Heathrow is under way after a man was allegedly able to catch a flight to New York without a ticket or a passport. Craig Sturt, 46, boarded a British Airways plane after apparently tailgating another passenger through passport checks at Heathrows Terminal 5. After arriving in the US at JFK Airport he was detained by security officials who found he had no documentation and sent him back to the UK on a charter flight. He was subsequently charged with fraud and offences under the Aviation Security Act when he arrived back in the country on Christmas Day. He was due to appear at Uxbridge magistrates court in January but a warrant for his arrest was issued after he failed to turn up. Heathrow tightened up security checks after 9/11 - Gordon Bell Photography/iStock Thames Valley Police issued an alert on Jan 30 alongside a photo of Mr Sturt. It stated: Please can you help us find Craig? The 46-year-old is 6ft, slim, with short dark brown hair. When he was last seen he was wearing a grey jacket, a top, black jogging bottoms and white trainers. Craig was last seen in Reading, but is from Slough and also has links to Heathrow and the Tottenham Court Road in London. If you see Craig, please do not approach him, instead call 999. He remains at large and an investigation is ongoing. The Metropolitan Police, which is now handling the case, said: Sturt was reported missing to Thames Valley Police on Jan 25. Security kept under constant review On Jan 31 the case was transferred to the MPS and an investigation is now ongoing, led by the Central North Command Unit. They added: We continue to work with all our partners to review and enhance the already robust security measures in place which are kept under constant review by the wider security partnership. A spokesman for Heathrow insisted that Mr Sturt, despite not having a passport, would still have gone through security screening. They said: All people who go airside are subject to security screening, including the individual involved in this case. We are supporting the authorities with their investigation. British Airways said it was also assisting the authorities. Mr Sturt was charged with obtaining services by deception, being unlawfully airside and boarding an aircraft without permission. Such breaches were thought to have been impossible because of increased security and technological advances since 9/11. The Home Office is understood to be looking into the matter, with one source telling The Sun: This is a major embarrassment for Heathrow and Border Force. Officials in the US are furious and demanding to know how this could have happened. 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. RAMONA, Calif. (FOX5/KUSI) A man is facing serious charges after allegedly ramming the back gate to the Ramona Sheriffs Substation in a pickup truck Saturday, authorities said. According to the San Diego County Sheriffs Department, it all started around 3 a.m. when Ramona deputies contacted a group of six individuals at the intersection of La Brea and Ramona Streets. Hold on to what you love. All five Marines killed in helicopter crash identified Three of the six were found to be in illegal possession of concealed firearms and narcotics, said SDSO. They were placed under arrest at that time, while the other three individuals were released at the scene. One of the arrested individuals facing charges of carrying a concealed firearm was 21-year-old Jorge Aguilar, authorities explained. He was released from the Ramona Sheriffs Substation with a notice to appear in court, and the two others whose identities were not immediately released were booked on felony firearm and drug-related charges. Later around 7:30 a.m., SDSO said Aguilar allegedly returned to the Ramona Sheriffs Substation in a pickup truck. It was reported that he rammed the back gate and fled the scene before deputies could respond. Nearby residents who witnessed the collision told deputies that Aguilar as the driver of the vehicle. Shortly after that, SDSO said deputies located Aguilars damaged truck parked at his home in Ramona. He was taken into custody without incident at that time. Based on the severity of the damage caused to the gate, authorities said Aguilar is now facing an additional charge of felony vandalism. He was booked at the San Diego Central Jail. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. AUSTIN (KXAN) A man has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for selling a pill containing fentanyl that led to the death of a 19-year-old in Leander. Juan Ignacio Soria Gamez was sentenced in a federal district court Friday for the overdose death of Tucker Roe. According to court documents, Gamez sold a counterfeit pill to Roe back in 2021, which led to Roes death at his familys home. After his death, Roes mother Stefanie Turner founded Texas Against Fentanyl, an organization that educates parents and children about the dangers of fentanyl. Last year, the group was successful in pushing Texas lawmakers to pass Tuckers Law, requiring Texas schools to educate students about the fatal drug. Turner said Gamezs sentencing has closed this chapter for her family but the fight against the fentanyl crisis is ongoing. We are not getting ahead of it. Were still going backwards and until those death numbers start to go down I cant stop, Turner said. WCSO teams up with federal law enforcement to stop fentanyl-related deaths As the fentanyl crisis continues, Texas lawmakers have gone to more drastic lengths to hold dealers involved in these deaths accountable. In 2023, they passed a bill that allows prosecutors to seek a murder charge in connection to fentanyl-related deaths. The bill also increased criminal penalties for selling and distributing fentanyl. That bill went into effect on September 1, 2023. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) 22-year-old Nathaniel Taylor was sentenced to three years after breaking into a womans home and stealing grocery items in 2021. On Dec. 27, 2021, Taylor broke into the womans home and stole a frozen pack of meat, a bottle of wine and a bottle of Irish cream. He left through the side door, leaving it open. The victim returned home and found her house burglarized and reported it to police, officials said. Before the woman returned home and reported the incident, Norfolk police were called for reports of someone looking into homes, and appearing to try and open rear windows. Officers found Taylor, and he allowed them to search his backpack. However, since no reports of burglaries has been reported at the time, he was allowed to leave. After the woman reported the burglary, police put out warrants for his arrest, and Taylor turned himself in. Taylor pleaded guilty to felony burglary and misdemeanor petit larceny on Feb. 5. Taylor was on probation for a prior burglary conviction when he committed this offense. A judge is set to determine whether he faces additional sanctions for violating the terms of his probation on Feb. 20. Check with WAVY.com for updates. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. A modular home manufacturer has witnessed the devastation that wildfires have brought within the last year and come up with a solution to protect homeowners. Atlas Modular Solutions from Lavington in British Columbia, Canada, has developed fire-resistant properties that not only will protect from the threat of wildfires but can also be constructed in as little as six weeks, providing a rapid solution for those who have lost their homes. The Okanagan Valley in recent years has seen a huge number of losses due to forest fires of homes, company vice president Jesse Musial told Global News. Our hearts go out to those that have lost a home due to fire, and we feel that we have something to offer to those who are looking to do everything they can to avoid that situation. According to NASAs Earth Observatory, an estimated 18.4 million hectares were burned in Canada in 2023, an area roughly the same size as North Dakota. Thats compared to a typical yearly average of 2.5 million hectares. British Columbia was particularly hard hit, experiencing what NASA described as megafires, or fires that exceeded 10,000 hectares. The organization said that summer lightning storms were partly to blame for the blazes. Atlas Modular Solutions homes are built using entirely non-combustible or certified flame-resistant materials, while the wood features of steel-frame homes are given a fire-retardant coating. The cost is around 10% more than the companys typical wood-framed homes, but homebuyers likely wont be put off by the slightly more expensive homes because of the benefits they provide. While Canadas mass burning events were put down to lightning, wildfires elsewhere, such as in Chile, Hawaii, and California, were likely exacerbated by hot and dry conditions, which are lasting longer because of global heating. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States confirmed that 2023 was the hottest year on record, and should such temperatures persist, its likely that wildfire events will become more frequent. Solutions such as this will at least give homeowners some peace of mind during these traumatic events. But reducing planet-warming pollution from vehicles, industry, energy, construction, and agriculture is essential to stop temperatures from rising so rapidly in the first place. Join our free newsletter for cool news and actionable info that makes it easy to help yourself while helping the planet. Texas House speaker Dade Phelan raises the gavel Monday, Oct. 9, 2023, on the House floor in the Capitol in Austin as he convenes the chamber for its third special session this year. William Luther/San Antonio Express-News The state GOPs executive committee censured Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan on Saturday for facilitating the impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton and appointing Democrats to chair committees. The resolution was approved overwhelmingly by a vote of 55-4, with four abstentions. It needed 39 votes to pass. As a result, the party will not financially support the Beaumont Republican during the GOP primary and may endorse an opponent. Texas GOP Chairman Matt Rinaldi has already personally backed one of Phelans challengers, former executive committee member David Covey, who is running against the speaker from his right in the March 5 election. Advertisement Article continues below this ad If we were judging Dade based on his generosity, this could never pass. But were not, said executive committee member Chris Breaux of Beaumont, who added that he has long considered Phelan a friend. Were voting on what hes done thats violated our rules. I wish that I could support Dade Phelan in this, but I cant. Hes wrong. Hes been obstinate in his wrongness. The censure comes amid an ongoing civil war within the Texas GOP, which has fractured in recent months over Paxtons impeachment and the Houses rejection of Gov. Greg Abbotts private school voucher plan. Rinaldi and other conservatives have lambasted Phelan as a RINO, or a Republican in name only. After the vote, Cait Wittman, a spokeswoman for Phelan, took aim at the committee over its past actions, including watering down a resolution condemning antisemitism by removing a provision that would bar the party from associating with people or organizations that espouse antisemitism, pro-Nazi sympathies, or Holocaust denial. The SREC has lost its moral authority and is no longer representative of the views of the party as a whole, Wittman said in a statement. Phelan has remained defiant in the face of the criticism and has touted the Houses work to ban abortion and allow the permitless carry of handguns as conservative wins passed under his leadership. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Phelan has also accused Rinaldi and his right-wing critics of weaponizing the party and turning a blind eye to antisemitism and white supremacism. Phelan is the second speaker of the Texas House to face a censure by the state party. The executive committee similarly condemned former Speaker Joe Straus of San Antonio in 2018. Jake Hall wanted a baseline. A fresh start and a sense of direction in how to make life better for unsheltered people in Macon. That first required knowing how many of them there were. The rough, unrefined number is about three times the 140 counted just two years ago, or now around 420. On a cold and clear but blustery morning out by Interstate 475 where it crosses over Eisenhower Parkway in Macon, Hall looked for a homeless encampment which, up until then, had only been a rumor and a spot on a map built by a new app on his phone. The manager of a rent-by-the-week hotel knew the spot well. Yeah, we kind of blocked it off, the manager tells Hall. They used to go in behind our dumpster back there. When they had the fire over there, it kind of ran them off a little bit. The fire was a few years ago, but it was so big that firefighters remember the site. Thats why Hall, who leads the United to End Homelessness Program in collaboration with Macon-Bibb County Government, is here. This place is new to him, but its one of a number of homeless encampments around Bibb County that firefighters have been mapping when they are out on calls. Theyre leading him and his colleague Heather Sims to the site now, as Hall, Sims and teams of volunteers around the county are near the end of the Macon stretch of the bi-annual national census of unsheltered people known as the Point in Time, or PIT count. Hall, the firefighters, and Sims pick their way through the privet and undergrowth until they find the encampment. No one is home. Hall breaks out his phone and makes a note of what he sees. Large encampment filled with debris. Burned out from the previous fire period. All right, I tallied it, so we got it here, he says first to his phone and then to the group. Sims, retired from decades as a mental health counselor at the Bibb County Jail, sees something else, details that add up to a new inference about who periodically calls this patch of woods home: a tiny pink Croc shoe and a coat to match. Weve counted a lot of adults, but we havent seen any children, Sims says of their census efforts thus far. The observations here will be counted statistically, even absent of flesh and blood people to interview. This is evidence that this is a part of the story that were not seeing, Sims says. The little bitty shoe and the super small fleece coat. Its just evidence that this isnt just a 35-year-old male problem. This is systemic. The United Ways Jake Hall presents the first rough numbers in Macons 2024 homeless census to members of the local homeless coalition a few weeks after the close of the census. It may seem like there are more people living unhoused. But the people who try to help the chronically homeless need more than gut feeling to inform where and how they work. They need hard numbers. In Macon, hard numbers have been hard to come by. Today, Hall has what he hopes are better numbers. Thats because Jake Halls new, technology-driven approach to the PIT census was aimed at better informing the process ahead of time and going to places which, and people who, may have never been counted before. As far as Macon-Bibb County government is concerned, Hall has only been the point person to the larger, more-established coalition of homeless service providers for barely a year. The effort to count Macons homeless long preceded Halls position. But when you look at our metrics, its difficult to determine exactly how many people are unhoused here in Macon-Bibb, he said. Thats because the metrics are hard to find. Or more precisely, they are hard to break out of the larger whole. Most Georgia cities bundle all their homeless service providers the churches, the shelters, the food banks into a single organization called a Continuum of Care. The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD, prefers to deal with, and maybe more importantly, to fund Continuums of Care, or CoCs. But Macon-Bibb County does not have a CoC of its own. Instead it and 151 other counties are rolled up into a huge statewide CoC: the Balance of State CoC. And so Jake Hall said, typically when the homeless count is done for Macon, theres only so much you can learn. There are 10,000 homeless people across 152 counties, he said. Thats the kind of data available from the state Department of Community Affairs. Thats not data that we can operationalize. Our nonprofits cant take that data and then structure their budgets around it. Hall said it took seven months of emails back and forth to the Department of Community Affairs, or DCA, just to get local numbers from the last count in 2022. This sort of thing so frustrated the Bibb County Commission that years ago, before Hall was on the job, they passed an ordinance mandating a local supplemental count of the unsheltered homeless. A big change this year: As a regional administrator for this years PIT count, Hall is now positioned in the middle of the informational stream of the homeless census between grassroots collection and the reporting back to HUD. He has been able to see the census dashboard as it was coming together and to capture the local numbers. Theres another change Hall implemented to put new muscle into the local count which comes back to how the firefighters have been able to map encampments ahead of time. Its an app, available on iPhone and Android, called Show the Way. Firefighters were trained on Show the Way in the lead-up to the PIT count. Walking toward another newish encampment, this time out by Arkwright Road in north Bibb County, Pvt. Michael Thomas explained how it works. So its simple, its three buttons you push, he said. Button 1 brings up your position the spot where you are looking at a new-to-you homeless encampment as a marker on the map. You just move it and pin it, Thomas said. Its very easy to use. The civilian version of the app gives you the option to estimate how many people might live in the structure. Hall said Macon-Bibb code enforcement officers have been using the app in their day-to-day work, too. Firefighters leading a contingent of homeless census takers tend to an unsheltered man experiencing a medical issue by Interstate 16 in Macon. Firefighters and other first responders who frequently encounter homeless people informed the direction and geography of Macons 2024 census of the unsheltered. The result was that when it came time to do the official 10-day census, volunteers had a pre-populated map showing them where they needed to go. Census takers documented what turned out to be relatively massive but little-known settlements. Some, like the burned-over encampment at I-475, are upwards of 10 miles away from any of the centers for homeless services. Others are so big that firefighters say the people living there have their own mayor to settle disputes. On the way to yet a third, Hall ran into a living, breathing person. That presented an opportunity to roll a life story into an otherwise raw number. Hey, brother! Can you talk to us for a second? Hall shouted across two lanes of traffic on Spring Street from his driver seat to a man with a panhandling sign. Would you answer some questions? He wrenched the SUV to the side of the road. Heather Sims broke out her phone for an interview perched on the highway guardrail. How long have you been homeless? she asked. Off and on all my life, he said. She asked more questions: Has anyone diagnosed you with mental health issues? No, but I did have my nose broken. Have you had an HIV test recently? No, but Id like one. Heather Sims conducts a phone-based-app interview and needs assessment with a man who, by his account, has been homeless his entire life. The questions may seem indelicate, even intrusive, but they were aimed at quickly getting a picture of the mans needs. Going forward, the hope is to use Show the Way as a rolling, ever updating very local picture of where people are in need. You can request assistance for someone that you might have an encounter with on the street rather than handing out a dollar, Hall said. Thats after the full public rollout. For now the focus is on training first responders, law enforcement officers and service providers on the app. Since Show the Way records data in the same format as the app HUD prefers for their records, Hall said he hopes over the longer term for the two to become indistinguishable sources of data and to create a constant stream of knowledge rather than a once-every-two-years snapshot. Then theres a virtuous cycle instead of the vicious cycle of not knowing, he said. A few weeks after the conclusion of the census, Hall had preliminary numbers to report during the regular meeting of the local homeless coalition. First, there were issues to work through with the Zoom meeting. Can you hear me now? Yes. Sorry about that, Hall said after straightening out an echo on the line. So were getting closer on honing in on something that I think we collectively know to be true: We have more than 140 unsheltered people out there. Closer but not absolutely assured. Because comparing 2024 to 2022, Hall said, is not an apples to apples comparison. We did 195 interviews, 194 observations of people and then 75 structural observations representing large encampments, tents, tarps, a bedroll, anything that was deemed active on that night, Hall said. In 2022, that was 114 interviews and only 43 observations. And we were not tracking active encampments in the same way at that time. So it should not be shocking at all that the first rough estimate of the 2024 number of unsheltered homeless in Macon is something like three times higher than the estimate from the 2022 count. Whether the new estimate reflects undercounts in previous years or real growth in the number of unsheltered homeless in Macon will bear itself out after the numbers are refined and after years of more counting. United to End Homelessness is hiring a number of part-time social workers to, in part, keep these numbers fresh in between federally mandated counts. Heather Sims is already one of those outreach workers. In the meantime, the new numbers are at least a fresh place to start. (Grant is an editor and reporter for GPB based in Macon. In the spirit of the old photojournalism dictum f8 and be there, he believes the best stories start with field trips.) Donald Trump said that he would encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want to NATO allies if those allies dont contribute enough defense spending to the alliance, and Sen. Marco Rubio seems to be totally fine with that. The Republican said Sunday that he has zero concern about the former presidents remarks. At a South Carolina rally on Saturday, Trump told a story where he claimed that he was speaking to a fellow leader of a NATO member country who asked him what the U.S. would do if Russia attacked them and they had not paid their share of defense spending into the alliance. If we dont pay, and were attacked by Russia, will you protect us? Trump claimed the leader asked him while he was president. No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You gotta pay, Trump said he responded. Trump: One of the presidents of a big country stood up and said, Well, sir, if we don't pay and were attacked by Russia, will you protect us? I said.. No I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. pic.twitter.com/2RPVDFZIXy Acyn (@Acyn) February 10, 2024 During an appearance the next day on CNNs State of the Union, host Jake Tapper asked Rubio for his thoughts on Trumps comments. Rubio, Tapper noted, recently applauded the Senate passage of bipartisan legislation he sponsored with Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine that prevents any president from withdrawing from NATO without congressional consent. You just pushed and got legislation to require the advice and consent of the Senate or an act of Congress before any president could suspend, terminate, or withdraw any U.S. membership from NATO, Tapper said to Rubio before playing Trumps remarks. Youve endorsed Donald Trump. Are you comfortable with him suggesting that he wouldnt defend NATO countries and, actually, he would invite [President Vladimir] Putin and Russia to invade them? Tapper asked. "Well, that's not what happened he was telling a story he doesn't talk like a traditional politician I have zero concern" Marco Rubio *defends* Trump saying that he'd encourage Russian to attack NATO countries pic.twitter.com/huImRklDj9 Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 11, 2024 Well, thats not what happened, and thats not how I view that statement. He was talking about a story that happened in the past, Rubio said. By the way, Donald Trump was president, and he didnt pull us out of NATO. In fact, American troops were stationed throughout Europe as they are today. Rubio continued to justify Trumps remarks, claiming the former president was merely telling a story and that he doesnt talk like a traditional politician. You think people wouldve figured it out by now, the senator added. What hes basically saying is NATO was broke or busted until he took over because people werent paying their dues, and then he told a story of how he used leverage to make people step up to the plate and become more active in NATO Virtually every American president at some point in some way has complained about other countries in NATO not doing enough. Trumps just the first one to express it in these terms. I have zero concern, Rubio concluded. While Rubio may not be concerned by Trumps remarks, the White House and plenty of top western officials are. Encouraging invasions of our closest allies by murderous regimes is appalling and unhinged and it endangers American national security, global stability, and our economy at home, White House spokesman Andrew Bates said in a statement. Rather than calling for wars and promoting deranged chaos, President Biden will continue to bolster American leadership and stand up for our national security interests not against them. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg released a written statement that said in part, Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the U.S., and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk. Any attack on NATO will be met with a united and forceful response, Stoltenberg added. NATOs motto one for all, all for one is a concrete commitment. Undermining the credibility of allied countries means weakening the entire NATO, Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz wrote on X, formerly Twitter. No election campaign is an excuse for playing with the security of the Alliance. The German foreign ministry wrote on their English language account on X, One for all and all for one, and included the hashtag #StrongerTogether. The president of the EU Council, Charles Michel, called Trumps comments reckless and said they serve only Putins interest. More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone The Rt Revd Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, the Bishop of Chelmsford, conceded it was not easy to look into the hearts of 'converts' The Church of England has admitted for the first time that it may have been scammed by asylum seekers falsely claiming to have converted to Christianity to boost their chances of staying in the UK. The Rt Revd Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, the Bishop of Chelmsford, conceded it was very difficult to look into the hearts of converts and be 100 per cent certain that they were genuine. She acknowledged there had been a small number of alleged abuses but said the clergy do the best they can and it was ultimately the job of immigration tribunals and the Home Office to assess and vet the validity of asylum claims. Her comments come after robust denials by the Church of England of claims by senior MPs and whistleblowers that clergy have been routinely supporting bogus asylum claims and enabled a conveyor belt of thousands of asylum seekers to convert. Abdul Ezedi, the Clapham chemical attack suspect, was granted asylum after claiming to have converted to Christianity, despite having two convictions in the UK for sex assault and exposure. Friends of Ezedi, an illegal migrant, told The Telegraph that he was a good Muslim who bought half a halal sheep every fortnight, despite his apparent conversion. James Cleverly, the Home Secretary, is reviewing the facts of the case to establish if the law needs to be overhauled to prevent such abuses. Abdul Ezedi, the Clapham chemical attack suspect, was granted asylum after claiming to have converted to Christianity - METROPOLITAN POLICE/PA Asked about the role of the Church of England in conversions of asylum seekers, the Rt Revd Francis-Dehqani, an Iranian-born Anglican, said: We take seriously our responsibilities, but we also know that as Christians, our primary responsibility is one of welcome and hospitality and support and teaching, but we need to do that in a way that is that is wise and, and is aware that occasionally there are people who might try and scam us. Asked on the BBC Sunday programme if she thought there were asylum seekers scamming the system, she said: Its very difficult to look into the hearts of people ever and be 100 per cent. And that goes for whether that person is from Britain or an immigrant from elsewhere. But we absolutely advise clergy to do the best they can. And I think whats happening here is that inevitably there will be a small number of cases. But it seems to me that its wrong that a very small number of alleged abuses should be highlighted because its diverting attention away from the systemic problems, which is that we have an immigration system thats overwhelmed and inefficient. She said she was very open to looking again at the Church of England guidance for clergy on how to help and support asylum seekers wanting to convert. Conveyor belt of baptisms Asked if the bar should be set higher for baptisms, she said: Preparation is in most cases very rigorous and thats right and proper. I think, God forbid, you do take that seriously regardless of where people are coming from. Its just that in the end, its impossible to prove 100 per cent. But we do have this guidance and we do make it very clear that clergy must be as confident as they possibly can be that those seeking baptism fully understand what it signifies. As weve heard already, some people fall away from the system if they are trying to scam it because they realise its taking longer than they would ideally like. Her comments follow claims last week by a whistleblowing former Church of England priest that the Church was complicit in a conveyor belt of asylum seeker baptisms used by migrants to remain in the UK. The Rev Matthew Firth, who was priest in charge at a parish in the north of England, told The Telegraph how he tried to stop the veritable industry of baptisms after discovering the scale of abuse in the system. On Sunday, The Telegraph also revealed judges have raised concerns that some unquestioning church leaders were being duped by insincere asylum seekers converting to Christianity to avoid deportation. Judicial decisions highlighted examples of clergymen and lay leaders failing to query the motives of purported converts whose asylum applications they had agreed to support. 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. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas labeled the situation at the border as a broken system on Sunday. It certainly is a crisis, and, well, we dont bear responsibility for a broken system. And were doing a tremendous amount within that broken system. But fundamentally, fundamentally, Congress is the only one who can fix it, Mayorkas said on NBCs Meet the Press when asked if he bears responsibility for what is happening on the border. Mayorkas and the Biden administration have been facing scrutiny for months over the handling of the U.S.-Mexico border, which Republicans have frequently labeled as a crisis. Despite Republicans calls for President Biden to shut down the border, Republicans torpedoed a bipartisan border security deal that included new provisions for asylum and border regulations last week. Mayorkas also shut down any speculation that the 25th Amendment to remove President Biden from office is being discussed after some Republicans called for it. Kristen, I dont engage in politics. Im responsible for governing and following the presidents agenda, which I scrupulously do, he said, referring to NBC host Kristen Welker. When pressed further about whether the 25th Amendment had been discussed, he said, Not at all. Mayorkass comments also come after the House failed to impeach him in a stunning vote last week after a handful of Republicans sided with the Democrats. He dismissed the impeachment when Welker asked about the serious allegations, including willfully not following the laws and not securing the border. Theyre baseless allegations, Kristen, and thats why I really am not distracted by them and focused on the work of the Department of Homeland Security, he said. Im inspired every single day by the remarkable work that 260,000 men and women in our department perform on behalf of the American public. Ive got a busy day today after the show, a busy day of work. Ive got a busy day Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and so on, he continued. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Mitch McConnell had long prided himself on maintaining GOP unity during his 17-year tenure as Senate GOP leader. Thats hardly the case anymore. As his party has descended into a bitter dispute over immigration, his small contingent of foes within his conference has grown louder and much more outspoken, driven in large part over the border, Ukraine and in no small part Donald Trump. In the past, GOP grumblings about McConnell were mostly done in private. Now theyve spilled into public view as the Kentucky Republican heads into what could be his final year as leader. At least five of his detractors have openly called for new leadership in recent days even holding a news conference last week demanding his ouster, a move that would have been unthinkable in years past but underscores how the 118th Congress has been unquestionably McConnells most tumultuous period atop his conference. Theres a lot of division even over Mitch remaining leader, said Sen. Kevin Cramer, a North Dakota Republican who supports McConnell, noting his foes who have gone public are the same ones who were critical of him in the past. Mitch could argue that hes got a followership problem as much as they have a leader problem. Asked if McConnell should run again for leader, Cramer said: Hes the worlds greatest vote counter, and I dont know what he might want to do. What I cant imagine is why he would want to run again. During his reign in the Senate, McConnell has been lauded by his Republican allies and Democratic foes alike as a tactician calculating ways to stay ahead of his opponents and always with an eye on the next election. On Friday, his backers were quick to point out more of those attributes as he helped woo former Gov. Larry Hogan into the US Senate race in Maryland, suddenly turning a safe Democratic seat into a competitive one, a major boost for the GOP. That was a huge victory for the good guys, McConnell, whose big-spending super PAC is once again poised to be a major player in key Senate races, said Friday. To have a genuinely competitive candidate in a blue state like that is a big development. But what has caused the most tension in the ranks: McConnells long campaign to unequivocally support Ukraine with billions more in US dollars, an issue that has now left the 81-year-old in the minority of his conference at a time when Trump, once again, is driving the direction of his party and has openly called on the GOP to dump him as leader. Airmen with the 436th Aerial Port Squadron use a forklift to move 155 mm shells ultimately bound for Ukraine, on April 29, 2022, at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. - Alex Brandon/AP McConnells problem is that he doesnt actually talk to or listen to voters or his members. I dont think Ive had a conversation with McConnell in over a year, said Sen. Josh Hawley, a Missouri Republican who voted against McConnell as leader and has emerged as one of his leading critics in the conference. The guy, hes completely bubble-wrapped. The debate over McConnells leadership has also been a point of contention in closed-door GOP conference meetings over the last month as members have pointedly questioned him and sparred with colleagues over the best strategy on immigration sessions described by senators as robust, vigorous and ugly. McConnells critics see an opening to seize on his leadership as they view his position on Ukraine as incongruent with the majority of Republican voters back home. I think it was a huge mistake for him to be championing sending money to Ukraine at the expense of trying to figure out our border problem first, said Republican Sen. Rand Paul, a fellow Kentuckian who used to be closely aligned with the GOP leader but who has been sharply at odds with him in recent years. Yet whats angered McConnells allies and inner circle is this: McConnell selected GOP Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma to cut a deal to impose new restrictions on the US border because Republicans themselves had demanded action on the border before green-lighting more aid to Ukraine. Lankford, with the help of McConnell, then cut a bipartisan deal after nearly five months of negotiations and forced the White House to make key concessions. But Republicans at the urging of Trump rushed to kill it, even before fully reviewing the details. Ultimately, McConnell chose to vote against proceeding to the very deal he cut, with just four Republicans supporting moving forward with it. I followed the instructions of our conference who were insisting that we tackle this in October, McConnell said last week when asked about his handling of the episode. Others said there was no way around Trumps opposition, which ultimately led House GOP leaders to come out against the border deal that they argued was too weak. And once top House Republicans vowed to kill it, GOP senators said there was no point in moving ahead. Donald Trump wanted the border bill to be killed, and I think the base of our party is happy with that, said Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, one of the four Republicans who voted to advance the border package. We did what Donald Trump wanted. With McConnells backing, the Senate is now taking a different approach. McConnell and 16 other Senate Republicans voted to advance a $95.3 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan without any new border policy measures and the measure is expected to pass the chamber by the middle of this week. Two of McConnells potential successors, Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and John Thune of South Dakota, voted to advance the aid package while a third, Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, voted to block it. This is about rebuilding the arsenal of democracy and demonstrating to our allies and adversaries alike that were serious about exercising American strength, McConnell said, defending his position. Yet McConnells critics are now blaming him. Horrible, Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, who has called on McConnell to step aside, said of his handling of the talks. Hes mishandled this. Florida Sen. Rick Scott, who unsuccessfully challenged McConnell for leader after the 2022 midterms, said of Lankford: Hes been sent on a suicide mission. (McConnell) engineered a process that was destined to fail. The only outcome it was likely to produce was a bill that failed to secure the border and simultaneously provided political camouflage for Democrats, said Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, who called for McConnell to step down last week. McConnell just effectively gave the largest in-kind contribution to the Democratic Senate Committee in history. Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, leaves a Republican Senate conference meeting at the US Capitol ahead of votes on February 7, 2024 in Washington, DC. - Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Asked about Cruz, who has long sparred with the GOP leader, McConnell quipped: I think we can all agree that Sen. Cruz is not a fan. On the floor Thursday, Cruz approached McConnell and engaged with the leader after the Texas Republican had assailed him earlier in the week. McConnell, cracking a reserved smile on his face and holding his hands together in front of him, nodded periodically. A source familiar with the interaction said: Cruz was actually trying to make up with the leader in that conversation. A Cruz spokesperson declined to comment on the conversation, as did McConnells. Sen Cruz talks every day with his colleagues, and his conversations with fellow senators are confidential, the Cruz spokesperson said. McConnells possible successors split on Ukraine aid McConnell has not divulged whether he will try to stay as leader after the 2024 elections, committing so far only to remain in the spot through the end of this Congress. Yet many Senate Republicans told CNN that McConnell would likely have the support to remain as leader if he chose to hang on. Mitch is a guy, year in, year out, who has been able to kind of bring us all together, said Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota. Rounds said of the battle over immigration and Ukraine: This is one of those more challenging ones, thats all, and this is a really important issue that a lot of us feel very strongly about. Asked if he could sustain support if he ran again for leader, Rounds argued, Theres no question in my mind that as of right now, today, Mitch is the leader, and he would have more than a majority of support of the conference. McConnells allies said the GOP leader knew full well he would endure backlash over his handling of Ukraine given where the Trump wing of the party stands on that issue. Hes always had a light touch, but as soon as Tucker Carlson and Donald Trump said we dont want to support Ukraine, you are going to see a lot of Republicans run to get behind them, Romney said. But not everyone is as confident McConnell will stay on especially if Trump becomes president given that the two havent spoken in more than three years and McConnell has stood by his withering criticism of Trump over the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a Republican from Alabama and close Trump ally, said that everybody has concerns about McConnells handling of the talks. The direction we took this we gotta have leadership. There will be a lot of talk about it when we come back, said Tuberville, who backed McConnell in the past. I promise you. CNNs Morgan Rimmer contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Japan will pledge $106 million to support Ukraines reconstruction effort, including demining and rebuilding infrastructure, Kyodo News reported, citing its unnamed sources, on Feb. 11. According to the outlet, the decision on Japan's involvement in the "European nation's post-war reconstruction" is expected to be made during the Japan-Ukraine economic reconstruction conference in Tokyo on Feb. 19. The upcoming conference aims to facilitate public-private collaboration in energy, agriculture, and infrastructure to provide support for Kyiv as it continues its economic reconstruction amid Russia's full-scale invasion. It will be attended by around 100 businesses each from Japan and Ukraine. Ukraine and Japan are also expected to sign more than 10 memorandums of cooperation at the conference, Kyodo News reported. On Jan. 7, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa visited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv and pledged to provide $37 million to a NATO fund for anti-drone equipment for Ukraine. "Japan is a very important and strong partner for us. I am confident that this year will be meaningful for our relations," President Volodymyr Zelensky said back then. "One of our best international achievements is our relationship with Japan." In December, the Japanese Foreign Ministry also reported that it was changing its laws regarding arms exports to allow for the transfer of weapons and would send the U.S. Patriot missiles. Japanese law prohibits sending weapons to countries actively at war, but the move could pave the way for the U.S. to replenish its own stocks while sending Ukraine additional missiles. Read also: Japan to transfer Patriot missiles to US Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. A top Kansas Republican has committed to holding the first hearing on Medicaid expansion in four years. Rep. Brenda Landwehr, R-Wichita and chair of the Health and Human Services Committee, confirmed to The Capital-Journal that she will have a hearing on Medicaid expansion after turnaround, a term for the legislative deadline for nonexempt bills. Turnaround comes on Feb. 23 this year, after which there are six more weeks until first adjournment. Landwehr hasn't set a date for the hearing. "The governor got it introduced as an exempt bill, so we're not on a timeframe in which it has to be heard," Landwehr said. "Everybody will know at the same time when I decide to hear it." Rep. Brenda Landwehr, R-Wichita, has promised to hold a hearing on Medicaid expansion later this session in the House Health and Human Services Committee. "We'll see where the chips lie," she added. The last time Medicaid expansion got a public hearing in the Kansas Legislature was 2020, involving a bipartisan deal between Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and then-Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning that ultimately failed. Kelly has long pushed for Medicaid expansion in Kansas, but the Republican-controlled Legislature has done little to act on her requests. Her efforts have failed each of the past five years. "It's great that more and more legislators are listening to Kansans who overwhelmingly support Medicaid Expansion," said Brianna Johnson, a Kelly spokesperson, in a statement. "While we're encouraged by Rep. Landwehr's promise to hold a hearing on Medicaid Expansion, we urge her to act immediately. There is no reason to delay this until after turnaround." The governor had previously challenged legislators to hold hearing by Kansas Day. When Jan. 29 came around without any hearings, Kelly issued a statement that "it's time legislators stop ignoring their constituents." She cited 23,710 emails to legislators from 1,020 Kansans sent via the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas. Kelly renewed her call last week for legislators to hold a hearing "as soon as possible," citing the upcoming closure of Care Arc Health Clinic in Eureka. The governor declared Medicaid expansion her No. 1 priority for the 2024 legislative session, amplifying those efforts with a statewide campaign in the fall that she dubbed the "Healthy Workers, Healthy Economy Tour." Republican leadership derided it as the "Governor's Welfare Express Tour." Gov. Laura Kelly was joined by local leaders at Valeo Behavioral Health in Topeka in October for a Medicaid expansion discussion as part of her statewide "Healthy Workers, Healthy Economy Tour." Last month, House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, told reporters that he wasn't going to allow a vote on Medicaid expansion. That came immediately after Kelly said in her State of the State speech that she believed enough Republican legislators supported it that it would pass if Republican leadership allowed a vote. "People say, 'Well, put it out for a vote.' I never put anything up for a vote unless it's going to pass," Hawkins said. "You don't ever see us put stuff out there just to watch it die. We put things up that's going to pass, and I can tell you right now there are not 63 votes for Medicaid expansion." Hawkins has been the Legislature's most vocal opponent of expanding Medicaid. Later that month, Rep. Jesse Borjon, R-Topeka, sent a letter to Hawkins requesting hearings and a vote on Medicaid expansion this session. He said it is a top issue for his constituents. "They don't understand why the Legislature can't even debate the merits of the policy," Borjon wrote in the Jan. 18 letter. Borjon supports Medicaid expansion, calling it "pro-business," "pro-family," good for economic growth and helpful for disabled Kansans. "During my time in the Kansas Legislature, there has not been a hearing on Medicaid Expansion," wrote Borjon, who has been in the House since 2021. "I would welcome the opportunity to hear the pros and cons of expanding Medicaid in Kansas. Unfortunately, I have not been given this opportunity." He told constituents in a newsletter that "leadership has prevented debate and a vote on this issue for far too long." More: Kansas governor releases Medicaid expansion bill she says is responsive to GOP concerns Landwehr committed to allowing both sides of the debate the chance to testify. "Absolutely," she said. "I only do fair committees, irregardless of what the minority leader in the House thinks." "I'm pleased to hear that," said House Minority Leader Vic Miller, D-Topeka and the legislator who introduced the bill, in a statement. "I'm looking forward to a fair hearing." Jason Alatidd is a Statehouse reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at jalatidd@gannett.com. Follow him on X @Jason_Alatidd. This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas legislator promises Medicaid expansion hearing in House Eliza Hoffman of Clear Creek ISD was awarded grand champion for her artwork entitled "Warriors of the Great Spirit" during the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeos school art awards ceremony at NRG Center, Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, in Houston. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer Sion Joo from Pearland ISD reacts as she was named one of two finalist during the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeos school art awards ceremony at NRG Center, Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, in Houston. Joo was awarded reserve grand champion for her artwork entitled "Constant Companion" Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer A man wears a jacket with a patch of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo during the organizations school art awards ceremony at NRG Center, Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, in Houston. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer Awards are seen before the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeos school art awards ceremony at NRG Center, Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, in Houston. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer Eliza Hoffman of Clear Creek ISD reacts after being awarded grand champion for her artwork entitled "Warriors of the Great Spirit" during the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeos school art awards ceremony at NRG Center, Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, in Houston. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo named Eliza Hoffman from Clear Creek ISD as this years School Art Program grand champion during Saturdays awards presentation at NRG Center. The Clear Springs High senior, who finished as reserve grand champion in 2023, won the prize for her painting of two Native Americans riding horses, titled Warriors of the Great Spirit. I just thought I have no idea how things are gonna go, but I just want to do something thats a step above what I did last year, Hoffman said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad She was one of more than 80 students recognized for their artwork during Saturdays ceremony. People gather for the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeos school art awards ceremony at NRG Center, Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, in Houston. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer There were 72 art pieces honored as auction winners during the ceremony that will be sold during the rodeo next month. The auction takes place Sunday, March 10, at 11 a.m. at the NRG Sales Pavilion. Youre here because you are a star, School Art Committee chairman Alicia Smith said to the group during her welcome address. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Last years grand champion Mia Huckmans painting, titled Our Last Roundup, broke the rodeo record with a winning bid of $275,000. Huckman, the reserve grand champion in 2022, had set the record the previous year when her painting snatched $265,000 at auction. Sion Joo of Pearland ISD took home the title of reserve grand champion for her painting, Consistent Companion. The painting features a man interacting with his dog, and Joo aimed to capture the devotion the pet has for its owner in the piece. I have a dog, and Im a really, really big animal lover, Joo said. As soon as I saw the dog, I was like, I have to do this one. Sion Joo from Pearland ISD speaks after being awarded reserve grand champion for her artwork entitled "Constant Companion" during the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeos school art awards ceremony at NRG Center, Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, in Houston. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer Advertisement Article continues below this ad Warriors of the Great Spirit is a thematic continuation of Native Americans in Western art that Hoffman first tapped into with last years painting, titled Morning Dove. Hoffman was able to meet the two models for her painting this year, who taught her a lot about Native American culture. She also read a book on the Lakota that helped her further understand their way of life and inspired the title of the piece. A large part of their life had to do with honoring the Great Spirit, which is like their creator, said Hoffman, who estimated she spent 350 hours working on the winning piece. Understanding that Lakota life had so much to do with religion, and appreciating nature and life itself, I wanted to have that included in the title. Hoffmans painting last year sold for $185,000. Awards are seen before the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeos school art awards ceremony at NRG Center, Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, in Houston. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer In addition to the grand champion and reserve grand champion, there were also class champions and reserve class champions awarded for the age groups of elementary and junior high and in the categories of 3-D, painting, mixed medium, monochromatic drawing and colored drawing. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Joo was the reserve class 3-D champion. Smith said during the event she believes this is the first time theyve ever had a double champion. He is in the middle of delicate peace talks, trying to please Russia and the West, and sits on a geopolitical fault line where wars in Ukraine and the Middle East overlap. So it is no surprise that Nikol Pashinyan chooses his words with the care of a man handling a box of matches in a petrol station. Fear is not the right word, the Armenian prime minister says when asked about mounting concerns of a new war in the South Caucasus. The Republic of Armenia is a democratic and developing country, he told The Telegraph in an interview in his Yerevan office. And the Republic of Armenia is implementing wide-scale reforms for improving our countrys resilience. By the way, in recent years, I think that the international community and our society have seen that our countrys resilience has improved significantly. Nonetheless, he concedes: Of course, anyone with common sense would have such concerns. Prime Minister Nikol Pahsinyan of Armenia talks to The Telegraph's Roland Oliphant - Heathcliff O'Malley for The Telegraph Mr Pashinyan, a former newspaper journalist, came to power in 2018 on the back of anti-corruption protests that ended with the countrys first free and fair elections. His pitch then, as now, is that democratic reform and a pro-European path would make the country not only more prosperous but more secure. Since then, the country has indeed crept up international indexes on press freedom, democracy and transparency. He won re-election in 2021 suggesting he still has a mandate for that strategy. But the entire premise of that project has come under unprecedented stress. In the past three years Armenia suffered attack and defeat in a 2020 war with Azerbaijan, the humiliating loss in September 2023 of the Armenian backed, self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh republic, and effective abandonment by Russia, its principal military ally. Concessions in pursuit of peace Since then Mr Pashinyans willingness to make concessions in pursuit of peace, including recognising Azerbaijans sovereignty over Karabakh, has caused public anger at home and a wave of protests he claims were designed to oust him from power. However, it has not yet produced a peace treaty. His search for a more reliable security partner has strained relations with Moscow without winning concrete commitments from the West. And to cap it all, many in Yerevan fear that Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijans strong-man president, is laying the pretext for a third offensive this time to conquer land inside Armenia proper. Azerbaijans 24-hour reconquest of Karabakh five months ago extinguished a 30-year old Armenian-backed republic that broke away from Azerbaijan in a brutal and bloody six-year war in the 1990s. More than 100,000 ethnic Armenians fled in what the European Parliament condemned as ethnic cleansing, and Mr Pashinyan was forced to face down angry protesters in Yerevan who accused him of abandoning the region. It also closed the central dispute in a conflict that has blighted Armenia and Azerbaijan since their independence. For a while, both leaders appeared keen to seize the opportunity to make peace. At separate meetings with Emmanuel Macron in Prague and Vladimir Putin in Sochi, Mr Pashinyan and Mr Aliyev agreed to renounce the use of force, respect one anothers territorial integrity and using the Almaty declaration, the document that saw the Soviet Unions republics declare independence, as the basis for border delimitation. By the end of October 2023, the architecture and principles for a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan have been agreed upon. And at the end of last year, it seemed to us that we were very close, finally, to a final text of agreement, he said. Prime Minister Nikol Pahsinyan of Armenia talks to The Telegraph's Roland Oliphant - Heathcliff O'Malley for The Telegraph But on Jan 10, Mr Aiyev appeared to walk back those commitments, warning in a rambling interview with local media that he would take military action if Armenia tried to rearm. He also said he would not remove Azeri troops from several areas they have occupied inside the Armenian border, and rejected using late Soviet maps for a peace deal precisely because our historical lands had already been given to them. Azeri officials strongly deny planning a new war or harbouring territorial claims against Armenia, and have blamed delays in the peace process on Armenian intransigence. In Yerevan, the remarks sounded very much like the pretext for a land grab. One may not say that these assessments are groundless, Mr Pashinyan said when asked if he feared such a plot. I publicly have said this is a blow to the peace process. When these events are seen side by side, there are some analysts in Armenia who think that all of this indicates that Azerbaijan is step-by-step refusing and walking away from the agreements reached among us and international platforms. But so long as Azerbaijan has not declared that it is withdrawing its signature from the Sochi and Prague declarations, then its very clear that Armenia and Azerbaijan recognise each others territorial integrity based on the 1991 Almaty declaration, and any statement that contradicts this logic is not legitimate. That is a long winded way of saying Mr Aliyev ought to keep his word. Does he trust Mr Aliyev to actually do so? I put my trust in God. And I think that every country that respects itself must follow the commitments it has undertaken. Much of the tension focuses on Nakhchivan, an Azerbaijani enclave bordering Turkey, Iran and Armenia. Baku wants to create a road and rail link to Nakhchivan along Armenias 25-mile border with Iran exclusively under the neutral control of Russian border guards. Armenia, which has promised to provide access between Nakhchivan and mainland Azerbaijan, fears a trap that would force it to relinquish control of its southern border. Mr Pashinyan has made a counter offer based on a general reopening of all transport corridors in the region. So far, Mr Aliyev has dismissed the proposal as unworkable. The peace process here has implications for dozens of small countries in the new age of great-power confrontation. Before the 2020 war, Armenia assumed that its membership of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation would keep it safe. But Russia did not come to Armenias aid in 2020, and Russian peacekeepers also failed to stop Azerbaijan blockading a road into Karabakh in the aftermath. They stood aside again when it launched its final assault on the area in September 2023. Mr Pashinyan insists Russia remains a valued security partner but he has barely concealed a sense of betrayal. He has publicly said the country can no longer exclusively rely on Russia and should forge security relationships with the United States and France as well. The realignment has drawn stern rebukes from Moscow. In October 2023 the Russian state news agency TASS even quoted an anonymous official comparing Mr Pashinyan to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky (Mr Pashinyan said he had not seen that report and would not comment on anonymous threats). We are not Russias ally He insists that does not mean making a choice between Russia and the West, despite the fallout of the war in Ukraine. Look, when the Ukraine war had just started I was interviewed by CNN and I said, in the Ukraine situation, we are not Russias ally. And thats the reality. But I want to also tell you that with the US or France or other partners, our security cooperation is not targeted against our other security sector partner. Now, our partners may have concerns about the relationship with them, or how the relationship with them could influence their security agendas. And thats an issue were trying to manage by utmost transparently speaking with our partners about their shared agendas, he said. Nato membership, an obvious red line for Russia, is not a question we have discussed or are discussing. He also suggests Armenia may rethink its membership of the CSTO. There are some discussions in Armenia as to whether or to what extent the alliance-based strategy is consistent with Armenias longer term interests, he said. Particularly contentious is the Armenian parliaments ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which finally came into force on Feb 1. Russia called the move an unfriendly step and it is not hard to see why: the ICC has issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin over war crimes allegedly committed in Ukraine. Mr Pashinyan declined to say whether Armenian police would act on the warrant if Putin happened to visit. The decision to join the Rome Statute serves to improve the level of security of Armenia. As to the legal subtleties. I cannot at the moment carry out legal analysis because thats the job of the lawyers, he said. Let me break a secret to you. After 2018 Armenia has had extensive democratic reforms. And I dont decide whom to arrest and whom not to arrest. And as I said, Armenia as a responsible state must remain committed to all of her international commitments, including the commitments that it has in the relationship with the Russian Federation and commitments that the country has in international relations, he said. But in this era of realpolitik, Armenia has painfully few cards to play. Moscow may be the regional super power and traditional ally but is militarily overstretched in Ukraine and diplomatically isolated abroad to prioritise enforcing its CSTO commitments. More important to Putin is his relationship with Turkeys Recep Tayip Erdogan, Azerbaijans key backer and also the only Nato leader in a position to cause him serious trouble on the Black Sea. Turkeys foreign minister said last week that Mr Putin was expected to visit Turkey soon to discuss the Ukraine grain initiative. It would be his first visit to a Nato country since he launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine two years ago. The West may be the natural protector of a pro-European democracy under threat, but it too is preoccupied, and Washington and Brussels value their ties to Mr Aliyev and Mr Erdogan. In July 2022, in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the European Union signed up to buy more gas from Azerbaijan. Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, praised Mr Aliyevs government as a reliable and crucial partner. Mr Alieyev has also made himself useful in the grand standoff with Iran so useful that Israeli firms reportedly supplied much of the weapons used in the final blitz on Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023. It is an unenviable position for any leader to be in. It gives Mr Pashinyan a unique perspective on the era of great-power confrontation and he has a warning for the rest of the world. Critical security problems I dont want to give the impression the government of Armenia does not grasp how critical its own security problems are, he said. Were living in a world where no one can say what will happen tomorrow morning. If anyone were to think that in the global world they are more relaxed, or they should be any more relaxed than the government of the Republic of Armenia or the citizens of Armenia, they would be significantly wrong, he warns. Im saying this with full seriousness. In the last two years, and currently, the international community is discussing whether or not there will be a nuclear war, he adds. My position is such that I have interactions with several potential sides to such a nuclear war. I think I know what a serious topic it is. In that sense, at least, Armenia is significantly safer and more secure, because I dont think anyone is intending a nuclear strike on Armenia. Which brings us to his basic pitch: it is in everyones interests, regardless of where they stand on the worlds other grand confrontations, to make the peace process in the South Caucasus work. I know how hard it is, I know how difficult it is and what difficulties need to be overcome. And I will do my best for peace to be established in our region. And I will do that share of the work that concerns us. Im hopeful that the other countries in our region will do the same. For some of our partners, we have some confidence that they will do that and for others, there isnt so much confidence, but the core goal of our foreign policy is that. 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. With the primary election quickly approachingearly voting begins Feb. 15--New Hanover County residents will have a wide-range of candidates to vote for. This year North Carolina voters with will be joining 15 other states and American Samoa for Super Tuesday on March 5. During this election, voters will determine which candidates will be the party nominee and proceed to the general election on Nov. 5. In-person early voting ends at 3 p.m. on March 2. To help New Hanover County voters get to know their candidates a little better, heres a rundown: New Hanover County Board of Education While Democratic candidate Cynthia Munoz has dropped out of the election, there will still be a primary. Incumbents Hugh McManus, Stephanie Walker and Stephanie Kraybill are not seeking re-election. Here are the candidates running: Jerry Jones Jr., Democrat, is running for a seat with the New Hanover County Board of Education. While hes a newcomer to the local political scene, hes a long-time resident of New Hanover County. Jones moved to Wilmington with his wife after graduating from Warren Wilson College with a double major in history and economics. From there, Jones attended UNCW for a bachelor's in physics and a minor in mathematics. He also received his Master of Business Administration from UNCW. Jones worked as an environmental chemist and lab manager for about 15 years. Afterward, he taught middle school science for four years until he and his wife opened their small local business, The Roasted Bookery Judy Justice, Democrat, won the 2018 election for New Hanover Countys Board of Education and is now running again. She grew up just outside of Wilmington, in Swansboro and earned her Bachelor of Arts with a double major in history and communications, as well as a master's degree in school administration from UNCW. Tim Merrick, Democrat, is running for New Hanover County Board of Education. Merrick said he grew up in an education-focused household. His mother was a first-grade teacher, and his father was a middle school principal. Merrick worked as a chiropractor for 25 years, has served on a school board, served as board chair for Northern Adirondack Planned Parenthood in New York, and was the chair of the Governance Committee of Bike Durham, a nonprofit organization that promotes biking and walking. Merrick was also a candidate for the New York State Senate and served as Democratic City Chair in Plattsburgh, New York. Nikki M. Bascome, Republican, has never held office before. Bascome has experience as a business owner, early childhood consultant, director of an autism nonprofit, and describes herself as a perpetual volunteer in many organizations across New Hanover County. Bascome was a student in New Hanover County Schools, has four children that attend New Hanover County Schools, and is also a New Hanover County School staff member. Kimberly McDuffie Murphy, Republican, has not held office before. Murphy holds a bachelor's degree in business administration, a Master of Business Administration, a Master of Psychology and a Doctor of Education. She is also a licensed school administrator, mother to three and grandmother to two. Shes served for nearly 20 years in public education throughout New Hanover, Brunswick and Onslow Counties. David Perry, Republican, has not held office before, but was active in forming a local chapter of the Republican Liberty Caucus. He holds a bachelor's degree in history with dual minors in biblical studies and philosophy. He later graduated with a Master of Education degree from Rivier University. He has experience working as a teaching assistant, in IT and as a software engineer. Natosha Tew, Republican, has not held office before. She has ten years of experience as a first responder and is the chair for the New Hanover County chapter of Moms 4 Liberty. Aubrey Tuell, Republican, is also a newcomer to the political scene. She attended UNCW where she founded its Turning Point USA chapter and chaired the UNC Wilmington chapter of College Republicans. She serves as the Press Secretary of the North Carolina Federation of Young Republicans and was elected as secretary of the New Hanover County Republican Party. Throughout her time at UNCW, she tutored children in New Hanover County Schools and has served as a reading budding at Wrightsboro Elementary. She values academic opportunity, school safety and accountability. NC Superior Court Judge District 06C Seat 01 Barry Henline, Republican, was a Greensboro police officer where he worked on the SWAT team, and then joined the highway patrol. He retired as a sergeant with 30 years of experience in law enforcement. Henline attended law school at North Carolina Central University in Durham before he passed the Bar Exam and opened his law practice in Wilmington in 2013. He also serves as a court-appointed attorney for New Hanover and Pender Counties. Susan Keelin, Republican, has lived and practiced law in Wilmington since 1992. Keelin holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from Duke University and a law degree from Washington University. She has experience serving with the Appalachia Service Project, Guardian ad Litem, Cape Fear Literacy Council Board of Directors and as a Communities in Schools volunteer. Max Ashworth, Republican, grew up in Fuquay-Varina and pursued his undergraduate degree at UNCW. After graduating from Campbell Law School, he began working at the New Hanover County Public Defenders Office. Ashworth has worked as a legal advocate in New Hanover County for nearly a decade and has served as President of the New Hanover County Bar Association. Norwood P. Blanchard, Republican, grew up in Burgaw and received his undergraduate degree from East Carolina University. He then graduated from Duke Law School where he served as senior editor of one of the law journals during his third year. After graduating, Blanchard worked for a civil litigation firm until 2011, when he joined a smaller firm as a partner. Blanchard has been selected to Thompson-Reuters list of North Carolina Super Lawyers every year since 2012 and was selected for North Carolina Business Magazines Legal Elite for 2023. New Hanover County Board of Commissioners: There is no primary race for the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners as there are three open seats, and three republicans and three democrats filed. Incumbents Jonathan Barfield Jr., Dane Scalise and Bill Rivenbark have all filed for re-election. This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: New Hanover County primary election candidates for 2024 Maiharriese Wooden is the founder and president of Stark Blessing Box Initiative in Canton. She is also the community engagement director at First Christian Church in Canton. Maiharriese Wooden is the founder and president of the Stark Blessing Box Initiative in Canton. She is also the community engagement director at First Christian Church in Canton. Wooden is 1988 graduate of McKinley Senior High School and has attended Columbus State Community College for medical assisting technology and earned an associate degree in technical studies in 2012. Today, she lives in Canton on the northwest side. She has two adult children, Trina and Riese, and is a grandmother to five children. I began my career in medical records and medical reception at a young age," Wooden said. "I stayed in that field until taking my current job at First Christian Church three years ago ... where I serve as the point person and connection for ministry partners and organizations in the area. I also oversee First Fruits Pantry and Common Goods clothing stores daily." She does numerous other tasks at the church such as leading the community engagement team to create and facilitate the local mission endeavors; developing cultural awareness and education of the mission into the broader community; and overseeing community partner projects and volunteer schedules, and community teams (Common Goods, food ministry, etc.). 5 questions with Ashley Hall: Stark County mom creates nonprofit to help families, honor son who passed away Maiharriese Wooden is the founder and president of Stark Blessing Box Initiative in Canton. She is also the community engagement director at First Christian Church in Canton. Would you share the goal of Stark Blessing Box and why you started the program in Stark County? The goal of the Stark Blessing Box Initiative is to fulfill short-term basic needs for those who dont always have access to them. By doing this, we can decrease food instability in food deserts and for the unseen and underserved. Blessing Boxes have been shown to build a sense of community in the areas where they are placed. Many can become almost self-sufficient within a year. The residents will go into their home pantries and fill blessing boxes with unwanted items they may have received at local pantries, things they have double of, or even items they have picked up on sale at the grocery store. People are so creative with coming up with ways to get items for blessing boxes. How many boxes are available around the county and what are the locations? We have 33 locations in northeast Ohio. All the locations can be found at https://starkblessingbox.com/box-locations/. What is your favorite thing about helping the community? Helping the community has a ripple effect. The thing about helping the community is that you may give a family a thing they need but it in turn relieves stress from your own body and budget. Stress has been proven to affect the body in many negative ways. Therefore, there is a health benefit to doing community service. Another proven ripple is when someone is empowered, they in turn want to empower someone else. Who or what makes you laugh the most? My grandchildren make me laugh the most. Some of the conversations we have are the most joyous I have ever had. What makes a day a perfect day for you? Knowing that when I lay my head down at night, God saw that I used the gifts He gave me to care for anyone and everyone that I may have come in contact with that day. Care means many things a smile, a compliment, small talk, acknowledging a person's existence or choosing not to assume the worst about someone you don't know. Editor's note: Five questions with ... is a Sunday feature that showcases a member of the Stark County community. If you'd like to recommend someone to participate, send an email to newsroom@cantonrep.com. This article originally appeared on The Repository: 5 questions with Maiharriese Wooden of Stark Blessing Box Initiative Dallas resident Ron Post founded Medical Teams International in 1979 when he was inspired to assemble a team of volunteers to provide medical care to Cambodian refugees arriving in Thailand after escaping the Khmer Rouge. This is part of a series introducing readers to individuals who are passionate about our Mid-Valley community. Ron Post and his late wife were watching news coverage 45 years ago of Cambodian refugees arriving to Thailand after escaping the Khmer Rouge Killing Fields, the sites of some 2 million deaths from starvation, work exhaustion and execution. Post remembers seeing the emaciated body of a teenage girl then looking over at his own teenage daughter and feeling heart-stricken. He felt called to do something. I believe God put it in my heart that I was to raise up a medical team, and I was to help them, said Post. Within two weeks, Post, a Dallas-based business owner with no medical background, had raised $250,000 and enlisted 28 volunteers who set off to Thailand to help at a refugee camp. This was the beginning of Medical Teams International, which now serves about 3 million refugees at eight different camps. Medical Teams also has 13 mobile dental clinics that see about 25,000 people every year. Post said he was amazed at the number of people who called him in those first two weeks wanting to donate and volunteer. Now 85, Post said he never imagined helping so many. We just took one thing at a time and let it grow, said Post. Post retired from Medical Teams day-to-day operations in 1997, but continues be a vocal supporter and promoter of the organization, which is based in Tigard. His story is an inspiration to staff, and learning about the organization's roots is an essential part of employee onboarding, said Joe DiCarlo, Medical Teams global ambassador. Roberto Tapia, who was receiving care at a mobile dental clinic, shakes hands with Ron Post, Medical Teams International's founder, for work done in the community and internationally on Jan. 30 in Salem. Filling empty buckets In the early 90s, Medical Teams traveled to Ethiopia to respond to a famine by operating an infant intensive feeding program. Every morning, mothers and babies would line up hoping there would be enough resources to provide them with care, Post said. That trip is seared in his memory. He was standing near the line of waiting mothers when two elderly woman with empty buckets walked up to him to get them filled with grain. Before Post could act, one of the women began trembling and collapsed, dying right in front of him. He said he still remembers her outstretched arm on the ground holding the empty bucket. There are millions of empty buckets around the world, said Post. His work has been centered on trying fill them. Medical Teams International and Redeemer Lutheran Church in Salem offered free emergency dental services to Salem-area community members experiencing barriers to care on Jan. 30. Medical Teams' mobile clinics offer free care in the Pacific Northwest Post and his team started the mobile clinic in the 80s because they saw a need to provide essential care to those in Oregon and Washington. That gave me the greatest joy, seeing that happen, said Post. The first mobile dental clinic operated out of a converted motorhome, Post said. They now travel in large red busses that have the capacity for multiple patients. One of the Medical Teams mobile clinics visited Redeemer Lutheran Church in Salem on Jan. 30 to provide emergency dental care, medical screenings and other services. Free mobile clinics are held regularly throughout Oregon and Washington. Medical Teams serves anyone who comes to their clinics, regardless of insurance status. Clients often include seniors, veterans, people of color, farmworkers and those experiencing homelessness. Licensed doctors, dentists and nurses volunteer their time with Medical Teams to provide care. Many of them volunteer for years, Post said. Dental assistant Kathi Karnosh has been volunteering with Medical Teams for 24 years. Dental assistant Kathi Karnosh and Dr. Marc Iwahiro perform an extraction Jan. 30 in the mobile dental clinic. Karnosh and Iwahiro both have volunteered with Medical Teams International for more than 20 years. Over time, Medical Teams partnered with organizations to provide needed services to underserved communities in the Pacific Northwest. In 2021, Medical Teams International and Kaiser Permanente provided mobile COVID-19 vaccination and testing clinics focused on serving rural communities. Shortly after, Medical Teams' mobile clinic dentists identified a need for more than dental care. That was the beginning of Care & Connect. Patients gets same-day care at the mobile clinic, then Care & Connect helps them find primary care, counseling and other resources. The program aims to eliminate barriers to accessing care such as language, education, access to transportation and income. Sometimes its as simple as calling and setting up their next appointment. Other times, patients need a lot more help. Some clinics are by-appointment only, while others are first come first serve. To find a clinic near you, visit https://www.medicalteams.org/how-we-heal/mobile-dental-program/emergency-dental-clinics/ Sydney Wyatt covers healthcare inequities in the Mid-Willamette Valley for the Statesman Journal. Send comments, questions, and tips to her at SWyatt@gannett.com, (503) 399-6613, or on Twitter @sydney_elise44 The Statesman Journals coverage of healthcare inequities is funded in part by the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, which seeks to strengthen the cultural, social, educational, and spiritual base of the Pacific Northwest through capacity-building investments in the nonprofit sector. This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Founder of Medical Teams International never imagined helping so many Viktor Demchenko, a 71-year-old Ukrainian whom Russia accused of espionage and participation in a terrorist organization, has allegedly died in pretrial detention in Russias Rostov region, the Memorial human rights group reported on Feb. 11. Russia accused several Ukrainians of espionage following the start of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Memorial didn't specify the date when Demchenko died. Meanwhile, Russian state news agency TASS, citing law enforcement agencies, reported that Demchenko died in a Rostov prison hospital from a stroke on Dec. 31. Several hundreds of Ukrainian civilians were arrested in Russia on espionage or sabotage charges. Many of them are sent to detention centers and are deprived of access to lawyers. The fate of many Ukrainian civilian hostages remains unknown. Ukraines Reintegration Ministry said there are 763 civilian hostages in Russia and Russian-occupied areas, while the countrys Ombudsmans Office put the number at 20,000. Read also: Im afraid well never find them: Russia holds thousands of Ukrainian civilians hostage Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. This could be the year Miami-Dade County makes history, opening a center for treating and helping instead of incarcerating people with mental illness. It is thought to be the first of its kind in the nation. But delay upon delay upon delay so much bureaucracy its hard to blame any one thing mean that the planned Miami Center for Mental Health and Recovery is slated to open some 20 years after it first was promised. Many of those who will be helped are chronically homeless. Most have been diagnosed with schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder. Many abuse drugs or alcohol. All of them find themselves in and out of jail, at great cost to taxpayers, after being accused of committing non-violent crimes. Theyre largely invisible to society, except when they cause problems. An alternative to jail, the center will be a place judges can send non-violent defendants accused of misdemeanors or low-level felonies instead of locking them up. Police could take potential arrestees there instead of booking them in to the jail. Offering the gamut of services a person might need to turn their life around, the center represents a starkly more humane approach than the neglectful, abusive treatment federal authorities documented in Miami-Dade jails as recently as 2011. If it opens this year, the center will be the crowning achievement of Judge Steven Leifmans career. The 65-year-old Miami-Dade associate administrative judge retires from the county bench next January. Leifman has worked since his earliest days as a judge to reverse what he saw as an illogical, inhumane approach to handling arrestees with mental illness. Its a predicament no jurisdiction has solved, and mistakes can be deadly. On any given day in America, jails are filled with suspects with mental illness. Because of their chronic condition, they may not be safely mixed with the general jail population. And simply cycling them in and out of jail is a waste of public money and of human lives, Leifman said. No ones getting better. They dont get better in jail, Leifman said. You have a chance to break that horrible cycle. You have a chance to help people recover. Decades of plodding Some 20 years ago, Miami-Dade voters approved a $2.9 billion Building Better Communities bond program for, among many other things, the center that still hasnt opened. Its at 2200 NW Seventh Ave. in Miami, a renovation of the building formerly housing a state lockup for restoring mental competency to accused felons awaiting trial. A county list of projects said the center would free up jail space and provide a more effective way to house the mentally ill as they await a trial date. While progress stalled on the center, the underlying practices championed by Judge Leifman have taken root since then: non-violent suspects with mental illness or substance use disorders can be diverted from jails and connected with support services in the community. A national expert in decriminalizing mental illness, Leifman travels the country sharing the Miami model. Consultant John W. Dow, far left, and Judge Steve Leifman, center, lead a tour of the not-yet-opened Miami Center for Mental Health and Recovery at 2200 NW Seventh Ave.. Pedro Portal/pportal@miamiherald.com But the new, 208-bed center will offer everything under one roof. Clients will get help accessing benefits they qualify for, receive optical, dental, medical and psychiatric care, appear in the facilitys courtroom when necessary, detox from substances, quit smoking, have unfortunate tattoos removed, work with dogs in an on-site kennel, learn culinary job skills and receive help getting permanently stabilized. All in a seven-story, renovated state building near west Wynwood that will serve an estimated 9,000 clients a year. A 2020 documentary entitled The Definition of Insanity about Leifman and the mental health project, narrated by director/actor Rob Reiner, premiered at the Miami Film Festival and was aired nationally on PBS. Its a humane, science-based concept, said retired Circuit Judge Jeri Beth Cohen, president of the board for the Miami Foundation for Mental Health. A shameful past Though Miami-Dade is now seen as progressive in diverting some mentally arrestees with mental illness away from jail cells, the countys past is dark. A 1984 headline in the Miami Herald blared Study: Dade fails with insane criminals. The story, by legendary cops beat writer Edna Buchanan, led with a mentally sick robber and killer who had 18 arrests, 918 days in jail, 112 court appearances, 20 psychiatric evaluations and 1,033 days of treatment in state hospitals. He was, according to the report, a perfect example of the failure of Dade Countys justice system to deal with incompetent and insane criminals. A Miami Herald story from 1984 about the countys failure to treat inmates with mental illnesses. A citizen-led investigation, by activist Renee Turolla, had exposed the failures in a 400-page report that was followed by heavy news coverage. A Dade grand jury picked up on it, peering into what it described as the trail of the mentally ill from the street, to the jail, to court, to state hospitals, back to court and then back onto the street, only to retrace these steps again. The grand jury in 1985 concluded that with proper care, these arrestees would have a real chance for success, and the costs would be lower than repeatedly jailing or hospitalizing them. Among the recommendations was a residential treatment facility. Twenty-three years later, in 2008, conditions in Miami-Dade County jails were still so dismal for people with mental illness, the federal Department of Justice launched a three-year investigation. Jail guards routinely physically abused inmates, the report said. Suicidal inmates were treated with such disregard that they did indeed die in their cells. Detainees were routinely subject to discipline for behavior that was symptomatic of their illness. [Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitations] deliberate indifference to protecting the Jails prisoners from harm is a systemic failure, the report said. In 2013, the county agreed to a slew of corrective actions, under a federal DOJ consent decree, including a renewed promise to build the mental health facility. Judge Leifman, whod been pressing for the facility for years by then, was quoted: Its time that we change the way weve been dealing with this problem. This is an excellent step in the right direction. Last fall, the DOJ announced that Miami-Dades jail system is mostly in compliance with the consent decree, and can be removed from federal oversight next year if the reforms are maintained. We might not be saving money just yet, but were saving lives, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said. Al Diaz/adiaz@miamiherald.com Neighboring Broward County, whose jail system also has been subject to consent decree monitoring, is facing similar issues, struggling with how to properly care for inmates with mental illness. On Jan. 29, the president of the national NAACP asked for a federal investigation into a reported 21 deaths in Broward jails since 2021, many of them committing suicide. Its going to cost Initially, there will be no savings, Leifman and Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava conceded. To the contrary, there will be startup costs amounts Leifman, Levine Cava and others said were still in discussion and cant be revealed. We might not be saving money just yet, but were saving lives, the mayor said. She said the Miami-Dade County Commission will vote in February or March on a budget to operate the center, and on contracts with Jackson Health System and the Advocate Program, which is now slated to operate the facility. Plans for Thriving Mind South Florida to operate the center collapsed when Thriving Mind withdrew, citing the lack of plans or a budget, CEO Dr. John W. Newcomer said in a written response to the Miami Herald. Thriving Mind did agree to complete the buildings $51.1 million renovation paid for by Miami-Dade County and Jackson Health System. A temporary certificate of occupancy was granted Dec. 22, Newcomer said. The building was turned over to the county on Jan. 26. But when? Whether the Miami Center for Mental Health and Recovery will open its doors in 2024 is an unsettled question. A published report in July 2019 quoted Leifman predicting an opening in 18 months. A county report in July 2020 put the project completion at June 2023. In a grant application in 2021, the county said it would be opening in early 2022. News coverage last year had it opening in six months. Levine Cava now predicts an opening within the year. Leifman said it would likely be November. CEO Isabel Perez-Morina of the Advocate Program said it would likely open by years end. One thing is agreed upon, though. Each client, upon admission to the center, will have his or her feet washed, said Leifman, who borrowed the idea from a program for the homeless in Boston. The gesture, an act of humanity and, for the foot-washer, humility, will set the tone, Leifman said. We want people to know theyre welcome here, Leifman said. Many of them have learned helplessness. Theyve given up because the system is so bad. Half of them dont care if they breathe, anyway. Thats why the feet washing is so important. At the labyrinthine mid-rise a bit north of Jackson Memorial Hospital, Leifman led his umpteenth tour on a recent Monday, asking criminal justice and social work faculty from Florida Atlantic University how they might collaborate. You have to be persistent, he said to the group. Everyone talks about change, but no one wants to do it. Its hard. It takes time. But trust me, this is well worth it. Staff writer Douglas Hanks contributed to this report. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (D) said states need clarity on former President Trumps ballot eligibility in Saturday comments. [W]e need clarity, Benson said in an interview on MSNBCs The Weekend. I mean, you cant have a scenario in which voters are uncertain, or a political party is uncertain or election administrators are uncertain as to who should be on the ballot. Benson filed a brief last month in the Supreme Court case on the former presidents ballot eligibility in which she said that it is vital that the Court answer the central questions of this case whether the former President is disqualified from serving as President, and if so, whether a state has the power to exclude him from the primary or general election ballot on that basis. These questions must be fully answered now because election officials, like the Secretary, need to know whether the former President is eligible to appear on the ballot as a candidate, and voters deserve to know whether he is eligible to hold the office of President before casting their votes, Bensons brief read. In an oral argument Thursday, the Supreme Court appeared hesitant to go ahead with blocking Trump from appearing on the ballot. Several of the justices on the nations highest court gave the impression of being sympathetic to the former presidents argument that states do not have the authority to disqualify federal candidates. Some of them also questioned if the Insurrection Clause in the 14th Amendment applies to the presidency. Whats a state doing deciding who other citizens get to vote for president? Justice Elena Kagan asked. Chief Justice John Roberts also noted what he called a daunting consequence of other states possibly moving to kick Democratic candidates off of the ballot if the court disqualifies Trump. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Michigan State University students, faculty and staff now have access to online training intended to prepare them for an active shooter. And 82% of "identified" university classroom doors have new locks that are easy to use. But one year after a gunman killed three students and injured five other people in a campus attack, the voluntary training remains untaken by most in the MSU community. Hundreds of less-used classroom doors don't have new locks, while many of the new locks cannot be secured remotely in the event of a crisis. Additional security upgrades promised after the shooting are still unfinished. And a criminal investigation into false calls streaming into law enforcement or across scanners about second shooters and other incidents on campus prompting confusion for first responders and residents amidst the chaos of the attack remains ongoing. One year after the attack on Michigan State University's East Lansing campus, leaders have made many safety improvements. But the university has still not delivered on several promises made after the shooting. In late January, MSU released a list of security updates, upgrades and policy changes in light of the 2023 attack. It's a process lauded by the interim president and outgoing security chief but one that requires vigilance. "From metal detectors, the use of IDs, the changing of door locks, and others, there have been numerous improvements to campus safety and security on campus. They are noticed, however, you can acknowledge what has been improved and note that more work needs to be done," MSU student body president Emily Hoyumpa told the Free Press on Thursday. "For me, before I can list other changes that need to be made, I want the university to complete the items they said they would, such as improvements in alert enhancements, among others. Safety and security do not have the same definition for everyone, as it is not one size fits all, and I hope the university makes an effort and continues to listen to students, faculty, staff, and the community concerns to understand what needs to be fixed." Related: Family, friends, communities remember lives lost in MSU shooting Marlon Lynch, an MSU vice president and its chief safety officer, joined a podcast to discuss the safety measures update the same day it was released. While praising the university's work thus far, Lynch who was police chief at the time of the attack said MSU will continue to push for improvements. "We won't be static. ... If we stay focused on one thing, we're going to continue to maybe not meet the expectations. But when we have multiple avenues and partner with our community and listen to our community, then we'll continue to have progress," he said on the MSU Today show, posted Jan. 30. A day after the update, the university also announced Lynch's impending departure. Lynch is leaving to take a comparable leadership post at the University of Colorado. Active violent intruder training About 3,300 people took the online active violent intruder course as of January: roughly 1,800 faculty or staff and 1,500 students, said MSU Department of Police and Public Safety spokesperson Dana Whyte. That represents roughly 14% of all faculty and staff and just 3% of students at the large university, with campuses in East Lansing, Grand Rapids and elsewhere in the state. "The university plans to re-evaluate later this semester regarding how to encourage our campus community to complete the training. With the one-year mark of Feb. 13 approaching, we are prioritizing the wellness and healing of our campus at this time," Whyte said in a statement. "We will certainly remind and encourage people later in the semester of the importance of the training and information on how to engage." The training only became available in December 2023, despite a promise after the shooting from Interim President Teresa Woodruff that it would be mandatory and ready at the start of the school year. In the fall, Lynch said the university decided against requiring the training in order to avoid possibly retraumatizing anyone in the community. At the time, university officials said the need to finish a video component delayed rolling out the training. That component is still not available; Whyte said it's still in "postproduction." It's unclear why the university is now able to provide training without the video portion, while this was not an option in the fall. For years, MSU offered in-person training on request. But during the pandemic, that shifted to also include virtual training. Whyte previously said the new training would be for broader audiences, and the video component would help prevent possible confusion from multiple training perspectives. "Since the video was filmed on campus in numerous locations, this had to be done when classes weren't in session and when different locations were available to use for filming," she said Thursday, adding the video is supposed to be available sometime this semester. While some advocacy groups argue active shooter drills can be harmful to participants, law enforcement and other experts say training is crucial to ensuring safety during an emergency. Door locks In the last year, Whyte said locks were added or replaced on 82% of "identified" doors. That identified qualifier is key: A month after the attack, Woodruff pledged to install easily usable locks on approximately 1,300 doors. Months later, the university determined hundreds of those rooms did not need these locks. That's because they aren't used as frequently or are nontraditional classrooms, a former MSU spokesman told the Free Press in the fall. Instead, MSU decided 793 classrooms needed new locks. As of October, 624 had these locks. Now, that's up to about 650. That includes new locks on 29 doors in Berkey Hall, an academic building where multiple students were killed in the shooting. MSU installed the locks in December, reopening the hall in January. Lynch, in the recent podcast interview, explained the two different types of locks used. In many cases, the doors use a thumb-turn lock. It's exactly what it sounds like: a lock engaged from the inside of a room using a thumb. First responders can override the lock from the outside, he said, noting these are common in K-12 schools. In bigger classrooms, like large lecture auditoriums with double doors, there are electronic locks. Faculty can push a button from the front of the room to lock the doors, but there are others throughout the classroom as well, Lynch said. "It's a big red plunger," Lynch said. "Whenever those buttons are activated, the police are automatically sent to that particular location and the doors are automatically locked." Ongoing investigation As is often the case during a mass shooting, a fair amount of misinformation disseminates throughout the community. During the MSU attack, law enforcement and others on campus appeared to receive conflicting reports about the shooter's location, along with false indicators of additional shooters or other incorrect details. Afterward, law enforcement pointed to some of this chaos as to how the shooter was able to make it miles off campus before he was confronted. That's one of our takeaways is, how do we tell people don't believe what you hear on the scanner? now-MSU Police Chief Chris Rozman told the Free Press last year. That's why we need to be the ones to vet that information and to disseminate that information. And is there a better way for us to do that? At the time, Rozman said federal law enforcement suggested some of the misinformation flooding the scanner or other police communication might have been intentional. Late Thursday, Whyte said the department believes that happened. "We had one confirmed incident of a false report of a threat that occurred on Feb. 13 during the search for the suspect. Our detectives are continuing to investigate this case," she said. She did not provide additional information about the investigation. Alerts and a centralized security system On the night of the attack, the first emergency alert came more than 10 minutes after the first calls to 911. MSU police provided a variety of explanations for the delay, but vowed changes. Lynch outlined some of the improvements in the recent letter to the university community. Lynch said the university can still deliver alerts via texts, emails and phone calls. But now, the university can also send alerts through its SafeMSU app. He encouraged everyone in the community to download the app. The university now has the capacity to send alerts through its outdoor sirens and emergency Green Light phones. Perhaps the largest technology upgrade prompted by the attack is not quite finished. That's the transition to several new security systems and a new security operations center. That center is currently in a temporary location. Lynch and Whyte stressed it's up and running around the clock. But in the fall, Lynch said the new center would be complete by the end of 2023. More recently, he said it should be ready in the coming months. Whyte reiterated this timeline without providing an explanation for the delay. During the attack, law enforcement did not have the ability to monitor all security cameras in real time. In his recent letter to the community, Lynch said using the temporary center the department has "resolved several incidents in real time." He did not say whether all cameras could be monitored in real time, and Whyte did not answer a question about the issue. The university still cannot remotely lock every exterior door, either. In the fall, Lynch said this system would be ready, "as quickly as possible." Whyte said buildings that have electronic lock access can be remotely secured from the operations center. But she did not say how many buildings have this electronic locking system. Contact Dave Boucher: dboucher@freepress.com and on X, previously called Twitter, @Dave_Boucher1. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State hasn't met promised security upgrades after shooting Elizabeth Sander is a Hearst Fellow for the Houston Chronicle covering suburban education, local politics and breaking news. She can be reached at elizabeth.sander@houstonchronicle.com. Elizabeth spent the first year of her fellowship at the San Antonio Express-News, covering education and breaking news. She is a graduate of Columbia University's School of Journalism and Tufts University. Find her previous work in The New York Times, San Antonio Express-News, Observer Media and Horse Illustrated. Genesis Chacon was pregnant when she essentially carried her husband and toddler across countries to get to Chicago. Her healthy, able-bodied husband became paralyzed from the chest down due to a rare condition he developed while on their journey to the United States last summer. Now, the 22-year-old mother from Venezuela tends to his every need even as she recovers from a C-section she had four weeks ago to deliver their daughter. Instead of recuperating with light activity as strongly recommended by doctors, Chacon is carrying her husbands wheelchair up and down the stairs of their apartment, cleaning his gaping bedsores and changing his underpads on top of caring for their newborn and 4-year-old daughter. The city had resettled the family Jan. 28 into a second-floor apartment in Chatham. Isolated inside with all her responsibilities, Chacon learned Tuesday that city officials at the Inn of Chicago in Streeterville where theyd been staying before being resettled had thrown away the familys immigration papers and their newborn daughters birth certificate, along with the rest of their belongings. The staff knew of the familys dire circumstances. As per protocol staff gathered the rest of their belongings, labeled and stored them. Case management made them aware they will hold them for 48 hours, said Cassio Mendoza, Mayor Brandon Johnsons deputy press secretary, in a statement to the Tribune. An extension was granted for a period of 72 more hours at which point the belongings were disposed of. As Chacon and her family just try to survive, they have no idea how they will recover what the city threw away. Its been hard. At the shelter, we didnt receive medicine or enough food, Chacon said. But thank God were not sleeping on the street. A call from the city Her husband, Marilieser Gil-Blanco, 23, was sitting in his wheelchair at a Walgreens pharmacy when he learned shelter officials had thrown away their documents. He had just left a doctors appointment, where hed discussed next steps in the care plan for his condition of transverse myelitis inflammation of the spinal cord. His symptoms include loss of movement in his legs and uncontrolled bowels. You had 48 hours, a womans voice said over a WhatsApp call. You never told me we had 48 hours, he said, addressing the woman by name. All of my stuff was there. My daughters birth certificate. My wifes immigration papers. How can you have just thrown it all away? I dont understand. Because enough days had passed since you left, the voice responded. I told you. You knew what my situation was, he said. Yes, I know your situation, she said. I dont have control. We received instructions to remove them. How could you? The birth certificate? The immigration papers? We need to be responsible. Were all adults, a mans voice came through the phone. Of course, were all adults here. But you cant throw away our stuff like that, he said. We warned you, the man said. When did you call me? At what point did you call me? Gil-Blancos voice cracked as he addressed the woman by name again. Can you check to see if the papers are under the mattress? In the citys statement to the Chicago Tribune, Mendoza said shelter staff members did search for the paperwork. Upon returning to the shelter on 2/6, Mr. Gil-Blanco informed shelter staff that his leftover belongings included important documentation. Shelter staff conducted a thorough search of his former room and reached out to housekeeping staff in an effort to recover the documents, he said. Unfortunately, the documents were in a nondescript black bag and the staff do not recall seeing it. Transverse myelitis Gil-Blanco came to Chicago with his pregnant wife for better economic opportunities and resources. Like many migrants, the couple left their home country of Venezuela in 2017 and spent time in Colombia and Peru before deciding to trek through eight countries to the United States with their daughter, Mila. There are days that Im happy, Gil-Blanco told the Tribune. Then there are days when I am angry, upset. Unable to move, he passes time in bed thinking about how he used to be active: carrying his 4-year-old daughter, selling fruit and chicken in markets, walking around taking portraits on his camera. They came to the United States so Gil-Blanco could work. But now he needs his wife to turn him over in bed. Experts dont know the exact cause of transverse myelitis, a rare neurological condition that happens when someones spinal cord becomes inflamed. If oxygen cant reach the spinal cord, nerve cells often start to die. The dying tissue can cause the inflammation, which can lead to multiple disabilities including paralysis. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, some patients make a partial or full recovery from transverse myelitis, but about one-third have significant physical disabilities like Gil-Blanco. His wife obsessively looks up his chances of recovery. Since Gil-Blanco received his diagnosis, his skin has grown pale, and hes dropped considerable weight. There are seven gaping sores on his body on his side, below his leg, on his spine, his ankles. Yesterday, he threw up a lot. Today hes a bit better, said Chacon as she helped him dress for a doctors appointment at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Chacon gave birth to their daughter Ashley on Jan. 10. A nurse suggested the name, which they liked because it sounded American. Doctors recommend that after a C-section, a woman should limit activity and rest for at least a month, sometimes longer, so the incision through her abdomen and uterus can heal. Theyre instructed to not lift anything heavier than the baby. Chacon, however, has had no choice but to push her body to take care of her husband. She is not trained in wound care but has learned how to apply collagenase ointment to her husbands sores. Shes learned how to use his catheter and maneuver a wheelchair. She closely monitors his condition as closely as she monitors her newborns. Physical therapy is an important part of treatment for myelitis, but sessions are expensive and Gil-Blanco doesnt have insurance. Because he hasnt received the care he needs, he is developing more bedsores. Every day he doesnt get therapy, his chances of walking again decrease. The Inn of Chicago The Tribune first met Chacon before Christmas as she begged for money while her husband lay in bed at the Inn of Chicago. She sat outside a storefront with her swollen belly and toddler, carrying a cardboard sign. Hello, we are Venezuelan family, could you help us with whatever comes from your heart, it will be very helpful to us, thank you, God bless you, the sign read in green marker. My husband doesnt leave our room, she told the Tribune then. No one is helping us. Chacon said the shelter staff had not addressed her husbands medical needs during that time. She would wheel him to his doctors appointments at Northwestern, a few blocks from the shelter. Mendoza, the citys spokesperson, said Gil-Blanco had been connected directly to health care services but would not comment on specific care that individuals in the shelter system receive out of respect to their privacy rights. Trinh Truong, a policy analyst with the Center for American Progress, said immigrants with disabilities face unique challenges finding the resources to receive short- or long-term care. This can lead to severe and life-threatening complications and situations, she said. Since August 2022, Chicago has received more than 35,000 migrants, mostly from Venezuela, and the city has struggled to house them. As of last week, about 13,000 migrants were housed in 28 shelters managed by the city and state. A sharp pain in his back Chacon said her husband first showed symptoms of transverse myelitis at a house in Mexico City in late July. He had a sharp pain in his back that didnt go away. They checked him into the hospital, and he was given a shot for the pain. A few hours later, the pain came back worse. He lost feeling in his feet, then his legs. Then he couldnt walk. I remember taking a shower and changing the water temperature from hot to cold and hot to cold, he said. I felt nothing. He was in and out of the hospital for weeks in Mexico, eventually falling into a coma. He went into cardiac arrest four times. We thought at the time it might have been caused by our time in the jungle, said Chacon, referring to the Darien Gap between Colombia and Panama that thousands of migrants in Chicago have crossed over the past year to make it to the United States. Doctors in Mexico didnt think he would survive, she said, but after three days Gil-Blanco awoke from his coma and was able to leave the hospital. Desperate for help, Gil-Blanco and his wife decided to cross the Rio Grande from Matamoros, Mexico, to Brownsville, Texas, in late September. To cross the rushing water, he sat on an inflatable mattress they made into a chair. Their daughter Mila went with them. Gil-Blanco almost drowned. After they arrived in Texas, Chacon and Mila were offered a free plane ticket to Chicago by staff at a shelter. Gil-Blanco stayed behind in the Brownsville hospital for longer, over a week. He said a friend hed made at the hospital gave him $100 for a bus ticket to Chicago. The trip took five days. That was really difficult, he said. I needed to change my diaper. No one helped me. Upon arriving in the sanctuary city in October, he reunited with his wife and daughter, and they were given housing at the Inn of Chicago. Nobody was willing to help. The room at the Inn where the family stayed was tiny, Chacon said. She would wash her husbands sores several times a day and turn him over in bed every hour. Her stomach grew bigger. Chicagoan Renee DeTommaso was at Northwestern Memorial in early January with her father when she happened to sit next to Gil-Blanco and Chacon as they waited for treatment. She remembered his catheter was leaking on the ground. She was immediately drawn to the man in the wheelchair and his pregnant wife their daughter running around, her curls bouncing. DeTommaso asked them where they had come from and why they were there. She bought them some bread. My heart just broke for them, she said. The day before Chacon gave birth, DeTommaso pushed Gil-Blanco three blocks in the rain from the shelter to Northwestern to be by his wifes side. Nobody was willing to help, she said. She was going into labor. Chacon called DeTommaso a beautiful person. The young Venezuelan mother gave birth through C-section, and immediately afterward, Gil-Blanco was hospitalized again. Chatham Staff members at the shelter found the family an apartment in Chatham. The couple received 90 days of rental assistance from the state-sponsored resettlement program. Their assistance began in January. But their obstacles changed: The apartment had two flights of stairs and wasnt wheelchair accessible. They had no furniture. And it took a month before their heat and electricity were turned on, said Emily Wheeler, program manager for the Faith Community Initiative, who is helping the family. They need a better, more accessible apartment so they can keep their heads above water while theyre healing, she said. Daisy Contreras, a spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Human Services, said each tenant must sign a form saying they have spoken to the landlord, have seen the unit and agree it meets their needs. In this case, we can share that prior to signing the lease, the family was aware there were two sets of stairs to get into the apartment, Contreras said. But volunteers said Chacon had only seen a video of the unit before moving and was surprised to see the steep staircase when they got there. DeTommaso rented a truck to help move them Jan. 28. She and other volunteers secured furniture and helped bring it up the stairs. They bought them groceries and other necessities. The couple left clothes and their paperwork in their room at the Inn for safekeeping until they were settled. But Chacon barely left the apartment after they arrived. She feels unsafe to walk around the neighborhood. People say its violent around here, said Chacon. An appointment Gil-Blancos cousin Jefferson Canizalez, 37, arrived in Chicago shortly after Ashley was born, to help with Gil-Blancos needs. This has slightly eased Chacons responsibilities. The morning of his cousins doctor appointment, Canizalez rolled Gil-Blanco out of their room in a wheelchair, and put bandages on his ankles. Though hes lost all movement below his waist, Gil-Blanco is still able to move his head and arms. He held Ashley up in the air and scrunched up his face. My princess, he said, flashing braces as he smiled. Canizalez picked Gil-Blanco up and brought him down the stairs of the apartment. Chacon brought the wheelchair. It thudded against each of the 11 stairs as she struggled to hold its weight. The men got into a white van the hospital had arranged for transport, and Chacon stayed behind. At the hospital, a doctor spent over an hour treating his wounds and re-wrapping his bandages. He received a list of prescriptions: ascorbic acid, calcium and zinc sulfate, among other pills and medications. I never thought Id be a nurse, but Im learning, laughed Canizalez, as he pressed the elevator button to take Gil-Blanco to the pharmacy at Walgreens. Canizalez then went to the Inn of Chicago to gather the belongings left behind. A few minutes later, Canizalez called Gil-Blanco. Staffers at the Inn of Chicago had thrown away all of his things, Canizalez said. Gil-Blancos face fell. Gil-Blanco had received a text last week from the shelter staff that he needed to remove his belongings because another family was moving into their room, but he had called and asked for an extension. On the verge of tears, Gil-Blanco called his wife and explained what had happened. Canizalez quickly wheeled Gil-Blanco back to the shelter to speak to the director. When they got there, they were told the director wasnt available. Gil-Blanco wasnt allowed to go past the entrance. Next steps City officials say they have connected with the Illinois Migrant Council to work with Gil-Blanco over the next six months to obtain the paperwork that was discarded, but Chacon isnt confident theyll get their documents back. She doesnt know what they will do after their rental assistance runs out. The Faith Community Initiative and the Sanctuary Working Group are doing their best to get six months of rent together. Theyre looking for affordable housing options to move the family in March. Volunteers have set up a GoFundMe to help the family. Meanwhile, Chacon is worried about being able to pay for all their medical needs. Without a work permit, without being able to make money, its hard to afford it all, she said. Gil-Blanco and Chacon both say they find strength in their daughters. Gil-Blanco spends his days watching his newborn sleep. People say she looks just like him. He said she seldom cries. His eldest daughter likes to pretend shes a princess. She often runs around her fathers bed waving a magic wand. _____ Ukraine aims to shift electronic warfare (EW) production to commercial markets, said Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. "We are working to replicate the success with drones. To fully open up the market and create competition," Fedorov said. His announcement comes as Ukraine intensified its efforts to ramp up domestic production of attack drones, a critical tool on the battlefield, aiming to manufacture a million drones this year. On Feb. 7, Fedorov said Ukraine will sign the first contracts for the mass production of attack drones similar to Russian Lancet drones "in the coming weeks." On Jan. 13, following yet another Russian mass attack, the Institute for the Study of War said that Ukraine's use of active electronic countermeasures to disable 20 Russian missiles may be "an inflection in Ukrainian electronic warfare capabilities." The institute noted that Ukrainian electronic warfare is usually credited with disabling drones, not missiles. Earlier in January, however, the FT analysis said that even though Ukraine and Russia are both deploying sophisticated EW capabilities, Moscow enjoys an upper hand as it heavily invested in these systems before the war. In November, former Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi called EW capabilities "the key to victory in the drone war." Read also: Zelensky: Ukrainian military to create separate branch dedicated to drones Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. This article is part of Lost Rites, a series on Americas failed death notification system. MENDENHALL, Miss. Gretchen Hankins arrived at a rural church cemetery early Saturday afternoon and walked along a row of granite headstones, reading out each name. One marked the spot where a cousin was buried. Another listed her brothers name, and another her uncle. Next to her mothers headstone, she arrived at a freshly dug grave that would soon, finally, hold her only son. I know its just the body, she said. But everybody needs a place you can go to sometimes to tell your family members you love them after theyre gone. It had been more than 17 months since Hinds County authorities declared the body of her 39-year-old son, Jonathan David Hankins, unclaimed and had him buried in a paupers field outside the Hinds County jail work farm in Raymond, an hours drive away. That grave was dug by inmates and marked only by a number 645 hand-painted on a metal post. Gretchen Hankins Exhumation of Son, Jonathan Hankins (Ashleigh Coleman for NBC News) This is how Mississippis most populous county handles the remains of those who do not have money for a funeral or family to claim their bodies. But Jonathan, like several other men buried in the paupers field in recent years, did have friends and family who would have claimed him if only theyd been told he was dead. For more than a year and a half after her son disappeared from their Rankin County home in May 2022, Gretchen searched and prayed that he would come home. She filed a police report a few weeks after he went missing and pleaded for help on social media. A friend uploaded Jonathans name and image to a public database of missing people. Volunteers searched nearby waterways with sonar, thinking they might find him and his car submerged below. The whole time, authorities in neighboring Hinds County held the answer, but they did not share it. Jonathan David Hankins with his mother, Gretchen Hankins, and daughter, Brooke. (Courtesy Gretchen Hankins) Jackson police had found Hankins dead from an overdose in a motel on May 23, 2022, only days after he went missing. The Hinds County coroners office identified him based on fingerprints soon after, records show. A deputy coroner said he forwarded the information to police, but police say they never got such information. The records do not say what efforts, if any, the coroners office or the Jackson Police Department made to contact Jonathans family before the county buried him that September. Gretchen finally learned of her sons death and burial in December, after NBC News found Jonathans name on a list of people whod been given paupers burials and shared the information with her as part of the news organizations investigation into botched death notifications. After viewing photos confirming it was Jonathans body, she joined a growing number of outraged families who have discovered months or years after the fact that their relatives were buried in the Hinds County paupers field. Like the others, Gretchen had to pay the county $300 to reclaim her sons remains. Last week, she visited the paupers cemetery to watch a crew exhume his body, only to be turned away from the jail site by a sheriffs deputy. While there, Gretchen confronted Hinds County Coroner Sharon Grisham-Stewart, demanding to know why the county never contacted her. Grisham-Stewart told Gretchen the lapse was not her fault. If I fall short of looking for people, I apologize, she said. I dont know how to find people. But its your job, Gretchen replied, and when you take that job on, youre supposed to learn how to do that. Gretchen and the other aggrieved family members have demanded answers and hired lawyers. Gretchen hopes to channel her anger to force changes and prevent this from happening to other families. On Saturday, she was focused on a more immediate task: giving her son the funeral hed been denied. Mourners began arriving around 1 p.m. Saturday at the small Simpson County cemetery across the street from the Baptist church that Gretchen attended with her siblings as a child. She wasnt sure how many people would show up, she said. She hoped the ones who loved her son despite his faults would be there. Jonathan wasnt perfect, she said moments before a hearse arrived with the casket. He just didnt deserve what he got. Pallbearers carry Jonathan's casket to his graveside funeral. (Mike Hixenbaugh / NBC News) By the time pallbearers carried Jonathans casket to the graveside, about 50 people had gathered for the ceremony. An uncle from out of state. A friend whod grown up calling Jonathan by his nickname Stitches referring to an infamous childhood injury. A cousin whod been among those posting to Facebook, asking for help finding him. Thomas Goolsby, whod offered a $15,000 reward for information about Jonathans whereabouts, eulogized his best friend as a loving son and devoted father who struggled to overcome addiction. Jon was a good man, Goolsby said. He was sometimes a misunderstood man. He was a co-worker. My best friend. He was my therapist. He was my brother. Gretchen hugs Jonathan's daughter, Brooke, after placing flowers on his casket. (Mike Hixenbaugh / NBC News) After loved ones sang Amazing Grace and headed for their cars, a crew began to lower Jonathans casket into the ground. Her son was finally home, Gretchen said, buried alongside relatives rather than strangers. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com While some in Ukraine face the skies to watch for missiles and air defense, Vlad Hedzyuk lifts his binoculars looking for the flutter of wings. Hedzyuk, a biology student at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, is a member of Ukraines small but dedicated bird-watching community and has grown accustomed to explaining that hes not a spy. Especially in the first year of the war, people think that you are some kind of agent from Russia, said Hedzyuk, who primarily watches birds in the western regions of Lviv and his native Rivne. There are a lot of places where you cannot bird-watch, because you cant go with a camera or binoculars where there are military sites. Sometimes you dont even know where you can and cannot go. Bird-watching is still rare in Ukraine compared with other countries. In the U.K., hundreds of thousands of people participate in the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds annual bird-watching day. Meanwhile, active Ukrainian bird-watchers estimate their number in the hundreds. Its like a bird-watching family, said Hedzyuk. If you dont know someone in person, youve at least heard about them somewhere on social media, because you see their photos. For them, connecting with nature provides a reprieve from the psychological stress of war. A day of bird-watching might be looking through a window at backyard bird feeders, or traveling to other oblasts in search of new species to add to their life list, the list of birds theyve identified in their lifetime. Some enthusiastic bird watchers have recorded seeing more than 300 species in Ukraine. There exists a lot of scientific research that shows nature, and birds in particular listening to birdsong, for example helps with literally everything, said Nataliia Atamas, an ornithologist and researcher at the Institute of Zoology at Ukraines National Academy of Sciences. That is, it helps stabilize the mental and psychological state. They build their bases, they scare the birds But even in the birding community, the effects of the war are inescapable. First, the already-small community has shrunk, as birders and bird researchers move abroad, or volunteer and fight on the front. Some have been killed since the war broke out. In a tight-knit community where members trade photos daily and sometimes stay at each other's houses when traveling to new bird habitats, each loss weighs heavy. On top of devastating human losses, the full extent of the environmental consequences of the war will likely be unknowable for years. Ukraine has yet to learn the full extent of natural losses from the war. Though covering only about 6% of Europes landmass, the country is thought to hold more than a third of Europes biodiversity. Ukraines ecosystems span forests, wetlands, grasslands, rivers, and mountains, and are home to more than 400 bird species. Since the war broke out, severe forest fires have blazed up in combat areas, where missile launches and shelling ignite their surroundings. Many valuable habitats lie in the heart of heavy fighting, like the Azov-Black Sea coastline, where thousands of colonies of martins, terns, and other wetland birds nest and live, and protective nature parks remain closed due to occupation by Russia. Atamas worries that birds who have nested there for centuries may disappear from the region because of long-term effects from the occupying forces. They build their bases, they scare the birds, they shoot there, they destroy the soil layer with their heavy equipment. This is very, very bad for the grassland, said Atamas. You no longer feel complete freedom Before the war, Oleksandr Ruchko hosted dozens of bird-watching tours every year as part of his tourism business. When he started more than two decades ago, the concept was so unfamiliar in Ukraine that some confused bird-watching tours for hunting trips, though hes seen the hobby slowly expand since then. Spring had traditionally been the height of birding season, when ecotourism groups or ornithological societies from Western Europe would partner with him to guide their members during migration season. Now, in nearly two years of war, only five people have requested bird-watching tours three Ukrainians and two foreigners. While we have a war, we have no customers, Ruchko said. Bluethroat. (Oleksandr Nastachenkos personal archive) Instead, the bird-watchers left in Ukraine are locals, like Oleksandr Nastachenko, who is one of a handful of bird-watchers still in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, an eastern region that frequently comes under fire from Russian missiles. Nastachenko is one of the countrys most prolific bird watchers. On the popular birding website eBird, he holds the record for most birds seen in Ukraine: 334, which he credits to venturing out every weekend for decades. He stopped leaving the house when the full-scale invasion broke out in 2022, paralyzed by what he described as an earthquake in his head from watching the horrors of war in the news, but eventually returned to birding to find solace. The birds still bring a lot of joy, he said. But you no longer feel complete and absolute freedom. While he once traveled as far as Spain and Kazakhstan in search of unfamiliar species, now he can no longer leave the country because of the ban on military-aged men exiting Ukraine. Today, he rarely even leaves Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, fearing attacks on roads and bridges. Areas of Kherson Oblast that he frequently visited are now heavily mined. His favorite spot is the Kinburn Spit, a thin stretch of land in the Black Sea which he had visited more than 30 times and seen in every season. It is currently under occupation by Russian forces. The demining process will take years, but of course the memory of the place will stay with me, he said. You have not been able to protect what is dear Even natural spaces far from the front are not immune to the wars consequences. In an attempt to compensate for economic stresses of the fighting, Ukraines legislators have eased restrictions on deforestation. Attention, too, has shifted away from environmental protection, and scientific research has ground to a halt in many regions. When you work in one place for 20 years, 30 years, you know every stone there. And now you understand that it is all gone, said Atamas, the ornithologist. You have not been able to protect what is dear to you, and you will not be able to protect it. Atamas herself has been cut off from her lifelong research, where she studied birds by boat on the Dnipro River. Last year, she tried for months to get permission to continue her work in relatively safe areas, but she could not get a waiver from wartime restrictions on sailing in Ukraines bodies of water. Nataliia Atamas, ornithologist. (From personal archive) Maybe in 20 years everything will be okay and we will sit down again, we will study how the fauna has changed and write papers titled The Impact of Military Action, said Atamas. But the point is that you have to sit down and take scientific note of how your life was destroyed. For now, she has shifted her fieldwork to the Western Carpathian mountains, where she studies nests of black storks and large birds of prey. When she stands there among the birds, it is the only place she still feels calm. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. FILE PHOTO: Members of the Ukrainian State Border Guard Service patrol along the Ukraine-Moldova border in Odesa region CHISINAU (Reuters) - Police on Sunday found fragments of a Russian drone alongside the Moldova border with Ukraine, prompting pro-European President Maia Sandu to renew her support for Kyiv in its nearly two-year-old war with Moscow. The war has buffeted Moldova, with periodic reports of weapon fragments found on the territory of the ex-Soviet state lying between Ukraine and Romania. Sandu, whose main policy goal is securing European Union membership, has singled out Russia and corruption as the two greatest threats to her country. A police statement said the fragments were found near the village of Etulia. Pictures posted online showed three piles of shattered pieces of metal and electronic parts lying in a field. The area had been cordoned off, with no danger to residents. The statement quoted Ukrainian authorities as saying the Iranian-made Shahed drone had been downed on Friday en route to Ukraine's Danube port of Ismail, a frequent Russian target. "Russias war on Ukraine hits close to home in Moldova again," Sandu wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "The discovery of Shahed drone debris in southern Moldova today serves as another stark reminder of the grim reality we face. Russias aggression endangers the entire continent. Support for Ukraine must continue," Sandu said. Reuters could not independently verify the incident and Russian authorities did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Sandu has accused Russia of trying to remove her in a coup. The Kremlin accuses her of engaging in Russophobia. (Reporting by Ronald Popeski; Editing by Mark Porter) The Museum of Modern Art in New York was forced to shut down Saturday as more than 500 pro-Palestinian protesters flooded into the buildings second-floor atrium in a massive sit-in demonstration. File photo by John Angelillo/UPI Feb. 11 (UPI) -- The Museum of Modern Art in New York was forced to shut down Saturday as more than 500 pro-Palestinian protesters flooded into the building's second-floor atrium in a massive sit-in demonstration. By some estimates, as many as 800 organized protesters swarmed the building around 3:30 p.m., chanting "Free, free Palestine!" A number of the activists fanned out and quickly distributed up to 1,000 pamphlets that accused MoMA's board of trustees of playing a central role in providing funding and weapons to the Israeli military amid accusations of genocide in Gaza. On the second floor, protesters hung a large banner that read "MoMA Trustees Fund Genocide, Apartheid, and Settler Colonialism," while similar displays were placed on the third and fifth floors, calling for a ceasefire in the war against Hamas. After about 15 minutes of chaos, museum security sealed off the galleries and began turning away paying customers. The art publication Hyperallergic spoke to some protesters who shared a prevailing belief that the museum was "funding genocide." The protest lasted until about 5:15 p.m., when the crowd spilled back into the streets of Manhattan. Elsewhere, about 300 pro-Palestinian protesters descended on the Brooklyn Museum in a similar demonstration, leading to four arrests, the New York Post reported. The protests take place after more than a hundred New York cultural figures signed a joint letter slamming "the disgraceful silence of our institutions as Israel commits genocide in Gaza." The spontaneous protests have embroiled the five boroughs since the war erupted on Oct. 7, with coordinated disruptions to traffic and business across the city. In early January, 325 pro-Palestinian protesters were reportedly arrested after they blocked rush-hour traffic on bridges and inside a tunnel, disrupting travel into and out of Manhattan. And a group of about 200 pro-Palestinian protesters flooded Times Square and other parts of New York City after police blocked the crowd from entering the American Museum of Natural History in December. At the time, protesters also claimed that Israel was openly committing war crimes in Gaza during its war with Hamas. Editor's note: Events are subject to change, and contacting your church ahead of time is recommended. Churches may send updates to worship services, events or schedules via email to kwood@lubbockonline.com. Please note that this is a partial compilation of local religious congregrations, and listings are sorted below by newest information. First Church of Christ Scientist Amarillo 2701 Julian Blvd. Everyone is welcome at our Sunday Service at 10:30 a.m. Sunday School meets at the same time for children and teens. This week's subject: Spirit - "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22,23) Our weekly testimonial meetings on Wednesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. are a wonderful opportunity for inspiration and fellowship. For more details, see our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/First-Church-of-Christ-Scientist-Amarillo-104483494978237 or our website at https://www.cschurchamarillo.com/ . Local leaders and volunteers will host the annual Amarillo Day of Prayer, an observance where we come together to pray for our city and regional communities. Amarillo citizens will gather on Thursday, Feb. 29 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Civic Center Grand Plaza. The evening will be similar to past National Day of Prayer celebrations; however, this year, the gathering will be personal and focused on our own community. The event will begin with a time of worship from Hillside Christian Church and the program will center on four aspects of prayer Adoration, Confessions, Thanksgiving and Supplication. These significant areas will be scripture based and prayed for by leaders representing different areas of our city. Each segment of prayer will also allow time for attendees to gather in groups and pray for these key areas. Pray the City is a 501 (c)3 organization consisting of Christ followers from many denominations that meets monthly to pray scripturally over issues in Amarillo. Grace Communion International (GCI Amarillo), 1400 Wolflin (Covenant Presbyterian) Please join us in 2024! Saturdays 2:30 p.m. (weather permitting). Fellowship Group gathering for worship music, prayer, Bible story, Bible study, and seasonal messages. Multi-generational meeting. New participants of all ages welcome. Refreshments following and potluck on the 1st Saturdays. For information and schedule confirmation, call 806-473-8753 or 806-340-4704. Grace Church Grace Church was founded by Pastor Bill Gehm, his wife, and a small group of believers in 1985, and has grown over the past few decades into a much larger and diverse group of believers in Christ. We are Making Disciples verse by verse at the corner of Plains and Western (4111 Plains Blvd.) in an old grocery store, on the radio at 88.7FM with the Radio by Grace network, and online at GraceAmarillo.com. Service times are 9 & 11am on Sundays and 7pm on Wednesdays. The Colonies Church of Christ 4500 Wesley Road, Amarillo, TX 79119. Please join us Sundays for Bible class at 9:30 a.m. and worship service at 10:30 a.m. Any questions, call 806-355-7303. For more information visit our website at: thecolonies.org Hartley, Texas A life-size marble casting of Michelangelos Pieta has been placed at St. John Paul II Family Life Center, 1400 Central Avenue, in Hartley. The famous work of art depicts the body of Jesus on the lap of his mother Mary after the Crucifixion. The Vatican Observatory Foundation has authorized and licensed the creation of only 100 Pieta marble castings from a mold derived from the original Pieta. This Pieta has been donated as a legacy gift by the Catholic Loyalty Foundation of Santa Clarita, California. Polk Street Methodist Church Please worship with us in person at 8:30 and 10:55 a.m. in our historic sanctuary at 1401 S. Polk St., or worship online with us at 10:55 a.m. at www.polkstreet.org or on our Facebook page. From Bible studies and small groups to exercise classes and outreach to the impoverished, there is a place for you. If you would like more information, please visit www.polkstreet.org and either email us or complete a contact form. Messiahs House 6901 Bell St. Sunday morning services at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. For more information, visit their website at https://mh.church . First Christian Church 3001 Wolflin Ave. Sunday school at 9 a.m. and worship service at 10 a.m. FCC Facebook page: facebook.com/FirstChristianAmarillo , FCC YouTube channel: youtube.com/channel/UCkyDAlGKrx82S5qCbiBlS_g Christian Heritage Church - 900 S Nelson St. Service times are Sunday at 9:45 a.m. and Wednesday at 7 p.m. For more, email info@chcamarillo.com . Amazing Grace Amarillo (Lutheran Church - WELS) - Join us for worship at 10:30 a.m. at 8700 Clinton Glenn Dr. Amarillo, TX 79119. We've moved! We also offer children's Bible school at 9:15 a.m. along with our teen/adult Bible study on Sundays. You can stream our services at AmazingGraceAmarillo.com and join us for Bible Study on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. Message our pastor at pastorhans@amazinggraceamarillo.com . The Loft Church 4400 S. Georgia. Services at 9:30 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. Power Church 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. (bilingual) Sunday service. Also Wednesdays at 7 p.m. Sandell Drive In Theater, Clarendon Sunday service at 10 a.m. Add in a beautiful Sunday drive out to Clarendon and experience church. Accelerate Church, 4400 S Crockett, and Accelerate North Campus, 1300 E Central. Triumphant Truth Church, 1701 S Manhattan St. Central Church of ChristJoin us on Sundays for class at 9 a.m. and worship at 10:15 a.m. Youll find us in person at 1401 S. Madison St. and online at www.amarillocentral.org. Paramount Baptist Church 3801 S. Western St. in Amarillo. Sunday school is at 9 a.m. with worship at 10:15 a.m. We also have a Spanish speaking service at 10:15 a.m. Visit www.paramount.org for more information. St. Luke Presbyterian Church 3001 Bell St. Visit the churchs website at stlukeamarillo.com for a link to the bulletin and live streaming videos. In-person and live streaming service on Sundays at 11 a.m. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 2101 N. Coulter St. "The Cross" in Groom, Texas Information: Cross Ministry Jason Eugea, 806-248-9006. Amarillo Unitarian Universalist Fellowship 4109 Cornell St. Fellowship at Sunday at 11 a.m. Our services are in-person and also live-streamed on our YouTube and Facebook pages. For more information about AUUF, see our website at uuamarillo.org. Redeemer Presbyterian Church 7603 77th Ave. Sunday school at 9:30 am, followed by worship service at 10:30 and evening worship service at 5 p.m. We offer live streaming on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHc6sCADFHQ6xD91jMxktfQ. Please visit our website at http://redeemeramarillo.com/ for more information. Pleasant Valley Methodist Church 316 Valley Ave. Everyone is welcome at our Sunday worship service. Visit with us in person at 10 a.m.; Sunday School is at 9 a.m. From Bible class Wednesday at 5 p.m. to food cupboard, AISD ministry and outreach to the impoverished, there is a place for you. If youd like more information, go to Pleasant Valley Methodist Church (Amarillo) on Facebook, or call (806) 383-3342. Mail us: info@yourpvumc.org . Olsen Park Church of Christ invites you to visit our worship services and Bible studies at 4700 Andrews Ave., Amarillo, TX 79106, Sunday: 9 a.m. (short service), 9:30 a.m. (Bible class), 10:30 a.m. (worship); Wednesday: 7 p.m. (Bible class). For more information, go to www.olsenpark.com and Olsen Park Church of Christ on Facebook, or call 806-352-2809. Second Baptist Church 419 N. Buchanan St. Sunday mornings at 9:30 a.m. for worship followed by Sunday School at 10:45 a.m. For more information please visit sbcama.org or call the church at 806-373-1737. Also, our sermons are broadcast on KAMR channel 4 every Sunday morning at 8 a.m. Life.Church Amarillo Located on the northwest corner of I-27 and Hollywood Road; services held at 10 and 11:30 a.m. Life.Church is made up of people from different backgrounds linked together by a common mission: leading people to become fully devoted followers of Christ. For more, see www.life.church/amarillo. South Georgia Baptist Church 5209 S. Georgia St. You're invited to join us each Sunday morning at 9 a.m. for small group Bible study and at 10:30 a.m. for our morning worship service. Our 10:30 a.m. service streams live at sgbc.co/watch. Visit sgbc.co for more information. Bell Avenue Church of Christ Amarillo 1600 Bell St. For more information, please contact the Bell Avenue Church of Christ at 806-355-2351 or visit our website, www.bellavenue.org . Pathpoint Fellowship Church, 6215 Canyon Drive, Amarillo, 79110, 806-463-7284. Jenkins Chapel Baptist Church, 1801 N. Hughes St. For more info, please call 806 373 2576. Bible Believers Baptist Church, 12,200 W Rockwell Rd. Services at 10 a.m.; Bible Study at 11 a.m. Preaching and Worship at 7 p.m. On Wednesday at 7 p.m., prayer meeting and Bible Study. On Friday at 7 p.m., Youth Night. Services streamed on our website biblebelieversbaptist.com . Call 806-499-3231 for more information. Westminster Presbyterian Church Sundays at 10:30 a.m.; available to watch from the churchs website at wpcama.com, click on Sermons. Church is located at 2525 Wimberly Road. Coulter Road Baptist Church 4108 S. Coulter St. Sunday school at 9:15 a.m. and worship at 10:30 a.m. Sunday worship is streamed on our website, www.coulterbc.com. Contact info: 806-352-5278. Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church of Amarillo worship/communion service is at 9:30 a.m. each Sunday. The service is also available on the churchs website on Sunday evenings at https://www.beautifulsavioramarillo.org.videos. Covenant Presbyterian Church in Amarillo 1400 Wolflin Ave. We invite you to join us for worship where we praise God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - every Sunday at 10 a.m. We have Sunday School for adults at 9 a.m. If you would like more information, you can call the church office at 806-376-5244. Trinity Fellowship Family Worship and Prophetic Nights: Wednesdays at 7 p.m. Visit TFC.org/Sundays. Church online at 9 and 11 a.m. on all viewing platforms. Anna Street Church of Christ 2310 Anna St., across from Olsen Park Elementary. Sunday: 9:45 a.m. classes; 10:30 a.m. Morning Worship. Wednesday: 6:45 p.m. Song Practice; 7:35 p.m. Evening Teaching. Visit http://www.annastreetchurch.org/ for more information. Southwest Church of Christ Come see us Sunday for Bible class at 9:30 a.m. and for Worship at 10:30 a.m. A list of current classes can be found on our website: www.southwest.org. First Baptist Church Gathering at 12th and Tyler. Sunday morning worship service times are 8:30 and 11 a.m., with Bible study for all ages at 9:45 a.m. Sunday evening worship meets at 6 p.m. in the sanctuary. Bell Avenue Church of Christ Sunday morning worship begins at 9:30 a.m., with classes immediately following. Sunday evening worship begins at 5 p.m. Wednesday night devotional and classes at 7 p.m. Everyone is welcome. Bible Believers Baptist Church Sunday school at 10 a.m.; preaching at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Wednesday Bible Study at 7 p.m. Visitation and Soul Winning: Saturday at 10 a.m. Minister, Glen A. Stocker. Christ Covenant Presbyterian Church Morning and evening worship services. Hillside Christian Churches www.hillsideonline.com. Arden Road Baptist Church Sunday School, children's ministries and nurseries. Service times: Sundays, 9:30 a.m., Sunday school, 10:30 a.m., 6:30 p.m., Wednesdays, 7 p.m. Amarillo First Nazarene Church, 5201 Soncy Road; 806-374-2242, https://onenaz.org/ . North Beacon Church of the Nazarene, 1601 N. Nelson St., 806-367-8544 Valleyview Church of the Nazarene, 7601 S. Western St., 806-358-8829, https://www.facebook.com/vvnazarene/ , http://www.vvnaz.org/ This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo faith calendar for Feb. 11, 2024 Funeral services have been set for Joseph Aponte Sr., a Sugar Land city employee who was killed in a car crash during a police chase on Wednesday. Aponte "treasured" his role as a grandparent of eight, according to his obituary. Courtesy of the City of Sugar Land Sugar Land Police Chief Mark Poland, left, talks with city spokesman Doug Adolph as they walk to the scene of a fatal accident that killed a city public works employee Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024, near the intersection of Gillingham Lane and US-90 ALT in Sugar Land. Missouri City police were chasing a vehicle with three suspects when the suspects hit a city of Sugar Land truck, killing its driver. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer Sugar Land Police Chief Mark Poland talks about a fatal accident that killed a city public works employee Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024, near the intersection of Gillingham Lane and US-90 ALT in Sugar Land. Missouri City police were chasing a vehicle with three suspects when the suspects struck a city of Sugar Land truck, killing its driver. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer Authorities investigate the scene of a fatal accident that killed a Sugar Land Public Works employee Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024, at the intersection of Gillingham Lane and US-90 ALT in Sugar Land. Missouri City police were chasing a vehicle with three suspects when the suspects hit a city of Sugar Land truck, killing its driver. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer A funeral date has been set for Joseph Aponte, 56, who was killed in a car crash that occurred during a police chase on Wednesday. Services are scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 13 at the Triska Funeral Home, located on Merchant Street in El Campo, according to a city press release. Visitation will begin at 1 p.m. with services starting at 2 p.m. There will be a reception after the funeral at New Taiton Community center. Joseph Joe Michael Aponte Sr. worked for Sugar Land Public Works as an inventory park clerk with the fleet division. Aponte lived in Needville with his wife of 23 years, Tracey Aponte. Aponte has three adult children and eight grandchildren, according to his obituary. Advertisement Article continues below this ad MURDER CHARGE: Man charged with murder after crash death of Sugar Land city employee during police chase Born in Somers Point, New Jersey, Apontes hobbies included fishing, hunting and woodworking, but most of all he treasured his time with his grandkids and loved being their Pop Pop, reads the obituary. Many in Sugar Land are mourning the loss of Aponte, who was described as a dedicated public servant who made a difference every single day for our community, by Sugar Lands Mayor Joe Zimmerman. It was the worst day imaginable for all of us. Words cant describe the tremendous amount of pain and grief we are experiencing, Zimmerman said in a statement. He also added that Sugar Land public works employees will be at limited service levels this week as they process their grief. Public Works employees have taken to commemorating Aponte by placing stickers with his name on the City of Sugar Land insignia on all city vehicles. Advertisement Article continues below this ad AT THE SCENE: Sugar Land city employee killed after SUV fleeing Missouri City police crashes into his truck Aponte left a mark on family and friends. Many have commented their condolences on social media, including one family who wrote on his tribute wall that they remembered him and his friendship from New Jersey. I am heartbroken at the loss of my friend. Joe was my first friend and coworker when I moved to New Jersey 24 years ago. We remained friends through all these years. Everyone loved Joe! He was such A great man and friend, wrote Robert McKernan. The man driving the car that hit Aponte after running a red light was charged in connection with first-degree murder by Sugar Land police Saturday. Russia has launched a campaign aimed at discrediting the new Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, the National Security and Defense Council's (NSDC) Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) warned on Telegram on Feb. 11. According to CCD Head Lieutenant Andriy Kovalenko, the Russians are trying to portray Syrskyias a "Soviet and Russian" style general. They are also looking for his relatives in Russia, "family friends," from whom they take comments and disseminate them in the information space with negative connotations. The CCD emphasizes that Syrskyi has been a part of Zaluzhnyi's team and has successfully led a number of operations, including Kyiv and Kharkiv oblasts liberation, proving his skills and ability to achieve results in the war against Russia. In addition, the CCD warns of the emergence of fake websites falsely associated with Zaluzhnyi, located on various domains and created by unknown individuals. Read also: Zaluzhnyi steps down as Commander-in-Chief, replaced by Syrskyi "These sites are not associated with Valerii Zaluzhnyi, and Ukrainian law enforcement agencies have already been informed about their activities," Kovalenko said, adding that the enemy is likely behind these attempts to divide Ukrainian society. On Feb. 8, Zelenskyy, by his decree, dismissed Valerii Zaluzhnyi from the position of the chief, which he held for over 2.5 years, appointing Commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi in his place. General Zaluzhnyi was awarded the title Hero of Ukraine. The President announced the decision after a week of rumors about Zaluzhnyis resignation and reports of conflict with the chief, which began to reappear in November 2023 after two articles by Time and The Economist, as well as by a series of subsequent events. On Feb. 11, Zelenskyy has also appointed new commanders of the Ground Forces, the Joint Forces, the Air Assault Forces, and the Territorial Defense Forces. Read also: Zelenskyy appoints new top ranked military commanders Zelenskyy had previously spoken of his intention to reboot the entire military command. He criticized Ukrainian generals for problems with logistics at the front and demanded solutions. Ukraines newly appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, is causing concern not only due to his reputation as a Soviet-style general with little regard for his troops lives but also because of his relatives in Russia, The Guardian reported on Feb. 9. 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 Modesto resident was killed Friday morning in the Waterford area when his motorcycle collided with a tractor-trailer rig, according to the California Highway Patrol. The crash occurred about 10:30 a.m. on Highway 132 east of Blossom Road,. Patterson resident Wayne Blair, 53, was westbound in a 2024 Peterbilt big rig, moving at low speed while attempting to turn left onto residential property, a CHP news release says. The 23-year-old rider of a 2023 Kawasaki also was westbound, approaching the truck from behind. The rider moved into the eastbound lane and struck the left side of the trailer, causing him to be thrown from his motorcycle, the news release says. Drugs or alcohol are not believed to have been factors in the crash, it says. Blair was not injured. The name of the motorcyclist was withheld pending notification of family. Ukrainian journalist Mstyslav Chernov's documentary 20 Days in Mariupol won the Directors Guild of America Award for outstanding directorial achievement in a documentary for 2023, the guild announced on Feb. 10. The documentary records the Russian siege of Mariupol in Donetsk Oblast from the perspective of Chernov and his crew during the first weeks of the full-scale invasion. The other four movies nominated in the Outstanding Directorial Achievement in the Documentary category were Bobi Wine: The People's President, Beyond Utopia, Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, and Kokomo City. Since its release in January 2023, 20 Days in Mariupol has won audience prizes at the Sundance Film Festival, International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, Hot Docs Canadian Documentary Festival, and DocuDaysUA. The 20 Days in Mariupol documentary comprised 30 hours of footage Chernov and his colleagues shot in Mariupol before the crew left the besieged city. Chernov and his AP colleagues Vasylysa Stepanenko and Evgeniy Maloletka arrived in Mariupol one hour before the full-scale Russian invasion on Feb. 24. After 20 days of covering the siege of the city, they had to leave because Russian forces started hunting the photographers for publishing a detailed account of the atrocities happening in Mariupol. Russia's months-long siege of Mariupol between February and May reduced the port city into a landscape of rubble and killed thousands. Chernov is a Ukrainian photographer, photojournalist, and filmmaker who was working for the Associated Press when Russia launched its all-out war against Ukraine. For filming the siege of Mariupol, he has received several awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, the Deutsche Welle Freedom of Speech Award, and the Georgiy Gongadze Award. 20 Days in Mariupol has also become the first Ukrainian film made by a Ukrainian director to receive an Oscar nomination since the country gained independence in 1991. Read also: Ukrainian filmmakers center resilience, horrors of war at Sundance Film Festival Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Flowers, signage, candles, and other memorabilia seen at the foot of The Spartan statue on the campus of Michigan State University following the Feb. 13 shooting rampage on campus that killed three. EAST LANSING Michigan State is in the early stages of determining what kind of permanent memorial will mark the Feb. 13 shooting. In June, the university said it would set aside $300,000 of the $2 million in donations to the Spartan Strong Fund for the memorial effort, as well as any future contributions from community members and alums. An additional $600,000 has been raised since June, said MSU spokesperson Mark Bullion, bringing the memorial fund to about $900,000. The MSU committee for planning the memorial is comprised of students, faculty, staff and community liaisons. The university has created a survey for MSU community members to share their opinions on what a permanent memorial should look like. According to a timeline released by the university, construction should begin in spring 2025. Former MSU spokesperson Dan Olsen told the State Journal last spring that university staff collected flowers from memorials, which will be used as compost for a new memorial tree, as well as collecting various signs, candles and other memorabilia to be archived. The university's website said the MSU Museum is serving as the central repository for the memorabilia, according to MSU's website. Throughout 2024, the "museum will focus on cataloging and digitizing all memorial items, performing preventative conservation and ensuring proper storage." As of now, the items are on restricted access, and members of the public cannot view them. The university said "the MSU Museum and its campus partners are determining the best ways to manage this important collection in a trauma-informed manner." Contact reporter Sarah Atwood at satwood@lsj.com. Follow her on X @sarahmatwood This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Michigan State is planning memorial for mass shooting that killed three NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) Authorities are investigating after two teens were shot in the Edgehill area Saturday night. The shooting was reported shortly before 9 p.m. in the 1300 block of 14th Avenue South on Saturday, Feb. 10, Metro dispatch said. Police searching for vehicle after woman hit, killed at Madison apartment complex According to the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD), two teens ages 15 and 19 were taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Vanderbilt Childrens Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries following the shooting. At the crime scene, officials reported they found multiple shell casings. A vehicle that was possibly involved in the shooting was also located. CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime news from Middle Tennessee The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under investigation. However, the MNPD told News 2 that active leads are being pursued. No other information was immediately released. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) A San Marcos man was convicted and sentenced in Hays County on two charges in connection with a March 2021 offense. According to court documents, 32-year-old Jacob Ryan Chambliss was charged with the unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and tampering with physical evidence. He was sentenced to serve 20 years in state prison. Chambliss previously faced a murder charge; however, it was dismissed due to insufficient evidence as well as the aforementioned conviction. Toward his sentence, Chambliss received a jail credit of 1,039 days. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. SpaceX owner and American billionaire Elon Musk has said that Starlink terminals were not sold to Russia directly or indirectly. Source: Musk on his X account A number of false news reports claim that SpaceX is selling Starlink terminals to Russia. This is categorically false. To the best of our knowledge, no Starlinks have been sold directly or indirectly to Russia. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 11, 2024 Quote from Musk: "A number of false news reports claim that SpaceX is selling Starlink terminals to Russia. This is categorically false. To the best of our knowledge, no Starlinks have been sold directly or indirectly to Russia." Background: On 10 February, Militarnyi web portal reported that the Russians had started deploying Elon Musk's SpaceX Starlink terminals at their positions. It was noted that Russians received Starlink terminals through "parallel imports" or through so-called volunteer resellers. The purchases are made through third countries, by intermediary individuals. SpaceX said that the company does not have any business with the Russian Federation, its military or the UAE. On 11 February, Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) confirmed that Russian occupying forces were using Starlink satellite communications systems on the battlefield. DIU stressed that the scale of Russians' use of Starlink terminals in the war was growing and "is becoming systemic". Support UP or become our patron! Myanmars junta has announced new conscription laws, making it compulsory for all young women and men to join the military amid the ongoing emergency situation in the country, state media said on Saturday. The military government said all men aged 18-35 and women aged 18-27 must serve for up to two years with service extension possible to a total of five years amid ongoing crisis across the country as the junta struggles to contain armed rebels fighting for greater autonomy. Specialists like doctors aged up to 45 must serve for three years, according to the new conscription rules, the junta said. The military governments latest announcement is being seen as subtle admission that its army is struggling to contain the nationwide armed resistance against its rule, which began in 2021 after the junta seized power from the elected civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Myanmars junta still struggles to contain armed groups opposing its government three years on, facing large setbacks in recent times. In October, a surprise offensive launched by an alliance of armed ethnic groups led them to capture large parts of northeastern Myanmar along the Chinese border just within three months. Armed troops in other parts of the country have also launched their own surprise attacks. Last week, nearly 350 members of Myanmars Border Guard Police and soldiers fighting ethnic minority forces in the western state of Rakhine fled into Bangladesh. The junta is facing opposition on two sides, including pro-democracy forces following the armys takeover in 2021 as well as the armed and trained ethnic minority groups that have been fighting for greater autonomy for decades. Failure to mount successful counter attacks against armed groups has led to low morale among army officers, Reuters reported citing anonymous military sources. Now the junta says a national military service system involving all people is essential because of the situation happening in our country, the Associated Press reported. Since the 2021 coup, over 14,000 troops have defected from the military, according to the defense ministry. The mandatory conscription law was first introduced in 2010 but has not been enforced until now. Those evading conscription under the law may be punished by three to five years in prison and a fine. Civil servants and students can be granted temporary deferments while members of religious orders are exempt, according to the conscription law. So what we want to say is that the responsibility of national defense is not only the responsibility of the soldier. It is the responsibility of all people in all parts of the country, the military governments spokesperson Maj Gen Zaw Min Tun said. National security is everyones responsibility. That is why I would like to tell everyone to serve with pride under the enacted law of peoples military service, Mr Zaw Min Tun told state television. While Saturdays statement did not reveal further details, the junta said it would release necessary bylaws, procedures, announcements orders, notifications and instructions. The Yates Museum is raising money to save historic homes such as the J. Vance Lewis, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020, in Freedmen's Town. Mark Mulligan/Staff photographer Freedmen's Town stands along the western edge of downtown, prominently known for the bricks that pave the streets, laid down a century ago by the descendants of formerly enslaved Black people. At one point, the district ran from the borders of Buffalo Bayou to where Montrose is today. Here are a few things to know. Advertisement Article continues below this ad What is Freedmen's Town? More than 1,000 formerly enslaved African Americans from Texas and Louisiana plantations settled in Freedmen's Town starting after June 19, 1865. The segregated community would go on to be populated by lawyers, doctors, ministers and more who built homes, churches, businesses, and schools in the area and supported entrepreneurship. The area became the center of the region's Black community from the late 19th to the early 20th century. "There had to be lots of love, hope and expectations to come in and settle a place that was in a swamp and do what they could to improve it," said Freedmen's Town Preservation Coalition President Dorris Ellis Robinson, who once laid on the historic bricks to keep construction crews from removing them. Where did the residents of Freedmen's Town move to? Around a third of Black Houstonians lived in Freedmen's Town in the 1930s, but many moved away as the Third and Fifth wards became more popular and Houston expanded. By the 1980s, the population had dropped to less than 4,500 from 17,000, partly due to gentrification. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In the process, many of the nearly 600 historic buildings recorded in that decades have also been lost as homes and commercial developments have emerged. When did Freedmen's Town become a Heritage District? Houston City Council unanimously passed a measure in June 2021, making Freedmen's Town the city's first official Heritage District. The vote allowed the Houston Freedmens Town Conservancy to fund the upkeep and preservation of the area through efforts that include landscaping, programming, and public art installation. Freedmen's Town has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1985. How can I learn more about Freedmen's Town? Houston Freedmen's Town Conservancy offers walking and biking tours so visitors can learn about the area. Tour guides offer insight into historic homes, museums and churches. Visitors can schedule a tour online. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "Freedmen's Town belongs to all of us and we are the generation that's here now that's to protect and preserve it for the generation that's to come," Robinson said. As part of its mission to promote better government in the City of Naples, Collier County and the State of Florida, Naples Better Government (NBG) meets individually with candidates to discuss their qualifications and platform statement requested and provided prior to the interview and endorsement. Gary Price gets endorsement for Naples mayor. Two of the three candidates for mayor were able to participate in the interviews on January 25 Ted Blankenship and Gary Price. Current Mayor Teresa Heitmann was unable to participate but submitted a platform statement for review by the NBG Board. All six of the candidates running for a seat on City Council were interviewed Berne Barton, Garey Cooper, Nicholas Del Rosso, William E. Kramer, Linda Penniman and Tony Perez-Benitoa. Sally Tiffany The NBG Board of Directors applauds the candidates for taking time out of their busy campaign schedules to interview with us. All candidates demonstrated an understanding and competency level necessary to fill their respective positions sought and expressed a desire to maintain the community charm. After almost five hours of interviewing, the Board was challenged with endorsing one candidate for the position of mayor and three candidates to fill three empty seats on City Council. Naples Better Government is pleased to endorse former City Councilman and Vice Mayor Gary Price based upon his vast experience and commitment to support the city manager with programs and incentives to increase retention and morale among city employees. That commitment to support the city manager was also expressed by City Council candidates Barton, Kramer and Perez-Benitoa. All endorsed candidates were focused on returning to a governance structure based on having a strong city manager and advocating Council support programs and directives that will create an elite police force, including compensation, benefits and equipment that sets a benchmark rather than keeping with the competition. All that plus strong support for important community projects, such as the NCH Heart & Stroke Center, with ways to expedite important community assets, a commitment to make public meetings more efficient and a focus on seeing City Council return to a policy-setting board and not be involved in the day-to-day city operations management. For those reasons and others Naples Better Government is proud to endorse candidates Gary Price for mayor and Berne Barton, William Kramer and Tony Perez-Benitoa for City Council. Sally Tiffany, is president of Naples Better Government. Naples Better Government is registered with the State of Florida as a nonpartisan political committee and has been in existence since 1991. This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Naples Better Government endorses candidates for mayor, City Council Emergency officials work the scene of plane crash on Interstate 75 in Naples near Exit 105 on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024. Two people were confirmed dead. The National Transportation Safety Board is moving the wreckage Sunday to a secure location for additional inquery. Update: According to the Florida Highway Patrol, as of 7 p.m. Sunday, I-75 is now open on both northbound and southbound lanes throughout Naples. The National Transportation Safety Board said Sunday it plans to move the jet that crashed in Naples on Friday to an undisclosed, secure facility for further study. Separately, the black box, also known as the flight data recorder, and cockpit voice recorder will head to agency headquarters in Washington, D.C., this evening. More: At least two dead in fiery plane crash on Interstate 75 in Collier County More: Naples plane crash: What the NTSB investigators are likely doing today at the scene The pilot and co-pilot died in the crash. While investigators continue to examine and document the scene and the aircraft, an email said, they are also recovering the craft. NTSB officials plan to move the jet to an "undisclosed secure facility in Jacksonville later today," the agency said in an email. The southbound side of Interstate 75 between Pine Ridge and Golden Gate near Exit 105 remains closed to traffic. Although debris is still being cleared off the highway, Florida Highway Patrol's Lt. Greg Bueno estimated that the portion of I-75 the plane landed on will be reopened later Sunday. Emergency officials investigate the scene of a plane crash on Interstate75 in Naples near Exit 105 on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024. The plane carrying five people crashed on Friday, Feb. 9, 2023. The National Transportation Safety Board is moving the fuselage to a secure location for further investigation. Friday, the Bombardier Challenger 600-series jet crash-landed on the southbound side of I-75 outside of Naples, Florida, just north of the highway's eastern turn, which runs along the area known as Alligator Alley. The plane hit an SUV and a truck; the drivers and passengers survived. Five were onboard the jet: a pilot, copilot, a crew member and two passengers. The Collier County Sheriff's Office identified the dead as pilot Edward Daniel Murphy, 50, of Oakland Park, Fla., and Ian Fredrick Hoffman, 65, of Pompano Beach, Fla. State Troopers & Emergency Crews continue to clean up the plane crash scene on SB I75 MM 106! Reminder for all NB I75 Traffic, stopping on I75 is NOT permitted unless a vehicle is disabled or to render aid in an emergency! Citations are being issued to non compliant motorists! pic.twitter.com/wwCW1lhjYI FHP Southwest Florida (@FHPSWFL) February 10, 2024 Crew member Sydney Ann Bosmans, 23, of Jupiter, Fla. and passengers Aaron Baker, 35 and Audra Green, 23, of Columbus, Ohio, survived the crash. Survivors could not be reached Sunday. The plane was coming from Columbus, Ohio, to the Naples Airport and scheduled for departure to Fort Lauderdale, said Robin King, the director of communication with The Naples Airport Authority. In the moments before the explosive plane crash, Murphy radioed Air Traffic Control and told them that the plane had suffered dual engine failure, and he was attempting an emergency landing outside the airport. The plane crashed about 4 miles from the airport. According to FlightAware's flight tracker, the jet plunged from 1,800 feet to the ground in the last minute of its descent. King said the airport lost communication with the plane just before the crash. Emergency officials investigate the scene of a plane crash on Interstate 75 in Naples near Exit 105 on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024. The plane carrying five people crashed on Friday, Feb. 9, 2023. The pilot and copilot died. Friday night, Hop-A-Jet released a statement acknowledging the crash and saying it planned to dispatch a team to the site. "Our immediate concern is for the well-being of our passengers, crew members, and their families," the statement said. The NTSB is investigating the crash. The agency investigates about 1,200 aviation accidents and incidents a year, and about 60 accidents in the other modes of transportation: rail, highway, marine, and pipeline. Officials estimate the NTSB will have a preliminary report in about 30 days. Emergency officials investigate the scene of a plane crash on I-75 in Naples near exit 105 on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024. The plane carrying five people crashed on Friday, Feb. 9, 2023. Two people are confirmed dead. Naples Daily News and Fort Myers News-Press journalists Mark Bickel, Cindy McCurry-Ross, Luis Zambrano, Liz Freeman, Kendall Little, Bill Smith, Andrew West, Stacey Henson, Dan Glaun and Alex Martin and Jim Wilhelm of the Columbus Dispatch contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: NTSB transports jet to secure facility, studies black box Despite a brief reprieve from rain Sunday morning, showers will be moving back into the Middle Tennessee area just in time for Super Bowl festivities, according to the Nashville Weather Service. Rain will move across Middle Tennessee around 3 to 4 p.m. and will continue intermittently raining into Monday night. While we've got a break in the rain for the next few hours, we do expect showers to move back in later this afternoon and continue tonight, Monday, and into Monday night. Here's a radar simulation showing how we expect the remainder of this event to play out: pic.twitter.com/5VfrisH893 NWS Nashville (@NWSNashville) February 11, 2024 While a few thunderstorms are possible Sunday, according to the weather service, no severe weather is expected in the area. However, some scattered thunderstorms may come through the area Monday afternoon. The possibility for stronger storms is higher east of Nashville. According to NWS, gusty wind and hail are possible between noon and 6 p.m. Monday, particularly east of I-65. Temperatures will drop Monday night to the low 30s with some snow showers possibly appearing between rain clouds, though no accumulation is expected. A surface low will move across Middle Tennessee tomorrow. You can see how the surface flow changes as the low center moves from southwest to northeast. Colder temperatures will then move in tomorrow night as winds become northwesterly behind a departing cold front. pic.twitter.com/BjDPzHISRu NWS Nashville (@NWSNashville) February 11, 2024 Tuesday will see an end to the dreary weekend, with projected sunny weather and a high of 54 degrees. While weather remains mild in Tennessee, systems to the south could be far stronger, with the National Weather Service predicting a few possible tornadoes, large hail and isolated wind damage Sunday night from southeast Texas into central parts of Louisiana and Mississippi. More isolated severe storms will be possible into Alabama and western Georgia. Scattered severe storms could impact southeastern Tennessee and the majority of Georgia on Monday morning. Have a story to tell? Reach Angele Latham by email at alatham@gannett.com, by phone at 931-623-9485, or follow her on Twitter at @angele_latham. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Super Bowl Sunday weather: Is Nashville in severe weather path? (WHTM) Sunday, Feb. 11 is not only Super Bowl Sunday, but it is National Peppermint Patty Day, and why not celebrate it by talking about one of the most famous peppermint patties: York Peppermint Patties? The history of this cool treat goes back all the way to 1920 when Henry Kessler opened the York Cone Company, right in York, Pennsylvania. About 20 years later, the peppermint patty was introduced. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now WHTM Daily Digest According to Penn State University, before the creation of York Peppermint Patties, the idea of peppermint covered with chocolate was not very popular. But, Kessler was able to figure out how to prevent the patty of the candy from becoming gooey. These parties are made from dark chocolate which covers a white, round granular peppermint mixture. When the confection first came out, each pattie had to pass something called the snap test. If the candy didnt break cleanly down the middle, it wasnt packed for sale. So what would happen to the ones that didnt pass the test? People would come to the original plant on South Pine Street and pick up any imperfect batches because they still tasted great. Why do we give chocolate on Valentines Day? The name York Peppermint Patty comes from the town they originated (York, Pa.) and the soft gummy payment center, which is the patty. The York Cone Company merged with the Hershey Company back in 1988. According to Hershey, it is estimated that around 1.5 billion York Peppermint Patties are made every year. That is a lot of cool sweetness to go around! For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at a Get Out The Vote rally at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, S.C., Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) WARSAW, Poland (AP) The head of the NATO military alliance warned Sunday that Donald Trump was putting the safety of U.S. troops and their allies at risk after the Republican presidential front-runner said Russia should be able to do "whatever the hell they want" to NATO members who don't meet their defense spending targets. Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the U.S., and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in a statement. Speaking Saturday at a rally in Conway, South Carolina, Trump recalled how as president he told an unidentified NATO member that he would encourage Russia to do as it wishes in cases of NATO allies who are delinquent. You didnt pay? Youre delinquent? Trump recounted saying. No I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You gotta pay. You gotta pay your bills. Trumps remarks caused deep concern in Poland, which was under Russian control in past centuries, and where anxieties are high over the war Russia is waging just across the Polish border in Ukraine. We have a hot war at our border," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Sunday, voicing concerns about whether the United States will show full solidarity with other NATO countries in this confrontation that promises to last for a long time with Russia. We must realize that the EU cannot be an economic and civilizational giant and a dwarf when it comes to defense, because the world has changed, he argued in a town hall speech marking the start of his partys campaign for local elections this spring. In 2014, NATO allies pledged to move toward spending 2% of GDP on defense by 2024. According to NATO estimates in early 2023, 10 of its 30 member states at the time were close to or above the 2% mark, while 13 were spending 1.5% or less. No country is in debt to any other, or to NATO. In a statement, Trump senior adviser Jason Miller said that Trump would be able to more effectively force allies to increase their NATO spending compared to President Joe Biden, and that when you dont pay your defense spending you cant be surprised that you get more war. Stoltenberg said he expects that, regardless of who wins the presidential election, the U.S. will remain a strong and committed NATO ally. The German government did not officially comment on Trumps remarks, but its foreign office pointed out NATO's solidarity principle in a statement on X, formerly Twitter. One for all and all for one. This NATO creed keeps more than 950 million people safe," it said. Trump's comments were of particular concern to NATO's front-line countries, like Poland and the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, which were either under the control of Moscow or fully incorporated into the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Fears there run especially high given Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Polish President Andrzej Duda, who is allied with the right-wing opposition, and who was seen as friendly to Trump during his presidency, tweeted that the Polish-U.S. alliance must be strong regardless of who is currently in power in Poland and the USA. He warned: Offending half of the American political scene serves neither our economic interests nor Polands security. In an editorial Sunday, German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung also called for European nations to spend more on defense. It said that if Trump wins the presidency again, statements like the one he made on Saturday night "will increase the risk of Putin expanding his war. Europeans can only do one thing to counter this: finally invest in their military security in line with the seriousness of the situation. Trumps tenure, which was marked by his open admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, became a near-existential challenge for NATO, an organization largely controlled by the United States. The prospect that Trump might return to power remains a deep concern among allies. Stoltenberg was praised for his diplomatic skills in keeping NATO together during the Trump years, but the former Norwegian prime minister is stepping down. His successor is likely to be announced by the time allied leaders meet in Washington for NATOs 75th anniversary summit in July. Under NATOs mutual defense clause, Article 5 of its founding treaty, all allies commit to help any member who comes under attack. The article has only ever been activated once by the U.S. in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. NATO has undertaken its biggest military buildup since the Cold War since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. ___ Cook reported from Brussels. Associated Press writer Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin contributed to this report. The video above is from an interview with Trooper Zach Martin in Dec. 2022 Master Trooper Zach Martin in a photo from Sharpsburg Police Department WASHINGTON, N.C. (WNCN) Law enforcement agencies across North Carolina are mourning the death of a state trooper who fought a battle against cancer. Master Trooper Zach Martin, 35, of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol died after a courageous fight with cancer, the Beaufort County Sheriffs Office announced Saturday. Martin served as a deputy with Beaufort County for seven years before joining the highway patrol in 2018. PREVIOUS: NC Trooper in health fight after rare cancer discovery We would like to extend our greatest sympathies to Zachs family at this time, Beaufort County Sheriff Scott Hammonds said. Zach will always be a part of the Beaufort County Sheriffs Office Family. Martin died Saturday at ECU Health Inpatient Hospice in Greenville, with family by his side. Trooper Zach Martin with his family in a photo from WNCT. Martin leaves behind his wife Ginny, and their two sons, Greyson and Lawson, according to the Police Benevolent Foundation. Martin was named Rookie of the Year in 2011 by the Beaufort County Sheriffs Office. He began his law enforcement career with the Belhaven Police Department. Martin was diagnosed in December 2022 as having Ewing Sarcoma, a type of cancer that is similar to Lymphoma and bone cancer. Thoughts and prayers, well take it from here brother. Sending condolences to Master Trooper Martins Family and North Carolina State Highway Patrol, Sharpsburg Police Department wrote Saturday evening. PREVIOUS: NC Jeep event set to benefit state trooper with cancer A procession was held late Saturday morning in Washington, North Carolina, to pay respects to Martin. Funeral arrangements with Paul Funeral Home in Washington are incomplete. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS17.com. The Neptune Beach Police Department is currently seeking qualified candidates to join their team. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< Interested individuals can apply online through the departments official website or direct any inquiries to their email address at joinNBPD@nbfl.us. The department is offering a starting salary ranging from $55,821 to $58,983, along with 100% paid full family health care with buy-up options. Additionally, they offer benefits such as LEO/Military time buyback, a defined step plan increase, and a defined pension plan with 5 years DROP. Qualified candidates may also be eligible for a $6,000 sign-on bonus, a take-home car, and issued agency weapons including Glock 47, Glock 43X, and AR-15, all equipped with red dot optics and tac lights. This presents an exciting opportunity for individuals looking to pursue a career in law enforcement with a reputable department. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. Editor's Note: This page is a summary of news on the Israel-Hamas war for Sunday, Feb. 11. For the latest news on the conflict in the Middle East, view our live updates file for Monday, Feb. 12. Israel's determination to pursue Hamas militants into the overcrowded city of Rafah in southern Gaza threatens civilian lives, a decades-long peace treaty with Egypt and progress in cease-fire negotiations. No wonder it was a significant part of President Joe Biden's call Sunday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Biden reiterated his view that Israel should not carry out an expected military operation in Rafah "without a credible and executable plan for ensuring the safety of and support for the more than one million people sheltering there,'' according to a White House readout of their conversation. They also spoke about the importance of taking advantage of the momentum built on negotiations to halt the war and free the hostages and the need for increased humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza, the readout said. Their call came at a time when both leaders are under fire, but especially Netanyahu for his insistence on taking the Israeli offensive into Rafah and its surroundings, where more than half of Gaza's 2.3 million residents are now located. Israel says Rafah, on the border with Egypt, stands as Hamas' last stronghold, but the U.S. and aid organizations have warned an invasion could result in a humanitarian catastrophe. Netanyahu told Fox News Sunday theres plenty of room north of Rafah for them to go to, and said Israel would indicate where to with flyers, with cellphones and with safe corridors and other things. A senior Biden administration official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity that a cease-fire framework is mostly in place. But Hamas Al-Aqsa television station cited an official for the militant group saying invading Rafah would scuttle the talks. In addition, the AP reported two Egyptian officials and a Western diplomat said Egypt threatened to suspend the Camp David Accords of the late 1970s if Israel sent troops into Rafah, which could cause waves of trapped Palestinians to try to flee into Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. Developments: In his Fox interview, Netanyahu also defended Israel's aggressive military campaign following the attack by Hamas-led militants. "What would America's response be? I'd say it would have been at least as strong as Israel's," Netanyahu said. "Many Americans tell me, 'We would have flattened them, we would have turned them into dust.'" The U.S. Senate voted Sunday to advance a $95 billion foreign aid bill that would provide Israel $14.1 billion to fight Hamas and Ukraine $60.1 billion for its war against Russia's invasion. Despite the bipartisan 67-27 vote that gets the measure closer to passage, its chances of approval are jeopardized by expected Republican opposition in the House. Thousands of Moroccans protested in Rabat against their country's ties with Israel and denounced "genocide" in Gaza. Morocco, which established diplomatic ties with Israel in 2020, has condemned Israel's war in Gaza as "flagrant violations of the provisions of international law. Banners on Sunday read "normalization is treason" and "stop the massacre." U.S. Central Command said its forces successfully conducted preemptive strikes against two unmanned boats and three anti-ship cruise missiles near Yemen that were prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea. Such attacks from Yemen-based Houthi rebels have been a recurring event since mid-November. A displaced Palestinian man sits amid the rubble of buildings destroyed in an Israeli strike in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Feb. 11, 2024. Netanyahu calls Biden 'very focused' in their talks Despite their growing differences, Netanyahu vouched for Biden's clear thinking and mental capacity in more than a dozen extended phone conversations they've held and during a visit to Israel early in the war. A special counsel said last week that Biden has diminished capacities. I found him very clear, very focused, Netanyahu told ABCs This Week on Sunday. We managed to agree on the war aims and on many things. Special Counsel Robert Hur announced last week that Biden would not face criminal charges for mishandling classified documents in part because he would probably present himself to a jury as an elderly man with a poor memory. That brought an avalanche of criticism down on Biden from Republicans who say the president is unfit for office. Biden angrily denied the claims and accused Hur of gratuitous slander. Hur spoke with Biden within days of the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants into Israeli border communities that left 1,200 people dead, ignited the brutal war in Gaza and prompted numerous contacts between Biden and Netanyahu in the ensuing months. Biden has been a strong supporter of Israel, but the relationship between the two leaders has shown cracks in recent weeks. Sometimes we had disagreements, but they were not born of a lack of understanding on his part or my part, Netanyahu said when asked if Biden has shown diminished mental capacity. So thats what I can tell you I havent seen it. Tight bond between Biden and Netanyahu may be loosening Biden and his top aides are losing patience with Netanyahu and no longer view him as a productive partner willing to make compromises, the Washington Post reports, citing six people familiar with their discussions. Some of Bidens aides are urging him to be more publicly critical of Netanyahu's military operation in Gaza, according to the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Netanyahu has clashed with U.S. officials in recent days, quickly denouncing a Hamas-offered hostage deal while Secretary of State Antony Blinken was working with leaders in the region to broker an agreement. Netanyahu then announced the Israeli military was planning to invade Rafah, a move that has drawn howls of criticism from the U.S., the United Nations and numerous global leaders. But given public sentiment against Hamas in Israel, any indication Netanyahu is backing off his pledge to crush the militants could be devastating to his already perilous political standing. Hamas says 2 Israeli hostages have died in recent bombings in Gaza Two hostages were killed and eight more were seriously injured in recent bombings by Israeli forces in Gaza, Hamas said in a statement Sunday. The conditions of the wounded were becoming more dangerous because of the militants' inability to provide appropriate treatment, the Al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement on Telegram. The brigades, the primary fighting wing of Hamas, did not provide the identities of the hostages who were killed or wounded. "The enemy bears full responsibility for the lives of those injured in light of the continued bombing and aggression," the statement said. More than 240 hostages were seized by militants and taken to Gaza during the Oct. 7 rampage. More than 100 were freed during a weeklong cease-fire in November. Israeli officials estimate 136 hostages remain in Gaza, but previously confirmed that more than 30 of them have died, most on the day they were kidnapped. The Israeli military also has admitted to accidentally killing three hostages in a failed rescue attempt. West Bank settler population keeps growing, 15% in five years The population of Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank increased by nearly 3% in 2023, maintaining a pace that has seen it grow by 15% over the last five years, according to a report from the Israeli government. After crossing the 500,000 threshold in 2022, the population rose from 502,991 to 517,407 last year, the study said. The latest numbers and the report's forecast of "accelerated growth'' figure to further fuel the heated debate about the settlements. Far-right Israeli factions are in favor but the international community considers them illegal because they occupy land Palestinians seek for their future state. The report says the Oct. 7 attacks that precipitated the war prompted many Israelis to change their minds and support the settlements. Settler attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem increased markedly in October and November but have leveled out since, the U.N. said. Still, the 1,264 such attacks the U.N. documented in 2023 represent the largest number since record-keeping began in 2006. Two senior Hamas militants killed in Rafah Israeli airstrikes around Rafah this weekend killed senior Hamas official Ahmed Eliakubi, responsible for the security arrangements for other top-level militants, the Israeli military said in a statement. Eliakubi also served as a senior director in the Rafah district police department, the statement said. Also killed was Iman Rantisi, a military operative and a senior in the investigation department of Hamas' general security, and a third militant, the statement said. Hamas says US shares blame for Rafah attack Hamas said in a statement Sunday it's not enough for the U.S. to oppose Israel's plan to invade Rafah, where the militant group said if fears "widespread and horrific massacres" by the Israelis. "The American administrations position of not supporting the attack on Rafah does not absolve it of full legal and political responsibility for the consequences of this attack and the resulting massacres of children, women and defenseless civilians," the Hamas statement said. "It provides the occupation with open support with the weapons with which the Palestinian people are killed around the clock." Israel says Egypt prepared to allow invasion of Rafah Senior Egyptian officials have told Israeli leaders they wont oppose a massive military operation in Rafah, a city on Egypt's border, if Palestinian civilian casualties are avoided, the Times of Israel reported, citing Israeli Army Radio. Cairo may issue strong criticism of Israel should it launch an offensive in Gazas southernmost city, but it won't attempt to prevent the assault, the report said. Still, Egypt has sent about 40 tanks and armored personnel carriers to the northeastern Sinai Peninsual within the past two weeks as part of a series of measures to bolster security on its border with Gaza, Egyptian security sources told Reuters. Those who say that under no circumstances should we enter Rafah are basically saying lose the war, keep Hamas there, Netanyahu said Sunday. UNICEF leader pleads case for protecting Rafah The U.N. has been urging Israel to leave Rafah alone. Stephane Dujarric, a U.N. spokesperson, said last week that people in the city must be protected and not face forced displacement. Dujarric was extremely worried since Israel has ramped up airstrikes in the area ahead of the expected ground invasion. UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell echoed those sentiments Sunday, saying Rafah, a city of less than 300,000 before the war, has been overwhelmed by Palestinians fleeing Israel forces making their way south in pursuit of Hamas militants. "Rafah is one of the most densely populated places on earth, teeming with children and families, some already displaced many times by war in Gaza," Russell said in a social media post. "Some 1.3M civilians are pushed into a corner, living on streets or shelters. They must be protected. They have nowhere safe to go." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Israel Hamas war live updates: Biden wants Rafah civilians protected Justin Ballard is the Houston Chronicle's first ever newsroom meteorologist. He can be reached at justin.ballard@houstonchronicle.com. He brings five years of experience forecasting tropical systems, severe weather outbreaks, and blizzards to the Houston Chronicle. His unique experience in forecasting will serve him well in his role at the Chronicle, as Houston has experienced a number of impactful weather events in recent years. Justin looks forward to his work with the Houston Chronicle, where he'll be responsible for posting daily weather forecasts. On top of daily forecasts, he is excited to tackle more in-depth weather and climate stories that impact the residents of Southeast Texas. A North Carolina native, Justin joined the Chronicle in July 2023. He graduated with his bachelor's degree in meteorology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in December 2017. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended his countrys response in Gaza on Sunday as Israel prepares to invade Rafah a city that is holding one of the largest refugee camps for Palestinians fleeing the war in Gaza. In an interview on ABCs This Week airing Sunday, co-host Jonathan Karl asked Netanyahu what his response was to President Biden saying Israels response in Gaza is over the top. Netanyahu dismissed the comments, arguing that Israels response makes sense given the Hamas Oct. 7 attack on Israel that left about 1,200 people dead. I appreciate President Bidens support for Israel since the beginning of the war. I dont know exactly what he meant by that, but put yourself in Israels shoes. We were attacked. Unprovoked attack, murderous attack on October 7th, the worst attack on Jewish people since the Holocaust, Netanyahu said. He emphasized that Israel is going after the militant group and that they are warning Palestinians to evacuate when needed. We dropped thousands of fliers. We phone Palestinians in their homes. We ask them to leave. We give them safe corridors and safe zones. So I think were doing the right thing. And let me tell you one other thing. Were going to win this thing. Victory is within reach, he said. According to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians, more than 27,000 have been killed in Gaza since the onset of the war, The Associated Press reported. When asked if he feels a moral obligation to stop what is seen as a catastrophe, Netanyahu said Hamas was responsible for any civilian loss. I think that any civilian loss, any civilian casualty is a tragedy. And its a tragedy thats been forced upon us by Hamas, he said. But let me tell you something. Id be cautious with the Hamas statistics, and I can tell you that according to these urban warfare experts and other commentators, weve brought down the civilian-to-terrorist casualty, the ratio down to below 1-to-1, which is considerably less than in any other theater of similar warfare. And were going to do more., he continued. Netanyahus come as members of the Biden administration are trying to secure a temporary cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas. The agreement would allow the release of the Israeli hostages, increased humanitarian aid deliveries into Gaza and space for diplomacy to converse about how to end the war. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has assured the hundreds of thousands of civilians seeking protection in the city of Rafah in the southern part of the Gaza Strip of a "safe corridor" ahead of the planned ground offensive there. "We're not cavalier about this," Netanyahu said in an interview with the US broadcaster ABC News, excerpts of which were reported by the broadcaster overnight. The Israeli military said it will provide a "safe passage for the civilian population so they can leave." When asked where the more than one million Palestinians in the city bordering Egypt should go, Netanyahu said that "a detailed plan" was being worked out. According to the broadcaster, the entire interview was to be broadcast on Sunday. The US government and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock had spoken out clearly against military action in Rafah in recent days. "We believe that a military operation at this time would be a disaster for these people," said National Security Council Communications Director John Kirby on Thursday. "We would not support that." UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also warned of a humanitarian catastrophe and consequences for the entire region. Half the population of the Gaza Strip is crammed into Rafah and has nowhere else to go, he wrote on the online platform X. Egypt fears that a massive military operation in Rafah could lead to an influx of desperate Palestinians to the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula. On Friday, Netanyahu ordered his country's army to prepare an offensive on Rafah. "It is impossible to achieve the war goal of eliminating Hamas if four Hamas battalions remain in Rafah," he said, according to his office. In the ABC interview he said, "Those who say that under no circumstances should we enter Rafah are basically saying lose the war. Keep Hamas there." Netanyahu said he agrees "with the Americans. We're going to do it while providing safe passage for the civilian population so they can leave," He maintained that the Israeli military has done this before and that there are "plenty of areas" north of Rafah that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has cleared, adding that Israel has provided safe passage for civilians before. Netanyahu said "victory is within reach... We're going to get the remaining Hamas terrorist battalions in Rafah, which is the last bastion, but we're going to it." The Gaza war was triggered by the unprecedented massacre carried out by terrorists from Hamas and other extremist groups in southern Israel on October 7. More than 1,200 people were killed on the Israeli side. Israel responded with massive airstrikes and a ground offensive. The Hamas-controllled Health Ministry in Gaza put the death toll, as of Saturday, at more than 28,000. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has assured the hundreds of thousands of civilians seeking protection in the city of Rafah in the southern part of the Gaza Strip of a "safe corridor" ahead of the planned ground offensive there. "We're not cavalier about this," Netanyahu said in an interview with the US broadcaster ABC News, excerpts of which were reported by the broadcaster overnight. The Israeli military said it will provide a "safe passage for the civilian population so they can leave." When asked where the more than one million Palestinians in the city bordering Egypt should go, Netanyahu said that "a detailed plan" was being worked out. According to the broadcaster, the entire interview was to be broadcast on Sunday. The US government and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock had spoken out clearly against military action in Rafah in recent days. "We believe that a military operation at this time would be a disaster for these people," said National Security Council Communications Director John Kirby on Thursday. "We would not support that." UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also warned of a humanitarian catastrophe and consequences for the entire region. Half the population of the Gaza Strip is crammed into Rafah and has nowhere else to go, he wrote on the online platform X. Egypt fears that a massive military operation in Rafah could lead to an influx of desperate Palestinians to the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula. On Friday, Netanyahu ordered his country's army to prepare an offensive on Rafah. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday those warning Israel against entering Rafah are basically saying lose the war. Israel ordered evacuations of Rafah last week in anticipation of an invasion of the densely populated city, which is home to one of Gazas largest refugee camps for Palestinians fleeing the war. When asked where the estimated 1.4 million people staying in Rafah are supposed to go amid the evacuation orders, Netanyahu said on ABCs This Week that they are working to get civilians out of the way but that Israel needed to enter Rafah. You know, the areas that weve cleared north of Rafah, plenty of areas there. But, we are working out a detailed plan to do so. And thats what weve done up to now. Were not, were not cavalier about this, this is part of our war effort to get civilians out of harms way. Its part of Hamass effort to keep them in harms way, he said in an interview airing Sunday. But weve so far succeeded, and were going to succeed again, he continued. Those who say that under no circumstances should we enter Rafah are basically saying lose the war, keep Hamas there. And Hamas has promised to do the October 7th massacre over and over and over again. Israel struck Rafah last week after the U.S. warned it against expanding the war to the overcrowded city. State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said last week that expanding into Rafah with no planning and little thought in an area where there is sheltering of a million people would be a disaster. On Saturday, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 31 people in Rafah, which is located near the border with Egypt. The Associated Press reported that Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry warned that a ground offensive in Rafah would have disastrous consequences. President Biden said last week that Israels response in Gaza was over the top a comment that Netanyahu dismissed on Sunday. Netanyahu said he believed Israel was doing the right thing in Gaza, pointing to the Hamas Oct. 7 attack on Israel that left about 1,200 people dead. According to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians, more than 27,000 have been killed in Gaza since the onset of the war, The Associated Press reported. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A patient wounded in the Israeli bombardment sits in a hospital in Rafah - HATEM ALI/AP Israel will launch a ground assault on Rafah, Benjamin Netanyahu vowed despite opposition from Western allies and a warning from Hamas that the move will torpedo hostage release negotiations. Those who say that under no circumstances should we enter Rafah are basically saying lose the war. Keep Hamas there, the Israeli prime minister said in an interview with ABC News on Sunday. Over the weekend David Cameron, the British Foreign Secretary, said that he was deeply concerned about the prospect of a military offensive in Rafah, while Joe Biden, the US president, called the plan over the top. Qatar and Saudi Arabia have also warned of severe repercussions if Israel goes into Rafah. Victory is within reach, Mr Netanyahu said. Were going to get the remaining Hamas terrorist battalions in Rafah, which is the last bastion. Palestinians taking shelter in the southern city of Rafah - ANADOLU Mr Biden told the Israeli leader he needed a plan to guarantee the safety of residents in Rafah before any military advance during a call on Sunday. More than half of Gazas 2.3 million population is estimated to have fled to Rafah since the Israeli invasion with many living in tents along the Egyptian border. Mr Netanyahu pushed back against claims by aid organisations that the offensive would create a humanitarian catastrophe in Rafah where people are already resorting to using animal feed to make bread. Mr Netanyahu pledged that there would be safe passages for civilians to leave but it is not clear where they will be relocated given the extent of the destruction in Gaza. He said Israel was working out a detailed plan for evacuations. Human Rights Watch said in a statement that forced displacement is a war crime and that civilians who dont evacuate are still protected by international humanitarian law. There is nowhere safe to go in Gaza, refugee and migrant rights researcher Nadia Hardman said. Children wait to receive food prepared by volunteers in Rafah - ANADOLU Hamas-owned Al-Aqsa television station quoted an unnamed Hamas official who said that any invasion of Rafah would blow up talks mediated by the United States, Egypt and Qatar aimed at a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages. An Israeli offensive on Rafah would lead to an unspeakable humanitarian catastrophe and grave tensions with Egypt, Josep Borrell, the European Unions foreign policy chief, wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Egypt is now reportedly threatening to suspend its peace treaty with Israel if the planned offensive goes ahead, two Egyptian officials and a Western diplomat said. Any break in the 50-year-old Camp David Accords between the two US allies would deal a significant blow to regional security at a time of heightened conflict and tensions across the Middle East stemming from Israels war on Hamas. Israeli assault will bring dire consequences Cairo warned on Sunday of the dire consequences of an Israeli military assault on Rafah. Egypt called for the necessity of uniting all international and regional efforts to prevent the targeting of the Palestinian city of Rafah, its foreign ministry said in a statement. However, Israels army radio reported that Egyptian diplomats have said that Cairo will not stop Israel from going into Rafah as long as civilian casualties are minimised. The diplomats are reported to have told their Israeli counterparts that the official narrative would be loudly against the offensive. It came as the Al Qassam Brigade, Hamas armed wing, said on Sunday that the continued bombing of the Gaza Strip had killed a further two Israeli hostages and seriously wounded eight others. Mr Netanyahu said that enough hostages are still alive to justify the offensive. 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 section of Newportville Road will close next week starting Monday while the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission works on a bridge carrying Route 276 over Neshaminy Creek. Drivers taking Newportville Road in Bristol and Bensalem townships will need to detour using Zimmerman Lane and New Falls Road while crews are working from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. until Friday, Feb. 16, according to a PennDOT news release. PennDOT will also have crews out for stormwater maintenance closing a lane on Route 332 (Richboro Road), between West Hanover Street and Rocky Way, in Newtown and Northampton townships on the same weeklong schedule as the turnpike bridge work. A driver turns around at a flooded portion of Newportville Road on Jan. 10, 2024, after severe flooding. Starting Monday, Newportville Road will close between Zimmerman lane and New Falls Road for bridge work. Those projects join just a handful of other ongoing road closures around Bucks County continuing through at least late March. Here's a breakdown of all the traffic work you need to know this week in Bucks County. All projects should be considered weather-dependant and occuring between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday unless otherwise noted. More: Residents come out against warehouse proposed for DiGirolamo tract in Buckingham What road projects start this week in Bucks County? The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission closes a section of Newportville Road, between Zimmerman Lane and New Falls Road, in Bristol and Bensalem townships for bridge work starting Monday. Lane closure is scheduled on Route 332 (Richboro Road), between West Hanover Street and Rock Way, in Newtown and Northampton townships. What road projects are continuing this week in Bucks County? New Britain Road is cut down to a single lane between Easton Road and Rolling Hill Boulevard beginning Feb. 1 and continuing through the summer. A 24/7 detour using Lower State Road, U.S. 202 and Easton Road will be in effect until work ends this summer. A weekday lane closure on Creek Road, between Quarry Road and Deep Run Road, in Bedminster, for PECO utility work that started last Monday, continues until March 29. PECO utility work also closes a lane on Route 413 (Durham Road) between Dark Hollow Road and Stump Road in Bedminster and Plumstead townships; on Route 611 (Easton Road) between Quarry and Spruce Hill roads and on Creek Road between Quarry and Wismer roads in Bedminster; and on Wismer Road between Stump and Point Pleasant roads, in Plumstead, until April 1. This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Turnpike work closes Newportville Road next week in Bensalem, Bristol Candidate for 1st Court of Appeals Gordon Goodman photographed at the Houston Chronicle Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2018, in Houston. Godofredo A. Vasquez/Staff photographer First Court of Appeals Judge candidate Richard Hightower photographed at the Houston Chronicle Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, in Houston. Godofredo A. Vasquez/Staff photographer Peter Kelly, candidate for 1st Court of Appeals, place 8. Jill Karnicki/Staff photographer Jerry Zimmerer, candidate for the 14th Court of Appeals. Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018, in Houston. Marie D. De Jesus/Staff photographer Charles Spain a democratic candidate for the 14th Court of Appeals speaks with members of the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board Monday, Aug. 20, 2018, in Houston. Melissa Phillip/Staff photographer Candidate for 14th court of appeals Meagan Hassan (d) Jill Karnicki/Houston Chronicle Democratic voters this year must weigh how much emphasis to put on diversity on the two courts of appeal for the 10-county region that includes Houston. In all six races, voters could elect someone from an underrepresented background, and in four of the races, a Black woman. While we applaud the challengers, many of whom have had distinguished careers, we prioritize candidates experience with appellate law. Challengers must make a compelling argument for throwing out the sitting justice, in whom taxpayers have already invested. The ideal candidate pool is both qualified and reflects our states demographics. That goal is impeded by several factors, not the least of which is the salary for this kind of bench. Experienced appellate lawyers make good money. First-generation lawyers are simply less likely to take a big pay cut to serve as a justice, though there are notable exceptions. We urge schools, courts, firms and the Legislature to act with urgency to make the world of appellate law as multihued as our great state. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 1st Court of Appeals, Place 2: Gordon Goodman In 2018, Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton brought what would become an infamous voter fraud case before a Chambers County grand jury and secured indictments against Jefferson County Sheriff Zena Stephens. When Stephens appealed, the 1st Court of Appeals a court with a strong majority of Democratic judges ruled against her nonetheless. Justice Gordon Goodman, 70, and elected in the 2018 Democratic sweep, wrote a dissenting opinion based on the separation of powers enumerated in the Texas Constitution. He argued the states highest law plainly states that the attorney general, a member of the executive branch, cannot prosecute such criminal offenses. To some observers' surprise, the all-Republican Court of Criminal Appeals agreed with the Democrat, quoting extensively from Goodmans dissent when it decided against Paxton. That case was among the most important constitutional law cases in recent years and continues to reverberate through this election cycle as Paxton seeks revenge. Goodman showed this editorial board several more cases in which his dissents were ultimately vindicated in the higher courts. Before I joined the court, other members of the court had taken a very different posture, very few dissenting opinions were written, he told us, highlighting that he brought a diversity of opinion not just with Republicans but Democrats as well. Goodman faces Brendetta Scott, 49, in the primary. She has more than 20 years practicing law and teaches appellate law at Texas Southern University. She had a case before the 14th Court of Appeals that is referenced in OConnors, a reference for Texas appellate law. Shes also handled some bankruptcy appeals at the district court level. Scott did not cite any concerns with Goodman, could not provide any examples of specific cases in which she would rule differently and did not articulate any broad differences in terms of judicial philosophy. Scott would bring greater diversity to the court as a Black woman, but Justice Goodman had a demonstrable impact in his first term and voters should return him for a second one. 1st District Court of Appeals, Place 8: Richard Hightower Challenger Ysidra Sissy Kyles, 55, has practiced law in the lower courts but acknowledged that she has no appellate experience. Before Richard Hightower, 67, won this bench in 2018, he specialized in representing educational institutions and estimates that he brought eight cases before appeals courts, including one that went to the U.S. Supreme Court. Hes a fifth-generation lawyer with a recognizable last name in Texas law and politics --- a born advantage thats a reminder of why institutions should actively work to help those from underrepresented backgrounds gain experience in the higher courts. Now with five years on the bench, high ratings from the Houston Bar Association questionnaire, and an overwhelmingly strong majority of votes in the statewide bar poll, Hightower is the clear choice. Advertisement Article continues below this ad VOTER GUIDE: 2024 Primary Election 1st District Court of Appeals, Place 9: Peter Kelly Challenger Amber Boyd-Cora, 43, has no experience in courts of appeal, while the incumbent, Peter Kelly, 60, was an appellate specialist before winning this place in 2018. Its an easy call. Yet, theres more to this race. Justice Kelly attempted to have his challenger removed from the ballot. According to Kelly, Boyd-Cora overstated her legal background in a disclosure statement required by a new Texas law. Ultimately, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that party officials did not have the authority to remove Boyd-Cora from the ballot. In our screening with the candidates, Kelly also alleged that Boyd-Cora was recruited by Republican lawyer and former Houston controller named Lloyd Kelley, who has represented a client named Ali Choudhri whom Justice Kelly had ruled against. While Boyd-Coras campaign finance statement does list the Republican lawyer a contributor, she told us that she was not recruited by him and that he only provided in-kind support to help her fight the ballot challenge. Thats a lot to chew for an ordinary voter. So well keep it simple. Boyd-Cora is not qualified at this time. We encourage her to gain appellate experience, continue pursuing her judicial goals and avoid even appearances of conflict that would compromise her integrity. In the meantime, voters should reelect Justice Peter Kelly. 14th Court of Appeals, Place 3: Jerry Zimmerer Four years ago, Justice Jerry Zimmerer ran in the Democratic primary for chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court against a Travis County judge. A Texas Tribune article at the time quoted him as saying his female opponent was selfish for wanting to break barriers as the first woman to serve as chief justice. That quote, along with others, earned him a Bum Steer Award from Texas Monthly. He lost that primary and in his current race for reelection to the 14th Court of Appeals, he has three challengers who all cited those quotes in our screening as a principal reason that voters should throw him off the bench. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We asked Zimmerer, 68, if he regretted his choice of words. He denies calling his former opponent selfish and stresses he believes in strong women, like those in his family, adding, I am sorry for the appearance that this has. We found him sincere and, when he discussed his judicial record, persuasive. His challengers do have notable backgrounds. Velda Renita Faulkner has practiced law for 30 years and has some experience in criminal appellate law. She stresses that she would be the first Black woman, elected or appointed, on this bench. Mark Ritchie, 55, is a self-described appellate nerd who has written prolifically for law publications. Chuck Silverman, 63, was a civil litigator before being elected to a Harris County criminal district court. Although voters have reasonable alternatives, Zimmerer has gained valuable experience in the last five years and deserves a second term. 14th District Court of Appeals, Place 4: Charles Spain Before he ran in 2018 to become the first openly LGBT appellate judge in Texas, Justice Charles Spain had worked in some capacity as a staff attorney for 23 years in different appellate courts, including the Texas Supreme Court. Spain argues that the other eight justices on the 14th Court of Appeals bring expertise in different aspects of the law but that he is the only one who practiced appellate law his entire life. That can come in handy. He was appointed by the Texas Supreme Court to create new rules for court procedures to speed up rulings on parental termination. He spoke with nuance about implicit bias and the need for diverse backgrounds on the court. He can pass as an old, straight white guy, he told us, but added, I can also remember when I had to hide who I was, or I wouldnt get anything except the door or beat up. He said that his belief in due process and fundamental constitutional fairness comes in part from that experience. Spains challenger, Derek Obialo, 55, is originally from Nigeria where he first practiced law before immigrating to the U.S. and earning a second law degree. He ran for a district court in Fort Bend County, but in the past five years, his work in construction law has increasingly involved appeals, which he has enjoyed. We found Obialo to be thoughtful and encourage him to continue seeking a place in the court system, but we agree with his own assessment that Spain has been a good justice. Voters should reward the incumbent with another term. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 14th District Court of Appeals, Place 6: Meagan Hassan Six people were killed in the Mojave Desert late Friday after the helicopter they were aboard crashed and caught fire, authorities said. Among the dead was Herbert Wigwe, the chief executive of a prominent Nigerian bank, who was hailed as a visionary leader. His legacy of excellence and compassion will continue to inspire us all, Access Bank officials wrote in a social media statement confirming his death. Wigwes wife and son, as well as another businessman, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, the former chair of NGX Group, the Nigerian stock exchange, were also killed. Their deaths were confirmed by Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the director-general of the World Trade Organization. May the souls of the departed rest in perfect peace, she tweeted. The final two victims were identified as the helicopters pilots by a National Transportation Safety Board spokesperson. At a Saturday news conference, Michael Graham said that the aircraft went down just after 10 p.m. local time near Interstate 15 in Halloran Springs, California. Operated by the California-based charter company Orbic Air, the helicopter had taken off from Palm Springs, California around 8:45 p.m. and had been destined for Boulder City, Nevada, about 26 miles outside of Las Vegas. Despite what witnesses reported were rainy and wintry conditions, the helicopter caught fire upon impact, Graham said. The cause of the crash remained unclear on Sunday, with the NTSB and Federal Aviation Administration investigating the matter. The craft, a Eurocopter EC130, did not have a cockpit voice recorder or a flight data recorder, nor was it required to have them, according to Graham. Id like to express our deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives in this terrible tragedy, he added. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu identified the helicopters passengers as Wigwe, Ogunbanjo, Wigwes wife, Chizoba, and his son, Chizi. Their passing is an overwhelming tragedy that is shocking beyond comprehension, he tweeted. Godwin Obaseki, the governor of Nigerias Edo State, added that Wigwe was a colossus in Nigerias financial sector, leading Access Bank to become an international brand that placed Nigeria on the global map of first-class financial services. He called the deaths an irreparable loss. 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. Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley this week made the request that many candidates hope to get approved for -- protection by the Secret Service. Although the former South Carolina governor's campaign has not articulated specifically why she made the request, it comes after her campaign reported that two "swatting" attempts were made against her home in South Carolina as well as "multiple issues" regarding her safety that Haley cited to the Wall Street Journal after a campaign event in South Carolina. Swatting is when a call for police services is made, with the caller falsely reporting a dangerous emergency intended to elicit a robust police response. Haley is the second candidate this election season to request Secret Service protection. Last year, independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made three requests for Secret Service protection, all of which were declined due to his campaign's inability to meet the thresholds needed to be offered protection. Kennedy implied that the denial of protection was due in part to politics. ABC News previously reached out to the Department of Homeland Security about why Kennedy was denied protection and the agency declined to comment. Although U.S. law has long given authority to the Secret Service to provide a presidential candidate protection, the guidance for that process was formalized by the Department of Homeland Security, most recently updated in 2017. PHOTO: A Secret Service Agent looks on as U.S. President Joe Biden takes off in Marine One from the South Lawn of the White House on Jan. 18, 2024, in Washington. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images) According to that guidance, the factors considered include: the candidate filed for the presidential or vice presidential campaign, hit certain polling averages and fundraising numbers, is recognized as a major candidate in the race or is within 120 days of the election. Additionally, each candidate vying for protection must undergo "a threat assessment conducted by the Secret Service of general or specific threats directed towards the candidate." Once that information is established, the Homeland Security secretary and a Congressional Advisory Committee, which includes the Speaker of the House, House Minority Leader, Senate Majority Leader, Senate Minority Leader, and one additional member selected by the others (typically a Secret Service representative), decide whether a candidate should be offered Secret Service protection. If the committee decides to offer a candidate protection, the Secret Service has campaign details on standby and ready to deploy for the candidate's protection. DHS and the Secret Service have yet to comment on the request. Haley, a former governor and United Nations ambassador, is likely familiar with the protection required for a top role in government. The South Carolina State Police provided her protection when she was governor and as U.N. ambassador, the U.S. State Department's Diplomatic Security Service kept her safe. As most candidates do, during the initial phase of a campaign, Haley has employed and paid for private security to handle her protection at home and on the campaign trail. The Secret Service protection would include her family and homes as well. PHOTO: Republican presidential candidate, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley speaks during a campaign rally at the Indigo Hall and Events venue on Feb. 5, 2024, in Spartanburg, South Carolina. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images) Some candidates, such as the late former Arizona Sen. John McCain, have tried to hold off on Secret Service protection due to the perceived distance some believe it places between a candidate and the voters. Although McCain was deemed eligible for Secret Service protection during his two presidential campaigns in 2000 and 2008, he rejected and resisted the protection until late in the races. While candidates can reject or hold off on Secret Service protection, others do not and embrace it at the first available opportunity. At the time former President Trump was offered protection, Dr. Ben Carson, a distant candidate whose polling only peaked once at 20%, was also offered protection and accepted the offer. The one issue that can transcend those thresholds are threats. In May 2007, then-candidate Barack Obama was approved for Secret Service protection based upon the threats surrounding him, which was the first time in history a candidate received Secret Service protection almost two years prior to the presidential election. The threat assessment by the Secret Service takes into account "threats" defined as "explicit threats of bodily harm to the candidate or indications of inappropriate behavior towards the candidate suggesting potential bodily harm." Those threats can be physical, verbal, in handwriting or via on social media and the internet. The Secret Service tracks and investigates threats for its protectees and also will do its due diligence with presidential candidates who may be offered protection. PHOTO: Security staff stand on the stage as Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley speaks during a pre-Super Tuesday rally at a Hollywood American Legion Post in Los Angeles, Feb. 7, 2024. (Aude Guerrucci/Reuters) Part of that assessment will also look at the climate around the candidate, as it did for former President Obama, who as a Black American candidate, generated an increased volume of threats. Over the last few years, the climate for elected officials has seen an increase in threats. In 2021, that threat activity peaked with more than 9,600 direct threats and "concerning statements" leveled against members of Congress, according to the U.S. Capitol Police. Another 4,500 threats that year were directed at federal judges who are protected by the U.S. Marshals Service, the agency reported. PHOTO: A U.S. Secret Service Agent stands guard as parishioners participate in a song, as U.S. President Joe Biden attends church service at Saint John Baptist Church in West Columbia, South Carolina, Jan. 28, 2024. (Tom Brenner/Reuters) As has occurred in past campaigns, political rhetoric and the environment can also add to the climate around a candidate. Former President Obama's campaign is one of the most recent where climate was a clear issue. On the current campaign trail, former President Trump has referred to his GOP challenger by a mangled version of her birth name (Nimarata), calling her "Nimbra." He has also shared false claims that she is not eligible to run for president because her parents were not U.S. citizens when she was born. In response to accusations that the statements were racist, the Trump campaign claims the comments do not have racist undertones and are political in nature. Haley herself has directed barbs at Trump saying "chaos follows him" in an interview with ABC News' Jonathan Karl. Political campaigns are often chaotic, something the Secret Service is familiar with. That political environment, threats and conspiracy theories surrounding the campaign and candidate will all be considered when the Secret Service conducts its threat assessment of Haley and her campaign. Donald J. Mihalek is an ABC News contributor, retired senior Secret Service agent and regional field training instructor who served during two presidential transitions. He was also a police officer and served in the U.S. Coast Guard. Nikki Haley's request for Secret Service protection raises eligibility questions: ANALYSIS originally appeared on abcnews.go.com New York State Police are renewing their appeal to the public for assistance in solving the cold case death of Kimberly Rouland. Kimberly Rouland Rouland, 32, was reported missing by her husband, Thomas Rouland, 38, on Feb. 10, 2015. Thomas Rouland last saw his wife leaving their Fairville Maple Ridge Road residence around 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 9, 2015, leaving behind her personal belongings and vehicle. The disappearance prompted a widespread search effort throughout February 2015. On March 12, 2015, Kimberly Rouland's body was discovered approximately a mile from her home, located in a snowbank on a steep embankment along Martin Road in Acadia, Wayne County. Medical examination determined her death to be a homicide. Kimberly Rouland left behind three children, ages 4, 10, and 11. New York State Police are urging anyone with information regarding the case to contact authorities at (585) 398-4100 or via email at crimetip@troopers.ny.gov. This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Kimberly Rouland cold case still under investigation by NY State Police As her estranged husband held her against the wall, squeezing her neck with both hands, a Barberton woman kept thinking, I have to get free. She tried to grab his head and face as he stared at her with an odd, toothy smile. Lily Holderbaum, a forensic nurse at Cleveland Clinic Akron General, demonstrates how strangulation victims use a mannequin to show what happened to them. He then grabbed her arms with one hand, keeping his other hand on her neck. I just wanted desperately to breathe, the 46-year-old woman recalled. He finally let go, and she gasped for air. As soon as she could scream, she yelled for her roommate to call 911. Police took her estranged husband into custody, charging him with domestic violence and strangulation in the May incident. The man, who isnt being named to protect the victims identity for safety reasons, was among the first people in Summit County charged under a law effective in April that made strangulation a felony. Victim advocates and forensic nurses lobbied for years to toughen charges related to strangulations, which typically involve domestic violence and too often are followed by murders. Ohio was the last state to make strangulation a felony. Strangulation injuries can linger long after visible bruises have faded, leaving victims at risk of a stroke and mental health issues like post-traumatic stress disorder and, in severe cases, traumatic brain injuries. Twenty-two percent of the people killed by their partners in Ohio between June 2022 and July 2023 died from strangulation or traumatic brain injuries, according to the Ohio Domestic Violence Network (ODVN). Strangulation is not okay, said Rachel Ramirez, the director of health and disability programs for ODVN. Strangulation is not something were willing to tolerate. If you do it, there will be consequences. The Barberton woman was sore and bruised after the altercation with her husband, which ruptured one of her breast implants. The 56-year-old man, who told police he grabbed his wife by the neck after she tried to hit him, took a plea deal in November. He received two years of probation, with the conditions including $12,702 in restitution for his wifes ruptured implant. Strangulation punishable by up to 8 years in prison Ohios strangulation law prohibits a person from causing serious harm or creating a substantial risk of harm through strangulation or suffocation. It defines strangulation or suffocation as impeding the normal breathing or circulation of the blood by applying pressure to the throat or neck or by covering the nose and mouth. Depending on the severity of harm and the relationship between the person charged and the victim, strangulation can be a second- to fifth-degree felony. A second-degree felony carries a penalty of up to eight years in prison, while a fifth-degree felony can result in up to 12 months in prison but doesnt require incarceration. Lily Holderbaum, a forensic nurse and the head of the PATH, or Providing Access to Healing, program at Cleveland Clinic Akron General, said strangulation is dangerous because it involves intentional deadly force. That patient could have died within minutes, she said. Lily Holderbaum, a forensic nurse at Cleveland Clinic Akron General, says strangulation victims could die within minutes. Holderbaum said her program, which assists victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and elder abuse, sees about 1,000 patients a year from Summit and surrounding counties, and about 25% have been strangled. When strangulation victims are examined, Holderbaum said hospital staff take photographs of their injuries, swab for DNA, get details about the incident and have them demonstrate how they were strangled with a mannequin. Holderbaum said strangulation victims are at risk of a blood clot or stroke that might not happen until a week or month later. She also said victims of strangulation arent always seen in the emergency department and may end up seeking treatment in another department, such as physical or occupational therapy. The hospital plans to offer training on strangulation in March to departments outside of the ER. There isnt enough of a discussion of the injuries that can happen with strangulation, she said. Strangulation law reflects the seriousness of the crime, prosecutor says Elliot Kolkovich, the community outreach prosecutor for the Summit County Prosecutors office, said strangulations often happen in volatile domestic situations that could also involve multiple forms of injury, such as punching, slapping and throwing a person onto the ground or against something. Prior to the strangulation law, Kolkovich said a person could have been charged under the domestic violence, assault or felonious assault statutes, depending on how seriously the victim was injured. He said strangulation victims, though, might not immediately have visible injuries beyond something like petechiae, or ruptured blood vessels, in the eyes. Now that strangulation is at least a fifth-degree felony, Kolkovich said, it has stiffer penalties than domestic violence, which is a first-degree misdemeanor for a first offense with a minor injury. It reflects the seriousness of the crime, Kolkovich said. Some of the domestic violence incidents involve hitting and punching. When you have a strangulation, you could be close to taking a persons life. Implementation of Ohios new law varies Victim advocates say some communities are charging a lot of people under the new strangulation law, while others have been slower to implement it. There have been some great success stories and frustrations, Ramirez said. Law enforcement has a lot on their hands. I do think we need to give them a little bit of time and grace. Ramirez pointed to Columbus as one of the cities that has been the most proactive in responding to the law. The city used an $800,000 federal grant to create a multi-agency strangulation task force and to train officers about strangulation. Columbus took this step after seeing a 200% increase in homicides involving domestic violence in 2023. More: Columbus domestic violence homicides up 200% in 2023. How one family is finding hope Though few strangulations cases have gone to trial so far across Ohio, a Canton man was sentenced to four years in prison in December after being convicted in a jury trial of choking, punching and slapping a woman. Devion Williams, 31, was convicted of two counts each of strangulation and domestic violence for incidents that happened in Canton in April, just a few weeks after the strangulation law took effect. Police say Williams choked the victim and shoved a sock down her throat to prevent her from breathing, then punched and slapped her. Devion Williams, left, of Canton, is escorted from the courtroom after being sentenced to four years in prison for strangulation and domestic violence in December in Stark County Common Pleas Court. Williams attorney argued for probation, but prosecutors said he couldnt be trusted in the community. Stark County Common Pleas Judge Natalie Haupt said she thought prison time was warranted. I think this case demonstrates the very reason that strangulation is now a felony in Ohio, Haupt said. Williams, whose strangulation case is the only one to go to trial so far in Stark County, plans to appeal. How many strangulation cases have been filed in Portage County? Portage County Prosecutor Victor Vigluicci said there were 29 strangulation cases filed in 2023 after the law went into effect in April. "We're using the law quite a bit," said Vigluicci. "As soon as it came out, back in April, we did an education to all the [police] departments and sent them language, the text of it, and encouraged them to utilize it in a lot of the domestic violence situations where we saw it arising in the past and really didn't have anything to charge but the basic violence." According to a report compiled by the prosecutor's office, strangulation was the sole charge in 19 of those indictments. Of the remaining 10 cases, five included felonious assault while domestic violence and aggravated burglary were each included in four cases. Kidnapping appears in three cases and several other charges, including violation of a protection order and robbery, appear in single cases. Only one case involved a defendant female: a teen accused of trying to strangle her father. Vigluicci said factors such as whether the defendant is a repeat offender or the victim is pregnant can bump up the seriousness of the charge. Evidence of strangulation can include testimony of the victim and sometimes a witness, as well as loss of consciousness and marks on the throat, though such physical evidence is not necessarily required. "I think [the law has] long been needed and Ohio has been behind a lot of other states in enacting such legislation," he said. "Strangulation often occurs, but the evidence of it is often not obvious until you get to the point of somebody losing consciousness or having ligature marks and strangulation could occur long before unconsciousness or ligature marks are present." As of Wednesday , there have been 10 strangulation cases so far in 2024, said Vigluicci. In one indictment, filed Feb. 1, a South Euclid man, 30, is charged with third-degree felony strangulation and misdemeanor domestic violence and endangering children stemming from a Jan. 28 incident involving a 3-year-old boy at a Streetsboro apartment. According to court records, the man is accused of holding the boy in the air by the throat, causing him to gasp, and slamming the boy against a wall hard enough to break the drywall. Vigluicci said child victims are unusual in strangulation cases. "Usually it's a spouse, significant other, dating relationships," he said. Barberton man gets probation for strangulation incident involving his wife The Barberton woman who was attacked by her husband said she didnt know about the felony strangulation law until her estranged husband was charged with it. It is a good thing, she said. If it was a misdemeanor, if he reoffended again, it would just be the same. I dont want him to ever hurt another woman, she continued. The two were separated at the time of the May 13 incident and are now going through a divorce. Her husband told police he got into an argument with her and she threw a bowl at him, which didnt hit him. He said she tried to escort him out of the house and, when he stopped, she attempted to hit him a few times. He said he grabbed her by the neck so she would stop, according to an incident report. The victims roommate told police she heard the couple arguing and, when she came downstairs, saw the husband holding his wife by the neck and then taking her to the ground. She said her friend asked her to call 911 and she did, according to the report. The woman had red marks on her neck and arms, while her husband had no injuries, according to the report. The man pleaded guilty in Summit County Common Pleas Court in November to strangulation, a fourth-degree felony, and domestic violence, a first-degree misdemeanor. John Alexander, the mans attorney, said his client agreed to the plea after prosecutors said he could be charged with felonious assault because of his wifes ruptured breast implant. He said his client claims he didnt intend to strangle his wife but was trying to restrain her. Judge Kathryn Michael sentenced the man to two years of probation, with a reserved prison sentence of 18 months possible if he violates the terms of his probation. She ordered that he complete a 26-week Conflict Resolutions Program, pay restitution to his wife, and have no contact with her except for during court proceedings pertaining to their divorce. The woman said shes still having nightmares in which she sees her husbands grinning face. She recently started counseling, which she thinks she should have done sooner. I basically took my healing and hid it and let it go and shouldnt have, she said. I could be in a better place in my head right now. She urged other strangulation victims to access the help available to them as soon as they can. There are programs to help you, she said. And, youre not alone. Thats the most important thing. Record-Courier reporter Jeff Saunders contributed to this report. Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com, 330-996-3705 and on Twitter: @swarsamithabj. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Ohio strengthens penalties for strangulation charge Vladyslav Rykov, a 30-year-old from Luhansk Oblast who became one of the greatest Su-25 ground attack jet pilots and kept the Russian occupiers at bay, lost his life on 7 February when a Russian missile struck his fighter jet. Source: the Command of Ukraine's Air Force Details: The future pilot survived an attempt on his life when he was just six years old. Quote from the Air Forces Command: "Luhansk Oblast, bandits, a shoot-out. The boy was saved by Yurii Pokusaiev, a law enforcement officer. Everyone else was killed: Vlads younger brother, their mother, and Yuriis colleague. Vlad was in intensive care and they werent sure hed make it, but he survived." More details: When Yurii Pokusaiev learned that the little boy had no other family, he applied for guardianship of him. "My son and I spent a lot of time together at air bases. We flew a light aircraft when he was still at school. The sky was his passion! Then I set up the Aviation Training Cadet Centre for Vlad and his friends. Its still going, and a lot of todays heroes are alumni. When the time came to choose a university, he didnt even hesitate because there was only one option for him: the Kharkiv National Aerospace Institute," Yurii revealed. Vladyslav was 28 when Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine began. "[He fought in] Kharkiv, Kyiv, Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, [destroying] Russian fighter jets and air defence systems. Vlads professionalism, resilience and will to win saved him many times!" the Air Command said. "The Russians were convinced that aviation doesnt exist in Ukraine anymore! But they were wrong. Vlad killed occupiers and destroyed their equipment with consummate skill!" After the full-scale invasion began, father and son worked side by side: Vlad flew a combat fighter jet, while Yurii was in a civilian air patrol. Yurii recalls that they sometimes took off almost simultaneously. Vladyslav Rykov with her daughter All photos: Ukrainian Air Force Command Vladyslav had an interesting alias, Magic, which he earned thanks to his virtuoso piloting style. "I saw him as a future commander in the event of my death," says Vladyslavs commander, Hero of Ukraine Lieutenant Colonel Rostyslav Lazarenko. "He had my back, not only in the sky, but also in life: he was always there for me. Any problems, wed solve them together, and wed talk to each other dozens of times a day." Vladyslav Rykov was a full holder of the Order for Courage and one of the greatest Ukrainian ground-attack pilots. On 7 February, he conducted his 385th and last sortie. "It was an ordinary day of combat. A typical mission: to destroy the enemy. Vlad and I shook hands. He took off. He only had 17 minutes left to live," Vladyslav's commander recalls. A missile hit Vladyslav's aircraft. "It was a R-37 missile, which the occupiers hadnt used for a long time he had no chance. It was a split second. Vlad didnt have time to say anything on the air," Lazarenko continues. The commander is convinced it was revenge because the pilots had given the Russians a good hammering the day before. He kept on hoping to the last that Vlad had miraculously managed to eject. "He was very precious to me. I decided a long time ago to protect him, or at least try to. But how can you protect someone in a war?" the commander asks. The pilot's father, Yurii Pokusaiev, feels regret that Ukrainian pilots will be flying F-16s without Vladyslav. His son had dreamed of these modern aircraft that would better protect Ukraine. Vlad leaves a wife and a young daughter, Mira. Lazarenko has promised that he will always support them. "Vlad and I agreed a long time ago that if one of us was killed, the other would take care of his family. Vlad loved his girls very much. For the first 18 months after the [full-scale] invasion, he hardly saw his family and was very upset about it. So he rented an apartment relatively close to the unit's location, and then finally he got to hug them more often," the commander concludes. Vladyslav Rykov was posthumously promoted to the rank of colonel. He was buried on the Avenue of Glory in Vinnytsia, a city he had never lived in, but dreamed of settling down in with his family after victory. Read also: "His worst nightmare came true": the story of a soldier who made it out of a burning tank Support UP or become our patron! Editors Note: Lawrence C. Levy is executive dean of the National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University and a former opinion writer for Newsday, where he was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for editorials on suburban politics and policy. The views expressed in this commentary are his own. View more opinion at CNN. Massive media coverage from around the world. Mountains of money from deep-pocketed donors. A clash of ideology on the most contentious issues immigration, abortion, guns, inflation and even the Israel-Hamas war. And, of course, the lingering stain of one George Anthony Devolder Santos. Lawrence C. Levy - Lawrence C. Levy The names on New Yorks 3rd Congressional District special election ballot this Tuesday, February 13, may be Democrat Tom Suozzi and Republican Mazi Pilip, an intriguing enough match-up between two people with very different political experience and personal stories. Add the infamy of the former congressman, and youd expect the race to replace him would attract more attention than most off-season contests. But this furious campaign sprint continues to astound in terms of its intensity and interest. Thats because the race remains about more than succeeding the indicted former lawmaker or judging the worthiness of these particular candidates (Suozzi, a moderate from an Italian-American political dynasty; Pilip, a Black and Jewish Ethiopian who migrated to Israel and served in its military before coming to the US). Even after the race gained more urgency for House Republicans last week following their failed attempt to pass a resolution to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas by single votes prompting Santos to post on X, Miss me yet? the contest is still about more than just winning an extra seat. The outcome could preview the parties prospects with the nations most decisive voting bloc moderate swing suburbanites like those who dominate this New York district, which covers parts of Nassau and Queens counties. The result will also signal how the campaigns strategies and tactics may play around the country in the few dozen competitive districts that will determine who gets the gavels in Congress and even the keys to the White House come November. As evidenced by the ferocity of the race and torrent of money for Suozzi and Pilip, most of which has flown in from outside the district, both national parties and their supporters have embraced it and its challenges as a bellwether with consequences far beyond its boundaries. Both candidates have focused most of their firepower, in ads and during Thursdays debate, on scorching the other as an extremist. That makes sense, because swing suburbanites tend to shy away from extremism of any stripe. And both are using the issue that seems to have eclipsed all others immigration to make their case. Not that Suozzi, who held this seat for three terms, hasnt tried to reignite abortion rights as an issue; based on polling and debate coverage, he has succeeded to some degree. A majority of likely voters prefer his pro-choice position, according to a Newsday/Siena College poll released this week. But Pilip forced Suozzi on the defensive by devoting substantial airtime to blaming him and other Democrats for the border crisis. A pro-Pilip super PAC is splurging $1.35 million on a TV ad to be aired during Sundays Super Bowl. The 30-second spot claims (without offering proof) that Suozzi is soft on immigration and tough on taxpayers while showing footage of migrants kicking two police officers in Times Square. Polls indicate that the immigration-centered attacks have been successful in driving down his credibility on the issue. Then, as if justifying the fears of many Republicans that Donald Trump could hurt their down-ballot candidates in suburban districts where he has not done well, the former president handed Suozzi a gift. By killing the bi-partisan legislation to deal with immigration problems to deprive President Joe Biden of a political victory, Trump gave Suozzi the chance to play up his credentials as a moderate who works across the aisle to get things done. At the same time, it let him cast Pilip who said she opposed the compromise as a MAGA extremist. Another complication for Democrats in this district and others is the Israel-Hamas war. The district is home to one of the heaviest concentration of Jews in any congressional district, an estimated 117,000. Pilip is an Orthodox Jew, a voting bloc that, like White Evangelicals, has become reliably Republican. Will she be able to increase their turnout through religious affinity? And as concerns grow among some Jews about the support of young and progressive Democrats for Palestinians, will Suozzi lose support among the majority of the more liberal Jewish community who still tend to vote Democratic? Suozzi not only has to keep Jewish Democrats and independents in line and he even made a trip to Israel after October 7 to show his allegiance but he also has to worry about losing support among young progressives and yet another Democratic voting bloc, the roughly 17,000 Muslims in the district. His success or failure could provide guidance to other suburban Democrats with large Jewish population. As a reflection of the races closeness, Republican and Democratic donors have opened the spigots. And while Suozzi is still expected to outraise Pilip, and so far he has, according to Federal Election Commission records, it looks like the overall spending could reach $20 million, as some analysts predicted. In one sense, though, all this spending hasnt bought the candidates much. The few published polls from credible organizations show that the race has remained within the margin of error since the start. None of these polls were conducted before Thursdays only debate, which at least based on media coverage allowed Suozzi to display his superior experience and expertise on a range of issues. As the New York Times Nicholas Fandos noted, Pilip, who has served only two years in the Nassau County legislature, displayed moments where she looked particularly unseasoned for a congressional candidate in a major race. But local Republicans said they were thrilled with her performance because she didnt back down when aggressively challenged on the clarity of her positions (or lack of solutions). They felt that all she needed to do was show she could stand toe to toe with the more polished opponent and keep trying to link the moderate Suozzi to the unpopular Biden and the progressive wing of the party whose positions have proven unpopular with suburban swing voters. They also felt, with some justification, that their ground game will overcome the Democratic advantage in advertising volume and endorsements as it has on Long Island in the past few election cycles. In a glimpse of how candidates in competitive districts may treat the top of their ticket, Suozzi seems to have distanced himself from Biden in criticizing the president on border security and rejecting even the thought of requesting him to campaign in the district; and Pilip, who this week said she voted for Trump in 2020 and would welcome a campaign appearance, hasnt run any ads touting the connection. Neither standard-bearer is particularly popular in this district, with the suburbs being a particular problem for Trump since 2020. Another name that hasnt surfaced much after initial efforts by the Democrats to gain traction with it is Santos himself. Republicans are hoping, once and for all, that victory will remove the stain of their complicity with his candidacy, however inadvertent. Democrats hope that just enough voters will be leery of another relatively unknown quantity and wont have to be reminded much of why this election was necessary in the first place. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Even though Texas elects our judges, we expect that once they don the robe and take the bench, theyll apply the law fairly and ethically, free of any partisan calculations. In one pivotal ruling in 2021, 8 out of the 9 Republican judges on the states highest criminal court did just that, siding with the Texas Constitution over the partisan desires of a corrupt attorney general. Now that attorney general, Ken Paxton, himself indicted for securities fraud, impeached by the Texas House and accused by his own former staff of criminal wrongdoing, is out for revenge. Hes backing challengers for the three incumbents who are up for reelection in the Republican primary: Sharon Keller, Barbara Hervey and Michelle Slaughter. The Texas Tribune reported that Paxton allies formed a political action committee aimed at ousting CCA judges who supposedly abandoned their conservative roots. Advertisement Article continues below this ad How so? They ruled the Constitution doesnt allow any Texas attorney general, including Paxton, to unilaterally pursue a voter fraud case without cooperating with local district or county attorneys. In another era, that would be considered a conservative opinion. The case that prompted the ruling involved the prosecution of a Jefferson County sheriff who listed a donation incorrectly on her 2016 campaign finance report. We wanted to question Paxtons picks about their impartiality and motives for running for the Texas Criminal Court of Appeals, a powerful body whose duties include reviewing every case that results in a death penalty. Only one, David Schenck, agreed to meet with the editorial board. Herveys opponent, Gina Parker, did not respond to multiple requests. Slaughters opponent, Lee Finley, declined because our political philosophies are incompatible. Theres one more, unrelated, factor we considered: Texas new age limit of 75 for judges. Both Keller and Hervey are 70, meaning they would be forced to retire five years into their six-year term and the governor would appoint their replacements. All this context helped guide us in the following endorsements: Justice David Schenck is a candidate for the Court of Criminal Appeals. Courtesy Place 1, David Schenck Advertisement Article continues below this ad The courts longest-serving presiding judge, Sharon Keller, 70, is running for a sixth term. While such experience is invaluable, Kellers record has been spotty. She authored a 2019 opinion striking down a key provision of the states Open Meetings Act that had made it a crime for government officials to secretly discuss public business. In previous terms, she has been fined for ethics violations such as failing to disclose in financial statements millions of dollars of real estate and income. Most troubling for a judge with Kellers tenure is that the courts docket has slowed to a crawl. Since 2014, the average time it takes for the CCA to decide a case has ballooned from 198 days to 439. More efficiently managing the courts docket is where David Schenck, 56, believes he can make the most immediate impact. He wouldnt have much of a learning curve. He authored hundreds of appellate decisions in his six-year term on the 5th District Court of Appeals in Dallas County and chaired the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. In 2022, he didnt seek reelection and instead made an unsuccessful run for the Texas Supreme Court we endorsed him in the Republican primary which handles civil cases. In our interview, Schenck said that Paxton is free to support whoever he wants but that Paxton did not recruit him. He noted that in his current job as a commercial litigation attorney, he is, in fact, representing a plaintiff who is suing Paxton. Paxtons concerns with this court go to one particular case, my concerns are independent and much broader; they relate to the function of the court, Schenck told us, such as pushing judges to be more productive to clear cases off their docket and issue more frequent opinions. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Schenck has a deep understanding of the law and solid conservative credentials. Given Kellers shortcomings and the fact that she would have to leave the bench before her term is up, Schenck is our pick in the primary. VOTER GUIDE: 2024 Primary Election Justice Barbara Hervey serves on the Court of Criminal Appeals. Courtesy/photo by Mark Matson Place 7, Barbara Hervey Hervey, 70, is vying for her fourth term. While she prides herself on a textual view of the law, she told us she is most proud of her opinions on wrongful conviction cases. She has a healthy skepticism about eyewitness identification alone as a basis for conviction, in part from personal experience. Advertisement Article continues below this ad When Hervey was a law student in San Antonio, she said she was robbed at gunpoint on a bridge over the Riverwalk. While three perpetrators were arrested, Hervey could only positively identify the man who held the gun in her face and declined to identify the other two. Her discomfort with eyewitness identification motivated her to keep pursuing the interaction between law and forensic science. When cases come down to one or two eyewitness IDs, its a tool. But to base your whole case on that may be very problematic, she said. Were all challenging situations because of the advances in science. Herveys opponent, Gina Parker, didnt meet with us. Parker, 62, is a civil and criminal lawyer from Waco and a Republican Party activist with limited appellate experience. She currently owns a dental manufacturing company and ran unsuccessfully for this same court in the 2020 GOP primary. While the fact that Hervey wouldnt be able to serve out her full term is not ideal, its far less ideal to endorse an opponent utterly unqualified for this bench. Republicans who value competence should choose Hervey. Justice Michelle Slaughter serves on the Court of Criminal Appeals. Place 8, Michelle Slaughter Advertisement Article continues below this ad Slaughter, 49, is running for her second term. She is a former Galveston County district court judge with an originalist interpretation of the law. She counts Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas as her judicial idol and quotes the late justice, Antonin Scalia. As such, she firmly rejects the notion pushed by Paxton that the public has lost confidence in the conservative bona fides of the CCA. We are a very strong, conservative court, were a law and order court, we strictly apply the law as written, Slaughter told us. A judge should never, ever make a decision that is outcome-driven based upon whos involved in it, or what the issue is. It should be driven by, 'What is the law? ' And the law is clear about who can prosecute voter fraud. The framers of the Texas Constitution of 1876 abhorred the centralized rule of the post-Civil War state government and they expressly limited the attorney generals power, residing in the executive branch, to civil matters. Slaughters opponent, Lee Finley, 53, is a Marine Corps veteran and a criminal defense attorney who ran unsuccessfully in the 2022 Republican primary for Collin County judge. Finley, who declined to meet with us, lacks the necessary judicial experience to sit on this bench. He certainly isnt shying away from his association with Paxton, whose endorsement is prominently displayed on the home page of his campaign website. He told The Dallas Morning News editorial board that he shares Paxtons concern about voter fraud. Unlike the justices who ruled against the attorney general, he suggested he disagreed with the ruling despite the plain language in our constitution. By Charlotte Greenfield and Ariba Shahid ISLAMABAD (Reuters) -The final results of Pakistan's national election put independents, backed by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, in the lead with 93 of 264 seats. The party of another former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, was second with 75 seats after Thursday's vote, lacking a clear majority but it was the largest single party in parliament as Khan's independents ran as individuals. As coalition talks were held and protesters blocked roads in the north of the country, it was not clear who would form a government. The final tally of votes was published by the election commission more than 60 hours after voting ended, raising questions over the delay. The former prime ministers and bitter rivals have both declared victory, adding to the uncertainty as the country faces numerous urgent challenges, including negotiating a new International Monetary Fund programme to keep a struggling economy afloat. A prime ministerial candidate has to show a simple majority of 169 seats in the National Assembly when the house is called in the coming days. This will be determined by coalition talks and whether Khan-backed candidates are able to join a smaller party in parliament to form a single bloc to gain reserve seats. INTERNET OUTAGE? Khan's PTI party had threatened to hold nationwide peaceful demonstrations on Sunday if the vote tally was not released overnight. While a large-scale protest was called off, a police source and motorists said hundreds of PTI supporters had blocked traffic in the northern city of Peshawar. "We are stuck here on the road as the PTI workers had closed the motorway as a protest," said motorist Shah Zaman Khan. A police source said on condition of anonymity that around 300 PTI supporters had blocked the main highway connecting Peshawar to the national capital. Pakistan's interim government said the voting count delay was caused by communications issues due to a mobile internet outage on election day. The outage, which authorities said was for security reasons, drew concern from human rights groups and foreign governments, including the United States. In a post on social media platform X on Sunday, a PTI party secretary said there should be demonstrations at certain electoral offices where they were concerned about "forged" results. Around 93 of the independent candidates who won seats were associated with Khan's PTI party. WINNING FROM JAIL Khan's supporters ran as independents because they were barred by the election commission on technical grounds from contesting the polls under his party's electoral symbol. Despite the ban and Khan's imprisonment for convictions on charges ranging from leaking state secrets to corruption, millions of the former cricketer's supporters came out to vote for him, even though he cannot be part of any government while he remains in prison. One disadvantage the independents face in trying to form a government is that they, having not run as a party, are not eligible to be allocated any of parliament's 70 reserved seats, which are distributed according to party strength in the final tally. Sharif's party could get up to 20 of these seats. A spokeswoman for Sharif's party said that he had met with representatives of the minority regional Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) party and they had agreed to "in principle work jointly in the larger interest of the country." An MQM leader confirmed the meeting but said no formal coalition agreement had been made. The election commission previously flagged that results for two seats could not yet be included, one in which a candidate was killed, requiring the postponement of polling, and another in which polling would be completed later this month. (Reporting by Gibran Peshimam, Charlotte Greenfield and Ariba Shahid in Islamabad, Mushtaq Ali in Peshawar and Mubasher Bukhari in Lahore; Editing by William Mallard, Sonali Paul and Bernadette Baum) DOHA/RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Doha on Sunday for talks on securing a ceasefire in the Gaza war with the Qatari emir, whose country has been at the heart of mediation efforts and hosts political leaders of militant group Hamas. Palestinian news agency WAFA said Abbas would meet emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Monday, but did not say if he would also meet leaders of Hamas, a group that has long been at odds with Abbas and his West Bank-based Fatah group. The Palestinian ambassador to Qatar, Munir Ghannam, told Voice of Palestine Radio on Sunday that Abbas and the emir would discuss efforts to secure a Gaza ceasefire with Israel and ways to increase aid for the territory's 2.3 million people. "Qatar plays an important role in the international efforts and mediation to reach a ceasefire. Therefore, coordination with Qatar, also with Egypt, is of special importance, to bring an end to this aggression against our people," Ghannam said. Qatar hosts the head of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, as well as another senior leader in the group, Khaled Meshaal, who handles diaspora affairs in the Hamas political office. Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007 from Ramallah-based Abbas after a brief civil war with security forces that were loyal to the Palestinian president. Abbas' authority has largely been reduced to the Israeli-occupied West Bank, which is larger than Gaza but which is also fractured by Israeli settlements. Past attempts, mainly led by Egypt, to resolve disputes between Hamas and Fatah have so far failed to end the rifts, which analysts say weakens Palestinian efforts to secure a state of their own on land now occupied by Israel. Most countries deem Jewish settlements built on land Israel occupied in a 1967 Middle East war as illegal. Israel disputes this. (Reporting by Nidal Almughrabi in Doha and Ali Sawafta in Ramallah; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne) By Yosri Al Jamal JERUSALEM (Reuters) -In refugee camps in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Palestinians relying on the U.N. agency UNRWA for schooling and healthcare fear key services will stop as donors have paused funding over accusations staff members took part in Hamas' Oct. 7 attack. Most of the focus on the fate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees has been on its emergency operations in war-devastated Gaza where it is critical to an aid effort for the enclave's 2.3 million inhabitants. But the agency is also a lifeline for Palestinian refugees across the Middle East, including in the West Bank where it serves more than 870,000 people, running 96 schools and 43 primary healthcare facilities. "If they cut off aid from UNRWA, there will be no help of any kind for residents, especially in refugee camps because they rely on UNRWA," said Mohammad al-Masri, a resident of Dheisheh refugee camp near Bethlehem. UNRWA announced last month that it had dismissed staff after Israel presented it with allegations that 12 of its 13,000 employees in Gaza had taken part in the Oct. 7 assault by Hamas fighters who stormed border fences and attacked Israeli towns. The Islamist militant group killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and dragged more than 250 back into Gaza as hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's aerial and ground war in the Hamas-run enclave has killed more than 28,000 people there, health authorities there say. Accusations against UNRWA have reignited longstanding Israeli demands to dismantle an agency which both sides see as closely linked to a refugee problem dating to Israel's creation in 1948 that lies at the heart of their decades-long conflict. Some 700,000 Palestinians, half the Arab population of what 75 years ago was British-ruled Palestine, fled or were expelled, many spilling into neighbouring Arab countries where they and their descendants remain. The tent camps they lived in after 1948 evolved into built-up townships. With no lasting settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on the horizon, they retain the status of refugees, including in the West Bank and Gaza, and assert a right to return to their homes within Israel's borders. Israel has always rejected that, saying they chose to leave and have no right to go back. Last month Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu renewed demands for UNRWA to be shut down, saying "it seeks to preserve the issue of Palestinian refugees". REFUGEES Daoud Faraj was 10 years old when his family became refugees. Now 85, he has lived most of his life in the West Bank's Aida refugee camp near Jerusalem. "Cutting off aid will hurt many people. Not only me," he said, referring to the health services and schools that UNRWA manages in the camp. The agency has said it hopes donors will review their funding decisions in a few weeks after a preliminary report into Israeli accusations and UNRWA's handling of them. It has said that it may run out of funds to operate services by the end of February if funding is not restored. "It is possible for UNRWA to be forced into the worst scenario, which is a nightmare for us, and it is to stop our operations. Not only in Gaza, (but) in other locations where we operate," said agency spokesperson Kazem Abu Khalaf. An internal U.N. investigation has been launched as the United States - the largest donor to UNRWA - and other countries paused funding following the allegations. Outside UNRWA's West Bank operations hub in Jerusalem, the city's deputy mayor Aryeh King spoke at a protest by Israelis demanding that the agency be shuttered. "It is time that the government of Israel decides to deal with this organisation like an enemy," King said as demonstrators held up placards reading "Expel UNRWA". (Writing by Angus McDowall; editing by Mark Heinrich) A man and woman have been arrested after Pennsylvania officials say they kept their 6-year-old daughter locked in a dog crate and tortured her. Officials were called to a home in Brownsville Borough for reports of an unresponsive 6-year-old, according to a Feb. 6 news release from the Pennsylvania State Police. When troopers arrived, they found the home in deplorable conditions, with dog feces, trash and urine throughout the home, state police said. After speaking with other children in the home, they learned that the girl had been kept in a dog crate, zip-tied and beaten on multiple occasions, according to officials. Throughout our investigation, we realized that this little girl had suffered, for lack of a better way to put it, she had been tortured in that house. There were numerous abrasions on her body, open sores, she was believed to be septic, Fayette County District Attorney Mike Aubele told KDKA. The girl was also hypothermic, WTAE reported. Six children between the ages of 5 and 17 were living in the home, but officials said only the 6-year-old girl was targeted. The 6-year-old child was left in this cage naked without food. She would be punished if she was able to escape that cage to go get food. And to make matters worse, theres evidence that at least a few of these children may have participated in the abuse with the parents, Aubele told the news outlet. A criminal complaint said the girl told a therapist that she slept in the dog crate every night and ate dog food. She said her father beat her and shot her in the legs with a BB gun, KDKA reported. When asked if anyone would help the girl clean her poop or pee, one child told officials, They want her to eat it... my parents, WTAE reported. As the parents were being taken into custody, the father told reporters, Im innocent, thats it, KDKA reported. He said no when he was asked if he locked his daughter in a cage. Officials say the evidence shows serious abuse and the girl is lucky to be alive, according to WTAE. McClatchy News is not naming the man and woman in order to protect the identity of the girl. The 37-year-old man and 33-year-old woman are both charged with aggravated assault, corruption of minors, strangulation, simple assault, endangering the welfare of children and other charges, according to officials. Court records show the man and woman were both denied bail. An attorney for the parents was not listed in court records. Home where toddler got severe frostbite was 55 degrees inside, cops say. Mom arrested 4-year-old duct-taped, beaten to death over potty training, officials say. Mom sentenced Ex-family YouTube vlogger pleads guilty to child abuse, blaming ex-business partner Students recently bustled throughout the kitchens at Metro Tech preparing dishes, cleaning prep stations and practicing various techniques. Some looked on from beyond the glass walls separating the kitchen from Metro Cafe, while others nervously approached their instructor seeking her feedback on their latest efforts. "In my family, you do one of two things you go into food service or you go into education and I found a way to do both," said Chaya Pennington, culinary instructor. "I think cooking is just a part of my genetic code. I come from a third-generation chef and third-generation teacher." Pennington has been an instructor at the CareerTech center for nine years, and spent 20 in restaurants before that. A graduate of Northeast High School, she grew up in Oklahoma City's historically Black northeast side community. She now lives, works and owns a business there as part-owner of Kindred Spirits, 1726 NE 23, a bar in the Eastpoint development. Chaya Pennington is pictured at the Metro Tech Cafe in Oklahoma City. "I'm not a bartender, I'm not a mixologist, but I like ... creating cool things and places specifically that are for us, because in most restaurants, you don't really see yourself, especially in elevated spaces," Pennington said. "We need a place for Black people to come and be authentically themselves and know that that space was created with them in mind." How Chaya Pennington's experiences as a Black woman in the culinary arts shapes how she teaches But for all of Pennington's successes, she acknowledges it wasn't always an easy path as a Black woman in culinary arts. "Whenever I worked at a restaurant, I was always the only woman, and chefs would always just want to put me in the pantry and just give me garde manger [cold prep such as salads, fresh fruit, etc. in a restaurant]. They would never want to let me work the stove or man the grill," Pennington said. "I had to work twice as hard to prove that this is what I was supposed to do. People would just come in and move up over me, and I'm like, 'Wait a minute, I can do hot things.'" Culinary arts instruction Chaya Pennington chops cilantro for a pizza Jan. 31 at the Metro Tech Cafe in Oklahoma City. Pennington uses the things she saw, learned and experienced along the way to influence her teaching and create opportunities for students who need to see themselves represented in the industry. "This is probably the first job I ever had that doesn't feel like work at all," Pennington said. "It's exactly where I'm supposed to be. I'm definitely where I'm supposed to be." Dining options: Seven of my favorite new OKC restaurants of 2023 that you should try in 2024 Pennington took over the role after a former instructor who'd held the position for Pennington's entire life spending 35 years teaching students approached her to step in. "She came and got me and said, 'Hey, I want you, I'm retiring, and I want you to take over this program,'" Pennington said. "And I felt honored and blessed, but I also knew I had some big shoes to fill." Pennington stepped into those shoes and has been continuing the growth of the Culinary Arts program at Metro Tech ever since. Chaya Pennington displays a pizza on Jan. 31 at the Metro Tech Cafe in Oklahoma City. "We have a wait list currently. We've currently got 59 students [enrolled]. Opening another kitchen that will house another 30 seats," she said. "I'm just excited about being able to put more kids on." 'There's so much opportunity' Students who come to the school are offered a chance to set themselves up for a career in culinary arts, with the ability to leave the school and obtain jobs making $18 an hour, even as high school graduates, by working for organizations like the OMNI hotel chain and others across the industry. "The one thing I learned about teenagers, especially post-COVID, especially teenagers from this community, they want to get the bag," Pennington said. "Starting at $18 an hour 18 years old, making $18 an hour for the Omni Hotel you can go live anywhere in the world, there's an Omni. There's so much opportunity, especially for kids who never even considered that they could leave Oklahoma or travel." Pennington's work with the school to add more kids doesn't stop there, with efforts to create an extension program that might be housed at nearby Douglass High School and a March board meeting agenda item to consider a food truck that will serve as a mobile kitchen, allowing her and the Metro Tech team even more access to reach more students. Chaya Pennington, a culinary arts instructor at Metro Tech Center, talks on Jan. 31 at the Metro Tech Cafe in Oklahoma City. "The earlier we can get in contact, connect with kids, the more lasting the impression is," she said. "But also, this is a life skill they're going to need forever, whether they ever go and work in a commercial kitchen or go become a chef at a restaurant. Knowing how to cook and having comfortability in the kitchen is something that will serve them for their entire lives." More: From films to art exhibits, here's how you can celebrate Black History Month in Oklahoma Pennington's no-nonsense attitude in the kitchen sometimes leads to students warning one another to "beware" of her because she can be "scary," an idea that Pennington laughs at because of the things she's learned about herself through teaching. "I always find it interesting that my other two instructors think that I'm the softy, and I think it's because I'm a mom and so, I mother [the students], too," Pennington said. "I think I'm a lot more empathetic than I thought before." Chaya Pennington cooks a pizza on Jan. 31 at the Metro Tech Cafe in Oklahoma City. With students in her classes ranging from 16 to 73 years old, Pennington said she is constantly surprised. She gets to see generational differences and learns from those she's instructing, all while enjoying the discovery process for them in the kitchen. "References are different, experiences are different," Pennington said. "They actually want to have careers in culinary arts and so, it's just exciting, I think, to watch the spark in their eyes. There will be like 'ah-hahs" or figuring out what about culinary they're really good at." This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Metro Tech culinary instructor leads students through representation P.a. (WETM) The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) is inviting kids to be creative while raising awareness for Lyme disease. The DOH is holding the Lyme Art Contest to help youths learn about preventing Lyme disease, which is more prevalent in Pennsylvania than it is in any other state. The contest is intended to teach children about what ticks are, where they live, how to prevent bites, and how to remove them. All first through sixth graders in Pennsylvania can participate by making a poster or short video with the theme Protect. Check. Remove. The DOH, Department of Education (PDE), the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) are encouraging all eligible students to help raise awareness about Lyme disease by participating in this annual contest. Exploring Pennsylvanias beautiful environment is a huge opportunity available to everyone, but it is important we understand how to protect ourselves against ticks, said DEP Interim Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley. It is encouraging to see young people championing tick prevention, as they can truly make an impact. By raising awareness of ticks and tick-borne illnesses, we can help prevent Lyme disease cases, and safeguard our memorable moments outdoors. A meat allergy caused by tick spit is getting more common, CDC says Students who participate in this contest will need to make a poster or video that illustrates at least one location where ticks can be found, at least one method to prevent ticks, at least one way to check for ticks, and at least one method to remove ticks. All of the tick-related information that needs to be included can be taken from the DOHs website. Participants will need to make a video thats no more than 30 seconds long or a poster on white drawing or heavy construction paper. The preferred size for posters is 11 inches by 17 inches, but posters that are 8.5 inches by 11 inches (regular printer paper) will also be accepted. Each poster or video must be original, contain no copyrighted material (brands, cartoon characters, superheroes), be as neat as possible, and be creative. Each child can only complete one submission. Parents/guardians will need to fill out the release form in this document. Full details about the competition, including how to submit entries, can be found in the document as well. Students have until 5 p.m. on March 15 to send in their entries. Finalists will be notified by mail and invited to an award ceremony in Harrisburg in May. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WETM - MyTwinTiers.com. While our state has become very attractive to wealthy retirees from other parts of the country, our local seniors are finding it difficult to survive. Currently, the average monthly rent for a home in our area is $1,750, while the median household income is $57,730, according to the most recent US Census data. Thanks to increased housing costs, seniors in Florida are among the most cost burdened individuals in the nation. According to University of South Florida Health News, nearly one-third of households headed by seniors pay more than 30 percent of their income for housing; and half of those folks pay more than 50 percent. Florida has an affordable housing shortage; for every 100 low-income seniors, there are only 26 affordable housing units available. The number of seniors who qualify for government housing vouchers, (assistance checks paid directly to landlords to cover a portion of a tenants rent) is rapidly increasing; but of those who qualify, only about one-third are receiving housing help. A representative from the City of Pensacolas Housing Office confirmed that the citys current housing voucher list stopped accepting new applicants last June; and there is no fast track for housing aid to the elderly. For seniors hoping to age in place in their own homes, the picture is even more bleak. The skyrocketing cost of property insurance, coupled with increased utility rates are pushing elderly homeowners into debt. Even for seniors with moderate incomes, the cost of housing combined with caregiving needs creates an incredible financial burden. According to a recent study, just 14 percent of older adults living alone can afford a daily visit from a home health aide, and many cannot afford the cost of retrofitting their homes to accommodate health issues associated with aging. For those concerned with the rising number of homeless in our area, older people are becoming a growing segment of the homeless population. A California study of the homeless population in Los Angeles found that most older people lost housing because they simply could no longer pay the rent. Older people in low-wage, physically demanding jobs without pensions are most likely to fall into homelessness. While state politicians brag about the number of California residents moving to Florida, they say little about the fact that mismanaged growth is leading us down the exact same path. Florida has too few affordable homes for our growing population. We have marketed our state as a retirement destination for more than 50 years. Why hasnt our state legislature planned for this inevitable problem? The answer is complicated. Earlier legislatures did recognize the potential housing crisis. In 1992, the state passed the Sadowski Act. This law established a plan to fund affordable housing through a public-private partnership. In short, it created a trust funded by fees placed on real estate transactions. These fees, like documentary stamp taxes, increased as housing prices went up, so the trust was completely self-funded. The money from the Sadowski Trust was designed to support house and apartment construction, renovations and down payment assistance for first-time buyers. Over the last thirty years, our state legislature has raided the Sadowski Trust to pay for other parts of the budget. By the end of this year, the Sadowski Trust had produced revenues of $8.2 billion, but the legislature has used more than $2.6 billion of it to fund unrelated projects. Each year, the legislatures budget raids were so unpredictable, that local governments could not count on those funds to create new housing solutions. For example, in 2012 and 2014, the legislature took all the Sadowski revenues. None of our local state representatives have sponsored any bills to address this crisis. It has only been within the past two years, once the crisis was upon us, that the legislature began using more of the Sadowski revenues for their intended purpose. In addition to sending these funds back home, the state should allow local county and municipal governments to look for creative ways to incentivize the local development of affordable and mixed-use communities for seniors. These communities could include private businesses that serve seniors, which would also address senior transportation issues, by placing goods and services withing walking distance. As citizens, we should be able to rely on our elected officials to counter the problems associated with rapid growth. As we discuss the development and revitalization of our local neighborhoods, such as the acquisition of the old Baptist Hospital property, our state representatives must be willing to fight to secure the necessary funding for our district to help local seniors who have worked their entire lives in order to retire here. Instead, in this current legislative session we continue to see more politically divisive bills that garner lots of media attention but do little to help our struggling seniors. Kim Kline is a non-party affiliate candidate for Florida House District 2. This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola seniors are facing an unaffordable housing crisis | Kline Since 2014, the state of Illinois has been the top state for outbound moves, according to the Moving Migration Report. For the fifth year in a row, Illinois had the greatest percentage of individuals leaving the state versus moving in, according to a study by North American Moving Services. According to the study, 63% of all moves in Illinois in 2023 were people leaving the state rather than moving into the state. The high outbound rates from states like Illinois and California suggest ongoing challenges related to economic factors, according to the Allied U.S. Migration Report. While this study presents the number to be a staggering figure, the state's total population did not drastically decline. Illinois's estimated population in July 2023 was 12,548,689 compared to 12,582,515 in July of 2022, a difference of roughly 33,000 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In 2010, the state's population was 12,830,632. California, Pennsylvania, Minnesota and Washington rounded out the top five of states with the highest percentage of people moving out. More: Want a romantic dinner? OpenTable recommends these Illinois and Missouri restaurants Where are most Americans moving? South Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina, Arizona and Florida topped the list of state's that had the highest percentages of people moving to in 2023, according to the study. Notice a trend among those five states? As the study points out, all five of those states are warm weather locations. Tennessee, South Carolina and North Carolina have been consistently in the top five since 2020. South Carolina and Tennessee are seeing a large portion of their new population come from states like California and Illinois, the study says. The top cities in the reports were Tuscon, AZ., Charleston, SC., Charlotte, NC., Nashville, Tenn. and Raleigh, NC. "These cities share several attractive similarities, including low cost of living and reasonable housing prices. In addition, all offer access to year-round outdoor recreational opportunities in other words, an enhanced quality of life," the study says. More: Illinois farm family featured in regional Super Bowl commercial This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Which states are people moving out of the most? Illinois and California President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has congratulated Irakli Kobakhidze on the commencement of his tenure as the Prime Minister of Georgia. We place special importance on the relations between Azerbaijan and Georgia, drawing strength from the will of our peoples historically bound to each other by ties of friendship and good neighborliness. We are pleased that our intergovernmental relations and cooperation, based on mutual trust and support, are dynamically and comprehensively developing, reaching today`s level and representing new content. I am confident that the traditional Azerbaijani-Georgian friendship, mutually beneficial cooperation, and strategic partnership, built on a solid foundation, will continue to steadily develop and strengthen thanks to our joint efforts for the welfare of our countries and the prosperity of our region, the head of state said in his message. President Ilham Aliyev wished Irakli Kobakhidze strong health, happiness, and success in his upcoming responsible activities for the well-being and prosperity of the friendly people of Georgia. Korea's imports of coffee topped $1 billion for two straight years on its growing popularity here, customs data showed Sunday. The combined value of imported green and roasted coffee beans reached $1.11 billion in 2023, compared with $1.3 billion a year ago, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service. Last year, the country imported 193,000 tons of coffee, down from 205,000 tons the previous year. Korea's coffee imports had been on a steady rise since 2018 as an increasing number of Koreans enjoy the drink. It imported 158,000 tons of coffee worth $637.3 million in 2018 and reached the peak in 2022. The 2023 data showed that more than one-fourth of imported coffee was from Brazil, with more than 50,000 tons valued at $200 million. Vietnamese coffee came in second with 40,000 tons, followed by Columbian, Ethiopian and Guatemalan. (Yonhap) WARR ACRES, Okla. (KFOR) One person has died after being hit by a car in Warr Acres, police confirmed to KFOR. It happened in the 5000 block of NW 50th Street around 7:30 p.m. Saturday night. Officers are currently on the scene and have called Oklahoma City Police to help assist. Warr Acres police said a red SUV was traveling east down NW 50th when the driver hit a person walking across the road at night. Witness say said he was walking with his head down, showed no regard for the vehicles coming, said Jason Allen, Warr Acres Assistant Chief. Allen said police were using a drone and taking measurements to show how fast the vehicle was traveling at the time of the crash. Police said the driver of the SUV, who had two children inside the vehicle at the time of the crash, was cooperating and stayed on scene. No one else was hurt. Allen said it was important late at night to be aware of your surroundings. Do not walk across the road in a non lit area that is not at an intersection. It is hard for drivers to see you, its sad, its unfortunate but it is super hard to see. This is a developing story. Check back here for updates. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. The Fore River Bridge, which connects Quincy to Weymouth, is lit up in red, white and blue for the Labor Day weekend Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. QUINCY A person was pulled from the frigid Fore River Channel on Saturday afternoon after reportedly jumping from the Fore River Bridge, Quincy police said. They said a Quincy police boat crew found the person near the bridge's fender system. The person was taken aboard the Quincy police boat Guardian and given immediate medical attention. Police said the water temperature at the time was about 38 degrees. The Guardian took the person to a dock at Twin Rivers Technologies, where a Brewster Ambulance crew provided treatment and took them to Boston Medical Center. Police did not release the person's name and said no information about their condition was available. Police said they received 911 calls reporting the incident at about 3:44 p.m. Saturday. Quincy firefighters, the Coast Guard and marine units from Braintree police and State Police also responded to the calls. This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Person pulled from river after jumping from bridge, Quincy police say MANILA (Reuters) -The Philippines' coast guard (PCG) on Sunday accused China of "dangerous and blocking" manoeuvres while its vessel patrolled near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea this month. Manila's coast guard said in a statement that on a nine-day patrol near the shoal by its 97-metre (318-foot) vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua, four Chinese coast guard (CCG) vessels had shadowed the boat more than 40 times. Four Chinese maritime militia vessels were also present near the shoal, the PCG said. Located within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ), Scarborough shoal is also claimed by China, making it one of Asia's most contested maritime features and a flashpoint for flare-ups. The PCG said its vessel was in the area to protect Filipino fishermen "from further harassment" in their traditional fishing ground. "The CCG vessels performed dangerous and blocking manoeuvres at sea against BRP Teresa Magbanua four times, with the CCG vessels crossing the bow of the PCG vessel twice," it said, adding that the Chinese vessels had "recklessly" disregarded international rules on preventing collisions at sea. China claims almost the entire South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion in annual ship commerce. Its territorial claims overlap with the EEZs of the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. The Chinese foreign ministry said on Sunday that the Scarborough Shoal is Beijing's sovereign territory and that Chinese coastguard activities in the area were legal. "China requires the Philippines to respect China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests and stop maritime infringement activities. China will continue to firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in accordance with the law," it said in response to a request from Reuters for comment. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague said China's claims had no legal basis, a decision Beijing has rejected. (Reporting by Mikhail Flores and Andrew Hayley; Editing by Sonali Paul) CENTRAL TEXAS (KXAN) A tornado warning issued for Fayette County early Sunday was canceled at 9:15 a.m. after the storm had ventured into Austin and Washington counties. No warnings remain in the KXAN viewing area, and cloudy skies are expected to clear up in the afternoon. While there are no longer any active warnings, that doesnt mean all the remnants of the storm have disappeared. KXAN viewers shared photos and videos of hail accumulating in Central Texas amid the mornings severe weather stint. Hail found in Belterra A KXAN viewer shared footage of hail accumulating in Belterra Saturday amid severe weather. Hail in Belterra, Texas. (KXAN Viewer Photo) Large clumps of hail pour down in West Point KXAN viewer Melinda Briggs shared photos Sunday morning showing balls of hail well surpassing the size of a quarter. Briggs captured the photos in West Point amid severe weather Sunday. Hail larger than a quarter was captured by KXAN viewer Melinda Briggs in West Point Sunday morning. (Courtesy: Melinda Briggs) Hail larger than a quarter was captured by KXAN viewer Melinda Briggs in West Point Sunday morning. (Courtesy: Melinda Briggs) Large hail pictured in Muldoon KXAN viewer Theresa Ivey shared a photo of hail she found in Muldoon, located in southwest Fayette County. KXAN viewer Theresa Ivey shared a photo of hail she found in Muldoon, located in southwest Fayette County. (Courtesy: Theresa Ivey) More details on KXANs Sunday forecast is available online. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. A Southwest Atlanta community sent out a call for help Saturday. They are trying to find the people who killed Jr. Harris Monday and stole his dog. Family and friends gathered at Charles Harper Memorial Park near to post flyers and light candles near the spot where he died. The flyers said police are offering a $2,000 reward to the person who turns in the killers to Crime Stoppers. The family has raised $5,000 on a donation website to add to that. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] His sister urged people to donate more to catch those capable of killing her brother. I just didnt believe it, and I didnt believe it was my brother, said Liz Robinson. She said he was checking in with family in a Southwest Atlanta neighborhood Monday when he decided to walk his dog before 8:00 p.m. in the evening. Thats when police say a group of robbers zeroed in on him at Mitchell St. Southwest and Joseph E. Lowery Blvd. They shot him multiple times before stealing his dog. One friend who flew in from Cincinnati to support his family Saturday, Dana Smiley, said, He has loved ones. He has people who really love him, and they took him in such a vicious way. An uncle, Alvin Harris, said, Every time I turn around, he was trying to pick up and help somebody. At all times, and for someone to have done this to him, it hurts me. It hurts me. TRENDING STORIES: Harris was 44 years old. He didnt have children, but his mother, Mary Boykins, said his dog was his baby. She is begging for someone to bring the dog back so she can have a piece of him again. A piece of him. A piece of him, and for my grandchildren, too. They loved the dog, said Boykins. Harriss sister broke down in tears at that thought. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Shes still alive. Shes still alive, cried Robinson. Police shared three surveillance photos of people who may have witnessed the homicide. Officers hope someone can help them find those people. Anyone with any information is asked to contact APD Homicide Unit directly at 404-546-4235. You can also send anonymous tips to Crime Stoppers Atlanta tip line at 404-577-8477 or online here. IN OTHER NEWS: SPANISH FORK, Utah (ABC4) A small plane made an emergency landing in the front yard of a Spanish Fork home on Saturday afternoon after an engine failure, and both occupants walked away unharmed. We are just grateful the pilot and passenger are okay, around here there are a lot of houses, power lines, substations, I-15, Spanish Fork City Public Information Officer Nick Porter said. Its kind of miraculous they came to rest before they went into a house. Driver identified in fatal wrong-way crash, SLCPD investigating The cause of the engine failure is unknown, but the pilot was able to make a mayday call after hearing the engine sputter before its complete failure, according to officials. Plane emergency lands in a front yard in Spanish Fork on Saturday, Feb. 10. (KTVX/Dennis Dolan) The pilot attempted to direct the plane back to the Spanish Fork Airport but was unable to do so and attempted to land in an open field in order to avoid hitting nearby structures, according to officials. Porter said the plane clipped a power line and skidded through a Spanish Fork field before ending up in the front yard of a nearby home. Im just surprised they didnt hit any of the power poles or lines, or, luckily, hit into our house, homeowner Jonathan Morrill said. Morrill said he was sitting in his home and watching TV when his dogs came into the room and were acting strange. I look out my front window and I see the plane on the front yard, Morrill said. Then I see all the emergency vehicles there, so I came out and checked it out, and thank God nobody was injured. Morrill said it seemed like the occupants of the plane were in shock, but otherwise alright. Spanish Fork Fire and EMS crews responded to the emergency landing around 2:30 p.m. Both male occupants of the plane were able to get themselves out of the plane unharmed, according to officials. Plane emergency lands in a front yard in Spanish Fork on Saturday, Feb. 10. (KTVX/Dennis Dolan) Plane emergency lands in a front yard in Spanish Fork on Saturday, Feb. 10. (KTVX/Dennis Dolan) Plane emergency lands in a front yard in Spanish Fork on Saturday, Feb. 10. (KTVX/Dennis Dolan) Plane emergency lands in a front yard in Spanish Fork on Saturday, Feb. 10. (KTVX/Dennis Dolan) There is some damage to the wing of the aircraft and some slight oil and fuel spillage, Porter said. Spanish Fork City said damages are estimated at $350,000 and the plane is likely to be a total loss. The cause of the engine failure is still under investigation, and the investigation will continue after the National Transportation Safety Board clears the airplane to be moved to the Spanish Fork Airport, according to Porter. Once the aircraft is moved, Porter said crews will clean up the damage. Im just glad everybodys OK, Morrill said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. WASHINGTON COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) The Hagerstown Police Department (HPD) said three people were arrested three people after they shot and killed a man. On Jan. 26 at about 9:50 a.m., officers responded to the area of the 1200 block of Marshall St. for a report of shots fired. When police arrived at the scene, they found a man who had been shot in his car. He died there. Officers later identified him as 38-year-old Kevin Michael Shepherd of Hagerstown, Md. Man shot by police in Southeast DC identified Police identified the suspects as 26-year-old Jenaro James Torres, 40-year-old Emens Lourdy Rho and 35-year-old Stephanie Nicolle Paulino. Before Torres and Rho were taken into custody on Feb. 9, HPD officers responded to the 100 block of South Prospect St. for an assault involving a handgun. Police learned that Torres and Rho assaulted the victim with a handgun. Torres and Rho were taken into custody, and officers found a loaded handgun during a search of the apartment. All three suspects were arrested and charged with first and second degree murder and first and second degree assault as well as firearm violations. All three suspects knew the victim before his death. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. Traffic on major highways built up nationwide Sunday, as millions of South Koreans started to return to Seoul on the third day of the four-day Lunar New Year holiday. People began making their way back to the nation's capital Sunday after spending Lunar New Year's Day on Saturday in their hometowns. According to the state-run Korea Expressway Corp., a drive from the southeastern port city of Busan to Seoul, 320 kilometers in distance, was expected to take about six hours and 20 minutes as of 5 p.m. From Gwangju, 267 km south of the capital, the drive was expected to take five hours and 20 minutes. Korea Expressway said traffic toward Seoul was expected to ease around 2-3 a.m. the next day. It estimated 5.15 million vehicles would hit the road Sunday. (Yonhap) Sistes Iris and Maude Apatow (left) and model Coco Rocha were among the stars gathered to celebrate Prada Beauty. Miuccia Prada can make clodhoppers look cool and boxy shapes seem sexy. She even recast avocado green, long associated with kitchen appliances from the 70s, as a desirable color. Now the Italian designer has brought her glamorous brand of ugly chic to Prada Beauty, the houses new color cosmetics and treatment collection. On Friday night, the brand celebrated its recent launch with an elegant cocktail party for hundreds at Williamsburg hotspot Skylight at The Refinery. Revelers sipped champagne and cocktails inside the domed penthouse on the waterfront, and took photos of the glittering New York skyline. During the development process, global creative makeup artist Lynsey Alexander met with Miuccia, explored the archives of thousands of fabrics and patterns and pushed the labs to ever-better formulations. She also teamed with global creative e-makeup artist Ines Alpha, who works with 3D software and augmented reality. Prada Makeup consists of just three refillable products in silver and gold metallic packaging, along with brushes and a blender. The fan favorite is Prada Reveal skin optimizing foundation, which has an incredibly high 4.6-star average online. Available in 33 shades, it has a soft matte finish and buildable medium coverage that wears up to 24 hours. Gives that clean, natural, and glowy vibe, raved one reviewer. Totally in love with it. Also among attendees were actresses Kelsey Asbille (left) and AnnaSophia Robb (center), along with model Alexina Graham (right). There are two types of zero-shine lipstick available in 36 shades total Prada Monochrome Hyper Matte and Prada Monochrome Soft Matte plus Prada Balm, a lip smoother and moisturizer. The Prada Dimensions eye palettes are where things get loud. Instead of a quartet of predictable neutrals, the brand grouped metallic shimmers and earth tones with runway shades like electric purple and parrot green. The colors are so vibrant and pigmented, and they blend like a dream, wrote one reviewer who enjoyed playing with the shades. Prada Beauty maintains Miuccia Pradas interest in fashion idiosyncrasies, experimenting with unconventional choices to create something beautiful. Prada Beauty is pioneering refillable packaging and unusual color combinations, bringing sustainability and Pradas signature style to the new line. As for Prada Augmented treatment products, there are four high-tech options: The Cream, The Serum, The Essence and The Cleanser & Makeup Remover. All are enhanced with a rare-plant-derived Adapto.gn Smart Technology, said to enhance the skins ability to adapt to its environment. Were just waiting for the avocado eyeshadow. Labour has refused to stop campaigning in Rochdale despite a furious backlash over its candidates disgraceful claims that Israel deliberately let Hamas massacre its citizens. Senior Toris have urged the party to stop rallying behind Azhar Ali after the aspiring MP accused the Israelis of paving the way for the slaughter of their own people on Oct 7, in order to get the green light to attack Gaza. But it is understood Labour plans to continue campaigning as normal ahead of the by-election on Feb 29, with Mr Ali remaining its chosen candidate. On Sunday, soon after the inflammatory remarks emerged, shadow minister Lisa Nandy was pictured at a scheduled event alongside Mr Ali, prompting widespread criticism on social media. The Rochdale candidate made the offending comments at a meeting of the Lancashire Labour Party shortly after the Hamas terror attacks, according to the Mail on Sunday. In a secret recording obtained by the newspaper, he is reported to have said: The Egyptians are saying that they warned Israel 10 days earlier... Americans warned them a day before [that] theres something happening... They deliberately took the security off, they allowed... that massacre that gives them the green light to do whatever they bloody want. It is completely wrong He has now apologised unreservedly for the remarks, describing them as deeply offensive, ignorant, and false. Pat McFadden, Labours national campaign coordinator, condemned the comments and said Mr Ali was right to say sorry. He should never have said something like that. It is of course completely wrong to say that, he told Sky News Sunday With Trevor Phillips. I saw this last night. Hes issued a complete apology and retraction and I hope he learns a good lesson from it because he should never have said something like that in the first place. But he confirmed Mr Ali would remain Labours candidate in the upcoming contest to replace the former MP Sir Tony Lloyd, who died in January, despite outrage in the Jewish community. It is not possible for Labour to remove Mr Alis name from the ballot now nominations have closed. However Sir Keir may have chosen to distance himself from the Rochdale candidate, ceased campaigning or even suspended Mr Ali from the party. The Board of Deputies of British Jews described the comments as disgraceful and unforgivable and said it would have urged Labour to find a new candidate if it were not too late to do so. The Jewish Leadership Council added: It doesnt matter if Mr Ali believes these words or not, he clearly felt it profitable to utter them. For that alone, Labour needs to take action. It is understood others in the community would also have demanded a replacement, if that had been an option. Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, who is Jewish, and Richard Holden, the Conservative Party chairman, both urged Labour to cease campaigning immediately. Mr Holden said: Time after time, Sir Keir Starmer says that hes changed Labour. Time after time were seeing that simply isnt true. While vile racist slurs are freely exchanged within Sir Keirs Labour Party, it is unfit to hold public office. Sir Keir should immediately remove Mr Alis Labour membership and suspend Labours campaign. Rifts in the Labour Party Mr Shapps told The Telegraph he agreed that Labour should stop campaigning now, in light of Mr Alis remarks. In a Twitter post, Michael Gove wrote: Sir Keir Starmer cannot continue to support this candidacy. The controversy threatens to exacerbate rifts in the Labour Party over the Israel-Hamas war with Sir Keir under pressure from several of his own MPs to call for an immediate ceasefire. Mr Ali was also said to have claimed the Labour leader had lost the confidence of the parliamentary party over his approach to the conflict in the Middle East. When someone at the meeting suggested Sir Keir was held in high regard, he reportedly replied: Can I disagree with you? A lot of the MPs Ive spoken to, non-Muslim MPs, feel that on this issue hes lost the confidence of the parliamentary party. Mr Ali said in a statement: I apologise unreservedly to the Jewish community for my comments which were deeply offensive, ignorant, and false. Hamass horrific terror attack was the responsibility of Hamas alone, and they are still holding hostages who must be released. Oct 7 was the greatest loss of Jewish life in a single day since the Holocaust, and Jews in the UK and across the world are living in fear of rising anti-Semitism. I will urgently apologise to Jewish leaders for my inexcusable comments. The Labour Party has changed unrecognisably under Keir Starmers leadership he has my full support in delivering the change Britain needs. Mike Katz, chairman of the Jewish Labour Movement, said Mr Ali had destroyed his past record of allyship with the Jewish community and has a mountain to climb to repair it. He announced that his organisation would not be campaigning in Rochdale but warned against handing victory to George Galloway, the leader of the Workers Party of Britain, out of contempt for Labours candidate. He added: We know how far the party has come under Keir Starmer in tackling anti-Semitism and that the party, from Starmer down, is as shocked and disgusted by Alis comments as we are. This proves there is still much work to do. Baroness Anderson, a Labour spokesman in the Lords, said she agreed with every word of Mr Katzs comment. 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. Prince William is having to balance his private home life and leading the monarchy while the King continues cancer treatment (Getty) With the news of his fathers cancer diagnosis and his wifes abdominal surgery, all eyes have now turned to the Prince of Wales as the royal family continue to suffer from a series of health setbacks. In January, Prince William cleared his diary after his wife of 13 years, Kate Middleton, underwent a major operation at the London Clinic which left her hospitalised for nearly two weeks. The 42-year-old princess is not expected to return to duties until Easter at the earliest, and is now recuperating at the family home in Adelaide Cottage, which is located on the Windsor Castle estate. Over the last decade, William has made no secret of his commitment to his three young children and has focused on providing them as normal a life as possible. His wife Kate will not return to public duties until after Easter (2023 Getty Images) With Kate unwell, he has spent the recent weeks carrying out the school runs for George, 10, Charlotte, eight, and Louis, five, and is due to spend the half term holidays at Anmer Hall, the familys home in Norfolk. However, he did return to public duties this week, carrying out an investiture ceremony on Tuesday and attending an evening gala to raise funds for the London Air Ambulance, of which he is a patron. His appearance came just one day after the news broke that King Charles had been diagnosed with an undisclosed cancer, following his treatment last month for a benign enlarged prostate. A statement from Buckingham Palace said that the 75-year-old monarch would be stepping down from public duties as he engaged in treatment, but would continue official paperwork and State business. King Charles has been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer (POOL/AFP via Getty Images) Both his and Kates withdrawal from royal engagements has left the monarchy in a semi-crisis, with the Princess Royal, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duke of Gloucester stepping up to hold the fort. It is now possible that William will have to step in for his father during the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey on March 11, and will represent the king at a memorial service for King Constantine of Greece at the end of the month. He is also due to appear at the Baftas on 18 February, however his attendance is said to be dependant on how his wifes recovery continues over the coming week. A royal source told The Sunday Times: At times like this, it is a reminder that as well as being the future head of state, he is also a human being. He is processing the news of his father having cancer as a human being. Given the seriousness with which he takes his role, of course it is something he will be thinking about. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A former pro wrestler is expected to be booked into jail in connection with his wifes death in the Lents neighborhood of Portland on Thursday. William Albert Haynes, Jr. surrendered after about 2 hours when police arrived at the house following reports of a shooting. When officers were able to get inside the house, they found Janette Becraft had already died. She was 85. Haynes, 70, remains hospitalized for what police said is a medical issue not connected with the Thursday incident. Hes expected to be taken to jail when he is released from the hospital in days. Authorities said charges against Haynes will be released once he is booked. 2 teens wounded in not random shooting on I-84 A pro wrestling website said his professional name was Billy Jack Haynes, who began his pro career in 1982. He had an up-and-down career, wrestling against such well-known figures as Ric Flair and Randy Macho Man Savage during the 1980s. The website said Haynes returned to Portland, opened a gym that failed and returned to wrestling for a time. KOIN 6 News will have more information later. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. Relatives of mobilised Russian soldiers continue to protest across Russia, with rallies taking place in the cities of Moscow, St Petersburg, Vladivostok and Yekaterinburg. Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW) Details: The ISW reported that the protests are continuing despite the Kremlin's attempts to censor them and suppress any social movement in support of the mobilised Russian soldiers. On 10 February, Russian opposition media outlets Sota and Mobilization News released footage showing members of the Russian civic movement the Way Home laying flowers and gathering at monuments in Moscow, St Petersburg, Vladivostok and Yekaterinburg, calling for their relatives to be demobilised. Mobilization News reported that members of the Way Home also visited the campaign headquarters of Russian presidential candidate Vladislav Davankov in Moscow and handed over letters asking for demobilisation to Davankov's team. The Russian authorities have recently attempted to censor protests by Way Home members at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow and nearby Manezhnaya Square. ISW stressed its assessment that the Kremlin's attempts to censor and discredit the Way Home movement underscore the Kremlin's desperation to shut down these protests, especially in the run-up to the March 2024 presidential elections. To quote the ISWs Key Takeaways on 10 February: Delays in Western security assistance may lead to significant Ukrainian air defence missile shortages that could allow Russian forces to bomb Ukrainian forces or even front-line cities more aggressively. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed Major General Anatolii Barhylevych as Chief of the Ukrainian General Staff, replacing Lieutenant General Serhii Shaptala. Russian drone footage published on 9 February showed Russian forces executing Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) near Klishchiivka on the Bakhmut front. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reiterated several Kremlin narratives aimed at justifying Russias war in Ukraine and threatening the West at a ceremony honouring Diplomats Day on 10 February. Kremlin mouthpieces reiterated ongoing Russian narratives blaming the West, specifically the United States, for the absence of constructive peace negotiations to end Russias invasion of Ukraine, despite numerous Russian statements indicating that Russia is not interested in good-faith peace negotiations with Ukraine. The Russian State Duma is considering a bill aimed at further censoring actors designated as "foreign agents", likely aimed at censoring dissent from opposition media outlets and prominent information space voices. Russian forces made confirmed advances near Kreminna and Avdiivka. The relatives of mobilised Russian soldiers continue to protest throughout Russia despite previous Kremlin efforts to censor similar protests and suppress any possible resurgence of a broader social movement in support of mobilised Russian soldiers. Russian and occupation officials continue to set conditions for the deportation of Ukrainian children from occupied Ukraine through educational and extracurricular schemes. Support UP or become our patron! Ralph Fiennes has called for trigger warnings in theatre to be scrapped, saying audiences should be shocked and disturbed sometimes. Trigger warnings are issued before the beginning of a show to alert theatregoers to upsetting or distressing content. Fiennes, 61, who is currently starring in a production of Macbeth thats playing at various warehouses around the UK, told BBC Ones Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: I think we didnt use to have trigger warnings. I mean, they are very disturbing scenes in Macbeth, terrible murders and things. But I think the impact of theatre should be that youre shocked and you should be disturbed. I dont think you should be prepared for these things and when I was young, [we] never had trigger warnings for shows. The actor said warnings for moments that could affect people physically, such as strobe effects, should remain. He said: Shakespeares plays are full of murderers, full of horror. As a young student and lover of the theatre, I never experienced trigger warnings telling me: By the way in King Lear, Gloucester is going to have his eyes pulled out Theatre has to be alive and connect in the present. Its the shock, the unexpected, thats what makes an actor [in] theatre so exciting. Lord of the Rings star Ian McKellen also previously called for trigger warnings to be scrapped, calling them ludicrous. Fiennes, who is known for starring in Schindlers List and the Harry Potter films, also drew praise on social media for speaking passionately about an environmental cause on Kuenssbergs show. The actor appeared on the show to discuss his campaign against National Grids plans to install electricity hubs in the Suffolk countryside. The plans would see National Grid installing motorway-width cable trenches, pylons and 26-metre high converter stations each taking up 12 football pitches. Many acres of heathland, coastline and wetland would be destroyed. In response, the Suffolk Energy Action Solutions (SEAS) campaign group has launched a national petition backed by a film, Coast, co-written by Fiennes who was born in Ipswich and director Charles Sturridge. Watch the film here. Fiennes is arguing for an offshore solution, but National Grid has said that is too expensive. On Kuenssbergs show, Fiennes said: This is a long-term legacy for our country. This is the infrastructure going into the future. It might be more expensive in the short term, but in the mid-term were sure its not. He called the current plans destructive, adding: We have to keep fighting for it. This isnt just about Suffolk. This resonates throughout the country Its really, really vital. And whats being proposed at the moment, we think is a disaster. Ralph Fiennes on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg (BBC) Many viewers were impressed with Fienness words on the show. Hes wonderful speaker for his cause, one person posted on Twitter/X. OMG just loved Ralph Fienness passion on LK just now with regard to Green Energy substations. I havent felt a genuine physical impact like that coming through a screen for a very long time, said another. Bravo Ralph Fiennes! a third wrote. Speaking with passion and vision about green issues, one rarely sees this from politicians. And importantly, looking to the long-term solution that is in the national interest, rather than the short-term fix for financial expediency! A fourth said: Well done for having Ralph Fiennes on the show. He cares and does more about halting the devastating destruction of nature and Englands heritage than any politician these days ever will. Hats off. A fifth posted: OK! Ralph Fiennes for prime minister! Making incredible sense on BBC Sunday with Laura. Fienness campaign arrives as Keir Starmer drastically downgraded Labours flagship green energy policy on Thursday (8 February) to 4.7bn a year, from the previously promised 28bn. The office of President Yoon Suk Yeol said Monday that the government's decision to increase the medical school quota is "irreversible," denouncing doctors' threats of collective action as unjustifiable. A senior presidential official made the remark as doctors and the government were on a collision course over last week's decision to add 2,000 to the country's medical school enrollment quota next year, a sharp rise from the current 3,058 medical school seats. The move came as the country has been grappling with a shortage of doctors in crucial areas, as medical professionals tend to prefer practicing in nonessential areas with lower risks. But doctors argue that the decision will lead to a surplus of physicians. "I believe that collective action by doctors has no justification," the presidential official told reporters, noting that the issue of expanding the quota has long been discussed and no progress has been made. "We have missed the right timing to implement the policy every time due to various circumstances," the official said. "Now, the situation has reached a point where (the medical school quota increase decision) is irreversible." In protest of the decision, the Korea Medical Association (KMA), a major lobby group for doctors, said it will hold protest rallies nationwide on Thursday as the first collective action after the entity went into emergency mode. The Korean Intern Resident Association (KIRA), another doctors' organization, is also anticipated to take a collective move, as its recent survey showed 88 percent of the members plan to join the protest. KIRA intends to convene a meeting of representatives later on Monday to discuss the course of action. The government is highly anticipated to take stern responses should doctors stage a strike. The Medical Service Act stipulates that the government possesses the authority to potentially revoke doctors' licenses should they receive criminal punishments after failing to adhere to the order to return to work. Upon the announcement of the enrollment hike, Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong said the government would take "actions under principles and the law, in accordance with our legal duty" should doctors stage a strike. In a separate social media post on Monday, Cho also noted that the government's recent decision was aimed at making local hospitals "sustainable." "I understand that there are many protests and concerns in regard to the expansion of the medical school quota," Cho said. "But we ask doctors not to doubt the government's sincerity in its efforts to make hospitals a sustainable workplace." The health ministry also decided to establish an emergency hotline to address complaints related to the disruption of medical services, bracing for potential collective action by local doctors. (Yonhap) A rare predator was recently found dead in the northern Arkansas wilderness, raising questions about where it came from and what killed it. The animal, a mountain lion, was spotted in the Sylamore Wildlife Management Area, in Stone County, the state Game and Fish Commission said in a Feb. 9 news release. Its the first time a cougar has been found dead in the state since 2014, when a deer hunter fatally shot a 148-pound male in southern Arkansas, according to officials. Before that, a mountain lion hadnt been reported killed in the state since 1975. The mountain lion was found dead in the Sylamore Wildlife Management Area in Stone County, Arkansas, officials say. Screengrab of Facebook post by Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. However, this newly discovered big cat in the Sylamore WMA wasnt shot, and theres no evidence it was hit by a car either, officials said. Its cause of death is, at least for now, a mystery. The 118-pound, 7-foot long male was examined by wildlife experts. The cougar was extremely thin with severely worn, broken and missing teeth, experts said, and its stomach was empty. Further examination will involve testing for viruses and toxins, the Commission said, adding that tissue samples will also be sent out for testing. Male cougars generally weigh between 145-170 pounds, according to the National Park Service, meaning this particular cat was significantly underweight. Could the mountain lion have simply starved to death? Its known to happen, but only rarely, experts say. Disease and starvation are occasional causes of cougar deaths, according to the NPS, but competition with other cougars or predators and human hunting are the main causes of mortality. Though they grow to be large, powerful apex predators, survival is often still a struggle for mountain lions. Roughly half of kittens dont survive their first year, the NPS says. They could once be found all throughout Arkansas, but had more-or-less vanished by 1920, the Commission said, but there have been 23 confirmed sightings in the state beginning in 2010. They are typically shy and reclusive, and they rarely attack humans, state officials said. They have learned to avoid people, and they usually run away if they hear or see humans. Mountain lion sightings alone dont mean theyre established in the state, or are reproducing, and officials have said in the past that there are no breeding pairs in Arkansas, and lions seen in the state likely wandered in from elsewhere, KATV reported in 2015. A DNA analysis of the mountain lion killed by a hunter in 2014 indicated that it most likely came from the Black Hills of Wyoming or South Dakota, officials said. Mountain lion drags dog from snowy Colorado backyard but armed owners came to rescue Mountain lion disrupts golf tournament, is killed after 2-day hunt, NE officials say Adorable spotted kitten sold in parking lot leads to Texas couples arrest, feds say Couple killed by grizzly bear took the proper precautions. Why didnt it save them? Ravenna and the Portage County Regional Planning Commission are undertaking an updated version of the citys master plan that will identify goals and key players who can bring those goals to fruition. Todd Peetz, in his 15th year as director of the commission, said the updated master plan will be cutting edge for its clarity and ease of use. Businesses looking for good opportunities or good sites on which to locate will find the Ravenna Master Plan and its interactive features easy to use and helpful, he said. To identify goals, the Ravenna Planning Commission will survey adults, existing businesses and Ravenna High School students. Printed surveys will be mailed to all businesses and be made available to all residents. Ravenna students will be asked to complete a survey specially designed for them. David E. Dix Young people are critical to the updated Ravenna Master Plan, Peetz said. They are Ravennas future. We want to know if they plan to leave or stay in Ravenna and, if they are leaving, what might keep them interested in remaining in Ravenna. Continued improvements in data collection technology are contributing to the updated plan. Geographic information systems speed up the process of creating accurate maps that tell a person how individual parcels are zoned and how they are being used. The Portage County Regional Planning Commission in 2022 and 2023 used that type of information to produce a county plan. Along with the GIS technology, programming will enable users to target specific properties and hypothesize how those parcels might be used. In addition to an accurate inventory of the community and its parcels, goals identified by the surveys of businesses, residents and young people will be matched with the key players necessary to make them happen. Key players might range from government agencies to businesses, and, in some cases, even individuals who need to be brought in to team up with interested parties. Peetz said video technology highlighting attractive features of Ravenna will introduce potential users to the Ravenna Master Plan. Drone videography will focus on Ravennas historic downtown. The video will also show the Balloon A-Fair and Ravenna Cruise-In that last year drew about 4,000 classic vehicles and 18,000 spectators. Other positive community events will be mentioned. Mayor Frank Seman, Economic Development Director Dennis West, Portage Development Board President Brad Ehrhart and City Engineer Bob Finney will do voice-overs that extol Ravennas advantages. The master plan could include the work of Judy Watkins, director of Ravennas Parks and Recreation Department, who created a bike plan for the city to better connect its neighborhoods and destination points. Peetz said the plan will help Ravenna schools map out bus routes to make it easier for any young person, regardless of neighborhood, to ride to school. Peetz said an enthusiastic steering committee is updating the Ravenna Master Plan and making the process more fun. Committee participants include City Council members Rob Karis and Cheryl Wood, Economic Development Director Dennis West, Mike Bogo of Neighborhood Development Services, Ryan Cline of the Ravenna Area Chamber of Commerce, Arasin Hughes of Main Street Ravenna, Geraldine Nelson of the NAACP and Pamela Calhoun of Portage Metropolitan Housing Authority and Ravenna Board of Education. Unlike a department within a subdivision, regional planning commissions are creations of the Ohio Revised Code in which funding comes from local community members and their dues. The Portage County Regional Planning Commissions members are 15 Portage County townships, six villages, PARTA, Water Resources Department, Soil and Water Conservation District, Portage County engineer and Portage County government. Ex-officio members are Hiram College, Kent State University, Portage County Health District, Habitat for Humanity, Home Builders Association, Portage Park District and NEOMED. Ravenna is the only Portage County city that is a member. Kent, Aurora and Streetsboro, with their own planning departments, do not participate. Dues entitle all members to a number of dedicated Regional Planning Commission work hours. Additional hours are billed at an agreed-upon rate. For its master plan update, Ravenna is paying an extra $50,000. The Portage County Regional Planning Commission can also undertake special projects paid for by interested parties. The Kent Historical Society is funding a survey of historical buildings and neighborhoods. It will use interactive technology so any user can quickly see a building or property that has a historic value. A similar program was done for Ravenna, although it was created before some of the interactive processes were available and needs an update. Brimfield Township is funding a master plan update similar to Ravennas. Peetz said Portage Countys farming and agribusiness would benefit from a master plan too. We have a wonderful staff who feel incentivized to do a great job for our clients. Their funding makes our work possible, Peetz said. Peetz, a Kent State alumnus, holds a masters degree in city and regional planning from Ohio State. Before coming to Portage County, he spent 18 years in Floridas Orlando area as a planning consultant. The Portage County Regional Planning Commission has four full-time staff members: Evelyn Beeman, office manager; Gail Gifford, principal planner and GIS specialist; Lisa Reeves, community development specialist; and Nick DeHaven, community planner. Alex Zavertnik is a part-time GIS technician. Ella Robertson is an intern from Kent State University. David E. Dix is a retired publisher of the Record-Courier. David E. Dix: Portage County engineer is mapping out a busy 2024 | Along the Way David E. Dix: Kurt Ruehr networking to improve lives in Portage County | Along the Way This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Ravenna Master Plan will be cutting edge I am a lifelong resident of South Carolina. I attended schools and colleges here. My ancestors settled between the North and South Edisto Rivers in the 18th century, and my family has farmed there ever since. They served in the SC militia and volunteer infantry in defense of S.C. in every war since their settlement. We have always voted for people we considered to be proponents of individual liberty and limited government. We have always been proud to be South Carolinians. We are still proud of our state in spite of the embarrassing sight of the two U.S. senators on stage fawning over a vain candidate as he calls for banning me and anyone else who exercises our right to support the candidate of our choice for president. Unfortunately, these two have been joined in this blind mania by our governor and a congressional representative from Charleston. Apparently, the good old boys are so scared of the little brown girl from Bamberg because, when she was governor, she forced them to stand and be counted on the record when they voted in halls of government rather than cowering in anonymity. In spite of being told not to by the top elected officials of S.C., I will continue to exercise my right to support the candidate of my choice. In this case, that is Nimarata Nikki Randhawa Haley, because she is the one candidate who will, as president of the United States, do all she can to protect the inalienable right of every citizen to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. My check to Nikki Haley for President is in the mail. Jody TraywickSpartanburg This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Reader say supporting Haley in GOP primary is his 'right' "Three, two, one. Let's lay some bricks!" The SpecMix Bricklayer 500, held each year in Las Vegas, is full of wall-to-wall action. IN the main event, masons are given an hour to lay as many bricks as possible. It's a competition full of trials and tribulations. And, you know what? It's probably better if I just let them hype it up. In a highlights reel for the event, a VoiceOver says, "It's the fastest, most intense show in Las Vegas, and the fans who pack the area love the action! It's the Super Bowl of masonry!" If that's indeed the case, then competitor Fred Campbell might be the Tom Brady of masonry the elder statesman who has won this contest the most times. "The only person out here who can beat me is me, you know?" Campbell says. If the bricks aren't level, or the mortar thickness isn't exactly right, judges can deduct from the overall total. And there's big money on the line. Over $125,000 in cash and prizes, including a brand-new truck, are doled out to the contestants, who typically do this type of work without hundreds of screaming fans cheering them on. Masons compete for top prizes at the SpecMix Bricklayer 500 in Las Vegas, Nevada. / Credit: CBS News "It's awesome. It's very cool. It's hard to put into words for me," says Michael Schlund, a foreman from Wisconsin, is the returning champion. "I mean, last year, I was happy I won it, but I was just taking it all in." It's definitely a lot to take in, especially since this bricklaying extravaganza is just one small part of a much larger world. Last month, 60,000 people flocked to Las Vegas to attend the World of Concrete convention, which brought masons from 120 different countries to the exhibit space, which covers more than 700,000 square feet and hosts around 1,400 manufacturers. "World of Concrete is the only event in the entire world dedicated solely to the concrete and masonry industry, right?" says Kevin Thornton, a senior vice president at Informa Markets, which puts on the convention now in its 50th year. "It's a festival," Thornton explains. "This is the ComicCon for the concrete guys. It's like their grown-up toy store." There are demonstrations to watch, drills of all sorts to play with and a concrete throne to sit on. People make concrete art and take rides on power trowels, all while cutting rebar and cutting deals. There are concrete courses and a high-tech component, with 3-D pricing, simulated truck driving, virtual plant tours and virtual tool training. The World of Concrete convention in Las Vegas. / Credit: CBS News This year, there was even love in the air, as James and Patricia Estrada got married in front of the convention center. "Concrete's been my life," said James Estrada during the ceremony. "I've been married to concrete most of my life. Now, we've got a threesome going on: me and concrete and Patricia." But it's hard to imagine there's anyone who's more in love with concrete than Tyler Ley, a professor at Oklahoma State University who runs a YouTube channel to share his concrete enthusiasm. "My name is Tyler Ley. I'm a concrete freak," he says in one YouTube video. "Thank you so much for watching this video. Make sure to like, subscribe and leave me a comment." At the convention, Ley has a chance to meet his fans. "These are my people, baby," says Ley. "They're here because they want to get better. They want to find the latest tools, the latest tricks, the latest materials, the latest knowledge." This year, there was a focus on how to reduce concrete's heavy carbon footprint. "It has a pretty big impact on carbon dioxide emissions in the world because it's so widely used," says Ley, who goes on to note that "concrete is the second-most used commodity on the planet." The first is water, he continues, "because water's in concrete, baby." Back over at Masonry Madness, Schlund held onto his title as the top bricklayer, coming in just 22 bricks ahead of Fred Campbell." Schlund says he'll be on the lookout for a "bigger garage" to put his second car from two consecutive wins. He probably knows how to build one. Later today, just a couple of miles down the Las Vegas Strip, another high-stakes contest will take place. And, while much has been made of Allegiant Stadium's retractable field, a true concrete freak would want me to point out the under-appreciated material sitting underneath it all. The Super Bowl is playedon concrete. Produced by David Rothman. Edited by Mike Levine. Israel's looming ground operation in Rafah threatens to escalate Gaza's humanitarian crisis Open: This is "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Feb. 11, 2024 Nature: Guanay cormorants in Peru Serhii Naiev, Commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has indicated that he learned about the presidential decree on his dismissal from the mass media on 11 February. Source: Naiev on Telegram Quote from Naiev: "I learnt about my dismissal from the post of commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which Id held since 2020, from the mass media." Details: In his address, Naiev also expressed gratitude to Ukrainian soldiers for their service and said he was confident in Ukraine's victory. Background: On 11 February, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Naiev from the post of commander of the Joint Forces. He appointed Yurii Sodol in his place. Support UP or become our patron! Bill Brand, who was a councilman at the time, is photographed next to the AES Power Plant in Redondo Beach. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) Bill Brand, the mayor of Redondo Beach, died Friday evening of lung cancer, according to city officials. He was 65. Brand had been battling cancer for more than four years, but his health took a "sudden turn" for the worse in recent days, according to a city statement. Brand's wife and other family and friends were by his side in the end. Brand was serving his second term as Redondo Beach's mayor, after previously serving two terms on the City Council. He had remained in office despite undergoing intense treatments and being hospitalized several times. Bill Brand (City of Redondo Beach) Brand was born in Texas, but had lived in the South Bay since moving there as a child in 1966. "Finding the Seaside Lagoon, he thought that he had found heaven," the city's statement said. Other officials in the region took to X, formerly Twitter, to mourn Brand's death. "Bill Brand was my dear friend and even though we knew this day would be coming, it hurts to say goodbye," wrote L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn. "Elected office can be a challenge, but being Mayor of Redondo Beach came naturally to Bill. He embodied the South Bay," Hahn wrote. "He was passionate about his work as Mayor, fighting corporate developers to preserve the beach community he loved, but he also made time for surf breaks." County Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath wrote that Brand had made "a lasting impact on the community [and] all who knew him." County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell wrote that Brand "was a fighter who kept showing up to serve" even while battling cancer. "We have lost a leader who loved the South Bay and fought with all his heart to protect our environment." Mitchell cited in particular Brand's role in the recent closure of the AES Redondo Beach power plant, which she said was "just one example of Bill's lasting impact." Brand got involved in politics first "as a concerned resident, then as a champion for open space," creating the nonprofit South Bay Parkland Conservancy, the city's statement said. Only then did he run for office. Living to see the closure of the AES plant, which he had fought so hard for, "was an accomplishment of which he was extremely proud," the city statement said. In lieu of flowers, Brand's family asked for donations in his memory to the conservancy, or to Cancer Support Community South Bay. Flags at Redondo Beach City Hall were to fly at half-staff in Brand's honor. Information on services were not provided. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wisc.) announced his retirement after Republicans threatened to primary him over his decision not to vote to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI Feb. 10 (UPI) -- Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wisc.) said Saturday he will not seek reelection in November, making him the fourth Republican to leave the House GOP's shrinking majority. Gallagher's announcement to leave came days after his controversial vote not to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Some pro-Trump Republican colleagues threatened to primary him over the decision. "The Framers intended citizens to serve in Congress for a season and then return to their private lives," Gallagher said. "Electoral politics was never supposed to be a career and, trust me, Congress is no place to grow old." Reps. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) and Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) also voted against impeachment, which led to the effort failing. Gallagher stood by his decision to defect from GOP leadership, saying he had made his position known for a while and criticized Republicans for calling a vote without knowing whether it would pass. Gallagher chairs the House Select Committee on China and is the latest committee chair to announce his departure as well. House Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) House Appropriations Committee Chair Kay Granger (R-Texas) and Services Committee Chair Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) previously said they would not seek reelection. The 39-year-old Marine and Iraq War veteran has represented his Green Bay-based district since 2017. His retirement announcement marks a reversal from his original intent last year to seek another term in his district. He previously dashed Republicans' hopes that he would run in the Senate to unseat Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.). Gallagher's departure builds on an already historic rate of House retirements for both parties, but the thinning of the ranks is more dire among top Republicans. By Jon Dunbar Tucked away amid the phalanx of high-rise apartment complexes that have overrun western Seoul's Ahyeon-dong, there's a narrow corridor cutting through the area that still bustles with foot traffic during the day. At night, it glows with the welcoming lights of a few remaining establishments. One of those is Baekusaeng Makgeolli, a brewpub specializing in traditional Korean alcohol. "Ahyeon Station used to buzz with the energy of pocha (street food tents)," Joe Kim, founder of Baekusaeng, told The Korea Times. "But with gentrification came change many vendors closed their doors, some finding refuge within the market. Sadly, the pandemic aftermath dealt a blow to these businesses, particularly for those owners facing the challenges of age. In opening Baekusaeng, we see an opportunity to inject new life into the lesser-known Ahyeon Market." Kim was born in Korea, but when he was 1 year old his family moved to Ecuador, and later moved to the U.S. He may sound like a newcomer to the market, and his brewery is certainly a new addition, but it has roots tracing back decades in this location. "My wife's grandmother purchased the shop back in the 1960s," he explained. It started as a small shop serving kkwabaegi (twisted breadsticks) before becoming a Korean restaurant. After the restaurant closed, Kim's mother-in-law offered the space to Kim, who had been running makgeolli-making classes out of his apartment for about a year and a half during the pandemic. "And so, Baekusaeng has gradually transformed into a go-to spot for savoring premium makgeolli and mastering the art of home brewing," Kim said. If you're used to makgeolli being a cheap, sludgy concoction that results in killer hangovers, you need to give Baekusaeng's house brands a try. Its makgeolli varieties offer flavors that are sharp, tangy and fresh. As well as offering traditional Korean alcoholic drinks by the glass or by the bottle it also offers classes on how to make various traditional alcoholic drinks, such as makgeolli and fruit-infused variations, as well as making nuruk, a fermentation starter containing yeast. The classes are also available online. He also authored "Homebrewing Korean Rice Wine," a guide to fermenting makgeolli that's available online. "Our aim is to share our passion and knowledge, even with local Koreans who may have overlooked makgeolli as a simple, cheap drink," Kim said. "Once they discover its rich history and authentic taste, they leave our doors with newfound appreciation, eager to explore more premium makgeolli options." The brewery is about to release its latest brew, a ginger makgeolli that is nine percent alcohol by volume. Available at select bottleshops and restaurants, it is crafted using only local Korean ingredients, with no artificial additives such as sweeteners. "We rely on the natural magic of fermentation, steering clear of the synthetic and commercialized approaches often seen in the market," Kim said. "We can't wait for customers to experience it firsthand." For Kim, making makgeolli and opening the brewery have been a journey of discovery. His parents emigrated to Ecuador when he was an infant, and he had little exposure to Korean culture growing up. It wasn't until he was 27 that he returned to his motherland. "Prior to that, I dabbled in brewing beer and making kimchi as hobbies. However, it was the discovery of craft makgeolli that truly sparked my passion. While working in radio in Seoul for a couple of years, I continued to experiment with makgeolli as a hobby until I ultimately decided to dive headfirst into its world," he said. "Even now, I consider myself an avid learner. The realm of Korean traditional alcohol is endlessly fascinating, and there's always something new to discover." These days, his focus is on crafting nuruk and reviving domesticated rice varieties that were lost during the 1910-45 Japanese occupation. "It's a mission that keeps me enthralled and driven to preserve and innovate within this rich cultural heritage," he said. The makgeolli industry has had its share of ups and downs over the decades. Originally considered a farmers' drink, it has humble but complex origins. Across the country, families each had their own recipes for making traditional Korean alcohol, which were handed down over the centuries from mother-in-law to daughter-in-law. Many of these traditions were forgotten in the 20th century amid the Japanese occupation, the devastating 1950-53 Korean War and resulting decades of food shortages and military dictatorships. After years of being considered a cheap, low-quality alcoholic drink, interest in makgeolli rose in the late 2000s. The industry peaked in 2011 with a spike in demand in Japan, but after that brief spike, the market continued to shrink for years. Even during that time, interest in makgeolli continued to ferment, as the next generation of brewers studied and researched. According to Kim, the industry has found a more stable footing now and has resumed its growth. And he says we have younger generations, people in their 20s and 30s, to thank. "At Korean alcohol expos, it's becoming more common to spot a younger crowd," he said. "With greater exposure to various types of wine, craft beer and spirits from around the world, many young Koreans have begun questioning why our own Korean makgeolli has often been perceived as cheap, overly sweet and lacking in complexity." This new direction has shifted the market, which is now seeing the emergence of premium makgeolli, as well as cheongju and soju. "While Koreans have historically been willing to splurge on wine bottles, the idea of paying more than 10,000 won for makgeolli may have seemed foreign in the past," Kim said. "However, attitudes are shifting, and more Koreans are finding joy and pride in embracing their own traditional alcohol, ushering in a new era of appreciation for the rich heritage and craftsmanship behind these beverages." Named after the white Jindo dog that appears smiling in its brand logo, Baekusaeng embodies this new generation of traditional Korean alcohol, fusing heritage and modernity in the alley of Ahyeon Market. Baekusaeng is open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Visit baekusaeng.com or follow @baekusaeng.mak on Instagram for more information. The News Republicans defended former President Donald Trump on Sunday over remarks he made about encouraging Russia to attack countries that do not meet NATOs defense spending goals, saying they werent concerned and that his words shouldnt be taken literally. I think hes trying to make a point. Im not worried about it at all, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. told reporters at the U.S. Capitol. He said starting a war would be the last thing Russia would do if Trump were president. Speaking on CNN, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who last year sponsored a law that prevented any U.S. president from unilaterally withdrawing from NATO without consent of the Senate, said he had zero concerns about Trumps comments and argued they were being misinterpreted. Donald Trump is not a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Rubio said. He doesnt talk like a traditional politician, and weve already been through this. You would think people wouldve figured it out by now. At a rally in South Carolina on Saturday night, Trump recalled his efforts to pressure NATO countries to increase their defense spending during his first term. One of the presidents of a big country stood up and said, Well sir if we dont pay and were attacked by Russia, will you protect us? I said, You didnt pay, youre delinquent? He said, Yes, lets say that happened, Trump told the crowd. No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. Youve got to pay. Youve got to pay your bills. And the money came flowing in. The White House quickly responded, calling the comments appalling and unhinged and dangerous to U.S. national security. Know More Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C. was more critical of Trump than his colleagues but also suggested the former presidents comments shouldnt be taken literally. Obviously, that is not something I believe that he should have said but also I dont believe its something that he honestly believes, Tillis told reporters. If he understands the Article 5 commitment of NATO, any attack on a NATO ally would have devastating consequences for American men and women who would be deployed to defend them. Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., meanwhile, said he would pay more attention to Trumps actions rather than his words. None of us want to see a war in Europe and I dont think he does either, Rounds told reporters. And very clearly were going to defend our NATO allies and Im quite certain the president does not want to see us in a war with Russia. Step Back NATO guidelines encourage members to spend 2% of their GDP on defense, a mark many countries in the alliance have historically had trouble hitting. Trump regularly called on allies to spend more on defense during his presidency, suggesting inaccurately that they owed the U.S. a tremendous amount of money. Several countries ramped up military expenditures in response. Article 5 of NATOs treaty says that an armed attack on one member is considered an attack on all of them. The View From Europe Some European officials pushed back on the comments without invoking Trump directly. Any attack on NATO will be met with a united and forceful response, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in a statement. Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the U.S., and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk. European Council President Charles Michel posted on X: Reckless statements on #NATOs security and Art 5 solidarity serve only Putins interest. Tomas Pojar, national security adviser of the Czech Republic, told Semafor that he agrees with Trump that NATO members need to meet their 2% spending goal but hoped Trump would assure allies that do meet the target that the U.S. will stand with them. Those who do not want to spend it in fact give a clear signal that they are also not willing to defend themselves if under attack. And if you do not want to defend yourself it is hard to imagine and expect that someone is going to come for a rescue, Pojar said. He also said he had no reason to doubt the U.S. commitment to the alliance. If we have not believed in U.S. commitments to NATO, we would not be spending billions for F35s, helicopters and other U.S.-made weapons systems, Pojar said. Rockbridge County Public Schools join nationwide lawsuit against popular social media platforms ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY, Va. (WFXR) Rockbridge County Public Schools has announced it is joining a nationwide 400 school district coalition in a lawsuit against multiple social media platforms. According to a resolution adopted and approved by the school district in Jan., the litigation is against social media companies Meta (Facebook, Instagram), ByteDance (TikTok), Snapchat, and Google (YouTube). The school district has joined the lawsuit because of the alleged harm these social media platforms do to students mental health. Peer-reviewed scientific literature confirms that the compulsive and excessive use of social media platforms have significantly contributed to a crisis in the mental and physical health of Americas school-aged youth as evidenced by increased anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, eating disorders, harm caused by online bullying, impairment of self-control and regulation, and sleep deprivation, writes the school board in the published resolution. Franklin County Board of Supervisors addresses concerns about potential school shutdowns The school district also describes the effects social media has on education in the classroom, stating The harm caused by these products leads to behavioral problems and disruptions in the school environment, impairs and interferes with instruction and student learning. With the lawsuit, the school board supports holding these social media companies accountable for the harm and distribution caused by their platforms designed to promote compulsive and excessive use by school-aged children. WFXR News reached out to the social media companies involved in the lawsuit. Google provided a statement regarding this lawsuit and coalition: Providing young people with a safer, healthier experience has always been core to our work. In collaboration with youth, mental health and parenting experts, we built services and policies to provide young people with age-appropriate experiences, and parents with robust controls. The allegations in these complaints are simply not true. Jose Castaneda, Google Spokesperson A spokesperson with Snapchat released the following statement: Snapchat was intentionally designed to be different from traditional social media, with a focus on helping Snapchatters communicate with their close friends. Snapchat opens directly to a camera rather than a feed of content that encourages passive scrolling and has no traditional public likes or comments. While we will always have more work to do, we feel good about the role Snapchat plays in helping close friends feel connected, happy and prepared as they face the many challenges of adolescence. WFXR News will update this story as further information is released. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv. During the suicide drones attack in Odesa Oblast on Feb. 10, Romania announced an air alert in border settlements and scrambled F-16 fighters, stated the Romanian Ministry of Defense on Feb. 10. In Kharkiv, the attack caused a large-scale fire that killed seven people. Civilian infrastructure was damaged in Odesa and Izmail. Four people were injured. On Feb. 10, an air raid alert was sounded twice during the night in Odesa region. The Russians launched a total of 31 strike UAVs in Kharkiv and Odesa oblasts. 23 of them were shot down. "These attacks are unjustified and seriously contradict the norms of international humanitarian law," the statement said. Romania condemned the Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure of Ukrainian ports on the Danube. Read also: Russian drone attack on Kharkiv leaves 5 dead including children, levels gas station, destroys homes The Romanian Ministry of Defense said that there was no violation of Romanian airspace, but checks are being conducted in Tulcea County out of caution. During the second alert, two other planes were also on alert, but did not take off. Simultaneously, Turkish F-16s took off from the Fethiye Air Base "to perform reconnaissance missions in national airspace under these circumstances." At 05:00 am, another alert was announced, lasting until 06:20 am local time. By 01:00 am local time, residents of these counties had received alert notifications, which lasted until almost 3 a.m. Read also: Three waves of Russian kamikaze drone attacks on Odesa oblast overnight injure four, damage port and civilian At about 12:30 am local time, the Romanian General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations issued a warning about risks of air strikes in the Tulcea and Galati counties bordering Odesa Oblast. 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 Herald Times Reporter is continuing its tradition of highlighting Manitowoc Countys exceptional high school students in its Stellar Students series. This series features high school students selected and submitted by their schools. Stellar Students this week are Roncalli High School seniors Nathan Caldwell and Ella Mitchell. Here is more about them and what makes them stellar. More Stellar Students: Click here for more Stellar Student profiles Nathan Caldwell aims for a career in criminology Nathan Caldwell Name: Nathan Caldwell Parents: Ardie Kerscher-Caldwell and Willie Caldwell Jr. School: Roncalli High School Grade: Senior GPA: 3.929 What extracurricular activities have you been involved with during high school? The most important extracurricular I have been involved with is service. At Roncalli High School, the students are encouraged to do service through the Lasallian Youth Program. I have been involved with service since I was 8 years old. I think service is an important part of someones life. What is one academic accomplishment about which you feel particularly good? Getting accepted into all the colleges I have applied to, which are Marquette University, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and University of Illinois-Chicago. Which class or extracurricular activity influenced your decision regarding the career you plan to pursue? I would say two of the classes I took in my high school years influenced my decision regarding my career; they are psychology and an online criminology class, Inside the Criminal Mind. I have always been interested in interviewing criminals and learning how people think. What advice do you have for those just starting their high school career? Keep focused on yourself and how you are doing in school and life in general. Keep doing things that will benefit you. Progressing in life is key. No matter how bad it gets, you can always do better. What are your plans after high school? My plans after high school are to go to one of the colleges I have been accepted to. I want to keep connecting with people and build a positive support system. What would you like to be doing 10 years from now? I would like to be doing something in criminology that provides me with a long-lasting career. Teacher recommendation: Nathan is an absolute joy to have in class. His quiet confidence helps me to do my best as a teacher. Nathan never gives anything less than his all, and his level of commitment to learning is both inspiring and uplifting. Michelle Bishop, science teacher Ella Mitchell prefers a career focused on helping others Ella Mitchell Name: Ella Mitchell Parents: Paul and Kathie Mitchell School: Roncalli High School Grade: Senior GPA: 3.857 What extracurricular activities have you been involved with during high school? I have been on the high school swim team for three years, participated on the schools color guard team, am a member of the National Honor Society and volunteer for service events around my community. What is one academic accomplishment about which you feel particularly good? I feel particularly proud of my accomplishment of maintaining high grades while also participating in challenging classes. I am proud of my dedication while being in a college theology class, AP English, maintaining two part-time jobs and participating on the swim team. What class or extracurricular activity influenced your decision regarding the career you plan to pursue? I can see myself becoming a teacher or possibly entering the medical field. I feel like the classes my senior year, especially college theology and psychology, have sparked my interest in teaching and the medical field. What advice do you have for those just starting their high school career? My advice for underclassmen is to try to focus on what you enjoy and are interested in. Push yourself to experience and try new things out of your comfort zone. Dont worry about others, focus on yourself and your goals, and remember to have fun high school really does go by fast. What are your plans after high school? I am interested in pursuing a field either related to teaching or the medical field. I am planning to attend either St. Norbert College or the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. I could see myself learning more about Spanish and education, or possibly the nursing field. I have many interests and enjoy many subjects, but I believe that I find the most enjoyment helping others and would like a career field that allows me to do that. What would you like to be doing 10 years from now? That is a hard question for me to answer, but I hope to truly enjoy whatever I am doing. Whether that is teaching, nursing or something else, I hope to love what I am doing and am excited to see what the future holds. Teacher recommendation: Ella Mitchell is a stellar student because of the way charity and compassion are present in all she does. Gentle but earnest, driven to succeed but unfailingly devoted to her community, Ella is a wonderful example of Christian womanhood in our school. Paul Schweigl, theology teacher This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: Roncalli seniors Nathan Caldwell, Ella Mitchell are Stellar Students Throughout her five years as governor, Janet Mills has preferred caution to boldness. Her approach has yielded results. As she pointed out in last weeks State of the State address, Maine has experienced the highest economic growth in New England since she took office in 2019, and has solid population increases for the first time since the early 1980s. New England has been a slow-growing region for years, but as the lowest income state among the six, Maines recent record is impressive. Mills has been judicious in distributing billions of dollars in federal aid that have flowed since the pandemic, boosting the economy at least short-term. Douglas Rooks There are times when boldness is required, however, and thats where Millss State of the State proposals fall short. What was on everyones mind as she spoke, even more than recovery from devastating storms over the past two months, was Lewiston. Eighteen people were massacred and 13 maimed in the worst mass shooting in the states history. It was something many believed would never happen here. So the question as we ponder the failures of law enforcement and the military to disarm Robert Card despite months of warning signs is how to ensure, as much as we possibly can, that there will never be another horrific day like Oct. 25, 2023. And by that standard, Millss proposals are inadequate. Elizabeth Seal holds a photo from Megan Vozzella's wedding to Steve Vozzella, Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, in Augusta, Maine, during a hearing of the independent commission investigating the law enforcement response to the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. Megan Vozzella, seated at left, spoke about her life since her husband Steve was killed in the mass shooting The problem dates to 2019, when legislators were debating what kind of law was needed to prevent attacks by disturbed people like Robert Card. Nineteen states, including all of New England except Maine and New Hampshire, have red flag laws. These laws rely on family members and mental health professional to sound the first warnings, with an expedited process for removing guns temporarily through an ex parte hearing not a full adversarial proceeding before a judge. Mills, recently attorney general and then the newly elected governor, opposed the red flag bill and instead proposed a unique yellow flag law relying wholly on law enforcement officers. What shes proposing now is an amendment that would allow police to take a potentially dangerous person into custody before a court appearance, which she says would fill the gap that allowed Robert Card to keep his guns. With all due respect, its not enough. If we review the known facts of the case even before an investigating commission completes its work its clear Cards family knew about the dangers long before any calls to Maine police, as did his superiors in the Army Reserve who sent him for two weeks of psychiatric treatment. One of the most heartbreaking revelations was that Cards long-time Army friend tried repeatedly to get police to act but was ignored, seemingly because of his own difficulties with the law and substances. Clearly, we are expecting too much of our police officers and perhaps our military officers too. They are not specifically trained in mental health issues or evaluations, and none of them can possibly know as much as friends and families observing behavior daily. Mental health professionals do have such training, and are a lot more likely to detect warning signs. Red flag laws are especially valuable in preventing suicide attempts, the largest cause of gun deaths. Nor do concerns that red flag laws unduly burden gun owners stand up to scrutiny. Its true that gun removal can be rapid as it already is in domestic violence cases but its temporary. The owner can petition for immediate return by showing he or she is not dangerous. The yellow flag law, by contrast, locks up the person and not the gun. That seems a far more serious intrusion on personal liberty, regardless of gun advocates claims. If Lewiston showed anything at all, it is that in these circumstances Maine is not unique, but all too typical of states with laws that dont adequately protect the public. It now falls to the Legislature to respond, and no one has yet stepped forward. The red flag proposal was a better, more effective bill in 2019, and its essential now. Lawmakers must try to balance the rights of individuals against the whole communitys interests. Here, the right to live safely, free of fear in schoolrooms and state buildings, in bars and bowling allies, must take precedence over gun owners wishes. There are plenty of other relevant issues, highlighted by Congressman Jared Goldens conversion from support of assault weapon ownership to opposition. Thats unlikely to pass this session, given that Mills offered no plan. Before the Legislature leaves town in April, however, there should be a red flag law on the books. Douglas Rooks has been a Maine editor, columnist and reporter since 1984. His new book, Calm Command: U.S. Chief Justice Melville Fuller in His Times, 1888-1910, is available in bookstores and at www.melvillefuller.com. He welcomes comment at drooks@tds.net. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Rooks: Red flag law' not just needed, but essential in Maine The entry of Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.) into Montanas Senate race is threatening the party with a bitter and bruising primary ahead of a general election seen as central to its effort to regain control of the upper chamber in November. Rosendale, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, officially filed to enter the GOP race Friday, jumping in alongside businessman Tim Sheehy, who is seen by many members of party leadership as the stronger candidate. Both men are looking to take on Sen. Jon Tester (Mont.), one of the most vulnerable Democratic incumbents up for reelection this year. In a sign of how concerned Republicans are about Rosendale, the party quickly moved to coalesce around Sheehy on Friday. Former President Trump, who until this point had stayed out of the primary, formally endorsed Sheehy, prodding Rosendale to instead run for his House seat. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R), a potential vice presidential pick, also came out in support of Sheehy, while Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), the head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), blasted Rosendale in a statement. But Rosendale has dug in his heels, saying in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he plans to stay the course. I love President Trump, Rosendale wrote. But he needs actual fighters in the U.S. Senate to enact his Agenda 47 and thats me and not Mitch McConnells hand pick, Tim Sheehy. Im going to win this primary, defeat Jon Tester in November and together we will Make America Great Again! The former presidents endorsement came a day after Speaker Mike Johnson (R) faced blowback from his party after reports that he planned to endorse Rosendale, spurring the Speaker to quickly reverse course. Taken all together, the development suggests Montana is set for one of the most bitter primary battles it has seen in recent years, said Paul Pope, a political science professor at Montana State University. This is a completely fascinating situation where Republicans appear to be giving themselves an uphill battle to maintain their position in the House and take back the Senate, Pope said of Rosendales entry. Theyre actually making it much, much harsher on themselves. Former Navy SEAL Sheehy jumped into the Senate race last summer as the top GOP recruit to take on Tester, a three-term incumbent who is seen as one of the most prominent and vulnerable Democratic moderates up for reelection in 2024. Though he was a political unknown in the state, Sheehy scored the backing of the NRSC, with Daines reaffirming in his Friday statement that Sheehy has his full support. Rosendale, on the other hand, lost to Tester when he ran for Senate in 2018 before going on to win his House seat in 2020, after campaigning as a Trump ally. Rumors of another Rosendale bid have been circulating for months, but top Republicans were looking to avoid a Rosendale-Tester rematch as they ready for what Daines recently called the best map in a decade for the party to win the Senate majority in 2024. The Senate race is one of three listed by the Cook Political Report as a toss-up, along with Arizona and Ohio. Without a doubt, Republicans would much rather not have this primary battle in what was expected to be a close race that could decide control of the U.S. Senate, said GOP strategist Mike Dennehy, adding that Rosendales entry will have a dramatic impact. Im sure Republican leaders are tremendously disappointed and upset, and I see no way around a bitter, bitter primary race, Dennehy said. Rosendales entry is underscoring the opposing factions within the GOP as more traditional conservatives and members of the extreme right find themselves at war with each other, Pope said. The Democrats Senate campaign arm said Friday that the Montana GOP primary is shaping up to be a bloodbath. Its a strong matchup, said Montana State University political scientist Jessi Bennion. Sheehy is the establishment choice, obviously. The NRSC, Daines, they kind of appointed him as their candidate of choice. But then here comes Rosendale, and Rosendale has a ton of support with the Montana Republican base, with the central committees. In Congress, Rosendale voted to overturn the 2020 presidential election results and held out support for Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in all 14 rounds of voting for the Speakership last year. He later became one of eight Republicans who voted to oust McCarthy from the Speakership back in October. Johnsons about-face on an endorsement was the clearest indication of how divisive Rosendale is as a candidate. The only thing worse than not getting the Speakers endorsement is getting it and then having it taken away, said Montana-based Republican strategist Erik Iverson, calling the reported switch up embarrassing. Rosendale responded to the news by saying he and Johnson have always had a great relationship. The Montana Democratic Party said the NRSCs greatest nightmare in Montana came true with Rosendales bid. It totally muddies the water for the NRSC, because now hes going to be a thorn in their side, Bennion said of Rosendale. Iverson, a former chair of the Montana Republican Party, said he doesnt expect Rosendales entry to impact the ultimate November result, though it could still force Sheehy and his supporters to use up money and resources in the primary theyd prefer to save for the general. Does it make things more expensive, and all that? Sure. But sometimes the primary election can be good for energizing your donors and your volunteers, Iverson said. Dennehy, on the other hand, thinks Rosendales entry automatically positions him to take the front-runner slot from Sheehy, given his support within the state. It will set up the kind of classic Trump vs. establishment primary race that we have seen many, many times before, Dennehy said. A spokesperson for Sheehys campaign played up his ties to Trump in response to the Rosendale news. Both successful businessmen and political outsiders, President Trump and Tim Sheehy cannot be bought and are the conservative warriors we need to put the people of Montana first, drain the swamp, and save our country from the mess Joe Biden and Jon Tester created, reads the statement. Trump won Montana by more than 16 points in 2020, and Tester is the last statewide-elected Montana Democrat. Montana is critical in the Senate. I mean, this is a genuine pick-up opportunity for the Republicans, Klink said. A strong Republican turnout in 2024 could do [Tester] in in Montana, and could yield a pickup for Republicans, and likely the Senate majority along with it. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Korea, Saudi Arabia explore potential development of 6th generation fighter By Kim Hyun-bin Korea is on the verge of a substantial advancement in defense procurement with the Middle East following the recent signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Saudi Arabia, aimed at bolstering defense procurement and cooperation between the two nations. Saudi Arabia ranks fifth in global military spending, and it is the second-highest spender on defense as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP). According to Fitch estimates, the ratio of defense spending to GDP is expected to reach 9.8 percent by 2026. As a result, Saudi Arabia's defense market, which aims to be the leader in the Arab world, is becoming increasingly important. In a strategic move to strengthen bilateral ties and explore lucrative defense partnerships, Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik engaged in discussions with his Saudi Arabian counterpart, Khalid bin Salman Al Saud, during their meeting at the World Defense Show (WDS) in Riyadh, Monday. The talks focused on cooperative measures and witnessed the signing of a MOU on long-term defense industry collaboration between Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and the Saudi Ministry of Defense. Shin emphasized the establishment of a foundation for a "future-oriented strategic companion relationship," highlighting the potential for a robust defense cooperation partnership. The Saudi minister echoed the sentiment, expressing the need for enhanced defense and related industrial collaboration between the two countries. Analysis indicates that Saudi Arabia imported 80 percent of its weapons from the United States in 2021. However, due to defense nurturing policies emphasizing partnerships with foreign companies, Saudi Arabia recognizes the importance of collaboration with Korean defense companies, an industry official said. The signing of a medium to long-term defense cooperation MOU between the Korean and Saudi governments is one result of this perception. Recently, the Korean and Saudi governments are securing their position as long-term partners by discussing the joint development of the sixth-generation fighter jet. According to a recently concluded agreement, DAPA and the Saudi Ministry of Defense will establish a joint committee to enhance defense industries and military technology cooperation between the two countries in the medium to long term. Collaboration will persist through the creation of working groups in essential areas, including joint research and development and the production of weapons systems. Earlier, officials from DAPA confirmed a government-to-government meeting with the Saudi Air Force in Riyadh in December of last year regarding the KF-21 Boramae project, Korea's indigenous fighter jet program. "Saudi and UAE officials have shown interest in the KF-21. The procurement agency visited the local area and provided explanations on general matters," a DAPA official said. 6th generation fighter cooperation In defense circles, discussions are underway regarding the possible collaboration for the development of a sixth-generation fighter aircraft by the two nations, leveraging the groundwork laid by the KF-21, a 4.5th-generation fighter. According to the industry, the Korean government is seeking to discuss the joint development of sixth-generation fighter jets with Saudi Arabia. If the joint development is successful, it is expected to take a significant share of the global aerospace export market. The proposal currently under consideration by Saudi Arabia faces significant competition, with multiple contenders in the mix. We also have our proposal. Russia is offering two types of fighter jets. However, due to strained U.S.-Saudi relations, the market traditionally dominated by American-made fighter jets appears to be opening up, said Lee Il-woo, director at Korea Defence Network. Additionally, with the Vision 2030 initiative, both Bin Salman and the Saudi government are displaying a strong commitment to localization. Thus, the critical factor is determining which party can offer superior technology and provide greater cooperation. Saudi Vision 2030 is a governmental program designed to enhance economic, social and cultural diversification, aligning with the vision set forth by Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman. The reason for the discussions is due to the fierce competition in recent global defense markets for the development of supersonic fighter jets. Saudi Arabia has been unable to find a partner for the joint development of sixth-generation fighter jets. Last month, the United Kingdom, Italy and Japan signed the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) treaty to jointly develop sixth-generation fighter jets. The GCAP plans to deploy fighter jets with significantly enhanced supersonic performance and radar detection capabilities by 2035. Saudi Arabia has expressed its desire to participate in the GCAP several times. Saudi Arabia requested to join the GCAP but all three countries the U.K., Italy and Japan have rejected the request, Lee said. In Europe, under the leadership of Germany, France and Spain are already developing the sixth-generation fighter jet Future Combat Air System (FCAS) together. The first test flight is scheduled for 2029. This collaborative effort is not limited to high-level talks; it extends to the exhibition floor, where Korean companies showcased their cutting-edge defense technologies at the WDS. Among the participants were major players such as Hanwha Group's defense subsidiaries, Hyundai Rotem, LIG Nex1 and other prominent defense companies. We maintain ongoing collaborative relationships with Middle Eastern countries in various weapon systems such as ground, firepower and anti-aircraft. In particular, Saudi Arabia plans to produce 50 percent of its military goods locally through Vision 2030, diversifying its supply sources beyond the United States. This situation presents an opportunity for Korean defense companies to expand their exports, a major conglomerate official said. Kia Motors made its mark in the defense sector, unveiling a medium-sized standard vehicle capable of navigating through challenging terrain. LIG Nex1 showcased its advanced weaponry, including the 'Cheongung-II' anti-aircraft system and other key products, while Hyundai Rotem presented a diverse lineup, featuring multi-purpose unmanned vehicles and the export version of the K2 tank. The collaborative efforts between Hyundai Rotem and LIG Nex1, marked by a joint booth at the WDS, underscored the commitment of Korean defense companies to tap into the Middle East market. This initiative aims to leverage the growing demand for K-weapons in the region, with industry experts citing a shift in the treatment of Korean weapons in the Middle East since the successful introduction of the Cheongung-II which came as a jackpot deal two years ago. The domestically produced medium-range surface-to-air missile system Cheongung-II is being exported to Saudi Arabia as well. This marks the second Middle Eastern export of the Cheongung-II following the UAE in 2022. According to the Ministry of National Defense, Tuesday, LIG Nex1 and the Saudi Ministry of Defense signed an export contract for 10 Cheongung-II systems last November. The contract amount is approximately $3.2 billion. The ground forces and air forces, which are the mainstay of the Middle Eastern countries, are paying attention to the effectiveness of the Cheongung-II, a military official said. The WDS provides a platform for Korea to showcase its technological prowess in the defense sector and explore new business opportunities. As Saudi Arabia, armed with substantial financial resources, seeks to secure advanced weapons at the WDS, Korean defense firms view the exhibition as an opportunity to further expand their presence in the Middle East's flourishing defense market. "In the era of what we call war, it becomes an opportunity for defense industries. Secondly, with the recent Israel-Hamas conflict and the overall instability in the Middle East, it's inevitable for Middle Eastern countries to have high interest in defense imports, joint development of weapons, or related matters. Most importantly, Middle Eastern countries mainly uses American-made products, but there's a stark difference in cost-effectiveness between American-made and Korean-made products, so Korean companies' path looks bright, said Kim Yeoul-soo, security strategy office chief at Korea Institute for Military Affairs. With over 900 companies from 45 countries participating in the WDS, the event has grown in scale, positioning itself as a key player in the international defense exhibition circuit. As Korea seeks its next major defense procurement deal in the Middle East, industry insiders remain optimistic about the potential for increased collaboration and contracts in the region. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) on Sunday dismissed former President Trumps remarks on NATO, saying hes confident he knows what Trump will do when it comes to the alliance should he win the White House again. Rubio attempted to defend Trumps comments at a rally on Saturday, where the former president said he warned a foreign leader that if that country didnt contribute enough to the alliance, then Russia can do whatever the hell they want. Trump has long expressed his grievance at countries that do not contribute their fair share to NATO, which Rubio said is a complaint other former presidents had as well. Hes not the first American president in fact, virtually every American president at some point in some way has complained about other countries in NATO not doing enough, Rubio said on CNNs State of the Union. You know, Trumps just the first one to express it in these terms, but I have zero concern because hed been president before, I know exactly what he has done and will do with the NATO alliance, but there has to be an alliance. Its not Americas defense with a bunch of small junior partners, Rubio, who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations and Intelligence committees, said. Rubio also emphasized that Trump did not pull out of NATO, despite the former president repeatedly criticizing it during his time in office. Trumps controversial remarks during the rally in South Carolina on Saturday raised eyebrows for appearing to side with Russia over a NATO ally. One of the presidents of a big country stood up, said, Well, sir, if we dont pay and were attacked by Russia, will you protect us? Trump said at the rally. You didnt pay? Youre delinquent? Trump said at the rally. No I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You gotta pay. You gotta pay your bills. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) isnt worried that Donald Trump publicly brushed off the U.S. commitment to NATO on Saturday night. His reason? Trump is not a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He doesnt talk like a traditional politician, Rubio told CNNs Jake Tapper on State of the Union on Sunday. Weve already been through this. You think people would have figured it out. What hes basically saying is, if you see the comments, he said NATO was broke or busted until he took over because people werent paying their dues and then he told the story about how he used leverage to get people to step up to the plate and become more active in NATO. Hes not the first American president, in fact, virtually every American at some point in some way has complained about other countries and NATO not doing enough. Rubios comments came a day after Trump shared how he once responded to an unnamed world leader he claimed asked if the U.S. would defend the leaders country if Russia attacked it. I said, You didnt pay? Youre delinquent? He said, Yes, lets say that happened, Trump said during a rally on Saturday. No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage [Russia] to do whatever the hell they want. Youve got to pay. The comments drew scorn from Democrats who condemned Trumps willingness to condemn Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which states that NATO members would unite against an aggressor if one attacks a NATO member. Hes more interested in aggrandizing himself and pleasing Putin than protecting our allies, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) wrote on X. It would be enough to make Reagan ill. But Trumps indifference to a Putin attack on a NATO member left Rubio, the vice chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, with zero concern on Sunday. He said he knows what Trump has done and will do to support NATO, despite a 2019 New York Times report that revealed Trump repeatedly considered withdrawing the U.S. from NATO while he was president and had to be talked down by national security officials. Elsewhere in the interview, Rubio admitted he was tired of being asked about Trumps various incendiary statements. One of the things I'm not going to do any longer is respond to every comment Donald Trump makes, Rubio said. Do you still support him? I do, and I support him because Joe Biden is a disaster. 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. Ukraine has accused Russian forces of using Elon Musks Starlink satellite internet service to coordinate attacks against its soldiers. Kyiv released an audio clip in which it said soldiers from Russias 83rd Air Assault Brigade can be heard discussing setting up a Starlink system near the frontline in its eastern Donbas region. Yes, there are cases of Russian occupants using these devices. This is starting to become systemic, said Andriy Yusov, a Ukrainian military spokesman. Ukraines military did not give any more details on how the Russian military may be using Starlink but reports and photos have surfaced in the US and Ukraine in recent months of sightings of Russian forces with Starlink equipment. An unnamed Ukrainian military source told the US website defenseone.com dozens of Starlink units were being used by Russians along the frontline. When they have hundreds, itll be hard for us to live, the source said. Member of the 80th Separate Air Assault Brigade disconnects a Starlink on the frontline region of Kreminna, Ukraine, on Jan 6 - CLODAGH KILCOYNE SpaceX said that it does not conduct business with the Russian government and said Starlink does not work in the country. However, Russia is accused of using Starlink in parts of occupied Ukraine. If SpaceX obtains knowledge that a Starlink terminal is being used by a sanctioned or unauthorised party, we investigate the claim and take actions to deactivate the terminal if confirmed, it said on Thursday. Analysts, though, said that frontline Russian soldiers may be able to hide their exact location from Starlink satellites by sending out false GPS data. Russian internet sellers are also advertising Starlink equipment for sale, in breach of Western sanctions. Starlink, which is owned and run by Mr Musks SpaceX, has been vital for Ukrainian forces communications throughout the two-year war. Shortly after the Kremlins full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Mr Musk said that he would make Starlink free and widely available in Ukraine. Since then Ukrainian forces have become reliant on the system, which uses hundreds of satellites. But relations between Mr Musk and the Ukrainian government are strained. In 2022, Mr Musk ordered Starlink engineers to turn off satellites covering the coast of occupied Crimea because he was concerned that they would be used in an attack by Ukrainian drones against Russian forces. In response, Mr Musk said: There was an emergency request from government authorities to activate Starlink all the way to Sevastopol. The obvious intent being to sink most of the Russian fleet at anchor, he said. If I had agreed to their request, then SpaceX would be explicitly complicit in a major act of war and conflict escalation. 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 woman was killed in the village of Vodiane, Kharkiv Oblast, as a result of Russian strikes on Feb. 10, emergency services reported on Feb. 11. Her body was found buried under rubble. A local man was also injured in the attacks. According to Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov, the woman was 56 years old. Syniehubov said that Russian forces attacked Vodiane, a village south of Kharkiv city, with precision-guided munitions. According to the State Emergency Service, Russia's Feb. 10 strikes destroyed two residences and damaged seven others in Vodiane. A local agricultural enterprise also came under attack. Russian attacks against Kharkiv Oblast have recently become more frequent. Earlier on Feb. 9, a Russian drone attack struck a gas station in Kharkiv, creating a fire that engulfed 15 homes and killed at least seven people, including a family of five that included a husband, a wife, and their three children. Read also: Prosecutor Generals Office: Family of 5 killed in Kharkiv attack, mother was district prosecutor Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Russian attacks across Kherson Oblast injured at least two people on Feb. 11, according to local governor Oleksandr Prokudin. Russian troops hit the village of Monastyrske with two guided aerial bombs, injuring a 43-year-old man who was in the backyard of his home when the attack took place. Another 67-year-old man received shrapnel wounds to the head in the same attack, Prokudin said. Two more guided aerial bombs struck the village of Kachkarivka, Prokudin said, adding that information regarding the damages and casualties is being determined. Apart from that, Russian drones hit the center of Beryslav as well as the nearby village of Zolota Balka, said Prokudin. In a separate report, the Kherson Oblast Military Administration reported that a Russian attack hit a medical facility in the regional capital. "Due to the strike, internal premises and the heating system were damaged. Fortunately, there were no casualties," reads the report. Ukrainian forces liberated Kherson and other regional settlements on the western bank of the Dnipro River in November 2022. Russian troops were pushed to the east bank, from where they have been regularly targeting the liberated area, resulting in multiple civilian casualties. Read also: My hatred only grows: Kyiv residents lament over their homes destroyed by Russian attack Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Animal rights advocates and breeders at odds over stricter regulations on puppy mills By Lee Hyo-jin A proposed bill aimed at cracking down on puppy mills, where dogs are often bred in cramped and unsanitary conditions for sale, has sparked mixed reactions from both animal rights activists and dog breeders. Activists strongly support the bill, which aims to eliminate the third-party dealer chain in Korea's pet industry, believing it could effectively end the unethical practice by breeders who keep animals constantly pregnant in unsanitary conditions. However, dog breeders oppose what they perceive as an excessive ban, arguing that it infringes on their freedom of occupation. Consequently, they are advocating for alternative measures. Commercial pet shops are the most prevalent channels for acquiring companion animals in Korea, where nearly 15 million people have at least one pet, with 11 million owning dogs. Many dogs sold in those shops are sourced from puppy mills. In these facilities, female dogs are often confined in filthy cages, subject to constant pregnancies. And the puppies born there are traded at mass auction houses. Many puppy mills, including legally registered ones, operate in substandard conditions due to legal loopholes and inadequate government monitoring. Puppies just days old are often traded at auctions, despite the Animal Protection Act, which prohibits the sale or adoption of dogs under 60 days old. In September of last year, around 1,400 dogs hoarded in cramped cages were rescued from a legally registered puppy mill in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, according to local animal rights group WEACT. Approximately 100 dog carcasses were discovered in a refrigerator there, while many surviving animals were found to be suffering from poor health conditions. In response to calls from animal rights groups for stricter regulations on puppy mills, Rep. Wi Seong-gon of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) proposed a revision bill to the Animal Protection Act in November of that year aiming to strengthen regulations on pet dealers. Under the proposed law, cats and dogs aged under six months can no longer be sold by a pet shop or commercial dealer unless they have bred them. Animal trade at mass auction houses will be banned, implying that individuals must obtain pets directly from licensed breeders or adopt them from rescue centers. Additionally, if enacted, the law will prohibit breeders from subjecting dogs and cats aged 60 months or older to pregnancy and from breeding more than 100 canines in a single facility. The proposed bill is similar to the "Lucy Law" introduced in the United Kingdom in 2019. The law was named after Lucy, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who was rescued from a puppy farm in 2013, where she endured cruel treatment, serving as a breeding dog throughout her entire life. Korea Animal Rights Advocates (KARA), one of the biggest animal rights group here, urged the swift legislation of the bill. "Despite the shameful reality of approximately 130,000 pets being abandoned every year in Korea, over 200,000 pets are being sold per year, due to the vicious cycle involving puppy mills, auction houses and pet shops. As this mass production and sales system is driven solely by profit, related businesses not only fail to adhere to animal welfare standards but also abuse animals for breeding purposes," it said in a statement released in January. On the other hand, dog breeders and pet shop owners have voiced strong objections, arguing that what they describe as a malicious law will result in the collapse of the whole pet industry. "Auction houses serve as not only a marketplace between breeders and pet shop owners but also as a venue for communication and exchange information about the market," a coalition of the owners of those businesses said in a statement in late January. They also emphasized that the ban on auction houses could lead to the creation of black markets and called for alternative measures such as coming up with guidelines for auction business owners. Over the course of the past day, Russian and Ukrainian forces clashed a total of 98 times, with the Russians undertaking 33 assaults on the Avdiivka front. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook, information as of 06:00 on 11 February Details: Russian forces carried out a total of 3 missile strikes and 64 airstrikes, and deployed multiple-launch rocket systems a further 93 times to attack the positions of Ukrainian troops and civilian settlements. Russian attacks killed and injured civilians in Ukraine and damaged several apartment buildings and private residential houses, as well as other civilian infrastructure facilities. Russian forces carried out airstrikes on Kharkiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts. A total of over 100 civilian cities, towns and villages came under Russian shelling in Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson and Mykolaiv oblasts. Russia continues to maintain its forces near the Ukrainian border on the Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna fronts and is conducting sabotage operations in the area in order to prevent Ukraine from transferring its troops to more active fronts. Russian forces are also building up mines and explosive devices as a protective measure along the Russian-Ukrainian border, in Belgorod Oblast. Within the area of responsibility of the Khortytsia Operational-Strategic Group of Forces on the Kupiansk front, Russian forces did not undertake any assaults. On the Lyman front, Ukrainian forces repelled 6 Russian assaults near Terny and to the southeast of Vyimka and Rozdolivka (Donetsk Oblast). On the Bakhmut front, Ukrainian forces repelled 14 Russian assaults in the vicinity of Bohdanivka, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka and Andriivka (Donetsk Oblast). Within the area of responsibility of the Tavriia Operational-Strategic Group of Forces on the Avdiivka front, Ukrainian forces are continuing to repel Russian attempts to encircle the city of Avdiivka. They are firmly holding the ground, while inflicting significant losses on the Russians. Over the course of the past day, Ukraines defence forces repelled 23 Russian assaults near Novokalynove, Novobakhmutivka and Avdiivka, and another 10 near Sieverne, Tonenke and Nevelske (Donetsk Oblast). On the Marinka front, Ukraines defence forces are continuing to hold the Russians back near Heorhiivka and Novomykhailivka (Donetsk Oblast), where they repelled 35 Russian assaults. On the Shakhtarsk front, Ukrainian forces repelled 2 Russian assaults in the vicinity of Vodiane (Donetsk Oblast). On the Zaporizhzhia front, Ukraines defence forces repelled 2 Russian assaults to the west of Verbove and Robotyne (Zaporizhzhia Oblast). Within the area of responsibility of the Odesa Operational-Strategic Group of Forces on the Kherson front, Ukrainian forces are continuing to maintain their positions and repel Russian assaults. Despite significant losses, Russian forces continue to attempt to push the Ukrainians out of their positions. Over the course of the past day, the Russians carried out 2 unsuccessful assaults on Ukrainian positions. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces are inflicting losses on Russian military personnel and equipment and are wearing Russian forces out along the entire front. Over the course of the day, units of Ukrainian Rocket Forces and Artillery struck 3 clusters of Russian military personnel, weapons and equipment, 1 command post, 2 artillery systems, and a Russian radar. Support UP or become our patron! Much of the city of Pavlohrad, Dnipro Oblast, as well as some settlements in the Pavlohrad and Synelnykove districts, have lost electricity supply, and there are also disruptions in water supply due to the attack by attack drones Source: Head of the Dnipro Oblast Military Administration Serhii Lysak; Mayor of Pavlohrad Anatolii Vershyna; Ukraine's Air Force on Telegram Quote from Lysak: "The Russians attacked Pavlohrad with drones. Fortunately, there were no casualties. However, some settlements in the Pavlohrad and Synelnykove districts are currently without electricity. There are disruptions in water supply. Hospitals have been switched to an alternative power supply. We are doing our best to fix everything as soon as possible." Details: The mayor of Pavlohrad said that most of the city is without electricity due to the Russian attack. There is no heat or water supply there. On Sunday evening, Ukraine's Air Force reported the movement of Russian attack UAVs towards Pavlohrad, as well as a missile in the direction of Pavlohrad. Support UP or become our patron! Russian forces unleashed heavy bombardment of the village of Vodiane in Kharkiv Oblast on the evening of 10 February, killing a woman. Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine on Facebook Details: As of the morning of 11 February, Ukrainian rescue workers had taken out the victim's body from the rubble. Another man received medical treatment. According to reports, the evening bombing destroyed two private residential buildings and damaged at least seven private houses. In addition, a local farm came under fire. Support UP or become our patron! Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) slammed former President Trump over his recent remarks on NATO, saying Russian President Vladimir Putin must be thrilled about the comments. Oh, Putin must be absolutely thrilled. If you look at it from Putins perspective, you know, the war isnt going well in Ukraine for Russia. Russians keep coming back in body bags. NATO is enlarging around him with two new nations joining NATO. NATO is strengthening, Schiff said on MSNBCs Inside with Jen Psaki. And along comes Donald Trump there to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory for Russia and for the United States and our NATO allies, he added. Schiff was responding to remarks made by Trump during a rally in South Carolina on Saturday, where he said he warned a foreign leader that if that country didnt contribute enough to the NATO alliance, then Russia can do whatever the hell they want. One of the presidents of a big country stood up, said, Well, sir, if we dont pay and were attacked by Russia, will you protect us? Trump said at the rally. You didnt pay? Youre delinquent? Trump said. No I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You gotta pay. You gotta pay your bills. Schiff continued to criticize Trump for the remarks and pointed to Republican lawmakers in Congress who have voted against sending additional aid to Ukraine, which is nearing its two-year mark of fighting Russia. It couldnt come at a worse time. Trumps Republican Party is holding up aid for Ukraine. Trump is the gift that wont stop giving to Vladimir Putin, Schiff said. And, you know, he thinks Im sure, Donald Trump thinks this makes him sound strong, but it just makes him look like an incredibly weak leader. Weak in not bolstering our alliances, weak in undermining our security. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A critical system of Atlantic Ocean currents may be approaching collapse, which scientists warn will have a dangerous impact on our global climate. The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC), which effectively transports heat and salt through the global ocean, has recently shown signs of trending toward a crucial tipping point according to a study published Friday in the journal Science Advances. Scientists have been warning of the potential collapse for decades, as the currents strength has been weakened by rising temperatures which affect the systems balance of heat and salt. While the study offers no timetable for when a collapse could occur the AMOC has only been closely observed since 2004 it predicts devastating effects in particular for Europe and the Amazon rainforest. If the AMOC collapses, some regions of Europe could see average temperatures decrease by 30 degrees Celsius over a century, according to the study. While a century seems like a long time, scientists say the possible changes would be significantly felt over the course of just decades. For example, February temperatures in Norway could drop by 3.5 degrees Celsius per decade. No realistic adaptation measures can deal with such rapid temperature changes, the study authors write. Similarly in the Amazon, scientists notice a drastic change in their precipitation patterns from their model, showing the dry season becomes the wet season and vice versa. These changes, the authors argue, could severely disrupt the ecosystem of the Amazon rainforest. In 2021, the AMOC was determined to be at its weakest point in the last 1,000 years, according to a separate study published by Nature Geoscience. If the system were to collapse, it would affect every person on the planet its that big and important, Peter de Menocal, the president of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts, told CNN. Britain's King Charles expressed gratitude to well-wishers Saturday following his cancer diagnosis, his first public comment since Buckingham Palace announced he would postpone some engagements to undergo treatment. "I would like to express my most heartfelt thanks for the many messages of support and good wishes I have received in recent days," Charles said in a statement. The palace announced on Monday that Charles, 75, had been diagnosed with a form of cancer, less than 18 months into his reign. "As all those who have been affected by cancer will know, such kind thoughts are the greatest comfort and encouragement," Charles said. The king said it was heartening to hear how his diagnosis had helped to shine a light on the organizations that support cancer patients in Britain and elsewhere. News of his cancer came after Charles spent three nights in hospital last month where he underwent a corrective procedure for a benign enlarged prostate. Buckingham Palace has not given any details of his condition other than to say it was not prostate cancer, but said the king was remaining "wholly positive" and looking forward to returning to public duty as soon as possible. Charles' wife, Queen Camilla, said on Thursday that Charles was doing "extremely well." With the king undergoing treatment and Prince William's wife Kate recovering from abdominal surgery, the onus is on the remaining royals especially William and Camilla to provide the public face of the monarchy. (Reuters) Since last year, Ireland has refused to issue visas to Russian diplomats, preventing Russia from replacing its embassy staff, The Irish Times reported on Feb. 10. The newspaper also noted that Irish security services have been monitoring Russian embassy staff out of concern that they may be linked to the FSB, Russias intelligence agency. Since the onset of Russias full-scale war with Ukraine in February 2022, the number of accredited diplomats and administrative staff at the embassy has decreased from 30 to 14. Four were expelled in March 2022 on suspicion of espionage, and two military attaches left Ireland. Such officers usually work closely with or report directly to Russian intelligence agencies when they are abroad, The Irish Times said. Read also: Georgian president calls Russias lifting visa ban for Georgian citizens another provocation The newspaper added that Irish intelligence agencies suspect that the big complex on the Orwell Road in Rathgar, south of Dublin, is used as a cover for various espionage activities, including communications interception. Before the war, Russia had one of the largest diplomatic missions in Dublin, despite minimal official contacts with the Irish government and a small diaspora in the country. A representative of the Russian embassy confirmed to The Irish Times the reduction in the number of embassy staff and blamed it on the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and its unacceptable visa and accreditation policy. According to him, since last year, Ireland has stopped issuing new visas to embassy staff who were supposed to arrive and refused to extend accreditation for staff already in the country. As a result, many staff members were forced to stay in the service for a much longer period of time and then leave to Russia because of personal reasons without replacement, the Russian embassy spokesman said. According to him, this allegedly has a very significant and negative impact on the work of the embassy, which includes consular assistance to thousands of Russian citizens in Ireland, as well as Irish citizens. Read also: Ukraines MFA warns Georgia against rapprochement with Russia The Irish Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the reduction in accredited staff but declined to comment on the visa issue. Diplomatic sources confirmed to The Irish Times that the department ceased issuing new visas last year due to strained relations between Ireland and Russia. Currently, there are six Russian diplomats and eight administrative staff in Dublin, including Ambassador Yuri Filatov. In 2020, the Irish government used national security legislation to block a building permit for the embassys expansion, citing fears of increased espionage threats. According to UCD security expert Edward Burke, the downsizing of the embassy reflects a trend observed in other EU capitals. Burke explains that since the outbreak of war, Russian embassies face closer scrutiny, leading them to rely less on traditional espionage activities under diplomatic cover. Read also: Latvia restricts entry for Russians from Sept. 19 They know that embassies are under much more intense surveillance, so they have switched to other methods, the expert explained. He notes that Moscow is increasingly using citizens of other countries for espionage, citing last years arrests in the UK of five Bulgarian citizens accused of spying for Russia. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine Professor Sir Anthony Epstein, who has died aged 102, was a pathologist and virologist who co-discovered a virus which causes a rare form of lymph-node cancer known as Burkitt lymphoma. Epstein met Denis Burkitt at one of his lectures in 1961; interested in Burkitts description of a new cancer he had observed, Epstein agreed to biopsy the cells for him in London. Burkitt was based in Uganda and had observed that this new cancer usually affected the jaw he later discovered that lymph nodes in the jaw area were the cause leading to severe disfigurement and a quick, painful death, particularly in children under 10 years of age. During their collaboration, Burkitt sent cancer cells to Epstein using the overnight BOAC Comet flight from Kampala to Heathrow, and Epstein, along with Yvonne Barr, his assistant at Middlesex Hospital, spent many months studying what they casually referred to as Burkitts lymphoma. Believing that a virus must be causing the cancer, the pair made many failed attempts both to re-create the cancer in the lab in order to find out how it works, and also to identify the virus that they believed was causing it. All experiments failed, however, until one night the flight bearing the cancer cells from Uganda was diverted to Manchester due to fog in London. When the sample arrived at Middlesex Hospital a day later, it was cloudy, indicating bacterial contamination. Looking more closely, Epstein realised that the cloudiness was, in fact, due to the malignant tumour cells separating from the remaining tissue, probably a result of the sample being shaken in transit. It was from these floating, separated cells that Epstein was able to grow a separate culture of cancerous cells that he was able to study more closely. Because the entire culture was malignant, the cells stayed alive indefinitely, and provided him with enough culture to identify, in 1964, a previously unknown virus. On publication of the results in The Lancet, the duly-named Epstein-Barr virus was revealed as the first virus to be identified that could cause cancer in humans. Future work proved that the Epstein-Barr virus known as EBV not only causes Burkitt lymphoma and glandular fever, the kissing disease, but is also responsible for other types of rare cancers, such as cancer in the back of the nose in China and tumours in patients with chronically low immune resistance (for example, in patients who have Aids or other immunosuppressant diseases). He was also a passionate campaigner for the teaching of science in schools - Science Photo Library The virus quickly took over Epsteins working life; not content with merely identifying it, Epstein spent the rest of his career trying to create a vaccination that would protect against it. His work led to the discovery that the virus can be spread by saliva and fluid. Other cancer-causing viruses, including those that can lead to liver and cervical cancers, have since been discovered, and in 2008 the HPV vaccine was introduced for teenagers. Michael Anthony Epstein was born on May 18 1921 in London to Mortimer and Olga Epstein. He attended St Pauls School and then studied medicine at Trinity College, Cambridge, and Middlesex Hospital Medical School. He specialised in pathology and virology, focusing his research interests on how viruses can cause disease. After qualifying as a doctor, he was appointed assistant pathologist at Middlesex Hospital. During his early career as a research assistant, he worked on the so-called Rous Sarcoma virus (found in chickens with an unusual form of cancer); this experience led to the early realisation that viruses could cause cancer in animals. Following his relatively rapid discovery of the Epstein-Barr virus the virus was identified exactly three years and two weeks after Epsteins and Burkitts first meeting Epstein was appointed Reader and honorary consultant virologist at Middlesex Hospital Medical School. In 1968, he was made Professor of Pathology and head of department at the University of Bristol. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1979, was its vice-president from 1986 to 1991, and awarded the Societys Royal Medal in 1992. In 1982 he received the Award for Distinguished Achievement in Cancer Research. He was appointed CBE in 1985 and knighted in 1991. A fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford, from its conception until 2001, he was eventually made an honorary fellow. As well as his achievements in the lab, Epstein felt passionately about the teaching of science in schools; he was an active science education campaigner, and in March 2002 was one of 43 scientists and philosophers to send a signed letter to the then Prime Minister Tony Blair, protesting against the teaching of creationism in schools. In July 2009 he joined a call for vital changes to be made to the science curriculum in schools and was a supporter of the idea to instil a public holiday for Charles Darwins birthday. Anthony Epstein married Lisbeth Knight in 1950, but they separated in 1965. He is survived by their daughter and two sons and by his long-term partner, the virologist Kate Ward. Anthony Epstein, born May 18 1921, died February 6 2024 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 mental ability and age of the United States' presidential candidates took center stage on the campaign trail on Saturday, following a report that suggested President Joe Biden was suffering memory lapses. Former President Donald Trump accused both Biden, the Democrat he will likely face in November's general election, and Nikki Haley, Trump's last remaining rival for the Republican presidential nomination, of lacking the mental capacity to be president. Haley like Trump, campaigning in South Carolina where the two will meet in a primary election on Feb. 24 went after both men, calling Trump mentally deficient and saying Biden is too old to be president. Meanwhile, the Biden White House, responding to the report Thursday from a Department of Justice special counsel that said Biden had a poor memory, continued its full-scale attack on Trump's age and mental acuity after Trump recently mixed up names and made other verbal gaffes. "Every single time Donald Trump opens his mouth, he's confused, deranged, lying, or worse," T.J. Ducklo, a Biden spokesman, said in a statement released by Biden's reelection campaign. The issue of mental competency has become a major topic in this year's presidential campaign. Biden, 81, and Trump, 77, are the two oldest men respectively to have been elected president. In recent days, Biden has mixed up the names of some world leaders. The issue is a vexing one for Biden's reelection campaign. In a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in September, 77 percent of respondents said they agreed with a statement that Biden was too old to work in government, while 56 percent said the same of Trump. Haley, 52, has called for mental competency tests for presidential candidates over 75 years old. The issue was thrust front and center again after Special Counsel Robert Hur, a former U.S. attorney in Maryland during Trump's administration, said in his report that he chose not to bring criminal charges against Biden following a 15-month investigation into his handling of classified documents because the president cooperated. Hur said the Democratic incumbent would be difficult to convict and described him as a "well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory" who was not able to recall to investigators when his son, Beau Biden, died. Biden angrily denied Hur's allegations about his memory, saying in a White House appearance on Thursday night, "my memory's fine." Trump, at a rally in Conway, South Carolina, said Hur's report showed Biden "is not fit to serve as our commander in chief." Trump who faces four state and federal criminal trials, including one for mishandling classified documents is close to clinching the Republican nomination, and the prospect of a likely general election rematch with Biden in November. Haley, who has no clear path to the nomination after Trump's consecutive wins in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada, is refusing to quit the race, making a potential last stand in her home state of South Carolina, where she trails badly in opinion polls behind Trump. Trump on Saturday called his former U.N. ambassador "birdbrain" and "brain-dead," suggesting she did not have the mental capacity to enter the White House. Haley, beginning a two-week bus tour of South Carolina, called Biden "diminished." She also cited a recent Trump speech where he confused her with former Democratic House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "It's bigger than just Joe Biden. Whether it's Donald Trump getting me confused with Nancy Pelosi ... it's time for a new generational leader," Haley told reporters. (Reuters) AUSTIN (Nexstar) Dalia Cusnir and Moshe Lavi havent seen their loved ones in 127 days. Cusnirs brothers-in-law were stripped from their beds in the early morning of Oct. 7, she said, dragged barefoot by Hamas terrorists into Gaza. Lavis brother-in-law was taken as his two-year-old daughter ran after him. A big and long nightmare, Cusnir described it. Hamas October attack, which killed 1,200 Israelis and took 240 people hostage, has shattered her sense of safety and left their family broken. Were struggling with the hope that well see them very, very soon, she said. And the other side is knowing that theyre underneath the the earth in tunnels with no food and with lots of violence. We just dont know whats going on with them. As hundreds of Israelis struggle to hold onto the hope of a homecoming for about 100 remaining hostages, Cusnir and Lavi visited Texas late last month to rally support and meet with state lawmakers. Texas is a friend to Israel. Texas will be here for Israel and anything that we can do to provide for those families, Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson told Nexstar. I cant imagine what theyre going through. So, anything we can provide, even I personally would be happy to provide just emotional support. I have children. I have family, and I cant imagine what theyre going through right now. Numerous state officials have supported Israels war efforts since the attack. Gov. Greg Abbott traveled to Israel and met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in November, and the state has used tax dollars to buy Israeli bonds. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick used campaign contributions to buy $3 million in Israeli bonds. But in Washington, federal lawmakers struggle to strike a deal that would send Israel more aid. Families of the hostages urge them to separate their plight from politics. Our message as families is that they need to put the issue of the hostages above the toxic political discourse, Lavi said. For us, this is a humanitarian issue. Its a multifaith issue because hostages of different faiths, not only Jews, are held hostage by Hamas including Americans. Before visiting Austin, Cusnir spoke to Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, echoing that same message. I dont want the world to forget, Cusnir said. I want the world to understand that today its us, but tomorrow it might be them. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. ATLANTA (WRBL) Human trafficking is a problem across the country and right here in Georgia. WRBLs Chuck Williams recently sat down with First Lady Marty Kemp to talk about human trafficking. I want harsher penalties on the traffickers themselves, but I also want to get help for the victims because they deserve that, Kemp said in the exclusive interview. Marty Kemp has spent more than five years fighting human trafficking in the state. The state is attacking it from the governors office through awareness and legislation. And from the attorney generals office through prosecution. SUNDAY CONVERSATION, PART 1 SUNDAY CONVERSATION, PART 2 She has come at it from the bully pulpit that is the governors office forming the Grace Commission and pushing for new laws to help prosecutors target those trafficking children, many times for sexual purposes. The problem is huge its very big, she said. I think it goes on with all sporting events, all different events going on. And Im excited about the events that are coming to Georgia. But also look at Brian and go, You know, theyre going bring some human are a lot of human trafficking here. The spotlight she and Grace Commission have put on human trafficking is critical to addressing the issue. I think with the awareness and the education that we put out there that makes people know that its going on, they recognize it, she said. They know where to report it. Now, if you take our 30-minute training on the governors website under the Grace Commission, you can learn things to look for and you can be a citizen in Georgia that can save a life. I mean, how great would that be? How would make you feel to save someones life? Attorney General Chris Carr says the attention brought to human trafficking from the top office in the state is helping bring much-needed attention to the matter. I have said so many times when governors and first ladies make issues issues, it matters, Carr said. And to have the First Lady before they even took office and the governor taking about human trafficking, putting together the Grace Commission, which is critically important because its like with so many other things you cant prosecute your way out of a problem. You have got to have restoration opportunities for those who are victims and are survivors. You have to educate the community on what the red flags may be so we can prevent a child from ever being taken advantage of to begin with. You have got to change legislation. And then you have to be able to prosecute the criminal. And shes been at the center of all that. Hannah Palmquist is the prosecutor that leads the unit that worked on 129 rescues last year, began prosecution on 81 cases and secured 29 convictions across Georgia. The numbers may seem small, but the problem isnt. We always say that one child trafficked is one child too many, Palmquist said. Its a difficult problem to quantify because it is so underreported. So, what does a victim of human trafficking look like or act life? Victims of human trafficking may not act like victims. Palmquist told WRBL. They may not be actively trying to escape their trafficker. So we first need to understand were not looking for a child whos calling out for help trying to run away. The signs are going to be more subtle than that. What youre looking for is someone who appears to be under the psychological control of their trafficker. You may have someone whos younger than the person theyre with, but theyre not related to one another. They may be uncomfortable making eye contact with the people around them or answering questions directly. When we first interact with people and we see signs of human trafficking. What we often notice is that when we engage with a potential victim, they often look to their trafficker to ask how to answer questions rather than answering them directly. The First Lady says the human trafficking problem is fueled by the demand. Probably the biggest issue to me is why do we have the demand for it, Kemp said. Thats what keeps me up at night. It really is sad. I think we have to talk about it and we have to educate these young people to let them know they dont need to fall into these situations. If it sounds like a good deal, it is probably too good to be true. So, be careful and talk to your parents. And parents need to talk to their kids. It is hard to have those hard conversations. But we owe it to our children. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRBL. Hamas on Sunday warned that any Israeli offensive in Gaza's far-southern city of Rafah would threaten talks about the release of hostages seized in the October 7 attacks. "Any attack by the occupation army on the city of Rafah would undermine the exchange negotiations," a leader in the Palestinian militant group told AFP as Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to extend operations. The Israeli prime minister earlier this week said he had told troops to prepare to go into the city, as part of its aim to destroy Hamas for mounting the deadly attacks on southern Israel. But he has faced mounting calls not to attack the city on the border with Egypt, which has become the last refuge for Gazans fleeing Israel's relentless bombardment elsewhere in the coastal territory. Foreign governments, including Israel's main allies the United States, and humanitarian organisations in particular have voiced deep concern about the effect of a push on Rafah on displaced civilians. Some 1.4 million people about half of Gaza's total population have crowded into Rafah, with many living outside or in tents and where food, water and medical supplies are increasingly scarce. In an interview to be aired on Sunday, Netanyahu told US broadcaster ABC News that those who urged Israel not to go in to Rafah were effectively giving Hamas licence to remain. Hamas seized some 250 hostages on Oct. 7, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. Israel says 132 are still in Gaza but 29 are thought to be dead. Renewed talks for a pause in the fighting have been held in Cairo, with Hamas open to a ceasefire, including a possible exchange of hostages for women and children held in Israeli prisons. (AFP) At the punctuation points of life birthdays, weddings, christenings and funerals the English mind turns to cake. Alongside its place as the centrepiece of our celebrations, cake has a humbler place in daily life: a small, affordable luxury that invites us to pause for a moment in the afternoon, when energy begins to fade. In March 1842, the actress Fanny Kemble described taking tea and cake with the Duchess of Bedford, who began the practice as an antidote to the sinking feeling that overcame her between luncheon and dinner. Yet our ideas about cake have progressed a long way from the plain madeira or seed cake that might have appeared at the Duchess of Bedfords tea-table. The Great British Bake Off has taught us to expect spectacular things. These days, the expectation of a properly ambitious cake is that it should be a Mannerist artefact that looks as inedible as possible. The past week brought us a pair of outstanding examples. In Walsall, Lara Mason celebrated the Super Bowl by making a life-sized Taylor Swift sculpture in vanilla-flavoured red velvet cake. Meanwhile the artist Damien Hirst (perhaps inspired by the fact that the Latin word for cake is placenta), celebrated the 30th birthday of his pregnant girlfriend, Sophie Cannell, with a cake in the form of a foetus in utero. It is an interesting riff on metaphorical descriptions of babies as delicious enough to eat. But both the Hirst baby and the Swift effigy raise a tricky question: where to cut the first slice? Who would have the temerity to take a nibble of Swifts torso, or perform a cake-knife caesarean on the Hirst infant? It seems more likely that the destiny of these monuments of the patissiers art was always to become social media fodder, rather than teatime nourishment. If so, they take their place in a long history of ornamental food, from elaborate 18th and 19th-century piece montees to Emma Bovarys wedding cake: a provincial extravaganza of Savoy cake topped with a cupid on a chocolate swing. While Hirsts baby cake could go on display alongside his famous bisected cow and calf, Mother and Child (Divided), and Swift might go gently stale (if she didnt become a slightly cannibalistic half-time snack), the charm of less fanciful cakes shouldnt be underestimated. It is not too late to make Geraldene Holts classic January lemon cake: cream 6oz (175g) each of sugar and butter, add three beaten eggs, 6oz (175g) flour and the juice of half a lemon. Bake for half an hour at 180C/350F and ice with lemon butter cream. The joy of small books The recent Telegraph obituary of the publisher John Rotheroe was a timely reminder of the enduring charm of small books. Interested in everything except publicity, Rotheroe published an eclectic series of slim guides to subjects ranging from Thimbles to Betel-chewing Equipment of East New Guinea. The peculiar fascination of small books begins in childhood: Beatrix Potters exquisitely illustrated stories are the perfect size for a childs hand. From there, the junior bibliophile might graduate to J L Carrs Quince Tree Press pocket books of English poets and wood engravers, and the Notting Hill Editions catalogue of handsome hardbacks at miniature prices: small books that contain multitudes. 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. Russia's registration of candidates for the March presidential election has closed, TASS reported on Sunday, with a list including President Vladimir Putin, who is expected to win, and three politicians who all support Moscow's war in Ukraine. The list did not include the Russian anti-war candidate Boris Nadezhdin after the Central Election Commission (CEC) barred him on Thursday from running, saying it had found flaws in the collection of signatures required for the support of his candidacy. The CEC registered Vladislav Davankov, deputy chair of the Russian Duma and a member of the New People caucus; Leonid Slutsky, the leader of the Kremlin-loyal ultra-nationalist Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR); and the Communist Party nominee, Nikolai Kharitonov. Putin, 71, who has chosen to run as an independent rather than as the candidate of the ruling United Russia party and who has been Russia's paramount leader since 2000 and controls all the state's levers, is expected to easily win next month's vote. While nobody has expected the 60-year-old Nadezhdin who has characterised Putin's war in Ukraine as a "fatal mistake" to win, his trenchant criticism has surprised some analysts. The Kremlin has said it does not see him as a serious rival to Putin. Nadezhdin said on Thursday he would challenge the CEC's decision in Russia's Supreme Court. The war, which the Kremlin calls a "special military operation", is nearing the end of its second year. It has killed thousands on both sides, displaced millions of Ukrainians, and turned scores of cities and villages into rubble. (Reuters) AUSTIN (The Texas Tribune) The Republican Party of Texas executive committee voted Saturday to censure House Speaker Dade Phelan and passed a resolution stating that the party will not associate with antisemites a reversal from November, when a similar measure was narrowly and controversially defeated following outcry over a major donor groups ties to white supremacists. The antisemitism resolution, which passed unanimously with two abstentions, came five months after The Texas Tribune reported that Jonathan Stickland, then the leader of Defend Texas Liberty, had hosted infamous white supremacist and Adolf Hitler admirer Nick Fuentes for nearly seven hours in early October. Subsequent reporting by the Tribune uncovered other, close ties between avowed antisemites and Defend Texas Liberty, a major political action committee that two West Texas oil tycoons have used to fund far-right groups and lawmakers in the state. Defend Texas Liberty is also one of the Texas GOPs biggest donors. In response to the Fuentes meeting, Phelan and 60 other House Republicans called on party members to redirect any funds from Defend Texas Liberty to pro-Israel charities demands that were initially rebuffed by some Republicans, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who later announced that he was reinvesting the $3 million he received from Defend Texas Liberty into Israeli bonds. Nearly half of the Texas GOPs executive committee also demanded that the party cut all ties with Stickland, Defend Texas Liberty and its auxiliary organizations until Stickland was removed and a full explanation for the Fuentes meeting was provided. Stickland was quietly removed as the groups president in October, though the group has yet to provide more details on its links to Fuentes or Fuentes associates including the leader of Texans For Strong Borders, an anti-immigration group that continues to push lawmakers to adopt hardline border policies. The tensions came to a head in November, when the Texas GOPs executive committee narrowly defeated a resolution that would have banned the party from associating with antisemites, Holocaust deniers and neo-Nazis language that some members of the executive committee argued was too vague, and could complicate the partys relationship with donors or candidates. The November measure was also opposed by Texas GOP Chair Matt Rinaldi, a longtime ally of Defend Texas Liberty who was seen outside of the one-story, rural Tarrant County office where Fuentes was being hosted, but denied meeting with him. Last month, the Tribune also reported that, at the same time that he was attacking critics of Defend Texas Liberty over the Fuentes meeting, Rinaldi was working as an attorney for Farris Wilks, one the two West Texas oil billionaires who fund Defend Texas Liberty. After the measure was defeated in November, Patrick also put out a lengthy statement in which he condemned the vote and said he expected it to be revisited by the Texas GOPs executive committee at its next meeting. The executive committee did as much on Saturday, passing a resolution that stated that the party opposes anti-Semitism and will always oppose and not associate with individuals or groups which espouse anti-Semitism or support for attacks on Israel. The resolutions language is significantly watered down compared to proposals from late last year, which specifically named Stickland and Defend Texas Liberty or sought to ban those who espouse as well as those who tolerate antisemitism, neo-Nazi beliefs or Holocaust denial. Since then, Defend Texas Libertys funders have spun off a new political action committee, Texans United For a Conservative Majority, that has been active in this years primaries. Separately, the executive committee also voted 55-4 to censure Phelan over, among other things, his role in the impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton, his appointment of Democrats to chair House committees and for allegedly allowing a bill on border security to die in May. Phelan was not at the committee meeting. Phelans spokesperson, Cait Wittman, slammed the censure on Saturday, as well as the executive committees previous failure to ban antisemites from the party as well as its response to last years scandal involving Bryan Slaton, a Republican state representative who was expelled from the Texas House in May after getting a 19-year-old aide drunk and having sex with her. This is the same organization that rolled out the red carpet for a group of Neo-Nazis, refused to disassociate from anti-Semitic groups and balked at formally condemning a known sexual predator before he was ousted from the Texas House, Wittman wrote on X. The SREC has lost its moral authority and is no longer representative of the views of the Party as a whole. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi will start construction on a new $81 million arts and media building in April. The A&M-Corpus Christi facility will house undergraduate and graduate programs within the School of Arts, Media and Communication. The university is planning a two-story, 85,000-square-foot building. "We've had tremendous growth and success in our arts programs," Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi President Kelly Miller said. "That is due to the quality of the faculty and what the students are learning. It is despite the (current) facility." Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi will begin construction in April on a $81 million arts building. The project will include a 325-seat proscenium theater performance space, a 200-seat recital hall, a black box theater and a dance studio, as well as rehearsal halls and theater labs for instruction in costume construction and makeup. The building will also house a display honoring civil rights advocate and Corpus Christi icon Dr. Hector P. Garcia. Inside the recital hall, the university plans to place a new $250,000 Bosendorfer Concert Grand Piano that the music department has received as a gift. The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents approved the project Thursday, also approving new facilities in Galveston, Laredo and San Antonio. The university's music, theater, media and visual arts programs have grown over the past decade. Enrollment in the theater program has doubled over the past 10 years. According to meeting documents, the current Center for the Arts facility is inadequate to meet instruction and performance needs, lacking adequate soundproofing for musical rehearsal spaces, appropriate theater performance venues and adequate ventilation for visual arts programs. "The original Center for the Arts, where we currently have music and theater, has poured concrete columns that actually carry sound," Miller said. "When you have a trumpet ensemble and it really doesn't have to be as loud as trumpets, you could have an ensemble quartet or something playing it makes almost half the building or more unusable because the sound carries." The university's Performing Arts Center was originally intended to be phase one of larger project that never materialized. "This is sort of piggy-backing off of that concept, and since that time we've really grown in the arts quite a bit," Miller said. The university offers three undergraduate music degrees and four theater pathways. Miller said that a new facility is needed to maintain accreditation for the university's music and theater programs. The building will be located on the main campus of A&M-Corpus Christi, in the area of the Seabreeze parking lot. The project site is across from Bay Hall, southeast of the Performing Arts Center and Center for the Arts. The project's expected completion date is March 2026. Over half the project cost, $45 million, was provided by the Texas Legislature through Senate Bill 52 in 2021. The university is providing institutional funds for the project and also seeking donor funds. Miller said that there are opportunities for donor naming throughout the new building. Miller said the new facility will host public performances and enhance the "cultural vibrancy" of the community. The university is home to the Lichtenstein String Quartet and the Harmon A. and Grace W. Dobson Islander Chamber Music Scholarship Program. "We really hope we can engage the community in coming to all the different things we have that are very cheap or free and just high quality and wonderful," Miller said. "We're very excited, but we're most excited that it's going to really enhance the educational opportunities for our students." Del Mar College's national art show returns with Feb. 15 art talk, Feb. 16 reception Civil rights groups allege CCISD discriminates against students with disabilities Here's which Coastal Bend educators are finalists for an H-E-B education award This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi to expand arts facilities Ten Oaks Management accused Boeing of "conning" it into buying a failing supplier, in a counterclaim. The legal dispute has seen both sides accuse the other of fraud. It comes as Boeing faces scrutiny over quality-assurance issues with its 737 Max 9 aircraft. A North Carolina company accused Boeing of "conning" it into buying a failing supplier, in a lawsuit filed last Friday, seen by Business Insider. Ten Oaks Management is a family office with around 50 staff that acts like a private equity fund by investing generational wealth. In March 2022, it bought Astech, which was a key supplier for the Boeing 767 and KC-46 Pegasus a military tanker developed from the airliner. According to a filing in the Delaware Bankruptcy Court, Astech was worth $25 million. Boeing has a market capitalization of $127 billion. Astech filed for bankruptcy in July 2022 and then that September terminated its supplier contract with Boeing sparking a legal contest that has seen both sides accuse each other of fraud. A week after the contract was terminated, Boeing brought its case against Ten Oaks, saying it was tricked into approving its purchase of Astech. It alleged Ten Oaks said it would improve the quality of the aircraft parts, and use an $18 million line of credit to keep Astech afloat. But when it assumed control of Astech, Boeing alleges it was "held hostage" by the family office and subject to a "bait and switch." That's because Ten Oaks gave it an "ultimatum" to pay three-fold more for the parts, or the contract would end, per Boeing's suit. However, Ten Oaks hit back with a counterclaim last Friday, saying it was duped into buying Astech by Boeing. It says Boeing's claim is "exactly backward." "It is only Boeing that benefitted as a result of that purchase," it added. Speaking to BI, a source close to Ten Oaks disputed Boeing's "characterizations of this transaction," calling them "inaccurate" and saying the aviation giant has "failed to present the real story." The complaint says Boeing's contract with Astech was "lopsided" and leading it into bankruptcy because the pricing didn't even cover manufacturing costs. The contract was agreed by Astech's previous owner, GKN, in 2012 and was set to last until 2028 with prices changing over time. By 2022, Astech was losing $120,000 on each exhaust kit it sold to Boeing, the suit adds. "To avoid losing this sweetheart deal, Boeing fraudulently induced Counterclaimants into buying that supplier," the complaint alleges. It also claimed that Boeing "hoodwinked" the family office into "purchasing the assets of the failing Astech Business by concealing from [Ten Oaks] the distressed nature of the Astech Business with Boeing and by promising financial assistance that it had no intention of actually providing." The Boeing KC-46 is a military tanker that can refuel fighter jets in midair. US Air Force Ten Oaks alleges that Boeing said it would give Astech financial support and help it invest in its equipment. It also accuses Boeing of "intentionally" concealing that Astech's previous owner threatened to close the business if Boeing didn't agree to price increases. Boeing was already looking into alternative suppliers in case Astech went bankrupt, the complaint adds. "Boeing was able to keep its preposterously low-price supply chain for many months longer than it would have as a direct result of the acquisition," the suit said. Boeing did not respond to a request for comment from BI. The counterclaim comes at a pivotal moment for Boeing, as it deals with the fall out from January's Alaska Airlines blowout. In its preliminary report released Tuesday, the National Transportation Safety Board said the 737 Max 9 left Boeing's factory without key bolts designed to secure the door plug. Mike Whitaker, administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, said: "The quality-assurance issues we have seen are unacceptable." Another Boeing supplier, Spirit AeroSystems, is also facing scrutiny because it builds the Max 9 fuselage. Ten Oaks' lawsuit alleges Boeing has suffered problems with suppliers due to "a relentless drive to cut costs at the expense of quality and reliability." Read the original article on Business Insider A person who has been strangled by a partner may not be ready to leave their attacker, victim advocates say. They may be worried about being homeless, a lack of money, or additional harm to them, their children or their pets. Studies show that domestic violence victims may suffer abuse up to seven times before they leave this situation, said Teresa Stafford, chief executive officer of the Hope and Healing Survivor Resource Center in Akron. If they decide to go back, we are here for them, Stafford said. Teresa Stafford, CEO of Hope u0026 Healing Survior Resource Center, home of the Battered Woman's Shelter, discusses the new strangulation law and the importance of the law in her office in Akron. Stafford said one in four women has experienced violence at the hands of a partner and 60% of domestic violence victims have been strangled by a partner. She said Hope and Healing, which includes the Battered Womens Shelter and Rape Crisis Center, provided services to 117 people who were victims of strangulation in 2023. Ohio became the last state in the country to make strangulation a felony last January, a step that victim advocates and forensic nurses urged for many years. The law took effect in April. What is strangulation? Stafford described strangulation as when a person uses their hands or an item around the neck to cut off the ability to breathe or put pressure on the throat. Stafford said the law mostly focuses on domestic violence situations, but sexual assault and human trafficking victims also suffer strangulation. What are the signs of strangulation? Stafford said strangulation victims dont always have visible injuries. If they do, she said, these can include petechiae, or broken blood vessels, in the eyes and a raspy voice. She said victims may have issues later, such as vomiting and headaches, and should be on the lookout for breathing problems. Stafford said Lily Holderbaum, a forensic nurse who heads the Providing Access to Health, or PATH, program at Cleveland Clinic Akron General, and her team are doing a great job of identifying strangulation survivors. Holderbaum said strangulation victims can have internal injuries like throat swelling and difficulty swallowing. She said they can have bruising to their ears, cheeks, head, eyelids and inside of the mouth. Holderbaum said victims can have minimal injuries but suffer a small tear to an artery in their neck that can later cause a blood clot and put them at risk of a stroke. Are health care professionals required to report strangulations? Holderbaum said health care professionals are required to report strangulations to police, but it is up to victims whether they want to talk to authorities. She said her staff collects evidence and information about what happened and keeps it on file in case the victim decides to pursue a case immediately or in the future. Holderbaum said her staff tries to make sure victims are safe and know about the resources available to help them. She said strangulation victims often have trouble talking about the abuse theyve suffered, which most often involves someone they know. The worst case Ive seen in my life, she denied it, Holderbaum said. She did not want to be labeled as a victim. What are the long-term risks of strangulation? Strangulation survivors can suffer from mental health issues, like post-traumatic stress disorder, said Rachel Ramirez, the director of health and disability programs for the Ohio Domestic Violence Network. This is traumatic, terrifying, Ramirez said. The memory of that can have a strong impact on their life. She said victims also can have depression and anxiety. Because strangulation involves oxygen being cut off to the brain, Ramirez said victims can have damage to the parts of the brain that control functions like planning, emotions and impulse control. In severe cases, strangulation can cause traumatic brain injuries with long-term effects, she said. How can loved ones help strangulation survivors? Ramirez said loved ones should talk to strangulation victims, express their concern and tell them they care about them. Ramirez said they should explain that this isnt the victim's fault and provide them with information about strangulation and the agencies that can help. She said help shouldnt be given as a condition of the victim taking a specific action. We do know the majority of survivors who are killed by their partners were in the process of leaving, or this happens after they leave the relationship, she said. What resources are available for strangulation and domestic violence victims? Here are several agencies that can help: National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAVE (7233), text Start to 88788 or visit thehotline.org. The website has a list of resources by city and state. Ohio Domestic Violence Network: odvn.org. The website has a map of programs and shelters across Ohio and information on strangulation and brain injuries at odvn.org/brain-injury/. Family and Community Services Inc.: https://fcsserves.org/ Links people to shelter, support, legal advocacy and other supports. 330-673-2500 or 330-296-2100 Portage County Prosecutor's Office Witness/Victim Assistance Division: https://www.portageprosecutor.com/victim.html Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com, 330-996-3705 and on Twitter: @swarsmithabj. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Strangulation and domestic violence: How to know signs, help victims Former President Donald Trump dined with casino executive Miriam Adelson in Las Vegas on Thursday, his latest indication he is moving to consolidate the support of the Republican donor class. Adelson, who according to Forbes is worth an estimated $35 billion, could play a key role in Trumps bid for a second term. Adelson and her husband, the late Las Vegas mogul Sheldon Adelson, were the biggest donors to Trumps 2020 reelection campaign, giving $90 million to a super PAC that was supporting him. The dinner was confirmed by two people familiar with it and granted anonymity to describe a private meeting. An Adelson representative did not respond to a request for comment. Trump has in recent weeks been courting potential mega-donors to his campaign, some of whom did not support him in the Republican primary. He has recently secured the backing of aerospace executive Robert Bigelow, who was the biggest donor to the campaign of Trumps former rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Trump has been working to cultivate Adelsons support for months. He also previously dined with her in October, while he was visiting Las Vegas to attend the Republican Jewish Coalitions annual conference, and he met with her last year at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla. Adelson also met with Trump opponent Nikki Haley during the RJC meeting. Adelson has decided to remain neutral in the primary, though several people familiar with her thinking and granted anonymity to speak freely say they expect her to invest heavily to bolster Trump in the general election. SAPPORO, Feb 12 (News On Japan) - Queen+Adam Lambert held their Hokkaido performance at the Sapporo Dome on Saturday night, with GLAY appearing as special guests. Queen+Adam Lambert and GLAY pose for a commemorative photo. It has been a full 42 years since Queen last performed in Sapporo, back when the late Freddie Mercury was a member during the "Hot Space Tour" in 1982. Before Saturday's show, Roger Taylor (Drums) and Adam Lambert (Vocals) visited the snow sculpture of Queen on display at the Sapporo Snow Festival in Odori Park, heightening the anticipation for the live performance. Roger commented, "I'm currently in Sapporo, in the north of Japan. I'm very happy to be here," while Adam added, "Whoever made this is a beautiful artist. I'm deeply impressed. Hats off to them." Additionally, TAKURO (Guitar) of GLAY also visited the snow sculpture and uploaded a photo in front of it to the band's official Instagram, hinting at the excitement for the upcoming joint concert. The live concert started at 17:30, and as GLAY appeared, the audience rose to their feet. The stage, marking the beginning of a memorable year celebrating their 30th debut anniversary, kicked off with "Glorious." As TERU (Vocals) had declared, "We want to heat up the venue and pass the baton, so we'll challenge with a parade of GLAY's representative songs," the live progressed with a setlist of big hits such as "SOUL LOVE," "Winter, again," and "SURVIVAL," each intro causing the audience to erupt with excitement. Following TERU's words, "Thank you very much, Mr. Brian May and Mr. Roger Taylor. This one's for you," they performed "HOWEVER," enveloping the dome in a warm atmosphere. Towards the end, after delivering the killer tunes "Her 'Modern...'" and "Temptation," GLAY left the stage. Though their time was a mere 45 minutes, they received a huge round of applause for their respectful performance to Queen. With the heat still lingering from GLAY's performance, Queen+Adam Lambert took the stage at 19:15. They unleashed classic songs such as "RADIO GA GA," "Hammer To Fall," "I Was Born To Love You," and the collaboration with David Bowie known as "Under Pressure." In the middle of the performance, Brian May (Guitar) introduced "Te wo Toriatte," a song he wrote in his youth for the audience, which included Japanese lyrics. During this song, images reminiscent of Japanese shrines and temples were projected, and a powerful sing-along by the fans resonated throughout the dome. Queen+Adam Lambert continued with hits including "Don't Stop Me Now," performed at the "74th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen," and the globally beloved "Bohemian Rhapsody." For the encore, they generously performed Queen's anthems "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions," concluding the two-hour live performance. Backstage, the four members of GLAY met Brian May, Roger Taylor, and Adam Lambert for the first time. When Brian May commented, "It was a very clear sound, and a fantastic stage," during the commemorative photo session, TAKURO expressed his surprise, "You watched our stage?" Brian responded affirmatively with "Of course!" leaving the GLAY members stunned. 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) Rahul Gandhis Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra: The Uttar Pradesh leg of Congress leader Rahul Gandhis Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra has been rescheduled and shortened due to the ongoing UP Board exams. UPCC chief Ajay Rai said that the yatra would now enter UP on February 16 instead of February 14, and exit on February 22/23 instead of the earlier plan of February 27/28. The yatra will skip western UP and instead head to Bundelkhand. While a revised plan will be released shortly, it will continue with its primary itinerary from Chandauli to Lucknow. After entering Chandauli, the yatra will head to Varanasi and traverse through Bhadohi, Prayagraj and Pratapgarh before entering Amethi. Rae Bareli and Lucknow are the next stops. As per the plan, the yatra will cover Amethi and Rae Bareli on February 19. However, instead of heading to Sitapur from Lucknow, it will now proceed to Kanpur and then to Jhansi from where it would enter Madhya Pradesh. There may be inclusions between Kanpur and Jhansi. The alterations have been made in the wake of logistical issues. The places where cadres and organisers were supposed to stay are usually private schools or colleges which will now be reserved for the board exams, Rai said. The deletion of western UP from Rahul's itinerary is significant since it comes soon after RLD snapped ties with INDIA bloc. The Congress now has very limited presence in western UP and the party also does not have any leader of substance in the region. "We do not want to send a message that Rahul's presence in a particular area did not help us win seats," said a senior leader Christian Leonard is a data reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle. He joined the Chronicle in 2022 as a Hearst Developer Fellow. He previously worked as a senior staff writer at the Outlook News Group, a collection of community newspapers in Los Angeles County. He is a graduate of Biola University, from which he received a bachelors degree in journalism and integrated media, and interned at NBC Los Angeles. He can be reached at Christian.Leonard@sfchronicle.com. The Bedford County School Board announced during a meeting Thursday night the timeline for hiring its next superintendent. The school division announced in January that Superintendent Marc Bergin will leave at the end of the current school year. Bergin, whose career spans 30 years with experience in teaching and administration, took over as superintendent June 1, 2021. According to a release from the division Friday afternoon, Bedford County looks for a superintendent to provide equal opportunities for all students to think critically, collaborate, create, communicate, and become productive citizens. School Board Chair Marcus Hill said in the divisions news release, this is one of the most important actions that the School Board has responsibility for. The Superintendent sets the stage for the success of our school system. We are looking for someone special to lead one of the best school divisions in Virginia. We look forward to this process and the search for our next Superintendent of Bedford County Public Schools, he added. The division said Friday there will be an opportunity for all stakeholders to share their vision and give input on the next superintendent. The county will hold three town halls, with the first being at Liberty High School at 4:30 p.m., Feb. 29; and constituents will have the opportunity to provide input online by filling out a survey. The town halls in each zone will be held for staff, community groups and parents. The survey, along with additional information about the timeline and the town hall meeting, can be found here: https://bedford.sharpschool.net/cms/One.aspx?portalId=1057261& pageId=49591575. Timeline Feb. 26: March 19: Public Input Survey Town Halls: 4:30 to 8 p.m. Feb. 29 at Liberty High School; March 5 at Jefferson Forest High School; and March 19 at Staunton River High School Week of March 25: School board finalizes leadership profile April 2024: Recruitment and submission of applications for superintendent May 2024: Interview and selection process Late May to early June 2024: Anticipated selection and announcement School year 2024-25: Meet the new Bedford County Public Schools superintendent Area legislators got together Saturday morning for a mid-session update to bring their supporters up to speed on what they are working on in the General Assembly. The gathering came days before the sessions crossover scheduled for Feb. 13, which is the deadline for the state Senate and House of Delegates to complete work on legislation originating in their respective chambers. Some 100 people filed into Charleys Restaurant and Catering in Lynchburg on Saturday morning. The group began with breakfast, before transitioning to hearing from the areas four Republican legislators Del. Wendell Walker, Del. Eric Zehr, Del. Tim Griffin and Sen. Mark Peake. Walker got the conversation started, mentioning that he put forth 24 bills in total including one dealing with the workforce. The workforce is so important to us, working with the community colleges out here, he said. The audience had the opportunity to ask the local politicians questions about bills they had concerns about. A major question concerned school choice and its status. Peake introduced Senate Bill 552, which encourages open enrollment within the states public school divisions. Peake, however, isnt optimistic that school choice will pass during this or future sessions. They [Democrats] have killed anything to give more control over their students education, he said. Contrarily, Griffin is optimistic on the House side. We put forward a bill that got killed, but I can tell you that the committee hearing was amazing, Griffin said. We presented this bill and people from different genders, different ethnicities, different locations came in in support of our bill. If youre a poor person in a city, you want school choice so that your kids have a chance to have an opportunity. So the politicians arent on board yet, but I feel a growing momentum. OSAKA, Feb 11 (News On Japan) - The much anticipated preview of the new "Yakumo" limited express train was held at JR Osaka Station on Saturday, mesmerizing enthusiasts with its futuristic design. On February 10th, rail enthusiasts and curious onlookers were treated to the first public viewing of the 273 series, the first new model for the Yakumo, which connects Okayama with Tottori and Shimane, in approximately 40 years. This event, organized before the train's official launch in April, saw an overwhelming interest, with about 22,600 applications for the 350 available spotsa testament to the public's excitement about the new rail experience. JR West reported that the lucky attendees were delighted with the fresh seats and interior design. "It's so spacious! I love how big the windows are," one visitor remarked, capturing the airy and open feel of the train's design. Another attendee expressed admiration for the comfort levels, saying, "It's just amazing. The ability to stretch out like you're in a sleeper car is pretty rare." Adding to the anticipation, JR West has planned to have a select group experience a test ride in March (note: applications for this event have already closed). Source: MBS NEWS TOKYO, Feb 12 (News On Japan) - The first-ever "Dream Girls Cup," a women's sumo tournament supported by former yokozuna Hakuho's Miyagino stablemaster, was held in Tokyo, stirring excitement with participants from the earthquake-stricken area of Ishikawa Prefecture on the Noto Peninsula. The event, aimed at promoting women's sumo, gathered about 200 participants from elementary to high school students nationwide at a venue in Sumida Ward, Tokyo. Among them was Yuna Fujishima, a ninth-grader from Shika Town in Ishikawa Prefecture, which experienced a seismic intensity of 7 during the Noto Peninsula earthquake. Despite her home suffering from water outages due to the earthquake, Fujishima declared before the match, "Thanks to the support from our community, I was able to continue sumo wrestling. I want to deliver courage and smiles." She lived up to her oath by showing strong sumo, pushing forward and grabbing her opponent's belt, which led her to become the runner-up in the junior school heavyweight division. Miyagino stablemaster, the former yokozuna Hakuho, was involved in the tournament as a supporting cheerleader, closely observing the bouts and applauding the athletes. He expressed his admiration for the event, saying, "The sumo was as powerful as that of the men. I don't think there has ever been a national tournament for women like this. I would like to continue it every year." Source: NHK TOKYO, Feb 12 (News On Japan) - Former Nogizaka46 member Kana Nakada updates her Instagram on the 11th, showcasing off-shots from the 10th issue of "Young Magazine." Nakada posted, "Did you get the 'Weekly Young Magazine No. 10'?" She shared off-shots from the magazine, boldly revealing her beautiful body in red and white swimsuits, playfully writing, "When I saw the second photo, I thought my legs looked like a horse's. Maybe I'm too hooked on horse racing." Fans who saw the post reacted with comments such as "Divine style," "Cute," "Got it!" and "So beautiful." Source: MDPR TOKYO, Feb 12 (News On Japan) - Last month, the Akutagawa Prize was awarded to "Tokyo Compassion Tower," making Kudan Rie a topic of global discussion due to her unique acceptance speech, revealing that about 5% of the novel utilized text generated by AI. "Tokyo Compassion Tower," praised for its near-flawless narrative during the selection process, is set in a fictional Japan planning to construct a high-rise tower for criminals to live comfortably. The story follows the architect Makina as she grapples with society's excessive tolerance while living her life with conviction. The revelation that Kudan used generative AI in her work led to various reactions globally, with international media acknowledging her for admitting to AI's role in her book's creation. The unexpected scale of the response has overwhelmed Kudan, who did not anticipate such widespread attention, especially from foreign media. She expressed her surprise at the international coverage of the Akutagawa Prize and the creation of a Wikipedia page in her name before any translations of her work have been published. Kudan utilized AI in her narrative, depicting characters using generative AI as a dictionary. For example, when a character in "Tokyo Compassion Tower" becomes curious and uses their smartphone to look up the etymology of "sports," the AI responds with its Latin origin, "deportare," meaning "to carry away" or "to transport." In her conversation with the AI, Kudan inquired if it knew about its inability to read, to which the AI, designed for text-based information processing, replied in the negative. This dialogue was directly incorporated into the novel, showcasing Kudan's innovative use of AI-generated text. Kudan's exploration of generative AI in literature was motivated by her desire to provide a more authentic representation of AI's potential and limitations. By contrasting the AI's formulaic responses with the nuanced, sometimes flawed language of human characters, Kudan sought to provoke thought about the essence of language. Her decision to include AI as a theme was inspired by the dissonance she felt when using AI to brainstorm names for a fictional prison in Tokyo, resulting in generic, katakana-heavy suggestions. This experience led her to reflect on the authenticity of AI-generated language and its contrast with the genuine expressions of human emotion and thought. Kudan's novel, "Tokyo Compassion Tower," not only challenges readers to reconsider their relationship with language in the age of AI but also underscores the importance of preserving the depth and complexity of human communication in a rapidly evolving digital world. The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District Board of Directors met on Thursday night for its regularly scheduled committee of the whole meeting. All directors were present, in addition to several NRD staff members and seven members of the public. A recap of the hourlong meeting is below. Trump: One of the presidents of a big country stood up and said, Well, sir, if we don't pay and were attacked by Russia, will you protect us? I said.. No I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. pic.twitter.com/2RPVDFZIXy Acyn (@Acyn) February 10, 2024 Trump has long depicted NATO as a protection racket in which Americas allies pay up or else they get invaded by Russia. His defenders have sought to sane-wash this disturbing idea by treating it as just Trumps way of encouraging NATO allies to spend more on defense see, Trump isnt a Russia simp, they say, but a kind of hawk. During his presidency, many allies did implement an (already planned) increase in military expenditures, and NATO supporters tried to sell this to him as a Trump win forcing the allies to pay their dues. But Trump has refused to take this win, because his goal isnt actually a stronger NATO, but a weaker one. Trump has claimed that Russia never would have invaded Ukraine if he were still president. He has also insisted his presidency would put an end to wars. But its clear a second Trump term would create incentives for Vladimir Putin to undertake even more risky military adventures. The risk of a second Trump presidency bringing a destabilizing war in Europe is now enormous. Whether or not Trump actually would directly urge Russia to attack allied countries he considers to be deadbeats or perhaps whose leaders merely fail to flatter him sufficiently the fact that he has already publicly suggested this is provocation enough. He has now floated the idea that the United States would abandon its NATO allies. That bell cant be unrung. NEW YORK Even as Catholic dogma continues to repudiate same-sex marriage and gender transition, one of the most prominent religious orders in the United States the Jesuits is strengthening a unique outreach program for LGBTQ+ Catholics. The initiative fittingly called Outreach was founded two years ago by the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit who is one of the country's most prominent advocates for greater LGBTQ+ inclusion in the Catholic Church. Outreach, a ministry of the Jesuit magazine America, sponsored conferences in New York City in 2022 and 2023, and last year launched a multifaceted website with news, essays and information about Catholic LGBTQ+ resources and events. On Tuesday, there was another milestone for Outreach the appointment of journalist and author Michael O'Loughlin as its first executive director. O'Loughlin, a former staff writer at online newspaper Crux, has been the national correspondent at America. He is the author of a book recounting the varied ways that Catholics in the U.S. responded to the AIDS crisis of the 1980s and 90s Hidden Mercy: AIDS, Catholics, and the Untold Stories of Compassion in the Face of Fear. O'Loughlin said he's excited by his new job, viewing it as a chance to expand the range of Outreach's programs and the national scope of its community. Its an opportunity to highlight the ways LGBT people can be Catholic and active in parishes, ministries and charities," he said. Theres a lot of fear about to being too public about it. ... I want them to realize theyre not alone. O'Loughlin says his current outlook evolved as he traveled to scores of places around the U.S. to promote his book, talking to groups of LGBTQ+ Catholics, and their families and friends, about how to make the church more welcoming to them. Those conversations made O'Loughlin increasingly comfortable publicly identifying as a gay Catholic after years of wondering whether he should remain in the church. Its doctrine still condemns any sexual relations between gay or lesbian partners as intrinsically disordered." The latest expansion of Outreach occurs amid a time of division within the global Catholic Church as it grapples with LGBTQ+ issues. Pope Francis, a Jesuit who has met with Martin and sent letters of support to Outreach, has made clear he favors a more welcoming approach to LGBTQ+ people. At his direction, the Vatican recently gave priests greater leeway to bless same-sex couples and asserted that transgender people, in some circumstances, can be baptized. However, there has been some resistance to the pope's approach. Many conservative bishops in Africa, Europe and elsewhere said they would not implement the new policy regarding blessings. In the U.S., some bishops have issued directives effectively ordering diocesan personnel not to recognize transgender people's gender identity. Amid those conflicting developments, Martin and other Jesuit leaders are proud of Outreach's accomplishments and optimistic about its future. There seems to be deep hunger for the kind of ministry that were doing, not only among LGBTQ Catholics, but also their families and friends, Martin said by email from Ireland, where he was meeting last week with the the country's Catholic bishops. Pope Francis has been very encouraging, allowing himself to be interviewed by Outreach and sending personal greetings to our conference last year, Martin added. Perhaps the most surprising support has been from several bishops who have written for our website, as well as some top-notch Catholic theologians who see the need for serious theological reflection on LGBTQ topics. Martin will remain engaged in Outreach's oversight, holding the title of founder. The Rev. Brian Paulson, president of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States, evoked both Jesus and the pope when asked why his order had embraced the mission of Outreach. Pope Francis has repeatedly called leaders in the Catholic church to emulate the way Jesus spent his ministry on the peripheries, accompanying those who had experienced exclusion, Paulson said email. I think the work of Outreach is a response to this invitation. Paulson also said he was impressed by Martin's grace and patience in responding to the often harsh criticism directed at him by some conservative Catholics. There was ample evidence of Outreach's stature at its conference last June at a branch of Fordham University in New York City. The event was preceded by a handwritten letter of support sent to Martin by Pope Francis, extending prayers and good wishes to the participants. Its a special grace for LGBTQ Catholics to know that the pope is praying for them, Martin said. Another welcoming letter came from Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York. It is the sacred duty of the Church and Her ministers to reach out to those on the periphery, he wrote to conference attendees. 25 LGBTQ+ people who changed the course of history Julius Caesar Alexander the Great Leonardo da Vinci Isaac Newton Chevalier d'Eon Walt Whitman Oscar Wilde Emily Dickinson Lili Elbe Virginia Woolf Wilfred Owen Josephine Baker Frida Kahlo Alan Turing Billie Holiday Gore Vidal Andy Warhol Harvey Milk Tab Hunter Jackie Shane Divine Freddie Mercury ExxonMobils drilling plans offshore Guyana have angered Venezuela and risk escalating the dispute between the two South American neighbors over Venezuelas claim on a large part of Guyanas oil-rich Essequibo region. The U.S. supermajor said this week it expects to drill two exploration wells north and west of its Stabroek block offshore Guyana, where three already operational Exxon projects are currently producing more than 550,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil and are expected to reach more than 600,000 bpd in output later this year. Exxons pursuit of exploration drilling in the contested region drew harsh reactions from Venezuela, which vowed a forceful response that adheres to the law. The simmering dispute between Guyana and Venezuela escalated at the end of last year, when Nicolas Maduro held a non-binding referendum on whether Venezuela should annex the Essequibo region, off whose coasts Guyanas huge oil discoveries have been made in recent years. Essequibo used to be part of Venezuela during its colonial period, but at the end of the 19th century, an international arbitration gave the land to Guyana, then a British colony. Venezuela has never accepted the arbitration decision, but for most of the time since it was made, it has not acted on its grievance. Related: U.S. Oil Drilling Activity Stalls Analysts see meager chances that the Venezuela-Guyana dispute would escalate further and saw Maduro's referendum and threats to annex a large part of Guyanas territory as a move to rally a nationalist vote amid waning popularity ahead of the presidential election this year. In December, Venezuela and Guyana agreed not to use force or escalate tension in the dispute. At a meeting in Brazil last month, Maduro and Guyanas President Irfaan Ali reiterated their pledges not to resort to force. Brazil, however, reinforced its troops close to its border with Venezuela earlier this month. While tensions continued to simmer, the president of ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge, said this week that the U.S. supermajor is committed to its operations in Guyana despite the dispute with Venezuela. We are not going anywhere, Routledge told reporters, adding that Exxon considers its exploration and production contracts with Guyana valid under local and international laws. Guyanas foreign secretary Robert Persaud told The Associated Press on Wednesday that Exxon had every right to drill for oil and gas in the Essequibo region because it is within established Guyana waters in a fully demarcated area. But the announcement of more oil drilling in the area claimed by Venezuela risks escalating the tensions in the region, analysts say. The truth is that this announcement couldnt come at a worse time, Geoff Ramsey, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, told the Guardian. This is going to be a massive test for regional diplomacy. The U.S. pledged earlier this week urgent military assistance to Guyana to help it defend from threats. ExxonMobil Guyanas Routledge welcomed the enhanced cooperation between Guyana and the U.S. and said that We remain committed to Guyana and pursuing business here and delivering on commitments that we made. Venezuela was not pleased, not at all. ADVERTISEMENT Vice President Delcy Rodriguez slammed Exxons drilling plans offshore Guyana in a post on X, saying that the U.S. supermajor looks to protect its illicit operations, in a sea yet to be demarcated, under the warmongering cloak of the US in complicity with Guyana. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez said If ExxonMobil has a private security company represented by the Southern Command, and a unit of the Government of Guyana in the maritime area, which rightfully belongs to Venezuela, they will receive a proportional, forceful and legal response. ExxonMobil is not only pursuing more oil exploration drilling offshore Guyana, it is also keen to tap the countrys natural gas reserves. Guyanas government and the U.S. supermajor are looking to nail down a timeline to develop some of the gas resources in the eastern part of the Exxon-operated Stabroek Block. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: